Peanuts Wilson, Odessa

PEANUTS WILSON- Cast Iron Arm (Brunswick 9-55039)

Johnny "Peanuts" Wilson moved to Odessa, Texas with his family in the 1950s. It was here that he joined up with Roy Orbison's rockin' Teen Kings in 1955, touring and recording with the group until the break-up at the Sun session for "Sweet and Easy" at the end of the year.

The following May Johnny had the first of two sessions in Clovis with Norman Petty. Of the 1/2 doz. songs spread between the two trips only the Orbison-penned "Cast Iron Arm" and Johnny's own "You've Got Love" saw release at the time. Most of the others were finally issued on Ace's excellent West Texas Bop compilation 10 years ago.

With Jimmy Seals (maybe?) on sax, Roy Orbison's lead guitar (maybe?), Jack Kennelly's bass slaps, and a hep vocal by Wilson "Cast Iron Arm" is tops in the field of cat music. The whole idea of a cast iron arm... real or imagined... tuff stuff.

(14th & Grant, Odessa... today home of Odessa's best pool hall)

Johnny would have one additional release, a two-sided reverb'd rocker on the Coronodo label in 1963, which I'll stomp at some point. Johnny would find greater fame as songwriter before passing away in 1980 at the age of 40.