Dear Ray,
Thank you for taking the time to get back to me again. I guess we got off to a bad start as I thought you were fobbing me off. The Theatre Organ especially the Mighty Wurlitzer was for some time the main music in theatres for many years. In the Silent Movie days the Theatre Organ was the instrument that accompanied the movie adding the music and sound effects. In later years it was used to supply the dance music in some of the large Ball Rooms. The Black Pool Tower Ball Room come to mind. Many Auckland people will remember the Civic Theatre's Theatre Organ in the 1950's.
So said Stan of Christchurch. So I asked Music Maestro Mark who had done a lot of research of music available on record in New Zealand stores in the fifties and sixties. Plus he was familiar, through where he works, with the Wurlitzer Organ – and Mark said;
“The Wurlitzer Organ is probably best remembered in this country as played by Reginald Dixon (in the Blackpool style) who was extremely popular from the 1930's to the 1960's. Saying this, it is also rather niche today. I know where this chap is coming from and he should be commended for trying to spread the word. I love early Rockabilly music, but it's not for everyone.
The reality is that it would be welcomed by only a small number of your listeners and probably alienate just as many. Most of the recordings that were popular by say, Reginald Dixon are instrumental versions of popular show tunes or medleys of hits of the day.
You could try it, but you won't please everybody. Just as say, I abhor listening to James Taylor or Joe Cocker as I don't think they fit the format.
If you were to go down that track you would be better off including the likes of Winifred Atwell, Russ Conway or Ron Goodwin as they had a huge "pop" following at that time and are very rarely played today.”
Which reinforced my thoughts.
And in similar vein – a desire for a favourite artist to get played, was Darryl pushing JAMES LAST
PLEASE INCLUDE THIS MAESTRO AND GENTLEMAN OF MUSIC ON YOUR REGULAR PLAYLIST AS YOU DO WITH MOST OTHER ARTISTS FROM THE SAME ERA THIS GUY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST RECOGNISED HOUSEHOLD NAMES AROUND THE WORLD PLEASE RECOGNISE AND ACKNOLEDGE THIS MAN AND HIS MUSIC IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD AS REGULAR AS IS POSSIBLE HE IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED BANDLEADERS OF ALL TIME
Message: HEAPS OF JAMES LAST GENTLEMAN OF MUSIC NON STOP DANCING ALL NIGHT LONG LAST FOREVER TRUMPET A GO GO LIVE AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL LONDON THE LIST GOES ON ENDLESS HAYLEY WESTENRA HAS OF RECENT TIMES SUNG WITH THE JAMES LAST ORCHESTRA I THINK IN EUROPE FIRST CLASS PROMO FOR NZ AND FAIRLY SURE IT WAS RECORDED OVER THERE AS WELL
KIND REGARDS DARRYL CHCH TAKE CARE GUYS BRILLIANT STATION COMING FROM A MUSO OF THESE YEARS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
There are some artists who were big in album sales, and so were familiar to a lot of people. For example, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams and Bert Kaempfert.
I guess my question for those that want their favourites played. Who else enjoys the music as much as yourself. Is it just limited to a small number? Perhaps the answer is to be inspired by the music on the radio to go get out the album and drop a needle on the vinyl to savour those memories for yourself.
Any comments or thoughts
