It's night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY, Koston's new radio.
I mentioned that if people wanted to call in ahead of time, before my next guests are introduced, they could Half in New England has called in. By that, I mean, I've got a call from Maine, a call from Massachusetts, and a call from Rhode Island, anxiously awaiting to hear the winnakers, Bill and Bow, welcome to Nightside.
Thank you so much, Morgan. This is Bo and Bill wanted to chime in.
I'm right here, Morgan. We're so happy to be with you tonight, and.
I'm happy to have you and I have you for two hours and the last time, well and amalgamation of each time I've had you on, whether it was My show, the Morgan Show, or Nightside, eighty percent of the calls, maybe even more than that, well calling in to thank you for a performance that you gave for them at a wedding, at an event, at whatever gathering people came to see you to perform. You do all kinds of music.
I'm going to say the as our old friend Rond Delaquiesa calls at the American Songbook music up and down that list of performers and classics, and eighty percent of the people had hired you for an event or had come to see you at an event, and they just were effervescent in compliments about the two of you and your stylings.
Well, you know, Morgan, we put it all on the line every time we go out to perform. We play every performance like it's our last. One day it will be, but we just put everything that we have in the tank out.
We give it.
You know, we put our whole heart and soul into every note in every performance that we play. That's how we were raised.
And I'm glad you mentioned the word raised because I will have you go over your backstory how your father basically instructed you on several instruments and you just picked up the love of music through him. Is now your father has passed away. But is your mom listening right now?
She sure is, Hello, Mom, She's listening to the show. She listens to you religiously all the time, and she is listening for sure that there's her yep. But you know, you talk about the backstory. I know there are people way to talk, So we're not going to talk very long about this backstory. Bill and I and my mother. We owe our late father, Ed Winnaker a tremendous debt of gratitude for sharing his love of music with our family.
I would tell you that it's the best gift that our family has ever received, is the gift of music. Bill could go through the whole story, but we need not do that.
We practice together.
We practice together every night, and we learned every style of music imaginable, you name it. That's what our dad taught us. He said, boys, when we go out to perform, no matter what it is the audience wants to hear, we have to be ready to play it. So that's pretty much the story. And even though my dad's gone for quite a long time, we still are learning new
music all the time for our brides and grooms. So we still do a lot of weddings, even at this stage of our careers, and there's still a three and we're learning new music all the time because our bribes and grooms help us. They say, these are the songs we want to hear when we learn them.
I'm assuming you've got bookings already for April, May, June, July of twenty twenty five.
You're absolutely right about that. We have quite quite a lot of events coming up in the new year.
Okay, yes, let's take calls. Okay, want to jellous. Brian called first. He called before I even had the news come on Brian.
Board, Well, thank you so much. And I was a Winner orchestra member back in the mid eighties. Good evening, Bo, Good evening, Bill. Hello, Brian, talk to you guys from up here in Maine.
Thanks for calling in.
More more than welcome. Thank you for what you did for me, Because I was just an eighteen year old kid when the Winnakers gave me the opportunity of a lifetime with their dad at Winnaker and I auditioned at the Parker House downstairs in the Last Hurrah when they were down there, and again I was just a kid, and he hired me that night and gave me an
opportunity that few people my age would ever get. I think, you know, I was terribly green, but he heard something in my sound and he wanted to train me on the job, and that he did, and I will be forever grateful for that because as an eighteen year old kid, I was learning how to play the styles of Charlie Speedac Bunny Berrigan, Harry James, you know all kinds of different artists in the Great American Songbook, and I, you know, ever since I've moved back home, the greatest gift that
Ed Winnaker gave me and the Winnaker family is I've worked very, very steadily since coming back home. And I was with them a little less than a year, So I am forever grateful to them. I'm forever grateful to a sideman named Teddy Kasher who used to work with them, who actually got me the job that night when another member was ill, I just slid right in and he went with another band. He went with Bill's band at
that point, I believe. And so it's, you know, the Winnakers our legacy, and like you've mentioned when you came on tonight, they adapt to any style of music, and a bride and groom will ask for certain things, and they are very committed to it. And not only that, they put on one of the best shows and are
the best leaders I have ever seen. So it's no wonder that the city of Boston and outlying areas have kept this wonderful, rare legacy going because they are just wonderful and I love them to pieces Ran.
I'm going to ask you a question. Yeah, I'm taking you back to being eighteen, nineteen years old. You've been told by Edwinaker, you got the job, show up this day, this time, and you're going to use you now have come home. What did you tell your mom and dad and what was their reaction to this son joining a band.
I said, I got the job, and you know what, if I get too scared, I guess I'll just not go back. I was scare to have the death of driving in the city because you understand that everything up here in Maine is fairly rural in comparison, you know. And here I am going to go to the Washington Street garage by myself for the first time, walking down Pie Alley, you know, after the gig. This was all new to me. So but they were very proud of me.
And Eddie said, you'll need two business suits and you'll need a tuxedo as well.
So and from.
There we went out and we played multiple gigs all around the city, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod. You know what an experience for a kid who, you know, just eighteen years old, would have that opportunity to do that, and like I said, they will be special to me for the rest of my life for giving me that opportunity.
To guys, before I have to take a break, which is literally right around the corner, what do you want to say to Brian.
Well, we're just going to say something very quickly, and I want to say that you still sound like a youthful eighteen year older even though you're a lot older now. But it was a pleasure, in an honor and privilege to work with you in the time that you will work with us. And I know I came up to Maine a few times to play some performances and you were right there too, and we played together, and you know, we love you and we just appreciate you starting off this evening of calls because this.
Was I love you, Thank you so much.
Bo.
Yeah. I want to say Morgan that Brian actually got the same training that Bow and I got when we were ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. My dad put his heart and soul into making us good, and he put his heart and soul into Brian and Brian became great.
Well, Brian, I'm glad you were the first to call because he made some powerful statements. I got it.
Thank you so much much.
Thanks again.
Okay, thank you too.
Take good care, folks.
All the best.
That line's open six one, seven, five, four, ten thirty or eight eight, eight, nine, two, nine, ten thirty. Grab it and you'll be the third person to speak to the Winnakers. Bow Winnaker, Bill Windaker here in BZ with the time is nine point fifteen. Temperature in Boston thirty nine degrees.
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World Nice Sight Studios on WBZ News Radio.
I'm just gonna go right back to the phone calls. When I have Bill and Bow on the phone lines go crazy. So let's go to Rhode Island and speak to doctor Dan. Hello, doctor Dan, Hello Morgan, how are you? I am fine, sir, and you.
Well, I'm great.
Uh.
I've called him several times over the past few years, and the last few times I was in Texas.
I remember that.
Yeah. Now I'm and I've moved up to Rhode Island be closer to my family, and uh, I was thinking, uh, you know, they the guy. It's been such a an honor to have these two wonderful people as my friends and and play music with him. But uh, as I've moved from the from Texas to Rhode Island. I'm well aware of the tremendous difference that that some people have in terms of their feelings about politics, religion. And the beauty of the Winnokers is their music is universal. It
brings joy to everybody. It has there's no issue of what your politics or your feelings might be. It's it's all positive. I've never uh, Billy's probably the most photogenic guy I know. I got photo you guys have is great. But Bill is always smiling, bo is always happy. You never hear them ever say anything bad.
I never have.
And it's such an important lesson for the whole world what we can. We could make so many things better if we could just kind of borrow a page out of the Winnaker playbook and just say, you know, music is love, music is kindness, Music is good for everybody. Uh, it's just you know, it's it's just so special and they'd bring that every day.
Guys.
And what's your response to what Dan has just said.
Well, it touches our hearts very deeply.
You know, Morgan. The most important thing to me is I've been trying to get Dan to leave M. D Anderson. He's bringing on cologist and had a big position. There've been trying to get him back home because we used to play together.
All the time.
And I met Dan when he was an undergrad at Harvard and I was an undergrad at Boston Conservatory and Music. He needed a drummer for a gig on the campus and he called Boston Conservatory and they recommended me, and we've been friends ever since. And that goes back to
nineteen sixty seven. And Dan would always fill in for my dad when my father had to go to these music conventions, which were three or four times a year, and Dan would play right with the family with my mother, Bow and myself, and we played hundreds and hundreds of gigs together. Dan eventually became a band leader for us, but when he took that position in Texas and M. D Anderson, I've been trying to.
Get him back ever since I leaves here.
Let me inter it. Guys, hold on, guys, hold on. We only have three working lines. We used to have four. I don't know why we don't have four anymore. But my producer Dan, I'm rich with the name Dan filling in a night side for Dan Ray my producer's Dan, Doctor Dan. But Dan, my producer is not going to answer the contest line. I see it. I see people keep trying to call on it. Right now, you're not going to get answered. You gotta wait until one of
the three lines clear. When I say goodbye to doctor Dan, hopefully you'll be the first to take that open line so people stop calling the contest life and doctor Dan. I'm sorry. I just had to quickly address that.
No, you got to take care of business.
Definitely, I do the first. So where do we leave off?
Well, we are our country needs more love and kindness from everybody, and these guys bring it.
The time.
It's uh, it's just a it's a lesson that we can all benefit from.
What the world needs now is love, sweet.
Love your see.
I knew somebody would chop up with that. Yes, Jackie DeShannon nineteen sixty five. So, Dan, are you still musically involved?
I hope. So we've been talking about it. Billy Bill has been my encouragement, and.
I'm uh.
I got my piano all set up in the house here and we're ready to make some music in the next few months.
All right, are you going to be working with Bill and Bow upcoming.
Well, that's up to them, of course. You know, if I get asked, I usually show up.
Morgan Dance like us. He can play any song, any style, any any decade of music. He'll be playing with us.
And I want the three of you to address this. We lost Quincy Jones two weeks ago, and his contribution to music is unsurpassed.
Yeah, well if you want top there, yeah yeah, Quincy Jones. He you know, he reminds me of the training my father gave us, because Quincy Jones went from early jazz and swing. You know, he did the Sinatra album of the Sands, but he you know, Denn, he's doing Michael Jackson later on, and he he made the transition stylistically through every decade, brilliant, brilliant albums. I have them all. Just a great innovator and bringing a ranger and just
we lost a great one. And your your theme song comes from his album called Walking in Space, and that's one of my favorite albums of all time.
That's the killer. The opening of my show is called Killer Joe. A bit of music that's been done all over the place. I can think of the Manhattan Transfer right now and there are words to it and the Manhattan Transfer saying it. But I like this version. That's why I chose it. I chose that bit of music to open my program. Great version, Killing Joe.
The next time we see you, we're going to play that when you walk in.
Thank you, I love I love you, all right, Dan, Anything else that you want to bring.
Up, no, I just uh, you know, I'm so grateful for an opportunity to talk with you, and and you just bring so much goodness to the to the airwaves, Morgan. And it's an honor to talk with.
You very much for that.
And doctor Dan, I want to thank you for taking the time to call us tonight. And your messages is loud and clear. You know, love music, and uh, we love you.
Well. I'm gonna see you soon. I I'll hope to see you next week.
We look forward to that.
Okay, I gotta let you go because a break is coming up.
Thank you, bye, byey, thank you, thank you, doctor Dan.
Ye doctor all right, that line is open. Who's got the fastest fingers to grab it? Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty or eight eight, eight, nine to nine, ten thirty. The winners will be here with me for all of this hour, half hour left to this hour and next hour, and I'm sticking with the music theme. Guys, you might like this theme. I'm going to be following musically your two hours. I've got my buddy Kleo Campbell coming on and we are going to talk about movie soundtracks, the
biggest selling movie soundtracks. I knew that would get your attention, guys, and real quick. And then I'll go to break I don't know what Cleo has researched, but why don't each of you give me a guess at what you think the biggest selling movie soundtrack will be?
See that's hard to tell. I know what my favorite is. It's a Breakfast at Tiffany's Henry Mancini score. But there's like I like so many.
I'm with Bill. It's a daunting task, you know, be interesting to listen and find out.
But I just have no idea. I mean, there's so many different tastes. I mean Ald John Williams movies. People love his music so much and the pops play it all the time. But I you know, I love so many movie scores. It goes on and on and on. So I'll be listening we'll be listening to see what people think.
Well, we've got ninety more minutes with the Winnakers. Let me take my break before we talk about anything else. Let me take my break. When we come back, there are three people waiting to talk to the Winnakers. Time and temperature nine thirty thirty nine degrees.
You're on night Side with Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
We're back. I got the Winnakers here, Bo and Bill and Florence is called in to chat with them. Florence, good evening to you. How was your Thanksgiving?
Oh, it's great, Morgan? And I turned to radio on that shoe looked wild. I heard you greeting, Oh to you yesterday? Yes, yes, thank you, You're welcome, Morgan. I wanted to mantion good evening, bowing Bill. I wanted to bring up something in twenty twenty three when I called in the night of Morgan's birthday. Back then it was in September seventeenth, and I had written a poem for him, and after I read it, because you were on this show that night, and asked you if you would play
Happy Birthday to him, and you did. You acknowledged him with a nice happy birthday, and I appreciated it so much and I just wanted to bring it up and thank you again for acknowledging him on his special day.
So nice of you to call in tonight's Lawrence and Florence.
When you mentioned the twenty third, I.
Mean the year twenty twenty. It wasn't this past September.
It was twenty twenty three, but that number twenty three made me realize on the December twenty third, in three weeks, basically, Jack Hart will be armed with me for two hours. And I know, I know you're kind of sweet on Jack, So.
I just I love Jackie's night, special special guy. Well, and I got to say hello to him as well.
Okay, well, I just wan going to make sure you knew that he is.
Upcoming good and Morgan, do you remember at the end of your poem the last couple of lines I said, when you if he is a trumpet play, you'll know that Morgan is on its way?
Yeah?
Do you remember it.
I remember you saying that, and that means the trumpet of Quincy.
Jones, right, very very good.
That's my opening killer jone.
Yes, yes, and just you know it gave me a little tickle tonight to think about it. Knowing that Boul and Bill were going to be on, I thought I refreshed their memory a little bit. It's only a very short.
Time ago, right, Well, they've got an excellent memory, and I'm sure they remember doing that.
Yes, we sure do.
Yes, And it was wonderful. It was wonderful. You played it all the way through to acknowledge him, and I appreciated it, and I'm sure Morgan loved it.
I did. Thank you, yep, and thanks for bringing us back to our memory lane.
Yes. Okay, a wonderful night all of you.
Okay, you two, and have a great Thanksgiving weekend.
Okay, I will thank you so much.
Good night. Now, Florence's line is open. How quickly can somebody out there dial six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty or eight eight eight nine to up. Already done, somebody grabbed it already, not even going to finish the number. Let's go to Sarah online one Sarah in Boston, good evening.
Hello, Hello, Hello, Hey, Hi, Hi everybody.
Hi.
Hello.
So I'm I would probably need to say my full name for Bow and Bill to know me. It is Sarah Anthony Takagi calling in to say, hig.
Oh, Sarah, you're one of our favorite people in the whole world. This is a very palative job, Morgan. This is a brilliant pianist. She teaches at Neweland Conservatory. She sings, she plays. Their students do great work. She's a marvelous musician.
Oh what got you into music? Oh?
Well, I I'm I'm from the country of Japan, and just like any Asian girl, it's part of her culture for all children to play classical music. So I was playing the piano before I even knew I would play. So I would just tell you that I didn't have a choice. And now I appreciate it. But there was a time where I certainly really didn't enjoy practicing. But yeah, so if.
It went for practicing, If it went for practicing, I might have stuck with the piano because I took it for one year and my mother and grandmother said to me, just take it until June. If you haven't fallen in love with it, you don't have to take it anymore. And June couldn't come fast enough. Really, I wish I had known Bill and Bow's father ed because I guarantee and inspire me to.
Love music, right right, Morgan? You do, Morgan, you love music. It's just that you don't play it, but you sure love it. And musicians I know. But Sarah and Bow and I we know that we're nothing with all people that love music, because people that love music to play for and you're one of those people that really love music.
I do.
Yeah, this is a yeah. And thank you so much Morgan for this fantastic radio show. This is incredible. I mean it's a love fest.
I try to have them on three or four times a year.
Oh yeah, Well, both the Winnakers, Bill and Bow, they're like the sunshine of the music world. They they're just incredible. Not only are they amazing musicians, but they're also like extraordinary humanitarians. Like I have to tell you, Bo just called me again for my birthday and played the trumpet over Oh my god. It was so touching. I mean, Bill and both together they schemed to and I think Bill was called texting me saying, hey, are you going
to be home? You know, can we call you? And I have no idea both that you're gonna get over there and blow your horn and the world's greatest trumpet player playing birthday tune for me, just absolutely amazing. You two are just unbelievable. We are so grateful to have you on this earth. I mean, I think you go around just yeah.
And we are so grateful to have you too. I mean, the spirit that you have is just incredible. Honestly, what a spirit you have.
And you know, the Winnakers, I don't think gas with you guys, that was fun too.
Yeah, you know, I want I want to go back to our early years of performing. You know, we started the Winnaker family. We started the Winnaker Family band in nineteen sixty two. My dad had his first band in nineteen thirty nine, but in sixty two he let all the musicians go in his band and he started with I was ten playing the trumpet. Bill was thirteen playing the drums. My mother was thirty two playing the string bass.
And you know, if my father were alive today and he tried to start a family band now, it would have been impossible because things have changed so much. But my father he had a will, He had a very strong will, and his will was to form this family band, and by goodness, he did it. He used to sing the way he wanted me to play the song he used to sing. He sing it to me and he
kept singing until I got the feeling inside of me. So, I mean it reminded me when you talked about your mother and how you know you started playing piano at an early age as well, So when you get that early started, it sure helps out a lot. And you know you are a brilliant musician as well. So you know, no, I mean it entirely. I love your music, yeah for sure.
But you know, oh no, as I told Morgan earlier in this broadcast, you know that gift of music that we received all those years ago, it's the best gift that we ever received. And every time Bill and I performed, we are just continuing my father's legacy. And I think of my father all the time every time I perform, and I look up and I thank him for the gifts that he shared with our family. So, uh, you know, we're enormously fortunate in our family.
And Sarah may May, I ask a question, are you of mixed heritage? Because you're English is very good, but I don't mean that to be.
Oh so much.
I didn't know.
Actually my first language is Japanese, okay, but I could be that you know what, I'm a musician with really good years. Right, So I think when I came to America and I really started speaking like I was early, like twelve, twelve years old, So I think it's it's being young and also having a good year to learn the English language. But thank you.
That's very Sarah.
Well, thank you. This is the first time I've ever called.
Yes, I didn't, I didn't have it.
We appreciated so much, and we hope that one day you will come down to Westwood, Massachusetts and spend an evening with us. We play at this wonderful restaurant called Niroli in Westwood and we play. We play in the Supper Club Westwood, mass once a month, and we hope you'll come see us sometime. Yeah.
If I see a fly or something, just let me know.
And I call is from Westwood. I'm assuming it's somebody who has seen you, so oh.
We'll see because then maybe we can talk a little bit more about the restaurant.
All right, sir, I got to let you go, take care, okay, all right, so much bye bye.
Oh great to hear from you. We love you, sir.
A line is open, go for it, and I have a break to take, but Tom, you will be next here on night side. I promise time and temperature. I'm late nine forty seven thirty nine degrees.
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World, Night six Studios on WBZ News Radio.
As promised here on Nightside, Dan is off. I am here. I am Morgan. Tom in Westwood is next. Welcome and say hello to Bill and Bowinnaker. Tom.
It's Tom.
How are you very well? Thanks Tom, thanks so much for calling. I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Ah had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank you so much. And Morgan, thank you for taking my call. It's amazing that I was able to get through because I know this is such a popular show.
Well it's the popularity of these two gentlemen that the phone lines have been going red hot crazy.
So if if I may, I want to talk about three three things tonight.
I want to.
At the end, I want to try to stump you on a on a trivia question, because I do see you occasionally over at the Midway and I love your trivia nights, and thank you and you're amazing because you can't be stumped and in the information that you that you have and that you know is just truly remarkable.
Well, thank you, but I can be stumped, Okay.
So I want to start off by saying Bill, Bill and Bow have been very very good, dear friends of mine for close to twenty years. I think I originally met them at a a Boston Lyric Opera event and and then I started following them at Skip Jacks when when they were playing at Skip Shacks in the back bay,
after I would go to church at Trinity Church. And then then they had a great run in Cambridge at Upstairs on the Square where they would push all the tables aside at nine o'clock and they would play and people would you know, would dance, and people of all ages, you know, young college students, middle aged people, older people.
It was just it was it was.
A great, great time there. And then I I hired Dylan Bow to play at my fortieth birthday party. And I was very lucky that my my dear friends Kathy and Howie Carr hosted the party at their house. And when I sent the invitations out, you know, it said, you know, please come to Tom Aarons for youth birthday party at the home of Kathy and Howie Carr and wildly bau blah blah and music by Bill and Beau Winnaker,
you know, orchestra our band. And I thought for sure that when people replied, they were going to say something like, how the hell did you end up you know, getting how he tired to throw your birthday party? But instead it was how the heck did you guys get Bill and Beau Wintaker to perform at your birthday party? The people were just amazed, and we had we had a we had a great night, and you know, people danced and and that sort of thing. And but these guys,
these guys are terrific, terrific people. The restaurant that they're playing at in Westwood called Niroli secearely new restaurant. I live in Westwood and I was. I was there one night when they first opened, and Mike Desorrow, who's the owner, I spoke to him and I said, you know, would you ever consider having Dylan bau Winuker come and play in the Sopper Club? And he said, oh, you know, let's talk about it. And six months went by, nothing happened,
year went by, nothing happened. And I spoke to him again and put him in touch with Dylan Bow and they played one night just sort of as a you know, as a as a test to see how it went. And and after that, after that first night, Mike I think said to Bill and Bow, can you guys play every week? And so now they're playing once a month. And I have to tell you, when they send out an email advertising that they're going to be at the restaurant, the supper club is sold out within twenty four hours.
It's just incredible. The following that they have and the people that you know, that that that that want to get to the supper club to listen to them they do. They do a terrific job.
Pause. I have to ask Bill Bow, you seem to have a great venue, but once a month is not enough. Are you going to maybe up it to twice a month?
Well, you know that we'll we'll think about that and and sort of make that decision once we crossed the meridian and get into the new year. Uh, we possibly might play there more.
But we love it.
And Tom is right, this is an incredible restaurant. The services phenomenal, the food is outstanding, the supper club so beautiful, and Tom is the man responsible for getting us to play there. Now you know I've conducted the bus and pops seven different times now. And the reason why I change the subject very quickly is because Tom and I for years we talked about how we would get into Symphony Hall, going through the stage entrances right up on the stage, and Tom did some fancy.
Work to help that along.
And so Tom has been a guardian angel of Bill and Bow Winnaker for many years, and we love him and his family, and we're so grateful for you call to I to talk about all these important things.
Tom. Look what you've done. You've given them a gig ah.
They're wonderful people, and anybody that knows Dylan bow Well know that you can you can call them anytime, and the answer is always yes, no matter what, no matter what it is, it's always yes. I know that we love them.
I have called them to beyond. They've been on me more times than I can remember, and only once because they had a prior commitment, were they not able to be on. But the first words out of their mouth can you give us another date? Another time? And we worked it out. So they've never told me no, they don't.
They never let you down, Let you down, got news coming.
But thank you for your call.
All right, hey call, So great of you to call Tom.
We really appreciate it.
All right, Tom, what would your trivia question? Real quick?
Okay, tell me what the origin of the call letters for GBH W GBH.
Came from Great Blue Hills.
Goodbye, Tom, Oh my god, good night.
Oh let me throw it to news. We've got another hour at Bill and Bow. We have an open line six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty eight eight eight, nine, two, nine, ten thirty. Grab it if you can. Time and temperature nine fifty eight thirty nine degrees