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Carl Perkins
Blue Suede Shoes Forever
If I had a Nickel for every time Blue Suede shoes has been played I would not be writing this column. "Blue Suede Shoes" is probably the most popular song ever recorded.
Carl Perkins had a smash hit with it in 1956 and it went to No.1 on the Pop, Country, and Rhythm and Blues Charts.
No other song has ever done that. Carl had only one hit in his long and successful career, however he didn't need but one. Shortly after Elvis left Sun and went to RCA he recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" and the song became a Smash Hit all over again.
Most people then and today believed that Elvis was the originator of "Shoes". Carl just racked in all extra money and went quietly about making more records.
Carl Perkins was a great Guitar picker and song writer. Why Sam Phillips kept so much of Carl Perkins material in the can we'll never know. Carl recorded many songs at Sun and the release of those songs could have been done on a monthly basis.
Sun released "Matchbox" b/w "Your True Love" which flopped and should have been a hit. Carl had an auto accident after the release of "Shoes" and when he recovered "Elvis" had covered the song and Carl never got back his momentum.
Carl Perkins was born in 1932 in Tiptonville,Tennessee, and grew up working in the fields helping his family make a living. Carl's dad had tuberculosis and he and his brothers worked where ever they could to make some money. They picked cotton and any other type of work. finally the family had to go on welfare as there just wasn't enough work to be found to support them selves.
Carl had an obsession with music and put together a cigar box with two strings. Today a cigar box guitar seems unreal and in fact would be. However in 1937 it was a way of life in the south and in many other places when you have no money.
Carl saved up $3.00 dollars so the story goes and bought a a very used second hand guitar from a field hand named John Westbrook. Let me stop here and bring a very important point to light. We seem to have a lot of problem "Today" with race relations. White and blacks can't seem to get along. We don't seem to agree on much of anything except that we can't "Agree" on anything.
Such was not the case years ago among "poor" whites and blacks. When your "poor" it hurts and it makes no difference what color you are it doesn't take away the hurt of not having anything. You can't feel your better than some one else when your both "Dirt Poor".
Hank Williams knew what it was like to be "poor" and he learned to play guitar from a black man named "Teetot". Elvis knew the pain of being "poor" and always had a Special "LOVE" for black people, he learned his music from them and helped them from time to time.
No different with Carl Perkins he learned many lessons about life and music from black people. We can all get along if we have "Two things in common. "A Humble Heart", "And A Love For Music".
Carl and his brothers had hard times for years working in mills mattress factories, moving here and there to find work. Carl married Valda Crider in 1953. She was from Corinth, MS and played the piano and encouraged Carl to keep playing music.
By 1954 Carl was back living with his father in the back room of of his house with two children. It was at this point that Carl decided that playing music was at least steady even if the the pay was only three dollars a night.
Carl would mix rhythm and blues with country and when the folks got "Dixie Fried" Carl would do a little experimenting and since no one came to hear the music as their first choice anyway why not mess around with some different styles of music.
Everyone was there to drink, fight, pick up women and all in all have a good time. Perkins has recalled that it was rough, real rough and at times right down dangerous. Someone would throw a beer can then the "blood" would start rolling we'd play louder and louder and when all hell began to break loose we'd try to get out of there before our equipment got busted up.
By the summer of 1954 Carl was making $30.00 a week. He met a singer by the name of Curley Griffin who had a local radio show in Jackson. Curley let Carl use the radio stations recording equipment to make some demo tapes.
Carl sent tapes all over and most came back unopened. Even though he was making $30.00 a week playing music and it was the most money he had ever made he became pessimistic about making music a career. Then one day he heard "Elvis" singing "Blue Moon of Kentucky" on the radio. Carl couldn't believe what he had heard. It was exactly what he was doing.
Carl had been mixing Bill Monroe and John Lee Hookers electric stuff for a long time. When Carl found out Elvis recorded for "Sun" he decided to make a trip to Memphis. When Carl introduced himself to Sam's secretary Marion Kiesker she turned him away telling Carl they were to busy with Elvis to take on any new acts.
Carl decided to wait for Sam and when he showed up in his new Cadillac, Carl was dumb founded. He had never seen a better dressed man in his entire life. Carl said even the man's socks and tie were the color of his Cadillac.
Man was a "Snappy Dresser" for sure and he had an hear for raw talent. He liked Carl's compositions and promised him a contract. It has been said that Sam Phillips made the comment that Carl Perkins was the Greatest "Plough-Head" in the world. Carl's first release wasn't on "Sun" Sam released "Movie-Magg" and "Turn Around" on his "Flip" label.
"Carl Perkins" invented "Rock a Billy". He has been called the "Father" of "Rock a Billy' and for my money I give the "CROWN" of "Rock a Billy" to the one and only "CARL PERKINS". He wrote songs he played lead guitar on his recording's he arranged his recording sessions and for the most part he produced all his "Sun" recordings.
In 1956 Carl Perkins sold one million copies of "Blue Suede Shoes". He was the first "Sun" artist to do so. Sam Phillips bought Carl a new Cadillac Fleetwood and gave Carl the the keys to the car in front of the Cadillac dealership. Carl Perkins made some great recordings at "Sun'. In 1958 his career took back seat as Pat Boone, Ricky Nelson and many other rock a billy wanna-be's came on the scene.
Ricky Nelson took Carl's sound, watered it down and made millions in the process. Carl kept his rough edges and that sound of Carl's is what makes his recordings sound so good to this very day. Carl made one movie while at "Sun" "Jamboree" and sang "Glad All Over" it was Carl's last release on the Sun label.
Carl left "Sun" in 1958 and signed with "Columbia". Sun Records played an important in Carl's career. Carl also played an important role in the Sun record story. Sun never made any money until Carl recorded "Blue Suede Shoes". When "Shoes" broke nationwide it paid back all the investments Sam had put into the label.
Carl recorded for many record labels during his life time. He kept rockin' and did what he enjoyed most, playing music. Carl Perkins remained a humble man throughout out his life even though he became bigger than life. Carl Perkins was also a true "American Icon" and made many contributions to American Music and brought a new style of music to America called "Rock a Billy".
Some people when they pass we really miss them. Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Red Skelton, Roy Rogers, Bob Hope and Carl Perkins. I bought Carl's records and I never passed a chance to buy something by Carl that I didn't have, in some cases I bought two of them just so I would more than one.
Carl Perkins was with us from 1932 till 1998 and I still miss him. I can't think of one "BAD THING" about Carl Perkins and I never heard anyone say anything "BAD" about him. When you write about most "Entertainers" there are things you don't mention. With Carl Perkins you can say it all because he was one nice Human being.
I plan to meet him in Heaven and ask him to show me the lead off riff on "YOUR TRUE LOVE". And I suppose the rest of you will have your favorite song for him to show you. Carl Perkins played the most satisfying rock n roll you'd ever want to hear and made it sound easy.
--Widmarc Clark
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On
The Greatest Rock And Roll Record Ever Recorded
When "Whole lotta Shakin" hit the air waves no one had ever heard any thing like it before. The more the DJ's played it the better it sounded. They could play it all day and get no complaints.
The song started off like a five point Hurricane coming to shore at Two Hundred and Five Miles Per Hour and blew away every rock n roll song ever recorded before it. Shakin was fast paced and rocked with every note played.
Jerry lee screaming with the confidence of a man posessed "Come On Over Baby A Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On" and that wasn't all he said, no he had more to say, a lot more, he had the bull by the horn, and baby you can't go wrong we got A Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On.
When Lewis said all you gotta do is stand in one spot and wiggle around just a little bit that's when you got something, shake it baby, shake it,shake it, shake it. Every teenager in America knew exactly what he was taking about. The song had sex, romance, and temptations that went right to the core of what was on every male teenager in the country, how do you get in a girls pants ? Jerry Lee and "Shakin" showed us how to get done in 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
Whole Lotta Shakin was recorded in January of 1957 with Jerry Lee Lewis on piano Roland Janes on guitar and Jimmy Van Eaton on drums. Much has been said about "The Sun Sound" well it's all true every bit, every note played, every bar used to express the music that came from the Studio at 706 Union Ave in Memphis.
It was a small place uninhibited and every artist who recorded there did what they felt was right for them. Sam or Jack Clement turned on the tape and said do it boys do what you feel like doing.
That was the atmosphere at Sun Records no time limit on anything or anybody any artist who might be there when another artist was recording could pitch in and help out where needed. That all helped to make Sun records different from any other record company on the planet.
Just pick up a guitar or bass and join in. And there was plenty of talent at Sun. Sun records most likely had the most talented artist on one label than any other record company in the history of recorded music.
Certainly no other independent record label had the talents of Elvis, Carl Perkins Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. Every one of them made it to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Elvis and Johnny made it to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Such was the time frame when Jerry Lee recorded "Shakin". Just three instruments made that "BIG" sound. Roland Janes a fine guitarist always seemed to know the ins and outs of Lewis' music, he knew when to let up, he knew when to get down and he did it with exact precision. Roland Janes always knew where Lewis was headed on every song they recorded.
There was no better drummer than Jimmy Van Eaton, he provided the full driving rhythm section, he had to, his drumming typically was the entire rhythm section. Shakin was written by (David williams and Sunny David) it was issued as Sun 267. There were four warm up versions of " Shakin " recorded none were accepted as commerical enough for release. Then came take number 5 and that one had all the commerical appeal that was needed. Sun 267 had no bass guitar Jerry Lee played bass on the piano.
Probably no one has played more aggressively on piano than Jerry Lee Lewis on the four opening bars of "Whole Lotta Shakin". Jimmy Van Eaton follows pounding away on the drums and is very forceful in the bar fill between the first and second verses. He slams into a schuffing rhythm between the snare and bass drums that shows everyone he has charge of the situation. His drumming explodes to the point that when Lewis goes into his solo it sounds like the drum roll will continue through the entire 12 bar break.
Rolands guitar sounds great not loud but rather subdued notice how he lays back playing after the line "we got chicken in the barn", then he comes out front with some great bluesly guitar work during his solo. Jack Clement added a bit of "echo" to Jerry' piano when he stuck a microphone under the key board. And I'll bet piano players all over the world pulled their hair out trying to get their piano to sound like Lewis's did on "Whole lotta shakin" but you'll never get that sound unless you got Jack Clement at the controls recording the session and you must have the "Sun Sound" found only at The Sun Studio in Memphis. "Cowboy" Jack Clement was way ahead of his time when he was an "Engineer" at Sun. Jack Clement wrote the flip side "It'll Be Me" Sun 267.
Shakin went on to sell 6 million copies, it made Jerry Lee Lewis a "Super Star". It was and is to this day "The Greatest Rock n Roll Record Ever Recorded". What was done in the studio that day has never been duplicated in any shape fashion or form. Not even Jerry Lee Lewis on his best day has ever been able to record "Shakin" again as he did in January of 1957.
Try as many have tried to, but none have done it. "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On" is he real thing and the Original cannot be done again. If you don't have it, go buy it. Put on some ear phones and turn it up loud and enjoy Jerry Lee Lewis, Roland Janes, and Jimmy Van Eaton making History that will last as long as mankind has ears to hear.
--Widmarc Clark
THE COLONEL
The Best Manager Elvis Ever Had
Elvis Presley had the best manager any entertainer could ever hope for. In 1954 Oscar Davis told Tom Parker about a young teenager he had seen perform up in Memphis and said to Parker you ought to check this kid out he really puts on a wild show and gets the women all worked up.
Parker who always did what it took to get what he wanted. Made the moves of a master Chess player and ended up the manager of the most famous entertainer who ever lived.
Parker had ties into RCA and the publishing business and didn't waste any time getting Elvis set up to make millions. He was a carnival man who only understood things in dollars and cents. Once parker created his marketing plan he got the full help of RCA and the William Morris agency.
In less than one year Elvis was the biggest selling artist in the music business and highest paid performer on TV. Parker also enlisted the help of Beverly Hills movie merchandiser Hank Saperstein into licensing seventy eight articles every thing from bracelets to lipstick, scarves, dolls plastic guitars, that pulled in $22 million not counting record sales or concerts in 1956.
This was at a time when managers did little more than book concert dates for their artist.What Tom Parker started is the guide that the music business operates by today. Much has been said about how Tom Parker cheated Elvis. The truth is Tom Parker made Elvis Presley millions of dollars and there would be no Graceland to visit if it had not been for for the vision of The Colonel.
Tom Parker knew entertainment inside out upside down and backwards and when he found Elvis he had the vehicle to to put his knowledge to work.
In Elvis' entire show business career he was never overexposed and with good reason. It was Tom Parkers belief that if they see Elvis for free, they won't pay to see him. With very little TV exposure "Heartbreak Hotel" sold over one million copies at the rate of 70,000 copies per week. Eighty-two percent of every TV set in America saw Elvis preform on the Ed Sullivan Show and Elvis got $25,000.00 for each of his three prformances.
Then came the movies and more money rolled in. In each movie that followed "Love Me Tender" The Colonel got Elvis a better deal. The movies may have been silly but they made money.
Elvis went into the Army as a regular soldier as The Colonel instructed him to do. Elvis came out in 1960 as a model American citizen who had done his duty to his country. More money making deals were made with movie companies, publishing, and better record deals were made.
When the movies ran their course Parker set up a deal with the International Hotel in Las Vegas. After the come back special in 1968 Parker struck a deal with with "Kirk" Kerkorian who made millions when sold his Airline "Trans International" and was building a $60 million dollar resort.
Kerkorian already owned the Flamingo and knew good entainment would draw people into his 2,000 seat showroom. Bill Miller who would operate the International for Kerkorian wanted Elvis.
Elvis would do a four week engagement two shows a night seven days a week. Usually performers get Monday and Tuesday off. Elvis would work this schedule for $100.000.00 per week.
For the four week engagement Elvis drew 101,500 people. And the International grossed $1,680.000 dollars. The Colonel upped the price to $125.000.00 per week.
Parker took Elvis back on the road in the 70's to sell out crowds. If you wanted to book Elvis you put a million dollar deposit aganist 65% of the gate.
The road shows became a major business with Elvis getting $300,000.00.for a nights work. Elvis was the first entertainer to sell out madison Square Garden and grossed over $730.000.00.
Maybe every deal The Colonel made for Elvis wasn't good such as the time he asked for 5.4 million for all the rights to every song Elvis had recorded up to 1973 and negotiated a seven year contract with RCA for an annual payment of $500,000 for two albums and four singles a year.
The final deal on on Elvis' records up to 1973 came to $10.5 million. The colonel got $ 6 million and elvis got $4.5 million.
After taxes Elvis got $ 2 million for the best recording's he ever made. Elvis needed the money to settle up with Percilla. When his divorce came final in 1973 Percilla would recieve $725.000, $4,200 a month which later would be upped to $6,000 per month and $4,000 a month child support.
The Colonel was always there to get Elvis out of any mess he got into. He always found a way financially to bail Elvis out of his many money problems. In the end The Colonel took most likely 50% of what Elvis earned. He had the right, Elvis never complained. There was no way he could have earned any where near that much money had it not been for The Colonel.
When Elvis got to the point that he understood nothing that had to do with common sence, The Colonel took care of business and ran the show. Everyone looked to The Colonel to take care of business which he did. Vernon always knew Tom Parker had an Ace in the hole when trouble came and it came often.
Tom Parker had (ONE) client and he took care of him. After Elvis died Tom Parker took care of business and ran the show. Later a judge acting in behalf of Lisa Marie took away most of the royalties that The Colonel held in the selling of the Elvis catalog.
Today all those items are sold through Elvis Presley Enterprises in Memphis. When Elvis died his estate was worth around $10 million.
Today it's net worth is over $450 million and growing. The Colonel had a BIG hand in that growth. what he did with the career of Elvis will never be equaled. All said and done Tom Parker and Elvis earned over a Billion dollars. Thats says a lot for an immigrant from Holland with little or no education and a poor boy from Mississippi who had a one in a million odds to become one best know entertainers the world has ever known. Colonel Tom Parker the best manager Elvis ever had.
--Widmarc Clark
The Last Ride of Hank Williams
The mystery that surrounds Hank Williams death still lingers to this very day. And he's been dead almost fifty-one years. What caused his death will most likely never be known.
Dark clouds of doubt begin to surface shortly after his passing. The last 48 hours of his life are filled with shadows that remain one the biggest mysteries of American History. The world of Country music was shocked beyond belief when the news that Hank Williams had died at the young age of 29 on New Years Day 1953.
No matter what is written about the last hours of Hank Williams someone will say that's not the way it was told to me. After talking with people who knew Hank Williams personally and to people who were close friends of the family here's most likely what happened in the final hours of Hank Williams life.
Hank Williams loaded his 1952 powder blue Cadillac convertible on the morning of December 30th for a trip to Charlestown, W.Va. A.V. Bamford hired him to play a New Years Eve show in Charlestown, W. Va. Hank didn't want to be late for the show. He was on a come back trail after some hard knocks. The last one was being kicked off the Grand Ole Opry because of his problem with alcohol.
It was a short four day trip and he was taking as little as he could get by with. Just his guitar some personal items and two changes of stage uniforms. He hired Charles Carr a nineteen year old freshman attending Auburn University to drive him to Charlestown, W.Va, for a New Years Eve show and on to Canton, Ohio where the Drifting Cowboys were to meet him for a 2pm matinee show show New Years day.
It was extreamly cold on December 30th weather reports were calling for snow from Birmingham up through Tennessee Virginia, W.Va, and Ohio not a good day for travel. An experienced driver would have checked out the weather reports for December 30th and left as early as possible or suggested that Hank take a flight out of Montgomery to Charleston. None of this happened.
Hank was wearing blue pants a white shirt and tie and a navy blue over coat. He was not dressed warm enough for the freezing weather that lay ahead. At around 11:30 the pair of travelers left Hank's mother's boarding house in Montgomery to begin their trip, with the exception of time comsuming visits before getting started that could have made a big difference in the out come of the trip.
Hank wanted to go by some radio stations in Montgomery and visit some of his DJ buddies. Afterward he attended a convention at a hotel where he had a few drinks. Now he wanted to visit his personal doctor to get a shot of morphine for his back pain. When his doctor realized he had been drinking he refused to give him any morphine. Hank knew another doctor who did give him a shot of morphine.
By early afternoon the pair of travelers were headed to Birmingham. They arrived in late evening and spent the night due to bad weather. Early the next morning they drove north to Knoxville by the time they reached Chattanooga the highways were becoming covered with snow.
When they got to Knoxville it was after 10:30am snowing heavy and getting worse. They realized they would not get to Charleston in time for the New Years Eve show. Carr drove Hank to the Knoxville airport where he found a flight leaving for Charleston at 3:30 that afternoon. The flight returned to Knoxville some time after 6:pm due to bad weather. A.V. Bamford he promoter of the show was notified that Hank would not be able to make the New Years Eve show due the severe weather.
Hank was supposed to be a guest on Cas Walkers mid-day show at WNOX in Knoxville, but never showed up. Hank and Carr returned to Knoxville and checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel. Hank had to be helped to his room by two porters. Two steaks were ordered for supper and brought to Hanks room. Hank ate a little of his steak in bed and went to sleep. He later fell from his bed to the floor, Dr. Cardwell was called to check on Hank. When the doctor arrived he gave Hank a sedative and two shots of morphine.
A.V. Bamford when advised Hank would not make the New Years eve show told Hank to be sure to be on time for the 2:pm matinee show on New Years Day in Canton, Ohio. Carr had the porters carry Hank from the hotel to the Cadillac waiting on the street. The porters said they heard Hank making wheezing and coughing sounds as they carried him to the automobile. They placed him laying down in the back seat and put his over coat over him. Charles Carr drove out of Knoxville at 11:45 p.m headed for Canton, Ohio.
The entire southeastern United States was covered with snow and ice with the temperature falling below freezing. Hank Williams lay in the back seat of a Cadillac convertible with light clothes. I n freezing weather a person can get hypothermia and without warm clothes you can die from it. Hank Williams wasn't wearing warm clothes. The back seat of his Cadillac was probably colder than an ice box. The weather would be at 0 or below through New Years night and most of New Years day. They had a good strong six hundred mile trip to Canton, Ohio over the most dangerous highway in the southeastern United States. Route 11 West going from Knoxville through Bean Station to Bristol is a narrow two lane road going into steep mountains and winding curves. Truckers avoid route 11 in bad weather. With snow covering the highway this was not the road to be on, but there they were and it would be Hank Williams' last ride.
Carr was stopped in Blaine, Tennessee by patrolman Swan Kitts for reckless driving. When patrolman Kitts asked about his passenger's condition, Carr told him it was Hank Williams and that he was in a hurry to get him to a New Years Day Show in Canton, Ohio. Kitts told Carr there is something about your passenger that doesn't look right. Carr told Kitts that Hank had been drinking and had been given a sedative for back pain. Charles Carr was given a ticket for reckless driving. At l:00 a.m. Carr drove on toward Canton. When Carr arrived in Bristol, he was very tired due to the fact, he had been awake for almost 24 hours. He picked up a relief driver in Bristol by the name of Donald Surface who drove to Bluefield while Carr rested. Carr paid Donald Surface in Bluefield and left him there. Carr got a cup of coffee in Bluefield and drove on toward Canton.
Early in the morning of New Years Day Carr stopped to check on Hank. Hank's hands were cold and Carr put his over coat across his chest. At around 5:30 a.m. Carr pulled into Burdette's Pure Station in Oak Hill, West Virginia. He went inside and asked the men who were working would they come out to his automobile and take a look at Hank. When the men couldn't awaken Hank, they told Carr there was a hospital just a short drive down the road. Carr drove to the emergency room and two orderlies took Hank inside. Hank Williams was pronounced dead in the Oak Hill hospital emergency by Dr. Diego Nunnari at 7:00 a.m. January 1st l953. The actual time of death has never been determined.
Hank was taken to the Tyree Funeral Home for an autopsy. The autopsy was done by Dr. Ivin Malinin a Russian intern who spoke little English. He found needle marks in Hank's arms bruises on his body and welt on his forward. He also discovered hemorrhages in his heart and his neck. The cause of death was contributed to acute right ventricular dilation. Alcohol was found in his blood, but no drugs were detected, probably because they weren't looked for. Many things were probably overlooked during Hank's examination. Even if Hank Williams had lived, it would have probably been to no avail,
In reality he died along time ago, because there is nothing in the state of the art of modern medical technology that can fix a BROKEN HEART. It was the last ride of the most famous country music entertainer who ever lived Hank Williams.
-Widmarc Clark
Rick Nelson
HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT ROCKIN
RICK NELSON Rick Nelson's first attemp at Rock n Roll was weak at best. He recorded Fats Domino's hit "I'm Walkin". The Be-Boppin-Teens of the Rockin 50's got a watered down version of Domino's smash hit. The recording was released on Verve Records run by Barney Kessel in Los Angles.
Ozzie Nelson Rick's dad set up the one record deal with Kessel. By the time "I'm Walkin", became a hit, Ozzie had already made a recording deal with Lou Chudd of Imperial Records also in Los Angeles.
Kessel made the most of his one record deal with "Ozzie" by hiring Merle Travis and Earl Palmer to play on "I'm Walkin" and "Teenagers Romance". Earl Palmer had played on the orginial "I'm Walkin" for Fats Domino. Palmer had just moved from New Orleans to LA. The recording of both songs took place in Los Angeles at Bunny Robyns "Masters Sound Studio". The same Studio that Rock Star "Gene Summers" recorded "School Of Rock n Roll" and "Straight Skirt" which became a nationwide smash hit for Gene.
Robyn was a motion picture sound mixer and had recorded big bands for the Army Air Force in WW2. His studio was used by almost every producer of Rhythm & Blues in LA. Johnny Otis, Lieber and Stoller included.
The "Masters Sound" as the studio was referred to was "The Sound" everyone in Rock 'n' Roll wanted. Ozzie Nelson kept up with things like that and planned to give Rick every edge he could find. Ozzie Nelson believed in perfection if a project was worth doing it was worth doing right. No matter what Ozzie Nelson set out to do he planned to be the best at what he was doing. As a former band leader Ozzie had heard a lot of singers he knew Rick had a weak voice and his first try at rock n roll would be no match to "Elvis" or "Pat Boone" but he had the right Studio and that was a step in the right direction. And later when Rick moved to Imperial Ozzie would make sure Rick had a good producer. Ozzie hired Jimmy Haskell the best Rick would ever work with "Jimmy Haskell would produce many "Hits" for Rick Nelson.
In a very short time Rick Nelson would rock at the top of the charts with the biggest names in Rock n Roll.When Rick signed with Imperial the law suits begin to fly. Ozzie sued Verve for $34.000.00 in back royalties, Verve sued Ozzie $2.2 million claiming Rick never signed with Verve, and for a time both parties battled it out in court. The law suits went for several years until the courts ordered Verve to pay around $40.000.00 to Rick in back royalties. When all was said and done "I'm Walkin", sold five hundred thousand copies. Rick Nelson was on his way to becoming a Teen Idol.
Rick was just around the corner from having the best Rockabilly band in the USA. A very young guitarist named James Burton was laying down some famous tracks for a young blues artist that would later become an American icon in Rock music named Dale Hawkins. Burton working with his buddy Dale Hawkins in Shreveport and Bossier City doing gigs at nite spots when they were fifteen. They were so young in fact they they rode bicycles to where they were preforming. Dale and James made rock n roll history when they recorded Suzie-Q at at radio station KWKH in Shreveport. James Burton played the most famous opening riff of any song ever recorded in rock 'n' roll when he started out playing dat dat da dah dat a dah dah do on his vintage 50's Fender Telecaster.
They made real history that day in 1956 when they mixed some foot stomping belly crawling, whiskey and gin blues with country music. That's the kind of stuff that becomes legendary. And it still stands to this day as the best blues country swamp boogie recording ever made. Suzie-Q went on to become a monster hit for Dale Hawkins. James left Dale to work for Bob Luman. Luman was a regular on the Louisiana Hayride. Luman without a doubt had the best band on the Hayride. James Burton on lead guitar, James Kirkland on stand up bass, and Bruce White on drums. Luman got a contract with Imperial records and left the Hayride for the west coast.
Rick Nelson heard Bob Luman and the band jammin one day and offers the band more money to come to work for him. Of course Ozzie had final approval, however, when he heard Rick sing with them he knew Rick had stumbled into one hell of a good rock band.
Not just a good band Rick Nelson had the best Rockabilly band in America. Johnny and Dorsey Burnette had written a song called "Believe What You Say" when they went into the studio to record the songs James Burton played blistering solo's on both sides. Burton played guitar riffs at the break that get right to the core of what rockabilly is all about. Burton bends pushes and pulls the strings till they scream with the best rock a billy rcording Rick Nelson ever made. The "B" side was "My Buckets Got A Hole In It", probably the best rockabilly vocal of all Rick's recordings. With that recording Rick Nelson Now rocked with the best of the Southern rockabillys. And, was about to become the best rockabilly star in America.
Rick made other great rock a billy records" Hello Mary Lou". "Travelin' Man" "Poor Little Fool" "Milk Cow Blues" From 1957 Till 1962 he placed twenty six singles on the charts. "Poor Little Fool" and "Travelin' Man" went to No. 1.
He signed with Decca in 1963 for a million dollars and moved away from rock a billy music. By the middle 60's rock a billy was gone from the turn tables and America had a new brand of music.The times were changing. Rick tried country music but his heart wasen't in it. In the 80's out of frustration and desperation Rick came back to his roots. Doing rockabilly shows at State and Country Fairs. Nelson was on some what of a come back and seemed to be happy singing the rockabilly songs that made him famous.
On new years eve 1985 Rick Nelson was killed in an airplane crash in Dekalb, Texas. We'll always remember Ricky Nelson the little tow headed kid who grew up and made some great rockabilly records.
-Widmarc Clark
Don Gibson
Writing Songs That Became Legends
We lost another Great Talent on Nov 17th when 75 year old Don Gibson closed his song book and went home. I don't imagine Don considered himself a poet? But he was. His poems put to music were as good as Robert Frost. Henry W Longfellow or Walt Whitman.
Don Gibson was born in Shelby, N.C. on April 3rd 1928. He said he loved music from an early age and was influnced by Red Foley and Tennessee Ernie Ford. He formed a band in high school called the " Son's Of The Soil".
Now that's about as ground level as it gets. It seems to me if your band has a connection to the earth you might have an idea or two about what makes the world go around? And that could be a big help writing down to earth songs.
Don worked night clubs in and around Knoxville and at some point Wesley Rose caught one of Don's performance's and signed him to a writing contract. Rose brought Don to Chet Atkins who signed him to RCA Records.
As the world knows now Don Gibson had great writing ability and had wrttten "OH Lonesone Me". Don's writing ability was like no other artist. He wrote with a feeling that touch's people down deep inside making a person say to themselves, why didn't I think of that?
Don Gibson was always two days and three miles ahead of us and that included every song writer in Nashville. Don put poems to music so the rest of us " Folks " could get in touch with our feelings. He wrote we identified with the songs meaning. The song "Legend in my time" has a line that goes like this. If they gave gold statuettes for tears and regrets I'd be a Legend in my time. A statue is a three dimensional work of art as a representation of that person.
When Don wrote" Legend in my time " he wrote it in three dimension's putting the message across knowing he and every one of us had, had some regrets in our life, so much so we would all be "Famous" if for no other reason than for the the dump and stupid things we have done.
It's been said he wrote "Oh Lonesome Me" and I can't stop loving you" in Nashville and I've heard he wrote them Knoxville in a trailer park when he worked at WNOX. No matter where he wrote the songs no other country artist has written two hit songs in one day.
Many of Don Gibson's songs have been recorded by other artists. Faron Young and Patsy Cline both had hits on "Sweet Dreams". When Don recorded "Oh Lonesome Me". in 1957 it went to No. 1 and was the beginning of "The Nashville Sound".
He had other hits: "Blue Blue Day", "Sea Of Heartbreak", "Lonesome No. 1" and others. With Fame came problems, alcohol and drugs Don Gibson had his share with both.
With a sucessful second marrage he got back on track and turned his personal life into as much success as his writing.
In his Lifetime Don Gibson charted 82 songs, three went to No. 1: "Oh Lonesome Me", Blue Blue Day" and "Woman ( Sensuous Woman)". He was inducted into the Nashville song Writers Hall Of Fame in 1973 and inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001.
Over One Hundred and Fifty artist have recorded "I Can't Stop Loving You". including "Elvis" and Ray Charles. The most Famous being Ray Charles - the song became a smash hit for Charles. Both Ray Charles and Don Gibson received a Gold Record for "I Can't Stop Loving You". We will miss the talents of Don Gibson and the Heavens will be just a little dimmer because another Star is gone.
-Widmarc Clark
The Ghost of the
Blue House Blues
Not long ago I got a call from a friend of mine I hadn't heard from in over thirty years. He lives in Opp, Ala, a small town in the southeastern part of the state, out in the middle of nowhere. To get there you must travel two lane roads that can get very confusing at night. If you've ever traveled from Tupelo to Memphis on route 78 or Highway 14 in Arkansas that usually will get you to Little Rock, then you know the kind of road I was on.
Dale Hawkins and I were traveling out of Jonesboro to Little Rock one night and ended up on Highway 14. The road runs between state road 63 and interstate 67 we spent the better part of a night in fog confusion trying to get to the end of that highway. Sometimes back roads can lead to some strange places. Such was the night trip to Opp on Highway 331 out of De Funiak Springs, Fla.
My ol' friend at one time was the front man for Hank Williams Jr., now somewhat retired and playing off and on when he feels like it in a nite club east of Opp. When my friend fronted the show for Hank Jr., the Original Drifting Cowboys were working with him (Sammy Pruitt, Jerry Rivers and Don Helms). So it was a while back since I last saw him. I packed a bag and headed out. When I got to De Funiak Springs the sun was setting and it looked like a great night to travel. I pointed by Chevy pick up north on 331. I had plenty of time to get there no need to be in a hurry.
The stars were out in all their splender as I rode through a fall night in the peaceful Fla panhandle.I decieded to stop off at The Hop In And Hop Out convience store for a pit stop and a cold one. I asked the man running the store how far it was to Opp? He said about 55 miles up the road just stay on 331 the road is a little rough when you cross the state line, the (Ala) road people don't figure the road leading down to (Fla) is worth fixing so it an't been worked on in quite some time.
I slipped into the front seat enjoying my ice cold brew and headed into the night. At some point one brew became three and I found my self listening to CD's everything from ( Thats All Right Mama ) to ( Rocky Top ) and ( Alan Jackson's ) In The Real World. I looked at the fuel gauge and realized I was not going to make it to the end of the race without a fuel stop. Lo and behold there was another Hop In And Hop Out right on schedule.
I asked the woman behind counter how far it was to Opp? She said about fifteen miles east of here. Where is here I asked? This is Sanford, Ala, your fifteen miles west of Opp ands it's about fifteen miles west to Andalusia. What road is this? Highway 84, how can that be I was north on 331 out of Fla to Opp? Well you went through Opp made a left on 84 and here you are. I don't believe it, I just don't believe it. Well she said, truckers get lost out here all the time, looking for Petrey Wholesale. Where is that I asked? About 40 miles north of here. Have you ever heard of the Road House Blues Club? No never heard of it. It's above Opp, well your west of Opp and I ain't never heard of it and I go jukin' in Opp all the time. Look go down the road about 12 miles and you'll see the Blue House Blues it's on the right side of the road just pass the Hop In And Hop Out.Wonder how I missed it getting to here? Well you did and you better get on down there before they move it and you miss it again.
I drove east on 84 toward Opp and wondered what had happened to those beautiful stars that were sparkling down at me not an hour before, the weather was now cold and cloudy. The woman had asked me to play LC-21 on the juke box she said it was her favorite song and gave me a dollar to play it four times. Well there it was The Blue House Blues. I eased on in and sat down at the bar and ordered another cool one. Bartender you ever heard of the Road House Blues Club? I got a buddy who play's there. You do? I sure do, where is it? There ain't no such place as that around here or around there or any place else around here or there, if there was I'd know about it cause I played music all my life from here to Mobile to Montgomery and back. There was talk some singer was gonna build one but never did. There just ain't no Nite Club by that name. Really? Really, no such place I tell you.
I walked over to the juke box and dropped a coin in the slot and had my finger on LC-21 beginning to push it down when I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice I had heard somewhere before say hold on Hoss better think that selection over? Why? It's a famous song by Hank ... Hold on just a cotton pickin' minute ain't you him ? I was face to face with the most Famous Country music singer in the world, your him, your him, your Hank ..... Will, Will, ums, tall, slinder, kinda tallow though, kinda pale, white suit with all them notes all over it. And that white hat. Now look son I ain't who you think I am? I'm not him. Yes you are, Yes you are. Just hold your horse's "Pasqually" your about a mile off target on the wrong bomb run, flying an out of date airplane in a war that ain't been fought yet. But if you press your finger down on that selection all Hell's about to Pop lose.Look around what do you see? I see all kinds of stuff. Well name some of it? Go ahead start naming stuff. Look at the cars in the parking lot. What year are they? Early fifties cars. How about the songs on the juke box? Well their fifties songs. Who's that baseball team on the wall that won the National League pennant last year. It's the 1950's Philadelphia Phillies. This is the 50's in here, this whole place is slap dab in the 50's forever. What year did you walk in here from? 2000. You plan to stay here forever with us ? Let me tell you something, this place runs from 1950 to 1959, you can hear Elvis, Conway, Buddy, Big Bopper, Ritchie, Eddie, Gene, and there will be others coming soon. Chet, Carl, Roy and a whole bunch of people from the Hayride and the opry and yes even the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame has one or two here.
But you are before your time. We need you to tell the story about how great Rockabilly music was in the 50's. Tell them to enjoy it now and keep it alive for generations to come, because when it dies it's gone forever. I don't want to go back this is what I always wanted, look an't that Gene setting up to play? Yep that's him and Cliff, well I don't wanna miss this show I've wanted to hear him play live and in person since I was a teenager. Look, ain't that the Famous Sam Phillips. yep thats, him look he's setting the studio up to do some recording I don't want to miss out on this. Well my friend some things are not always as you see them this is something you might call a rerun, it's not in real time even though it looks like it is. It's true everything recorded in the 50's is here but it's not for you yet, your to early if you stay now everything you see and hear will be out of meter and out of tune and not in real time because this is not your time yet.Go back and tell other believers that Rock a billy must be played and carefully persereved for as long as there are people who believe in it, then we will have a place for you here with us when it's your time.
I heard a thumping on my window and a voice saying hey buddy you Ok ? It was a Ala State Trooper, you Ok ? I'm alright, where are you headed? I'm going to Opp how far is it? Your about seventy miles east of Opp on route 231 north of Dothan. Let me buy you a cup of coffee buddy you look like you need some. Over a good cup of coffee in a Waffle House in Dothan I asked the Trooper if he ever heard of the Road House Blues Club in Opp ? You mean the Blue House Blues, they tore that club down in 1959. What about the Road House Blues Club? Well I heard my dad talking about a singer that was gonna build a club by that name in the 50's down on 331 heading into Fla but never did because he thought people would get his club mixed up with the Blue House Blues club. But you ain't the first one who thought he went there. So many people traveling north on 331 have got them two places mixed up they call it the Ghost Of The Blue house Blues Club.
You know there was a woman who worked at a Hop In And Hop Out in Sanford, Ala who used to tell stories about folks getting lost looking for the Road House Blues Club in Opp ole crazy Gladys Gray she died about twelve years ago. Have a nice trip home young fellow.
I still haven't seen my buddy in Opp, I guess I'll wait till he moves to another town. Come to think about it this crazy Ghost Tale always sounds kinda Spooky when it gets close to Halloween, and don't play LC-21 if it's the combination to any song on any Juke Box. You might end up on a two lane road heading straight for the Ghost Of The Blue House Blues.
Big Train To Memphis
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame Benefit Show
Posted October 15, 2003. The big train rolled into Memphis October 10th, 2003 with a shower of Rock-a-billy legends that would equal the stable of artists Sam Phillips had on his Sun roster in the 50's. The Rock-a-billy Hall of Fame picked Memphis because that's where Elvis did his first live show at the Overton Park Shell. The Overton Park Shell had been closed down for twenty years when the Rock-a-billy Hall of Fame discovered that it had just reopened. It was decided that Memphis would be the perfect place for the benefit show. Also the Rock-a-billy Hall of Fame had plans to induct Rick Nelson. They had been looking for a suitable location for the induction ceremony. Since Rick Nelson had a special fondness for Memphis and it's Rock-a-billy roots Memphis was the perfect place.
Rick Nelson's twins Gunner and Matthew were contacted. They agreed to perform on the show and except the induction plaque for their dad. The show was on. Rock-a-billy legend Glen Glen was contacted in hollywood. Glen who had been friends with Rick Nelson and Elvis was asked to present Rick Nelson's induction into the Rock-a-billy Hall of Fame to the Nelson twins.
At 2:00 p.m. on October the 10th, Cash O'Reilly and the Down Right Daddies' were introduced to the audience by MC Burl Boykin. They put on a great show and were real crowd pleasers. Sun recording artist and Rock-a-billy legend Charlie Feathers son and daughter Bubba and Wanda Feathers came on next and sang many of their dad's hits. It was great to see Bubba and Wanda keeping the Feathers family tradition alive. What a show they put on.
Next on stage from Toledo, Ohio was the fabulous Joe "The Shaker" doing his fifties hit "Chicken Shack." Joe was backed up by Butch Wax, Larry Manuel, and the Flat Tops. "The Shaker" is an excellent performer that keeps you rockin. Bobby Joe Swilley and the Country Line Band, with Andy Anderson, guitarist Bucky Barrett along with Alton Lot, Don Pittman, Wray Henson, and Richard Thames got their harmony together on the Fiesta's 1959 hit song "So Fine" and other group hits of the 50's. What a performance the audience loved it.
The fans came to see and hear Rock-a-billy at it's best and they got it. The Rock-a-billy Country band came on next with Barbara Pittman, Kim Curtis, Jerry Lee "Smoochie" Smith, J.T. Morgan, Rayburn Anthony, and drummer W.S. Holland who worked with Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. They rocked everyone with a show no amount of money could buy. Barbara Pittman the first woman to record for Sun Records put on a great show. Roman Self came out next singing some the songs that made his dad Rock-a-billy legend Ronnie Self famous. Roman sang his dad's big hit "Be Bopa Lena." He was backed up by Bob Timmers on lead guitar and Bobby Joe Swilly on drums. Roman really puts on a good show.
Glen Glen and his band came out next what a wild bunch this is they put on a good rockin show. Alan Clark who knows every Rock-a-billy legend in the world, played lead guitar harmonized with Glen Glen and Don Wilson on their hit songs. Sheree Homer sang an old Carl Perkins tune "Matchbox." Johnny Powers from Detroit came on next singing his hit "Long Blonde Hair" "looking cool" in his leather outfit and shades. He is the only Rock-a-billy legend to record for both Sun and Motown Records. Glen Glen ended their part of the show singing his big hit "Everybody's Movin."
Everybody was having a good rockin time. Rock-a-billy legend Gene Summers from Dallas Texas got the fans rockin with his big hit on Jan Records "Straight Skirt." If you've never seen Gene Summer perform live you are missing a great show. Gene is a dynamic performer who keeps the audience rockin in there seats. Gene left the stage and came out among the audience and sang to them, they loved it. He ended his show with his biggest hit "Big Blue Diamond" giving the fans what they came for good ole rock-a-billy.
Gunner and Matthew Nelson closed the show with a sizzling performance with their band the Dempseys that had everyone jumping and shouting. Flashes were going off everywhere as they sang some of there dad Rick Nelson's hits. What a way to end a Rock-a-billy show.
HANK WILLIAMS
Rock-A-Billy In My Soul
September 25, 2003 Many stories have been written about Hank Williams, and being from Alabama and not far from where he was born, Hank Williams is a person I have heard stories about all my life. He was born in Olive Hill on Sept, 17 1923, to Lilly and Elonzo Williams living in a small farm and logging community in southeastern alabama about sixty miles below Montgomery.
Southeastern Alabama hasen't changed much in the last fifty years since Hank wiiliams played in Honky Tonks and various other places trying to make a buck or two and carve out a living in the rual south that is as far away and different from New York, Chicago and los Angeles as humanlly possible. When Hank begin his full time music career he played in Troy, Ozark, Dothan, Enterprise, Geneva, Opp, Andalusia, Brewton, Bonifay, DeFuniak Springs, Crestview, Pensacola, Fla, and Mobile, very small towns and very little money.
Such was the south in the early 1940's. After all this time people in their late 70's and early 80's still have stories to tell about when Hank Williams played in their town and they are proud to talk about it. Not many Famous people have left such a Legacy.
Hank Williams was an original member of the Lousiana Hayride from it's inception in 1948. Hank had made several records when he became a member of the Hayride and his name was getting around. The story goes that Hank's mother bought him a second hand guitar when he was twelve and he learned to play it with the help of a Black Man named Tee-Tot. Very little exist about Tee-Tot other than he taught Hank some songs and chords on his guitar.
When he was sixteen he got a job playing and singing on Radio Station WSFA in Montgomery. However, due to a drinking problem Hank was let go. He dropped out of school in 1942 at seventeen and tried to join the Navy, but couldn't pass the physical due to a abnormality in his spine. He then went to the West Coast to try his luck working in a ship yard. When that adventure didn't work out he returned to Alabama, and begin his career as a full time musician.
He was playing in the Troy and Ozark, Alabama area when his path crossed that of one Audry Mae Sheppard. He fell madly in love with her and they were married in Andalusia, Alabama, in 1944.
Some of the records Hank had already made by 1948 were "On The Banks Of The Old Ponchartrain" , "Pan American" and "When God Comes To Gather His Jewels". Copies were sent to The Hayride hoping someone there would hear them and like them and that he would become a Hayride member. Like them they did and he was asked to join the Hayride in 1948 as an original member.
The Louisiana Hayride was broadcast over radio station KWKH in Shreveport that had a booming 50,000 watts of power that could be heard over a wide and vast area covering well over seven states.
After a short time on the Hayride Hank got a syrup company to sponser him for a fifteen minute show over KWKH. It paid good money and gave Hank the extra exposure he needed and Hank was on his way to becoming a Big Star. At the same time he struck a deal with Acuff-Rose for publication of his future songs - an extremely good move that would make Hank Williams and his family millions and millions of dollars in future Royalties.
Hank had a song that he had recorded on M-G-M but was not yet releaced called "Love Sick Blues". He decided that song would be the first one he would sing on the Hayride. When he got on stage and stepped up to the microphone and begin to sing the song the audience went crazy, Abso-100%-Lutely Insane over it. They wanted to hear it over and over again, encore after encore they wouldn't let him leave the stage. All Hank had to do was just stand there and wiggle his leg a little and the yelling started all over again.
Hank Williams had the wiggle and shake and it drove the women crazy. No one had seen anything like before he held the whole auditorium spell bound. Sound like any one else you have heard of ??? THIS WAS 1948. Hank Williams had the crowd in the plam of his hand.
After a few weeks the word got around about this boy from Alabama that was tearing up the Hayride and every Saturday night the place was sold out. Tickets had to be bought in advance and hundreds were turned away knowing they needed a ticket before they got there. On Saturday night, when it came time for Hank to perform the auidence would start to scream and yell, when he went into "Love Sick Blues" the house would come down encore after encore no one could get enough of Hank Williams who was a young 24 years old. Talk about (Setting The Woods On Fire) he was burning up 50,000 watts of power and then some.
Hank Williams didn't write "Love Sick Blues" however it became a monster of a hit and stayed on the charts for almost ten months. M-G-M quickly released "Lost Highway", "You May Never Be Alone", "Honky Tonk Blues", "Mind Your Own Business", "My Son Calls Another Man Daddy", and "Your Gonna Change Or I'm Gonna Leave". All became big, big, hits. Very shortly after those Hits Cooled, M-G-M released "I Just Told Mama Good By" and "Wedding Bells" which became hits as well. Hank Williams was riding high fame and fortune was all his to have.
The one lasting love in Hank Williams life happened on Thursday, May 26th 1949 when Randall Hank Williams was born in Bossier City. He would be known as Hank jr. Nothing for the rest of Hank Williams life would give him more joy than Hank Williams Jr, who he loved to call "Bocephus".
The star of Hank Williams was shining brighter and brighter and his rise to stardom was most likely the fastest of any entertainer who ever lived. Hank Williams was now bigger than the Louisiana Hayride could handle. The Grand Old Opry in Nashville was calling. And Hank Williams was about to embark on a metor ride that would take him to heights that no one had ever been before. It would be a lonely ride that would take him to the top of a mountain that no human could get down from, and as he looked around from the view at the top of the world one might wonder was he Happy?? He was about to spread his wings for the flight of his life into a hurricane of fame that would end his life in less than three years.
Hank Williams made his first appearence on the Grand Old Opry on June 11th 1949. Before his first appearence he could walk the streets of Nashville unoticed, after his June 11th debut he could go no where in Nashville without people stopping to shake his hand and get an autograph. If he went into a resturant he got mobbed by his fans once they saw him, everyone wanted to be able say Guess Who Imet today? Hank Williams the guy who made "Love Sick Blues".
It was a packed Ryman Auditorium June 11, 1949, three thousand five hundred and seventy five to be exact on a hot sticky night setting on bench's that summer, waiting for Hank williams to make his first appearance on The Grand Old Opry, and to witness Rock-a-billy's first Super Star. And you thought Elvis was the First? Think again? If you think Elvis was the first to knock women out in mass numbers? Dial that number again? And if you really think Elvis was the first to shake a leg on stage and make women scream?? Better dail 911 for help. Ole Hank did it in 1949 like it had never been done before, at least not at The Ryman Auditorium.
Hank Williams made 'em scream and yell more more more and he had an exception the (guys liked him also), they bought as many of his records as did the women. No one has ever had such an Impact as did Hank Williams on June 11, 1949 at the Grand Old Opry. He got seven encores, a record that was never broken, not at The Ryman Auditorium. that record stills stands.
He had it all, he was tall dark and handsome with a beautiful smile that drove women crazy. He wrote and recorded great records "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Cold Cold Heart", "Hey Good Looking", all this happened in 1950 when Hank was 27. From Sept of 1949 to april of 1950 Hank William's earned over four hundred thousand dollars. Thats equal to over four million dollars today.
By 1951 Hank William's records were selling by the millions and "Cold Cold Heart" was heading for No. 1 on the Charts. When he died at 29 on New Years day 1953, "Jambalaya" was headed for No. 1 Other hits would follow: "Your Cheatin Heart" and "Kawliga" which became a smash hit was written at Kawliga, a man made beach about fifteen miles above Tallassee, Alabama, located on beautiful Lake Martin. The last time I was there, Kawliga the ole wooden Indian was still standing, at little worse for ware, but still there.
I took a picture of him for ole times sake remembering those days when myself some of my friends used to swim there. I had a friend named (Joyce Durrough) who would keep saying I just love to hear him sing (House Of Gold). So many years ago it was.
Other Hits were "Take These Chains From My Heart" and "Mansion On The Hill". Hank Williams is most likely the best male country singer that ever lived and the fact that he's from Alabama would make him a friend of mine if for no other reason. What I can say for sure is this Hank Williams was (Rock-a-billy), and the first (Rock-a-billy Super star.) "Move It On Over," pure Rock-a-billy - it's got that jumped up beat to it.
Many Rock-a-billy artist covered his songs, Gene Vincent did "I Can't Help It", Jerry Lee Lewis did "You Cheatin Heart" plus many more of Hank's songs. Rick Nelson did "My Buckets Got A Hole In It" which was on the flip side of "Believe What You Say".
Hank paved the road to Rock-n-Roll with "Love Sick Blues", which was most likely the first Rock-a-billy song that went to No. 1 nationwide. Sanford Clarks "The Fool" reminds one of "Love Sick Blues" which is a very good recording. Someone once said (Nothing Is New) follow the footsteps back to what you believe is the (Original) and there you'll find someone has already been there and done what you thought had never been done. Elvis was not the first Rock-a-billy artist. Hank Williams got there first. Hank Williams' creative work took less than five years. Yet today fifty years after his passing, his songs are still being recorded by someone in the entertainment business.
Hank Williams was and is a country music legend, but his greatness goes far beyond what we call GREAT he crossed over to blues and jazz and pop music. He had Rock-a-billy in his Soul. Take a walk some clear cool summer night to your favorite lake, river, stream, or pond sit down quietly by the water and look up at the stars and let the heavens surround you and if you listen, really listen, you'll hear ole Hank singing "Love Sick Blues", Oh Yeah, the beautiful sound of "Rock-a-billy Music."
JOHNNY CASH - "WALK SOFTLY
CARRY A BIG GUITAR"
August 28, 2003 Johnny Cash came from a poor family in Arkansas but he made the most of what he had that didn't cost much and that was "Music". He learned to play the guitar wrote songs worked his way through high school and in an effort to improve his life joined the Air Force, did four years in Germany, and was Honorably discharged in 1954.
While he was in Germany he performed on base and wrote some of the songs that would later make him one of the World's best known SUPER STARS "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Hey Porter".
He settled in Memphis in 1954 and had various jobs. He played at different clubs in Memphis and West Arkansas. His goal was a career in music and he was determined to get there. At the same time he got married and begin to have a family. He met Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant they formed a band Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two. They worked long hours at getting their performance to the point of perfection and got a job playing at a local radio station in Memphis.
They went to Sun records to audition for Sam Phillips, Phillips liked what he heard and signed Johnny to a contract. His first release was "Cry! Cry! Cry!" backed with "Hey Porter". Later hits were "I Walk The Line", "Ballard of A Teenage Queen", "I guess Things Happen That Way".
His songs were not only Country Hits they crossed over to become Pop Hits as well. By 1958 Johnny Cash had been invited to perform on The Grand Ole Opry and was the rising Star of Country Music, and went to Hollywood to try his Luck in the movie industry.
He returned to Memphis when the movie career didn't move as fast as his record sales. On his return to Memphis he hired W.S. Holland as his drummer and began to work even harder on his recording career. His deep rich Baritone voice his rhythm guitar and a straight forward approach to a song with a smooth schuffling beat was a combination that would last his entire career make him Millions and catapult him to Mega Star status.
Sam Phillips vision that gave Elvis his breakthrough to Stardom was very shorted sighted in his view of Johnny Cash, he let him quietly slip away in 1958 to Columbia Records with no compension. Johnny's contract had expired and Nashville was calling.
What Sam Phillips could have done with the future career of Johnny Cash we will never know. Sam never had much to say about the event, one would imagine that the failure to check on a Contract Experation cost him Millions. Johnny's first release on Columbia was "Don't Take Your Guns To Town". Other hits followed "Ring Of Fire", "Understand Your Man" and many more. In 1968 he recorded a live album from Folsom Prison "Folsom Prison Blues" which became a #1 Country Hit and #2 Hit on the Pop charts.
In the early 60's he was having trouble with addiction to pills and his first marrage came to an end. It looked like the career of Johnny Cash might come to an early end. He was down to skin and bones with no desire to continue. With alchol and pills gripping his life he spent a night in a cave and when he came out the next morning he said he'd a Spiritual Experence and things in his life would be different.
In 1969 he recorded "A Boy Named Sue" at San Quentin Prison that cut, from the album recorded at San Quintin became a #1 Country hit a #2 Pop hit. "A Boy Named Sue" became his biggest selling single and was the CMA single of the year, he was the CMA Entertainer of the year. He married June Carter in 1968 and she became a stable influence in his life and stayed by his side until her death.
Johnny Cash has given America and the World his very best. He has set an example for all of us to follow and for generations to come. (He Came He Saw He Conquered). He did it with Heartache, Dissapointment and all of life's up's and downs. He made Millions but he gave back millions. He had all money could buy but he remained the simple Arkansas citizen that brought him Fame. He never got above his rasing and he was kind and gentle to all people he met. Johnny Cash was an approachable person he never shunned anyone. A was a big man towering over most of us but he could look down at us and say with sinceritely "Hello I'm Johnny Cash."
It goes without saying there will never be another Johnny Cash, he came from those Glamorus 50's when life in America was simple and exciting. He was there when country music and blues crossed over and became Rock-a-billy but no one knew that's what it was all they knew was it sounded good and it was fun to play.
Johnny came along when everything had not been explored it was a time of musical magic and a time to do things no one had done before and Johnny Cash set out to make the most out of this new music. He helped pioneer the sound that 40 years later would be called Rock-a-billy but in 1952-53 and 54 it was music that was new and Johnny Cash played it, played it again wrote words that fit the sound and then ... then stepped up to the microphone and said "Hey Get Rhythm When You Get The Blues" and the world had Rock-a-billy.
Today's music an't bad but it ain't nothing like we had back in the good ole day of Rock-a-billy rock-n-roll and John R. Cash sang some of it's very best. Another LEGEND GONE. Life in America will not be the same without Johnny Cash, a light that help guide us into this new generation of a mixed up Nation has gone out. What he stood for will be missed, what he accomplished will not accomplished again. In all of the messed up ideas and goofy plans to make America look stupid Johnny Cash stood tall like the Giant he was and could say "Don't Worry About The Mule Going Blind", "America," "Hang On To The Plow".
Goodby Johnny, we'll miss you, Thanks For The Memories, you were a "True American Hero" - A Man Who Walked Softly and And Carried The Big Guitar.
JAMES BURTON
A Life Time Jam Session
August 28, 2003
James Burton and Widmarc Clark at the Ponderosa Stomp II in New Orleans
discussing James'life in the entertainment business.
Born in Dubberly, LA, James Burton grew up in Shreveport. James taught himself to play guitar. He never took any lessons, picking up the guitar sounds he heard on the radio and from juke boxes. James had a good ear for music he could remember the sounds he had heard and then be able to pick out those same sounds on his guitar. Then would compose and arrange his own composition of what he had heard to his style of guitar playing.
It didn't take long before James had developed his own distinctive style. Some people are blessed from birth with a special ability. The key is to find out what that special ability is and develope it at an early age. James Burton was able to do that.
One of James' favorite spots on the radio was the Louisiana Hayride and lucky for him the Hayride was right there in Shreveport, just a hop skip and a jump and James had a front row seat hearing and seeing all his favorite country music stars.
By the time he was fifteen he was the youngest staff musician on the Hayride. He obtained experence backing all the Hayride regulars. He also had some buddies who were staff musicians, drummer D.J. Fontana and stand up bass player James Kirkland. James also had another buddy named Dale Hawkins and they played gigs at the "It'll Do Club".
James had use of a car but seldom had the needed cash to put gas in it. So the main mode of transportation to a gig was pedal power. From time to time James was a session guitarist at Ram Studios in Shreveport, owned by Mira Smith. Bass guitarist Joe Osborn and piano player Leon Post would at times be on the same session with James. This was in 1956.
In 1957 James would play the opening riff on Dale Hawkins famous recording of "Susie-Q." Joe Osborn played electric bass. Both Joe Osborn and Leon Post played on Dale Hawkins' recording of La-Do-Da-Da, Joe played lead guitar and Leon Post played Piano.
Leon Post was also a staff musician on the Louisiana Hayride. When Elvis came to the Hayride he really got things going in high gear and he kicked up a lot of fuss afterward everywhere he went. When Elvis worked the Hayride the whole place went nuts and when he left nothing was ever the same.
Horace Logan, the manager of the Hayride, was looking for a replacement for Elvis of course he knew he'd never find one but he had to look. And he didn't have to look far for a 18 year old good looking Bob Luman from Kilgore Texas was there to perform with a group. When someone failed to show for a performance he was asked do you know "Thats All right Mama"?? Bob replied uh yea I know it, well get out there and do it. Bob did a great performance and was hired as a regular, until he signed with Imperial records several months later.
While he worked the Hayride he hired James Burton, James Kirkland and Butch White and formed his own band. When Bob Luman signed with Imperial records he and Horace Logan, James Burton, James Kirkland, and Butch White left for Hollywood.
Bob recorded "Red Cadallic and Black Mustache" with James Burton on lead, along with the rest of the band now called The Shadows.
Horace Logan, who had been the Hayride's manager, went to work for Fabor records in Hollywood. They all had parts in the movie "Carnival Rock" starring Natlie Wood and William Conrad.
Bob Luman sang "Red Cadallic and Black Mustache" backed up by The Shadows. Bob Luman and his band were jamming at Imperial when Rick Nelson happened to be in the building he also recorded for Imperial he heard the jam session and was highly impressed by this combo backing Bob Luman. They were playing just the kind of Rock-a-billy that Nelson loved.
Rick had a talk with James Burton and hired the band away from Bob Luman. It would be a relationship that would last from 1958 to 1966. At the time Joe Maphis was playing lead guitar but James backed him up on "Stood Up" and "Waitin In School". The relationship could have ended after the recording session. Christmas was just around the corner and Ozzie Nelson wanted the band to work through the Holidays. But James and the band were home sick and to spend Christmas on the west coast was asking to much. They packed up their stuff and headed for Shreveport.
They were gone for over a month when James got a call from Rick Nelson, asking James if he was interested in playing lead guitar?? Joe Maphis was going back to his country music gig on Town Hall Party. The Boys packed up their gear and headed back to Hollywood. The first recording after returning was "Believe What You Say" and "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It".
James replaced all the strings on his guitar with Banjo strings. The sounds that came out of that recording session were beyond belief. The light gauge Banjo strings gave James Burton the ability to bend notes making his guitar sound like a pedal steel trying to gather it's way out of his amp at speeds faster than a machine gun.
It was an incrediable recording session that gave Rick Nelson a top 10 record, and sealed him into history as a top Rock-a-billy artist, and it would be "Rock-a-billy" that his fans would want to hear for the rest of his life. And it was the very thing that Rick Nelson never understood. This mistake in his future career in music would cost him untold millions and evuentually lead to his demise as a rock star.
Samuel Clements once said always write about what you know. In Rick Nelson's case - stay with what you do best - which for him was Rock-a-billy.
When James Kirkland went to work for Jim Reeves, Rick Nelson robbed poor ole Bob Luman again, taking from him Joe Osborn the best electric bass player in America. The band was now made up of James Burton, Joe Osborn, Ritchie Frost on drums and Gene Garf on piano, still the best Rock-a-billy band in the USA.
By 1964 and hundreds of recordings at Imperial, the glory days were over. Rick Nelson had lost his direction and his career was going no where. "Hello Mary Luo" had long since faded and the Decca days were at an end as management saw nothing to do but let Nelson out of his contract. as his records were bland and without feeling.
In 1966 James decieded it was time to move on. And he began to do session work as his name as a guitarist would get him work anywhere and everyone wanted him to play guitar on their next recording. Just the name James Burton meant success if he was on your next recording. James spent the next few years doing session work for Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton. Johnny Cash, Sammy Davis jr, Dean Martin, Merle Haggard and countless others.
He went to work for Elvis in 1969 and stayed with him till his death in 1977. He went to work for John Denver, did more session work. And went on the road with Jerry Lee Lewis.
James has three homes, one in Nashville, one in Burbank, CA and one in Shreveport which he calls home. He travels between all three when he's doing session work which is most of the time due to the high demand of his guitar pickin'.
For the last two years 2002 & 2003 James has played The Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans during Jazz Fest sponsered by The Mystic Knights of The Mau Mau. At this years event he and Dale Hawkins hughlighted the show with a scorching rendention of "Susie-Q". Two buddies still going strong and bringing the people to their feet when they hear the riff that Burton made famous during the glory years of Rock-a-billy. The Two friends bowed to the crowd as they yellee for more.
It an't nothing new to James Burton, he's seen it all many times before. IT'S JUST A LIFE TIME JAM SESSION!
The World Outside Sun
Studio in 1954
August 18, 2003
While Sam Phillips Elvis Presley Scotty Moore and Bill Black were making history in a small recording studio in Memphis. Life was going on as usual in America. 1954 was unfolding and these are some of the events that were getting a lot of attention. Widmarc's
Juke Box Saturday Nite
August 18, 2002
All the Detroit car makers had a slump except Oldsmobile. Nash bought out Hudson. Studebaker merged with Packard. 15 of the 18 auto makers announced higher engine outputs. GM adopted the Panoramic windshield. Packard introduced Tubeless Tires. Chrysler but a Turbine Engine into a Plymouth Belvedere. A car dealer in Atlanta hired female car salesperson saying the Women improved showroom morale. The 1953 recession ended unemployment was 5.5.
Gasoline was .29 cents a gallon. GM President Harlowe Curtice made $637,233.00 for 1954. Soon that amount of money would be nothing to a young man down in Memphis.
Liberace was winning women's hearts all over America with his piano. Wonder how Liberace would stand up being on stage with Piano Wonder Boy J.L. LEWIS???? The Frozen TV Dinner was in front the TV eaten by thousands at the evening meal. Yep, the FROZEN TV DINNER was a product of 1954.
Willie Mays came home from the Army and batted with a .345 average for the 1954 baseball season with the New York Gaints. Bill Vukovich won the Indy 500. Senator Joe McCarthy was hunting Communists. Englishman Rodger Bannister ran a Mile in 3.58.8 seconds setting a World record.
Boeing tested the 707 commerical jet with test pilot Tex Johnson giving the beast a barrel roll. The Nautilus the first Nuclear Submarine was Commisioned. Children got vaccinated for polio. Millions of young men begin to sport Duck Tail Haircuts after seeing Marlon Brando portray the rebellious Johnny in The Wild One. OK! OK! I know we all thought Elvis started the Duck Tail Haircut. Well he saw the movie Too.
Alan Freed begin to play rock n roll at a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio to the displeasure of millions and millions of parents who didn't understand this new outrageous form of musical expression. Shortly Elvis would pour gasoline on this erupting volcano of music insanity that would have Southern Jack Leg Preachers screaming from the pulpit for his scalp along with breaking his records by the thousands - they never did understand that the more records they bought to break, the record stores bought more to sell. It was a losing battle that goes on till this very day and Elvis has been dead, as all of us know for over 28 years.
The New York Gaints won the world series four-games-to-one over the Cleveland Indians with the "Say Hey" Kid, Willie Mays, making his famous back handed catch that Vic Wertz sent flying 460 feet deep into the outer reaches of the Polo Grounds. Willie, running backward facing the wall made an impossible over the shoulder catch, robbing Vic Wertz of a sure game winning home run. Had any other player in the history of baseball been playing center field for the New York Gaints that September day in 1954, the Cleveland Indians would have won the game and possibly the World Series.
Later Elvis would pull off impossible feats to equal those of Willie Mays. Stan "The Man" Musial hit 5 home runs in a double Header aganist the New York Gaints. Two were off Johnny Antonelli who would go on to win 27 games in 1954, one off Jim Hearn and two off future Hall Of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm.
Joe Dimaggio would marry Marilyn Monroe, but it wouldn't last. Arnold Palmer would win The U.S. Amateur Golf championship at the country Culb of Detroit beating Robert Sweeny.
Big Movies in 1954 were: The High and The Mighty starring John Wayne; River Of No Return, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum; The Caine Mutiny, with Humphrey Bogart and Van Johnson. The most popular TV Shows were: I Love Lucy, Dragnet, The Milton Berle Show, This Is Your Life, and The Life Of Riely.
Some of the Top Pop songs were: Little Things Mean A Lot, Kitty Kallen; Sh-boom,The Crew Cuts; Answer Me My Love, Nat King Cole; The Happy Wanderer, Frank Weir; Hernando's Hideaway, Archie Bleyer; Young At Heart, Frank Sinatra.
Willie Mays, Hoyt Wilhelm, Stan Musial and Arnold Palmer are all in their respective Hall of Fame. Along with many other greats that made 1954 a special year.
No one could have known it, no one, could have. Snowballs were being tossed around, and that was good because there was snow enough for everyone. However, an Avalanche was slowly building on top of the mountains, and it would build momentum to the point that when it came crashing down it would sweep everthing away in it's path ... and only one person would be left standing and that person would set a trend that no one had seen since Alexander Graham Bell Invented The Telephone. "ELVIS AARON PRESLEY HAD ARRIVED."
Widmarc's
Juke Box Saturday Nite
August 18, 2003
In the 1950's the Ole Juke Box played five songs for a Quarter, Today it's five songs for a dollar. In those thrilling days of yesteryear juke boxes were everywhere and all it took was a nickel and you could hear your favorite song.Put another nickel in in the Nickelodeon all I want to hear is Rock-a-billy Music.
The 50's were the Golden years of the Juke Box. It is reported that Blues Legend B.B. King once said I got known from them juke boxes, my records didn't get played on no radio stations.
Rudolph Wurlitzer founded The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. in Cincinnati in 1856, he was born in 1829 in Shilbach,Saxony. At 24 he came to America and began importing musical instruments to sell on the american market. In 1880 he built his first Wurtlitzer Piano. In 1896 he built the first coin operated electric piano. He called it "The Tonophon".
Farny Wurtlitzer, who succeded Rudolph, bought a patented juke box Mechanism in 1933 and hired skilled professionals to build the juke boxes from their new location in TY. They called their juke box "The Debutante".
By the late 30's over fourty thousand juke box's were being built yearly. A very gifted designer named Paul Fuller styled the models "700" "750" and "850" using sophisticated plastic glass and wood.
After World War Two Wurtlitzer introduced the 1015 Juke Box. It was an Instant Hit. It's the juke box we all remember from the 50's. The styling was a sight to behold the attention that Wurllitzer gave to the 1015 was mesmerzing. The details included animated bubble tubes, revolving color columns and a revealed record changer.
Fifty six thousand 1015's were sold in the first six months of production. The 1015 is the most successful Juke Box ever built. The 1015 saw many changes, 78 rpm, to 45 rpm then LPs, and mono to stero and other technical changes.
Television cut into sales in the late 60's as the dominant form of entertainment. In recent years the juke box has had renewed interest. Many of the juke boxes from the 40's 50's and 60's have become collectors items.
In 1985 the Wurlitzer Co. was bought by The Nelson Group of Companies. Wurlitzer came out with a new Compact Disc juke box in 1989.
The 1015 has a new design it's called The 1015 One More Time CD Juke Box. The One More Time is a nostalgic reproduction of the original 1015 that been up dated with state of the art technology.
The main Office for Wurlitzer Jukebox Co. is Gurnee (Chicagoland) Illinois. The 80,000 sq. ft. The facility for production is in Stemwede-Levern, Germany.
My My My, have things changed. Today's stuff ain't bad but it ain't nothing like we had so many years ago when we had that good ole Rock-a-billy Rock n roll.
The Top Ten All- Time Juke Box Hit Singles.
#1 Houng Dog - Elvis - 1956
#2 Crazy - Patsy Cline - 1956
#3 Old Time Rock And Roll - Bob Seger - 1979
#4 I Heard It Through The Grape Vine - Marvin Gaye - 1979
#5 Don't Be Cruel - Elvis - 1956
#6 Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets - 1955
#7 Hey Jude - The Beatles - 1968
#8 The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding - 1968
#9 Lady - Kenny Rogers - 1980
#10 Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White - Prez Prado - 1955
(The Summer Of The Winter Rain)
August 6, 2003
Many summers have come and gone since those romantic years of the 50's. Great songs were coming of my broken down Zenith radio. I'd tune in to hear Randy's Record Shop out of Gallatin, TN. I'd hear Guitar Gable sing this should go on forever thinking how I wished Millie Sue Simms that good lookin' girl knew I was alive. Wonder where she is today?? Who ever married her got a good lookin' woman?
Dean Martin with that great ballad Memories Are Made Of This, The Platters, The Great Pretender, Sanford Clark's The Fool, The Dell Vikings, The Coasters, Carl Perkins, Jim Lowe and The Green Door, Ricky Nelson, Teen Age Romance, The Cadets, Stranded In The Jungle, Nervous Norvous, Ape Call, Marty Robbins with A White Sports Coat And a Pink Carnation, Sonny James with Young Love, Ferlin Husky's Gone,Chuck Willis, C.C. Rider, Johnny Ace's Pledging My Love, Johnny Cash with I Walk The Line, The Diamonds doing Little Darlin', Fats Domino's I'm Walkin', Pat Boone with Ain't That A Shame, Little Richard was Slippin'And Slidin', and Bill Haley did Rock A around The Clock.
Turn your radio on anytime during the 50's especially the early years and you could expect to hear any of the songs I just named. The DJ would say Winx time 11:31, here's Billy Lee Riley on the Sun Record Label with a real gone rocker Red Hot - Yea you teens gonna love this one. And you could call the station and ask the DJ to play it again and he'd "say boy that's a rocker, yea, lets play it again, glad you called. Hell, I was gonna play it again anyway."
Those were the days everybody was rockin North to South and Coast to Coast. Hey out there we got a new one for you here's The Crickets and That'll Be The Day, give a listen ... and see what you think about this one?? It was great, the Dj's wanted your opinion, "hey ya'll come on down to the station and listen to some of the new records we just got in and we'll play the one's you like on the air tonite so beat it on down here you ain't doin' nothin' but makin' out with your gal. Bring her down to (wanq) and lets play some rock n roll and have a ball."
Those were the grand days of Rock n roll up close and personal yes sir. If an artist came by your favorite station everyone was invited to meet him or her. They always had a picture to give you and many times, a copy of their record.
By the end of 1958 came (The Summer Of The Winter Rain), and with it came change, Jerry Lee got married, Elvis went into the Army, Little Richard became a Preacher, Bill Haley disappeared so did Sanford Clark. Chuck Willis died, the radio stations became distant and the doors were closed forever. No more personal visits. Whole Lotta Shakin, Great Balls Of Fire, Susie-Q , and Carl Perkins' brand of Rock-a-billy disappeared from the air waves forever. Then Buddy Holly The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens got killed and we lost Rock-a-billy music.
I mean we got up one fine day and turned the radio on and our day in the sun was over. All that great music recorded at Sun went down the drain. Every effort to hear Rock-a-billy was in vain, washed away in (The Summer Of The Winter Rain). Now we still had rock-n-roll, Bobby Vee too weak for my Rockin Soul. American Band Stand was considered Grand but I never was a Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, or a Fabian Fan.
It's been forty four years since those wonderful days of Be-Bop-A-Lula. Gene Vincent is no longer with us as are many of our Rock Legends it's as if Rock-a-billy was written on the sand and swept away by the sea.
Then one day in 1997 a fellow named Bob Timmers bless his little ole pea pickin' Heart opened up the Rock-a-billy Hall Of Fame and for the first time in over Forty Four years Rock-a-billy was back. He inducted artists into the Hall. You could now discover, hear and buy those great Rock-a-billy sounds of the 50's. You could read about them and actually get in touch with the legends. Lo and Behold you can even go to Rock-a-billy shows and see them perform. Bob Timmers has helped restore what was lost to us over Forty years ago "But" (The Summer Of The Winter Rain) is just around the corner waiting to take all away.
Yes my friends it can happen again and this time Rock-a-billy will be gone permanently. All those who understand that Great Time Of The 50's and what it means to American Musical History are getting old and won't be with us much longer, When they are gone the History they helped make WILL BE GONE FOREVER.
If you LOVE ROCK-A-BILLY and want to preserve it for generations to come and if you don't want that time in America distorted by people who were not there when it was taking place?? If so, hen SUPPORT THE ROCK-A_BILLY HALL OF FAME BY PLEDGING $120.00 or $10.00 per month for one year and keep the doors open for us to enjoy. I am giving $120.00 for this year and will do so each year to support the Music I LOVE. I hope many of you will do the same and prevent another (SUMMER OF THE WINTER RAIN). Widmarc Clark,
Widmarc's Rock-a-billy Sat Nite
sheliamorris@att.net
(Sam Has Left The Studio)
It's a Lonely Weekend
It's quiet at the little studio on Union Ave in Memphis, Sam's gone home only memories hang form the walls where rock-a-billy music was born. Memphis has lost The Father of Rock-n-Roll.
I was there this past year and made my way around the studio. I looked over the modest console that Sam had recorded "That"s All Right" on. No 32 track Hi-Tech catch-every-sound deal, just a 1 track get it down-right-the-first-time or lose-it-forever.
Looking through the large glass window from inside the console you see the area that Scotty Moore, Bill Black and Elvis stood when when Sam recorded them playing the sounds that later would become history.
Born in Florence, Ala,Sam made his way to Memphis working in radio stations as a Dis-Jockey till he had enough money saved to buy the equipment he needed to build a recording studio. A building was available on Union Ave. at a monthly price that Sam could afford. Sam moved in and begin to build his dream. He called his new business The Memphis Recording Service. Now he had a building and a studio but no business and a family to feed.
This is not a story that has rich beginnings such as Henry Ford or Howard Hughs, Sam Phillips was a long way from making money or being Famous. Sam met Dewey Phillips a local DJ and they decieded to form "The Phillips" record Co. Howlin Wolf came by, Ike Turner and Rufus Thomas and slowly the company begin to do a little business. Nothing was easy, all the Big Name record companies were in New York, Chicago or Los Angles. Nashville had Country Music under control leaving no reason for Sam Phillips to survive with his recording studio near the muddy Mississippi in the Western sticks of Tenn, in Memphis.
But survive he did aganist all odds, keeping his dream alive with one set back after another. Sam disolved his partnership with Dewey Phillips, as the company was going no where. Sam begin to record blues artist and sell the masters to Duke, Modern/RPM, Chess/Checker, Flair, Trumpet and Bullet records in Nashville. He even sent some demos to Mitch Miller at Columbia.
Sam had recorded B.B. King, Little Milton, Roscoe Gordon, Sleepy John Estes, and Joe Hill lewis and was still just making enough to pay the rent and buy a few groceries, he was getting no where selling his masters to other record companies, His Dream to do something no one else was doing was gathering dust. If he could only find something or someone who was different?? However Sam needed to do something quick or his Dream would go broke.
In Feb of 1952 Sam decieded to form his own record company and become an independent label. A move he was never to regret. In 1952 Sams brother Judd became a partner and Sun Records was off and running. Judd was everything Sam needed. Judd had worked for Roy Acuff and then moved on to Hollywood to work for Jimmy Durante in the Publicity Dept. Judd knew how to sell records through radio and was an ace at peddling records all over the south out of the trunk of his car. Judd set up record distrubition in New York Los Angeles and New Orleans.
Now Sun had National record Distribution. Junior Parker gave Sun it's first "hit" with (Feeling Good) then another with (Mystery Train). Most people have only heard Elvis sing the song however the orginial by Parker really Rocks. Next Sam begin to record country artists, he had Malcom Yelvington, Maggie Sue Whimberly who became Sue Richards and had a "hit" with (Norman) after she left Sun. Doug Poindexter, Clye Leoppard, Slim Rhodes, Hard Rock Gunter, Bill Taylor and Brad Suggs all recorded country music on the Sun Label.
All these artist passed in and out of Sun before Elvis came along. It's true Elvis got Sun Records known world wide. Then came Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis to help make Sam Phillips even more famous. However we must give credit where it is due. Sam didn't have to let Elvis go when he did. He could have held on to Elvis, he didn't, in a smart move he sold him for the amount he asked for. He then used some the money to buy into the newly formed Holiday Hotel which later became Holiday Inn.
Sam also kept Jerry Lee Lewis stable after his marrage to Myra Brown when the whole world was down on Lewis. He encouraged him and told him to wait things out that he would once again be rich and famous. With Sam's blessing Jerry Lee moved on to Country Music and did become again rich and famous.
Another artist from Sun that stayed in the shadows but has a world of talent is "the one and only" Billy Lee Riley. Billy Lee Riley has become an Icon of Rock-a-billy music. Billy Lee has kept going and and going and going and it's paid off for him as he's known around the world for his dynamic shows. You can't put on a Genuine Rock-a-billy show without Billy Lee Riley and without Sam realizing Billy Lee's talent we'd have missed a great entertainer.
Sam, thanks for those famous Sun 45's with the name Red Hot - Billy Lee Riley And The Little Green Men stamped on the beautiful Sun label. Sam ole boy, you gave us many memories that will last forever. Also, thanks for dropping by Memphis and setting up shop and filling our Hearts with the best Rock-a-billy music ever recorded. My friend, you stand tall in my Rock-a-billy book. Rest in Peace, I'll always remember you.
-Widmarc Clark
The Ponderosa Stomp II:
The greatest live show on earth
Dr. Ike and the Mystic Knights of The MauMau have out done themselves again. The big event was held at he Rockin Bowl in New Orleans to a three day sell out crowd, April 29th, 30th and May lst. All the great Rock-a-billy artist of the 50's were there plus a ton of blues artist from Lazy Lester to Guitar Gable. There was one of New Orleans best blues singer Barbara Lynn and her band. She put on a show that had everyone spellbound, what a performer.
The entire three days was standing room only.
Elvis original band Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana rocked the joint along with Dale Hawkins, Ray Sharpe, Phil Phillips and Clarence "Frogman" Henry, what a performance that was. One of the all time great guitarist James Burton got together with Dale Hawkins and brought the house down with "Susie Q." Deke Dickerson and his Rock-a-billy band the Echofonics were on hand and just tore the place up when they did a set with one of Rock-a-billy's up and coming artist Big Sandy.
Deke Dickerson is without a doubt the best Rock-a-billy guitarist alive today. guitarist Paul Burlison, and Rock-a-billy star Rocky Burnette really rocked the house. You would have had to be there to believe what a knock out show they did. The rockin was none stop from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. all three nights. Jay Chevalier the country rocker from Baton Rouge who was governor Earl K. Long personnel band when he was governor of Louisiana. Jay sang his famous ballad "The Story of Earl P. Long." There were over sixty artists during the three day event.
This was a big, big show people came from all over the USA and around the globe to see this star studded event. It is the greatest live show on earth and next years show is going to be even bigger. Bob Timmers of the Rock-a-billy Hall of Fame was there along with Rock-a-billy artist Roman Self son of the late rock star Ronnie Self of "Bop-a-lena" fame. Both said it was one of the best Rock-a-billy shows they had ever seen and they have seen them all.
If you weren't there you missed the best Rock-a-billy show of the year Truly the greatest live show on earth. Make plans to be there next year for the "rockin time of your life."
Gene Summers:
The School Of Rock N Roll
Gene Summers had a big hit with his recording of "The School of Rock N Roll." The recording went nationwide a little bit at a time breaking into the one market then into another one. Not many radio stations got the recording at the same time. However, the song was so powerful that it had it didn't die out even though it took several weeks to get into a major city. Once it began being played in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., "The School of Rock N Roll" was on it's way. Milt Grant played it in Washington D.C. Buddy Deane played it in Baltimore. Dick Clark began to play it at his record hops. The Milt Grant Show was always standing room only, broadcast from the Raleigh Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C., tickets were at a premium and had to be purchased weeks in advance. Teens all over the Washington area wanted to be on The Milt Grant Show to see in person their favorite rock star.
Getting on the show meant you had to know someone special and I wanted to see what the fellow looked like who made "Straight Skirt" and "The School of Rock N Roll." Anyone who made records that good, I wanted to see. Well it just so happened I knew that special person his name was Link Wray. Milt Grant was his manager. I got to see Gene Summers sing "Nervous" his second record on the Jan Label I was not disappointed. Gene looked like a young rock star and I thought to myself, man wouldn't it be great to be Gene Summers! I liked "Nervous" but, I loved "Straight Skirt, and "School of Rock N Roll." I bought "Nervous" because I liked Gene's style. I played "Straight Skirt" over and over then I'd turn the record over and play "School of Rock N Roll."
Gene and his band The Rebels had come up with a classic. When you listen to "Straight Skirt" the first thing that gets a hold of you is the deep bass sound then the piano and drums and James McClung hitting notes that jump out at you and Gene telling you she wears a "Straight Skirt." Brother that's pure Rock N Roll blasting it's way into your soul until you want to stop the car and get and dance in the road, and on occasion, we did just that. "The School Of Rock N Roll" was another pure rocker that never stops once played.
A record will become a hit if it gets requested repeatedly. That was the way of "School Of Rock N Roll." Teens all over wanted to hear "Straight Skirt and "School of Rock N Roll." No DJ or big wig record boss got the song played. It was played because teens loved the sound.
Many records were made in the time frame that Gene Summers started rockin: Elvis, Pat Boone, Sanford Clark, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis had left big shoes to follow not just any kind of jumped up sound would sell. The record had to be different. So it was way back when Gene Summers and his band The Rebels got a recording contract with Jan Records in Dallas Texas. Oilman, Tom Fleegher was looking for talent for is new label. Gene had a band and had played in high school. He was popular in the Dallas, Ft. Worth area. Gene Summers was ready to rock. Jan records was ready to roll. Gene and his Rebel Band James McClung, Benny Williams, and Gary Moon headed for Los Angeles, and Master Sound Studio. The group unpacked their gear and got started. They got the recording down and the sound was right. The finished product resulted in nothing less than musical magic.
The four young men had out done themselves the recording was #1 hit material. Gene Summers and his band had recorded one of, if not, the best rock record of 1958. They also recorded for later release "I'll Never Be Lonely." In this time frame of musical history in America the crescendo of rock music left an image and cast shadows that cannot and has not been duplicated to this day. What Gene Summers had recorded was deep rooted in Southern tradition. Some called it rock-a-billy, others said it was jived up country. What it was was a sound that was different from any other rock n roll song of 1958.
When "Straight Skirt" begin to get airplay Jan records sent Gene on tour promoting the record. Gene went from East Coast to West and back again. Things were doing well. The record was becoming a hit. The good news was Mercury Records wanted to buy Gene's contract and the rights to "Straight Skirt." Now the recording would have national promotions. The bad news was the people at Jan Records wouldn't sell Gene's contract. In the 50's small record companies always sold to major record companies due to high promotion cost and record distribution. In spite of it all "Straight Skirt" became a hit and left it's mark as one of the best rock records of 1958.
"Nervous" was a great recording and was also a hit for Gene. Just as "Nervous" was riding high in the charts, things got fouled up at Jan Records over a name dispute with another record company, who filed a law suit claiming they had the name "Jan" first. Gene's record company lost the law suit and thousands of his hit recording "Nervous" had to be returned. Once again Gene missed out on becoming the famous rock star he should have become, due to the mistakes of Jan records. The glamour of the record business had taken it's toll on Gene. He grew tired of long hours, little pay, promises not kept and disappointments caused by Jan Records.
Being in the spotlight and becoming a teen idle was great. However, unlike other star struck artist Gene's business mind told him he was not going to work for pennies and have the record company keep all the money that he had helped them earn. He by far was no fool and had no plans to play in smokey filled bars for fifty dollars a night after the hits stopped coming. Gene headed back to Dallas and went into the real estate business and to this day has built a solid real estate company in the Dallas area. From 1958 to the present time Gene has made hundreds of recordings, many of them have become hits and he still plays in selected clubs in and around Dallas and Ft Worth. Gene had a big country hit in the sixties with "Big Blue Diamond," on Jamie Records, which did well in the country charts.
Since 1958, Gene Summers has kept himself busy. Gene attended Arlington State College, Southern Methodist University and in July of 1961 married the very beautiful Deanna Trentham. They have three sons David Wayne, Steven Len, and Gregory Shawn. Gene has appeared in two movies "Backlot" in 1986. He played the part of a preacher in the film "No Safe Haven" with Wings Hauser in 1989. His wife Dea wrote the song "Who Stole the Marker From The Grave of Bonnie Parker," which was used in the movie "Billy Martin" and was released in 2000. Gene owns a publishing company and Front Row Records in Garland, Texas.
The list of Gene Summers accomplishments cannot be covered in this article. The list of recordings Gene has made since 1958 would take several pages just by itself. Gene is very active in today's Rock-a-billy music. He is in demand and does several shows a year in the USA and in Europe. I had the pleasure of seeing Gene perform at the biggest Rock-a-billy show ever held in Green Bay, Wisconsin in July of 2002. I got to shake Gene's hand and tell him how much I enjoyed his performance. He put on a great show and did all my favorites. The records Gene Summers made in 1958 are not being made today and most likely will never be made again. The Gene Summers recordings are classics. I highly recommend all of Gene's recordings for your record library. Gene Summers touring schedule and entire record catalog can be obtained by writing to the Gene Summers fan club, 222 Tulane St., Garland, Texas, 75043-2239.
Dea & Gene Summers after one of Gene's recent concerts. (Photo courtesy of Lew Williams)
Special thanks to Gene's son Shawn Summers for the photos in the article. Gene Summers and his Rebels legends of "The School of Rock n Roll."
Second Annual Ponderosa Stomp
The Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau are bringing the legends of Rock-a-billy to the "Big Easy" for three big nights of entertainment. Dr. Ike and The Mystic Knights have done the impossible by getting these legends together for another show. There will be over sixty-four Rock-a-billy stars of the fifties and sixties for the second year in a row. This years extravaganza will be at the world famous Rock-n-bowl, located at 4133 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana. The dates for the show are April 29, 30, and May 1st 2003. Tickets are on sale now at the Rock-n-bowl and The Louisiana Music Factory. Tickets can be purchased by mail by sending a check or money order payable to MKnmm Charities, Inc., 1521 Camp Place, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Tickets are $30.00 per night or $80.00 for all three nights. There will be a $1.00 surcharge for processing the order. Rooms are available at a discount rate for guest of the Mau Mau at Hotel LeCirque 2, Lee Circle in downtown New Orleans. You should order your tickets now and make your travel plans early. This is a big event and if it's anything like last year, tickets will sell out in a hurry.
Terry Stewart president of The Rock-n-roll Hall of Fame says when he talks about music events, The Ponderosa Stomp is "The Real Deal." Recommendations for this event don't get any better than this. One of the legendary stars of last years show will be back this year, Dale Hawkins who made the famous recording "Susie Q" on Checker Records in 1957. Dale brought the house down last year when he and James Burton closed the show with a sizzlin rendition of "Susie Q." They turned the wick up and put some wild touches on ole "Susie Q." They got the whole crowd rockin. No one wanted Dale to stop. Everyone was yelling one more time, one more time. On the fourth encore Dale said you people are great, I love ya, goodnight. I gotta take "Susie Q" home. If you've never seen Dale Hawkins perform live you better head it on down to New Orleans for a front row seat. Dale is a dynamic performer who will have you rockin from beginning to end.
Also making a return performance is Kenny Brown, Kenny is probably the best blues slide guitar player in the world. Kenny puts on a show that will keep you rockin. Other headliners are: Jody Williams, Billy Boy Arnold, Sun-Ra-Arkestra, Hubert Sumlin and Jimmy-T99-Nelson. Back this year are Paul Burilson a nd Rocky Burnette. Paul played lead guitar for Johnny Burnette, Rocky's dad. The Rock-n-roll trio included Johnny and Dorsey Burnette and Paul Burlison. The group made history when they recorded. "The Train Kept A Rollin" on Coral Records. Elvis was still at Crown Electric while the Burnette boys and Paul were touring and making head lines. Johnny and Dorsey have passed on, leaving Paul to carry on the legend. Eventually the trio split up. Paul returned to Memphis to work as a union electrician and retired several years ago and has just begun to do shows again with Rocky Burnette. Johnny and Dorsey became individual stars. One of Johnny's big hits was "Your Sixteen, Your Beautiful, and Your Mine." Dorsey had a smash hit with "Big Rock Candy Mountain." Rocky looks like his dad and sounds like his dad. He also puts on a great show. Don't miss these exciting performers.
Scotty Moore is back this year. He needs no introduction everyone knows Scotty was the sound behind "That's all Right Mama," "Heart Break Hotel," "Don't Be Cruel," "All Shook up," "Jailhouse Rock.," and other hits. Don't miss the opportunity to see and hear this legendary performer. Scotty has written a book "That's Alright Elvis." He signed my book last year, bring yours.
James Burton is another legendary headliner, who started his career with Dale Hawkins, playing lead on "Susie Q." James was a regular member of the Louisiana Hay Ride. James played lead guitar for Bob Luman, Rick Nelson, Elvis, John Denver, Emmy Lou Harris and has played on hundreds of recording sessions. James is probably the greatest Rock-a-billy guitarist of all time.
Lazy Lester is back this year. Lazy has been playing blues guitar since the forties and is a living legend. An up and coming guitarist appearing for the first time is Deke Dickerson a young man with great talents who is surely headed for stardom, and in time will become a legend. You must see this young man. He is in demand world wide and booked solid. It will be a rare treat to see this great guitarist.
Another Rock-a-billy star is Billy Lee Riley, Mr. Red Hot himself. Don't miss Billy Lee. He is unequal in showmanship, a true legend who recorded for Sun Records, Jerry Lee Lewis played piano on Billy Lee's recording of "Red Hot." Billy Lee has done it all. He's been a record producer, owned his own record company, toured the entire globe several times and been in the entertainment business since 1955 and is still going strong.
Tony Joe White will be appearing, Ray Sharpe,"Linda Lou" Guitar Gable "This Should Go On Forever." Rod Bernard, Roy "Boogie Boy" Perkins, Eddie Bo, Joe "Guitar Hughes" C.C. Adcock, Clarence "Frogman" Henry "I Ain't Got No Home" "I Don't Know Why I Love You, But I Do," Phil Phillips "Sea of Love." and other outstanding performers. This is a show of shows you will never see this much entertainment in three days for $80.00 and have the pleasure of being in
