Monday, July 28, 2014

Al Hirt - Voice Your Choice

Al Hirt was born Alois Maxwell Hirt on November 7, 1922 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He died of liver failure on April 27, 1999 at the of 76. Prior to becoming a Grammy Award winning recording artist (for his hit Java), the trumpet virtuoso toured with the likes of Jimmy Dorsey and Tommy Dorsey, Ray McKinley and Horace Heidt. He even formed own Dixieland combo with Pete Fountain in the late 1950s.

Despite the British Music Invasion happening, Al Hirt managed to hit the charts a total of 15 times between 1964  and 1969, including his top five debut.

Next week Treasure Island Oldies has the annual Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special. So it's very fitting to have Al Hirt, a top instrumentalist, featured on Voice Your Choice. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Cotton Candy or Java. I'll play the winner on next week's show in the 3rd hour.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies - Week of July 27th, 2014


July 27th, 2014 to August 2nd, 2014


What a thrill it was to receive a phone call from Dave Boxer! Now if you’re not from Montreal, you may not be familiar with him. Dave Boxer was a top DJ at CFCF Radio 600. He had a tremendous following and was way ahead of his time. He even “connected” people and got them chatting together. And this was in the 1960s. He did it in a novel way. Back then there was no digital switching for phone company telephone lines; it was all mechanical. So if everyone dialed the same number at the very same time, there could be several lines all were switched onto the same phone number together and you’d be connected with each other. So you can imagine how he influenced me to become a DJ myself. And amazingly, my first on air position was at  CFCF myself. I was music director but wanted to get on the air so the Program Director, Jim Kidd, who I heard from this week via email for the first time in decades, put me on the air weekends. Back to Dave… Dave not only recorded a very nice phone message on the Listener Line, he then came into the Chat Room and remained for the remainder of the show, chatting away like an old friend with everyone. I affectionately borrowed Dave Boxer’s saying, Nut in the Hut, as that’s how he referred to himself when he would do his show on remote from some location like a drive-in restaurant,  inside a little hut hoisted up by a crane. Today I refer to the Chat Room Regulars as the Nuts in the Hut. A big thank you to Frank Vandeven, my lifelong friend since I was 19 and former producer/operator for the Dave Boxer Show. He and I were talking and he invited Dave to stop by the show; and he was also in the chat room for the entire show. So without taking up the ENTIRE Internet with my surprise and elation to have Dave Boxer visit the show, suffice it to say I am truly honoured. He was very flattering by saying he is going to tell everyone about the show, they MUST listen. Thank you, Dave, and I very much look forward to getting together with you soon for a great Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich and a Mrs. Whyte’s kosher dill pickle. Mmm Just like home in Montreal back when.

Phew! Next week on the show, Live Sunday, August 3rd, join me for what has become one of the most popular and highlighted shows of the year, the annual Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special. You’ll hear some of the greatest hits to ever grace the airwaves, and they were all instrumental. You’ll probably recognize every song you hear throughout the four hours. It all starts at 6 pm Pacific. Don’t miss this one!

If your birthday is coming up soon, we’d like to help you celebrate in style! Send the details of your birthday to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com and I’ll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and also play Birthday by The Beatles. Now that’s celebrating.

Over at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog, I’d like to pay tribute to my DJ hero, Dave Boxer, with a real hard to find today little gem. It’s the rare instrumental Boxer’s Tomcat by the Big Sixteens spinning on the CFCF Radio 600 label. It’s our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Next week Voice Your Choice presents two instrumental classics from Al Hirt, the big man with the great New Orleans jazz sound. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Cotton Candy or Java. I’ll play the winner on next week’s Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special.

Here’s the Rock and Roll News for the week of July 27th





Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1967


http://www.tioradio.com/multimedia/top_5.ram


Have a great week and I look forward to being with you next week for the annual Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special.

Bye for now.

Michael

Dave Boxer's Big Sixteen - Song of the Week

Dave Boxer, the Montreal DJ at CFCF Radio 600 who was so good and such an influence on me, I ended up wanted to be a DJ like him, and I did.

It was a fantastic surprise and honour to have him visit in the Chat Room during the Treasure Island Oldies Live Show and he also called in to say hi on the Listener Line. What a time!

I thought I'd pay tribute to Dave Boxer by playing Boxer's Tomcat by the Big Sixteens. It's a cool inctrumnental and super rare and it's our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!

Michael



Monday, July 21, 2014

This Week on the Island - Week of July 20th, 2014


July 20th, 2014 to July 26th, 2014

Well the gremlins were at it again unfortunately. The 24/7 Continuous stream was down all day yesterday. In addition, the Live stream went down shortly into the 3rd hour of the live show. The good news is that the first two hours were not lost and the show continued to be recorded and archived. So when the Archives are back up and running, the entire Technicolor Special will be available for your enjoyment. I do apologize for these technical issues. Hopefully, these problems will be resolved in time for next week’s live  show.

Nonetheless, it was a lot of fun playing all those colourful songs on the Technicolor Special and my thanks to you for your Requests, whether via email or the Listener Line. Our next special is one that has become one of the most popular specials and shows of the entire year. Join me for the Live show Sunday, August 3rd for the Annual Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special. Back in the day, one could hear a lot of instrumental songs on the radio. Today there is very little except for the annual tribute to the great instrumentals of all time. And don’t worry about not knowing the words to the songs…there aren’t any! If you have a favourite instrumental you’d like to hear be sure to let me know. Click Requests on any page of the website or Call the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Line at 206-339-0709.

Remember if your birthday is approaching, be sure to let me know and I’ll play Birthday by The Beatles for you and wish you Happy Birthday on the show. Send the details to me at birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com.

Over at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog I am playing the song that started off the Technicolor Special this week. It’s Creedence Clearwater Revival with a live concert performance of Green River. It’s our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Next week Voice Your Choice presents Helen Reddy, one of the top female recording artists of the 1970s. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Angie Baby or Delta Dawn. I’ll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week’s show.

Here’s the Rock and Roll News for the week of July 20th.




Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1963


http://www.tioradio.com/multimedia/top_5.ram


Well that’s about all for this week’s update. Join me next week and I sure hope the gremlins will be long gone by then.

Bye for now.

Michael

Helen Reddy - Voice Your Choice





Helen Reddy was born in Melbourne, Australia and became a huge hit artist in the United States in the 1907 with fifteen singles hitting the charts. She achieved Top Ten status with six singles, four becoming gold records. I Am Woman, Top Ten and Gold in 1972, became her signature hit.

Next week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Helen Reddy. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Angie Baby or Delta Dawn. I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Song of the Week

This week on Treasure Island Oldies it's the annual Technicolor Special and the show started with a classic by CCR.

It's such a great song that I thought I'd feature them here at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog.
Here are Creedencce Clearwater Revival with a live concert performance of Green River. It's our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

http://youtu.be/P4-yugdZUt0

Monday, July 14, 2014

This week on the Island - Week of July 13th, 2014


July 13th, 2014 to July 19th, 2014

Summertime and the living is easy! And the music flows like a cool waterfall. And boy did it flow this week on the show. It was so good to hear some songs I haven’t played on the show in some time including a great song by Canadian artist Barry Allen with Love Drops. It was produced by Norman Petty, the same fellow who produced all those great records by Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline, The String-A-Longs, etc. Memories were also stirred when I played Stay And Love Me All Summer by Brian Hyland, Playground In My Mind by Clint Holmes, The Who’s Pictures Of Lily, the beautiful As Usual by Brenda Lee, and many more. Aaah the memories!

Next week on the show it’s our Technicolor Special, four hours of very colourful songs like Mellow Yellow, Red Rubber Ball, Blue Moon, Black Is Black, Green Tambourine. You get the idea. It all begins next Sunday, July 20th for the Live show at 6 pm Pacific. You don’t want to miss it!

If you have a birthday coming up soon, be sure to pass on the details to me at birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I’ll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and play Birthday by The Beatles for you.

Speaking of Brenda Lee, the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a terrific live performance of Brenda Lee singing All Alone Am I. It’s our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

John, Paul, George and Ringo and in the spotlight next week on Voice Your Choice. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Baby’s In Black or Yellow Submarine. I’ll play the winning Beatles song in the 3rd hour of next week’s show.

Here’s the Rock and Roll News for the week of July 13th.



Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1962.


http://www.tioradio.com/multimedia/top_5.ram


Have a great week and be sure to wear your sunglasses for next week’s Technicolor Special.

Bye for now.

Michael