Category Archives: Waco

The Nokounts

The Nokounts Venus 45 Hey Girl

The Nokounts came from West, Texas, a small town south of Dallas and just north of Waco. The band released one single in August, 1964, “Hey Girl” / “I Saw Her Yesterday” on Venus 500/501. The A-side is a strong bluesy shuffle while the flip is a fast rocker.

The Nokounts, West News, August 28, 1964
The Nokounts in the West News, August 28, 1964
Both songs list writing credits as Kudelka – Hunt. Ron Kudelka was part of the group while 45cat lists Harmon Hunt and Bobo Wes as producers. Venus Records Inc, based in Waco, published the songs through Deb-Ka Publ.

The West News covered the band in a front-page article from August 28, 1964 titled “Nationwide Sale of Record by the Nokounts” with a lot of interesting information on the group:

Ron Kudelka, Butch Vochoska and Robert Ernst, all of West, Johnny Nash of Arlington and Randy Hudgins of Waco are members of the young group … they are looking forward to additional dates in Hillsboro, Waco and the famed teenage-nightclub “The Sugar Shack” in Dallas.

This record was also the first recording of Venus Records, Inc., a new company formed by several Hillsboro-West area people with the main office in Waco. Harmon Hunt of KHBR is president of the company and Miss LaNelle Duncan of West is Secretary-Treasurer.”

“Hey Girl” was recorded by Sellers Co. of Dallas and pressed by Wakefield of Phoenix, Arizona. Bill Lindsey of Dallas, nationally known for his hit recording of “Blue,” was the arranger for the recording company.

The Nokounts were originally organized by a group of West High Students [sic], and were first known as the Counts.

The Nokounts at the Playdium West, TX, October 17, 1964
The Nokounts at the Playdium West, TX, October 17, 1964

The Nokounts at Cottonwood Hall West, TX, December 27, 1964
The Nokounts at Cottonwood Hall West, TX, December 27, 1964
The article also noted their Venus 45 had distribution throughout the U.S.

An ad for a teenage dance on Saturday, October 17, 1964 at the Playdium ran in the West News of West, TX on Friday the 16th saying “The Nokounts of West … Recording Stars on the Venus Label “Hey Girl” and “I Saw Her Yesterday” … Their Second record Will Be Released in December “I’m Alone” and “I Don’t Care”.

To my knowledge that second record was not released and those songs have never surfaced.

The Nokounts Venus 45 I Saw Her Yesterday

The Kandy Kolored Konspiracy

The Kandy Kolored Konspiracy came from Waco, not Dallas as has been written. Despite staying on local charts for a couple months, their 45 is now a rare one. “One Million People” includes some sharp lines like:

“Well I see reality is just an imperfection of the mind,
What they do, and what they say is locked in a velvet wall of time,
All they have is their lies and their cotton candy alibis…”

Gary Anderson, who wrote the songs on the single, tells the band’s full story below. If anyone has a photo of the Kandy Kolored Konspiracy, please get in touch.

Gary Anderson – lead guitar
Rick Connor – rhythm guitar
Don Bolan – bass
Jimmy Campbell – keyboards
Nick Connor – drums

Kandy Kolored Konspiracy Media 45 One Million PeopleMy name is Gary Lane Anderson, and I was the songwriter and lead singer/lead guitar for Kandy Kolored Konspiracy — one of my early bands.

I developed the band name from a combination of Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, a collection of Tom Wolfe’s essays that I was reading at the time, and a sense of the racial tension and paranoia of the times (the Konspiracy and KKK references).

I had taught myself to play guitar since age 14 and lived in the Waco, Texas, area at the time. The band’s drummer was Nick Connor, the rhythm guitar player was his brother, Rick, the bass player was Don Bolan, and the keyboard player was Jimmy Campbell, all of Waco.

Kandy Kolored Konspiracy Waco Tribune Herald 1969 Aug 2
At Buddy’s Teen Club, August 1969
The band played constantly all over the Waco area and surrounding towns. We played for the opening of a Super Slide and a $.10 hamburger place in Waco. It was held in a huge parking lot. There were hundreds if not thousands of people there. All the local radio stations were present. This was during the time our record was out and we were a hot item in Waco.  We also staged our own dances by renting a hall setting everything up ourselves. We did this at a large hall on Franklin Street in Waco owned by the YWCA. One time we drove to Dallas to open for Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.

I played a white Fender Mustang through a Fender Deluxe Reverb sitting on a Bassman 212 cabinet, I no longer own any of this equipment. The rhythm guitarist played a red Fender Mustang through a Fender Bandmaster. The keyboard player used a red Farfisa organ, I don’t remember what amp he used. I don’t recall the bass player’s bass or amp. The drummer played a set of Ludwig drums, the Hollywood set in a psychedelic color. This is the same equipment we recorded with. I don’t recall what we used for a live PA.

I wrote the music and lyrics for “One Million People,” and the music for “Konspiracy “68”– the B-side instrumental, in 1966 when I was 16 years old.

Robin Brian recorded us in late 1967, just after I turned 17, at the Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas. On their website, www.robinhoodstudios.com is a picture of the recording equipment installed in 1963 and used to record our 45.

The drummer’s family had resources and arranged for the recording. The producer was Arnold Joseph “Joe” Poovey, known at the time as “Johnny Dallas,” and later as “Groovey” Joe Poovey. Joe had just produced the hit, “Heart Full of Love,” so we had high hopes for our 45. The only time I saw Joe was at the recording studio. The label was Media, and the publisher was Giant Publishing, but the only person we had any contact with was someone whose name I can’t remember, an associate of Joe’s.

The record was released in late 1967, but neither Johnny nor the label or publisher promoted it. I think we pressed 500.

When the record came to us, the credit on it was Gary Alexander, instead of Gary Anderson. Poovey’s associate said it must have been a printing mistake since he called in the information to the printer, but he never offered to correct it. I wondered later that the mistake was made on purpose to steal my copyright, in case the record took off, but at the time, I didn’t know things like copyrights existed. On the other hand, it could have just been an honest mistake. I do know that neither I nor my parents signed any contracts, so the legal handling of the project was sloppy at best, and I have not been able to determine who actually held the copyright, which would have expired around 1992 under old copyright law.

Kandy Kolored Konspiracy Waco Tribune Herald 1968 June 9
“One Million People” climbing the charts in the Waco Tribune Herald, June 9, 1968
Although it was registered with BMI and played on the radio in and around Waco, Texas, and remained in the local Top Ten, as reported weekly in the Sunday newspaper for at least six weeks, as well as being Number One for several weeks, I never received a penny from them. We sold a few records in and around Waco, but the proceeds went to repay Nick’s family. I still have a couple of the singles. I also have an original psychedelic-styled poster, which was hand-painted by my girlfriend at the time, but we never had copies made of it. (Sidenote: She is now Lea Lisa Black (nee Douthit) on The Real Housewives of Miami.)

To my knowledge, nothing else ever came of the record until the A-side song got picked up by garage band web sites and placed on compilations from Germany and Australia. “One Million People” plays in rotation on several underground and garage band music stations around the world.

After high school the Kandy Kolored Konspiracy members went their separate ways. As far as I know, Nick, Rick and Don gave up music after the band broke up, and I don’t know about Jimmy.

Another player I went to high school with was playing in a band. They needed a guitar player and asked me to play. David Hall was the drummer. We had been aware of each other since elementary school because our parents took us to the same church. Playing in this new band we became friends. This band did not last long so David and I decided to form another band. This was the beginning of Warlock.

My high school friend had a girl friend named Gill. She and my friend from high school broke up and she started dating Buzz Gilleland from the band Society. On a side note, I played many years later in a band with the drummer from Society who had switched to keyboards. His name is Jesse Day. In the sixties he was known as Pucky Day. We played together in a country band called Fire Creek.

Gill got Buzz, David and I together. David knew a bass player named Mike McKissic. And Warlock was complete.

I continue to play, sing, teach and write in Austin and central Texas. To see and hear my current work and bio, please go to www.reverbnation.com/garyanderson4 or facebook.com

Gary Anderson

For more on Warlock see On the Road South. Thanks to Don Julio for transcribing the lyrics and to Mark Taylor for the label scan.

Jeweldine Taylor

Jeweldine Taylor TRC Records promotional photo

My name is Jeweldine Taylor. I wrote and recorded “Look Who’s Talking About Love”, backed by Jim Bogle and the Beaumen. Recorded at Clifford Harring Studio, Fort Worth, Texas, on the T.R.C. Label. On the flip side was a song I also wrote, “Your Choice”.

at Geneva Hall, with Dale McBride, Gaylon Christie and Roy Robinson

A few months later, I formed my own band, Jeweldine Taylor and the Rockets. On occasions I appeared with other bands as a female vocalist.I had two lead guitar players, Tommy Christian, who I lost when he took a job with Chuck Harding and his wife. I then hired Jim Walker who stayed as long as I had a band.

Bass players were Tony Fishers, Wallace Pelton, Johnny Eubanks, and Algie Roundtree. Drummers, James Jackson, Mike Stewart, Mickey Sharp, and David West. Two saxophone players, Danny Fisk and Paul Jones. Other musicians were sometimes employed on a temporary bases until a permanent member could be found.

In the spring of 1965 I met a young Army officer named Douglas B. Gremel. We were married on August 7, 1965. After about ten months, with all contracts fulfilled, I dissolved the band and quit professional music.

About three years later, I started writing and recording gospel music as Jewel Gremel. My last recording was in 1999. My song New Jerusalem, was recorded by the Belville Brothers in the late 1990s.

Sincerely,
Jewel Gremel

at the Imperial Club, featuring Earl Crosby 407 Dallas Highway
with the Rockets at the Flame Room, formerly the Tropical 1520 S. Loop Drive, Waco
with Link Davis, Big Mamou and Paul Wayne at the Terrace on Dallas Highway
In the Sahara Ballroom of the Sahara Club, 111 East Industrial Blvd.

All clippings courtesy Jewel Gremel

The Veskants

Jack Benner, drummer with the Veskants and the Silvertones wrote to me about his career:

I started out playing piano as a kid, but didn’t like conventional music lessons. After a couple of years with Mamie B. Forkel (I swear), I quit. Later I found Geneva Hamilton, about as round as she was tall, well into her 60’s, coal-black dyed hair and smoked Camels, but she could PLAY piano! That was my start-out instrument (professionally). The problem with piano in a “movable” band back then was the equipment you had to buy and carry. Not every place you needed to play had a piano and if it did, it usually meant re-tuning the whole band.

When I met Mickey Sharp in the 9th grade and I was so impressed with his natural style on drums, I asked if he would teach me as much as he could. We struck up a life-long friendship and he taught me as much as I could learn. I was never quite in his league … he was the best, I was just good.

I started playing professionally while attending Richfield High School. My first job was with Jeweldine Taylor & The Rockets and first job was at James Connally AFB. Later we played at The Flame Room Lounge. When I was with the band, Augie Roundtree was on bass and I think Wallace Pelton may have been on lead guitar, she played rhythm guitar (Fender Jaguar). Started on piano but Rex Boehme took a radio DJ job in Dallas, so I took over drums.

Q. Did you play on her 45, “Look Who’s Talking (About Love)” on the TRC (Texas Record Company) label, backed by Bogle & the Beaumen?

Did not play on the Jeweldine Taylor record. Don’t remember hearing it or knowing about it until now. Her dad was her booking agent and manager and he repaired typewriters for a living. A few years after I worked for her, she went deeply religious and carried a Bible around with her. If you spoke to her, just a “hello”, you got “saved”!

I worked part-time at Waco Music Center in Southgate for a short time. Later we formed a band called Veskants with Larry Nichols (keyboard/sax), Ted Richardson (guitar), Richard Travis (bass), me on drums and Ronnie Byrd as vocalist. We recorded “Little Miss Heartbreaker” and “More Than Love” at Goodson McKee’s recording studio. Songs were written in part by Byrd. “More Than Love” was supposed to be the “A” side of the record but for some reason “Heartbreaker” got the most request/play, go figure. Pressed a few hundred records on W.M.C. label. Sold a few – gave away most. I still have a couple. Larry Nichols made up the name Veskants … who knows what goes through that mind of his!

Next band was The Silvertones featuring Little Anthony. He claimed his real name was Anthony Fontaine, who knows, but we were soon packing them in at The Red Carpet Club. Several talented players came and went in this band. I played trumpet, Mickey Sharp drums, Rick Jensen tenor sax, Ronny Cawthon lead guitar for a while, later Ted Richardson, Richard Travis bass (got drafted) so Jerry Rierson took bass – later Frank Tate. Larry Nichols played keyboard and for a while we had a 3rd horn (bari-sax) but can’t remember his name.

While in school, I took “Band” and learned to play the Coronet. Never really figured on using it professionally – weren’t many bands at that time using brass. Then as if by magic, Herb Alpert came along and then the R&B (soul) bands and all of a sudden there was a need for brass-players. It was light and easy to transport and I loved it for traveling all over the country. I can’t tell you the number of times I played “Lonely Bull”! Because I could play several instruments fairly well, I was never without “work” if I wanted it. That was nice.

Q. Was the Silvertones you were with the same group that recorded with Gaylan Ladd, “Get Out of Town” / “Something Is Strange”?

The Silvertones I played with did not record while I was with them but Gaylan came along after I left the band and the band Heather Black had a core of Silvertones in it so that’s possible. When we picked up Little Anthony and the extra instruments we were mainly a “showband”.

We toured many clubs & military bases. Gaylon Christy was our first agent but we got picked up by Sam Gibbs – Wichita Falls. Lots of work/travel! After band broke up (Dec. ’68) I moved to Arlington, took a day job and started working as “fill” on drums or keyboards, got married and was transferred to Wichita Kansas where I formed a 3-piece club band to keep my sanity.

When I got back to Texas (Hurst) I quit playing for a while. Then got a call from Frank Tate and Richard Travis to play organ/front a band called Bandana. Their rhythm guitar got transferred and they had a contract at Franks Lakeview Inn on Lake Belton. Just wanted me to help them out to the end of the contract – about 10 weeks. This was in 1973 – four years later we were still going strong.

Smil’n Jack Benner

Thanks to Mike Markesich for the scans and transfers of the Veskants single.

Paradise discography

The Paradise label out of Houston, Texas is known for garage 45s by Thursday’s Children and the Warlocks, which came late in the label’s run. Most releases are r&b or blues, but there are even some country singles in the series.

any help with this would be appreciated

1000 – Joe Medwick – Second Time Around / Alabama Blues
1001 – Perk Williams – I’m Hanging My Teardrops Out / Release Me
1002 – Jimmy Nelson – Her Last Bye Bye / Tell Me Who
1003 – Frankie Anthony – Goin’ to the River (Frank Argento) / Brenda
1004 – Joe Medwick – You Little Heartbreaker You / I Cried
1005 – Willard Burton – The Last Buffalo / Cuban Cane Fields
1006 – Joe Hill – Just Not My World Anymore / Give Me a Reason
1007 – Link Davis – You Were Only Pulling My Leg / Whenever You Find Your Love My Love (1963)
1008 – Gashead – I’m Too Good / I Want to Get into Something
1009 – The Impellas – Five Plug / Sailing High
1010 – Gene Allison – Not Even Judgment Day / Fading Love
1011 – Gashead – You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone / Why Do You Treat Me Like a Tramp
1012 – Jimmy Nelson – Sweet Sugar Daddy / I’ll Be Ready
1013 – Johnny Copeland – I Need You Now / Heebie Jeebies
1014 – Link Davis – Orange Blossoms / Feu Follet (1963)
1015 – Larry Martinez – Borquinho / Melinda Café
1016 – Jim Post – Every Once in a While / Look a Long Way
1017 – The Rendevous – Ruby Baby / Ram-Bunk-Shus
1018 – Willard Burton – The Freeze / No Name
1019 – Interns – Sally Met Molly / Have Mercy
1020 – Chris Funston with the High Hopes – Summertime / There’s Nothing Left
1021 – Warlocks – Life’s a Misery / Splash Day
1022 – Thursday’s Children – You’ll Never Be My Girl (Jan Pederson) / Try Girl (Charles Helpinstill, Brown) (also released on Kidd 1334)
1023 – Interns – Don’t Make Me No Mind / Life With You
1024 – Leon Mitchison – The Sheek Part 1 / Part 2

5000 – Tommy Hammond – Ride This Train / Beging to You
5001 – Jim Jones and the Chaunteys – Sparkle and Shine / Three Squares
5002 – Johnny Copeland – Night Time Part 1 / Part 2
5003 – Oscar Perry – I’m on My Way / I Want to Get Old with You
5004 – Julius Jones and The Riverea’s – Eimmer Line / Soulin’ with the Riverea’s

With thanks to Texas Soul Recordings for filling in some missing gaps in my discography, and also to Myskatonic for confirming the Chris Funston disk, and to Bob for the listing of 5001.

Gaylan Ladd, The Dawgs and Bobby Sharp

Huey Meaux and Doyle Jones behind the console, the Dawgs in front, from right to left: Bobby Sharp, Freddy Arechiga, Gaylan Latimer (in the striped shirt) and Jimmy Rogers filling in on bass. "This photo was taken at 2 AM, at Gold Star Studios in the summer of 1965" - Freddy Arechiga
Huey Meaux and Doyle Jones behind the console, the Dawgs in front, from right to left: Bobby Sharp, Freddy Arechiga, Gaylan Latimer (in the striped shirt) and Jimmy Rogers filling in on bass. “This photo was taken at 2 AM, at Gold Star Studios in the summer of 1965” – Freddy Arechiga

Updated and rewritten, January 2011

Fred “Freddy” Arechiga wrote to me about the origins of the Dawgs:

I met Bobby Sharp in Waco, TX (1963-4). Bobby was dating my cousin Paula, and she put Bobby and me in touch, so we could form a new band for him.

At the time, I was 14 years old and playing drums with Ramsey Horton and the Silvertones. Ramsey Horton formed the original Silvertones, while he was attending Baylor University, in 1961. Horton had put together a big band, with a horn section, and black lead singer, Bobby Bradshaw. We were playing that new stuff called, Motown, and that other stuff called, Soul Music, ala James Brown.

I had a close friend, Tommy Nash who played bass, he was only 13 years old and sounded like he had been playing for 20 years. He was also one of the best jazz guitar players I’d ever run across in my life (and I’m old). Tommy became the third Dawg. Bobby, Tommy, and I began rehearsals of Bobby’s original songs. The three of us immediately knew we had something worth pursuing. However, Tommy and I didn’t sing, so we needed on more singing Dawg. Later, when we went into the studio, Tommy Nash could not make it; the fourth person behind the console in the photo was a bass player that the record producer brought in the night we recorded our album.

It was during this time that I had first started growing my hair long, and every time I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked like a long-haired dog. I told Bobby this story and he said, “I like it!” I asked, “You like what?” “The name of our band.” At first, Bobby wanted the band to be called, “A Band of Dogs.” After some discussions and some time had past, I wanted to call the band, Bobby Sharp and the Dawgs; I originated the spelling of Dawgs; some how this spelling didn’t make me think of the animal, when I read it in print. Bobby agreed.

After playing a frat party one night, (I was still gigging with the Silvertones as well) I stopped by a Waco beer joint called the Branding Iron, on the edge of town, to hear a childhood friend, who was singing and playing guitar in a rock band there. I walked in and saw Gaylan Latimer and his small cover band. Mickey Sharp (no relation to Bobby), was on drums, Wallace Pelton on bass/keyboards/vocals, and Gaylan Latimer, lead vocal/rhythm guitar/lighting director.

The first thing I noticed was Gaylan had rigged up his own lighting system. He had taken colored, flood lights, and put them on to the end of their boom microphone stands, operated by a footswitch. When I walked in they were between songs, and were on a dark stage. When Gaylan started singing, he would turn on the flood light and it would only light up his face, and while the solo was being played, he switched it off, then back on when he started singing again. Gaylan looked like he was getting a tan, while he was singing.

I left before the break, the light show made me feel like I was on acid, and drunk.

Bob and Gaylon from the Houston Varsity Tattler, 1965
Bob and Gaylon from the Houston Varsity Tattler, 1965
I thought Gaylan would be a good back up singer for Bobby; another plus was that he sang kill’n harmony. The next day, I told Bobby about Gaylan, and his light show, and we went to see him the next night, but didn’t let Gaylan know we were there. After Bobby heard half a song, he said, “Call him tomorrow,” and we slipped out. The next day, Gaylan said, he’d be interested in being a Dawg. Gaylan became the fourth Dawg.

Bob Gumm, Bobby’s manager, booked The Dawgs into the Westview Rollercade, a huge, modern, roller skating rink in Waco. We played to an almost empty house the first night we played there. The second night they sold out of skates, within an hour. The crowd began to get so large, the owner’s, Syd and Claire, stopped the skating altogether, and turned the rink into a dance party, whenever The Dawgs played there.

The next thing that came along for The Dawgs was the 7-11 stores contracted us to introduce the Icee at each one of its Waco stores. W-A-C-O Radio set up a live broadcast of every one of our shows. They had us playing on a flat-bed trailer of an 18 wheeler, in front of the stores. People would call in and request to have songs dedicated to their boyfriends, or their girlfriends.

At one point, our girl fans were having Dawg parties; we were typically picked up by some DJ, in a big rented car, and he took us around making appearances at these Dawg parties.

We were noticed by a DJ, Gene Kelly, of W-A-C-O, who approached us to make an album. Kelly was connected to Huey P. Meaux (Crazy Cajun Records) and thought that Meaux might be interested in producing The Dawgs. The next thing I know, we were in Gold Star Recording Studios – now Sugar Hill Studios — in Houston, TX recording an album of Bobby’s songs. Meaux signed Bobby Sharp after we had recorded the third song. Bobby was a natural in the studio; he was an excellent arranger as well.

We finished and headed back to Waco for more Dawg stuff; KBGO, and W-A-C-O Radio kept us busy, and W-A-C-O Radio put two Dawg songs in their top ten list; “It Belongs To You” and “I Don’t Want To See You Again,” were the titles.

Gaylan Latimer (Gaylon Ladd) adds:

Definitely before the Dawgs there were bands. Even early on at Chuck Harding Studios in Waco on Franklin Ave, at a very young age (around 7 or 8 yrs old) Chuck would split us into small combos, maybe 4 or 5 kids – we would get to come up with our own band name and play pre-teen/early teen dances that he would have on the weekends. I would compare it now to a sort of “School of Rock”. We would actually make a little money from the door.

A little later on (6th or 7th grade). I was playing VFW Halls, etc… In Jr. High, I was with a group called the Convertibles. That was the band that Freddie had mentioned he saw us play. The light thing was actually a Chuck Harding and the Confederates concept (they even used black lights, way before they became popular also). Wallace Pelton took the idea and made some for us. It was an electrical nightmare!!

That particular band played private parties and clubs – pretty much, a dance band. The night Fred mentioned that he saw us play, the club was called the Branding Room – a small Waco bar on LaSalle Ave. I remember them coming out to the club for a short while. I had seen Bobby perform with a group at a place outside of Waco called Geneva Hall (can’t remember the name of the band – they had horns,keyboards, the whole works – very impressive back in that day).

Bobby and that band had a demo of a song called “White Roses” – great song. It was later recorded by Gene Thomas along with another song called “The Picture” – Bobby and I played on that recording session. Anyway, I think he and Fred came over to the house the next day. Bobby was quite the talker. He wanted to do this English thing – accent and all, trying to convince everyone he was from England. He was from a little town in Oklahoma actually. Bobby ended up living with my family for about five months before moving to Houston. We became a small town sensation – screaming girls, fan club, the whole mess – it was a first for Waco.

A dj named Gene Kelly, along with another dj (can’t remember his name) picked up on us and became our managers. They came in contact with a man named Charlie Booth who drove down from Houston and signed us to a recording/split management contract. I’ll never forget him driving up in his brand new, bright red, ’65 Implala convertible.

He went back to Houston to set up recording session time – that’s when Huey found out about us. Huey called our managers, had the contract null and voided with Charlie Booth – then signed us to a recording, publishing, production, and management contract – all within 24 hours. Crazy, yes it was, but that’s how we got connected with Huey. He never even saw us play, until we walked in Goldstar studios. I don’t think he ever heard the demo that we cut at KBGO studios (it used to be on the 2nd or 3rd floor above Walgreens on Austin Ave. I have a tape of that I need to get baked before copying.)

Dawgs Pic 1 45 Won't You Cry for MeAs Gaylan explains on his excellent web, gaylanladd.com, Meaux released songs cut by the Dawgs at Gold Star on three different labels and under three different artist names, hoping one would break out in the charts.

First out was the Dawgs release on Pic 1 (#119), “Won’t You Cry for Me” / “Shy”, both songs written and sung by Gaylan and pressed in June of ’65. Hear these and other songs on Gaylan Latimer’s site.

Bob and Gaylon Ventural 45 Don't Go in My Room GirlNext came a release as Bob and Gaylon on Ventural V-722, both songs by Sharp, released in September of ’65. On the A-side, “Don’t Go in My Room Girl”, the singer is warning a girl who “laughed at me” not to go into his room because he has another ex-girlfriend in his room?! The tearjerker on the flip, “It Belongs To You” features some nice acoustic guitar.

Billboard announces Epic's release of Bobby Sharp's 45, November 5, 1965
Billboard announces Epic’s release of Bobby Sharp’s 45, November 5, 1965
That same month Meaux placed two more of Bobby Sharp’s originals on Epic: “Walk, Think & Cry” / “I Don’t Want to See You Again”, receiving notice in Billboard in November, 1965.

The band toured as Bob and Gaylon, until Bob Sharp had a nervous breakdown, smashing a Gibson 12-string and pawning his Birdland and Gibson amplifiers.

Bobby Sharp Epic 45 Walk, Think and Cry

Bobby Sharp LP Walk, Think & CryMany of these 1965 recordings turned up on two LPs credited to Bobby Sharp and released on Crazy Cajun in 1978, Walk, Think, and Cry and Autumn Leaves Must Fall.

The first of these leads off with both songs from Bobby Sharp’s Epic single, contains seven other songs that went unreleased at the time, and finishes with “Won’t You Cry for Me” – the same version as on the Pic 1 single, but with drums and bass low in the mix. The sound on the album isn’t great, with occasional dips in volume from mishandling the tape. The cover just shows some clouds and sky and has Bobby’s name and the title on it. There are no notes, or a listing of musicians or recording info on the back.

The unreleased songs are “Baby We Got a Good Thing Going”, “I’ve Done It Again”, “Please Not Again”, “Bring It to Me”, “Down Home Girl”, “Something’s “Wrong” and “This Reminds Me”. “Something’s Wrong” really shows Bobby’s fake English accent and Beatles affectation.

Gaylan is listed as writer of “Please Not Again” and “Won’t You Cry for Me”. Bobby Sharp has the credits for all the rest of the songs except “Baby We Got a Good Thing Going” which lists Meaux. I expected the Barbara Lynn song, but it’s altogether different, and works well. “Down Home Girl” should not be listed as a Bobby Sharp song, it was written by Leiber-Butler for Alvin Robinson, then covered by the Stones.

Bobby Sharp Crazy Cajun LP Walk, Think & Cry back cover

Bobby Sharp Crazy Cajun LP Walk, Think & Cry side 2

I haven’t yet heard the second Crazy Cajun LP by Bobby Sharp, Autumn Leaves Must Fall. These are all Gold Star cuts from ’65 as well, and none were released prior to this album. The titles are: “Autumn Leaves Must Fall”, “How Many Times”, “That’s All”, “Naughty Girl”. “Find Me Another”, “Love Is Gone”, “The Picture”, “As The World Turns”, “Greenie Meanie” and “Please Lie To Me”. If anyone has a copy or a CD transfer of this, please let me know.

Gaylan Latimer again:

I on all of Bobby’s recordings. All of those tunes were recorded at Goldstar in 65′. We never finished a lot of those songs in the studio (especially the Autumn Leaves one). Bobby just disappeared in ’66. The last time I saw him, he was heading to a hospital (looked like a nervous breakdown). It was like he just disappeared after that -no one ever saw or heard from him since that time.

During ’75-’77, maybe into ’78, Huey and Mickey Moody were recording many acts, myself included. Huey would get the pictures for the covers, songs (had publishing rights of course), got Joe Nick Potoski to do liner notes – the whole package. He then would sell the albums to corporations and individuals for tax right offs. Never intended to release any of them, – the artists never getting anything. Most of the songs were demo form.

I was part of the studio band and also recorded six albums of my material in June and July of ’76. Like the so many other artists, never getting anything from them. The recordings are still in Sugar Hill’s vault. Funny thing though, I just received last week a royalty statement that had a song called “Deep Water” – it was in that batch of songs that I had recorded then. 17 cents by the way. I never actually saw the LP’s of Bobby [until recently].

The “Greenie Meanie” song was inspired by Frog Man Henry who was at that session that night in Goldstar (’65). I still have some of the original lyrics/ paper copies of some of those songs. “As the World Turns” doesn’t ring a bell. “The Picture” was recorded later by Gene Thomas – that was one of the very few recordings that I played keyboard. We recorded that version at the Pasadena studio.

Gaylan Ladd MGM 45 Think About Me

Gaylan Ladd MGM 45 Her Loving WayAround this time Huey Meaux opened up Pasadena Teen Town, with an office and studio in a building nearby. At this location Gaylan recorded three solo 45s, starting with “Smokey Places” / “Think About Me” on Ventural in September of 1965, then “Think About Me” / “Her Loving Way” for national release on MGM in December, and another 45 on Ventural “I Better Go Now” / “Painted Lady” released in 1966. This was a different band than the Dawgs, and included Dennis “Crash” Collins on bass, Wallace Pelton on bass and keyboard, and a drummer named Tommy. They really rock on some of these songs, notably “Her Loving Way”.

Gaylan wrote all of the songs he performed as a solo artist. Later on, for the Heather Black band he would collaborate with Tommy Christian on most of their material.

In 1966 Huey Meaux and Charlie Booth were arrested and eventually convicted for violating the Mann Act, bringing a 15 year old girl to Nashville for purposes of courting favor with DJs attending the NATRA convention. While fighting the case he moved between Texas and Clinton, Mississippi where he started the Grits and Gravy studio. Gaylan moved back to Waco, writing and recording at Chuck Harding studio, including two songs for an obscure release, Glennis Annette and the Confederates “You Better Find Your Way” / “Sadness Is” for Harding’s TRC (Texas Recording Co.) label (read about it on Lone Star Stomp).

Gaylan Ladd and the East Side Transfer Pacemaker 45 Repulsive SituationIn the spring of ’67, Gaylan came back to Houston to record with Meaux, cutting Gaylan’s originals “Repulsive Situation” / “My Life, My Love” for release on Meaux’s Pacemaker label in May of 1967. His band for this record was the East Life Transfer with Tommy Christian on guitar, Vernon Womack on organ and Sammie Piazza on drums, while Gaylan sang and played bass. “Repulsive Situation”, is a lament against distrust and alienation.

The Pacemaker label had other good releases, including Johnny Winter’s psychedelic number, “Birds Can’t Row Boats”, the Triumphs “Better Come Get Her” and Yesterday’s Obsession “The Phycle” / “Complicated Mind”.

Silvertones TRC 45 Get Out of TownIn May of 1968 Huey went into prison to serve a 14 month sentence for the Mann Act violation. Gaylan returned to Waco where he cut a 45 with the Silvertones “Something Is Strange” / “Get Out of Town” for TRC (without the Confederate flag now) at Chuck Harding’s studio.

Gaylan writes, “As far as the Silvertones, after Ramsey and Bobby Bradshaw, there were quite a few different personnel changes. I was in Houston when a lot of the early Silvertones were playing together. When I started playing with them, they had a singer named Little Anthony (not the famous one). I believe Dennis Black was the leader at the time, Jim Shanks, another sax player and another horn player that I can’t remember. When I started, I was playing bass and singing. Mickey Sharp was playing drums–I don’t remember who was playing guitar at the time.”

Gaylan formed Heather Black with members of the Silvertones, Mickey Sharp, Ted Richardson and Tommy Christian. They would record again with Meaux, first a single on Meaux’s American Playboy label, and then an LP on Double Bayou, produced by Meaux and distributed through his new deal with Shelby Singleton in 1970. For more on this period of Gaylan’s career, check his website.

Gaylan Ladd Ventural 45 I Better Go NowGaylan Latimer’s recording releases (pre-Heather Black only):

The Dawgs – Won’t You Cry for Me / Shy (Pic 1 119, June 1965)
Bob and Gaylon – Don’t Go in My Room Girl / It Belongs to You (Ventural V-722, September, 1965)
Bobby Sharp – Walk, Think and Cry / I Don’t Want to See You Again (Epic 5-9849, September 1965)
Gaylon Ladd – Smokey Places / Think About Me (Ventural V-723, October, 1965)
Gaylon Ladd – Think About Me / Her Loving Way (MGM 13435, November, 1965)
Gaylon Ladd – I Better Go Now / Painted Lady (Ventural V-731, 1966)
Silvertones – Something Is Strange / Get Out of Town (Texas Record Co. TRC 2099, 1966?)
Gaylon Ladd – Repulsive Situation / My Life, My Love (Pacemaker PM-257, May 1967)

Sources include: the SugarHill Studios site (http://www.sugarhillstudios.com/news/news_doylejones.html – link now dead) and background on Huey’s conviction from The B-Side.

Thanks to Larry Nichols and Freddy Arechiga for help with identifying the band in the photo, and to Mike Markesich for accurate record release dates. Thank you to Gaylan Latimer for answering my questions. Special thanks to Fred Arechiga whose comment below I’ve added to the main text.