For this new rendez-vous, I’ve chosen three tracks from the ’50s, then one from…1978, the remainder being from the ’30s.
First, JOHNNY NELMS on Azalea 015/016 (Houston label), « After Today » is his finest hour, raw, emotional honky tonk. The uncredited backing band here is Peck Touchton‘s Sunset Wranglers, which includes Doug Myers (fiddle), Herman McCoy (guitar), Hoyt Skidmore (steel guitar), and George Champion (piano). I add in the podcasts his Starday offering, « Everything Will Be Alright » (# 228) from 1956. He already had records on Gold Star, Freedom, and later (briefly) on Decca. Nothing but a plain Country boy, who never made it…
Then, from the Cincinnati area, one JIMMIE WILLIAMS, I know nothing about, except this little record on the Acorn label (# 153). Here it is his original « Hey, Hey Little Dreamboat« , a nice, uptempo Hillbilly bop. Apparently the man had nothing to do with later Arkansas rocker of « You’re Always Late » fame.
From Nashville TN, April 1954, when young ERNIE CHAFFIN entered the Hickory studios, nothing really happened with his four sides; I somehow find some freshness in his « I Can’t Lose The Blues » (# 1024). Shortly after, he was to launch, with his steel player Pee Wee Maddux, the Fine label in Biloxi, MS. before moving in 1956 to Sun in Memphis.
That’s it for the ’50s! Now with a legend, ROSE MADDOX, taken live from Youtube (I just kept the sound track), for an old Jimmie Rodgers’ song, « Muleskinner Blues« . The Lady does it perfectly!
Onto the ’30s. First with ex-Governor of Louisiana (twice!) JIMMIE DAVIS. He sang Hillbilly as early as the late ’20s. Here you get his rendition of the traditional « When The Saints« , under the title « Down At The Old Country Church » (recorded Charlotte, NC, 1931), with Ed Shaffer on the lap-steel guitar. Full of emotion…
Finally, from 1936 comes a one-time associate to Davis, his Black bottleneck guitar player, OSCAR WOODS. Here he sings, on a funny cartoon, « Don’t Sell It – Give It Away« . The whole thing, recorded in New Orleans, sounds very much Western swing! Magic of internet to find those gems…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pjYT9RME80&feature=share
Coast 500 JIMMIE O’NEAL/Cotton Henry (late 1953)
A- Patent On My Heart (CH)/ B- Streamliner Boogie (vocal J O’N)
Los Angeles, California
No info on who Cotton Henry is, although I found a disc on Starday 129 by a Cotton Henry (“Alibying Sweetie / Eskimo Nell”) which could be him. These sides will be podcasted in a later Starday survey . For the flip, the only real info I have is that Jimmie O’Neal later owned the Rural Rhythm label out of Arcadia CA. Streamliner Boogie is a talking blues ditty with some nice guitar work – marred by poor sound quality on the disc. Don Carlos Music appears on quite a few releases on Wolf-Tex Records (Wolf City, TX)
Coosa 501 HOYT SCOGGINS & the Kingsmen Quartet (January 1954)
Jesus Still Heals/ The Pathway Is Not Crowded
Carterville, Georgia
The A side is a fast piano led gospel number with Hoyt leading the Kingsmen Quartet in what Billboard magazine might have described as an “exuberant reading”, had they reviewed it. The B side is a straight-ahead fast country gospel number with the Quartet dominating the song. Hoyt was born in 1927 and was at one point a DJ on WCGA in Calhoun, GA. “Jesus Still Heals” also appeared on Starday EP 106 (main series) as by Hoyt & Tyrone Scoggins with the Tune Twisters, but this maybe a different version of the song. He also owned his own Scoggins label. (See also Starday 542, 563, 606 & 659 ). Equally at home on Gospel, Hillbilly and even R&R, Scoggins must have had a strong regional following as he was still recording on NASHVILLE (a late ’50s/early ’60s outlet for Starday recordings)
Hoyt Scoggins and band
Gospel 502 Conway Gospel Chorus (February 1954)
No details. Not Hillbilly.
Cosmopolitan 503 Big Bob Dougherty & his Orchestra (March 1954)
Whale (inst) / Okey Pretty Baby.
Leavensworth, Kansas. A R&B rocker.
Coast 504 JACK HAMMONS (April 1954)
Tomorrows Goodbyes (Johnny Skiles/JH) / Substitute For Love (Johnny Skiles/JH)
The A side is a weepy hillbilly with fiddle and steel guitar being the predominant instruments. B side is slightly faster. Jack Hammons hailed from Monroe, Louisiana and was heard singing by Col. Tom Parker as Elvis’ soon-to-be-manager drove through Monroe. Jack was singing a number of songs that were penned by himself and Johnny Skiles, who was his brother-in-law, and the Colonel quickly contacted Starday to arrange a recording session for him. (“Mr Cupid” / “That’s The Way To Fall In Love” – STARDAY 197). Johnny Skiles (cowriter) recorded for Honee-B & Corvette Records amongst others and probably moved up to the West coast sometime after these recordings. (See Corvette 672 later on in another serie) As an aside, Skiles also recorded for Jimmie O’Neals’ Rural Rhythm Label (See Coast 500)
Savannah 505 BUDDY LIVINGSTON & his All Girl Band (April 1954)
Back When She Was Young / Write Me Right Away
Savannah, Georgia
The A side is a boppin’ hillbilly disc featuring fiddle, piano and steel guitar, with a double bass break sandwiched between. Flipside is more of the same. The A side was rerecorded soon after (see Savannah 513). Buddy was based in Savannah, Georgia. His “All-Girl” band were actually his sisters. He altready had a record on King. According to the Billboard Music Magazine dated 25th Oct 1952, the band consisted of Mary Frances Livingston on bass, Buddy was on steel gtr, Christine Livingston on fiddle and Willine Livingston on electric guitar and was about to embark on a King Recording pact. Their manager was their father, Dave Livingston. He also recorded R&R for Scottie Records. Buddy was still performing around Savannah, GA in the 60’s. His band at this time were called Buddy Livingston & the Versitones and Buddy sang and played bass, performing mainly at a club called “The Bamboo Ranch”. They also had their own 30 minute TV show on WTOC. Billy Joe Royal (of “Down In The Boondocks” fame) was also a featured vocalist for a time. The “Bamboo Ranch” burnt down in 1970, allegedly under suspicious circumstances, though I hasten to add that Buddy & the band weren’t party to this or were inside at the time.
Rangeland 506 BILLIE & GORDON HAMRICK “The Honey Hill Sweethearts” (July 1954)
He is My Guide / He’s Gonna Take His Children Out
Charleston, North Carolina
B&G Hamrick present themselves here with a pleasant mandolin led gospel coupling, with the B side being the faster of the two. Both sides were written by Bernice Jennette. The only info I have on the Honeyhill Sweethearts {there is a small town vcalled « Honey Hill, some 30 miles North Est of Charleston} is they had at least two previous releases on Rangeland (which may have been their own label), both pressed by RCA in 1953 (“My Dream Of The Old Rugged Cross” / “My Savior’s Train Of Life” – RANGELAND No.# // “Married People Out Of Place” / “Pocotaligo Waltz” – RANGELAND No.#). At present I have no other info of any other subsequent recordings, apart from the three other Starday customs listed later in this serie (Starday 522, 626, 673). The B side was reissued on a 6 track Dixie 78rpm with a fade out roughly halfway. Billboard magazine (14th March 1953) mentions that their steel guitarist who played on the RCA pressed Rangeland discs was Bob Bratcher, who died in Jacksonville, FL in early 53. Billie and Gordon formed a gospel bluegrass duet. Together,they wrote and recorded songs in the 1950′s for both the Rangeland label and the Starday label. They hosted a gospel variety show , The Old Country Church. The gospel bluegrass variety show ran for over 12 years on WUSN-TV channel two in Charleston, SC. Billie played this Martin guitar and Gordon played mandolin on the show and numerous personal appearances throughout the Southeast. Their career spanned over 30 years. Ms. Hamrick passed away in 2002.
HAMRICK – Gordon B. Hamrick born November 18, 1917 in Douglasville, GA, died December 30, 2001. He served in the U.S. Army in the Panama Canal Zone in the 1930s and continued military service in the Coast Guard through WWII on the USS Savage as a Chief. He also managed grocery stores in Jacksonville and performed gospel music with wife Billie in Charleston, SC on a television show called The Old Country Church in the 1950s and 60s.
California 507 AL WARWICK (rn Arthur Alton Warwick) (September 1954)
Rag Doll / You Are The Only One
Van Nuys, California
Al paid for the studio time and the musicians to cut these self-penned songs and put them on record for posterity. The band on both sides romp along nicely behind Al’s relaxed vocals. He struggles a little with timing here and there but overall it’s a pleasant disc. No other info on the artist at this time, but the guitarist on both sides sounds very, very much like Roy Lanham.
Texas 508 EARLY GRAHAM & His Musical Drifters (November 1954)
I Wish You’d Start Fooling Again / Stop Fooling My Heart
Henderson, Texas
Another fine hillbilly disc with Grahams’ lazy, perhaps slightly flat vocals supported by a tight little combo featuring guitar & steel. The B side is a good mid tempo hillbilly song. »Early L. Graham was born August 24, 1909 in Arkansas, but resided in Rusk County, Texas most of his life. He died October 4, 1978, aged 69 years old. So he was about 45 when he made this, his only known record » (wrote Andrew Brown)
Dart 509 JERRY HOPKINS & The Southern Playboys (December 1954)
Cuddle Up To Me / My Everlasting Love
Saint-Louis, Missouri
Once again, no info on the artist. The DART version of “My Everlasting Love” is different to the version released on STARDAY 182 (“Mamma Baby” / “My Everlasting Love”), and I’m guessing this was the first release since the Starday disc was reviewed by Billboard on 18th June, 1955. The A side on the Dartdisc is the uptempo tune with fiddle, guitar and steel guitar. B side is a pleasant enough weeper. DART 509 was issued on both 45 & 78rpm formats. Note the lack of publishing details – a rarity for a Starday Custom.
S-Kay 510 RAY MAYO (January 1955)
Mended Hearts / Who Winds Your Clock
Gardena, California
Both sides are uptempo hillbilly with piano & fiddle. Ray seems to have a little trouble with both timing (to me, he sounds slightly ahead of the band in places but he catches up after the solo) & rhyming but both sides are pleasant enough. B side has a very slight “double-entendre” nature about it; probably a little racy for the staid of ol’ fifties but milder than watered down mustard by today’s standards. Regardless, the « Not Recommended For Radio Broadcast » stamp can be found just above the title. “Who Winds Your Clock” was previously recorded by Bucky Bates on 4-Star 1295 in 1949, and rereleased later on 4-Star 1559 in 1951. Just as the last release, the publishing info is left to plain old BMI instead of the usual « Starrite« .
Johnson 511 JERRY & The String Trio (January 1955)
Lead Me To The Promise Land / Judgement Day
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Although both sides of the record credit vocals to Jerry & Steve, only 511-A is a duet. It’s a wonderful disc that has been described as an early example of “Gospelbilly”, although I think only the gospel part is correct. Nevertheless, you could say that the music certainly has rockabilly overtones, especially the “B” side. No writers credits and although Starrite published both sides, that info seems to have been left off of the label. As far as I know, there’s only two known copies of this disc. As yet, it has not surfaced as a 45 and probably only exists in it’s 78 format.
Mississipi 512 JOE BRYANT & The Mississipi Woodchoppers (January 1955)
Pulpwood Blues / A Man Ain’t Nothin’ But A Woman’s Slave
Centerville, Mississipi
A nice, tough Hank Williams type disc, once again bordering on Rock-A-Billy, with rough-hewn vocals and a competent band featuring steel guitar, fiddle & guitar. A side has a “Lovesick Blues” feel to the intro. Flip side is more of the same. Again, like the previous disc, there only seems to be one known copy and possibly only ever pressed as a 78rpm. I think the steel guitarist gets a little lost in the solo on the B side, but that only adds to the character of the track in my opinion.
Savannah 513 BUDDY LIVINGSTON & his All Girl Band (February 1955)
Back When She Was Young / Can’t Love No One (like I Love You)
513-A is a different version to the earlier release on SAVANNAH 505. In fact, it’s more slicker than the original and the steel guitar break has been practiced and honed to perfection. The sound quality of Savannah 513 recording is a lot clearer on this disc than the previous release. According to the blurb on a DJ copy of one of his King releases, (1181) Buddy was born in Fitzgerald, GA and was 19 years of age when this disc was released. Sadly, I’ve yet to hear the flip side and only 78rpm copies of Savannah 513 have surfaced. By March 1957, Buddy was appearing on WTOL-TV, Savannah, GA daily between 1:30 & 2pm, Monday to Friday and a 7:00 to 7:30 slot every Friday evening. Another missing label shot I’m afraid.
Rodney 514 BEAMON FORSE (February 1955)
Rest Of My Life / You Better Go Now
Bronson, Texas
As far as I’m concerned, not only is this the first real true rockabilly disc in the series, but if there was ever a top ten Starday Custom listing, this would definitely be included! Great rockabilly guitar led, slap bass bopper featuring Beamon on vocals, his brother Ted on lead guitar, JT “Tiny” Smith on bass, Charlie Craddock on steel guitar and an unknown piano player. Born Beamon Tom Forse on 4th December 1934 in San Augustine, TX, he had a radio show with his brother Ted at KTXJ (Jaspar, TX) and he knew George Jones since he was a child. This disc was cut at Gold Star Studios, Houston TX., and it was inspired by hearing Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Right Mama” being played over the radio. The disc was financed by Rodney Spaford (hence the label name I guess) who was a rich guy from Sabine, TX. Beamon moved to California after this release, and he recorded as Tom Forse on Rich-Vein Records (owned by Terry Fell and features Eddie Cochran on guitar). Beamon also booked top acts on the West coast and wrote songs for Terry Fell, who would pay him cash for them. Beamon died in 2004. He and Truitt Forse were cousins. (See Starday 596). Side A « The Rest Of My Life » is a nice classy Honky tonk number. The disc wassupposedly issued on both 45 & 78rpm formats.
Diamond 515 AL MEYER and His Pals (March 1955)
You’re The Same Old Moon / Somebody Cares
St. Genevieve, Missouri
Zero info on Al Meyer apart from what’s listed on the label shot. Primitively recorded hillbilly disc with guitar, steel guitar & fiddle. If the label didn’t say MO, I would have sourced this disc a lot further south, perhaps Mississippi or Alabama. Vocally, it reminds me a little of Lloyd McCullough on Von Records. (Lloyd has his own custom on Starday 686).
Evangelistic Sacred Songs 516 CURT & FAYE BARTMESS with String Ins Accmp (sic) (March 1955)
Country Music In A Sacred Way / The Narrow Way
Curt & Faye were from Oklahoma and broadcast over KJBC in Midland, TX. Evangelistic was their own label, created after non payment of royalties from another TX label. Reverend Curt Bartmess still has a congregation in Oklahoma, but Faye (if her real name was Myrtle Faye Bartmess) has passed away. Anyhow, the A side is a pleasant country gospel number with some nice guitar and mandolin throughout. Flip is slightly slower with some good vocal interplay between Curt & Faye – shades of Luke the Drifter.
Savannah 517 BUDDY LIVINGSTON & His All Girl Band (Vcl – Buddy & Trio) (April 1955)
I Can’t Help The Way I Feel / When You Stuck Your Tongue Out At Me
Not heard the A side. B side is a nice hillbilly disc from Buddy and his sisters – mid tempo with good harmonies & steel guitar. Compared to the previous release (513), the actual recording sounds a little primitive and perhaps it was recorded around the same time as the release on Savannah 505. It’s a darn fine disc all the same. Also judging by when BMI cleared the song for broadcast, this disc may have been actually issued to the public (so to speak), or if you prefer – shipped to Buddy before Diamond 515 & Evangelistic 516. (I am going by the assumption that all discs were pressed and the songs were submitted to BMI once payment reached Starday.)
Starday 518 DANIEL JAMES (rn Dan Mechura) (April 1955)
Magic Wands And Wishing Wells / Through The Barroom Door
STARDAY 518 was reissued on ALLSTAR 7161, which isn’t that surprising when you consider that Daniel James is Dan Mechura, who owned Allstar. Billboard mentions in passing (26 March 1955) that Daniel had signed with Starday Records and he was broadcasting over KNUZ. To promote this disc, Daniel toured with Hank Locklin, Lee Leissner & Texas Rhythm Boys in June 55. Compared to the torrid “Rock Moon Rock” – (Allstar 7163) & “I’m Gonna Move” – (Allstar 7183), Daniel delivers this plaintive hillbilly disc with all the gusto of a man singing whilst reading the lyrics in front of him. Nice echoey sound on the disc though gives it some atmosphere. The odd thing about this is that at the time of this disc, he already sees to have started his Allstar label with an address out of Garrow Street, Houston, TX. Menchura was happy to offer the same kind of deal that Starday offered here – cut the tracks – stick out a 45rpm, limited distribution and hoped for a hit to carry the momentum onwards and upwards. Dan and his Allstar label were also active in the seedy world of « Song-Poem » record labels. But by the mid 60′s, Dan’s labels folded after issuing at least close to 200 45’s on either the main label or on one of Dan’s numerous subsiduary labels. Note the publishing details have changed by the time he reissued it on his Allstar label.
Starday 519 JIM CUNNINGHAM and the Missouri Wranglers (May 1955)
A Pain A Pill Won’t Reach / Take Time To Cry
No info on Jim and his band at the present time. It’s a good hillbilly disc with sawing fiddles and steel guitar. Both sides bounce along nicely.
Starday 520 HOWARD BRAMLETT (June 1955)
Let’s Take Our Children To Church / City On A Hill
A gospel disc. Not Hillbilly
Hoyts 521 REV. CAMPBELL with the Wonder Boy (June 1955)
Old Ship Of Zion / You Can’t Hurry God
Greenwood, South Carolina
Gospel disc, not hillbilly
Starday 522 BILLIE & GORDON HAMRICK with the Low Country Gospel band (June 1955)
Our Prayer / When I feel The Spirit (Brother) I’m Gonna Shout
The second gospel offering from the Hamricks, now featuring their Low County Gospel band (which may well have been uncredited on the RANGELAND 506). There is a feeling amongst collectors that the first disc sold well enough for a reprint, so Starday issued their second offering on their own label hoping to garner a bit more interest for the disc. (Others think the Hamricks paid extra for it to be issued on Starday.) Anyhow, it’s a mandolin led country gospel for the A side. B side, which is a fast, fiddle led exhortation on the joys of having God in your heart. Kinda makes you wanna jump up in the aisles and yell “Hallellulah!”
Starday 523 RED MANSEL and his Hillbilly Boys (July 1955)
I’ve Crossed You Off My List / Brocken Fickle Heart
Nice bar-room honky tonk from Red & his Hillbilly Boys, with the A side being especially good. Fiddle, steel guitar and a nice upright piano with rhythm guitar and bass accomp. Red Mansel was (unsurprisingly) the star of “Red Mansel & Boys” on KFDA-TV, Amarillo, TX, (15 min slot on TV between 4:45-5:00pm (Tuesday) and again at 12:45-1:00 pm (Saturday) and was also heard daily over the radio station. He also appeared on Dan Menchuras’ Allstar label from Houston, TX after this release. (He signed a 2 year contract with the label in early April 1956.) “Johnny On The Spot” / “Would You Ever Believe It’s True” – ALLSTAR 7160 {Billboard stated that this release was « lightweight material (that) can’t go far! »} and “My Only One” / “Going Steady With A Dream” – ALLSTAR 7174 are two of the better ones where rockabilly is concerned. Mansell appears on a writers credit on Starday 518.
Carolina 524 FRANK LEVINER (July 1955)
Keep Loving Up / Plan Of Salvation
Untraced
The Joneses 525 Mrs. R. D. JONES (July 1955)
I Ain’t Got Time / My Prayer For The Ones I Love
Bogalusa, Louisiana
I love this record! It’s certainly a primitive recording and the fidelity seems to fluctuate here and there. But the guitar steals the show with some nice chording and fills whilst Mrs Jones sings along pleasantly. I always imagine Mrs Jones sitting at the family piano belting this out in front of the family whilst the marsh mellows toast in the fire. It’s a joyous record – fills this ol’ heart with a little glee. Flipside is an altogether sadder affair, and somebody’s playing an accordian instead of the piano but again, Mrs Jones is in fine vocal form. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is about this 45, but for me I could listen to it again and again without getting tired of it. (Others I’ve played it to don’t even try to stifle a yawn so maybe it’s just me it effects). Only the large amount of Joneses in the Bogalusa area prevents me from phoning each one up and asking “Excuse me , are you Mrs Jones?” But on somebody else’s dime, I’d certainly give it a go.
All appreciations from Malcolm Chapman’s notes in his excellent site: http://web.mac.com/malcychapman/Starday_Customs/Starday_Intro.html. Additions from Phillip J. Tricker’notes to « Hixville » CD (Jasmine JASCD 452) An indispensable album!
Although the STARDAY Record Company were not, by any means, the first to dabble with custom pressings, they became – almost fifty years later – one of the most famous and their vanity pressings are greatly sought after nowadays. What was originally a sideline to scrape a few bucks together, and add more songs to their growing music publishing portfolio, the “custom” or “vanity” business began to really flourish after 1956, when every Tom Crook, Lee Voorhies or Red Moore wanted to make a record of their own. The almost total lack of exposure left the vast majority of the releases dead in the water, but the artist could walk about, handing out his or her own record, a little like a vinyl business card.
Of course there were other companies competing for the custom-pressing dollar; RCA, COLUMBIA, and to a lesser extent CAPITOL, had extensive custom pressing services, even if sometimes the end product was marred by the use of recycled wax and an inferior sound quality. The Rite Pressing Co from Ohio were more prolific, but again the sound and the quality of the pressings was not always going to help anybody get airplay. STARDAY on the other hand, had many releases that have great sound. Sure, there are a few “bedroom” recordings – Plez Gary Mann for example, and a few that appear to have been recorded in the “outhouse” most notably the “Lo-Fi” Trice Garner release. However, on the whole the sound and recording quality always seemed a lot clearer than the competition, thus making airplay an easier bet. Of course, most of the artists couldn’t afford the deals involved in the payola scandal so it didn’t make much difference. Read the rest of this entry »
Howdy folks! Here is a new batch of Hilbilly Bop goodies, even the odd Rock’n'Roll!
We are beginning on the West Coast with CASEY SIMMONS and his « Juke Box Boogie » on Crystal records from 1950. Call and response format, fine saxophone and a lot of electric guitar. The whole thing romps along lovely!
Eddie Jackson
Fortune records offered many a Hillbilly Bop song in its 100 serie. EDDIE JACKSON, famous for his « Rock and Roll Baby« , turns up there with « Baby Doll« , dominated by a good piano.
Sol Kahal’s Macy’s Records had many fine discs, either in Blues field, either in early Hillbilly bop, i.e. by Ramblin’ Tommy Scott or Harry Choates. ART GUNN & his Arizona Playboys cut the decent « Cornbread Boogie » in 1949. Fine harmonica throughout.
They also had on the same label « Boogie Woogie Blues » (for a future fortnight), and later, on own Gunn label Arga in 1958, the superior « Pickin’ and A-Singin’« .
Cowboy Sam Nichols
Cowboy Sam Nichols had written (and recorded for Stanchell) the classic « That Wild And Wicked Look In Your Eye« , before he got a contract with MGM records. It was early to mid-fifties and the beginning of truck drivers‘ songs (Terry Fell for example); here the shuffle « Keep Your Motor Hot » from 1954. No label scan available, as I sold the 78 rpm, having only kept the music! Nichols was backed by West coast top musicians: Porky Freeman on guitar, Jesse Ashlock on fiddle, Red Murrell on rhythm and Curley Cochran on steel.
From trucks to trains. Grady CURLEY COLE was a resident D.J. in Paducah, KY, but he cut his fine « I‘m Going To Roll » for L.A. Gilt-Edge label. Nothing more is known about him. Let’s stay in Kentucky for TOMMY HOLMES, backed by Pat Kingery & the Kentuckians. A certain Mr. Vance asked Holmes a record for his politician career ca. 1954. The tune « Jam On The Lower Shelf » is pretty average, mostly when you hear Holmes six years later in an out-and-out Rocker on the Cherry label, « Wha-Chic-Ka-Noka« . Enjoy the selections!
‘Cat’ has been used as a term in popular music since the Jazz years of the 1920’s. Revered by the ancient Egyptians, cats have a mystique and grace all over their own – no wonder these independent and mysterious animals became such a byword for ‘Cool’ in music from Hep Cats, jazz be-boppers of the ‘40s, and right through into 1950′s Rock’n’Roll.
Read the rest of this entry »
Howdy, folks! We begin way up North, in Wisconsin, with the very first record by a singer who had to wait 11 years more before fame with « Six Days On The Road« ! Yes, DAVE DUDLEY cut numerous discs before his giant hit of 1963. Did you know the original version was recorded by a certain PAUL DAVIS on the Nashville Bulletin label in 1961? If you want to hear it, just type his name on the research button. Well, back to Dave Dudley. Here is his « Nashville Blues« , firmly founded on Hillbilly Bop.
Dave Dudley
courtesy Al Turner
On the West Coast, 1956. DERAL CLOUR (& Charley Drake) recorded the fine « Sundown (Boogie) » for the scarce HU-SE-CO label. A superior medium boogie guitar backed, and a very atmospheric echoey duet vocal, « crazy ’bout the boogie when the sun goes down…. »
In the South (Texas?). Imperial records for BILLY McGHEE and « I’m Your Henpecked Man« . This was 1953. McGhee was to have 5 more discs on the label; I don’t know what happened to him afterwards.
BOB POTTER & the Wear Family were apparently from California and cut the odd custom sides for Rural Rhythm. Here it is their good uptempo « Leavin’ And Laughin’ » from 1956.
Just another duet, among millions: the GAY BROTHERS. Harold & Carl cut in 1953 the great « You Locked Up My Heart » in Houston for Dan Mechura’s Allstar label: a fast bopper and a stunning fiddle.
ZEKE CLEMENTS was an early Grand Ole Opry star who had many records late ’40s and early ’50s. Here I’ve chosen the good uptempo « I’m Goin’ Steppin’ With You » issued on his own Janet EP label.
Howdy folks! Thanks for visiting my site: you are never less than 35-50 people each day. This is the proof the site is of interest to you, and it gives me in turn enthusiasm and heart to go ahead, search and find more hillbilly bop gems for your own pleasure.
Robert AUTRY INMAN (as christened) from Alabama had begun his musical career as bass player for Cowboy Copas and George Morgan in the latter part of the ’40s. A first recording contract wth Bullet in Nashville occurred in 1949, I will tell more about him in a future feature, when I have gathered enough biographical information (which is actually very sparse for his early career). 1952 saw him inked by Decca records, where he enjoyed moderate success, fine boppers and ballads. In 1956 he embarked freely on the rockabilly bandwagon and cut the classic two-sider « Be-Bop Baby/It Would Be A Doggone Lie« , I’ve chosen the latter side, in my opinion the better of both.
Tommy Durden late 1990s
From Kansas City, early ’60s, a pleasant jumping country-rock tune on the ‘R‘ label, « There’ll Sure To Be Other Times » by OTHEL SULLIVAN. He had another 45 on Wonder, which I have not heard. Judging by the RCA custom pressing number, it dates from 1960.
The next artist in question, TOMMY DURDEN, born 1928 in Georgia, had a low-profile career for more than 40 years. Singer and steel-guitar player, he is best known today for being the co-writer of « Heartbreak Hotel », which gave him comfortable royalties, even if he never wrote a follow-up. Early ’50s saw him , no one knows how, cutting for Houston’s Sol Kahal’s Freedom label, backed by the Westernaires. He had a regional hit, « Crossroads » (rejected by Four Star’s Bill McCall as « too pop »); but fare more interesting was « Hula Boogie« : Durden on vocal, a deft mandolin solo by Boots Gilbert (one-time Durden’s wife, later to have the classic « Take It Or Leave It » on Fortune), and a stinging, hot steel-guitar by the young Herb Remington.
From the Ohio State comes now BOBBY RUTLEDGE. He recorded for the Akron Zipp label some Hillbilly bop sides (« Southern Fried Chicken« ); here you have the furious « Go Slow Fatso » from 1956.
BUSTER DOSS & his Arkansas Playboys recorded first for Dallas Talent label this « Graveyard Boogie » in 1949, aimed at horror/halloween followers. Fine steel, call and response format, and a romping piano. He was the uncle of Bob Doss, famed for his Starday sides of the late fifties.
Finally a boogie classic by CECIL GANT – he would die early February 1951 in Nashville, a mere 60 years ago, after a short 6 years musical run and innumerable boogies and ballads. Here I’ve chosen one of his best instrumental tunes, « Screwy Boogie« . Enjoy the selections!
The name LINK DAVIS is well known to the fans of a number of musical styles. Over a period of three decades, he was involved in Western Swing, Hillbilly, Cajun, Rockabilly, Roll and Roll and Blues recordings, either as a recording artist in his own right or as a supporting musician. Read the rest of this entry »
