The golden age of vinyl records and all things retro are the highlights of my Newsletter. Writing stories about our vinyl record memories with added content from my collection is another way of sharing memories and keeping the oldies alive.
I do hope that you enjoy these little stories I write. They are short, they will not win any prizes for literature, but it’s all about the music and our vinyl record memories.
We wish you lots of fun on this journey to the time of Drive-In Movies, Pizza Parlors, Malt Shops, and those memorable Friday & Saturday night school dances.
Issue #135, August, 2024
Take a trip down memory lane with with the original classic oldies show - Monday thru Saturday from
1pm to 3pm, all times Pacific, on KNCP Newberry Mix 107.3 FM. Ned Ward turns music into memories playing yesterday's country favorites and the classic hits of the 50's and 60's Doo Wop style.
A Country Doo-Wop Show return visit with Ned and his producer, Mr. Barney, for another on air oldies song review. Ned's song choice this month is a Buddy Holly favorite and very special one as Holly wrote this song for his wife as a wedding gift. A great pick for the Country Doo Wop Spotlight song of the month.
True Love Ways was recorded on October 21, 1958, as part of Buddy’s final studio session at New York’s Pythian Temple, alongside "Moondreams, Raining In My Heart, and It Doesen't Matter Anymore." Norman Petty was trying to broaden Holly's career and one of the first results was to record him with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra.
Known by fans as “the string sessions” it would be the first and only time Holly worked with an orchestra, in
this case, an 18-piece ensemble composed of former NBC Symphony
Orchestra members under the conductorship of Dick Jacobs.
Five
hours after they met, Buddy Holly proposed to Maria Elena Santiago at
PJ Clarke's in New York on June 20, 1958 at Table 53 and soon thereafter
wrote this song for her as a wedding gift.
Enjoy this perfect Country Doo Wop Spotlight Song of The Month, True Love Ways.
At a time when listeners increasingly download or upload songs, creating personal playlists on MP3 players and I-Pods, the art of packaging music seems to be fading away. But, for more than 70 years, musicians have released their work inside brilliantly-designed packages that made an important statement about their music and style.
The Framed Album Cover Art below is another example of the LP Albums I display on the walls of my "Hobby Room" home office.
Pure Prairie League was an American country rock group formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1987. Their biggest hit, "Amie" reached #27 on the charts in 1975.
Their ongoing album mascot was a rootin' tootin' saloon-patronizing cowboy character named Luke who was originally painted by Norman Rockwell. This cowboy character appears on nearly all of Pure Prairie League's album covers.
Many may not know that country music star, Vince Gill, achieved his first mainstream attention as lead singer of this soft rock band from 1978-1982.
Kris Kristofferson and The Highwaymen - Help Me Make It Through The Night...Kris wrote the song and Sammi Smith took it to number one but you gotta love this live version by Kris and The Highwaymen. Read below the video the many talents of this gifted individual, Kris Kristofferson...
The Kris Kristofferson biography reveals a pretty interesting life. He earned a Rhodes scholarship, attained the rank of Captain while in the Army, became a helicopter pilot and completed Army Ranger School.
He has also been in several movies and received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1976 move A Star is Born.
But he is best known for his songwriting ability and nearly all of the Kris Kristofferson songs are written solely by him. His distinctively rough voice may have kept his own audience to a minimum.
Girl watching has long been a popular American pastime. Millions of men spend parts of their lunch hour watching the pleasurable form of a woman walking by, sharing memories of their own special girl, or just thinking of the gal they'll be meeting when the workday is done.
Songwriters Paul Kaufman and Mike Anthony looked up from their work one day and saw a parade of young ladies passing by their window.
One of them remarked, now that's "Poetry in Motion", and together wrote a song that would send Johnny Tillotson to fame and fortune.
Recorded in Nashville in 1960 with Boots Randolph on sax and
Floyd Cramer on piano, "Poetry In Motion" vinyl memories became Johnny's first hit
peaking at #2 during the fall of that year and going to #1 in the UK the
following January. Read the story here...
You might also like these stories...
I hope you find time to visit more great stories about growing up in the 50s, 60s and 70s. You can start here....
Looking for that special song, artist, or group on this site?
"American Bandstand," one of the most influential TV shows of the 20th century, debuted 67 years ago in a West Philadelphia studio, with Dick Clark hosting singer Billy Williams and The Chordettes, a female quartet known for its 1954 chart-topper "Mr. Sandman." We have both...
More Original Framed Album Cover Art including a 1982 George Strait album purchased new and in like new condition.
Ever thought of having your own website? I built Vinyl Record Memories "from scratch" with SoloBuildIt! Click below to find out more....
It was simple and good back then never thinking it would end. Cruising the drive-in restaurants where guys with duck tails met gals with pony tails. It was Burgers and Fries and Cherry Pies in a world we used to know. Read the Burgers & Fries story here.
Classic coming-of-age story set against the 1960s backdrop of hot rods, drive-ins and rock and roll...and is considered one of the best teen movies ever made. A cool trip down memory lane.
A remarkable true story and memories of this seldom played classic from 1959. Read the Darling Lorraine story.
"It's the smile on your face, It's your style and your grace... And that's why, that's why I love you."
A man with this much talent should certainly be entitled to more than this one simple page that I have provided and not just because I enjoyed one particular song of his more than his others. Check out his Guitar Riffs in this song.
Few songs remain as enduring and haunting as the 1961 No. 1 hit, "Runaway." Written by Del Shannon and his keyboardist, Max Crook, it outlines in tear-streaked detail a guy who's lost his girl. Read more .
Danny, I could not believe the content of your website. It is just amazing to recall so much we lived through just by checking out so many old posters & album covers.
Your site floods me with memories & reinforces my belief that it truly was a great time to be a teenager. Good work, Danny, please stick with it.
Sincerely Dale
dalekleeart.com
"I don't usually contact doo wop article authors as I rarely find much value in the articles, but your article struck me as sincere, genuine and respectful."
Tom Sokira,
Producer, Audio Engineer
"In The Still Of The Night" (1956)
Read the story here.
Danny, I think you did a great job and my family enjoyed it as well. I have had some more time to go through your site and find it to be fantastic, and your personal story is great as well.
You truly
are a blessing to all of Us. Thanks for sharing your memories with us. I
look forward to seeing and hearing more from you.
Paul Giacalone
The song "You Were Mine" was written by Paul Giacalone. Read the story here.