Influential and Legendary Music Producer Phil Ramone Died March 30, 2013

Phil Ramone, the instinctive music producer whose mixing mastery for Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Paul Simon and Billy Joel helped fashion some of the most sumptuous and top-selling albums of his era, has died. He was 79.


The 14-time Grammy winner and 33-time nominee once dubbed “The Pope of Pop” was hospitalized in late February with an aortic aneurysm in New York and died Saturday morning at New York Presbyterian Hospital, according to Ramone's son Matt.

A native of South Africa who at age 10 performed as a violinist for Queen Elizabeth II, Ramone spent years working as a songwriter, engineer and acoustics expert in New York before charting a path that would make him a trusted studio partner in the eyes (and ears) of the industry’s biggest stars.

Among the albums on which he worked were Streisand’s 1967 live A Happening in Central Park; Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram (1971), sandwiched between the Beatles and Wings eras; Dylan’s aching Blood on the Tracks (1975); Simon’s pop classic Still Crazy After All These Years (1975); Joel’s critical and commercial breakthrough The Stranger (1977); Sinatra’s last-gasp Duets (1993), a model of technical wizardry; and Charles’ final album, the mega-selling Genius Loves Company (2004).

Ramone served as a songwriter in New York’s famed Brill Building music factory and worked early on with Quincy Jones, Tom Dowd, Creed Taylor, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller and Burt Bacharach & Hal David, among others. In 1959, he launched the A&R Recording studios on Seventh Avenue in New York, where Blood on the Tracks and so many other classics were recorded.

Asked to describe his philosophy as a producer, Ramone told Sound on Sound magazine in 2005: “I served a long time as an engineer and watched many famous producers work, and I decided on the personality that came most easily to me, which is the more relaxed; to give artists encouragement when needed.

“Players are like prodigies, thoroughbreds," he added. "You have to handle them with care.”

Born on Jan. 5, 1934, Ramone at age 3 began studying the piano and violin, and he attended the Juilliard School in New York as a teenager. Although he was an accomplished performer and composer, he was attracted to the technical side of music and became a wizard working with the dials.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of March 24, 2013

March 24th, 2013 to March 30th, 2013

What a fun and interesting mini special on this week's how. My thanks to my long time friend, Tom Locke, creator of our weekly feature Moment In Time, for joining me in the studio during the first two hours of the show for our look at Tribute Records To The Music And Artists Of The '50s and '60s. And many thank for your feedback already received. That's what has kept this show growing and of interest to the listeners; there is the monthly theme special and sprinkled into that extra specials. Our next special will be The Name Game, the Week of April 21st. Every song will have someone's name in the song title. And as always,, if there's a specific song you'd like me to play, be sure to let me know. Call or Click. The Treasure Island Oldies Listener Line is available b for you to call and record your message and request. The number is 206-339-0709. You can also get in touch via email by clicking the Requests button on any page of the website. I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy Birthday wishes go out this week to Rich Howe in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and to Tom Locke in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was great timing to have Tom in the studio with me this week so that I could wish him Happy Birthday in person. And if you are about to celebrate your birthday, be sure to let me know so I can wish you Happy Birthday on the show. Send the details to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll play Birthday by The Beatles for you too!

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing one of the songs featured in our Tribute Records To The Music And Artists Of The '50s and '60s Special on this week's show. This clip is not from the movie itself as they performed it on the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans TV show. However it is the theme from one of the most sought after music movies that was unavailable on the legitimate market for many, many years. It's Jan and Dean with Here They Come (From All Over The World), the theme song for The T.A.M.I. Show. It's our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Voice You Choice presents the most successful Girl Group of the Rock and Roll Era, The Shirelles. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Baby It's You or Foolish Little Girl. I'll play the winner in the third hour of next week's show.

Here's the Rock and Roll News for the week of March 24th.

And here's the Top 5 Countdown from 1973

Have a great week and see you next time on Treasure Island Oldies.

Bye for now.

Michael

The Shirelles - Voice Your Choice

The Shirelles were the most successful "Girl Group" of the Rock and Roll era!

Shirley Alston, Beverly Lee, Doris Kenner and Addie Harris met in junior high school and formed The Poquellos and were classmates of Joey Dee. During their tremendously successful career on Scepter Records, they appeared 26 times on the charts: five Top Ten hits with two of them reaching #1 and they also achieved Gold Record status for one of them. Their songs were even recorded by other artists including The Beatles (Boys) and The Mamas and The Papas (Dedicated To The One I Love).

The Shirelles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

This week Treasure Island Oldies features two songs by The Shirelles on Voice Your Choice. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Baby It's You or Foolish Little Girl.

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

Jan And Dean - Song Of The Week

 

 In keeping with our mini special, Tribute Records To The Artists And Music Of The '50s And '60s,  on this week's show with guest Tom Locke,  here is a song that mentions so many artists in under two and a half minutes. 

Here's Jan and Dean with the theme song from the movie The T.A.M.I. Show, Here They Come (From All Over The World). It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week On Trerasure Island Oldies - Week Of March 17, 2013

March 17th, 2013 to March 23rd, 2013

Man, what a huge variety of major and minor hits we heard this week on our Annual One Hit Wonders Special. I'd like to thank you for the many requests I received too. It's always fun hearing from you. Please keep in touch. If it's a request, then Click the Requests Button on any page of the website. If you'd like to send a note or have a question or comment, etc., get in touch with michael@treasureislandoldies.com.

Next week on the show, I'll be joined in the studio by Tom Locke. As you know, Tom is the creator, researcher and writer of the weekly feature, Moment In Time. We're going to do a mini special in the early portion of the show, Tribute Records to the Music and Artists of the '50s and '60s. Be sure to listen.

Happy Birthday to my good friend, long time listener, and weekly contributor to the show with Rick's Rare Rock And Roll Relic, Rick Canode in Madison, Wisconsin. All the best to you Rick. And best wishes also to Joel Drucker in Randolph, New Jersey; long time CHUM Toronto newsman, Mike Cleaver in Vancouver, British Columbia, and to Gerry O'Day in Penticton, British Columbia. 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 for you by The Beatles.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a great One Hit Wonder in celebration of our Annual One Hit Wonders Special. From Toronto, Ontario it's Motherlode in a rare promo clip for When I Die. It's our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

As this coming week is the beginning of spring, it's a perfect week to spotlight one of the great Motown Girl Groups. Voice Your Choice presents Martha And The Vandellas. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Heatwave or I'm Ready For Love. I'll play the winner in the third hour of next week's show. I wonder which song will end up the winner. A tie maybe?

Here's the Rock And Roll News for the week of March 17th

It's also on YouTube

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1958

Enjoy the rest of you week.

Bye for now.

Michael

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Martha And The Vandellas - Voice Your Choice

Martha And The Vandellas were one of the key and most successful of the Motown Girl Groups. Martha Reeves was born July 18, 1941 and  she has a member of City Council in Detroit. The Vandellas consisted of Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford. Annette left the group in 1963 and was replaced by Betty Kelly, who had been with The Velvelettes. Martha and The Vandellas were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Between 1963 and 1971, they had 23 Motown hits on the charts, including one Gold record and six Top Ten singles.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice features Martha And The Vandellas with two of their many Motown hits. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice Page for either Heat Wave or I'm Ready For Love. A difficult choice for you this week. Wonder if there'll be a tie. Tune in to find out Sunday night live at 6 pm Pacific.

Motherlode - One Hit Wonder Song Of The Week

This is one of the best R&B soul songs. In celebration of our Annual One Hit Wonders Special this week on Treasure Island Oldies, I'm pleased to play a fantastic song by a fantastic group from Toronto, Ontario. Motherlode were William Smitty Smith on Vocals and Keyboards, Steve Kennedy on Vocals and Sax, Kenny Marco on Guitar and Wayne Stone on Drums. Steve Kennedy also played with another legendary Toronto group, Dr. Music.

This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing Motherlode in a rare promo clip of their great hit song, When I Die. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of March 10th, 2013

March 10th, 2013 to march 16th, 2013

What a week it has been; five fallen stars: Claude King, Kenny Ball, Stompin' Tom Connors, Jewel Akens and Alvin Lee from Ten Years After. It was my pleasure to pay tribute to them all on this week's show. Be sure to check out the Playlist to find out where in the show their songs got played and you can hear them on the show Archive.

Next week on the show it's our Annual One Hit Wonders Special. You'll hear all kinds of hit records but what they all have in common is the fact they appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 charts one time and one time only. I know you'll enjoy this special. Then in two weeks, March 24th, Tom Locke, the creator of our long standing weekly feature, Moment In Time, will join me in the studio for a one hour mini special. We'll play Tribute Records To The Artists And Music Of The '50s And '60s. This will be an interesting hour with Tom! You won't want to miss it.

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 for you by The Beatles.

This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is paying tribute to one of the five artists who died this past week. In a live performance clip from the TV show Shindig, it's Jewel Akens with The Birds And The Bees. It's our Song Of The Week. R.I.P. Jewel Akens

The spotlight on Voice Your Choice turns to Motown Records for the solo part of the outstanding career of Diana Ross. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Remember Me or Last Time I Saw Him. I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

You now have a choice of either YouTube or Podcast to check out the Rock And Roll News for the week of March 10th:

Listen to the Top 5 Countdown from 1962

Hope you have a great week. See you on the Island next week.

Bye for now.

Michael

Diana Ross - Voice Your Choice

 She was born Diane Ernestine Ross in Detroit, Michigan on March 26, 1944. She was a member of The Primettes in 1960. Diana Ross joined The Supremes and was lead singer from 1961 to 1969 before embarking on a solo career.

In the 1970s she turned to films and starred in and was nominated for an Oscar for the 1972 movie Lady Sings The Blues. She appeared in other films Mahogany and The Wiz that also starred Michael Jackson. She even had her own Broadway show, An Evening With Diana Ross in 1976.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights the post-Supremes solo era of Diana Ross. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Remember Me or Last Time I Saw Him. I'll play the winning song in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Jewel Akens - Song Of The Week

This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog is paying tribute to one of the five artists who passed away this past week. Here is Jewel Akens in a clip from the TV show Shindig, performing live The Birds And The Bees.

It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

R.I.P. Jewel Akens

Country Crossover Singer Claude King Has Passed Away

Country crossover star Claude King, best-remembered for his #6 pop hit, "Wolverton Mountain" in 1962, was found dead at his Shreveport, Louisiana home Thursday morning (March 7) . He was 90. 

Like fellow singer Jim Reeves, Claude was offered a baseball scholarship before settling in on a singing career with the "Louisiana Hayride" radio and TV programs out of Shreveport in the '50s. However, it wasn't until 1961 that he received a contract with Columbia Records. "Big River, Big Man" was the first of 30 country hits (it climbed to #7 country) and also managed to come in at #82 on the pop charts. It was followed by "The Commancheros" (#71-1961) before Claude recorded his biggest hit "Wolverton Mountain." Co-written with Merle Kilgore, it was inspired by an actual location in Arkansas and the real Clifton Clowers, who died in 1994 at age 102. The follow-up, "The Burning Of Atlanta," made #53 pop in 1962. Though his final country appearance was in 1977, Claude also worked as an actor, including the 1982CBS-TV mini-series, "The Blue And The Gray."

Jazz Trumpeter Kenny Ball Has Died At Age 82

Traditional jazz trumpeter Kenny Ball died Thursday (March 7) from pneumonia at the age of 82. The Ilford, Essex, England musician is best remember for the #2 hit, "Midnight In Moscow" in 1962. He was named an honorary citizen of New Orleans in 1963 and played at the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Canadian Icon Stompin' Tom Connors Has Died

Canadian country-folk singer Stompin’ Tom Connors, whose toe-tapping musical spirit and fierce patriotism established him as one of Canada’s biggest cultural icons, has died, his promoter said Wednesday night, March 6. He was 77.
Connors passed away from natural causes at his home Wednesday evening, Brian Edwards said. The musician, rarely seen without his signature black cowboy hat and stomping cowboy boots, was best known for songs “Sudbury Saturday Night,” “Bud the Spud” and especially “The Hockey Song,” a fan favorite played at hockey arenas around North America.

Those three songs are played at every Toronto Maple Leafs home game. At Toronto’s Air Canada Centre Wednesday night, many fans took to their feet as “The Hockey Song” was played after Connors’ death was announced.


Although wide commercial appeal eluded Connors for much of his four-decade career, his songs are regarded as veritable national anthems thanks to their unabashed embrace of all things Canadiana. “The hockey song was the biggest one,” Edwards said. “Domestically he was known everywhere.”

On Twitter, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said “we have lost a true Canadian original. R.I.P. Stompin’ Tom Connors. You played the best game that could be played.”

The National Hockey League tweeted: “Sad to hear that legendary Canadian Stompin’ Tom Connors has passed. His legacy lives on in arenas every time `The Hockey Song’ is played.”

Connors knew his health was declining and had posted a message on his website a few days ago, saying Canada kept him “inspired with its beauty, character, and spirit.”

Dubbed Stompin’ Tom for his habit of pounding the floor with his left foot during performances, Connors garnered a devoted following through straight-ahead country-folk tunes that drew inspiration from his extensive travels around Canada, dating back to his itinerant teenage years when he roamed the country working one job or another.

The country that Connors celebrated in song was strangely ignored by other Canadian songwriters, he often said.
“I don’t know why I seem to be the only one, or almost the only one, writing about this country,” Connors said in 2008. “This country is the most underwritten country in the world as far as songs are concerned. We starve. The people in this country are starving for songs about their homeland.”

He was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on Feb. 9, 1936, to an unwed teenage mother. According to his autobiography, Before the Fame, he often lived hand-to-mouth as a youngster, hitchhiking with his mother from the age of three, begging on the street by the age of four. At age eight, he was placed in the care of the charity Children’s Aid and adopted a year later by a family in Skinner’s Pond, Prince Edward Island. He ran away four years later to hitchhike across Canada.

Connors bought his first guitar at age 14 and picked up odd jobs as he wandered from town to town, at times working on fishing boats, as a grave digger, tobacco picker and fry cook.

Connors is said to have begun his musical career when he found himself a nickel short of a beer at the Maple Leaf Hotel in Timmins, Ontario, in 1964 at age 28. The bartender agreed to give him a drink if he would play a few songs, and that turned into a 14-month contract to play at the hotel. Three years later, Connors made his first album and garnered his first hit in 1970 with “Bud The Spud.”

Hundreds more songs followed, many based on actual events, people and towns he had visited.
He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1996, one of the country’s highest honors. He also had his own postage stamp.

Connors is survived by his wife Lena, two sons, two daughters and several grandchildren.

A celebration of Stompin Tom’s life is being planned for next Wednesday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Ten Years After's Alvin Lee Has Died

Alvin Lee, guitarist and lead singer with Ten Years After, died Wednesday (March 6) of complications following what was called “routine surgery”. He was 68. Formed in Nottingham, England in 1962 as the Jaybirds, The group eventually moved to London and changed its name to Ten Years After in 1966— ten years after the rise of Elvis Presley. An appearance at the Windsor Jazz Festival led to a contract with Deram Records. Primarily an album group (they scored eight top 40 albums in the UK), TYA had a top ten hit single in Britain with “Love Like A Man” in 1970. Their only top 40 single in the US (of four charted records) was “I’d Love To Change The World” (#40-1971). The group, however, toured the US 28 times in seven years, largely on the success of their appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the subsequent film. Alvin left Ten Years After in 1973, though he returned at various times over the years. He played on sessions for many seminal rock acts who had influenced him, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley. He also performed in his own Alvin Lee & Company band.

Singer Jewel Akens Has Died

Jewel Akens, best remembered for his top three hit, "The Birds And The Bees" from 1965, died Friday (March 1) in a Los Angeles hospital of complications from back surgery at the age of 79. Born in Houston in 1933, Jewel (his mother had expected a girl) and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he formed a group called the Four Dots in 1959, connecting with Eddie Cochran's manager, Jerry Capeheart and recording for Freedom and Liberty Records (with Eddie playing guitar). A year later he joined with Eddie Daniels as a duo and also as the Astro-Jets. Next, he recorded for Era Records in the Turnarounds where the label decided to have him record "The Birds And The Bees" solo. Unfortunately, its follow-up, "Georgie Porgie," only got to #65 in 1965 and "It's The Only Way To Fly" stumbled at #120 that year. Subsequent recordings on Paula and Colgems failed as well, but he continued to perform for the rest of his life.

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies - Week Of March 3rd, 2013

March 3rd, 2013 to March 9th, 2013

I think somebody speeds up the clock every week; otherwise, how could four hours go by so quickly? That's how it felt yet again this week. It was great to get your requests, as usual, and yet again nice to have new folks come by the Chat Room. It was great how everyone welcomed Jeff in Idaho and made him feel right at home. He just discovered the show a couple of weeks ago on The Legend in Indianapolis, Indiana, one of our Broadcast Partners Network stations. You really don't know how much the Chat Room enhances your listening experience until you try it for yourself. There are always the regular Nuts in the Hut, as I refer to them. But in recent weeks, there have also been new first time visitors that had a blast. There are always lots of conversations going on about a particular song that is playing on the show. And it sparks such great memories and the sharing of those memories with each other. That's why Treasure Island Oldies is the soundtrack to your memories. I invite you to drop[ by during the live show Sunday nights from 6 to 10 pm Pacific time. As that old commercial used to go, try it - you'll like it. Just Click Chat on any page of the website and in no time, you too can be one of the Nuts in the Hut.

A couple of programming updates for your calendar - the week of March 17th it's our Annual One Hit Wonders Special and the following week, March 24th, Tom Locke will join me in the studio for a one hour mini special, Tribute Records to the Music and Artists of the 50s and 60s.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Rebecca Clee in Westbank, British Columbia, Roy Geldart in Campbell River, British Columbia, one of the voices you hear on the show every week with station IDs, Ed Weigle in Sarasota, Florida, and our good friend, singer and songwriter Paul Evans in New York City. 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 for you by The Beatles.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing a great song by Brook Benton in a clip from the Ed Sullivan Show. It's Just A Matter Of Time is our Song Of The Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice presents The Fleetwoods, the pride of Olympia, Washington. Cast your vote at the Voice YourChoice page for either Come Softly To Me or Mr. Blue. I'll play the winning song in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Here's the Rock And Roll News for the Week of March 3rd

Here's the Top 5 Countdown from 1966.

Have a great week; won't be long now till spring!

Bye for now.

Michael

The Fleetwoods - Voice Your Choice

The Fleetwoods were a pop vocal trio from Olympia, Washington and were the only pop group from the Rock and Roll era to have two Number One hits in the same year, 1959. The trio consisted of founder Gretchen Christopher, Barbara Ellis and Gary Troxel. They were considered by many to be ahead of their time with their intimate harmonies, intricate counterpoint and vocal arrangements.

Between 1959 and 1963 they charted 11 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including three Top Ten and two Gold Records. I'd say that is quite impressive!

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice presents The Fleetwoods with two of their signature classic hits. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Come Softly To Me or Mr. Blue. I'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.








 

Brook Benton - Song Of The Week

I played a couple of songs by Brook Benton on this week's Treasure Island Oldies show and he sounded so good that I decided to feature him this week here at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog.

In a clip from the Ed Sullivan Show, here is Brook Benton, with his signature hit, It's Just A Matter Of Time. It's our Song Of The Week.

Enjoy!

Michael