Donny Guess sent in these photos of two bands from Levelland, Texas, just west of Lubbock. The Morticians would become the Shyles with different lineups over the years. I first encountered the Shyles name in a news clipping about a battle-of-the-bands in Brownfield, which featured a photo of the Charvonnes.

Donny writes:

The Shyles, a garage band from Levelland played venues in west Texas and eastern New Mexico from May 1965 to August 1968.

Their first gig was late May 1965 in Brownfield, TX, at a end of school year battle of the bands dance. At that time they didn’t have a name so the organizer for the youth center suggested the The Morticians, since the other band was the Undertakers. The youth director then suggested that both band members ride in the back of a pickup through town with a borrowed casket to promote the dance.

We did not record a record as the Shyles. One band member, who left the Shyles in late 1966 did record with another group, no details available though. As the Shyles we did make a trip to Norman Petty studios in Clovis to visit about cutting a record but were unable to raise the money to produce it.

We played mainly youth centers, ballrooms and National Guard armories.

Other members of the Shyles not in the photo include:

Ronnie Stoughton – guitar
Jan Pharis – drums