The 1964 KILT Back to School Spectacular

"THERE WILL BE NO TUNING UP ON THE STAGE"

KILT radio's Fifth Annual "Back to School Spectacular" was held at the Sam Houston Coliseum sometime in August, 1964. This was a huge affair, with no less than 16 acts performing, and the Everly Brothers headlining. I'm not aware of any photos that exist from this event, but luckily a schedule that was given to the performers has somehow managed to survive.

According to the helpful "artist bio" on the back of the schedule, The Five Americans, who had not put out their first record yet, are making their first Houston appearance at this show. Johnny Winter had been kicking around a few years at this point but shot to local fame when his "Eternally" was, we learn, "one of the most played records at Garner State Park" that summer. Cecil Moore is here because "Diamond Back" on Sarg was a Top 5 record on KILT. It's safe to safe this was the largest crowd that Luling boy had ever played in front of. We also learn that C.L. and the Pictures are "known to everyone in Houston." Maxine Davis, a Huey Meaux act on Guyden joined Lee Maye (another Meaux artist) as the only African-American performers on the bill. Roy Head and the Traits, Bobby Doyle Trio, and the Champagne Brothers all put in appearances. B.J. Thomas and the Triumphs are conspicuous in their absence. And while the British Invasion was seven months old by then, there is no sign whatsoever of an English group. Perhaps everyone at this time was still viewing it as a fad that would pass away in a few more months.

We also learn that David Box's first record, "If You Can't Say Something Nice" was "a big Houston hit" and his "Little Lonely Summer Girl" on Ray Rush's Gina label was a hit that summer. This was one of the last appearances for Box, who perished in a plane crash on October 23.

The 1965 Back to School Spectacular was headlined by the Beatles. I'm not sure if the Spectacular continued after that.

The schedule was:

3:00 The Jokers
3:03 Introduction of KILT disc jockeys (Bob White, Johnny Mitchell, Bob Presley, Ken Knox, Charlie Brown, Jim Wood)
3:08 Five Americans
3:?? Lee Maye
3:14 Johnny Winter
3:20 Buddy White and the Bellhops
3:26 Cecil Moore
3:32 Roy Head and the Traits
3:38 C.L. and the Pictures
3:44 Bobby Doyle Trio
3:53 Maxine Davis
4:02 David Box
4:11 Mickey Gilley
4:20 Champagne Brothers
4:30 Ray Stevens
4:45 Jerry Lee Lewis
5:00? Everly Brothers


Picture of schedule (front):



"Artist Bios" (back):

The Epics

THE EPICS



Little information is to be had on the Epics, a vocal group from early '60s era Houston. They had seven releases between 1960 and 1963, most of them written, arranged, and released by Ray Doggett. The early releases on Lynn/Sabra have a male lead, Buddy Williams, but by late 1961 a girl named Jeannie (last name unknown) had taken over as the lead.

Lynn 510
ACA 4132/L-722 Girl by the Wayside (James Hickey) ACA master: Late 1960
ACA 4133/L-723 Ho-Hum-Deedle-Dum (Doggett) KNUZ #19 Dec 1, 1960

Lynn 513
ACA 4203 The Magic Kiss (Ray Doggett) ACA master c. Jan 1961
ACA 4204 (I’m Gonna Pay You Back With) The Very Same Coin (Ray Doggett)

Lynn 516
ACA 4283 Last Night I Dreamed (J. Gribble) ACA session: May 16, 1961
ACA 4284 Most of All (Harvey-Fuqua-Freed)

Sabra 516
ACA 4283 Last Night I Dreamed (J. Gribble) 1961?
The Magic Kiss

Eric 7001
ACA 4418/386 Grounded (Ray Doggett-Lelan Rogers) ACA session: Aug. 31, 1961
ACA 4419/387 Wishing You Were Mine (Bill and Faye Shackelford)

Dante 3004 The Epics Featuring Jeannie
D-205 I Want to Be Your Girl (Goldner-Barett) 1962
D-206 So Many Times (G. Smith-S. Jones)

Dante 3006 Jeannie and the Epics - A Doggett-Spreen Production
Mama Dear (Ken Grant-Joe Ashford) "10-62" written on label
Glad to be Free (Bill Shannon)

Shane Records: The Discography

SHANE RECORDS: THE DISCOGRAPHY

I've seen the Shane label pegged as a Louisiana label. That's a good guess, as many of the label's acts are from the Pelican State, but this was another Huey P. Meaux label based in Conroe, Texas (later Pasadena). It appears to have started out as a regular label but over time became a vanity/custom label for bands who paid for the privilege. Most of Shane's output is early sixties teen pop with some New Orleans R&B flavor (some sessions were probably done at Cosimo's), with early efforts from Wayne Talbert (as "Larry Wayne"), Gee Gee Shinn, Phil Bo, and Hank (Henry) Moore. Toward the end there was a good minor key effort from a Hispanic soul group, Steve and the Coronas, and garage band sounds from two Houston area groups, the Actioneers and the Eccentrics. The latter two appear to be the only groups on Shane to have been reissued, and the label remains painfully obscure.

“Shane was a label that I would put out stuff that I didn’t think quite had the quality to make it.” (Huey Meaux, 1992)


33 NEIL RICE Produced by Bob Millsap and) Huey P. Meaux
33-1 Throw Away Boy (Bob and Vivian Millsap) 1962
33-2 Whos Kissin’ My Girl (N. Rice)

34 LARRY WAYNE (WAYNE TALBERT) Houston Records invoice: October 11, 1962
34-1 It’s a Dog Gone Shame (G. Chord)
34-2 Two Hearts in Love (W. Talbert)

35 PHIL BO
34-3 Now Baby, Ain’t That Love 1962/1963
34-4 Tear Drops in the Morning (Jerry Matthews)

35 EARL BALL Produced by Crowder Enterprises
35-1 Mama Mama Mama (J. Miller 1963
35-2 Party Girl (E. Ball)

Note: Shane 35 issued twice.
36 LARRY WILSON and The Continentals
36-1 All of Your Love (Larry Wilson) 1963
36-2 I’ve Got It (Alaimo-Maynard)

37 GEORGE VINCENT
37-1 Beginning of the End (J. Duncan) 1963
37-2 I’ll Put the Hurt on You (J. Duncan)

38 GEE GEE SHINN with Bobby and The Rockers “Dist. By Crazy Cajun Enterprises, Conroe, Tx.”
75-863 I Apologize (R. Thibodeaux) 1963
75-864 Ain’t That a Shame (R. Thibodeaux)



39 JERRY FOWLER
39-1 Candy Apple Red (J. Fowler) 1963
39-2 Your Cheating Heart (Hank Williams)

40 JIMMY VELVIT
40-1 I Can’t Help It – I Love You (J. Mullins) 1963
40-2 Gotta’ Lotta’ Women (sic) (J. Mullins)

41 HANK MOORE
41-1 Big Daddy 1963
41-2 Peacock



42



43 THE NEWPORT SINGERS
43-1 November 22nd (W.A. Van Cleve, Jr.) 1963/1964
43-2 Spring Rains (Billy Basley)

44 THE CONTINENTALS of Lafayette, La.
Pussy Cat (Part One) 1963/1964
Pussy Cat (Part Two)

45 JAY RANDALL
45-1 Sorry My Friend 1963/1964
45-2 You’re All I Have

46 NEL NELSON
Believe What I Say 1963/1964
Keep on Running Around

47 JAC AND JAY with The Tom Toms
47-1 Peanut Butter (Barnum-Smith-Cooper-Goldsmith) DJ stamp: April, 1964
47-2 Monkey’s Uncle (James McClung II)

48 RONNIE LEE
All by Myself 1964
O Christina (Futch)

49 DANNY DAY and The Night Beats Arr. by: Char-Ret Productions
49-2 Your Turn to Cry (S. Cantrelle-C. Thomason-R. Aucion) 1964
49-1 Give Me a Chance to Cry (C. Thomason-R. Aucion)

50 THE CROWD
50-1 Waiting for You (Joe B. Crane) 1964
50-2 What Else Can I Do (Joe B. Crane)

51 BOBBY BOOGOS PAGE with Bobby and the Rockers
I’m the Boss 1964
Please Don’t Say Goodbye

52 JOHNNY and the Nightshades
S-52-1 That’s Why (Carey Wise) 1964
S-52-2 Would It Matter to You (Johnny Shannon)

53 LENNY MICKELS with Kerry and The Tempos
You Treat Me Bad 1964
A Sorry Plea

54 GENE RICKY and The Ravens
SH-1069 There’s More for You 1964
SH-1070 Without True Love

55 NEL NELSON
LH-1219 Looking at My Treasure (Marti Manning-Robert Thibodeaux) Late 1964
LH-1220 Somehow I Care (R. Thibodeaux)

56 BILLIE CARROLL
LH-1308 Gary Dean Brown (Dic Ferrier) Late 1964
LH-1309 Humbuggin’ Me (J. Miller-R. Morgan)

Tape box says, “John L. Corbell, Dublin, Texas.”

57 THE ACTIONEERS Session date: November 15, 1965
AC-1 It’s You (Ray Gilburn) Late 1965
AC-2 No One Wants Me (Ray Gilburn)

58 STEVE and The Coronas Late 1965
Love Me
Let Me Show You the World

59 DEAN SCOTT
Can’t Make My Heart Understand Late 1965/Early 1966
Two Years Ago Today

60 THE ECCENTRICS
TSS3660122A Baby, I Need You (L.J. Swift) Jan., 1966
TSS3660122B She’s Ugly (L.J. Swift)

61 DAVID PALMER
Can’t Help But Love You After All 1966
Every Step of the Way

Eric Records: The Discography

Above: Big Sambo (James Young).


ERIC RECORDS: THE DISCOGRAPHY


While Eric Records may have been the brainchild of Ray Doggett, he may have only released 7001, by Jeannie and the Epics (who also had several singles on Dante), before selling or giving the label over to Huey P. Meaux and Chester Foy Lee. The label was based in Conroe, Tx., but seems to have done most of its sessions in New Orleans at Cosimo's Studio.

Eric was probably Meaux's most significant early label. Barbara Lynn made her debut on this label ("Dina & Patricia"). Joey Long recreated himself as a teen pop singer with several releases. Rockin' Dave Allen had a couple of early singles. Roy Perkins had a memorable stab at swamp pop ("Train to Nowhere"), and Cookie Roberts made one of the wildest rockers Meaux ever released ("Draggin' the Drive-Inns"). Presumably, a few of these were local hits along the Gulf Coast, but the only one I'm aware of is Big Sambo's "The Rains Came," a huge hit in Houston in 1962. Today, we're more likely to be wowed by the flipside, "At the Party," a '50s Little Richard style homage caught out of time.

Eric was discontinued in late 1964.



7001 THE EPICS
ACA 4418/386 Grounded (Ray Doggett-Lelan Rogers) ACA session: Aug. 31, 1961
ACA 4419/387 Wishing You Were Mine (Bill and Faye Shackelford)

7002 BUDDY LORTON
103-387 Makes No Never Mind (J. Bonvillian-P. Vidacovich) 1961
103-386 Time (Naomi Neville)

7003 BIG SAMBO AND THE HOUSE WRECKERS
The Rains Came (Meaux) 1961-62
At the Party (Meaux)

7004 BARBARA LYNN
Dina & Patricia (B.L. Ozen) 1962
Give Me a Break (B.L. Ozen)

7005 THE GIL BACA COMBO Featuring Vernon Drozd
75-472 Have You Ever Been Lonely (Peter DeRose-George Brown) 1962
75-473 Elmer’s Tune (Allrecht-Gallop-Jurgens)

7006 ROCKIN’ DAVE ALLEN
E-450 Irene (J. Miller-B. Jolivet) 1962
E-451 Forever Trying to Change My Ways (Kinghill)

7007 RUE JENNINGS
E-452 Blue Tears (Kerney Ravet) DJ wol: 7/2/62
E-453 Don’t Let It End (Kerney Ravet)

7008 BUDDY LORTON Houston Records invoice: June 18, 1962
E-454 A Fool I’ve Been (J. Bonvillian) 1962
E-455 Someday Some One (J. Bonvillian)

7009 COOKIE ROBERTS Houston Records invoice: Aug. 15, 1962
E-456 The Black House (B. Lewis-Jack Rhodes) 1962
E-457 Draggin’ the Drive-Inn’s (sic) (Jack Rhodes)

7010 MARY NELL Houston Records invoice: Sept. 21, 1962
E-458 Before You Go (Carter-Rhodes) 1962
E-459 Hello Mr. Lonely (Rhodes-Ebner)

7011 PORTER JORDAN AND THE DREAMERS Houston Records invoice: Sept. 29, 1962
Hanging Around the Corner 1962
Free Loader

7012 THE SHADOWS
E-463 Something Wild (Butch Palcher)
A Night at Smokey Joe’s

7013 JAMES YOUNG This is “Big Sambo’s” Real Name
E-645 Long Gone (Meaux) 1963
E-646 I Had to Cry (J. Scott-A. Matthias)

7014 ROCKIN’ DAVE ALLEN
E-466 Carol My Darling (Dave Stitch) 1963
E-467 Just to Hold My Hand (Perryman-Robey)

7015 JOEY LONG
I Cried 1963
Near You

7016 KEN HANA
HM-KH-1 Bird Dog (Jordan-Rhodes) 1963
HM-KH-2 False Love (Jordan-Rhodes)

7017 ROY PERKINS
Jole Blon 1963
Train to Nowhere



7018 JOEY LONG
HM-JL-1 If I Should Need You (Would You Say Yes) 1963
(Col. Tom Parker-Gabe Tucker)
HM-JL-2 You Can’t Give Back the Love (That I Gave To You)
(Porter Jordan-Jack Rhodes)

7019

7020 JOEY LONG
Teen Keen Baby
Lover’s Land

7021 MICKEY GILLEY
Whole Lotta Twistin’ Going On 1963
Fraulein

7022

7023 LI’L MARGIE CRANE
He Taught Me How 1964
Pretty Face, Cute Figure

7024 JOEY LONG
LH-1186 Bitter Cup of Sorrow (J. Longoria) Fall, 1964
LH-1187 Please Mr. Sandman (Let Me Sleep Tonight) (J. Longoria)

Dante Records: The Discography

DANTE RECORDS: THE DISCOGRAPHY

Dante was one of the three labels started by Ray Doggett in Houston in 1961 (the other two were Cadette and Eric). It appears that B.J. Thomas and the Triumphs, Dean Scott, and Steve Tyrell all had their debut discs on Dante. Most of them probably didn't make much of an impression, but the Triumphs' "The Lazy Man" and Steve Tyrell's "Payday Someday" were big local hits on KNUZ and KILT. The final Dante came out in late 1964.

802 TRACY AND CARROL Produced by Mickey Gilley and Ray Doggett
ACA 4281 Dream on Dreamer (C. Gilley) ACA session: April 25, 1961
ACA 4282 Don’t Believe (Gilley-Harrin)

3001 RONNIE BYRD
ACA 4536 All American Guy (Louise Shields) ACA: Feb. 17, 1962
ACA 4537 B.T.O. (Louise Shields)

Note: Kiddie pop.

3002 THE TRIUMPHS
D-201 I Know It’s Wrong (B.J. Thomas) ACA session: Feb. 9, 1962
D-202 The Lazy Man (B.J. Thomas) KNUZ: #36 August, 1962

Note: Dante 3002 was picked up for national distribution by Smash and renumbered 1788.

3003 DEAN SCOTT
D-203 It’s Never Too Late (Dean Foelsing) 1962-63
D-204 I Want to Get Married (Dean Foelsing)

3004 THE EPICS Featuring Jeannie
D-205 I Want to Be Your Girl (Goldner-Barett) 1962-63
D-206 So Many Times (G. Smith-S. Jones)

3005 BOBBY CAVAZOS AND THE EPICS
D-207 Answer Me (Winkler-Rauch-Sigman) 1962-63
D-208 Here I Am (Larry Klein)

3006 JEANNIE AND THE EPICS
Mama Dear 1962-63
Glad to be Free

3007 STEVE TYRELL
D-211 Payday Someday (Spreen-Ashford-King) 1963-64
D-212 The Greatest Love (Ray Doggett)

Note: Dante 3007 reissued as All Boy 8506.

3008 EARL BALL
D-213 Going Steady, Married, or Engaged (E. Ball)1963-64
D-214 Hung Down My Head and Cried (Davis-Bruner)

3009 MIKE FRANKLIN Arranged by Glen Spreen
D-214(sic) I Should Try to Forget (A. Schroeder-G. Sharp-M. Kalmanosf) 1963-64
D-215 All Alone (M. Franklin)

3010 HARVEY WHITE
D-219 Touch My Shoulder 1963-64
Welcome Home (H. White-R. Doggett)

3011 THE TRIUMPHS
You’re Mine Tonight 1963-64
People Sure Act Funny (T. Turner)

3012 LITTLE GOLDEN Backed by: The Blackjacks
D-222 Jealousy (The Little Green Man) (Clara Mitchell) 1963-64
D-223 House of Memories (A.J. Lankford-M. Lankford)

3013


3014 JOHN and MARIE
LH-1225 Oo-Wee Baby (M. Alexander-J. Richmond) Late 1964
LH-1226 One Day (M. Alexander-J. Richmond)

Cadette Records: The Discography

Above: C.L. and the Pictures, c. 1963. L to R: Charlie Broyles, Trent Poole, C. L. Weldon, Leroy Rodriguez, Bill Tillman, Harold Fulton.


CADETTE RECORDS: THE DISCOGRAPHY


Cadette was, along with Dante and Eric, one of Ray Doggett's early labels in Houston. There were only 10 known releases, with no known local hits, but Doggett apparently tried to corner the local market for teen sounds with early efforts from Gary Smith, C.L. and the Pictures, Vicky Vaughn, the Indigos, and others. Songwriters' credits show that Mickey Gilley, Y. Parker Wong, Clarence Garlow, Dale Gothia, Jerry Fowler, and Joe Ford (Ashford) were all involved as well. Steve Tyrell was on the scene but failed to attain a release on Cadette, which was discontinued in early 1963.


8001 GARY AND SONNY
ACA 4486 It’s All Over ACA session: Dec. 19, 1961
ACA 4487 You’re Gonna Love Me

8002 VICKY VAUGHN
CA-8-1 Butterflies (Ray Doggett-Mickey Gilley) ACA session: Feb. 20, 1962
CA-8-2 Love Fever Ray Doggett-Mickey Gilley)

8003 THE INDIGOS
CA-8-3 My Dream Girl (John Hazelbarth) 1962
CA-8-4 Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (Y. Parker Wong)

8004 JAY RICHARD
75-523 Anymore (Robey-Washington) 1962
75-524 I’ve Got the Best (D. Gothia-J. Fowler)

8005 C.L. AND THE PICTURES
CA-9 Love Will Find a Way (Clarence Garlow) 1962
CA-10 Then You’ll Know (Ray Doggett)

8006 BERRY WILLIAMS
CA-11 Playmates (P.D.) 1962-63
CA-12 As Lovely As Me (E. Williams)

8007 GARY & SONNY
Kiss and Run 1962-63

8008 BUDDY WILLIAMS
Life, Love, and Devotion 1963
Marry Him

8009 GINGER LAWLER
CA-17 Reassure Me (Ray Doggett) 1963
CA-18 I’m Learning Very Fast (Ray Doggett-J. Ashford)

8010 THE DEL-FI’S
D-216 No More No More (Thomas Sherman) vocal by Jim Lynch 1963
D-217 Magic of Your Love (B. Brown, Jr.-J. Lynch)

Below: The Del-Fi's share the stage with the Raiders of "Stick Shift" fame at Mr. Lucky's, c. 1963.

Alan Case

The Mystery of Alan Case

Five strong, original folk songs (out of 12) from the otherwise unknown Alan Case -- a sole documented appearance at the Checkered Flag Club in Austin in the late sixties is the extent of my knowledge of this artist. The tape box simply says, "Alan Case, brought in by J. Roland Cole, pastor, St. Mark's Methodist Church, Austin." For some reason the tape was forwarded to Tantara Records, who sat on it.

Case wrote some typical upbeat love songs, but the stark, bleak vision that permeates dirges like "Melinda" and "Can Anybody be to Blame?" is what stands out today. It's a shame that a singer/songwriter of this caliber can be totally forgotten. The Austin Methodist Church connection adds another layer of intrigue here; several songs have religious undertones.

Austin musician Paul Tennison knew Case and remembered that Stacy Sutherland actually wanted to recruit him into the 1968-69 era 13th Floor Elevators as lead vocalist. This of course didn't happen. Mr. Case's subsequent moves are, at this point, a mystery.

Thanks to Craig Malek.

Terri Sharp on Ventural

Terri Sharp - A Love That Will Last / I'm Young (Ventural)

This bouncy girl pop 45 gives us a nice change of pace from the male-dominated music scene of Houston. Terri Sharp was still in high school when she cut "A Love That Will Last" in Nashville in August, 1965. Nobody there was interested in releasing it so she settled on Ventural, one of Huey Meaux's family of labels in Pasadena. It sold well enough in Houston to attract attention from Fontana, who re-released it in the US and Great Britain. It wasn't a hit, and neither was Terri's follow-up on White Cliffs. She later moved to Nashville and became a songwriter for Hank Williams. Jr's publishing company.

Terri Sharp passed away Dec. 17, 2015.


Below: Terri Sharp article in the Houston Post Woman's World Chic, February 13, 1966. Click to enlarge.