APRIL 1961

Harold Dorman, a native of Sledge, Mississippi, had come to Memphis in 1955 and auditioned at Sun in 1957. Both his songs and his performances were undistinguished, but Roland Janes heard something he liked the singer, and when he and Billy Riley started Rita Records in the fall of 1959 they brought a much-improved Dorman into the studio.

With Jack Clement at the board, they cut ''Mountain Of Love'', which became a one-off hit comparable to ''Tragedy'' the previous spring.

Like Thomas Wayne, Dorman was unable to sustain the momentum, and Rita Records soon folded. Dorman hurried back to Sun, where he recorded three singles, none of which reignited his career. He then turned to songwriting and submitted one of his songs, ''Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town'', to Charley Pride, another native of Sledge who had also auditioned at Sun in the late 1950s. It became one of Pride's biggest hits and encouraged him to revive ''Mountain Of Love'' in 1981.

APRIL 1, 1961 SATURDAY

Jerry Kennedy goes to work at Mercury Records in Nashville as an assistant to label president Shelby Singleton. He goes on to produce hits for Mercury and Smah acts as The Staler Brothers, Tom T. Hall, Jerry Lee Lewis (1963), and Roger Miller.

''Tomboy And The Champ'', a movie that honors 4-H, appears in theaters, with Rex Allen in a subordinate role.

APRIL 2, 1961 SUNDAY

Connie Francis recorded the pop hit ''Don't Break The Heart That Loves You'' in New York. Margo Smith revives it for the country audience in 1977.

Buddy Jewell is born in Osceola, Arkansas. After singing on demos for a number of years in Music City, he wins the first ''Nashville Star'' TV competition in 2003, leading to a recording contract and a gold album.

APRIL 3, 1961 MONDAY

American western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television persona, Spade Cooley beats his wife, Ella Mae, at his home in Kern County, California, and threatens to kill his 14-year-old daughter, Melody, if she tells anyone. Ella Mae is pronounced dead after midnight, and he receives a life sentence for the crime.

On April 26, 1961, Cooley was indicted by a Kern County grand jury for the murder of his wife on April 3 at the couple's Willow Springs ranch home. Cooley's 14-year-old daughter, Melody, reportedly told the jury she watched in terror as her father beat her mother's head against the floor, stomped on her stomach, then crushed a lit cigarette against her skin to see whether she was dead. Cooley claimed his wife had been injured by falling in the shower.

He was unsuccessfully defended by prominent attorney P. Basil Lambros in what was the longest case in county history at the time; and was convicted of first-degree murder by a Kern County jury on August 21, 1961 after unexpectedly withdrawing an insanity plea. He was spared death in the gas chamber and sentenced to life in prison.

Decca released Brenda Lee's pop hit, ''You Can Depend On Me''.

Folk figure Peter Seeger is sentenced in New York to 10 one-year prison terms for contempt of Congress, after a lengthy investigation into Communist activities. The conviction is overturned in 1962. Two years earlier, Seeger's ''Gotta Travel On'' became a country hit for Billy Grammer.

Decca released Ernie Ashworth's ''Forever Gone'', and Columbia released Johnny Cash's ''The Rebel - Johnny Tuma''.

Jimmy Jones performs at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, in New Jersey.

Jerry Lee Lewis re-entered the Hot 100 for the first time in three years with ''What'd I Say''.By the middle of May ''What'd I Say'' had reached number 30 where it pegged out. Jerry was signed to bigger paying venues and his new booking agent, Ray Brown at National Artists Attractions, booked him onto a Battle Of The Century tour with Jackie Wilson.

APRIL 4, 1961 TUESDAY

Fabian returns to South Side High in Philadelphia to receive his high school diploma. He graduates with a B+ average.

APRIL 5, 1961 WEDNESDAY

The Paris Sisters sing ''Be My Boy'' on American Bandstand.

Don Gibson recorded ''Sea Of Heartbreak'' at Nashville's RCA Studio B.

APRIL 6, 1961 THURSDAY

Spade Cooley suffers a heart attack, three days after strangling and beating his wife death. As a result, he's transferred from Bakersfield's Kern County Jail to Kern County General Hospital.

Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun marries Ioana Maria Banu. Ten years earlier, he earned a hit as a songwriter for Big Joe Turner on ''Chains Of Love'', destined to become a country hit for Mickey Gilley.

APRIL 7, 1961 FRIDAY

The Poni-Tails are at the Twin Coaches Lounge in Pittsburgh.

Gene Pitney is on American Bandstand.

APRIL 8, 1961 SATURDAY

Jerry Lee Lewis appear at the Birmingham Armory in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ray Charles begins a twenty stop tour at the McCormick Place in Chicago. His two days in Chicago gross $34,000 with tickets costing up to $4.00.

APRIL 10, 1961 MONDAY

Del Shannon performs ''Runaway'' on American Bandstand.

Capitol released Buck Owens and Rose Maddox's ''Loose Talk'' and ''Mental Cruelty''.

APRIL 11, 1961 TUESDAY

Bob Dylan becomes a pro, opening for John Lee Hooker at New York's Gerde's Folk City. A number of Dylan's songs becomes country successes, including ''It Ain't Me, Babe'', ''You Ain't Going Nowhere'' and ''To Make You Feel My Love''.

The fledgling Los Aneles Angeles, owned by cowboy singer Gene Autry, play their first regular season baseball game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. The Angels defeat the Orioles, 7-2.

Jerry Butler, Dee Clark, Maxine Brown, and the Marcels are at the Howard Theater.

APRIL 12, 1961 WEDNESDAY

James Darren appears on Bob Hope's NBC-TV special Darren sings ''Gidget Goes Hawaiian'' and ''Wild About That Girl''.

Freddy Cannon is on American Bandstand.

Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin First Man in Space. The Soviet Union successfully launched the first man into space today taking the prize for "The First Man In Space". Yuri Gagarin , a 27-year-old air force major. He orbited the Earth in 1hr 40 minutes. The next target is to put a man on the moon which the US achieves before the end of the decade. Gagarin completing a full orbit of the planet in under two hours.

The Marty Robbins recording ''El Paso'' wins Best Country and Western Performance during the third annual Grammy Awards.

APRIL 13, 1961 THURSDAY

Tammy Stephens is born in Arlington, Texas. After performing at Opryland, she joins The Girls Next Door, contributing to one Top 10 hit, ''Slow Boat To China'', on Mary Tyler Moore's MTM label.

The Everly Brothers make a guest appearance on NBC-TV's ''The Ford Show'' featuring Tennessee Ernie Ford.

APRIL 14, 1961 FRIDAY

Claude Gray recorded ''My Ears Should Burn (When Fools Are Talked About)'' at the Bradley Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

Review in Billboard says that, ''What'd I Say'' by Jerry Lee Lewis; ''Breatin' In A Brand New Broken Heart'' by Connie Francis; ''Runnin' Scared'' by Roy Orbison; ''I Fall To Pieces'' by Patsy Cline, and ''Some Kind Of Wonderful'' by The Drifters that ''These records, of all those on the Hot 100, have begun to show National sales breakout action this week for the first time. They are recommended to dealers and all other readers as having the greatest potential to go all the way. Previous Billboard Spotlight Picks are marked.

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If only more Memphis productions featuring Gene Lowery and his buddies had followed this model.  ''I'll Stick By You'' is perhaps a bit more poppish with a more ''produced'' sound, although even here good sence seems to have prevailed.

APRIL 15, 1961 SATURDAY

The Ray Charles revues stops at Detroit's Music Hall and then Cleveland Music Hall grosses $22,000 on $4.00 tickets.

Former Marty Robbins producer Mitch Miller graces the cover of TV Guide.

APRIL 16, 1961 SUNDAY

After making recordings for smaller labels, Claude King has his first session for Columbia Records at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. He takes his first swipe at ''Big River, Big Man'', which he re-recorded a month later.

MID APRIL 1961

Duane Eddy is on location in Tuscon, Arizona filming ''Thunder of Drums''.

APRIL 17, 1961 MONDAY

Dion appears at the Casino Royal in Washington.

Neil Sedaka is at the Blinstrub's Club in Philadelphia.

JoAnn Campbell is on American Bandstand.

The Bay of Pigs invasion ends in a defeat for the Cuban exiles who had attempted to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro's regime. 118 are killed and 1,202 are captured by Cuban forces.

West Side Story, the film version of the musical, is released. The film features Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno, and a choreographed by Jerome Robbins.

Location shooting for Elvis Presley's movie ''Blue Hawaii'' concludes in the Pacific.

Wanda Jackson recorded ''I May Never Get To Heaven'' and ''Brown Eyed Handsome Man'' in Nashville. The former becomes a Conway Twitty hit in 1979, while the latter Chuck Berry song earns country hit status for Waylon Jennings in 1969.

APRIL 19, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Ricky Nelson sings ''Hello Mary Lou'' on ABC-s ''The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet''.

APRIL 20, 1961 THURSDAY

Wanda Jackson recorded ''In The Middle Of A Heartache'' in Nashville, Tennessee.

Paul Evans and Johnny Preston open for six days at the Armata Coliseum in Manila, Philippines, that will draw 36,000 fans A brief swing through Australia follows. In all, they are seen by 1000,000.

Pat Boone's TV special features Fabian.

APRIL 21, 1961 FRIDAY

Ernie-K-Doe, Jimmy Jones and Freddie Scott appear at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Music Hall. The Flamingos, the Olympics and the Dells are at Chicago's Regal Theater for a week.

Bobby Lord holds what proves to be his final Columbia recording session.

APRIL 22, 1961 SATURDAY

Patsy Cline makes out her will, leaving to husband Charlie Dick only their furniture, the family car and their record collection.

APRIL 24, 1961 MONDAY

Red Foley is found not guilty in his second trial for tax evasion in the last six months.

Bill Anderson recorded ''Po' Folks''.

Capitol Records released Hank Thompson's version of Jack Guthrie's ''Oklahoma Hills''.

APRIL 25, 1961 TUESDAY

The singles Sun 359 ''Belle Of The Suwanee'' b/w ''Eternally'' by Tracy Pendarvis and Sun 360 ''Groovy Train'' b/w ''Highland Rock'' by Wade Cagle and The Escorts issued.

Johnny Maestro sings ''Model Girl'' on American Bandstand.

Faron Young performs ''Hello Walls'' during a guest stint on Dick Clark's ABC-TV show ''American Bandstand''.

APRIL 27, 1961 THURSDAY

The Roomates sing ''Glory of Love'' on American Bandstand.

The city of Los Angeles issues a resolution offering ''the first cheer'' for the Los Angeles Angels, newly formed by Gene Autry.

APRIL 28, 1961 FRIDAY

The singles, PI 3567 ''Dream'' b/w ''Coming Down With The Blues'' by Jeb Stuart and PI 3568 ''You're Everything'' b/w ''You've Gome Home'' by Nelson Ray issued.

The Biggest Show of Stars for 61 stops in St. Louis and the next day at Chicago's McCormick Place. The two dates brings in $25,000.

The Flamingos, Jerry Butler, the Miracles, Maxine Brown, the Vibrations and Shep and the Limelites are at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia.

APRIL 29, 1961 SATURDAY

Gilbert ''Cisco'' Houston dies of cancer in San Bernardino, California. A longtime drinking buddy and singing partner of Woody Guthrie, he co-wrote ''Cocaine Blues'', a hit for Roy Hogsed in 11948.

LATE APRIL 1961

Sam Cooke appears for a week at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.

MAY 1, 1961 MONDAY

Bobby Rydell makes his debut as a nightclub performer at Sciolla's Club in Philadelphia.

Danny and the Juniors are at Casino Royal in Washington, DC for a week.

Neil Sedaka sings ''Little Devil'' on American Bandstand.

Johnny Preston is in Philadelphia to begin a 30 day tour to promote ''I Feel Good''.

MAY 1, 1961 MONDAY

Decca Records released Webb Pierce's ''Sweet Lips''

Roland White and Clarence White appear as members of the fictitious band The Country Boys in an episode of ''The Andy Griffith Show'' on CBS.

MARCH 2, 1961 TUESDAY

RCA Victor released Elvis Presley's ''I Feel So Bad'' backed with ''Wild In The Country'' (RCA Victor 47-7880). "I Feel So Bad" is a song written and originally recorded by Chuck Willis in 1953. Elvis version was recorded on March 12, 1961 in RCA Studio B, in Nashville, Tennessee. Presley recorded a version of the song following the arrangements by Willis and his singing style. Presley's version reached to number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 and number 15 on Billboard's Top 20 Rhythm And Blues Singles chart the same year. The song, which was released on a AA-sided single in the UK backed with ""Wild In The Country'', reached to number 4 on the UK singles chart, also in 1961.

MAY 3, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Songwriter Harlan Howard recorded the original version of ''She Called Me Baby''. The song becomes a hit for Charlie Rich in 1974.

Fats Domino plays the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh.

MAY 4, 1961 THURSDAY

Neil Sedaka begins a tour of the Philippines and Australia.

Paul Revere and the Raiders make their national TV debut on American Bandstand and sing ''Like Long Hair''.

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STUDIO SESSION FOR JERRY LEE SMITH
FOR SUN RECORDS 1961

SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING STUDIO
639 MADISON AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
SUN SESSION: MAY 4, 1961
SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN
PRODUCER AND RECORDING ENGINEER – SAM C. PHILLIPS
AND/OR CECIL SCAIFE

Jerry Lee "Smoochy" Smith, as a studio piano player for Sun Records from 1957 to 1959, Jerry Lee Smoochy Smith was instrumental in creating the Great Memphis Pumping Piano Sound. He played on numerous recording sessions at Sun Records as part of the house band that backed up rockabilly legends such as Billy Lee Riley, Ace Cannon, Warren Smith, and others. Smoochy said, "I'm not listed as piano player many times, 'cause I was young and I wasn't in the Musicians Union. Sam Phillips gave me a dollar for each year of my age to cut those records, and when he listed the session with the Musicians Union, he listed Jerry Lee Lewis as piano player or sometimes Jimmy Wilson".

At Stax, Smoochy Smith recorded with the Mar-Keys and was co-writer of their 1961 million-seller hit "Last Night". He also played on Carla Thomas' first album, "Gee Whiz". In 2008 Smoochy Smith chronicled the life and times of his career in ''The Real Me'' published in 2008. One of the tidbits from this book was about the origin of his nickname Smoochy. At 15 he was playing with a band between features in a Texas movie theatre. While watching the first movie, he met a cute little girl and took her backstage to meet the other band members. As the movie was ending, they looked up and saw a couple kissing in the movie. Jerry asked the girl if she would like to do that, and she said yes. When the band began to perform bandleader Kenny Parchman introduced him to the audience as Smoochy. The name has stuck ever since.

DRUNKEN GAMBLER
Composer: Roosenvelt Sykes
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Copyright Control
Matrix number: - None - Sun Unissued

TO EACH HIS OWN
Composer: Jay Livingston-Ray Evans
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Paramount Music
Matrix number: - None - Sun Unissued

Name (Or. No. Of Instruments)
Jerry Lee Smith - Vocal & Piano
Brad Suggs - Guitar
R.W. Stevenson - Bass
Chips Moman - Drums
Ronnie Capone - Saxophone
Huey Jeffries - Steel Guitar

For Biography of Jerry Lee Smith see: : > The Sun Biographies <

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EARLY MAY 1961

Bobby Darin is touring Japan.

MAY 5, 1961 FRIDAY

Ral Donner is on American Bandstand.

The United States launches it's first man in space Alan Shepard on the Freedom 7. President Kennedy asks Congress for $531 million to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. If you look at the timeline for space travel up to this point the The Soviet Union was consistently one step ahead of the United States, but following the speech by President Kennedy on May 25, 1961 the United States was determined to be the first to put a man on the moon which they achieved on July 20, 1969 when Apollo 11 landed Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr, who became the first human beings to walk on the Moon's surface.

MAY 6, 1961 SATURDAY

Dick Clark, the future producer of the academy of Country Music awards, is officially divorced from his first wife, Barbara.

MAY 8, 1961 MONDAY

As he turns 21, Ricky Nelson officially changes his stage name to Rick Nelson.

Faron Young's version of the Willie Nelson-penned ''Hello Walls'' hits number 1 in Billboard.

For his 21st birthday Ricky Nelson is granted his wish to be called professionally Rick.

Fat Domino is performing at the Showboat in Philadelphia.

Gene McDaniels begins a tour in Minneapolis to promote his new album.

MAY 9, 1961 TUESDAY

An-Margret recorded the pop hit ''I Just Don't Understand'' at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Among the ace musicians on the session, pianist Floyd Cramer, bass player Bob Moore, harmonica man Charlie McCoy and The Jordanaires.

MAY 10, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Danny and the Juniors are on American Bandstand.

MAY 12, 1961 FRIDAY

Gene McDaniels opens at the Village Vanguard in New York City.

Leroy Van Dyke recorded ''Walk On By'' at the Bradley Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

MAY 13, 1961 SATURDAY

The Louvin Brothers recorded the Chet Atkins-penned ''How's The World Treating You''. The song eventually is remake by Alison Kraus and James Taylor, who earn a Grammy nomination for their performance.

Sam Cooke has a SRO for his show at the Keil Auditorium. Also appearing are Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Clyde McPhatter, Aretha Franklin and the Olympics.

Gene Vincent returns to England. He becomes the first American to appear on the British variety television program Thank Your Lucky Stars.

MID MAY 1961

Jerry Lee Lewis is performing every Sunday at Lil' Rebel Room in Memphis while he is on vacation at his home in Hernando, just across the state line in Mississippi.

Freddy Cannon is recuperating from tonsillectomy.

Jackie Wilson is leaving the hospital after recovering from the gunshot wound he suffered on February 15, 1961.

MAY 15, 1961 MONDAY

Decca released Kitty Wells' ''Heartbreak Hotel''.

MAY 16, 1961 TUESDAY

Carl Smith recorded ''Air Mail'' and ''Kisses Never Lie''.

MAY 17, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Dion is at the International Club in New York City.

MAY 18, 1961 THURSDAY

Claude King recorded the definitive version of his first hit ''Big River, Big Man'', during an evening session at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Country Music Association begins its quarterly board meetings at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach. During the two-day gathering, the board votes to establish a Country Music Hall of Fame.

MAY 19, 1961 FRIDAY

Chet Atkins performs for president John F. Kennedy at the annual White House news photographer dinner at a Washington, D.C. With Atkins are bassist Bob Moore, pianist Bill Purcell and drummer Buddy Harmon.

Jerry Lee Lewis is at the Regal theater in Chicago.

MIDDLE MAY 1961

Jerry Lee Lewis's ''What'd I Say'' reached number 30 on the charts, where it pegged out. It wasn't 1958 and ''Great Balls Of Fire'' all over again, but the response was strong enough that a feeling of new life came over Sun's approach to Lewis. In the next few years, Jerry's records took on a soulful cast. It may be that they would have anyway, as Jerry's own ear had led him to Ray Charles in the first place, but the list of releases Sam Phillips put out on Jerry in the months, that followed showed just how hard he was working to color his boy as an rhythm and blues-based artist.

MAY 20, 1961 SATURDAY

Singer and songwriter Dan Wilson is born in Minneapolis. After establishing himself with the pop band Semisonic, he co-writes The Dixie Chiks' Grammy-winning ''Not Ready To Make Nice'' and Dierks Bentley's ''Home''.

MAY 21, 1961 SUNDAY

Brenda Lee recorded the pop hit ''Dum Dum'' in Nashville at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio.

The singles, Sun 362 ''I'll Stick By You'' b/w ''There They Go'' by Harold Dorman and Sun 363 ''Sugartime'' b/w ''My Treasure'' by Johnny Cash issued.

Gene Vincent begins an eight day tour through South Africa.

MAY 22, 1961 MONDAY

Bass player Dana Williams is born in Dayton, Ohio. He joins Diamond Rio, a band that wins the Country Music Association's Vocal Group award three times. Members of the Grand Ole Opry, the band thrives on tight instrumentation and strong harmonies.

Mary Sue Everly sues for divorce from her husband, The Everly Brothers' Don Everly. He allegedly tells her, ''Babe, you just ain't Hollywood''.

RCA Records released Don Gibson's ''Sea Of Heartbreak''.

MAY 23, 1961 TUESDAY

Little Caesar and the Romans sing ''Those Oldies But Goodies'' on American Bandstand.

Flatt and Scruggs recorded ''Go Home''

Five weeks after location shooting ended in Hawaii, filming for the Elvis Presley movie ''Blue Hawaii'' in Los Angeles, California.

Gene Autry is arrested in North Hollywood and charged with drunk driving after failing a field sobriety test. He's released on $263 bail.

MAY 24, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Buck Owens recorded ''Under The Influence Of Love'' in an afternoon session at the Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California.

MAY 25, 1961 THURSDAY

Roy Drusky recorded ''I Went Out Of My Way (To Make You Happy)''.

Rex Allen recorded the theme to the movie ''Marines, Let's Go'' at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

President Kennedy asks Congress for $531 million to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.

MAY 26, 1961 FRIDAY

Following an association with Capitol Records, Jerry Reed holds the first of six recording sessions in a new deal with Columbia. He'll move along to RCA before finally reaching his commercial peak.

Ray Stevens recorded a minor pop hit, ''Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green And Purple Pills'', in his first Mercury session, at Nashville's Bradley Recording Studio.

MAY 27, 1961 SATURDAY

Johnny Cash has a guest acting part on NBC's ''The Deputy'', featuring Henry Fonda.

MAY 28, 1961 SUNDAY

Ernest Tubb recorded ''Though That Door'' during an evening session at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

MAY 29, 1961 MONDAY

Rock singer and songwriter Melissa Etheridge is born in Leavenworth, Kansas. A gritty powerful vocalist, she finds her way into the country charts when Trisha Yearwood scores a minor hit with her song ''You Can Sleep While I Drive'' in 1995.

Decca released The Wilburn Brothers' ''Blue Blue Day''.

Mel Tillis holds his last Columbia recording session. Two of the songs become hits for him when he remakes them in the 1970s, ''Heart Over Mind'' and ''I Ain't Never''.

MAY 31, 1961 WEDNESDAY

Chuck Berry, the author of such country hits as ''Mabellene'', ''Johnny B. Goode'' and ''Brown Eyed Handsome Man'', opens a new family shopping and entertainment site, called Berry Park in Wentzville, Missouri.

There are other artists named Billy Adams in the rock and roll history books, principally a guitarist from Kentucky who recorded for Quincy and Nau-Voo and who has appeared in rocking revival shows at home and abroad. But in Memphis, there was only ever one Billy Adams.

Billy Adams and his recording associate Bill Yates had more singles issued on Sun Records than many of the major names associated with the label.

Because they recorded in the early 1960s rather than the rockabilly 1950s their music has tended to be overshadowed by the soulful developments in black music and the blues tradition that were coming out of Hi, Stax, and other Memphis labels.

Nevertheless, they were important white musicians spearheading Sun's part in the musical convergence in the city some years before the civil rights movement took hold. Adams and Yates frequently worked at the same clubs as the rhythm and blues bands of Willie Mitchell and Gene ''Bowlegs'' Miller.

Unlike the British beat groups who were invading with America with recycled versions of black music,Adams and Yates were part of Memphis's evolving musical scene, black and white. Billy Adams was the band-leader and organiser, a drummer of some note, and a decent singer. Bill Yates was less organised, a pianist of some note, and a really good singer in a range of styles. Often he played as part of Adams's band, but he would regularly disappear to follow other opportunities.

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SUMMER 1961

Ruben Cherry and Celia Camp diversified in mid 1961 by setting up subsidiary labels to issue music produced and bankrolled by independent producers. The Zab, Rufus, Six-O-Six (named after the store address where Cherry lived as a child), and First Records labels were an effort to ring the changes. Mrs. Camp was wheeling and dealing in more than records: Billboard reported on May 22, 1961: ''Memphis: Mrs. Celia G. Camp has purchased the majority of the stock in Southern Amusement Company from her exhusband... the largest phonograph and game operation in the mid-South... Camp began his coin machine empire in 1938, with Mrs. Camp's help. They founded Southern Distributing Company with Kenneth Wilson. Wilson has long since left the field and is now a multi-millionaire builder and president of Holiday Inns Inc... Mrs. Camp owns Music Systems Inc, 407 Madison Avenue, where her office is, a background music operation. Mrs. Camp also owns oil wells in Kentucky, Illinois, and Arkansas. A year ago she helped found HOTB record company and is secretary-treasurer of it. She has put up the money for its operation. They are hoping to become a hit-producing record company, have great hopes for the Five Royales they are recording''. These hopes soon met the reality of average sales figures, and Camp brought in her nephew, Wolf Lebowitz, a Memphis-born journalist and photographer, who hawked the label around the northern record business. By November 1961 Billboard was reporting: ''Chicago – Vee Jay president Ewart Abner has worked out an agreement with Ruben Cherry's label HOTB to distribute the latter's records. Future HOTB releases will be issued on Vee Jay with an additional emblem of HOTB''. Soon, the label would transfer this arrangement to ABC-Paramount Records and their Apt subsidiary.

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JUNE 1, 1961 THURSDAY

Tex Ritter throws a party for the Los Angeles Dodgers at his home in Toluca Lake, California. The guests include first baseman Gil Hodges and pitchers Don Drysdale and Ron Perranoski.

JUNE 4, 1961 SUNDAY

Jim Reeves recorded ''What Would You Do?'' and ''Stand At The Window'' in the afternoon at Nashville's RCA Studio B.

JUNE 5, 1961 MONDAY

Decca released Bill Anderson's ''Po' Folks'', and Bill Anderson recorded ''Mama Sang A Song''.

JUNE 10, 1961 SATURDAY

Mel and Mary McDaniel get married.

JUNE 12, 1961 MONDAY

Decca released Don Winter's only country hit, ''Too Many Times''.

Columbia released Claude King's debut single, ''Big River, Big Man'', and also released Carl Smith's ''Kisses Never Lie''.

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JUNE 1961

Carl Mann recorded at Phillips's Nashville studio in June 1961, as his success slowly ebbed. Like most of Sun's diminishing roster, he preferred the sound at the Nashville studio to the Madison Avenue studio. Carl also hoped that he'd be allowed to cut more country music.

''Deep down I wanted to do country music'', he says. ''Every time I went to record I'd do some country songs for Sam and he'd say, Naw, that's too country', but I slipped a few in there. ''Í Can't Forget You'' was a song Carl Belew wrote for Patsy Cline. We put it on the back of ''Some Enchanted Evening'', a song I did not want to.

At some point there was a convict between Phillips and Eddie Bush. The details are fuzzy, but it probably centered around Phillips's unwillingness to pay Musicians Union scale on sessions that went nowhere, or the lack of promotion accorded Bush's solo single. At some point, Phillips expended quite a lot of tape on Bush and got as far as issuing a single, and its lack of success might have accounted for some of Bush's pique. He appears to have a gone back to the Louisiana Hayride for a while to play with Carl Belew, but the dates, as always, are hazy.

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This Carl Mann record, his next-toast for Phillips, is worth special attention for several reasons. First, most listeners will notice that this is not the version of ''I Ain't Got No Home'' they are used to hearing Carl first recorded the song in October 1959 and it appeared on his original LP. The song had long been part of his stage repertoire and someone decided it might not be a bad idea to put it out as a single. What the hell, nothing else seemed to be selling. However, instead of releasing the album track, Carl journeyed east to Nashville to re-cut the song in the new Phillips studio. This time Carl left his trusty sideman home and used Nashville's finest pickers and grinners (Kelso Herston, Bob Moore, Buddy Harmon, Pig Robbins). 

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JUNE 14, 1961 FRIDAY

Patsy Cline is seriously injured in a head-on collision in Nashville. Two passengers in the other car die, while Cline receives a dislocated hip and a cut across her forehead.

JUNE 15, 1961 SATURDAY

20th Century-Fox offers a sneak preview of Elvis Presley's ''Wild In The Country'' in Memphis. Viewers can choose between two endings, deciding whether Hope Land dies at the end. The viewers choose for her to live.

JUNE 17, 1961 MONDAY

With Patsy Cline in the hospital from a car accident, Loretta Lynn dedicates ''I Fall To Pieces'' to Cline on Ernest Tubb's ''Midnite Jamboree'' radio show. Cline's husband, Charlie Dick, asks Lynn to come meet Cline in the hospital the next day.

Lawrence Welk, who appeared on the country charts with Red Foley, makes the cover of TV Guide.

JUNE 22, 1961 SATURDAY

''Wild In The Country'' opens, with Elvis Presley, Hope Lang, and Tuesday Weld.

JUNE 24, 1961 SUNDAY

Rollin ''Oscar'' Sullivan, of Lonzo and Oscar, marries Geneva Busby.

JUNE 25, 1961 FRIDAY

Sun 361 ''I'll Wait Forever'' b/w ''I Can't Show How I Feel'' by Anita Wood issued.

JUNE 26, 1961 SATURDAY

Elvis Presley recorded ''Little Sister'' ( RCA Victor 37-7908) at Nashville's RCA Studio B. ''Little Sister" is a rock and roll roll song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Schuman, who enjoyed a number 5 hit with it on the Billboard Hot 100. The single (as a double A-side with "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame'' also reached number 1 in the United Kingdon Singles Chart. Lead guitar was played by Hank Garland, with backing vocals by the The Jordanaires featuring the distinctive bass voice of Ray Walker.

Presley performs the song as part of a medley with "Get Back" in the 1970 rockumentary film ''Elvis: That's the Way It Is''. The song would later be covered by such artists as Dwight Yoakam, Robert Plant, The Nighthawks, The Staggers, Pearl Jam, Ry Cooder and Jesse and the Rippers. The song lyric makes mention of "Jim Dandy" which was the title of a 1956 song "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker. An answer song to "Little Sister", with the same melody but different lyrics, was recorded and released under the title "Hey, Memphis" by Baker on Atlantic Records (Atlantic 2119-A) in September 1961.

Decca released Brenda Lee's pop hit ''Dum Dum'', and The Wilburn Brothers recorded ''Trouble's Back In Town''.

JUNE 29, 1961 THURSDAY

Skeeter Davis recorded ''Optimistic''.

''The Ford Show'' an NBC variety program starring Tennessee Ernie Ford and Molly Bee, ends its run in prime-time.

JUNE 30, 1961 FRIDAY

Two live performances for Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich for WVOK's Dixie Jamboree at the City Auditorium, Birmingham, Arkansas. The shows also featured Bobby Vee, Jack Scott, Faron Young, Del Shannon, Gene Pitney, and many more. Admission $2,25. After the show dance party at the Birmingham Guard Armory.

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Session Published for Historical Reasons

STUDIO SESSION FOR THE SQUIRES
FOR CHAN RECORDS 1961

SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING STUDIO
639 MADISON AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
CHAN SESSION: UNKNOWN DATE(S) 1961
SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN
PRODUCER AND RECORDING ENGINEER - SAM PHILLIPS

MOVIN' OUT
Composer: - The Squires
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Stur-Ville Music
Matrix number: - CH 1A / 61-XY-843 MGM - Master (2:23)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: - Chan Records (S) 45rpm standard single Chan 102-A mono
MOVIN' OUT / OUR THEME
Reissued: 1961 MGM Records (S) 45rpm standard single MGM K13044-A mono
MOVIN' OUT / OUR THEME

The Squires from Chattanooga, Tennessee and formed in 1959 and "Movin' Out" was a regional success in several markets including Tulsa Oklahoma. Active in the early to mid 1960's they released a couple singles on Chan Records and eventually signed with MGM Records.

OUR THEME
Composer: - The Squires
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Stur-Ville Music
Matrix number: - CH 1B / 61-XY-844 MGM - Master (2:23)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: -Chan Records (S) 45rpm standard single Chan 102-B mono
OUR THEME / MOVIN' OUT
Reissued: 1961 MGM Records (S) 45rpm standard single MGM K13044-B mono
MOVIN' OUT / OUR THEME

Name (Or. No. Of Instruments)
The Squires consisting of
Ted Ledfort - Lead Guitar
Larry Blanks - Guitar
Don Jackson - Tenor Saxophone
Jimmy Harris - Piano
Allen Lutes - Bass
Butch Thomas - Drums
Allen Dennis - Manager

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

Session Published for Historical Reasons

STUDIO SESSION FOR JACKIE CANNON
FOR CHAN RECORDS 1961

SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING STUDIO
639 MADISON AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
CHAN SESSION: UNKNOWN DATE(S) 1961
SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN
PRODUCER AND RECORDING ENGINEER - SAM PHILLIPS

Jackie Cannon was a American country and rock and roll singer who made two recordings in the early 1960s, then faded into obscurity. Cannon was born in 1939 in Palmer, Tennessee. His first record was made for the small Chan label in Oklahoma and was quickly leased to Chess for national distribution. No photograph of Jackie Cannon has been located.

PROOF OF YOUR LOVE
Composer: - Jackie Cannon
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Buna Publishing
Matrix number: - 3-A / U-11282 Chess - Master (2:02)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: - Chan Records (S) 45rpm standard single Chan 103-A mono
PROOF OF YOUR LOVE / CHILL BUMPS
Reissued: 1961 Chess Records (S) 45rpm standard single Chess 1807-A mono
PROOF OF YOUR LOVE / CHILL BUMPS

CHILL BUMPS
Composer: - Jackie Cannon
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Stur-Ville Publishing
Matrix number: - 3-B / U-11283 Chess - Master (2:18)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: - Chan Records (S) 45rpm standard single Chan 103-B mono
CHILL BUMPS / PROOF OF YOUR LOVE
Reissued: 1961 Chess Records (S0 45rpm standard single Chess 1807-B mono
CHILL BUMPS / PROOF OF YOUR LOVE

Name (Or. No. Of Instruments)
Jackie Cannon - Vocal and Guitar
More Details Unknown

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

Session Published for Historical Reasons

STUDIO SESSION FOR TRAVIS RICKS & THE PEARLS
FOR PRIDE RECORDS 1961

SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING STUDIO
639 MADISON AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
PRIDE SESSION: UNKNOWN DATE(S) 1961
SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN
PRODUCER - CHARLES DERRICK & ALLEN LAWSON
RECORDING ENGINEER - SAM PHILLIPS

South Carolina music man Charles Derrick is most closely associated with the great Kip Anderson whom he produced on some of the best ever southern soul. But Anderson wasn’t the only vocalist he worked with and Travis Ricks may just be the ''best of the rest''. Ricks and his band the Pearls were a good draw in South Carolina in the early 1960s but he only seems to have made a couple of 45s. The rare one on Pride has a rocking ''No Need To Cry'' and a goodish ballad in ''Lost Pride'' on it - but this does sound more like a demo than a fully realised production as the only accompaniment is an out of tune honky tonk piano, guitar, bass and drums. And in fact it may well have been just that as the New York based Ordell release entitled ''Little Girl Don’t You Cry'' has a very similar structure, chord changes and lyrics, as well as the same sobbing female voice.

NO NEED TO CRY
Composer: - Norman Richards-Charles Derrick
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Winn All Music-Tomeria Music
Matrix number: - SO. 1302 - Master (2:19)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: - Pride Records (S) 45rpm standard single Pride 501-A mono
NO NEED TO CRY / LOST PRIDE

LOST PRIDE
Composer: - Norman Richards-Charles Derrick
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Winn All Music-Tomeria Music
Matrix number: - SO. 1303 - Master (2:05)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - 1961
First appearance: - Pride Records (S) 45rpm standard single Pride 501-B mono
LOST PRIDE / NO NEED TO CRY

Name (Or. No. Of Instruments)
Travis Ricks & The Pearls
More Details Unknown

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

Session Published for Historical Reasons

STUDIO SESSION FOR RONNI LEE
FOR STRUT RECORDS 1961

SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING STUDIO
639 MADISON AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
STRUT SESSION: UNKNOWN DATE(S) 1961
SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN
PRODUCER - JAY RAINWATER
RECORDING ENGINEER - SCOTTY MOORE

TEACH ME TIGER
Composer: - N. Tempo
Publisher: - A.S.C.A.P. - Arragian & Chantler Music
Matrix number: - S-A / 61-B-17 Everest - Master (2:26)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - July 16, 1961
First appearance: - Strut Records (S) 45rpm standard single Strut 4269-A mono
TEACH ME TIGER / LOVE ME WITH YOUR EYES
Reissued: - 1961 Everest Records (S) 45rpm standard single Everest 19472-A mono
TEACH ME TIGER / LOVE ME WITH YOUR EYES

LOVE ME WITH YOUR EYES
Composer: - Dick Flood
Publisher: - B.M.I. - Lowery Music Corporation
Matrix number: - S-B / 61-B-18 Everest - Master (2:15)
Recorded: - Unknown Date(s) 1961
Released: - July 16, 1961
First appearance: - Strut Records (S) 45rpm standard single Strut 4269-B mono
LOVE ME WITH YOUR EYES / TEACH ME TIGER
Reissued: - 1961 Everest Records (S) 45rpm standard single Everest 19472-B mono
LOVE ME WITH YOUR EYES / TEACH ME TIGER

Name (Or. No. Of Instruments)
Ronni Lee - Vocal
More Details Unknown

© - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

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