The Valley of Dying Stars
Being the inquisitive type, I like to
compare the regional scenes to one another. At the time most of this
music came out (1959-63) Albuquerque's local scene didn't amount to
much other than The Knights and Al Hurricane. By comparison, El Paso
was blowing up. A couple of factors were in play. With Ft. Bliss
shuttling in draft era troops by the thousands for basic training,
there was always a demand for entertainment and literally speaking,
the music would never stop. (Long John Hunter was working 13 hour
shifts at the Lobby Club) As far as the number of venues available to
local musicians, El Paso, had the Duke City beat by a country mile.
El Paso also fostered a long reputation as a rough and tumble
“bordertown” while Albuquerque in the early 1960s was basically
Des Moines, Iowa with Mexicans.
Ooh! I meant to say Hispanos, my bad.
The rocking side of the border gets the Dirt City royal treatment on
this go-round. This episode comes fully loaded with both the familiar
and the obscure. The fifth installment in a six part series covering
the local scene in El Paso, Las Cruces and beyond.... but no further
north than Clovis N.M. Call me provincial, call me archaic, I don't
really care. Let's see what the cat drug in: It's a shame that Lloyd
Nash's “The Quiver” didn't start a national dance craze, sounds
much sexier than the Twist or The Mashed Potato. I did manage to
sneak one Albuquerque band in,The Knights' “Cut Out” made the
cut, mainly because I couldn't fit it into any of my other playlists.
It's a rocking little number that I want my jockey to play...
Dick Liberatore was one of two
vocalists for The Ravons (Jenny Johnson being the other) a band made up of airmen from Holloman AFB, who recorded for Yucca Records in
the early 1960s. Airman Liberatore who went on to have a long and storied career
in radio as Mark Richards, got his start in radio at KALG in
Alamogordo, N.M. (Calvin Boles' studio of choice) He didn't have the
job for long as he locked himself out of the studio while signing on
with “The Star Spangled Banner” at 6 a.m. Rushing out to hear his
handiwork on his car radio, he inadvertently left the studio keys on
the counter, next to the religious tape he had cued up to play. The
kind folks who had paid for airtime complained to the program
director at home... he promptly drove to the station, unlocked the
door and fired Liberatore on the spot.
Not to be discouraged, Dick Liberatore, aka, Mark Richards established himself as one of Cleveland's top jocks at WZAK hosting “The Big Beat Show” He also hosted a local version of American Bandstand called Good Times Rock 'n Roll and was able to talk Dick Clark into joining him as co-host for one memorable segment. Prior to his Cleveland stint, while working at WWIZ in Lorain, Ohio. Liberatore hooked up with Destiny Records as a producer. He also has the distinction of having written a song for Bobby Fuller “My Heart Jumped” which Bobby recorded for Yucca Records while Dick was stationed at Holloman AFB. Dick also composed “Why Did You Leave Me” which The Ravons recorded for Yucca Records. Dick eventually transitioned into television, the highlight of which was a one shot stint as a guest host for The Tonight Show. The entertainment blog “Classic Television Showbiz” hammered Dick's appearance “Talk about a shit excuse for a guest host”
Not to be discouraged, Dick Liberatore, aka, Mark Richards established himself as one of Cleveland's top jocks at WZAK hosting “The Big Beat Show” He also hosted a local version of American Bandstand called Good Times Rock 'n Roll and was able to talk Dick Clark into joining him as co-host for one memorable segment. Prior to his Cleveland stint, while working at WWIZ in Lorain, Ohio. Liberatore hooked up with Destiny Records as a producer. He also has the distinction of having written a song for Bobby Fuller “My Heart Jumped” which Bobby recorded for Yucca Records while Dick was stationed at Holloman AFB. Dick also composed “Why Did You Leave Me” which The Ravons recorded for Yucca Records. Dick eventually transitioned into television, the highlight of which was a one shot stint as a guest host for The Tonight Show. The entertainment blog “Classic Television Showbiz” hammered Dick's appearance “Talk about a shit excuse for a guest host”
Don Guess grew up in Clovis, N.M. part
of a well known musical family (his mother and sisters recorded at
Norman Petty Studios as The Guess Sisters) In 1956, Don Guess and
Sonny Curtis (known informally as Buddy Holly & The Two Tones)
accompanied Holly to Nashville for the “Bradley's Barn Sessions”
under the stern watch of Owen Bradley. Don parted ways with Buddy
Holly just before the Crickets came together. He recorded four solo
singles but mostly earned his way as a session player, working on
records by Faron Young, Marty Robbins, Buddy Know, Trini Lopez, Roy
Orbison, Hank Thompson, Sonny James, George Jones and Wanda Jackson.
On “Shirl Lee” Don Guess is joined by sax honker, Boots Randolph
of “Yakety Sax” fame otherwise known as “The Benny Hill Song”
Bob Taylor and The Counts had that
Bobby Fuller Four connection going (Jim Reese and Dalton Powell) The
Original Rockets were interchangeable with Jerry Bell or Don Orr. The
Impostors were one of Steve Crosno's slap dash studio bands, who
recorded one single for Frogdeath Records. “Tulsa” being the
b-side of “Wipe In” Bobby Fuller checks in with four early tunes,
including his take on Buddy Holly's “Not Fade Away” I've always
assumed “Black Cadillac” as recorded by Sonny Wallace on Yucca
Records, was a cover version, but it appears to be an original... of
sorts. It starts off with the same guitar intro as Joyce Green's
“Black Cadillac” recorded in 1959 and that's where the
similarities begin and end. Joyce's version came first, for what it's
worth.
Joyce Green makes reference to
attending her cheating boyfriend's funeral in a black Cadillac (after
she's done shooting him dead) “I'm gonna buy me a pistol, a great
big 45” Sonny on the other hand wants to buy himself a long black
Cadillac in order to cut out on his unfaithful woman... “I'ma hit
that road and I ain'ta comin' back” Throaty rockabilly revivalist,
Marti Brom covered Joyce Green's “Black Cadillac” and does an
admirable live version. “I'll hire a black Cadillac to drive you to
your grave” Lightning Hopkins recorded a song called “Black
Cadillac” also known as “Big Black Cadillac Blues” he sings a
different tune: “Wo'ah, Baby Please come on back, for you've got
something of mine, my big black Cadillac” If you ask me, that's a
whole lotta fuss over a big ass gas guzzler.
This is the cactus land, here the stone
images are raised, here they receive the supplication of a dead man's
hand under the twinkle of a fading star. Between the conception and
the creation, between the emotion and the response falls, Dirt City
Chronicles. Here we go 'round the prickly pear, prickly pear.... here's a penny for the old guy, Thank U Mr. Eliot.
Holy rats feet over broken glass!
Click play for full effect.
Text accompanied by music, Dirt City
Chronicles
The Quiver- Lloyd Nash & The
Cavaliers
Cut Out- The Knights
Say Honey- Bobby Fuller
Thunder- Bob Taylor & The Counts
Not Fade Away- Bobby Fuller
Little Rome- Max Alexander and The Hi
Fi Combo
Party- Al Sims & The Alpine Two
Jungle Bunny- Jerry Bell & The
Original Rockets
Ride With Me- Long John Hunter
Taylor's Rock- Bob Taylor and The
Counts
Tulsa- The Impostors
Down on the Farm Boogie- Bill Chappell
Thees Plane Ees Mine- Big Lloyd Dalton
Shirl_Lee- Don Guess w/ Boots Randolph
Black Out- The Sherwoods
Sarah Jane- Don Orr & The Original
Rockets
Judy- The Chancellers
Annie Lou- Bobby Fuller
Hot Rod Ford- D.Y. & The Motivators
Black Cadillac- Sonny Wallace
I'm Tired- Big Lloyd Dalton
Hold It- D. Y. & The Motivators
I Love You Baby- The Ravons
Saturday Night- Bobby Fuller
