The Rocks from Huntsville on Gold Master and Woodrich

Rocks Gold Master 45 Love CityThe 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

Rocks Gold Master 45 TerriRandy 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 Limbo produced the In and the Bobbies, which I’ve covered before. He used Sonic Recording Service in Memphis for those records, I’m not sure where the Rocks recorded.

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.

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