LITTLE ROCK — Oldies shows on the FM radio band are ordinarily nothing special.
But Tony Warner's Timeless Tracks on Sunday nights is uncommonly good. Warner, a former sports anchorman on KARK-TV, Channel 4, and now a banker in Malvern, doesa finely-crafted show once a week. Normally done live, so he can field requests and dedications, I caught a recent show that had been taped, but it was just as good as live.
Rather than one of those Rick Nelson hits we've all heard, Warnerplayed "One Desire," which I can't say I recall ever hearing. How refreshing! A "new" oldie! He played Timi Yuro's "The Big Hurt," a song that always mystified me with its swirling rhythms. For those who thought "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" was a Beatles song, he played the original by Larry Williams.
The Sensations' "Let Me In," the ultimate angst-filled song about being snubbed by the cool kids having a party, has always been a favorite of mine. Just call me one of theuncool kids, sure. From when Tony Orlando was cool, there came "Halfway to Paradise" right after a great Kalin Twins' hit, "When," which followed an obscure song by Billy Ward & the Dominoes, "Pedal Pushin'," rather than the famous Ward oldie, "Sixty-Minute Man."
And those beautiful harmonies of The Tymes' "Wonderful! Wonderful!" are, well, wonderful!
Just as nonoldies radio seems to have evolved from a "Top 50" format into a "Top 10" or less approach, it seemslike someone dictated that oldies playlists should be shrunk down to nothing more than selected Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Elton John, the Steve Miller Band, Billy Joel and one or two others.
But Warner refuses to bend to the will of unseen forces with such limited tastes. Kudos to you, Tony.
Listen to Timeless Tracks from 6 to 11 p.m. Sundays on radio station KOLL-FM, 106.3. For requests, you can call him at (501) 823-1063.
Weekend, Pages 81 on 10/26/2007