35 tracks of obscure Rockabilly from the Fernwood label.
1. You're the one that done it - Thomas Wayne 2. Hep cat baby - Gene Criss 3. Rockin' Rufus - Ramon Maupin 4. Don't let love break your heart 5. Sally Ann - Doug Clayton 6. Rockin' mama - Shelby Smith 7. Typing jive - Alvin and Bill - The Invictors 8. Knock down, drag out - Buford Peek 9. The moon will shine - Jimmy James and The Tempos 10. Have guitar will travel - Scotty Moore Trio 11. I don't know - Gene Criss 12. What's the use - Ramon Maupin 13. I've been around too long - Eddie Collins 14. Saturday night twist - Doug Clayton 15. Grandpa's rock - The Trail Blazers 16. You're my baby - Bill Reeder 17. I'm a wise old cat - Thomas Mitchell 18. No kisses have I - Jimmy James and The Tempos 19. No chance - Ramon Maupin 20. Yes siree, yes siree - Willie Phelps 21. Our love won't die - Eldon Rice 22. What's on your mind - Shelby Smith 23. Rock'n'roll blues - Travis Wammack 24. Love gone - Ramon Maupin 25. Juke joint boogie - Paul Sullivan 26. Rock'n'roll fever - Buzz Busby 27. Rosalie - Shelby Smith 28. Wishing - Buford Peek 29. Dissatisfied - Virgle Baker 30. I'm leavin' today - Travis Wammack 31. Patience baby - Eddie Collins 32. D. J.'s jamboree - Willie Phelps 33. That's all you do - Virgle Baker 34. I'm gonna rock - Travis Wammack 35. Can't face life alone - Eddie Collins
Fernwood Rockabillies
This is about as obscure as it gets. The booklet is packed with information. Alvin and Bill's track was a popular record in the UK clubs in its day. We have been contacted by Eldon Rice's son and grandson and Ramon Maupin's son as a result of this page.....
"The output of certain Memphis labels such as Sun, Hi and Meteor have justifiably been lauded for their creative and important rock'n'roll output but one label perhaps somewhat overshadowed by these three giants is Fernwood Records, founded in Memphis in 1955 by Ronald Slim Wallace. This is even more surprising as Fernwood managed to achieve more than most other Memphis labels in that it secured a national hit with the classic teen ballad 'Tragedy' by Thomas Wayne and The De-Lons. The first artist to appear on Fernwood was Ramon Maupin who had a total of two singles on the label plus one further release on Memphis Records. Such a limited recording career has to be one of the mysteries of the rock'n'roll world as the guy's voice has a unique haunting and electrifying quality. Gene Criss serves up two examples of what Memphis rockabilly was and is all about whilst Buford Peek's 'Knock Down Drag Out' is an absolute rockabilly classic complete with overtones of Sonny Burgess's Sun style. Worthy of similar mention are the two tracks by Eldon Rice, namely 'Don't Let Love Break Your Heart' and 'Our Love Won't Die', written by his wife which are served up with healthy doses of echo. This naturally leads to Buzz Busby's "Rock 'n' Roll Fever" which is probably a demo recording, but clearly comes from the same school of rockabilly as Junior Thompson's 'Who's That Knocking' on Tune. Novelty rockabilly is present with Alvin & Bill's 'Typin' Jive' and, whilst there are a few gimmicks included on the rockin' instrumental 'Have Guitar Will Travel' by the Scotty Moore Trio, the main feature is the lovely interplay between the Scotty's guitar and the bass of Bill Black. The two tracks by Doug Clayton are first rate rockabilly complete with biting guitar work. One could be forgiven for thinking that without the track listing in front of you the three tracks ('Rock 'n' Roll Blues/I'm Leaving Today and I'm Gonna Rock') were basic straight ahead good rock'n'roll by a female singer. In fact they are by the then thirteen year old Travis Wammack before his voice broke. One of the beauties of this compilation is that certain custom recordings out at the Fernwood studios are also included. These include the rock'n'roll dynamite of 'I'm A Wise Old Cat' by Thomas Mitchell. Further custom recordings are the three tracks by SheIby Smith all containing biting rockabilly guitar work and great vocals. Of weak voice is Paul Sullivan with 'Juke Joint Boogie' but the feel on this mid-tempo rockabilly is simply heaven. To round out the custom recordings, there are tracks by Jimmy & James and The Tempos, both up-tempo tracks, Commercial rock'n'roll is well represented by Bill Reeder on 'You're My Baby', complete with Jordanaires type chorus and 'Grandpa's Rock' by The Trail Blazers with smooth vocals set against a very tasty beat. Finally there is the boppin' hillbilly of Eddie Collins, whose nasal vocals are beautiful, Willie Phelps plus the Bud Deckelman inspired 'Wishing' by Buford Peek." Excerpted in part from a review by Tony Wilkinson
35 tracks of obscure Rockabilly from the Fernwood label.
output but one label perhaps somewhat overshadowed by these three giants is Fernwood Records, founded in Memphis in 1955 by Ronald Slim Wallace. This is even more surprising as Fernwood managed to achieve more than most other Memphis labels in that it secured a national hit with the classic teen ballad 'Tragedy' by Thomas Wayne and The De-Lons.