Chester Oliver of Seminole began his Blue Moon label in the fall of 1956, just a few months after the release the Teen Kings' "Ooby Dooby" on Je-Wel. The first Blue Moon release would be a local Spanish single. The second and final release on Blue Moon would come from the pretty Hope Griffith. On these two Christmas numbers Hope approaches the throatiness of Eartha Kitt.
At the time of these recordings Hope was a regular performer on Lubbock radio and tv.
Blue Moon would become Triple-D and well... you know...
We'll be back after Christmas with some great Odessa doo wop.
When you collect within a genre or field, you take in lots of questionable material. But there's little diamonds tucked away sometimes...
GEORGE MCNERLIN- No Greater Than Thee (Zak-Tone 10979 )
Zak-Tone was a local label that which operated like a custom pressing outfit ala Century, but never really got going. I Am the Resurrection was recorded and pressed for Midland's Assembly of Christ in the late 1960s. A total of 12 selections made up of "a variety of talent and song types" with bad being a common characteristic were presented. It is mostly 60 and 70 year-olds sing gospel accompanied by the prerequisite organ and some steel guitar. The steel feels and seems odd, but not strangely so. There are a trio of tunes from the youth group in a summer camp shout along style as well which lend the album a modern, contemporary feel. But it is only on the sparse "No Greater Than Thee" (listed as "No Greater Than Tee" in the weird liners) by Glen McNerlin that the spirit really moves. Be still and listen closely... some soft, gentle sounds for sure. And a Christmas theme flows through as well...
MIKE MALONE AND THE MISTERS- It Must Be Raining (Token 1002)
The Token label operated out of Midland, Texas in the early to mid-1960s. Tommy Crider's "Sandy"- the label debut from 1963- made at least a small dent on local charts. Token's short run (6 releases?) would find Nashville distribution on its last releases by country singer Fred Cowen.
Token 1002 is a great piece of teen pop, striking a balance between Del Shannon and northeast doo wop ala Dion and the Belmonts. Odd combination for this neck of the woods.
Mike Malone would have at least one additional release on California's Sims label via a Tommy Allsup/Westex lease deal that got Dean Beard, Rick Sikes, and other west Texans just a bit of national exposure.
BETTY JO BANGS- Daddy Was A Preacher Mama Was A Go-Go Girl (Talstar 31170)
In 1971 Jo Anna Neel recorded Daddy Was A Preacher for Decca. The song was credited to she and her husband Bob.
In either 1970 (if one were so inclined as to see the label number as reading 1970) or 1972 (72 is stamped into the run-off groove) Betty Jo Bangs recorded Daddy Was a Preacher for Junior Keith's Talstar label in Amarillo. The song was credited to Betty Jo.
Somebody best be gettin' to the bottom of this.
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Head over to Diggin' It!!! to catch a version of Daddy Was A Preacher from JoAnna Neel on Decca.
REAL GEORGE AND HIS KRAZY KATS- Flip Flop Flop (Glover 1001)
Roswell, New Mexico. Robert Goddard's rockets. Texas's gateway to Ruidoso. That flying saucer thing.
And 'Real' George Whitley.
Real George and His Krazy Kats were hip to the sounds of 1958. A bit polite, but "Flip-Flop-Flop" certainly has that northeastern jive sound to it. Even with a fat trumpet break. Guitar break certainly ain't too bad.
On the flip the Kats are revealed to be a society dance band supreme, though. Not even a whiff of Krazy.
In the fall of 1938 Amarillo's Sons of the West entered the Gunter Motel in San Antonio. Just short of a dozen songs came from this session with the two featured here being the A-side and B-side of Decca 5629. "My Gal" is a hot uptempo number that prominently features one of the greatest steel players to ever worship at the alter of Bob Dunn... one Mr. Billy Briggs. Listen to Billy when he gets going. Most surely this ain't even Billy's brightest moment, but it's still dang'd hot, kids. A sign of things to come.
Three years later the Sons would go to Dallas to record a session for Okeh from whence "Sally's Got a Wooden Leg", arguably the group's shining moment, would be pulled. This same session would also feature an early workup of Billy's own "Panhandle Shuffle" which would be worked on and over for a few years to come.
Then Billy would take a few of the Sons, turn 'em into the XIT Boys, and they would go on to cut some of the hottest swing to EVER come out of Texas.
Charline Arthur. Gal could go. Like no other in her time. Brassy ol' voice and an attitude to match. CHARLINE ARTHUR- Just Look, Don't Touch, He's Mine (RCA-Victor 6428)
Right after her Bullet label debut in 1949, featuring "I've Got the Boogie Blues" on the a-side which she had penned at the weary ol' age of 12, Charline and husband Jack left the Big D for Kermit where she found a spot on KERB (This is the same KERB that would employ Fred Crawford for MANY years). KERB is also where Charline cut her lone release for Imperial and caught the attention of a man named Colonel.
The next five years would be a whirlwind of tours and honky tonks, a move to Dallas, a picture with Roy Orbison, Saturday nights at the Big D Jamboree, and trips to Nashville to record. By the time "Just Look, Don't Touch, He's Mine" was recorded in the fall of 1955 Charline was nearing the end of her recording career. Backing was staid, a common problem for Charline's Nashville dates, but Charline herself is ON.
If you want to stay real healthy, then you'd better listen hard Just keep all your attention for the guys in your own yard I'm not the kind to worry, but I am the kind to fight And I get to be a buzzsaw if the situation's tight I like your taste in men, but this here menu's not for sale So stay away from him, because I don't like the chow in jail
Charline got one more shot with RCA. Rock n' roll was right around the corner and though she had the oomph that the new sound called for, ol' Charline might have been just a bit too country. Her last release on RCA-Victor took in Jean Chapel's "Welcome To the Club". She may have helped build that club, but she didn't get to stay.
In my 14 years of West Texas livin' I've fallen in love with the area's incredible musical history. From the hoakum swing of Bob Skyles and His Skyrockets to Buddy Holly to the funkiness of El Paso's Soul Ones... it's all so very amazing. But for every Buddy Holly or Roy Orbison there were a hundred Fred Crawfords plying their trade as well. It's these forgotten folks who slaved away in the honky tonks, teen centers, roller rinks, and dance halls of the region that will be served and documented here.
What is West Texas? For this blog's purposes the eastern boundary runs southwest from Wichita Falls along HWY 87 and then down HWY 277 to Abilene on through San Angelo and down to Del Rio on the border. That also ropes in spots in the road such as Amariller, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, El Paso, and Tahoka.
Eastern New Mexico? Southeastern New Mexico might be a better description geographically as I'm concerned with the area that is bordered by HWY 70 which runs from Clovis southwest to Las Cruces.
This is a labor of love. The sounds are part of that love. If you are a copyright owner for a song I've posted and would rather it not be here please contact me and I will remove it.
Top 5 Listens at Rancho Westex
1. Where'd You Go- ROD CROSBY & THE INTRUDERS
2. Breakin' In A Brand New Girl- SONNY CURTIS (unreleased demo ca. '67)
3. Saddle Tramp - JAY BOY ADAMS (fr. his 2nd Atlantic lp)
4. Anything by JOSEPH BRUNELLE
5. The Last Ride - THE BEACH NUTS (a-side of Coronado 45)
10 Westex Wants: Actual Records I'm On the Hunt For
Manuel Puga on Puga's Combo - record outta Big Spring, likely 45.
Cliff Blakley- Get Offa My Toe (Starday) Jimmy Blakley's brother. From Roswell.
Sammy & the ?????- I have no idea on this. It's a chicano doo wop number out of Roswell and it's on a red label. Probably a 1962 or 1963 release.
Lewis Brothers- Sally Johnson (RCA-Victor) Hot sides recorded at an El Paso Baptist church in '29
the Night Crawlers- Let's Move (Shadow) Lubbock combo. What 60s punk should sound like... CLASSIC!
Epic Five- I Need Your Lovin' (Sully) Outstanding! From San Angelo, but on the Amarillo label run by Ray Ruff.
Bob Tucker and the Sky Riders- Quit Draggin' Your Feet(State) Swingin' cat outta Clovis that ran the Caron label.
(DONE 4/10/12)The Great Grannies- Sugar Man (Corridor) Sisters from Odessa, last name Toone. Also their other 45 on Corridor.
(DONE 9/25/11)Orville Fox- Honey You Talk Too Much (Ellis) Some dern'd happy to have finally layed by claws on this one. Story to come.
(DONE 6/20/11)Johnny Trujillo and the Knightsmen- Pistol Packin' Mama (Bocaldun), El Paso area Chicanos on Odessa label (a flat copy would be great through)
