LOCAL RECORDS:
DEAN BEARD – all three of his Atlantic 45s including “Rakin and Scrapin’” (eh) and “Party Party”(yeah!). This trio, along with others on this list, came from one INCREDIBLE collection full of killer records and autographs (5 or 6 from Elvis alone!) that had sat hidden in a closet since the 1960s.
SUNNY MOLINA WITH THE PACESETTERS – A Star of Wonder (La Discoteca 1001) Oddball 60s chicano doo wop outta Roswell, NM. Did not get the Don Julio seal of approval.
THE RAIDERS – Hocus Pocus (Andex 4015) Pulled two copies out of a junk shop from these Lubbock characters. Bass slapping rockabilly.
WAYLON JENNINGS- When Sin Stops (Brunswick) Weak record in my opinion. The Night Hawks original Hamilton label version of “When Sin Stops” is better. Based off this first record it’s amazing the guy ever became a star. Still… a grail of west Texas records.
RONNIE SMITH – My Babe (Hamilton 50003) First recording by Odessa rockabilly kid that later joined Waylon Jennings, Carl Bunch, and Tommy Allsup after Buddy died in the plane crash. Outta the closet collection like the Dean Beards.
JERRY ROBERTS – Little Bitty Lover (APT 25070) Norman Petty produced, early 60s Buddy Holly cop with a partial Fireballs backing that has escaped the sleuths. Turns out Jerry is the grandfather of one of my students and lives around the corner from me. WILD!
BILLY (THE) KIDD – Crazy Guitar (Jane 107) Actually the Cavaliers outta San Angelo, who later –in part- backed J. Frank Wilson on “Last Kiss”.
RED HAYS- A Satisfied Mind (Starday 164) From the closet stash and a big upgrade over a destroyed copy that I’ve had for a few years. Original waxing of the country standard from an Odessan.
RED MANSEL AND HIS HILLBILLY BOYS –I’ve Crossed You Off My List (Starday 523) Amarilllo country boy.
BUDDY SHAW – No More (Starday 618) Snyder kid.
DOROTHY AND JIMMY BLAKLEY – Slowpoke Rag (Starday 357) Despite the title this is a slowed up bopper with a sideways wiggle.
HARRY BRAY AND THE WHEELS – When Gabriel Blows His Horn (Twixt-Tween 1117) Post apocalyptic country grunge. With a drum machine. Likely recorded in a cellar at a car lot just south of Amarillo, Texas. Another Don Julio fave.
RAY RUSH – Can This Be Love (Aura 111) Same guy that produced Bubble Puppy and the Fanatics on Gina. This was a southeast Texas release prior to a national pick up on Parkway. But Ray was just as west Texan as he was east Texan when this was released. Amazingly gorgeous and atmospheric number that is as big as a hazed and dusky Texas horizon littered by buttes and caprock. Again… from the closet collection.
BOBBY FULLER AND THE FANATICS– Shakedown (Exeter 126) Great, fratty track.
THE FEATHERS – Dummy (Veep 1200) Abilene combo. One of my Miami Jeff’s favorite country-ish rekkids.
THE CIRCUS – Burn Witch Burn (Offe 101) Finding out that the Circus had west Texas – Odessa, even – roots was my personal discovery of the year. Larry Poynor is a hoot and a generous fellow to boot. And DeWayne Querico of the Bobby Fuller Four on drums. What a record!
BILLY DEE & SUGARBEAR AND THE COLORING BOOK – Everybody Says (TCB) Local white boy goes funky on this early ‘rap’ disc. Great stuff.
THE RENEGADES- Keep On Running (Souled Out) Glad to have only paid $5 for this. Very average Amarillo record.
BYRON – Love Me If You Want Me (Byron) Same dude partially responsible for the Clue outta Midland. Bluesy rock recorded while he was in San Marcos.
LP wise…
Bobby Fuller Four on
Mustang(killer lp!) and the first
Tortilla Factory lp on
GC records which is an in demand Tejano record because of the major funk number “Cookin’”.
The below are MAJOR regional wants I knocked off this year and except for the $1 KC Grand find they gobbled up some cash and trades.
SUE BLACK WITH THE KNIGHTSMEN – Pistol Packin’ Mama (Bocaldun 1005/1006) Incredible gal rocker backed with dreamy Chicano doo wop ballad. Las Cruces, NM band but an Odessa, Texas address on a label formerly based outta El Paso. It’s been a top want for 10+ years, but still on the hunt for an upgrade.
JACK HUDDLE – Starlight (KAPP) Woulda rather had the original Petsey release of this bopper- which was found in the closet stash- but this will do.
DOUG BOWMAN AND THE ROAD RUNNERS – Al’s State Line (Chaparral 2094) Okie Dokie party-time country R&B championing this Hobbs, NM combo’s home base. It sounds like 2 or 3 songs are being played at once. A short stack o’ stock turned up this summer and I grabbed con mucho gusto.
K.C. GRAND AND THE SHADES- Lookie Lookie Lookie (Matt 003) Long time want and I had completely overlooked existing local stock. Then it got bought up a sold off last year. I was lucky enough to find a copy in a once-a-month-we’re-open-sorta antique store about 5 blocks from where it was recorded.
ORVILLE FOX AND THE HARMONY MASTERS – Honey You Talk Too Much (Ellis 101) Midland country band pounds it up like Jerry Lee Lewis but with fiddle breaks and a great guitar break played on a Gibson gold top. Big HUGE loooooooong time want. Outta the closet collection.
KEN COOK – Crazy Baby (Phllips 3534) I didn’t buy the closet collection, but I was there standing in an alley at dusk the first time that the purchaser went through it all. This was in the first fistful of 45s that was pulled and I came up just short of needing to change my pants when I saw it. HUGE want and I wound up trading a VG+ copy of Groovey Joe Poovey’s “10 Long Fingers” on Dixie to get it. The best Odessa rock n’ roll record, hands down… trumping even Peanuts Wilson’s mindblowing “Cast Iron Arm” in my opinion, which was also in the closet collection.
THE TIGER BOYS- I’m A Tiger (Galactic ) Scored the 45 offa ebay in crap shape and got a PS gratis in the mail from a forum member/lurker. North Texas Panhandle frattiness. Big want since first hearing about it a couple of years back.
SOUNDS OF NIGHT – Sorrow (Hap) Two-sided teenaged moodiness from the bustling outpost of Sterling City, Texas. Stories and photos to come at LoneStarStomp.
Still a ton o' big wants on the list... should be interesting to see what turns up in 2012!
