SATURDAY'S SINGLES : JOHNNIE RAY and MICHAEL BOLTON

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Good morning gang and welcome to the return of Saturday's Singles. First up, under our needle is  "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" by singer songwriter, pianist, and actor, Johnnie Ray.  Ray was born January 10, 1927 in Dallas, Oregon to parents Elmer and Hazel Ray. He began playing piano at 3 and by the time he was 12 started singing in the church choir. He passed away February 24, 1990, age 63 from liver failure. Yesterday marked 33 years since his passing. 

"Walkin' My Baby Back Home" was written by Roy Turk and Fred E. Ahlert and first recorded by  Nick Lucas in 1931, who took the song to #8. Johnnie covered it in 1952 on Columbia Records and his version reached #12 in UK, #6 on the Cash Box charts, and #4 on the Hot 100. On it he is backed by The Buddy Cole Quartet. It's B-side, "Give Me Time" sees him performing with The Four Lads.

A Walkin' My Baby Back Home
Backing Band – The Buddy Cole Quartet
Written-By – Ahlert, Turk

B Give Me Time
Backing Band – The Four Lads
Written-By – A. Wilder

Johnnie Ray - vocals, piano

Music -  The Buddy Cole Quartet, The Four Lads

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Our second single is "To Love Somebody" by New Haven, Connecticut, native, vocalist, pianist, guitarist, actor, and producer, Michael Bolton. He was born February 26, 1953 and will be celebrating his 70th Birthday tomorrow (02/26/23). "To Love Somebody" was written by Barry and Robin Gibb in 1967 and first appeared on their album Bee Gees 1st, where it topped the Adult Contemporary charts in both the US and Canada.  Bolton's version was released  September 1992 on the Columbia label and it reached #61 in Germany, #39 in Australia, #35 in the Netherlands, #32 in New Zealand, #31 on Billboard's Rhythmic chart and on the Eurochart 100, #16 in the UK, #13 in Ireland, #11 on the Hot 100, #7 in France, #6 on the Mainstream Top 40, #2 on the Candian Singles chart, and #1 on both the US and Canada's Adult Contemporary charts. It is b/w "Now That I Found You". 

A To Love Somebody
Written-By – B. Gibb, R. Gibb
4:08

B Now That I Found You
Written-By – D. Warren, M. Bolton
4:32

Producers – Michael Bolton, David Foster

Engineers – Dave Reitzas and Bill Schnee

Orchestra Engineer  – Al Schmitt

Michael Bolton – lead vocals, arrangements 

David Foster – arrangements, additional keyboards

Randy Kerber – acoustic piano

Greg Phillinganes – organ

Robbie Buchanan – additional keyboards

Michael Thompson – electric guitar

Nathan East – bass

John Robinson – drums

Portia Griffin – backing vocals

Pat Hawk – backing vocals

Vann Johnson – backing vocals

Janis Liebhart – backing vocals

Carmen Twillie – backing vocals

Mona Lisa Young – backing vocals

Jeremy Lubbock – orchestra arrangements and conductor

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