BIG STATE RECORDS 856

SINGING TEX GAWRYLUK

Apr 60

634-45-856-A - I Love No One

(Gawryluk)    (Dee Music)

634-45-856-B -I’ve Shed A Million Tears

(L Penny / T Gawryluk)    (Tronic Music)

BIG STATE RECORDS 856

(Possibly LA or TX)

Source: Lars Lundgren and Kent Heineman

BIG STATE RECORDS 718

JOHNNY BROWN and the Plainsmen  Vcl Sammy
Apr 58
CP-1539 - Shame   (Starrite BMI)
(Brown) CP-1540 - My Little Darling   (Starrite BMI)
(Brown) BIG STATE 718
325 Prospect, El Paso, TX

Source: Lars Lungren

BIG STATE RECORDS 595

JIMMY SIMPSON and his Oilfield Boys

Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)

45-595-A - Can I Come Home

(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)

45-595-B - Memories Of You

(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)

BIG STATE RECORDS 595

Box 1113, Greggton, TX

Jimmy D Simpson was born on 24th March 1928 in Sullivan Hollow, near Ashland City, TN. After stints in the Army (and Navy and the Paratroopers), he moved to Robert Lee, TX (near San Angelo) with his wife and made a living as a pipeliner. He became a DJ over KERC (Eastland, TX) and sang at the Big D Jamboree in Dallas. A career as an artist for Republic Records was cut short by the labels bankruptcy. He also recorded on Hidus Records (owned by Bill and Buddy Holman) based in a jewelry store in Springfield, TN.

Before he took off for Alaska as a contractor, he teamed up with Jack Rhodes for this release. The A side is bordering on rockabilly - nice vocals and a fine guitar dragging the band along at a fair clip. There's a steel guitar adding some nice fills in the background and it shares the solos with the guitar. Flip side is a ballad. These were recorded at a West Monroe, Louisiana radio station. Same session that produced Simpson's Jiffy single.

Jimmy also recorded on Starday and Nashville Records later on, amongst others. (MC / Al Turner / Andrew Brown)

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Phillip J Tricker

Phillip J Tricker

BIG STATE RECORDS 592

RONALD R A FAULK

Oct 56  (BMI Clearance on 11th January 1957)

45-592-A - You'll Never Know

(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)

45-592-B - My Baby's Gone

(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)
BIG STATE RECORDS 592

468 Third St, Port Acres, TX

The A side is a nice typical Texas honky-tonk / hillbilly song. Flip side is a thunderous rocker with heavy double bass and biting guitar. One of the best examples of the Starday rockabilly sound. The ending of the song is one of the most chaotic pieces of music every pressed into shellac as the musicians don't seem to know where to end. So they all seem to try to end at once with little success. (Sadly, nobody seems to have signalled to the bass player they're stopping!). This makes the side even better for it in my opinion.
Both Roland and his brother (Autry) were veterans of the Port Arthur, TX scene. (Port Acres is slightly west of Port Arthur). Kirby London recorded one of Roland's songs on D 1174.cRoland also recorded "Send Me Someone" / "I'd Own The World" on DIAMOND RECORDS 1003/4 as by Roland and his Rythm Boys (sic)

Birth:	Jun. 19, 1927 Port Arthur Jefferson County Texas, USA
Death:	Feb. 1, 2013 Port Arthur Jefferson County Texas, USA
R.A. Faulk, 85, of Port Acres passed away on Friday, February 1, 2013 at Mid-Jefferson Hospital. R.A. was born on June 19, 1927 in Port Arthur, TX to Zoie and Rose Theriot Faulk. He was a musician and worked at Gulf Oil. R.A. was a member of Faith Harbor Assembly of God Church in Port Acres. He proudly served his country in the United States Army. He loved his family very much and was known as Poppa. R.A. was preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers, Curtis, Autrey, Melvin and Herman Ray; 4 sisters, Gloria, Jeanette, Geraldine and Beverly; 2 sons-in-law, Dennis Earl Miguez and Marcio Illa. R.A. is survived by his wife of 56 years, Myrna "Julie" Faulk of Port Acres; sons, Clint Faulk (Sherrie) of Port Arthur, Tony Faulk (Kelly) of Port Arthur; daughters, Brynda Amburn (Steve) of Groves, Kelly Toutcheque (Sid) of Lake Jackson, TX; brother, Larry Faulk of Port Arthur; sister, Shirley Anzaldua of Yoakum, TX; 19 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

This disc was pressed on both 45 and 78rpm formats.  (MC)

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Al Turner

Al Turner

Terry Gordon

BIG STATE RECORDS 572

BIG STATE RECORDS 572

No. 8 Manchester Road, Wichita Falls, KS

JACK FROST and his Band

Jul 56 (BMI clearance on 3rd Aug 56)

45-572-A - There Is No Tomorrow

(Ken Blackridge) (Starrite BMI)

45-572-B - Crying My Heart Out

(Ken Blackridge) (Starrite BMI)

No knowledge about Jack Frost and his Band. Both sides are western swing, like an early Texas Playboys with trumpet, guitar, fiddle - the whole nine yards of western swing sophistication. The B side is the better of the two in my opinion but they are kind of similar so it's hard to chose on from the other.
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Label Shots courtesy of Al Turner.