Hi Everyone and welcome to my 21st Album. By popular demand I have 3 Ricky Nelson tracks on this CD -  "Garden Party", "Travelin' Man" & "Poor Little Fool". I often get asked if I can explain    the lyrics to Garden Party. So here is the explanation.
A Garden Party on October 15 for the 1971 Rock 'n' Roll Revival concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City. It seems the booing was not targeted at Rick, but caused by police during a Rolling Stones song. My old friends: fellow performers at the concert Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Bobby Rydell. Yoko: Yoko Ono. Yoko's walrus: John Lennon. Mr. Hughes: George Harrison. (Mr. Hughes) hid in Dylan's shoes: Harrison's planned (but later abandoned) album of Bob Dylan covers. I said hello to Mary Lou, she belongs to me: Nelson's song "Hello Mary Lou", which he played at the concert; also a reference to "She Belongs to Me", a Bob Dylan song covered by Nelson. I sang a song about a Honky-Tonk: The Rolling Stones song "Country Honk", the song that allegedly caused the booing
And it was time to leave: Nelson's subsequent departure. Out stepped Johnny B. Goode: Chuck Berry's song "Johnny B. Goode". Playing guitar like a-ringing a bell: the line in "Johnny B. Goode", "he could play guitar just like a-ringing a bell"

I'd rather drive a truck: Elvis Presley worked for a time as a truck driver, having famously been told after several failed auditions to "stick to truck driving because you're never going to make it as a singer". I hope that clears everything up.

"I Believe" was the first hit song ever to be introduced on TV. Frankie Laine's version spent 18 non consecutive weeks in the UK's Top Singles Chart. My version of "I Pretend" is a tribute to Des O'Connor who sadly passed away this year. The other tracks on this CD are also special to me, but not enough space here to single out each one of them. I must mention the title track - "Little Sister". I heard a new powerful arrangement and I just had to do it. So turn up the volume and rattle the windows with this one. The three titles on here I have covered from The Poni-Tails, The Paris Sisters and The Ronettes, take me back to those very early days as the music we have come to love was now taking shape. Then "Ginny Come Lately" from Brian Hyland was always on the radio. I just had to add that song. it was great fun creating the thunderstorm for the opening to The Cascades song "Rhythm Of The Rain". Having met Johnny Moore many years ago I always wanted to do my favourite song by The Drifters - "Like Sister & Brother".
And now for something special. I want to pay a special tribute here to my daughter, Ailsa Williams, a Senior Sister at Milton Keynes University Hospital and all the NHS staff who have worked tirelessly to fight the Covid 19 virus. I close this CD with my version of OVER THE RAINBOW which is dedicated to all NHS staff everywhere, and a BIG thank you from me.

From Team FRANKIE LAINE (I Believe):

WONDERFUL NEWS ABOUT YOUR NEW CD.  YOU HAVE PICKED EXCELLENT FAVORITES !!!! HOPE IT’S A HUGE SUCCESS !!!!

OUR VERY BEST TO YOU, JIMMY & MARY-JO (FRANKIE LAINE)

Peter’s instrumental of ‘Venus In Blue Jeans.’ I could never have envisaged; Hank Marvin look to your laurels! I think it proves how strong the tune is even in its simplicity. If marketed, it could be a winner. Has Peter downloaded it on line or YouTube? If not he should. My congratulations & thanks to him. Best... M.

Recorded by MARK WYNTER in 1962 reaching No 4 in the UK charts.

1    Little Sister    Doc Pomus / Mort Shuman
Elvis Presley 45 RPM (1961) c/w His Latest Flame
2    Garden Party    Rick Nelson
Ricky Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band 45 RPM (1972)
3    Move Over Darling    Lubin / Kanter / Melcher (Doris Day's Son)
Doris Day & The Blossoms ft Darlene Love (1963)
4    Then You Can Tell Him Goodbye    John D. Loudermilk
Johnny Nash 45 RPM (1964)  /  Don Cherry (1962)
5    Dirty Old Town    Ewan MacColl
The Dubliners 45RPM (1968) Written in (1949) about Salford
6    Leaving On A Jet Plane    John Denver
John Denver 45 RPM (1966)  /  Peter, Paul & Mary
7    I Believe    Drake / Graham / Shirl / Stillman
Frankie Laine 45 RPM (1953) 18 weeks in the UK Charts
8    Stumbling In    Mike Chapman / Nicky Chinn
Chris Norman & Suzy Quatro 45 RPM (1978)
9    Travelin' Man    Jerry Fuller
Ricky Nelson 45 RPM (1961) Double 'A' Side with 'Hello Mary Lou'
10    Handle With Care     Harrison / Lynne / Dylan / Orbison / Petty
Traveling Wilburys 45 RPM (1988) Debut Single
11    I Love How You Love Me    Barry Man / Larry Kolber
The Paris Sisters (1961) Produced by Phil Spector
12    Born Too Late    Charles Strouse / Fred Tobias
The Poni - Tails 45 RPM (1958)
13    Be My Baby    Jeff Barrie / Ellie Greenwich / Phil Spector
The Ronettes 45 Rpm (1963)
14    A Groovy Kind Of Love    Bayer Saga and Wine / Muzio Clementi
The Mindbenders 45 RPM (1965)
15    Like Sister And Brother    The Drifters
The Drifters
16    Rhythm Of The Rain    John Claud Gummoe
Thunderstorm Opening  /  The Cascades 45 RPM (1962)
17    Poor Little Fool    Sharon Sheeley
Ricky Nelson 45 RPM (1958)
18    Ginny Come Lately    Gary Geld / Peter Udell
Brian Hyland 45 RPM (1962)
19    Venus In Blue Jeans    Howard Greenfield / Jack Keller
Mark Wynter 45 RPM (1962)
20    Yesterday    Lennon / McCartney
The Beatles 45 RPM (1965)
21    I Pretend    Barry Mason / Les Reed
Des O'Connor 45 RPM (1968) (Tribute to Des O'Connor)
22    Over The Rainbow    Harold Arlen / Yip Harburg
Judy Garland (1939) / Eva Cassidy - Single (2001) (Tribute to Ailsa Williams & all our NHS Heroes)