The Raiders, Lubbock / Connections

THE RAIDERS - Hocus Pocus / Yoo Hoo (Andex 4015)

In the mid-1950s Nova Scotian-born Graham Turnbull packed up his Fender Strat and headed southwest to Lubbock, Texas to pursue graduate studies at Texas Tech and teach at Lubbock High School. According to legend it was in the halls of Lubbock High where he first met Buddy Holly and two soon began hanging out, eventually splitting writing credits on a dozen or so songs (I don't believe any of these efforts were ever recorded).

While attending Tech Turnbull, who took went by Scott Turner, met aspiring singer Hal Goodson and the two began working under the name of the Raiders, no doubt a tip of the hat to Texas Tech. In the summer of 1957 Turner, Goodson, rhythm guitarist Jerry Dereyer, and bassist Leon Bagwell visited Norman Petty studios. Lacking a drummer Petty called on Jerry Allison to play on the four sides. "Who's Gonna Be The Next One Honey" b/w "Later Baby" were issued soon thereafter on the west coast Solo label. The 45 managed to become a minor hit, almost cracking the top 100 (the remaining tracks were unissued until a 1990 when they were released by Rollercoaster Records) .

With success at hand the Raiders were called to the West Coast. Hal Goodson remained in Lubbock. The remaining Raiders signed a contract with Andex records and in June of 1958 released their sole 45 which paired "Hocus Pocus" with "Yoo Hoo". "Hocus Pocus" came from the songwriting team of Cliff Goldsmith and Fred Smith and had been recorded by both Ben Joe Zeppa and Specialty wild man Larry Williams in 1957, though both sessions remained unreleased for a number of years. Opening with a stinging guitar lead from Raider Scott Turner, "Hocus Pocus" charges along for a full two-and-a-half minutes. Turner never lets up while Leon Bagwell slaps along to the beat, likely kept by drummer Hal Blaine. It's a a great piece shake n' wiggle rockabilly and still a favorite with jivers for whom the big beat never did die.

The flip side rockaballad "Yoo Hoo" is one of the earliest efforts from songwriting partners Herb Albert and Lou Adler.

In short order the Raiders found themselves lending support to up-n'-comer Tommy Sands, received co-billing on his "Blue Ribbon Baby" release on Capitol, backed Sands on "The Worryin' Kind", one of the greatest strollers of all time, and toured Australia.

After leaving Sands, Scott Turner spent the better part of the next three decades playing, writing, and promoting music, stringing together an impressive list of achievements along the way. Turner passed away in 2009.

I have no idea about the whereabouts of the remaining Raiders, but would welcome any leads.

Hal Goodson passed away in Midland in 2000.
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Sources...

Hal Goodson's nephew posted a few bits about Hal at a Telecaster forum which can be seen in full HERE.

Johnny O'Keefe biographer Damian Johnstone wrote a nice eulogy on Scotty which can be read at the Spectropop newsgroup.

Brian Sheppard's liner notes to Hal Goodson & the Raiders' "Texas Rockabilly" EP on Rollercoaster Records (1990).

A short list of Turner's songwriting accomplishments can be found HERE. There are a few early pictures of Scott and Hal Goodson.

Red Mansel & His Hillbilly Boys, Amarillo

RED MANSEL AND HIS HILLBILLY BOYS - I've Crossed You Off My List (Starday 45-523)

Red Mansel worked the country circuit in and around the Panhandle town of Amarillo, Texas in the 1950s where local dates fronting his own Hillbilly Boys were promoted twice-weekly on a 15 minute spot on local tv station KFDA. Red also played guitar for local honky tonker Virgil Humes.

1955 saw Red Mansel released his first record using Starday's custom series. The disc paired two originals including the mid-tempo honky tonk shuffler "I've Crossed You Off My List" on the A-side. As was the case with pretty much every other pressing in the series there was no hit for Red and his Hillbilly Boys.

In April of 1956 Billboard Magazine announced that Red Mansel had inked a two-year deal with Dan Mechura's Houston based Allstar label where he would go on to release three records. Despite steady Billboard mentions through the spring and early summer of 1956 Red's first for Mechura's imprint was panned by the trade rag as was another later release.

Red doesn't seem to have recorded again after the close of the 1950s. According to Kevin Coffey Mansel lived his last years in Hurst, Texas.
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Thanks to Kevin Coffey for the use of the Virgil Humes photo.

Amarillo postcard from the Vintage Chrome postcard blog.