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In the age of computerized robo-jocks and out-of-town voices pretending to be local, Scotty Drake has been a live-and-local staple of Baton Rouge radio for over 30 years.  It all started in 1976 at the former Top-40 powerhouse WLCS.  Then in 1986, The Drake joined Guaranty Broadcasting’s Z-98, as it was called back then, and he has been with the company ever since.

Something of a renaissance man, Scotty is an avid motorcyclist, skilled carpenter, drummer for the local band Geared Up, and has acted in many local theater productions.  In his spare time, he narrates books on tape for the State Library of Louisiana to give visually and physically impaired individuals greater access to their favorite books.  One such audio book has been accepted for inclusion in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Recently, Scotty was honored by the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters for his 30+ years of service to Baton Rouge.

Scotty is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and a 1973 graduate of Penn State University.  He married his college sweetheart, Kathy, in 1975 and they're still together today and living in Baker.  Their only child, son Jesse, is a graduate of LSU and now lives with his wife, Heather, in Denver, Colorado.

Scotty Drake's DESERT ISLAND DISCS

In the spring of 2006 I took a call on our request line from a young man who wanted to know what my top five favorite rock groups are.

I was quick to rattle off the Who, Poco and Led Zeppelin when he interrupted, "But what about the Beatles?"

Apparently, I hadn't given him the answer he wanted.

"Don't you think the Beatles were great," he continued.  "Don't you think they were one of the most influential bands ever?"

"Of course," I replied.  "The Beatles changed the course of rock and roll forever.  And on a larger scale they had a great deal to do with the social revolution of the 60s.  I love the Beatles.  They're just not one of my top five favorites."

He sounded dejected after that.  He didn't get the response he wanted, and he didn't understand why.

"Don't worry about it, kid," I told him before our conversation was over, "it's a matter of personal taste."

And so it is with this list of the ten albums I would want with me if I was stranded on the proverbial desert island.  These are the albums I can listen to again and again and again.

This is not to say that "Sgt. Pepper" isn't a phenomenal album.  Or that "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys wasn't one of the most innovative albums ever recorded.  Or that Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" isn't the stuff of legend.  They're just not my favorites.

That having been said, if I was stranded on a desert island, here in alphabetical order*, are the ten albums I would want with me, along with a stereo to play them on.  And a copy of the book, "How to Get Off a Desert Island."

1) "Babbacombe Lee" by Fairport Convention

2) "Deliverin'" by Poco

3) "Led Zeppelin II" by Led Zeppelin

4) "Quadrophenia" by the Who

5) "Sports" by Huey Lewis and the News

6) "Thick as a Brick" by Jethro Tull

7) "Tommy" by the Who

8) "Union" by Yes

9) "Who Came First" by Pete Townshend

10) "Who's Next" by the Who

and just for good measure:

11) "FM and AM" by George Carlin
 

*  Please note that these are in alphabetical order, NOT IN ORDER OF MY PREFERENCE!  Don't be calling me and saying, "Hey, Scotty, I see where your all-time favorite album is something I've never heard of."