Dannevirke: Radio show will be music to your ears

Jim Ryan (left) and Murray Cushing will be travelling down memory lane with tunes from the 1950s and 60s on the Barrelhouse Christmas Bash on Saturday. Photo Christine McKay.

Music men Jim Ryan and Murray Cushing grew up in an era before television and when music made the memories.

Now both men, who volunteer on Radio Dannevirke, will host a special show bringing back the music listeners remember from an era when life revolved around the radio or the record player and not the computer, television or iPod.

"Radio was central to our lives growing up," Mr Ryan said. "We laughed a lot and have great memories wrapped up with some wonderful music, that was until, as the song says, 'video killed the radio star'.

"We're two guys who are tarred with the same brush. We love to have fun and share the music."

The two men want to share that love by making their 6pm to midnight show on Saturday, December 21, another memorable moment. And to help make the night one to remember, Matt Charlton of Dannevirke's Barrelhouse Bar and Restaurant is sponsoring the show with a lunch voucher for two for one lucky person who rings in and requests a song.

"Murray and I grew up in the same era, just before television killed off those wonderful radio shows we remember," Mr Ryan said. "When we talk about what we were doing as teens, our memories are similar and there's always the music.

"I can remember a Christmas in the 1960s being with my mates on the beach in Napier. One of the guys had a Humber Snipe, with a radio and we listened to the top 40 hits on Napier's 2ZC from 8pm until midnight. We'd have a bonfire on the beach, drink our beers and then, after midnight, we'd head to a mate's place to play music on the record player. Back in those days, radio was king and my favourite song was the Beach Boys Good Vibrations."

For Mr Cushing, music rekindles memories of great occasions. "I can remember going down to an All Blacks test at Wellington's Athletic Park, with local lads John Selby, Kevin Jamieson and Ron Curry and listening to the Beach Boys version of the Cotton Fields.

"But we'll be playing plenty of music from the 1950s and 60s which hasn't been heard on Radio Dannevirke before. They'll be real neat party songs, so if you're having a Christmas party we'll have all the music to make it swing," he said. "We want to hear from listeners on the night too and have some great giveaways for those who ring in."

Your musical memories may not include the Beach Boys, perhaps Buddy Holly and the Crickets is more your style, the Jim and Murray show will have it all, but you need to ring 06 374-6601 and put your request in now.

The Barrelhouse Christmas Party Bash with Jim and Murray promises to be a good night, Mr Ryan said.

"It'll be a night of hi-jinx and musical memories, just like the good, old days." And yes, they'll still be spinning the tunes at midnight.

"Of course we will. The show will begin at 6pm and we'll go until we fall asleep."