Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart: [1935] Aretha Franklin. Garland, Sinatra, Coasters, Trammps

''Play It Again, Sam.'' Singapore 60's Music Living Legend

Sam Gan Pianist - A Singapore Music Living Legend 

It was a new year surprise when Sam Gan wrote all the way from Perth with a lovely letter about his music beginnings. 

Thanks Sam and a great 2022 to you. Have a safe and pleasant year.

A New Year Letter from the Ole Vic.

Hi Andy,

I did my First performance at the VMH in 1951 as the winner of the Junior Section of the Singapore Chinese YMCA Piano Competition and played the winning pieces with the Governor of Singapore Sir Franklin Gimson and Lady Gimson presenting the trophy to the winners of the competition. I was 11 years old then and my music teacher was Mr. Benjamin Khoo. 

The next year, 1952, I won the Radio Malaya Series 3 Talentime, again performing at the Victoria Memorial Hall with Kingsley Morando as the compere and the Radio Orchestra conducted by Corr Reif... the numbers I did was a medley of the top songs of the month that included, "In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, Cuddle up a little closer, Jealous Heart and the piece de resistance a Boogie Woogie number composed by Winifred Atwell. The prize money was $25. 

My music teacher for Pops was Mr. Cecil Wilson who was at that time, the bandleader of the Great World Cabaret Orchestra.  After winning the Talentime I was dubbed as the Boogie Woogie Wonder Boy and began doing a lot of performing at different events... all for free... my late father was the one who wanted me to be famous doing all these performances when all I wanted to do as a young boy was to play football, table tennis and other things young boys do... but he was the motivator and I'm eternally grateful for his wisdom and foresight.

Sam Gan, Perth, Australia. 1.1.2022.

🤔😄

Come on my reading friends, let's write in and comment about Sam. He's in his 80's now. Play it again, Sam.*

Sam Gan plays, "I love you for sentimental reasons."

*"Play it again Sam." 

No one really said these words in the movie, 'Casablanca' [1942]. The actual words were, "Play it Sam," spoken by actress Ingrid Bergman to piano player Sam  [Dooley Wilson].

Sam Gan with Michael Bangar behind him in dark glasses. 

According to Mr. Bangar, they all had the pleasure and thrill of jamming with the Maestro at a gig when he was in Singapore on holiday about five years ago. Extreme left was Horace Wee [red guitar], keboardist Hans Solo behind and Francis Danam on bass guitar. Jerry Murad is hidden by the music stand and the late Andrew Soh was on drums. 

[Comment/Photo by courtesy of Mr. Michael Bangar.]

Joss Stone - The Best Blues Lady Since Aretha - Andy 60s Music

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Having been attracted to the latest trend of music up to the 80's, there is much to be said about the 'new' genres of music [if there are any].

So I won't argue on this point. Looking at reliable statistics, 'rock' and 'pop' are still at the top of the international hit parade but at merely 20 percent of the ideal, 'blues' seems to be near the bottom of the rung. Or 'soul'...

I have been listening and watching this lovely lady on media for some time now and think she is one of the best outcome in the international pop music scene. And she doesn't only sing the blues or merely dish covers of 60s songs as others would. 

Joss Stone is the ultimate when she revives pop oldies and would be a gauge for youth to appreciate what great singing is all about. She has many original albums - comfortable ones for me -  comes from Beatles and Rolling Stones country and has the most soulful voice since Franklin. She comes on stage bare-footed but with class, ties her trademark piece of linen on the microphone stand and hums her song. The crowd screams, her sultry voice attracts. To me, she's different, definitely not commercial. No gimmicky costumes, no fancy wigs, just her soul exposed.

Do listen to Joss Stone and you come back to reality, with real music, real lyrics and real expressions from within. Now you know why I have temporarily left my 'time warp', as Michael Bangar describes it, to enjoy the very enchanting Joss, both voice and person. You don't need to appreciate the blues to appreciate this young lady's songs.

You should come back to sing.

Thank you Joss.

Comments always welcome.

Joss Stone - Son Of A Preacher Man [Music Hall Of Fame 2006] 

YouTube Video. By Francis. 25 Million views. Now that's sumthin'.

The above pictures are my own screen shots from YouTube videos of Ms Stone's concerts and interviews these last few years. They are a joy to view and I hope, just like her video, will not be deleted off this post. Let me know and I shall delete them gracefully if there are objections.

Joss Stone: Super Duper Love. 

YouTube Video: Joss Stone.

Just click her name on Google and you've got dozens of her videos to watch.

Whitney Houston: Gone At 48 Years

This is a 60s music blog but here was one lady from the mid-80s whose passing cannot be left unannounced. Whitney Houston (1963-2012) singer, actress and one time model is gone at 48 years, one day away from the 2012 Grammy Awards. This very beautiful diva with power vocals sold 170 million records during her music career.

She was the daughter of a gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin. Houston was the top RnB artiste in the 20th Century.

Information: 1) Yahoo. 2) Wikipedia. Click Comment below to read them.

Aretha Franklin Yesterday's Gold, Today's Best

Blogger has been listening to her for 40 years so again it's a personal choice but this album is one of Franklin's best because it has her first hit, an Atlantic single, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), a 67 blues ballad that introduces us to her gospel style. It reached the Top 10 on the Hot 100, holding the #1 spot for seven weeks on Billboard's R&B Singles chart.

Then came, Respect, written and originally recorded by Otis Redding it firmly launched her to superstardom. It reached #1 on both the R&B and the Pop charts. It's supposed to be the greatest hit of the 60s.

The other songs are all hits and include, Do Right Woman - Do Right Man, Dr. Feelgood, Baby, I Love You, A Natural Woman and a personal favourite, Chain Of Fools. Side Two carries: Since You've Been Gone, Aint No Way, Think, You Send Me (a Sam Cooke hit), The House That Jack Built and the 60s Bacharach hit, I Say A Little Prayer and See Saw. It's on Atlantic Records/SD 8227 (image).

She needs no introduction and has been ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time. And she's done them all, jazz, blues, rock, R&B, gospel and of course soul, as she's also been dubbed the 'lady of soul music'. She has won so many awards and recorded so many songs that it's best to read about her on Wikipedia.

Franklin was the only featured singer at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama and released a digital single of My Country 'Tis of Thee, the song she performed in front of the world at the historic ceremony.

In a press release in New York, NY on November 5, 2009, The Queen of Soul will release Aretha, A Woman Falling Out Of Love on Aretha’s Records in January 2010.

*There are 36 images of this similar cover under Google's Images, the first time blogger has encountered for any singer.

YouTube Video: thecatkeaton/April 15, 2007. (sidebar)

Original article & vinyl: Andy Lim Collection.