* = HONORABLE MENTION "C" Artists & Songs
SEE OTHER ARTISTS AND THEIR SONGS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Caddell, Freddie
Gotta Big Fat Mama
Cagle, Aubrey
Be-Bop Blues, '60
Bop & Stroll, '60
Real Cool, '59
Rockabilly Boy, '60
Want To Be Wanted Blues, '59
Cagle, Danny
Cagle, Roy
Cain, Mike
Shake A Hand
Cain, Pat
Cajuns
Caldwell, Andy
Caldwell, Don
Caldwell, Joe
Cale, Johnny
Cales, Eddie
Calhoun, Charlie
Callahan, Mike
Callaway, Bob
Callicutt, Dudley
Get Ready Baby, '58
Heart Trouble, '58
Cals
Calvert, Wayne
Cameos
Cameron, Johnny
Cameron, Ken
Campbell, Cecil
Dixieland Rock, '56
Rock & Roll Fever, '57
Rockin' Guitar, '57
Campbell, Dick
She's My Girl, '63
Campbell, Jo-Ann
Born: July 20, 1938, Hometown: Jacksonville, FL. Jo-Ann was a drum majorette at Fletcher High School in Jacksonville. At sixteen, she traveled through Europe with the USO as a dancer. When she came to New York in the mid-1950s, she decided to quit dancing and try her luck at singing. She was a smash success at New York's Apollo in Harlem. This led to a recording contract with Eldorado Records, where she recorded a song she wrote called "Come On Baby" in January 1957. She then went to Gone Records where she premiered with "Wait A Minute" in December of 1957. Her biggest hit, "Kookie Little Paradise," was with ABC Records in the fall of 1960. Today [note: the book is (c) 1974], Jo-Ann lives with her husband, Troy Seals -- a record producer for Atlantic Records -- in Hendersonville, Tennessee. These days she does not do any singing. Add these to her discography:
August 1960 - Kookie Little Paradise - ABC Records
August 1962 - I'm The Girl From Wolverton Mountain - Cameo Records
April - 1963 - Mother, Please - Cameo Records
Boogie Woogie Country Girl, '59
Crazy Daisy, '60
Wassa Matter With You Baby, '59
You're Driving Me Mad, '58
Campbell, Paul
I Love You Baby
Campbell, Ray
Ball Tonight, '60
Campbell, Roy
Reel It And Roll It
Ray's on-site Rockabilly HOF web page
Campi, Ray
Ballad Of Donna And Peggy Sue, '59
Catapillar, '57
Man I Met, '59
My Screamin' Screamin' Mimi, ' 58
Play It Cool, '57
Rockabilly Music, '83
Sixteen Chicks, '78
Canadian Sweethearts
Canadian V.I.P.'s
Canales, Johnny
Candlettes
Candoli Brothers
Canfil, Chase
Woke Up This Morning, 58
I Had A Dream, 58
Canida, Carl
Party Date
Cannon, Ace
Cannon, Freddie
On-Site Mini-Bio
Tallahassee Lassie
Cannon, Jackie
Chill Bumps, 61
Cannonballs
Canucks
Cap, Joe
Capehart, Jerry
That's What It Takes To Make A Man, 56
Latch On
Heart Of A Fool
Capello, Lenny
Capitals
Capone, Susan
Capps, Judy
You Can Have My Love
Capri Sisters
Caradine, Mike
Caravans
Caraway, Bob & Terry
Ballin' Keen, '59
Cardell, Jack
Whiskey Women and Loaded Dice (King 1357, '54)
Cardell, Johnny
Cardwell, Jack
Carey, Charlie
Carl & Norman
Shooting For The Moon, '59
Carl, Danny
Carl, Joe
Carl, Steve
18 Year Old Blues, '58
Curfew, '58
Carlisle, Bill
Cliff, Carlisle
On-Site Mini-Bio
Carlisle, Ken
Carlisles
Carlo & the Cupids
Carlton, Chick
Carmen, Jay
Carnes, Paul
I'm A Mean Mean Daddy
Carnes, Preston
Carnes, Sandy
Carpenter Brothers
Heartaches Ahead, '60
Love Just A Little, '60
Carpenter, Everett
Let Your Hair Down Baby
Run Run Mabel
Carpenter, Freddie
Carpenter, Steve
Carr, Wynona
Carrie, Len
Carrillo, Martin
Carroll, Billy
Big Green Car, '58
Carroll Brothers
Red Hot
Carroll, Carlton
Carroll, Chuck
Carroll, Don
Carroll, Eddie
Carroll, Evans
Come Back Baby
Carroll, Gene
Big Green Car
Carroll, Jimmy
Carroll, Johnny
Born 1938, Memphis. Recorded for Decca in Dallas and Nashville in 1956. On June 23, 1957 recorded at Cliff Herringšs studio in Ft. Worth, leasing the tape to Sam Phillips. George Jones was on guitar at this session. Carroll later recorded for Warner Bros. and Rockin' Ronny Weiser's Rollin' Rock Records.
Be-Bop-A-Lula Is Back On The Scene
Corrine Corrina, '56
Crazy Crazy Lovin', '56
Crazy Little Mama, '55
Hot Rock, '56
Rock & Roll Ruby, '56
Rock Baby Rock It, '57
Rockin' Maybelle, '57
Trying To Get To You, '56
Wild Wild Women, '56
Wild Wild Women, '57
Carroll, Pete
Carroll, Wayne
Carson, Chuck
Carson, Coleen
Carson, Don
Carson, Martha
Now Stop, '57
Carson, Mindy
Carter, Anita
Carter, Bill
Cool Tomcat, '60
I Used To Love You, '58
Carter, Bobby (& The Spotlights)
Run Run Run
Carter, Dean
Carter, Fred
Look For Me, '59
Love It Up, '59
My Heart Cries, '59
Carter, Harold
Carter, Harry
Jump Baby Jump, '57
Rhythm In My Soul, '57
Carter, Jimmy
Carter Kids
Gotta Rock
Carter, Phil
Carter, Wilf
Cartey, Ric
Born To Love One Woman, '57
Heart Throb, '57
Oooh-Wee, '56
Scratchin' On My Screen, '58
Young Love, '56
Cartwright Family
Carzle, Lee
I'm Asking But I'm Not Getting
What's In Store For Me
Casanova & The Chants
Casanova Jr.
Sally Mae
Casanova, Tommy
Casanova, Tony
Boogie Woogie Feeling, '59
Showdown, '59
Casassa, Tommy
Casey, Jo
Casey, Al
Got The Teenage Blues, '60
Stinger
Willa Mae, '57
Casey, Jim
Jim is a life-long veteran of the music recording industry. As a teenage member of "The Smoke Ring," he recorded chart records for Buddah Records and Mala Records, hitting success with "No, Not Much" and "That Girl Was My Girl." As a sonwriter, has has had songs recorded by, in addition to The Smoke Ring, Bobby Bare, Tompall Glaser, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ritchie Havens, Waylon Jennings and Albert Collins. His soundtrack for the 1991 movie "Sealed With a Kiss," won an overall excellence award from the Miami Film Festival. He continues to write, record and produce music in Nashville, Tennessee.
Casey, Patti
Rock Doc, '56
Cash Brothers
Cash, Bobby
Your Love And Kisses
Cash, Eddie
Doin' Alright, 58
Cash, Johnny
On-Site Mini-Bio
Off-Site: The Johnny Cash Page
Ballad Of A Teenage Queen, '58
Get Rhythm, '56
Hey Porter, '55
Home Of The Blues, '57
I Forgot To Remember To Forget, '59
I Walk the Line, '56
I Will Rock & Roll With You, '78
Next In Line, '57
Oh Lonesome Me, '60
Straight A's In Love, '60
There You Go, '57
Train of Love, '57
Walkin' The Blues, '58 Wreck Of The Old '97, '58
Cason, Buzz
Casper, Bobby
Cass, Glen
Cass, Bob & The Corvettes
Cassell, Tommy
Go Ahead On, '58
Rockin' Rock And A Rollin' Stone, '58
Cassidy Sisters
Cast, Ernie
Castle, Ann
Go Get The Shotgun Grandpa
Castle, Birdie
Star Light, Star Bright, 57
Castle, Joey
Rock & Roll Daddy-O, '59
That Ain't Nothin' But Right, '58
Castle, Nan
Star Light Star Bright, '57
Castle, Ric
Castle, Tommy
Castle, Tony
Castleberry, Leo
Castleman, Kenneth
Cassell, Tommy
Castle, Joey
Castle, Nan
Casuals
Catalinas
Catalina Push
Speechless, '58
Cathey, Bob
Cathey, Frank
Witchapoo
Cavalier, Johnny
Rock'n Chair Roll, '59
Causey, Sam
Cavell, Marc
Cavello, Jimmy
Cavello, Johnny
Caves, John Wesley
Rocket To The Moon
Cavin, Mel
Celestine
Cedrone, Danny
Center, Bob
Hey Bo
Chaino
Chaffin, Ernie
Ernie, a former Sun artist, passed away following a tractor accident on his farm in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on April 16, 1997. He was 69. Born in Water Valley, Mississippi on January 22, 1928.
Laughin' And Jokin', '57
Chaffin, Little Dick
Challengers
Chamberlain Brothers
Chambers, Bill
Chambers, Jimmy
Be My Baby, '59
My Sack On My Back, '59
Champion, Hollis
Long Gone Lonesome Blues, '59
Chandler, Howard
Wampus Cat, '59
Champagne, Charles
Champion, Earl
Champion, Johnny
Chance, Wayne
Chancellors
Judy Judy
Chanclairs
Chandler, Bobby
Chandler, Lee
Chandler, Wayland
Channel, Bruce
Chano
Chantones
Chapel, Jean
Born Jean Amber in Neon, Kentucky. Played in a group with her sisters on WHIS in W. Virginia, later moving as a solo to Renfro Valley Barn Dance in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. Moved to Memphis and played with Clyde Leoppard before recording I Wonšt Be Rocking Tonight for Sun. Later recorded for RCA before becoming a song writer in Nashville. Has written songs for Eddie Arnold, Dean Martin and Roy Rogers.
I Won't Be Rockin' Tonight, '56
Oo-Ba La Baby, '57
Welcome To The Club, '56
Chapman, Gene
Oklahoma Blues, '62
Chapman, Jack
Hey Porter, '64
Chapman, Wes
Chaparrals
Leapin' Guitar, 60
Chaplain, Paul
Chappel, Leon
Chappell, Bill
Down On The Farm Boogie, '63
Charles, Andy (& The Blues Kings)
Baby Don't Go, 59
Charles, James
Charles, King
Charles, Pete
Charles, Tommy
Charley & Junior
Cuddle Lovin' Baby, 58
Charlie & Charles
Charlie Bop Trio
Mr. Big Feet, '58
Charms
Charney, Kimm
Chase, Al
Chase, Eddie
Chastain, Jody
My My, '58
Photo courtesy Myra Goins
Chastain, Tifler E.
b. 01/11/1923, d. 07/06/1986, US Army, PVT, Res: Indianapolis, IN, Plot: 1 0 351 A, bur. 07/09/1986, Marion National Cemetery, Marion, Grant County, Indiana House of Blue
Chateaus
Chavis Brothers
Baby Don't Leave Me, '61
Chavis Brothers, 'Love Me Baby, '59
So Tired, '59
Cheek, Harold
Chelette Sisters
Chenault, Teenie
Chenier, Clifton
Boppin' The Rock, 55
Cherokee Chief
Cherry, Carl
The Itch, '59
Chess, Hank
Chester, Johnny
The Hokey Pokey
Teeny
Can Can Ladies
Chester, Lou, Jr.
Chevalier, Jay
Rock 'n' Roll Angel
Chick & The Hot Rods
Chick, Tony
Chieftones
Indian Moon
Childress, Buddy
Childs, Billy
Call Me Shorty
Chippendales
Circo, Re & Row
Chism, Chico
Chorts
Chowning, Bud
*Christian, Charlie
On-Site Mini-Bio
Christie, Gaylon
Christy, Charles
Chuck & Betty
Chuck & Bill
Way Out There, '57
Chuck & Gary
Chuck & Gene
Curfew, '58
Chuck & The Monarchs
She's Mine
Chuckle D.
Ci-Tations
Citations
Ciolino, Pete
Daddy Joe, '58
Clarck, Gene
Clark, Becky
Clark, Billy
I Kmow Why, '59
Clark, Casey
Clark, Dorisetta
Clark, Jimmy
Clark, Johnny
Clark, Ken
Ho! Ho! Love 'Em Joe
Clark, Leonard
Come To Your Tommy Now, '62
Clark, Ray
Clark, Roy
Clark, Royce
They'll Never Know
Clark, Sanford
A Cheat, '56
The Fool, '56
Man Who Made An Angel Cry, '57
Modern Romance, '58
Clark, Steve
Clark, Vern
Clarke, "Denver" Bil
Clarke, Jackie
Clarko
Claud, Vernon
Baby's Gone, 58
Clay, Cliff
Clay, Joe
JOE CLAY - - On-site Rockabilly HOF web page
Duck Tail, '56
Sixteen Chicks, '56
Slippin' Out & Sneakin' In, '56
Clayton, Doug
Sally Ann, '62
Saturday Night Twist, '62
Clayton, Jerry
Date Bait
Clayton, Johnny
Clear Waters
Clearmont, Eddie
Cleary, Eddie
Meet Miss Susie, '59
Cleary, Mark
Clement, Jack
Born Jack Henderson Clement, 1931, Memphis. Country musician in Washington, Boston, and Baltimore until 1953 when he returned to Memphis. Member of the Buzz and Jack bluegrass duo in early '50s and has been in production with Fernwood, Sun, Summer, Epic, RCA and others. Owned Jack Music, a movie production company and JMI Records.
Clement, Terry
She's My Baby Doll, '60
Clements, Zeke
I Don't Like It, '59
Cletro, Eddie
Flyin' Saucer Boogie, '52
Click Clacks
Cliff, Benny
Crazy Mama, '58
Shake Um Up Rock, '59
Climer, Jimmy
Cline, Cecil
Cline, Patsy
Gotta Lot Of Rhythm, '64
On-Site Mini-Bio
Off-Site: A Tribute to Patsy Cline
Clingman, Loy
Clinton, Larry
Cloud, P.
Cloud, Paula
Clour, Deral (& Charlie Drake)
Sundown Boogie
Clowney, Dave
Coachmen
Coates, Jesse
Coats, Don (& the Bon-Aires)
Appeared in "Rock Baby Rock It" movie
Stop the World
Love Never Forgets
Cobb, Terry
Cobb, Wayne "Red"
Shoppin' Around, '56
Somethin' Bad's Gonna Happen, '56
Coburn, Kimball
Boo Be Ah Bee, 58
Please Please
Teenage Love
What A Day
Cochran, Alane
Cochran Brothers, Eddie & Hank, not related.
Fool's Paradise, '56
Latch On, '56
Open The Door, '56
Slow Down, '56
Tired And Sleepy, '56
Cochran, Eddie
C'mon Everybody, '58
C'mon Everybody, '60
Cut Across Shorty, '60
Drive-In Show, '57
Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie, '58
Milkcow Blues, '59
Nervous Breakdown, '62
Pink-Peg Slacks, '56
Sittin' In The Balcony, '57
Skinny Jim, '56
Somethin' Else, '59
Summertime Blues, '58
Three Stars, '59
Three Steps To Heaven, '59
Twenty Flight Rock, '56
Weekend, '59
On-Site Mini-Bio
The Eddie Cochran Shrine
Cochran, Hank
I'm Ready, '56
Latch On, '56
Cochran, Jackie Lee
Off-site web page for "The Cat"
Georgia Lee Brown, '62
Getting Myself Back Together, '86
Good Rockin' Tonight, '76
Hip Shakin' Mama, '56
I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine, '72
Mama Don't You Think I Know, '56
Mama Don't You Think I Know, '81
Riverside Jump, '56
Rockabilly Music, '77
Ruby Pearl, '56
Cochran, Walt
Cochran, Wayne
Last Kiss
Cody, Skip
Coe, Fred
Coe, Jamie
Cogan, Don
Coins, Collins
Coker, Al
Don't Go Baby (Don't Go), '56
Coker, Alvadean
We're Gonna Bop, '55
Coker, Sandy
Meadowlark Boogie, '54
Colburn, Lou
Coldiron, Curley
Rockin' Spot, '59
Cole Brothers
Cole, Billy C.
Cole, Diana
Cole, Don
Snake Eyed Mama, '57
Cole, Jerry
Cole, Junior
Cole, Lee
Cool Baby, '59
Cole, Les (& The Echoes)
Be Boppin' Daddy, 58
Rock Little Daddy, 58
Cole, Ray
Cole, Skip
Cole, Sonny
Curfew Cops, '56
I Dreamed I Was Elvis, '56
Robinson Crusoe Bop, '57
Coleman, Joe
Coleman, Ray
Jukebox Rock 'n' Roll. '57
Rock, Chicken Rock
Collay & The Satellites
Collett, Jimmy
Collie, Biff
Collier, Ralph
You'll Come Running Back
Everybody At The Party Had A Sweetheart But Me
Collins, Boots
Mean
Collins, Cecil
Collins, Eddie
Been Round Too Long
Patience Baby
Collins Kids
Beetle Bug Bop, '55
Hop Skip And Jump, '57
Hot Rod, '57
Hoy Hoy, '58
I'm In My Teens, '56
Just Because, '57
Let's Have A Party, '57
Mercy, '58
Collins, Larry
Whistle Bait, '58
Collins, Lorrie
Rock Boppin' Baby, '58
Soda Poppin' Around, '57
Collins, Lyle
Flamingo Rock
Collins, Marty
Collins, Matt
Collins, Tommy
Black Cat, '60
Collins, Stompin' Tom
Colombo, Pete
Combonaires
Comer, Chuck
Little More Lovin', 60
Comets (Billy Haley)
The COMETS - - On-site Rockabilly HOF web page
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
Hot Rod Lincoln, '72
Hot Rod Lincoln, '73
On-Site Mini-Bio
Off-Site: Commander Cody
Commodores
Who Dat, '59
Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
Como, Amos
Hole In The Wall
Comstock, Bobby
Like Wow, '58
Conn, Tony
Like Wow
Cone, Jimmy
Conetta, Lew
Conners, The Swingin'
Connie & Lee
Connie & The Cytations
Boogie Rock
Connors, Greg
Connors, Miles
I Don't Need You No More
Conny & The Bellhops
Fafine, '60
Shot Rod, '60
Conrad, Charlie
Continental Cousins
Continentals
Tic Tac, '61
Cook Brothers
Juke Box Play For Me
You Gotta Go
Cook, Claire
Cook, Jack
Cook, James
Cook, Jimmy
Cook, Johnny
Cook, Ken
Don't Be Runnin' Wild (Problem Child)
Cool, Oliver
Cooley, Spade
Oklahoma Stomp, 46
Cooper, Gary A.
Cooper, Glen
Just Rockin'
Sugar Mama (Daddy)
Cooper, Johnny
Cooper, Marty
Cooper, Shelby
Cooper, Wade
Copas, Lloyd "Cowboy"
Circle Rock, '57
Copeland, Allen
Copeland, Jimmy
Satellite Rock
Copeland, Ken
Pledge Of Love, '57
Where The Rio De Rosa Flows, '57
Coral, Betty
Chili Dippin' Baby, '55
Corals
Corby, Doug
Cordell, Sandy
Cording, Henry
Hiccough Rock, '56
Corey, Ed
Corley, Maurice
Don Cornell
Mama Guitar, 57
Cornell, Doug
Cornell, Douglas
Corsal, Al
Corso, Bob
Cort, Bob
Corvets
String Band Hop, 58
Cory, Troy
Cosmo
Costa, Bill
Costello, Jack
Cost, Roy
Costner, Ned
Couch, Orville
Sweet Louella
Wild Girl
Five Cent Candy
Coulston, Jerry
Bon Bon Baby, '60
Country Boy Eddie
Country Dudes
Country Four
Country Gentlemen
Country G-J's
Go Girl Go, '60
Country Lads
Salty Tears
Country Rockers
did Rock Around With Ollie Vee in 1989 (neo)
Country Tones
Countryman, Freddy
County, Jefferson "Ramblin' Man"
Coupeland, Fred
Couplings
Courvale, Keith
Trapped Love, '58
Cousin Arnold
Sweet Talking Daddy
Cousin Louie
Cousins
Couty, Nat
Won't You Come Along With Me, '58
Woodpecker Rock, '58
Covelle, Buddy
Lorraine, '59
Covington, Sonny
Cowan, Chuck
Cowboy Bobby
Cox, Billy
I Can't Wait Till Saturday Night, '60
Cox, Dave
Cox, Wally
Coyne, Ricky
Rollin' Pin Mim, '58
Short Fat Fannie, '59
Crabb, Gene
Crabtree, Riley
She Loves Me Better, '58
Craddock, Billy
Ah Poor Little Baby, '58
Bird Doggin', '58
Nothin' Shakin', '72
Craddock, Billy "Crash"
Don't Destroy Me, '59
Crafford, Bobby
Craig & the Ethics
Craig, Jonathan
Craig, Ken
Craig, Ken & Karol
Craig, Jimmy
Oh Little Girl, '59
Craig, Vilas
Craig, Wick
Crain, Jimmy
Oh Little Girl, '59
Rock-A-Socka Hop, '58
Shig-A-Shag, '58
Cramps, The
The Cramps web page.
Crandall, Eddie
Crane, Jimmie
Crawford, Blackie
Crawford, Cliff
Crawford, Fred
Rock Candy Rock, 56
Crawford, Jimmy
Crawford, Sonny
Cray, Jackie
Maybelle, '63
Crayton, Pee Wee
Bop Hop, 49
Crazy Teens
*Creedence Clearwater Revival
On-Site Mini-Bio
Off-Site: CCR Mailing List Web Site
Creels
Creel Sisters
Stop The Clock Rock, '56
Creepers
Jammin' Granny
Crenshaw, Marshall
Crewe, Bob
Cribbie, Bob
Criss, Garry
Criss, Gene
Hep Cat Baby
I Don't Know
Crockett, G. "Davy"
Look Out Mabel, 57
Crockett, G.L.
Look Out Mabel, '65
Crockett, Howard
Wishing Well
Crofford, Cliff
Cronin, Jerry
Rock-A-Me Baby, '59
Crook, Tom
Crosby, Harold
Bright Lights
Crosby, Lindsay
Cross, Jimmy
Croswhite, Dusty
Chicki-Wawa
Crow, Hank
Crown, Bobby
One Way Ticket, '59
*Crudup, Arthur "Big Boy"
On-Site Mini-Bio
Cruisers
Betty Ann
Crum, Simon
Bop Cat Bop, 56
Crutchfield, Jerry
Culver, Bruce
Cummins, Pete
In The Middle Of The Night, '61
Surfin' Freeze, '61
Cunningham, B.B.
Trip To Bandstand, '59
Cunningham, Buddy
Born Jackson, Mississippi. Recorded for Sun as B.B. Cunningham and Buddy Blake. Formed Cover Records in 1957 and has been involved in several Memphis labels including Sam Phillips' Holiday Inn label in 1968.
Cunningham, Jim
Cunningham, Parker
Dry Run
Cuno, Fred & Jessie
Mine All Mine, '56
Cupit, Earl
Cupp, Pat
Baby Come Back, '56
Do Me No Wrong, '56
I Guess It's Meant That Way, '56
Long Gone Daddy, '56
That Girl Of Mine, '56
Curley Jim
Rock & Roll Itch, '57
Curry, Cliff
Curry, Cliff, Jr.
Curry, Ed
Curtin, Lee
Hot Dog
Curtis & Del
Curtis & Joe
Curtis, Bill
Curtis, Bobby
Curtis, C.C.
Rough Tough Man, 59
Curtis, Don
Curtis, Eddie
Curtis, Frank
Curtis, George
Vacation
Curtis, Mac
MAC CURTIS - On-site Rockabilly HOF page
Grandaddy's Rockin', '56
Half Hearted Love, '56
Honey Don't, '70
If I Had Me A Woman, '56
Little Miss Linda, '58
That Ain't Nothin' But Right, '56
You Ain't Treatin' Me Right, '56
Discography
Curtis, Mickey
Curtis, Sonny
Talk About My Baby, 60
Curtis, Wade
Curtola, Bobby
Cushman, Mike
Me An My Guitar, '59
Cyclones & Bill Taylor
Bullwhip Rock, '58
FREDDY "BOOM-BOOM" CANNON, born as Frederick Anthony Picariello, December 4, 1939, Lynn, Massachusetts. A major star in the early Sixties, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Freddy Cannon broke big with two million sellers: "Tallahassee Lassie" (in 1959, his only rockabilly related cut) and an updated version of a 1922 jazz hit, "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (1960). Cannon was discovered in 1957 by a Boston disc jockey and two years later he recorded "Tallahassee Lassie," a song his mother had written. He toured internationally during the mid-Sixties, scoring minor hits regularly. His only other big hit, the Chuck Barris' "Palisades Park."
JOHNNY CASH, born February 26, 1932, Kingsland, Arkansas. Johnny, the "Man in Black," has walked the line between rock and country since his early days as a rockabilly singer. His songsš have influenced Waylon Jennings, Bobby Wayne, among others, while his deep, baritone voice has become a trademark. A legendary songwriter, Cash has been courted over the years by rock's elite, including Bob Dylan in the 1960s. The son of a Southern Baptist sharecropper, Cash began playing guitar and writing songs at age 12. During high school, he performed frequently on radio station KLCN in Blytheville, Arkansas. Cash moved to Detroit in his late teens and worked there until he joined the Air Force as a radio operator in Germany. He left the Air Force and married Vivian Liberto in 1954; the couple settled in Memphis, where Cash worked as an appliance salesman and attended radio announcer's school. With the Tennessee Two...guitarist Luther Perkins (no relation to Carl) and bassist Marshall Grant...he began recording for Sam Phillips' Sun Records in 1955. The boys recorded "Cry, Cry, Cry" in 1956. Later that year came Cash's most remebered hit, million-seller "I Walk the Line." Johnny moved near Ventura, California, in 1958, inked a deal with Columbia, and began a 9-year period of alcohol and drug abuse. He released a number of successful country and pop hits, including "Ring of Fire" in 1963, penned by June Carter of the Carter Family and Merle Kilgore. By then, Johnny had left his family and moved to New York's Greenwich Village. Late in 1965, Cash was arrested by Customs officials for trying to smuggle amphetamines in his guitar case across the Mexican border. He received a suspended sentence and was fined. After a serious auto accident and a near fatal overdose, Vivian divorced him. Johnny then moved to Nashville, where he became friends with Waylon Jennings. Together they spent a drug-crazed wasted year and a half. But in Nashville, Cash began a relationship with June Carter, who helped him get shake his drug habit by 1967 and reconverted him to fundamentalist Christianity. By the time Cash and Carter married in early 1968, they had begun working together regularly. The had hit duets with "Jackson" in1 967, "Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" in 1967, and an arrangement of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe" in 1970.
CHARLIE CHRISTIAN, born 1919, Dallas, Texas; died March 2, 1942, New York City, New York. Known as the musician who took the guitar out of the rhythm section and made it a lead instrument. Charlie Christian had a profound influence on both jazz and rock & roll. You can hear a hint of Charlies's style when you listen to Cliff Gallup of Gene Vincent's early Blue Caps and early Bill Haley. Charliešs recording career spanned only three years. He was discovered playing in a jazz band in Oklahoma City by John Hammond back in 1939. Benny Goodman brought him to New York City to play with his sextet and orchestra, and it was with Goodman that he revolutionized jazz guitar. The newly introduced electric guitar gave the instrument an authoritative volume and tonal range it had never had, and Charliešs unique single-string picking technique made the guitar a solo voice equal to the sax and trumpet. As one of the participants in after-hours jam sessions with legends like Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and Kenny Clark, he was one of the creators of be-bop, which became the big force in jazz after his death. Charlie developed tuberculosis in 1940, was hospitalized in the summer of 1941 and spent the last six months of his life in the hospital.
CLIFF CARLISLE, born May 6, 1904; died on April 2, 1983 in Lexington, Kentucky. Birthplace Mount Eden, Kentucky. Clifford Raymond Carlisle was raised in the hills of Spencer County, Kentucky, working his family's tobacco farm. Influenced by Jimmie Rodgers and gripped with a romantic idea of the travelling, train-hopping hobo, Cliff became a musician and lived the life of the wandering troubadour to the hilt. Over the years he would team up with his brother Bill (recording as The Carlisle Brothers), a cousin named Lillian Truax, and later, his own son Tommy. In addition to his flashy hawaiian-influnced guitar work, Cliff was known for a irreverent, iconoclastic attitude in his lyrics. His "You'll Miss Me" is the original basis for the song that eventually became Elvis Presley's "Just Because", though Presley no doubt was inspired by the Shelton Brothers' 1942 version on the Decca label, in which they also filched songwriting credit. Carlisle eventually gave up his wandering ways and returned to Kentucky to retire in Louisville, where he passed away. -Jeffrey Scott Holland
PATSY CLINE, Born as Virginia Patterson Hensley, September 8, 1932, Winchester, Virginia; died March 5, 1963, Camden, Tennessee. Country singer Patsy Cline's career was in full swing with pop Top Forty hits and national concert tours, when she was killed in a plane crash at the age of 30. Her unique soprano has been copied not only by country singers like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, but also by pop singers like Linda Ronstadt. Patsy took up piano at age eight but didn't begin singing until she was in her teens. In 1948 she won a trip to Nashville through an audition; nine years later she appeared on TV on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and was spotted by Owen Bradley of Decca Records. Her first, record, "Walkinš After Midnight," was both a country hit and a pop hit in 1957. She was soon one of country music's biggest stars. Despite her numerous country hits, she sought a broader audience and refused to be saddled with a hillbilly or cowgirl image. "I Fall to Pieces" was a pop hit in 1961, followed later that year by "Crazy," a song written by Willie Nelson. She had another successful hit with "She's Got You" in 1962. On March 5, 1963, Patsy was returning from a show in Kansas City, Missouri when the single-engine plane her manager was piloting crashed. Over 25,000 fans attended her funeral. In 1973 Cline became the first women solo artist elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
EDDIE COCHRAN, Born on October 3, 1938, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; died April 17, 1960 in England. In his brief career Eddie Cochran made a lasting imprint on rock with songs like "Summertime Blues" and "Somethin' Else." Leaving Oklahoma, he was raised in Minnesota until 1949, when he moved with his family to Bell Gardens, California. By then he had taught himself to play blues guitar. He and guitarist Hank Cochran (no relation) began recording as the Cochran Brothers in 1955. The following year, Eddie and Hank split up, and Cochran began writing songs with Jerry Capeheart, whom he'd met while buying guitar strings at a local music shop. While the two were recording background music for a low-budget film, the producer, Boris Petroff, asked him to sing his song "Twenty Flight Rock" in another movie he was filming called "The Girl Canšt Help It," Liberty Records signed him shortly after that. His first hit was 1957šs "Sittin' in the Balcony" A year later came, "Summertime Blues," making the Top Ten. It has since been back on the charts in cover versions by the Who and Blue Cheer. More hits helped establish him as a star, especially in England. Eddie toured steadily. He was an exceptionally talented guitarist, an energetic stage performer, and an early master of studio overdubbing; he played and sang all the parts on both "C'mon Everybody" and "Summertime Blues." Cochran was 21 when he passed away on April 17, 1960, in an auto accident en route to the London airport. He has a hit single at the time, "Three Steps to Heaven,˛ which went to number one on the UK charts. Injured in the crash were Gene Vincent and Eddie's fiancee, Sharon Sheeley, cowriter of "Somethin' Else" and author of Ricky Nelson's 1958 "Poor Little Fool." (1958). Eddie and Ricky both entered the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame together in 1987. However, to this day Gene Vincent has not been inducted into Cleveland's Hall of Fame. Oddly enough, that is why this WWW Rockabilly Hall of Fame web site was created...to give proper credit to Gene and all the other well-known and lesser-known rockabilly artists without going through the corporate record company money trail.
COMMANDER CODY & HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN, group formed 1967, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Behind their hard-drinking, smoking image, Commander Cody's various bands have always played a virtuosic, revved-up assortment of boogie-woogie, western swing, country, and rockabilly. They played in the Michigan and Wisconsin areas at first. When the band lineup finally stabilized, they moved to San Francisco in 1969 and earned a local following. Their debut album, Lost in the Ozone, mixed originals like "Seeds and Stems" and oldies, notably a hit remake of Tex Ritter's "Hot Rod Lincoln." The followup LP, "Hot Licks, Cold Steel and Trucker's Favorites," was recorded on four tracks for a mere $5,000. They toured through the early Seventies and had two more minor novelty hits: "Beat me Daddy Eight to the Bar," and Tex Ritter's "Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)".
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, with John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook was formed in 1959, El Cerrito, California. John Fogerty's raw vocals and modernized rockabilly songs built on his classic guitar riffs made Creedence Clearwater Revival the preeminent American singles band of the late 60's and early 70's. John and Tom were raised in Berkeley, where John studied piano and at the age of 12 got his first guitar. He met Cook and Clifford at the El Cerrito Junior High School they all attended. They began playing together, and by 1959 were performing at local dances as Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets. In 1964 the quartet signed to San Francisco's Fantasy Records, where Tom had been working as a packing and shipping clerk. The label renamed them the Golliwogs and began putting out singles. "Brown-Eyed Girl" sold 10,000 copies in 1965, but the followups were flops. True success came after they adopted the CCR name in 1967. Several Fogerty compositions appeared on Creedence Clearwater Revival, but cover versions of Dale Hawkins' "Suzie Q" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You" were CCR's first hit singles. With the release of Bayou Country it became the most popular rock band in America. Beginning with the two-sided gold 1969 hit "Proud Mary" b/w "Born on the Bayou," the group dominated Top Forty radio for two years. CCR's rough-hewn rockers often dealt with political and cultural issues and not much content about the usual love themes. CCR appeared at the Woodstock Festival. Creedence had seven major hit singles in 1969 and 1970, including "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River,˛ "Fortunate Son," "Down on the Corner,"Travelinš Band," "Up Around the Bend" and "Lookin' Out My Back Door." Although Creedence's success continued after Cosmo's Factory, it was the group's artistic peak. Internal problems and dissension, primarily the result of John Fogerty's dominant role, began to pull the band apart in the early 1970's. Tom left in January 1971, one month after the release of "Pendulum," which became CCR's fifth platinum album. They carried on as a trio, touring worldwide - "Live in Europe" was the recorded result. On their final album, "Mardi Gras," Stu and Doug were given an equal share of the songwriting and lead vocals duties. It was the CCRšs first not to go platinum. Creedence disbanded in October 1972, and Fantasy has subsequently released a number of albums, including a live recording of a 1970 Oakland, California concert, which was wrongly titled "Live at Albert Hall." It was later renamed "The Concert." Tom Fogerty, who recorded a couple of solo albums, passed away in the early 1990's. John continues to record with a new CD release scheduled for 1997. He still is not allowed to perform any Creedence material in public, due to a contract agreement he made when the band split up.
ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP, was born in 1905, Forrest, Mississippi and died March 28, 1974 in Nassawadox, Virginia. Bluesman Crudup wrote "That's All Right, Mama" - one of the first songs Elvis Presley recorded (and became his first hit) - and other rockabilly standards, including "My Baby Left Me" and "Rock Me Mama." Arthur grew up in the Deep South, where he sang in church as a child. In the late Thirties he joined a gospel group called the Harmonizing Four and went to Chicago. In 1939 he began playing the guitar and the blues. A year later he was discovered by Okeh and Bluebird Records talent scout Lester melrose, who helped him get a record deal, but also took advantage of his client's naivete never paying him royalties. Arthur stayed with Melrose until 1947, when he realized that he was being cheated. Melrose sold Crudup's contract to RCA, but Crudup recorded only sporadically, and often on other labels under the name Elmore Jones or Percy Crudup (his sonšs name). Arthur recorded through the mid-1950s until he quit in disgust. "I just give it up," he said later. He was retired from music, digging and selling sweet potatoes, when, during the 1960s, Philadelphia blues promoter Dick Waterman took an interest in him and his business problems. Dick began working with the American Guild of Artists and Composers in an attempt to collect some of the royalties withheld from Crudup. He eventually received $60,000 from BMI and reached a settlement with the music publishers. Crudup resumed his music career in 1968 and toured the U.S. and Europe until his death due to a heart attack in 1974. During his lifetime he had supported a family of 13 children, and only four of them were actually his.
