Feature Column
Exclusive to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame






Column #36 - published August 5, 2000


ALVIS: 1000% TEXAN!!

ALVIS WAYNE AT ROLLIN' ROCK

Alvis Wayne signing to Rollin' Rock Records: finally, after 26 years!

Ever since I released the Alvis Wayne EP (Rollin' Rock 45-014) in 1973 which included his classic original 1950s Westport masters, I had wanted to record an LP with Alvis. In 1974 when I flew to Texas to interview many of the Texas Legends, including Johnny Carroll, Groovey Joe Poovey, Jim Shell, Sid King, Howard Reed, Juvie Gomez, etc., I was able to record Alvis on three songs using my Akai home recorder.

Because of financial and other reasons, it took another 26 years before we could record a whole LP!!

In the meantime I had lost touch with Alvis, but thanks to the efforts of Brits John Kennedy, Perry Williamson and John Beecher, Alvis was "rediscovered" for a third time!!


The West is Rockin' Wild with Alvis!!

In 1994 Perry and John Beecher released a great LP covering Alvis' Westport and Rollin' Rock masters on Pink & Black Records. Order from Perry Williamson, Wondrous Place, Cut Maple, Sible Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3RL, UK., or e-mail: perry.w@virgin.net

The release of this LP reminded me once again of my failure to record a whole LP, or CD, with Alvis!


Without Andres Lopez of Dragstrip77 slappin' the doghouse, these sessions would not have come out swingin' like this!!

Finally on July 14, 2000, 26 years later, the magic day arrived: ALVIS WAYNE AT ROLLIN' ROCK!!!

Backed by slappin' bassist supremo Fernando Andres Lopez and drummer David Van Antwerp of Las Vegas' premier rockabilly band, Dragstrip77, Alvis had a solid rhythm section backing him. Jorge Harada, also of DS77, plays guitar on the blues "I Want You All The Time".



On all the other tracks that sizzling rockabilly guitar is provided by Argentinean Billinghurst "Billy" Disonante of Mack Stevens' Hard-Core Texas Cats. Billy also plays piano on "Those Lonely Lonely Teardrops", a fantastic 1950's styled Rockabilly song which almost has a Doo Wop Western feel to it!

And we should not forget to mention Las Vegas Rockabilly filly Jessica Rooth belting it out with Alvis on "You Can Have Her" and on "Those Lonely Lonely Teardrops", and also whispering an eerie siren's "aaaaahhhhh" on Alvis' self-penned hit record "Fall Falling".

But, as good as the musicians are, only a talent of the magnitude of Alvis Wayne with his deep soulful Country Blues Texas pipes could have made this record such an experience!

It's difficult to find any contemporary artist who can come close to this voice!!


Ronny & Alvis: Turquoise & Black:
Classic 1950s Western Rockabilly colors!!

Picking favorites is quite a task: from the frantic title track "Rockabilly Daddy" to the very catchy Country Waltz "A Good Woman's Love" with its Johnny Horton inspired guitar, from the teary bar song "A Life Like Mine" to the catchy Rock'n'Roll stomper "Back To The '50s Again", the hits keep on rolling out!

The most gut-wrenching song must be "Here I Am", written by Alvis' wife Fritzie, which, after the recording was finished, elicited this comment from Alvis:"Uhh, this one gave me goosebumps!" Goosebumps for sure, but I also felt the hairs on the back of my neck standing up straight!! :-) :-)

A great variety of sounds: Rockabilly, Country, Blues, Cajun, Rock'n'Roll, Gospel, Waltz, all handled effortlessly by Alvis. A real "Texas Rockabilly Get Together" for sure !!

Let's just hope that Alvis' next stop at Rollin' Rock will occur in a few months from now, and not in 26 years!!!

As Alvis Wayne says:"Texas Rockin' Cowboys Are The Best!" Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Release date: August 25

Rockabilly Daddy - Rollin' Rock CD -109
Order from: Ronny Weiser, 2460 Casey Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89120
$13.98 + $2 S&H, (Foreign $4).

ALVIS WAYNE: "Rockabilly Daddy" - Rollin' Rock CD -109
1.) Rockabilly Daddy
(Alvis Wayne) Ron Weiser Publishing, BMI

2.) Those Lonely Lonely Teardrops
(Sam Salazar) Ron Weiser Publishing, BMI

3.) One Woman Man
(Johnny Horton/Tillman Franks), BMI

4.) Here I Am
(Fritzie Samford) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

5.) A Good Woman's Love
(Cy Coben) Delmore Music, ASCAP

6.) Back To The 50s
(Chuck Shelton) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

7.) Fall Fallin'
(Alvis Wayne) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

8.) You Can Have Her
(William S. Cook) BMI

9.) A Life Like Mine
(Alvis Wayne) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

10.) Louisiana Dirty Rice
(Jimmy C. Newman), BMI

11.) Billy Bayou
(Roger Miller), BMI

12.) Gothenburg
(Rayburn Anthony) Rayburn Anthony Music

13.) Alone With You
(F.Young - L.Vandore - R. Drusky), BMI

14.) I Want You All The Time
(Alvis Wayne) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

15.) Texas Rockabilly Get Together
(Chuck Shelton) Ron Weiser Publ., BMI

Guitar & piano: Billy Disonante of Mack Stevens' Hardcore Texas Cats
Bass: Andres Lopez of Dragstrip77
Drums: Dave Van Antwerp of Dragstrip77
Also Jessica Rooth vocals on #2, #7, #8, and Jorge Harada guitar on #14

Billinghurst "Billy" Disonante, of Mack Stevens' Hardcore Texas Cats, delivered the perfect Texas guitar sounds to complement Alvis' soulful singing!


Ronny, Andres, Dave, Alvis

(A special mention should go to Texan Dave Phillips of DimentionX Grafix for designing the super-cool Alvis Wayne artwork. Dave's work is in high demand by the Las Vegas Casinos, and also by car clubs for which he designs some awesome vinyl graphics. Contact Dave at dimentionx@earthlink.com)




Always Rollin' The Rollin' Rock,
Rockin' Ronny Weiser
The Rockabilly Rebel Westerner From Las Vegas, The Wild Wild West!


E-Mail Ronny at Rollin' Rock

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Original Cool's Ronny Weiser Interview





Ken Burke Reviews Rollin' Rock's Discography


THE ARCHIVES OF
RONNY'S ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME COLUMNS
© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Col. #35 for 07/00 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA 2000
Col. #34 for 06/00 - THE CHOP TOPS AT ROLLIN' ROCK!!
Col. #33 for 05/00 - VIVA LAS VEGAS 2000 PIX!
Col. #32 for 04/00 - DRAGSTRIP77: TEARIN' IT UP!
Col. #30 & #31 for 02/00 & 03/00 - VIVA LAS VEGAS 2000!
Col. #29 for 01/00 - ROCKIN' 2000!
Col. #28 for 12/99 - JOHNNY AND THE BLADES AT ROLLIN' ROCK!
Col. #27 for 11/99 - AN UPDATED IMPROVED SOUND?
Col. #26 for 10/99 - TIME TO RECLAIM "THE ROCK"
Col. #26 for 10/99 - TIME TO RECLAIM "THE ROCK"
Col. #25 for 9/99 - YOUNG ROCK AT ROLLIN' ROCK
Col. #24 for 8/99 - COMETS RECORD AT ROLLIN' ROCK
Col. #23 for 7/99 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
Col. #22 for 6/99 - FINLAND IS A ROCKABILLY LAND!
Col. #21 for 5/99 - THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN
Col. #20 for 4/99 - ROCKABILLY REBEL: A SHORT HISTORY
Col. #19 for 3/99 - PINBALL MILLIONAIRE
Col. #18 for 1/99 & 2/99 - VIVA LAS VEGAS 1999
Col. #17 - 12/98 - INTERNATIONAL ROCKABILLY REBELS MEET & GREET
Col. #16 - 11/98 - GROOVEY JOE POOVEY: Reminiscing
Col. #15 - 10/98 - CHARLIE FEATHERS
Col. #14 - 9/98 - NARVEL FELTS AT ROLLIN' ROCK!
Col. #13 - 8/98 - IT'S WESTERN WEAR!
Col. #12 - 7/98 - THE JORDANAIRES
Col. #11 - 6/98 - ROCKABILLY HOF - 15,000 HITS!!
Col. #10 - 5/98 - MAC STEVENS RECORDS AT ROLLIN' ROCK
Col. # 9 - 4/98 - VIVA LAS VEGAS
Col. # 8 - 3/98 - KAY WHEELER
Col. # 7 - 2/98 - 10 ROLLIN' ROCK CDs
Col. # 6 - 1/98 - SAM COOKE
Col. # 5 - 12/97 - LAS VEGAS IS A 1950's TOWN
Col. # 4 - 11/97 - GOD BLESS TEXAS
Col. # 3 - 10/97 - FATS DOMINO
Col. # 2 - 9/97 - RAB DISCUSSION GROUP
Col. # 1 - 8/97 - 25 YEARS OF ROLLIN' ROCK RECORDS