R&B Singer Fontella Bass Has Died

Fontella Bass, whose voice soared in the 1965 hit "Rescue Me," died Wednesday at 72, her family said in a statement.

"She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren when she was called home," the family said, thanking the singer's famiy, friends and fans for their support.

St. Louis TV station KSDK reports that Bass died of a heart attack.

Bass came from a musical family. Her mother was gospel great Martha Bass, and her brother was R&B and gospel singer David Peaston, who died in February.

"Rescue Me" topped the R&B charts for a month in 1965, reached No.4 on the pop charts, and sold over a million copies. Yet Bass' name was never as famous as that of the tune, as many assumed the song was sung by Aretha Franklin instead. The very first line in Bass' entry in the online AllMusic encyclopedia reads, "The 1965 classic "Rescue Me" is widely regarded as the greatest record Aretha Franklin never made."

Her other hits included "Don't Mess With a Good Thing" and "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)," both with Bobby McClure.
Wrote one fan on the YouTube video for "Rescue Me": "Fontella Bass was one of the greatest soul / rhythm & blues vocalists of the 60's & 70's. Her voice to this day all these decades later still chills my skin each time I hear her singing. She was one of my generation's most recognized yet often mistaken singers. Rest well, goddess of soul & blues, you'll be deeply missed & remembered always darling."

In 1993, she won a lawsuit against American Express for their use of "Rescue Me" in a 1990 commercial.
She is survived by four children.

Iron Butterfly's Lee Dorman Has Died

Lee Dorman, bassist for Iron Butterfly, died on Friday at the age of 70, the Associated Press reports. According to a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, Dorman was found dead in a vehicle on Friday morning and may have been on his way to a doctor's appointment.

Dorman was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1942. He joined the Southern California-based Iron Butterfly for its second and best-known album, In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida, which was released in 1968. The 17-minute title track helped the album sell more than 30 million copies, and a three-minute version of the song became a Top 40 hit.

During Iron Butterfly's temporary break-up in the 1970s, Dorman and guitarist Larry Reinhardt formed the metal-jazz fusion band Captain Beyond, with Rod Evans from Deep Purple. The group released three albums and had a radio hit with the 1973 song "Sufficiently Breathless."

16th Annual Christmas Special Today On Treasure Island Oldies

I invite you to listen to the 16th Annual Christmas Special later today at 6 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Central and 9 p.m. Eastern time. If you aren't able to hear the Live show, the Archive show will be available at the Treasure Island Oldies Listen Page.

See you later for my absolute favourite show of the year!

Michael

Jimmy "The Walk" McCracklin Has Died

Jimmy McCracklin, best known for his 1958 hit, "The Walk" (#7 pop, #5 R&B), died Thursday (December 20, 2012) at a health facility in San Pablo, California after battling illnesses like diabetes and hypertension for years. Though he often disputed it, he was 91. 

Born in Helena, Arkansas as James Walker, he grew up in St. Louis. Serving in the Navy during World War II, he then returned home to box professionally while singing and playing blues harmonica on the side. Moving to Oakland in 1947, he worked at his sister-in-law's bar there, forming a band called the Blues Blasters in 1949. Recording for over a decade with little success for labels like Globe and Modern, he and his band (billed simply as "his band") recorded "The Walk" for Checker Records while working in Chicago (with distinctive guitar riffs from Lafayette "Thing" Thomas). 

Despite some success on the R&B charts, it was four more years before he reached the pop charts again, with "Just Got To Know" for his own Art-tone Records(#64 pop, #2 R&B in 1962). Joining the Imperial label, he reached the bottom ten of the pop charts three times in 1965 at which time his legacy was already established as a blues great. Perhaps his biggest hit was a song he wrote with Lowell Fulson and later a hit for Carla Thomas & Otis Redding and even later for Salt-n-Pepa- "Tramp." He was given the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1990.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week of December 16th, 20912

December 16th, 2012 to December 22nd, 2012

Back to Back Christmas hits on the show this week, with a good measure of Lost Christmas Treasures. So good to hear so many Holiday songs, and a great prelude to our 16th Annual Christmas Special next week on Treasure Island Oldies beginning at 6 pm Pacific (9 pm Eastern). I sincerely hope that you will be able to join me for what has become over the years my favourite show of the year. I invite you to call the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Line at 206-339-0709 to record your Christmas Greeting. I'll play it back and share your best wishes with the rest of the listeners around the world. One thing though, your greeting must arrive no later that Saturday, December 22nd in order to be able to be included on the Christmas Special. I look forward to hearing fro you.

Voice Your Choice returns for the January 6th, 2013 first show of the year, our Annual New Year Dance Party. Chubby Checker leads off the new year of the weekly Voice Your Choice feature. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either The Hucklebuck or Limbo Rock. The winning song will be played on the New Year Dance Party Special January 6th.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a clip from a TV Special that starred Bing Crosby and David Bowie with what has become a Christmas tradition ever after. The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth is our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of December 16th, 2012





Listen to the Top 5 Countdown for 1968 on your Real Media player.

Have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael

Bing Crosby and David Bowie - Song Of The Week

Here is one of the most unlikely combination of singers but boy does it ever work well.

Here is a clip from a TV special with Bing Crosby and David Bowie performing The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth.

It's our Christmas Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies Week of December 9th, 2012

December 9th, 2012 to December 15th, 2012

We're right in the thick of the Holiday Season on the Island and I'd like to wish you a very Happy Hanukkah. I hope you enjoy the wonderful Festival of Light. And I'm also pleased to have played even more Christmas songs for you on this week's show. Next week it'll be an all Christmas and Holiday Songs show. There's just so many tunes that I know I won't be able to fit into the Annual Christmas Special on December 23rd, so next week we'll play a "ton of tunes" for you.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a song written by Burt Bacharach and recorded by another successful songwriter, Paul Evans. The Song Of The Week is The Bell That Couldn't Jingle. Enjoy!

Please note that Voice Your Choice will return in January, and I thank you for your participation in our weekly vote.

Remember if you have a birthday coming up, I'd like to know. Send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of December 9th, 2012

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown for 1961 on your Real Media player...

 

Have a great week.

Bye for now

Michael

Paul Evans - Song Of The Week

This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing Paul Evans, himself a noted and successful songwriter. You'll discover some of the songs he wrote that became hits for many other artists when you watch the video.

Interestingly, he recorded a Christmas song that he didn't write and I'm pleased to present the original hit recording of the Burt Bacharach song, The Bell That Couldn't Jingle, recorded by Paul Evans. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

Jazz Legend Dave Brubeck Has Died

Dave Brubeck, a jazz musician who attained pop-star acclaim with recordings such as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk," died Wednesday morning at Norwalk Hospital, in Norwalk, Conn., said his longtime manager-producer-conductor Russell Gloyd.

Brubeck was one day short of his 92nd birthday. He died of heart failure, en route to "a regular treatment with his cardiologist,” said Gloyd.

Throughout his career, Brubeck defied conventions long imposed on jazz musicians. The tricky meters he played in “Take Five” and other works transcended standard conceptions of swing rhythm.

The extended choral/symphonic works he penned and performed around the world took him well outside the accepted boundaries of jazz. And the concerts he brought to colleges across the country in the 1950s shattered the then-long-held notion that jazz had no place in academia.

As a pianist, he applied the classical influences of his teacher, the French master Darius Milhaud, to jazz, playing with an elegance of tone and phrase that supposedly were the antithesis of the American sound.

As a humanist, he was at the forefront of integration, playing black jazz clubs throughout the deep South in the ’50s, a point of pride for him.

"For as long as I’ve been playing jazz, people have been trying to pigeonhole me,” he once told the Tribune.

"Frankly, labels bore me."

He is survived by his wife, Iola; four sons and a daughter; grandsons and a great granddaughter.

Copyright © 2012 Chicago Tribune Company, LLC

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies - Week of December 2, 2012

December 2nd, 2012 to December 8th, 2012

Now that we're in December, our Webmaster, Eddy Fisher, has been busy by getting the decorations set up on the Island. He promises there's still more to come and hope you enjoy the decorations this year. Thanks, Eddy, and looking forward to more as the next couple of weeks unfold. And it was also very nice playing more Holiday Songs and Christmas Music on this week's show. And of course, there'll be much more over the next few weeks leading up to the Annual Christmas Special. This year it will happen Live on Sunday, December 23rd and all week on the Archives. I sure hope you can join me for my favourite show of the entire year.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Debbie Fine in Montreal, Quebec, Alan Oken in Los Angeles, California, and to Lennart Persson in Gothenburg, Sweden. If you have a birthday coming up, send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing The O'Kaysions with their summer smash hit from 1968, Girl Watcher. It's our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice presents the multi-talented composer, producer and recording artist. Bert Kaempfert with two of his Christmas holiday hits. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Holiday For Bells or Jingo Jango. I'll play the winning tune in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of December 2nd, 2012


Listen to the Top 5 Countdown for 1965 on your Real Media player.

Have a great week.

Bye for now

Michael

Bert Kaempfert - Voice Your Choice

Bert Kaempfert was born in Hamburg, Germany, October 23, 1923. Not only did he start his own orchestra, he also started writing and producing. His many worldwide hit compositions include "Strangers In The Night", "Spanish Eyes", "Wooden Heart", "Danke Schoen", among others.

He also produced the first Beatles recording session in Hamburg ("Cry For A Shadow"/"Ain't She Sweet"), initially hired as a backup musicians for Tony Sheridan.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice presents two of his Christmas instrumentals. Cast Your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Holiday For Bells or Jingo Jango.

I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

The O'Kaysions - Song Of The Week

This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog travels to Wilson, North Carolina, the home of The O'Kaysons.

Here from the summer of 1968 are The O'Kaysions with their only Top Ten Smash, Girl Watcher. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

Mickey "Guitar" Baker, one-half of the duo of Mickey & Sylvia, died Tuesday (November 27) at his home in Toulouse, France at the age of 87. Born MacHouston Baker in Louisville, Kentucky in 1925, he ran away from the orphanage he lived in while still a teenager and supported himself as a dishwasher and pool hustler in New York City. 

Buying a guitar in a pawn shop, he learned how to play from a street musician and by 24 had formed his own combo. He recorded on sessions for several artists on Savoy, King and Atlantic Records (Including Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll" and "Money Honey" from the Drifters) before deciding to form a duo of his own with Sylvia Vanderpool. Mickey taught her to play guitar and paired up with her in 1955 on a series of recordings- eight of which charted pop, including "Love Is Strange" (#11-1957), "What Would I Do" (#46-1961) and "There Oughta Be A Law" (#47-1957). 

By 1962 their recordings stopped charting and Mickey moved to Paris, where he continued recording in the jazz vein that was his first love. Sylvia had a successful solo career in the mid-70s including "Pillow Talk" (#3-1973). Mickey received the Pioneer award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999. Rolling Stone magazine named him the 53rd greatest guitarist of all time.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of November 25th, 2012

November 25th, 2012 to December 1st, 2012

It was nice easing into the 2012 Holiday Season on the show this week and fun to play some Lost Treasures. It was so good to hear Ruby Wright with Let's Light The Christmas Tree, (It's A) Happy Holiday, even the Surfaris and A Surfer's Christmas List, and more. Stay tuned, there's more great Christmas and Holiday Songs coming up every week now. It'll culminate with the Annual Christmas Special, airing Live Sunday, December 23rd, and All Week Long on the Archives. Please join me for my annual gift of music to you.

With the holidays approaching faster, let's not forget about our birthdays. It's your special day, so if you have a birthday coming up, send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles.

The Broadcast Partners Network of fine stations around the world has become a great way for local listeners to hear Treasure Island Oldies. Just this week, Jeff in Boise, Idaho, came into the Chat Room for the first time and it was also his first time listening to the show. He heard promos on The Legend in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the show and was very interested to listen. Let me tell you, he loved the music, saying it was great not hearing the same oldies most other stations play non-stop.  Thanks Jeff, and welcome to Treasure Island Oldies. You're now an official Nut In The Hut!

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is paying tribute to the late Earl Speedo Carroll and The Cadillacs. This a compilation of some wonderful live performance of some their great tunes, including their signature hit Speedo. It's our Song Of The Week. RIP Earl Speedo Carroll.

Voice Your Choice presents The Young Rascals with two of their great big hits. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either A Beautiful Morning or I've Been Lonely Too Long. I'll play the winning soul classic in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of November 25^th, 2012

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown for 1967 on your Real Media player.



Have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael

The Young Rascals - Voice Your Choice

The Young Rascals were a "Blue-eyed Soul" group from New York City and the original group consisted of Felix Cavaliere (vocals and organ), Gene Cornish (vocals and guitar), Eddie Brigati (vocals, percussion) and Dino Danelli (drums). Felix, Gene and Eddie had all been members of Joey Dee and The Starliters (The Peppermint Twist). The famous Sid Bernstein signed them to Atlantic Records and their debut single, I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore became a minor hit, peaking at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. But that was just the beginning.

Between 1966 and 1971, they had 18 singles on the charts including 5 Top Ten hits and 3 Gold Records. In 1968 they removed "Young" and re-named themselves The Rascals. They were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights The Rascals with two of their much-loved hits. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either A Beautiful Morning or I've Been Lonely Too Long.

There is going to be some difficult decision making by you before we find out the results of the votes. Come to the Voice Your Choice page and cast your vote. We'll play the winning song in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Earl Speedo Carroll and The Cadillacs - Song Of The Week

I'd like to pay tribute to Earl Speedo Carroll of The Cadillacs, who passed away this week.

I came across this great compilation of several excellent live performances.

The amazing Mr. Earl is in fine form. This video starts out with their signature smash Speedo and includes several of their other hits.

I know you're going to enjoy this.

RIP Earl Speedo Carroll

Michael

Earl "Speedo" Carroll of The Cadillacs Has Died

Earl "Speedo" Carroll (pictured second from right), lead singer with the Cadillacs and later a vocalist with the Coasters, passed away Sunday (November 25) in a New York nursing home at the age of 75. He had been in failing health battling a stroke an diabetes for the past year. 

Formed in Harlem as the Carnations in 1953, they named themselves after the luxury car before recording for New York's Josie Records in 1954. Their first recording, "Gloria," failed to chart that year but they reached #17 in 1956 with "Speedo," where Earl sang, "They often call me Speedo but my real name is Mr. Earl." Personnel problems led to two groups recording unsuccessfully for awhile before a re-formed Cadillacs charted with "Peek-A-Boo" (#28) in 1959. The follow-up, "Romeo," bubbled under at #105 later that year and the group never charted again. 

Earl left for awhile to form Speedo & the Pearls and left for good in 1961 to join the Coasters, apparently in time to sing "Little Egypt" (#23) with them. Even later he served as a custodian at a New York elementary school (retiring in 2005), but in later years sang with a re-formed Cadillacs on the oldies circuit. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.

Beatles Rejected Audition Tape To Be Auctioned

The Beatles audition tape that was famously rejected by Decca will be put up for auction in London next week, Reuters reports. Recorded on New Year's Day, 1962 at Decca's North London studios, the 10-song demo features drummer Pete Best, who would later be replaced by Ringo Starr.

The band, listed as the Silver Beatles on the tape, played up to 15 tracks during the session, but only 10 were chosen to record. They had traveled from Liverpool to London the night before and got lost on the way, but they still made it for the session, which was paid for by manager Brian Epstein. Decca A&R representative Dick Rowe infamously turned down the Beatles, saying, "Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr. Epstein." Instead he signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, who also auditioned that day; later, Rowe did make a big signing with the Rolling Stones.

Though bootleg versions of the performances exist, the back-up master tape to be sold is unique. "The most important thing about this is the quality," said Ted Owen of the Fame Bureau, an auction house focusing on pop memorabilia. "This quality we have never heard."

Bidding for the tape will start between $29,000 and $32,000. Because the Beatles own the copyright, a commercial release is highly unlikely.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of November 18, 2012

November 18th, 2012 to November 24, 2012 

Here's the final total of all the songs played on the Music By Numbers Special: 19,408,133.6 Wow - I didn't know my calculator could go that high! LOL Congratulations to Kevin Harris in Dallas, Texas, who submitted the correct total in his email. A cool prize will be on its way to him soon. And thanks to all who entered the contest and for listening. From the response, I'd say you had a lot of fun listening to all those numbers songs.

I'd like to wish all my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. There's so much more travel going on to see distant family and friends at Thanksgiving than at Christmas, when it's more time to be at home with your immediate family. Whatever your travel plans, be safe and enjoy yourself.

If you have a birthday coming up, send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles.

I continue to get many friends on my facebook page and it's a pleasure to welcome new friends every week. You can keep track of what's going on with the show and the weekly posts to the Treasure Island Oldies Blog are shared on the facebook page too. I invite you to become friends with me on facebook.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing Jr. Walker And The All Stars in a smokin' live performance of Shotgun, a clip from the Hullabaloo TV show. Wait till you check it out. It's our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice presents Carly Simon with two of her many great songs for your votes this week. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be or Anticipation. I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of November 18^th, 2012

 
And here's this week's Top 5 Countdown from 1962.

 




By the way, I've appreciated hearing from listeners who enjoy Treasure Island Oldies on their iPhone. Remember if you also have an iPhone or an Android type smartphone, you can listen to the show wherever you are. There's a cool download called TuneIn Radio. With it you can enjoy listening to Treasure Island Oldies and so many other Online Radio Stations It's at the iTunes Store in the Apps section. Happy listening while on the go.

Have a great week.

Bye for now

Michael

Carly Simon - Voice Your Choice

Carly Simon was born June 25, 1945 in Manhattan, New York, of "blue blood" heritage. Her father is the co-founder of Simon & Schuster Publishing. She and her sister Lucy were in a folk duo, The Simon Sisters, and had a modest hit in 1964 with Winkin' Blinkin' And Nod. She was married to James Taylor from 1972 - 83.

After the first record with her sister, it wasn't until seven years later in 1971, that Carly returned to the charts, this time as a solo artist. Her very first solo hit was Top Ten. Overall, she appeared on the Billboard charts 25 times between 1964 and 2001.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Carly Simon and her first two consecutive solo hits.

Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be or Anticipation. I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Jr. Walker And The All Stars - Song Of The Week

I started off this week's show with Shake And Fingerpop by Jr. Walker And The All Stars and when I was getting ready for this week's post, I immediately thought of the group. But then I found this very cool and great live performance on Hullabaloo and they were playing live. And boy did they get into it!

Check out Shotgun by Jr. Walker And The All Stars. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of November 11, 2012

November 11th, 2012 to November 17th, 2012

My brain hurt from adding up all the song titles played on our Music By Numbers Special this week on Treasure Island Oldies! LOL It's absolutely amazing how many songs had a number in the song title, more than enough for an entire 4 hour show! In case you missed the live show, go to the Listen page then click Archives. Then be sure to add up all the song titles played during the show and send your total, along with your name and mailing address to contest@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll announce the final total and the winner of our Music By Numbers Contest on next week's show. The deadline for entry in the contest is 11:59 pm Pacific time, Saturday, November 17, 2012. In the event there is more than one entry with the correct total, a random draw will be made from all correct answers, with the winner announced next week. Good Luck and be sure to have your calculator handy. You'll need it!

I've got some more information for you regarding our latest Broadcast Partners Network station, Viking Radio Gold in the United Kingdom. You can listen to the show Monday from 9 pm to 1 am, Wednesday from 11 pm to 3 am and again Saturday from t to 6 pm, all times local. Sure looking forward to being part of the outstanding line-up of shows on Viking Radio Gold. Check them out at http://www.vikingradio.net.
 
Happy Birthday wishes go out to Connie Canode in Madison, Wisconsin and to Chris Whitmer, in Iowa City, Iowa. If you have a birthday coming up, send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles

As we are approaching the end of November, I wanted to let you know that I'll be starting to play some great Christmas season songs for you, culminating with our Annual Christmas Special, Live at 6 pm Pacific, Sunday, December 23rd. I'm sure looking forward to playing some of the greatest Christmas music of all time for you.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is keeping our Music By Numbers theme going with a live concert performance from August 2012 of one of Canada's earliest teen idols. We're playing Bobby Curtola and Three Rows Over. It's our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice presents Bobby Vee with two of his many hits for you. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Charms or Take Good Care Of My Baby. I'll play the winning song in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of November 11th, 2012

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown for 1960 on your Real Media player -->

Have a great week.

Bye for now

Michael

Bobby Vee - Voice Your Choice

Bobby Vee was born Robert Velline on April 30, 1943 in Fargo, North Dakota. In 1959 Bobby, along with his brother and a friend, started a group called The Shadows, not the same British group with Cliff Richard. After the sad and untimely death of Buddy Holly in the plane crash on February 3, 1959, the Shadows filled in on Buddy's next scheduled show in Fargo. After that, there was no looking back.

He first hit the charts in late August of 1959 with Suzie Baby, billed as Bobby Vee and The Shadows. What followed were thirty-seven additional charted singles, six Top Ten smashes, plus two Gold Records.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Bobby Vee with two of his well known hit songs. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Charms or Take Good Care Of My Baby.  I'll play the winning song in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Bobby Curtola - Song Of The Week

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is keeping up with the theme of this week's show at Treasure Island Oldies. Our Music By Numbers Special had a number in the title of every song played.

Here's one of the songs played on the show, but this time it's a live concert performance from this past summer.

Here's Canada's teen idol from the early 1960s, Bobby Curtola with Three Rows Over. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

Music By Numbers Special On Treasure Island Oldies

The Music By Numbers Special on Treasure Island Oldies returns this week and every song, except for a few regular features like the Top 5 Countdown, for example, will have a number in the song title.

And we have a fun contest to go along with the Music By Numbers theme. All you need to do is to listen to the entire show and keep track of the running total of all songs played. And if you missed the Live show, be sure to listen to the Archive.

To be eligible to win the prize, send your answer, along with your name and mailing address, to contest@treasureislandoldies.com before 11:59 pm Pacific time, Saturday, November 17, 2012.

In the event there is more than one correct answer submitted, I'll take all the correct entries and make a random draw.

The winner will be announced on next week's live show, Sunday, Novem,ber 18th.

Good luck and get fresh batteries or a new hand crank for your calculator!

R&B Singer Major Harris Dead At Age 65

Major Harris, a former member of the “Philadelphia sound” soul group the Delfonics and singer of the 1975 hit “Love Won’t Let Me Wait,” has died in Richmond. He was 65. His sister, Catherine Thomas, told the Associated Press that Harris passed away Friday morning from congestive heart and lung failure after being rushed to a hospital.

The Richmond native was born Feb. 9, 1947, and grew up in a musical family. His father was a guitarist and his mother led the church choir, Thomas said. In his teens, Harris was tall for his age and was able to get into clubs to watch musicians perform, she said.

“He always appeared to be older, which gave him a lot of ins to a lot of older places,” Thomas joked. She said he didn’t drink in the clubs back then, but he was pursuing his career. Music, she said, “was his life.”

Harris made the rounds with several music groups in the 1960s, including the Charmers, Frankie Lymon’s Teenagers and Nat Turner’s Rebellion.

He then joined the Delfonics in the early 1970s, replacing Randy Cain in the group known for their hits “La-La (Means I Love You)” and “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time).”

Harris left the group in 1974 to pursue a solo career. He recorded a string of R&B singles, including “Love Won’t Let Me Wait,” which peaked at No. 5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified as a gold record by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song was covered by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams in 1994 and again by Luther Vandross on his 1988 album “Any Love.”

Harris last performed in 2011 at a reunion show with some of the members of the Delfonics, Thomas said.

Beatles Vinyl Albums Re-released

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Nov. 9, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Next Tuesday, November 13, in an innovative one-day-only promotion, mobile Beatles pop-up shops in the form of customized double-decker buses will hit the streets of New York and Los Angeles, making several stops in each city throughout the day.  The mobile shops will be deployed to celebrate Tuesday's hotly anticipated 180-gram vinyl LP release of The Beatles' GRAMMY-winning remastered studio albums in stereo.

In addition to the 14 vinyl LPs, available individually or collected in a deluxe boxed edition with a stunning, elegantly designed 252-page hardbound book, the mobile pop-up shops will offer The Beatles' acclaimed remastered studio album CDs in stereo and mono, as well as DVDs and Blu-rays for this year's beautifully restored Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine feature films, and several Beatles merch items.  In each city, a special Beatles t-shirt (one unique to New York and another to Los Angeles) will be available exclusively on the bus with minimum purchase, while supplies last.

The Beatles' mobile pop-up shops will make stops next Tuesday, November 13 at the following confirmed locations:

New York:    * Midtown (9:30am – 11am):  Seventh Avenue, between 49th Street and 50th Street    * SoHo (12pm – 1:30pm):  Broadway, between Prince Street and Spring Street    * Wall Street (2:30pm – 4pm):  Broadway, between Cortlandt Street and Liberty Street  

Los Angeles:     * Hollywood (9:30am – 11am):  Capitol Records, 1750 North Vine Street    * Santa Monica (12pm – 1:30pm):  1324 5th Street at Arizona Avenue (ICE at Santa Monica ice skating rink)    * Downtown (2:30pm – 4pm):  L.A. Live (at Olympic Boulevard and South Figueroa Street)  

Manufactured on 180-gram, audiophile quality vinyl with replicated artwork, the 14 albums return to their original glory with details including the poster in The Beatles (The White Album), the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band's cutouts, and special inner bags for some of the titles.  The 252-page hardbound book, exclusive to the boxed edition, is authored by award-winning radio producer Kevin Howlett and features a dedicated chapter for each of the albums, as well as insight into the creation of the remasters and how the vinyl albums were prepared.  The 12"x12" book showcases a wealth of photographs spanning The Beatles' recording career, including many images which were not included in the 2009 CD booklets.

The titles include The Beatles' 12 original UK albums, first released between 1963 and 1970, the US-originated Magical Mystery Tour, now part of the group's core catalogue, and Past Masters, Volumes One & Two, featuring non-album A-sides and B-sides, EP tracks and rarities.  With this release, The Beatles' first four albums make their North American stereo vinyl debuts.  In 2013, the remastered albums will make their mono vinyl debuts.

In September, 2009, The Beatles' remastered albums on CD graced charts around the world. Seventeen million album sales within seven months was resounding evidence of the timeless relevance of their legacy. In 2010, the albums debuted digitally, exclusively on iTunes.  Through five decades, in every format, the music of The Beatles has captivated generation upon generation.

For producer Rick Rubin, surveying The Beatles' recorded achievements is akin to witnessing a miracle.  "If we look at it by today's standards, whoever the most popular bands in the world are, they will typically put out an album every four years," Rubin said in a 2009 radio series interview. "So, let's say two albums as an eight year cycle.  And think of the growth or change between those two albums.  The idea that The Beatles made thirteen albums in seven years and went through that arc of change... it can't be done.  Truthfully, I think of it as proof of God, because it's beyond man's ability."

Beginning November 19 and continuing into December, high-end audio retailers in several U.S. cities will host listening events for The Beatles' stereo vinyl remasters.  Each retailer will present the new Beatles vinyl on completely hand-made British hifi systems, with demonstrations of audible improvements in the new vinyl on a variety of turntables and associated equipment.  Confirmed locations include:

San Francisco:  7pm, Monday, Nov. 19 - AUDIO VISION SF (1603 Pine St., San Francisco, CA 94109)
Los Angeles:  5pm, Tuesday, Nov. 20 - AHEAD STEREO (7428 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036)
Atlanta:  7pm, Monday, Nov. 26 - AUDIO ALTERNATIVE (895 Indian Trail Rd., Ste. 15, Lilburn, GA 30047)
Dallas:  6pm, Tuesday, Nov. 27 - AUDIO CONCEPTS (11661 Preston Rd., Ste. 280, Dallas, TX 75230)
Austin:  7pm, Wednesday, Nov. 28 - WHETSTONE AUDIO (2401 East 6th St., #1001, Austin, TX 78702)
Chicago:  6pm, Monday, Dec. 3 - PRO MUSICA (2236 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614)
Boston:  6pm, Tuesday, Dec. 4 - GOODWIN'S HIGH END (899 Main St., Waltham, MA 02451)
New York:  7pm, Wednesday, Dec. 5 - IN LIVING STEREO (2 Great Jones St., New York, NY 10012)
Philadelphia:  7pm, Thursday, Dec. 6 - COMMUNITY AUDIO (8020 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118)
Washington, DC:  6pm, Friday, Dec. 7 - IQ HOME ENTERTAINMENT (10890 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22030)

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/09/4973243/the-beatles-mobile-pop-up-shops.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/09/4973243/the-beatles-mobile-pop-up-shops.html#storylink=cpy

Cleveland Duncan - The Penguins Lead Singer Has Died

Cleveland "Cleve" Duncan, lead singer of the Penguins, died early Wednesday (November 7) in Los Angeles at the age of 77. Cleve started the group in Los Angeles with tenor Dexter Tisby, bass Curtis Williams and baritone Bruce Tate in 1954. They named themselves after the Kool cigarettes cartoon penguin, Willie. Signing with Dootone Records the following year, the made their mark with their first release, the legendary "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" (#8 pop, #1 R&B), becoming only the second doo wop group (after the Chords) to make the pop top ten. The song was intended to be the B-side of the release, but DJs flipped the recording of "Hey Senorita" over. The Penguins signed with manager Buck Ram, who convinced Mercury Records to pick up the group's contract (after insisting they also sign another of his groups-- the Platters). Ironically, other than a re-issue of "Earth Angel" that "bubbled under" the charts at #101 in 1960, the Penguins never had another hit, while the Platters charted 45 times. Though they broke up in 1962, Cleve-- who owned the name-- re-formed the group for performances on the oldies circuit. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of November 4, 2012

November 4th, 2012 to November 10th, 2012

Hello and a big welcome to Viking Radio Gold in the UK, the latest station to become part of the Treasure Island Oldies Broadcast Partners Network. This station is in support of the Royal British Legion, a very good cause. I look forward to hearing from Viking Radio Gold's listeners and to playing their requests.

It was very cool to play the brand new Rolling Stones single, Doom And Gloom on the show. This new recording represents the first time in seven years that all members of the group were in the studio together to record. It's part of a new greatest h its compilation album, Grrrr, to be released within the next week or so. I'd like to know what you think of this new single; please send your comments to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. It's quite astounding that this is the 50th Anniversary of the Rolling Stones!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Sunny in Berkeley, Illinois, Dana VanDine in Southampton, New Jersey and to Barb in California. If you have a birthday coming up, send the details of your name, city and birthday date to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll help you celebrate by wishing you Happy Birthday on the show and I'll also play Birthday by The Beatles

Be sure to listen to next week's show for the Music By Numbers Special. Every song will have a number in the song title. Listen to the entire show and add all the songs played for a final total. Send you answer to contest@treasureislandoldies.com. The listener with the correct answer will win a prize; and if there is more than one correct answer, I'll make a random draw from all the correct entries and announce the winner on the following week's show.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing the Everly Brothers and Walk Right Back, in a clip from the Tennessee Ernie Ford TV Show. Enjoy!

Ok take a deep breath. Voice Your Choice presents Barry White! Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby or Never, Never Gonna Give You Up. I wonder which of these steamy hits will be the winner. Find out in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here is this week's Rock & Roll News for the Week of November 4th, 2012

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown on your Real Media player

Have a great week and see you on next week's show for the Music By Numbers Special.

Bye for now.

Michael