Lately, for some unknown reason, I have been watching more than my fair share of old Elvis movies.  What got me hooked was actually an accident.  I was channel surfing and came across his first flick, Love Me Tender.  Most obvious was that the kid had an abundance of talent, charisma, and just about every other quality that could be packed into one human being.

Love Me Tender was a western of sorts, set just after the Civil War.  The most questionable scenes were when Elvis sang.  That’s not to say that there was anything wrong with the singing.  It’s just that the hip swiveling and leg gyrations that helped propel him as a singer seemed severely out of place in the motion picture.   However, if you were an Elvis fan in 1956, you probably would have expected (even wanted) to see him do his dancing thing.

To be clear, Elvis Presley did not invent rock and roll but he had the enormous star power to force the new music genre into the mainstream.  Elvis was the consummate crossover artist.  He could perform a number of styles and remain credible in his performance.

Before I digress into a little personal reflection on Elvis I wanted to examine the effect that Elvis had on the music charts.  Things were still “business as usual” in 1954.  Joan Weber had the first number one song of the year with “Let Me Go Lover.”  Only two rock and rollers made the number one hit list, Bill Haley (Rock Around the Clock and Pat Boone (Ain’t That A Shame).  At this stage Elvis was just bubbling under. The public was still buying songs like the one that follows:

I never met Elvis and I can’t recall ever buying an Elvis record.  That doesn’t mean I didn’t like his music but I wasn’t as fanatical about Presley as many other fans.  However, even though I really didn’t give it much thought at the time, Elvis did have an impact on my life.

My first recollection of Elvis goes back to 1956 when I was 8 years old.  I vividly remember sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen listening to “Love Me Tender” playing on the radio.  I recall my grandmother’s response to hearing the song.  “I like when he sings like that.  He’s a nice young man and I don’t know why they’re making so much of a fuss in the news.”  Even as a teen idol Elvis was able to bridge the demographic gap.  Although he may have been labeled as a teen star he was much more than that.  He was a star for the masses.

I still find it hard to believe that Frank Sinatra said of Elvis, “His kind of music is deplorable, a rancid smelling aphrodisiac. It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people.”  I can’t help but wonder if Frank wasn’t reeling from the effect of Presley-mania as were many of the music stars who were jolted by the presence of Presley on the charts.  Nonetheless, in 1960, Frank Sinatra hosted the 1960 special, Welcome Home Elvis.  Nancy Sinatra was also on that special with Elvis.  Later, in 1968 she would star with Elvis in his movie, Speedway.  I would imagine that Frank eventually changed his mind about Elvis.

On the morning of August 16, 1977 Kurt and I were doing our morning radio show when our News Director brought me a news bulletin.  Elvis Presley was dead.   I will never forget that moment.  My reaction and that of our listeners was the same.  It was like a family member had died.

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Welcome to Super Oldies Radio.com,

My name is Richard Weirich and for many years I have helped many people just like you to get their start in the businesses of broadcasting and voice talent. Whether you are looking to start a new hobby, pocket some extra income, or build a full time voiceover career I can show you how to get started.

Radio and voice talent have been good to me over the years and I have wanted to find some ways of giving back, which is why I started this website. Feel free to check out the articles on this site and if you are interested in starting a radio station on the web, becoming a DJ, or a voice talent artist then I want you to have a FREE copy of my email mini course, “VOICE TALENT 101“.

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Internet radio reminds me of a mix of early 1960s programming, the beginnings of FM, and small town radio.  That’s not a slam but, in fact, a compliment.  I say that because I believe that radio has lost something over the years… and internet radio, in many regards, is bringing back the qualities that made radio special.   Of course, my format of preference is internet oldies radio…but all across the genres found on internet radio there are good things happening.

60s programming and the beginnings of FM are like today’s internet radio because they were about change, experimentation, creativity, and invention.  Today’s corporate ownership and computer technology has eliminated the opportunities that once existed to develop as an air personality.  Internet radio is like small town radio because it gives everyone who wants it a chance at trying their hand at radio.

Before computers (just for the record I love what computers can do) radio stations required somebody to be running the controls for as long as that station was on the air.  Even on Sunday mornings that was somebody in charge of loading the tapes for the church broadcasts.  There is no telling how many air personalities got their start that way.  Of course, all programming can now be aired digitally or by satellite which negates the need for an around the clock board op.

Even in medium and small market radio markets you could get your start on the all-night show.  It didn’t pay much, the hours were terrible, but it was a great way to learn your craft.  That too, is no longer an option.

In reality, many radio stations no longer use “live” DJs.  Most shows are voice-tracked prior to air time.  Typically, a 4 or 5 hour show can be tracked out in under an hour.  In fact, the big companies now employ just a handful of air personalities to voice track multiple shows at multiple radio stations.  Definitely more cost effective for running radio station but it is also one more area where job opportunities have been lost.

Even talk radio stations are, for the most part, syndicated.  Most shows are national or even international in origin.  In fact, talk radio reminds me of what it’s like these days to travel to any American town or city.  Same chain restaurants and the same chain stores.   It wasn’t too many years ago when syndication was only a small part of the broadcast day.  Now, for many stations, syndication takes up most of the broadcast time and many job opportunities.

Mind you, my concern isn’t the lack of jobs in terrestrial radio, but the lack of opportunities to learn the craft and grown in it.  Fortunately, I got into radio about the best time possible and enjoyed a wonderful career.  But for the young guy or gal looking for opportunity there is less and less available.

Internet radio, on the other hand, is a wide-open land of opportunity.  It provides a venue for those interested in radio to pursue their dreams which includes making mistakes and learning from them.  You can try different things, experiment, and get feedback from the public.  You can have as much or as little of the experience as you want.

Own your own station, be a DJ, be a program director, be an engineer, sell advertising, and start as many stations as you want.  Get other people involved, solicit volunteers, or even hire a few folks if the dollars start coming in.  Learn the business inside out without ever setting foot in a radio station.

For the listener this means an expanding opportunity for listening to thousands upon thousands of different formats from around the world.  No matter what your taste…you will find something you will like on internet radio.  Best of all…internet radio is either free or close to it.  Even if you do pay to listen it will be a tiny fraction of what you would pay for satellite radio.  You can listen to internet stations on your computer, on an internet radio, and even in your car.  And most internet broadcasts are commercial free.

The bottom line on internet radio is that it is good for the person who wants to be a broadcaster and the individual who wants to be a listener.   Internet radio is the new land of radio opportunity.

When I was in terrestrial radio we had wonderful listeners who supported and encouraged us.  As I have learned from my oldies internet radio station and my health talk station… internet listeners are just the same.  The biggest difference is that you don’t just hear from one city but from people around the world.  And in this world of conflict of problems how good it is to know that there are good people everywhere.  You will gain new friends that you would have never known without the use of this amazing new media.

1960s radio was nothing short of amazing.  I can make that statement because I grew up on it…and was so enamored by it I chose to adopt radio as a profession.  I didn’t enter the arena until the glory days of 1970 radio but clearly, my influence came from those formative years of the 60s.

One of the greatest gifts I ever received was a transistor radio.  That small device exposed my small town world to an entertainment medium that was so much better than what local radio could offer.  50,000 watt radio stations in big cities could be heard at night…and there was something incredibly magical about that nighttime sound.

I was most drawn to the colorful personalities of big-time DJs like Dick Biondi (WKBW, WLS and WCFL, both in Chicago), Cousin Brucie (WABC, NY), and Jackson Armstrong (WKBW, Buffalo) to name just a few.  It was also through these great radio stations that I was exposed to the hit music of the 1960s, which by the way, sounded incredibly amazing, despite the fading in and out of the far away broadcast signal.

These radio stations had unique sounds.  WABC used a heavy reverb on their microphone with a chime that sounded with their jingle.  WLS and WCFL had incredible jingle packages that helped you quickly identify the station you were listening to.  And, there were jingles that sang the name of the disc jockey.  That probably didn’t mean much to someone who had no interest in making radio a career.  But for me, those personalized jingles were amazing.

In the early 60s music radio was emerging, more free form, and with more latitude given to the DJ.  In fact, most DJs in those early days selected their own music to play.  Playlist creation was more hit and miss than scientific.  And, oh my, how many commercials there were.  18 to 21 minutes of commercials per hour was not uncommon.  Some stations even pushed that limit.  As a result, music programming was generally a song followed by DJ banter, and then a cluster of commercials and then another song.  Repeat and rinse.

Block programming was also predominant in the early 60s.  For example an hour long Swap Shop program would be followed by the Obituaries of the Air… and then the Birth Announcements… and then a segment of music programming.  One of my first stations featured a Christmas feature every year hosted by the owner’s daughter called, “Pam the Pixie.”

Radio stations sponsored everything imaginable.  One of the first stations I worked at was a daytime radio station that signed off at dark.  They actually sold the time that they were off the air.  Every day I had to read the sign-off message, “The following hours of silence are brought to you by D.C. Heatwall Tires.”  Then in the morning when we signed back on I would read, “The preceding hours of silence were brought to you by…”  Well, you get the picture.  It was a practice that had been in place since the early 60s that made its way to 1970.

Although the FCC frowned on stations running ads longer than 60 seconds…it was not uncommon for live ads to run 2 or 3 minutes.  DJs often received gifts from the advertisers in exchange for showing their account a little extra love.   Unfortunately, that practice also carried over into the area of song selection which created another problem that ultimately led to government intervention.

It was in the early 60s that some young radio programmers wised up to the loose, highly commercialized, and often reckless programming exhibited by many radio stations around the country.  They saw a huge opportunity for gaining a competitive edge over the completion.  By tightening the playlists, taking song selection from the DJs and replacing it with consumer research, playing fewer commercials, and getting rid of the clutter and block programming…they could produce a product that was more appealing to the listening public.

Innovators in this area included Rick Sklar who brought a streamlined version of Top 40 radio to WABC in the early 60s.  Bill Drake took Sclar’s model and modified it into a format called Boss Radio.  The Drake format was first aired in 1961 at KSTN (Stockton), followed by KYNO (Fresno) in 1962 and 1963 and KGB in San Diego in 1964.  Then in 1965 Boss Radio became the format of choice for powerhouse KHJ in Los Angeles.   Also jumping on the Boss Radio bandwagon: KFRC in San Francisco; CKLW in Windsor, ON; and WRKO in Boston.  The format and numerous spinoff’s dominated radio programming for many years to come.

As with all movements even the good ideas that came with the Boss Radio concept were carried too far.  By the time I got to WLCY in Charlotte, NC in 1971 our playlist had been reduced to just 18 songs.  Even to this day I cringe when I hear one of those songs that we played over and over.  Then again, our target audience was young teens and for one rating book (just one), Big WAYS was dethroned.  Needless to say, they came back and stomped us into a new format…which led to the demise of our program director and me getting his job.  So, it wasn’t all bad.  That little bit of experience for me got the attention of Southern Broadcasting and my first program director gig of note, at WSGN in Birmingham.

1960s radio produced a comeback era for radio that had taken a huge hit from the surging popularity of television.  Innovative program directors, courageous owners, and dynamic air personalities turned radio around and created a new “heyday” that I was privileged to be a part of in the 70s and 80s.  Then came satellite radio, iPods, and internet radio leaving me to wonder, “Will the glory days of radio ever return?”

The great oldies from 1960s radio are playing right now on Golden Hits Radio.

As a veteran DJ, one of the most (if not the most) requested songs of my 40+ years on the air is “Unchained Melody.”  Therefore, it seems fitting that “Unchained Melody” should get the distinction of first among love songs discussed on this site or, as listeners often called it, “Unchanged Melody.”

If you’re an American Idol fan then you probably know that 2011 runner-up Lauren Alaina performed a rendition of the song on the show which she dedicated to her parents saying that “it is their favorite song.”  Her version is now a popular download on You Tube.  In fact, a You Tube search for the song title reveals nearly 18,000 entries.  By some counts Unchained Melody has been recorded by more than 500 artists.

Interestingly, the words “unchained melody” appear nowhere in the lyrics to a song that most of us associate with the soulful sound of the Righteous Brothers.  No doubt, their version is the most recognizable but in the year that it was released, 1965, it charted no higher than #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Yet, over time, the Righteous Brothers version has climbed into just about everybody’s Top 5 all time favorite love songs, a truly remarkable accomplishment.

“Unchained Melody” was actually written in 1955 by Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret.  The songwriting duo was hired to write a theme song for the prison movie, “Unchained.”  Well, at least now we know how “unchained” made it into the title.  The prison movie theme also explains the lyrics that speak of longing for a lover who hasn’t been seen in a long time.

For the movie soundtrack Todd Duncan, an opera styled vocalist, recorded the version used in the motion picture.  The song did, in fact, gain some notoriety as it was nominated for an Oscar and came in second for the best song award to “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.”

Meanwhile, that same year, 1955, several other versions of the song were released with considerable success.  An instrumental by Les Baxter reached #2 on the Billboard chart and a vocal by Al Hibler hit at #3.  Also in ’55 there were versions by Jimmy Young, Roy Hamilton, and June Valli.  The following year, Gene Vincent of “Be-Bop-A-Lula” fame recorded a little more uptempo version with his band the Blue Caps.

10 years after its’ initial release, “Unchained Melody” was revived by Phil Spector and recorded by Bobby Hatfield, one-half of the duo made up of Hatfield and Bill Medley who billed themselves as the Righteous Brothers.  This solo oddity for a duo also occurred on  the song “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which, according to the record label, was sung by Simon and Garfunkle.  Actually, it was a solo for Art Garfunkle.  For lack of a better reason, I suppose that such billing identification is out of respect for the group identity.

So, what makes one song more enduring than another?  Moreover, what makes one love song uniquely special to generation after generation?  Certainly…the melody has to be particularly engaging and then, the lyric has to connect with the listener.  Let’s revisit the lyrics to “Unchained Melody:”

Oh, my love
my darling
I’ve hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea,
to the sea
to the open arms of the sea
lonely rivers sigh ‘wait for me, wait for me’
I’ll be coming home wait for me

Oh, my love
my darling
I’ve hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me

And then there was that very popular 1990 movie, “Ghost,” with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in which the song provided a musical background for a memorable romantic scene.  The Righteous Brothers version was rereleased to coincide with the release of the motion picture.

“Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers provides the meaningful lyrics, beautiful melody, and the powerful performance necessary for connecting with the most basic of human feelings of heartfelt love and longing.  Its place on the list of greatest love songs is rightfully deserved.

You will hear all of the great Righteous Brothers love songs on Golden Hits Radio.

An interesting thing happens when you begin to look for the number one artist and the number one song for a given year.  Surveys, as you no doubt know, differ from source to source.  Finding number one from all 1970s singers requires just settling on somebody’s #1.  So, since Billboard has been the top music chart source for so many years…for the sake of this article I will use their crowned champion.

According to the Billboard Hot 100, the number one song for 1970 was… “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkle.  This “right time, right place” hit was the culmination of a string of hits by the duo that had enjoyed remarkable success through the 1960s.

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle had been friends since elementary school and formed a musical alliance in their junior year of high school in Queens, New York.  Originally they billed themselves as Tom and Jerry.  In addition to the names, Tom and Jerry, they also attached alias last names for their altered identities.  Jerry (Garfunkle) chose the last name, Graph, because he liked to track the pop charts by making graphs.  Tom (Simon) adopted his new last name, Landis, from his girlfriend at the time. As Tom and Jerry they scored a mid-chart hit in 1957 with “Hey, Schoolgirl.”  That early success earned them an appearance on American Bandstand.

Their musical career didn’t take off like they had hoped so both of them enrolled in different colleges.  Ultimately, they did come back together as folk music became a popular music style of the early 60s which led to an album collaboration in 1964.  By 1965 they had broken up and Paul Simon took his solo act to the United Kingdom.

In 1965 several radio stations across the country began to play a song from their album entitled “The Sound of Silence.”  The song’s producer was encouraged by the airplay and responded by adding additional instrumentation, remixing the track, and then released it as a single.  By New Year’s day, 1966, Simon and Garfunkle had their first number one hit.

The new mix found with “The Sound of Silence” produced a new style of music called “folk rock” which would be the success formula for a number of hits that would follow.  In 1966 Simon and Garfunkle scored chart success with “Homeward Bound” #5, “I Am a Rock” #3, “The Dangling Conversation” #25, and “A Hazy Shade of Winter” #13.

More hits followed in ’67 including: “At the Zoo” #16 and “The 59^th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) #16.  Also that year S&G hit #23 with “Fakin’ It.”

In 1968 the duo received another big break as their music was chosen for the movie, The Graduate.  Of course, the movie was a huge hit helping catapult Simon and Garfunkle to second #1 hit, “Mrs. Robinson.”  Again in 1969 S&G were back in the Top 10 with “The Boxer.”

Then, on January 26, 1970 Simon and Garfunkle released “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which jetted to the top of the charts within a month and rested at that position for 6 weeks.

Paul Simon wrote the song in the summer of 1969 while Art Garfunkel was working on a movie, Catch-22, in Europe.  Initially the song only had two verses and different lyrics.  The song’s producer, Roy Halee, felt that the song needed three verses and a powerful ending to which Simon acquiesced.  The added verse was actually written about Paul Simon’s wife at the time, Peggy Harper, who was agonizing over her first gray hair.  Thus the line, “Sail on, silver girl.”

Early in this article I called “Bridge Over Troubled Water” a “right place-right time” hit.  What I mean by that is the United States was going through a very painful time in its history.  The Vietnam conflict had escalated into a national nightmare.  “Bridge Over Troubled Water” acknowledges heartache and difficulty and offers the compassion of a friend.  The lyric hit at a deeply personal level and the musical arrangement was like a movie soundtrack; gentle, emotional, building to a mighty crescendo, and then for the final 10 seconds sustained high strings sound a final note of peace and resolution of the conflict.

Here now are the lyrics to the number one song of 1970:

When you’re weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I’m on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you

I’ll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Simon and Garfunkle ushered in a brand new decade as the first of the 1970s singers to make a huge impact on the world with their music.  I wonder if back in those early grades of elementary school they ever had  an idea of how far their dreams would take them?

You can hear Simon and Garfunkle and all of your favorite 1970s singers on Golden Hits Radio.

Although sometimes ignored for his contribution to the music industry, Chubby Check deserves recognition for his amazing accomplishments among the early sixties artists.  Chubby Checker topped the pop music charts in 1960 with “The Twist” which was written by singer/songwriter Hank Ballard.  A year earlier Ballard and his group, the Midnighters, released a version of “The Twist” as the B-side of “Teardrops On Your Letter” which peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Not only did Chubby Checker benefit from the incredible popularity of “The Twist” in 1960 but also again in 1962 when it again resurfaced and topped the chart for a second time on January 13, 1962.  The phenomenon has only happened one other time in Billboard chart history.  The previous occurrence was with Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”

Interestingly, songs about the Twist can be traced to the 19^th century to a minstrel song called the “Grape Vine Twist.”  The melody for the song came from a secular song written by a Gospel artist, Bro. Joe Wallace, who didn’t feel comfortable recording the song himself.  Hank Ballard penned the words and tweaked the Wallace melody which resulted in one of the most popular songs in history.

Chubby Checker started his career doing impressions of popular artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon, and Fats Domino.  Interestingly, one of his high school classmates at South Philadelphia High School would also become a superstar, although for a brief time.  Maybe you remember the teen idol, Fabian.

His real name is Ernest Evans.  The nickname “Chubby” was pinned on him by a boss at a produce market where he worked after high school.  Dick Clark’s wife is credited with giving him the name “Checker.”  During a recording session, he launched into an impression of Fats Domino.  Clark’s wife then wanted to know his name to which he responded, “Chubby.”  She then quipped, “As in Checker?”  What started as a little good hearted fun turned into the name that would launch his career.

As Chubby Checker sought to arrive at his identity as an artist he actually cut a demo on which he did impressions with high speed overdubs for an effect similar to the Chipmunks.  The demo was enough to get Checker signed to Cameo-Parkway Records resulting in his first release, a novelty song called “The Class,” which charted at #38 in 1959.

Chubby Checker’s version of “The Twist” was introduced to a local New York City television audience in July of 1960.  The show was broadcast live from Palisades Amusement Park (inspiration for Freddy Cannon’s 1962 hit which was written by Gong Show host Chuck Barris.

Other Chubby Checker hits include “The Hucklebuck” (#14), “The Fly” (#7), “Dance the Mess Around” (#24), and “Pony Time“, which returned Checker to the number 1 position in 1961.  His next twist themed single, “Let’s Twist Again“, won the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Solo Vocal Performance.  In 1962 Checker released a duet with Dee Dee Sharp called “Slow Twistin’” which reached #3 on the national charts.  His last Top Ten hit, “Limbo Rock” came in 1962.

Although “The Twist” put Chubby Checker on the superstar map he has had mixed feelings about what the song actually did for him.  Even if he feels that the song has in some way stifled his acceptance as a performer one thing is certain.  Chubby Checker is still working.  He continues to travel on the oldies circuit performing his hits.  While other artists have come and gone, retiring to careers outside of show business, Chubby Checker has been able to keep doing what he loves.

To hear Chubby Checker’s music and more of the fabulous sixties artists listen online to Golden Hits Radio.

Until 1955 the music industry was just simmering, waiting for something big to revitalize it.  Popular playlists were consumed by a hodgepodge of influences; mostly easy listening, light country, light jazz, calypso (Harry Belafonte) and a lot of tunes from Broadway.   It was, in fact, an industry that was seeking to define itself and looking to recover the excitement of the defunct big band era.  However, there were some non-rock and roll 1950s singers who are worthy of note.

Among the singer superstars from the 1950s was a white singer who had the rare distinction of crossing over, from pop to R&B.  Of course, R&B has frequently crossed into the mainstream but Johnnie Ray was the first white artist to accomplish that fete (1952) with a #1 song called “Cry.”  The flipside of that single, “The Little White Cloud That Cried,” also became a hit.  Interestingly, the single appeared on 78rpm and, with his uniquely powerful style, Johnnie Ray became a teen idol.  Ray’s style was actually a forerunner of the more animated rock and roll era that was soon to follow.  His act was characterized by hair tearing, falling to the floor, shedding tears, and even ripping his shirt…all while singing emotional ballads.

Patti Page enjoyed her greatest wave of popularity in the 1950s although, now in her 80s, she continues to perform.  In her career, which began in 1947, she has sold over 100 million records.  Between 1950 and 1965 she produced 15 singles that sold over a million copies each.  Her 1950 hit, “Tennessee Waltz,” was one of the biggest selling singles of the 20^th century.

Any discussion on the singers of the 50s must also include Nat King Cole.  Possibly, to today’s music audience, Nat is probably better known as the father of his superstar daughter, Natalie.  But Nat King Cole was a superstar in his own right both as a jazz pianist and singer.  His song, “Too Young,” was the number one hit for the entire year of 1951.  Other notable classics from Nat Cole’s 50s catalogue include “Mona Lisa” and “Unforgettable.”   Nat King Cole was the first African-American performer to host a TV show.  The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC-TV on November 5, 1956 and lasted a year.  Due to the racial climate of the day the show was unable to attract advertisers which led to the show’s cancellation after only one year.

Another superstar 50s singer, worthy of note, is Teresa Brewer who charted 35 hits in the 1950s and recorded more than 600 songs throughout her illustrious career that spanned 3 decades.  Her first 50s number one hit came in 1950 with “Music, Music, Music.”  In 1951 she hit number one again with “Till I Waltz Again With You.”  Teresa Brewer’s song catalog include a variety of styles including country, jazz, R&B, musicals and novelty songs.

Tony Bennett’s long lasting career began in the 50s with the 1951 hit, “Because of You.”  His second number one hit came that same year with a cover of the Hank Williams country song, “Cold, Cold Heart.”  His third #1 song came in 1953 with “Rags to Riches.”  In all, Tony Bennett has sold more than 50 million records.

Perry Como (#1 songs- “If” 1950, “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” 1952, and “Wanted” 1953.  Other notable Como hits from the 50s include: “Papa Loves Mambo,” “Hot Diggity,” and “Catch a Falling Star.”  “Catch a Falling Star” is worthy of note because it was the first ever gold record which also resulted in an Emmy for Como.

Doris Day also belongs on the 1950s singers superstar list.  During her amazing career, she appeared in 39 films, recorded more than 650 songs, received an Academy Award nomination, won a Golden Globe and a Grammy Award, and, in 1989, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.  In 1951 she hit #1 for the 4th time with “Secret Love” which also resulted in a Grammy.  Other Top 10 hits from the 1950s include: “Bewitched” 1950 and “What Ever Will Be Will Be”1956.

Eddie Fisher was not only one of the biggest superstars among 1950s singers but his list of marriages was like a list of who’s who among 50 celebrities.  That marital list includes celebs like Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, and Connie Stevens.  He also produced a famous daughter, Carrie, who rose to fame in the role of Princess Leia in the Star Wars Trilogy.  His list of 1950s number one’s includes: “Wish You Were Here” 1952, “I’m Walking Behind You” 1952, “Oh, My Pa-Pa” (1953), and “I Need You” from 1954.  He had seventeen Top 10 songs between 1950 and 1956 and thirty-five in the Top 40.

Frankie Laine’s career peaked in the 1950s but actually endured 75 years.  1953 was his biggest year for #1 hits including: “I Believe,” “Hey Joe,” and “Answer Me.”  His #2 50s hits include: “Jezebel” 1952, “Where the Winds Blow” 1953, “Blowing Wild” 1954, and “Cool Water” in 1955.  Throughout the 1950s, Laine sang the title songs for Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 3:10 to Yuma, Bullwhip and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks‘ 1974 hit movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination.

This represents just a few of the 1950s singers who dominated the music charts prior to the emergence of the greatest of all 50s’ singers (Elvis Presley) and the beginning of rock and roll.  These artists were the stabilizing force for an industry that was about to get “All Shook Up.”

Since we are talking about free oldies music it is fitting that we describe our venture by referencing a popular expression from the 1960s:  “different strokes for different folks!” By the way…Muhammad Ali is credited with originating the term in 1966.  The biggest hit oldie to use the line as part of its lyric was “Every Day People” by Sly and the Family Stone in 1968.  The term has been assigned various meanings but, for the purpose of this article, I am using the most common interpretation which simply means that “we all have different tastes.”

Although we may view oldies from our own unique perspectives the term “oldies” actually has a more specific meaning.  In fact, just because a song is old does not mean it is classified as an “oldie.”  There is a considerable difference between “oldies” and “oldies but goodies.”  “Oldies but goodies” refers to old popular music with a broader stroke than “oldies.”  In other words, more songs fit under that heading than is included in the more specialized classification of “oldies.”

“Oldies but goodies” can cover popular music; in general, as far back as you want to go.  For someone in their 70s, an oldie but goodie could be a big band tune from the 1940s or a Doris Day hit from the early 50s.

The emphasis of this website, however, is on mainstream oldies from the pop and rock genre.  This music genre classification generally covers the timeframe of 1955 to the mid-70s.  Some purists are hesitant to include the disco era which was so heavily dominated popular music from the mid to late 70s.

If you ever want to get a good argument going about “the first rock and roll song” there are definitely multiple schools of thought on the subject.  However, for the sake of “oldies” classification the first song to wear the label was “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets.  This song is the usual starting point for the oldies era because it was the first number one rock and roll hit.  For the song to have attained such great success indicates that rock and roll had entered the mainstream of music entertainment culture.  From that time forward rock and roll grew into a driving force in popular music.

Oldies music also follows the youth and maturity of the Baby Boomer generation.  From their teen years, high school, college, military service, marriage and family, and building a career, this is the music that provided the soundtrack of the Boomer life.  Not surprisingly, this music is often selected by Hollywood producers for insertion in the sound tracks of their movies.  Some song titles have even been adopted as movie titles.  Pretty Woman, Only the Lonely, Ode to Billie Joe, and Love Potion #9 are a few examples.

The oldies era features an interesting mix of mainstream rock, pop, country, R&B, jazz, easy listening, and novelty songs.  The further hit songs were from the center of the mainstream the less acceptable they are today for inclusion on an oldies playlist.  That simply means that, even though it may have been a number one hit, it may no longer have validity because it sounds too old school country.   There are even music styles that get very little play on oldies stations.  You will seldom hear Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass or jazz trumpeter Al Hirt…even though they had huge mainstream hits during the oldies era.  By the way, I do stick out my neck and play some of the music by these artists on my oldies station.  I guess that makes me a rebel although I am certain that the Crystals weren’t singing about me in 1963 with their hit, “He’s a Rebel.”

Within the oldies era there were a number of novelty songs that charted high but are not really seen as valid to the standard oldies mix.  A good example would be…”Disco Duck” by my old friend and DJ, Rick Dees or Convoy (also inspired a movie) by C.W. McCall.  Disco Duck was a satire on disco music and Convoy was a song that gained popularity during the short-lived CB craze in the early 70s.  There have been numerous songs that fit this bill…and certainly they are fun to listen to once in awhile, but for the most part they are not included on most standard oldies lists.  Do you remember Dickie Goodman?

Oh, yeah…and then there was that thing called bubble gum music.  You won’t usually hear much of this “teeny bopper” music on oldies radio stations.  Tommy Roe and the Jackson Five are among a very few exceptions.  Even the Archies song “Sugar, Sugar,” despite being the number one song of 1969 is considered a “no-no” on most lists.  Heaven forbid playing “I Think I Love You” by the Partridge Family.  Again, I stretch the boundaries on my oldies station, Golden Hits Radio, for the sake of variety and play both of the aforementioned songs.

Admittedly, I am a little more liberal at song selection from the oldies era than most oldies radio programmers.  It is my personal belief that people who embrace free oldies music are generally older and that they don’t want to hear the same songs over and over.  I also believe it is OK to hear something that you haven’t heard in years.  A little nostalgia occasionally helps bring back some wonderful memories which are nice to give us a little boost when times aren’t so good.  After all, what makes oldies such an appealing genre of music is because it’s like catching up with an old friend.