Country Legend Ray Price Has Died

Ray Price, one of country music’s most popular and influential singers and bandleaders who had more than 100 hits and was one of the last living connections to Hank Williams, died Monday. He was 87.

Price died Monday, December 16, 2013 in the afternoon at his ranch outside Mount Pleasant, Texas, said Billy Mack Jr., who was acting as a family spokesman. Billie Perryman, the wife of family friend and spokesman Tom Perryman, a DJ with KKUS-FM in Tyler, also confirmed his death.

Price was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2011 and it had recently spread to his liver, intestines and lungs, according East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. He stopped aggressive treatments and left the hospital last Thursday to receive hospice care at home.

At the time, his wife, Janie Price, relayed what she called her husband’s “final message” to his fans: “I love my fans and have devoted my life to reaching out to them. I appreciate their support all these years, and I hope I haven’t let them down. I am at peace. I love Jesus. I’m going to be just fine. Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you again one day.”

Perhaps best known for his version of the Kris Kristofferson song “For the Good Times,” a pop hit in 1970, the velvet-voiced Price was a giant among traditional country performers in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, as likely to defy a trend as he was to defend one. He helped invent the genre’s honky-tonk sound early in his career, then took it in a more polished direction.

His 1956 version of “Crazy Arms” became a landmark song for both Price and country music. His first No. 1 country hit, the song rode a propulsive beat into the pop top 100 as well. Using a drummer and bassist to create a country shuffle rhythm, he eventually established a sound that would become a trademark.

“It was strictly country and it went pop,” Price said of the song. “I never have figured that one out yet.”

Price was born near Perryville, Texas, in 1926 and was raised in Dallas. He joined the Marines for World War II and then studied to be a veterinarian at North Texas Agricultural College before he decided on music as a career.

Soft-spoken and urbane, Price told the AP in 1976: “I’m my own worst critic. I don’t like to hear myself sing or see myself on television. I see too many mistakes.”
He was one of the few who saw them.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of December 15th, 2013

Week of December 15^th, 2013 to December 21^st, 2013

This week’s show has certainly got me in the mood for Christmas. When I looked over the playlist for this week’s show, I was a bit of a surprise with the number of B sides of classic Christmas songs I played. If you have any of them in your own collection, I am sure it was great to hear Brenda Lee’s Papa Noel, the flip side of Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree. And be sure to check your own 45 of Nothing But A  Heartache by The Flirtations; you may have the pressing with Christmas Time Is Here Again on the B side. We even went way back to 1949 for If It Doesn’t Snow On Christmas Day by the Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry, the B side of the original Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. There were others, but I don’t want to give away every song I played. You can check out the Playlist for yourself as you listen to this week’s show on the Archive.

Be sure to join me for the 17^th Annual Christmas Special next Sunday, December 22^nd starting at 6 pm Pacific. This is a show you won’t want to miss. And it’s so family friendly, you’ll want to listen to it with your family and friends during the Christmas holiday period, available on the Archive.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a wonderful Christmas song by Paul Evans, who wrote to me to send his best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. When he appeared on the show many years ago, Treasure Island Oldies was his first ever interview for an Internet based radio show and he is so pleased to see how long the show has lasted and continues to grow. I’m pleased to play Santa’s Stuck Up In The Chimney by Paul Evans. It’s our Christmas Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Please note that Voice Your Choice will return for a new season on January 12^th, 2014. And the first artist of the year will be Gene McDaniels. You can go to the Voice Your Choice page at any time to castyour vote for either A Hundred Pounds Of Clay or Tower Of Strength. The winning song will be played on the January 12^th show.

If you have a birthday coming up, please be sure to let me know. Send the details to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com and I’ll play Birthday by The Beatles to help celebrate your special day.

Here’s the Rock and Roll News for the week of December 15^th.

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1959.

I hope you have a good week and don’t get too tired finishing off your Christmas shopping.

See you next week for the 17^th Annual Christmas Special.

Bye for now.

Michael

Gene McDaniels - Voice Your Choice for January 12, 2014

Voice Your Choice returns to Treasure Island Oldies on Sunday, January 12th, 2014 and the first artist to be spotlighted is Gene McDaniels.

He was born on February 12, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri; raised in Omaha, Nebraska. R&B-pop singer. Appeared in the 1962 movie It's Trad, Dad. He passed away at his home in Maine July 29, 2011.

A soft-spoken man with a powerful voice, McDaniels scored eight other chart hits, including "Chip Chip," "Point of No Return" and "Tower of Strength," which featured one of the most memorable inhales in pop music history.

He was also a successful writer, penning songs for other artists including the #1 hit he wrote for Roberta Flack, Feel Like Makin' Love. He also wrote socially conscious songs including Compared To What for Les McCann and Eddie Harris, and Before You Accuse Me, record by Crteedence Clearwater Revival and Eric Clapton.

So it'll be a great start to the New Year when Voice Your Choice featured Gene McDaniels. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page at any time for either A Hundred Pounds Of Clay or Tower Of Strength. The winning song will be played in the 3rd hour of the January 12th, 2014 show.

Paul Evans - Song Of The Week

My good friend Paul Evans has achieved quite a milestone! In his Christmas greeting to me he told me that his wonderful Christmas song has now had over 1,833,000 views. Not only that but he's had teachers get in touch to let him know that the children will be singing this song at their Christmas concerts.

To celebrate this wonderful news, here is Paul Evans with Santa's Stuck Up In The Chimney. It's our Christmas Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!
Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of December 8th, 2013

December 8^th, 2013 to December 14^th, 2013

There’s nothing like having doubles! LOL And we sure had our fair share this week on the show. It was fun to feature a series of a Hit and Holiday Hit Double by the same artist. And I came across some very nice Lost Treasures too. For example, All Through The Night by The Kingston Trio, Christmas Eve In My Home Town by Bobby Vinton, Marvin Gaye with I Want To Come Home For Christmas, and many more. For the complete Playlist of this week’s show, go to the Listen page and scroll down. Next week there will be more Christmas songs and then in two weeks it’s the 17^th Annual Treasure Island Oldies Christmas Special, Live December 22^nd and on the Archive throughout the Holiday Season.

By the way, I’ve mentioned that my show will be part of the lineup of programs when Peachland Radio goes on the air next May 4. In the meantime, the station is now on the air for the Christmas Holidays with An Old Fashioned Christmas and you can listen at PeachlandRadio.

Happy Birthday to Aron Gutman in Richmond, British Columbia. Aron is both a good friend and a regular listener. If you have a birthday coming up, be sure to let me know the details so that I can wish you Happy Birthday on the show and play Birthday by The Beatles for you. Send the info to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing The Ronettes who were the first of the Hit and Holiday Hit Doubles on this week’s show. The Ronettes give a live performance of Be My Baby. It’s our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

The last Voice Your Choice for 2013 presents Bing Crosby with two classic Christmas songs. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas or I’ll Be Home For Christmas.  I’ll play the winning song in the 3^rd hour of next week’s show.

Here’s the Rock And Roll News for the week of December 8^th.

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1963.

I hope you have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael

Bing Crosby - Voice Your Choice

His voice is synonymous with Christmas and this week Treasure Island Oldies presents Bing Crosby on the last Voice Your Choice for 2013.

Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas or I'll Be Home For Christmas.

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

The Ronettes - Song Of The Week

The Ronettes had the first Hit and Holiday Hit Double on this week's Treasure Island Oldies show.

Here they are in a live vocal performance of Be My Baby. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies - Week of December 1st, 2013

December 1^st, 2013 to December 7^th, 2013

Hard to believe we’re in the month of December already! And we eased into the holiday season by playing several Christmas songs throughout the show with more to come over the next two weeks and culminating with the 17^th Annual Christmas Special Live Sunday, December 22^nd. I sure hope you can listen to what has become the most popular show of the entire year. In case you aren’t able to listen to the Live show, it will be available at the Archive page throughout the Christmas period. My thanks to our Webmaster, Eddy Fisher, for getting the website all decorated for the Christmas Holidays. The decorations look great!

There were some issues with accessing the Archives over the past couple of days; however, everything seems to be back up and running once again. A big thanks to the technical staff at our network, NeuLion, for their hard work at resolving the problem.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to long time listener Lennart Perrson in Gothenberg, Sweden and to my long time friend I used to work with at A&M Records, Alan Oken in Los Angeles, California. If you have a birthday fast approaching, be sure to let me know so that I can wish you Happy Birthday on the show and also play Birthday by The Beatles for you. Send your birthday details to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com.

It was sad news to hear of the passing of the leads singer and drummer with The Standells, Dick Dodd. Interestingly, he was also one of the original Mousketeers on the Mickey Mouse Club on TV in the 1950s. And in tribute to Dick Dodd, the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing the signature hit for The Standells, Dirty Water. It’s our Song of the Week. Dick Dodd, R.I.P.

We only have two more Voice Your Choice segments on the show for 2013 and we’re continuing with the music of the Holidays with Bert Kaempfert. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Holiday For Bells or Jingo Jango. I’ll play the winner in the 3^rd hour of next week’s show.

Here’s the Rock And Roll News for the week of December 1^st

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1957.

Have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael