Simple Saturday Bonus
To wrap up the month, I've got a special share of a record that I brought back with me from my trip to Santa Fe. This was the record that I was most excited about finding during my trip. It's part of a series of records I shared with you back on December 27th, all created by an outfit out of Dallas and all released by local radio stations across the country. Many of the records had a track or two produced locally, but this one was (almost) entirely performed by studio musicians (and is in fact exactly the same music as the version put out closest to me, one that I shared out here, so you're not really getting any new music with this one). But even if there's nothing new here, I was excited to find it and bring it home. This is The KOKE Choraleers-A KOKE Christmas (FairWest Studios FS-KOKE-84, Stereo, 1984). Couple things to note here. There is no band name on the album, though there is a long list of performers and soloists. For the sake of ID, I gave it a group name of The KOKE Choraleers, similar to what was found on one of the other entries in the series. There's also a different artist on track four, but there's no mention of them on the sleeve of this record. The credit is only found on the original issue from KVIL. That's a little confusing, but it's true. And as usual on these records, the final track features the call letters sung at the end of the song as a little reminder of who you got the record from. Oh, one last thing, KOKE is in Austin, Texas, so who knows how this record migrated to a Goodwill store in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
1. The Christmas Waltz
2. Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas; White Christmas
4. The South Texas State University Brass Choir-Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming; I Saw Three Ships
5. Medley: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence; Away In A Manger; Good Christian Men Rejoice; Adeste Fidelis
6. Medley: Joy To The World!; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Angels We Have Heard On High; Silent Night
7. Johnny, Bring The Pine Tree In
8. Winter Wonderland; Let It Snow!
9. Do You Hear What I Hear?
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. We Wish You A Merry Christmas [KOKE]
2. Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas; White Christmas
4. The South Texas State University Brass Choir-Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming; I Saw Three Ships
5. Medley: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence; Away In A Manger; Good Christian Men Rejoice; Adeste Fidelis
6. Medley: Joy To The World!; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Angels We Have Heard On High; Silent Night
7. Johnny, Bring The Pine Tree In
8. Winter Wonderland; Let It Snow!
9. Do You Hear What I Hear?
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. We Wish You A Merry Christmas [KOKE]


So you were out in the thrifts in Santa Fe, eh. Sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteWasn't much to be had. :(
DeleteSometimes there isn't much to be had in the vinyl department in the two thrift stores in my town most weeks! Every so often, I come across a treasure or two. However, I really enjoy those weeks when I can come home from the store with a stack of 20 or so records that are either new to me or are upgrades.
DeleteYeah, you have to go frequently to get lucky. I hate when people trash a thrift store because they didn't find anything on their one visit. It's not like Walmart being out of stock on something, they can only stock what's been donated. One out of a dozen visits to a place I may get really lucky, the rest of the time it's a single record here or there. But good things come to those who look frequently.
DeleteVery cool! Sorry you didn't find many Christmas records in Santa Fe but hope it was a fun trip anyway!
ReplyDeleteI feel better having looked and not found much than not getting to look and not knowing what I might have missed. :)
DeleteAs you end the month, I want to take the time to express how much you are appreciated. All the hard work and long hours to make all of us so very happy. We are blessed that you are so thoughtful and caring with all the Christmas music again this year Ernie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note. It's weird to be headed into February and still sharing records. Nice, but weird.
DeleteGlad to be a part of the musical ride! I will eventually catch up with some of your more recent posts that interest me when I have the time.
DeleteThere's plenty of room on this bus as long as you want to ride!
DeleteI agree with the previous guy--thank you very much for all of your hard work before, during, and after the holidays Ernie!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. Thanks for joining me on this strange trip!
DeleteErnie, it is nice to have another one on something, to continue a collection. But, what do you think, are there hundreds of these out there? Did hundreds of radio stations buy them to air during their Holiday seasons?
ReplyDeleteIt boggles the mind.
And yes, you go shopping for something and come up empty handed. Then one day, you find it. Miracles do happen.
I doubt if there are hundreds of different versions. I suspect it's more along the lines of dozens. And I doubt if they ever got played on the radio, it's pretty generic stuff for that. I suspect it was a giveaway or a fundraiser that the station used during the holidays. Maybe a prize for a call-in or something. Have to dig through the old newspapers and see if there's any mention of the records in a given market.
DeleteErnie, you amaze me :)
ReplyDeleteI will definitely add this to the collection!
You are the best... I volunteer at two local thrift stores. There are always record albums, but I never look at them. Only so much time.
That would drive me crazy. What might I be missing in those new records that came in today??? That's why I never worked at a record store or a thrift store.
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