Gift To Andy 60s Music Blog For Nearly 6M Views: CAROL KAYE: First Lady On Bass: By Author Henri Gann [California].

Carol Kaye: First Lady On Bass. Read it out loud!

Old friend Henri writes again, after many, many years, as he sends me this gift below about his favourite instrument and about guitar lady, Carol Kaye. Thanks Henri. Our friendship never ends with this music connection...

My fascination with the Precision Bass began when I saw the late Nokie Edwards, one of my favorite members of The Ventures, playing bass in the group’s early years. I still remember that rich, crisp punch—the deep bass notes that could almost turn into a growl when pushed through a Fender Bassman amplifier.

Even today, that sound immediately transports me back to my teenage years and The Trekkers, when we tried to capture that same driving Ventures sound with our own bass guitar. Music has a remarkable ability to preserve a moment in time. A few deep notes from a Precision Bass, and suddenly I am young again.

Carol Kaye: Bassist, Guitarist

Carol Kaye 'Boogaloo' 

YouTube Video by: Sleazy Emotions.

My recent reading about Carol Kaye, now 91 and one of the most prolific bass players in the history of popular music, rekindled my interest in the Precision Bass. As a legendary Los Angeles studio musician, she played on thousands of recordings during the 1960s and 1970s, often providing the bass lines behind songs that became part of the soundtrack of our generation.

In 2025, Kaye declined her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category. Among her objections was the way the story of Los Angeles studio musicians—and particularly the label commonly used to describe them—had been portrayed and commercialized over the years.

So, the next time you hear one of these familiar recordings, listen beyond the singer and melody. Listen for the bass. You may be hearing Carol Kaye:

“These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” — Nancy Sinatra (1966)

“Last Train to Clarksville” — The Monkees (1966)

“The Beat Goes On” — Sonny & Cher (1967)

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” — The Righteous Brothers (1964)

“Good Vibrations” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“California Girls” — The Beach Boys (1965)

“Homeward Bound” — Simon & Garfunkel (1966)

Les Paul with Carol Kaye: 

YouTube Video from: chris lentz

“Sloop John B” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“Wichita Lineman” — Glen Campbell (1968)

"Mission Impossible" Theme - (1967)

"The Addams Family" Theme - (1964)

"Hawaii Five-O" Theme - (1968)

"Take Five" - (1961)

For me, this particular Bass guitar is more than an instrument. It is a sound tied to a time in my life—the Ventures, the Trekkers, and the excitement of being young and trying to make music of our own.

By Author: Henri Gann.

Comments are welcome.

Author Henri Gann lives in California, USA.

He is one of the original contributing writers for this blog.

Thanks Henri.

Passing 5.8 Million+ Views.

Reaching 6 million as predicted by Henri Gann.

As of 25th August, 2026.

Images: Google.

Sam Gan Pianist Tributes Peggy Tann Pianist

After the two Peggy Tann articles were written by Henri Gann (Trekkers), my blog received a lot of mail pertaining to this pretty lady pianist. They were mostly short comments.

The comment below from Sam Gan, another prominent Singaporean pianist whom I have much respect for, is a longer piece which I thought could stand alone as a concise post-column about Ms Tann. 

Play it again Sam. And thank you very much for this insight.

Hi Andy,

Nice story on the late Peggy Tan. I remember she played in her father's (HH Tan's) band when I was still in school in the early fifties, in 1953 or 1954 at the Ambassador Hotel (later known as The Dukes Hotel) in Tanjong Rhu. 

The late tenor saxophonist and guitarist John Lee was an integral member of HH Tan's band. I think they also performed at the old Majestic Hotel (Nam Tian - yellow image) in Chinatown. Peggy's trio at the Princes Garni's Tea-time dances consisted of Peggy on piano, Billy Martinez on double bass and the late Sanip Ismail on drums.

They were already playing great bebop songs like Confirmation, Jordu, Nardis from their vast repertoire of jazz standards. Peggy was the first female professional Singaporean musician and a very accomplished one too. She, like Teresa Khoo, who came on the scene in the 60's were beautiful and shy and very soft spoken.

When she played at the French Restaurant at the Cockpit Hotel (image above) in 1971 and 1972, my band had moved from the French Restaurant to the new Chinese Restaurant that the Indonesian owner Mr Hoo Liong Ting had at the new wing of the old Cockpit Hotel. We had been at the French Restaurant since 1961.

Sam Gan on the piano: 'I Love You For Sentimental Reasons' YouTube.

Peggy was indeed a great and multi-talented professional whom all Singaporeans can be proud of especially me, who had the privilege of knowing her.

Regards,

Sam Gan
Australia.

Tribute to 60's Country Music Legends: Henri Gann

Here's Henri Gann again, writing from California USA, as he remembers the country classics. According to him many of these great C/W singers are now gone.  He names each singer and song as he goes along.

Thank you Henri.

My Tribute to the Country Music Legends of the 60's

Singapore music in the 60's had its share of American Country Music as many of its hits also made it to the Pop Charts. The recent news on television about

Glen Campbell's wife reveals singer can no longer play guitar (March 20, 2017)

makes me pause to think of the Country Music Stars of yesteryear. And in doing so I found many of the country greats are no longer here with us. 

Whenever I hear about Glenn Campbell, I instantly hear the fine guitar rhythm of his song, "Gentle On My Mind" and his singing of "Rhinestone Cowboy", "Wichita Lineman" and " Galveston". Believe it or not, these were songs popularly requested in the 60s. 

In those days, Rediffusion and Radio Singapore were our primary source of music entertainment and teens either called or wrote in to the station to request songs they wanted to hear. There were hits like "Fraulein" by the late Bobby Helmes  ( 1997 ), "Gone" by the late Ferlin Husky ( 2011 ), "King of the Road" by the late Roger Miller ( 1992 ) and "A White Sport Coat and A Pink Carnation", " Don't Worry About Me" and "El Paso" by the late Marty Robbins ( 1982 ) ; and they all made  it to the weekly charts. 

In later years, it was the late Johnny Horton ( 1960 ) who made it to the most requested list of songs with his "North to Alaska", " The Battle of New Orleans" and " Sink the Bismark."

The other country songs I remember were mostly those from my brother's vast record collection. These were hits of Eddy Arnold ( 2008 ) " Welcome to My World" ; from the late Jim Reeves ( 1964 )  "He'll Have to Go" and the late Don Gibson's ( 2003 ) " Lonesome Me " and "Sea of Heartbreak"; and the late Tammy Wynette ( 1998 ) " Stand By Your Man"; Charley Pride " Kiss An Angel Good Morning " and the late Jack Greene's ( 2013 ).

Then: "There Goes My Everything"; from Leroy Van Dyke "Walk On By"  and by Bill Andersen "Still "; and the late Johnny Cash ( 2003 ) "Ring of Fire " and  Freddie Fender ( 2096 ), "Before The Next Teardrop Falls"; and, the late Skeeter Davis ( 2004 ) "The End of the World " and by Willie Nelson " Always On My Mind"; and finally the late Patsy Cline ( 1963 ) "I Fall to Pieces " and the King of all Country Stars the late George Jones ( 2013 ) " He Stopped Loving Her Today."

When I left Singapore for America, the country pieces that helped me adjust to life away from home were " Abilene" by the late George Hamilton IV ( 2014 ), "500 Miles Away from Home " and  "Detroit City" by Bobby Bare. The lyrics of "Detroit City" really hit home for me when I was homesick. 

Upon my first return to Singapore in 1980 which was about fifteen years after I had left home, my brother took us (the Trekkers) to Shangrila Hotel where Matthew and the Mandarins were performing. They played an impressive version of Johnny Horton's "North to Alaska" and Del Shannon's "Runaway" which brought back many fond memories of Singapore in the 60's.

Here's my Spotify list of the Country Music of Yesteryears that I like to share with you and my new discovery of Freddie Fender singing " Matilda" , a song the Trekkers played at the Town Convent Girls' School now known as CHIJMES. 

Spotify link to " The Country Music I Knew"

https://open.spotify.com/user/henrig1234/playlist/4gnK3niJSSeAHKA0ClmgrD

YouTube links to Freddie Fender and the Trekkers " Mathilda"

https://youtu.be/zJFykBskl2M

https://youtu.be/8-cjn2C9fDQ

Publication and Images: Henri Gann.

Blog Statistics On Singapore Music Stories

Repent by Straydogs: Singapore 60s's Video by Sg Rebel. Thank you.


     Blog's readership since

     21 November 2008 
     1,260,047 views

     Monthly average

     40,936 views

     Daily Updates:
     6 April 2017
     

CLICK THE CONNECTION BELOW AND IT WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH OUR LOCAL MUSIC SCENE WITH PERSONALITIES, BANDS AND VENUES FROM THE 60'S AND 70'S. HAVE FUN.

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/Singapore%2060s%20Music

**********

One of the stories you will encounter on this blog, The Trekkers, whose lead guitarist is today a successful stock broker in California, USA.

                              Home Recording In 1963. Great Stuff !

A video story of four boys from the East Coast in Singapore aged 13- 15 years from Singapore who started a band in 1961 and played music for fun. They participated in many Talentime (talent quests) and charity shows. 

The guitars they carried were as big as their youngest members. The new style Fender guitars and amplifiers were not available in Singapore in the early 60's. 

The Trekkers members were George Wang ( Drums ), Charles Ng ( Rhythm Guitar ), William Tan ( Bass Guitar ) and Henry Gan ( Lead Guitar ). They played Ventures and Shadows music, Duane Eddy and music from the late Arthur Smith. 

Shindig was one of their favorite Shadows number. This recording was from a jam session at home in 1963.

Connect:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/Singapore%2060s%20Music

Jimi Hendrix: Distorted Guitar Sound: The Trekkers

Henri Gann, who lives in California and from Singapore 60's band The Trekkers wrote a comment on Ray Anthony's posting. I thought it needed a bigger space. So here it is everyone. From one guitarist to the rest of you guys out there. Any comment?

Ray Anthony of Singapore playing Jimi Hendrix ? OMG ! That had to be quite a trip!

A few years ago, my brother John who lives in Singapore asked me, " Who's Jimi Hendrix?" The first tune that instantly came into my mind was " Foxy Lady." 

I remember the feeling when I first heard Hendrix on the radio of my '66 Ford Mustang in LA. I was instantly floored by his guitar playing. The year was 1967. 

The DJ's were raving over the happenings at the Monterey Pop Festival. When I was playing the guitar with the Trekkers in the early 60's, distorted amplifiers were negatively thought of as inadequate amplification. And here, Hendrix was able to turn all that distorted guitar sound into very beautiful sounding music. 

Years later, while at a guitar store when I saw a young kid playing Hendrix with the new Guitar God device, I instantly wished I could be that kid. 

Hendrix was indeed the rare guitarist of the century; the star that showed up in our Galaxy once in a lifetime. And as Ed Vulliami from the Guardian stated, "he was the only guitarist who could think of playing like the blues musician Muddy Waters and rock guitarist Albert King combined." 

From: Henri Gann.

My Comment:

Jimi Hendrix' music has also been associated with drugs and fantasy trips, and I must be clear here, nothing to do with Henri's letter to me.  But is his music still popular today? Looking at the number of viewers on his You Tube videos, it has 57 million watching his Watchtower song.

Comment you musicians, especially guitarists out there? What say you?

Horace Wee replies. Click connection:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2017/03/jimi-hendrix-distorts-horace-wee-replies.html

Images and Video: Google and You Tube.

Singapore Boy Makes Good In USA: Henri Gann (1)

         Tony Bennett I Left My Heart In S.F.  Video by Denise D'Amico

A Letter from Los Angeles, California:

Henri Gann is back with his life adventure in the United States where he lives today. He punctuates his story by providing readers about the music and songs he loves, the DJ's he listens to and the cars he drives. The ultimate was to be able to witness live the guitar groups of the 60's when they visited his campus.

Last year at around Chinese New Year, I wrote about my band The Trekkers. Now, I would like to write about what came after The Trekkers: my journey to the United States.

When I left Singapore in 1964, I left behind a growing surf guitar scene and my band The Trekkers.*  Leaving home for America was exciting. It overwhelmed all rational thinking especially for an eighteen year old. 

While I loved playing music with my guitar group, I had assumed that I could follow the same routine in Singapore. It did not take long for me to realize that I would have to focus on my studies in Los Angeles and find ways to support my stay in America. Still, music played a meaningful role in my life and I soon found the music scene intimate connection with the LA's car culture. 

I set sailed on the American President Lines SS Wilson. It was a 21-day journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco. With no news from home and without the convenience of today's internet, the long journey on the ship turned my excitement into anxious days. 

I will always remember that homesick feeling whenever I hear the song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" which was played by the ship's three piece jazz band on that long journey.

Arriving in San Francisco I was amazed by the sight of the fog slowly lifting off the Golden Gate Bridge as the ship sailed  through San Francisco Bay. I gave myself a few days in the city before contacting the International Student Services. I was introduced first to a family that lived in Mountain View and than to another who gave me a ride to Hermosa Beach in Southern California. 

Approaching LA, I was mesmerized by the many fast cars on the freeways. And at the beach home of my host family, I played my guitar with kids in the neighborhood. A week later, I moved inland to a suburban city, Glendale, California. Another host family took me in for a few months so that I could get adjusted to college life. I did odd jobs for $1.25 per hour to pay for my college expenses. 

For the first few months, I hitched rides to school as public transportation was scarce in Los Angeles. One of my first rides was with a fellow student who drove a GTO. He was blasting his car radio with the music of Diana Ross and the Supremes, Sonny and Cher, and Jan and Dean. I had discovered the pleasure of listening to car radio while driving. 

It did not take me long to save up money from my part time job to buy an old car. I bought a Plymouth Fury '57 for $350. It had all the new modern features such as an automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes which made learning to drive the car easy. 

I explored the various radio stations: Boss Radio KHJ (93.0) KFWB (98.0) and KRLA (111.0)  and listened to the deejays each with a unique name like Boss Jock Sam Riddle, Bob Morgan and his Good Morgan, Angeles, Humble Harve and the Real Don Steele. Most interesting of the Deejays were Wolfman Jack and his nightly "wolf howl" and Casey Kasem with his famous sign-off line "keeping your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."

                         The Association 'Windy' Video by Ross Peeler

Soon after the Beatles came to LA in 1964, many British bands followed. These groups were promoted aggressively on television: by Dick Clarke in his American Bandstand and in Shindig and Hullabaloo. All the shows were recorded in a live audience setting.

Occasionally an artist would perform on campus to promote their records.

I saw groups like the Surfaris playing Wipeout and the Association singing Windy and Never My Love. It was a new experience for me to be able to watch these groups that I had just heard on the radio.

Article/Images: Copyrights Reserved (Henri Gann).

Click to read: Part 2

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2017/02/california-dreamin-singapore-boy-henri.html

Join me down memory lane for a nostalgic Spotify listening tour in my cars of the 60s: The Plymouth Fury' 57 ( 1965 - 1966 )

https://open.spotify.com/user/henrig1234/playlist/5QihFLIWTdXPWzqVTsZG1J

A special thanks to my daughter Carolyn for her help with editing my story.

*You can read more about The Trekkers adventure here:

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/02/tracking-trekkers-60s-music-trail-part.html?m=1

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/02/tracking-trekkers-60s-music-trail-part_29.html?m=1

Henri Gann in Singapore with the Lion Dance Gang

                         

Blog Statistics Record High: Singapore 60's Music Stories Appeal To International Readers

UPDATED TODAY: 7 September 2017

VIEWERSHIP: 1,432,419

Writers who contributed to this blog

Allan Thompson, John Cher, Michael Bangar, Henri Gann,

Crystal Abidin, Joey Koh, Fabian Foo, Steve Farram, Horace Wee.

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination
Makes it worth the while...
(Abba)

The number of supporters for this blog is staggering.
Readers and technical know-how from social networking services include:

Blogspot
You Tube
Google+ 
Twitter 
WhatsApp 
emails
John Cher's Facebook 
Larry Lai's WhatsApp

Because of these connections, this blog has blossomed by 20,000 viewers, from a mere 36,000 monthly reads in October to 56,000 by December. Big for a small niche like Singapore pops and its influence.

This year the writings, You Tube videos and local 60's music information from:

Allan Thompson (UK)
John Cher
Michael Bangar 
Henri Gann Trekkers (US)
Horace Wee
Steve Farram (Aus)

CYLin
Laurence Lim
Su Go (Aus)
Joey Koh
Crystal Abidin (Aus)
Fabian Foo 

Audie Ng
Mike n Herb (Aus)
Happy Tay (Can)

and others 

were contributing factors to the success of this blog. Names are not in any order and two ladies wish to remain anonymous. Let me know if I left your name out 😔.

                Larry Lai, Audie Ng, CYLin, Su Go, Happy Tay, Laurence Lim

                                              Mike and Herb

Of course when the big guns came in to support both directly and indirectly, the blog had a blast. 

Stephen Fry
Scott Page
Russell Hitchcock
Rick Astley
Rex Goh

and local stars like: 

Dick Lee
Jack Neo
Moses Lim
Chua En Lai

and Silver Strings' Singapore TV appearances helped much to boost the ratings.

Comments from regulars too played a great part towards increasing readership. A whole lot of you guys, thank you.

Less texting? Yes but more blog reading, especially this blog. I dare say, no other active Singapore 60's music stories than what you can find from here.
Short of boasting 😮...

You can see the wonders of a fairy tale
You can see the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see...


Thanks to local and international readers, contributors, friends and fellow countrymen. You made my dream.

Happy New Year 2017.

Songwriters: ANDERSSON, BENNY GORAN BROR / ULVAEUS, BJOERN K.

'I Have A Dream': lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

STATISTICS BELOW CAPTURED ON 2nd JANUARY 2017

Readers today:

1,158,364

31st December, 2016

57,000+ readers today.

24th December, 2016

54,000+ readers today.

TWITTER

Abba: I Have a Dream

GOOGLE +

Images: A Personal Collection and Google.

Floyd Cramer Backed Elvis Presley On Piano

A busy man, especially with what he's doing, way up on top in the financial world, Henri Gann took time off in between plane flights to write me a piece from his iPhone. Thanks again Henri.

It's Halloween again in America ! With all the Rocky Horror news on the American election, I thought it's a good time to pause and listen to the soothing music of Floyd Cramer.

Recently I was waiting for a flight in the Cathay Marco Polo Lounge when I heard some soft piano music playing in the background. The song was Last Date, a hit by country music pianist Floyd Cramer. 

                                            🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
I found myself searching the Internet for information about Cramer and what I found surprised me. For one thing, I didn’t realize that Cramer had passed away almost twenty years ago. I also learned that he played for Elvis in the early days. 

Floyd Cramer was known for his signature piano style which included "out of key" notes or "slip style notes." These methods gave his music a lonesome, cowboy feeling. The style originated with Don Robertson and Chet Atkins but popularized by Cramer, who accompanied over a quarter of Nashville’s country music in the 60's. 
His emotional playing has had a meaningful impact on many other musicians. As singer Jimmy Dean once said, "No orator ever spoke more eloquently than Floyd Cramer speaks with eighty-eight keys."

Remarkably, Cramer was a self-taught. He went on accompany Elvis and his band in the 50's, which included the legendary Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and Fontana, and The Jordanaires. As he recounted, " Generally we would start recording about 6 pm and then we would work until the sun came up when we would send out for Elvis... favorite KFC."

When Floyd left Elvis to pursue his own career, as stated later on in his memoir, "I had placed myself in an unenviable position to many." 

You can hear Cramer’s piano accompaniment on Elvis’s “Judy” and “Puppet on a String.” You can even hear him in the background of “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Leave Me Now,” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” 

Beyond his work with Elvis, Cramer and his accompaniment had a big impact on other hits from the 60's. You can listen to this distinctive style on Hank Locklin's “Please Help Me I am Fallin’,” on Jim Reeves' “Four Walls,” on Brown’s “Three Bells,” and on Patsy Cline's unforgettable, “Crazy.” 

What would Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely,” The Everly Brothers, “Till I Kissed You,” or even Brenda Lee’s, “I Am Sorry” be without Floyd Cramer’s sweet piano accompaniment !

When Cramer pursued an independent career, he succeeded in composing and performing the billboard hits like the Last Date, On the Rebound, and San Antonio Rose. All in all he had recorded more than fifty solo albums. Floyd had hits all the way up until the 80's, when he composed the theme song for the wildly popular television show, Dallas.

My personal interest in Floyd Cramer goes back to my days playing lead guitar for the Trekkers in the 60's in Singapore. I was influenced by my brother's extensive country collection, and I would find myself listening for Floyd's piano notes whenever he had a record playing. 

The Trekkers even played their own guitar version of Floyd Cramer's, On the Rebound, which had a broadcast in one of Rediffusion Discovery Series Shows recorded at the Odeon Theater.

I was fortunate to witness one of Floyd Cramer's last performances in Los Angeles in the early 1990's. I took my whole family to see the country great at the local Pasadena Ambassador College Country Series.

Floyd Cramer was inducted into the Golden Metronome Nashville Country Music in 1974. He died of cancer in 1997 at the age of 64, and was posthumously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame that same year and the Country Music Hall of Fame later on. His grandson Jason Coleman continues to play in his grandfather’s style: with lots of emotion and feeling.

Sent from my iPhone.

Images: Google; Henri Gann (right).
An Original Article: Copyrights Reserved.
You Tube Videos: