Tom Locke shares the stories behind a jukebox full of blasts from the past in his new book Moments In Time: Stories About Artists and Songs of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
“This book is the culmination of a journey that started back in 1986 with an idea I had about creating a legacy to the music that shaped my life, and a desire to share this legacy in an entertaining and informative way with others,” says Locke.
Entertaining, informative, and interactive from cover to cover, Moments In Time takes the reader on a deep dive into the stories behind an intriguing aspect of each song and artist that it profiles, from popular to obscure. How did Tommy James come up with the title for his hit record Mony Mony? Who was the three-time Oscar winner to have a Top 10 record at the age of 67? What singer was classified as a two-time one-hit wonder? These are just a few of the classic hit questions that Moments In Time answers. At the end of each short piece is a QR code for the relevant song, so readers with smartphones can hear the music as they go.
Locke has been a passionate music enthusiast throughout his life; a successful Vancouver film and TV production executive since 1984, he grew up in Toronto in the ’50s and ’60s with radio as a staple in his house. “Living in a ‘border’ town, we were privy to many major U.S. radio and TV stations and their programs,” he recalls.
“It was one of those U.S. radio programs that gave me the inspiration for my legacy idea. That program was called The Rest Of The Story, hosted by the incomparable newscaster Paul Harvey, who originated this nationally sponsored segment out of Chicago. His tag line ‘And now you know the rest of the story’ stayed in my mind.”
Fittingly, Moments In Time was originally a five-minute radio segment that Locke created and demoed in 1986. “An interesting musical fact or period of time would be introduced for the listener to ponder during the commercial break,” he explains. “After the break, the listener would get the rest of the story, culminating in the playing of the record mysteriously featured in the segment.” The book is a curated collection of the scripts for the radio segments, which found a home in 2000 at Michael Godin’s Treasure Island Oldies, a weekly internet radio show with worldwide affiliates. “The impetus for the book was to honour this milestone by sharing a selection of segments that have aired on Treasure Island Oldies over these years,” notes Locke.
Locke also credits our global pandemic for igniting the fire in him to make this long-held book idea a reality. “With my traveling and physical interfacing with clients dramatically reduced, I was able to move this project from the corner of my desk and dedicate the appropriate amount of time required,” explains Locke. “However, my motivation was to put smiles back on people’s faces, and what better way than the tunes we grew up with in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.”
Get more information on the book HERE.
