STARDAY RECORDS 719

FRANKIE EVANS and his Top Notchers
May 58  (BB Rev = 30th June 1958)
45-719-A - The Ain't Got Blues   (Starrite)
(Lowana Julaire / Frank Evans)
45-719-B - All My Dreams Are Gold   (Starrite)
(Lowana Julaire / Lew Tobin)
STARDAY 719
(Artist based in Florida at time of release)

Source:  Terry Gordon

STARDAY RECORDS 674

FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers

Oct 57  (Billboard Review on 18th November 1957.)

45-674-A - I Got A Patent (On My Kind Of Love)

(Jimmy Dunklin)   (Starrite BMI)

45-674-B - Lonesome Love

(Bonnie Burke)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 674

(Artist based in Tampa, FL)

Source: Terry Gordon

More fabulous music from Frank and his boys. Recorded at WHBO Radio, Tampa, FL. There’s some nice twin guitar being played byArnold Newman (Gtr) and Colin Thomas (Stl) which really helps to set this recording above most of the mainstream music that was flying out of the studios at this time, although if this had been released even 5 years before it wouldn’t have been so much of a surprise.) Played locally over the radio station, it garnered him some fan mail and some gigs but didn’t get much more exposure other than locally.

STARDAY RECORDS 645

FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers

Jul 57   (Billboard review on 22nd July 1957.)

45-645-A - Pull The Shades Down Ma

(Jimmy Dunklin)   (Starrite BMI)

45-645-B - Would You Believe Me

(Owen Wilson)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 645

(Artist based in Tampa, FL)

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Label Shots: Neil Scott

STARDAY RECORDS 602

FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers

Dec 56   (BMI clearance on 15th Feb 1957)

45-602-A - Barrel Of Heartaches (And A Bucket Of Tears)

(J Dunklin / J Rowell)   (Starrite BMI)

45-602-B - If You Knew

(Bonnie Burke)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 602

Recorded at WHBO with Arnold Newman (Ld Gtr), Roland Newman (fiddle), Colin Thomas (Steel Gtr), Walter Studenberg (bass) and Frank on Vocals and rhythm guitar. Although neither side stands out, they are pleasant enough to listen to more than once, but sound musically inferior to their other offerings. As the Billboard advert below shows, they were performing over WHBO 5 days a week and performing live frequently.

Label Shots: - Doug Brown
(With thanks to Andrew Brown - Frank Evans article in Hillbilly Researcher #24, Al Turner, PJ Tricker)

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From Billboard 3 Nov 56

STARDAY RECORDS 567

STARDAY RECORDS 567

(Artist from Tampa FL at time of release.)

FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers

Jun 56 (BMI clearance on 20th Jul 56)

45-567-A - Go On And Be Carefree

(Gene Rutland) (Starrite BMI)

45-567-B - What Is It (That I'm Too Young To Know)

(Gene Rutland) (Starrite BMI)

By the time Frank came around to recording another disc for Starday (albeit on the custom series), he had organised his own backing band - the Top Notchers. The band were Arnold Newman (ld gtr), Roland Newman (fdl), Pip Studenberg (bs) and Colin Thomas (Stl gtr - who doesn't appear on this disc). The drummers name is long forgotten. This was recorded at WHBO in Tampa FL.

The A side is a pleasant enough hillbilly disc, but it's the flip side that catches your attention. Taken at a fast clip, this has an almost "bluegrass" feel to it. Pretty cool stuff for a bunch of youngsters!

More from Frank later on in the series. (MC/Al Turner / PJ Tricker / Andrew Brown (Interview for Hillbilly Researcher No. 24)

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Label Shots courtesy of Neil Scott.

STARDAY RECORDS 547

MACK KING with the Western Hayriders

Mar 56 (BMI clearance 9th March 56)

ST-2387 - This Is Your Life

(A. R. Preddy / R. N. Williams)    (Starrite BMI)

ST-2388 - No Wings - No Halo

(A. R. Preddy / M King)    (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 547
(Artist location - Tampa, FL)

This is the same Mack King who also appears on Nugget Records (“No Special Reason” / “You Better Get Going” - NUGGET 1004), and is also backed by the the Western Hayriders (who also backed Frank Evans -who also appears on Nugget). But we’re getting ahead of ourselves as Nugget 1004 was pressed in 1958. By the time Starday 547 was issued, Mack had served in military and was at this time, located in Tampa, FL. Mack also played 3 shows supporting Elvis Presley in Tampa. For some reason they issued this 45rpm with Starday matrix numbers instead of the usual A/B prefix. Not a huge revelation, for to be honest; just because I noticed it, doesn’t mean I have a clue what it suggests :-). Anyhow, The A side is a nice country ballad. The flip is a mid-paced hillbilly/country swinger with fine guitar and steel guitar support. Mack’s got a nice voice for this kinda stuff; melodic but slightly lazy vocals. Cool stuff! (MC / Andrew Brown)

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Label Shots: Phil Tricker

STARDAY RECORDS 540

FRANK EVANS and the Western Hayriders

Jan 56

45-540-A - I'm Different

(Gene Rutland) (Starrite BMI)

45-540-B - Another Love Like You

(Gene Rutland) (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 540
Florida Area

I would have drawn a blank on this artist too if it wasn’t for the excellent article on Frank by Andrew Brown that appeared in Hillbilly Researcher No.24. Frank was singing as a child on WHBO in Tampa, FL. (According to Frank, the radio station was so small, the signal “ ... just barely made it over the tree tops”. He was 15 years old when he cut this, his first recording, at the Burdette Sound Studios in Tampa, backed by the Western Hayriders (who were already an established band by this time and included Pete Howell on Ld Gtr and Dusty Robbins on Stl Gtr). Frank plays the banjo on these sides. The A side is a nice uptempo number with Frank soloing on the banjo with nice support from both lead and steel guitar. The flipside is a hillbilly weeper. It’s a great debut from an underated artist. Soon after, Frank formed his Top Notchers (more on them later on Starday 567). (MC / Hillbilly Researcher No. 24 - Andrew Brown)


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Label Shots: Phil Tricker