Christmas 1965 with Nancy Wilson and Buck Owens

This post is a memorial to a fine singer, Nancy Wilson, who passed away on December 13 at age 81. To tie it in to the Christmas season, I am presenting a promotional record she made to support the US Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots drive in 1965. Her side of the single, designed for radio play, was backed by two spots from Buck Owens, one of my favorite country artists. Both singers are appearing on my blogs for the first time.

Both Wilson and Owens were Capitol artists, and that label produced the promotional record for the Marine Corps Reserve. To fill out the program, I have added the Christmas singles that Nancy and Buck released in 1965. The Toys for Tots record is from my collection; I did not transfer the other items (even though I am sure I have the records somewhere), but have remastered them.

Nancy Wilson

For the promo, Wilson sings the "Toys for Tots" theme song that had been written in the late 1950s by Paul Francis Webster and Sammy Fain. It's quite a good tune, one that served the campaign well through the years. Owens, in contrast, wrote his own song for the campaign, one that was better suited to his voice and band. It's a catchy item that I remember hearing during the 1965 holiday season.

Wilson's Christmas single coupled the pleasing ballad "That's What I Want for Christmas" with the inescapable "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve." I believe Capitol first released the single in 1963, bringing it back for the 1965 season.

Buck's holiday release was the wonderful "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy," which became a good-sized hit for him. It was backed with "All I Want for Christmas Dear Is You," a title and concept almost identical to the A-side of Wilson's record.

Best wishes for the holiday season!

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