Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service • djChrisPickett.com BLOG

Fall In

2011-09-30T12:59:00.002-04:00

If you are newly engaged, Fall is the start of a wedding planning process that can at times feel both fun & frustrating. There’s much to coordinate but a key portion of your search for all things wedding is finding the right DJ to make your big day a fun & memorable experience – and this is where I come in.

As your DJ, I consider myself to be an authoritative resource on music from many different styles and eras. This is important because your wedding reception will include guests whose musical tastes span across many generations and it is vital to have an experienced professional who intuitively knows how to play to this dynamic. Of note, I also offer wedding ceremony music with microphones for on-site services.

Additionally, I fulfill the duties of Master Of Ceremonies at your reception, which is perhaps the most crucial role of the day. As such, I work with you throughout the planning process to coordinate formalities and express your musical tastes so that from your introduction to your final dance, all you have to do is have the time of your life!

This is your big day. All of the stress you go through during the planning process should culminate in a happy and enjoyable celebration for you both. My experience, references and awards show I know how to make this happen. So make sure you’re hiring a professional DJ and not an “MP3 player.“

As an MC, I speak on behalf of you to your guests. As an entertainer, I have over 30 years experience to help you to create a memorable Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

10 Years After

2011-09-11T02:11:00.000-04:00

Soundtrack For Today: Hero by Enrique Iglesias

We made the A-List!!

2011-07-26T22:20:00.001-04:00

Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service made the Boston.com 2011 A-List!!

We round off the top 5 for Best Wedding DJ and land in third place for Best Wedding Ceremony Music - the only DJ to win in this category!

A sincere thanks to everyone who voted and congratulations to everyone else nominated.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com • Soundtrack To Your Next Event!

Boston.com's A-List 2011 - Make Us #1!

2011-07-13T12:19:00.005-04:00

Here's a chance to help make djChrisPickett.com #1 on Boston.com's Alist! Please click on this link and vote for me in 2 categories - Best Wedding DJ and Best Ceremony Music.

UPDATE: The voting has ended and the waiting begins! Results expected on July 26 so thanks to everyone who voted and stay tuned!!

Soundtrack For Today: http://ctvr.us/djchris

When, In The Course Of Human Events...

2011-07-04T14:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday, America!

Soundtrack For Today: Philadelphia Freedom by Elton John

Still Here!

2011-05-21T00:26:00.001-04:00

Soundtrack For Today: Til The World Ends by Britney Spears

Editor's Note: Had the world truly ended, the Soundtrack For "Today" would have been "That's All Folks!" We now return you to regular programming...

And Justice For All

2011-05-02T00:55:00.000-04:00

Going To The Chapel

2011-04-25T16:06:00.008-04:00

Well, now that taxes are out of the way, it’s really time to plan for your wedding day! I have provided the soundtrack to weddings & events throughout New England since 1979. That’s a lot of experience and to this day, it’s still fun and I look forward to each wedding reception with the same enthusiasm that I’ve always had.

Through my experiences at events and on radio, I’ve developed a style that is not overbearing as I communicate to you and your guests in a necessary & effective manner – and always with an eye on detail and a focus on fun!

Although it may not seem it at first, your DJ is the most important part of the reception and choosing the right one can be the difference between making or breaking your big day.

At a wedding reception, I fulfill 2 roles: DJ and Master Of Ceremonies. As your MC, I speak on behalf of you to your guests (and your vendors) through highly coordinated moments that make the reception flow and memorable. Musically, I entertain your guests through a mix of your requests from a music library that reaches back to the future through over 8 decades of the Latest & Greatest Hits!

There are many professional and reputable entertainment choices available today but sadly, there are also too many others who have confused the recent convenience of having a laptop and some MP3s with the true ability to provide you with the high level of service that only a professional DJ can – on what is the most important day of your new lives together.

Personalized service, pre-reception consultations, unlimited email/telephone inquiry, customized selections for your ceremony & reception, back-up equipment, professional & experienced DJ/MC and, most importantly, reasonable rates are what define my services. This isn’t just a guarantee, it’s a given.

I was just voted "The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Pick!" by local brides and you can read what they have written about me on TheKnot.com or on my website to find out why you should hire djChrisPickett.com as the Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Not satisfied with the package deal your hall is offering? You don’t have to go with the DJ they offer – ask them how much your $ allowance is and then call me @ 781-337-8187!

This Just In...

2011-01-22T01:18:00.002-05:00

We are proud to announce that Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service has been rated by local brides and voted "The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Pick!"

Thank you very much to my past clients who made this happen!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com • Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

2010 In Review

2010-12-31T02:26:00.001-05:00

2010 was a great year for pop music! In recent years, top 40 has seemed uneven but this year, the mix was much smoother. So many genres of music seemingly merged into the realm of pop whether it was through collaboration like Taio Cruz & Ludacris on Break Your Heart or via consternation, as with the Taylor Swift / Kanye West-fest at the MTV Music Awards early in 2010.

Yet, despite the audacity and heartbreak of that televised event, the careers of both Swift & West continued to flourish during 2010 as Taylor Swift endured and released the acceptable & respectable follow-up Mine while Kanye continued to keep his name in the headlines and history books during a self-imposed sabbatical that concluded with the release of his ambitious My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a Rolling Stone magazine year-end top pick. On the Billboard 200 however, Swift gets the last jab as her Speak Now album sits comfortably atop that chart at year’s end.

At year’s start, Kesha Rose Sebert aka Ke$ha had already TiK ToK-ed her way to the top of the charts in 2009 and held on for many more weeks into 2010, resulting in the #1 song of this year.

Meanwhile, Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady GaGa is well on her way to becoming the next Madonna. GaGa’s 2008 debut Fame LP and 2009 stop-gap Fame Monster EP were, respectively, the #1 & #2 dance albums on the Billboard chart, collectively yielding more than a half-dozen chart-toppers & floor-fillers that will stand the test of time. 2010’s releases included Telephone f/ Beyonce, Alejandro and Bad Romance. Her highly anticipated follow-up LP Born This Way is due in early 2011.

At weddings and parties everywhere, I came to dance with Dynamite, another Taio Cruz hit and Hey Soul Sister by Train gave us the catchiest and perhaps most over-used song in commercials, resulting in an (unsuccessful) Internet petition requesting a cease & desist for such purposes.

Lady Antebellum crossed over the Mason-Dixon into pop territory with Need You Now and Michael Posner proved he was Cooler Than Me (even though I played his record a number of times.)

Alicia Keys hit it big with Jay-Z in 2009 and again on her own in 2010 with the rap & pop versions of the same song - Empire State Of Mind, not to mention her corresponding Element Of Freedom album going #1 this year.

Elsewhere, rappers continued to find creative ways to bridge the worlds of Pop & Hip-Hop to the point where the melding has virtually formed into its own nameless genre (I’d go with ‘Hip-Pop.’) Eminem was Not Afraid to ride to the top of the charts and did it again when he teamed with Rihanna for Love The Way You Lie, the first of the 2-part drama, which concludes (?) in 2011. Rihanna also redeemed herself on the dance floor quite nicely since 2008’s Disturbia with Only Girl In The World.

Side-stepping 9/11 implications, B.o.B. and Hayley Williams flew us in Airplanes while Pitbull revived Enrique Iglesias’ chart life with I Like It (which also offers a tip of the hat to Lionel Richie’s All Night Long in the lyric.)

Bruno Mars revealed himself to be not only a talented songwriter with hits like Travie McCoy’s Billionaire and Cee-Lo Green’s unspeakable yet humorous ode to love lost (aka entitled) Forget You but he also became a solid performer in his own right. Bruno is responsible for the best romantic ballad of 2010 with the performance of his own chart-topping composition entitled Just The Way You Are and is poised to take over the #1 spot again in January with his follow-up Grenade. Bruno hails from Hawaii and seems well schooled in the classic pop-song writing tradition. I’m sure we’ll be hearing much more from him in the years to come.

But it is Katy Perry who ultimately had the best year ever as she continued to prove herself an enduring force by dominating the summertime airwaves with the #1 hits California Gurls (f/ Snoop Dogg) and Teenage Dream. Mrs. Russell Brand also got married this year and is rumored to be changing her professional name to Katy Perry-Brand in 2011. KP also had other catchy hits with If We Ever Meet Again, a collaboration with Timbaland and she also sews up the charts in the final week of the first year of this new decade with her third #1 single of 2010 - Firework.

Finally, let us not forget what will be perhaps the most enduring dance floor anthem for many years to come: I Gotta Feeling by Black-Eyed Peas holds this year’s distinction of charting on two consecutive year-end charts (2009 & 10) and subsequently, in two different decades.

So, just before midnight tonight, Raise Your Glass to Pink's anthem and ring in the new year - I gotta feeling the best is yet to come!

Soundtrack For Today: Auld Lang Syne & Rock Around The Clock

Happy New Year from djChrisPickett.com – Soundtrack To Your Next Event!

Prediction for 2011: There will be a song that references and/or entitles itself about living your life out on Facebook. Most likely a country song.

Winter #1s

2010-12-22T00:21:00.000-05:00

Here's a century-back look at #1 songs on the 1st day of winter:

2010 Firework • Katy Perry
2000 Independent Women Part I • Destiny's Child
1990 Because I Love You (The Postman Song) • Stevie B
1980 (Just Like) Starting Over • John Lennon
1970 My Sweet Lord / Isn't It a Pity • George Harrison
1960 Are You Lonesome Tonight • Elvis Presley
1950 The Thing • Phil Harris
1940 Frenesi • Artie Shaw
1930 You're Driving Me Crazy! (What Did I Do?) • Guy Lombardo
1920 Whispering • Paul Whiteman
1910 Meet Me To-Night in Dreamland • Henry Burr

What a difference 100 years makes! How many titles/artists do you recognize?

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame - 2011

2010-12-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

Singer, songwriter, actor, performer. Congratulations to Neil Diamond for his long overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame!

Soundtrack For Today: Neil Diamond: His 12 Greatest Hits

"In case the folks missed the earlier news flash, ABC news has confirmed..."

2010-12-08T11:36:00.000-05:00

Infamy

2010-12-07T07:04:00.000-05:00

It's That Time Of Year

2010-11-12T20:33:00.000-05:00

If you are newly engaged, Fall is the start of a wedding planning process that can at times feel both fun & frustrating. There’s much to coordinate but a key portion of your search is finding the right DJ to make your big day a fun & memorable experience – and this is where I come in.

As your disc jockey, I consider myself to be an authoritative resource on music from many different styles and eras. This is important because your wedding reception will include guests whose musical tastes span across many generations and it is vital to have an experienced professional who intuitively knows how to play to this dynamic.

Additionally, I fulfill the duties of Master Of Ceremonies at your reception, which is perhaps the most crucial role of the day. As such, I work with you throughout the planning process to coordinate formalities and express your musical tastes so that from your introduction to your final dance, all you have to do is have the time of your life!

This is your big day. All of the stress you go through during the planning process should culminate in a happy and enjoyable celebration for you both. My experience and references show I know how to make this happen. So make sure you’re hiring a professional DJ and not an “MP3 player.“

As an MC, I speak on behalf of you to your guests. As an entertainer, I have over 30 years experience that helps you to create a memorable Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

I also offer music/microphones for your wedding service!

Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow

2010-10-24T22:55:00.000-04:00

Just over 30 years ago, Sony introduced us to the cassette player they called the Walkman and it ignited a revolution of music playback not seen since the mid-1950s introduction of the portable transistor radio.

Not only did the Walkman change overall sound quality, small and comfortable headphones further enhanced the new experience of listening to music on the run with store-bought and custom cassettes – not to mention in stereo!

According to published reports, today marks the end of production for the cassette version of the Walkman by Sony. Today also celebrates the 9th birthday of one of the Walkman’s technological successors – the iPod.

Soundtrack For Today: Lisbon by The Walkmen

Tiger Twist

2010-09-12T17:05:00.000-04:00

The New England Patriots beat the Bengals in our season opener - Patriots 38, Bengals 24.

Go Pats!!

Soundtrack For Today: Armando Sciascia & His Orchestra

2,977

2010-09-11T10:38:00.000-04:00

California / Dream

2010-09-10T18:40:00.000-04:00

Katy Perry created the soundtrack to the summer of 2010! She began the first day of summer in the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with California Gurls and this coming week, that song sits at #10 while her latest release Teenage Dream, clamps down the top 10 on the other end at #1. Katy’s album Teenage Dream also rules the charts at #1 this week.

Hear & Now:

Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin with a new album of that title. It came out last month and captures the rebounding Beach Boy at his most creative. If you know songs like Rhapsody In Blue, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, or I Got Rhythm, try to re-imagine what they sound like with a “Beach Boy-ish” flair.

This album makes a bit of history as there are also 2 never-before heard and previously unfinished Gershwin pieces that Brian Wilson completed, courtesy of access granted him to the Gershwin archives.

Currently #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart, it's available through Amazon, iTunes and your local record store or visit BrianWilson.com.

Coming Soon:

John Lennon’s 70th birthday would have been next month on Oct. 9 and to celebrate, Yoko Ono has supervised the re-mastering of his solo catalog along with the compilation of a new box set and greatest hits collection. Of particular note is a special stripped-down version of Double Fantasy, the 1980 comeback album Lennon completed just prior to his murder that December. All are set for release October 5 on EMI.

Per The Beatles official website: “The Beatles’ original 1973 compilations, 1962-1966 (‘Red’) and 1967-1970 (‘Blue’) have been digitally remastered for worldwide CD release on October 18 (October 19 in North America).”

The U.S. and British versions of these albums differed slightly in terms of mixes chosen – no word yet if there will be separate versions again and in particular, whether the ‘Red’ album will have the James Bond intro. on Help.

Soundtrack For Today: iPod on shuffle

Update: No 'Bond' intro on the 'Red' album.

It's All In The Game

2010-08-27T10:57:00.000-04:00

Tommy Edwards was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1922 and eventually grew up to be a talented pianist and singer/songwriter. Edwards died in 1969 of a brain aneurysm at a young age 47.

His self-penned This Chick’s Too Young To Fry, was popularized by Louis Jordan in 1946 while other better-known solo recordings eventually became bigger hits for other artists, such as A Fool Such As I by Elvis Presley (#2; 1959) and The Morning Side of The Mountain by Donnie & Marie (#8; 1975.)

But it was Edwards’ recording of a timeless ballad entitled It’s All In The Game, which he originally released and took into the top 20 in 1951, that made him stand out. By the end of the 1950s, however, Edwards was looking to salvage his sinking career and decided to dust off the old tune one more time.

With a new arrangement of the song that was geared towards the new rock & roll generation (as well as being an early stereo recording) he once again lent his unique voice & performed it on the Ed Sullivan show in September 1958. It became his biggest and best known hit.

It’s All In The Game also has a distinct and distinguished history in that it is the only charted song written by a Vice-President of the United States. Charles Dawes, 30th VP of the United States to Calvin Coolidge during his 2nd administration in 1925, wrote the song in 1912 when he was an investment banker in Chicago. Prior to the addition of lyrics by Carl Sigman, the tune was known as Melody In A Major and also Dawes’ Melody. Dawes died in 1951; the same year the lyrics were added.

On this day in history, Charles Dawes was born in 1865 while today in 1958, his signature piece It’s All In The Game was in its 2nd week of a 6 week run at #1 on the Billboard charts. And as this tune approaches its 100th anniversary in 2012, it’s clear by the added lyric that the “game” is always on.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com –

Soundtrack To Your Next Event!

O! Say Can You Sing...?

2010-07-01T04:22:00.000-04:00

2010 marks the United States’ 234th birthday and throughout the course of Billboard magazine’s chart history, only one patriotic anthem has topped the charts on the 4th of July: My Country ‘Tis of Thee by Jules Levy, which held the honor in 1893.

Our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key and was also a chart-topper. But it missed being #1 on July 4 by just a few weeks when John McCormack’s performance reached the peak during the week of Flag Day, June 14, 1917.

My Country ‘Tis of Thee competed heavily with The Star-Spangled Banner for national anthem status and served as such (unofficially) until an act of Congress proclaimed TSSB as our official national anthem on March 3, 1931.

Interestingly, given that the primary subject matter of each song corresponds more to the respective holidays on which they were #1, one has to wonder if the music charts of those days more accurately reflect which song was popularly considered to be our national anthem.

Soundtrack For Today: Happy Birthday, America!

Whitney Houston holds a distinctive record with her Superbowl XXV performance of TSSB charting twice on the Billboard Hot 100 – in 1991 and 2001.

Summertime Summertime

2010-06-21T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here’s a look back at the songs that were #1 on the first day of summer:

TODAY
2010: California Gurls - Katy Perry f/ Snoop Dogg

Y2Ks
2009 Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas
2008 Lollipop - Lil Wayne f/ Static Major
2007 Umbrella - Rihanna f/ Jay-Z
2006 Hips Don't Lie - Shakira f/ Wyclef Jean
2005 We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
2004 Burn - Usher
2003 21 Questions - 50 Cent f/ Nate Dogg
2002 Foolish - Ashanti
2001 Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya & Pink
2000 Be With You - Enrique Iglesias

1990s
1999 If You Had My Love - Jennifer Lopez
1998 The Boy Is Mine - Brandy & Monica
1997 I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans f/ 112
1996 Tha Crossroads - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
1995 Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? - Bryan Adams
1994 I Swear - All-4-One
1993 That's The Way Love Goes - Janet Jackson
1992 I'll Be There - Mariah Carey
1991 Rush Rush - Paula Abdul
1990 It Must Have Been Love - Roxette

1980s
1989 Satisfied - Richard Marx
1988 Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
1987 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston
1986 On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
1985 Heaven - Bryan Adams
1984 The Reflex - Duran Duran
1983 Flashdance ... What A Feeling - Irene Cara
1982 Ebony And Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
1981 Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
1980 Funkytown - Lipps, Inc.

1970s
1979 Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
1978 Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
1977 Got To Give It Up Pt. 1 - Marvin Gaye
1976 Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney & Wings
1975 Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille
1974 Billy, Don't Be A Hero - Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
1973 My Love - Paul McCartney & Wings
1972 Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.
1971 It's Too Late/I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King
1970 The Love You Save - The Jackson 5

1960s
1969 Get Back - The Beatles
1968 This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert
1967 Groovin' - The Young Rascals
1966 Paperback Writer - The Beatles
1965 Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
1964 A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon
1963 Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto
1962 I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
1961 Quarter To Three - Gary U.S. Bonds
1960 Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Connie Francis

1950s
1959 The Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
1958 Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
1957 Love Letters In The Sand - Pat Boone
1956 The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
1955 Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
1954 Little Things Mean A Lot - Kitty Kallen
1953 The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart) - Percy Faith
1952 Here In My Heart - Al Martino
1951 Too Young - Nat "King" Cole
1950 'The Third Man' Theme - Anton Karas

1940s
1949 Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) - Vaughn Monroe
1948 Nature Boy - Nat "King" Cole
1947 Peg O' My Heart - The Harmonicats
1946 The Gypsy - The Ink Spots
1945 Sentimental Journey - Les Brown
1944 I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You) - Harry James Orchestra
1943 Taking A Chance On Love - Benny Goodman
1942 Sleepy Lagoon - Harry James Orchestra
1941 Daddy - Sammy Kaye
1940 Tuxedo Junction - Glenn Miller

Good Timing: It took only 4 weeks to go #1 and after 5 weeks on the charts, Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg’s California Gurls is the only summer-themed hit to chart #1 on the first day of summer!

Soundtrack For Today: California Girls / Gurls

Summerzcool

2010-06-17T01:01:00.000-04:00

Summer arrives a few days early - at least at Great Woods this weekend with the return of Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band. Jimmy usually wraps up the summer but this year, he's got us all Under The Big Top and back in Summerzcool. Not a bad place to be.

Check out his new albums that are out now - Buffet Hotel and Encores.

Soundtrack For Today: Nobody From Nowhere

This Just In -

2010-04-12T00:35:00.001-04:00

"Thanks to Chris' DJing, everyone who attended the Dana-Farber Charity event I hosted (Friday, 4/9 @ the W Hotel in Boston) had a fantastic time. He was very responsive to people's requests and had a wide range of music to choose from."

"A true 5-star DJ. Thanks." - Dmitry Linkov

Soundtrack For Today: www.runDFMC.org/2010/DmitryL or www.DanaFarber.org

Where It Began...

2010-04-04T23:26:00.000-04:00

Opening Day At Fenway - So Good!!

Tonight, the Boston Red Sox bring back summer with a fitting home opener against the Yankees and a special surprise appearance by Neil Diamond singing Sweet Caroline for the Fenway faithful. This is Neil’s second time performing our 8th inning anthem at Fenway and the first time he’s done it during a game.

Like Foster's Beautiful Dreamer, Beethoven's ‘Fifth’ or Norworth's Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline is cementing it's place in history and will have no problem being remembered more than a hundred years from now because of what is happening today.

In its day, Sweet Caroline’s peak chart position in the U.S. was #4. Since then, it has broken free of the statistical confinement of the other 3 songs that topped it and has, astonishingly, surpassed a composer's wildest dream of having a #1 hit. It has taken on a life of it’s own and is the ultimate example of Mr. Diamond’s own view on how ‘new’ songs are “soon…not yours anymore.”

Its lyric continues to echo in the hearts of 1969-ers who still hear the soundtrack of their youth underneath the "so-goods" that have been overlaid by the next generations who, inexplicably, can't quite put a finger on why this song does what it does for them.

Perhaps today’s rendition may tire on some. But for now, it comes down to those who love it and have adopted it as an official anthem of Red Sox Nation.

I’d say that Neil is extremely aware of the historic implications that his composition has beyond Fenway Park's walls but is equally grateful that this is where the choir lives. So, if anything, he is (and we are) taking full advantage in securing his legacy in the annals of the American Popular Song.

Sweet Caroline is just one song of countless Neil Diamond hits but will likely be his most memorable.

Soundtrack For Today: Go Sox!!

Final Score: Red Sox 9; Yankees 7

Play-list (part 4): Party Time!

2010-03-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

During dance time it is important that your DJ have latitude to play varied styles and content based upon requests and also the DJ’s instinct and response to crowd reaction. If a particular song or music style is not working with your guests, the DJ’s role is to sense and react accordingly to the mood of the crowd. The last thing any DJ wants to see is the actual dance floor itself – it’s always better populated!

Also consider creating a “no-play” list of those songs you really don’t care for. Your DJ should always be willing to work with such a list but you should also advise under what circumstances, if at all, a song on this list may or may not be played. For example, sometimes a “no-play” list contains songs such as the Electric Slide or the Chicken Dance but often, such songs can become overwhelming requests upon the DJ by your guests. So, potential exceptions from the “no-play” list are circumstantial aspects to consider and advise your DJ on during preliminary discussions.

In the end, if you are insistent about not wanting a particular song, your DJ should indicate readiness to advise requesting guests accordingly.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

You can download a song list from my website which demonstrates the diversity of my library. The list is a general representation as I have so much more & what I don’t have, I can usually find!

Dr. Who?

2010-03-22T00:36:00.000-04:00

Mr. Theordore R. Geisel was once caught drinking alcohol with fellow college students during the period of time in the early 20th century known as Prohibition, which constitutionally forbade alcohol consumption in the U.S. (and was eventually repealed in 1933.)

As a result and in order to stay in school, college officials ordered that he cease all his extracurricular activities, which included writing for a campus humor magazine. To sidestep this mandate, he began signing the name “Seuss” to his submissions and the rest, they say, is Seuss-story.

The late, great Dr. Seuss continues to make an impact on kids today as witnessed by this past weekend’s performance by the Quincy Drama Club’s production of Seussical The Musical.

To sum up the all-Seuss plot: Horton heard a Who and didn’t know what to do when the people that he knew would not believe he heard a Who. I can’t tell you much more beyond that except the who-le thing’s told by The Cat In The Hat.

Olivia Herman was the Who that brought me there too. Following the grand finale, she and the cast zoomed their way through the audience to the back-stage corridor and the pride felt in their collective shriek of excitement as they ran down that hallway could not help but rub off on any Who who heard them.

This was a very well-rehearsed and superbly choreographed production by 60 + students (and faculty) of all grade levels at Quincy Public Schools. To everyone involved both young and both old & both near and both far, a tip of my hat to how lucky you are!

Soundtrack For Today: Think Of Seuss!

And keep abuzz for Gertrude McFuzz - Emily Hajjar is going to be a star.

Play-List (part 3): Party Time!

2010-03-18T12:06:00.000-04:00

A wedding reception is one of the few life events where you invite friends and relatives whose musical tastes span across many generations. Everyone knows hundreds of songs so your entertainment choice should have the ability to provide you and your guests with a large selection of the original hits that they remember.

A wedding reception is also a fluid event – especially during dance time, which typically lasts up to 3 hours during a 5-hour reception. The mood of a crowd and what motivates them to dance are beyond any one blueprint. So, as far as how many selections to choose, remember this: “so many songs, so little time.”

What that means is there’s so much good music that you’ll want to hear but it’s nearly impossible to play them all! Still, I suggest that you choose more songs than necessary and bullet the must-plays. Doing so paints a good picture of where you want to go musically to help create the perfect Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

There's A Spot In My Heart...

2010-03-17T10:05:00.000-04:00

It's St. Paddy's Day! Celebration of this some-places holiday has evolved since its inception in pre-1600s Ireland but it is always punctuated by the Irish songs we’ve come to know & love. And by alcohol. Which helps with the singing.

Throughout the years you have to figure that at least one of those now traditional Irish songs would have made it to the top o’ the charts and sure and begorrah, one did: Mother Machree by Will Oakland was #1 in the U.S. on this date 99 years ago in 1911.

Oakland’s high-tenor voice was discovered by Thomas Edison in 1908. He soon became a very successful recording artist for both Edison and Victor (early mfr. of records and players) as well as the top-billed member of the equally successful barber shop group The Heidelberg Quintet.

The song’s composer, Cleveland-born Ernest R. Ball, collaborated with lyricist Chauncey Olcott and wrote the ballad in 1910. Two years later, Ball composed another Irish standard that would go on to live in infamy – When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.

Soundtrack For Today: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Play-List (part 2): Wedding Reception Cocktail Hour & Dinner

2010-03-14T12:20:00.000-04:00

Cocktail hour tends to be the one part of the day you both miss because of photographs but you should still use this time and also dinner hour to be very specific in music style and selection. This can set an underlying tone for the day that usually originates from your own collection of favorite artists.

For dinner, music tends to be more subdued in volume level to allow for conversation but still loud enough for those who just can’t wait to get on the dance floor!

If your DJ has a wide variety of music along with years of experience, then accommodation of your desires should not be a problem and your DJ should be willing to work with you to meet your goals. (That sounds like me!)

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Oh, What A Night

2010-03-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

late December back in '63...

If you recognize this lyric, you'll know it's from a song called December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) by The Four Seasons.

It remains a popular dance floor favorite that reached #1 on the charts on this date in 1976. The original title was December 5, 1933 and it's lyric spoke about the repeal of (U.S.) alcohol prohibition on that date but was changed to the lyric we know now at the behest of lead singer Frankie Valli and the group's then lyricist Judy Parker (wife of keyboard player & song composer Bob Gaudio.)

In a rarity, Valli shared lead vocals on this tune with the group's drummer Gerry Polci and bassist Don Ciccone. A remixed version was released & re-charted in 1994 and with the combined number of weeks each release spent on the charts totaling 54, December 1963 is the longest charting single in the history of Billboard's Hot 100.

Soundtrack For Today: 68 'RKO (What a very special time for me!)

Play-List (part 1): Wedding Ceremony

2010-03-12T22:34:00.000-05:00

From your introduction to your final dance, music virtually permeates your entire wedding day.

For your ceremony, classical music is a popular favorite that creates a formal, almost majestic feel but there are also instrumental versions of today’s popular songs played by string quartets, harpists, bagpipes and orchestras that are appropriate wherever you see fit. Original versions of pop hits are also en vogue and are often used for either the processional or recessional theme.

Whether traditional or customized, when you hire me to provide music for your ceremony, I not only can provide a discreet sound system complete with microphone for your officiate, but I also help you to create the perfect soundtrack of the music that you want for your ceremony.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

'March' Forward

2010-03-02T01:19:00.000-05:00

Time may march forward but we can still take a walk down memory lane:

#1 On This Date

Today:

2010 Imma Be The Black Eyed Peas

(Time finally ran out for Ke$ha’s 9-week reign at the top with TiK ToK)

Y2Ks:

2009 Right Round - Flo Rida
2008 Low - Flo Rida f/ T-Pain
2007 What Goes Around ... Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
2006 Check On It - Beyoncé f/ Slim Thug
2005 Candy Shop - 50 Cent f/ Olivia
2004 Yeah! - Usher f/ Ludacris & Lil Jon
2003 In Da Club - 50 Cent
2002 Always On Time - Ja Rule f/ Ashanti
2001 Stutter - Joe f/ Mystikal
2000 Amazed - Lonestar

1990s

1999 Angel Of Mine - Monica
1998 My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
1997 Wannabe - Spice Girls
1996 One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
1995 Take A Bow - Madonna
1994 The Power Of Love - Celine Dion
1993 A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme) - Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle
1992 To Be With You - Mr. Big
1991 All The Man That I Need - Whitney Houston
1990 Escapade - Janet Jackson

1980s

1989 Lost In Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
1988 Father Figure - George Michael
1987 Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
1986 Kyrie - Mr. Mister
1985 Careless Whisper - Wham!
1984 Jump - Van Halen
1983 Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
1982 Centerfold - J. Geils Band
1981 I Love A Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt
1980 Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

1970s

1979 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? - Rod Stewart
1978 (Love Is) Thicker Than Water - Andy Gibb
1977 Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born' (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand
1976 Love Machine - The Miracles
1975 Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
1974 Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
1973 Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack
1972 Without You - Nilsson
1971 One Bad Apple - The Osmonds
1970 Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

1960s

1969 Everyday People - Sly & the Family Stone
1968 Love Is Blue - Paul Mauriat
1967 Ruby Tuesday - The Rolling Stones
1966 The Ballad Of The Green Berets - SSgt. Barry Sadler
1965 My Girl - The Temptations
1964 I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
1963 Walk Like A Man - The Four Seasons
1962 Duke Of Earl - Gene Chandler
1961 Pony Time - Chubby Checker
1960 Theme From 'A Summer Place' - Percy Faith

1950s

1959 Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
1958 Don't / I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
1957 Young Love - Tab Hunter
1956 Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle
1955 Sincerely - The McGuire Sisters
1954 Secret Love - Doris Day
1953 Till I Waltz Again With You - Teresa Brewer
1952 Cry - Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
1951 If - Perry Como
1950 Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy - Red Foley

1940s

1949 A Little Bird Told Me - Evelyn Knight
1948 I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover - Art Mooney
1947 Managua, Nicaragua - Freddy Martin
1946 Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief - Betty Hutton
1945 Rum and Coca-Cola - The Andrews Sisters
1944 Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much) - Jimmy Dorsey
1943 I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James
1942 Moonlight Cocktail - Glenn Miller
1941 Frenesi - Artie Shaw
1940 In the Mood - Glenn Miller

Soundtrack For Today: iPod on shuffle

For my Tuesday friends, the highlighted selections are the answers from today’s game.

DJ Personality

2010-02-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

Establishing a good rapport with your DJ is very important. Initial contact via e-mail can go only so far at conveying what your needs are and most importantly, in establishing a confidence level that you are looking at a viable candidate.

So, if you like what you see on a web site, make that call to hear if what you’ve seen matches up. If so, set up a meeting with the DJ in person. If all parties are local, this should be easy. If not, then a telephone or Skype conference should occur.

Either way, get to know your prospective DJ – it’s the one part of the process that if missed, could truly make or break your wedding reception.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com • 781-337-8187

Wedding Reception DJ Planning

2010-02-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

As I’m sure you’re finding out, planning a wedding reception is time consuming and expensive. And with the economy still having an impact on us all, the old adage that you get what you pay for is truer now more than ever. This is especially the case when you look to find a DJ for your big day.

DJs continue to be your most economical entertainment choice but you should do your research carefully and approach this process with an open mind before an open wallet.

Think about this for a minute: The reception is the centerpiece of your wedding day! You’ve sought out the nicest setting and the best caterer, so why not hire the best DJ? After all, you’re inviting everyone you know to celebrate this milestone in your life and ultimately, it’s your DJ who makes this happen for you! Throughout the years to come, you and your guests will probably best remember your reception based upon how much fun all had dancing the day away.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

All-American Girl(s)

2010-02-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

Patty Andrews, the sole surviving member of the WWII era group, The Andrews Sisters turns 91 today.

The Andrews Sisters originated from Minnesota and were a unique harmonizing group due to their ability to vocalize their singing at volume levels that could compete with big band brass sections and not be drowned out by them.

This was an extremely challenging thing to do and because they did it so well (not to mention they sounded great regardless) they became just as popular an act as the instrument-driven big bands. So much so that they were viewed as competition by some big band leaders of the era but became so popular that they eventually performed with virtually all of them.

Along with older sisters Laverne and Maxine, Patty Andrews, who was only 7 years old when they started, became lead singer. Before their career as a group ended in the late 1960s, the Andrews Sisters secured numerous records yet unbroken in the annals of pop music.

Inclusive are:

Sales at or potentially exceeding 100 million records (out of only 600 songs)
113 charted singles of which 46 reached the top 10
47 songs recorded with Bing Crosby (making them #2 behind Bing by 1949)
First female group to sell 1 million records (1937) earning them a gold record
Appearances in 17 Hollywood films
Sales exceeding chart stats of Elvis Presley and The Beatles

In 1937, their first million-selling record Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (To Me, You Are Beautiful) had even gained popularity with the Nazis who managed to smuggle their records into Germany during World War II.

As if that wasn’t enough, these “Sweethearts of the Armed Forces Radio Service” helped many a GI get through the turbulence of World War II by constantly performing on-air and live at bases, in war zones and at ‘stage door canteens’ around the world. Through their singing in radio commercials, they also encouraged America to buy bonds to help fund the war effort.

Their biggest hits include:

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time
Shoo-Shoo Baby
Don’t Fence Me In (w/ Bing Crosby)
South America, Take It Away (w/ Bing Crosby)
Here Comes The Navy (Beer Barrel Polka) (w/ Bing Crosby)
Pistol Packin’ Mama (w/ Bing Crosby)
I Can Dream, Can’t I?
Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Rum And Coca-Cola

The Andrews Sisters left a lasting impact on generations of imitators and singers to come, including The McGuire Sisters, The Pointer Sisters, Bette Midler (who made Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy her own in 1972) and most recently, inspiring Christina Aguilera’s 2007 hit Candyman, which she performed in WWII fashion live in New York’s Times Square on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year’s Eve.

Soundtrack For Today: Rum & Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters

(either/or both song & drink and #1 on this date in 1945 – cheers, Patty!)

R.I.P. Doug Fieger

2010-02-15T23:21:00.000-05:00

Just over 30 years ago, the song My Sharona pounded the summer airwaves and charts to become a #1 song for 6 weeks and subsequently, the #1 song of the year 1979. A poll of the class of ’79 for a high school reunion I did also named it their #1 song. The tune, written about an intense relationship with an ex-girlfriend, briefly re-charted in 1994 after appearing in the movie Reality Bites.

Yesterday, Doug Fieger, the composer of My Sharona and lead vocalist of the L.A. – based band The Knack, became the second founding member of that group to pass away, after drummer Bruce Gary in 2006. Both succumbed to cancer and Fieger, whose brother is attorney Geoffrey Fieger (defender of Dr. Jack Kevorkian) was only 57.

Soundtrack For Today: Get The Knack (Again)

Love Songs

2010-02-14T17:21:00.000-05:00

Being it is Valentine’s Day, here are some love songs that were #1 on this date throughout the years:

2005: Let Me Love You – Mario
2000: Thank God I Found You – Mariah Carey w/ Joe & 98 Degrees
1996: One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
1994: The Power Of Love – Celine Dion
1993: I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
1983: Baby, Come To Me – Patti Austin & James Ingram
1980: Do That To Me One More Time – The Captain & Tennille
1972: Without You – Nilsson
1964: I Want To Hold Your Hand – Beatles
1963: Hey Paula – Paul & Paula
1955: Sincerely – McGuire Sisters
1953: Til I Waltz Again With You – Teresa Brewer
1947: (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons – The (Nat) King Cole Trio
1946: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Vaughn Monroe
1943: I Had The Craziest Dream – Harry James
1940: In The Mood – Glenn Miller

Stretching the concept a bit are:

2009: My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
1992: I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred
1979: Do Ya Think I’m Sexy – Rod Stewart

And for the opposing view, here are 2 from the cynical 70s:

1976: 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
1975: You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt

Soundtrack For Today: Happy Valentine’s Day!

As Your Wedding DJ

2010-02-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

As a professional DJ since 1979, I have invested well over 30 years of my time, money & skill doing something that I have truly enjoyed ever since I relentlessly bothered famed radio DJ Joe Martelle for a chance to talk on the radio when he did a remote broadcast from a resort I vacationed at. That eventually led to my entry into the broadcast world and of course, the business I have today.

My role as your DJ on your wedding day goes beyond just showing up at the appointed hour. I make sure that we get to know each other long beforehand and during the interim, I provide the necessary tools and access that helps you to advance-plan all the scheduled formalities and music to your satisfaction. Venues and companies that provide you with a DJ not of your choosing and who meet you only on or just before your wedding day won’t provide this type of personal service that all couples should have on this, the most important day of your lives.

The way I look at it is that when I am your DJ/MC, I am not only your entertainment; I am also speaking on your behalf to your guests. With an eye on detail and a focus on fun – all you need to do is have the time of your life!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Your Wedding Ceremony

2010-02-12T13:33:00.000-05:00

Lately, a popular service I offer is providing music and microphones for the wedding ceremony as many couples are choosing to get married at the reception venue or at a nearby locale.

Quite often, this takes place outside. But I’ve even set up shop behind the altar at a church, providing microphone amplification for officiates, soloists & combos, customized music selections for prelude music, the seating of the mothers, bride’s processional, ceremonial themes such as the candle-lighting and of course, the grand recessional!

This service is very affordable and best of all you get to pick the music you want! It’s really special to be able to do this in a very unobtrusive manner and where extreme attention is paid to detail and appropriately regulated volume levels.

It gives me an opportunity to go that extra mile at being the Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Remind me to tell you about the time one couple chose the Star Wars throne room anthem as their recessional…

Mary Had A Little Lamb

2010-02-12T00:14:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to Thomas Alva Edison (1887-1931)

Nicknamed "The Wizard Of Menlo Park" which was where he lived in the now re-named Edison, New Jersey, Edison is one of the most celebrated and influential inventors of all time. With a total of 1093 patents awarded, here are some of the most important devices he is credited as inventing:

Electricity Distribution
X-Ray Machine
Motion Picture Camera
Kinetoscope (Viewer)
Quadruplex Telegraph
Two-Way Telegraph
Incandescent Light Bulb
Carbon Microphone
Phonograph

The phonograph, along with the microphone, are the very foundation of my profession and are just two of his many inventions that made life as we know it today, possible.

Soundtrack For Today: “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas Alva Edison, Harper’s Monthly (Published Sept. 1932)

Words to live by and the blog entry title refers to the first words recorded by Edison on his first invention - the phonograph.

Nat & Natalie

2010-02-06T23:55:00.000-05:00

Happy 60th to singer Natalie Cole.

Natalie has a long string of hits in her own right but one of her most unforgettable hits is the 1991 “duet” Unforgettable, which, with a bit of studio wizardry, she recorded both with and as a tribute to her late father, Nat “King” Cole.

Nat King Cole’s original version charted at #12 in 1952. It became one of many signature songs over a career that began when he was 17 and was still climbing when his unexpected and untimely death from lung cancer in 1965 at the age of 45, left a stunned nation with only echoes of those lazy, hazy, crazy days they were in the midst of at the time.

Natalie’s decision to record an album of her father’s standards was a departure from her R&B flight path. But it turned out to be a phenomenal success, showcasing that she not only had the chops to cover her father’s work, but that she made them her own as well.

The album itself, entitled Unforgettable: With Love went to the top of the charts, giving Natalie her first and only #1 album to date (for 5 weeks) and it also won her 2 Grammy Awards for traditional pop vocal and album of the year.

As for the duet with her father, his vocal track originated from his 1961 version and the finished single climbed almost as high as the 1952 version, reaching #14 during the summer of 1991.

The seamless hand-off and mixing of verses rekindled the fond memories that 1960s America had for Nat King Cole and cemented a bridge between generations that still stands today every time Unforgettable fills a dance floor.

Soundtrack For Today: Unforgettable: With Love by Natalie Cole

Would You Believe 109 Years Ago?

2010-02-05T20:46:00.000-05:00

How far back in time do songs we know go? I’m going to bet you know this one. You probably even have your own schoolyard lyrics to it.

Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom Der E was composed in 1891 by Missouri-born Henry Sayers and popularized by recording artist Len Spencer, who held the #1 spot on the charts with his recording on this date in 1892.

Now, just try and get this song out of your head over the next few days.

Soundtrack For Today: Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom Der E (however you remember it I say!)

Yesterday Once More

2010-02-04T12:32:00.001-05:00

Ticket To Ride
(They Long To Be) Close To You
We’ve Only Just Begun
Superstar
Rainy Days And Mondays
For All We Know
Bless The Beasts And The Children
Goodbye To Love
Hurting Each Other
Sing
Top Of The World
I Won’t Last A Day Without You
Only Yesterday
Please, Mr. Postman
I Need To Be In Love
There’s A Kind Of Hush
Calling Occupants
Sweet, Sweet Smile
Touch Me When We’re Dancing
Make Believe It’s Your First Time
Merry Christmas Darling
Karen’s Theme

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are better known eating disorders today largely due to the unfortunate and untimely passing of Karen Carpenter, who succumbed to the former on this date in 1983 at the age of 32. The subsequent formation of the Karen A. Carpenter Memorial Foundation (now called the Carpenter Family Foundation) has since raised money and awareness for treatment of this once misunderstood affliction.

Karen, sister to Richard, who together formed the ‘70s group The Carpenters, had an unmistakable voice and a largely unknown passion and talent for drumming. In a 13-year period, they left a legacy of 30 chart hits that include most of the above listed. Karen’s Theme is a beautiful piano tribute from Richard’s 1997 self-titled album that includes many other instrumental versions of Carpenters hits.

We’ve Only Just Begun continues to be a timeless wedding theme for either the ceremony or first dance.

Soundtrack For Today: Carpenters on shuffle

We Are The World 2

2010-02-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

The best of the music biz and movie stars gathered 2 nights ago out in Hollywood to re-record the 1985 charity anthem "We Are The World" for a 25th anniversary celebration that is timely in both its meaning and purpose.

The accompanying video filmed that night stars many veterans and a new generation of participants including Natalie Cole, Jordin Sparks, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Lil' Wayne, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Hudson, Vince Vaughn, Rob Thomas and Janet Jackson (singing her brother Michael's original part.) Behind the scenes are Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and the video will premiere in 3D during the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Friday Feb. 12 on NBC.

According to Billboard.com: "Proceeds from the contemporary recording and the accompanying video will go directly to Haitian relief efforts through the We Are The World Foundation, a newly created not-for-profit organization comprised of board members Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean, Paul Haggis, AEG Live president/CEO Randy Phillips and Ambassador Louis Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank."

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Groundhog Day!

2010-02-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today! Keep your snow blower ready just in case.

In the 1993 Groundhog Day movie, it's estimated that Bill Murray's character Phil Connors stayed stuck in the same-day time loop for 8-10 years.

Soundtrack For Today: I Got You, Babe by Sonny & Cher (just once!)

Grammy Awards

2010-02-01T00:06:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the 52nd Grammy Awards broadcast on the 52nd Street network, CBS.

Good show, great performers. I especially enjoyed Dave Matthews' performance of You And Me. The appearance by Michael Jackson's children was genuine and must have been hard for them to accept a lifetime achievement award on his behalf, knowing he won't be around to see the rest of theirs.

Beyonce won song of the year for Single Ladies but I thought it should have been Black-Eyed Peas I Gotta Feeling.

Lady GaGa was all the 3D I could tolerate tonight (and that is with or without the glasses.)

Be My Baby
Da Doo Ron Ron
Leader Of The Pack
River Deep, Mountain High
Do Wah Diddy Diddy
Tell Laura I Love Her
Baby, I Love You
Then He Kissed Me
Hanky Panky
I Can Hear Music
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Neil Diamond

How many of the above do you recognize? Even ‘if you can’t recall the singer, you can still recall the tune.” And if you do recognize any or most, you probably had no idea that one person was entirely or largely responsible for creating these masterpieces of the American Popular Song.

Ellie Greenwich, a Tin-Pan Alley alum who died of a heart attack in August 2009 at the age of 69, was noted as passing during the tributes tonight. Greenwich either wrote or co-wrote them all and, in 1966 along with husband at the time Jeff Barry, discovered and launched the career of one Neil Diamond.

Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Jimmy Page
Slash
Ace Frehley
Billy Gibbons
Jeff Beck

How many of the above do you recognize? None of the above would have careers and Rock & Roll as we know it would not exist if it weren’t for another American icon who also passed away in 2009 – Les Paul, the inventor of the electric guitar back in 1950. Several of the artists above also have the honor of special edition Les Paul guitars named after them. Les was also responsible for many technological advances in recording, including overdubbing and multi-track recording.

And finally, Taylor Swift won album of the year – a well-deserved award for a fearless artist who just had the best day ever.

Soundtrack For Today: Bridge Over Troubled Water – Andrea Bocelli & Mary J. Blige

The song was performed at tonight’s Grammy Awards. Download now available at iTunes where it is noted: “Apple, the label, and the artists are donating their proceeds to American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund.”

Professionalism

2010-01-30T03:13:00.000-05:00

As your disc jockey on your wedding day (or at any other event) I consider myself to be an authoritative resource on music from many different styles and eras. I will work with you to help express your musical tastes and can even provide customized music & microphones for your ceremony if need be. I also employ a top of the line audio system that is carefully adjusted to ensure that you can talk during cocktail and dinner time without losing your temper and groove during dance time without losing your hearing.

Additionally, I fulfill the duties of Master Of Ceremonies at your reception, which is perhaps the most crucial role of the day as there are several formalities scheduled. From your introduction to your final dance along with everything else in between, all need to be advance-planned & executed in a professional and timely manner so as to punctuate the importance of your new-found stature as a wedded couple.

This is your big day. All of the stress you go through during the planning process should culminate in a happy and enjoyable celebration for you both. My experience and references show I know how to make this happen. So make sure you’re hiring a professional DJ and not an “MP3 player. “

As an MC, your DJ is speaking on behalf of you to your guests. As an entertainer, your DJ uses the intuitive skills perfected through years of experience to create a memorable Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

73 seconds

2010-01-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today marks the date in 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida, killing all on board:

Francis R. (Dick) Scobee
Pilot Cmdr. Michael J. Smith of the Navy
Dr. Judith A. Resnik
Dr. Ronald E. McNair
Lieut. Col. Ellison S. Onizuka of the Air Force
Gregory B. Jarvis
Christa McAuliffe, Concord, NH teacher and first U.S. civilian chosen to go into space.

Soundtrack For Today: Arrival by ABBA

It's A Popular Song...

2010-01-27T22:38:00.000-05:00

Reviewing the 2009 year-end singles chart the other day, I noticed that 4 songs on the list also charted on the 2008 recap:

Whatever You Like - T.I. (aka Clifford Harris) - #15 in 2008; #40 in 2009
Hot n Cold - Katy Perry - #36 in 2008; #25 in 2009
Live Your Life - T.I. f/ Rihanna - #37 in 2008; #18 in 2009
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz - #27 in 2008; #07 in 2009

All but Whatever You Like charted higher during 2009 and the trend of double-year charting is becoming more common. In 2006/07, The Fray did it with How To Save A Life and Kanye West's Gold Digger (f/ Jamie Foxx) struck it rich in both 2005 and 06.

Soundtrack For Today: iPad on shuffle

Keys to the Kingdom

2010-01-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

Alicia Augello Cook celebrates her 29th birthday today sitting in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart under her stage name and album Alicia Keys • The Element Of Freedom featuring her latest hit Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down.

Her recent appearance on SNL featured an outstanding solo performance of the track and the rest of the album is just as good. If you want to hear someone who can actually sing without having their sound processed, Alicia has what it takes and delivers on this, the 5th release since her 2001 debut.

I look forward to a future duet with Billy Joel.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Diamonds Are Forever

2010-01-24T23:33:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to Neil Diamond who turned 69 today. Also, #1 on this date in 1967 was I'm A Believer by the Monkees (and written by Neil Diamond.)

Soundtrack For Today: The Essential Neil Diamond 3.0 - available for download at Amazon

G-E-C

2010-01-23T11:58:00.000-05:00

The Tonight Show died (again) last night but the institute that was The Tonight Show for 30 years died 5 years ago today when Johnny Carson passed on at the age of 79. Maybe NBC should show Carson re-runs for a while.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

"I'm Leaving The Tonight Show."

2010-01-22T01:04:00.000-05:00

Those were the words uttered nearly 50 years ago by then-host Jack Paar, who was upset at NBC over a joke they censored the night before. Following his damning opening monologue, Paar walked off stage, leaving surprised announcer Hugh Downs on his own to host the rest of the show.

Paar, the second of five hosts of the Tonight Show (between Steve Allen and Johnny Carson) was persuaded to return a month later whereupon he opened the show with his most memorable line:

"As I was saying before I was interrupted..."

I anticipate a similar opening from Jay next month and probably Conan sometime in September.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Quoth The Raven... Nevermore

2010-01-19T22:28:00.000-05:00

Today is Boston-born Edgar Alan Poe's 201st birthday but he only made it to age 40. According to published reports, today also marks the first time since 1949 that the mysterious Poe-Toaster failed to appear in the early morning hours at Poe's grave in Baltimore. The unknown person would traditionally toast Poe with a drink of conag, leave 3 roses and then disappear.

Soundtrack For Today: Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - 1976 debut by The Alan Parsons Project

Let's Twist - Again

2010-01-17T23:05:00.000-05:00

I did a retirement party today and one of the songs played was The Twist. It's still a timeless request that always seems to get young and old on the dance floor and reminds me of how enduring a song can be.

It was originally written by and recorded as the B-side to Hank Ballard's Teardrops On Your Letter in 1959 but didn't really ignite until Ernest Evans, aka Chubby Checker, released his version in 1960 where it shot to the top of the charts. The song then spawned a "twist" craze heard 'round the world as countless song titles containing the word "twist" filled record bins and dance floors in the early 60s.

But Chubby's rendition of The Twist would become the most popular and enduring - to the point of re-charting and re-attaining the #1 position in 1962. It's the only song to achieve this record to date and it's resurgence was due likely to Checker's 1961 follow-up hit Let's Twist Again.

Chubby kept trying to get more mileage out of the twist craze by re-recording it several more times over the years to come, including a countrified version in the 1970s. Those attempts weren't very successful but he finally managed to resurrect the craze one more time with The Twist (Yo! Twist) in 1988 when old school twisting met up with new school rapping with the help of The Fat Boys.

Today, in a bit of irony when reflecting back on Checker's Let's Twist Again, I inevitably find myself thinking of and playing the original, which is the legacy that Chubby has been pursuing since 1960.

And on a side note, today is First Lady Michelle Obama's 46th birthday and The Twist was #1 (again) on the day she was born.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Forgotten 45s

2010-01-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

While on the subject of novelty songs, Jim Stafford is a singer-songwriter who turns 66 today. His best known hit is Spiders & Snakes which spent 3 weeks at #3 during early 1974. Jim was once married to country star Bobbie Gentry and was also a popular TV celebrity during the 70s, hosting the show Those Amazing Animals as well as his own TV specials.

The backing musicians on Spiders & Snakes, as well as the self-titled Jim Stafford album, have a distinctive sound that may sound a bit familiar - Richard Bennett, Alan Lindgren, Emory Gordy and Dennis St. John are or were members of the Neil Diamond Band.

Jim currently performs at the Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson Missouri.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Atten-hutt!

2010-01-15T14:02:00.000-05:00

Stand by for "General" inspection.

Every now and then, American Idol has a crazy moment that makes you stop and take notice (but in a good way.) Such was the case on this past week's show when 62 year-old General Larry Platt from Atlanta, Georgia, auditioned before Simon & co. with a hilarious song aimed at America's youth and their obsession with wearing their pants down low.

The song is called Pants On The Ground and although the General wasn't allowed to complete his performance, clever artists have been taking snippets of it and weaving it into a song that is sure to become a major hit once someone has the definitive version (and we're hoping it's the General!)

There are videos of the General's Idol audition plus the remix on YouTube but who knows for how much longer. Either way, this probably won't be the last you've heard of General Larry Platt or Pants On The Ground, which Simon Cowell has accurately predicted will be a hit.

At Ease.

Soundtrack For Today: Stripes

Thoughts & Prayers

2010-01-15T01:31:00.000-05:00

100,000 deaths (estimated at this point) is an unbelievably high number to contemplate as the earthquake in Haiti is being called the single greatest natural disaster in recorded history. Thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.

Soundtrack For Today: www.redcross.org

Spirits Having Flown

2010-01-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees died 7 years ago today at the age of 53. Known as the quiet one of the group he was once married to British singer Lulu (To Sir With Love - #1; 1967) and was twin to brother Robin. His superb musical arrangement skills and contribution to their intricate harmonies completed the Bee Gees distinctive sound.

Soundtrack For Today: Too Much Heaven by the Brothers Gibb - #1 30 years ago today.

Happy Birthday to The Big Man

2010-01-11T21:53:00.000-05:00

Turning 68 is the great E Street-er, Clarence Clemons. Clarence may be Bruce Springsteen's sax player but he also managed to have his own hit back in 1985. Entitled You're A Friend Of Mine, it climbed into the top 20 by early 1986 and features backing vocals by Jackson Browne & Daryl Hannah (of Splash fame.)

Soundtrack For Today: The Boss

Ladies and Gentlemen...

2010-01-10T13:43:00.000-05:00

Introducing The Beatles is the title of the first Beatles album released in the United States on this date in 1964. This album was released on the Vee-Jay records label just a few days before Capitol Records' first U.S. Beatles release entitled Meet The Beatles.

It's highly collectible not so much for it's content but for it's many tracking and packaging variations due to multiple pressings that resulted over legal disputes between Capitol/EMI and Vee-Jay.

This album has never been officially released on CD (and probably won't be) but here's a look at the track listing of songs that premiered the Fab Four to U.S. teenagers of the mid-60s:

Side 1

1. I Saw Her Standing There (commences w/ 4!; omitting 1-2-3)
2. Misery
3. Anna (Go to Him)
4. Chains
5. Boys
6. Love Me Do <Ask Me Why on version two>

Side 2

1. P.S. I Love You <Please Please Me on version two>
2. Baby It's You
3. Do You Want to Know a Secret
4. A Taste of Honey
5. There's a Place
6. Twist and Shout

Soundtrack For Today: 1 by the Beatles

#9

2010-01-09T19:08:00.000-05:00

iTunes turns 9 today!

Hard to imagine how we managed our music before! No more CDs, cassettes and 8 tracks (?!) littering the dashboard.

Soundtrack For Today: Joan Baez (69), Buster Poindexter (aka David Johansen - 60), Crystal Gayle (59), Steve Harwell of Smashmouth (43) & A.J. Mclean of the Backstreet Boys (32) - all birthday celebrants today.

Calling Elvis...

2010-01-08T22:30:00.000-05:00

They are celebrating at Graceland tonight - today would have been Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday. Elvis died long before his time at the age of 42 in 1977 but left a musical and cultural legacy that will live long into and beyond the 21st century.

And although Mariah Carey was the first to surpass Elvis with most #1 singles and Madonna out-scored the King with most top 10 hits (both in 2008) they achieve these records largely by benefit of still having active recording careers. But with a total of 101 charted singles, it will take a long time for these two or anyone else to overthrow the King Of Rock & Roll.

Soundtrack For Today: Walking In Memphis by Marc Cohn

Like A Rolling Stone

2010-01-08T00:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Jann Wenner - publisher of Rolling Stone magazine who turned 64 today and Kenny Loggins who turned 62.

Soundtrack For Today: The Rolling Stones and Caddyshack!

And The Beat Goes On...

2010-01-05T23:53:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe, but it was 12 years ago today that Sonny Bono died tragically while skiing at Lake Tahoe.

Soundtrack For Today: Believe by Cher

Engagements

2010-01-04T17:02:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to newly engaged couples over the past holiday season.

Planning your wedding has now begun!! Although it's a time-consuming process, it doesn't have to be that stressful once you've got a few major puzzle-pieces locked into place.

Your entertainment choice is one of those pieces, as your DJ/MC plays one of the most crucial roles at your reception - making the event flow! How does this all come about? I work with you in advance of your big day to make sure all details are discovered, documented and finally, executed in a smooth and professional manner come your wedding day.

Over the next few posts, I'll go over other planning hints. In the meantime, please visit my web site at djChrisPickett.com to view a video and learn more about why Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service is the Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!

Soundtrack For Today: Holiday Music (one more time before tossing out the tree!)

3 down...

2010-01-03T20:31:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe the holidays are over. Looking forward to the new year and being the Soundtrack To Your Next Event!

Soundtrack For Today: Private Lightning

Clocking In at #1...

2010-01-02T14:50:00.000-05:00

Ke$ha both rang out 2009 and started the clock of the new decade in the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with her debut single TiK ToK.

Ke$ha's full name is Kesha Rose Sebert and she first appeared on the charts on Flo-Rida's #1 2009 hit Right Round which is a remake/adaptation of Dead Or Alive's hit You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) from 1985.

With a new album due out later this year, Ke$ha's time has come.

Soundtrack For Today: American Top 40

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T13:34:00.000-05:00

Soundtrack For Today: Wasn't That A Party by the Rovers (at a very low volume, thank you.)

End Of The Decade

2009-12-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

Tonight concludes my 30th year in this profession. Each time it's a different view and a different crowd. From cellar parties to wedding halls, turntables to laptops, the one constant thru all these years is the music that keeps us going.

And should old acquaintance be forgot... the next 30 start tonight at 12 O'clock!

Soundtrack For Today: Auld Lang Syne & Rock Around The Clock

On The Record

2009-12-30T15:15:00.001-05:00

• Wax Cylinders

• Music Rolls

• Wire Recordings

• Phonographic Records (78/45/33/16 rpm)

• Reel-to-Reel Magnetic Tape

• Cassette Tape

• 8-Track Cartridge Tape

• Compact Disc (CD)

• Digital Audio Tape (DAT)

• MiniDisc (MD)

• Digital Compact Cassette (DCC)

• MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

133 years of various formats used to capture and preserve sound. Out of the dozen listed, I have employed at least eight of them at some point over the past 30 years. At various times, there are three I never thought I could live without and one I imagined but could never articulate its physicality.

At the beginning of the 21st century, CD was the predominant music media and now it is in its twilight. And though 45s remain a nostalgic favorite, it’s the MP3 format that has had the biggest impact on not just my profession but on the entire world over the past decade.

MP3s were born out of illegal downloading venues such as Napster but they ignited and evolved into the future we live in now. Combined with the expansion of the Internet and the invention of the iPod in 2001, no other technologies since radio have had such an impact on how we listen to music.

If someone had told me 10 years ago that a listening device the size of a pack of cigarettes could become as addictive as tobacco but instead packed with more music than I could listen to in a month of Sundays, I’d have thought they were smoking something else.

Laptop computing has had a major impact on my profession as well. In ten short years, I’ve gone from memorizing song titles and artists by record label and lugging countless cases of records and CDs to just needing to remember how to spell the song title on a keyboard. This is not a bad thing at all and my back is forever thankful!

Yet, with every technological change, I have purchased and re-purchased my music library more times than I care to ask my accountant for the figures. It’s hard to fathom what the next big thing might be. But I am certain that physical media and unfortunately, record stores will become things of the past by the end of the next decade. But I will still most likely be DJ-ing and yet amazed at what’s to come.

The American Popular Song goes on and on...

Soundtrack For Today: Miller To Madonna…

How far we've come

2009-12-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

It is windy & C-O-L-D today here in the Northeast. Looking through history, I came across a headline from this date in 1852:

"Emma Snodgrass arrested in Boston for wearing pants in public."

Today is also Mary Tyler Moore's birthday, she's 72.

Soundtrack For Today: Anything with the word 'summer' in the title or lyric.

Birthdays

2009-12-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to:

American Idol-er David Archuleta (19); John Legend (31); Joe Diffie (51); Edgar Winter (63) & Alex Chilton (59)

Popular Hits:

2008 - Crush

2008 - Green Light

1996 - Bigger Than The Beatles

1973 - Frankenstein / Free Ride

1972 - In The Street (with group Big Star)

In The Street is a song you may find familiar - it's the tune that the opening theme to That 70s Show was based upon (but re-worked lyrically to remove drug references) & re-recorded by Cheap Trick.

Soundtrack For Today: iPod on shuffle

Off To See The Wizard...

2009-12-27T23:37:00.000-05:00

The Wizard Of Oz is on TV tonight, as is usual for this time of year.

Over The Rainbow by Judy Garland was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and won the 1939 Academy Award for best song. But it was almost deleted by MGM because it was thought to be too sophisticated for the young audience the film was intended for.

(I understood the song better than I did the Wizard's oratorical imparting of awards and wisdom upon Dorothy's traveling trio!)

So here it is 70 years later and it can be argued that even though White Christmas might be the all-time best seller, Over The Rainbow just might be the all-time best known song from the most watched movie of all time.

Soundtrack For Today: Off To See The Lizard by Jimmy Buffett

Boxing Day

2009-12-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

Many happy returns!

The 1st Day Of Christmas

2009-12-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

Only 3 Christmas songs have been #1 on Christmas day:

1958 The Chipmunk Song by David Seville & the Chipmunks

1952 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by Jimmy Boyd

1942 White Christmas by Bing Crosby

The Chipmunk Song charted for five consecutive years from its release and ISMKSC was once condemned by the Catholic church in Boston until a meeting with Jimmy Boyd and his 'child's eye-view' explanation of the song’s meaning convinced them otherwise.

But it is White Christmas that holds the record for most separate chart appearances for a total of 21 times since it was released in 1942. The Bing Crosby version that most are used to hearing is actually a re-recording released in 1947.

The original version debuted in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn (which starred Bing Crosby.) With now near-forgotten undertones of World War II in its message, White Christmas went on to become the definition of a ‘timeless’ song and is presently, the biggest selling of all time.

Soundtrack For Today: Christmas Music!!

Merry Christmas!

The Night B4...

2009-12-24T23:25:00.001-05:00

... to all a good night!

Soundtrack For Tonight: shhh!! no music - Silent Night!

The Day B4...

2009-12-24T00:29:00.001-05:00

The sun is shining

The grass is green

The orange and palm trees sway.

I've never seen such a day

In Beverly Hills LA.

But it's December the 24th

And I am longing to be up North...

(Prologue to White Christmas - composed by Irving Berlin)

Soundtrack For Today: CHRISTMAS (Baby, Please Come Home) by Darlene Love

Holiday Gift Idea

2009-12-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a new album out this year entitled Night Castle and while it's not a holiday album per se, it is sure to be a fan favorite for years to come.

Also available is a box set collection of their 3 classic holiday-themed albums: Christmas Eve & Other Stories, The Christmas Attic and The Lost Christmas Eve plus a DVD.

Soundtrack For Today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Trilogy

With A Little Help From...

2009-12-22T09:16:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to Rick Nielson (63) of Cheap Trick and Robin Gibb (60) of The Bee Gees!

These 2 artists share a common link to the Beatles - both have participated in recording projects that have covered The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band album of 1967. The Bee Gees soundtrack for the movie of the same title came out in 1978 and can be found on Amazon. This year, Cheap Trick released their cover of the Fab Four's masterpiece - a live performance in it's entirety along with a Beatles medley at the end.

There's also a new compilation entitled Ultimate Bee Gees, a 2 CD/DVD greatest hits compilation which celebrates the group's 50th anniversary.

And of course, available everywhere is the newly remastered Sgt. Pepper by The Beatles.

Soundtrack for today: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Winter Solstice...

2009-12-21T12:09:00.000-05:00

...and the sun stands still. Winter officially started here in the Northeast today just a short time ago. We've got sunshine and a couple feet of snow that's still being shoveled out.

Meanwhile in a land down-under, where women glow and men plunder, it's going to be a sunny summer day with highs in the 80s...

Season's Greetings!

Soundtrack for today: David Lanz - A Winter's Solstice and/or Men At Work

Birthdays

2009-12-20T23:04:00.000-05:00

Alan Parsons (61), Peter Criss (64), JoJo (19) and American Idol-er David Cook (32) all celebrate birthdays today!

Best known hits:

Eye In The Sky (Alan Parsons Project - 1982) featuring the instrumental intro. Sirius which the Chicago Bulls use as their theme
Beth (KISS - 1976) which has 1971 origins and an alternative title called "Beck." Peter also has alternative identity other than his cat make-up: George Peter John Criscuola
Leave (Get Out) & Beautiful Girls (2007 - a "response" to Sean Kingston's 2007 tune of the same title.) JoJo's real name is Joanna Noëlle Blagden Levesque.
Come Back To Me (2009)

Oh, The Weather Outside...

2009-12-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

...you know the rest.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! was written in 1945 by Sammy Cahn and Julie Styne on a hot sunny day in California. Vaughn Monroe took it to #1 on the charts that year and it comes to mind every winter since.

Here, in the Northeast, especially today.

Jimmy Buffett's New Album

2009-12-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

Summertime songmaster Jimmy Buffett released his new album Buffet Hotel last week and this week it debuts on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart at #17!

If only we could stay in Summerzcool a bit longer but it appears we have a stahm brewin'...

If you like Pina Coladas...

2009-12-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

Then you'll probably remember Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes which was #1 on this date 30 years ago in 1979.

Just don't plan escaping to the Cape today - it's Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2009-12-16T12:20:00.000-05:00

They say there's a song for everything and this is the one that fits today as winter arrives a few days early here in the Northeast.

Baby It's Cold Outside is an Academy award-winning song that was featured in the 1949 MGM film Neptune's Daughter. It was written in 1944 by Frank Henry Loesser, a renowned Broadway show-tune composer whose Tony Award & Pulitzer Prize winning credits include How To Succeed in Business Without Even Trying and Guys And Dolls.

Loesser first composed this 'bait & catch' duet for a house party he was hosting and it's in that spirit that the song has become a timeless cold weather classic for the past 60 years. Here's a look at the most popular recordings of this song:

1949: Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark

Margaret Whiting & Johnny Mercer

Don Cornell & Laura Leslie w/ Sammy Kaye's Orchestra

Ella Fitzgerald & Louise Jordan

Homer & Jethro w/ June Carter

1959: Dean Martin

1962: Ray Charles & Betty Carter

1971: Kenneth Connor & Glennis Beresford

1986: Sigourney Weaver & Buster Poindexter (on SNL)

1998: Bobby Caldwell & Vanessa Williams

2009: Willie Nelson & Norah Jones

In 2006, a post-Dino duet was released by Dean Martin & Martina McBride.

#1 on this date

2009-12-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

Here's a flashback look at #1 songs on this date:

2009: EMPIRE STATE OF MIND - Jay-Z & Alicia Keyes

1999: SMOOTH - Rob Thomas f/ Santana

1989: WE DIDN'T START THE FIRE - Billy Joel

1979: BABE - Styx

1969: LEAVING ON A JET PLANE - Peter, Paul & Mary

1959: HEARTACHES BY THE NUMBER - Guy Mitchell

1949: MULE TRAIN - Frankie Laine

1939: SCATTER BRAIN - Frankie Masters

1929: TIP-TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS - Nick Lucas

1919: OH! WHAT A PAL WAS MARY - Henry Burr

1909: PUT ON YOUR OLD GRAY BONNET - Haydn Quartet

What a difference 100 years makes! How many titles do you recognize?

Holiday Gift Suggestions

2009-12-14T13:33:00.000-05:00

The Beatles stereo remasters! The Beatles mono remasters! They both sound fantastic.

The stereo albums are available individually or in a box set that contains all 13 albums plus some extras. The mono discs are only available as a box set.

Amazon has the best prices on these that I've seen out there.

Welcome!

2009-12-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

Season's Greetings!

Well, this is my inaugural post on this blog and Holiday party time is here! I enjoy this time of year because people enjoy letting loose and having a good time. Especially after a year of tensions and a day or 2 or 3 of holiday shopping. With the economy still shaky, many folks scale back and now host parties in their homes. This is a great opportunity to bring in my services as I can easily set up in a home without taking up alot of space (cellar parties is where I got my start!) and can even tap into your home audio system for added sound throughout the house!

Of course, company parties are still out there and I can fill larger venues with the Latest & Greatest Hits so you'll have the time of your life!

From large halls to living room walls, Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service has all you need to get the party started this holiday season.

Visit djChrisPickett.com: The Soundtrack To Your Next Event!

Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service • djChrisPickett.com BLOG

Fall In

10 Years After

We made the A-List!!

Boston.com's A-List 2011 - Make Us #1!

When, In The Course Of Human Events...

Still Here!

And Justice For All

Going To The Chapel

This Just In...

We are proud to announce that Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service has been rated by local brides and voted "The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Pick!"Thank you very much to my past clients who made this happen!

2010 In Review

Winter #1s

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame - 2011

"In case the folks missed the earlier news flash, ABC news has confirmed..."

Infamy

It's That Time Of Year

Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow

Tiger Twist

2,977

California / Dream

It's All In The Game

O! Say Can You Sing...?

Summertime Summertime

Summerzcool

This Just In -

Where It Began...

Play-list (part 4): Party Time!

Dr. Who?

Play-List (part 3): Party Time!

There's A Spot In My Heart...

Play-List (part 2): Wedding Reception Cocktail Hour & Dinner

Oh, What A Night

Play-List (part 1): Wedding Ceremony

'March' Forward

DJ Personality

Wedding Reception DJ Planning

All-American Girl(s)

R.I.P. Doug Fieger

Love Songs

As Your Wedding DJ

Your Wedding Ceremony

Mary Had A Little Lamb

Nat & Natalie

Would You Believe 109 Years Ago?

Yesterday Once More

We Are The World 2

Groundhog Day!

Grammy Awards

Professionalism

73 seconds

It's A Popular Song...

Keys to the Kingdom

Diamonds Are Forever

G-E-C

"I'm Leaving The Tonight Show."

Quoth The Raven... Nevermore

Let's Twist - Again

Forgotten 45s

Atten-hutt!

Thoughts & Prayers

Spirits Having Flown

Happy Birthday to The Big Man

Ladies and Gentlemen...

#9

Calling Elvis...

Like A Rolling Stone

And The Beat Goes On...

Engagements

3 down...

Clocking In at #1...

Happy 2010!

End Of The Decade

On The Record

How far we've come

Birthdays

Off To See The Wizard...

Boxing Day

The 1st Day Of Christmas

The Night B4...

We are proud to announce that Chris Pickett Disc Jockey Service has been rated by local brides and voted "The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Pick!"

Thank you very much to my past clients who made this happen!