Not garage, Lil’ Henry and his Soul Express is a Texas soul/funk act that I’m posting because I can’t find any information about this record anywhere.
“Baby” repeats the same couple of themes for its two and a half minutes, but does so with soulful energy. The flip side is a more laid-back piece called “Girls”. Both songs are credited to H. Gentry, so his name may be Henry Gentry.
The Ride label was located in both Dallas and out in L.A. at some point, and may have been one of Mel Alexander’s labels. The publisher, Little “m” Music is a Dallas company, and that’s all I can tell you about this.
There’s also a Little Henry and the Laveers 45 covering “Georgia on My Mind” and Jesse Hill’s “Whip It On Me”, on the Laveer label out of San Antonio. As you can see from the comments below, most agree that Henry Parilla, aka Little Henry Lee is not the same person as Lil Henry from the Ride 45. It sounds like a different singer to my ears.
Based on the horns alone I’d go with a chicano combo, but I doubt this is Henry Parilla, aka Little Henry Lee, who recorded the Laveer 45 mentioned above. Parialla fronted the Laveers and played with Sunny & the Sunliners through the late 60s. Could be him, but I’m not hearing his keyboard. And the vocal ain’t quite got that Little Henry thing going.
Yeah… I’m just not feeling this as being Little Henry Lee/Parilla. Could be wrong. Could be right.
Henry is not on this 45. I actually just talked to him and he appeared on some smaller chicano labels in the 60’s and on Cobra but not on this 45.
I played with Henry Lee (bass) with the Platters in the 70’s. I’d love to talk with him. Can you get me in contact with him?
Since Ernie Johnson and R. L. Griffin were also on this label, the Dallas connection is definite. R. L. Griffin runs a nightclub called the Blues Palace at 3100 Grand Avenue in Dallas. I’m sure he can be contacted, and he will know the story of Lil Henry and the Soul Express. Hope this helps.
Hi Ruben,
I’m still playing with Henry (He’s back in San Antonio). Contact him at (404) 510-9921.
I hope all is well with you. Get in touch with me too! (210) 643-3890.
R. C.
Hello Ruben! I think I may know you and if you are the same Ruben Pina that plays bass guitar, we played together at Oak Hills Motor Inn on Wurzbach in approximately 1978.
I do remember that you may have mentioned playing with the platters so if this is you I heard that Henry plays at a function every Friday titled: TGIF. I forget the name of the venue but by the time you return reply I will have some information. A friend of mine saw him on Friday night playing with some of the old Sunny and the Sunliner musicians namely, Vincent (Chente) Montez, the brother of guitar player, Victor Montez who used to play with Dino & the Del Tones. (Funny) I played with Dino & the Del Tones too for a brief moment. Johnny Zaragosa on Keyboards who I later played with in Rudy & the Reno Bops. Memories!!!!
Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just got that information on Henry Lee…..He is playing every Friday at a venue called Pueblo Hall located on Northwestern Drive right behind Ingram Mall. Hope this helps you out and if you are the same Ruben Pina that I played with drop me a line and let me know how you are doing.
Kind Regards,
Tony Rico
Texas Tenor Man & Vocalist
tony_rico25@yahoo.com
P.S. Oh, Henry’s band is called “Lil Henry and the Tribute Band.”
My name is Jesus J. Reyes Jr. born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and a son of a local musician Jesus J. Reyes Sr. (Sax, horn section arranger) that was involved with many bands in the 1950’s in San Antonio. For Example, Jesus Sr. was a member of a well known local band called Little Henry and The Laveers with songs like “What To Do” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZbW1TUG2nI). I have graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) with a B.A. as a double major in Anthropology and History. I plan to seek out my father’s friends and band members to gain access to his youth as a local musician.
Please contact my at jesusjreyesjr@hotmail.com
Hey Chris, if you’re quick check my ebay “bought”, just got a copy of this and the soundfile’s still working as I type, else come to Dig Deeper on Saturday for Bobby Patterson (there’s no excuse for missing him you know!!) as will be playing an All Texas set including this and a ton of other rare goodies. Incidentally we’ve been working on getting the wonderful RL Griffin out for a show for a year now!!
Thanks Mike, I just grabbed those files. Definitely a different Lil Henry than the one on Ride.
Wish I could make it to Bobby Patterson, maybe I’ll get out there. I hope he’ll be doing “Busy Busy Bee”!
i have heard u with the great sunny ozuna album just want to know will u honor us in performing for us at a birthday party for one of your biggest fans for her 60th birthday bash if interested plz reply at flora78211@yahoo.com or 210-438-7810 ask 4 isidro ramirez
Hey Tony,
See if you remember me. I am Gonzalo Gonzales and you and I played tenor sax together with Danny and the Tejanos in the late 60’s. I was in the Air Force at the time. I was on the recording of Mustard Greens we did with Danny.
I see this comment from you was in 2009 and your email address is no longer good. I hope you get back here and see my comment.
I just moved back to San Antonio this last August. I have lived in Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix and, recently, back to Brownsville where I grew up. Could not stand Brownsville so had to move to S.A.
A friend and old musician compatriot named Jesse Salinas, who I played with in Brownsville, clued me in about GarageHangover.com website. Together we submitted info on the band we had played with called Noe Pro and the Semitones. I also submitted info about another early band I played with called Joey B and the Silhouettes where I also mention my time with Danny and the Tejanos. You can check it out on the website – there are pictures of the bands with me in them.
So I was browsing through garagehangover today and ran across your name. I could not believe it. I had wondered how to connect again with you, Danny, “El Torito” and the others.
Let me know how you have been doing and maybe we can hook up and get caught up on where we’ve been and what we’ve done. I can be reached at gggonzales@lavabit.com.
Your old tenor sax partner,
Gonzalo
do you all know of any one who played in henry lee’s band when Lupe Ybarra was playing Trumpet please let me know
I have seen newspaper ads for L’il (sic) Henry appearing as support act for Big Joe Turner in Longview TX in January and March of 1963. One of the ads mentions his two new records – “Hesitation Twist” and “Big Deal.”