Spurlin or Hank Spurling?
Tommy Spurlin’s « Hang Loose » (1956) became hugely popular during the British rockabilly revival of the late 1970s, when it was reissued in the UK on the specialist RM label. Spurlin had a half-brother called George ‘Benny’ Dumas, who was born to a different father in Allan, Alabama in 1931. They spent their early childhood in Jackson, Alabama before moving to Glenmora, Louisiana in their early teens. Spurlin’s grandfather retired to Miami in 1948 and the remainig members of the family followed suit a year later. By this time Dumas and Spurlin had started making music together. In 1952 they formed a semi-pro hillbilly band, Tommy Spurlin & the Southern Boys, comprising Spurlin on vocals and rhythm guitar, Dumas on bass, Virgil Powell on violin, Jimmy Slade on lead guitar and Bill Johnson on steel. In 1954 they made their first record, « Been Livin’ Wrong« / »My Address Is the Same« , released on Jiffy 205. Jiffy Records was a tiny label based in West Monroe, Louisiana, near Shreveport, where the band had picked up some work. Both sides are strict hillbilly ; « Been Living Wrong » is mid-tempo, while « My Address Is The Same » is a weepy ballad. Both all in all had nothing exceptional, and would have been long forgotten had Spurlin not adapted later to rockabilly. The Jiffy label was owned by a Mr. Jiffy Fowler, and issued some first-class hillbilly bop records by the likes of Jimmy Kelly, Norman Nettles, Jimmy Pickard and Jimmy Simpson (a planned feature on Jiffy is on its way).
In the summer of 1955 they signed with Perfect Records, owned by Harold Doane in Miami, Florida. Doane, who had previously been involved in the motion picture industry, was using quite sophisticated recording techniques for the time and appears to have been one of the earliest studios to use tape rather than acetate discs as a recording medium. The first Perfect single by Spurlin and his group was « Danger!« / « Ain’t Had No Lovin’ » (# 107), both sides written by Spurlin. This was still firmly in the C&W mould, agreeable mid-tempo ballads, well sung but ordinary. A second offering of Spurlin and the Southern Boys was issued on Perfect 108, again hillbilly bop, «There Might Have Been A Love Song » being an uptempo side, perfect with Spurlin’s southern accent waving on steel and fiddle prominent instruments. The flipside, «Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone », however, escaped to my researches.
Like many other country ensembles, they fell upon hard times when rock ‘n’ roll started exploding in 1956. They decided to drop the fiddle and the steel guitar and started incorporating rock material into their stage shows. They were then regular on the Gold Coast Jamboree (WMIE, Miami). Their next single, released in August 1956, was « Hang Loose« / »One-Eyed Sam » (Perfect 109). Both sides were pure rockabilly, with a sparse guitar / bass accompaniment. Spurlin even adopted rockabilly mannerisms, e.g. small hiccups, and his vocal reminds me, especially during the « One-Eyed Sam » side, that of Andy Starr of « Rockin’ Rollin’ Stone » or « I Wanna Go South » fame. Later in 1956 the record was reissued on ART 109 (ART was Doane’s second label), with overdubbed drums. It is this overdubbed version that was reissued in the UK. The original undubbed version can be heard on the Ace CD « Miami Rockabilly » (released in 1998), along with three other tracks by Tommy Spurlin and the Southern Boys, and in the podcasts below.
Doane mailed some of Spurlin’s songs to music publisher Bill Lowery in Atlanta, Georgia. Lowery bought the publishing rights to « Heart Throb » (but not the other material), which he gave to one of his staff writers, Jerry Reed, who polished the lyrics a little, in return for a co-writing credit. Lowery then placed « Heart Throb » with one of his protégés, Ric Cartey, who recorded the song for RCA in January 1957. It wasn’t a hit, but the pay-off for Lowery came in 1982, when « Heart Throb » was included in the movie smash « Porky’s ». Spurlin’s own version of « Heart Throb » (recorded in 1956 and issued on ART 131 in 1957) was included on a 1979 album called « Miami Rockabilly » (AFS LP 1001). By 1957, Spurlin’s growing disenchantment with rock ‘n’ roll had made him increasingly unreliable. He was sacked from the band in late 1957, after which Dumas assumed Spurlin’s identity for performing purposes, which extended the band’s life for a few more years. In 1963 Dumas started a successful manufacturing business in Jackson, Alabama. In 1969, as Benny Dumas, he cut some country sides for a small Nashville label (Fiddlin’ Bow) before quitting the music business altogether in the early 1970s. The real Tommy Spurlin moved to Mississippi, where he died in 2005, completely unnoticed by the rest of the world. At least, I did not see his demise mentioned in any music paper, nor on the Internet. (The death date comes from the Social Security Death Index.)
note B. Dumas' credit
biography by Dik De Heer (http://www.rockabillyeurope.com). Pictures from Terry Gordon’s RCS site or Youtube. Music from compilations. A big thank you to Al Turner for sending me both sides of Perfect 107. I did not podcast ART releases of « Hang Loose/One-Eyed Sam » since they are identical to the Perfect issue except the overdubbed drums.
Alexander Petrauskas of Germany tells me the picture is of Hank Spurling (of « Box Car Blues » fame). I really don’t know where I got the picture from. Anyway,thanks Alex!
Howdy folks. Welcome to newcomers, hi! to returning visitors. Every two weeks in this site I offer 6 selections of obscure, unknown hillbilly bop/rockabilly records, sometimes a rocking blues like this time. I give data, comments (both musically and what is needed to a better appreciation of the music), and wait for your own comments. In the past, more than one visitor has posted and given a detail unknown to me. This is an exchange between you and me, beyond frontiers and seas, thanks to the magic of internet..
We begin with CHUCK HATFIELD, in Detroit. Without doubt a Southern steel player set up in North and enjoying migrated people with his steel guitar. He offers a tour-de-force with « Steel Wool » on the Fortune label # 175), backed by the Treble-Aires. Next I have a VIRGIL HUNT on the Boot Heel label (# 604), looks to me like a Tennessean label. He does a very fine hillbilly bop with « Can’t We Try Again » from 1957. LEE SLAUGHTERS and the Cumberland Play Boys obviously comes from the Tri-State area (Cumberland may be an Ohio, a Tennessee, even a N. Carolina location). He does a good jumping « Hot Hamburger » on the Jay label (EP 2159), I’d assume from 1956-57 too.
On to California on the very important (it issued more than 400 singles) indie Ac’cent label, with one of its very first issues (# 1010) by one BILL MYRICK. « You’re Gonna Be Fooled« , from 1954, is a joyfull piano-dominated hillbilly bop. I could not find anything else by Mr. Myrick on Ac’cent, which issued later rock’n'roll by Dick D’Agostin and Ted Embry (« New Shoes »).
BILLY SCOTT on Tee Vee is a perfect unknown singer, but his « You’re Braggin’, Boy » (# OP-225) is very enjoyable. Funny, although I seen the title of the tune elsewhere, I can’t remember who cut it at the moment. Fact that the record was issued OP, pressed by Four Star, may indicate a Texas or a West Coast location.
Finally the Rocking blues already announced: one MARVIN « Lefty » WRIGHT, with the romper instro. « Kentucky Home Boogie » on X 0063 from 1955.
As usual, comments welcome! Till then, bye-bye.
Billy Wallace had one of the most unique voices in rockabilly music and played a different guitar style than most of the guitarists back then would do. Both, his voice and full-bodied guitar play worked well together on his classic session with the Bama Drifters in 1956 for Mercury Records, on which he laid down four songs. But Wallace had also a long and more successful (but also unknown) career in songwriting. He never achieved the honor he should have.
Wallace was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1917, but his family moved soon after to Athens, Alabama. Previously, his father had worked on the oil fields in Oklahoma. He grew up on his father’s farm and learned to play the guitar at an early age. As a teenager, he began to write songs and was later influenced by the country music stars back then like the Delmore Brothers, Rex Griffin and Roy Acuff but also listened to Hank Smith, Ernest Tubb and Hal Smith.
Read the rest of this entry »
The location is the Trail ’80′ Courts, a motel in Mineola, about 90 miles east of Dallas, Texas. Inside a bunch of good ole boys have gathered for a songwriters’ jam session convened by the motel’s owner, Jack Rhodes. After various jobs, among them moonshiner and a back accident, he began writing country songs and putting on his first band, Jack Rhodes’ Ramblers, in 1947. They made their first professionnal recordings the same year, backing Rhodes’ brother-in-law Leon Payne. The acetates were sent to Jim Bulleit in Nashville, who issued 6 singles during 1947-48 by Payne. But in 1949, Payne switched to Capitol Records, forming his own band,the Lone Star Buddies, which led to a failure between he and Jack Rhodes. Rhodes’ Ramblers, later also named Lone Star Buddies did include the three Hayes brothers : Joe ‘Red’ and Kenneth ‘Little Red’ on fiddles, and Leon on bass.
Mineola bottom right
Rhodes replaced Payne with a younger vocalist, Jimmy Johnson. Born in Smith County on 14 January 1930, Johnson was only 19. He worked as a heavy equipment operator in the Tyler area of Texas and sang in his spare time.
In the summer of 1950 the band performed on the Western Jamboree Club of R. D. Hendon in Houston (105 ½ Main Street), where they were discovered by Solomon Morris Kahal. He recorded them on his Freedom label in the ACA studio. From the session came the highly acclaimed « Salt Your Pillow Down » (# 5009), a number already cut on the same label by Dickie Jones (# 5003) (Benny Leaders, lead vocalist). As recorded by Benny leaders, « Salt Your Pillow Down » was a mellow, medium tempo blues ; Jack Rhodes’ Ramblers transformed the song into an excellent country boogie. The band who backed Jimmy Johnson comprised him on vocal, Bobby Davis on electric lead guitar, Red Hayes on acoustic, Al Petty on steel (later he was to cut on Starday 117 « Al’s Steel Guitar Wobble« ), ‘Little Red’ Hayes on fiddle and either Leon Hayes or Doc Shelton on bass. They were to have another record (# 5031), « Warm Beer and Cold Cold Woman », with chorus done by the Morgan Sisters. Their tracks did not attract much attention at the time, although the better « Salt… » was a masterpiece : the voice of Johnson resembles that of Lefty Frizzell.
Jimmy Johnson, 1954
In 1952, Don Law of Columbia Records came to Dallas and cut Johnson at Jim Beck’s studio accompanied by Jack Rhodes’ band on February 1rst. They recorded four songs, all originals that Rhodes had possibly bought off their writers, and brought additional musicians : Jimmie Rollins on lead, Joe Knight on rhythm and Bobby Garrett on steel. Two 78s came out out under the name of Jack Rhodes and his Lone Star Buddies, of which neither sold, but one of the songs, « I’ve Lived A Lot In My Time » became a popular Jim Reeves recording.
Korean war then took Johnson for a couple of years. When he returned the experiences at the front had changed him. In 1954 he started playing guitar, and likely sing, for the Circle “O” Ranch Boys from Long View. He married the singer Bettie Lou Spears, the sister of the famous Billie Joe Spears, with whom he would have 3 children. In the mid-fifties he and his wife made an appearance on a local TV show. At that time he was full-time working as operator for an oil company.He did not record again until 1956, when Rhodes asked him to come over and demo a couple of new songs. Even though he was a stone country artist steeped in the honky-tonk tradition, Jack felt Johnson was young enough at 25 to adapt the new style of hillbilly with an added, danceable on-beat the trade journals had dubbed rockabilly.
Though he was merely a part-timer, whose few recording opportunities had arisen solely through Rhodes’ patronage rather than his own initiative, Johnson was an engaging vocalist with an authoritative style. His cool, dry delivery and virile lived-in timbre seemed ideally suited to Jack’s songs. They worked on « Woman Love », a lascivious blues: it’s a brooding shuffler with Jimmy’s deep and urgent vocals grabbing most of the attention.
« All Dressed Up », a Don Carter song boasted a rockabilly groove and classic honky tonk lyrics. Johnson accompanied himself on electric guitar, playing the bluesy licks himself. His wife, Betty Lou, strummed along on rhythm and Leon Hayes plucked up the bass fiddle. There was only one microphone and Rhodes carefully moved the three musicians around the room until he arrived at a satisfactory sound balance. On « All Dressed Up », Leon Hayes and Betty lou provided the backup chorus.
Jack Rhodes immediately mailed copy tapes to Cliffie Stone who had acetates made for Ken Nelson, Capitol’s A&R man, who detected a potential in « Woman Love ». But the dub sat in a pile on Nelson’s desk for three weeks, before being offered to a young Gene Craddock, who just made it with « Be-Bop A-Lula » in May 1956. Meanwhile, Jack Rhodes had asked Starday Records to press up a few hundred copies of Johnson’s songs on its Custom series(# 561). Jack took it around to stations in Gladewater, Greenville and Tyler but plays were very few in number. Johnson is not known to have made any further recordings, other than unissued songs written by Rhodes with Gene Vincent in mind, like « Five Days, Five Days », and not issued before 2004. Johnson died in January 8th 1980, unnoticed and uninterviewed.
Article based on the notes by Rob Finnis to CD « Gene Vincent cut our songs » (Ace, 2004), Andrew Brown & Kevin Coffey to « Heading back to Houston » (Krazy Kat, 1997), http://columbia20000.blogspot.fr for Jack Rhodes story. As usual, label scans were hard to come by : YouTube did help a bit, also popsike site.The only picture of Jimmy Johnson comes from excellent Andrew Brown site, wired-for-sound.
Howdy folks! Tired of spams changing my mailbox into a litterbin (an average more than 200 a day) , I put a very efficient filter. Indeed maybe some of you who wanted to post constructive comments cannot do it anymore. Don’t get rid of the situation and try again!
I ecountered problems of access to the site. Now everything is all right…
Ready for a new batch of bopping Hillbilly and Rockabilly? This time I concentrate myself on obscure artists..So I feel uninspired, and my comments will be minimal, sorry.
From Texas and Fort Worth comes RAYMOND PARISH for the fine medium hillbilly bop, including fiddle, « I’m Packin’ Up And Moving out » on the High Line label (# 102). Don’t know when it was recorded, I’d assume late ’50s.
Let’s turn back East: Natchez, Mississipi. GRAY MONTGOMERY offers a bordering Rockabilly tune, with « Right Now » on the Beagle label (# 101). It’s even billed « Rockin vocal ».
Later – 1963 – a Starday custom record from one of the Carolinas: Flop 1012 and the medium « Got It Made (in The Shade)« . Here LES WALDROOP is backed only by bass and lead guitar: Wade & Mickey, as shown on the label.
1961. JIMMY WELCH does a fast country-rock tune, « Searight Blues » on the Alabama based A-B-S label (# 146).
On the Mac label (unknown place), we have got now BOB ROARK & the Country Band for the fine melodic » The Road To Your Heart » (# 467).
Finally the classic Nashville sound in Hillbilly bop, from April 1953: TOM ANDERSON, « As The Hands Go ‘Round The Clock » (M-G-M 11589).
Every art form had to deal with the arrival of the atomic age in one manner or another. Some artists were reserved and intellectual in their approach, others less so. The world of popular music, for one, got an especially crazy kick out of the Bomb. Country, blues, jazz, gospel, rock and roll, rockabilly, Calypso, novelty and even polka musicians embraced atomic energy with wild-eyed, and some might argue, inappropriate enthusiasm. These musicians churned out a variety of truly memorable tunes featuring some of the most bizarre lyrics of the 20th century. If it weren’t for Dr. Oppenheimer’s creation, for example, would we have ever heard lines like « Nuclear baby, don’t fission out on me! » or « Radioactive mama, we’ll reach critical mass tonight! »?
There are various subgenres (see below) that comprise the master genre we like to call the Atomic Platter, but mainly these compositions celebrate, lament or lampoon the Bomb and the Cold War that sprang from the mushroom clouds over Japan.
The earlier songs are less self-conscious, more naive (in some cases to the point of downright wackiness) and therefore more intriguing. Needless to say, another reason why many of these songs were selected is—put simply—they swing! Pondering the cultural climate that encouraged songs like 1957′s profoundly strange yet catchy Atom Bomb Baby is a lot more rewarding than, say, examining the obvious metaphors from a pre-electric Dylan protest song like « A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall. » And Barry McGuire’s Eve of Destruction is a memorable « important » song. Read the rest of this entry »
Sid King, a ‘nom de disque‘ for Sid Erwin, was born in Denton, Texas (in the Dallas-Fort Worth area) on Octber 15, 1936. Around 1952, he formed a band in high school as an extension of his appearances on a local radio station, KDNT. « I brought Melvin Robinson [on steel guitar], Ken Massey [bass] and my brother Billy [lead guitar], and then Dave White joined us a year or so later on drums. » Shortly after the band came together, Sid made a few appearances as a solo act on the Big ‘D’ Jamboree in nearby Dallas, but eventually he decided to concentrate on working with his band.
Along with Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Hank Williams and the inevitable country influences, Sid and the band absorbed some R&B – the Drifters, the Clovers, Fats Domino and so on. It was the R&B influence – rather than Western swing – that necessitated a drummer in the line-up, although they kept a faily steady diet of country music on KDNT. Every show included an instrumental modelled after Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West.
It was on KDNT that they inherited the name « Western Melody Makers ». In 1954 they became featured artists on the Saturday Night Shindig show broadcast from WFAA-TV, Dallas. Sonny James was the show headliner before he graduated to the Big ‘D’. It was there that they were heard by Jack Starns, ex-Lefty Frizzell’s manager and the co-owner of Starday Records. The label operated out of Starnes’ office in Beaumont, and was riding with his first hit, Arlie Duff’s « Y’ All Come », when the Western Melody Boys recorded a 4 songs session for them. But, unhappy with the result, they re-cut their first and only Starday single at Jim Beck’s studio in Dallas. The top side was the novelty « Who Put The Turtle In Myrtle’s Girdle ». The Beaumont session gave them an early meeting with another Starday act trying for that first breakthrough, George Jones.
Jim Beck who had been instrumental in the recording or discovering several of Columbia records’ biggest stars, such as Lefty Frizzell and Marty Robbins, saw some potential in the Western Melody Makers and played their tape to Don Law, head of country music A&R. Law signed them to a six-month contract with an option on another 6 months to start at the expiration of their Starday term.
The band renamed themselves « The Five Strings », and later gave Sid the name « Sid King », to rhyme with « Strings ». The first Columbia session was held at Beck’s studio on December 16, 1954. They continued in a novelty groove with « Put Something In The Pot, Boy ». The second single drawn from this session was « Drinkin’ Wine Spoli Oli », a very thinly disguised re-write of Sticks McGhee‘s « Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee », a 1949 hit not only for McGhee, but also for Lionel Hampton and Wynonie harris. It had just been revived by Malcolm Yelvington for Sun Records, but Sid recalled that Dave White had written « Spoli-Oli » as far back as 1952. No other country artist was making music with such an aggressive R&B slant for a major label.
Even though neither of the first singles – nor any subsequent single – made a dent in the charts, Columbia must have experienced sufficiently healthy sales to encourage them to renew the Five Strings’ one-year contract. In July 1955, the group cut « Purr Kitty Purr » and « Sag, Drag And Fall » – which are sired from « Shake Rattle And Roll », « Flip, Flop And Fly », etc. and proved that King had quickly come to terms with the new music. For his part, Jim Beck had mastered the art of mixing the rhythm section aggressively upfront in an approximation of the Bill Haley sound.
The Five Strings guested on the Louisiana Hayride in 1955 while Elvis Presley, Johnny Horton and Jim Reeves were regulars. Their first 1956 visit to Beck’s was to record a hasty cover version of Carl Perkins‘ « Blue Suede Shoes ». King’s was among the first to cover, and he seemed to mix and match Perkins’ original with western swing riffs and black vocal group harmonies. Once again, Joe Turner was godfather to the flip side : « Let ‘er Roll » was cloned from « Honey Hush ».
King was back in the studio on March 5, 1956. The purpose was to record « Ooby Dooby », whose tortuous history began in late 1955, when Wade Moore and Dick Penner gave the song to Roy Orbison, then a fellow student at North Texas State in Denton. Orbison recorded it at a demo session for Jim beck, who played the acetate to Don Law : the latter decided the song suitable for Sid King. But on the day before King’s session, Orbison re-recorded the song at Norman Petty’s studio for Je-Wel Records. This ended up in Sam Phillips’ hands, who quickly arranged for Orbison to record it yet again. Both Orbison’s Sun recording and King’s version hit the streets in mid-April, but it was Orbison who took the prize.
By the time The Five strings were due to record again, Jim Beck was dead (from inhaling carbon tetrachloride, which he used as a tape-head cleaner). Don Law gave them the choice and they plumped for Radio Recorders in Hollywood. Stand-out tracks of this August 22, 1956 session are « Good Rockin’ Baby » and the famous « Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight », which renamed a whole serie of reissues on the Bear Family label.
The final Columbia session (September 1957) was held at Clifford Herring’s studio in Fort Worth. The menu was strictly R&B. « I’ve Got The Blues » was an approximation of the New Orleans sound, and it was released with a cover of a Del Vikings’ song.
By 1958, though disillusion was creeping through the band. They had been sent on tour through virtually every state in the continental U.S. But, despite all the exposure, they had failed to get the big breakthrough.
Finally, thanks to Pat Boone and the Denton days, Sid got a short contract with Dot Records. He cut in a lighter pop-country style ; it suited Sid’s voice better than the demands of flat-out rock’n'roll. But due to lack of success, the group disbanded. In 1965 King bought a hairdressing business with his brother Billy, and it proved to be successful for them. The Europeans came a’calling for them in 1980, so they recorded intermittently since then.
From the notes of Colin Escott to 1991 Bear Family CD « Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight » (BCD 15535)
Don’t miss the 2000 U.K. Roller Coaster double CD « Rockin’ on the radio » : 4 (yes, four!) live shows from 1954 to 1956, on Texan radios or «Big ‘D’ Jamboree », plus 17unissued studio recordings and demos ! The Strings do their thing, as hits of the time, « Rock The Joint », « In The jailhouse Now », « Good Deal, Lucille» or « That’s All Right » for example.
Howdy folks! After a week of inconvenience (the site could not be opened) and a few ajustments, we are back for a new batch of goodies.
First from California, the unknwon (to me, at least) FREDDIE BYRD, backed by California Playboys, lays down the fine « Somebody Stole My Love » on the microscopic Ka Hi label. Even not an issue number! This is the same label as the one Jess Willard had his great « I’m Telling You » in 1957 on (see his story with the reasearch button). Fine Hillbilly ditty.
From Tennessee, the HOWINGTON Brothers for a good (unusual in bopping) instrumental « Haymaker’s Shuffle » on the Loop label (# 903B). The title says it all.
Then a certain TOM JAMES on the Nashville KLIX label, from 1957. I’d assume this is the same guy that had some very good boppers on RCA several years before (« I’m A Pig About Your Lovin » or « Don’t Lead Me On« ). Here we have a real knack of Rockabilly with « Track Down Baby » (Klix 0001). Great guitar.
From California again: DOUG AMERSON offers the very solid « Bop, Man, Bop » on the Intrastate label (# 15-25), from 1955. This is how Hillbillies went to wilder things.
From Mississipi, MACK HAMILTON. Indeed he had other records, namely on Feature from Jackson (« Will You Will Or Will You Won’t » has already been posted a couple of years ago). Backed by his Drifting Texans, he does a nice shuffling « Moaning In The Morning » on Diamond 1001 (reviewed October 1953 by Billboard). This was a brother label to Trumpet I’ve discussed before in this site.
Finally, a berserk wildie from 1963 on the NYC based Mala label: « Red Ridin’ Hood And The Wolf » by BUNKER HILL (# 457). They don’t go any wilder like this today.
Enjoy the selections. Constructive comments welcome.
Hello folks. Yes I am back, having moved and from a trip in Prague. Beautiful city, yet no Hillbilly sounds over there! Anyway, let’s go back to our favorites. This time I’ve chosen 5 artists. Let’s begin with an interesting late ’40s/early ’50s one, ZEKE CLEMENTS. I know very little about him, except he had many records on Blazon, Liberty (not the L.A. pop concern), Gold Standard, even in 1960 on his own Janet label. He was a prolific songwriter, and should be noticed « Smoke On The Water » for Red Foley. Here he delivers a fine shuffling (piano and guitar led) ditty on Liberty 8, « Oklahoma Blues« .
Early 60s and on to Cincinnati area with the rather unknown SLIM FOSTER. I posted both sides of his K-Ark single (# 613), one side uptempo, the other medium, with a lovely steel-guitar for « Never Be Untrue » and « I Wish I’d known« . Good Country bop.
From Texas I’d assume comes now CURLEY SANDERS and a nice bopper on the Imperial label (# 8226), « Too Much Lovin’« , complete with piano, fiddle and guitar and that immediately recognizable Imperial sound. Sanders would later (1956) have a Starday issue, « Brand New Rock And Roll » in the famous custom serie (# 590): see elsewhere in the site for this side.
On to Louisana, early ’60s: BILL MATTE & the Five Classics for the presumably hard-to-understand for English speakers: « Parlez-vous l’francais » (Do you speak french) is sung in Cajun patois, and myself have trouble understanding all the lyrics!
Finally another inreresting artist from the Cincinnati area, AL RUNYON, on Kentucky for a revamp of Hank Snow‘s « I’m Moving On« . Not a bad version, as Runyon was covering others’ hits, as his labelmate Delbert Barker. He was also later on Starday for the famous Jimmie Skinner’s penned « Baby Please Come Home« . His story is a bit intricated, but I hope to have it posted in the future.
As a bonus. I just heard BILLY STRANGE passed away on Feb. 22th (aged 81). He cut many records and played on innumerable sessions from the late ’40s ‘way into the ’70s. Here is one of my favorite trucker songs, « Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves » on Capitol 2032 from 1952.
STARDAY RECORDS 626 BILLIE and GORDON HAMRICK with the Low County Gospel Band April 1957
45-626-A – Gonna See My Lord Someday
(Nell Palmer) (Starrite BMI)
45-626-B – Jesus Is The Name
Another slice of Gospel heaven from the talented Billie & Gordon Hamrick.
A side is a torrid Blue Grass / Gospel number with nice harmonies. Very nice banjo solos, accompanied by a fiddle player. B side is slower with a Dobro more to the fore. Perhaps this is my favourite 45 by the artists so far. Almost makes me want to go to church! (except, in England, we’d have no music like this being performed.)
STARDAY RECORDS 627 BOB and CINDY DEAN
May 1957
45-627-A – I’m Knocking On The Door (To Your Heart)
(Garland Cline) (Starrite BMI)
45-627-B – One Life To Live
I never managed to get the Cattle LP (#87) entitled « The Sweethearts Of The Air Sing Hillbilly Music », so if there’s any sleeve notes, I’ve obviously missed them. The duo appeared on the fliside of a KAY EP, with the other side being two great mumbling rockers from Link Wray.
A side of this disc is a fast hillbilly number with threads of bluegrass influence (probably because of the banjo solo). Nice harmonies from Bob and Cindy. B side is much slower and again has nice harmonies from the duo.
They’ll appear later in this series (Starday 688) (MC)
Bob and Cindy Dean were a popular Country and Western team who were based in Elkton, VA and made some stunning records throughout their musical career. Bob was born on the 26th October 1919 in Elkton (Cindy Morris was born December 24th 1924).
Bob’s musical career started in 1956/7 after he found a lead guitar picker, Leon Baxter, with whom he formed a band. Their first job was just a plain beer joint in NW Washington, DC, where they picked their music three nights a week. Through their popular live performances, Bob got a recording deal with DC Records. He remembered that in Virginia there was a good fiddle player, so he got in touch with him and talked over their would-be music venture. His name was Hank Dean and he also sang tenor. (Hank was no relation to Bob). Bob hired Hank and along with Leon, the three of them recorded “Maple On The Hill” and “I’m Sheddin’ Tears Over You” on DC 8049. The sessions took place at the Paragon Studios in Washington, DC.
DC Records were interested in releasing two more sides, as 8049 was selling well locally, thanks in part to Connie B Gay’s radio program “Town And Country Time”, and Bob’s personal appearances. Their next recordings were “Back To Old Smoky Mountain” and “I’ll take Her From The Valley” (DC 4101). By this time, Bob was opening up for acts at the Constitution Hall for Connie, being followed by the likes of T. Texas Tyler and the Sons Of The Pioneers.
In 1948, after the death of his father, Bob (and Cindy, who was his wife – the sleeve notes don’t mention how they met) moved to McGaheysville, VA to be with his mother. Bob worked for a while at a chemical plant, but once he was laid off, he decided to get into the music business full time. By now, Cindy was singing along side him. They formed a new band featuring his old school friend Eddie Michael on fiddle and Cindy learned how to play the stand-up bass. Carroll Ray was on electric guitar.
By 1955, Bob and Cindy Dean were winning first prize on a Connie B Gay show with a song entitled “Walk, Walk, Walking Blues”. This track, along with “When You Cross Your Heart” were eventually issued on Ben Aldeman’s KAY label from Washington, DC, with the flip side of the EP being taken up by two manic vocal recordings from Link Wray (“I Sez Baby” / “Johnny Bon Bonny”). According to the sleeve notes, these tracks were recorded in 1955.
How Bob and Cindy found themselves on Starday is a bit of a mystery as it’s not really explained in the sleeve notes. According to the session details listed on the LP, these were recorded in 1958 and their next Starday release (#688) was recorded in December 57. It mentions that a Frank Merica was on banjo at the session and Carroll Ray was still on guitar.
WILLIE NELSON RECORDS 628 WILLIE NELSON
Vancouver, WA May 1957
45-628-A – No Place For Me
(Willie Nelson) (Starrite BMI)
45-628-B – Lumberjack
(Leon Payne) (Hill and Range BMI)
Willie Nelson was born 30th April 1933 and is by far, one of the most well known artists to cut a disc for the Starday Custom series. After studying music at home, he joined the Bohemian Fiddlers as their singer and guitar player. After graduating from high School in 1950, he joined the Air Force where he was eventually discharged for having back problems. After stints as a musician (he played bass for Ray Price) and as a DJ, he signed a contract with Pamper Music as a songwriter. He wrote some of the best known country classics, such as « Funny How Times Slips Away« , « Hello Walls« , and « Crazy« .
But back to this little gem. Both sides are dominated by an acoustic guitar (presumably by the man himself) and the vocals have a fair slab of echo added to it, giving it a slight haunting feel. There is a steel guitar nestled in the background – well, almost in the next room to be honest. The flip is okay; a nicely sung cover of a Leon Payne song. But it’s the A side that really sticks out.
FAITH RECORDS 629 THE RELATIVE QUARTET
Conover, NC May 1957
45-629-A – A Home For My Soul
(J Q Deal Jr. / Rheda L Strickland) (Starrite BMI)
45-629-B – Heavenly City
(Rheda L Strickland) (Starrite BMI)
Lovely far-back-in-the-hills Gospel from what sounds like a white quartet. I can only hear an accoustic guitar being played, no other instruments and no solos. No personnel details, except perhaps the names listed as song writers.
The FAITH label turns up a fair bit later in the series with various addresses. I’ve wondered if FAITH was the gospel version of the DIXIE label. Can’t be sure.
DALE RECORDS 630 DARNELL MILLER
Bluefield, VA May 1957
45-630-A – Waiting Game For Love
(D Miller) (Starrite BMI)
45-630-B – Gettin’ Out Of The Woods
(Cecil Surrat) (Starrite BMI)
I’m assuming this is the same Darnell Miller who recorded for Starday Records (# 349, « She’s gone/Cardboard Sweetheart », 1958 and « Royal Flush« , # 422, 1960), as they sure sound similar. A side is a slow weeping hillbilly song; probably not one for the memory banks, but Darnell sings with feeling. Flipside is a medium tempo ditty with fine vocals from Darnell, ably backed by some fine fiddle playing.
STARDAY RECORDS 631 KEN CLARK and his Merry Mountain Boys
45-631-A – Ho! Ho! Love ‘Em Joe (Clark) (Starrite BMI)
45-631-B – Quit Fool (Mama’s Lookin’) (Clark) (Starrite BMI)
Okay, so I know darn all about Clark, except he recorded for Starday main series (« Buckskin Coat/Pretty Love », # 442, 1959), and for the Nashville label (assoc. with Starday) : « Truck Driving Joe » (# 5009).
A side is a nice uptempo number with fiddles, steel guitar, dobro and lead guitar and some lovely Starday sounding echo. Some call it country, some call it Rock-A-Billy. Whatever the musical tag, it’s a lovely record. B side is more country/hillbilly and there’s a little less echo. Another uptempo side and very nice it is too. Cowboy Copas recorded at least one song of Clark’s.
KENTUCKY records 632 MAC O’DELL
Garrard, KY May 1957
45-632-A – It Was Springtime (When I Met You) (Walter Brock) (Starrite, BMI)
45-632-B – When I Was Young (Dewey Brock) (Starrite, BMI)
Untraced. O’Dell recorded prolifically, e.g. on King (« Penicillin »), Intro (« Diesel Smoke ») and Exclusive.
GULF Records 633 TRICE GARNER
Route 4, Tupelo, MS May 1957
45-633–A – Tombigbee (Garner) (Starrite, BMI)
45-633-B – Lover’s Hill (Garner) (Starrite, BMI)
Artist already unknown. The A side has yet to be heard. B side is a very fast Bopper, some could say Rock’n'Roll, but it has no drums, only two very effective guitars (no solo). Vocal is very impressive, fine Southern accent, words almost impossible to understand for me, French speaking !
ROBIN Records 634 ZEKE WILSON & the Prairie Playboys
Macon, GA May 1957
634-A – My Heart Needs A Vacation (F J Beskidniak)(Starrite, BMI)
634-B – I’ve Just Said Goodbye (F J Beskidniak)
Vocal on A side is by Zeke Wilson and Lenn Dries ; on B side, Zeke Wilson solo.
Untraced record.
NIGHTHAWK Records 635 JIMMY STEWART & The Nighthawks
Argo, IL May 1957
45-635-A – Dream World (J Stewart) (Starrite, BMI)
45-635-B – Nuthin’ But A Nuthin’ (J Stewart) (Starrite, BMI)
A side has yet to be heard, while the B side is one of the greatest Rock-a-billies ever comitted to wax. Cool vocal, some growling, a very nice lead guitar and sparse backing of acoustic and bass. Stewart also had another slab of Rock’n'Roll with « Rock On The Moon » in 1959 on the Eko label.
OLD DOMINION RECORDS 636 SLIM and ORNA BALL
June 1957
45-636-A – Mother’s Prayers (Were Not In Vain) (No info)
45-636-B – When I Get Home (I’m Gonna Be Satisfied) (No info)
STARDAY RECORDS 637 MEL PRICE & his Santa Fe Rangers
45-637-A – I Miss You So
(John Suite / Mel Price) (Starrite BMI)
45-637-B – Midnight Whistle Blues
(Mel Price) (Starrite BMI)
Mel (or Melvin) Price had only fine records on Blue Hen (« Nothing Seems To Go Right Anymore » and « I Ain’t Got Time« ), regular Starday (#186 and 226, respectively « The Pace That Kills » and « Gonna See My Baby« ), Dixie (« Until » and « Little Dog Blues« ) and Regal (« For You My Love« ). His story is intended for a future issue. The record although here is unheard.
DEL-MAR RECORDS 638 DELMAR WILLIAMS SINGERS
Dayton, OH June 1957
638-A – Lonely Tomorrow
(D Williams) (Starrite BMI)
638-B – I’m Not Angry Now
RALPH JOHNSON RECORDS 639 RALPH JOHNSON & the Hillbilly Show Boys
Box 4, Minden, WV June 1957
45-639-A – Reality
(M Pack) (Starrite BMI)
45-639-B – Henpecked Daddy
Ralph Johnson was born in the Clinch Mountains of south West Virginia. He began developing his musical career at the age of six, after receiving his first guitar. At the age of fifteen, his singing and musical talent had developed enough to enable him to put together his own band. Ralph and his band auditioned for a radio show in Richlands, VA. They landed the job on WRIC radio. During this time, his band played schools, halls and theatres in the area. They later auditioned for a spot on a new TV station in Bluefield, WV. Some time later, they had earned the privilege of performing two shows on WOAY in Twin Oak Hill, WV. It was here that he recorded his first record, « Henpecked Daddy« . After appearing on different radio and TV stations throughout the country, he moved his operation to Baltimore. MD. While in Baltimore, he launched Wedge Records, Dome Records and Fleet Records. Along with all of his record labels, he opened his own publishing company, Big Wedge Music. He released all types of music from the Washington and Baltimore areas. He later moved his operation to Vineland, NJ where he became the co-owner of WDVL Radio. As a DJ, he played country music five hours a day, every day. He went on to develop and book country music acts from Nashville, TN into Palentein Park every Sunday. In 1976, he decided to move to Nashville, TN, where he proceeded to record and promote records on his Wedge Entertainment record label. He used songs from his own publishing company, Big Wedge Music.
MISSOURI RECORDS 640 ERNIE NOWLIN and Blue Shadow Boys
5508 Wells Ave, St Louis, MO June 1957
45-640-A – Tally Ho
(Nowlin) (Starrite BMI)
45-640-B – Tell Me Why
A fine Hillbilly bop, in the average category. Duet vocal at times, a borderline rockabilly with fine inventive guitar on a solid beat (snare drum). Flip unheard.
BLUE GRASS RECORDS 641 BOB VARNEY and Stone Mt Boys
31 Pine St, Logan, WV June 1957
45-641-A I Hear You Calling
(No info) (No info)
45-641-B Stoney Mt. Boogie
(B Varney) (Starrite)
B-side : good boogie guitar instro, fine southern vocalizing from Varney. Whole thing is propelled by a strong rhythm guitar.
STARDAY RECORDS 642 BUDDY SHAW
45-642-A – Don’t Sweep That Dirt On Me
(Ruth Snider / Buddy Shaw) (Starrite BMI)
45-642-B – Second Place
Fast Hillbilly bop, again bordering on Rockabilly. Welcome tinkling piano (fine solo), urgent lead guitar (two solos). A classic ! Shaw had « No More« , a fine CountryBilly on Starday 618 (see elsewhere in the site for this number)
LINCOLN RECORDS 643 CARL TRANTHAM and the Rythm All Stars (sic)
Peoria, IL June 1957
45-643-A – Where There’s A Will (There’s A Way)
(Trantham) (Starrite BMI)
45-643-B – After I Go Away
A side : Hillbilly bop/rockabilly. This is where Hillbilly boys were doing Rock’n'Roll, nice guitar licks a la Scotty Moore, cool vocal (some hiccups), fine bass, and an almost unheard drum kit. Another classic ! For the B side, the boys return to a more Hillbilly approach, this time with a good steel. Vocal changes too, in a more rural way of phrasing. Again that fine lead guitar. Trantham also had « Deedle Deedle Dum » on Starday 336 (1958), a very fine Country rocker.
CRESTWOOD RECORDS 644 MARVIN JACKSON
Box 49 Route 1, Cadet, MO July 1957
45-644-A – Someday You’ll Be Sorry
(Jackson) (Starrite BMI)
45-644-B – My Crying Heart
Unheard record. Jackson had « Gee Whiz, Miz Liz« , a good rocker, on Crestwood 200 (backed by Ozark Toppers). Collector records issued a full CD of Rock’n'Roll sides of his, fine although average rockers.
STARDAY RECORDS 645 FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers
(Artist based in Tampa, FL) July 1957
45-645-A – Pull The Shades Down Ma
(Jimmy Dunklin) (Starrite BMI)
45-645-B – Would You Believe Me
(Owen Wilson) (Starrite BMI)
« Pull The Shades Down Ma » is Fifties country music of the sheerest excellence. « Now this city’s dwellin’ just ain’t cut out for me… » sings Frank in his most exuberant vocal on record and the band lays down an infectious rhythm that complements the lyrics perfectly. The song is reminiscent of the cool stuff Little Jimmy Dickens was cutting at the time: fun, full-blooded country that was uncompromisingly rural sounding.
COWTOWN RECORDS 646 GENE RAY
Fort Worth, TX July 1957
45-646-A – I Didn’t Mean (To Fall In Love)
(No info)
45-646-B – I Lost My Head
(Miller)
B side is a fine shuffling Hillbilly with stop-starts, steel, guitar (uninspired solo) and fiddle. Singer is in fine voice however. Ray had an EP on Cowtown 677 (moreover in the serie) with « Rock’n'Roll Fever ».
UNKNOWN RECORD LABEL 647 (UNKNOWN ARTIST)
July 1957
UNKNOWN RECORD LABEL 648 (UNKNOWN ARTIST)
July 19 57
KHOURY’S RECORDS 649 NATHAN ABSHIRE and his Pine Grove Boys
Lake Charles, LA July 1957
45-649-A – Boora Rhumba
(None) (None)
45-649-B – Carolina Blues
Unheard record.
STARDAY RECORDS 650 CLARENCE BAKER
650-? – Hear My Plea
650-? – Soon I’ll Hear My Saviour Calling
As usual for these series, many details do come from Malcolm Chapman’s site devoted to Starday Customs. This time, label pictures were easier to find than music: actually this serie does not contain, but exceptions, rockabilly classics, so many records escaped to reissue programs. Note a good percentage of sacred recordings.
