ROCK IT RECORDS 598

GENE TERRY and his Kool Kats

Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)

45-598-A - The Woman I Love

(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)

45-598-B - Tip, Tap And Tell me

(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)

ROCK IT RECORDS 598

Port Arthur, TX

Gene Terry was born Terry Gene DeRouen in Lafayette, LA on January 7th 1940, but raised in Port Arthur, TX, where his main musical influence growing up was his father and grandfather performing Cajun songs. He also attended house and barn dances with his uncle, R. C. DeRouen, a Cajun musician. His uncle taught him how to play guitar and eventually Gene accompanied him on stage. Gene formed his first band, the Kool Kats, in the mid-'50s, doing mainly country and western songs but they gravitated toward rock and roll, eventually changing their name to The Downbeats. Gradually rhythm and blues began to enter the band's repertoire as Gene became influenced by Little Richard, Elvis Presley and local KTRM deejay J. P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson. Word spread to Lake Charles, LA gaining the attention of local club owners and a five year contract with Goldband Records. Gene Terry and the Down Beats recorded several singles for Goldband including classic "Cindy Lou."


Top side is a fast rocker with a nice long guitar solo (although he seems to have not been expecting the first part of the solo because he's a little under-recorded). Flip is more mid paced with a nod towards "Heartbreak Hotel". Awesome! (MC)

Email me!

Neil Scott

Neil Scott

.

PEACH RECORDS 597

LEON HOLMES and his Georgia Ramblers
LEON HOLMES and JOHNNY GARRISON and the Georgia Ramblers

Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11th Jan 57)

45-597-A - She's My Baby

(Leon Holmes)   (Starrite BMI)

45-597-B - You're Not Mine At All

(Leon Holmes)   (Starrite BMI)

PEACH RECORDS 597

Box 111, Jefferson, GA

Possibly one of my favourite discs in this series. Great stop-start vocals through the verses with a nice hint of rock-a-billy mumbling through the choruses! But it's the guitar breaks that have always grabbed my attention (for obvious reasons I guess). Slightly understated with a smattering of Carl Perkins with a lovely cascade of notes at the end. It sounds to me that right at the end of the song, the guitarist must hit his pick-up switch by accident as the tone changes slightly. I could probably listen to this all day and not get bored. In fact, sometimes I think I do!
Both sides were recorded at WIMO (Winder, GA) as a trio with another of Johnny Garrison's brothers. It was supervised by Slim Williamson (who owned Peach and Chart records amongst others). According to Slim, he paid Don Pierce $150 to press the record with the promise that if it was a success it would be released again on Starday. So Slim got his pressings and started mailing the out to DJ's.
Leon appears later in this series on Starday Records and also again on Peach Records. (MC)

Email me!

Steve Holloway

Steve Holloway