It's Christmas Eve...Who's That? Must Be Santa!

It's Christmas Eve and as I was looking out the window, I saw something in the sky flying overhead. It Must Be Santa!

Enjoy this classic from Mitch Miller And The Gang, Must Be Santa.

Merry Christmas
Michael

Michael's Christmas Greeting

As we approach the end of another year, it is a good time for reflection and to say thank you for another great year. I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone at our network, Mediaontap; and to Insinc for providing the broadcast studio facilities. Special thanks to Trevor, John, Grant and Hugh for their technical help and support. 2009 has been another very exciting year for Treasure Island Oldies. We celebrated our 12th Anniversary and also welcomed listeners from all over the world who hear us on their local FM, AM and Online radio stations in Canada, United States, England and Sweden:
	RADIO 88 in Gothenberg, Sweden. Many thanks to Ulf Ligander, the Program Director, and the entire staff. We've been with Radio 88 for over six years now.
	THE LEGEND, Indianapolis, Indiana
	D-MOOS.COM, Halton Hills, Ontario
	KYA 89.5 Ocean Shores and 94.7 Aberdeen, Washington
	FLAMING OLDIES.COM, Worchester, Massachusetts
	CRUISING OLDIES RADIO.COM IN NEW JERSEY
	THE HOUNDOG KXDX 95.7 Mt. Pleasant, Texas
	C-VUE 105.9 FM  Sechelt, British Columbia
	REWIND 45, London, England
	MX RADIO - MUSIC EXPRESS, Atlanta, Georgia
	and our latest station...
	999 THE CROW, McKinney, Texas
I would also like to extend my very special thanks to Eddy Fisher, my partner and webmaster. Without Eddy's untiring work, commitment, enthusiasm, creativity, and incredible support, there'd be no weekly updates to the website; no special decorations for Halloween and Christmas; nor would there be any archived shows, not to mention the work he does every week in preparing the Rock And Roll News Podcasts, of which I am proud to say there are well over 12,000 downloads every month. Thank you so very much, Eddy! A big tip of the hat to the Nuts in the Hut, the Chat Room regulars. I thoroughly enjoy your company every week. I'd also like to recognize our weekly feature contributors to the show:
	Tom Locke, who has researched and written the Moment In Time for over ten years now.
	Rick Canode for Rick's Rare Rock And Roll Relic.
	Fay Greenwood for Hits From Across The Pond and Matt Meaney for the great production of this feature every week.
These features help make the show extra special every week. And last but definitely not least, to you - my listener, my friend. Without you there'd be no Treasure Island Oldies. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me keep you company week after week. I wish you and your family the very best this Holiday Season. Please don't drink and drive! I sure look forward to another year of Treasure Island Oldies with you and to celebrating our 13th Anniversary with you in May, 2010. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy listening to the Archive of our 13th Annual Christmas Special as well as the Six Pack of the Top Specials of 2009. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies

This week on Treasure Island Oldies

December 13th, 2009 to December 19th, 2009

We had a great prelude to our Christmas Special next week on the show this week, with an all-Christmas songs program, with the exception of our regular features. And what a treat it was to dig up some great Lost Christmas treasures by Pat Boone, Diane Ray, The Shells, Perry Como and The Fontaine Sisters, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, Tommy Edwards, Rocky Fellers, and so many others. If you missed hearing the live show, by all means enjoy the Archive. And get ready for next week's 13th Annual Christmas Special. It's my favourite show of the year and one I look forward all year to giving to you as my Christmas gift.

There is still time to record your Christmas Greeting for playback on the Christmas Special next week. Just call the 24/7 Listener Request Line at 206-203-4678 and record your greeting. I look forward to hearing from you.

A big thank you once again goes out to Bruce Toews for inviting us to use his Toews On The Waves radio show Chat Room this week, as the chat server was down due to a power failure. Appreciate it very much, Bruce. Fortunately, the chat server is now back up and running and everything should be fine for next Sunday during the live show. I hope you can join me for what promises to be a very special evening of music, conversation and enjoyment. Just click Chat on the Menu for details on how to log into the chat room.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is keeping up with the Christmas music with a terrific performance of The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. Enjoy!

I have lined up a six pack of special for you to enjoy over the holidays and the full list will be included in next week's update. I've also got the 2010 Specials ready for you to check out and mark your calendar. For the year's specials just click Listen then Schedules. In addition to the specials you always want every year, I have included some new ones for 2010.

If you or someone special to you is having a birthday, let me know. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. It'll be my pleasure to wish you Happy Birthday and play Birthday by The Beatles.

Is your alma mater planning a high school, college or university Reunion? Let me know and I'll be pleased to let the listeners know about it. Today with people scattered all around the globe, it is sometimes difficult to reach them. I'll do my best to help publicize and promote your Reunion. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.
 
I'd like to invite you to add your photo to the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Gallery. Many folks have already submitted their photos but there's still room for yours. Send your picture, name and city to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. I look forward to receiving  it from you.

Have a good week, and happy shopping! See you next Sunday for our 13th Annual Christmas Special.

Bye for now.

Michael

Nat King Cole - Christmas Song of the Week

As we approach our 13th Annual Treasure Island Oldies Christmas Special next week, here is one of the all-time Christmas classic songs. I'm pleased to present Nat King Cole and The Christmas Song. It's our Christmas Song of the Week.

Enjoy!
Michael

'60s Singer Kenny Dino Has Died At Age 70

Kenny Dino, who recorded the 1961 hit "Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night" (#24), died of a heart attack while driving on a Florida highway early Thursday morning (December 10) near his home in Cocoa, Florida. He was 70. Kenny was born in Queens, New York and grew up in Long Island. After a stint in the Navy he settled on a recording career, performing at one point in San Antonio, Texas with Doug "Sir Douglas" Sahm. Initial recordings on the Arrow and Dot labels were unsuccessful, but when Aaron Schroeder at Musicor picked up his recording of "Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night"-- a tune Kenny actually disliked-- he had his one-and-only hit. While Kenny was friends with songwriter Doc Pomus (he had recorded the demo for Doc's Elvis Presley hit, "Good Luck Charm") and wanted his own follow-up to be Doc's "Suspicion," Aaron insisted on "Rosie, Why Do You Wear My Ring." It and all subsequent recordings for Musicor and later Smash and Columbia Records, failed to chart. And "Suspicion" became a hit down the road for Terry Stafford. Despite this, Kenny never gave up performing. In fact, he was returning from two concerts in Melbourne, Florida when he died.

Oldies Biggest Promoter Richard Nader Has Died

by William Grimes
New York Times

December 9, 2009

Richard Nader, whose wildly popular oldies concerts at Madison Square
Garden in the 1970s helped jump-start a revival of classic rock 'n' roll
and open up second careers for many former stars, died Dec. 1 in Stony
Brook, N.Y. He was 69.

The cause was complications from Parkinson's disease, said his ex-wife,
Deborah Nader.

Mr. Nader, a former disc jockey, hit on the idea of packaging concerts
with the oldies acts he loved at a time when the British invasion was in
full swing. After four years of unsuccessful pleading and cajoling with
established promoters, including Dick Clark, he borrowed $35,000 and,
on his own, rented the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden.

On Oct. 18, 1969, he presented his first "Rock and Roll Revival" concert,
with Chuck Berry, the Platters, Bill Haley and the Comets, the Shirelles,
the Coasters, Jimmy Clanton and Sha Na Na.

The early and late shows each attracted a sold-out crowd of 4,500, and
Mr. Nader was off and running. Over the next decade he would present 25
more oldies concerts at the Garden, drawing a total audience of nearly
half a million. At his first concert, the local D.J. Scott Muni introduced
the unknown Mr. Nader to the audience, but before long the Nader name
appeared above the headliners'.

He went on to present oldies concerts all over the United States and
Britain. In the same spirit, he organized touring festivals of Latin music,
with acts like Joe Cuba, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente and Willie Bobo, and
oldies concerts with disco and doo-wop acts.

Richard Abi-Nader was born Oct. 30, 1940, in Masontown, Pa., and grew
up in nearby Uniontown, where his father's variety store had a small record
section that Richard made the most of. In high school, he promoted Friday
dances at which he would supply the records and act as the D.J.

He enrolled in Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University) in West
Virginia but spent more time promoting dances and working as a D.J. than
he did studying. He left after a year and worked as a D.J. in Washington
before being drafted into the Army in 1960. While stationed in Korea,
he broadcast a rock 'n' roll show over Armed Forces Radio.

After leaving the military, he joined the Premier talent agency in New
York, where he arranged bookings for the Who, the Animals, Herman's Hermits
and other groups.

Distraught that the acts of the 1950s and early 1960s were being swept
aside by the Beatles and other British bands, he began scheming to bring
them back. It was not easy. Promoters failed to see the potential in
yesterday's hitmakers.

Once he had borrowed start-up money from a manufacturer of office furniture,
he had to reassemble groups that had dispersed far and wide and coax former
stars out of retirement. "Bo Diddley was working in a restaurant attached
to a garage because his car had broken down and he couldn't afford to get
it repaired," Deborah Nader said. On several occasions Mr. Nader bought
matching shoes and jackets for his acts.

His faith in the power of the old hits to generate enthusiasm was amply
rewarded. He sold out nearly all of the 25 concerts he staged at the Garden,
which had to be moved from the Felt Forum to the Garden's main arena (it
can accommodate up to 20,000 people), and his shows at large arenas on
Long Island and New Jersey became major events. Mr. Nader also produced
a documentary film based on his concerts, "Let the Good Times Roll" (1973).

In 1971 Rick Nelson, appearing with the Stone Canyon Band, was booed off
the stage at one of Mr. Nader's oldies concerts when he performed new material.
He described the experience in his 1972 hit "Garden Party," with the refrain
"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself."

In 1995, a fire destroyed Mr. Nader's house on Long Island and killed his
wife, Barbara. He is survived by four sons, Richard Abi-Nader of Charlotte,
N.C.; Michael, of Manhattan; Matthew, of Huntington, N.Y.; and Andrew,
of Lindenhurst, N.J.; three brothers, Frank Abi-Nader of Fair Oaks, Calif.;
Shebl Abi-Nader of Virginia Beach; and Boutros Abi-Nader of Orangeville,
Calif.; his sisters Jeannette Abi-Nader of Villa Maria, Pa., and Bernadette
Nader Lazo of Westlake Village, Calif; and two grandchildren.

In 1989 he started Richard Nader Entertainment, which promotes concerts,
musical cruises, corporate parties and other events.

Mr. Nader peddled nostalgia and was proud of it. His audiences, he told a
writer for The New York Times in 1973, came to applaud not the Five Satins
and Chuck Berry "but their own memories and associations" in a time of
social upheaval. "They were getting back into the irresponsibility, the
carefreeness, the fun they had before they got married," he said. "They
were crawling into the womb of Madison Square Garden."

Sharing Christmas Memories

Several years ago, I assembled a large number of photos from my childhood and later as an adult. I divided them into three categories: summertime, general events and birthdays and Christmas. I then created a video. This year I decided to add some captions to the Christmas video and am delighted to share some of my best memories with you.

I hope you enjoy watching My Christmas Memories.

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies

This week on Treasure Island Oldies

December 6th, 2009 to December 12th, 2009

The hills are alive with the sounds of the season, as are the valleys, cities and towns and even here on the Island! It was great to play more Christmas songs on the show this week, including some Lost Treasures like Gilbert O'Sullivan's Christmas Song, Winter Wonderland by Motown's famous Funk Brothers, Gayla Peavey's I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, and many others. There are so many Christmas songs that either get heard once or twice during the season or not at all. That's why I've decided that next week's show will be all Christmas songs, with the exception of a couple of our regular features. It'll be a fun prelude to our 13th Annual Christmas Special in two weeks, Sunday, December 20th. And I'd like to have you as part of this most special special. Here's what to do. Call the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Request Line at any time of the day or night at 206-203-4678 and record your Christmas and Holiday greeting. I'll play it back on our Christmas Special. I've already had listeners leave their message, now it's your turn to share your kind thoughts and wishes with the entire listening audience. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Eddy Fisher, our webmaster here on the Island, has been in touch with the North Pole and has added more decorations to the website and it's even started snowing. So no worries that Santa won't be able to land his sleigh on your rooftop, there'll be plenty of snow by then. Thanks Eddy!

We continue with our Christmas music theme again this week at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog with a great song by a young Michael Jackson's Little Christmas Tree. It's our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

We have our last Voice Your Choice for 2009 next week on the show and we feature The Doobie Brothers with Long Train Runnin' and Black Water. Which song would you like to hear? Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and cast your vote. The winning song will be played in Hour 3 of next week's show.

If you or someone special to you is having a birthday, let me know. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. It'll be my pleasure to wish you Happy Birthday and play Birthday by The Beatles.

Is your alma mater planning a high school, college or university Reunion? Let me know and I'll be pleased to let the listeners know about it. Today with people scattered all around the globe, it is sometimes difficult to reach them. I'll do my best to help publicize and promote your Reunion. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.
 
I'd like to invite you to add your photo to the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Gallery. Many folks have already submitted their photos but there's still room for yours. Send your picture, name and city to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. I look forward to receiving  it from you.

Have a good week.

Bye for now.

Michael

The Doobie Brothers - Voice Your Choice

The Doobie Brothers hailed from San Jose, California, and while there were a number of personnel changes over the years, the core consisted of lead singer Tom Johnston, Tiran Porter (bass), Patrick Simmons (vocals and guitar), and John Hartman (drums). Michael McDonald became the lead singer in 1975 and the band took a slightly different musical direction.

They hit the charts an impressive thirty times between 1972 and 1989, and achieved two Gold Records and five Top ten hits.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, as our last Voice Your Choice feature for 2009, we spotlight The Doobie Brothers with Long Train Runnin' and Black Water. Which song would you like to hear? Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Michael Jackson - Little Christmas Tree - Song Of The Week

A young Michael Jackson recorded this song, originally intended to be the follow-up to Ben, but it didn`t happen. It`s been remastered for release this year. Here`s Michael Jackson and Little Christmas Tree, our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!
Michael

Ewlvis Presley's It's Now Or Never Songwriter Aron Schroeder Dead At Age 84

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. - Aaron Schroeder, the songwriter behind the Elvis
Presley hit "It's Now or Never" has died.

Dale Olson, a publicist for Mr. Schroeder, said the 84-year-old died
Tuesday.

Olson said Mr. Schroeder wrote 2,000 songs and several hits for Presley, including "Stuck on You" and "A Big Hunk O' Love." But the biggest song was "It's Now or Never," which was based on the popular
Italian folk song "O Sole Mio."

Mr. Schroeder was also a producer, credited with helping the young careers of Jimi Hendrix and Barry White, and wrote the theme song "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?".

Nato Lima From Los Indios Tabajaras Has Died At Age 91

It's been learned that Natalacio (Muçapere) Lima, one-half of the instrumental duo Los Indios Tabajaras died of stomach cancer November 15 at a nursing center in New York City. He was 91. Along with his younger brother Antenor, they came to New York from Ceará, Brazil in the late 1950s, passing an audition for "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout" television program show, which they won. Eventually signed to RCA Records, their recording of the instrumental "Maria Elena" (a Mexican folk tune previously a hit for Jimmy Dorsey) in 1958 failed to chart and the brothers were forced to return home. However in 1961, a New York disk jockey chose the song as his theme, sparking its re-release two years later, where it got to #6. The two brothers were eventually reached in Brazil and were delighted to return to New York City, where they were now able to afford to take up permanent residence. Though they only charted once more, with "Always In My Heart" (#82-1964), but recorded over 70 albums and appeared on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show" a reported 27 times. Antenor passed away over ten years ago.

Here are the two talented brothers, Los Indio Tabajaras, with their follow-up to Maria Elena, Always In My Heart.

Bob Keane - Del-Fi Records Founder Dead At Age 87

I am saddened to pass on this news that Bob Keane has died. I had a very enjoyable conversation on Treasure Island Oldies on Sunday, December 9, 2007 with Bob, the man behind the discovery and development of such major recording artists as Sam Cooke, Ritchie Valens, Johnny Crawford, Bobby Fuller Four, Barry White, Frank Zappa, and others.

Here is the wire story...

Del-Fi Records founder Bob Keane dies in LA

By JOHN ROGERS (AP)

LOS ANGELES — He was raw, only played a few songs and had just a couple interesting guitar riffs, but Bob Keane would say later there was just something special about the teenager he would rename Ritchie Valens and turn into one of the biggest stars in rock 'n' roll history.
Keane, who died Saturday of kidney failure at age 87, was a hustling independent record producer in 1958 when he caught 17-year-old Richard Valenzuela's act at a small theater in a barrio section on the edge of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.
"I saw him at a little concert in a movie theater," Keane told the Los Angeles Times in 2001. "There he was, a Latino kid doing just a few riffs and a couple of songs. But I was very impressed by his stage demeanor. The girls were going crazy, screaming."
He immediately put Valenzuela under contract, shortened his name, brought him to the same studio where Phil Spector recorded his greatest works and set about helping him write and record Valens' first hit, "Come On, Let's Go."
By the time Valens died eight months later in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, he had two more hits on Keane's Del-Fi label ("Oh Donna" and "La Bamba") and was a teen idol.
Keane, meanwhile, had become one of the hottest record producers in the business.
"A lot of people came through the door after Ritchie Valens," Keane's son, musician Tom Keane, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "He was instrumental in beginning the careers of people like Barry White, Sam Cooke, Frank Zappa ... "
He released Cooke's hit "You Send Me" on his Keen Records label and worked with some of the best-known session musicians of the time, including bassist Carol Kaye and guitarist Glen Campbell.
In the 1960s, he recorded the Bobby Fuller Four, a group fronted by a young man from Texas who was being proclaimed as the next Buddy Holly when he and his band burst on the scene with the hit "I Fought the Law" on Keane's Mustang Records label.
Just a year after the record's 1965 release, however, Fuller died under mysterious circumstances, his body found in his car. Keane, shaken by the tragedy, decided to get out of the business.
After folding his record companies, he promoted the careers of his young sons, Tom and John, who had formed an early bubblegum band, the Keane Brothers, in the mid-1970s. Both remain in the business, Tom as a songwriter and producer, and John as a composer for the television show, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."
Keane was born Robert Kuhn in Manhattan Beach in 1922 and began playing the clarinet at age 5. He would go on to pursue a career as a big band leader before becoming a producer.
He is survived by his sons and two other children, Chanelle Keane and Bob Keane; his wife, Dina; his brother, Walker Kuhn and seven grandchildren.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.