Claude King and his Hillbilly Ramblers. Specialty Record # X SP 705 - 1952 She Knows Why / She's My Baby.
Tillman Franks - Upright Bass, Claude King - Rhythm Guitar/ Vocals & Tommy Tomlinson - Lead Guitar. I love Johnny Horton's version of this song, but for me this original version just pips it for me, it has that special feel and the vocals are underplayed by Claude and to this end it just oozes class ! She Knows Why was written by Claude and released on the LA Rhythm & Blues label 'Specialty' . Hank Williams wanted to record this as 'You Know Why' but was eventually recorded by Johnny Horton . Claude King passed away 7th March 2013.
Tommy Scott Federal Record # 10003 - 1951 Rockin' And Rollin' / You Done Me Wrong
Tommy sure does Rock and Roll in this early 50's guitar boogie feast ! was this the first R'N'R Record ? it's gotta be up there as a country boogie rockin' monster of a record for sure. Tommy shows his class vocal and the whole thing just moves and grooves !
Tommy Scott was born in a little town near Toccoa, Georgia, up in the mountains about 100 miles east of Atlanta. Tommy began his musical career when he was around ten years old, playing the guitar and singing for old-time square dances and parties. Around 1948, he was doing his own show and was known as "Ramblin' Tommy Scott's Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree".
Eddie Bond and the Stompers Mercury Record # 70826 - 1956 Rockin' Daddy / I Got A Woman .
Eddie Bond needs no introduction from me, A great performer and song writer through out his career and with this record you get two classic slices of mid 50's Rockabilly bop ......pure Rockabilly Bop !
Bennie Hess and the Nations Playboys. Mercury Record # 6121 - 1948. You Ain't Cheatin' On Me Now / Tonight And Every Night.
Bennie Hess is well known in Country/Rockabilly circles as a debonair, entrepreneur business man and would deal and sell and produce records. He had his own labels called 'Opera' and 'OKed' and 'Jet' (mid 1950's) which proved pretty successful . He had some success on Mercury and was heading for the big time (read story below) but is more well known in Rockabilly collecting for his 'Wild Hog Hop' 45 released on 'Major' in 1958. The union recording ban took effect in 1948, forcing many labels to close down. However unconcerned by the union, Hess recorded a string of releases during this year ending up becoming his busiest period. In addition to his own releases, he produced the first recordings by Iry LeJeune and secured a territorial big seller. This was the start of the resurgence of the accordion in Cajun music. Three more records followed on Opera before he gained a deal with major label Mercury, who released his 'Tonight And Every Night' (#6121) that became hit and went to number 1 on several local charts in July 1948. With this success, Mercury decided to release the follow-up record 'With You I'd Be Satisfied/Come On Home Where You Belong' (#6147) in late 1948. However, Bennie ran into trouble with Mercury when they discovered that he had bootlegged this release on his own Opera Records with the result that they terminated his contract. With characteristic exaggeration, Hess later recalled that he was on "the brink of stardom" when this setback occurred. Born 10 February 1914, Chriesman, Texas Died 22 November 1984, Houston, Texas.
Johnny "T" Talley Mercury Records # 70902 - 4th Aug 1956 Side A - (I've Changed My) Wild Mind. Side B - Lonesome Train This was the best $20 I have spent in a long time! Classic Mercury Rockabilly at it's very best! Johnny "T" Talley is simply on fire on this record, slappin' bass and hot guitar make this an instant monster bopper!
This little gem released on Mar-Vel in 1954 is a favorite 78 in my collection, cost me only $10 and is worth every cent in my opinion. A cracker of a song that Jack handles with ease. This song was later covered by Carl Smith and reached the top twenty in the country charts in 1955.
Harry Glenn, owner of the Mar-Vel’ label, became extremely enthusiastic when he heard Jack’s “Don’t Tease Me”. So much so that he took Jack and his group to station WWCA in Gary where Mr. Glenn engineered the session himself.
Its release brought a lot of exposure and air play on Midwestern country stations. Later in that year, 1954, Carl Smith covered the song for Columbia records and brought the song all the way up to number 18 on the C&W charts across the nation.
Classic Johnny Horton from 1956 - Don't Like I Did (written by Claude King) was recorded in March 1956 at Bradley Barn Studio's with Lightnin' Chance on Bass and the B side was recorded at a earlier session at the Barn in Jan of 1956. This cut had Bill Black on Bass and Grady Martin on Lead Guitar and this is without doubt classic country Rockabilly at it's finest.
Floyd Tillman
Columbia Records # 36998 - 1946
Drivin' Nails In My Coffin / Some Other World .
Written by Jerry Irby, Nails in my coffin is a real cool slice of western swing with nice echo laden vocals and just chugs along fine with lovely guitar and fiddle . Recorded in Feb 1946 . Floyd Tillman [vcl/gt] Leo Raley [mandolin] Lew Frisby [bass] Darold Raley [fiddle] Randall Raley [fiddle] Smitty Smith [piano]
Billy Walker
Columbia Records # 21499 - 1956
Whirlpool / Go Ahead And Make Me Cry.
Whirlpool is just one of those songs that makes me smile, stunning vocal control by Billy and some fine backing make this a great country shuffle song.
Johnny Horton. Columbia Records # 21504 - 1956 Honky-Tonk Man / I'm Ready If You're Willing.
A stonewall classic tune from Horton really needs no introduction. Loads of slap bass and a wall of sound that elevates this from the usual country Rockabilly fodder. If you don't love this record .......then you need medical help !!!!!!! Horton and Franks were pushing for Honky Tonk Man to be the lead-off single but strangely Don Law didn't believe in the song, and it was only after the intervention of Jim Denny that Law relented and issued it with I'm Ready If You're Willing on the flip side. Live shows were arranged to push the single with the band featuring Franks on bass and a teenager from Minden, Louisiana, Tommy Tomlinson on guitar.
Charlie "Peanut" Faircloth Decca Record # 46237 - 1950 F-O-O-L-I-S-H Me, Me / I'll Sail My Ship Alone.
This little treasure from Charlie is swingin' country boogie at it's best, you get the lot here, great guitar, Steel and Piano and a perfect tune written by Vic Mcalpin.
He was born premature in 1927 and weighed slightly less than three pounds. On the day he was born, an Afro-Indian midwife named Baby Dora delivered him and placed him in a shoe box with heated bricks around it to keep him alive.
Nine months later, he was stricken with polio. He was so small and frail as a baby that his family dressed him in doll clothes. He thrived despite the disease, and was able to lead a fairly normal life, eventually marrying a beautiful girl named Frances Lanier and fathering four children.
Ernest Tubb heard one of Mr. Faircloth’s broadcasts, gave him the opportunity to sing with his band, and hooked him with Decca Records. In 1950, Decca showcased Mr. Faircloth’s talents in the single “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” which climbed to the top of the Billboard country chart that year as the No. 1 song in the nation. Charlie R. “Peanut” Faircloth Sr., 82, of Chattanooga, died on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Autry Inman. Decca Record # 28778 - 1953 Pucker Up / That's When I Need You The Most.
Autry is known in Rockabilly collecting circles as the real deal but before he made the jump over to the Rockabilly side he was firmly in the County hillbilly camp and cut a few decent Country tunes for Decca during the early 50's. This number 'Pucker Up' is a little fast tempo jolly tune with all the usual country sounds of Fiddle, Steel and some cool pickin' Guitar by Floyd Robinson.
Jimmie Ballard Kentucky Records # 520 - 1952 Tappin' Boogie / Taint Big Enough .
Here we find Jimmie Ballard and some naughty lyrics about tapping that thing and Taint Big Enough ! superb boogie lead guitar punctuates the whole A side song , of course is complimented by some silky steel . Very underrated tune on the Kentucky label.
Risque lyrics on both sides . 1952 Cincinnati, OH - Buffalo Johnson & His Herd (James “Jimmie” Ballard [vcl/gt + unknown musicians.Producer: Carl J. Burkhardt)
This is hillbilly boogie at its finest! nothing sounds finer than a 'milk Bucket Boogie'. (recorded 1st by Reece Shipley) Harry Adams is up early with the alarm clock and is in great form on this Kentucky Folk record out of Ohio! .......it has it all, great steel, guitar & fiddle and those humorous lyrics make this one mighty fine record!
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Bobby Musgrrove
Kentucky Records # 584 - 1954
Dollar Sign Heart / Be Still My Heart.
In 1954 Kentucky released this lil' beauty by Bobby Musgrove , Born in 1932 . Dollar Sign Heart is nothing to get hot under the collar about, just a really good country Hillbilly mid tempo tune, plenty of steel and searing guitar work and some fine singing by Mr Musgrove. Bobby went on to sign to King Records and dropped the 'Mus' from his surname and was better known through the 60's in country and gospel circles as Bobby Grove.
Virgel Bozman OT Records (Oklahoma Tornado) # 109 - 1950 Blues For Oklahoma / Don't Let It Grieve Your Little Heart
Sparse instrumentation is what you get here on the A side, this is pure rural hick bop ! you get some cool Steel and even a mandolin interjects every now and then ! So when you get to the second break you get a full dose of some rasping guitar, just wonderful and is the sort of stuff I just love ! The B side is just as cool but at a much more relaxing country slow to mid tempo pace with lashings of Steel sweeping through the whole song and some nice piano plinking away in the back ground !
This O.T. label was originally based in Westlake, a small town on Highway 10 in the Southwestern corner of Louisiana. The initials O.T. stood for Oklahoma Tornadoes, a group run by Virgel that had recorded for Bill Quinn’s Gold Star label. Among the members of this short lived, but important band, were Bennie Hess, and Cajun fiddler extraordinaire Floyd Le Blanc. . His brother, Harmon recorded Rockabilly on the Texas Sarg label. Another Bozman O.T. release, when the label was relocated to San Antonio, is the fine, more Western Swing in style, « Troubles, Troubles » (# 113), backed by the Circle C Boys. It’s driven along by a bass player who enjoys himself enormously.
This is a great record but at the same time kinda strange because Cleo sounds like two different singers on the the two tunes. On the B side he sounds just like all Black blues singers of the period, vocals, guitar all fit typically in the Blues A-Z of how to make a Blues record, don't get me wrong he does it very well and is a class tune of it's style. But the A side is just bizarre, out of time, great and truly brilliant Country Blues thing with Cleo sounding like a Country White Blues singer. This side is right up my alley! it's clumsy, superb, wrong but right and at the end the whole thing just about falls apart with all members stopping at different times (you can imagine them all looking at each other nodding as if to say 'right stop now' .......it's a thing and sound of beauty and the wrong bits sound just perfect to me!
Lee Bonds & Sonny Sims Republic Records # 7041 - 1953 I'm Glad That I Love You / Give My Broken Heart A Break
Born in Alabama in 1924. Lee Bonds had two releases previous to to his Republic offerings in 1953 on the Tennessee Label. Bonds was a prolific writer and could certainly write a nice Country Honky Tonk tune. This release on Republic has one side with Lee Bond and Sonny Sims and the other on his lonesome. The duet with Sonny is pure class, both have vocals that just melt into one, absolute class, great uptempo song with strong fiddle and Steel. The B side is more sedate and has Trumpet laden throughout by Bill Roberts along with some fine piano and Steel by Larry Garman and falls more into the Honky Tonk category !
Lattie Moore Speed record # 101 - 1953 Juke Joint Johnny / It's Good Enough For You.
Summer 1952 Buckley Record Shop, Union St., Nashville, TN – Lattie Moore (Lattie Moore [vcl/rh gt], Robert “Bobby” Phillips [steel], ? [bass], ? [fiddle]. Producer: Frank Innocenti) 003 SP-5 IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU Speed 101 45-101/Redita RLP-116 004 SP-6 JUKE JOINT JOHNNY Speed 101 His first record, "Hideaway Heart"/"Married Troubles" (the latter surely not autobiographical - Lattie has been married to Maxine Frost since December 1944), on the Arrow label from Indianapolis, is very rare. One year after this 1951 debut came the recording that can be considered as the first rock 'n' roll record out of Nashville, though at the time nobody knew it. It is the original version of "Juke Joint Johnny" (Lattie's own com-position), recorded for the Speed label. Lots of people have cut this song, including Red Sovine, Eddie Bond and Jim Atkins and the Pinetoppers. Lattie himself did a flat-out rock 'n' roll version (as "Juke Box Johnnie") in December 1956, for Arc Records. He cut 25 tracks for King, over two periods: 1953-1956 and 1959-1963. In 1958 he made two good singles for Starday, "Why Did You Lie To Me" and "Too Hot To Handle". His only chart entry was "Drunk Again" (King 5413) in 1961 (# 25 country). Another drinking song, "Out Of Control", was co-written with George Jones. Both men recorded their own version, the Jones record being the biggest seller.
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Joedy Lea. Speed Records # 104 - 1953 The Devil Paid Me / Sweet Little Baby Joedy Lea wrote both songs on this platter credited as (Leavins) and his top notch band show real quality as they rip through The Devil Paid Me (With A Mother In Law) a mighty fine country swing number that bobs along at a superb rate of knots and is the stand out track on this record.
Jimmy Johnson & Jack Rhodes Ramblers. Freedom Record # 5009 - 1950 Salt Your Pillow Down / Could You.
Jimmy Johnson will always be highly regarded in the world of 45 collecting for his two sided monster record on Starday . Number 561 - Woman Love / All Dressed Up is a highly prized slice of rural hick bop ! but before that he recorded this little masterpiece, released on Freedom in 1950 this is truly a stomper of a 78 record, searing lead guitar matched with Steel and Fiddle and of course the super vocals of Jimmy........a lil' cracker of early 50's country bop !
In 1952, Don Law of Columbia Recordscame to Dallas and cut Johnson at Jim Beck’sstudio 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 ofJack Rhodes and his Lone Star Buddies, of which neither sold well.
August 1950 ACA Studio, 612 Westheimer, Houston. TX - Jimmy Johnson with Jack Rhodes Ramblers (Jimmy Johnson [vcl], Bobby Davis [el ld gt], Red Hayes [ac ld gt], Al Petty [steel], Leon Hayes or Doc Shelton [bass], Kennetth 'Little Red' Hayes [fiddle]) 001 ACA 1727 SALT YOUR PILLOW DOWN Freedom 5009 002 ACA 1728 COULD YOU 5009
Peck Touchton and The Sunset Wranglers . Freedom Record # 5028 - 1950 Walk Em' Off Blues / Lonely World.
If ever someone deserved to be a BIG county star then Peck Touchton was such an artist. A truly staggering vocalist and his output on Sarg and here on Freedom is unquestionably the finest rural bop you will ever hear ! Walk 'Em Off Blues is a mid tempo country blues hurricane of a song, it takes you by the hand and leads you through some magical guitar work by Raleigh Dykes and sweet Steel by James Bell and not forgetting Peck tortured country vocals, if you haven't guessed yet but I am a BIG BIG fan !
May 1950 ACA Sound And Film Studios, 5520-22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX – Peck Touchton and The Sunset Wranglers (Peck Touchton [vl/gt], Raleigh Dykes [ld gt], James Bell [steel], Pete ? [bass], Pat Thomas [fiddle]) 001 ACA 1659 WALK‘ EM OFF BLUES Freedom 5028 Green Star 5028 002 ACA 1660LONELY WORLD Freedom 5028
Coye Wilcox Freedom Record - Test Press # 5040 - 1951 Look What Loves Done To Me / It's Nobody's Business.
Wilcox was born in Rusk, Texas . A tire plant worker by day and by night a tip top country singer . He was for a time a singer in The Jack Rhodes Band in early 1950, around this time he made some demos for Charlie Fitch at Sarg but saw no release, Undeterred he popped down to Houston and cut this release for Freedom, a pure county bop record, lashings of Steel and Lead Guitar and the rural vocal tone of Coye. A tip top record without doubt.
Jimmie Spear and The Bluebonnet Boys . Freedom Record # 5005 - 1950 Mad At My Heart / Turn Me Around.
Not much is know of Jimmie, even a photo is proving hard to track down.The singing style is pure Hank Williams, which Spear would have absorbed from that artist's heavy touring and broadcasting in both Louisiana and Texas, well before Williams took over the nation's country jukeboxes. With the Bluebonnets, Spear used a band name as worn as the shoes of a Houston hobo. Delores & the Bluebonnet Boys and Dick Dyson & His Bluebonnet Boys were both well established Texas western swing bands well before Spear stepped into the studio.
Lonnie Barron (The Mississippi Farm Boy) with The Farm Boys.
Sage and Sand Record # 201 - 1955
You're Not The First Girl / Sentimental Me, Sentimental She.
Two years after releasing this record Lonnie Barron was shot dead by a jealous husband who caught him with his lady, he was shot three times and was wearing full western attire at the time of the shooting.
On this record Lonnie sounds like an angel and is one of my favorite country tunes by him. Starts with some fine fiddle and Steel and then you get Lonnie pouring his heart out about the girl who broke his heart, this is utter quality and should be right up there when you wanna tell someone what country honky Tonk music is......play this and remember Mr Lonnie Barron .
Jimmy Stone Gone Recording Corp # 5001 - March 1957. Mine / Found.
This was the first release from New York Label 'Gone' in 1957 . The A side Mine is a likeable slow tune with full backing vocals by a Jordanaires type outfit but really nothing to get excited about, but flip it over and you get full twang guitar intro and then heavy echo laden vocals, but even though it's late into the 50's this tune still retains it's country Rockabilly origins and boy oh boy this is pure magic.
Herby Shozel & The Longhorn Playboys. Sarg Record # 103 - 1954 You Ain't Foolin' Me / I suppose .
After two first records (Neal Merritt) not selling, Fitch was hungry for a success. He found it with Herby Shozel’s « I Suppose/You Ain’t Foolin’ Me » Born Herby Schoelzel in Fentress, Texas, in 1928, he was immersed in music. His family moved in San Antonio in 1941, and by 1945, he had his own band and a local radio show. Unfortunately Shozel was drafted from October 1950 for two long years. The band had lead guitar, piano and bass, along with an ex-Bill Mack fiddler. The Longhorn Playboys’ sound was far more Country than their contemporaries of the area: it was achingly pure sound, strongly influenced by Hank Williams. Shozel’s voice could be lithe on love ballads yet sly and sarcastic on tell-offs.
Charles Fitch saw them playing at the Barn, a local club and offered them a contract. They would record at ACA in Houston in March 1954. « I suppose » was a local hit. They had a second session backing Neal Merritt, then in August cut four original songs, the best being « You’re Gonna Pay », released a year later. Neither of them sold enough though, and after misgivings with Fitch, they parted. The band never recorded again.
Neal Merritt . Sarg Records # 104 - April 1954 I Got Fooled / Korean Love Song
During his short life, Merritt was at one time disc-jockey at day, and singer in clubs at night, a common practice in the ’40s and ’50s. Few remember his fast-talking in San Antonio KONO or KMAC in the early ’60s. Even one of his closest friends told he was « possibly the loneliest man » he’d ever known. Born Carol Merritt in 1930, he changed later for a more ‘masculine’ name; he learned how to play piano and guitar, but was passionate for singing and song-writing. By 1949 he formed his first band, the Bandera Ranch Hands and toured the area. After a stint in Korea, he was back with « Korean Love Song » – both Capitol and Mercury rejected the song, so Charlie Fitch began his label with the tune, in late December 1953. Merritt recorded 3 other songs, later published in April 1954 (700 78s and 100 red wax 45s), but, by the the end of the year, Fitch had only sold 80.
Neal Merritt recorded once more for Sarg in 1955, alas, again without more success, and by the end of the year Fitch resolved his contract. He would then go to Starday (# 237, 260 and 281), and much, much later, in 1965, had a #1 in the hands of Little Jimmy Dickens with « May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose ». A Capitol contract followed, which went nowhere, and Merritt was back to Texas, less and less disc-jockeying, more and more drinking. He was found dead (cirrhosis and heart failure) in a Gatesville, Texas motel, in April 1975.
Henry Bennetsen & The Southernaires. Sarg Record # 105 - 1954. Side A - What's The Matter With You. Side B - Six More Days. Henry Bennetssen was for all intents and purposes a great fiddle player with a half decent voice . He was part of The Southernaires band and also palyed on the next Sarg release # 106 backing Arnold Parker . The A side is a pretty decent lil' country tune but the real gold lies within the flip 'Six More Days' which starts off with Henry's fine fiddle, some fine steel and punchy rhythm guitar and drums makes for a mighty fine record and Henry's voice is just right and he holds it all together very well.
Recorded May 2nd 1954 - ACA Sound and Film Studios, Houston, Texas. Sound Engineer - Bill Holford. Henry Bennetsen - Vocals/ Fiddle. A.L 'Curley' Williams - Rhythm Guitar. Homer Bade - Steel. Pop Rose - Bass. Benny Lange - Drums.
Recorded mid 1954 at ACA Sound & Film Studios, 5520-22, Washington Ave, Houston, Texas.
Engineer - Bill Holford
Arnold Parker - Vocal
Kenneth Williams - Lead Guitar
A.L. 'Curley' Williams - Rhythm Guitar
Homer Bade - Steel Guitar
Pop Rose - Bass
Benny Lange - Drums
Henry Bennetsen - Fiddle
Arnold Parker went on to record an absolute Rockabilly stormer over at Starday in 1956, but here we find him and The Southernairs laying down some honest country on a late 1954 release.
The A side is a real nice slow lovey dovey slice of pure Texas country, all the elements are here and it does not disappoint. But again, flip it over and the tempo goes up a few notches and you get to hear 'One Way Love' a real cool mid-tempo bopper that chugs away and sounds perfect to my ears!
Dave Isbell (1st Left), Willie Nelson (third left)
Dave Isbell & the Mission City Playboys. Sarg Record # 108 - 1954 Satisfied Or Sorry / No Longer Afraid.
Dave Isbell:Vocals and possibly Guitar Mission City Playboys: Willie Nelson:Guitar Johnny Bush:Drums Other musicians unknown Recorded at ACA Studios 612 Westheimer Houston, TX. 1954
Larry Nolen & The Bandits . Sarg Record # 110 - 1954. I Need You Now / The Bandit.
LARRY NOLEN and the Bandits Larry Nolen was born in Mineola in Northeast Texas in 1933 and moved to San Antonio as a child. He began his professional music career as a rhythm guitarist in 1946,at the age of 13, when he joined The Mountain Rhythm Band, a family band that featured Boy and Gene who later achieved success as The Jacoby Brothers. Smiley Whitley, leader of one of the most famous western swing bands in Texas, recognized a star on the rise and invited Larry to play with his band, Smiley Whitley and the Texans. They performed most Saturday nights at Bandera’s famous Cabaret Dancehall and also hosted a radio show at San Antonio’s KONO / KMAC radio station five days a week. In 1954, Nolen left the Texans, started his own band Larry Nolen & The Bandits and released « I Need You Now » and « Hillbilly Love Affair » on Sarg Records. Nolen went on to share the stage with Elvis Presley, Porter Wagoner, Spade Cooley, Hank Thompson, Doug Sahm, Marty Robbins, Johnny Paycheck, Roger Miller and George Jones, frequently appearing on The Louisiana Hayride and more than fifty Grand Ole Opry Road Shows. Larry has been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for « King of the Ducktail Cats » (Starday 668), the Texas Western Swing Music Hall of Fame with the Texas Tophands, and the Bandera Music Hall of Fame as a Living Legend. A few of his hit records include « I Need You Now« , « Please Talk To My Heart« , « The Bandit« , « Hillbilly Love Affair » and « Ramblin’ Rose » which was recorded by Nat King Cole. Larry currently lives on a ranch near Pipe Creek, Texas with his wife, Dixie. He owns and operates Bandit Records, his own private recording studio on the ranch. Larry continues to perform live at venues and events throughout Texas and has recently recorded his latest CD, « Hangovers Sure Hang On
Neal Merritt - Sarg Record # 111 - 1955. A - There's An Hour To Every Minute. B - Sweeping Up The Ashes. Neal may have never had a big hit record and probably more remembered around those parts as a radio DJ and presenter he certainly did cut some great tunes at Sarg and Starday and this one is his best IMO on Sarg. Rip roaring up-tempo country at it's best, the band are having a ball, strong bass and drums lets you know this is gonna rock and it does BIG TIME !!!!!
Larry Nolen with The Bandits . Sarg Record # 115 - 1954. Hillbilly Love Affair / No Wedding Bells For Me.
Larry Nolen was born in Mineola in Northeast Texas in 1933 and moved to San Antonio as a child. In 1954 he started his own band Larry Nolen & The Bandits and released “I Need You Now” and “Hillbilly Love Affair” on Sarg Records. Larry has been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for “King of the Ducktail Cats”.
Herby Shozel & the Longhorn Playboys . Sarg Record # 116 - 1955 You're Gonna Pay / I Can't Believe It's True.
Charles Fitch saw Herby and The Longhorn Playboys playing at the Barn, a local club and offered them a contract. They would record at ACA in Houston in March 1954. « I suppose » was a local hit. They had a second session backing Neal Merritt, then in August cut four original songs, the best being « You’re Gonna Pay », released a year later. Neither of them sold enough though, and after misgivings with Fitch, they parted. The band never recorded again.
Eddy and the Ah-Ah Playboys rip right through this A side, strong fiddle and piano keeps this ditty moving right along. Eddy has a very nasal tone to his voice but it works and he sings about having a real fine time someday. The same goes for the flip, really strong playing and Eddy's voice just makes it all jangle along just fine & dandy!
Recorded summer 1955 - Probably at KMAC Studios, 222 1/2 W. Commerce Street, San Antonio, Texas.
Quite simply not the best release on Sarg and sung by Bobbie Vaughn (aged 13) & Dale Vaughn (aged 11). Samson is so bad that it makes your tooth fillings itch (which takes some doing), they both screech their way through this really bad country song and it is relentless in its ambition to murder your ear drums for all eternity. This is so bad it's bad, real bad.
Peck Touchton once again produces two fantastic sides on this early 1956 release. The A side is a wonderful tune and if the B side had been a slow country weepie it would be seen as masterpiece but the flip, as chance would have it is even better, it's so good and it knows it, 'You've Changed Your Tune' is classy and bops along at a right pace with The Sunset Wranglers showing pure class as they let Peck sing is heart out, it's so good it's brilliant.
Recorded 7th March 1956 - ACA Sound Studio, Houston, Texas.
