I think he might have made a good preacher if he had chosen to walk in that path. He always knew that his gift - his voice - was a gift from God.
Monday, December 24, 2007
JESUS, THE ONLY IDOL ELVIS PRESLEY EVER HAD
(96) ELVIS DOES BLUE CHRISTMAS NEXT
Elvis recording of "Blue Christmas," that came out on his Christmas album in 1957 brought forth the Memphis sound he was known for with masculine background vocals and soul. Elvis would sing this song hundreds of times in his life, and good thing, because he loved it personally.
Now, we've got the hang of posting YouTube video presentations to help illustrate the history of my story, but choosing which one, so you could listen to Elvis' rich baratone in the original version wasn't easy. The one we chose doesn't have any pictures of Elvis and it wasn't made as a "cover" by an Elvis interpreter or impersonator. We noticed that some of the videos listed had implausable dates on them, as well. This one is like a living Christmas card though, a real work of art, and with it we say "Merry Christmas," to all of you.
Now, we've got the hang of posting YouTube video presentations to help illustrate the history of my story, but choosing which one, so you could listen to Elvis' rich baratone in the original version wasn't easy. The one we chose doesn't have any pictures of Elvis and it wasn't made as a "cover" by an Elvis interpreter or impersonator. We noticed that some of the videos listed had implausable dates on them, as well. This one is like a living Christmas card though, a real work of art, and with it we say "Merry Christmas," to all of you.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
(94) AMERICAN MUSIC AND ELVIS
While Sylvester Cross never pressed me to take demos directly to Elvis when I went to parties at his home or socialized with Elvis, he did thank me more than once for "bringing Elvis to my house." What he meant was not his home, but his music publishing house. What he meant was that because of me Elvis was open to getting demo from various American Music songwriters delivered to him for his consideration.
Actually American Music had a lot to thank Elvis Presley for already. It happened this way. Sylvester had the copyright on "Blue Christmas," which had been recorded by Ernest Tubb, the country music star. He'd hit with it in the 1940s. In about 1958 Elvis recorded it, because it was his personal favorite Christmas song! Every year American Music got a giant revenue from the song because it was so associated with Elvis and his version sold so well.
Now, Elvis also had an interesting relationship with the songwriters at American Music, which was at the time located at 9109 Sunset Boulevard, cross street Doheny, adjacent to Beverly Hills. When Elvis was at MGM or Paramount, on his way home to Bel Air, he would pass by driving in his car, usually later in the day, 5 or 5:30 say. If none of us were standing outside, Elvis would honk six times, then take off. This was his hello. If we were standing out there he would stop and chat with me, Glen Campbell, Jerry Capehart - whomever was out there.
Actually American Music had a lot to thank Elvis Presley for already. It happened this way. Sylvester had the copyright on "Blue Christmas," which had been recorded by Ernest Tubb, the country music star. He'd hit with it in the 1940s. In about 1958 Elvis recorded it, because it was his personal favorite Christmas song! Every year American Music got a giant revenue from the song because it was so associated with Elvis and his version sold so well.
Now, Elvis also had an interesting relationship with the songwriters at American Music, which was at the time located at 9109 Sunset Boulevard, cross street Doheny, adjacent to Beverly Hills. When Elvis was at MGM or Paramount, on his way home to Bel Air, he would pass by driving in his car, usually later in the day, 5 or 5:30 say. If none of us were standing outside, Elvis would honk six times, then take off. This was his hello. If we were standing out there he would stop and chat with me, Glen Campbell, Jerry Capehart - whomever was out there.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
(93) PAT BOONE SWINGS WITH JINGLE BELLS
These days when a Christmas album comes out, some people figure that the artist has just figured out a way to capitalize and fulfill the last album of their contract. But in the early 1960's people weren't so skeptical, especially if they knew that the singer of those songs had true Christian faith, as Elvis Presley did, and as PAT BOONE did.
Another artist besides Elvis who is always associated with Christmas is Pat Boone. Here's a very swinging "Jingle Bells," a YouTube presentation that I can't date. Pat recorded a number of Christian songs in his time and is better known for them.
See our previous posts on Pat and our link on the side bar to Pat's Official Web Site and links to vote him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Just use the search feature on the blog to find these posts!
Another artist besides Elvis who is always associated with Christmas is Pat Boone. Here's a very swinging "Jingle Bells," a YouTube presentation that I can't date. Pat recorded a number of Christian songs in his time and is better known for them.
See our previous posts on Pat and our link on the side bar to Pat's Official Web Site and links to vote him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Just use the search feature on the blog to find these posts!
Here's a YouTube video of Pat and a boy's choir singing the more religious "Silent Night."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
ABRAHAM LINCOLN Quote on Friendship
"The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend."
- Abraham Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln
Monday, December 17, 2007
(92) NAT KING COLE - CROSSING OVER
NAT KING COLE was also an exceptional singer, in that crooner category, who we could not help but notice, talk about, and enjoy. By the late 1950's Nat had made his way from his Southern roots, to Chicago, through the jazz scene, and had hits of "Nature Boy" in 1948, "Mona Lisa," in 1950, and "Unforgettable" in 1951. He was an artist who had commercial success, had fought prejudice, and had somehow made it.
By the fall of 1956 he, like Perry Como, had his own television show on NBC, and like other shows in the early days of television, his had gone from fifteen minutes, to a half hour. His show lasted about a year. No one took television for granted back then. It was an event - a gathering - to sit in front of a set - and I think as a result we gave shows and performers on them our attention.
Now, though I don't think Nat was lifelong partial to one political party or another, in 1960 he got behind our soon to be President, John F. Kennedy, and sang at the Democratic National Convention. Elvis and I and our friends watched what was happening with Kennedy and civil rights with great interest. We had grown up with segregation. We had met, worked with, and liked Black musicians and singers, people in the business.
Looking back I can't say exactly when the 1950's ended or the 1960's began, or our nation would begin to dramatically change in character. But it was small things first, small things like a black man having his own television show that other black performers could go on. The late great Frank Sinatra was known to insist on black performers being treated as equals. He did that for Sammy Davis Junior and he did it for Nat King Cole, when in 1961 he had Nat perform at the Kennedy Inaugural party. That was only fair.
By the fall of 1956 he, like Perry Como, had his own television show on NBC, and like other shows in the early days of television, his had gone from fifteen minutes, to a half hour. His show lasted about a year. No one took television for granted back then. It was an event - a gathering - to sit in front of a set - and I think as a result we gave shows and performers on them our attention.
Now, though I don't think Nat was lifelong partial to one political party or another, in 1960 he got behind our soon to be President, John F. Kennedy, and sang at the Democratic National Convention. Elvis and I and our friends watched what was happening with Kennedy and civil rights with great interest. We had grown up with segregation. We had met, worked with, and liked Black musicians and singers, people in the business.
Looking back I can't say exactly when the 1950's ended or the 1960's began, or our nation would begin to dramatically change in character. But it was small things first, small things like a black man having his own television show that other black performers could go on. The late great Frank Sinatra was known to insist on black performers being treated as equals. He did that for Sammy Davis Junior and he did it for Nat King Cole, when in 1961 he had Nat perform at the Kennedy Inaugural party. That was only fair.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : Nat King Cole
http://rockhall.com/inductees/nat-king-cole/
Official Site of the Nat King Cole Society
NEW! LINK ABOVE TO THE ULTIMATE NAT KING COLE!
Here's a YouTube video presentation of Nat King Cole singing "Nature Boy."
I call him "The Man With the Velvet Voice."
Saturday, December 15, 2007
(91) THE RAY CHARLES SINGERS
I had a connection with Perry Como. He worked with the Ray Charles Singers as his background singers. They worked on most everything he recorded and on television.
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers.
I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.
Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.
The Ray Charles Singers have been featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers.
I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.
Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.
The Ray Charles Singers have been featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
Link Replaced January 12, 2011 CT
Friday, December 14, 2007
(90) PERRY COMO - THE MAN IN THE CARDIGAN SWEATER
PERRY COMO OFFICIAL SITE updated April 2014
VIDEO REPLACED April 2014
Perry Como was a singer who recorded on the RCA Victor label starting in 1943 and one of the first television pioneers in the weekly variety show category that was very successful, starting in about 1948. In the 1950's company sponsored television shows (rather than just commercials) were huge, and Christine White and James Dean were just two of the actors in New York who worked in them.
Now, growing up in the Smokey Mountains we listened to a big stand up radio, and when it came to music, well those mountains were - and are - full of people who had musical talent. People taught each other or were self taught. Making music - going to square dances - singing gospel in church - was our way of making our own fun. We never did get a television set. And when we moved to Oregon, we still didn't have a television set. But when I got to New York in 1957, I knew who Perry Como was. By 1955 he had an hour long television show.
In a way, Perry was an inspiration to me as an upstart in the business, even though he was as far from Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll as you could get. He was a crooner, smooth like Bing Crosby, and when I got to New York I had to fashion myself as a performer. Before I got over my shyness and let myself loosen up and move, I wanted to perform natural like Perry, who simply sang, often wearing a cardigan sweater or a neat suit. I thought he was a master of his craft. His professionalism went beyond one's comprehension. Perry had annunciation that was perfect and his delivery was seamless.
Now when you see old videos of the late 1950's and early 1960's sometimes you see black and white and sometimes you see color. Color television was around by 1956 but the number of studios that had the equipment to film in color were few and the number of people who had a color television set to see broadcasts in color were fewer. In 1956 The Perry Como Show on NBC was filmed in color, and seeing a show in color - well, it seemed to be, as they say today, "cutting edge." By 1959, Perry had a Kraft sponsored Music Hall show.
I suspect that's the show here in this YouTube video that presents Perry singing the classic "White Christmas," in 1960, even though this is in black and white.
Perry's career spanned many years and it's said that he got so many Gold records that he stopped having them certified. It was too embarrassing. In 2002 he received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
VIDEO REPLACED April 2014
Perry Como was a singer who recorded on the RCA Victor label starting in 1943 and one of the first television pioneers in the weekly variety show category that was very successful, starting in about 1948. In the 1950's company sponsored television shows (rather than just commercials) were huge, and Christine White and James Dean were just two of the actors in New York who worked in them.
Now, growing up in the Smokey Mountains we listened to a big stand up radio, and when it came to music, well those mountains were - and are - full of people who had musical talent. People taught each other or were self taught. Making music - going to square dances - singing gospel in church - was our way of making our own fun. We never did get a television set. And when we moved to Oregon, we still didn't have a television set. But when I got to New York in 1957, I knew who Perry Como was. By 1955 he had an hour long television show.
In a way, Perry was an inspiration to me as an upstart in the business, even though he was as far from Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll as you could get. He was a crooner, smooth like Bing Crosby, and when I got to New York I had to fashion myself as a performer. Before I got over my shyness and let myself loosen up and move, I wanted to perform natural like Perry, who simply sang, often wearing a cardigan sweater or a neat suit. I thought he was a master of his craft. His professionalism went beyond one's comprehension. Perry had annunciation that was perfect and his delivery was seamless.
Now when you see old videos of the late 1950's and early 1960's sometimes you see black and white and sometimes you see color. Color television was around by 1956 but the number of studios that had the equipment to film in color were few and the number of people who had a color television set to see broadcasts in color were fewer. In 1956 The Perry Como Show on NBC was filmed in color, and seeing a show in color - well, it seemed to be, as they say today, "cutting edge." By 1959, Perry had a Kraft sponsored Music Hall show.
I suspect that's the show here in this YouTube video that presents Perry singing the classic "White Christmas," in 1960, even though this is in black and white.
Perry's career spanned many years and it's said that he got so many Gold records that he stopped having them certified. It was too embarrassing. In 2002 he received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
(89) ELVIS'S RECORDING of RED WEST'S HOLLY LEAVES AND CHRISTMAS TREES
Can you tell we're warming up to the holidays here?
Well, we think today is the first of the twelve days of Christmas.
And Elvis always made a big deal of Christmas, with gifts to others, gifts to The Entourage, gifts to his employees, gifts to his family, gifts to his friends, and gifts to strangers, through generous donations to a great number of charities, mostly Memphis-based.
Well, we think today is the first of the twelve days of Christmas.
And Elvis always made a big deal of Christmas, with gifts to others, gifts to The Entourage, gifts to his employees, gifts to his family, gifts to his friends, and gifts to strangers, through generous donations to a great number of charities, mostly Memphis-based.
But for Elvis this spirit of giving had everything to do with his idol, the only idol he ever had,
King of all Kings,
Jesus Christ.
VIDEO TAKEN DOWN 2013
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
(88) RED WEST / MUSICAL TALENT and THE ENTOURAGE
Recently I overheard a slew of slander against Elvis' men - The Entourage. Since The Entourage was an ever changing group of men, this character didn't know who - or what he was talking about.
Characterized with that prejudice against Southerns as rude, crude, overgrown frat boys, and a bunch of "dummies," the man went on and on.
There was a time when I decked a guy at a news stand for making fun of Elvis - the Elvis who was once called "The Hillbilly Hepcat." Prejudice!
I can tell you that Elvis respected intelligence and that a few men in the entourage where college educated. He wasn't an education snob though. He was successful without higher education and he never judged a person by it.
Elvis also loved to be surrounded by musical people. Besides Cliff Gleaves, the funny man, entourage member Red West, best known as one of Elvis' bodyguards, also had recorded and had musical talent and songwriting ability.
Characterized with that prejudice against Southerns as rude, crude, overgrown frat boys, and a bunch of "dummies," the man went on and on.
There was a time when I decked a guy at a news stand for making fun of Elvis - the Elvis who was once called "The Hillbilly Hepcat." Prejudice!
I can tell you that Elvis respected intelligence and that a few men in the entourage where college educated. He wasn't an education snob though. He was successful without higher education and he never judged a person by it.
Elvis also loved to be surrounded by musical people. Besides Cliff Gleaves, the funny man, entourage member Red West, best known as one of Elvis' bodyguards, also had recorded and had musical talent and songwriting ability.
Red West and I wrote a couple songs together, one called "I Feel Like Crying," and another called "Don't You Cry." We pitched them and sold them to Pat Boone, who still owns the publishing on it, at his publishing house Cooga Mooga.
NEW LINK 2011 Above : Rockabilly RED WEST on Rockin' Country Style.
Monday, December 10, 2007
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Quote on Friendship
"A Brother may not be a friend, but a Friend will always be a Brother."
- Benjamin Franklin
- Benjamin Franklin
Sunday, December 9, 2007
(87) ELVIS and VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES
Elvis Presley was a proud veteran of the U.S. army and a patriot, as I am, as my brothers were, and my father too (WW I). Some of my ancestors also served in the Civil War.
Elvis and I came from a tradition in which military service was honorable. Elvis didn't believe than any entertainer should be political openly. But I can tell you this, he was for the veteran. He gripped when veteran benefits were cut. And my guess is that today, whatever his feelings might be about the War in Iraq, Elvis would stand behind the veterans who serve there.
Elvis and I came from a tradition in which military service was honorable. Elvis didn't believe than any entertainer should be political openly. But I can tell you this, he was for the veteran. He gripped when veteran benefits were cut. And my guess is that today, whatever his feelings might be about the War in Iraq, Elvis would stand behind the veterans who serve there.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
(86) CHARLIE RICH'S LONELY WEEKENDS 1960 STYLE
I met Charlie Rich in Memphis when I was there awaiting Elvis' return from the U.S. Army. DJ Dewey Phillips, who had given Elvis his start when he broke his first record, recorded on Sun Records, "That's All Right Mama," introduced me to Charlie. He was touring locally, and sleeping in the booth of the restaurant he was playing in, so he could save on motel rooms and send money home to his family then.
Charlie recorded on Sun Records, just as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a few other artists who had made it to greater fame did. His song "Lonely Weekends," which came out in 1960, became like a signature song for him. By 1960 Sam Phillips' label was Phillips International. Charlie sounded a bit like Elvis on this song, and Elvis loved the song. So did I. One day I would record the song myself.
Here's a little Documentary with singer-songwriter Charlie Rich speaking too about his music career and Sun.
Charlie Rich on RCS Discography : http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artist.php?key=rich1000
Charlie continued his musical career as a performer having a couple hits in the seventies and winning a Grammy. Linking to his official site above!
Here's a little Documentary with singer-songwriter Charlie Rich speaking too about his music career and Sun.
UPDATE 2011 Here is a Youtube historical music video of the song Lonely Weekends! (I also recorded this song years later!)
Charlie recorded on Sun Records, just as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a few other artists who had made it to greater fame did. His song "Lonely Weekends," which came out in 1960, became like a signature song for him. By 1960 Sam Phillips' label was Phillips International. Charlie sounded a bit like Elvis on this song, and Elvis loved the song. So did I. One day I would record the song myself.
Here's a little Documentary with singer-songwriter Charlie Rich speaking too about his music career and Sun.
Charlie Rich on RCS Discography : http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artist.php?key=rich1000
Charlie continued his musical career as a performer having a couple hits in the seventies and winning a Grammy. Linking to his official site above!
Here's a little Documentary with singer-songwriter Charlie Rich speaking too about his music career and Sun.
UPDATE 2011 Here is a Youtube historical music video of the song Lonely Weekends! (I also recorded this song years later!)
WES BRYAN'S BLOG : RIGHTS INFORMATION
Every once in a while we'll be posting a notice like this one that reminds readers that the content of this blog is Copyright Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna with all rights reserved. If interested in speaking to me, Wes Bryan, please contact us at the e-mail address we've provided. We are linking to a good many web sites, favoring the official web sites of various famous and important people as well as reference sites. If we link to your site and you don't want us to, please let us know, and we'll take down the link. The content of other people's sites remains theirs. Thank you for your consideration and courtesy.
Christine Trzyna and Wes Bryan
WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC
Thank you to Google - BLOGSPOT for providing free blog templates and access.
e-mail is wewritethebook@yahoo.com
WISHING YOU THE BEST
THROUGH THESE
BLESSED HOLIDAYS
AND IN
THE COMING YEAR!
Friday, December 7, 2007
(85) THE NEXT JAMES DEAN? NOT !
If you're wondering what happened to THE NEXT JAMES DEAN, as I was called by United Artists when I first signed with them in 1957, and as they promoted me, well, once he got to Hollywood, he couldn't help but give some thought to pursuing acting again.
At first, when Elvis introduced me to people, he too brought up the James Dean comparison. Then one day I asked him not to do it. And he never did again. Still, Elvis asked me a few times if I would like a bit part or to be an extra on one of the movies he was filming. I always turned down the idea. More than one of Elvis' friends or employees did take a bit part or act as an extra on his films. To Elvis this was more of a way of keeping his friends around him than giving someone their big break into better roles, but it was interesting and fun to be on a set with Elvis. I visited him on sets from time to time.
Elvis made more money for his acting than James Dean ever did.
I have to admit that my acting aspirations were also so high at one time that I just couldn't imagine taking a bit part or being an extra. And, as it turned out, I had two close calls with acting stardom before I finally gave up on that aspect of my career, that is if you consider close calls with stardom to be part of a top agent's stable...
At first, when Elvis introduced me to people, he too brought up the James Dean comparison. Then one day I asked him not to do it. And he never did again. Still, Elvis asked me a few times if I would like a bit part or to be an extra on one of the movies he was filming. I always turned down the idea. More than one of Elvis' friends or employees did take a bit part or act as an extra on his films. To Elvis this was more of a way of keeping his friends around him than giving someone their big break into better roles, but it was interesting and fun to be on a set with Elvis. I visited him on sets from time to time.
Elvis made more money for his acting than James Dean ever did.
I have to admit that my acting aspirations were also so high at one time that I just couldn't imagine taking a bit part or being an extra. And, as it turned out, I had two close calls with acting stardom before I finally gave up on that aspect of my career, that is if you consider close calls with stardom to be part of a top agent's stable...
Thursday, December 6, 2007
(84) BOBBY DARIN, FRED HORTON, GLEN CAMPBELL, and ME
Fred Horton and I wrote "Ashes of Time." Fred didn't work for American Music like I did, but the collaboration was OK'd by Sylvester Cross. Bobby Darin loved the song and I pitched it to him and he went around humming it a bit.
Bobby Darin bought my song "The Old Prospector" for TM Music, his publishing company. He took it to Vegas to pitch it to Keely Smith and Louie Prima. They didn't record it.
Glen Campbell is one of the artist who recorded "Ashes of Time," on his album called "Country Music Star Number One." This album came out in 1969. By then a lot of things had changed. I was no longer working for American Music at all. I had my own company called U.S. International Records. Still, Fred and I were happy that my old co-worker Glen had decided to use our songs.
Glen Campbell is one of the artist who recorded "Ashes of Time," on his album called "Country Music Star Number One." This album came out in 1969. By then a lot of things had changed. I was no longer working for American Music at all. I had my own company called U.S. International Records. Still, Fred and I were happy that my old co-worker Glen had decided to use our songs.
Linked above: Here's a bit from Answers.com on the album, and all the songs for the album which were written by Fred Horton and me.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
(83) BOBBY DARIN EARLY 1960'S STYLE / CHRISTINE WHITE
By the end of 1960, Bobby Darin had four Gold records and had won two Grammy awards and he had become an actor - a movie star - too. He had moved to Los Angeles, California, in order to make the movie "Come September." Sometimes I wonder if he lead the parade of us singer-songwriter-musician-singer-entertainer types from New York to the West Coast.
"Come September"was a light comedy. Now my friend Frankie Avalon had been making the beach blanket movies and it had been a while since anyone really expected me to be The Next James Dean. He got teamed up with Annette Funicello. Bobby Darin was teamed up with Sandra Dee, a child star who had matured to about sixteen years old. Bobby was about twenty four when they met, and Bobby, who was aggressive for anything he wanted badly - like fame and fortune - went after Sandra. They were married.
And well, it was a volatile situation.
When Sylvester Cross got wind that I knew Bobby Darin, he decided I should pitch American Music songs, including a couple I wrote, to him in person. Why not another Gold for the singer who had "Splish Splash," and "Dream Lover?"
I did, and guess who I ran to at the movie studio when I went to pitch Bobby?
My old friend Christine White!
Fate... that's what it was.
Christine White, James Dean's great friend, who I'd met in 1956 on the street in Hollywood on my first tourist trip down from Oregon, was in town working on a television series. She invited me to one of her celebrity filled house parties in the Hollywood Hills and that reignited our friendship!
NEW LINK TO BOBBY DARIN'S OFFICIAL SITE!
"Come September"was a light comedy. Now my friend Frankie Avalon had been making the beach blanket movies and it had been a while since anyone really expected me to be The Next James Dean. He got teamed up with Annette Funicello. Bobby Darin was teamed up with Sandra Dee, a child star who had matured to about sixteen years old. Bobby was about twenty four when they met, and Bobby, who was aggressive for anything he wanted badly - like fame and fortune - went after Sandra. They were married.
And well, it was a volatile situation.
When Sylvester Cross got wind that I knew Bobby Darin, he decided I should pitch American Music songs, including a couple I wrote, to him in person. Why not another Gold for the singer who had "Splish Splash," and "Dream Lover?"
I did, and guess who I ran to at the movie studio when I went to pitch Bobby?
My old friend Christine White!
Fate... that's what it was.
Christine White, James Dean's great friend, who I'd met in 1956 on the street in Hollywood on my first tourist trip down from Oregon, was in town working on a television series. She invited me to one of her celebrity filled house parties in the Hollywood Hills and that reignited our friendship!
NEW LINK TO BOBBY DARIN'S OFFICIAL SITE!
Monday, December 3, 2007
Photo WES BRYAN - TEEN DELIGHT September 1959
SEPTEMBER 1959. I was 22 years old. This is STARDOM MAGAZINE...
Photographed in the finest old movie star mode, and frequently compared to the late, great, actor James Dean, through the years people would look at me and ask themselves "Is that what James Dean would look like if he were 40, 50, 60, 70?" I can only disappoint. In my opinion, feature by feature, I never looked that much like Jimmy, but there was a resemblance, and the Deans told me I had the same slump posture and a way of walking and moving that was like their grandson when I visited them on the farm to prepare for my role as James Dean.
This article, calling me a Teen Delight, was a bit erroneous as I was not a teenager myself in these photos, but I was supposed to be every teenage girl's delight, and the magazines ran articles about me that gave many teenage girls every reason to fantasize about me. I received thousands of letters, huge, heavy bags of fan mail. It was exciting but to tell you the truth at the very start I was petrified. It took the experience of performing and meeting people all over the country to relax into stardom. And, as part of stardom, I met other stars. I met most of them with ease but once in a while I had a total fan reaction myself.
It was growing up in the Smokey Mountains and having sensible down to earth parents and kin that served me well when I was meeting people.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
(82) STAFF MEETINGS AT THE SONG WRITING FACTORY
At staff meetings at American Music, Sylvester Cross, the owner, held court. We would go over the songs we had written, the demos we'd recorded, and talk about which artists might be interested in having a hit with one of our songs. Sometimes we even had meetings on Sundays, to get the week started early. Sylvester was always interested in making a buck and not wasting any time to do so.
Usually we tried to record demo's M.O.R. - Middle of the Road - So that any artist or producer who was listening could imagine the song going one way or another - to country or to popular music - or whatever way they wanted. Still, there was a lot of creativity expressed in our output. And today floating around are demo records that preserve the early work some of the session players and studio men then who were writing songs and making demos and went on to their own fame later.
Bobby Darin had gotten his start making demos in studios in the Brill building and around New York. Bobby was able to use his voice to sound like a number of other artists and tried to make demos for artists specifically by sounding like them. On occasion someone would try to sound Elvis to pitch Elvis. Usually he took this as a compliment. Even I, with a little extra time in a recording studio, pressed a little Elvis trying to sound Elvis. Our mutual friends would take the demo to Elvis to see if I'd done an authentic enough job of it. Elvis' compliment then was "I couldn't have done it better myself!"
Usually we tried to record demo's M.O.R. - Middle of the Road - So that any artist or producer who was listening could imagine the song going one way or another - to country or to popular music - or whatever way they wanted. Still, there was a lot of creativity expressed in our output. And today floating around are demo records that preserve the early work some of the session players and studio men then who were writing songs and making demos and went on to their own fame later.
Bobby Darin had gotten his start making demos in studios in the Brill building and around New York. Bobby was able to use his voice to sound like a number of other artists and tried to make demos for artists specifically by sounding like them. On occasion someone would try to sound Elvis to pitch Elvis. Usually he took this as a compliment. Even I, with a little extra time in a recording studio, pressed a little Elvis trying to sound Elvis. Our mutual friends would take the demo to Elvis to see if I'd done an authentic enough job of it. Elvis' compliment then was "I couldn't have done it better myself!"
Saturday, December 1, 2007
E-BAY AUCTION ON MY RECORD "ONE SUMMER NIGHT"
Friends, as you know, I check the e-bay auctions from time to time to see what's up there being sold "Wes Bryan."
And if you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know one of the reasons for blogging is that there is a lot of Wes Bryan "confusion" out there. Christine and I have learned that some of the search engines put me and the Christian minister who has written a book or two and has a CD out together. I'm not the Christian minister. I'm also not the DJ, the athlete, the owner of a mini mall, or any of the other Wes Bryans out there on the Internet or in the world. (It's a great name though, isn't it guys?!)
I am the Wes Bryan who came out of Murphy, North Carolina, discovered off the Akron Beacon Journal - Roto section- who enjoyed a United Artists contract, and who changed labels a couple times to Clock and Roulette before becoming a staff songwriter at American Music.
I also became a record producer and music publisher. Though my story here on this blog is circa about 1960- 1961 about now, we noticed that a record I put out on my OWN LABEL, U. S. International, was being auctioned on e-bay and this seller has a music clip... So for as long as this lasts, enjoy listening to my record "One Summer Night." (Will this posting mean more bids for that record?) After I put "One Summer Night" out on my own label, Randy Wood who had once had Dot Records, put it out on Ranwood, his new label. It sold about 300,000 records.
Oh, I took a truck out to the beach in Malibu to record those seagulls you hear in the background...
And if you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know one of the reasons for blogging is that there is a lot of Wes Bryan "confusion" out there. Christine and I have learned that some of the search engines put me and the Christian minister who has written a book or two and has a CD out together. I'm not the Christian minister. I'm also not the DJ, the athlete, the owner of a mini mall, or any of the other Wes Bryans out there on the Internet or in the world. (It's a great name though, isn't it guys?!)
I am the Wes Bryan who came out of Murphy, North Carolina, discovered off the Akron Beacon Journal - Roto section- who enjoyed a United Artists contract, and who changed labels a couple times to Clock and Roulette before becoming a staff songwriter at American Music.
I also became a record producer and music publisher. Though my story here on this blog is circa about 1960- 1961 about now, we noticed that a record I put out on my OWN LABEL, U. S. International, was being auctioned on e-bay and this seller has a music clip... So for as long as this lasts, enjoy listening to my record "One Summer Night." (Will this posting mean more bids for that record?) After I put "One Summer Night" out on my own label, Randy Wood who had once had Dot Records, put it out on Ranwood, his new label. It sold about 300,000 records.
Oh, I took a truck out to the beach in Malibu to record those seagulls you hear in the background...
Thursday, November 29, 2007
MARLENE DIETRICH Quote on Friendship
"It's the friend you can call at 4 am that matters." - Marlene Dietrich
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
(81) GOLDSTAR and PHIL SPECTOR'S WALL OF SOUND
Now Sylvester Cross, the owner of American Music publishing, was a cheapskate. But when we were recording demos at Goldstar recording studio we were warned to stop whatever we were doing if we saw Phil Spector lurking around. Cross was convinced that Phil had a reputation for stealing other people's lyrics and licks for good reason. Phil Spector seemed way too talented to me to do so and everyone else was trying to steal his Wall of Sound technique, for which there was a lot of mystery at the time.
Phil was early on associated with producing girl groups like the Crystals, and the Ronettes, African-American girl groups. He married Ronnie of the Ronettes.
Here's a You Tube presentation of the Crystals and the sound of Phil's "Wall of Sound," on the Dick Clark Show. It's fast forwarding a couple years to the mod sixties. I can't help think again about the music business - entertainment - and the ground being broken when it came to integration between Blacks and Whites during these early pre-civil rights years.
(ChristineTrzyna: Does the audience in the Ronettes video reveal segregation or integration? The Go Go Dancers in the white boots key us in to the mod sixties and what is happening here, White girls dancing in the background for a Black girl group. Most interesting to me, the line of Black girls - probably from South Central Los Angeles - doing their thing in a row in the audience. I can't help but think how great it was for them to see some other African American women as stars. And more interesting to me, the girls in the audience are going wild for the girls, just like they did for the boy teen idols we all know. I mean, when do we see boys going wild for boys? Almost never!)
I knew Phil Spector from New York. In Los Angeles we got together for coffee at Canters, the Jewish deli that's still operating in the Fairfax District today. He was younger than me and typically hyper, but he was also always respectful to me. I'll say this about my time with Phil. He never talked against anyone to me.
(We know that Phil Spector's sensational murder trial has been in the news lately and we aren't going to go there. Suffice to say, we'll leave our blog commentary here right where we are in our story, the late 1950's and very early 1960's.)
Phil was early on associated with producing girl groups like the Crystals, and the Ronettes, African-American girl groups. He married Ronnie of the Ronettes.
Here's a You Tube presentation of the Crystals and the sound of Phil's "Wall of Sound," on the Dick Clark Show. It's fast forwarding a couple years to the mod sixties. I can't help think again about the music business - entertainment - and the ground being broken when it came to integration between Blacks and Whites during these early pre-civil rights years.
(ChristineTrzyna: Does the audience in the Ronettes video reveal segregation or integration? The Go Go Dancers in the white boots key us in to the mod sixties and what is happening here, White girls dancing in the background for a Black girl group. Most interesting to me, the line of Black girls - probably from South Central Los Angeles - doing their thing in a row in the audience. I can't help but think how great it was for them to see some other African American women as stars. And more interesting to me, the girls in the audience are going wild for the girls, just like they did for the boy teen idols we all know. I mean, when do we see boys going wild for boys? Almost never!)
Ronnie almost seems like an early Tina Turner.
Phil produced "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' by The Righteous Brothers. This You Tube video presentation of them singing that song is a great example of the Wall of Sound, sound and what the genius Phil Spector could do.
I knew Phil Spector from New York. In Los Angeles we got together for coffee at Canters, the Jewish deli that's still operating in the Fairfax District today. He was younger than me and typically hyper, but he was also always respectful to me. I'll say this about my time with Phil. He never talked against anyone to me.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
(80) GLEN CAMPBELL - MUSICAL GENIUS WITH AN AUDIOGRAPHIC MEMORY
Another peer of mine at American Music was Glen Campbell. Glen used to come to the house my brother and I rented near Hollywood and hang out, when he first came to Hollywood by invitation of Jerry Capehart. Jerry Capehart discovered him playing in Albuquerque with his uncle Dick Bills' band. Jerry had been Eddie Cochran's manager and a co-writer with him on some songs.
Glen's ability to play several instruments - even the bagpipes - by ear earned him about $50 a week more than most of us made. He saved Sylvester Cross some money when he was in on sessions for demos.
Of course, as some of us soon learned, making demos for other people wasn't against our contracts. And the publishing houses were all in competition, and more than one of us recorded demos for other houses.
Glen Campbell has gone on to greater fame than perhaps anyone I worked with at American Music, when it comes to being a singer and entertainer. Glen had an incredible audiographic memory. He hears a song once and he has it.
Glen and I worked together a bit. We wrote a song that got recorded by more than one artist - including Glen, called "I'm A Fool." Rick Nelson also recorded the song. And it's mentioned on this Joey Cooper discography. Joey Cooper recorded the song - in my opinion perfectly - on Chancellor Records, Bob Marcucci's label.
BMI lists this song as:
Glen's ability to play several instruments - even the bagpipes - by ear earned him about $50 a week more than most of us made. He saved Sylvester Cross some money when he was in on sessions for demos.
Of course, as some of us soon learned, making demos for other people wasn't against our contracts. And the publishing houses were all in competition, and more than one of us recorded demos for other houses.
Glen Campbell has gone on to greater fame than perhaps anyone I worked with at American Music, when it comes to being a singer and entertainer. Glen had an incredible audiographic memory. He hears a song once and he has it.
Rockin Country Style discography on Glen Campbell link above!
Glen and I worked together a bit. We wrote a song that got recorded by more than one artist - including Glen, called "I'm A Fool." Rick Nelson also recorded the song. And it's mentioned on this Joey Cooper discography. Joey Cooper recorded the song - in my opinion perfectly - on Chancellor Records, Bob Marcucci's label.
BMI lists this song as:
I M A FOOL (Legal Title)
BMI Work #648724
BMI Work #648724
Songwriters Glen Campbell and Wes Bryan
Publishing by UNICHAPPEL MUSIC
Glen was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. On stage he thanked songwriter Jimmy Reed, and Television Producer Tommy Smothers.
Monday, November 26, 2007
(79) JIMMY BOWEN KEEPS ON GOING!
Jimmy Bowen, who had been on Crest Records and Roulette Records, was another musical genius that I worked with at American Music. We wrote over 100 songs together, many he recorded as demos. He called me to be a "four chord genius" and a "melody tune smith."
One night we wrote about 17 songs - in that one night - in a few hours - just to see what we could do.
Together we wrote a song called "Somebody to Love," which Jimmy recorded on Crest. Johnny Rivers wanted to record it and was mad at us for a while that we didn't hand it to him. It was a travelin' man kind of song.
A few bars here on RCS Discography.... (UPDATED WITH NEW JIMMY BOWEN RCS LINK APRIL 2012) Link above.
Jimmy had been performing in Akron, Ohio when he heard that first ever recording I made in a kitchen in Winston-Salem with some other kids. We went to the record hop there where I played my demo for the local DJ, Art Roberts, WCUE.
Then, split from Buddy Knox and the Rhythm Orchids, but all artists on Roulette, I sometimes played on the same bill with Jimmy, while on the Buddy Knox tour. (Jimmy Bowen, Donny Lanier - the lead guitar player who was the instrumental "balls" of the band, and Buddy Knox had started out as the Rhythm Orchids together in west Texas. They got their name from the Orchid shirts they wore as a band originally.)
Jimmy would leave American Music in about 1964 to be a producer for Frank Sinatra's new label, Reprise. There he would help give new life to the careers of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. These men were overshadowed by the new crop of rock and rollers hitting the charts. But Jimmy managed to select the song and produce "Everybody Loves Somebody Some Time," which became Dean Martin's theme song. Dean was on the charts surrounded by newcomers. And Jimmy did magic for Frank and Sammy too. He did "Stranger in the Night," for Frank that was Franks first single Gold record.
Here's a record Jimmy made in 1961 on Jerry Capehart's label which I found on You Tube. "Teenage Dream World." (VIDEO REPLACED BY THIS SELECTION APRIL 2012) "Aching Heart"
One night we wrote about 17 songs - in that one night - in a few hours - just to see what we could do.
Together we wrote a song called "Somebody to Love," which Jimmy recorded on Crest. Johnny Rivers wanted to record it and was mad at us for a while that we didn't hand it to him. It was a travelin' man kind of song.
A few bars here on RCS Discography.... (UPDATED WITH NEW JIMMY BOWEN RCS LINK APRIL 2012) Link above.
Jimmy had been performing in Akron, Ohio when he heard that first ever recording I made in a kitchen in Winston-Salem with some other kids. We went to the record hop there where I played my demo for the local DJ, Art Roberts, WCUE.
Then, split from Buddy Knox and the Rhythm Orchids, but all artists on Roulette, I sometimes played on the same bill with Jimmy, while on the Buddy Knox tour. (Jimmy Bowen, Donny Lanier - the lead guitar player who was the instrumental "balls" of the band, and Buddy Knox had started out as the Rhythm Orchids together in west Texas. They got their name from the Orchid shirts they wore as a band originally.)
Jimmy would leave American Music in about 1964 to be a producer for Frank Sinatra's new label, Reprise. There he would help give new life to the careers of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. These men were overshadowed by the new crop of rock and rollers hitting the charts. But Jimmy managed to select the song and produce "Everybody Loves Somebody Some Time," which became Dean Martin's theme song. Dean was on the charts surrounded by newcomers. And Jimmy did magic for Frank and Sammy too. He did "Stranger in the Night," for Frank that was Franks first single Gold record.
Here's a record Jimmy made in 1961 on Jerry Capehart's label which I found on You Tube. "Teenage Dream World." (VIDEO REPLACED BY THIS SELECTION APRIL 2012) "Aching Heart"
Sunday, November 25, 2007
(78) CHALLENGE RECORDS : COWBOY STAR GENE AUTRY'S LABEL
Jerry Cole, Jerry Fuller, and a number of other talents, had been recorded on Challenge Records which was owned by cowboy star-entrepreneur Gene Autry, before they came to American Music to be songwriters more or less full time.
Through the early 1960's this was still an era in which many small labels managed to succeed, though perhaps only a very few of their artists are known today. If a song was a hit in a regional market for one of the regional market favorites, another company in another region might try the same song with one of their singers. It was the cover tune era. Sometimes this worked for the songwriter, because the song was being recorded repeatedly and got a lot of regional airplay on the radio. Sometimes though it was a matter of chart wars just diluting the overall success of the song.
To those of us who grew up admiring the cowboys, the way me and Elvis and Tommy Smothers loved Lash LaRue, men like Gene Autry, who diversified and built empires, were important role models.
Gene went on to own radio stations as well and today he's behind a hugely successful museum in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Once called the Gene Autry Western Heritage, it just goes by "The Autry National Center" now. It's the place where you can take in Westerns and silent films and check the movie version of Cowboys and Indians against reality, and attend Native American events.
Through the early 1960's this was still an era in which many small labels managed to succeed, though perhaps only a very few of their artists are known today. If a song was a hit in a regional market for one of the regional market favorites, another company in another region might try the same song with one of their singers. It was the cover tune era. Sometimes this worked for the songwriter, because the song was being recorded repeatedly and got a lot of regional airplay on the radio. Sometimes though it was a matter of chart wars just diluting the overall success of the song.
To those of us who grew up admiring the cowboys, the way me and Elvis and Tommy Smothers loved Lash LaRue, men like Gene Autry, who diversified and built empires, were important role models.
Gene went on to own radio stations as well and today he's behind a hugely successful museum in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Once called the Gene Autry Western Heritage, it just goes by "The Autry National Center" now. It's the place where you can take in Westerns and silent films and check the movie version of Cowboys and Indians against reality, and attend Native American events.
RCS DISCOGRAPHY FOR CHALLENGE RECORDS, Gene's label, linked above!
GENE AUTRY's MUSEUM has grown to be THE AUTRY NATION CENTER and is collaborating with other museums that document Native American life.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME INAUGURAL - NOVEMBER 26, 2007
Friends, we are posting this notice for the new Musicians Hall of Fame, to let you know they are honoring some of those "side men," "session men," and "studio musicians" (Christine says "And where are the women?") that a lot of people don't know about. They are opening in a couple days with a big ceremony to open the museum and give these guys awards for their work.
Now James Burton was one of the musicians who worked for me in the studio before he went on to be Elvis Presley's and Scotty Moore and the Blue Moon Boys, as you know from reading this blog, was very much a part of Elvis' early success. We posted on them earlier, but to recap, Scotty is the man called "The Guitar That Changed The World." His licks such as what you hear on "Heartbreak Hotel," were key to the sound associated with Elvis. Elvis was just one of the Blue Moon Boys before it became "Elvis and The Blue Moon Boys."
Let's give a hand to these musicians whose life work it has been to give us the soundtracks of our lives!
Wes Bryan and Christine Tryzna
Link above to the MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME'S web site!
(77) JERRY FULLER - RICK NELSON'S SPECIAL SONGWRITER
Jerry Fuller was another of my talented musical peers at American Music. Jerry had also once been on Challenge Records, Gene Autry's label, like Jerry Cole. He had a hit with the "Tennessee Waltz" which had first been a hit for Patti Page, on Challenge. Jerry is best known for being the writer of "Travelin' Man" which was recorded by Sam Cooke, but more famously, Rick Nelson. The demo record went from Joe Osborne, the base player, to Rick.
Sometimes a demo, for all the creative talent, energy, and money, it took to make it, got lost under a stack of other demos an artist was sent. A demo could sit for years waiting for someone to play it, so personal contacts and recommendations were important - the "pitch."
Sometimes a demo, for all the creative talent, energy, and money, it took to make it, got lost under a stack of other demos an artist was sent. A demo could sit for years waiting for someone to play it, so personal contacts and recommendations were important - the "pitch."
The Rockin Country Style's Discography for Jerry Fuller is linked above!
Now, listen to "First Loves Never Dies." Elvis used to play that song himself. He loved it. And when the lyrics "first loves never dies" was heard, he would put his finger in the air as if he were making a point to the guys. The woman he was thinking about, was a woman he loved before he was famous - Dixie Locke. Elvis never knew, after he was famous, if a woman loved him for himself or not. Dixie had.Jerry Fuller's web site here tells his success story as a songwriter best.
Jerry plays his frets like Jimmie Rodgers.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO OUR READERS OF WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC
Thank You for reading my saga, and let's all give thanks for what we do have at this time in our lives.
Wes
Wes
(76) JERRY COLE - A CHAMP OF A CO-WORKER
One of my co-workers at American Music was Jerry Cole, who was once with the Champs, famous for their "Tequila" song." The musicians who made up the Champs were studio musicians - then we said "session men" - who had a first single that made it to the number one spot on the charts and won a Grammy for the best Rhythm and Blues record of 1958. It sold more than six million copies throughout the world. So like me Jerry had an early and unexpected success of a bit of a novelty tune that went to Gold. We wrote about fifteen songs together. He was a great musician too.
Here's a You Tube presentation of the Champs. Bob Morris, Dash Crofts, Jerry Cole, Jimmy Seals. Their music was called "instrumental rock" meaning no lyrics, but this song has a definite "south of the border" - Mexican - flavor.
Yes, Dash Crofts and Jimmy Seals - of the future Seals and Crofts - were in the Champs!
Now here's a Tequila Song which was recorded on Challenge Records, owned by Gene Autry, the cowboy star, about 1959. The name The Champs came from Gene Autry's horse, named Champ.
Here's a You Tube presentation of the Champs. Bob Morris, Dash Crofts, Jerry Cole, Jimmy Seals. Their music was called "instrumental rock" meaning no lyrics, but this song has a definite "south of the border" - Mexican - flavor.
Yes, Dash Crofts and Jimmy Seals - of the future Seals and Crofts - were in the Champs!
Now here's a Tequila Song which was recorded on Challenge Records, owned by Gene Autry, the cowboy star, about 1959. The name The Champs came from Gene Autry's horse, named Champ.
And then there's this snappier version of The Tequila Song. That's Jerry yelling "Tequila!
What music production in the recording studio can do!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
(75) BMI AND OTHER REGISTRIES TO PROTECT THE SONGWRITER
In the early 1960's I decided it was time to officially join either BMI or ASCAP. BMI - Broadcast Music, Inc. and ASCAP- The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, were there to make sure that a songwriter got his or her residuals - payment for work that was recorded by others or used by others in a performance. At the time it seemed that most of the younger guys - my peers - were choosing BMI.
Link to the official BMI web site above!
And here's the official ASCAP web site:
A songwriter can be a member of one or both of these organizations. It's a choice. You can also choose not to join at all. BMI and ASCAP don't have worldwide authority. There are other organizations that do what these two do for their member artists. For instance, a Canadian songwriter usually signs up with their Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada - SOCAN.
In England - the United Kingdom - it's the Performing Rights Society NEW LINK!
These organizations monitor the use or play of a song and provide collection and pay services for "performance royalties" to the publishers and the songwriters. Each and every time a song is played on the radio or the television there are royalties to be paid to the publisher, to the performer, and to the songwriter(s.)
So if you're a serious songwriter and want to make money from your creative output, the thing to do is to register with a publisher. Now at American Music, I agreed that songs I wrote within the capacity of my job were owned by American Music for a period of time, and then all rights returned to me. And they are - just in the last few years!
Monday, November 19, 2007
(74) GOLDSTAR - THE LUCKY RECORDING STUDIO
The studio we employees of American Music used the most was Goldstar.
Goldstar is legendary today. So many hits had been - and would be - recorded at Goldstar that the studio was considered good luck; about 250 hits by the time I was using the studio. Ritchie Valens had recorded "Donna," and "La Bamba," at Goldstar for Delphi Records.
Goldstar was owned by Stan Ross and Dave Gold and it is known for The Wall of Sound, a recording technique most associated with producer Phil Spector.
Goldstar is legendary today. So many hits had been - and would be - recorded at Goldstar that the studio was considered good luck; about 250 hits by the time I was using the studio. Ritchie Valens had recorded "Donna," and "La Bamba," at Goldstar for Delphi Records.
Goldstar was owned by Stan Ross and Dave Gold and it is known for The Wall of Sound, a recording technique most associated with producer Phil Spector.
Goldstar has their own web site to tell the tale...link to it above!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
BERNARD MELTZER Quote on Friendship
"A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked!" - Bernard Meltzer
Saturday, November 17, 2007
(73) SYLVESTER CROSS - CREST RECORDS and AMERICAN MUSIC
American Music Publishing house in Los Angeles, owned then by an eccentric named Sylvester Cross, was one of the biggest publishing houses in the country. Cross owned the rights to songs that were classics and steady money makers like The Sons of the Pioneers songbook. He became independently wealthy by investing what he made at the song writing factory into real estate.
Cross figured that with a staff of talented musical employees working in various collaborations he couldn't loose. One or two hits and he had payroll made and more beach front property.
I'd been writing songs and offering my friends my songs - as they offered theirs to me - since New York. But I owned the rights to one song when I signed with American Music.
The key was to write a song that would become a hit. Then residuals would fatten the songwriter's wallet. Theoretically. We had a quota - about 20 songs a month if I remember correctly. Cross provided the funds to make a demo of a song, with basic instrumentation, which sometimes included other musicians, but often mean me - my voice and a guitar. The demo was then sent off to the artist or artists that we thought could do best with it, for their consideration.
RCS DISCOGRAPHY has a page here on Crest Records which was owned by Sylvester Cross. Now if you look at the line up you can see some names familiar to this blog... Eddie Cochran, who was managed by Jerry Capehart, who was managing Glen Campbell when Glen scored a hit with the song Jerry wrote, "Turn Around Look At Me," and Jerry Capehart himself. (Dick Bills, I believe, was Glen Campbell's uncle who he was performing with when Jerry walked in and discovered Glen.)
Cross figured that with a staff of talented musical employees working in various collaborations he couldn't loose. One or two hits and he had payroll made and more beach front property.
I'd been writing songs and offering my friends my songs - as they offered theirs to me - since New York. But I owned the rights to one song when I signed with American Music.
The key was to write a song that would become a hit. Then residuals would fatten the songwriter's wallet. Theoretically. We had a quota - about 20 songs a month if I remember correctly. Cross provided the funds to make a demo of a song, with basic instrumentation, which sometimes included other musicians, but often mean me - my voice and a guitar. The demo was then sent off to the artist or artists that we thought could do best with it, for their consideration.
RCS DISCOGRAPHY has a page here on Crest Records which was owned by Sylvester Cross. Now if you look at the line up you can see some names familiar to this blog... Eddie Cochran, who was managed by Jerry Capehart, who was managing Glen Campbell when Glen scored a hit with the song Jerry wrote, "Turn Around Look At Me," and Jerry Capehart himself. (Dick Bills, I believe, was Glen Campbell's uncle who he was performing with when Jerry walked in and discovered Glen.)
Link above to Rockin County Style Discography on CREST.
Once again you can see how we music makers were all intertwined.
Here's a Crest Discography by TAPIO VAISANEN...
Friday, November 16, 2007
(72) CLIFF GLEAVES - FUNNY MAN ON CALL!
When Elvis was in the army he asked Cliff Gleaves, most recently a joke crackin' DJ with a successful radio program to travel with him. This was on Elvis' dime. Cliff was ready to leave DJing behind and short noticed his bosses. "I'm going with with the great Elvis Presley!" he said.
So Cliff went to Germany and while Elvis was busy with the army, Cliff, who was hyper, went off touring Europe. There was only so much sitting around the villa he could do. He was there with Elvis when Elvis had his one and only leave in Paris.
When Elvis went to LA to make movies, Cliff went with him. Cliff had married while in Europe and he and is wife lived separate of Elvis. But he was there on the sets with him, and as Elvis liked to do, he often got movie "extra" work or bit parts for his friends and entourage. Cliff was in "King Creole" with Elvis as an extra.
In Los Angeles Cliff proved to be the comedic genious whose energy and spirit pulled Elvis Presley out of a depression. "Where's Cliff?" Elvis would ask when he wanted to come out of it.
Elvis wanted Cliff on the piano entertaining at his house parties. It was an honor that Cliff wasn't about to give up. So there he was banging on the keys - with talent to spare.
As an insider for some years Cliff Gleaves was there in Elvis' life, as a friend, confidant, advisor (Cliff was a no bullshit person, someone who Elvis actually asked for advice from, and when Cliff gave advice Elvis listened!), and as the Jester of the King's Court, there wasn't a man who could compete with Cliff.
Cliff made people laugh, he made them roll, he made them laugh till no sound came out of their mouths. He made Elvis roll!
If you can judge a man's greatness by how much he is missed as Will Rogers said, then Cliff Gleaves was one of the greatest.
So Cliff went to Germany and while Elvis was busy with the army, Cliff, who was hyper, went off touring Europe. There was only so much sitting around the villa he could do. He was there with Elvis when Elvis had his one and only leave in Paris.
When Elvis went to LA to make movies, Cliff went with him. Cliff had married while in Europe and he and is wife lived separate of Elvis. But he was there on the sets with him, and as Elvis liked to do, he often got movie "extra" work or bit parts for his friends and entourage. Cliff was in "King Creole" with Elvis as an extra.
In Los Angeles Cliff proved to be the comedic genious whose energy and spirit pulled Elvis Presley out of a depression. "Where's Cliff?" Elvis would ask when he wanted to come out of it.
Elvis wanted Cliff on the piano entertaining at his house parties. It was an honor that Cliff wasn't about to give up. So there he was banging on the keys - with talent to spare.
As an insider for some years Cliff Gleaves was there in Elvis' life, as a friend, confidant, advisor (Cliff was a no bullshit person, someone who Elvis actually asked for advice from, and when Cliff gave advice Elvis listened!), and as the Jester of the King's Court, there wasn't a man who could compete with Cliff.
Cliff made people laugh, he made them roll, he made them laugh till no sound came out of their mouths. He made Elvis roll!
If you can judge a man's greatness by how much he is missed as Will Rogers said, then Cliff Gleaves was one of the greatest.
Above link to Rockin Country Style Discography - Cliff Gleaves page!
King Creole on the IMBd database
And a YouTube presentation of Elvis singing the title song of the movie, "King Creole."
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
(71) JOHNNY RIVERS WOULD NOT QUIT
The one person I invited out to LA and to stay with me who just wouldn't was Ersel Hickey. Ersel remained true to New York. Johnny Rivers once said to me years later "Ersel was the first punk rocker."
Johnny Rivers came out to LA from New York to live and moved in with me. He was looking for a record contract and he worked his tail. Johnny stayed with me, and he stayed with a few other friends of his in the business, including Lindsey Crosby's, Bing's son.
He had a little sports car and we went all around in it. Johnny and me drove up to Elvis' that first house party I attended there. Elvis was making the movie "Flaming Star," at the time.
Elvis had a juke box on one end of the room and a record player on the other. The juke box usually was stocked with the latest Top 40. Parties at Elvis' were alive with personality and music.
Johnny Rivers was one of many talented people who made Elvis' parties special. Elvis entertained us. Cliff Gleaves was usually there on piano at Elvis' request. Johnny would strap on his guitar and go through a series of hit songs - other people's hit songs.
He was on his way to becoming Mr. Whisky A - Go-Go but not quite yet.
Jam sessions often erupted at these parties. And when it came to music at Elvis' the talents of Red West, who was one of Elvis' entourage, were part of those jams.
Johnny Rivers came out to LA from New York to live and moved in with me. He was looking for a record contract and he worked his tail. Johnny stayed with me, and he stayed with a few other friends of his in the business, including Lindsey Crosby's, Bing's son.
He had a little sports car and we went all around in it. Johnny and me drove up to Elvis' that first house party I attended there. Elvis was making the movie "Flaming Star," at the time.
Elvis had a juke box on one end of the room and a record player on the other. The juke box usually was stocked with the latest Top 40. Parties at Elvis' were alive with personality and music.
Johnny Rivers was one of many talented people who made Elvis' parties special. Elvis entertained us. Cliff Gleaves was usually there on piano at Elvis' request. Johnny would strap on his guitar and go through a series of hit songs - other people's hit songs.
He was on his way to becoming Mr. Whisky A - Go-Go but not quite yet.
Jam sessions often erupted at these parties. And when it came to music at Elvis' the talents of Red West, who was one of Elvis' entourage, were part of those jams.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
(70) THERE'S A HOUSE PARTY TONIGHT !
The first party I attended at Elvis' after moving to LA, Johnny Rivers and I drove up to Bel Air. Elvis was making the movie "Flaming Star" at 20th Century Fox. It was his 6th movie. Johnny had been over to Elvis and he said "I know he wants to see you." So we got into Johnny's car and drove up to Bel Air.
In the movie "Flaming Star," Elvis played what we referred to then as a "half breed," someone who was half Native American. It was Marlon Brando who the writers had in mind to play the part Elvis did. It wouldn't be the first or last time that a script written with James Dean or Marlon Brando in mind ended up staring Elvis Presley.
The femme fatal of the film was actress Barbara Eden, who would become known for her signature role in the television series "I Dream of Jeannie."
At the house Elvis came through the door still covered in the body makeup the studio had him wear to appear darker. (He also wore brown contact lenses to cover his naturally blue eyes.) When you look at some of the stills of the film today, you can see how unnatural it looks.
He welcomed me with a hug and told us to make ourselves at home until he got all that makeup off. It took him near an hour.
This was the beginning of my being a regular at Elvis Presley's house parties - the time of my life! Elvis' as my second home!
In the movie "Flaming Star," Elvis played what we referred to then as a "half breed," someone who was half Native American. It was Marlon Brando who the writers had in mind to play the part Elvis did. It wouldn't be the first or last time that a script written with James Dean or Marlon Brando in mind ended up staring Elvis Presley.
The femme fatal of the film was actress Barbara Eden, who would become known for her signature role in the television series "I Dream of Jeannie."
At the house Elvis came through the door still covered in the body makeup the studio had him wear to appear darker. (He also wore brown contact lenses to cover his naturally blue eyes.) When you look at some of the stills of the film today, you can see how unnatural it looks.
He welcomed me with a hug and told us to make ourselves at home until he got all that makeup off. It took him near an hour.
This was the beginning of my being a regular at Elvis Presley's house parties - the time of my life! Elvis' as my second home!
IMBd movie database for "Flaming Star" link above!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
(69) GO WEST YOUNG MEN! GO WEST! (Bobby Darin's already out there!)
My first visit to Los Angeles was during my Christmas respite from home building in 1956. On that trip I met James Dean's great actress friend Christine White and walked the Hollywood streets that my favorite stars walked before me, never imagining I would ever have my own taste of celebrity. I had passed through the city on tours since then, and while the scene was entirely different than the scene in New York, I knew that an exodus of New York had begun. Los Angeles - Hollywood- had always been known for movie making but now it seemed television shows were leaving the cold weather of the east for the warm weather of the west.
Just before he left New York Bobby Darin and I had been talking about producing one of my songs into a record for me. Bobby went to Los Angeles to make the movie "Come September" which also starred his future wife and the mother of his only son, Dodd, Sandra Dee.
Elvis was based in LA too. I caught up with him and stayed at his suite in a hotel while he was making "G.I. Blues." Now that more movies were ahead for him, he was renting a home in Bel Air.
One of my brothers decided that he wanted to try living in Los Angeles for a while too, so I met up with him in Winston-Salem, we loaded up his old car and drove it across the country. We pulled into Elvis' driveway in Bel Air. Joe Esposito came out and demanded that we remove the "bucket of bolts" because it made Elvis' luxury cars "look bad." Before we could put the key in the ignition, Elvis came out, heard Joe, and said, "You leave that car right there. It looks fine."
Elvis liked my brother. "He's country, just like my cousins," he said. He meant Gene and Billy Smith, the two men who started with him as members of his entourage when he first came into fame and would be there when he died.
Here's a Youtube Presentation of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, with Bobby singing "Once Upon A Time"
Just before he left New York Bobby Darin and I had been talking about producing one of my songs into a record for me. Bobby went to Los Angeles to make the movie "Come September" which also starred his future wife and the mother of his only son, Dodd, Sandra Dee.
Elvis was based in LA too. I caught up with him and stayed at his suite in a hotel while he was making "G.I. Blues." Now that more movies were ahead for him, he was renting a home in Bel Air.
One of my brothers decided that he wanted to try living in Los Angeles for a while too, so I met up with him in Winston-Salem, we loaded up his old car and drove it across the country. We pulled into Elvis' driveway in Bel Air. Joe Esposito came out and demanded that we remove the "bucket of bolts" because it made Elvis' luxury cars "look bad." Before we could put the key in the ignition, Elvis came out, heard Joe, and said, "You leave that car right there. It looks fine."
Elvis liked my brother. "He's country, just like my cousins," he said. He meant Gene and Billy Smith, the two men who started with him as members of his entourage when he first came into fame and would be there when he died.
Here's a Youtube Presentation of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, with Bobby singing "Once Upon A Time"
Saturday, November 10, 2007
(68) JERRY CAPEHART / AMERICAN MUSIC
American Music, one of the biggest music publishing companies in the West, was owned by an eccentric named Sylvester Cross. I was signed by Jerry Capehart there to a five year contract.
Jerry Capehart was a great part of Eddie Cochran's success. He was a successful songwriter in his own rite. Jerry had been his manager and had written hit songs with Eddie including the forever great "Summertime Blues," and "C'Mon Everybody," as well as "Teen-Age Heaven."
Jerry Capehart's own Rockin Country Style Discography link above!
Jerry Capehart was a great part of Eddie Cochran's success. He was a successful songwriter in his own rite. Jerry had been his manager and had written hit songs with Eddie including the forever great "Summertime Blues," and "C'Mon Everybody," as well as "Teen-Age Heaven."
Jerry Capehart's own Rockin Country Style Discography link above!
Jerry Capehart is talking about Eddie Cochran in this video the short haired man in the white business shirt is Jerry Capehart. Jerry is one of many people who started out as a performer, musician, and songwriter, who went into the music business in another capacity.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
(67) THE DECISION TO LEAVE NEW YORK...
The decision to leave New York wasn't an easy one for me. New York always seemed to be the center of creative enterprise to me and I loved the energy there. But bit by bit there was an exodus from New York to Los Angeles by a number of my peers. Television was moving from New York to Los Angeles - Hollywood - too.
So many of us traveled to perform that "home" became a bit difficult to define. Was home a place, a state of mind, a woman?
Home had always been to me Murphy, North Carolina - the Smokies. The family stead. But my older brothers had left home years before I did as the youngest, my mother had died, my father was remarried and living in Winston-Salem, and visits to my hometown and relatives had become rare due to my touring.
I'd traveled with my father for work, several states, building before I'd been discovered as the Next James Dean. I'd toured all over the United States. I'd been moving for years, one place to the next.
The life of planes, trains, and automobiles, sharing hotel rooms and sleeping sitting up got to me.
Maybe what got to me most was that I had no place to really call home at the end of each day.
I'd never relied on speed or any drugs to make it through. As I entered my late twenties the years of touring wore on me. I wanted a personal life. Some peace.
I wanted and needed a place to settle.
Everything I'd experienced since the age of 20 had changed me. There was no question about it.
Where did I belong?
So when one of the biggest song publishing houses in the country, American Music, courted me to be a staff song writer, which would end my years of touring, I thought it was the answer for me. A way to stay in the music business and use my talents and skills about then time I had a clue that most teen idols, even ones who were more successful than me, grew up and found either a new musical direction or something else to do.
So many of us traveled to perform that "home" became a bit difficult to define. Was home a place, a state of mind, a woman?
Home had always been to me Murphy, North Carolina - the Smokies. The family stead. But my older brothers had left home years before I did as the youngest, my mother had died, my father was remarried and living in Winston-Salem, and visits to my hometown and relatives had become rare due to my touring.
I'd traveled with my father for work, several states, building before I'd been discovered as the Next James Dean. I'd toured all over the United States. I'd been moving for years, one place to the next.
The life of planes, trains, and automobiles, sharing hotel rooms and sleeping sitting up got to me.
Maybe what got to me most was that I had no place to really call home at the end of each day.
I'd never relied on speed or any drugs to make it through. As I entered my late twenties the years of touring wore on me. I wanted a personal life. Some peace.
I wanted and needed a place to settle.
Everything I'd experienced since the age of 20 had changed me. There was no question about it.
Where did I belong?
So when one of the biggest song publishing houses in the country, American Music, courted me to be a staff song writer, which would end my years of touring, I thought it was the answer for me. A way to stay in the music business and use my talents and skills about then time I had a clue that most teen idols, even ones who were more successful than me, grew up and found either a new musical direction or something else to do.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
(66) THE ENTOURAGE Versus THE RAT PACK - Elvis' Boundaries When It Came To Women
While Elvis was filming "G.I. Blues" and having an affair with Juliet Prowse, came the day there was some pounding on the door of his hotel suite. Elvis answered the door himself, though any of the guys could have done so for him.
Frank Sinatra was out there determined to see Juliet. Elvis wouldn't let him in.
Elvis had not long before appeared with Frank on Frank's "Welcome Home Elvis" television special out of Miami but Elvis saw no reason NOT to date Frank's girl.
Understanding Elvis' idea of "boundaries" when it came to women is important to understanding his sense of friendship. No real friend of Elvis would EVER, and I mean EVER, date a woman who was HIS! You had to spend a lot of quality time with Elvis to know which of the many women he remarked upon as "girlfriends" really were! So to be part of his close circle you knew who he was really interested in, even if he was really interested in a FEW women! To be a part of Elvis's circle and start up with a woman he wanted was the fastest way to be excommunicated. I've only heard of one man in his group who in later years very likely had an affair with a woman who was most special to Elvis.
He was territorial. He tested you to see if he could trust you.
Since no one in Frank Sinatra's Rat Park was a real friend to Elvis, since none of them were part of his inner circle, or a member of his entourage, he saw no reason not to date Juliet. He didn't think Frank or any other star owed him in any way for the same reason.
For those of us who really cared about Elvis, we were hands off his women! And being around Elvis meant being around women, women, and more women, most of them beautiful, many of them - not all of them - ready, willing, and able. There were jokes that the Entourage and his friends at the parties got "the left overs." There's truth to it. I can say that I'm not the man who got the most women.
Having met a good number of women that Elvis had affairs with, while he had his type, I wouldn't put a dime on the big deal psychological theories about Elvis Presley's sexuality.
Frank Sinatra was out there determined to see Juliet. Elvis wouldn't let him in.
Elvis had not long before appeared with Frank on Frank's "Welcome Home Elvis" television special out of Miami but Elvis saw no reason NOT to date Frank's girl.
Understanding Elvis' idea of "boundaries" when it came to women is important to understanding his sense of friendship. No real friend of Elvis would EVER, and I mean EVER, date a woman who was HIS! You had to spend a lot of quality time with Elvis to know which of the many women he remarked upon as "girlfriends" really were! So to be part of his close circle you knew who he was really interested in, even if he was really interested in a FEW women! To be a part of Elvis's circle and start up with a woman he wanted was the fastest way to be excommunicated. I've only heard of one man in his group who in later years very likely had an affair with a woman who was most special to Elvis.
He was territorial. He tested you to see if he could trust you.
Since no one in Frank Sinatra's Rat Park was a real friend to Elvis, since none of them were part of his inner circle, or a member of his entourage, he saw no reason not to date Juliet. He didn't think Frank or any other star owed him in any way for the same reason.
For those of us who really cared about Elvis, we were hands off his women! And being around Elvis meant being around women, women, and more women, most of them beautiful, many of them - not all of them - ready, willing, and able. There were jokes that the Entourage and his friends at the parties got "the left overs." There's truth to it. I can say that I'm not the man who got the most women.
Having met a good number of women that Elvis had affairs with, while he had his type, I wouldn't put a dime on the big deal psychological theories about Elvis Presley's sexuality.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
(65) G.I. BLUES - LOS ANGELES HERE WE COME! and JULIET PROWSE
In the fall of 1960 I had my Roulette contract and a hit. I was still touring with Buddy Knox, and I was also doing some independent bookings. My road travels brought me to Los Angeles. I was doing radio, television, and live performances.
Colonel Parker's next coup was to have Elvis Presley star in a movie in which he played a G.I. while the American public still had fresh memory of Elvis' patriotic service in the U.S. army. The movie was called "G.I. Blues."
Elvis was staying at a hotel in a suite. This is where the promise we made three years earlier when I first met him in Memphis - "See you on the coast!" came real. I had met some of the men who were in Elvis' early entourage when I went to Memphis to see him come home from the army. In the weeks before his arrival I spent some time with some of the men who surrounded Elvis as friends and as employees. Now, as I made my way through Los Angeles, I stayed on Elvis' sofa in his suite for a short time. This was my entry into Elvis' personal world as it was becoming, a world in which a bunch of high spirited guys - mostly with Southern roots like we had - surrounded Elvis, making his life easier, half working, half playing, providing him trustworthy company.
At the time, Elvis was dating his co-star, Juliet Prowse. She was a South African born dancer, known for her beautiful skin and long, long shapely legs. The two of them were in lock up in his bedroom.
Colonel Parker's next coup was to have Elvis Presley star in a movie in which he played a G.I. while the American public still had fresh memory of Elvis' patriotic service in the U.S. army. The movie was called "G.I. Blues."
Elvis was staying at a hotel in a suite. This is where the promise we made three years earlier when I first met him in Memphis - "See you on the coast!" came real. I had met some of the men who were in Elvis' early entourage when I went to Memphis to see him come home from the army. In the weeks before his arrival I spent some time with some of the men who surrounded Elvis as friends and as employees. Now, as I made my way through Los Angeles, I stayed on Elvis' sofa in his suite for a short time. This was my entry into Elvis' personal world as it was becoming, a world in which a bunch of high spirited guys - mostly with Southern roots like we had - surrounded Elvis, making his life easier, half working, half playing, providing him trustworthy company.
At the time, Elvis was dating his co-star, Juliet Prowse. She was a South African born dancer, known for her beautiful skin and long, long shapely legs. The two of them were in lock up in his bedroom.
Here's a You Tube Presentation of GI Blues. Elvis wore a uniform through most of it.
GI Blues on the IMBd movie database
Click on the title NEW LINK added January 12, 2011
A You Tube presentation on a party for Juliet Prowse.
Juliet had class and real movie star charisma. She was a dancer first and foremost and had a kind of bodily confidence that was dynamic.
(64) SAM PHILLIPS and SUN RECORDS : WHO DISCOVERED WHO?
When Colonel Parker bought Elvis' contract with Sam Phillips for his local Memphis label at Sun Records, he then sold Elvis to RCA for much more. Of all the artists who recorded at Sun, Elvis Presley emerged to be the most musically impactful of them all.
There' a controversy about Sam - just how interested he really ever was in Elvis - just how much insight he had that Elvis would be famous. Was he just a man who had a small struggling business who rarely turned away income or someone who was a visionary?
A woman named Marion Keister is the key here.
Elvis made his first record at Sun. A vanity recording that he paid a few dollars to record, "My Happiness," which was given to his mother as a gift. At the time he had graduated from Hume high school in Memphis a couple months earlier and was working as a parts driver for a local electric company. He was not yet with the Blue Moon Boys - Bill Black and Scotty Moore, though he may have met them here or there. He was helping support his family and still putting clothes on layaway. He made this record with Marion Keister as the producer. Of course when it came to a vanity recording there wasn't a lot of production considerations. It was basically no budget. Yet, vanity and other no budget recordings today hold the history of Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll. Marion remembered Elvis. She talked him up to Sam Phillips.
Came the day that Sam needed some singers for a project and it was Marion who suggested he call Elvis in. Sam was impressed. One thing lead to another. Marion had a background as a DJ and as a singer herself. She and Elvis would also cross paths in the military.
Sun Records is associated with many people who were in early Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll. Their attraction to the label has much to do with Sun being "it" in Memphis - the location - as well as a building reputation based on who else used the studio. No doubt as some of them succeeded others wanted the luck of the studio to rub off on them. Did Sam Phillips really "Discover" so much talent or did they "Discover" his studio?
I have to back up a bit here and say that a few people claimed to "Discover" me who were onto my road to success after I started to ride it. I always credited the Akron, Ohio photographer who insisted I looked like James Dean, Irving Waitzkin. He took me to the Beacon Journal and had photographer Bill Samaris there take photos of me for that Roto Cover that made all the difference.
Here's the History of Rock site on Sam Phillips.:
There' a controversy about Sam - just how interested he really ever was in Elvis - just how much insight he had that Elvis would be famous. Was he just a man who had a small struggling business who rarely turned away income or someone who was a visionary?
A woman named Marion Keister is the key here.
Elvis made his first record at Sun. A vanity recording that he paid a few dollars to record, "My Happiness," which was given to his mother as a gift. At the time he had graduated from Hume high school in Memphis a couple months earlier and was working as a parts driver for a local electric company. He was not yet with the Blue Moon Boys - Bill Black and Scotty Moore, though he may have met them here or there. He was helping support his family and still putting clothes on layaway. He made this record with Marion Keister as the producer. Of course when it came to a vanity recording there wasn't a lot of production considerations. It was basically no budget. Yet, vanity and other no budget recordings today hold the history of Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll. Marion remembered Elvis. She talked him up to Sam Phillips.
Came the day that Sam needed some singers for a project and it was Marion who suggested he call Elvis in. Sam was impressed. One thing lead to another. Marion had a background as a DJ and as a singer herself. She and Elvis would also cross paths in the military.
Sun Records is associated with many people who were in early Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll. Their attraction to the label has much to do with Sun being "it" in Memphis - the location - as well as a building reputation based on who else used the studio. No doubt as some of them succeeded others wanted the luck of the studio to rub off on them. Did Sam Phillips really "Discover" so much talent or did they "Discover" his studio?
I have to back up a bit here and say that a few people claimed to "Discover" me who were onto my road to success after I started to ride it. I always credited the Akron, Ohio photographer who insisted I looked like James Dean, Irving Waitzkin. He took me to the Beacon Journal and had photographer Bill Samaris there take photos of me for that Roto Cover that made all the difference.
Here's the History of Rock site on Sam Phillips.:
Sam Phillips at the Tennessee Encylopedia - Clearly a Son of the State! Link above!
Decide for yourself: With Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many others on the Sun Label, was Sam Phillips all he's said to be?
EARL HAMNER Quote on Life
Now Earl told me this one himself. He's the writer of the old television series, The Waltons, and was actually the John Boy - Writer character himself.
"The world steps aside to let a person pass, if they know where they're going." - Earl Hamner
"The world steps aside to let a person pass, if they know where they're going." - Earl Hamner
Thursday, November 1, 2007
(63) DAD TRIES TO GET COLONEL PARKER TO BE MY MANAGER
Dad had become my greatest fan, but what I needed at a time when I was shy of managers was a great new manager.
Dad thought that Elvis' Colonel Tom Parker would make the best manager for me - for anyone in the business. To this day I don't know how he got the address, but one day Elvis Presley admitted to me that he knew dad had approached Parker to be my manager. Dad got a letter back that I'll paraphrase by saying, "I only have one act, that's Elvis Presley!"
Parker got Elvis Presley a $35,000 recording contract with RCA Victor in the mid-1950s when Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis decided to sell it. Maybe Sam lived to regret it, maybe not. Parker made his whole life revolve around Elvis.
Elvis himself told me that he thought that if Parker hadn't been his manager "The Hollywood Sharks" would have gotten him... Elvis thought that way, at least at this moment in time. But he wouldn't feel that way forever.
Colonel Parker has had a lot said about him. He turns out to be a controversial man, not only for his tactics for managing Elvis Presley but also because he took a higher than standard percentage for what he did for him. Parker and his assistants not only booked Elvis, they marketed him, took care of every detail of his performances and tours. But after Elvis died there would be law suits back and forth between the Colonel, RCA, and the Elvis Presley estate.
And I think Parker taking on just one act like this was an incredible act of faith.
Dad thought that Elvis' Colonel Tom Parker would make the best manager for me - for anyone in the business. To this day I don't know how he got the address, but one day Elvis Presley admitted to me that he knew dad had approached Parker to be my manager. Dad got a letter back that I'll paraphrase by saying, "I only have one act, that's Elvis Presley!"
Parker got Elvis Presley a $35,000 recording contract with RCA Victor in the mid-1950s when Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis decided to sell it. Maybe Sam lived to regret it, maybe not. Parker made his whole life revolve around Elvis.
Elvis himself told me that he thought that if Parker hadn't been his manager "The Hollywood Sharks" would have gotten him... Elvis thought that way, at least at this moment in time. But he wouldn't feel that way forever.
Colonel Parker has had a lot said about him. He turns out to be a controversial man, not only for his tactics for managing Elvis Presley but also because he took a higher than standard percentage for what he did for him. Parker and his assistants not only booked Elvis, they marketed him, took care of every detail of his performances and tours. But after Elvis died there would be law suits back and forth between the Colonel, RCA, and the Elvis Presley estate.
And I think Parker taking on just one act like this was an incredible act of faith.
ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME - COLONEL TOM PARKER link above!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
(62) MELODIE D'AMOUR A HIT, DAD MY GREATEST FAN
My father had real doubts when it all started for me.
He said, "Son you may be chasing a rainbow."Well, let's face it. How many people in this world have gone from local magazine cover-boy to teen idol in a few short months? The publicity drums beat for me and I was quickly in a celebrity whirl, living a planes, trains, and automobiles kind of existence.
My father was a hard working man, a man who had traveled for work in the construction business and wanted to bring me into the trade as his apprentice. He reminded me that if I got my contractors license I could always fall back on that kind of work. But once I "crashed the fame barrier," no one was prouder or a bigger supporter of my new career direction than my dad.
Still, I had lived a lot by 1960.
I'd traveled all over the United States appearing on live dance party and variety television shows for United Artists. I had switched record labels after quitting United Artists when Clock Records won a bidding war for me. I was traveling all over the United States doing live performances on the Buddy Knox tour and had moved on to Roulette Records. I'd met and worked with some very accomplished and famous people and I'd started writing songs and offering them to my peers.
"Melodie D' Amour" was a hit...
He said, "Son you may be chasing a rainbow."Well, let's face it. How many people in this world have gone from local magazine cover-boy to teen idol in a few short months? The publicity drums beat for me and I was quickly in a celebrity whirl, living a planes, trains, and automobiles kind of existence.
My father was a hard working man, a man who had traveled for work in the construction business and wanted to bring me into the trade as his apprentice. He reminded me that if I got my contractors license I could always fall back on that kind of work. But once I "crashed the fame barrier," no one was prouder or a bigger supporter of my new career direction than my dad.
Still, I had lived a lot by 1960.
I'd traveled all over the United States appearing on live dance party and variety television shows for United Artists. I had switched record labels after quitting United Artists when Clock Records won a bidding war for me. I was traveling all over the United States doing live performances on the Buddy Knox tour and had moved on to Roulette Records. I'd met and worked with some very accomplished and famous people and I'd started writing songs and offering them to my peers.
"Melodie D' Amour" was a hit...
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
(61) ROULETTE RECORDS - MORRIS LEVY
Roulette Records was where I was signed by Morris Levy. Morris Levy had once owned the famous Birdland jazz club in New York City and had offices in the Brill building. The very first record he had ever released on his Roulette Label (#4001) was Jimmy Bowen's "I'm Stickin' With You" (#4002) and the second was Buddy Knox's "Party Doll", both hits in 1957, and of course I was friends with both and performed at various venues with both artists.
My friend Jimmie Rodgers was also on Roulette.
I did a single for Roulette, which was "Melodie D'Amour," (The A side) and "I Guess I'll Never Know" (The B.) When I had the demo made, I ran into Ersel Hickey. He was heading over to Theresa Brandie's flat. "Let's Listen to it over there," Ersel said, so we went over, put it on the turn table, and Ersel thought "You have a hit."
Ersel wasn't the only person who loved "Melodie D'Amour." Elvis did too. He played it over and over again without another song in between, which is what he did when he really loved a song. I had to wonder if this had something to do with the fact that Dewey Phillips had played "That's All Right Mama" over and over again - with no record in between - when he played Elvis' record on his Red Hot and Blue radio program, which started Elvis' fame and fortune. One of the entourage told me that Elvis had even sung along with my record. When he got back to Los Angeles, he had it put in his juke box, and when it was spent from being played in the juke, he gave it to one of the entourage to keep.
When I stayed over at Elvis' he had a cute way of waking me up after a long party. He would put one of my own records on the turntable, turn it up loud, then stand over me, and say "I though that'd wake you up!"
The history of Roulette Records, a small label, by David Edwards and Mike Callahan here is comprehensive and we're really impressed with what they have to offer researchers in their "stereo newsletter" about other labels as well. Link above!
My friend Jimmie Rodgers was also on Roulette.
I did a single for Roulette, which was "Melodie D'Amour," (The A side) and "I Guess I'll Never Know" (The B.) When I had the demo made, I ran into Ersel Hickey. He was heading over to Theresa Brandie's flat. "Let's Listen to it over there," Ersel said, so we went over, put it on the turn table, and Ersel thought "You have a hit."
Ersel wasn't the only person who loved "Melodie D'Amour." Elvis did too. He played it over and over again without another song in between, which is what he did when he really loved a song. I had to wonder if this had something to do with the fact that Dewey Phillips had played "That's All Right Mama" over and over again - with no record in between - when he played Elvis' record on his Red Hot and Blue radio program, which started Elvis' fame and fortune. One of the entourage told me that Elvis had even sung along with my record. When he got back to Los Angeles, he had it put in his juke box, and when it was spent from being played in the juke, he gave it to one of the entourage to keep.
When I stayed over at Elvis' he had a cute way of waking me up after a long party. He would put one of my own records on the turntable, turn it up loud, then stand over me, and say "I though that'd wake you up!"
The history of Roulette Records, a small label, by David Edwards and Mike Callahan here is comprehensive and we're really impressed with what they have to offer researchers in their "stereo newsletter" about other labels as well. Link above!
Monday, October 29, 2007
(60) CARL PERKINS : THE ORIGINAL BLUE SUEDE SHOES
Another inspiration for me when I was performing on the Buddy Knox tour was Rockabilly artist Carl Perkins.
I met Carl Perkins the day that I played on Wink Martindales, in Memphis, in the fall of 1957. I was supposed to be on another show with him, a show that belonged to Dewey Phillips, but when Elvis invited me to Graceland TM, I went off with him without thinking, and skipped the show. As a result Carl Perkins did four songs instead of two, to cover my absence!
Anyone who was into Rockabilly and the brand new Rock and Roll, had to know Carl Perkins, the original "Blue Suede Shoes." I covered that song as part of my show on the Buddy Knox tour. It was one of the few songs I covered that Elvis also covered but then again, so did Eddie Cochran and a whole lotta other performers.
Rockin Country Style Discography - Carl PerkinsRCS DISCOGRAPHY CARL PERKINS
I met Carl Perkins the day that I played on Wink Martindales, in Memphis, in the fall of 1957. I was supposed to be on another show with him, a show that belonged to Dewey Phillips, but when Elvis invited me to Graceland TM, I went off with him without thinking, and skipped the show. As a result Carl Perkins did four songs instead of two, to cover my absence!
Anyone who was into Rockabilly and the brand new Rock and Roll, had to know Carl Perkins, the original "Blue Suede Shoes." I covered that song as part of my show on the Buddy Knox tour. It was one of the few songs I covered that Elvis also covered but then again, so did Eddie Cochran and a whole lotta other performers.
Rockin Country Style Discography - Carl PerkinsRCS DISCOGRAPHY CARL PERKINS
ROCK A BILL HALL OF FAME - CARL PERKINS
Link above to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME - CARL PERKINS
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