Listen here to this week’s dose of Doctor Roberts Sonic Tonic:
Well, it all started off with a big cheery welcome to one and all . . . and for those who were finding life just a bit tedious and testing, I was along with a big dose of Doctor Roberts Sonic Tonic, with its special prescription of the ‘good stuff’ designed to raise the spirits and excite the senses. To set the mood, Chaka Khan, was along with a memory of her sell out concert that brought plenty of smiles to the faithful. Then, there was another concert that generated much excitement around here by Nile Rodgers and Chic. So, we heard from them too.
This week’s Tell It Like It Is was inspired by the birthday this past week of Philadelphian blue-eyed ‘soulie’, Len Barry. He was the lead singer with Philadelphia group, The Dovells, who had hits like “Hully Gully Baby”, “You Can’t Sit Down”, and their million seller “Bristol Stomp”. When Len went solo, he too had hits with “Like a Baby”, “I Struck It Rich” and his multi-million seller, “1-2-3”. During 1966, Len went recorded a solo album that never got released at the time, but in 2010, it finally appeared and included his soulful version of a song that you might know well by others . . . ‘Don’t Throw Your Love Away’.
Run For Cover
I’m Every Woman – Chaka Khan
I’ll Be There – Nile Rodgers & Chic
Slippery People – Say She She,
You Make Me Happy – Gerald McClendon
Run For Cover – Sugaray Rayford
Tell It Like It Is
Don’t Throw Your Love Away – Len Barry
The Feelin’ Is Right
In Private – Dusty Springfield
The Feelin’ Is Right – Anders Lewen & James King
When I Get Mine – 880 South
Give You The World – Marc Broussard
Mellow Moment
Over and Over – Candace Woodson
Good Lovin’
Won’t Lay Down – Sean Webster
Good Lovin’ – Al Mason
You Could Have Been A Lady – Smoove & Turrell
Mockingbird – Amanda Fish
Gotcha Covered
I Won’t Back Down – The Goo Goo Dolls
Learning To Fly – Lizanne Knott, Jesse Terry
Free Falling – Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs
Ride To The Rhythm
American Girl – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Another Scorcher – The Tennors
Fill My Cup – The Dip
Lady Writer – Dire Straits
Leave No Love Behind – Quinn Sullivan
Ride To The Rhythm – Tush
Room To Roam – The Roamers
The Girl Can’t Help It – Billy Bremner
Jumpin’ At The Jubilee – Jools Holland & Ruby Turner
Goin’ To A Party – Tommy Z
Our Gotcha Covered feature, brought the songs of Tom Petty, heard again through the covers of others. Now, Tom had a string of hits in his own right and later with superstar band, The Travelling Wilburys . . . and getting us started were The Goo Goo Dolls with their take on ‘I Won’t Back Down’. But, whether or not your a Tom Petty fan, I guessed you may have heard Tom Petty’s ‘Learning To Fly’ many times, but I brought you a quite different, for which we had to thank Lizanne Knott and Jesse Terry. Then, I suggested that no playlist of Tom Petty hits would be complete without his song, ‘Free Falling’, and it got revisited this time by Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs. After that selection of Tom Petty covers, it would have been impolite to miss something from the man himself, so I saved one where I thought the original is still the greatest . . . ‘American Girl’.
All too soon, we came to the last choice for this weeks Sonic Tonic, which came with a big thanks to Johanny Jackson, over there in San Francisco for his kind words about the show, but more importantly, for pointing me to Tommy Z, a guitarist from Johanny’s hometown of Buffalo, New York. He comes highly recommended by none other than Buddy Guy (who he opened for on Buddy’s farewell tour). But before Tommy got let loose, there was a big thanks from me for stopping by here and the hope that I’ll have the pleasure of your good company again soon, for another dose of Doctor Roberts Sonic Tonic. Until then . . . remember . . . have fun!
Broadcast by Maritime Radio 96.5fm on 19 June 2024
Broadcast by Reflections Radio on 24 June 2024
Just Cruising 