Hi Red, another great Sunday of the greatest oldies of all time. As strange as this sounds in some ways you remind me of Dick Clark playing the old tunes on American Bandstand. When I was growing up in the late seventies and eighties I watched that show every Saturday. Well buddy keep up the great work… you sure make my day.

Your loyal listener,

Jan-Fraser Coward

Jan, thank you for being part of my life week after week.

Hi Red, I met you some years ago in North Vancouver – at the Chevron gas station on Keith and Third Street.

It’s great listening to you today.

Palisades Park – the GREAT one of the past. One of my favorites. Yes, Elvis was so young I almost didn’t recognize his voice. I thought it was at first, then my brother said “sounds like someone trying to impersonate him” (like Terry Black).

Is it possible to hear She Can’t Find Her Keys by Shelley Fabares?  I haven’t heard it since the late 60’s.  Or even Goodbye Cruel World.

Thanks for playing the “golden oldies” Red.

Linda

Linda, thanks for tuning into the show.  It’s a pleasure to find those “oldies but goodies” each Sunday. I will find your songs also.

Hi Red, just a note as I have such happy memories of you and Teen Town whenever I see you on TV.

My friend Millie and I lived in Deep Cove oh so many years ago, and belonged to Teen Town (I can’t remember how or why, but we did).  The best memory I have is when we all went to Penticton by Greyhound and were billeted out there. The Stroll was big, and my memory of of us all doing it at the hall in Penticton.

I want to thank you for all the memories, I don’t have many – but that was a highlight of my young life.

Carol Eaton Walker

Carol, thank you for your note.  Let’s face it, we lived in the best of times.

Hi Red, I love your Sunday show on 104.9. It takes me back – way back – to a time listening to you on CKWX. I’m guessing, but I’m thinking around 1958? My friend won a record on some contest. It was Johnny Yuma.

Then of course over the years on one station or another I’ve always enjoyed your choice of music, your stories and your professionalism (that I wish many of the radio announcers of today would pay attention to and try to copy).

Many thanks. You keep playing, I’ll keep listening.

Kent

Kent, thanks for the email. I was on CKWX in 1958 so I think you’ve got it right. I do remember giving away copies of Johnny Yuma but that was on CKWX in 1961. The song didn’t come out until then. To be fair to today’s announcers, they are not given the chance in this cookie cutter world.

You had Rolf Harris on your show talking about Petula Clark.  At the end he said she’ll be missed.  Did she die in the last 48 hours, because no one else has her dead?  How old was that  interview?? Either Rolf has lost it or you might have.

Bonnie

Bonnie, that is a recent interview but he was referring to her recording career which ended some time ago. She will be appearing at the theatre they named after me September 4.

Back in the days of the Ding Ho Partyline and Soundathon long weekends there were some songs, not chart toppers, that were intended to be funny or maybe just zany. Not sure of titles or what they’d be called but Transfusion kind of stuck in my mind.  “Slip the juice to me Bruce” and other such lyrics.  Thought it might be interesting to recall some of these local plays and insert one every once in a while. Love the show.

Jon

Jon, thanks for your note.  I will endeavor to have a “funny bone” weekend in the future.

Red, in my college days (and just after)  I used to be a real fan of Don Crawford, who was a local folk singer of some note at the time. He was an American I believe and I think was appearing at places like The Ark. He would make the walls ring with that 12 string guitar and sang with great intensity and passion.

I know he went the the US and tried to get in movies. I remember reading that he was not black enough to play black roles, or white enough to play the white ones. What racist times.

On the Internet I discovered reports of an interview with him, and that he went on to score Let’s Live a Little. He appeared twice on The  Tonight show with Johnny Carson and he appeared in a movie Called Change of Mind with Leslie Nielsen.

Do you know what became of him?  He had a fabulous singing voice and I always wondered why fame didn’t come his way, and what else he found in life.

Jim Bruce

Jim, I remember him well. He helped formulate Let’s Go, the national CBC television series that I hosted with Fred Latremouille in the Sixties. He was a wonderful talent and I have lost touch with him.

Red, a few of my buddies and I were talking the other day, about Elvis. This question came up “Did Elvis ever write any of his songs through the years?” I said, “No, he never wrote a song that he recorded, to my knowledge.” Well, I took a little flak. They all said that he did. Did he? You’ve answered a few questions for me before, and you’ve always been right so far. What say you?

Bob

No, he did not. His name appears on many discs as a writer but that was an arrangement Col. Tom Parker made with the writers so Elvis could get some of the publishing royalties. A songwriter he was not.

Red, one singer from the past and maybe the best ever out of Canada who I dont believe has ever been out to the coast is Jack Scott. I wonder if there is much chance of ever seeing him out here in the future? We have been fans of his since the mid Fifties.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

Al & Gale Weber
Surrey

I  brought him in for Expo 86 and saw him perform at the Rockabilly Inductions in Nashville in 2001. He is one of my favorites and we will try to get him here.

Red, am I your oldest living fan? I don’t believe it but I should be. I used to listen to Red In Bed when I was a kid maybe a year or so older than you. Now I can see Red on TV. My life must be complete.

Speaking of Red In Bed, did you ever hear Jimmy Drake’s Red in Bed or Bully Bully Man? This was Red Blanchard of course, not Red Robinson, but I still play it and make the substitution.

I hope that you won’t ever really, really retire.

Austin Fulton
Peachland

Austin, thank you for the email. Eventually even if you don’t retire you end up retiring from life. I am just enjoying each day as it comes.

Hi Red, you played a song today and I missed both the title and artist.

It goes “You can have her, I don’t want her, she didn’t love me anyway.”

When you have time could you please forward either title or artist, I would sure appreciate it?  Love your show, by the way.

Maureen

Maureen, it was You Can Have Her by one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, Roy Hamilton and I followed his version with the Righteous Brothers version.