CD SHOWCASE MEMORIES
HOLIDAY EDITION
From now until 01/06/2016, the regular features of “Wednesday Wrap: CD Showcase Memories” (9p US central) & “CarTunes Saturday: CD Showcase Memories” (8a US central) are pre-empted by highlights from the “CD Showcase – Holiday Edition” radio shows I hosted 12/24/2009, 12/24/2010 & 12/24/2011.
This entry features 3 songs from the 3rd hour of my 12/24/2009 radio show: Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas”, Frank Sinatra’s “White Christmas” & Charley Pride’s “Santa & The Kids”. Also featured: a #Ferrari at the #California #Concours photographed by OC,SHer JACKI F R….
#1 “Hard Candy Christmas” | Dolly Parton
This song is a childhood favorite of mine. Does anyone NOT know it!? Originally debuting 11/06/1982, this tune spent 17 weeks on the country charts & peaked at #8 in early 1983. It was released from the movie ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’ in which Parton starred; the movie soundtrack also included a new version of her mega hit “I Will Always Love You”. This song was released as a single a 2nd time, 01/03/1998.
#2 “White Christmas” | Frank Sinatra
Written by Irving Berlin, this song was originally recorded by Bing Crosby, who debuted it during the Christmas Day 1941 broadcast of radio’s “The Kraft Music Hall”. When it was then released as a single for the 1st time in mid 1942, it spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard charts. Other artists who’ve recorded this song include Perry Como (1947), Ernest Tubb (1949), Elvis Presley (1957), Johnny Mathis (1958), The Ray Conniff Singers (1959), Ella Fitzgerald (1960), Andy Williams (1963), The Beach Boys (1964), The Supremes (1965), Barbra Streisand (1967), Tony Bennett (1968), Tennessee Ernie Ford (1968), The Partridge Family (1971), John Denver (1975), Willie Nelson (1979) & Michael Bolton (1992). Sinatra recorded his version, the 1 in this video which is the same version I played on my radio show, in 1944; his rendition reached #7 on the Billboard pop chart that year, then #5 in 1945 & #6 in 1946.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Oqgp6hgP0
#3 “Santa & The Kids” | Charley Pride
I don’t remember hearing this song on the radio, but I have it on a compilation album series entitled ‘A Country Christmas’. It isn’t a traditional song, but poignant none the less. Pride, a native of Sledge MS, played baseball in the Negro Leagues & for several professional minor league teams; his major league tryouts were with the NY Mets & at-the-time California Angels. His singing career spanned December 1966 to early 1990 & featured 29 #1 hits; he was the 1971 CMA Entertainer Of The Year & also won the 1971-1972 CMA Male Vocalist Awards.