School Reunion

Last week some regular listeners and friends of Treasure Island Oldies (Rick, Connie, Rich, Sunny, and Laina) attended their school reunion in Ilinois. They held a party in their hotel room with the show cranked up on their sound system, and even came into the chat room during the live show.

I remember calling my high school in Montreal several years ago enquiring about a potential 25th Anniversary Reunion for the Class of '69. Unfortunately, the tone of the reply seemed as though I was from Mars; as when asked where I was calling from and said Vanouver, they were flabberghasted that I would call from thousands of miles away about something was was NOT happening. And sadly, I have never heard of a reunion ever taking place in subsequent years either. Oh well...

Now if your high school, college or university is planning a reunion, I would be very pleased to help promote the event on the show in advance of the date. This would help the organizing committee reach some folks they may be having difficulties getting in touch with.

In fact, the week the reunion will be taking place, I'll even dedicate the weekly Treasure Island Oldies Rock and Roll Reunion segment to your reunion.

Just send the details of your school reunion to me at reunion@treasureislandoldies.com, and thanks to the gang in Illinois for the inspiration.

Oldies List

My good friend Jim Amidei, who for many years was my webmaster, has started a terriffic website that is a good resource for just about anything to do with music. You'll find listings for songs, recording artists, songwriters, radio stations, memorabilia, online radio stations such as Treasure Island Oldies, and more.

Check out Oldies List for yourself. I'm sure you'll be impressed. Here's to ya Moose!

Another Very Cool Site and Blog

As a big fan of the music and recording artists of the '50s, '60s and '70s, I thought I would pass on to you both the website and blog created by a huge music fan, Laura Pinto. She spotlights the lighter side of pop music of the era and features links to websites by great artists such as The Dixie Cups, Andy Kim, Joey Dee & The Starlighters, Robin McNamara, and songwriters such as Jeff Barry and Neil Brian Goldberg.

Check out her Oldies Connection website as well as her Oldies Connection Blog. I'm sure you'll find it very interesting and worth your visit more than once.

And I'd like to thank Laura for the links to both the Treasure Island Oldies Website and Blog.

Another Listener Helped

It was very nice hearing from listener Eldon Hamblin in Phoenix, Arizona who was asking if I could help him find some Top 40 charts from the 1950s. I suggested he check out the website of author, journalist and raconteur James Maguire. His site has lots of interesting charts; in fact, he lists the Top 100 songs from the 1950s all the way to 2005. In addition, he also lists the Top 100 Dance Songs, Top 100 Love Songs, Top 100 One Hit Wonders and the Top 100 Songs (Ever).

I thought I'd pass on his website so that you can have a look for yourself http://www.maguireonline.com/music/

Seals & Crofts

Seals & Crofts are Jim Seals and Dash Crofts, both from Texas. Jim came from a very musical family; he is the brother of "England" Dan Seals and cousin of Troy Seals and Brady Seals (both country singers).

Seals & Crofts were with The Champs from 1958-65. You'll recall the big hit they had with Tequila.

As a duo, they signed with Warner Bros. Records and in 1972 started a run of hit singles and albums that continued until the end of 1978. Out of the twelve charted singles, six hit the Top Twenty, while three reached Top Ten status.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies we feature two of their biggest on Voice Your Choice: Diamond Girl and Summer Breeze. A tough decision, considering how popular both songs were. In fact, there is a new version of Summer Breeze currently in release using the same tracks with only a new rhythm section added to replace the old. And it sounds very good!

So I need your vote to help decide which song will get played on this coming week's show. Come to Treasure Island Oldies and click on the Voice Your Choice button then make your selection. The song with the most votes will get played in the third segment of the show.

Desmond Dekker Dies at 64

I've just found out that Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican reggae pioneer, has died at his home in England of a heart attack. He was 64. He had been a welder by trade and turned singer and songwriter. He leaped to prominence in 1969 with his worldwide hit Israelites. The song's lyrics, "Get up in the morning slavin' for bread, sir, so that every mouth can be fed...", resonated around the world and as a result, the song reached the Top Ten in many countries including the U.K., U.S. and Canada.

Sadly, Desmond Dekker was unable to repeat the huge success he enjoyed with Israelites with any other release. However, he remained a popular performer and held his last concert in England on May 11 at Leeds University.

I wanted to be sure pass on this sad news to you ASAP. I'll play Israelites this week on Treasure Island Oldies.

They're Everywhere..They're Everywhere

Every day I check out my website to see where the visitors and listeners come from. And more and more, I keep getting blown away by the range of cities and countries where Treasure Island Oldies has listeners.

This week, for example, here's a small sampling of the places from which listeners have come to Treasure Island Oldies: Chase, British Columbia; Cleveland, Ohio; Royton, United Kingdom; Seattle, Washington; Toronto, Ontario; Madison, Wisconsin; Kitchener, Ontario; Torreon, Mexico; Canberra, Australia; Surrey, British Columbia; Los Angeles, California; Hong Pui Tsuen, Hong King; Oxford Park, Australia; Fleet, United Kingdom; Canton, Ohio; Chatillon, France; Vancouver, British Columbia; Chicago, Illinois; Halle, Belgium; Herndon, Virginia; Arnold; United Kingdom; Lingolsheim, France; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Cambridge, Ontario; Laranca Beach, Cyprus; and so many many more places.

I'd like to both welcome you and thank you for coming to Treasure Island Oldies and for listening to the show. I'm not sure if you know know just how much it means to me to be able to play great songs for you all over the world!

Thanks again and see you for the live show this coming Sunday, May 28 and on the Archives thereafter.

Bye for now.

Michael

Song Requests and Dedications

I wanted to say thank you to Emmy in Laranca Beach, Cyprus. She is the first listener to send in a song request from Cyprus since we debuted last week on 106.3 Radio NAPA-FM in Cyprus . I'd love to hear from you as well. If there's a song you would like to hear, just go to Treasure Island Oldies and click on the Requests button. Simple, that's all there is to do. It can be one of the big hits or one of the many Lost Treasures.

Emmy requested I play Monsieur Dupont by England's Sandi Shaw and I will be playing it on the next show, which by the way will be live once again this Sunday, May 28 from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific. If you aren't able to listen live, then come to the website and click Listen then Archives.

And if you have a dedication, I'd be pleased to read it on the show as well. As Dean Martin used to say on his weekly TV show, "Keep those cards and letters coming in". Have a good rest of the week.

Michael

Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack was born in Asheville, North Carolina on February 10, 1939 and started playing piano at an early age. She continued to pursue music and when she was only 15 years old, she received a music scholarship to Howard University. It was there she met Donny Hathaway and the beginning of a longtime friendship and musical association. Roberta became a music teacher in North Carolina until she was discovered by the legendary jazz musician, Les McCann. She was signed to Atlantic Records in 1969 and two years later hit the charts with her first single, You've Got A Friend.

Between 1971 and 1991, Roberta Flack scored eighteen singles on the Billboard chart, with a very impressive six Top Ten hits, and with an even more impressive five Gold Records. Two of those Gold records were recorded with Donny Hathaway, Where Is The Love and The Close I Get To You and two more Gold records for her solo work.

This week's Voice Your Choice on Treasure Island Oldies we feature those two Gold solo records for you to make your selection: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song.

The haunting ballad The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face came to prominence in the movie Play Misty For Me starring Clint Eastwood as a disc jockey being stalked by a listener. Now that's a scary concept! I too had a similar experience with a listener in Montreal who managed slip past the securty guard station and got into the radio station in the middle of the night. She showed up at the control room where I was working. I called security and she was quickly escorted out of the building and informed the police would be called on her if she came to the radio station ever again. So I could relate to the movie and the song!

Be sure to come to Treasure Island Oldies and click on the Voice Your Choice button and make your selection. I'll play the winning song in the third segment of this week's show.

Jay And The Americans

Jay And the Americans actually had two "Jays", John "Jay" Traynor (an early member of The Mystics), and Jay Black, who replayed Traynor after the group's first hit She Cried. They hailed from New York City and scored 19 singles on the Billboard charts during an amazing run than spanned 18 years, including 8 Top Twenty Hits and one Gold record.

This week on Voice Your Choice, we feature two of their biggest hits for you to choose from: This Magic Moment and Cara Mia.

If last week was a nail biter for The Chantels with one vote separating the winning song, this week should also be a close race.

Come to Treasure Island Oldies and click on Voice Your Choice. Make your selection and from all votes cast, the winner will be played this week on the show.

Treasure Island Oldies To Air on Radio NAPA FM Cyprus

I am most pleased to announce that Radio NAPA-FM in Cyprus will begin airing Treasure Island Oldies on their radio station beginning this week (May 14, 2006). With 60.1% of all listeners in the south-west tuning in, Radio Napa is one of the fastest growing stations in the European Union. In the past two years it's been the only station in their country to broadcast the World Cup, the Olympics, Live 8, the Euro Championships, Premier League Football and many other top events.

Nathan Morley, General Manager of Radio NAPA-FM commented, "I love the show, it fits in beautifully with what I am trying the create at Radio Napa". Well Nathan, I am very happy to share Treasure Island Oldies with your listeners and look forward to hearing from them with requests, dedications and comments.

Man, what a week!!! Hope you can listen to the 10th Annual Mother's Day Special today live from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific, and later on the Treasure Island Oldies Archives.

British Columbia Association of Broadcasters Honours Michael Godin

The 2006 BCAB Convention, its 59th annual, took place in Victoria, B.C. this past week. At the President's Gala Dinner on Friday evening, May 12, 2006, the Awards of Excellence were presented. Categories ranged from Community Services Radio/Television, Best Creative Radio/Television, to Excellence in News Reporting Radio/Television, plus Broadcast Performer of Tomorrow, Broadcast Performer of the Year Radio/Television, Broadcaster of the Year and Friend of the Industry.

Michael Godin was named Friend of the Industry, recognizing him for his nearly thirteen years as the General Manager of the National Advertising Benevolent Society's NABS West Chapter in Vancouver, and acknowledging his lifelong career in the media and music industries.

A very surprised and flabberghasted Michael commented, "I am honoured and humbled to be considered, let alone recognized, for this prestigious award. We are all very fortunate to be in this industry, and we all give back to it in our own way. I am just very pleased to have been able to help our peers in their time of need throughout my years with NABS."

Michael is the creator and host of Treasure Island Oldies; since 1997, it is one of the longest running radio shows in the world on the Internet.

Complete list of Awards of Excellence winners:

Humanity Award BC Persons With AIDS Society - Vancouver
Community Services/Radio 100.3 The Q - Victoria
Community Services/Television Global Television - Vancouver
Best Creative/Radio CHBE-FM - Victoria
Best Creative/Television Citytv - Vancouver
Station Promotion/Radio Z95.3 - Vancouver
Station Promotion/Television Citytv - Vancouver
Special Programming/Radio 100.3 The Q - Victoria
Special Programming/Television CH Television - Victoria
Excellence In News Reporting/Radio CKNW AM980 - Vancouver
Excellence In News Reporting/Television CHBC Television - Kelowna
Broadcast Performer of the Year Kit Carson The Beat 94.5 FM
Broadcast Performer of the Year/Radio Larry & Willy 96.9 JACK-FM
Broadcast Performer of the Year/Television Hudson Mack A Channel
Friend of the Industry Michael Godin Treasure Island Oldies - Vancouver
Broadcaster of the Year Ed Bain CH Television & 100.3 The Q - Victoria

Mystery Songs Solved

I occasionally receive emails from listeners asking about songs they somewhat remember but without much detail as to artist or accurate title. I am always pleased when I am able to provide the answers to their questions.

Here's some recent queries...

"Well, I wonder if you could help me..........I want a song called "Dear John" but I need to know the singer. I hear her in my mind but can't drag it out. Was it Jeannie Sealy? It was someone from that era." The song you are looking for is called "A Dear John Letter" by Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky, recorded in 1953. Skeeter Davis and Bobby Bare also recorded A Dear John Letter"in 1965. Hope this helps you. You are wonderful! Of course that's Jean Shepard's voice in my head. Both she and Jeannie Sealy have distinctive voices. Thank you so much.

"Who recorded Goodnight Irene? Was it the Weavers? Or am I in left field. Thanks ."
Yes indeed, Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers recorded Goodnight Irene. "Oh, thank you Michael. You are an absolute gem. "

Hi Michael - this one has bothered me for years and years but I can still hear it in my mind. Who sang the hit Heartache(s)? I believe the song you are think about is Heartaches by Somethin' Smith & The Redheads. It was a chorus of singers (kind of like Mitch Miller or Ray Conniff with their singers). Patsy Cline also recorded Heartaches. Somethin' Smith & The Redheads also recorded It's A Sin To Tell A Lie as well as In An Old Shanty Town. Is this the one you are humming to yourself? You are absolutely right - I can hear Patsy singing it in my mind. It wasn't a big hit with her. And I remember the other two songs, so guess I know this Smith guy - I was a Smith before I married many long years ago. One of my sister's married a Jones and my youngest daughter married a Jones. So I will look up Somethin' Smith (strange name). Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Do you have a song you need help in identifying? I will do my best to solve your mystery song questions. Either post your question here at the blog by clickin on the comments link or send an email to me at michael@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll even do my best to play your song on Treasure Island Oldies.

That Philly Sound

As you know, I regularly play many artists from Philadelphia such as The Clovers, Billy Ward & His Dominos, the late great Jackie Wilson, plus Chubby Checker, The Dovells, Len Barry, The Secrets, Lesley Gore, and many more. Many Philly records were released on the famous Cameo Parkway labels, which for many years were not available until the release last year of a box set of the Best of Cameo Parkway, as well as individual greatest hits albums. These releases were among the most welcome reissues in years.

I wanted to let you know I have come across a very interesting, entertaining and informative website that I'd like to pass on to you. That Philly Sound is hosted by producer and songwiter John Madara, whose contribution to Rock & Roll music is fantastic. For example, along with Dave White he co-wrote and produced At The Hop for Danny & The Juniors, as well as The Fly for Chubby Checker, 1-2-3 for Len Barry and You Don't Own Me for Lesley Gore.

John and Dave formed The Spokesmen and released Dawn Of Correction, an answer song to Barry McGuire's Eve Of Destruction. John has continued in the music and movie industry and over the years has been involved with movies, soundtracks and recording sessions.

I wanted to let you know about John Madara's site That Philly Sound, as I am sure you'll find it a very interesting and fascinating look at one of the greatest contributions to Rock & Roll, That Philly Sound. The site is cool and of course, the music is great! Please be sure to sign his guestbook and mention you heard about ir from Treasure Island Oldies.

I hope to have John as a future guest on the show.

Mother's Day on Treasure Island Oldies

I'm pleased to invite you to join us for the 10th Annual Mother's Day Special on Treasure Island Oldies this Sunday, May 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific. Every song throughout the four hours will have 'mother' as its theme. Here's a few examples: Your Mother Should Know, I'll Always Love My Mama, Mother-In-Law, Mama Mia... You get the idea.

If there is a song you would like to hear on this Mother's Day special, leave a comment here at the blog or send your requests to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. And be sure to let me know if you would like a special dedication as well. Happy Mother's Day!

Tha Chantels

The Chantels were an R&B vocal group from The Bronx, New York. Arlene Smith, Sonia Gorin, Rene Minus, Jackie Landry and Lois Harris formed their group while in high school. They chose their name from a rival high school, St. Francis de Chantelle. Their manager, Richard Barrett, who was a singer as well, also discovered Little Anthony & The Imperials, Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers and The Isley Brothers. He signed The Chantels to a record contract with Gone/End Records.

Between 1957 and 1963, they scored 8 singles on the charts, and although none of them reached the Top Ten, a couple of them have become timeless and this week on Voice Your Choice we feature those two classics.

Choose either Maybe or Look In My Eyes by going to Treasure Island Oldies and clicking on the Voice Your Choice button. Select the song you prefer and from all the votes submitted, we'll play the winning song in the third hour of our 10th Annual Mother's Day Special.

Wasn't That A Party!

WOW! Our 9th Anniversary celebration of Treasure Island Oldies turned into quite the party! Thank you for your comments posted here at the blog as well as the emails. The chat room was filled with our regular crowd who were definitely in the mood to have fun. In case you missed the "Number 9" special, you can still hear it via theTrasure Island Oldies Archives. Go to the website and click on the Listen button and the Archives.

The archived show will available for listening for the next three weeks. And thank again; there would be no anniversary without you!

Anniversary Party

Be sure to listen to Treasure Island Oldies live show this coming Sunday, May 7, when we celebrate the 9th Anniversary of the show. It's hard to believe that back in 1997 in a tiny studio not much larger than a closet, Treasure Island Oldies began. It was very much the pre-broadband era; most people had 28.8k dialup modems, and the luxury was a 56k modem. And it was not a rarity to have tons of buffering and frequent connection loss, kind of like if you did not hold the string tight between the two tin cans! We've come along way since then. Today you hear the show in high-end audio quality in stereo via broadband.

Over the years, Treasure Island Oldies has been recognized for its innovation in technology and programming. It was spotlighted in a feature article in Maclean's Magazine, Canada's weekly news magazine. Global Television News At Six did a two minute-plus item in their prime time newscast. In addition, it's been spotlighted on the Voice Of America program, Communications World, and was the number one show on a shortwave radio station in Europe, SWRS. The show has been reviewed by Rober Fontenot of oldies.about.com as "Quite possibly the Internet's finest oldies netcast show..."

So much has happened since the show started back in 1997 and from Day One; we have been proudly associated with the Dowco Entertainment Network, later becoming the MediaOnTap Network, using the studio faciltites of insinc, Interactive Netcasting Systems Inc. in Burnaby, British Columbia. For the past three plus years, Treasure Island Oldies has been involved with more new cutting edge technology, which enables listeners to hear the show on their cell phones. We are pleased to be available across the United States via satellite on the Mobile Broadcast Network, MBN. As well, our good friends at Radio 88 FM in Gothenburg, Sweden, the country's second larget city, carry our show on their station every week. I am honoured to have such great partners to bring Treasure Island Oldies to you.

I would like to thank Hugh Dobbie and John Doyle at insinc; both gentlemen have been tremendously supportive and great to work with all these years. I would be terribly remiss if I did not thank and acknowledge those responsible for the creation, ongoing maintenance and weekly updates to the website. Blast Radius Communications, designed the first official Treasure Island Oldies website. Lee Feldman and his two other partners at the time, were just starting out and worked from a rented house in Vancouver. Their company grew and has become one of the leading web development companies in the world. Jim Amidei, my good friend in Wheaton, Illinois, eventually took over as webmaster, and for several years updated and evolved the site into a new and different version, resulting in great feedback from listeners. His support and friendship is truly a gift. Due to a number of circumstances and health issues, Eddy Fisher took over for Jim last summer and for many months he and I planned and worked on the development of a completely new website to include a whole new look. I am thrilled with the outcome and the feedback has been wonderful. I am also grateful to the artist, Ali Knight, for permission to use her artwork, You And Me And The Big Palm Tree, as the signature graphic on the new site.

Since the launch of the new site in March, this Treasure Island Oldies Blog as well as Podcasts of the weekly feature Rock & Roll News have been created. Yesterday was the single larget day of traffic, downloads and subscriptions for the podcasts! Thank you.

And I am most grateful to you for listening to the show week after week. And in recent months, the number of listeners has dramatically increased. From all the email I receive from all over the world, it seems that it only takes listening to the show once to get hooked.

So join me this Sunday, May 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific for a great party on Treasure Island Oldies as we celebrate our 9th Anniversary and the start of our tenth year of bringing you the world's best oldies and lots of Lost Treasures.

I would be pleased to read your email greetings on the show; just send them to michael@treasureislandoldies.com and also be sure to send your requests. I will do my best to play them on our Anniversary Special. You may also leave greeting comments and requests here at the blog and I will read them on the show.

See you Sunday. Bye for now.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock And Roll, is the artist this week on Voice Your Choice on Treasure Island Oldies. What an unbvelievable career he had and continues to have 29 years after his death. Get this: he charted an amazing 153 records on the Billboard chart, scored 19 #1 songs remaining at the top of the chart for total of 93 weeks, and achieved 24 Gold and 28 Platinum records! I could go on and on with more stats and interesting facts about his life and career. Suffice it to say, Elvis Presley has been well named the King of Rock And Roll.

This week, as we celebrate the beginning of our 10th year of Treasure Island Oldies, we feature two songs by Elvis for your selection: Return To Sender or Good Luck Charm.

Which song would you prefer I play? Have you say by going to Treasure Island Oldies. Click on the Voice Your Choice button and then select your preferred song. The song with the most votes will be played in the 3rd hour of the show this Sunday, May 7th.