Something about Ruckus Tyler

Here we go with the story of Ruckus, an unknown rockabilly singer that was featured on a total of six re-issues during the last 27 years.

Ruckus Tyler was born in Louisiana, but spent - as far as I know - most of his career on the west coast in California. He first appeared as a recording artist on Fabor Robinson's label Fabor Records in the summer of 1956 with the two outstanding performances "Rollin' and a-Rockin'" / "Rock Town Rock", which have a western swing feel to it. Interesting enough, Billboard used in his review of this single (Fabor 135-45) the term "rock-a-billy" - it was one of the first times this term appeared in the press. However, the record didn't show up in the charts. After Tom Tall had some success with Ginny Wright in 1954 ("Are You Mine" reached #2), label owner Fabor Robinson searched for new duet partners to record with Tall. One of them was Ruckus Tyler; Robinson may considered him as a talented guy (which he was indeed). However, the duet "Don't You Know" / "If You Know What I Know" also went nowhere. According to Tom Tall, Tyler and Tall never met before the recording session, they just went into the studio, cut the two songs and then went out and never saw each other again. Unfortunately, Ruckus Tyler died in a car accident around 1957.

Download Ruckus Tyler's (almost) complete recorded work

Yvonne Carré on Decca

This one by Yvonne Carré was a Decca release in Germany. Carré was a German singer, but had a hit in Japan with "Sukiyaki" and toured the country many times. She started her career in the 1960s in Germany. I think her career isn't much of interest here, you can also go to her website. She is married to Frank Valdor, an orchestra leader. I like Carré's Decca single very much, that's why I posted it here. Just looked for something "strange".

Download "Sukiyaki" and the flip "Ein Sommertag"

Zig Dillon story

I don't have much info on him. Any help appreciated.

Allen "Zig" Dillon was born on January 1, 1923. During his career, he never became a major artist and only played around Kansas City, Missouri. His first record appeared in the summer of 1960 on the local R label featuring "On Down the Line" b/w "The Years Teach As Much". There's also an alternate take from "On Down the Line", which was first issued on the Collector CD "Automatic Bop, Volume 1" in 1997. Dillon recorded a follow-up, "Bird Song Boogie" backed by "Beetle Bug" sometimes in the 1960s, still on the R label. When R folded, Dillon disappeared from the scene.

New Willie Nelson album

The last weeks, I was busy with posting about other things, so this may comes a little bit late. But for all the people who don't know it: Willie Nelson released his latest album "American Classic" in August 2009. Nelson, who recorded several jazz inspired records during his career, cut 12 jazz standards with famous jazz musicians - the album was produced by Tommy LiPuma and was released on the Blue Note label (his second disc for them). This is maybe not THE disc for country music lovers - but to close this post - Nelson's classic "Always On My Mind" is also on the track list.

Rhythm Rockets

The Rhythm Rockets were a rockabilly band from Miami, Florida. They had an unique sound with hot lead guitar licks and explosive backing music. They never got popular outside Miami, which is a shame (if you hear the recordings you will know why). The Rhythm Rockets were first introduced to me last year by the Ace CD "Miami Rockabilly" that featured 32 songs from the vaults of Miami record labels. Take a listen to "Lucky Day" (I included here the remastered version), Donny Pate plays a hell of an electric guitar that will blow you away! Also highly recommended are "The Slide" (top-notch rockabilly for the late 50s with real rock guitar solos) and the more bluesy "My Love Is Gone". Enjoy!

Download

track list:
1. My Shadow
2. Lucky Day
3. Donny's Boogie
4. Boppin' Strollin' & Messin' Around
5. Everybody's Gonna Do the Rock'n'Roll
6. Here, There, Everywhere
7. The Slide
8. I've Got that Feeling
9. My Love Is Gone
10. Who Knows
11. My Shadow

Cowtown Jubilee story

There was another barn dance stage show in Kansas City:

KCMO's answer to the "Brush Creek Follies" was the "Cowtown Jubilee", starting in 1950. At that time, the Follies were still very popular. KCMO was a 50.000 watt station out of Kansas City and held its Jubilee every Saturday night at the Ivanhoe Temple, which was previously the home of the KCMO Follies. Every show was more than four hours long, but I guess not the whole show was broadcasted over the radio.

The emcee of the show was Dal Stallard along with Hoby Shepp, who also led the Cowtown Wranglers, the house band of the Jubilee. Other regulars on the show were Jimmy Dallas, Milt Dickey, the Sons of the Golden West, Balin' Wire Bob Strack and others. The show wasn't as popular as the Follies ten years before that, but seems to be successful enough to be on the air for more than five years. I found articles indicating that the show was still on the air in 1955, but I don't know when it was turned down.

Bill Monroe - Southern Flavor

Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys on TV, TNN television series "Amerian Music Shop". Monroe performs "Southern Flavor", an instrumental that he recorded in the 1980s. The album of the same name won a Grammy, for the best bluegrass album. On guitar Marty Stuart. Great clip. Love it.

Texas Rock & Roll

CRH R-04 - It's time for my next selfmade comp. This one contains all Derrell Felts rockabilly recordings he made. I know that he recorded more material for sure, but I couldn't locate it yet. So here we go with Rockin' Rollin' Derrell! Check out his classic "Playmate" - excellent guitar work, slap bass and driving drums. Also great are his 1956 demos he made at Jack Rhodes' studio. This is the only comp available I think that gathered all of Felts' 1950s recordings. Hope you like it!

Download

track list:
1. Playmates
2. The Weeper
3. It's a Great Big Day
4. Lookie, Lookie, Lookie
5. Too Much Lovin (Goin' On)
6. Rock Saturday Night
7. Shake It Up and Move
8. It's a Great Big Day

Benny de Weille on Philips

A 45 by the Geman/Dutch orchestra leader Benny de Weille (1915-1977), who had some success as a big band leader during the 1940s and 1950s in Germany. His influences were such jazz stars as Bennie Goodman and others. This one comes from the period of 1954-1956, when Bill Haley hit with "Rock Around the Clock" in Germany. Both sides are medleys with hits of the day. I post this primarily because of de Weille's interesting version of "Rock Around the Clock". Hope you also like the other songs. I apologize again for the bad sound quality.

Download

A side "Wie's euch gefällt - Potpourri, Teil 1":
1. Eine Kutsche voller Mädels
2. Minne-Minnehaha
3. Rock Around the Clock

B side "Wie's euch gefällt - Potpourri, Teil 2":
1. In Hamburg sind die Nächte lang
2. Auf meinem Konto steht das Komma zu weit links
3. Tiritomba

Brush Creek Follies story

Today we look at the hillbilly side of Kansas City:

The Brush Creek Follies were a live barn dance stage show that originated from various Kansas City auditoriums, mostly from the Invanhoe Temple. The show became, apart from the National Barn Dance, the most successful show of its type during the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The show first aired in 1938 over KMBC. The stage looked usually like an old barn to create a rural atmosphere. One of the first stars was Colorado Pete, a cowboy and western singer who had been with KMBC from 1933 on. His real name was George Martin and he stayed with the Follies until the end. Kit & Kay also were favorites with the audiences. The twins originated from Missouri and had played old-time music with their two older sisters since the early 1930s.

Tex Owens, writer of "Cattle Call", also appeared on the show. Other regulars were Sally Carson (later famous under the name of Bonnie Lou), the Oklahoma Wranglers, the Rhythm Riders, Dwight Butcher and Little Shoe. Hiram Higsby was the emcee.

The Brush Creek Follies shows came to an end in the mid-1950s, I guess in 1955 or so. The barn dance show type was regarded as antiquated and TV made its way into the homes of the people.