Tommy Burk and the Counts were a big local act in Memphis, every kid in the city would have seen them live or have known about them.
They had a career that spanned early ’60s vocal pop to garage. Members included Tommy Burk on vocals, Wayne Thompson guitar, Mike Stoker bass, Thomas Boggs on drums, John Greer, Steve O’Keefe and Dan Morelock.
They had about ten 45s on various labels, including a local hit with a garage-styled version of “Stormy Weather” and “Without Me” backed with a version of “Maggie’s Farm” on Southern Artists 2026. They are also supposed to be the group behind A. Jacks & The Cleansers “Stronger Than Dirt” on Clean 110. I hope to feature more of these eventually, but right now here’s “Counted Out”, a rocking instrumental from ’62, and the b-side to their very first 45, the doo-wop styled “You’ll Feel It Too”.
I grew up in Memphis in the 60’s, and Tommy Burke and the Counts were a great band. Just wish we had a few more like them today.
We saw Tommy and the gang at the Garage Band Reunion on August1st. They are still as great as ever!
I was a frat brother of Thomas Boggs & Tommy Burke…we were Pike (memphis state)
Best Band Around
Dude…..I have a copy of “Stormy Weather.”
No doubt, the Counts were the best in Memphis during the early 60s. I graduated in ’64 and went to many dances (most at the Whitehaven YMCA) and the Counts were without equal. They were “Ivy” but could play with the best of the greasers (who were also great.) Mississippi produced some great rockers.
Our dear friend and bass player Mike Stoker passed away yesterday February 16,2010. I am sure he and Thomas Boggs are having a blast telling puns galore. He was so loved by so many.
This is a little off the subject of your site, but I need to know about Michael. I lived with him and his girlfriend: I was in one of the two other couples, on Central Avenue back in the 60’s and 70’s and also knew Thomas Boggs. I moved to Atlanta in 1973 and lost touch. Would you please spare a minute of your time to catch me up on this sweet man and what happened to him?
Thank you, Karen Jenkins
Karen, Mike died in Feb. 2010. Thomas died in May 2008. I am on Facebook if you want more info. Wayne Thompson..
I grew-up in Memphis and always heard my older sister, older brother and parents talk about Tommy Burk and the Counts. One of my mom’s favorites was Stormy Weather. She would dance for hours with my brother to the 45. That 45 is long gone. My brother died in a car accident three years ago. I would love to be able to give my mother a copy of Stormy Weather. Any chance I might get some help with this since you have a copy of it? I will be more than happy to compensate you for your time and efforts….
Respectfully,
Charles White
Knoxville Tennessee
Hallo Charles,
I was going thru my old singles and Googling them when I saw the thread on Garagehangover. I picked up Stormy Weather by The Counts about 20 years ago on the Dutch national holiday “The Queens Birthday” in Amsterdam for next to nothing.
I just gave it a listen again and it’s pretty good but not my style… more into blues. If you would like it you can have it for postage costs to the USA, about $8 but maybe less if it’s lighter. Also the single is ex condition and in the original company sleeve.
Drop me a line and let me know.
I am interested in your copy of Stormy Weather if you still have it!
Not sure how I missed your message! Do you still have the 45? I will gladly pay you whatever your costs would be to have it!
I recently connected with old friends from Memphis and heard the news of Thomas’s passing.An old boyfriend of mine, married his girlfriend.She had been in touch with him over the years and told me he died from cancer.He was on the board of the Memphis Zoo & had built more Hueys and they named a street for him in Midtown! Did you know Jan?
Hi Carol
I used to work with Wayne Thompson at the Tanner Company…wondering if you are still in touch with him?
Gail, I just found you message.
My e-mail is dallaswayne42@aol.com.
Hope all is well.
Hey Wayne….
This is Pat Parham – Jackson, TN…..
T B and The Counts played our Senior Prom in Jackson 1964 or 65 (not sure which) but I booked yall and yall stayed at my house that night after the dance… my mom feed us all a late night dinner and breakfast the next morning…
we built a tower and put Boggs up on top… don’t think he was real excited about until he got all the attention from everyone thinking he was soooo cool up there…
I played with a group know in Memphis as Take Five – wore black and white wing tipped shoes and powder blue
sport jackets and played Ted Moise’s Frazer Skateland several times – Ted loved us… we later had to change our
name to The Memphis Mudd when we signed contract with Hubert Long in Nashville…. Did a couple of George Klien gigs at Lakeland and his Christmas event at the armory….
Hope you are well and doing good…. Thought you guys were the GREATEST and yall did inspire me to build our group to copy yall…. I was the lead singer with lead and bass guitars, keyboard, drums and 4 horns (2 Trumpets and 2 saxes)…… and yes – we did do Stormy Weather……
GOD bless you and yours ole friend…..
Pat
Hi Pat
i’ve been reminising lately about the great bands from the 60’s and 70’s from Jackson and Memphis, including my own bands. Just looking up Tommy Burk and the Counts, remembering them from a National Guard Armory Dance– “Teeny Weeny Bit” I think was their hit at the time. I remember so vividly how great and fun it all was, now a lost era. When i looked upTommy Burke I found your nice comments. Such fond memories of The Tropics, Dinky T and the Imps, Tony and the Embers, Jimmy Exum and The Mar-vels (16 Tons) and of course, The Memphis Mudd, and several others. i still have all their businees cards. Sadly, all the Mar-Vels material was lost in a tornado. Do you happen to have any photos, recordings or live footage of any of these? Or know anyone who might? It was all very special, and magical.
Hope this note finds you well blessed, and happy.
Regards,
Blake (Overall)
Saw Pat’s comment then yours. I saw Tommy B band once, Brooks Steak House Teke party in the back. Hope your doing good Blake!
Unless my ex-wife got the box with some of The Counts 45’s in it, I have them all.
I was in a band, “The Pacers”, from ’63-’66, and although we were “headquartered in Tunica, MS, we played at many proms in Memphis, and North Mississippi, The Memphis Country Club, The Hunt and Polo Club, a few “Cotton Carnival” things, a couple of “Battles” in Memphis, a private party at Holiday Inns founder Kemmons Wilson’s home, and maybe 15 times at Ole Miss, Miss. State and MSCW.
When we were just starting, we would rent the VFW in Tunica and charge $1.50, “stag or drag”. The bad thing was, we invited ourselves, the good thing was, we were the only thing going on in Tunica on those nights, so we had a big audience.
I had more fun playing music than anything else I have ever done and gotten paid for doing.
I recently found a 45 by Tommy Burk And The Counts, the songs are Without Me and Maggie’s Farm. It’s on the Southern Artists label. I have posted the A-side on my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKFhY005-JU
I graduated from White Station in ’64, member of Phi Kappa. The Counts were the top dance act at the time, particularly when they teamed with the Vollintinos (sp ?), an black soul act. Clearpool was an important venue. Ditto Catholic Club, T Walker Lewis YMCA (in Kingsbury territory).
I went to White Station High School in ’63 and ’64 and remember very fondly Tommy Burk and The Counts, Randy and the Radiant’s and several other local Memphis bands. Two + two club was fun as was Clearpool in the summer and T. Walker Lewis YMCA. If I remember correctly Howard Calhoun played bass for Randy and the Radiant’s and went to WSHS.
I remember fondly Tommy Burke and the Counts. Best band in Memphis in the early and mid 60’s. Brings back memories of T Walker Lewis, CYOs, the Canteen at Colonial Jt Hi, sitting on the rail around the dance floor at Maywood, juke box at Clearpool, and great memories at Overton Hi School.
Thanks for all your comments. We had a great time and loved playing for all
the parties. Sorry to report that only me and Tom Burk are still alive.
The Deceased: Dan Morelock (Jan 2001), Thomas Boggs (May 2008)
Mike Stoker (Feb 2010), Steve O’Keefe (Jan 2015), and John Greer
(Feb 2019).
There seems to be another incarnation of the group including you and Bobby Whitlock, can you shed some light? Thanks, Loyd Jones
That is sooo sad to hear. All those bands were so much a part of my life in the early 60s. Music is still so important to me that my husband and I connected thru music on our first date. As Steele Dollahite said about playing music being the best thing he had ever done in his life, I believe the girls and boys in the audience can say the same s about just being there, listening, dancing, and having the time of their life. At 79 yrs. You still don’t forget those magical years of great music and fun.
East High 1963
Hey Wayne,
Steve Crone here. Worked at WBT back in late 70s/early 80s when you did too. Just stubbled across this website. Being a Memphis native and forever Memphis music lover, was glad to learn you are well and still making music. I get back to Memphis on occasion and catching a gig of such a re-incarnation mentioned above would be totally worth planning around. Keep us posted!
Tommy Burk & The Counts played a lot of high school proms & fraternity/sorority dances. They were “The Band” in the 60s. They played a lot at Hueys on Madison, probably because Thomas Boggs was in the band. Lots of memories in these comments here. Central High School class of 68
What many people don’t remember is that Bobby Whitlock played keyboards with the band for several months when he was just a teenager, and before he went on the bigger and better things with Delaney and Bonnie followed by Derek and the Dominos of “Layla” fame. This was somewhere around 1966-67 if I remember correctly when I was also a member of the band. Wayne Thompson will corroborate this. Bobby now lives in Austin, TX.
I was born in 1950 and never saw the Counts, but my twin uncles Keith and Ken were four years older, attended East High School, lived in Chickasaw Gardens in a house tow houses West of the Pink Palace. They shared all of their music, went to movies with me on Saturdays and later gave me their clothes. I remember hearing the Beatles on Keith’s shortwave radio. Later I recorded their music on a little tape recorder. I took it school and the girls loved it, the boys hated it. Later I heard The Beatles with Ken at the MidSouth Coliseum . Baptists were burning their records. Because they believed that John thought they were more popular to teenagers in Jesus. Thanks for triggering all of this memories.