The Rocks came from Huntsville, in northern Alabama.
Randy Duck is quoted on a Lee High School alumni site (a couple spellings of names are corrected):
The original Rocks included Johnny Harbin, Butch Rolfe, Bulldog Hillis, Joe Skipworth, Skip Atkins, Donnie Cartelli and me. Later, Johnny and Butch went into the service and Bulldog dropped out. Jackie Tiller started playing lead guitar, Richard Hahn came on board with keyboards …
We had several different drummers after Donnie, but Doug Cheffer was the last one. Donnie and Doug are both passed away.
My copy of “Terri” is signed by Butch Rolfe.
I’ve seen a later photo of the band with this lineup:
Randy Duck – lead vocalist Joe “Little Joe” Skipworth – sax Jack Tiller – lead guitar Skip Atkins – bass guitar Doug Cheffer – drums
Randy Dee Duck wrote both songs of their first single, “Love City” / “Terri”, released on Gold Master Records GM-1001 in November 1964. Both sides are great, crude rock ‘n roll.
Their second single came in 1965, “Love or Money” by Don Cortelli and Randy Duck with “Rock Pretty Baby”, on Gold Master GM-1003. I haven’t heard this one yet.
The Rocks get a slower, bluesy sound on the top side of their last single “Because We’re Young” written by Walter Sims, I’m not sure his connection to the band. The flip is a ballad, “My Only Love” by Johnny Harbin and Randy Duck, released in November 1965 on Woodrich Records WR-1249.
A single by the Rocks on White Cliffs 239, “Who Do You Love” (by Edgar Starns) / “Keep My Woman Home” may be a different group.
Sonny Limbo produced for L & C Productions. Sonny was a Huntsville DJ whose real name was Sonny Limbaugh – thus Limbaugh Music publishing, and also seems to have partly owned Gold Master Records.
Besides the two Rocks 45s, Sonny also produced the Hi-Boys Combo ”Why (Must I Love You)” / “Some Man (Other than Me)” both written by C. Bolden, released on Gold Master GM-1004.
Gold Master GM-1002 is Hollis Champion’s “Stand There” / “Sugarfoot Rag”, and doesn’t have Sonny’s name or publishing anywhere on the labels.
Sonny also produced at least two singles on the Exclusive Records label out of Chattanooga:
The Champells – “Don’t You Know” / “Won’t You Love Me” on Exclusive 2297, both written by Ralph Flynn (the second copyrighted as “Won’t You Love Me Too”? by Ralph Thomas Flynn in October 1965).
The Vondels - “Stagger Lee” / “Turn on Your Love Light” on Exclusive 2295.
The Monic Depression released one single, “Wondering Why” / “Midnight Hour”. I wish I could tell you more about the band but nothing is known at this point.
“Wondering Why” is an excellent original by K. Ellmer. The organ, guitar, bass and drums blend into a near-perfect garage sound, even if the record was made in 1969, as someone wrote on my copy.
Kevin Ellmer, Keith Ellmer, Ken Ellmer, Knox Ellmer?!
The flip is a good version of “Midnight Hour”
Teen Beat Mayhem lists the band’s location as possibly Virginia, while I’ve seen Pennsylvania on the internet, possibly Scranton.
Released on HRS 45-218, possibly HRS stands for a recording studio. Harrisburg?
I love the band name, was the spelling of Monic intentional or was it supposed to be Manic Depression?
The Tel Stars, from left: Jimmy Carter, Ronnie Wilson, unidentified – can anyone ID? and Terry Gorka
The Telstars were a big draw in the Washington DC area, playing at the Bayou among other venues.
The band was based in Falls Church; members included:
Jimmy Maddox – guitar Gary Johnson – guitar Jimmy Carter – guitar Terry Gorka – bass Ronnie Wilson – drums
Bud Becker sent in the photo seen here, and remembers two vocalists with the band, Jerry Burke, who went into the Army, and a second named Mick. He also remembers Terry’s wife Cherrie Gorka was a seamstress who made costumes for December’s Children, and that Barry Siedel managed the band.
The Telstars put a lot of fuzz behind “Keep on Running”, a song written and originally performed by Jackie Edwards, and made famous through the Spencer Davis Group. It’s a good version, but I like their take on “Hold Tight” even more. Sylvia Fricker of Ian & Sylvia wrote “Hold Tight”, registering copyright in September, 1966.
“Hold Tight” appeared on Ian & Sylvia’s 1967 album So Much for Dreaming, which I don’t have a release date for, but I believe it shortly precedes the Telstars single on Columbia 4-44141 in May, 1967. I’d be curious if the Telstars heard “Hold Tight” on the album or from a songwriting demo.
The production credit is interesting. Bob Wyld and Art Polhemus of Longhair Productions created many great singles with the Blues Magoos, including “Tobacco Road” and “(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet”; the Magicians (“An Invitation to Cry”, “About My Love” and more), the Blue Beats and others, usually on Columbia Records.
Barry Seidel (with Tom Traynor) produced records by the Mad Hatters and the Fallen Angels. The Telstars record is the only time Seidel worked with both Wyld and Polhemus, but Bob Wyld would later produce albums for acts that Seidel managed, Steel Image and Exuma.
Bud Becker thought the Telstars recorded at either Rhondell Rodel Studios in Georgetown or Edgewood Recording Studios. Bud managed various groups, such as the Winds of Change and the Yorkshires.
Terry Gorka would go into the Reason with Tommy Dildy, Bill Manning, and Billy Windsor, releasing an album Age of Reason on Georgetowne Records.
Thank you to Linda Shekan for correcting some errors in this article with her comment below.
The Triumphs “Better Come Get Her” is a stomping rocker, with lines like “she wants to cheat, and I’ll give her the chance”! The flip is the bizarre blues novelty “Morticia Baker”; the single was released on Pacemaker Records PM-238 in early 1966.
The Triumphs came from Rosenberg, TX, just southwest of Houston. Billed as the Triumphs of Rosenberg, I can find notices of their live shows as early as March, 1961, and they started recording in 1962, with singles on various labels such as Dante and Bragg.
For “Better Come Get Her”, the Triumphs consisted of:
Don Drachenberg – usually saxophone but lead vocals Tim Griffith – guitar Tom Griffith – bass Fred Carney – organ Teddy Mensik – drums Denver “Denny” Zatyka – backing vocals Gary Koeppen – backing vocals
Mark Charron was a prolific song writer who composed both sides of this single, as well as other songs for the Triumphs, like “Candy Baby” (the flip of their Pacemaker hit “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”), and “Keep It Up” on Joed Records, which is now sought after by soul DJs.
The Triumphs had been backing B.J. Thomas, but I’ve read the band wouldn’t tour after “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” hit, so Thomas dropped the group. His solo career was already underway, “Tomorrow Never Comes” / “Your Tears Leave Me Cold” on Pacemaker PM-239, credits B.J. Thomas alone.
Huey Meaux owned Pacemaker Records. A Crazy Cajun album Gotta Keep My Kool includes some unreleased music I haven’t heard yet.
Other members of the Triumphs included Doug Griffith on keyboards, John Perry on bass, and Ron Petersen.
The Triumphs would continue, but not releasing more music until 1969 and 1970, when they made two singles on Master Record Co., based out of Jones Sound Recording Studio at 1523 Blair in Houston. Wand picked up one of these, “Houston Won’t Call Me” for national release. I haven’t heard their first Master single, with the intriguing titles “Hang My Mind Out to Dry” / “The World Is Dying”.
Source: Alec Palao’s notes to Don’t Be Bad! (60s Punk Recorded in Texas) which digs deeply into Crazy Cajun’s tape vaults.
Here are photos of a 1965 WPGC show featuring the Cobras, a group that is unknown to me. They have a great look, and I’d love to know who they were and if they recorded.
Link Wray at the WPGC Good Guys show, 1965
It’s interesting to see Link Wray at the show, along with Bob Rubino, who was recording his single “A Rose and a Baby Ruth” / “Lonely Boy” at Link’s studio in Accokeek about this time.
Link would record a number of teen groups in 1966 for his Gray Ant label and the Vermillion label, including:
The Dead Beats -“She Don’t Love Me” (Rick Maske) / “I’m Sure” (Bob Coleman) The Hard Times – “I Can’t Wait Till Friday Comes” / “(Old Wine) New Bottles” The Suburbans – “The Love That I Had” (Roby, Murphy) / “Talk to Me” (Murphy)
I haven’t found any mention of the Cobras in connection to Link.
WPGC DJ Dean Griffith is represented. Dean Griffith was a house name at the station, and this was one of four people that had that moniker – anyone know his real name?
I’m not sure the venue, maybe a gymnasium in the Washington, DC area, or perhaps the DC Armory which did host some shows during these years.
I could not find a newspaper listing for a show with the Cobras, but the Daily Times of Salisbury, Maryland announced a teen dance on April 17, 1965 at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, sponsored by Pocomoke High School and Pocomoke City station WDMV.
Joey Reynolds of WKDW, Buffalo, NY acted as host. The bands were the British Walkers, Link Wray and the Wraymen “with Rob Rudino, guitarist, and a local group called the Astro-Tones”.
The Astro-Tones also played a dance at the Boggs-Disharoon American Legion in Berlin, MD on April 3.
The Beau Havens had one record, the fantastic “Elizabeth” / “Feel So Good” on Gama Records 45-705 from September, 1966. The photos seen here were taken about a year earlier, in 1965.
I’m trying to decipher the hand-writing on this card, so members’ names may not be spelled correctly. Any help would be appreciated:
John Colgan – drums, vocals on “Feel So Good” Kerry Miller – lead guitar Jim Whelan – lead vocal on “Elizabeth” Allan Hurdle (or is it Allen Hurdle?) – guitar Tom Whelan – piano
Kevin Miller – manager
The group were all young teenagers in ’65.
Belle Haven, VA has been listed as their town of origin, however that eastern shore town is nearly four hours drive from the Springfield, Virginia American Legion Hall where these photos were taken.
The Beau Havens were actually from the Belle Haven subdivision south of Alexandria, VA, in Fairfax County (tip of the hat to Chris Farrell for pointing out the correct Belle Haven).
A neighborhood newsletter, the Belle Haven Tribune, from May 7, 1965 featured the group. The newsletter spells the brothers names as Tom Whealen and Jim Whealen.
A Pi Alpha Gamma banner appears behind the group, and it’s likely the Beau Havens shared the bill with the Londoners and the Roaches.
This should be Johnny Colgan on drumsPhoto of the Beau Havens – the drummer lacks his cravat
Jim Whelan wrote and, I think, sang lead on “Elizabeth”.
Rick Fulton wrote “Feel So Good”. I’m not sure if Rick was a later member of the band or simply a friend. Johnny Colgan appears to have sang lead on this side.
Both songs likely were cut at Edgewood Recording Studio at 1627 K Street, N.W. in Washington D.C. A couple of Edgewood acetates of the single exist. On one the song has the title “She Makes Me Feel So Good”, corrected in pen to “She Makes Me Feel Right”.
Doesn’t sound like the Beau Havens had a keyboard player on the record. Claiborne Music published both songs.
I believe this is Kerry Miller of the Beau Havens
More info on the Beau Havens would be appreciated.
Update May, 2022:
Danny G purchased a guitar in the D.C. area and the name on the case helped him trace it to this post, where it is clearly the guitar in the last photo above. Below are some interesting photos of this custom-made guitar provided by Danny along with his description:
Kerry Miller’s custom-made guitar
Likely a neck taken from an unbranded Kay guitar and put onto a solid chunk of mahogany (?). The white paint was to emulate the pickguard on a Höfner bass.
The guitar uses two Lafayette pickups, a 99-4536 in the neck which is a screw on pickup made for jazz arch top guitars and a PA-297 acoustic soundhole pickup in the bridge. The guitar has a really unique sound because of the odd choice of pickups, and that’s part of the reason I bought it.
The bridge pickup came with an RCA input and he simply repurposed it as the main input.
Kerry’s guitar – one hook to keep the pickup selector in place, and an eye for the guitar strapGretsch Tone-Twister palm vibratoLafayette pickups
Receipt from Clifford Herring Sound Equipment for the Motovators session
Clifford Herring and Sound City were two separate recording studios at the same address, 1705 W. 7th St. at the corner of Fournier St. in Fort Worth.
Clifford Herring opened his studio in the 1930s or early ’40s, a large room that could fit an orchestra or big band. Herring recorded many country, rockabilly and pop records, most famously Bruce Channel’s “Hey! Baby” and Paul and Paula’s “Hey Paula”, both produced by Major Bill Smith.
Besides the recording studio, Clifford Herring Sound Equipment Co. sold, rented and installed film, dictating and sound equipment, and also had a Muzak business.
The Motovators recorded a demo there on March 4, 1965, one of the last artists to use Herring’s studio.
On April 2, 1965, the Star-Telegram reported:
Radio station KXOL has purchased Clifford Herring Sound Equipment Co. for more than $200,000, The purchase includes the Herring firm’s recording studio and sound equipment operation said Wendel Mayes Sr. of Brownwood, president of the broadcasting station.
Earle Fletcher, the station’s vice president and general manager announced Thursday. Extensive remodeling of the Herring building at 1705 W. 7th will begin immediately with occupancy expected about June 1. The building will house the station’s AM and FM broadcasting studios, news facilities, sales offices and other departments.
Fletcher said remodeling of the Herring building will give the station more than double its present space at 3004 W. Lancaster.
KXOL renamed the Herring business Sound City, Inc. I believe Herring’s large recording room was converted into KXOL’s studios or office. The new Sound City Recording Studios opened in the basement below KXOL’s studios.
KXOL sold off the equipment and rental parts of the business to Thomas Electronics at the end of 1965. I’m not sure when KXOL sold the basement studio, but I’ve read the owners were Jim Rutledge and, apparently, T-Bone Burnett (Joseph Henry Burnett III) though he was only 17 in 1965.
Phil York became a house engineer at Sound City. York had worked with Dewey Groom at Echo Sound in Mesquite and would go on to work at Autumn Sound in Garland. While at Sound City he cut his own demo as Philip & the Yorkshires, “Once Again” / “Someone To Love You”, that was not released to my knowledge. York’s name appears in many classified ads run in 1966 and 1967 trying to drum up business for the studio.
A November 27, 1968 article notes that the studio was “recently sold to Don Schafer Promotions of Dallas”. Frank Henderson was another engineer at the studio about this time.
Perhaps the biggest hits recorded at Sound City were by the Van Dykes, such as “Never Let Me Go”, “No Man Is an Island”, “I’ve Got to Go On Without You”, and “You Need Confidence”, all produced by Charles Stewart and released on Mala.
T-Bone Burnett was usually referred to as Jon T. Bone on record labels during his Sound City time.
The Loose Ends included Burnett, Don McGilvray and David Graves, their singles “Free Soul” / “He’s a Nobody” (produced by Stan Rieck) and “Dead End Kid” / “Verses” were released on Mala, with co-producer credits to Burnett and Charles Stewart.
It would be interesting to assemble a discography of releases made at Sound City, but it’s an impossible task without documentation. Besides the ones mentioned above, it would include:
Brownfield BF-33 – The Rondels – “I Lost My Love” / “Crying Over You” Brownfield BF-1034 – Arthur Noiel - “It’ll Make You Holler” / “She Don’t Love Me” Brownfield BF-1035 – The Barons – “Don’t Burn It” / “I Hope I Please You” Brownfield BF-1037 – The Rondels – “You Made Me Cry” / “I Cry Cause I Care” Brownfield BF-1038 – Bruce Channel - “Don’t Go” / “The Actor” Brownfield BF-1040 – Jerry Williams & the Epics – “Whatever You Do” / “Tell Me What You See”
Cee Three – The Mods – “Days Mind the Time” / “It’s for You”
Cherry 101 – Charles Christy and the Crystals – “Cherry Pie” / “Will I Find Her”
Emcee Records - E-014 – The Gnats – “That’s All Right” / “The Girl”
Fat 12966 – Little Joe and the Gentlemen - “This Land” / “Stagger Lee”
Hue 375 – The Musical Training School – “Don’t You Fret” / “I’ll Go” (arranged by Jon T. Bone, produced by Charles Stewart) Hue 377 – James Mays – “Nothing’s Bad as Being Lonely” / “Gotta Make A Move”
Jan-Gi T-91 – The Trycerz – “Almost There” / “Taxman”
Psycho-Suave’ - PS-1033 – The Legendary Stardust Cowboy – “Paralyzed” / “Who’s Knocking at My Door” (picked up by Mercury)
Soft S-1008 – Roman Chariot - “Five Sensations” (arranged by John T-Bone) / “Cool” Soft S-1033 – Johnny Nitzinger – “Plastic Window” / “Life of John Doe” (produced by John Burnett and Charles Carey)
Unknown group the “Souls”
Sound City acetates or tapes:
Charles Christy & the Crystals – various titles (info to come)
The Cynics – “I’ll Go” / “Don’t You Fret”
Jackie Layne (with the Pathfinders) – “Give a Little, Take a Little” / The Galaxies – “Someone To Love You”
Larry & the Blue Notes – “In and Out” (early version) Larry & the Blue Notes – “Train Kept a Rollin'”
The Mods – “Evil Hearted You”
Rising Suns – “I’m Blue” / “Little Latin Lupe Lu” + two other cuts
Some tracks on the Galaxies CD collection Think About The Good Times were cut at Sound City, but I don’t have that release on hand.
LPs:
The Abstracts on Pompeii
The Yellow Payees cut one song from their Volume 1 album, “Never Put Away My Love For You” at Sound City.
Whistler, Chaucer, Detroit, and Greenhill – The Unwritten Works of Geoffrey, etc. , a Sound City studio group of two former members of the Mods, Scott Fraser and Edd Lively, with Phil White, David Bullock and John Carrick. Produced by Burnett.
Thank you to George Gimarc for help with this article.
Sources included: Frank Gutch, Jr., “Lost in Space: The Epic Saga of Fort Worth’s Space Opera” from the No Depression site is an excellent read with detailed information about later Sound City sessions.
David Campbell and Larry Harrison – notes to Fort Worth Teen Scene! volumes 1-3 on Norton Records.
The Trophies released one single in October, 1965, “With a Love” backed with the uptempo “C’mon Little Lady”.
If the members were also the song writers, then the band included:
George Jevicky Andy Martin Daniel Nasimento
Geo. Jevicky, Andy Martin wrote the moody “With a Love” published by Blue Coast Music, administered by SESAC. Daniel Mascimento wrote “C’mon Little Lady” published by Duval BMI.
This is the only release on the Golden Sound label that I know of, GS 1011.
Teen Beat Mayhem lists the band’s location as San Francisco, California, but the label credits read “produced by Suwanee Songs, Lenoir City, Tennessee”.
I’d like to know how a San Francisco band wound up on a label out of Lenoir City, a small metropolis southwest of Knoxville.
Little Richard Morton cut this one single on his own Morton Records in June of 1964, backed by “His Musical Four”. Richard Morton wrote both songs, the rocker “Sad, Sad Song” and the slow “A Love I Once Enjoyed Is Now a Dream”.
The crude recording quality, prominent organ and r&b backing help push “Sad, Sad Song” into what could be called ‘garage’. His intonation is very country, so it’s no surprise the same month he made this single, he played a western dance at Womack Hall in Clifton, TX as Little Richard Morton and His Rainbow Valley Tophands.
The dead wax etchings “Manco-Morton #1 6-10-64” show this was recorded and released through Manco Recording, a Fort Worth company that released over forty singles, including “She’s A Doll” / “Kiwi Boogie” by Jim Jones & the Chaunteys.
The address of N. Pendell Ave, Cleburne was probably Morton’s home address at the time. Cleburne, TX is 30 miles south of Fort Worth.
According to copyright records, his full name was Richard Lowell Morton. Bluebonnet Pub Co. published both songs.
Richard Morton has other copyright registrations for religious songs.
The Templars, from left: Skip Pawson, Chris Rez, Tom Larson, John Hall and Bob Ellis
The Templars came from the Del Mar area of San Diego County. They cut one single, “Chafungie” / “Get Out of My Life” on Paragon Records k-57.
Members were:
Bob Rez – guitar (bass?) Tom Larson – guitar Bob Ellis – guitar Skip Pawson – keyboards John Hall – drums
Both songs on the single were originals by the group. “Chafungie” is an organ and fuzz guitar instrumental by Robert Ellis and Robert Rez (though the article above gives his name as Chris Rez). “Get Out of My Life” is a half-spoken vocal, written by Skip Pawson and Robert Ellis.
Robert Ault produced the single and signed the copy pictured here, along with the band.
The San Bernardino County Sun ran a feature on the group on April 14, 1967 about their upcoming appearance in the Jerry Lewis movie, The Big Mouth:
Teen Band Gets Break by Karen Rhiner
Tom Larson was so excited about appearing with Jerry Lewis in a movie that he couldn’t talk straight …
Tom is the leader of the Templars, a Del Mar area band which will go to Hollywood soon to film a sequence for Jerry Lewis’ new movie, “Big Mouth.”
It’s a big break for this five-man, clean-cut combo. They’ll appear on screen – alone – for almost three minutes playing their “Chafungie,” a song written by Templars Bob Ellis and Chris Rez. They’ll also provide background music during a scene taking place in a teen nightclub.
And, after the film is released, they’re scheduled for a 25-day, 51-city personal appearance tour to promote the movie.
Other members of the band are John Hall and Skip Pawson. All-are either juniors or seniors at San Dieguito High School or San Diego Military Academy near here.
What’s the secret of their success?
“We have an original sound and an original appearance,” Tom said. “We don’t have long hair, and our clothes are neat. We decided we wanted to look like boys and like ourselves. We’d be copying if we’d go with long hair. We wanted to bend the trend.
“Our sound is a driving one. We have one of the best drummers in the county (John Hall), and he comes through to pace a driving beat. Yet we can play the smoothies, too like “Georgia On My Mind” as well as polkas and Roaring 20s tunes.
“Our morale is pretty high, too. That helps. There’s nothing that can tear a band down more than dissension. If you don’t get along with each other, playing is a job. With us, it’s a pleasure and a hobby.”
The band leader thinks originality is important. “Bands shouldn’t try to copy,” Tom said. “Record companies don’t want copies of big groups. You’ve got to play around until you find a sound of your own.
“In the beginning, as with the Templars, you conform to other groups. But along the way somebody in the group does something terrific and you stick with it. It took us about six months before we found out what our sound is.
Although the group is only a year and a half old, it already has a record, “Chafungie” – the tune they’ll play in the movie in release.
I’ve only seen a few clips from The Big Mouth, so I’m not sure if the band actually appeared in the film.
At least a couple members of the Templars became a group called the Magical Mist, who had an excellent single, “When We Use Our Minds” / “Time Out to Fly”, both songs by Robert P. Ellis, George Pawson and Alan Decotes (Alan Decoates according to BMI’s records). Robert Ellis produced the single, released on Cross-Winds CW 105 out of Wildomar, CA in June of 1968, publishing by Rolling Wheels Music.
Thank you to Jonas Carlsson for his help with the article.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Rocks came from Huntsville, in northern Alabama.
Randy Dee Duck wrote both songs of their first single, “Love City” / “Terri”, released on Gold Master Records GM-1001 in November 1964. Both sides are great, crude rock ‘n roll.
