Kenny Rogers: A Tribute From Henri Gann (The Trekkers)

Life has a way of simplifying things. Just when we were mesmerized by the news day after day with the spread of the Corona virus and states and countries lockdown to prevent the pandemic, stock market crashes that robbed us of our paper wealth, our thoughts are halted by the news of Kenny Rogers death last night.

I have never been a fan of Kenny but when I went through his list of hits, I find myself listening to music that was once my favorite. Just listen to 'Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town' (1969) which to this day still rhymes in my head when I think of Kenny. How about 'Islands in the Stream' (1983) with Dolly Parton. I remember hearing from others or even finding myself singing to the high pitch portion of the tune. 

And in my quiet moments sitting in an airport lounge or restaurants or driving my car through the busy traffic of the LA Freeway, I would find myself humming to the tune of 'Lucille' (1977), 'We've Got Tonight' (1983) with Sheena Easton, a song which best described as will bring tears in your eyes and likewise with 'Through the Years'(1981) and 'Don't Fall in Love' with a 'Dreamer' (1980) with Kim Carnes.

Kenny had his hit with Sheena when she was at her peak career, an unusual combination for two rock stars at that time. Dolly in 'Today' (2017) said Kenny was always like a brother to her. Kim Carnes multi Grammy journey and famous for her hit 'Bette Davis Eyes' took her duets further by doing a duet  with Kenny Rogers after a successful hit of 'Make No Mistake He's Mine' with Barbara Streisand.

Here's his family farewell release on Kenny Rogers who passed away at the age of 81 late Friday, March 20, 2020.

"Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family..

The family said they were planning a small private service out of concern for the national COVID-19 emergency."

His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world," said the statement posted by his representative Keith Hagan.

A three-time Grammy winner who sold tens of millions of records

He went on to have 24 number one hits and was a six-time Country Music Association Awards winner.

AFP News March 21, 2020.

In 2013 Rogers was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

RIP KENNY ROGERS & CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.

This tribute was written by Henri Gann (L.A. California).


Watching him live by Joey Koh.
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/08/kampong-boy-meets-kenny-rogers-sheena.html

Singapore MRT Breakdowns And Train Sentiments

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Trains: Old and New

The Singapore Mass Rapid Transport (SMRT) woes have brought about a lot of heartaches for commuters, especially those who need to use the trains to go to work. It is serious and an unpleasant state of affairs. 

Singaporeans have always been encouraged to use public transport, the train, the bus or the taxi (hired car).  I am one of those lucky ones who can still afford a car but wanted to abandon it last year. To keep the car now would be a better option. 

Trains, the many different types that exist throughout the years, have always been a choice for many commuters, especially those who have to travel many miles to reach their destination. Hopefully the situation improves.

Elvis Presley: Frankfurt Special: One of the best train songs and a Presley classic. From his movie, G.I.Blues. Video by: Kevin Allen.

The earlier trains of yesteryear have always been large, bulky, long and noisy but today, in the 21st Century, the new electronic trains are quiet and clean, whipping around like grass snakes, fast and efficient. 

I remember in the 1960's taking an old mechanical train from the station at Tanjong Pagar, Singapore to a town in Malaya. Cannot remember but it could be Butterworth, Penang. It was a dreadful trip and one I wish never to remember. More so it was the condition in the train rather than the ride.  

Other train trips in Taipeh (Taiwan) and Shanghai (China), using the mass transit system were wonderful experiences. England, Canada and Europe trains were excellent too. These trains consisted of both the older train type or locomotives and the present rapid transit system.

Train Songs: Old and New

Songs about trains too are in the hundreds, perhaps more. These songs would be ones where trains are either mentioned in the titles or in the lyrics and many of them would have been written a long time ago. There is a list of nearly every train song on Wikipedia. 

From Abalinga Mail by Slim Dusty to Zion Train by Bob Marley, the titles are varied and an eye-opener for those who love this mode of transport and love the usual chug-a-chug-chug musical rhythm.

The titles that came off my head are not too many nor are they in order, so here goes:

Chatanooga Choo Choo - Ray Charles
Freight Train - Bob Dylan and many others
Mystery Train - Elvis Presley

Frankfurt Special - Elvis Presley
(Hear That Whistle Blow) 500 Miles - The Seekers
The Lightning Express - Everly Brothers

Morning Train (9 to 5) - Sheena Easton
Morningtown Ride - The Seekers
Rambling Man - Del Shannon

Everly Brothers 'The Lightning Express': another classic hit that expresses sadness and pain. Video by:  johnsonchusc.

Rockin' On The Railroad - Chuck Berry
Sentimental Journey - Les Brown
Wabash Cannonball - Chet Atkins

Folsom Prison Blues -Johnny Cash
Choo Choo Train - Children's Song
She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain When She Comes - Pete Seeger

Take it easier. Check out these songs and hope for the trains to run better soonest.

Any comment, please? About trains songs or train disruptions?

Images: Google
YouTube: Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers.

Kampong Boy Meets Kenny Rogers Sheena Easton

Kenny Rogers has passed away on March 20th, 2020 in Los Angeles at the age of 81 years. RIP KENNY ROGERS and condolences to his family.

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Headlined:

"This  bonnie lassie breezed on the international scene with her success of Morning Train (Nine To Five) in 1981 and became one of the most popular female stars in music. 

Sheena Easton then joined up with Kenny Rogers in 1983 for a cover of Bob Seger’s We’ve Got Tonight. It became a Top Ten Hit in the US and earned her a number one single on the Country Chart. It also reached the Top Thirty Chart in the UK.

She was so hot at the time, and so gracious. She sang it so beautifully."

Watching Them LIVE in Canada:

Good friend Joey Koh, who was studying in Canada at that time, attended this particular performance with Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton while the couple were touring the country. He could not remember whether it was in Winnipeg or Toronto but vaguely recalled the year as 1983.

"It was so long ago but I need to find the pictures I took of him with my Yashica camera. I was lucky to be in the front row and took a few close-up shots of him, especially one when he bent towards the camera lens to pick a bouquet of flowers from a member of the audience who was sitting next to me."

Joey is a good friend and we studied at the same university in Manitoba, Canada. He mentioned that he wanted to buy tickets to see the recent Singapore show so he could get Rogers to autograph the photo he took and developed, "On Kodak paper in 1983." 

His favourite Kenny Rogers songs are: Lady, Island in the Stream, She Believes In Me, We've Got Tonight, The Gambler and Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer.

                       In Greensboro North Carolina by Videoenhancer

"The song, She Believes In Me speaks to my soul. It is like a journey searching to find my lady love who would really believe in me," said Joey. 

"I  thought I went with my friend whom I am still in touch with but it wasn't so. Now I can't recollect if the show was in Winnipeg or Toronto," he added.

Kampung Boy:

"I enjoyed the show very much and it was an unforgettable experience! His image of picking up the flowers in front of me, as I was looking through the camera lens, still stays vividly in my mind."

"You see Andy, it was my first LIVE concert and I don't know many popular singers then. I was a kampung boy living in a traditional family; we only tuned to the Chinese pop songs at home or on the road while listening to the car radio."

When asked what he thought of the show, he replied, "Rogers and Easton delivered as all top stars would. It was a long time ago when Kenny Rogers was 44 years old and I was still young at 18 years living in kampung Tampines. 1981 was the year I travelled out of Singapore to go to Canada to do my studies."

But today Joey deals with international land purchases :-). And that's something.

Thank you Joey for keeping in touch, 30 years to be exact.

Images: A private collection.

Video:    From You Tube

       The Kenny Rogers Kodak film negative Joey found but couldn't develop.

A Scottish Pop Star Sang At The National Theatre

For Your Eyes Only: Sheena Easton: James Bond Opening Scene.      

                                                       

*W. K. Yang, the chairperson of one of the largest and most established eye-wear businesses in Singapore, sponsored a show featuring a female pop star from Scotland to sing at the National Theatre at Tank Road.  It was an ideal situation since she was one of the biggest names then and the theme of the show was appropriate to the product being sold by the company.

One of the James Bond biggies when Roger Moore was 007.

The singer in question had made a success with two songs she recorded since she started out in 1980. Her first song Modern Girl only became a hit after the second, Morning Train nearly topped the charts. 

Singing the title song for the latest James Bond flick established her as a star since it became a worldwide hit.  She also remained the only artiste to be seen singing a theme song to a James Bond movie during its opening credits.

For Your Eyes Only, an 007 original nominated for an Academy Award in 1981 in the category Best Music (Original Song), not only advertised Nanyang Optical as an already established spectacles retailer but brought Sheena Easton to our shore.



The advertisement from Straits Times Press.

The Grammy award winner and the singing sensation was voted Best Female Singer of the Year and Best Female Personality of the Year. Pat D'Rose in a local newspaper article called her a veritable chilli padi, small and dynamic in more ways than one.

Another Singapore journalist, Kannan Chandran, described her as "distant and clinically competent"  but a majority of the audience who attended the concert and expected a good time were not disappointed. The gig was promoted by Johnny Young Productions. His was a familiar name and sponsored many local 60s pop music gigs. Ticket prices were inexpensive since patrons paid only $20 to see an international star. 

There is still an unanswered question. Did I witness this extravaganza at the National Theatre? Ah... More importantly, did you attend the show? Tell us.

*Yang Wah Kiang- From Geylang To Orchard.

He is a friend since I started wearing glasses at a very young age and visited his father's shop at Geylang Road which opened in the 50s. When Yang Junior took over after his father passed on I was already a regular so it was no coincidence that I saw the Sheena Easton poster outside his shop one afternoon while browsing for a new pair of glasses.

Mr. Yang Wah Kiang Chairman Nanyang Optical

He made the company what it is today, expanding it many-fold and which now stands as an enterprise that also produces uniquely designed spectacle frames.  His shop has expanded and he owns a sister company with a now prestigious brand called Alexis Eyewear Boutique that has outlets at Orchard Road, the most up-market environment in Singapore. Fifty years on and still going strong. Like Sheena Easton who holds fort even today, Yang is just as popular with his frames and lenses as Easton is with her singing appearances.

Disclaimer:
This post is a personal one and does not promote any artiste, product nor person.

Images: from Google and Straits Times Press.