Category Archives: Tennessee

The Loved Ones “Surprise, Surprise (For You)” on Ambassador Records

The Loved Ones profiled in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, January 22, 1967
The Loved Ones formed at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Members were:

Terry Johnson – guitar
Barry “Byrd” Burton – guitar
Doug Graham – bass
Mike Coyner – drums

Alan Copeland – drums (replaced Mike Coyner in fall of 1966)
Ranse Whitworth – guitar (replaced Terry Johnson in late 1967)
Dorian Rush – drums (replaced Alan Copeland in February, 1968)

Loved Ones Ambassador 45 Surprise, Surprise (For You)In June of 1966 released a great 45 of two original songs, “Surprise, Surprise (For You)” (written by Terry Johnson and Barry Burton, Tuba Music) b/w “Another Time or Place” (by Terry Johnson, Kasen Music) on Ambassador Records TIF 212. The Loved Ones recorded the songs at Bradley’s Barn studio in Nashville.

The band’s manager went to New York to shop the single, and secured a deal Ambassador, a label from Newark, New Jersey.

An early version of the group, under perhaps a different name, had started a year or two earlier, playing a VFW hall in August 1964. Terry Johnson played guitar; Doug Graham was playing a Fender Rhodes Piano Bass. Other early members included Bill McMakin on acoustic guitar, and an unknown drummer, perhaps Jim Bible or Ed Hagood. At some point they were replaced by Barry Burton and Mike Coyner.

The Loved Ones made a demo in January 1966, “I Love Her More”, cut at Startime Studios, owned by Jim Clayton, in January 1966. WKGN broadcast the song in February, but it has since become lost.

On August 28, 1966, the News-Sentinel reported on their summer residency in Greenwich Village, a time I would like to know more about:

The Loved Ones’ Returning to Knox

A local long-haired singing group, which has been playing in New York’s Greenwich Village all summer, will return to Knoxville Saturday at the Civic Coliseum.

“The Loved Ones,” all U-T students when they organized last January, will sing before about 5000 at the Knoxville invitation Teen Board Dance.

The group, Terry Johnson, Barry Burton, Doug Graham and Mike Coyner, will be based in Knoxville this fall when Terry returns to school at U-T…

Three – Terry, Doug, and Barry – are from Rogersville, and Mike from Chattanooga.

I looked for notices of the Loved Ones playing in Greenwich Village, but so far have not found them.

After this article appeared, Alan Copeland, originally from Memphis, replaced Mike Coyner on drums.

The Loved Ones and their manager Bill Baillie helped open a Knoxville nightclub called The Place.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported on January 22, 1967:

The Place, 1915 Cumberland Ave., which opened Friday night … has an unique atmosphere all its own. The L-shaped room, large enough for 450 people, features black walls and white flourescent designs. Several large revolving rainbow-colored lights set the walls and floors to dancing. About 75 small tables dot the two ends of the room. Benches with narrow tables jutting out from them line the walls, creating seats for about 270 …

The Loved Ones are providing the opening week entertainment. Other combos scheduled include the Group from Memphis, the Playboys from Chattanooga, and Knoxville’s Jay, Jami, and the Soul Survivors.

Their recent recording, “Surprise, Surprise” was a regional hit … the group will release a new record in early spring.

On July 2, 1967, the News-Sentinel ran an item “Two Knox Groups Cut Pop Discs”:

Jay Henderson, a Rule Hugh School graduate, and Sandy Richards, a Central High graduate, have a record out on Spot Label of Johnson City, which began air play last week. They call themselves “Jami and Jay” and are backed by a Knoxville combo, “The Soul Survivors.” The number one side of the record is “I’m So Lonely” and the flip side is “I Know I’m Not Much.”
Another Knoxville group, “The Loved Ones,” has recorded 12 original songs for Roulette Records, a national company in New York. Terry Johnson, leader of the group which met at U-T, wrote the songs, two of which are planned for release within two weeks. Others in the group are Doug Graham, Barry Burton, and Alan Copeland.

I’m not sure if the band actually did cut “12 original songs for Roulette Records”, or what happened to those recordings.

On Friday, September 1, 1967, the Loved Ones opened for the Young Rascals at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.

Ranse Whitworth replaced Terry Johnson in late ’67, and Dorian Rush replaced Alan Copeland in February 1968.

The band released their second 45 on Brookmont Records 556, “Country Club Life” (by B. Russell, B. Cason), “Together, Together” (W. Rabideau, D.J. Chalmers), produced by Redell Productions. CashBox reviewed it on September 14, 1968: “social commentary about the country club-commuter set is delivered in blues style … FM play could alert Top 40’s to its sales potential.”

[Walter Rabideau and David-John Chalmers wrote both sides of the only other release on Brookmont Records, by Tomorrow’s Children “Take a Good Look” / “Rainy Corner”, and both would go into the Farm Band in Summertown, Tennessee.]

I don’t know how or when the group broke up.

In 1972 Byrd Burton formed the Amazing Rhythm Aces (with Jeff Davis of Indiana group the Nomads, whose “Coolsville” on Skoop is covered on this site).

The Loved Ones had at least one reunion, with Byrd Burton, Terry Johnson, Ranse Whitworth and Mike Coyner.

Several of the members have passed away: Dorian Rush at the age of 20, Doug Graham in 2004, and Barry “Byrd” Burton in March of 2008.

—–

Steve Hostak

One 1967 photo shows the Loved Ones in Nashville’s Bradley’s Barn studio with Steve Hostak. Hostak wrote “Summer Boys” which Judy Eggers cut at Metro Recording in Knoxville, released with “Life of a Fool” (by E.J. Roberts) on Metromaster M-166.

In the 1970s, Stephan Hostak played guitar on albums by James Talley, Tracy Nelson and others, and did some writing and arranging work. I’d like to know more about Hostak’s connection with the Loved Ones, and his other early studio work.

The Trophies on Golden Sound

Trophies Golden Sound 45 With a Love

The Trophies released one single in October, 1965, “With a Love” backed with the uptempo “C’mon Little Lady”.

If the members were also the song writers, then the band included:

George Jevicky
Andy Martin
Daniel Nasimento

Geo. Jevicky, Andy Martin wrote the moody “With a Love” published by Blue Coast Music, administered by SESAC. Daniel Mascimento wrote “C’mon Little Lady” published by Duval BMI.

This is the only release on the Golden Sound label that I know of, GS 1011.

Teen Beat Mayhem lists the band’s location as San Francisco, California, but the label credits read “produced by Suwanee Songs, Lenoir City, Tennessee”.

I’d like to know how a San Francisco band wound up on a label out of Lenoir City, a small metropolis southwest of Knoxville.

Trophies Golden Sound 45 C'mon Little Lady

The Coachmen from Memphis, Tennessee

The Coachmen, from left: Sam Brough, Glen Cammack, Tommy Burnett (sitting) and Rick Allen, “backstage at the Mid-South Coliseum after a Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs gig.”
Photo from Ron Hall’s essential “The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook 1960-1975”

Coachmen Gold Standard 45 I'll Never Leave You

The Coachmen are not well-remembered now, but were a significant band in Memphis in 1965. They played at the premier of Help at the Loews Palace Theatre with the WMPS Good Guys. They had one single on Gold Standard 155, “I’ll Never Leave You” / “Possibility”.

Members were:

Tommy Burnett – vocals
Sam Brough
Glen Cammack
Rick Allen

“I’ll Never Leave You” is good upbeat pop. Copyright registration from August, 1965 shows Larry Hill and Rusty Taylor (as Roland Parker Taylor) as co-writers. Rusty Taylor was vocalist with the Yo-Yo’s (the Swingin’ Yo-Yo’s) and later had two solo singles on the M.O.C. label. The Coachmen single preceded the Yo-Yo’s singles on Goldwax.

“Possibility” is a Stan Vincent composition which had been done by the Crowns on Old Town Records in 1964.

Gold Standard owner Zeke Clements produced, and the labels credit “The Coachmen (from Memphis, Tenn)” and “vocal by Tommy Burnett”.

Rusty Taylor and Larry Hill registered another composition “I Know”, in October, 1965, also with Blazon Music.

Fire, Rhythm & Smoke – Sissie’s Uptown Lounge

Fire, Rhythm & Smoke Sissie's 45 Fire & RhythmHere’s an obscure one out of Nashville, from the early-70s I would guess. Fire, Rhythm and Smoke do a good hard rock number called “Fire & Rhythm” with very gravely vocals, released on Sissie’s 001.

The flip is “Sissie’s Place”, kind of a ’60s Sam the Sham sound to advertise Sissie’s Uptown Lounge on 125 6th Ave N in Nashville. I can’t find any mention of that lounge in news archives or on the web, and the site may be a parking lot now. For decades it was the address of Rock City Amusement Co. which advertised jukeboxes and pinball machines in Cash Box.

James Snell gets song writing credit on both labels, but BMI lists Dave Sunderland and Gary Turner on both songs, as well as Snell.

Desert Trash published both songs. The only other songs in their catalog are “Lay Me Down By Your Side” & “Cheatin’ on Him” by Ellen Daley, but I can’t find a recording of those.

John Shepherd produced and has his name etched in the runout.

That’s all I can find out. Surely these musicians had some roots in earlier groups.

Carol Chakarian “Put Your Accent on Love” on Nashville

Carol Chakarian Nashville 45 Put Your Accent On Love

Carol Chakarian lets loose with a great vocal on “Put Your Accent on Love”. Not ‘garage’ music, but a pop song in a country style. Hear an excerpt.

The flip is the more sedate “Lost in This World of Love”, both songs written by Phil DeWolf, publishing by Tronic BMI. Released in 1965 on Nashville 5242, “A Tommy Hill Starday Studio Production”.

I can’t find any info on Chakarian or DeWolf.

Leon Starr and the Fire Birds “Little Live Wire”

Leon Starr and the Fire Birds VU Recording 45 Little Live Wire

Leon Starr was a Memphis, Tennessee musician whose roots go back to rockabilly days. In 1966 he had a country single “Honey Chile”, written by G. Huskey (Bill Huskey) and Johnny Surber, b/w “Have I Wasted My Time” by Arthur Kyle and Richard Needham, released on Millionaire Record Co.

His next single may have been this one, Leon Starr and the Fire Birds “Little Live Wire”, which gets a good sound by combining fuzz guitar with organ and a throbbing beat. I’d like to know which musicians were the Fire Birds.

Leon Starr and the Fire Birds VU Recording 45 Endless DreamReleased on VU Record Co. 45-101, and recorded at Tempo Recording Studio in Memphis, as were all the singles on the VU label, I believe. Leon Starr produced both sides. VU Record Co. had at least five other singles, country and spiritual, by George Wilhite, Don Miller, Jerry Gillentine, and the Mellorettes.

Arthur Kyle wrote “Little Live Wire” (copyright registered in April, 1968) and co-wrote “Endless Dream” with Herchell Hunton (registered May, 1967).
Hernando Pub. Co. published both songs.

In 1970, Leon Starr also wrote a couple other songs with Arthur Kyle, “Go Ahead, Laugh” (with Marvin Griffith) and “Imitation of You”. I’m not sure if these were recorded.

Bobby and the Blue Denims “Stop and Go”

Bobby and the Blue Denims Statue 45 Stop and GoI can’t find any information on Bobby and the Blue Denims, who cut this single of sax-and-guitar instrumentals. “Stop and Go” is a good bluesy original by Robert B. Hardy. The flip is “Rail Road Rock” arranged by W. Pierce. Cedarwood published both songs.

Released on Statue SR-7637, the L8OW code indicates this was an RCA custom pressing from 1960.

Statue had an address of 146 7th Avenue, North Nashville, Tennessee, which was simply the address of Cedarwood Pub. at the time.

The Violations (former members of Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs)

Violations Dot 45 You Sure Have Changed

Sam the Sham’s entire backing band quit towards the end of 1965, supposedly over financial disagreements. David Martin, Jerry Patterson, Ray Stinnett and Paul Gibson could not keep the Pharaohs name, and Sam recruited an entirely new Pharaohs lineup.

The remaining group cut one single as the Violations on Dot 45-16866, with Sam the Sham’s producer Stan Kesler, released in April, 1966.

Paul Gibson wrote the fast-moving r&b top side, “You Sure Have Changed” and collaborated with Ray Stinnett on “The Hanging”. The drumming is especially noticeable on both sides. I’ve read that “The Hanging” is a comment on the breakup with Samudio, but the lyrics are either oblique, like “People offer many persuasions/ Some offer gold as a prize / But they lie …”, or simply hard to comprehend over the slamming drums!

Violations Dot 45 The HangingCash Box reviewed the single in early May, 1966, giving it positive B+/B reviews, but the single faded without making any charts that I’m aware of.

Violations reviewed in Cash Box, May 7, 1966

Paul Gibson copyrighted two other songs in 1966, “A Long, Long Way” which was the B-side to Sam the Sham’s January 1966 single “Red Hot”, and “Like You Use To” which I’m not sure if anyone recorded.

I read Paul “Butch” Gibson left the music business after this single.

Ray Stinnett formed the 1st Century and released one 445 on Capitol produced by Don Nix featuring two of his original songs, “Looking Down” / “Dancing Girl”. He would work with Booker T. Jones and in 1971 cut his own album that would wait 40 years to be released with the title A Fire Somewhere.

Info from Ian Parker’s interview with Ray Stinnett at For Folk’s Sake.

The Innocence “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records

Innocence Zap 45 Quit Buggin' MeI hadn’t heard the Innocence single “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records 2331, but I bought a copy because the titles were promising and it shares a label with a favorite garage 45, the Starlites‘ “Wait For Me”.

“Quit Buggin’ Me” turns out to be a fairly hilarious song-poem type vocal over a rock backing track (with flute, why not).

Quit buggin’ me,
I don’t want to be bothered,
Can’t you see,
You’re wasting your time.

Besides the singer’s off-time interjections of “Quit buggin’ me”, I like lyrics such as “keep fishin’ round, you got the bait”! plus the chorus chanting “You’ve had your way” and “I’m off the hook”.

“Jungle of Love” is more countrified and the lyrics a bit hackneyed.

Rozella Staples and Joan Hager wrote both songs, published through Top Talent Music BMI. They registered the songs with the Library of Congress in September 1970, but from the pressing code ZAFX-6805217, I believe this was actually recorded and released in 1968.

Zap Records was part of Belle Meade Records in Nashville, also known for song-poem releases.

The Wanderers on Tri-City Records in Nashville

Wanderers Tri City 45 Sick and Tired

The Wanderers cut this great version of Fats Domino’s 1958 hit, “Sick and Tired”, with catchy lead guitar throughout. The flip is a good version of “There Is Something on Your Mind”.

Tri City Records released this as Tri 5452. The code ZTSB 125453 refers to a custom pressing at Columbia’s Nashville plant, probably in early 1966.

I doubt I will discover who was in the Wanderers, as both sides are versions of r&b hits so there is no song writing credit to trace.

Wanderers Tri City 45 There Is Something on Your Mind

It does seem possible these Wanderers are the same group on a yellow-label 45 pressed by World Wide Records in Nashville, and produced by Tri-City Records, No. 3269. One side has Kenneth Castlemen’s great take on “Match Box”, the other James Stafford with the Wanderers doing “Changing My Mind “.

These artists are supposed to be from Jackson, Tennessee, about 2 hours drive west of Nashville.

World Wide Records is mentioned in Billboard as starting in 1966 and having Carlene Westcott Whaley as sales manager, prior to her starting Consolidated Record Enterprises. World Wide had a studio at 5819 Old Harding Rd in Nashville and seemed to specialize in white gospel records.