Category Archives: Amway

The Classics “I’m Hurtin'” on Amway

The Classics at Teen Town in Paintsville
The Classics at Teen Town in Paintsville

The Classics came from Paintsville, Kentucky, a town about 110 miles east of Lexington, KY. Members included:

Richard Titlow – lead vocals and guitar
Bill (Fats) Garland – organ
Bill Osborne – lead guitar
Pat Donohue – bass
Frank Hughes – drums

The Classics played at the Teen Town in Paintsville, where two of the photos here were taken. Tim Warren writes “Other local combos included The Midnighters, The Shadows of Infinity, Johnny Reb & the Rebels, XLs, the Chessmen, the Crabs, the Invaders (from Prestonburg), the Mag Seven (from Lexington) and the Saxons (from Pikesville) who released one 45, “She’s All Wrong” / “I’ll Go Wandering” on REM.”

With no local studios to record in, the band started looking farther afield. When the Classics traveled to Louisville to be in Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars, Bill Garland’s father set up a deal to pay for them to record in Indiana for the Amway label.

The Classics on stage, possibly in Louisville
The Classics on stage, possibly in Louisville
from left: Bill Garland, Frank Hughes (on drums), Pat Donohue, Richard Titlow and Bill Osborne

John wrote to me:

I remember Richard telling me that the 45 was recorded in someone’s house and that they all were in different rooms but it was a live take. He said the guy that was going to record them asked about the b side and they quickly had to throw an original song together.

Drummer Frank Hughes wrote the A-side “Trisha” for his girlfriend, with help from Billy Garland, Richard Titlow and Bill Osborne. It features a partly spoken vocal aswirl in the echoing organ. The flip is what makes the single legendary now, the intense “I’m Hurtin’” written by Garland, Titlow and Donahue. Playridge Music published both songs, the codes 825M-4956, T4KM-4956, indicate a custom RCA pressing from the first half of 1966.

Crypt Records included “I’m Hurtin’” on Back From the Grave vol. 9.

It’s likely the draft broke the group up. John writes that the four members he knows are all still alive and well.

Special thanks to John Chaney, a guitarist who sat in with most of the band’s members at annual reunions at the area’s country club, for the photos and some of the info. More of the info comes from Tim Warren’s notes to Back from the Grave volume 9 – but you’ll have to read Tim’s notes for the raucous stories.

The Classics at Teen Town in Paintsville
The Classics at Teen Town in Paintsville
John Chaney, left with members of the Classics
John Chaney, left with members of the Classics
John Chaney with Bill Garland of the Classics
John Chaney with Bill Garland of the Classics

Amway Discography

Amway was the label of Alpo Music Productions of Sellersburg, Indiana, across the Ohio River and north of Louisville, Kentucky.

I haven’t heard the Torments or the Profiles yet, but the others are all excellent, if primitively recorded.

The Torments came from northern Kentucky. The Classics came from Paintsville, Kentucky – for more on them see the separate post. The recordings were likely made in a backroom of a radio station or very basic studio in Louisville, KY or Jeffersonville, IN, and the tapes were sent to RCA’s custom service for pressing.

This discography may be incomplete – any help with info and scans would be appreciated!

The Octives – “Love” (Bob Burton, Bruno Music BMI) / Laughing At Me” SK4M-6174/5 (second half of 1965)

The Classics – “Trisha” / “I’m Hurtin'” (Garland, Titlow,& Donahue, Playridge Music BMI) (825M-4956, T4KM-4956, first half of 1966)

The Emotions – “Every Man” (John S. Hodge, Playridge, BMI) / “I Just Do It” (825M-4957, T4KM-4957/8, first half of 1966)

The Profiles – “If You Need Me” (Golden & Bateman) / “Please Come Back” (Marion Howard and Mike Howard, Playridge, BMI) 825M-5840, T4KM-5840/1, first half of 1966, Mel-O-Dee Entertainment, Inc.)

The Torments – “Lying to Me” (Buddy Perryman – Tim Feldman, Playridge Music, BMI) / “I Love You More Each Day” (824P-3715, TK4M-3715/6)

If anyone has photos or info on any of these bands please get in contact with me at chas_kit [at] hotmail.com

Sources include www.45rpmrecords.com/KY/Amway.php