1. SONGS WRITTEN BY JOHN D. LOUDERMILK


On these pages I try to give a list of "all" the songs John D. Loudermilk has written and who covered them.
I will never succeed completely, I know, but I try my best to give as many as possible.
In this overview I chronologically ordered the songs which (probably) have been recorded, though I haven't found a cover to each song. But you could help me make it more complete, mail me!


Johnnie Dee To Loudermilk bio & link page

This is part 1, 1956-1960 The Colonial, Columbia, Universal-Cedarwood years

To part 2, 1960-1963 RCA, Hickory, Nashville, teen, hillbilly and novelty
To part 3, 1963-1969 RCA, Hickory, Nashville, country, bizarre and open minded singer-songwriter songs
To part 4, 1970 & later MIM, Europe, years of retirement
To part 5, Loudermilk singing traditionals and covering other songwriters
To part 6, unknown songs/covers - info wanted!
To a few sound samples of unreleased songs.


Part 1: 1956-1960
The Colonial & Columbia years, publishing for Universal-Cedarwood

songtitle:
composer words & music John D. Loudermilk unless otherwise specified
 
covers:
blue=got the vinyl or mp3,
black=ain't got the music

A Rose and a Baby Ruth

"John Loudermilk" (composer credits on the US original 78), "Johnnie Dee" on some other 1956 releases

Most songs in the early years were originally released with "Dee" as composer; later releases give Loudermilk

JDL's first song, and a US top 10 hit!
original on Colonial as "George Hamilton and the Country Gentlemen".
Baby Ruth
← A Baby Ruth candy bar.

When the record came out, the Curtis Candy company, makers of Baby Ruth candy bars, sent a letter to Colonial record label demanding it be pulled for copyright infringement. By the time Colonial's lawyer replied, Curtis Candy had sent another letter advising the label to disregard the previous one: Sales had gone up 500 percent in the last month, as kids were eating the candy bars more and adults were sending roses and Baby Ruths to their sweethearts all over the country!

Also recorded (overdubbed by George Hamilton!) as "A Rose And A Candy Bar" for radio shows of other sponsors and the UK-market where the candy bar "Baby Ruth" was an unknown item.
Lyrics
PictCover
Budget label release on Bell label, sound-alike covers of the hits of the day, music for the millions for 49 cents.
Singer was Barry Frank (real name, though many budget artists used a pseudonym), a good singer and some of his covers were better sung than the hit original,
Al Kooper, looking back on his 1970 version:
"I grew up with the GHIV version. Really loved the sincerity of it when I was about 13. Referring to a rose and a Baby Ruth, he sings:
I could have sent you an orchid of some kind, But that's all I had in my jeans at the time...
I think I tried to duplicate that teen sincerity in every song I wrote in my teens and early twenties. I worship J.D. Loudermilk.
My version was just a jam in between takes of another song on the album "Easy Does It" from 1970. I was kinda goofing, but put it on the album nonetheless. So, if you hear it, its not ALL together serious."

  • George Hamilton IV and the Country Gentlemen(Sep. 1956, Colonial 420, #6 Billboard Hot 100)
  • Country Gentlemen (Sep. 1956, EP RCA 6673, on this EP probably George IV's version but labeled as The Country Gentlemen)
  • Eddie Fontaine (Oct. 1956, Decca 30108, with Jack Pleis Orch.)
  • Ralph Flanagan And His Orchestra With Vocal Group (Nov. 1956, RCA 6719, composer "Joe Dee")
  • Barry Frank & Jimmy Carroll Orch. (1956, Bell 16, budget label cover)
  • Dave Burgess (1956, Tops R297, budget label cover)
  • Dick Warren & Herbie Layne's Orch. (1956, Gateway 1197 (78 rpm) or Hep 305, another budget cover)
  • Artie Melvin (EP 4 Top Hits, Waldorf Music-Hall 45678, another budget cover by crooner, baritone of The Crew Chiefs, also sang with Glenn Miller's band)
  • The Johnston Brothers (Dec. 1956, Decca F 10828, UK version "A Rose And A Candy Bar")
  • George Hamilton IV (Jan. 1957, London 8361, as "A Rose And A Candy Bar" UK release)
  • The Crests (1960, LP The Crests Sing A ll Biggies)
  • Anita Kerr Singers (1963, LP Tender Words)
  • Jim Farmer (1963/64, Le Cam 114)
  • Bob Rubino (Apr. 1965, Bella 1000, a Link Wray label (composer "Johnny Loudermilk"), also 1966 on Calla 115)
  • Billy Mason (1966, Laval 415, French-Canadian version "Une Rose et un Baby Ruth", text de P. Laurendeau)
  • The Renegades (1966, LP The Renegades, Montana rockers)
  • Troy Shondell (Jul. 1967, TRX 5001)
  • The Straight A's (1969, LP The Straight A's)
  • Al Kooper (1970, LP Easy Does It)
  • Joey Welz (1970, Palmer 5032, also on his album "Vintage Ballads")
  • The Hop (2LP The Hop, R&R retro)
  • Jim Croce (1975, LP The Faces I've Been, song used in a posthumous released interview, track "Carmella... South Philly")
  • John Fahey (1992, CD Old Girlfriends & Other Horrible Memories, instrumental version)
  • Marylin Manson (1999, bonus disc CD Last Tour On Earth)
  • The Echoes (2000, CD The Echoes, a previously unreleased 1960s recording)
  • Johnny Tillotson (2003, CD The Early Years, previously unreleased 1957s recording and live stuff)

A-plus in love

Dee = Loudermilk

B-side first JDL record, released as "Johnny Dee featuring Joe Tanner on guitar", lyrics of A-plus

  • Johnny Dee (= John D. Loudermilk) (Feb. 1957, Colonial 430)

Sittin' in the Balcony

Dee = Loudermilk
add

JDL's original hit #38 Billboard pop charts; Cochran's cover hit #18. PictCover

←the rare picture cover of the 1956 promo release "at present a student at Campbell college"
In the original lyrics an innocent Bugs Bunny cartoon is being watched, but on the Coral single release, Don Cornell changes this into "We may stop lovin', to watch Kim Novak, but she can't take the place of my honey!"

PictCover PictCover Two Japanese cover releases, a 7" by rocker Keijiro Yamashita (1939-2011) and a LP by Masaaki Hirao, singer, actor.

sheet music sheet music Sheet music for the versions of Eddie Cochran and Don Cornell

  • Johnny Dee (Feb. 1957, Colonial 430, #38 Billboard Hot 100)
  • Eddie Cochran (Mar. 1957, Liberty 55056, #18 Billboard Hot 100)
  • Don Cornell (Mar. 1957, Coral 61811, a local #23 hit in Toronto)
  • Darlene Gillespie (Apr. 1957, Disneyland F-50, on a 45 by former child star from tv-series Mickey Mouse Club)
  • Loren Becker (1957, budget release EP on label 18 Top Hits)
  • Artie Malvin & Michael Stewart Quartet (1957, Bell 36, budget release)
  • Eddie Logan (1957, another budget release EP on Promenade)
  • Jimmy Jackson Rock 'n' Skiffle (May 1957, Columbia 3937 (UK))
  • Keijiro Yamashita (1958, Angel NPS-5006, half of lyrics in Japanese, B-side of his hit Diana)
  • Masaaki Hirao (1958, LP King Records, the "Japanese Elvis", rockabilly in Japanese and English)
  • Ray Allen & the Upbeats (1962, LP Tribute to 6, a tribute to 6 plane- or car-crashed pop stars, Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Jesse Belvin, Johnny Horton, Ritchie Valens and Eddie Cochran)
  • Miki Curtis & Pokerface (1977, LP Rock 'n Roll Special Vol. 2, Japanese rocker)
  • Vazelina Bilopphøggers (1980, LP 24 Timers Service, as "Balkongen" in Norwegian)
  • Rollers (1981, LP Rockabilly Billy, Swedish group)
  • Don McLean (1986, LP For The Memories)
  • Stuck Herry (1992, EP EKS 0290, pub rock and roll from Groningen, NL)
  • Darrel Higham feat. The Jets (1998, CD The Cochran Connection)
  • Marco Di Maggio (2000, CD Thank You Eddie, a Cochran tribute)
  • The Tawny Owls (±2005, cd High Fly, rockabilly from France)
  • Ray Whitley (probably not the old Hollywood cowboy star, it has been released on compilation cd's)
  • Hot Boppin' Aces (2008, CD Hot Boppin' Aces, Germany)
  • The Wieners (2009, live Omrop Fryslan, good rockabilly cover)
  • Kalle Kaaja (2009, CD Kuljen matkan taakse eilisen, as "Kuljen matkan taakse eilisen" in Finnish)
  • Keld Heick (2010, CD Time Machine)
  • Viktor Huganet (2016, EP Remember Eddie Cochran, good rock guitar from Toulouse, France)

Joe Tanner Bluenotes
Joe Tanner (pic left: Joe ±1945 as a teenager), guitarist of Colonial houseband The Bluenotes, was an important element in Johnny Dee's early recordings. He arranged "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" and played the distinctive guitar break on "Sitting in the Balcony".
The Bluenotes (pic right, posing as Ebe Sneezer and the Epidemics), Joe Tanner (gtr), Pat Patterson, Tom Underwood and (right) Johnny Dee) played on sessions for the Colonial label, and recorded JDL's composition "Page One" (see below).
Joe Tanner later worked for Monument and Roy Orbison. His arrangement of Roy's hit "In Dreams" and playing on "Oh Pretty Woman" are some of his major feats. Joe's custom made Rickenbacker 12 string electric guitar on "Oh Pretty Woman" gave the record its irresistible sound.
Joe was called 'The Absent-minded Guitar Player' around Nashville, as he was constantly forgetting appointments and studio commitments, even forgetting to bring his guitar to a performance. Joe died in the early 1980's of a sudden heart attack. (Based on info supplied by Joe's cousin Jim Callahan)
 

My Big Brother's Friend

Dee
Cecelia Batten Cecelia Batten had a local hit with the song, see story below.
The Carol Hughes' version was even released internationally, exist in a Norwegian pressing and also on 45 and 78 in a Dutch pressing, Aug. 1957

←Cashbox add, Apr. 1957
  • Cecelia Batten (Apr. 1957, Colonial 431, a #35 local hit WCOP, Boston)
  • Carol Hughes (Apr. 1957, Mercury 71095)

Cecelia Batten Cecelia Batten recorded for Colonial and worked with Joe Tanner and Johnny Dee. I was lucky to be able to contact her, she wrote me about her career:

I was a college student at the University of North Carolina when we cut that. I remember the duets [note 1] with him and I don't know what happened to them. They were fun and I can't imagine why Orville Campbell, the owner of Colonial Records, never released them. I never made any more records [note 2]. A group of University musicians and I were in a talent show and we mocked Elvis Presley for a laugh. An agent from New York saw it and interviewed me about becoming "a female Elvis Presley" but I wasn't interested in that!
I had won some small time talent shows and won trips to Miami and Cuba where I sang on radio and television and preformed in clubs. (Castro was still in the mountains.) I sang with local dance bands in college and had a TV show with a local disc jockey. Orville took an interest and that is how I got in on making the recordings. Everyone was so nice and we had a lot of fun. I went on tour to promote the record on radio and TV shows where I lip-synched the record. Everybody did that way back then.
1957 dance Johnny Dee and all the musicians were very talented and very nice. They were a few years older than me and all married to nice ladies. They were very professional and always a pleasure to work with. We had many laughs together. Johnny always had that great big smile on his face.
I remember one time we were entertaining at a Veteran's Hospital outside of Washington, D.C. and were getting ready to go on stage when Joe Tanner, the guitarist, discovered he had lost his only guitar pick in the men's room. All the musicians ran in there to find it. We got on stage just in time. I never did ask them where they found it. I was laughing so hard I could hardly sing. Joe was such a sweet guy.
They were fun times and I loved performing. I moved to New York City after graduating from the University and did a few club gigs and some Off Broadway shows and some singing commercials, but nothing really big. I was just enjoying life. I fell in love, got married, and had two children. I sang a few times after that for fun. Some years later two very talented friends from my small town in North Carolina wrote and produced a musical called "Like Diamond Rings" about a small town's effort to attract industry. I came down from New York City to sing the female lead. Believe it or not, the show got a good review by the New York Times! That was my last public appearance. How's that for going out on a high note, if you pardon the pun.
They were wonderful days and they were all wonderful people.I remember them all fondly. Johnny Dee deserved a lot of recognition. He was an especially talented person and a very good-natured guy who wrote happy songs. And he wrote a lot of them!


Thank you Cecelia for sharing your memories!
Newspaper clipping from July 1957: Johnny and Cecelia performing in Danville, Virginia
Note 1: see below the unreleased recording Freckels/Goin'Courtin'
Note 2: in fact, there was a second release: Knock On The Pipe/Lonesome Train, on Colonial 732

It's Gotta Be You

Dee = Loudermilk
Johnnie Dee & Bluenotes
An early photo of Johnny Dee and the Bluenotes.
Drummer is Chuck Bergner of Bergner's Music Store, West Franklin Street, where Colonial Records was located. On the left, guitar Joe Tanner and bass player in the back may be Tom Underwood.
Photo by Hugh Morton)
  • Johnny Dee (Jun. 1957, Colonial 433)

Teenage Queen

Dee = Loudermilk / Campbell
Orville Campbell, Colonial talent scout who discovered George Hamilton IV, co-composer on payola-basis?
Anyway, a silly song... (lyrics)
  • Johnny Dee (Jun. 1957, Colonial 433)
Smash Smash
A rare 45 release on the Smash label, the Teenager's Favourite.
Two sides of Colonial Records released for the Dutch market. Smash was a subsidiary of Artone records, they distributed recordings of various foreign labels.
On Smash 08-A "Teenage Queen" by Johnny Dee, coupled with Cecelia Batten's "My Big Brother's Friend" as the B-side.

This was, as far as I could find, the only 45 rpm record by Loudermilk ever pressed in Holland.
Thanks to Henk Gorter for information and scans
 

Page One

Dee
Features vocals by Doug Franklin, the closest to doo-wop a JDL-cover ever came
  • Bluenotes (Jun. 1957, Colonial 434)

1000 Concrete Blocks

Dee = Loudermilk
Lyrics on Grammers' version differ one verse from JDL's original.
label shot
  • Johnny Dee & Bluenotes (Aug. 1957, Colonial 435)
  • Billy Grammer (1959, LP Travelin' On)
  • Hank Hardy (Oct. 1961, Colonial 7019)

In My Simple Way

Dee = Loudermilk
Some of JDL's songtitles seem to be inspired by biblical phrases, this is one of 'm
  • Johnny Dee & Bluenotes (Aug. 1957, Colonial 435)

Singing on the Mountain

Dee = Loudermilk
A perfect gospel in a traditional way. Performed by a North Carolina group, founded in 1946 and still active these days, now as the Carolina Quartet. On this 1957 recording, the group consisted of Wilson Creech, bass; Vernon Norris, 1st tenor; Radford Munden, 2nd tenor; Jimmy Creech, baritone.
On the original Colonial release, Johnny Dee was credited composer. The song was copyrighted under Loudermilk's name in 1969.
  • The Melody Masters Quartet (1957, Colonial 111)

Goin' Courtin'

Dee

A boy/girl duet song about shine my shoes, powder my nose, park our old jalopy and romance

Two songs recorded by Johnny Dee & Cecelia Batten.
This rare Loudermilk duet must have been recorded for Colonial with a single 45 release in mind. But it never was released. The recording probably has got lost, as did many other relics that Colonial owner/producer Orville Campbell had kept in his barn

Freckles

Dee
Duet song with a male (I've got a little girl, what's her name - Freckles) and female (My name's Freckles and goodness knows, everybody kids me when they look at my nose) vocal

Asiatic Flu

Dee = Loudermilk
Good novelty song, lyrics
John D's alias on this record is a wink to Dickens character Ebeneezer Scrooge.
  • Ebe Sneezer & His Epidemics (= John D. Loudermilk) (Oct. 1957, Colonial 436)

That's All I've Got
(to remember you by)

Dee = Loudermilk
Good rockabilly song, lyrics
  • Ebe Sneezer & His Epidemics (Oct. 1957, Colonial 436)
Aug. 22 1957 Aug. 22 1957

Two pictures by Hugh Morton.
The photos were taken August 22th. 1957, at the recording session for Colonial that took place at WUNC, Swain Hall, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Probably at this session, the Ebe Sneezer songs were recorded. So in fact we see here Ebe Sneezer & his Epidemics, who were in fact Johnny Dee and the Bluenotes.

left: front 'Ebe Sneezer', far right with guitar Joe Tanner, and the three Epidemics back-up chorus from L to R, probably, Pat Harrington, Tom Underwood, Ralph Harrington.

right: Cecelia Batten at that same session. Not sure what song is being recorded.

Somebody Sweet

Dee = Loudermilk
Billboard's review spotlight, Nov. 1957 of They Were Right: "Dee, who hasn't been able to follow his hit, Sittin' in the Balcony, with another sofar, may have the right contender with this effort. He registers well with excellent choral support by the Blue Notes on a simply presented ballad-type with highly effective guitar and drum backing. Teens could go far for it. Flip is an attractive rockabilly item Somebody Sweet"
When DOT released the single, Billboard's review (Feb. 1958) considered Somebody Sweet the A-side: "The tune has a folkish, gospel feel. Dee's vocal is rendered with good chorus and ork support. This could step out"
Lyrics They Were Right
Lyrics Somebody Sweet
  • Johnny Dee & Blue Notes (Nov. 1957 Colonial 722, Feb. 1958 Dot 15699)
  • Lane Brothers (Apr. 1958, RCA 7220, three Italian Massachusetts brothers, Pete, Frank and Art Loconto)

They Were Right

Dee = Loudermilk
  • Johnny Dee & Blue Notes (Nov. 1957 Colonial 722, Feb. 1958 Dot 15699)

In 1958 Loudermilk moved from Colonial to Columbia, and dropped the alias Johnny Dee.
 

Yearbook

promo picture cover Yearbook was the B-side of Susie's House, a Danny Wolfe composition. The record was offered to deejays with a picture sleeved promotional release.
Lyrics, including 'lost' verse.
JDL performed Yearbook on the Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show (episode 1-18, June 14, 1958) and Susie's House on Dick Clark's American Bandstand episode 213, May 9, 1958. Does footage of these shows still exist?
  • John D. Loudermilk (Apr. 1958, Columbia 41165)

Yo-Yo

 
  • John D. Loudermilk (Jul. 1958, Columbia 41209)

Lover's lane

 
  • John D. Loudermilk (Jul. 1958, Columbia 41209)

Goin' Away To School

Warner Mack was in fact the first to release the song.
On the B-side of Loudermilk's single was a cover of This Cold War With You, a Floyd Tillman original of 1956
  • Warner Mack (Aug. 1958, Decca 30714)
  • John D. Loudermilk (Sep. 1958, Columbia 41247)

Walkin' Down The Road

A great rockabilly song, written in 1958 but recorded 1 year later. Jimmy later recorded as Jimmy C Newman a lot of cajun stuff
label shot
  • Jimmy Newman (Oct. 1959, MGM 12830)
  • Christine Barnett (1963/64, Lexian 20, New Zealand)
  • Chuck Tucker & the Roulettes (1974, Stone 7303, neo rockabilly)

Honey-Bunch

 
probably unreleased

Love Is King

Loudermilk / Wilkin
probably unreleased

You Take The Table
(And I'll Take The Chairs)

Bob Gallion, a good time honky tonker had a #18 C&W hit with the song, June Webb was an Opry regular working with Roy Acuff. Bob recorded the song first, June recorded it 6 days later. But then June's was the first to release, Bob's release was one week later on the market. Anyway, as Gallion's version was a much stronger performance, he was the one to chart.
The song is an excellent 50s C&W product. lyrics
  • June Webb (Mar. 1959, Hickory 1096)
  • Bob Gallion (Apr. 1959, MGM 12777)
  • [No Artist Labeled] (EP Bravo 212-1, cheap budget cover)
  • Miki and Griff (1960, LP Lonnie Donegan presents: Miki and Griff)
  • Claude Gray (Feb. 1962, Mercury 71936)

God Will
(He Will)

Loudermilk / Wilkin
Strong, impressive song, the way a good gospel should be

Lyrics
  • Johnny Cash (Mar. 1959, LP Hymns by Johnny Cash)
  • Johnnie Bailes (1960, Dollie 105/ 7686, entitled "He Will")
  • Webb Pierce (1963, LP Bow Thy Head, entitled "He Will")
  • Nat Stuckey & Connie Smith (1970, LP Sunday Morning with Nat Stuckey & Connie Smith)
  • Paul Wheater (1996, CD Rock of Ages, by 'Yorkshire's Jim Reeves')
  • Deacon Mal C. Collins (1998, CD Gospel from the Heart)

Mindy O My Mindy

Loudermilk / Wilkin
 
probably unreleased

We Should Be Together
Mary Klick


Sheet music of the original 1958 version

Another great song. The original version by Mary Klick (see bio below) got little attention. But when The Chordettes released the song some months later on the B-side of their new 45, the song spread all over the world.
EP
German hit version of 1959, as Treu will ich dir bleiben, lyrics by Hans Bradtke, sleeve of her EP-version
A recent cover is by Adam C. Burke, who learned the song from the 45 rpm record collection of his parents.
  • Mary Klick (Nov. 1958, Columbia 41289)
  • Chordettes (Feb. 1959, Cadence 1361)
  • Lolita (1959, Polydor 24052, German hit-cover "Treu will ich dir bleiben")
  • Margit Thorsten und Orch. Waldo Senger (1959, Roxy 598, also "Treu will ich dir bleiben")
  • Gisi Giller und Orch. Benny Greif (1959, Grammoclub Ex Libris 4438, Switzerland "Treu will ich dir bleiben")
  • Susi Adorjan (1959, EP Donauland 1199, another "Treu will ich dir bleiben", Austria)
  • Amanda Dor (1960, EP Diamant, Germany budget "Treu will ich dir bleiben")
  • The Browns (1960, LP Sweet Sounds)
  • The Fauns (1961, Leedon LK57, obscure 45 from Sydney, Australia)
  • Adam C Burke (2004, CD You Can't Judge A Man By His Covers)

Mary Klick, was born in Washington County, Maryland, in the early 1920s, in a family of 10 children.
Mary, a beauty crowned Miss Hagerstown 1948, played guitar and sang harmony in Jimmy Dean's band The Texas Wildcats. Around 1950, she was working with Rose Lee Maphis in a duet as The Saddle Sweethearts. They were featured on the "Old Dominion Barn Dance", a radio show for WRVA, aired from coast to coast. Mary Klick In the mid 1950s Mary worked for Connie B. Gay's Town & Country TV broadcasts, singing with Patsy Cline, Billy Grammer and George Hamilton IV. At the end of the decade she was a regular on Jimmy Dean's network TV shows. She then recorded her three 45-records:
Columbia 4-41048 Castaway/ Humble Heart (Nov. 1957);
Columbia 4-41138 It's Easy To Say You're Sorry / Stay Beside me (Mar. 1958);
Columbia 4-41289 I'm Gonna Catch You Baby / We Should Be Together (Nov. 1958).
These three records did not sell too well. It seems kind of strange that this professional artist, who got so much nationwide TV fame, released so few sides on vinyl.
Nowadays Mary Klick Robinson lives in Leesburg, VA.
→right  rare footage of Mary singing "Bill Bailey" for Dutch TV (1963), click to play  →

This Time I Would Know

The Browns: Jim Ed Brown & two sisters Maxine and Bonnie.

UK-couple Miki & Griff, who covered many songs by the Browns for the UK-market, also released this song in the US in Sep. 1962, a 45-release on Spruce 102
  • The Browns (Jan. 1959, RCA 7427)
  • Miki and Griff (1960, LP Lonnie Donegan presents: Miki and Griff)
  • Lou & Simon, with the Embers (1962, Zodiac-1100, New Zealand duo Lou Clauson and Simon Mehana)
  • Willie Sutherland and Frank Coutts (1963, LP Thinking of You, Scottish duo, blind Willie died in 1973, age 35)
  • T. Storm Hunter (2013, 2CD Sister of a Dawn)

It's Just The Idea

Recorded in January 1959 by the Osborne Brothers and by Johnnie & Jack, but not released at the time. First released version: George Hamilton in 1960,
  • George Hamilton IV (Nov. 1960, ABC 45-10167)
  • Osborne Brothers (1962, LP Bluegrass Music, song recorded Jan. 1959)
  • Miki and Griff (1962, PYE 7N.15449)
  • Lou & Simon (1962, Zodiac-1100, uptempo version by New Zealand comedy duo Lou Clauson and Maori Simon Mehana)
  • Johnnie & Jack (1992, Bear CD box, prev. unreleased 1959 recording)

Am I Still In Your Heart

Not the Chuck Negron song
probably unreleased

Father Time and Mother Love

 
  • Hank Snow (Feb. 1959, RCA 7448)

When The Band Plays The Blues

Boyd 1985 sleeve
Pamela Law does a great version of the song, rough, primitive rock with a honky tonk piano.
Record came in text sleeve: Boyd Records Presents Pamela Law $2,000,000 Talent search
  • Hank Locklin (Mar. 1959, RCA 7472)
  • Pamela Law (Jun. 1960, Boyd 1985)
  • D.J. Hopson (1991, CD A Day In THe Life)
  • Lost Country (2003, CD Turn Your Radio Around, Jim Colegrove's Texas band)

Arnie Derksen Arnie in the 1950s Arnie Derksen, a Canadian rockabilly artist, recorded 3 Loudermilk songs, of which only 1 was released in 1959 and the 2 others 30 years later on a Bear Family compilation album. See covers below.

Left: 1989 compilation LP on the Bear Family label
right: a 1990s promotional picture.

Arnie (born 1932 in Saskatchewan, Canada) played dance halls with his band until he saw Bill Haley play in Vancouver and was converted to rock. In a recent interview, he says: I couldn't believe what they were doing on stage. He was the one that broke the ice. Arnie started doing Presley songs, and soon was advertised as Canada's Elvis Presley. When he could join a weekly C&W music show from the CBC Winnipeg for radio and TV, it opened up a lot of work. He toured with Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1958 he was signed by Decca and moved to Nashville to record. His 4 singles did not give him the break and he returned to working clubs. In Las Vegas, Derksen remembers: Charles Heston was in the audience, he stood up and shouted Bravo!, and Sammy Davis Jr walked in with an entourage of 27 people.
In the 1970s Derksen worked in clubs in Seattle, in the 1980s he started performing at senior centers at the weekends and in 2005, age 73, see picture at the right, he still is doing a few hundreds of shows a year.

I'd Like To Be Alone

Loudermilk / Wilkin
  • Arnie Derksen (Mar. 1959, Decca 30867)

K4WO

Loudermilk / Wilkin
A story of talking on short wave Ham Radio with a lady in Paris, precursor of internet chat contacts. Recorded with Floyd Robinson and JDL on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano and the Anita Kerr Singers chorus.
  • Arnie Derksen (1989, LP My Dancing Shoes)

The Party Was Over

Loudermilk / Arnie Derksen
 
  • Arnie Derksen (1989, LP My Dancing Shoes)

Midnight Bus

Some later releases incorrectly mention Marijohn Wilkin as co-author of the song

Betty McQuade
Betty McQuade made the song big Down Under (cover of her 1980s EP re-release)

Famous arranger George N Terry wrote a piano arrangement to the song. However on the recording no piano is heard, just guitar, bass, a little rhythm and the buzzer of the bus (special effects by Bob Farris).
First release by Billy Graves was a poor monotonous rendition (the record was a #21 local breakout hit in Minnesota in May 1959).

Surprisingly, this obscure record was picked up in Germany to be used for the debut record of Audrey Arno. She was a German-born singer/ dancer of a French/ Italian circus family. Audrey later recorded in France some hit records and worked in Las Vegas' Moulin Rouge in the 1970s. She died circa 2004 in Las Vegas.

Loudermilk himself did a great version on the B-side of his Tobacco Road. In Brisbane, Australia the song was picked up by the radio and it scored a local #27 hit in July 1960, 4 weeks Top 40.
Definitive killer version was recorded in Australia by Scottish born Betty McQuade, with a great back-up by Melbourne's Thunderbirds. A rock & roll classic.
Betty's hit led to more Australian covers. The song was eventually voted in a newspaper's poll The #1 Rock song of the 20th century in Australia!

Lyrics Midnight Bus

What is the Midnight Bus about? In the song, the Midnight Bus drove from Durham, NC to South Carolina. Loudermilk told me: In my hometown of Durham, that was the way the kids used to elope. Now back before everybody had a car, those who either got pregnant or wanted to get married early, they just got on the bus and went down to South Carolina, 'cause you could marry at 14 down there! So they'd get on the bus and get married and come back, the next day to tell all their friends: look, we're married, ha ha!

  • Billy Graves (Apr. 1959, Monument 404)
  • Audrey Arno (1959, Polydor 24080, German translation "Der letzte Bus")
  • John D. Loudermilk (Jan. 1960, Columbia 41562)
  • Betty McQuade (1961, Astor 7014, also 1964 Go!! 5013, hit all over Australia)
  • The Swordsmen (1966, LP The Swordsmen, a rare garage beat album, only 200 copies pressed and sold on eBay for over 900 US$)
  • Johnny Chester (1972, Fable FB 140, tasteless C&W-cover but a hit down under)
  • Spectre's Revenge (1986, Cassette by Australian punk band)
  • Bobby and Laurie (1987, LP The Very Best Of, an album of new 1987 recorded songs of the duo's 1960s repertoire)
  • The McQuades (1992, CD mini album Time Flies, great garage version)
  • Glass, Hamilton & Young (1995, CD Songs the Radio taught us)
  • X (2003, 2cd Evil Rumours, live 25th anniversary CD of Australian punk band, mainly instrumental with some improvised lyrics)
  • The Level Spirits (2011, CD Double Crosser, great rocking version)
  • Annette Summersett (2011, EP Migraine MR-45-004 Love That Man!, Michigan singer-songwriter)
  • Jim Keays (2012, CD Dirty, Dirty, by singer Australian 1960s rock band Master Apprentices)
  • John Jorgenson (2017, CD A Tribute to John D Loudermilk)
  • Marti Brom & her Rancho Notorious (2019, CD/LP Midnight Bus. great US rockabilly on a Swedish label)
Billy Graves original Col Joye Johnny Chester
Three times a sheet music publication for Midnight Bus:
Left the Billy Graves original, middle Australian rock star Col Joye (example of a practice common from Australian song publishers of the early 1960's: put a photo of popular rock/pop recording artists on the cover even though he had not recorded it, hoping to sell more of the sheet music), and right the Johnny Chester version.

 
Please Don't Play Number Nine
Loudermilk / Wilkin
Three songs recorded April 1959, not used by Columbia but first released by Bear Company in 1995 on BCD 15875.
  • John D. Loudermilk (1995, CD Sittin' on the balcony)
The Angel Of Flight 509
Loudermilk / Wilkin
  • John D. Loudermilk (1995, CD Sittin' on the balcony)
March Of The Minute Men
  • John D. Loudermilk (1995, CD Sittin' on the balcony)

N-U-T-H-I-N-G

Wilkin / Loudermilk
A good swinging fast rocking recording, Boots Randolph on sax; lyrics
Stan's sons Chris & Rich formed the Black Crowes.
  • Stan Robinson (Jun. 1959, Monument 405)

The Steady Game

Lyrics. OZ EP

Johnny O'Keefe's cover was a #12 hit down under (pic sleeve of a 1961 EP including his version); in 1962 his version was released in the USA on Mr Peacock 111, but failed to make it in the States. O'Keefe lived and died like Presley
  • George Hamilton IV (Feb. 1959, ABC 10009)
  • Johnny O'Keefe (Sep. 1959, Leedon LS-568, Australia)
  • Michael Holliday (Nov. 1959, Columbia 4378, UK version)

Half Breed

Marvin Rainwater's original peeked #66 in Aug. 1959 in Billboard Hot 100

Ricky Nelson's EP that contained the song was a #1 smash hit on the Billboard EP Charts, Sept. 1959

Original lyrics (not the same-titled song that Mrs Cher Bono did)

  • Marvin Rainwater (May 1959, MGM 12803)
  • The Cardigans (Jun. 1959, Spann 431, a harmony group from Chattanooga, TN)
  • Ricky Nelson (Sep. 1959, LP Songs by Ricky, Imperial 163 EP)
  • Das Tom Dooley-Trio (1959, Polydor 24140, German version: "Halbblut", lyrics Arno Gillo)
  • Red Hewitt and The Buccaneers (1961, HMV 150, New Zealand)
  • Lety Cisneros (1962, VIK-45-668, Mexican version "La Virgen y mi Pueblito")
  • Canadian Sweethearts (1963, Quality 1591 (Can), 1964 A&M 727 (US); the 'Sweethearts' were Bob Regan & Lucille Starr)
  • Bobby Wayne (May 1964, WB 5427)
  • The Browns (1964, LP This Young Land)
  • Paul Walden (1965/66, LP Walden, New Zealand)
  • Bryan Chalker (1972, LP Bryan Chalker's New Frontier, Britain country singer, Melody Maker/ Record Mirror journalist)
  • '68 Comeback (1993, LP Paper Boy Blues)
  • Nashville Teens (2007, CD Rockin' Back To Tobacco Road, unreleased 1971 recording)

Waterloo

Wilkin / Loudermilk

Stonewall Jackson sheet music


Stonewall's sheet music publication
The song was written early 1959 by John D. and Marijohn Wilkin. Story goes that they had been sitting for an hour and no ideas had formed into lyrics. "Well John", Marijohn finally mused, "I guess we've met our Waterloo." John grabbed his guitar and set the rhythm with a few chords. Marijohn, sensing his thoughts, joined in, "When will you meet your Waterloo?". Half an our later the song was on paper.
John remembers: "It was a song that I didn't have too much faith in. It was a combination of a couple of old gospel tunes. The bass drum in it came from the fact that I had played bass drum in the Salvation Army up 'til the time that I was 17 years old.
But after we got through writing and arranging it and the dub session, that's where my interest left. I said, "I can't see a thing in the world for that song...", so it was strictly Marijohn who took that song and did something with it.
(story and quotes from Darryl E. Hicks' book "Marijohn", 1978).

Though the official lyrics go like
Little Gen'ral Napoleon of France
Tried to conquer the world but lost his chance...

Stonewall sings "lost his pants"
See complete Lyrics

This rather simple, a bit silly, song sold very well (US top 10 pop) for Jackson.

Bob Cort Single release on Decca (probably Danish sleeve) by Englishman Bob Cort, accompaniment directed by Johnny Douglas.
Bob Cort made fame with his skiffle group, he was a good jazz guitarist and an inveterate practical joker. But judging by his performance on Waterloo not the best singer in the world. After the early 1960s friends seem to have lost track of him.

Mudlarks
UK-single release on Columbia by The Mudlarks: Jeff, Fred and Mary Mudd, an English skiffle group.
Pic: sheet music

Q-brothers sverre Tosse Bark
Waterloo was a great hit in Europe: notably in Denmark and Sweden.
Swedish EP releases, by the Q-brothers, Sverre Jensen and Tosse Bark

4 jacks Greenhorns Liz og Eric
A Danish hit version by the Four Jacks on Odeon, 1959, lyrics in Danish. Czech release on a 1970 EP, translation by Greenhorns, popular C&W band headed by front man Michal Tučný (1947-1995) and Danish duo Liz (=Lizzi Kinsbøll) & Eric

Fred Rauch MaryBrown MaryBrown

Austrian EP, 1959, by Fred Rauch; in 1976, new lyrics, a German 'schlager', now entitled 'Mary Brown'; and New Zealand EP by Garth Young and his trio in 1959

Jan Kjeld
Jan & Kjeld Wennick, two Danish brothers playing the banjo, had their first international hits at the age of 14-16 years; they also recorded Waterloo (Danish lyrics).
In 1977 they recorded a new version. May be they thought the old lyrics a bit silly by then and changed them to "Ann Mari"; label incorrect copyrighted Laudermilk/Wilkin.

  • Stonewall Jackson (May 1959, Columbia 41393, Philips 941 UK)
  • Bob Cort (Jun. 1959, Decca 11145, cover by UK skiffle comedian)
  • Mudlarks (Jun. 1959, Columbia DB 4331, UK)
  • Joe Brown & The Hillbilly Jewels (Jun 1959, Sparton 4-782, Canadian 'Papa' Joe Brown of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame)
  • Kenny Ball and his Band (1959, Collector 101, vocal Al Young, UK jazz label, Kenny Ball's recording debute)
  • Rikki Henderson (Jul. 1959, Embassy 349, UK budget release)
  • Homer & Jethro (Aug. 1959, RCA 7585, a parody of a policeman who has met his Waterloo)
  • Normand Racine & Carole Leblanc (Meteor 45-523, French lyrics by Paul Gadaury, Québec release)
  • Jan & Kjeld (Nov 1959, Triola TD42 (in Danish), Triola TD46 (English), young Danish brothers with banjo's)
  • The Four Jacks (1959, Odeon 1496, Danish version)
  • Birthe Wilke (1959, Philips 355187PF, Denmark)
  • Blue Boys (1959, Sonet T-8042, Danish version)
  • Liz og Eric (1959, Tono 41100, Denmark)
  • Ib Hansen with Henry Hagemann's Choir and Orch. (Polyphon XM 61928, Danish opera singer)
  • The Q Brothers (1959, EP Knäppupp 95, Swedish skiffle duo Bosse & Hasse Quiding)
  • Tosse Bark (1959, EP RCA 121, Sweden)
  • Papegojorna (1959, EP Cupol 325, another one from Sweden)
  • Sverre Jensen (1959, EP Ragtime Med Sverre, Okt 197, one more from Sweden, dixieland band)
  • Fritz & Erik (1959, EP Ønskekoncert med Fritz & Erik Nr. 9, Philips 427940, Danmark, part of a medley)
  • Fred Rauch (1959, EP Polydor 21042, popular Austrian singer)
  • Cole Wilson and his Tumbleweeds (1959, Viking 18, New Zealand)
  • Garth Young and his Trio (1959, EP Rocking The Pops, Viking 43, New Zealand)
  • Wayne Baker (Giant 9224, USA Nashville budget label, B-side by other singer)
  • Webb Pierce (1962, LP Cross Country)
  • Sandy Nelson (1962, LP Country Style, instrumental by the 'Let There Be Drums'-drummer)
  • Johnnie & Jack (1962, Bear CD box-set)
  • The Tennessee Twisters with The Merry Melody Singers (1962, LP Twist Country Hits, collection of songs by top studio session musicians)
  • Roy Drusky (1964, LP Songs of the Cities)
  • Ruby Wright (1964, LP 43 Award Winning Country Hits, part of Medley 4)
  • Carl Smith (1965, LP I Want To Live And Love)
  • Boots Randolph (1965, LP Boots Randolph Plays More Yakety Sax)
  • Norval & Ivy (1967, LP Wingin' it with Norval & Ivy, blue grass by Jimmy 'Ivy' Bryant and Orville 'Norval' Rhodes)
  • Les Mégatones (1969, DSP 8652, Quécbec, version français, text Dénis Champoux)
  • Sonny James (1970, LP My Love/ Don't Keep Me Hangin' On)
  • Ferlin Husky (1970, LP Your Sweet Love Lifted Me)
  • Greenhorns (1970, EP on Panton, Czech translation by popular C&W band)
  • Stompin' Tom Connors (1971, LP Pistol Packin' Mama, Canada, with some adapted lyrics "where Tom Connors met his Waterloo")
  • Gaetie (±1972?, LP Pour la Danse, as "Bande de fous", good version by chanteuse québécoise)
  • Daniel (1972, Trans-World 103, Daniel Farah, version in French, Québec, text Pierre Laurendeau)
  • Darryl Jooste (1972, AAE 122, South African 45 rpm)
  • 'Mother' Maybelle Carter (1973, 2LP Mother Maybelle Carter, instrumental version)
  • Lester 'Roadhog' Moran & Cadillac Cowboys (=comic incarnation of Statler Brothers), (1974, LP Alive At The Johnny Mack Brown High School, in a medley with Keep On The Sunny Side)
  • The Walkers (1974, 2LP 10 Jaar, Dutch country)
  • BearCreek (1975?, LP BearCreek, blue grass version)
  • Phil & John (1976, Hansa 17029, as "Mary Brown" lyrics in German, a Schlager)
  • Jan & Kjeld (1977, Starbox 1154, re-recorded as "Ann Mari" in Danish)
  • Boxcar Willie (1991, 2LP Pure Coutry Magic)
  • Faron Young (1993, CD The Radio Shows Vol 3, live recordings for Pearl beer radio show)
  • James Rasmussen (1996, CD En hyldest til Four Jacks, Denmark)
  • The True Brothers (2002, CD Country Gold, by two brothers, Jacky and Roger True)
  • Garth Brooks, Larry Gatlin & Joe Diffie (2002, CD Stonewall Jackson & Friends: A Tribute)
  • Billy Mize & Cliff Crofford (2005, dvd At Town Hall Party: July 18, 1959)
  • Nick Fiore, Bud Carney, Patty George (2007, CD The Golden Oldies Vol. 4, instrumental)
  • The Howie Brothers (cd Singalong with the Howie Brothers Vol. 9&10, Australian twins)
  • Buck Owens (2013, CD Honky Tonk Man (Buck sings classics), a 1972 recording from the Hee Haw Show)
  • Ricky Scaggs with The Whites (2017, cd A Tribute to John D Loudermilk)

Last Night You Fell In Love

The Bear-box release mistitles it as Last Night We Fell In Love
  • George Hamilton IV (1995, 6-cd box To You And Yours From Me And Mine, prev. unreleased)
  • Bobbi Staff (2018 [online], RCA Singles, prev. unreleased ±1965 recording)

I'll Never Tell

Early teen 45 by Tompall Glaser, of later Outlaws fame along with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Tompall recorded the song in 1959, but release was year later.
  • Tompall & Glaser Brothers (Jun. 1960, Decca 31011)
  • Roy Orbison (1987, CD Roy Orbison/ Sonny James: The RCA Sessions, a previously unreleased 1958 recording)

Travelin' Man

Loudermilk / Wilkin
It is not the same song as Ricky Nelsons "Traveling Man", see JDL/MJW lyrics.
Loudermilk's tune must have been an inspiration to Roger Miller when he wrote King of the Road
  • Red Foley (Apr. 1959, Decca 30882, C&W hit #29, Foley's last top 40 hit)

Grin And Bear It

Loudermilk / Wilkin
A BMI-award winning song, a copy of the Waterloo-formula; C&W #9 hit in Billboard.
Lyrics
  • Jimmy Newman (Jun. 1959, MGM 12812)
  • Red Sovine (1964, LP 43 Award Winning Country Hits, part of Medley 11)
  • Johnny Heap (1969, EP 6 Track Mini album, Australian country star, composer listed as "Lovermilk"!)
  • Jim & Jesse (2003, CD 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered)
  • Johnny Mathis (2017, CD-box At The Louisiana Hayride Tonight, on disc 12 of a 20-CD boxed set by Bear Family, end 1950s performance by 'Country Johnny Mathis', half of the Jimmy & Johnny duo)

Heaven Fell Last Night

The guitar intro of this great song is by John Loudermilk.
The song was released as the B-side of the #1 mega-hit "The Three Bells" (John also plays guitar on that recording). Magazine Music Reporter even considered Heavne Fell Last Night as the A-side at the time of release
  • The Browns (Jul. 1959, RCA 7555)
  • The Moonstones (1965, Parlophone R5331, UK folky family trio, of 2 brothers and 1 sister, Bill, Bob and Ruth Hussey)
  • The Whites with Ricky Scaggs (2017, cd A Tribute to John D Loudermilk)

Leaving Woman Blues

A great song, swinging, moving, jazzy. Both ladies cover the song in a great, powerful way.
Harvie Vanderpool came from a musical family. Daddy had a gospel quartet and did local radio shows in Dayton, OH. Harvie was signed to King Records by Syd Nathan in 1954 when she was 13. Her brother Fed Vanderpool recorded as Van Houston for Columbia, he was the first to record Patches (later Dickey Lee's hit) and Statue of a Fool (later by Jack Greene and Ricky Van Shelton), but Columbia never released those two as singles as they thought they were too morbid.
More about Sara(h) Northcutt, who recorded the song as "Leav'n Woman", see section below.
  • Harvie June Van (Jun. 1959, RCA 7548)
  • Sara Northcutt (Apr. 1960, RKO Master 1840, Boyd 1840, as "Leav'n Woman")

Don't Quit

The various artists CD "Honey Doll" revived this obscure Loudermilk song (missing in the BMI or Library of Congress copyright database)
  • Sara Northcutt (Apr. 1960, RKO Master 1840, Boyd 1840)
Sarah Northcutt Sara Northcutt Sara Northcutt Sara(h) Northcutt
← publicity pic in Billboard, April 1960
→ picture sleeve (spells "Sara") and label scans (spell "Sarah") from the obscure RKO 1840 release, later released as Boyd 1840.

The record was released in April 1960, and got a 3-star review in Billboard. The fantastic "Leav'n Woman" was described as an interesting jazz-blues effort.
Who was this Sara(h) Northcutt who recorded these 2 Loudermilk songs?
For quite a time I had searched to learn more about this intriguing singer, until finally I was surprised when an e-mail came in and Sara (no h - that was their mistake) wrote to me about her career and the recording:

My agent and I went to Nashville to the RCA Victor Studio to make a recording. When we got there John Loudermilk was at the studio, and after hearing me sing, he said he would like for me to record some of his songs. We went to his home and went through some of the songs, and came out with about four or five to choose from. It was John D. that chose Leavin Woman Blues, which I dearly loved, and Don't Quit for the flip side. The Jordanaires, who usually backed Elvis Presley, were the backup group on the record. I especially liked Gordon Stoker. He was very nice to me, and gave me some good pointers. John said he was well pleased with the record and thought it would be a hit.
That was the only recording I did. However, I even had my own radio show while I was going to the University, and eventually went to Hollywood and sang in a nightclub, Maximes on the strip. As a matter of fact, I do have a couple of publicity shots, one where I was getting on the airplane bound for Hollywood. That was a big thing back in those days. I must say, it was quite an experience and one that I wouldn't have missed for the world.

Thank you Sara for contacting me and telling me about the recording! Sara now is practising attorney in California and has been in practice over 20 years.

(The Ballad Of) Baby Doe

Loudermilk / Wilkin
"Another song Marijohn and I wrote was a song about The Baby Doe, about the Matchless Mine out in Colorado. Marijohn had been out there. I hadn't been at the time, but Marijohn, of course, coming from out there in the West, had traveled extensively out there and she told me about the mine and Baby Doe. It was strictly a folk-narrative, and I thought it was a mighty good song", JDL comments in Darryl E. Hicks biography on Marijohn Wilkin.
The Ballad of Baby Doe also is an American opera (!) of 1956
  • Jimmy Newman (Jun. 1959, MGM 12812)

Boo Boo Stick Beat

Murrey M Harman jr / Loudermilk
Australian EP In Nov. 1959, Billboard reported: Buddy Harmann, Nashville's ace drummer, is getting distributorship for the boo boo stick, which he's hoping will stir a kid craze like the hula hoop did. Buddy is co-author and boo boo stick player on Chet Atkins' hit Victor recording Boo Boo Stick Beat

←RCA Australian EP released in 1960
  • Chet Atkins (Aug. 1959, RCA 7589, Billboard #49 pop hit)
  • The 4 Fretsmen (1962, obscure South African group)
  • The Atlantics (1964, CBS 221125, Australian surf band)
  • Arthur Brown (1982, CD Speak No Tech, bonus track not on LP)
  • Cobra-Matics (2008, CD Under the Hood)

Blackjack

Instrumental, except for 1 line: "I won't talk!" done by Jordanaires' member Raymond Walker.
Recorded 1959, released as late as 1963.
  • Chet Atkins (1963, LP Guitar Genius)

The Writin' On The Wall

Loudermilk / Wilkin
Another try to use the Waterloo-formula to make a hit. Did not work.
Lyrics
  • Moon Mullican (Aug. 1959, Coral 30231)

Angels Cryin'

  • Jimmy Newman (Oct. 1959, MGM 12830)

Amigo's Guitar

Roy Bodkin / John D. Loudermilk / Muriel Deason Wright
Hart Curl, NC disc jockey and good friend of Loudermilk, recalls an anecdote Bill Tunstall once told him:
"John D lived in a big house with a big car, which he offered to let me drive. John and I were riding down a four-lane highway, when John got the idea for the song Amigo's Guitar. He stopped in the middle of the highway and finished the song. I never rode with John after that!".
(source: Curl's Corner, thanks Mike Spicer for sending me a print of this newspaper column).

Lyrics of Amigo's Guitar

Kitty Wells EP Dodie Stevens EP A 1960 EP-release that included Kitty's two JDL-covers Amigo's Guitar and Lonely is a Word, and a Latin American EP by Dodie Stevens with Amigo's Guitar

In 1990 Canadian playwright Joan McLoad wrote "Amigo's Blue Guitar". In this play dealing with cultural barriers, the song has a central role. Key character Martha sings it.
75
Recent cover by Nashville's Laura Cantrell, who released (2011) a great tribute cd Kitty Wells Dresses.
75
In South Africa, it was a very popular song. There were at least 4 covers in Afrikaans, translated as "Amigo se Ghitaar" (or "Kitaar", 2 ways to spell it).
Left the version by a Paul Robinson on an EP, probably released in the sixties
75
Canada, 1990 single by Gloria Glenn (Gloria Desjarlais) from Calgary

  • Kitty Wells (Oct. 1959, Decca 30987, C&W top 10)
  • Dodie Stevens (Mar. 1960, Dot 16067, a #47 chart entry on CKWX Vancouver BC)
  • The Blue Banners (1961, LP The Blue Banners, a Midwest Polka band)
  • Wayne Walker (1964, LP 43 Award Winning Country Hits, part of Medley 11)
  • Billy Walker (1965, LP The Gun The Gold And The Girl)
  • Norma Jean (1966, LP Tribute To Kitty Wells)
  • June Davey & The Hackamores (LP Patsy Cline and Kitty Wells sung by June Davey, Canada)
  • Virginia Lee (1967, RCA 45-988, SuidAfrikaanse singing diva)
  • Peter Posa and His Golden Guitar (1967, EP Viking 152, New Zealand's guitarist)
  • 101 Ranch Boys (vocals Sally Shearer) (1968, Renco 121, a Pennsylvania label)
  • Doug Watters (1968±, LP Homecoming, Canadian country singer)
  • Jenny Reeves (1969±, LP Jenny, by Canadian country lady)
  • Al Dean and his Allstars, feat. Maxine Dean (1969, LP Kicker Country, Texas C&W)
  • Marie King (1969, LP Marie, French version by Canadian Queen of Country Marie King, married to Bob King)
  • Shirley Thoms (1970, LP Australia's Yodelling Sweetheart)
  • Martie & Flip Grobler (1970, Pêrel 368, version in Afrikaans "Amigo se ghitaar")
  • Leslie Greeff (LP Goue Gunstelinge, another Afrikaans "Amigo se kitaar")
  • Strydom Broers (another Afrikaans "Amigo se kitaar", sounds like end 1950s recording)
  • Paul Robinson (EP Pret 500, one more Afrikaans "Amigo se ghitaar", prob. sixties)
  • Suzanne Prentice (1973, LP Country Girl, New Zealand)
  • Philomena Begley & Her Ramblin' Men (1974, Top Spin Records 51, Ireland's 'Queen of Country')
  • André Guitar (1977, LP L'as du Western, C&W from Quebec by André Leboeuf, vocals by daughter Diane Guitar, French lyrics)
  • Hocking Valley Boys (LP Homegrown Grass)
  • Ellie LaVelle & Images (1986, Sundown Rec 0189, Australia)
  • Gloria Glenn (1990, John Bull JBR 9045, Canada 45 rpm)
  • A.G. and Kate (1991, cassette Songs We Dug Up... For You, Holland country)
  • Mary Mensch (1999, CD Treasures Old & New)
  • Cerrito (2001, CD Cerrito, version by a 'latin cowboy')
  • The Saddle Tramps (cd Movin West)
  • Mary Rowan (2002, CD A Tribute to Kitty Wells)
  • Ginny McIlmoyle (2006?, CD Country classics with Ginny, Canada)
  • Maureen Walters (2007?, CD Country Collection, New Zealand)
  • Keri Hemingway (2010, EP Honky Tonks and Heartaches)
  • Laura Cantrell (2011, CD Kitty Wells Dresses, great Kitty Wells tribute)
  • Lindsay Butler (2011, CD Picks on Duane Eddy & Peter Posa, Australian instrumental)
  • The Hit Crew (2013, CD Old School Country Classics, Vol. 7, budget cover)
  • Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset (2015, CD Heartache Hanging Round)
  • Mona McCall (2016, CD Remembering Kitty Wells, Darrell McCall's wife on a various artists tribute cd)

Lonely Is A Word

A sad and beautiful little song, that -being the B-side of Amigo's Guitar- never really got much attention.
  • Kitty Wells (Oct. 1959, Decca 30987)

Blue Bells Ring

EP A surprise cover by Patrizzio Paganessi & Mario Moro, a very successful French duo in the years 1942-1960, their last but one record out of their 100+ releases

← sleeve of the EP with the French version
  • The Browns (Oct. 1959, RCA 7614)
  • Patrice & Mario (1960, EP Odéon 2285, French version "Plum' au vent")

Hula Star

Loudermilk / Wilkin
Bailes, one of the 4 singing Bailes brothers, was a 1940s-1950s C&W veteran; label shot
The recording features Jerry Byrd on steel
  • Johnny Bailes (Oct. 1959, Decca 30999)

Lost In A Small Café

Grammer gave Monument its first hit with the original version of "Gotta Travel On", a folk/country classic.
1959 LP cover, though the album's title was Travelin' On, Grammer's hit wasn't on that album. Later releases of the LP did include the track but then Lost In A Small Café was left out.
  • Billy Grammer (Oct. 1959, LP Travelin' On)

Weep No More, My Baby

Wilkin / Loudermilk
Good song and excellent versions by Brenda Lee (Boots Randolph on sax) and Kidd & Pirates. Not to be confused with another song: "Weep No More, My Lady" (Frank Sinatra & many more)

Brenda Lee EP Japan Left: EP with Brenda's killer version of Weep No More, right Japanese single release
Sweden Annette Klingenberg Left Brenda's 1960 EP-release in Sweden, right the 1997 hit version by Denmark's Annette Klingenberg

  • Brenda Lee (Sep. 1959, Decca 30967)
  • Johnny Kidd & Pirates (1960, LP Saturday Club)
  • Las Yolis (1962, Dimsa 4475, Mexican cover, as "No Sin Ti")
  • Vianey Valdéz (1963, Peerless 718, cover by 'Mexican Brenda Lee', now as "Sin")
  • Terry Mahon & Jim Farley Showband (1966, Columbia 748, Ireland)
  • Hungária (1980, LP Rock 'n Roll Party)
  • Annette Klingenberg (1997, CD Weep No More, hit in Denmark)

Ward Of Broken Hearts

 
  • Stonewall Jackson (Oct. 1959, LP The Dynamic Stonewall Jackson)

I'd Live On Worms

Wilkin / Loudermilk
(the record misspells Laudermilk)
Gross Brothers Release by The Gross Brothers, three country/ gospel boys from Rising Sun, Indiana, twins Jerry and Larry, younger brother Jamie. The record came in picture sleeve. The song I'd Live on Worms is a Cedarwood copyrighted song written in 1959. The release of the cover by the Gross Brothers must been around 1967-1970
  • The Gross Brothers (±1969, Rich-R'-Tone 8025)

Hey Ma (Hide The Daughter)

Gross Brothers Good, catchy song about a traveling salesman visiting a farmhouse back in the woods

→ Release by The Gross Brothers. The record came in picture sleeve, song title now spelled "Hey Maw"
  • Little Jimmy Dickens (Dec. 1959, Columbia 41529)
  • The Gross Brothers (1970, Rich-R'-Tone 8034, as "Hey Maw (Hide the Daughter)" )

Only The Lonely

Not the Orbison song, of course.
JDL plays guitar on the session
  • The Browns (Oct. 1959, LP Sweet Sounds)

Half-Way To Heaven

JDL plays guitar on the sessions.
Song reminds me of Mickey & Sylvia's hit "Love is Strange"
  • The Browns (Mar. 1960, LP Town & Country)

Angela Jones


cover
picture sleeve of 1966 release by L.A. disc jockey Sam Riddle on the Tower label.
A very dancable song. The French-Spanish cover by José Francis turned it into a calypso.
John D. told Mike Reid (in his book "From Major to Minor"): "Angela Jones was a girl I met when I took a course in ballroom dancing to try to become a teacher. I wrote that song using her name as a title, but I never found out what she thought about it as I never saw her again from that day to this".

Johnny Ferguson Johnny Ferguson was a real one-hit wonder artist. His "Angela Jones" peaked at #27 in Billboard's US hitparade. Ferguson, born 1937 in Nashville, worked as a radio announcer for WNAH, WAGG and WSM-TV in Tennessee and WJAT in Georgia
sheet
Michael Cox' British cover, a Joe Meek production, charted at #7 in the UK.
Three European covers, José Francis (France, 1960, by a Paris born son of Spanish parents), Robert Cogoi (France, 1963) and Hanny & Adry (Netherlands, 1965):
cover cover cover

  • Johnny Ferguson (Dec. 1959, MGM 12855, MGM 1059 UK)
  • Michael Cox (Aug. 1960, Triumph 1011, UK, Joe Meek production)
  • Bobby Stevens (Jul. 1960, Embassy 404, cheap UK bargain cover by 'Bobby Stevens' aka. Ray Pilgrim)
  • Olle Bergman (1960, EP Metronome 9026, in Swedish, subtitled "Doot en doo doo")
  • José Francis (Dec. 1960, EP RCA 76441, French cover "Dou-Dou-Dou-Doux")
  • Owen Griffiths and the Rockettes (1961, Zodiac 1046, New Zealand)
  • John D. Loudermilk (Oct. 1962, RCA 8101, UK RCA7515)
  • Robert Cogoi (1963, Philips 319829 hit in Belgium, as "Dou, Dou, Dou, Doux")
  • Pierre Jil (1964, Franco F-9338, Canada, as "Doux, Doux, Doux")
  • Jay 'n' Jay (1964, LP Introducing..., Australia)
  • Hanny & Adry (Apr. 1964, Philips 327656, as "Doe-de-loe-doe", in Dutch)
  • Chris Parry & The Mockers (1965, Monte-Vista 3-12-65-4, garage surf produced by Dale Smallin)
  • Jamie Mahar (1966, RCA 101628, Australia)
  • Sam Riddle (May 1966, Capitol 72372 and Tower 231, L.A. disc jockey and tv-host)
  • Milk (=Johnny Cymbal, Nashville songwriter) (Dec. 1968, Buddah 80, a bubble gum version!)
  • Tonix (1971, Platina 206, as "Minns du det än", Sweden)
  • Streaplers (March 1971, Columbia 006-34363, another "Minns du det än" from Sweden)
  • Nick Oliver (1974, CBS 2744, Austria, bubbling under Top 20 (Austria did not go further than a monthly top 20 by then!))
  • Dave Travis (Jul. 1975, Spark SRL 1130, UK neo rocker)
  • Jade Hurley (1981, LP More Golden Oldens Festival, by Australia's King of Country-Rock 'n' Roll)
  • The Bartlebees (1994, LP(!) What Is It All About?, Germany lo-fi trio)
  • Keld Heick (2007, CD A Tribute to Joe Meek)
  • The Hit Co. (2013, CD The New Age Collection Vol. 2)

Blue Serge And White Lace

Loudermilk / Wilkin
B-side of "Angela Jones". In fact a duet, sounds like co-composer Marijohn Wilkin does the uncredited 2d voice.
  • Johnny Ferguson (Dec. 1959, MGM 12855, MGM 1059 UK)

Golden Girl

 
  • Eddy Arnold (Sep. 1960, RCA unissued recording)

Tobacco Road

Loudermilk's signature song.

Contrary to what some sources say, the song is NOT inspired by the 1933 play by Erskine Caldwell, but based on a place in East Durham that Loudermilk knew well in his youth. The song is partly autobiographical, partly not.
Tobacco Road actually was a grassy strip in East Durham, where hogsheads of tobacco were rolled down to the warehouse. So rough that the police would not venture there at night. Read the interesting blog about the place.
Loudermilk wasn't "born in that dump", nor "mamma died" and he never saw "daddy got drunk". But he knew Tobacco Road's reputation and actually saw it from a teenage job delivering telegrams, "to take money orders down there every saturday night and everybody would all be drunked up" (Info based on the booklet of the Bear-cd).

Tobacco Road in fact was Marvin's Alley, a street in East Durham that's now called Morven Place. In the 1950s, the alley was a crime haven, dominated by prostitution and gambling.

birthplace
I was born in a dump....
JDL's birthplace s at 8th and C streets in West Durham NC.
youth house
JDL lived as a kid in this house, on Dezern Place, West Durham. (pics from the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association Web site).
Later, John lived in Few Gardens in East Durham.

Tobacco Road originally was done as a folk song. Listen to a sample (Southern Folklife Collection)

Loudermilks first Columbia-version still is one of the best performances of the song. Strong and sober. But the 45 rpm release didn't sell.
At the time, Billboard considered it the B-side of Loudermilk's release (Midnight Bus as A-side), and wrote:Interesting tale of a back-shack existence. The tune has a minor flavor employing a repetitive figure. Loudermilk wrote the tune and handles it with conviction.

Only place in the world where the record sold a little was Brisbane, Australia, where it reached a #27 position on the charts in 1960, though the flip Midnight Bus was chosen as the A-side at the time.

Loudermilk later re-recorded Tobacco Road for his RCA and WB albums in a more country way.

Lou Rawls gave the song a soulful treat, the UK band The Nashville Teens gave it the beat treatment, and afterwards the Jefferson Airplane, who knew the Lou Rawls version, recorded it and turned the song into a rock standard in the sixties. An endless string of rock, blues, garage, beat, punk etc versions since then have been recorded. Little Michael Jackson sang it on the audition sessions of The Jackson Five for Motown in 1968 (video of it circulating).
In recent years many blues versions of the song came out.



Lyrics (published in UK, the Nashville Teens hit version)
TOBACCO ROAD
w & m by John D. Loudermilk
©1960 Cedarwood

I was born in a dump,
Mamma died and daddy got drunk,
Left me here to die or grow
In the middle of Tobacco Road.
Wo wo wo
Grew up in a rusty shack,
All I owned was hangin' on my back.
Only you know how I loathe
This place called Tobacco Road,
But it's home.
The only life I've ever known
Only you know how I loathe
Tobacco Road

Gonna leave get a job
With the help and the grace from above
Save my money get rich I know,
Bring it back to Tobacco Road.
Wo wo wo
Bring dynamite and a crane,
Blow it up, start all over again.
Build a town, be proud to show,
Give the name Tobacco Road
But it's home.
The only life I've ever known
I despise you 'cos you're filthy,
But I love you 'cos you're home.

(source: Country Hall of Fame No4 John D. Loudermilk)

That's how the lyrics were published in the Loudermilk songbook. Loudermilk, and almost everybody else, sings 'm different at some points:
Only Lord knows instead of Only you know, grace from above becomes grace from God, the "dump" in line 1 sounds more like "lump" (Status Quo even sang here "bunk") and the "wo wo wo" is left out..

A collage of 45 releases with Tobacco Road:

68 Comeback Love Society
Version of 68 Comeback (US garage rock, 1990) and Love Society (French SP release by Love Society, Vogue 80162, 1969)

The Lords Restless
The Lords (1964), rock band from Berlin, Germany, in 1964 considered as "German Beatles", recorded a German version of Tobacco Road. Next: 45 release by Restless (UK, 1987)

The Gamblers The New Scorpions
The Gamblers (1965, Deutsche Beat with Mathew Fisher, later Procul Harum, on organ) and The New Scorpions (1966, UK group popular in Holland)

Los Extranos Roy Clark
From Spain in 1964: Los Extraños and Roy Clark with his small 1986 C&W-hit

Japan Albatross
Japanese release of Nashville Teens version and UK group Albatross (1975)

Billy Lee Riley Frank Ifield
A rare live EP by old Arkansas' rocker Billy Lee Riley at the Whisky A-Go-Go (1965) and the early (1961) EP-release by English country singer Frank Ifield

Believers
Australian group released their 1987 single So Many Times b/w Tobacco Road in a eye-catching, two-sided picture sleeve

Greenwich Park Brother Jack McDuff
A 45 by Greenwich Park, an Italian band on a 1971 release for the Swiss market, a high-pitched screamin' version with some wild improvised lyrics, and the cover of Brother Jack McDuff's Dutch single release

Dukes cover
German garage band, the Dukes and their 1988 single's release (left), and a 1986 release by the Borrowed Times Band, New York's Roger Maglio's band on own Gear Fab Records label (right)

and a collage of LP's containing Tobacco Road:

Dick Rivers
Dick Rivers, born Hervé Forneri, rocker from France, sang the song with French lyrics

Don Fardon
Don Fardon, born Donald Maughm from Coventry, UK, who had his biggest success with the cover of Loudermilk's Indian Reservation, recorded it on a 1969 compilation album

Blue Grass Gentlemen
The Blue Grass Gentlemen (i.e. The Bray Brothers) on an early (1962) album, a good country/ blue grass version

Brother Jack McDuff
Brother Jack McDuff, American jazz organist, on a 1966 Atlantic album titled Tobacco Road

Serendipity Singers
The 1965 album "We Belong Together" by The Serendipity Singers, folk group of one hit wonder song "Don't Let The Rain Come Down"

Orange Peel
Orange Peel, progressive rock group from Germany, included a version on their 1980 only released album

Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson, an American blues guitarist born 1928 as James Earl Thompson, on a 1978 album also titled Tobacco Road

Mike St Shaw
On the 1964 self-titled album by the Mike St.Shaw Trio, folk music; in New Zealand, their track Tobacco Road was released as a 45 rpm. Mike St.Shaw later switched to soul music


In a 2013 Viva NashVegas radioshow, John D. tells about the song:

and Michael Kelsh' great performance of the song and John D. teaching him how to slow it down

  • John D. Loudermilk (Jan. 1960, Columbia 41562)
  • Frank Ifield (May 1961, Columbia 4658 UK)
  • Johnny Duncan (1961, PYE 7N-15358, the English/Australian Johnny Duncan & Blue Grass Boys, not the US C&W Johnny Duncan)
  • Buck Floyd (Aug. 1962, Derby 100)
  • John D. Loudermilk (1962, LP 12 sides of John D. Loudermilk, RCA version)
  • The Blue Grass Gentlemen (1962, LP The Blue Grass Gentlemen)
  • Bobby Brinkley (Dec. 1962, Monument 803)
  • Lou Rawls (Oct. 1963, Capitol 5049, studio version; 1966, Capitol 6069, hit live version)
  • Baytown Singers (Mar. 1964, MGM 13223, a folky 45)
  • Nashville Teens (Jun. 1964, London 9689, #14 US hit and UK top 10, Mickie Most product with good rockin' piano)
  • The Roamers (1964, Hit Records 151, Nashville budget label cover)
  • Dick Rivers (1964, LP Dick, French lyrics)
  • Los Extraños (1964, EP EMI 16.630, group from Spain, a slow jazzy relaxed version)
  • Mike St Shaw Trio (1964, LP The Mike St Shaw Trio, folk group credits John B Loudermilk)
  • The Browns (1964, LP Rockin' Rollin' Browns)
  • Johnny Kongos & G-Men (1964, RCA 41.754 (RSA))
  • The Typhoons (Jul. 1964, Embassy 646, budget beat)
  • The Lords (Oct. 1964, Emi-Columbia 22848, German lyrics, later they also recorded in English lyrics)
  • The Finder's (1964, EP Columbia 80859, from Barcelona in Spanish lyrics but still held the title "Tobacco Road", in a (false) live version)
  • Luis 'Vivi' Hernández & Los Crazy Boys (1964, Mexico, Spanish version "Tabaco Road")
  • Los Apson (1965, LP Volume 1, Mexico, Spanish version "Deceptión")
  • Los Extraños (1964, EP Odeon 16.630, Spain)
  • Richard 'Groove' Holmes (cd Book of the Blues, ±1964 unissued recording, instrumental by jazzy soul organist)
  • I Nobili (1965, 45 on MRC, Italian lyrics by Georgio Calabrese)
  • Ronnie March (1965, Janmar 45-101)
  • Billy Lee Riley (1965, LP Whiskey A GoGo Presents, live bluesy version)
  • Serendipity Singers (1965, LP We Belong Together, pop-folk)
  • Bill Ramsey & Paul Kuhn (1965, LP Songs From Home)
  • The Gamblers (1965, Polydor 421011, German Beat)
  • Les Mykels (1965, tv-show Jeunesse d'aujourd'hui, version in french-québécois)
  • The Shanes (1965, LP Shanegang, popular Swedish beat group)
  • The Chicks (1965, LP The Sound of the Chicks, New Zealand's girl group)
  • The Shadows (1965±, LP Hit Parade, Canadian, not the Hank Marvin group)
  • Jefferson Airplane (1966, LP Takes Off)
  • Blues Magoos (1966, Mercury 72590, Bronx NY group)
  • Ramsey Lewis (1966, LP Wade In The Water, jazzy instrumental)
  • Brother Jack McDuff (1966, Atlantic 45-5075, LP Tobacco Road, instrumental version)
  • (Bob Hocko &) The Swamp Rats (1966, unreleased demo, CD 2003 Disco Still Sucks)
  • The New Scorpions (Jun. 1966, CNR 9858(NL), UK beat group popular in Holland)
  • The Deejays (1966, LP The Deejays, UK group active in Germany & Sweden, good organ psych version)
  • The Leaves (1966 LP Hey Joe, Garage-rock)
  • Los Crazy Bird's (1966, EP Orfeon 620, LP Napoleón, Mexican crazy beat "Tabaco Road" ft. Luis Vivi Hernández)
  • Stones Unturned (1966/67, unreleased Raven House of Sounds Studios master tape, group from Danville, VA)
  • Tommy Cash (1967, UA 50185, a Bob Montgomery production)
  • (Eric Burdon &) The Animals (1967, bootleg LP From London to Frisco)
  • Yesterday's Children (1967, Mon-Art MM 991, wild freakin' New Orleans garage band)
  • The Underground (1967, Mercury 16337, LP Psychedelic Visions)
  • Beethoven's Dream Group (1967, In 67102, Rochester NY underground)
  • The Jou (1967, Copper State 1081, obscure Huachua City, AZ garage psych)
  • Los Walkers (1967, LP Los Walkers, Argentines doing phonetic English)
  • The Electric Piano Playground (1967, LP Psychedelic Seeds, wild instrumental version produced by Shelby Singleton)
  • The Nova Local (1967, LP Nova 1, psych freakin' hard rock)
  • Davy Jones & Pocomania (1967, LP Live at the Lucky Star, Canadian soul brother Davy Jones live in a Amsterdam club, backed by Dutch 'pop-art' group Het)
  • Peabody Company (1967/68 acetate, CD A Fistful of Fuzz)
  • Thackeray Rocke (1968, Castalia 268, from Phoenix, AZ)
  • Love Society (1968, Scepter 12236, group from Plymouth WI)
  • Love Affair (1968, LP The Everlasting Love Affair)
  • Junior Wells (1968, LP Coming At You)
  • Bobbie Gentry (1968, LP Delta Sweete, Capitol 9002 (OZ); I would nominate this cover for having the most wrong, weird & wrecked arrangement)
  • Spooky Tooth (1968, LP It's All About)
  • The Jackson Five (1968, unissued audition recording for Motown)
  • The Aliens (1968, Tela-Star 1401, garage from Norfolk, VA)
  • The Jaguars (1968±, popular Japanese rock band)
  • Outlaw Blues Band (1968, LP The Outlaw Blues Band, unusual funky version)
  • Glen Garrison (1968, LP If I Lived Here, Arkansas' rocker in a hippie arranged cover, 3 years before he died)
  • The Greatest Soul Band (1968, LP In The World, a J J Jackson project)
  • Bobby & Fantastics (1968, demo cut for Happening '68 TV show, recently issued on a garage compilation)
  • David Clayton Thomas (1969, LP David Clayton-Thomas)
  • Aum (1969, LP Blues Vibes)
  • Rare Earth (1969, LP Get Ready)
  • The Web (1969, LP Theraphosa Blondi)
  • Bo Haynes Blues (1969, PA Records 1057, early 45 of jazz/bluesman Bobby Haynes)
  • Prodigal Sun (1969, ASA 3173, obscure US garage)
  • Roberta Wolfson (1966-69?, Rogue Records 112443, obscure record by obscure singer, any info?)
  • Mystic Siva (cd Under The Influence, prev unrlsd 1969/70 tracks)
  • Don Fardon (1969, LP The Love Story of Don Fardon)
  • Mind Garage (1969 on local release Morning Glori 1000, Feb. 1970 on national RCA 9812, Morgantown West Virginia garage rock)
  • The Fifth (1970, Franklin 635, a Canadian Black Sabbath epigone)
  • The Rogues (1970, Boss City 166, garage band from Manchester, CT)
  • Jamul (1970, Lizard 21001, Billboard #93)
  • Edgar Winter (1970, Epic 10618; also released in South America as "Camino Del Tabaco", Epic 501001)
  • Johnny Winter (1970, 2-cd Second Winter, live 1970 bonus cd, Edgar's brother doing a boring freaking version)
  • Eric Burdon & War (1970, LP Eric Burdon Declares War)
  • Shocking Blue (1970, LP Venus, and in 1973 Polydor 1881 a 45rpm release in Japan)
  • Dew (1970, CD Lost Blues Days, a heavy garage jam by Japanese blues band with Fumio Nunoya)
  • Blues Creation (1971, CD Live '71, another cover by Japanese Fumio Nunoya, over 11 minutes of annoying guitar freaking)
  • David Allan Coe (±1970, SSS 825)
  • Jimi Hendrix (1970, live, his last recording, 70 hours before his death)
  • John D. Loudermilk (1971, LP Elloree, WB-version)
  • Network (Feb. 1971, Decca 13123, UK)
  • Greenwich Park (1971, Splendid 4009, Switzerland)
  • Orange Peel (1971, LP Orange Peel, German band trying hard to imitate Deep Purple)
  • Jack Grunsky (1971, top 20 hit single in Austria)
  • The Mops (1971, LP Mops & Flowers - Rock Live!, Japanese psych band)
  • Almeta Latimer (1973, De-Vel 6754, soul)
  • Zakons (1973, LP The Sounds Of Zakons '73)
  • Barrelhouse Jazzband (1974, LP Rebecca, Rebecca, Take Your Fat Legs Offa Me)
  • Brenda Kristian (1974, LP Brenda Kristian, part of a medley)
  • Albatross (1975, GULL GULS-16, UK band)
  • George Perkins (LP Crying In The Streets, 1970s soul on ACE)
  • Mud (1975, LP Mud Rock II)
  • Hot Jam (1975, SunDyl 101, psych garage)
  • Creation (1975, LP Creation, Japanese band, formerly 'Blues Creation')
  • Steve Young (1976 LP Renegade Picker, 1991, CD Solo/Live)
  • Little Bob Story (1977, LP Little Bob Story, good punk-pub rock)
  • Benny & The Jets (1978, ATA K-6638, Neo Rock&Roll from Newcastle, Australia, B-side of JOK, a Johnny O'Keefe tribute)
  • Louise Williams & NY Community Choir (1977, LP Don't Blame The Children)
  • Richie Lecea (1977, UA 1243)
  • Jimmy Johnson (1978, LP Tobacco Road, blues version)
  • Jimmy Norman (1978, LP Tobacco Road)
  • Bob-A-Relli (1978, Channel 104 7"single, good funkin' disco)
  • Bob-A-Rela (1979, Channel 106 12"single)
  • Miguel Flores, Pyramid (1979, LP At The New Morning Blues Festival, live in Geneva)
  • Hobo Blues Band (1979, Hungarian hitversion: "Dohány út")
  • G Wayne Thomas (1979, Polydor 2079152, Kiwi-born Aussie)
  • The Dogs (1980, LP Radiator, Finland)
  • Rick Derringer & Edgar Winter (1981, Bootleg-LP Party at the Palladium)
  • The White Animals (1981, EP Nashville Babylon, medley with "Somebody To Love" by Nashville garage punk band)
  • LSDAP/AO (1982, LP Die Kirche der Ununterschiedlichkeit, an extreme messy, arty interpretation of the song)
  • Chris Stamey (1982, LP It' a Wonderful Life, retitled "Get A Job", lyrics over a nearly all-drums background)
  • Task Force (1982, LP Forbidden Fruit, heavy metal from Canada)
  • Dick Smith (1983, WB 2037, soul)
  • Pugh Rogefeldt (1983, LP Face, Swedish rock)
  • Peter Lipa and Miluška Voborníková (1984, LP Blues Z Lipového Dreva, Czech translation as "Můj Rodnej Dům")
  • Dan Seals (1985, LP Won't Be Blue Anymore)
  • Boogie Boy (1986, LP Live!, Boogie Boy is an alias for Belgian Paul Ambach)
  • David Lee Roth (1986, WB 2547, DLR also recorded it as: "La Calle Del Tabaco" in Spanish)
  • The Blues Band (1986, CD These Kind Of Blues, band with UK sixties veterans like Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness)
  • Roy Clark (1986, SilverDollar 770001, tiny C&W hit)
  • The Marsupials (1986, LP The Four Of Us Are Dying)
  • Borrowed Times Band (1986, Gear Fab Records GF-101, Roger Maglio on his private label)
  • Bobby and Laurie (1987, LP The Very Best Of, an album of new 1987 recorded songs of the duo's 1960s repertoire)
  • The Believers (1987, Cleopatra 221, Aussie vinyl 45 with a eye-catching picture sleeve, see section left)
  • Restless (1987, Daft 701, UK neo rockabilly)
  • Backsliders (1987, LP Nobody Rides For Free, Finland)
  • The Purple Helmets (1988, LP Ride Again, group formed out of ruins of UK punk groups The Vibrators and The Stranglers, with J.J Burnel)
  • Masters Apprentices (1988, LP Do What You Wanna Do, part of a live medley by Australian rock veterans)
  • Monty Sunshine Jazzband (1988, LP Midnight Special, UK)
  • Tinsley Waterhouse Band (1988, LP I've Been Dreaming, Australian blues)
  • The Dukes (1988, Mystery Scene 008, German garage R&B)
  • The Purple Toads (1988, 2LP Love Songs For The Hard of Hearing, Canadian punk rock)
  • Toto (1988, bootleg Seventh Odeon, live in London)
  • Ian Cussick (1989, CD Treasure Island, bonus live track)
  • Robin Henkel (1989, CD Blues 90)
  • '68 Comeback (1990, Sympathy For The Record 292, parts 1 & 2, garage punk rock)
  • Paul Revere & Raiders (2cd Legend of Paul Revere, a remix of a 1970s recording)
  • Mofungo (1990/91, unreleased, unfinished last album of NY cult band, made up their own lyrics)
  • Michael Finthammer & the Groove (1991, CD Roundabout Jazz)
  • Bruce Springsteen (1991 live, CD Bruce's Club-Hopping Summer)
  • Foolhouse Blues Band (1991, LP 5 Years of Cottonpickin', Live in Wurzburg)
  • Zona B (1991, LP Bestseller, Yougo rock and blues band)
  • John C Marshall, 1991 CD Same Old Story, London born blues session veteran)
  • Broderick Smith (1992, CD Suitcase and CD single, an Australian folkie)
  • Le Grand Blues Band (1992, CD Le Grand Blues Band, features Jean Jacques Milteau on harmonica)
  • Smak (1992, MC odLIVEno, Serbian (Belgrado), 12 minutes boring live rock)
  • Terry Frank & Bone Deluxe (1992, cassette Stompin', live recording)
  • Mark O'Connor (1993, CD Heroes)
  • Every Mother's Nightmare (1993, CD Wake Up)
  • Black Crowes (1993, live bootleg Big Toe at the Hollywood Troubadour)
  • Aunt Mary (1993, CD Blue Prints, Norway)
  • Nightcrowd Bluesband (1993, CD I Have My Fun)
  • Mad Dogs (1993, CD Live at Big Mama, Italy)
  • Jack o'Fire (Mike Carroll & Tim Kerr) (1994, EP Pumpkin, Estrus ES755, punk)
  • Roy Loney & Longshots (1994, CD Full Grown Head, guitars like chain saws)
  • Magyar Atom (1994, CD Jimi Hendrix Emlékkoncert, a Hungarian JH tribute)
  • Eric Burdon & Brian Auger Band (1995, 2cd Access All Areas, a boring 12 minutes live version)
  • Tav Falco (1995, CD Shadow Angels & Disapearing Dancers)
  • Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown (1995, CD Long Way Home, JDL joins in on vocals)
  • Hank Williams Jr. (1995, CD Hog Wild)
  • The Agents (with Jorma Kääriäinen) (1995, CD Forever, Finnish: "Mies Yksin On")
  • Jean Jacques Goldman / Fredericks Goldman Jones (1995, CD Du New Morning au Zénith, a platina live 2cd)
  • The Yardbird Experience (1996, CD British Thunder, ex Nashville Teens' Ray Phillips doing the song once more now in a group with former members of The Yardbirds and Jimi Hendrix Experience)
  • The Lonesome Strangers (1997, CD Land Of Opportunity)
  • Cicadas (1997, CD Cicadas, a Rodney Crowell project)
  • Sons of Champlin (1998, CD The Sons of Champlin live, a reunion album)
  • Bill Wyman & Rhythm Kings (1998, CD Struttin' Our Stuff, vocal: Paul Carrack)
  • Disciplin A Kitschme (1998, CD Heavy Bass Blues)
  • Don Johnson (1998, CD Donald Ray, not the Miami Vice star)
  • Big Brian & Blues Busters (1998, CD Size Does Matter)
  • DaBlueth (1999, CD Custom Ride, German blues)
  • Texas Boogie Connection (cd Texas Boogie Connection #2, German blues rock)
  • Richie Kotzen (2000, CD Bi-Polar Blues)
  • Dead Prez (2000, intro to their rap Psychology using sample of Lou Rawls' version, CD Let's Get Free)
  • The Ventures (2000, CD Acoustic Rock, Japan)
  • Sinelefante (2000, CD Buscas Problemas, Spain)
  • Poduene Blues Band (cd Kucheto Na Kraina Kravtal, Bulgaria)
  • Suie Paparude (2000, CD Urban, Romanian techno band doing an instrumental 'War remix')
  • The Agents (2001, CD Agents in Rock! English version by neo-rock band who did the cover in Finnish in 1995)
  • Buddy Miles (2002, CD Blues Berries)
  • Ides of March (2002, CD Beware! The Ides Of March Live)
  • Corey Craven (2002, CD The Lords of Karma- Tribute to Vai Satriani)
  • Caneza (Mexican version: La Calle Del Tabaco)
  • Aldis & Blue Cats (2002, CD Mosquito Water)
  • Ash Grunwald (2002, CD Introducing Ash Grunwald, good Australian blues)
  • Doug Williams (2002, CD Check It - Live at The Basement)
  • Bottle Up & Go! (2002, CD Storyteller, Austrian blues)
  • The Cherry Valence (2002, 12" EP Revival)
  • Pera Joe (with Smak) (2002, CD Sessionman, Serbian blues band)
  • Černý Mosty (2002, CD Černý Koření, Czech long, live track)
  • Slaptones (2003, CD Simplify, Swedish rockabilly)
  • The Blue Monday Band (2003, CD Twelve Bar Blues, Canada)
  • Status Quo (2003, CD Riffs, a good, fast version!)
  • Wiley Reed (2003, CD Straight From The Heart, blues from Queensland, by Florida born Reed who settled in Australia in 1967)
  • Gildas Arzel (2003, CD Autour du Blues Vol. 2, France)
  • Chuck Owston (2004, CD Down Highway 61)
  • Stuart Rosh & the Geniuses (2004, CD Accept No Imitations)
  • Speedo 'Harmonica' Jones (2004, CD Blues From The Archives, 1982-84 recordings)
  • Stiff (2004, 2cd Live at Fat Jak's, US hard rock, a 1987 live recording some month before their split)
  • Overdrive Blues Band (cd Live in Yarburg, Russian band)
  • Siggi Schwarz & The Electric Guitar Legends (2005, CD Vol. 2 Woodstock, German hard rock)
  • Tony Joe White (2006, 4-cd Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings, previous unreleased 1969 recording, a medley coupled with Dead End Street)
  • The Wrags (2006, CD Govt Cheese>)
  • Bruce Zimmerman (2006, CD Guitar on the Brain>)
  • Kevin Covais, Bucky Covington, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Elliot Yamin (2006, Ace Young, in a medley for American Idols)
  • Marty Hall & Butch Coulter (2006, CD Blues Ze Staré Pekárny)
  • Phil Stacey (2007, performance for American Idols)
  • Southern Culture on the Skids (2007, CD Countrypolitan Favorites, great greasy rock à la Creedence)
  • The Wild Cherries (2007, CD That's Life, previously unreleased 1965-66 recording by Australian sixties garage band)
  • Blues Avenue (2007, CD Blues Avenue, Dutch band)
  • The Light (2007, CD Turn On The Light, previously unreleased 1967 live by California garage band)
  • Richard Berry (2007, CD She Blew A Good Thing: Vintage Live R&B, excellent version)
  • The Honeycombs Band (2008, CD The Fabulous Honeycombs Band)
  • Michael Gough (2008, CD Soul Tuggin')
  • N.Y.P.L. (2008, CD the Boston Tapes, a prev. unreleased 1971 LP recording)
  • Syesha Mercado (2008, once again featured on American Idols)
  • Graham BLVD (2008, The British Invasion, Vol. 2)
  • Big Gilson (2009, CD Sentenced to Living, Brazilian Blues)
  • Riko & Piloti (2009, CD Rokdrom)
  • Strawberry Window (2009, LP Strawberry Window, live, very fuzzy, lo-fi and weird, release on vinyl of a 1967s San Franciso Bay Area group, LP and bonus 7-inch)
  • The New Merseysiders (2009, CD 50 Best of Beat Music)
  • Tratai Tibor (2009, CD Sighișoara Blues Festival, Romania>)
  • Alberto Arcangeli (2009, CD Dreamsongs)
  • MO Blues (2010, CD Blues 4U, Québec)
  • The Renegade Stars (2010, CD More Pirate Radio Hits Vol 3)
  • Joe Chaplain Band (2010, CD Bad Dog!)
  • Lois Greco (2010, CD Takin' Hold of your Heart)
  • Orange and Blue (2011, EP Blowdryer, feat. Chloe Trujillo, Los Angeles hiphop)
  • Vargas Blues Band (2011, CD Vargas, Bogert & Appice, live version)
  • La Comercial (2011, CD Dylan Blues)
  • Rock Feast (2011, CD Drivinng Rock Classics Vol. 1)
  • Siggi Schwarz & The Rock Legends (2011, CD Woodstock, feat. Chris Thompson)
  • Alfredo Garcia-Navas (2012, CD Back in Blues)
  • Frijid Pink (2012, CD Frijid Pink 3x Digitally Remastered)
  • The Rioters (2012, CD 60's Rock Anthems)
  • The Crew (2012, CD Too Late To Stop Now)
  • Spoonbread (2012, CD Live At the Fireman's Ball)
  • Tony Voltaggio (2013, CD Rooted Like a Tree)
  • The Rev. Jimmie Bratcher (2013, CD Secretly Famous)
  • The Roaring Juniors (2014, EP The Roaring Juniors)
  • Les Chantels (2014, Montréal band, live concert 1967/68 on tape, broadcasted on webradio Mondo P.Q.)
  • Alectro (2015, cd School of Desire, New York duo Jeff Eyrich and Steve Kirkman)
  • Danny Thurmer (2015, CD The Charlatan's silver platter)
  • Atomic Leopards (2015, CD Model)
  • Out of Plumb (2015, CD High Tide in Paradise)
  • The Raunch (2015, mini LP Total Raunch, Germany, prev. unreleased 1967 garage)
  • Penthouse 5 (2016, LP It's all my own bizarre dream, Germany, prev. unreleased 1965)
  • Colvin & Earle (2016, CD Colvin & Earle, USA)
  • The Totty Brothers (2016, CD Hot Totty)
  • The Fifth Estate (2016, CD Live, Loud & Lo-Fi)
  • Rodney Crowell (2017, CD A Tribute to John D Loudermilk, live version)
  • Quatro, Scott & Powell (2017, CD QSP, good version by Suzi Quatro's band)
  • High Contrast (2017, CD Night Gallery, drum'n'bass dance version)
  • The Vocal Masters (2017, CD Mesmerizing Jazzy Jazz)
  • George Henriquez & Alvaro Falcon (2017, CD Blues, Venezuela)
  • Orquesta Calibre (2017, CD Diehard Motivation)
  • Chords of Chaos (2017, CD La Foto, el Video, la Chicaneria)
  • Ben Brookes Belcher (2017, CD For You)
  • Vee Sing Zone (2017, CD Jazz Rendetion Hits)
  • Freek de Jonge (2017, CD Koffers, Dutch translation "Schilderswijk" by old comedian)
  • Mercury Rev feat, Suzanne Sundfør (2019, CD Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited)

Does My Heartache Show?

Jan Burnette Sugar sweet teenage pop song.

Left: sheet music publication for the British pop singer Jan Burnette (she recorded the best version).

  • Jimmy Byron (Mar. 1960, Everest 19336)
  • Jimmy Crawford (May 1961, Columbia 4633 UK)
  • Jan Burnette (Jun. 1962, Oriole 1742 UK)

Eighth Wonder Of The World

Guess a late 1950s composition, not released (?) until The Whitsteins found it
  • Whitstein Brothers (1984, LP Rose of My Heart)
  • Ricky Barnes & the Hootowls (1991, CD Ya' Finally Said Somethin' Good, Germany country)

Tremble

Remarkable song: George Hamilton IV confessing to have assisted to a lynching gang to hang a man. Lyrics include a reference to the old gospel "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord": Lord, sometimes it causes me to tremble
  • George Hamilton IV (Feb. 1960, ABC 10090)

In 1959 three young Norwegian actor-sailor-singers who worked for the motion picure "Windjammer" formed The Windjammers, and recorded an album for RCA. On the album two unique Loudermilk covers can be found, see below. How did the group come to record these songs?

LP Cover Sven Libaek, one of the Windjammers, wrote me:
John Loudermilk and Chet Atkins were instrumental in signing The Windjammers to the RCA label at the time, and John and Chet produced the album. Jack Clement was credited as "producer" on the album, however the whole album would never have happened without John and Chet and in real terms they were the producers.
"March of the Vikings" was written specially for us. "Beatnik Bill", from memory, I think was a song that John had previously written, and he felt it suited us.
The Norwegian lyrics in "March" are based on an old Norwegian folk song. It is actually a pretty funny story. The line:
"Kjerringa klipte lurvetufsa si" actually means: "The old woman clipped her goat" - however, with a bit of imagination, the word "lurvetufsa", which in the song refers to her "goat", could also refer to a very private part of her body, and of course Norwegians have a lot of imagination. We had a lot of fun singing it live in English speaking countries, as we would always find out if there were any Norwegians in the audience when the burst of laughter would reverberate throughout the venue. All the English lyrics were of course Loudermilk's.
It was a great thrill to work with those two legends. Chet Atkins actually played on several tracks on the album and the rest of the extra musicians just improvised around the already existing Windjammer arrangements without any music being written out. They told us to sing the songs to them once, and off they went. We were very impressed with it all at the time.

Sven Libaek was to become an important composer, arranger, producer, orchestral leader in Australia. He recorded over 30 albums.

March of the Vikings

 
  • The Windjammers (1959, LP The Windjammers)

Beatnik Bill

 
  • The Windjammers (1959, LP The Windjammers)

In 1960 Loudermilk moved from Universal/Cedarwood to Acuff/Rose publishing company.
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next part, 1960-1963 RCA, Hickory, Nashville Acuff-Rose years

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Last update June 2023