Category Archives: Texas

Categories: McAllen, Pharaoh, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, US

Pharaoh Records Discography, McAllen, TX

May 2, 2012 Chris Bishop 36 Comments

Jimmy Nichols ran a recording studio in McAllen, Texas and owned the Pharaoh label. The Zakary Thaks and Bad Seeds used Nichol’s studio for their early singles. I’ve read that the studio burned down years ago with whatever stock and master tapes was left in it.

Pharaoh discography:

Any help with this would be appreciated

LP:
1001 – Ray Wray Quartet – Yes Indeed!

45s:

101 – Ray Wray Quartet – “A Song Is Born” / “When Your Love Has Gone” (with picture sleeve – see above)
102 – Robert Burnie – “My Twistin’ Mexicali Baby” / “Come Just a Little Bit Closer to Me” (J. Nicholls) Division of Alki Alki Music Pub. BMI
103 – Johnny Jay & the Pompadors – “You Drive Me Crazy (You Drive Me Wild)” (Johnny Mendez) / “I Feel So Lonely” (Benny Mendez)
104 – Billy Myers Combo – “Oso” / “Ten Little Indians” (some copies on red vinyl)
105 – Johnny Jay & The Pompadors – “She’s Gone And I’m All Alone” / “I Want You So I Need You So”
106 ?
107 ?
108 ?
109 – Don Blakey – “Mona Lisa” / “Danny Boy”
110 – Marvin Nash and the “K” Sisters – “I’ll Cry” / “Happiness”
111 ?
112 ?
113 – Davis Brothers – “I Don’t Hear You” / ?
114 – Noe Pro & The Blue Valiants – “Hit Me With The Stroll” / “My Love Is Real”
115 – Marvin Nash and the Chevelles – “Darling” / “Dina” (1961)
116 – Don Bennett And His Orchestra – “That’s All” / The Balladiers with Don Bennett And His Orchestra ‎- “Texas A & M Waltz”
117 – Don Bennett & Orchestra – “Jersey Bounce” / “Only A Dream”
118 – Noe Pro and the Blue Valiants – “I Know” / “Reina de mi Vida”
119 – Little Joe Parker and the Vikings – “Straight Jacket” / “Feed the Chickens” (both by Joe Gonzales)
120 ?
121 – Noe Pro & the Blue Valiants – “Come Along My Baby” / ?? (1964)
122 – Little Joe Parker and the Tigers – “Is That A Tiger In My Tank” / “Movin’ On”
123 – Ronnie Dale – “You’ve Learned How To Cry”
124 – Noe Pro and the Semitones – “I Know What’s Been Going On” / “I Love You My Darling”
125 – The Cruisers – “An Angel Like You” / “The Lonely”
126 – Jeanne Hatfield – “My Babe” / “Summertime” (March 1965)
127 ?
128 – The Cruisers – “Another Lonely Night” / “Please Let Me Be (The One For You)” (with picture sleeve)
129 – Simon Reyes & the Outerlimits – “My Baby Hurts Me” / “Mistake Number Three”
130 ?
131 – Billy D. Nash – “This Little Light Of Mine” / “There Is A Balm In Gilead” (with picture sleeve)
132 ?
133 – George and the Lion’s Den Trio Here’s George – “The Swinger” / “Crazy Ideas” (with picture sleeve)
134 – Arturo & Pat with the Invaders – “Oh Yes Tonight” / “So Tenderly & Faithfully”
135 – Jim Roberts – “Jukebox for Company” / “Hay for My Donkey”
136 – George and the Lion’s Den Trio – “Tequila Sour” / “Como Prima”
137 – The Cavaliers – “Pride” (Billy Rowe) / “Sea Weed”
138 – Danny Mata & the Pathfinders – “Looking Around” / “Iolavay”
139 – The Cruisers – “My Place” (E.J. Ledesma) / “Walkin’ and a Ridin'”
140 – Eddie & the Emeralds – “Preparation X” / “If You Only Knew”
141 – The Playboys of Edinburg – “Wish You Had A Heart” (James Williams) / “Understand Me”
142 – The Playboys of Edinburg – “Look at Me Girl” / “News Sure Travels Fast” (James Williams)
143 – Simon Reyes – “Broken Hearted Fool” / “What Now My Love”
144 – Jeanne Hatfield – “Wowie, Pretty Scary” / “If You Want Me”
145 – Don Pierce – “Take Another Drink” / “One Man Band”
146 – Thee Kavaliers – “That Hurts” / “Symbols of Sin” ( both by Javier Rios)
147 – The Headstones – “24 Hours (Everyday)” / “Wish She Were Mine” (both composed by Dave Williams)
148 – The Cruisers – “The Fire’s Gone” / “Oh! Sweetness”
149 – George Garza & the Lion’s Den Trio – “Watermelon Man” / “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” (1966)
150 – Thee Kavaliers – “The Last Four Words” / “Ballad Of Thee Kavaliers”
151 – Christopher & the Souls – “Diamonds, Rats and Gum” / “Broken Hearted Lady” (both composed by Chris Voss)
152 – The Headstones – “Bad Day Blues” (Williams-Palmer) / “My Kind of Girl” (Dave Williams)
153 – Brother & Sister – “See What Tomorrow Brings” (Arturo Longoria) / “The Answer Is Love” [flower-power folk!]
154 – Thee Kavaliers (Cavaliers) – “Congregation for Anti-Flirts, Inc” / “Back to You”
155 – The Cruisers – “Celina” / “Baby Doll”

I had erroneously listed 141 and 142 as by the Playboys of Edinburgh, but they were not named after the Scottish city, but rather after Edinburg, TX, a small town northeast of McAllen.

See individual entries on The Cruisers, Christopher & the Souls, Simon Reyes and Noe Pro & the Semi-tones, and Thee Kavaliers for more info on those bands.

There were other Pharaoh labels:

Chicago:
Pharaoh Records 7707 – Hot Coke – “Make This Love Last” / “All By My Self”

Massachusetts: (pressed either in NY or Hollywood):
Pharaoh SA-327 – Roy Victor – “Hot Dog” / “You Are My Wish” (ZTSP-94713, arranged and cond. by Fran Devino, Harvest Hill publishing, ASCAP)
Pharaoh 339 – Scavengers – “You Do It Too” / “Speed Trap”

Tulsa, OK:

Pharaoh 1006 – Paragons – “Who Am I” / “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” (also released on BTR 1006)

Pharaoh 1235 – Dynamics – ” Lucy Part I” / “Lucy Part II”

Pharaoh 1236 – Roger Wayne & the Clic – “Ballad Of Sara Lee” / “I Gotta Lotta Time”

Pharaoh 1239 – Mike Catron & the Avanties – “Donna” / “Bass Beat”

Thank you to Gilbert Rodriguez for his help with this discography and to Ed Nadorozny for the Ron Wray sleeve scan. Thank’s also to Bob, Drunken Hobo, Jason Chronis, Max Waller and Tommy for the additional entries. Thanks also to Fred Hoyt for the Jeanne Hatfield sleeve scan.

JeanneHatfieldPharaohPSMyBabe

Categories: Bandera, El Paso, Elpa Records, Texas, US

The Solid State “Wait and See” / “The Lynching” on Elpa

April 22, 2012 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

I haven’t seen any concrete info on the Solid State. I’ve read the band was from Bandera, Texas, but the Elpa label was located at 5214 Beautonne in El Paso. El Paso is close to eight hours’ drive from Bandera, while San Antonio is within an hour, Austin two hours drive, and even Dallas is closer.

The A-side is the very moody “Wait and See”, written by Jerry Walker and Sam Lott.

The flip is “The Lynching”, a fascinating original by Jerry Walker with an upbeat rhythm and a catchy six-note guitar line, plus good soloing on the outro. The harmonies are cheery, but the words are most definitely not!

What is the matter in the street,
I hear the clattering of feet,
Here comes an angry bunch,
They’ve had a little too much,
You’d better not get in their way.
I hear a bandit’s on the loose,
They meant to fit him with a noose,
They are looking for a man,
He has gotten out of hand,
And they are going to string him up.
Looks like it’s lynching time again,
And there’s no mercy to be shown,
You’d better hide your head from the electric wind, (?)
Destruction marks where where it has blown,
Sundown has set the scene for hate,
Come ’round let’s all participate,
Don’t be late for a party tonight,
Celebrate for a triumph of right,
The lynching mob knows where it’s at.
Look out, here they come your way,
Watch out, you may hear them say,
We are looking for a man,
He has gotten out of hand,
This man we’re looking for is you!
Looks like it’s lynching time again,
And there’s no mercy to be shown,
You’d better hide your head from the electric wind, (?)
Destruction marks where where it has blown.

I have to wonder what inspired this song – perhaps the photos of lynchings that took place in the 40s and 50s where the crowd looks ebullient.

Both songs were published by Linjo Music. BMI’s database lists the song as one of Jerry Jeff Walker’s compositions, but it’s unlikely, as his usual publisher is Grouper Music, and by the time the Solid State released their 45 in October, 1968 Jerry Jeff was part of Circus Maximus and hadn’t made a name for himself as a songwriter yet. Though from upstate New York, Jerry Jeff busked through Texas in the mid-60s, so it is possible he was a member of this group or gave some songs to them.

Categories: Dallas, Irving, Karry Way, Oak Cliff, Texas

The Tortians and the De’Vells

April 7, 2012 Chris Bishop 8 Comments

The De’Vells from Irving, Texas, from left: Joel Reiner, Rick Surratt, Dicky McDonald, John Tincher, Carl Lowe and Little David.

To the long list of great 45s out of Dallas, add The Tortians’ “Red Cadillac”. The band lays down a chunky groove that never sounds rushed, as John Tincher shouts out the lyrics and plays some fantastic harmonica.

The band was actually from Oak Cliff, but this rare single was released on Karry Way Records, with an address of 4339 Jaffee, Dallas, 75216. The RCA custom pressing code, T4KM-9629/30 indicates it was mastered in the first half of 1966. Woodrow Pearson Baker wrote both “Red Cadillac” and the flip “Vibrations” (which I haven’t heard yet), published by Rightway Pub., BMI.

Guitarist Richard McDonald sent me a photo of his next group, the De’Vells, based in Irving but with some of the same members as the Tortians. Richard has a full bio on the bands at his site SpiritSteelGuitar.com, but I asked him some specifics about the Tortians and he kindly answered my questions.

My name is Richard (Dicky) McDonald. I was born and raised in a little suburb in Dallas, Texas called Oak Cliff. A lot of fine musicians and bands came from that area of Dallas like the Mystics, Kempy and the Guardians, the Jokers, Ray Wylie Hubbard, B.W. Stevenson, Jimmy and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Micheal Martin Murphey and others.
The band formed in Adamson High School in Oak Cliff around 1965, our freshman year. I played lead guitar. The Tortians were James King (rhythm guitar), Johnny Congleton (drums), Carl Lowe (bass), Dick McDonald (lead guitar), Gary McDonald (backup vocals) and John Tincher (lead vocals and sax).
We all played what ever was being played on the radio and some older stuff that we grew up with: Ventures, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Fats Domino. Duane Eddy. Most bands in Oak Cliff played pretty much the same stuff. That’s all we had besides country, big band, classical. Whatever band listened to the radio and figured out the songs first was the top band. It was Robert Farris of The Mystics who could figure stuff out fast.
How the record came to be. We were playing a gig at a roller rink I think the Shamrock in Lancastor, TX. Woody P. Baker was out listening to bands and asked if we would record some of his songs and we said yes. Woody set up and paid for the studio time. The Tortians were not signed by Kerry Way Records. I don’t remember the name of the studio but, it was the same studio where “Wine Wine Wine” was recorded by the Night Caps. Woody P. Baker wrote both “Red Cadillac” and “Vibrations”.
There are no pictures of the Tortians and I hope someone sees your website and has some.
I also played in a very hot band called the De’vells and I do have a picture of them. Most of the De’Vells played in the Tortians. The De’vells were Joel Reiner (drums), Rick Surratt (lead guitar), Dicky McDonald (lead guitar), John Tincher (lead vocals/sax), Carl Lowe (bass/vocals), and Little David (keyboards/vocals). This band won 2nd place in the 1967 Battle of the Bands at the State Fair of Texas, and got a trophy which We still have. I am surprised that we were not listed in the newspaper clipping on the website [see this page]. We were booked by an booking agency called Showco in Dallas.
Most of the original members still live very close to Oak Cliff. I have a pedal steel guitar shop in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Richard McDonald
Spirit Steel Guitar
Broken Arrow, OK

The DeVells to play at the Olney High School Homecoming, October 25, 1968

Categories: Dallas, Texas, US

The Kavemen

October 8, 2011 Chris Bishop 50 Comments

The Kavemen, Dallas 1965 from left to right: Roland Allen, Jimmy Allen, Rodney Vinyard, Tommy Fonseca, Bill Walden & Jerry Colwell

Roland Allen – vocals
Jimmy Allen – vocals
Rodney Vineyard – lead guitar
Tommy Fonseca – rhythm guitar
Jerry Colwell – bass
Bill Walden – drums

The Kavemen came from the southeastern section of Dallas, Texas. Jerry Colwell had discussed the Kavemen in a longer interview about his career with Kit and the Outlaws and other bands:

Later joined the #1 Dallas band The Cavemen [sic] and played battle of the bands against Jimmy Vaughan and his band, and the Royals and others. In 1965 the Cavemen was the home band for a Night club “Surfers A Go Go” in Dallas, where we played with Chuck Berry, Roy Head, the original Drifters, Jimmy Velvet and Johnny Green and the Greenmen. We played at clubs all over Texas, my favorites were the “Bamboo Hut” in Galveston, and “Panther Hall” in Fort Worth, a televised event every week. We also played at Louanns many times.

As it turns out, they recorded four songs at Sumet Sound Studios which were never released. Carlene Fonseca sent me the songs from their unreleased acetate and passed along this info from her ex-husband Tommy Fonseca:

The band got together first as an instrumental group playing at Twilight Time Skating Rink, in Dallas, TX and playing for high school dances at H. Grady Spruce High School and E. B. Comstock Junior High. Jimmy and Roland Allen were singers and they went to Spruce Hi and heard the band and offered to sing for them.
The recording was done at Summit [Sumet] in Dallas. The recordings were not released. The jumps & skips are because of a defect in the master dub. Tommy said somebody dropped it and it was chipped at the spot where the 1st song was on the 1st side and the 1st song on the flip side.
Rodney Vineyard, the lead guitar, left the group to play with Sunny Satin and the Mysterians. The Kavemen couldn’t find another lead guitar so they broke up. When the studio was ready to release it they declined since the group was no longer together.
Tommy recently spoke to Roland Allen. He lives in Gun Barrel City and he told Tommy that Jimmy had passed away the just the week before. We cannot locate Bill. He was the drummer. Rodney lives in Balch Springs, TX and he still plays for VFW Posts occasionally.

Because of the chip in the lacquer, my favorite song “Can’t You See” suffers from skips and drop-outs for the first thirty seconds. Same with the first song on the second side, “Why”. The other two, “Without You”, and “I Feel the Same” are fine. I’m hoping to get a photo or scan of the acetate labels. Despite the flaws, these are fantastic examples of mid-60s Texas rock ‘n roll!

The Kavemen – Can’t You See
The Kavemen – Without You
The Kavemen – Why
The Kavemen – I Feel the Same

Categories: Big "K", Corpus Christi, Texas

The Red House “Mary Ann” / “Sunflower” on Big-K

August 31, 2011 Chris Bishop 23 Comments

The Red House band photo: James Noe, Billy King, Ric Gonzalez, John Coco and Tommy Durham — The Red House, left to right: James Noe, Billy King, Ric Gonzalez, John Coco and Tommy Durham

Members of Red House were:

Two songs that would appear as by The Red House, one is titled "Mary Ann" (without the ending "e") — Two songs that would appear as by The Red House
Note one is titled “Mary Ann” (without the ending “e”)
Scan from the collection of Andrew Brown

John Coco (vocals and harmonica)
Ric Gonzalez (lead guitar)
Tommy Durham (guitar)
James Noe (bass)
Billy King (drums)

By 1969, the Stereo Shoestring had splintered, leaving singer John Coco and bassist James Noe to find new musicians. At first they kept the Shoestring name, but by the time they released their new single “Sunflower” / “Mary Anne” (not “Mary Jane” as a certain error-prone reference book lists), on the Big “K” label, they had changed their name to the Red House.

The arrangement of the vocals on “Mary Anne” is very much like the singing in the Stereo Shoestring’s “On the Road South”, but otherwise the songs are different. Songwriting credits to James Noe and John Coco. “Sunflower” has a country-rock feel to it, and a lot of fine guitar picking from Tommy Durham. It was written by Coco and Durham.

Lew Knippa owned Big “K” Productions in Ingleside, Texas, just across the bay from Corpus Christi.

Red House band: Tommy Durham, Ric Gonzalez and James Noe — from left: Tommy Durham, Ric Gonzalez and James Noe

Lead guitarist Ric Gonzalez sent me a copy of the 45 and the photos seen here, and answered my questions about the band:

Billy King, a drummer, and I had played together since junior high in various teen bands in the Corpus Christi area. The bands Billy and I were in prior to Shoestring copied the Zakary Thaks’ sets song for song, note for note, as best we could. The “Thaks” would play Stones, Yardbirds, Hendrix, etc.
When “The Shoestring” reformed they contacted Billy, he in turn called me. Besides John Coco on vocals and James Noe (bass) from the original Shoestring; new members were Tommy Durham (rhythm guitar), Billy King (drums), and me, Ric Gonzalez (lead guitar).
Ric with his 1967 Epiphone Riviera
Coco had the English version of Are You Experienced which had “Red House” on it. Not many people had heard “Red House” 42 years ago. Also, there was an old movie with Edward G. Robinson called, “The Red House”, which had been on the late movies back then. Coco and Noe (a true genius) wanted a new name. I suggested “Red House”.
I didn’t play on “On The Road South”, that was the band before Billy and I joined, but I did play lead on “Mary Anne”, and 2nd lead on the flip-side, “Sunflower”. We recorded the 45 a week after we joined.
Ric Gonzalez, May 1969
“Sunflower” was the “A” side. It was a KEYS Radio (Corpus Christi, Tex) Pick-Of-The Week in June ’69. We recorded that 45 at Andrus Studios in Houston on Monday, April 7th, 1969. It was the day after Easter Sunday. Amazingly enough, the Easter Everywhere album by Thirteenth Floor Elevators was also recorded there in 1967.
We would play those songs [“Mary Jane” and “Sunflower”] live. In the summer of ’69, we were the house-band at Corpus Christi’s “Love-Street Light Circus and Feel Good Machine” club. I had just turned 16. Billy was 17. Coco was 21. And we opened for many great bands: Bubble Puppy to name one.
Billy Gibbons sat in with the band once. ZZ Top was in the formative stage, he mentioned the name “ZZ Top”. We knew his band as The Moving Sidewalk. We immediately thought of “ZIGZAG” and “TOP” rolling papers. And, also of R&B singers ZZ Hill and also of, BB King. Original in the rock world. Old hat in the R&B network.
Ric Gonzalez

from left: John Coco in yellow shirt, Billy King holding Ric Gonzalez's guitar — from left: John Coco in yellow shirt, Billy King holding Ric Gonzalez’s guitar

Update: I’ve changed all instances of James Coco to John Coco, as I’ve had two people who knew him comment that is his correct name.

Categories: Houston, Texas

The Pacers (TX)

July 10, 2011 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

Here’s another fine instrumental from Texas.

“Settin’ the Pace” has some sharp guitar playing, though the horn lines basically reprise James Brown’s “Good Good Lovin'”. I still haven’t heard the flip side to this, or even know the title, so if anyone has a copy please contact me.”Settin’ the Pace” appeared on a 1988 LP on Gulf Coast Records LP Texas Guitars. Most of the songs on that compilation came from the Van Recording label, which originally led me to think this was a Van release as well.

One of the comments on my post about Van pointed out this was actually issued on Gemini Records from Freeport, close to the location of Van. DrunkenHobo sent me this scan from on an old auction of the 45, thanks! It provides me with a little info, but I have no clue as to who was in this band or their history.

The ACA-5112 number indicates the Pacers recorded at Bill Holford’s ACA Studio in Houston. “Settin’ the Pace” was written by someone named McQuarter, published by Glad Music, BMI. I’m not sure of the date, but from the sound and catalog #6301, 1963 is a good bet.

Categories: Angleton, Brazosport, Freeport, Texas, US, Van

Van Recording discography

July 6, 2011 Chris Bishop 21 Comments

Raiders Van 45: Stick Shift, Gone — Above, the original limited pressing of Van V-00262, with extra track “Gone”

Van V-00262, as released to the public “Stick Shift” moved to the A-side

The Van Recording label was owned by Bobby Van Meter, his brother Charles Van Meter and Lonny Roberts, who sang on at least two 45s of his own on the label. They ran the label and studio out of a music shop in Lake Jackson or Clute, Texas, though the label shows different addresses, first Angleton and later Brazosport and Freeport.

Any help with this discography would be appreciated.

The numbering is systematic – the first three digits are the release # and last two are the year, so the Raiders “Stick Shift” (Van 00262) is the label’s second release (002) and dates to 1962 (62).

45s:

00162 – Lawrence Flippo & the Futuras – Let’s Do It / Cry, Cry, Cry
00262 ¹– Raiders – (It’s a) Stick Shift (J. Caster, T. Simpson) / Skipping Around (also released on Vee Jay 504)
00362 – Lonny Roberts and the Futuras – Don’t You Know / One More Try
004 – ?
00563 – The Futuras – The Hum / The Walk
00663 – Raiders – It’s Motivation (J. Castor, T. Simpson, B. Pitcock) / On a Straight Away
00763 – Raiders – Supercharged / Cruising Low
00864 – Walter Crane with the Raiders – Everyday I Have the Blues / My Chances
00964 – Bobby Clanton – Angel / I Needed Love
01064 – Raiders – Raisin’ Cane / Repetition
01164 – Larry Dallas – The Two Step / I Forgot To Remember To Forget (also on Dallas DS 1)
01264 – Bobby Reed – Twistin’ Petition / Girl Of My Dreams
01364 – Lonny Roberts and the Raiders – Rugged But Right / Room Full of Roses
01464 – Originals – Scatter-Shot / Lucille
01564 – Melody-Aires – Surely I Will (A.E. Brumley) / River Of Jordan (H. Houser)
01664 – Bobby Clanton – The Way That You Are (M. Angel) / Was It Wrong Loving You
01764 – Herb Torres – Dalia / Tribute to J.F.K.
01864 – Ronnie Ellis and the Originals – Honey Blonde / One Little Raindrop (prod. by Wallace Schlemmer)
01964 – (The) Drag Rags – Judy / An Empty Cup (and a Broken Date)
020 – ?
02165 – Originals – Stick Shift ’65 / Blast-Off!
022 – ?
02365 – Larry Dallas – Cheatin’ Woman (Louis Hobbs) / Have I Waited Too Long (also on Majestic 1001)
024 – ?
025 – ?
02665 – Bobby Clanton and the Plateaus – You Can Have Her / An Adventure To You
02765 – The Gudell Brothers featuring the Melody Makers – Heart Full of Country Music / E-String Boogie Rock “recorded live on stage”
02865 – Ronnie Ellis – Goodnight Little Sweetheart / The Right Way of Doing Things Wrong
02965 – Marvin Paul – None of Your Business (Marvin Laqua) / Help Me, Mister Blues
03065 – Originals – Night Flight / Comanche!
03165 – The Hi-Rollers – Slave Chain / Runaway
03265 – The Dinos – Baby, Come On In (Bobby Lira) / This is My Story
033 – ?
034 – ?
03565 – Originals – Searching for Love / How Much of Your Heart (dir. by Lonny Roberts, rec. by Billy Snow)
03665* – Rex Eaton – Lying Lips, Cheating Arms / Shackles and Chains (Taylorville, IL)
03765 – White Twins (Ronnie and Tommy) – I Can Dream / Just Another Face
03865* – Dave & the Detomics – Detomic Orbit (Dave Bethard) / Shatter (issued Jan. 1966)
039 – ?
04066 – Originals – Hop, Skip and Jump / No Love For Me
04166 – Originals – I Can’t Forget / Old Enough to Break a Heart (D. McBride)
04266* – Dave & the Detomics feat. Jeanne Eickhoff – Soft White Gloves (Lillie Bethard) / Why Can’t I
04266 ²– Lonny Roberts & the Originals – Each Night At Nine / Only Want a Buddy (Not a Sweetheart)

Majestic issue of Van V-02365 – which came first?

04366* – Oglethorp & Othelow – I’ll Still Love You / Please Don’t Go Away (both by Donnie Bearup)
04466* – Embalmers – You’re a Better Man / Somewhere Land
04567* – Stingrays – In the Midnight Hour / Girl You Said It Again (Butch Ramelow)
04669 – Bobby Sanders & the Psychlones – Come Over to My World / I Can’t Take It
70-46 – Red Mann And The Country Continentals ‎– Heartaches And Honky Tonks / The One Who Changed Is Me
70-47 ³– Lynn Hendrix and the Country Blue Boys – I Don’t Need Anything / I Let You Go (Freeport TX, prod. by Lonny Roberts)
70-48- Lonny Roberts with music by the Raiders – My Sweet Love Ain’t Around / Guys Like Me
70-49 – Walter Crane & Exposition – Someone Special (P. Pennington) / A Place! (prod.: B.J. VanMeter, dir.: James Henry, eng.: Ray Doggett)
V-70-50 – Larry Weathers and the Raiders – The Crying Man / Driving Wheel, produced by L. Roberts, eng. by Ray Doggett, with pressing numbers LH-7384 and LH-7385
70-51 – ?
70-52 – ?
70-53 – Moonlighters – I Destroyed Myself / My Possessive Love (described as a country ballad, Pee Wee Kubon vocals on both sides)
70-54 – Larry Weathers – Believe In Me / Please Tell Me
V-7201 – The Western Four ‎– Butter Beans / Blueberry Hill
V-73-02 – Mike Pepper, music by: “Pepper & Spice” – Let Me Be The Judge (C. Twitty) / A thing Called Sadness (C. Howard) (Mgr. Bob Geer, Producer: Lonnie Roberts, Director: Mike Pepper, Engineer: Ray Doggell)
V-73-03 – Russell Davis and the Country Alibis ‎– The Devil Made Me Lie / Down On Skid-Row
V-73-06 – Mike Pepper – Seasons of the Past (C. Phillips – C. Kirk) / Take A Look Into Your Mind (M. Pepper) (Producer: L. Roberts, Director B. Sanders, Engineer C. Kirk)

LPs:

1-69 – Lonny Roberts – Presenting … the Sage of the West
(The Bottle Is My Jailer; Loving You; The Devil & Me; Road To Your Heart; I Don’t Love You Anymore; Old Heartaches; Old Mountain Dew; Lonely, Lonely Man; False Impressions; Too Much Wine From The Bottle; You’re Just A Memory; What About Your Mistakes)

* denotes a Van record produced by Oscar Wells in Taylorville, Illinois.

In the mid-’60s Van released at least six 45s produced by Oscar J. Wells: two by Dave & the Detomics, one each by Rex Eaton, the Embalmers and Oglethorp & Othelow, and one or two by the Sting Rays. I’d like to hear those and learn the story behind them. Dave and the Detomics came from Morrisonville, Illinois. Mike Markesich tells me the Embalmers came from Mason City, IL, and the Sting Rays from Springfield, IL. If anyone has good scans or transfers of these 45s, please contact me.

Notes:
¹ Very rare three-song EPs of Van V-00262 were pressed prior to the two-song issue, probably as demonstration copies to decide which of the three songs to release. The A-side had “Skipping Around” and the B-side “Stick Shift” and “Gone”. Confusingly, “Gone” was actually the Raiders’ version of the Duals song “Stick Shift” but mislabeled. On the EP scans, publishing and song writing info is written in pen (Jessie Caster and Terry Simpson, Glad Music BMI), along with the prefix “(It’s A)” before “Stick Shift”. “Gone” also has “-Gone” written next to it, which I think means to not include this song in the finished two-track 45. I still haven’t heard “Gone”.

² Two 45s issued given the 04266 catalog #, the Lonny Roberts & the Originals was a Texas recording, Dave & the Detomics were from Illinois.

³ In 1970, the numbering changes, so the first two digits are the year recorded, and the second two seem to indicate release # (a Walter Crane disc has LH-7281 which indicates a May, 1970 pressing).

Thank you to Mike, Brian Kirschenbaum, DrunkenHobo, Jim, Laurent Bigot, Barry Wickham, Billy Gibbons, porcupine, eleelandc, Chris Harpe, Eric Lelet, Jeff Brant, Jason Chronis, Dennis Wilson and Bob of Dead Wax for their help with this discography.

For more on Ronnie Ellis and the Originals see the article I’ve posted here.

Demo pressing of Van V-00262, “Skipping Around” listed as A-side

Another rare copy of the Raiders’ 3-song EP, sent to me by Jessie Caster

Categories: Greenville, Texas, US

The Outcasts (Greenville, Texas)

May 12, 2011 Chris Bishop 10 Comments

The Outcasts, 1966, from left: Mike Shelton, John Harvey, Jerry Shurtleff, Kenny Sargent, Gerry Morris (on drums) and Ted Swindell

These Outcasts came from Greenville, Texas, northeast of Dallas, and shouldn’t be confused with the San Antonio group of the same name that cut “I’m in Pittsburgh (and It’s Raining)” and “1523 Blair”. These Outcasts never recorded and did live shows only in their local area. Guitarist Jerry Shurtleff gives their story:

The Outcasts had their beginnings in the summer of 1965 rehearsing at the Greenville, Texas YMCA. The original members were John Harvey and Kenny Sargent – vocals, Ted Swindell and Mike Shelton – guitars and Trey Warren on drums. Mike Shelton broke both wrists in a weight lifting accident and I saw my chance. All I had was a Kay acoustic – with an eighth note painted on like a pick guard. Mike had a brand new Music Master and Deluxe amp, which I permanently borrowed when I joined the group.
Jerry Shurtleff
When Mike’s casts came off his parents went out of town and he charged a Danelectro bass and Fender Bassman on his parents account at Bob Hames music store on Washington street. Maybe the Music Mart, but they were probably the first Fender dealers in town. (Mike’s parents also had an account at Queen Ann’s Drive Inn. There were legendary parties at his house when his parents were out of town catered by Queen Ann’s!) I got a Vox Clubman guitar from The Melody Shop in North Park and an Alamo amp from David Heath.
Mike, Ted and I took group guitar lessons from Mr. Hames and he taught us the difference in bass, rhythm and lead guitar. I think ‘Walk Don’t Run’ was the song he used. His son played with Trini Lopez’ brother, Jesse.
The main gig in Greenville, TX in 1965-66 was the Saturday night YMCA dances and they were hopping! (Remember the red couch?)
Some of the local bands were:
The Exceptions – Matt Tapp, Charleton Ellis, Randy McNatt and Hal Holley.
The Tyme (or Shades Of Tyme) – Tommy Tolleson, Rush Horton, Gary Shannon, Joe Weiss, Mike Skeen and Mark Phillips.
The Other Half – Phil Sudderth, Alex Bouknight, T.A. Tredway, Carroll Grant and David Heath.
Lots of Stones, Beatles, Animals, James Brown, etc… The boys would form a long line on the dance floor with girls in line in front of them and everyone would jump around and change partners, We played a lot of Y parties. They were a huge party every Saturday night. We made about $12 each from the door. One night my parents were chaperoning a high school Y party and called me at home and said they were coming to get me. They wanted me to hear a legendary band from Dallas, The Mystics. All of our parents were always very supportive (they probably thought I would get a job when I grew up.)
We practiced at Swindell’s house and then moved over to our main headquarters, the garage/playroom at the Morris’ house. It was a hangout for a lot of the bands. We got better equipment around then, again thanks to our parents. Ted’s father, buck Swindell, went to Arnold & Morgan and bought two Mosrite Ventures models, a sunburst doubleneck and a single neck in Pacific blue. He also bought us a Bogen PA system with an orange head and two columns. Mike’s dad bought him a new Gibson 335, which again we switched Mike back to bass and again, I permanetly borrowed the 335, Mr. Shelton wasn’t thrilled. Jerry had his Ludwig drums. I got a Standel Artist amp and eventually an old Telecaster. We all bought everything from Mike Delk at Arnold & Morgan Music in Garland, TX. Mike was now playing bass on a Gibson EBO, then a Gibson hollow body sunburst bass. By then we were taking lessons from Trig Ward.
The Kari and Jerry Duo
We played through the late 60’s, but decided the Outcasts name wasn’t edgy enough so we became The Misfits. We were also The Coachmen. We played a great Battle of the Bands at a short lived teen center on West Lee Street in downtown Greenville with The Exceptions, The Novas and The Redcoats. I think we came in third. It was the same night that the Apollo astronauts were killed. Our biggest gig was at the Greenville Municipal Auditorium for a politician with a patch on one eye. He was later indicted in the huge Texas savings and loan scandal of the late 60s.
After The Outcasts, Jerry Morris and I went on to playing for the rest of high school with Terry Dabbs, Art Grahl and Mark Feingold. We were hippies by then. Sadly Ted Swindell passed away in 1997.
I’m the only one who didn’t have enough sense to quit, so I still play for a living, currently in Black Hawk, Colorado. My wife and I have the Kari and Jerry duo for almost 30 years now. We have been all over the world thanks to music and still kickin’!
Jerry Shurtleff, May 2011

Categories: Arlington, Grand Prairie, Texas, US

The Ashbury Dream

April 27, 2011 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

Here’s a clipping featuring the Ashbury Dream from the Grand Prairie Daily News, April 29, 1968. Lynn Pierce’s name was misspelled in the photo caption of the article.

Who knows if the other musicians’ names are spelled correctly. I don’t believe this band ever released any records, please correct me if I’m wrong.

Grand Prairie is just east of Arlington, between Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas

Other groups to play the YMCA: The Basement Pipes and Tracks, the Accents and the Chessmen.

Categories: Capri, Houston, Texas, US

The Sands “Open Your Eyes” on Capri

April 20, 2011 Chris Bishop 5 Comments

The Sands in the Houston Post, January 9, 1966

Andrew Brown suggested I cover the Sands, a Houston group who cut the legendary Seeds sound-alike “Open Your Eyes” on the Capri label in 1966.

A Houston Post article from January, 1966, shows the band at what must have been one of the oddest gigs ever, playing for patrons of the Look Plaza Barber Shop in the Spring Branch neighborhood on the west side of Houston.

Members were Tom Smith (drums and vocals), Kevin Pitts (bass), Eddie Everett (guitar), Charlie Snell (guitar) and Keith Church (vocals).

The article also lists the barbers: Herb Barnum, Montaugn Wise and shop manager Bill Cox.

The Sands recorded their only 45 at Huey Meaux’s Pasadena studio on October 11, 1966, produced by Joe Falcone. The A-side, “Can’t Find a Way” was written by Tom Smith. The band is known today for the flip, “Open Your Eyes”, a rewrite of “Pushin’ Too Hard” credited to Eddie Everett. The band gives a spirited performance, with off-the-wall fuzz lead, frantic organ, snappy drumming and snotty lead vocals.

For whatever reason, this is one of the rarest of Texas garage singles.

Eddie Everett wrote to me:

Those were the days, my first real band! One of the barbers in the shop (keyboard player) replaced the rhythm guitar, Kevin Pitts. Shortly after that we recorded our first 45 rpm that put us on the map!
We did concerts with Fever Tree, Moving Sidewalks, 13th Floor Elevators. Down the road, I moved to Florida and played with the Night Crawlers (Little Black Egg) for two years.

Thank you to Andrew Brown for the clippings and 45 scans.

Garage Hangover