Category Archives: Alabama

The Outer Mongolian Herd “Hey Joe” / “I Want to Love You (Scared)” on Daisy

Outer Mongolian Herd promo photo
The Outer Mongolian Herd, signed by Buddy Searcy, Terry Nemish and Devon Patrick

The Outer Mongolian Herd were a short-lived sextet from Enterprise, Alabama, a small city about 30 miles west of Dothan, and 90 miles southeast of Montgomery. They are now best known for their version of “Hey Joe”, but I prefer the A-side of the single, “I Want to Love You (Scared)”, released on Daisy 4846 / 4847.

Members were:

Patrick Devon – keyboards
Glenn Griffin
Jerry Jones
Mike McKinnon
Terry Nemish – drums
Buddy Searcy

At least three of the band attended Enterprise High School in 1968. The Montgomery Advertiser reported on February 4, 1968, that the group played at Enterprise High School’s ROTC Military Ball.

Somehow the group met David Keller of the Preachers who became their manager and released their single on his Daisy label (see also The Omen & Their Luv from Tuscaloosa).

Ad for the Outer Mongolian Herd at a WBAM event at Brewbaker Buick-Opel, March 30, 1968
Devon Patrick and David Keller wrote “I Want to Love You (Scared)”, with its excellent harmonies and a catchy structure with piano introduction. The flip is a version of “Hey Joe” with organ and acoustic guitar, and more-than-usual vocal interjections.

The labels have “Produced & Arranged by David Keller”. They probably recorded at Ed Boutwell’s studio in Birmingham, but I can’t confirm that yet.

The only other notice I can find for the group is from Alabama Journal in Montgomery, which ran an ad for a WBAM event at the Brewbaker Buick-Opel dealership with the Outer Mongolian Herd in person.

Fox and the Huntah’s “Funny Kinda Day” on Malcolm Z. Dirge

Fox and the Huntahs Malcolm Z Dirge 45 Funny Kinda Day
Fox and the Huntah’s “Funny Kinda Day” is an obscure single, a full production with piano and backup singers, and a 12-string guitar break with a couple minor flubs. It was an original song by Tom Fox and Mike Davis, who seem to have been members of the band. Other possible members include Joe Ardovino and Hal McDonald.

Ed Boutwell engineered the session. “Scotty” produced the B-side, a cover of “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”. Released as Malcolm Z. Dirge 45004 in November, 1966. The oddly-named Birmingham, Alabama label also put out three singles by the Distortions, and one by the Daze of the Week.

More info on Fox and the Huntah’s would be appreciated.

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 Rockin’ Gibralters of Montgomery, AL

Rockin’ Gibralters, from left: Rusty Crumpton, Ronnie Monroe, Sonny Grier (seated), Ed Sanford, Bobby DuPree and Keith Brewer

Rockin' Gibralters Morgan 45 Go With MeThe Rockin’ Gibralters came out of Montgomery, Alabama, making four singles between 1966 and 1968.

Members were:

Sonny Grier – vocals
Rusty Crumpton – lead guitar
Ed Sanford – keyboards
Keith Brewer – bass guitar
Bobby DuPree – drums
Ronnie Monroe – trumpet (and roadie?)

I haven’t been able to find details about their history yet.

Rockin' Gibralters RG 45 Bug of SoulI’m not sure which was their first single but it may have been “Go With Me” / “Signed, Sealed and Delivered” on Morgan HV-9040 from 1966. Sonny Grier and Keith Brewer wrote “Go With Me”, with publishing by Granny Music. The band’s name is spelled Rockin’ Gibraltars on the labels.

This is their most “garage” single, with harmonica but no trumpet, and some great screams from Sonny Grier on “Signed, Sealed and Delivered”.

The Rockin’ Gibralters next single was probably “It Will Stand” / “I Can’t Help Myself (For Loving You)” on Empire 447. The B-side is another original by Brewer and Grier, which I haven’t heard yet.

The Gibralters released their next two singles on their own RG Records label, fashioning a fine soul sound on each. The different label designs and numbering suggest different studios or pressing plants.

Rockin' Gibralters RG 45 What's Your Hurry“Bug of Soul” is an original by Rusty Crumpton and Ed Sanford, on RG Records 480. The trumpet plays an important part in the sound of the band by this time. I’m not sure if “It Will Stand” is the same version as the Empire single or a new take. Release date was about November 1966.

“What’s Your Hurry” is their most produced single, with what sounds like vibraphone as well as piano. Crumpton, Sanford, and Grier wrote that side, while Crumpton, Sanford and Brewer wrote “The Bare Essential”, the ostensible A-side, though I haven’t yet heard it. Lowery Music Inc. published both songs. Release was December, 1968.

In 1968, Ed Sanford, Keith Brewer and Bobby DuPree would form a group called Heart, with Johnny Townsend and Tippy Armstrong of Tuscaloosa’s Magnificent Seven / Rubber Band. Heart would play the Whisky a Go-Go in Los Angeles and cut one single on Reprise Records 0772, “The Train” (J. Townsend) / “Heartbeat” (Brewer-Sanford-Townsend-Dupree-Crumpton), both Hollytex Music Co. and produced by Bob Hinkle.

I’m not sure what Sonny Grier, Rusty Crumpton or Ronnie Monroe did after the breakup of the Rockin’ Gibralters.

Rockin’ Gibralters discography:

Morgan HV-9040 – “Go With Me” (S. Grier, K. Brewer) / “Signed, Sealed and Delivered” (TK4M-2418/9) 1966

Empire 447 – “It Will Stand” / “I Can’t Help Myself (For Loving You)” (Brewer, Grier, pub Fame Pub. Co BMI) SO 3338/9

RG Records 480 – “Bug of Soul” (Crumpton, Sanford) / “It Will Stand” November 1966

RG Records 1118 – “The Bare Essential” (Crumpton, Sanford, Brewer) / “What’s Your Hurry” (Crumpton, Sanford, Grier) both Lowery Music Inc., BMI

The photo at top came from the very interesting Tuscaloosa Beach Music site which is now unfortunately defunct but available, in part, on the Internet Archive.

The Hey Baby Days site has a few more photos of the Rockin’ Gibralters, including on stage at the City Auditorium.

The Carousel “Girl Maybe You” on It’s a Lemon

Carousel It's a Lemon 45 Girl Maybe YouThe Carousel recorded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1969. Members were:

Carl Williams – lead vocals
Richard Studdard – vocals, keyboards
Ronald Naramore – vocals, guitar
Donny Grace – vocals, bass
Mike Patton – vocals, drums

“Girl Maybe You” and “Gonna Hide My Face” are fast-paced pop originals by Donny Grace. Bob Grove and Unity produced for It’s a Lemon 1002.

Bob Grove ran Prestige Recording Studio in Birmingham, where he had recorded artists for his own Unity Record Company label with its beautiful logo of black and white fists with a dove.

Carousel It's a Lemon 45 Gonna Hide My FaceI know of two releases on Unity, Candy Stanton’s “Now You’ve Got the Upper Hand” / “You Can’t Stop Me” (both written by Bo Fowler and produced by Bob Grove and Richard Dingler), and Underground Euphoria featuring Keisa Brown “What Can I Do About You” / “Let’s Go Back (To Our Little World)”.

The Carousel single came a couple years after these. I assume it was also recorded at Prestige. The Carousel 45 was preceded on the It’s a Lemon label by a hard rock single by The Brood “Virginia Neal” / “The Roach”. The Brood was Dale Aston of the Torquays along with Steve Salord, George Landman and Bobby Marlin.

I suppose there’s another release on It’s a Lemon between the Brood and the Carousel, but so far I haven’t found it.

Anyone have a copy of the It’s a Lemon singles, or a photo of The Brood?

The Bobbies “(She) Put Me Down” and the In on Sonny Records

Bobbies Sonny 45 She Put Me Down Part 1The Bobbies came from Florence, Alabama, cutting this one fine single, “(She) Put Me Down” parts 1 and 2 in June, 1966. Members included:

Bobby Heathcoat – lead vocals (Bobby Heathcote ?)
Richard Hahn – organ
Glenn Hall – bass

– but I don’t know the other names of the group. Scans of an autographed 45 include these names:

Duck Hempil or Henpil?
Randy Wills
“Angel”

Sonny Limbo (real name Robert Limbaugh, I believe) was a DJ at WAAY in Huntsville, Alabama, about 72 miles east of Florence. I am not sure how he found the Bobbies, but Sonny had been hipped to local Huntsville group the In. The In recorded a demo of “Just Give Me Time” at Bobby Land’s studio in Huntsville and asked Sonny to produce a finished version. Sonny brought both groups, the In and the Bobbies to Sonic Recording in Memphis to share a four hour session.

Autographed copy of the Bobbies 45, courtesy of Brandi Garrison.

The bands, who did not know each other before, became friendly and helped out on each other’s session. The Bobbies and their friends contributed to the crowd noise on the In’s version of “Midnight Hour”, plus Bobby Heathcoat contributed backing howls and Richard Hahn played organ on the song. Eddie Burton of the In added some lead guitar to the Bobbies recording.

The In’s session would lead to a national release on Hickory of “Just Give Me Time” / “In the Midnight Hour”. In an interesting twist on the usual sequence of local-to-national release, Hickory dropped the group (supposedly because their session was non-union), and Limbo released the songs locally on his own label, pairing “‘Live’ in the Midnight Hour” with “You’re So Fine” for Sonny 45-1002, and “Just Give Me Time” with Eddie Burton’s original “You’re Not Gonna Live Forever” for Sonny 45-1004.

Limbo released the Bobbies single on Sonny Records 45-1001. I’m not sure what songs the Bobbies planned on recording when they went into the session, but Sonic Recording owner Roland Janes gets writing credit for “(She) Put Me Down”.

Bobbies She Put Me Down Cash Box July 30, 1966I expect there is a Sonny 45-1003 out there but if so, I haven’t seen it.

The A-side of the Bobbies received a B+ in the July 30, 1966 issue of Cash Box.

Richard Hahn would go on to join the In.

In Wessex Combo Decatur Daily April 28, 1965
The Wessex Combo (before the “In”), from the Decatur Daily April 28, 1965

I couldn’t find any news clippings for the Bobbies, but did turn up this interesting mention of an early version of the In, calling themselves the Wessex Combo for the 14th birthday party of Miss Jeannie Sharpe, the band featuring Bill Peck, George Vail, Chet Nolette, Eddie Burton and Fred Sanders. It was published in the Decatur Daily (Decatur Alabama that is), on April 28, 1965.

By the time of their Memphis recordings, Chet Nolette was out of the group and the In consisted of Bobbie Land – lead and backing vocals and organ, Eddie Burton – lead and backing vocals and lead guitar, Bill Peck – lead and backing vocals and rhythm guitar, Fred Sanders – lead and backing vocals and bass, and George Vail – drums. Later on Jackie Tiller of the Rocks would play bass for the group.

Anyone have a good photo of either group?

Info for this article comes from Jeff Jarema’s interviews with Eddie Burton of the In on the Sundazed and 60sgaragebands.com sites, both now defunct.

Bobbies Sonny 45 She Put Me DownPart2

Dexter and the Derbies

Dexter and the Derbies photo Limestone Democrat, January 23, 1968
Dexter and the Derbies, January 1968, from left: Dexter Greenhaw, Dennis Brooks, Danny Ausley and Mark Gamble

Dexter and the Derbies Derby 45 Time

Dexter and the Derbies came from Athens, Alabama, a small city about 95 miles north of Birmingham, and 99 miles south of Nashville, TN.

The Limestone Democrat newspaper featured this photo of Dexter and the Derbies on the front page of the January 23, 1968 issue. The band was part of the International Rodeo Association convention in Nashville. The members were:

Dexter Greenhaw – lead guitar
Dennis Brooks – drums
David (Danny) Ausley – rhythm guitar
Mark Gamble – bass guitar

Dexter and the Derbies cut only one single, released in August 1967 according to Teen Beat Mayhem. The band members would have been about 12 years old when recording the songs.

The top side is the intense “Time”, written by J. Greenhaw who seems to be Dexter’s brother Johnny Greenhaw. I can’t make out all the lyrics but one verse goes “Everybody wants to be loved and romanced, but nobody, I mean nobody will give a second chance”.

Rochelle Frazier and Buck Peddy wrote “They Wouldn’t Dare”, registering the song on December 9, 1965, almost two years before Dexter & the Derbies recorded it. The lyrics tred similar ground to the Barbarians’ “Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl” from earlier that year.
Dexter and the Derbies Derby 45 They Wouldn't Dare

The girls wear pants now and also shirts,
Pretty soon the boys will be wearing skirts.
Now don’t tell me that they wouldn’t dare,
If you don’t think they would take a look at their hair.

Now you don’t touch when you dance these days,
In fact your partner moves far away.
How can you hold anybody tight,
When they twist and turn right out of your sight.

You ask your neighbor if that’s his girl,
She looks so pretty with her long blonde curls.
That’s when you feel when like you ought to run,
When he says “that’s not my daughter, it’s my teenage son!”

Now don’t tell me that they wouldn’t dare,
If you don’t think they would take a look at their hair.

Buck Peddy wrote songs with Mel Tillis among others. He seems to have produced this single, and his Peddy Music published both songs. Released on Derby Records 1313 out of Nashville, Tennessee, the labels show Sound of Nashville master numbers SoN 48941/2.

Dexter Greenhaw graduated high school in 1973, then studied music at the University of North Alabama. He directed the band at Clements High School, and also had a band called Denim. Dexter passed away in March, 2007 of ALS at the young age of 52.

Source: info on Dexter Greenhaw from a News Courier article in March, 2007.

The Cherades “My Little Red Book”

Cherades RHM 45 My Little Red BookThe Cherades are an unknown group who covered two hits from ’65 and ’66 for release on RHM Records 1001/1002. Their version of Love’s arrangement of “My Little Red Book” is very good, I’d say this was a studio group except the lead singer sounds unpolished. It was backed with the McCoys’ “Sorrow”.

The single was produced by Jimmy R. Johnson, the session guitarist who would become co-owner of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. These were most likely cut at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where Johnson produced the Rockin’ Rebellions excellent “Don’t Let Go” / “Anyway the Wind Blows” for Gold Groove 111.

RHM Records has an address of 411 N. Atlanta Ave, in Sheffield, Alabama. The deadwax of SIMS RHM 1001 / RHM 1002 with a “Nashville Matrix” stamp indicates this may have been considered for the Sims label owned by Russell Sims, who had released many soul singles cut at FAME.

Oddly the labels show correct publishing for “Sorrow” but list “My Little Red Book” as “Pub. Unknown”!

Max Waller wrote to me that he had a note from an unknown source listing “members include Ronnie, Joe, Frankie”.

Cherades RHM 45 Sorrow

The Rogues “Put You Down”

The Rogues of Montgomery on WSFA, Rich Gainer on vocals
The Rogues of Montgomery on WSFA, Rich Gainer on vocals

Rogues MBM 45 Put You DownThe Rogues of Montgomery, AL cut one great rock single, “Put You Down” b/w a version of “Stormy Monday Blues”.

“Put You Down” was written by lead guitarist Max Kendrick and vocalist Rich Gainer. The Rogues recorded the 45 in February of 1966, for MBM Records, a Birmingham, Alabama label that goes back to the early ’60s.

For years this group was assumed to be the same as the Rogues and the Dry Grins of Lafayette, Louisiana, but I’ve heard from Rich Gainer through his daughter, Dorian, who sent in the photo above, showing the group playing live on WSFA TV in Montgomery.

Rich Gainer provides this history of the band:

The Rogues were founded in mid-1965 as a result of my being stationed at Maxwell USAF Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and meeting Bill Myers (rhythm guitar and vocals), Larry Taylor (Hofner bass), and Casey Bolt (drums), officers’ kids whose Dads had recently been reassigned there from Germany. These teens had been playing music in a band in Germany at the time the Beatles were popular and playing there, and had picked up on the style of British Invasion groups. From the time we first met and practiced together a little bit, we were getting bookings at area military and off-base clubs, and were playing gigs several times a week.

Early-on, we were introduced to Max Kendrick who would become our excellent lead guitar player, sporting his Fender Jazzmaster and Rickenbacker 12 string. Max’s Dad was the Colonel in charge of AU TV on base, and we were among the first groups to pioneer videos. Keyboards came later in the form of Max’s cousin Frank, for whom we purchased a Vox Continental organ. Through the time the Rogues were together 1965-1969, we also had the services of Joe Tucker at lead guitar and Dan Fucci who very quickly learned to play the drums in order to become our drummer.

Max and I wrote the song “Put You Down”, which we recorded for the MBM label in a Muscle Shoals, Alabama studio in 1966. Colonel Taylor, our bass player’s Dad, made the recording deal with the studio in Muscle Shoals (think it was FAME) which included the label deal with MBM. The song actually topped the charts on WBAM in Montgomery, AL for a few weeks which gave us introductions to the British Invasion groups coming through Montgomery for the Big BAM shows held at the Coliseum for many years, like The Who, The Hollies, The Blues Magoos, The Kinks, and many more including American groups like The Beach Boys, The Beau Brummels, The Turtles, and so on. Best bands we met and heard in person – The Byrds – magical and electric, and The Beach Boys – amazing sound.

We were scheduled to open for Paul Revere and the Raiders at the first WHHY Show at The Coliseum, but they wheeled out their Vox Super Beatle Amps and bulldozed our equipment off the stage some 10-12 foot drop.

We started playing teen clubs in rural Alabama, Georgia, and North Florida, and hired R. L. and Granny Davis, owners of The Opp Teen Club as booking agents for a couple of years. We were in that scene at the same time as The Rockin’ Gibraltars, The K-Otics, The James Gang, and The Candymen to name a few.

In 1968, when my Air Force time was up, the group split up. Larry and Dan became B52 pilots like their Dads, and Bill took over his Dad’s real estate business in Montgomery. Lost track of Casey and Max and the others, but would like to reconnect if it were possible. I went on to write more songs and record in Nashville for a few years with limited success through the 1990’s. Hank Tubb was my alias when I did comedy along with music. See https://www.reverbnation/hicksintrucks

Q. How many records pressed up? It’s very rare nowadays.

Probably a 1000 copies pressed. I used to have a few dozen but don’t know what happened to them over the years.

Q. Did the band play “Put You Down” at live shows?

Yes, played “Put You Down” everywhere, especially when it was on WBAM charts.

Q. Did the Rogues make any unreleased recordings?

We made lots of video recordings at AU TV, but on proprietary equipment and no longer available. No other audio recordings.

– Rich Gainer

MBM Records discography

Blondells MBM 45 Rocking My Blues AwayBirmingham, Alabama was the base of MBM Records, which started about 1961.

For more on the Rogues, see the separate post on that band.

This is not the same MBM as MBM Productions of Crowley, Louisiana, run by Mike Miller, the son of Jay Miller. Those releases I discuss in another post.

MBM Records discography

(probably incomplete – any help with this would be appreciated)

MBM 8019 – Ann Allen – “What Do You Want of Me” / “I Don’t Want Your Love” (with PS)

MBM 8020 – The Blondells – “Rocking My Blues Away” (Taylor, Starland Music BMI) / Mona Taylor and the Blondells – “No One Will Ever Know” CP-5501/2, Rite pressing from 1961.

MBM-2001 – Jimmy Ferguson with the Flares Band and the Tom Boys (vocalists) – “The Ballad of Tom Sawyer” / “Cupid” (both by Ferguson – Ferguson, Double “M” Pub. Co. BMI) SoN 9521/2

MBM-2002 – The Rouges – “Put You Down” (Kendrick & Gainer) / “Stormy Monday” SoN 29801

MBM-2003 – The Road Runners “Do You Love Me Sixty Six Style” / “To Be With You” (Gilliland) from Gadsden, AL, SoN 29812.

The Ann Allen sleeve has “MBM Records, Miami-Los Angeles” on the PS, and a managerial address:

Birmingham Artist Playhouse Agency
5017 Avenue “N”, West
Birmingham 8, Alabama

Birmginham’s Reed label usually published through Double “M” Music, but had a handful of later releases in 1961 that instead used Starland Music (and a different logo typeface):

RR 1061 – Larry & the Loafers “Panama City Blues” / “Till the End”
RR 1063 – Webb Robbins And The Jackets “Take This Ring” / “Why Was I Blue”
RR 1064 – Mason Dixon – “Queen Of My Heartaches” / “Hello Memphis”

Thank you to Tapio Väisänen and Niculò Conrad for their help with this discography.