Though at times in my career I was called "The Singing - Acting Sensation," or "The Next James Dean," or simply "entertainer" or "singer-songwriter," I think "singer-songwriter" is the title that I've earned since my song "Freeze" was recorded by me at United Artists back in '58 and then covered by other artists.
Freeze is a rare record these days, with just a few disc jockey copies (promo) showing up in auctions. That's because the record was played on record players till it broke. (And yes, as a reader pointed out, the song is available on a compilation CD.)
I played it on American Bandstand. The song inspired a dance craze, a dance called The Freeze.
"Singer-Songwriter" is also a title that was also applied to many of my friends who I started out with in the late 1950's in New York, many who also headed west to California in the early 1960's, such as Ersel Hickey, Bobby Darin, Buddy Knox, and Johnny Rivers...
If you've been a reader of this blog, you know I've mentioned certain creative collaborations I've enjoyed as well, with artists such as Jimmy Bowen, Red West, Fred Horton, Glen Campbell and Mae Axton.
I've talked about the Cover Tune Era, when every singer was trying to find a hit song that someone else wrote (or already recorded) to cover, small labels and regional markets, and the days when I traveled around the country performing on dance parties and radio programs live; I traveled while with United Artists for a couple years, on the Buddy Knox tour with Buddy for a couple years.
Some of my collaborations happened spontaneously, just sitting around my house, or Elvis', other collaborations were part of my job when I was a staff songwriter at American Music in Los Angeles, where a lot of artists came through, for a day, or a few months, or were on contract as well.
I also sold songs independently and worked as a freelancer for Pat Boone's CoogaMooga.
I lost track of just how many songs I'd written or co-written over the years. Then the Intellectual Properties that had been owned or co-owned by others started returning to me several years ago. Lots of paperwork.
One day my lawyer said "It's up over 800, Wes!"
There's always a song in my mind, always something I'm working on.
Some of my songs were recorded as demos only by some now famous people and the studio musicians on them went on those demos to have entertainment careers of their own. Some of these were pressed, some may be in tape vaults, some are lost forever as recordings, but because I REGISTERED the song, they were understood to be my Intellectual Property.
I can't help but hope that someday songs that were recorded as demos or in studios that did not make it onto records at the time will be discovered.
Hi Wes & Christine,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure you know that Freeze is available?
On the CD "United Artists Rock n roll" I found Freeze and Tiny Spaceman. For 10 GBP I bought it here:
http://www.rhis.co.uk/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db=master.dat&category=JIVE+Compilations&merchant=bimbam
On this site you can also buy "West Texas Bop" which includes Blue baby and I just want your love.
I am eagerly awaiting for the CD to arrive! Please keep up your good work and thanks for your friendly comments on my PJ Proby-uploads on Youtube.
Peter Lindgren (Lindgren33)
Peter thanks for being a member of the mutual appreciation society! Yes, we are aware that some of my music is available on various CD's. I don't profit financially from those CD sales at this point, but because I was an entertainer who went into songwriting and music production and became a private person again for much of my life at first even I was surprised to find mentions of me on the net and music available. Then I realized that I had an interesting story to tell. And I wanted to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones!
ReplyDeleteLet's all send our good thoughts to PJ. He's a friend. Wes
Wes, I'm using Google Chrome to read your blog and it looks fine.
ReplyDeleteThe text is lined up properly.
I've been having trouble with Microsoft's Internet Explorer as my browser. Most of the pages I visit request me to download a program. And even after downloading it, I continue to get these popup windows on my screen asking me to download the same program.
Wes, why don't you have a Facebook page. I'm there at http://www.facebook.com/jimmmie.Vestal
You once stayed at the Colonial Hotel in Winston-Salem, NC. That's where I met you.
Jimmie Vestal
Hi Jimmie! Yes I remember you and I think we posted a Hello to you a while back. We don't have a facebook page because we have a Youtube station that presents some social networking and also because there are a few other Wes Bryans out there who already have Facebook or other sites (even one who has been posing as me!) We're OK with what we've got!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the imput. Google and Internet Explorer seem to be working well with each other again... Wes