This Week On Treasure Island Oldies Week of August 256th, 2018

August 26^th to September 1^st, 2018

It was great to back from vacation and with you once again on the Island. This week's Spotlight Year is 1961 and I played many songs from that year, including this week's Top Five Countdown. In addition, because I was away, I did my musical tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. It was so good to hear so many of her hits throughout the show, including a Twin Spin for the Spot Dance. Check out the complete Playlist at the Listen page. A big thanks to all the regulars in the Chat Room for the warm welcome back. It was also really nice receiving emails from you. Thanks very much.

Join me next week for our annual Labour Day Back To School End of Summer Special. You'll hear the last of the summer songs for this year, along with work songs plus school songs. It's a fun way to wrap up summer and start off the fall season in one four hour show. It all gets underway next Sunday, September 2nd at 6 pm Pacific.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Alexander Van Engelen in Montreal, Quebec. If your birthday is happening soon, please let me know so that I can help you celebrate your special day with the Island listeners around the world. Send the date info to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and also play Birthday by The Beatles for you.

The Top Five Countdown this week is from our Spotlight Year 1961. While the song was included in the soundtrack to the Elvis Presley movie G.I. Blues, it was never released as a single in North America, despite the original version by Elvis going to Number One in the UK. Joe Dowell recorded a cover version and his went to Number One on the Billboard charts. Wooden Heart is now playing at the Treasure Island Oldies Treasure Island Oldies Blog.

Next week the Voice Your Choice spotlight is on Chubby Checker, with two of his many hits but not his typical ones. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Birdland or Hooka Tooka. I'll play the winner next week's show.

Listen to this week's Rock and Roll News Podcast.

Thanks again for listening to this week's show and I look forward to your company again next week for the Labour Day Back To School End Of Summer Special. Have a good week.

Bye for now.
Michael

Chubby Checker Voice Your Choice

Chubby Checker was born Ernest Evans on October 3, 1941 in Andrews, South Carolina and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dick Clark's wife at the time suggested he change his name to Chubby Checker because of his resemblance to Fats Domino.

When Chubby recorded a cover version of the Hank Ballard song, The Twist, a new worldwide dance craze was born and a long term career kicked into high gear. Of course, we all know that The Twist went on to become Number One in 1960; and then in late November of 1961, it was re-released and once again it shot to the Number One spot on the charts. This is the only record of the rock era to re-enter the charts and return to the #1 position.

Chubby Checker had 35 records hit the charts between 1959 and 1988, including eight Top Ten hits and four Gold records.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Chubby Checker with two listener favourites. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Birdland or Hooka Tooka. I'll play the winner on next week's Labour Day Back To School End Of Summer Special.

Joe Dowell Number One Treasure Island Oldies Top Five Countdown 1961

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, the Top Five Countdown is from our Spotlight Year 1961. The song itself was from the Elvis Presley movie G.I. Blues. Elvis' version went to Number One in the UK; however, RCA Victor decided not to release it in the US and Canada. No problem, Joe Dowell recorded his version and it went to Number One.

So here's Joe Dowell with Wooden Heart, our Number One song on the Top Five Countdown this week.

Enjoy!
Michael

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, Has Died

The great American soul singer Aretha Franklin has died at the age of 76, her representative has said. She was reported to have been gravely ill with her family at her bedside.

“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds,” Franklin’s family said.
Franklin had been in ill health since 2010, when she was diagnosed with a tumour but returned to intermittent live performance after undergoing surgery. She died of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Despite having announced her retirement from performing in 2017, she was due to headline two shows at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest this April but cancelled on doctor’s orders. Her last performance was at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City during Elton John’s 25th anniversary gala for the Elton John Aids Foundation on 7 November 2017.

Known as “the queen of soul”, Franklin sold more than 75m records in her lifetime and won 18 Grammy awards. She had 77 entries in the US Billboard Hot 100 and 20 No 1 singles on the R&B chart. Her last album was A Brand New Me, released in November 2017, which paired archival vocal recordings for Atlantic Records with new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Her last original recording was Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics in 2014, which included her take on Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.

“American history wells up when Aretha sings,” former US president Barack Obama said of her performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. “Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R&B, rock’n’roll – the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope.”

Carole King, who co-wrote Franklin’s classic song (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, said on Twitter: “What a life. What a legacy! So much love, respect and gratitude.” Paul McCartney called her “the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many many years”.

Franklin was born on 25 March 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. The family moved to Buffalo, New York, when Franklin was two years old, and settled in Detroit, Michigan two years later. It was in Detroit, shortly after her mother’s death, that the 10-year-old Franklin started singing solos at New Bethel church, where her father was a preacher whose political sermons led Martin Luther King to stay with the family when he visited Detroit.

For more, please go to https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/16/aretha-franklin-queen-of-soul-dies

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies - Week of August 12th 2018

August 12^th to 18^th, 2018

I appreciate all the comments I received from you regarding last week's Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders Special. It's great hearing from you. For example, Toni Howerton in Middletown, Ohio, sent a note saying that despite her computer problems, she was able to listen and enjoy all those great instrumentals that you just don't hear anymore. If you missed hearing either the live show or its rebroadcast on one of our Broadcast Partners Network Affiliate radio stations, have no fear. The special will return again next year with a brand new playlist filled with your favourites. Oh, and thanks also for the many requests I received; it was my pleasure to play them for you. On this week's show I was pleased to play an all time favourite of listener Dana Vandine in Florida who was surprised when I played Today by the New Christy Minstrels, definitely in the category of hard to find 45s. For this week's entire Rock & Roll Reunion in the 4th hour, I paid tribute to Elvis Presley who passed away from a heart attack this week in 1977. You can always review the entire playlist for the show by going tot he Listen page and then scroll down to the Playlist.

Our next special will be September 2nd for the Labour Day Back To School End of Summer Special. You'll hear the last of the summer songs for this year, along with work songs plus school songs. It's a fun way to wrap up summer and start off the fall season in one four hour show.

I will be taking a week vacation starting next weekend; so there won't be a live show next Sunday, August 19th. However, not to leave you in the lurch, we have an encore presentation of the show from August 19, 2017 for you to enjoy all over again. The player is at the Listen page, and you'll also be able to hear it on the Broadcast Partners Network at various days and times during the week. Check out the schedule at the Broadcast Partners Network page.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to two good friends and long time listeners, Fay Greenwood and Matt Meaney in Langley, British Columbia. And if your birthday is approaching, please let me know so that I can help you celebrate your special day with the Island listeners around the world. Send the date info to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and also play Birthday by The Beatles for you.

The Top Five Countdown this week is from our Spotlight Year 1968. The Rascals scored the Number One song this week with a Gold record. People Got To Be Free is now playing at the Treasure Island Oldies Treasure Island Oldies Blog.

We had a rare tie this week for Voice Your Choice with an equal number of votes for Bobby Vee's Walkin' With My Angel and Take Good Care Of My Baby. So I played both as both songs were clear winners! Voice Your Choice will return August 26th with Chris Montez. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Some Kinda Fun or Let's Dance I'll play the winner on the August 26th show.

Listen to this week's Rock and Roll News Podcast.

Thanks again for listening to this week's show and I look forward to your company when I return from vacation August 26th.

Bye for now.
Michael

Chris Montez Voice Your Choice

Chris Montez was born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez on January 17, 1943 in the Los Angeles, California suburb of Hawthorne.

His career began as a protégé of Ritchie Valens and during that time he recorded one of Rock & Roll's anthems, Let's Dance in 1962.

By 1966 he switched record labels and music styles. Under the guidance of Herb Alpert and A&M Records, Chris recorded several Adult Contemporary records. However, we go back to his rocking days with two of his hits for your consideration.

Voice Your Choice is pleased to shine the spotlight on Chris Montez. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Some Kinda Fun or Let's Dance. I'll play the winner when Voice Your Choice returns August 26th.

The Rascals Number One Treasure Island Oldies Top Five Countdown 1968

This week on the Treasure Island Oldies, the Top Five Five Countdown is from our Spotlight Year 1968.

Having been on a winning streak as the Young Rascals, they "matured" to become The Rascals and continued to have many more hits.

This week The Rascals hold down the Number One spot on the Top Five Countdown from 19868. Here they are with the Gold record People Got Top Be Free.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies Week of August 5th, 2018

August 5^th to 11^th, 2018

It was a real treat to present the annual Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders special this week on Treasure Island Oldies. There was a time when instrumentals were very popular and you'd always hear some on the radio. Today, they are rarely hear; so having this annual special makes all those great back-to-back instrumental hits in one four hour show sound great. I thank you for your comments you sent via email and also in the Chat Room. I know there were a lot of listeners around the world enjoying so many songs they could hum along with. If you missed the live show, be sure to check out the Broadcast Partners Network page for the station and time when one of our affiliate radio stations will play back the show this week. 

Our next special will be September 2nd for the End of Summer Labour Day Back To School special. You'll hear the last of the summer songs for this year, along with work songs plus school songs. It's a fun way to wrap up summer and start off fall in one four hour show.

Do you have a birthday coming up soon? Please let me know so that I can help you celebrate your special day with the Island listeners around the world. Send the date info to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and also play Birthday by The Beatles for you.

The Top Five Countdown this week is from our Spotlight Year 1958. Way up at the top of the chart coming in at Number One is Ricky Nelson with the Gold record Poor Little Fool. It's now playing at the Treasure Island Oldies Treasure Island Oldies Blog.

For next week, the Voice Your Choice spotlight is on the late great Bobby Vee. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Walkin' With My Angel or Take Good Care Of My Baby. I'll play the winner on the next week's show.

Listen to this week's Rock and Roll News Podcast.

Thanks again for listening to this week's show and I look forward to your company again next 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.

Next week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Bobby Vee with two of his many hit songs. Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page for either Walkin' With My Angel or Take Good Care Of My Baby. I'll play the winner on next week's show.

Ricky Nelson Number One Treasure Island Oldies Top Five Countdown 1958

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, the Top Five Countdown is from 1958. At the top of the chart coming in at Number One is the handsome and very talented Ricky Nelson.

With a Gold record written by Sharon Sheeley, the girlfriend of Eddie Cochran, here is Rick Nelson with Poor Little Fool.

Enjoy!
Michael