Vinyl Record Memories Newsletter

Vinyl Record Memories isn't just another classic vinyl record website. It's classic vinyl straight from the heart, where original oldies, classic country, soul, and rock n' roll crash together in the kind of beautiful wreckage that brings back memories of a person, a time, or a place, and makes you feel alive again, growing up in this very special time in history.

Issue #159, September, 2026.

In This Issue:

• New Video Format Effective This Month.

• Great Cover Song - Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye. 

• Dolly Parton Original Framed Album Cover Art.

• Kenny Vance - Real Talent, No Studio Gimmicks.

• That's Why I Love You - 1975

• Blue Bayou - The Story Begins.

• Vinyl Records vs Streaming - Who Wins?

Let's Get Started:

Vinyl Record Memories is currently in the process of adding a new video host that is a top rated site for online videos. We will begin this month with a few of those updated videos for your viewing pleasure.  

"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," Sammi Smith Cover Song.

Of all the covers of this well written song by the men of country music, I believe Sammi Smith's version will be the one that stays with you longer. The original version by by Don Cherry was released in 1962. "The Casinos" cover, released in 1967, reached #6 on the charts but the following year Eddie Arnold placed his Country version at the top of the charts.

In 1996 another Country version by Neal McCoy reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard country charts. You can decide which of those two Top remakes you like the best, but I'm going with Sammi Smith's release on her 1978 album. 

Sammi Smith started her career by selling two million copies of her first single in 1971, a song written by Kris Kristofferson titled, "Help Me Make It Through The Night." It would be her only career #1 song. The last part of a song review I read by David Cantwell says it best about Sammi Smith.  

"On all of her best recordings, Smith's voice invites the listener into an emotional world so revealing and familiar that it often seems as if she's right there beside you, whispering into your ear."

Framed Album Cover Art - Dolly Parton 1978 Original LP.

This Dolly Parton album has been in my collection since new, approaching 50 years. Dolly Parton's "Heartbreaker" LP was her twentieth solo studio album, released on July 17, 1978, by RCA Victor. F​ollowing the success of her 1977 album Here You Come Again, Dolly again teamed up with producer Gary Klein for her follow-up album. Heartbreaker furthers her transition into pop music and features disco influences as well. ​The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
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The album cover, a gatefold design depicting Dolly in a series of surreal, dream-like images, was designed by graphic artist Ed Caraeff, who had also designed the cover art for Here You Come Again, our featured album for October. 

Looking for An Echo - Street Corner Music With Soul.

Many years ago when I originally heard Kenny Vance and The Planotones sing "Echo" for the first time I was at a loss for words to express my feelings when I ran across a review of the album "Countdown To Love."  I was looking for a Kenny Vance vinyl album with the song "Looking for An Echo" when I noticed a well written review by James Ellis. His wording was so much in line with what I was thinking and why I believe all the talented entertainers from the 50s-60s Doo-Wop area separate themselves from today's irritating mumble jumble.

"This is real talent here. No studio gimmicks. No hiding behind noise from screaming guitars, unnecessary drumming etc. Kenny Vance & his vocalists bring back the real talent. He sings. His back up sings. There was a time when the ability to sing was mandatory. Kenny & his team bring that to life every time they step up to a microphone. They can put down their instruments and just sing such harmony, you can just hear the blending beautiful harmony, and drift away. I just sit there in total awe listening. This is music at its very very best. No profanity. No noise. Just human beings using their voices with decency making real music. Thank you Kenny." James Ellis....

Andrew Gold - That's Why I Love You - 1975

Return with me to 1975 and those vinyl record memories surrounding the Andrew Gold song, "That's Why I Love You." Let's bring back the best of times with that one special girl surrounded by the lyrics, "It's the smile on your face, It's your style and your grace...And that's why, that's why I love you."
 
A man with this much talent should certainly be entitled to more than this one simple page that I have provided and not just because I enjoyed this one particular song more than his others.

Memories and perfect lyrics from the song reach back in time as you recall that special lady with the words ..."You're a party with the lights down low, you're my Friday night movie show, love me tender on the radio, just hold me tight and don't let go." 

I always believed Andrew Gold was a very underrated artist. In 1973 he was invited to work with Linda Ronstadt. One of their best collaborations was her breakthrough album, "Heart Like a Wheel" (1974).  His guitar arrangement on “You’re No Good” was an added plus to Ronstadt's first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Writing his first songs at 13, songwriter and session legend Andrew Gold is an amazing talent, a singer-songwriter, session musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer, film composer, actor and painter.

He has toured with The Eagles, played on records and toured with Jackson Browne, produced, wrote and sang/played on three 10cc tracks; played and sang on records and toured with James Taylor, produced singles for Vince Gill, and wrote and produced for Celine Dion; was second engineer on part of Joni Mitchell's Blue album.  Are you beginning to grasp my "underrated artist" opinion here?

His rendition of the theme from the television series "Mad About You," entitled Final Frontier, was used as the wake-up call for the Mars Pathfinder space probe in 1996, giving him the distinction of being the first human voice to be heard on the surface of Mars.

The casual music listener or TV watcher might know Mr. Gold from one of his most popular hit singles “Thank You For Being a Friend." The tune was of course used as the theme for "The Golden Girls" sitcom.

Sadly, Andrew Gold died on June 3rd, 2011 at the young age of 59. 

Blue Bayou Vinyl Memories - 

"Blue Bayou," a somber ballad yearning after simpler times, was originally recorded by Roy Orbison on his legendary 1963 album In Dreams.

While it only reached #29 in the US due to no official U.S. radio push, Linda Ronstadt took it to far greater fame as her only gold-selling single and her signature song. So, who does the best version of the song? You be the judge, both are great, but I like this original by Roy Orbison.

Blue Bayou - The Story Begins...

I left her on our favorite beach on a warm Saturday afternoon, and I’ve hated myself for it ever since...read the Blue Bayou story here.

Vinyl Records VS Streaming Music - Who Wins?

A few years back my grandson walked into my home office hobby room and observed a vinyl LP record sitting under a clear cover to my turntable. His question, of course, was...Grandpa, what's that? I explained to him what a vinyl record was and how it was played in order to listen to music. With a puzzled stare I could tell what he must have been thinking...Why would anyone buy one of those and go through all that to listen to a record when you can stream everything? I wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. 

After all, he wasn't wrong. Streaming gives us access to nearly every song ever recorded. It’s cheaper, faster, more portable, and infinitely more convenient than vinyl.  Which makes the resurgence of vinyl so unexpected. What struck me wasn’t that he didn’t know what a record was. It was that he couldn’t imagine why someone would want one. In today's world, music is immediate. Infinite. Effortless. The idea of listening to an album from beginning to end seems almost irrational to anyone today. I could almost read my Grandson's thoughts.  The more I explained the vinyl record process I could tell the less interested he became in whether vinyl sounds better than streaming services.

Streaming solves the problem of access. It puts nearly every song ever recorded in our pockets. By almost every measure, it is the more efficient technology. And yet, people continue buying records. The resurgence of vinyl is real, a signal.  Maybe it's because a record asks something of the listener. There is a dedicated process.

When you purchase an album, you have a beautifully designed cover with content about the individual or band on the back of the album.  The larger gatefold cover provided a means of including artwork, liner notes, and/or song lyrics that would otherwise not fit on a standard record cover. You carefully remove the record from the album and place it on your turntable. You place the needle by hand or automatic control on the record...You stay with it.

The music becomes the activity, not the backdrop to something else. It’s a reminder that in an age of instant digital access and gratification, the most valuable things that will remain are those that ask us to show up. And that's what makes owning vinyl records so very special. 

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What's Next?

Another Original Dolly Parton Framed Album Cover Art from my collection.

Best Cover Songs - Where the best version isn't always the first version.

I hope you find time to visit more great stories about growing up in the 50s, 60s and 70s. You can start here.... 

Golden Oldies - Follow These Links For A Fun Trip Down Memory Lane.

Fifties Doo-Wop page -  More Links To Your Classic Street Corner Symphonies.

Check Out Our Favorite Remakes Of Original Songs. 

How About those Cars of Dreams We Grew Up With.

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