I took a snapshot of this poster of the Sonics of Needville off the wall at the apartment of Norton Records co-honcho Billy Miller, it really looks much better in person. Billy said he has another Sonics poster from the same time.
Needville is a small town southwest of Houston. This band is known on record as Vance Charles and the Sonics, but often appear in news notices as the Sonics of Needville.
The first Vance Charles and the Sonics single was “Let’s Fall in Love” (R. Whitefield, C. Snattiger) b/w “Closer To Me” (C. Booth, R. Gean) on Lori 9553, both songs produced by Charles Booth and published by Kaboo Music BMI. Charlie Booth’s production address is listed at 7626 Carothers or 1738 Viking in Houston.
From about 1965 is a release on Spinner Records, “Mr. Train”, a good if unexciting blues with horn section. The flip of this is an absurd version of “Suzy Q” sung in a duck voice and listed under the ridiculous pseudonym Yakkity Quack and the Sonics.
In 1965, Vance Charles and the Sonics released the first of two singles on the Golden Eagle label: “Put the Shoes on Willie” (an Earl Hooker song) and “All for the Love of a Girl”.
In 1966, the band cut a great fuzz stomper, “My Soul” backed by an average version of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”, and released in June of ’66 on the Golden Eagle label of Houston.
Although it sounds like an original song, the top side is actually an adaption of Clifton Chenier’s “My Soul”, a very fine, pre-zydeco r&b song with accordion and even Little Richard “wooh”s, released on the Checker label in the late ’50s:
Why do I, sit and cry, without a reason?
I don’t know why, it’s my soul …
If I, should jump up and holler, without a reason,
stab you in the collar, it’s my soul …
Golden Eagle is a label more known for its blues releases, but a pop-garage 45 by Reed Williams “There’s A Girl” / “I’m Free” preceded this Vance Charles disc and the label did release an album of mostly cover songs by the El Campo Jades titled “The 13th Song”.
The Spinner 45 was recorded at Gold Star Studios with Doyle Jones engineering. Doyle worked at Gold Star from December 1964 to January 1966, recording the Sir Douglas Quintet, Roy Head and Gaylan Ladd. He left Gold Star to start Jones Sound Studios with Mickey Gilley as part-owner, at 1523 Blair St. in the Heights neighborhood of Houston. This is the studio where the Golden Eagle discs were recorded.
Other garage bands who recorded at Jones Sound include Chaz & the Classics (“Girl of the 13th Hour”), the Glass Kans (“Stick With Her”), and, of course, the Outcasts’ “1523 Blair”. Even better known are Neal Ford and the Fanatics great “Shame on You”, and the Moving Sidewalks LP Flashback, also cut at Jones. Doyle Jones kept the studio going until 1973, then converted it to a duplication house, until he passed away in 2006.
All of Vance Charles’ records were produced by Charlie Booth. Booth also produced a 45 by the Weavils from El Campo, Texas on the Lori label, “Here I Am in Love Again” / “We’re the Weavils”.
A reader wrote in that Vance Charles, Frank Sebesta and Ralph McCauley played in the Barons who were active around Houston in the early 1970s. The Barons had two LPs on Solar label, as well as two 45s, “Mellow Moonlight” / “Strung Out On You” and “Wounds Of Love” / “Put Me In Jail”, but I’ve heard none of these. Other Barons members and associates include Luke “CC” Davis, Morris A. Bosak and Billy Wade McKnight.
Doyle Jones info from the SugarHill Studios site (now defunct) and Bluesworld.com.
Thank you to Jack Swenson for information on the Barons.
The other Vance Charles single is more country-oriented, and not all that hot.
I agree, i think i’ll like this one a lot more.
The “Frank” pictured in the poster is Frank Teykl – bass player
I have not heard these songs in many many years. you have a great web site and your history is remarkably correct. in the picture are vance charles,ralph McCauley. glen tate, richard schwettmann and frankie teykl. another group under contract with charlie booth was B. J. Thomas and the Triumphs until B. J. split and went to Septor Records. I’m sorry to hear Doyle passed away he was a good friend. yakkity quack had another record called “Redneck Duck” which was a rebuttal to “Disco Duck” sometime in the early seventies. Thanks again , Vance
3-4-2016
Hey Vance Charles! Remember me? Allen Greene – Your band ‘The Sonics’ recorded two of my co-written songs: “ENCHANTED DREAMS ” and “RUNNIN’ ROUND ON ME” back in 1965. You guys sounded Great on both cuts! Thanks a ‘Million” Vance!
Also my song “ANGEL WITH A BROKEN WING” recorded by Female Artist Heidi Hauge got me a GOLD RECORD AWARD in Sweden! Thanks Heidi
Hi Vance,
Name from the past, Pam Bishop, do you remember me ?
book this band at the k. c. hall in bryan texas in the 1960’s later on the barons played at the k.c. ballroom in bryan texas
Those were the good old days. Life was good.
Glenn
Yes they were. Richard was my “boyfriend “ for awhile. I was from Rosenberg and attended Lamar. We had lots of fun back then – Wow. I live in Lower Alabama now and still have Condo in Houston, Texas. It’s great to see you on Facebook !
These indeed were the good old days! Wonderful memories-lots of fun!
Vance has an amazing voice……
The guys were great! The country dances were awesome!
A former Baron Screamer
Hello! I am one of Vance’s granddaughters, I often check this website because I am quite proud of my grandpa, being a music enthusiast. I show my grandpa, Vance Charles, all of yalls comments, he is doing well (and so is glen which is also family) and he appreciates yall <3 I want to say that this website does a great job.
Vance is still singing to this day and has even had a successful career in gospel music.
My dad is Morris! I was just looking up the Sonics tonight. I have some great stories about being in the van and speakers!
All these bands made living in Central Texas wonderful in the 60s. On a Saturday night, you could dance at Swiss Alp, New Bieulau, and the Schulenburg hall in one night! Fayette and Lavaca County had over 60 dance halls EACH and a full buffet of music, Rock, country, polka and waltzes were everywhere. Thank you for the intense research required for this site. I’m working on a database on dancing events in CenTex, somewhere around 15,000 right now.
Comments on The Sonics/Barons:
Lots of memories here! The names on that old Sonics poster are in the right order, not in the caption below – Vance Charles, Ralph McCauley, Frankie Teykl, Richard Schwettmann, and Glenn Tate. This was the original group, circa 1962. Later, we added a horn section, in the tradition of the dance hall bands that had preceded us. These musicians were Thomas Wenzel (trumpet) and Cody Locklin (saxophone). Glenn Tate left the band after a time, and guitarist Morris (Butch) Bosak stepped in. Then came Ron Peterson and Larry Krenek, both saxophonists, but Cody had left the band. We were now an 8-piece band, but times were changing, and so was rock and roll music with the coming of the Beatles and other British groups. We saw the need to change with it, and soon we were once again a 5-man combo (no horns), but with a new name – The Barons. Richard Schwettmann left the band, and a seasoned club musician named Richard (Rick) Morgan joined us, playing keyboards. He helped us develop our new image, but he eventually moved on, and Frank Sebesta became our keyboard player. I left the group temporarily in 1969, and Duke Davis played bass until I returned in 1971. The group had really started to gel by then, and it was soon a full-time gig for all of us. We packed the dance halls for several years with Vance Charles (vocals), Ralph McCauley (drums), Morris Bosak (guitar), Frank Sebesta (keyboards), and Frankie Teykl (bass). Someone produced a bumper sticker that read “We Follow the Barons”, and these could be seen all over the southern half of Texas and beyond. The band by now was adding some country music to our repertoire; again, going with the times.
I left the Barons for good in 1974, and Morris left shortly thereafter. Various musicians came and went after that, including Billy Hafer (bass), John Anderson (guitar), Jeff Barosh (fiddle, steel), and Dusty Wakeman (bass). Rick Morgan may have made a re-entry into the group during this time as well. The Barons finally folded about 1977.
Random facts – most of the data in the original post is remarkably accurate, but I am compelled to comment on a few statements – Vance Charles and Charlie Booth are NOT the same person. The Earl Hooker song that The Sonics recorded was “Put the Shoes on Willie”. Yakkity Quack was at first a joke, but as I recall, Charlie Booth insisted that Vance record Suzy Q in the duck voice. Over the years, The Sonics / The Barons recorded in several studios, some with Charlie Booth, but with other producers as well. The latest work by The Barons was done in our own studio in Rosenberg, Texas.
Disclaimer – all of this was a long time ago! Some of my comments, and possibly the chronology, could be flawed.
Frank (aka Frankie) Teykl
Hi Frank,
Great to read your extensive comments on the band. I will make corrections to the text above, and add a couple gig announcements I’ve found on the band.
Frank, Thanks for the chronology. I was the drummer for Kings Road and we were handled by Homer Gay. We played a lot of the same venues as the Barons and I think that Homer also handled you guys for a while. Would like to see if you remember those days too. Bill H.