Slim Willet, Abilene

Winston Lee Moore.

The man ruled the honky tonk roost in Abilene in the 1950s and early 1960s. Wrote "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes". Brought Elvis in for his first Abilene performance. Ran the Winston and Edmoral labels, releasing records by Dean Beard, Hoyle Nix, and Darrell Rhodes among others. Disc Jockey on KRBC, KNIT, and KCAD. Hosted the weekly Big State Jamboree television show. Not too shabby for a feller named Winston.

Slim "Winston" Willet came from oil country and it was one of the many West Texas booms that inspired his first success, "Tool Pusher From Snyder" for Star Talent in the very early 50s. It was a theme Slim would return to over and over again including this rare 1959 full length on his own Winston label. "Rig Moving Man", "Toolpusher (On A Rotary Rig)"- an update of the Snyder hit-, "Haywire Jones" and host more. A few of these made it onto earlier Winston 45s. A few seemed to have been items tossed to the side originally, only to be pulled into use for this album. "Smell That Sweet Perfume" bears the sounds of Mexico, a sound Slim used often. "Drill Bit Honky Tonk" might be the bluesiest Slim ever did get.

A second lp made up of sides from his 4-Star years was released on the oddball King subsidiary Audio lab in 1959 as well. I don't believe there to have been another proper lp release on the Winston label.

But definitely a bunch of great 45s.