November 19th 2009.  BOB OAKLEY

The ever reliable Bob gave us another great show with a programme full of traditional country music with the odd Irish ditty included for good measure.

    The content tonight included Stephen Foster's, Old Kentucky Home, Leroy Van Dyke's, Walk On By, John Prine's, Speed Of The Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness, Bellamy Brothers'  If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body, Steve Goodman's, City Of New Orleans, Charley Pride's, Kiss An Angel Good Morning, Bobby Bare's, Streets Of Baltimore, Jim Reeves'  He'll Have To Go and Don Williams'  You're My Best Friend.

Amongst the Irish songs were Daniel O'Donnell's, Our House Is A Home, and Barnbrack's, Homes Of Donegal,
both of which have been covered by numerous Irish acts.

Lots of songs, all delivered by Bob's soothingly lilting voice, pleased listeners and dancers alike.

                                                     Cyril Insley

 

January 29th 2009... BOB OAKLEY

 

  Tonight's show from Bob was a lovely mix of Country and Irish music with every song appealing to both listeners and dancers. Most of the numbers were of the traditional variety, supported by the occasional more recent one.

Starting tonight with Kevin Prendergast's, Our House Is A Home, he continued with the popular oldie, Deep In The Heart Of Texas, involving the audience in both hand clapping and singing.

    Continuing in similar vein, Bob delivered in fine style Don Williams', Some Broken Hearts Never Mend, Gene Watson's, Should  I Come Home ( or should I go crazy), Jim Reeves', Welcome To My World, John Denver's, Back Home Again, Lester Flatt / Earl Scruggs', Crying My Heart Out Over You, Charlie Landsborough's, No Time At All, George Strait's, I Just Want To Dance With You, The Statler Brothers, Do You Know You Are My Sunshine, Big Tom's, Gentle Mother, Marty Robbins', Devil Woman, and to bring this great evening to a close, Tompall Glaser's, Stand Beside Me, which incidentally was a hit for Jimmy Dean in 1966.

        Cyril Insley

 

May 8th..  2008    BOB OAKLEY

 
It was a welcome return tonight for Bob and, as always, he gave us a good concert of lots of different songs from those he has previously performed.
        
   
There was a lovely mix of American, British and Irish standard Country numbers all ideal for dancing or listening to.
 
His programme included great classics such as the Sons Of The Pioneers', Cool Water, Kitty Wells', Making Believe, The Carter Family's, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, the excellent, Tom T. Hall number, Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine, and Woody Guthrie's, This Land Is Your Land.
         
Irish ditties included, The Flight Of Earles, The Ferryman, and 40 Shades Of Green, and British ballads included, Froggy's,Everybody Falls In Love, Wings on My Heels, and Charlie Landsborough's,  I Will love You All My Life, and  What Colour Is the Wind.
 
To conclude his concert, Bob encored with Merle Haggard's, Sing Me Back Home, and received  the warm applause he deserved.
 
                                       
Cyril Insley

 

August 2nd. 2007.. BOB OAKLEY

Bob Oakley 
Tonight was Bob's second show at our club this year, and as before he chose a programme of songs ideal for our members, lots of old country classics with a mix of ballads and up - tempo numbers, many different from his previous concerts.
 
 
   
Starting tonight with Charlie Landsborough's, Heaven Knows, he continued with a couple of Jim Reeve's charters, He'll Have To Go and I Won't Forget You. Next came one of Charlie Pride's twenty - nine number 1's, Hope You're Feelin' Me ( Like I'm Feelin' You) after treating us to Don Gibson's, Sea Of Heartbreak and Mearle Haggards, Wine And Roses.
 
 
Most of Bob's next songs were from this same period with just a few later hits being presented eg, Holly Dunn's, Daddy's Hands, George Strait's, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind and Alan Jackson's, Living On Love.
 
  
Other songs not heard too often nowadays included, Cliff Richard's, Travelling Light, Kitty Wells, Amigo's Guitar, The Alexander Brothers, These Are My Mountains, Billy Walker's, Charlies Shoes, Tom Paxton's, Ramblin Boy and a couple from the fifties, Buddy Holly's, True Love Ways, a number 1 in 1980 for Micky Gilley and Chuck Berry's, Johnny B Goode, a 1969 number 1 for Buck Owens.
 
 
Again, listeners and dancers alike were more than pleased with Bob's show giving him the appreciate applause he deserved.
 
                                    
Cyril Insley

 

January 4th 2007  BOB OAKLEY

Bob Oakley  
For the first show of the New Year, it was a welcome return for Bob following his successful debut at our club last June. As last time, he gave us a show to suit all factions of our audience, Dancers, Singers and Listeners alike.
 
 
       
Most of his programme is from the field of Classic Country interspersed with the occasional more recent number, and as an avid admirer of Charley Pride it was inevitable several of his songs would feature, these included, Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger, Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone, I'm So Afraid Of Losing You Again, etc.
 
 
Partner Dancers were out in force tonight responding well to, Help Me Make It Through The Night, I Love you Because, I Recall A Gypsy woman, Amanda, You're My Best Friend, He Stopped Loving Her Today, et al.
 
 
         
Line Dancers filled the floor to Mavericks' songs, and others including, Old Flames,  Somewhere Under The Sun, Sea Of Heartbreak, Wings On My Heels, etc.
 
 
It was good to hear again Porter Waggoners'  Green Green grass Of Home and Mo Bandy's, Two Lonely People, amongst the forty songs he delivered.
 
 
Once more Bob received an appreciative and enthusiastic responce from our members and with shows like tonight's he will always be welcome
 
 
Cyril Insley

 

Bob Oakley

June 1st 2006    Bob Oakley

 
Bob is a newcomer to the entertainment world having started his professional career in January 2005.
  He has always enjoyed popular music, especially Country and Irish, and following a heart-attack and bypass operation decided to follow his dream in 2004 and try his hand at singing for his supper.
 
Starting with pubs and clubs, he eventually ventured on the Country Music circuit and his wishes were rapidly becoming a reality. He confesses to preffering older country and particularly admires Charley Pride ; so it's music from this era and earlier that makes up the bulk of his show.
 
 
 He has a powerful, Tenor voice and plays Rhythm guitar, and other than a brief introduction to certain songs, his concert was non - stop.
 
      Tonight the first act included half a dozen of his idol's songs, some not often heard nowadays e.g  I'm Just Me, I'd Rather Love You, Crystal Chandeliers and Snakes Crawl At Night, which was also covered by Porter Wagoner. However he finished this session  with a ' New Country' ballad, Bobby Harden's Old Country which was a hit for Mark Chesnutt in 1993.
 
 
His next act was predominated by popular Irish / Folk Ditties including, Last Thing On My Mind, The Ferryman  and  Red Rose Cafe etc. together with Don Williams, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton songs.
 
 
    For his final session Bob continued with more popular Country numbers giving us a Jim Reeves and Buddy Holly medley, but also this time including a few more recent songs, the Maverick's, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down, and  Dance The Night Away, and concluding with Garth Brooks'  The River.
 
All night the dancers were kept busy, the audience had loads to sing-along to, which they did, and others were most content to sit and listen.
 This was Bob's first appearance at our club and what a fine show he put on for us. We look forward to seeing him again next January.
         Cyril Insley

 

 

 

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