Vinyl Record Lovers Newsletter
(VIP Club)

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The golden age of vinyl records and all things retro are the highlights of my Newsletter. Writing stories about my vinyl record memories with added content from my collection is my 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 #128 - January, 2024

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In This Issue...

• Country Doo Wop Spotlight Song Of The Month.
  

• Why Has The Vinyl Record Survived?

• She Still Turns My World Upside Down.
  

• Framed Album Cover Art Of The Month.

• A Waylon Jennings Forgotten Country Classic.
  

• Kenny Rogers Vinyl LP Album Series.

• Happy Birthday Dolly - You're The Only One.
  

• What's Next?
  

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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.

Country Doo Wop Spotlight Song of The Month.
From 1959 "It Was I" by Skip & Flip

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This 1959 classic was the topic of our January interview with DJ Ned Ward and his producer, Mr. Barney, as we stepped back in time with one of our favorite forgotten oldies, "It Was I," a major hit for the Skip & Flip duo.

Playing this original 45rpm original Brent Record #700245 is pretty much how this song sounded well over 60 years ago. The vinyl record debut was on 6/22/59 and peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Ned and I talked about the talent of these two individuals.  "Skip" was Clyde Battin and "Flip" was Gary Paxton, the lead singer on the 1960 novelty song, Alley-Oop.  Clyde Battin was best known for his position as bass guitarist and songwriter with The Byrds from 1970 to 1973. Read more interesting details about Skip & Flip here.

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Why Has The Vinyl Record Survived?

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There is a certain nostalgia that comes with classic vinyl records. They serve as a physical presence of memories tied to different eras, music trends, artists, and even personal experiences.

Dusting off an old record, placing it onto the turntable, and lowering the needle onto the groove can transport you back in time. Each pop, crackle and hiss are like cherished imperfections, adding to the unique listening experience that only vinyl records offer.

You might remember the first record you ever bought, whether it was at a vintage music store, a garage sale, or even passed down from a relative. There's something special about that first record, especially when it spins on the turntable for the very first time.

Many music enthusiasts recall gathering with friends for listening parties, analyzing and discussing each track in detail. For some, studying the album cover art and liner notes was just as important as the music. It certainly was, and still is with me.

There might also be the memory of a specific song from a vinyl record that marked a significant event in your life – sock hops, school dances, American Bandstand, Friday night cruisin', and Drive-in movies. These vinyl record memories remain embedded in your mind as the soundtrack of your past.

Listening to vinyl records, with their full, warm, and dynamic sound, can be an immersive, multi-sensory experience that digital formats often fail to replicate. And for many, flipping the record to play the other side is a labor of love that adds to the overall appreciation of the music.

These vinyl record memories represent a simpler time when music was enjoyed more intimately and leisurely, a stark contrast to today's fast-paced, streaming digital world.

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She Still Turns My World Upside Down.

Music has a powerful way of invoking specific feelings, places, and times that we associate with certain songs. Dusting off old records often brings a wave of nostalgia. This is your chance to drift back to those teen years or early college days and reflect on this verse in the song; "She's just an old love turned memory, But she still turns my world upside down."

The song is sure to draw interest with some who might recall an old flame. I have surrounded the song with a story line that may be interesting to many, regardless of age.  The online page is now complete and ready for viewing. Click here and see how the story ends.

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Framed Album Cover Art of The Month.
"The Ramblin' Man."

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This album is unique as the original price sticker remains on the cover (it is on the shrink wrap and not the album cover itself) and was purchased new in 1974 at Rink's, a discount store located on the South Side of Hamilton, Ohio.

The store originally opened in the fifties as "Rink's Bargain City," a vacant skating rink acquired by two brothers from Cincinnati. I lived across the railroad tracks from the original Rink's skating rink. This 1974 LP was purchased at the new Rink's on Route 4 across the street from the original skating rink. The sticker reads Mfg price, $5.95 with an "Our" price of $4.29.

The Ramblin' Man was recorded at Glaser Sound Studios in Nashville, remains true to Jennings' outlaw country image, and was released at what was still considered to be the height of the outlaw movement in country music. It was Jennings second #1 on the Country charts.

The album also includes a gutsy cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider," cementing Jennings' fearless reputation as a leader of the "progressive" country sound. Cover photos on the album were shot at Muhlenbrink's Saloon (formerly the Red Dog Saloon) by Bob Jones, Pinwheel Art Studios.  The LP cover & vinyl record are in excellent condition.  

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Waylon Jennings 1981 Original - "Shine"

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After adding the "Ramblin' Man" album I settled in with some honky-tonk music memories and pulled out this Waylon Jennings song I've had for over 40 years. I decided to give everyone a listen and maybe get a reaction to what you might think of this #5 song from the 1981 album, Black On Black.

This is another song seldom played on today's Country Radio. Grab a cold one, sit back and enjoy this classic from way-back-then...

The Kenny Rogers Album Collection Series.
"Love Will Turn You Around"

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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 of how good the music inside really is.

We continue this month with our Kenny Rogers collection and the Vinyl LP, "Love Will Turn You Around," the thirteenth studio album by Rogers. It was released in 1982 and was the theme song from the motion picture, "Six Pack." The title cut was the debut single and charted well, reaching #1 on the U.S. and Canadian country charts and adult contemporary charts, and #13 on the Hot 100 chart.

The LP Sleeve and Inner Colored Sleeve Are Unique.

The album peaked at #34 on the Billboard 200 charts and has been certified Platinum in both the U.S. and Canada. The LP Sleeve is made of a semi-gloss "thick card" and the front of the sleeve is embossed. At the bottom left-hand corner is a vertical catalog number, LO-51124 in the white margin. The Colored Inner Sleeve is also unique as it is made of "thin card" with an embossed outline of Rogers. The attention to detail is what I love about collecting and owning vinyl LP records.

For music fans, the covers are the expression of a period, of a particular time in their lives. This is another like-new Framed Album Cover Art I still have in my collection today.

Released more than 40 years ago, this is another great example of our Framed Album Cover Art you can display on the walls of your hobby or retro room. The album shown (except for a small cut in the top left corner) is in excellent condition with both the inner sleeve and vinyl record inside showing no signs of any defects.

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You're The Only One - Happy Birthday Dolly!!!

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On January 19, 2024, our favorite country lady, Miss Dolly,  turned 78. I can look back on 45 years and to this day remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard this song.

Included on the Great Balls of Fire album, the song was released as the album's first single in June 1979, topping the U.S. country singles chart and was her fifth consecutive #1 song since 1977.

"Sometimes you've gotta go away to find what you left behind." The lyrics give us an opportunity to look back on old memories and have our past feelings validated by someone's lyrical masterpiece. Happy Birthday dear lady.   

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You might also like these stories...

• Cowboy's Sweetheart, written by Patsy Montana, was released in 1935. Her cowboy song lyrics paint a different picture of a woman who wants to rope and ride and sleep out under the stars, just like her Cowboy Sweetheart. Great cover by Suzy Bogguss.

• Come with me and let's relive those bygone days with the cowboy campfire songs and words to some of your favorite western classics. Polish up your spurs, Saddle up ole paint, and get ready to relive your childhood!

• The Cattle Call Campfire Song with LeAnn Rimes and Eddy Arnold blends well with the movie backdrop and the "Red River" cattle drive. Close your eyes while singing the first verse and you can almost see a cowboy campfire dotting the nighttime plain. Saddle up here...
  

I hope you find time to visit more great stories about growing up in the 50s, 60s and 70s. You can start here.... 

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What's Next?

We will continue with our Kenny Rogers Collection Series for February and will showcase the album, "We've Got Tonight." 

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