Nayco Entertainment Group
Legends Marketing, LLC
JERRY NAYLOR
ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME FEATURE ARTICLE:Jerry Naylor's Great New Rockabilly CD Project
1956, Jerry's promo photo used for bookings, radio shows and night club in the San Angelo, Texas area.
Jerry Naylor, a native of Texas, is a forty-five year veteran of the entertainment industry. Jerry began his successful career as a singer with his own country/Rockabilly group in 1954 at age 15. In 1956, Jerry became a member of the San Angelo, Texas based rock group, The Cavaliers, who are remembered for their 1964 national number one hit recording, "Last Kiss."
Jerry was born on a small farm in the rural community of Chalk Mountain, Erath County, Texas on March 6, 1939. Jerry married Pamela Robinson in 1966, and they have three grown children, Geoff Naylor, Greg Naylor and Dr. Kelli Naylor Dobrzynski.
Jerry Naylor also began a duel career in broadcasting in 1954, working as a teenage radio disc jockey on the popular San Angelo, Texas KPEP country music radio station. KPEP was co-owned by Joe Treadway and Dave Stone who also owned the now legendary KDAV radio station in Lubbock, Texas, which is featured in the worldwide British hit stage production on the life and times of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, "Buddy." The KPEP and KDAV radio station owners regularly promoted major country music concerts in San Angelo and Lubbock featuring the top stars of country music from the Grand Ole Opry and the Louisiana Hayride, such as Johnny Horton, Sonny James, Hank Snow, Hank Thompson, Ray Price, Ernest Tubb, Billy Walker, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Bill Monroe, Kitty Wells, Elvis Presley, Bob Luman, Gene Vincent, Roy Orbison, among many others. Jerry Naylor, as a young singer managed by Joe Treadway, performed on each of these shows. Buddy Holly and his "country muisic blue-grass group" performed on KDAV Radio and on some of these shows at this time in Lubbock. Little could anyone have imagined, in these early years, that Jerry Naylor could become the lead singer of the Crickets after the tragic 1959 death of Buddy Holly.Left to right, Standing - Joe Treadway (co-owner with Dave Stone of KPEP radio station in San Angelo and KDAV radio station in Lubbock); Stu Cornell (at the time, manager of Johnny Cash); Johnny Horton and Marshall Grant (bass player for Johnny Cash).
1958 LOUISIANA HAYRIDE TOUR
A Jerry Naylor Personal Photograph
Left to right, standing - Tilman Franks (bass player and manager for Johnny Horton), Tommy Tomlinson (guitar player for Johnny Horton); unknown female; Gordon Terry "The Mule"; Jerry Naylor; unknown female; Bob Luman; Luther Perkins (guitar player for Johnny Cash).
Jerry joined the drummer and co-founder of the Crickets, Jerry Allison, lead guitarist, Sonny Curtis, and pianist, Glen D. Hardin, to re-form the Crickets in the fall of 1960. Jerry was the lead singer of the Crickets on most of the Liberty/EMI Records recordings and Crickets' concert dates until he left the group for a solo career in 1965. The Crickets, with Jerry Naylor as lead singer, had several hit records in Great Britain, including Carol King's penned, "Please Don't Ever Change," the Sonny Curtis written, "My Little Girl," plus, "Teardrops Fall Like Rain," "Don't Try to Change Me," and "La Bamba," among others. They also had a top five hit album with pop singer, Bobby Vee, entitled "Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets" in 1962. This legendary album is still in release around the world, on CDs, through EMI/Liberty Records. The Crickets are credited with influencing the careers of many of the legendary British rock acts, including Elton John and the Beatles. The Beatles publicly state that they named themselves after the Crickets because of their admiration for the group. Since 1991, EMI Liberty Records Inc. and the EMI Records Group, Ltd. have released or licensed to third party labels for release, more than twelve CD's on the "Liberty Years" masters on which Jerry Naylor was the lead singer. Jerry also wrote or co-wrote some of the early EMI/Liberty Records recordings for the Crickets such as "thoughtless," (written by Jerry Naylor and Mike Curb) and "Break It Easy" (written by Jerry Naylor). Jerry and the Crickets appeared with the Beach Boys and Leslie Gore in the 1964 Paramount Pictures beach movie classic, "Girls on the Beach," and the Crickets, with Jerry naylor as lead singer, were featured singing their hits, "My Little Girl" and "Teardrops Fall Like Rain," in the 1962 Columbia Pictures British classic rock music movie, "Just For Fun."
1961 Jerry's Recording Session at United Studio, Hollywood, Calif. for Skyla Records. "Stop Your Cryin" b/w "You're Thirteen" (written by Johnny Burnette).
In 1965 the Crickets broke up and Jerry signed a multiple-performance contract with the popular ABC-Television network music variety show, "Shindig." Also in 1965, Jerry Naylor signed a record production contract with newcomer/record producer, Mike Curb. This close friendship and [professional association would last for sixteen-years as Jerry continued as a single performer recording for numerous major record labels through Mike Curb Productions. Jerry had his first solo pop hit, "But For Love" (#5 Billboard Easy Listening Chart) for CBS/Sony Records in 1970. This recording garnered Jerry four Grammy nominations and Cashbox Magazine acclaimed Jerry Naylor as one of the "Top Forty Male Vocalists of 1970." Jerry moved to country music in the early 1970's and his Nashville recordings produced a string of eight nationally charted records, including his 1974 signature hit, "Is This All There Is To a Honky Tonk." During this time, Jerry's records were released through Mike Curb Productions on MGM/Polygram Records. Warner Brothers/Curb Records and Motown/Melodyland Records.
1961 - 1965 THE CRICKETS. Photo taken in 1962. Left to right: Sonny Curtis (guitar/vocals) standing, Jerry Allison (drums) sitting, Jerry Naylor (lead vocals), Glen D. Hardin (Femder Rhodes piano, keyboard bass).
Jerry Naylor also continued his television broadcast career as the host of the Desilu Productions/Show Biz, Inc. nationally syndicated music variety show, "Music City, USA," in 1967. Jerry made many guest appearances on the top-rated national television variety shows throughout the United States, England, Canada and Europe from 1965 to 1982.
From 1965 to 1982, Jerry and his band toured 250 to 300 dates per year performing concerts and playing major night clubs and casinos throughout the United States, Canada, England, Europe and Asia. Jerry Naylor and his group, with the direction of Jim Halsey and the Jim Halsey Agency, helped to debut country music as a headline act in the major hotel/casinos of Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where he co-starred with some of the top stars of country music from 1970 to 1982. Jerry headlined in the main show-rooms of the Landmark, Sahara, Thunderbird, Golden Nugget and Showboat hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, and at the Harrah's, Mapes, Holiday, and Sahara hotels and casinos in Reno and Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
1967. Jerry hosts with the Jordanaires, "Music City USA," 1-hour weekly variety TV show shot at WSM, Nashville. Nationally syndicated: Desilu Prouctions & Show-Biz, Inc.
Jerry Naylor also wrote, co-wrote, produced and performed many songs for motion picture sound tracks from 1965 to 1982. Jerry sang the title song, "Vangie's Theme," for the award winning Rod Taylor, Jane Russell 1970 suspense movie, "Darker Than Amber," and the main theme, "Helga," for the European art-film classic, "Michael and Helga," among others. He also performed on camera and as the singer/soloist on many national radio and television commercials for such corporate clients as Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, Wrigley's Chewing Gum, Frito-Lay, Safeway Stores, Avis Rental, Honda Motors, World Football League, Thrifty Drug Stores, among others.
Jerry Naylor continued his duel careers of broadcasting and singing/performing. In 1960 and 1962, Jerry worked for the top rock stations, KRLA and KDAY, in Los Angeles and from 1972 to 1983, Jerry was one of the top radio personalities with the number one country music radio station in America, KLAC Radio, Metromedia Broadcasting, Inc., in Los Angeles. Jerry also hosted the weekly award winning, three-hour, nationally and internationally syndicated country music radio show, Continental Country from 1974 to 1976. This show was named the "Number One Country Music Syndicated Radio Show" by Billboard Magazine, the Country Muisc Association, and the Academy of Country Music for each year it was produced, and it was aired in more than 150 markets in the United States and around the world on the American Forces Radio and Television Service.
1971, Jarry and James Burton at a recording session, MGM Records, Los Angeles, Calif for Mike Curb Productions. Mike Curb and Harley Hatcher were the producers.
In 1976, Jerry Naylor founded a public relations company and film and video production company. One of his first clients was the former governor of California, Governor Ronald Reagan. Jerry and his company created and produced documentaries, commercials, and eventually created and developed feature motion pictures for Home Box Office and several other major film companies. Jerry Naylor, through his company, also became a member of the senior staff of the Reagan for President Campaign in 1980. President Ronald Reagan appointed Jerry Naylor to two three-year terms as a Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Employment Policy, working directly with the White House Office of the President and the Secretary of Labor.
In 1986, Jerry Naylor merged his company with Newslink Satellite Broadcast Communications Company, Inc. in Washington DC, and Jerry became Co-Chairman/CEO of the partnership with Max Hugel, the former founder/CEO of the major multi-national corporation, Brother International. Through Newslink, Jerry Naylor and Max Hugel purchased all of the satellite up-link and video production facilities in Washington, DC and within two years 51% of the new company was sold to the Washington Timers News Group/Atlantic Video. During this period, Jerry Naylor and Max Hugel also founded a film production company, International Syndication's, Inc., which created, funded and developed several major documentaries hosted by national columnist, Jack Anderson, for PBS and the BBC and major motion pictures for Home Box Office and other motion picture companies.
Jerry Naylor, as a television documentary film producer has garnered several prestigious awards for documentaries which he produced for PBS, BBC and for commercial network broadcast and non-broadcast (corporate). The Jerry Naylor Company/North Media Group - Jerry's current company - was instrumental in creating the concept and producing the first "Video News Releases" in America, in cooperation with Newslink Satellite Broadcast Communications Company, Inc. This medium for delivery of privately financed news/public relations stories has become a standard for all news programming throughout the nation today on both network news and local news television stations.
From 1986 to 1987, Jerry was the on-camera announcer/co-host with Pat Boone on Pat's daily one-hour television talk show, "Pat Boone, USA," for the Christian Broadcast Cable Network.
1976, Loretta Lynn and Jerry Naylor co-hosting the "Academy of Country Music" awards show at the Hollywood Paladium, Hollywood, Calif.
The Jerry Naylor Company is currently in development and/or pre-production on several broadcast television network and cable television network movie and documentary productions based on original non-fiction books on which The Naylor Company has purchased the exclusive creative rights. Currently, Jerry is also completing the development of a two-hour television documentary production, "Tribute to My Friends; The Legends of Rockabilly." This is a special tribute to the pioneers of rockabilly music with whom Naylor began his professional entertainment career in 1954. In conjunction with the television documentary, over the past six-months, Jerry has recorded a twenty-three track CD featuring original compositions and unique replications of the music which formed the foundation of Rockabilly. This new CD production features naylor singing many of the classic 1950's songs made famous by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Charlie Rich, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly/Crickets, Muddy Waters, Bob Luman, and Ernest Tubb. The CD includes a never-before-recorded original rockabilly song, co-written by Jerry Naylor and Rick Miller specifically for this project. Legendary radio and television personality and Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame Honoree, Red Robinson, is working with Naylor and his associates on the Rockabilly anthology television documentary production.
Jerry Naylor is also collaborating with Peter Palliser, a well-known author and screenplay writer in London, England, to write a non-fiction book based on the life and experiences of Jerry's multifaceted life and careers in entertainment, politics, international government relations, and business, with the working title, "God, Rock'n'Roll, Politics...and me!"
Jerry has recently written or co-written over twenty contemporary Christian songs which he is preparing to record for international CD release.
Jerry Naylor is a member of the Academy of Country Music, The Country Music Association, and The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Jerry is listed in, or has creative works in, The Country Music Hall of Fame ("The Legend of Johnny Brown Country Opera" album on which Jerry Naylor sings the lead role of Johnny Brown). The Who's Who of Country Music, The Who's Who of Rock and Roll, The Encyclopedia of Country Music, The Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll and his creative works are registered in the United States Library of Congress. He is a member of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Zeta Phi Chapter. Jerry Naylor is also one of the founders, and a member of the Board of Directors, of The West Texas Music Hall of Fame/Museum Foundation.
In 1991, Jerry Naylor was inducted into the Marquis' Who's Who in the West, in 1993 he was honored in the Marquis' Who's Who in Finance and Industry for his contributions to international business consultation, and in 1994, Jerry was inducted into the Marquis' Who's Who in Entertainment and Marquis' Who's Who in America.
1984, Palomino Club, North Hollywood, Calif. Jerry Lee Lewis and Jerry Naylor
In 2000 Jerry was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
