Category Archives: Woodrich

The Rocks from Huntsville on Gold Master and Woodrich

Rocks Gold Master 45 Love CityThe Rocks came from Huntsville, in northern Alabama.

Randy Duck is quoted on a Lee High School alumni site (a couple spellings of names are corrected):

The original Rocks included Johnny Harbin, Butch Rolfe, Bulldog Hillis, Joe Skipworth, Skip Atkins, Donnie Cartelli and me. Later, Johnny and Butch went into the service and Bulldog dropped out. Jackie Tiller started playing lead guitar, Richard Hahn came on board with keyboards …

We had several different drummers after Donnie, but Doug Cheffer was the last one. Donnie and Doug are both passed away.

My copy of “Terri” is signed by Butch Rolfe.

I’ve seen a later photo of the band with this lineup:

Randy Duck – lead vocalist
Joe “Little Joe” Skipworth – sax
Jack Tiller – lead guitar
Skip Atkins – bass guitar
Doug Cheffer – drums

Rocks Gold Master 45 TerriRandy Dee Duck wrote both songs of their first single, “Love City” / “Terri”, released on Gold Master Records GM-1001 in November 1964. Both sides are great, crude rock ‘n roll.

Their second single came in 1965, “Love or Money” by Don Cortelli and Randy Duck with “Rock Pretty Baby”, on Gold Master GM-1003. I haven’t heard this one yet.

The Rocks get a slower, bluesy sound on the top side of their last single “Because We’re Young” written by Walter Sims, I’m not sure his connection to the band. The flip is a ballad, “My Only Love” by Johnny Harbin and Randy Duck, released in November 1965 on Woodrich Records WR-1249.

A single by the Rocks on White Cliffs 239, “Who Do You Love” (by Edgar Starns) / “Keep My Woman Home” may be a different group.

Sonny Limbo produced for L & C Productions. Sonny was a Huntsville DJ whose real name was Sonny Limbaugh – thus Limbaugh Music publishing, and also seems to have partly owned Gold Master Records.

Besides the two Rocks 45s, Sonny also produced the Hi-Boys Combo ‎”Why (Must I Love You)” / “Some Man (Other than Me)” both written by C. Bolden, released on Gold Master GM-1004.

Gold Master GM-1002 is Hollis Champion’s “Stand There” / “Sugarfoot Rag”, and doesn’t have Sonny’s name or publishing anywhere on the labels.

Sonny Limbo produced the In and the Bobbies, which I’ve covered before. He used Sonic Recording Service in Memphis for those records, I’m not sure where the Rocks recorded.

Sonny also produced at least two singles on the Exclusive Records label out of Chattanooga:

The Champells – “Don’t You Know” / “Won’t You Love Me” on Exclusive 2297, both written by Ralph Flynn (the second copyrighted as “Won’t You Love Me Too”? by Ralph Thomas Flynn in October 1965).

The Vondels ‎- “Stagger Lee” / “Turn on Your Love Light” on Exclusive 2295.

The Shadows

The Shadows, from left: Frank Cannon, Curtis Goodman, Donnie Walker, Stanley Fowler, Jack Bigham and Roger Young
The Shadows, from left: Frank Cannon, Curtis Goodman, Donnie Walker, Stanley Fowler, Jack Bigham and Roger Young
 Photos from Facebook
Photos from Facebook

Shadows Woodrich 45 If You Love MeHere’s a great 45 by the Shadows, a group from Northport, Alabama, across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa.

I recently spoke to guitarist and lead singer Mike Thornton, who helped me straighten out the history of the band. He was only 14 when he joined and the other members were just a little older, mostly students at Tuscaloosa County High School. I believe he replaced their original singer Curtis Goodman.

Along with Mike, Frank Cannon and Jack Bigham played guitars, Stan Fowler played bass and Donnie Walker the drums. Roger Young played keyboards, but he wasn’t present at the recording session so Mike Thornton filled in that day.

The band played semi-professionally for about three years, playing on weekends and when school was out. A rival band was the Misfits from Tuscaloosa, featuring Chuck Leavell and Ronnie Brown.

“If You Love Me” is classic garage with a good performance all around, notable for the repeated distorted guitar riffs and a fine solo, excellent drumming, and good vocals. It was written by Jack Bigham and Mike Thornton.

“The Big Mess” is a sharp take on Watermelon Man, credited to the whole group. Mike Thornton moved from organ to piano for this song.

Does anyone have better-quality photos of the group?

 Roger Young of the Shadows
Roger Young
After the Shadows, Mike Thornton joined The Omen and Their Luv with Bruce Hopper, Billy McLain, Tommy Stuart, Gary Barry and others. That band had a great 45 on David Keller’s Daisy label, “Maybe Later” / “Need Some Sunshine” (both songs written by Tommy Stewart). David Keller himself was in the Preachers. The Omen and Their Luv with Thornton later became Tommy Stuart and the Rubber Band.

For a long time it was believed the band was from Tennessee or northern Alabama, as the Woodrich label was based in the northern Alabama towns of Rogersville then Lexington, both near Huntsville and Decatur. Mike isn’t sure why the band went so far to record when there were studios nearby in Birmingham, but thinks one of their managers set the deal up.

I had also heard that most of the Woodrich label’s recordings were made in Nashville, about 120 miles away, but K.S. in a comment below, says that owner Woody Richardson did most of the recording in his home studio. Woodrich released mainly pop sides by Buddy Hughey, Patsy Penn, the Campbell Trio, the Light House Gospel Singers, the Rocks, and Aaron & Sue Wilburn.

Woodrich label info from the Rockin’ Country Style and Birmingham Record Collectors sites.