Ten years of show planning and production work prepared me for creating TUNEDEX MEMORIES. Even so, I was still reluctant because of the learning curves I knew I would encounter and mentally was NOT prepared to deal with. If that’s not enough to scare you off, keep in mind that I spent 35 years in the computer industry. I almost knew what I was doing at one time.

I faced my fears however, and moved forward. Slowly, to be sure, but forward. Each day was a new struggle with terminology and challenges, both hardware and software. But things didn’t have to be so difficult. My quest would have been a LOT easier if I could have transported back in time about 30 years or so. That’s about how long it’s been since we’ve had any kind of decent customer service in the United States.

I lost an entire day yesterday, dealing with a nuisance problem that almost

If you start a station.... you're crazy!

turned into a catastrophe. Good thing I’m still a good troubleshooter. By this morning, the problem was identified and resolved, with little or no help from the support organizations that are supposed to help me.

My blood pressure shot to heights I haven’t seen or felt since before my middle son left home (for the third time). I spent most of today relaxing and recovering from my encounter with the NEW American commerce. I grew up in a time when the customer was always right. Today, the customer is not only always wrong we’re also treated like idiots.

We are kept at bay by automated phone systems and a pervasive attempt to wear us down so we’ll simply give up and go away. If we do get to talk to someone, you either can’t understand a word they’re saying, or they’re so ill prepared for their job they don’t know what you’re saying. This approach of course is due to greed and the quest for profit above everything.

Yesterday, I spent 7+ hours on the phone with at least 5 different people and sent 8 emails to the company that won’t  publish a phone number. I went from being a happy customer of over three years to asking for a refund and facing the task of finding a new vendor.  I was told what I wanted to hear. I was told outright lies. I was treated like a babbling fool. But at the end of the day, my problem was still unsolved. Being the stubborn person I’ve always been, I wouldn’t give up. I called the company who was apparently the source of the problem. I did so knowing I was neither a customer, nor was I entitled to any customer support. But I called anyway because my instincts told me I would find the answer if I just kept looking.

The good news is, I did solve the problem. I don’t have to change vendors and could help avoid someone else going through what I just did. Of course, that won’t happen. Why you ask? Because in our country, we now value ARROGANCE and POLITICS higher than integrity and knowledge. The very people who did as little as possible to help me say I lack credibility. After all, I’m just a customer. I’m a dime a dozen and don’t deserve respect.

The moral to my story is that everyone wants money, they simply don’t want to work for it. If you ever have a problem you want solved, simply break it down in terms of profit.  When you convince the right person that they’re losing money because of your problem, mark my words, your problem WILL be solved. Not to satisfy you as a customer, but so that “special someone” doesn’t lose any more many than they have to. Welcome to the United States of a-ME-rica.

Frank found a private collector who had over 80% of the “Bubbled Under” tunes and MANY of the ones we play on TUNEDEX MEMORIES. If want the original 45’s – be sure to regularly check Frank’s EBay store.   Have a “Bubbled” want list? Contact Frank at fortyfivesfrank@aol.com.

Our blog has grown tremendously – thanks for visiting.  I’ve done a lot of research to pull the great pictures in the slide show and to find the videos for our Vod:Pod. I maintain a list of the videos so you don’t have to do all the work to find them. If you appreciate all my efforts, please help TUNEDEX MEMORIES with a small donation to help us with growing bandwidth charges.  You’ll help greatly with even a $5 donation, so please go HERE.   Please tell your friends they can hear the forgotten hits from the 50’s and 60’s that aren’t played on most stations by going to TUNEDEX MEMORIES!

Chuck Benjamin

I have produced “specialty” shows dedicated to the passion and innocence of the 50’s and 60’s since 1998. However, I’m not a radio veteran. I’m just a guy who has loved music as far back as I can remember, and enjoys sharing that music with others.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio I was never far from a radio, and stations like WHK, WERE, and KYW provided the musical backdrop to my formative years. When I want to go back to grade school, junior high or high school memories, there’s always hundreds of songs to take me there.

After I turned 21, and left the Air Force and the Vietnam conflict behind me, I chose a career in the Computer industry, and for the next 40 years or so, collecting music was used as the psychological release I needed from the tension of my job and raising four children. My qualifications as a “collector” include having EVERY song to hit the Billboard Hot 100 since 1955. In 1998 I developed and hosted my first radio show, “the Innocent Age” with the intention of sharing as many of those songs as possible. While I developed a good base of local listeners, I quickly discovered the power of the Internet and soon had listeners all over the country and world-wide.

Two years later, I expanded my show production to twice a week, as my show was added to a Cleveland AM oldies station. I also began to realize the tremendous sense of accomplishment I enjoyed from the producers chair. I developed a weekly Computer show and programmed a 24/7 Country Internet station. Then the music industry flexed it’s muscles, and intimidated many webcasters into abandoning their stations. My station dropped streaming and a few months later changed formats and before I knew what had happened, my show and creativity was darkened.

I stayed involved with production projects like “Dedications from Home” which was a website I developed that allowed U.S. Servicemen deployed around the world to hear messages and song requests from loved ones during the Holidays. I observed from the sidelines as Web radio began to explode once again. The music industry continues to cast shadows on everyone’s efforts, but I decided in 2005 it was time to try again. Cornelius Gould, a local streamer, generously offered a time slot, and I was back on the air, playing what I wanted to play and loving every minute.

I soon enlisted the help of two very good friends who just happened to also be extraordinary music collectors. With our mutual accomplishments, wealth of knowledge and accessibility to music, we offer a musical excursion like no other. The love and passion for the music we play is something Frank Kramer and Steve Petryszyn share with me. We then had the good fortune to meet Kenny Schreiber, who agreed to allow us to re-broadcast shows from his 12 year run of “Echoes of the Past” a marvelous Doo Wop show based in his home town of Baltimore. There are songs we play that are SO GOOD, you can almost hear us singing along. That’s our goal, to get you happy and carefree once again. If you give us a chance, we’ll take you back to a time when you didn’t have a care in the world.

Chuck Benjamin

I regret to inform my listeners that “Tom from Garfield Heights” has lost his battle with cancer.  Long time “loyal listeners” heard his name weekly for many years.  I began “the Innocent Age” approximately 10 years ago, and Tom found out about the show in April, 1989 at Steve Petryszyn’s Parma Record Convention.  He was excited about the show, but lived too far North of the station to be able to pick it up.  Later that year, we started broadcasting on the Internet, but Tom didn’t have a computer.  I sent him 2 cassettes every week for almost three years.  He would listen to the show and call me with his comments, which included his favorites and most shows contained at least 10 or 12 tunes he had never heard before.  That pattern continued week after week.  He came over a few times, and we would spend the entire time sharing music, just as I usually did with Steve and Frank Kramer.  Tom had the same passion for this music as the three of us did and it was a joy seeing the twinkle in his eye when he heard those “songs you should have heard” for the first time.

Tom had a fairly extensive collection of 45’s that he kept buying into the late 80’s.  Ironically, our mutual taste seemed to match as we talked about 70’s and 80’s music we liked as well.  Work schedules and family demands kept us from getting together very often, but we talked on the phone often.  If I found a really good CD, I’d let him know and he would go to the same store and buy it on my suggestion.  He was a good and genuine man.  I was devastated when I heard he had been diagnosed with cancer.  Not because I didn’t think he could beat this horrible disease, but because he simply didn’t deserve the pain and fear it takes to deal with it.  My wife has been cancer free for five years, but Steve Petryszyn lost his wife Sher after a five year battle.

I didn’t have much contact with Tom’s wife Liz other than to speak with her on the phone, but she knew how much music meant to Tom.  Tom’s entire family was with him the day he died.  While I never got a chance to say goodbye, his daughter Kimberly told me one of my shows was playing in the background when he passed.

I will miss Tom’s passion.  When I told him I wanted to some “nostalgia” on the station which included some vintage commercials if I could find them.  He called me back a few days later and read off over a hundred he thought would work.  I was able to find about 70 of those and the comprise the backbone of my “nostalgic” cuts.

Last year about this time, I brought him a tray of candy bars to keep his strength up.  Tom and I both shared a fondness for “Sky Bars” – a candy bar from our youth.  I found a place locally where I could buy a box of 24 took them over to him for Halloween.  I told his wife Liz that if she visits Tom at the cemetery and finds a Sky Bar, she’ll know I stopped by to say hello to him.

I am dedicating the Innocent Age running from November 10th through the 16th to Tom’s memory.  All the songs I’ll play on that show will be Tom’s favorites over the 9 years he listened to the show.  I’m hoping when people hear these songs in the future they’ll think of “Tom from Garfield Heights”…..

Dionne Warwick – Any Old Time Of The Day • Fabulous Flipside of “Walk On By”

Billy Butler & the Chanters – Gotta Get Away • Bubbled Under the Hot 100 at #101 in 1964

Fantastic Four – Can’t Stop Looking For My Baby • Like the Motown sound?  If you listened to CKLW Windsor/Detroit back in 1966, you may remember this great song you should have heard

Nancy Sinatra – Here Comes The Bride • Very early effort by Nancy on daddy’s Reprise label from 1963.

Shannon – Abergavenny • This song hit #47 back in 1969 and was actually British rocker Marty Wilde

Secrets – Here He Comes Now • Our great girl group from Cleveland with a Philips song you should have heard from 1964.

Showmen – The Honey House • General Johnson, lead singer of Chairmen of the Board with another great lost song you should have heard from 1966.

Len Barry – Moving Finger Writes • Bubbled Under tune from the lead singer of the Dovells.  This tune hit #124 back in 1967.

Robert Goulet – Summer Sounds • Peaked at #58 on the Hot 100 in 1965

Nat King Cole – Mr. Wishing Well • Fabulous Flipside of “That Sunday That Summer” from 1963.

Ned Miller – Do What You Do • Peaked at #52 on the Hot 100 in 1965

Distant Cousins – She Ain’t Lovin’ You • Bubbled Under at #102 in 1966 a BIG tune on WIXY in Cleveland

Tim Tam & the Turn-On’s – Cheryl Ann • Another group from Detroit – big on CKLW, Windsor/Detroit.

Bill Swofford – Why You Been Gone So Long • A folk sound from the singer who also recorded pop songs under the name Oliver (Good Morning Starshine)

Julie Monday – Come Share The Good Times With Me • Just made the Hot 100 in 1966 – peaking at #96.

Cascades – Cinderella • Following the success of “Rhythm of the Rain”, John Gummoe and the Cascades left the Valiant label for RCA-Victor.  As this song you should have heard proves, the RCA material was great, but as we got closer to the British Invasion, this was the kind of sound that was forced into the background.

Blood Sweat & Tears – Sometimes In Winter • This is the fabulous flipside of the 1969 Columbia single, “And When I Die”.  I like it because while the horn arrangement is toned down, they’re still there, and yet David Clayton-Thomas did NOT sing lead on this cut.

Mary Wells & Marvin Gaye – Once Upon A Time • This great duet peaked at number 19 on the Hot 100 in 1964.  Whether he sang with Mary, Tammi, Diana or Kim – he was the master.

Susan Christie – I Love Onions • This tongue in cheek novelty tune peaked at number 63 on the Hot 100 back in 1966 – sung by the great Lou Christie’s sister, Susan.

Eddie Lawrence – The Old Philosopher • I was pretty young back in 1956, but I’ll never forget the line… “is that’s what’s troublin’ you?”  A great novelty tune that climbed all the way to #34 on the Hot 100.

Turtles – Outside Chance • The Turtles had a great sound and should have been much bigger stars than they were.  With all their big hits, believe it or not, this song you should have heard by them from 1966 is my favorite cut from the group.

Richard & the Young Lions – Open Up Your Door • This garage sound was a big smash in the Great Lakes area.  It got lot’s of airplay in Cleveland and Detroit/Windsor, but for everyone else, it’s a song you should have heard.

Johnny Dankworth – African Waltz – Songs that bubbled under at #101 were typically pretty big in some region of the country.  I certainly remember hearing this on the radio back in 1961.

Mojo Men – Sit Down I Think I Love You • Written by Steven Stills and recorded by CSY, this was the only version to hit the Hot 100, peaking at #36 back in 1967.

Fidelitys – Wishing Star • If you’re a fan of the vocal group sound, you’ll want to catch this song you should have heard from the Sir label back in 1960.

Lobo – Rock & Roll Days • This 1974 song you should have heard was an lp cut. I always liked the Lobo sound, but this has a nice 60’s feel to it. Listening to this song will take you back…

Troy Shondell – Tears From An Angel • Coming in #77 on the Hot 100 back in 1961 is one half of the dual side follow-up to the smash “This Time”. The “B” side only hit #92 and that was it for charted hits for Troy.

Eddie Hodges – Ain’t Gonna Wash For A Week • The Fabulous Flipside of “I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door” (already on the Play List) from Cadence records in 1961.

Donnie Brooks – Mission Bell / Gene Pitney – Mission Bell • A TUNEDEX MEMORIES DOUBLE PLAY. First, the Hot 100 version that climbed to #7 for Donnie Brooks in 1960. Then we come right back atcha’ with an lp cut cover by Gene Pitney. We have lost both of these great artists – you can read our Memoriams at our blog: cbenjamin.wordpress.com.

The Parade – The Radio Song • This L.A. group Bubbled Under at #127 in 1968. they also had a Top 20 hit with “Sunshine Girl” (also on our play list). They had a nice sound and should have been a bigger act.

Honeycombs – That’s The Way • A nice song you should have heard from this British group on the Warner Brothers label in 1965.

Buchanan & Goodman – The Flying Saucer • An rock breakthrough as Dickie Goodman and Bill Buchanan invent the “cut in” record. We’ve got both parts 1 and 2 of this 1956 Hot 100 record that climbed to #3.

Van Strickland – Gotta Get A Date • A great teen song you should have heard on the obscure Judson label from 1960. I also have a version of this song by Frank Ifield – but I like Van’s version better.

Jerry Jackson – Time • Jerry never hit the Hot 100, but he did Bubble Under a couple singles. This song is but one of many songs you should have heard I’ve added by him. If you haven’t heard his voice, you will be happy when you do.

Four Flops – Wizard Of Love • This was recorded in 1999 on Crystal Ball. The “Fabulous Flops” are a contemporary doo-wop group from Germany. This is a great “new-wop” song you should have heard.

Lazy Mary – Lou Monte • A #12 Hot 100 hit with two verses in Italian and two in English. A great fun record from RCA-Victor back in 1958.

Fortunes – Here It Comes Again • A great song from one of my favorite British bands. Peaked on the Hot 100 at #27 on Press records in 1965.

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If you read our blog, come here for the videos, or better – if you listen to Tunedex Memories, we would very much like to know WHO you are and WHERE you’re from.  I’ll be announcing very soon FREE GIVEAWAYS and in order to be eligible – you MUST sign our Guest Book.  If you have any feedback, comments or questions, here’s a great way to let us know and share with others.

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Chuck Benjamin • Frank Kramer • Steve Petryszyn • Kenny Schreiber

If you weren’t listening today…. you missed hearing “May I Have This Dance” by the Four Graduates from 1964.  Bob Miranda sang lead vocals with this group, which would evolve into “The Happenings” and go on to hit the Hot 100 nine times.  Stay tuned to TUNEDEX MEMORIES and listen for another Four Graduates cut, “Candy Queen”.

Frankie Sardo – She Taught Me How To Cry

New Seekers – The Greatest Song I Ever Heard

Poppy Family – I Was Wondering