A platform to present my ever growing record collection and publish research results on artists, labels, and shows from the American roots music field
Updates
• Added info on Pete Peters, thanks to Volker Houghton.
• Added info on Jimmy Ford, thanks to Volker Houghton.
• Extended and corrected the post on Happy Harold Thaxton (long overdue), thanks to everyone who sent in memories and information!
• Added information to the Jim Murray post, provided by Mike Doyle, Dennis Rogers, and Marty Scarbrough.
Someone asked me about Joe Reavis' Recording Studios recently but I lost contact information to that person, unfortunately. I hope he or she is reading this little piece now and that this is some useful information. If anyone out there has more knowledge about this little recording studio, feel free to pass it along. Joseph Adam Reavis, Jr., was the owner of "Reavis Recording" on 2014 Beech Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Reavis was born in 1931 in Nashville. According to Bo Berglind, the studio was active at least since late 1955. Information on Reavis and his venture is scarce and confusing. Buzz Cason recalled in his autobiography "Living the Rock'n'Roll Dream" that the studio was operated by Kenny Marlow by 1958, a young attorney, and songwriter Gary Walker, who changed the name of the facility to "Fidelity." Apparently, Bobby Russell and the Impollos recorded their "She's Gonna Be Sorry" b/w "The Raven" (Felsted 45-8520) that year there under the new ownership. However, Billboard reported on April 25, 1960, that Murray Nash purchased the studio from Joe Reavis (!). Nash renamed it "Recording of Nashville" and operated his labels like Do-Ra-Me, MusiCenter and onthers out of it. By 1964, Nash had given up working in the music industry and probably sold the studio to whomever. Reavis died on December 6, 1961. from an overdose of barbituates, following the death of his father Joseph Adam Reavis, Sr., on October 30, 1961. Buzz Cason remembered the studio:
[...] I will always be thankful for the people I met at that rat hole of a facility and the life-changing events that transpired in those early days of recorded music in Nashville long before there was a Music Row. [...]
"The Walls Came Tumblin' Down" and "That's What Children Are For" on a 45rpm
acetate recorded at Reavis Recording Studio. The artists on this disc are unidentified.
"Lord's Prayer" by Barbara Redden on a 78rpm acetate. The backside of this
record is blank. Further reading on Do-Ra-Me, see here.
Another bobsluckycat post presented by Mellow's Log Cabin!
Recently, while rummageing through the collection, I came across the 45 EP on Republic Records
by Del Wood from 1953 which contained the original version by her hit record of "Down Yonder"
from 1951-52. I played the record and got to wondering about it since it was now a very old and
in the public domain standard. So I did some research and here's what I now know.
L. Wolfe Gilbert was a Russian born, American raised songwriter who found early success in 1912
with "Waiting For The Robert E. Lee", which became a hit and stardard. In 1921, he did a follow-up
of sorts in "Down Yonder". By this time he was already an established songwriter of note. Gilbert
would go on to write a wide variety of hit songs and well known pieces including "Ramona", "Green
Eyes', and even the theme for the Hopalong Cassidy TV Show in the early '50's and the list goes on.
This was to be, in his mind anyway, a minstrel show type song and perfect for the vaudville of its day.
It had a very short lyric set and the melody was simple enough that Rag Time and Old Time Country
musicians could learn it by ear fairly quickly. Which they did. Unfortunately, I have no early recordings
to show this, but it was a favorite dance piece as an instrumental as well.
Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers - Down Yonder (Bluebird BB-5562), 1934
Gid Tanner
In late March of 1934, A very popular rural group reformed for a lengthy recording session in San
Antonio Texas, they were Gid Tanner And The Skillet Lickers which had been on Columbia Records
for many years previous to this and now were cutting records for RCA Victor. The group was known
for rural music, fiddle tunes and heavy doses of comedy as well. The group consisted of Gid Tanner,
fiddle and occasionally banjo, his son Gordon Tanner on fiddle (actually a better fiddler than Gid),
Riley Puckett a blind guitarist and well known in his own right and Ted Hawkins on mandolin. Their
recording of "Down Yonder" (RCA Bluebird 5562, recorded on 03-29-1934) was the biggest seller
the group had and was quite probably the record used by many later musicians to learn the tune. In 1951, a rag time piano player named Del Wood prefessionally (Polly Hazelwood) was playing on
studio sessions and was signed to Tennessee Records. The A&R men at Tennessee wanted Del to
record another piece of music which she did not know, so "Down Yonder" was chosen instead and
with the addition of some rhythm accompanyment became an instant hit record on both the Pop
music and Country music charts on Billboard. It entered the charts on 08-24-1951 and stayed in
the charts for 25 weeks, well into 1952. Her version peaked at number 4 on the Pop charts and it
was the preferred version by radio deejays and jukebox operators across the nation. Several
cover versions in several different styles came out by late fall and stayed for varying lengths of time
in the Billboard charts, but none touched Del Woods' version. Cashbox for the week of 12-15-1951
gave the the song the #1 position on its charts based on the aggregate totals of the original and cover
versions of the song. Del wood would eventually sell over a million copies and earn a "Gold Record"
which was an unheard of feat in 1951.
Del Wood - Down Yonder (Tennessee 775), 1951
Spade Cooley
One week after the Del Wood version went on the charts, Spade Cooley recorded a cover version
for Decca Records in Hollywood CA on 07-31-1951. This was a very well done version in the
popular Western Swing style of the day, but Decca A&R decided against releasing it until much
later on an album. It still is, however, a very good version. Cooley had a large band with many well
known musicians and a large California following via his long running TV show, not too well known
outside the area. After leaving Columbia Records and splitting with Tex Williams, his recording output
which included backing such stars as Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, The Sons Of The Pioneers and others
on both RCA Victor and then Decca was not the stuff hit records were made of.
In 1960, an early "garage" band, Johnny & The Hurricanes out of Toledo Ohio, having had hits with
Warwick Records in 1958 and 1959, signed with Big Top Records, a division of Hill And Range
Publishing Company and their first release was "Down Yonder" (Big Top 3036 May 1960) and
with the addition of a typmpany for accent had a hit record that went to the top 15 in the USA in
June and #9 in the U.K. at the same time. It was a raw rock-n-roll record to be sure with solos by
sax, guitar and organ at full speed. Now a well received oldie after 50 years.
Red Foley - Down Yonder (Decca LP Dear Hearts and Gentle People), 1962
Red Foley
In 1961-62, In Nashville a trend was emerging called "town and country' which had a heavy dose
of pop music to it and the biggest stars at the time gravitated to it. Red Foley did a version of
"Down Yonder" for a 1962 album with a full chorus which gives us the only vocal version in this
mix and it is about as "town and country" as it gets.
To further illustrate the popularity of "Down Yonder" in the 1960's, I've chosen two recordings from
1967 which are vastly different but both probably are under the umbrella of Country music.
The first version is by Wade Ray on fiddle, Sonny Osborne on banjo, "Jethro" Burns on mandolin
and probably Buddy Spicher on second fiddle and other unamed players, and is a very good version
in Bluegrass which was on an RCA Camden budget label release, later re-released on Pickwick.
The second 1967 version is by guitarist Jimmy Bryant which was recorded in Los Angeles for
an Imperial Records LP #12360. This version has a jazz sound to it by the addition of a flute and
some different percussion, but still "country" don't you think?
The Thunderbirds - T Bird Rock (United Southern Artists 5-115), 1962
From the mid-1950s up to present days, there were probably hundreds of music groups using the name "The Thunderbirds." One of those groups always had my special attention just because of the raw demos they made. Their first demo record was on the Monette, Arkansas, based Buffalo label featuring "A Whole Lot of Shakin'" and "Flying Saucers." At the same time, there was a group of the same name that had an instrumental record out on United Southern Artists (from Hot Springs, Arkansas) and I always assumed this was the same band. I was surprised when I learned that this was not the case. Bassist Jack Heffron contacted me and fortunately brought some light on The Thunderbirds from El Reno, Oklahoma.
In the early winter of 1961, four young guys from El Reno, Oklahoma, got together and founded a band, calling them "The Thunderbirds." The line-up consisted of Kenneth "Gizz" Davis on rhythm guitar, Darrell Wiemers on lead guitar, Jack Heffron on bass, and Bob Garrett on drums. They organized teen hops in El Reno and the surrounding towns by renting halls and advertising their shows on newspaper and with posters. "Happy" Howard Clark, a disc jockey on WKY in Oklahoma City at that time, got word of the Thunderbirds and hired them to travel with him, playing dances all over Oklahoma.
Gizz Davis, who was handling the business issues of the Thunderbirds, somehow managed to secure a recording contract with United Southern Artists, a new label from Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Thunderbirds travelled to Hot Springs in order to audition for Carl Friend, A&R manager of the label. The band signed a contract and Friend soon set up a session at Echo Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where they cut "T Bird Rock" and "End Over End." Both instrumentals were released in either late 1961 or early 1962 on United Southern Artists 5-115. Billboard reviewed the single January 1962 in its pop segment.
Billboard January 27, 1962, review
The Thunderbirds had signed for two records and waited for Carl Friend's response but he never asked for a second record. Possibly it didn't sell. However, they did not make any more recordings. Cees Klop released a compilation on his Collector Records entitled "West Tennessee & Arkansas Rockin'" in 1998 that included "T Bird Rock" by the Thunderbirds as well as demo recordings of "Walking Down the Road," Warren Smith's "Ubangi Stomp" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky," also credited to the Thunderbirds. Either Klop miscredited those demos or the recordings were by another group of the same name. It's possible this second group was the same that recorded the demo record on Buffalo, mentioned earlier in the introduction. However, this has yet to be confirmed.
Shortly after the record, the band broke up. Davis and Heffron reformed the group again and played night clubs in Oklahoma City for a short time until the sudden death of Gizz Davis. He died in a car accident on March 20, 1963. Darrell Wiemers joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1964. His son remembers: "I remember as a kid listening to that record and thought it was so cool that Dad was in a band like that. He could really play and always regretted selling his SG." Jack Heffron now lives in Bethany, Oklahoma, while Bob Garrett resides in Washington and Darrell Wiemers already passed away on August 18, 1997.
Discography
United Southern Artists 5-115
The Thunderbirds
End Over End (Davis-Weimers-Heffron-Garrett) / T Bird Rock (Davis-Weimers-Heffron-Garrett)
M8OW-8396 / M8OW-8397 (RCA)
1962
Recorded ca. late 1961 at Echo Recording Studio (14 North Manassas Avenue - Memphis, Tennessee)
Darrell Wiemers (ld gtr), Kenneth Davis (rhy gtr), Jack Heffron (bs), Bob Garrett (dms) Special thanks to Jack Heffron and Darrell Wiemers' son for sharing their memories with me.
Rockabilly singer Clyde Stacy, known for his song "Hoy Hoy," died November 6, 2013, in a car crash on US 69 in Oklahoma. Stacy was born in 1936 and recorded such classics as "Hoy Hoy," (covered by the Collins Kids), "So Young," "I Sure Do Love You Baby" and others.
Bill Barton also recorded
as "Laurel London" for Gulf Reef.
Founded approximately in the fall 1961 under the name of Gulf Records in Clearwater, Florida, this label was first associated in some way with the Reef Hotel in Clearwater. The initial release was by Billy Barton, who I assume was involved in this label. "Monkey Business" b/w "Blue Lover" was released in 1961. By January 1962, the label had changed its name to "Gulf Reef" and had moved to 1708 Grand Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Many records were produced by Les Geeting and some songs published by Barton-Geeting Publishing Company, to all accounts a joint venture by Billy Barton and Les Geeting. Barton was born on November 21, 1929, as John Grimes and died on October 8, 2011. He was a veteran singer and songwriter by 1961, having recorded for such labels as King, Abbott, and many others. He was married to Wanda Wayne for some time and a cousin of Russell Sims', owner of Sims Records. He was the composer of "A Dear John Letter," a country hit for Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard in 1953. Barton lived in Nashville for a while but settled down in Florida in the 1960s after recording for Sims. It turns out that no info survived on Les Geeting. Apart from a musical point of view, there were some interesting discs on the Gulf Reef label. Carlyn Johnson was accompanied by Bill Woods' Orchestra. Was this Bill Woods from Bakersfield, California? "Why Do I Love You," which she recoded for Gulf Reef, sounds like a Nashville production, though. Benny Martin also recorded for the label as well as Ernest Stoneman's group, the Stonemans.
Billboard February 17, 1962, review of
Benny Martin's Gulf Reef single.
Discography
1001: Billy Boy Barton - Monkey Business / Blue Lover (1961) 1002: Johnny Wildcard - Say It Again / Rock and Roll Yodel (1962) 1003: Billy Barnoski & Bill Woods - So Called Friend / 12 O'Clock Polka 1004: Carlyn Johnson & Billy Barton - Two Kids in Love / Carlyn Johnson & Bill Woods Orch. - Why Do I Love You (1962) 1005: Benny Martin - The Man Next Door / Thinking About Love 1006: Curley Henson - Wichita Nell / Ten Steps Apart (1962) 1007: Laurel London - Don't Knock the Rock / My Conscience and I (1962) 1008: Blondie Brooks - Please Pardon My Past / We'll Make Out Together (1962) 1009: Grant Turner with the Stonemans - My Greatest Friend / Guilty 1010: The Stonemans - Sadness / White Lightning (1962) 1011: 1012: 1013: 1014: 1015: Danny Miller with the Stonemans - Silver City / The Million Dollar Fiddle
Since the Hillbilly-Researcher posted some (wrong) info and sound files of the small Columbus label from Texas, I though it's a good opportunity to bring this small company's story to a wider audience. In fact, it was my fault becase the wrong info came from me. I messed up thins when I wrote the info from my memory. Here it is how things occurred.
Sonny Fisher
Columbus Records was founded by local Texas musicians Darrell Newsome and Sonny Fisher. Both had played in the Houston, Texas, area from 1951 onwards and also recorded four now legendary singles for the Starday label in 1955-1956. Fisher's band was called "The Rocking Boys" and included, apart from Fisher on vocals and rhythm guitar, Joey Long on electrig lead guitar, Leonard Curry on bass, and Newsome on drums. Long dropped out after the group's last single on Starday and was replaced by local singer-guitarist Eddie Eddings. After his departure from Starday, Fisher co-founded Columbus Records with drummer Newsome and also set up Newfish publishing (an amalgam of Fisher and Newsome). The new firm's adress was 1701 Clinton in Galena Park, Texas, not far away from Houston. The first known record to be released was by Eddie Eddings and his Columbus Orchestra, featuring "The Same Old Situation" b/w "Just a Friend of Mine." The Columbus Orchestra was actually the Rocking Boys (without Long) with Fisher, Eddings, and Sonny Burns on guitar (Burns also had played rhythm guitar on Fisher's last Starday single), Hub Sutter on sax, Leonard Curry on bass, and Darrell Newsome on drums. Sax player Hub Sutter had worked with Link Davis earlier on and saw a release under his own name on Columbus. Accompanied by "The Hub Cats" (possibly identical to the Columbus Orchestra), it comprised "I Don't Want My Baby Back" with "Gone Goslin" on the flip. It was rated by Billboard on October 28, 1957, but without any comment. After Sutter's disc Fisher lost interest in the venture and sold his share to Newsome. Sutter's single is believed to be the last disc on the Columbus label. You can hear and see both singles at Hillbilly-Researcher.
Discography
Columbus 101: Columbus 102: Eddie Eddings and the Columbus Orchestra - The Same Old Situation / Just a friend of Mine Columbus 103: Hub Sutter and the Hub Cats - I Don't Want My Baby Back / Gone Goslin (1957)
Happy Harold's Old South Jamboree was one of two country stage shows that originated from Miami during the 1950s. Only rivaled by the Gold Coast Jamboree on WMIE, the Old South Jamboree was at least on air around 1956 up to ca. 1958 on WMIL. Harold was one of the few country DJs in Miami and emceed the show from the porch of an old parking lot. The house band included Bill Phillips on vocals (recorded for Columbia), Charlie Justice on guitar, Bill Johnson on steel guitar (who had previously worked with Tommy Spurlin), and Johnny Paycheck on bass (later became a hit making country singer). Kent Westberry, also a local Miami musician, remembered that Happy Harold also recorded for Harold Doane's Perfect label. Charlie McCoy, who also appeared on the show, recalls the Old South Jamboree:
I was a Chuck Berry singer. I was playing at a barn dance called 'The Old South Jamboree,' and my job was to get up onstage for fifteen minutes each hour, and play rock'n'roll for the young kids.
If anyone has more info on this show, please pass it along. Artists that appeared on the Old South Jamboree:
Kent Westberry: back then still a local rockabilly singer, who recorded for Art in Miami. Had a band called the Chaperones (Westberry, Snuffy Smith, Wayne Grey, Louie Stewart)
Carl Perkins
Mel Tillis
Charlie McCoy
Bill Phillips
Jimmy Voytek: recorded for Scott and Caper. Worked with Tommy Spurlin and Kent Westberry.
Country and rockabilly music singer and songwriter Marvin Rainwater died on September 17, 2013, at the age of 88 in Aitken, Minnesota. Rainwater wrote the hit "I Gotta Go Get My Baby" and had several hits on his own, including "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" and "Whole Lotta Women," the latter being a #1 hit record in the UK. Rainwater also recorded numerous rockabilly songs and was a regular feature on European festivals. Read more here.
I just learned that Alvis Wayne died already on July 31, 2013, at his home in Bacliff, Texas. He was 75 years old. Wayne is famous for his rockabilly sides he cut for Westport in the 1950s. He later recorded for Rollin' Rock and became a legend among young fans in Europe. Read more here.
Another Bobsluckycat post presented by Mellow's Log Cabin!
Louis Jordan & His Typani 5 had numerous R&B hits from 1939 right up until the early 50's. Some even went high on the pop charts. He had 4 million sellers and was a well known sax player, singer, and comedian. He recorded "I Want You To Be My Baby" on May 28, 1953, at the end of his contract with Decca Records. It was released that same year and reviewed by Billboard in October. Jordan went on to record or re-record for several labels and had a dynamite stage show for many years. As far as recordings, he was considered "old school" and D.J.'s pretty much ignored him after he left Decca.
One hit record and the right connections had her playing Las Vegas, Miami and many other venues for many years. She did movie soundtracks, made TV appearances galore all over early TV and piled up a fortune before settling in Miami with several successful business holdings.
Both are long deceased, Jordan in 1975 and Ms. Briggs in 1998, but it's fun to check them out again.
Billboard's October 23, 1955, review of
Louis Jordan's version
"Bobsluckycat", a frequent contributor to this page can now be revealed as Bob O'Brien of Columbus, OH, USA.
He has written a new Western Novel set in 1892 Montana. Further information is available at his web page on his publisher's web-site http://booklocker.com/books/7052.html
Rockabilly legend Mac Curtis died September 16, 2013, in Weatherford, Texas. Curtis was one of the true legends of Rockabilly, recording such classics as "Granddaddy's Rockin'", "Half Hearted Love," "You Ain't Nothin' But Right," "If I Had Me a Woman" and many others. In the 1970s, he also recorded for Ronnie Weiser's Rollin' Rock label and was rediscovered by European fans around the same time. He remained active on stage until his death following a car accident.
