Vinyl Record Lovers Newsletter.

Welcome to my monthly Newsletter. Thank you for subscribing.

The golden age of vinyl records and all things retro are the highlights of my Newsletter. Writing stories about my vinyl record memories with content from my collection is my way of sharing memories and keeping the oldies alive.

I do appreciate your valuable time reading my newsletter.

Issue #106 - December, 2021.

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In This Issue:

• Ned Ward's Country Doo Wop Show.

• Country Doo Wop Spotlight Song.

• Best Selling Christmas Album of All Time.

• Betcha Didn't Know.
  

• Forgotten Oldies Classics - "The End" from 1958.

• Framed Album Cover Art of The Month.

• Only One Monkee Left From 1966 Band.
  

• What's Next?
  

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Vinyl Record Memories and
The Original Country Doo Wop Show.

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Each month we give a little shout-out to our favorite radio program, Ned Ward's Country Doo-Wop show. Our friend, Ned, along with producer, Mr. Barney, airs the show from out Oregon way and if you tune in you just might hear Ned talk a little about Vinyl Record Memories. Listen in Monday thru Saturday from 1pm to 3pm, all times Pacific, on KNCP Newberry Mix 107.3 FM.

Let's get started...

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Nothing evokes the memories of Christmases past like music. It captures the warmth of family and friends reunited for a few days at least. It gladdens the heart with familiar melodies, and lifts the spirits with its timeless message of peace, love, and goodwill toward all. Here's a couple of my favorites I'd like to share with you.

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Country Doo-Wop Spotlight Song.
(All I Want For Christmas Is You)

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Its been nearly 30 years since I first discovered, "All I Want For Christmas is You." It's a favorite played regularly during the holiday's each year on Ned Ward's Country Doo Wop show.

We all have our favorite Christmas songs, among mine are, Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," and Bobby Helms, "Jingle Bell Rock." But from the moment this song began to play I was overwhelmed with nostalgia.

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Best Selling Christmas Album

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Recorded in 1957, Elvis' first album of Christmas songs helped to establish him as the king of light entertainment as well as rock 'n roll. Despite causing an uproar on its release (Irvin Berlin, the composer of "White Christmas" led a campaign to stop Elvis' version being played on radio), the album hit Number One on the Billboard chart and continued to sell in large numbers each Christmas.

It became Elvis' first diamond certified (signifying 10 million units sold) album in the USA, and the best selling Christmas album of all-time with sales in excess of 20 million copies.

Watch the video below as it appears as though country singer Martina McBride travels back to the 1968 Elvis TV special and performs this Blue Christmas duet with Elvis.  After watching the video and you are curious to see how it was done just grab some memory dust and follow this link.

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Betcha Didn't Know!

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First appearing on the 1957 Elvis Christmas Album titled, "Blue Christmas," this is Elvis’ best known and best loved Christmas song.

Promo copies of the single 45rpm as shown here were sent to radio stations in 1957.

It would be nice to find a copy of that rare 45 record under your tree this Christmas. It’s worth up to $3,000.00.

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Forgotten Oldies Classics.
From 1958 - "The End"

Framed Album Cover Art of The Month

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Start off the new year with a toast from vinyl record memories to all of you with this album cover art of the month titled, Rose Colored Glasses.

When writing about music, especially music that was recorded before you were born, you only have the luxury of listening as an outsider. It is the Album Cover Artwork that will be a constant reminder how good the music inside really is.

Beautiful artwork on memorable album covers and sleeves are a sign of our life and times. For music fans the covers are the expression of a period, of a particular time in their lives.

Between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s, the long-playing record allowed popular music to become an art form and changed popular music for ever.

This is the 1978 debut album by country music artist John Conlee. It was released on ABC Records, and was his only disc for the label; he would move to MCA Records the next year.

John Conlee has a great voice and one of the saddest in country music making his songs sound more real than others. The charted songs on this LP include, Rose Colored Glasses #5, Lady Lay Down #1, and Backside of Thirty also a #1 hit for Conlee.

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Hey Hey We're The Monkees.

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There is only one Monkee left as we lost Michael Nesmith on December 10, 2021. Davy Jones died Feb 29, 2012 and Peter Tork, Feb 21, 2019.

The Monkees first emerged in the summer of 1966. They debuted on NBC in the fall of 1966 and was an immediate hit in the ratings, while "Last Train to Clarksville," the group’s first single, had become a number one hit a few weeks earlier.

They were talented singers, musicians, and songwriters who made a handful of the finest pop singles of their day (as well as a few first-rate albums) and delivered exciting, entertaining live shows.

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Michael Nesmith was the most talented of the Monkees. After the group broke up in 1970, he moved on to a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films, author of several books, head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV. Michael Newmith was 78.

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What's Next?

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January will continue the "Rock'n'Roll Timeline" with special dates from the year 1957.

Two of our favorite Elvis movies were both released the same year, 1957. Great videos capture Elvis at his best.

Another Classic Framed Album Cover Art from Vinyl Record Memories.

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