Category Archives: US

Nite Owls

The Nite Owls had this one 45 on the Top Dog label of Louisville, Kentucky. Both songs sound very different from each other. “Act Your Age” is a good put-down song, written by Robby Burnfin and published by Fall City Music of Louisville.

“Act Your Age” sounds up-to-date for 1966. The flip is definitely from an earlier era, a cover of “Nite Owl”, written by Bernice Williams and originally done by the Dukays (who would later hit with “Duke of Earl” with Gene Chandler on vocals). Featuring a horn section instead of swirling organ, it could have been recorded at an earlier session.

I don’t think there’s any connection to the Illinois-based Nite-Owls who released “Come On Back” / “It’s a Hassle” on Rembrandt. I really don’t have any info on the band or their members.

Top Dog 45 discography

There Keyes Top Dog 45 She's the Onewere two Top Dog labels. This one, based in Louisville, Kentucky in 1966 and 1967 had nine releases, all with 2300 series catalog numbers. It was owned by Ray Allen (Floyd Lewellyn) and Hardy Martin as were Boss, Bridges, Jam, Rondo and Tilt.

The Louisville Top Dog label had some good releases, like the Keyes “She’s the One”, the Merseybeats U.S.A. “Nobody Loves Me That Way”, and two bands I’ve covered on this site, the Rugbys and the Nite Owls.

Top Dog (Louisville) discography:

2313 – Mersey Beats U.S.A. – You’ll Come Back / Nobody Loves
2314 – The Keyes – Can’t Win For Losing / She’s The One
2315 – The Rugbys – Walking The Streets Tonight / Endlessly
2316 – The Nite Owls – Act Your Age / Nite Owl
2317 – The Scavengers – I Don’t Need Her Now / It’s Only So Long
2318 – Mersey Beats U.S.A. – Does She Or Doesn’t She / Stop Look & Listen
2319 – The Mags – Can’t Get Enough / Go On and Leave Me
2320 – The Premiers – The Ali Shuffle Parts 1 and 2
2322 – Mersey Beats U.S.A. – 30 Second Lover / Nobody Loves Me that Way

The other Top Dog label was based in Detroit Michigan, owned by Artie Fields, with some soul and pop acts. These labels have a bull dog with top hat and cigar. No connection to the Louisville label.

Top Dog (Michigan) discography:

100 – Camel Drivers – The Grass Looks Greener / It’s Gonna Rain
101 – Don Rondo – Just Before The Battle /
102 – Kris Peterson – Just As Much / Unbelievable
103 – Camel Drivers – Sunday Morning Six O’Clock / Give It A Try (also issued on Buddah)
104 – Camel Drivers – Forgive Us /
105 – Joe Towns – Together We Can Make / Down and Out World
106 – Joe Towns – Take Momma Out Of That Shack/ Down And Out World
107 – Joe Towns – You Can’t Hold Me Back / Busy Signal
108 – Joe Towns – Look Around And You’ll Find Me / Down and Out World
109 – The Pushcart – Yo Te Amo / I’ve Got A Ticket To The World
200 – Camel Drivers – Give It A Try / You Made A Believer Of Me

Top Dog Louisville discography from 45rpmrecords.com. Thanks to Jeff Lemlich for help with the Michigan Top Dog discography.

The Sensors (with Bugs Henderson)

I’d been wondering if there were any great rock 45s on Ty Tex when I found The Sensors “Sen-Sa-Shun” / “Side Tracked” at Rex’s sidewalk sale this spring. As it turns out, the Sensors had four 45s on Ty Tex.

Buddy Henderson would come to be known as Bugs Henderson when he joined Mouse and the Traps. He started the Sensors in his hometown of Tyler, Texas when he was just 16.

On these two Freddy King songs, Buddy articulates every note, making these two of the better r&b instrumentals I’ve heard. “Side Tracked” has a good jazzy organ solo to boot.

Their version of “Rumble” is also cool, even if it doesn’t have the menace of Link Wray’s original. The organ provides an eerie background. Buddy gets a shimmering tone out of his guitar chords with a ferocious slicing sound towards the end of the song

I haven’t heard the flip side, a version of “Caravan”, but Not Fade Away #2 says guitarist on that side was Levi Garrett. I assume these were recorded at Robin Hood Brians’ studio in Tyler, but I could be mistaken.

The A-side of their third single, “Bat Man” is credited to Henderson and Pittman. The flip is a cover of Jack McDuff’s “Light Blues”.

TT-112 – Sen-Sa-Shun / Side Tracked
TT-115 – Rumble / Caravan
TT-117 – Bat Man / Light Blues
TT-120 – Honest I Do (vocal) / Honest I Do (instrumental)

Thanks to Rich for the transfer of “Rumble” and to Greg Reyes for the scan of “Bat Man”. Thank you to Martin Hancock for finding the scan of “Rumble”.

The Revolvers

Stan Gorman and the Revolvers Ty Tex 45 I Love Lovin' You

Revolvers Ty Tex 45 When You Were MineAs the Ty Tex label was winding down in late 1967, The Revolvers were responsible for four of the last six releases that I know of (#s 127, 128, 129 and 131). None of these are essential listening in my opinion, though the band came close on a few occasions.

Their first 45 is probably the best, with finely-picked guitar on the pop “Like Me” on the A-side, and “When You Were Mine”, a moody original based on “House of the Rising Sun” on the flip. Both were originals by Stan Gorman and Mike Goodrich.

Their second is quite different, featuring two uptempo soul numbers with horns, another Gorman-Goodrich original “Good Lovin’ Woman” backed with a version of “Land of 1,000 Dances.” This release had a notice in Billboard from June of 1967.

On their third, they back singer Dana Black on an unnecessary version of “As Tears Go By”. I haven’t heard the flip, “Your Love’s For Me”, done by just the Revolvers without Dana Black. The label notes “A product of Eula Anton, arranged by Mike Goodrich”.

Their last is credited to their vocalist Stan Gorman and the Revolvers. I have to agree with the note written on the sleeve of my copy: “I Love Lovin’ You” is a good blue-eyed soul number and I could see it being a northern soul hit with a different vocalist. Stan does a good job of the song but doesn’t have the right voice to put it over. Both songs written by Hammond and Gorman. “Green Unicycle” is a wretched pastiche of psychedelia and vaudeville.

Stan Gorman & the Revolvers Ty Tex 45 Green Unicycle

Ty Tex Records Discography

The Antons Ty-Tex 45 Larry's TuneTonettes Ty-Tex 45 Gee Baby

Any help with this discography would be appreciated:

TT-100 – Ron Williams and the Customs – Sue Sue Baby / Empty Feeling (both by Ron Williams)
TT-101 – Guy Goodwin – Roll Out the Red Carpet / Nobody Going Nowhere
TT-102 – Ron Williams – I’ll Miss You So / I Guarantee You Baby (October 1961)
TT-103 – ?
TT-104 – The Antons – Larry’s Tune (Larry Stanley) / Green Eyes (1962) (N8OW-2631/2)
TT-105 – Zeroes – Flossie Mae / Twisting With Crazee Babee
TT-106 – Ron Williams – Wine, Wine, Wine / So Long, My Love (Ron Williams)
TT-107 – The Tonettes – Gee Baby (J. Joseph, A. Tyler) / Friendship Ring (late 1962) (NO9W-2713/4)
TT-108 – Guy Goodwin – Wheels a Hummin’ / You’re Right I Will
TT-7599 – Ron Williams – If I Could Stay Away From You (Ron Williams) / On Top of Old Smokey (also released on Imperial 5729)

The above feature an early label design with outline of state of Texas and roses. See Rockin’ Country Style for more info.

Joe Baby and the Donnells Ty Tex 45 Little Sally WalkerReleases below have a simpler design with Ty Tex at the top:

TT-110 – Donnie Carl – Love and Learn / Do the Wiggle Wobble (D. Kight)
TT-111 – Guy Goodwin- Where Sweethearts Never Part / ? (1962)
TT-112 – The Sensors featuring Buddy Henderson – Sen-Sa-Shun / The Sensors – Side Tracked
TT-113 – Donnie Carl with the Donnells – It Happened to Me Parts 1 & 2
TT-114 – Joe Baby and the Donnells – Little Sally Walker (Doing the Camel Walk) (D. Kight) / I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town
TT-115 – The Sensors – Rumble
TT-116 – Guy Goodwin – A Taste Of Her Loving / ??
TT-117 – The Sensors – Bat Man – supposed to be scarce.
TT-118 – Donnie Carl – You’ve Got It / Getting Over You (both by D. Kight, December 1964)
TT-119 – Donnie Carl – Heart Attack / If You Want It That Way
TT-120 – The Sensors – Honest I Do (vocal) / Honest I Do (instrumental)
TT-121 – Linda Burns – And That Reminds Me / The Reason Why (October 1965)
TT-122 – The Derbys – A Different Woman Every Day (Taylor-Gadson-Darnell) / The Crow
TT-123 – Ron Williams and the Trebles – So Fine / Let’s Stop Wasting Time (Ron Williams)
TT-124 – Ron Williams – Please Come Back / I’m Sending You A Pencil
TT-125 – One Eyed Jacks – Hang It Up (Robert Leslie Allen) / Down On My Knees
TT-126 – Larry Mack – Last Day of the Dragon (Larry Stanley) / Can’t You See Me Crying
TT-127 – The Revolvers – Like Me / When You Were Mine
TT-128 – The Revolvers – Good Lovin’ Woman / Land of 1,000 Dances (June 1967)
TT-129 – Dana Black and the Revolvers – As Tears Go By b/w The Revolvers – Your Love’s for Me
TT-130 – Floyd Jones – My Mother’s Prayer / Hero’s Welcome Home
TT-131 – Stan Gorman and the Revolvers – I Love Lovin’ You / Green Unicycle

Many of the later releases show “A product of Eula Anton” on the label. At least some of these records were cut at Robin Hood Brians studio in Tyler.

For more information on the Sensors, the One Eyed Jacks, and the Revolvers see their individual entries.

Donnie Carl

Donnie Carl is Donnie Carlton Kight, a soul singer. He wrote most of his songs, sometimes with Mike Goodrich.

Ronny Williams' Gold Standard sleeve Move Up a Little Closer Baby
Ronny Williams’ Gold Standard sleeve
could this be the same person recording for Ty Tex as far back as 1961?

Ron Williams

Ron Williams wrote most of the songs he recorded, here are some other 45s he cut:

Pastel 404, “Poor Little Lamb” / “Hey! Little Pearl” – the A-side is excellent garage. I don’t have the record, but have short clips of both sides here. Arvel Stricklin played lead guitar and Hammond organ on both tracks (source). Pastel Records owned by Maj. Bill Smith.

Vee Jay 675 “Angel Girl” / She Ran Away” (1965)

Austin A-321, “Big Boy Pete” / “Runaway” (despite its name, Austin Records was a Ft. Worth based label. I haven’t heard this one)

Le Cam LC 331 – Ron Williams with Major Bill’s Texans – “Lady Diana” / “Somewhere Between”

A release by Ronny Williams “Move Up a Little Closer Baby” on the Gold Standard label may also be his – but once I saw the photo of him on the sleeve I decided it’s not possible, do you agree? The flip is sung by his brother Larry Williams, “When You Grow Tired Of Him”.

Larry Mack Ty Tex 45 Last Day of the DragonLarry Mack

One of the best vocals that I’ve heard on the label is Larry Mack’s “Last Day of the Dragon”. Songwriting credit goes to Larry Stanley. This is a track I’d definitely like to know more about. I don’t own it yet and haven’t heard the flip.

Thanks to Martin Hancock, Steve Munger and DrunkenHobo for their additions to this discography and the scans seen here. Thank you to Janis Hellard for the scan of Ty Tex TT 114, Joe Baby and the Donnells.

Larry Williams Gold Standard 45 When You Grow Tired of Him

Wild-Ones on Tiger Productions

There were plenty of bands called the Wild Ones in the ’60s, but this group doesn’t seem to be related to any of them. A Massachusetts location is possible. The “200,608” number on the label refers to a Decca custom pressing, usually, but not always used by bands in New England. There was a group called the Wild Ones from Shrewsbury/Worchester MA with the single “Number One Girl” / “Surfin’ Time Again” on Camsul.

Mike Markesich wrote: “September, 1965 release. They are not related to the NYC discotheque performing group on United Artists & the Sears label, even tho I’ve seen that mentioned somewhere before. Nothing in copyright matches the titles, songwriters or producer name.”

The highlight is the A-side’s “Please”, a sharp rocker with a desperate singer and a very simple guitar break. “Just Me” is faster, with an even simpler, but effective guitar solo. Good, spare production with a booming sounds to the drums and clearly audible descending bass lines.

Both songs were written by Pratt and Scheurer, and produced by M.A. LaGrotte for the Tiger Productions label.

Info on the Camsul release from Till the Stroke of Dawn by Aram Heller. Thanks to Mike Markesich for the info and label scans, and to Davie Gordon for pointing out the connection to AAA in his comment below. Thanks also to the Eggman for bringing this subject up!

The Fabulous Pendletons

 The Fabulous Pendletons photo
The Fabulous Pendletons

Len More sent in this bio and photos of the Fabulous Pendletons, from Newark, Ohio, just east of Columbus. Len wrote to me “They never recorded. Terry Worth left the group in 1966. I grew up in Newark also but never saw them. I did frequent a dance club called “Alcatraz” in Newark and the “Pirates Cove” in Granville. I also had a friend Jim Proshek that was in a band called The Cytes from Johnstown and Alexandria.”

The bio reads as follows:

The group formed in Newark, Ohio in 1964 and played until the summer of 1967.

The original lineup was John Butts (lead guitar), John Proudley (drums), Terry Worth (rhythm guitar), Dave Pound (vocals) and Dave Morris (vocals). Worth and Morris left the group to seek other fame and fortune. Jerry Miller joined and added the bass guitar to the sound and Jeff Robb from nearby Granville, OH took over on rhythm guitar.

The group played at various scenes around central Ohio including the Newark Armory, Battle of the Bands at Vets Memorial in Columbus, the Holiday Swim Club as well as the college dance circuit. The jocks from WCOL in Columbus were helpful in furthering their career, especially Mike Adams. The group played cover songs of the day but no original compositions.

They played with Ohio acts such as the Rebounds, the Dantes and Sir Timothy and the Royals. They also played at the same venues with national acts such as the Standells, Terry Knight and the Pack, the Left Banke, The Supremes, Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, and the Four Tops.

Fabulous Pendletons circa 1966, photo: John Butts, Dave Pound, Jerry Miller, Jeff Robb and John Proudley
The Fabulous Pendletons circa 1966, clockwise from left: John Butts, Dave Pound, Jerry Miller, Jeff Robb and John Proudley
“Terry Worth left the group in 1966 shortly before this picture was taken.” – Len More
 The Fabulous Pendletons
The Fabulous Pendletons
The Fabulous Pendletons with the Vogues
The Fabulous Pendletons with the Vogues

Men at Work

Men at Work photo: Karl Lundeen, Marvin Glenna (drums), Dale Madison and Dean Johnson
Men at Work, from left: Karl Lundeen, Marvin Glenna (drums), Dale Madison and Dean Johnson
The Exiles, from left: Dean Johnson and Gene Markus
The Exiles, from left: Dean Johnson and Gene Markus

I am proud to present Men at Work – a group based out of St. Paul, Minnesota originally called the Exiles. The members came from the Chisago Lakes area: Chisago City, Center City and Taylors Falls. They chose the moniker Men at Work years before the dippy Australian novelty act and cut one rare 45 with two fine versions of r&b from the day.

Gene Markus – lead vocals
Karl Lundeen – lead guitar / bass
Dean Johnson – organ / guitar / bass
Dale Madison – bass / guitar
John Lindbloom – drums, replaced by Marvin Glenna

Dean Johnson at the drums with the Exiles
Dean Johnson at the drums with the Exiles

Pauline Kabe introduces her father Dean Johnson’s band:

This little known 1960’s garage band played with the likes of The Castaways, The Trashmen and other local rock bands. Inspired by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, they were one of the many garage bands that hoped to ride the wave of pop music in the wake of the British Invasion. They took the name “Men At Work” more than a decade before the Australian 1980’s pop group.

This 45 was recorded at Dove Studios in Bloomington, Minnesota in 1966 and produced by Peter Steinberg. “It’s All Right” is a cover of the Rolling Stones “I’m Alright”. “Shame, Shame, Shame” is a cover of a Jimmy Reed tune. One of the hot teen places they played was The Country Dam (now razed), which was located in Turtle Lake, WI. The Country Dam funded 1000 singles to be cut in hopes to reach local DJ’s and gain popularity.

The band only saw 100 copies and the remaining copies were to be sent to local DJ’s for air play. The remaining 900 copies mysteriously disappeared (or were never cut). Only a few remaining copies are owned by family members of the band.

They have also played under the name Walt’s Rhythm Kings and in the 1980’s The Georgia Express.

Men At Work Country Dam 45 It's All RightMen At Work Country Dam 45 It's All Right

Dean Johnson
Dean Johnson

Dean Johnson wrote:

I believe it was the summer of 1966 when the Exiles went into the recording studio and cut “It’s All Right” and “Shame, Shame, Shame”. By this time Dale Madison had joined the group as the primary bass guitar player as I had bought a keyboard (organ), and there were five of us. Not terribly long after we cut the record, John Lindbloom was drafted and went off to serve in the Viet Nam war.

We, of course, had some advance notice this was going to happen, and we had been looking for a drummer. Marvin Glenna was one of the first that we tried out. While he had the ability, he was very young and inexperienced, and we were concerned about getting him in to the bars we were playing in. We tried out two or three more who were just crap, and eventually decided to give Marvin a whirl. It turned out to be a great decision.

Marvin Glenna
Marvin Glenna

For sometime before as well as after we cut the record, we were bring booked by Jim Donna of the Castaways and also by a prominent DJ from KDWB radio. We were playing the teen club circuit from Buffalo to Renville and also some college gigs at the University of Minnesota, St Cloud, and Storm Lake, Iowa….including many weekends at Woodley’s Country Dam. The owner – Jim Woodley – actually financed the studio time and the cost of pressing the records; and we in turn played for him for nothing for many, many weekends until we had paid him back.It was a cold, wintery night and we had a gig up at a Catholic High School in St Cloud. Marcus didn’t show up for the job, and we were ill prepared to do a complete four set night with out him. We stumbled and struggled the best we could, but none of us knew the words to all the songs he had sung, and we ended up butchering his songs and playing the handful that were our numbers over and over again for maybe the fourth or fifth times. The kids were pretty upset with this shitty band, and rightly so. We got peppered with snowballs, I ended up cussing out a priest which made Dale Madison – a devout catholic – extremely angry.

Dale Madison
Dale Madison

Marcus showed up at my house later in the week. Karl and I were there at the time and we told him to take a flying leap and that we didn’t want to see him again. He had helped us purchase some equipment, so he demanded a guitar, amp and microphone and went on his way. We have never seen him since.So the four of us learned all of the words to the songs that Marcus had sung, and we continued as the Men at Work for the remainder of 1966, all of 1967, and up until about a month before [my daughter Pauline was] born in March of 1968. I had promised that I would quit playing in order to be around to help when and after she was born. We were sort of a unique group for the times as the three front men, Dale, Karl & I would all switch around on each other’s instruments because we could all play a little bass, a little lead and a little rhythm guitar. We would do three or four numbers and then switch instruments and do two or three more, etc., all night long.

We were all supposed to get together again later that summer to regroup and practice up as we had playing dates booked at the Country Dam and other sites beginning in September. However, when the time came, Karl and Marvin had been playing with Marv’s brother, Walt, down in the cities, and they announced that they had decided to stay there instead. After a while, I was asked to come down and join in… which I did.

So then we became Walt’s Rhythm Kings for the next couple of years, playing at country bars and clubs on the NE side of Minneapolis, eventually settling in as the house band at the Forest Lake bowling alley which had a significant club and dance wing. Eventually we went uptown to play at the Forest Laker in downtown Forest Lake as the house band there.

Karl Lundeen
Karl Lundeen

We at some point had the revelation that we should be the Georgia Express, and we played again at the Country Dam, the Tea House (country club at Chisago Lakes Golf Course), Forest Lake, weddings, Fireman’s Balls, local town street dances, the Conestoga, Lindstrom Golf Course, and many private parties.

 

Walts Rhythm Kings and Georgia Express:

Walter Glenna – lead vocals / guitar
Marvin Glenna – drummer / vocals
Dean Johnson – bass / vocals
Karl Lundeen – lead guitar / vocals

Thank you to Pauline Kabe for alerting me to Men at Work, and to Dean Johnson for his help with this article.

from left: Dale Madison, Marvin Glenna and Karl Lundeen
from left: Dale Madison, Marvin Glenna and Karl Lundeen
Dale Madison and Dean Johnson
Dale Madison and Dean Johnson
Dale Madison
Dale Madison
Dale Madison
Dale Madison
Karl Lundeen
Karl Lundeen
Karl Lundeen
Karl Lundeen

The Henchmen of Ogden, Utah

Henchmen Guillotine 45 Come On Let's GoThere were many bands called the Henchmen throughout the U.S. in the ’60s, but this one came from Ogden, Utah.

Gary MacShara wrote in a comment below:

The “45 … was recorded at a studio at the University of Utah.

The group consisted of 5 students from Ben Lomond High School in Ogden Utah. The members were Tom Whitimore, Rick Wessler, Paul Quigley, Gary MacShara,and lead vocalist Von Nielson.

Henchmen Guillotine 45 So LonelyThe group broke up after High School. The highlite of there career was a session with the Liverpool Five. The low point was when we took the record to a Salt Lake
radio station and the jock in the studio played it and said quote,”After reading the article in [Billboard] I expected something better.”

If anyone has more info or photos of the band, or better scans of the 45, please contact me.

Because the comments below were almost entirely about the band from Utah, I have moved the original group featured in this post to a new page.

The Rock Garden

Not the Rock Garden from Arkansas who recorded “Super Stuff” for the Revise label, or the Georgia group who cut “Starry Eyed Woman” for Prophet, or even the one from Michigan (formerly Frederic) who recorded for Capitol. This Rock Garden seems to be an unknown group, possibly only a studio creation.

Released in 1968, “Sweet Pajamas”, written by Jason Schulman, was nearly forgotten for years. I could call this psychedelia-by-numbers due to the anonymity of the group, elaborate production touches like the harpsichord break, and an instrumental middle section taking after the Dead or Mad River. Despite these criticisms, the disparate parts add up to a gem of a song with an endearing hook. The musicianship is professional: the drums crack on the stop-and-start tempo changes, the bass nicely doubles the vocal melody and the rhythm guitar loosens up in the second half of the song.

The B.T. Puppy label was owned by the vocal group the Tokens. Their hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was recently discussed on a garage forum as being possibly the most unbearable song of the ’60s. Regardless, by 1967 the Tokens used their harmonies and writing skills to craft some fine psychedelic pop for their LP It’s a Happening World, including “For All that I Am” that the Creation would cover for one of their final singles, and a brief vignette called “Perhaps, the Joy of Giving”.

On the B-side of the Rock Garden single, “Perhaps, the Joy of Giving” is extended to two minutes, laden with effects and voices.

The 45 was produced by Elliot Weiss & Bright Tunes Productions, engineered by Wally Sheffey.