Rockin' 50s.com

This special collector’s issue contains over 100 photographs (some rare) and more than 145 mini-bios/entries of artists, groups, & other West Texas music people from the 1950s/early 1960s R&R era who helped make this area famous worldwide.

Most weekend nights in West Texas found many artists, groups, and bands performing for local appreciative audiences. Some made it to national prominence, most didn’t, but they all contributed to the mystique and history of West Texas rock ‘n’ roll of the 1950s. You know the history of Buddy Holly, the Crickets, Roy Orbison, Buddy Knox, Bobby Fuller, Waylon Jennings, but what about all the others from this area? This book chronicles more than 145 of these artists through personal interviews, stories, photos, and facts, giving background info on who-did-what and who played with whom. What are the boundaries of West Texas? For this book, it’s roughly from Abilene to El Paso, the Panhandle to Del Rio, and a tiny slice of eastern New Mexico.

Many West Texas artists recorded with Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico (which is why that part is included) and some have been honored at the West Texas Walk Of Fame, located at the Buddy Holly statue. Others have since been forgotten. It’s time we changed that distressing fact. We have to be proud of the legendary status that music people have bestowed on the West Texas area. This book should help as a reminder of the many music people from this area who helped fill those shoes!

This is a completely revised and updated edition from the original 1994 publication.

LOOK at the artists & Groups Represented

THE ARTISTS:

Jerry Allison, Tommy Allsup, George Atwood, Tim Atcheson, David Bigham, Jimmy Bowen, David Box, Bobby Bryan, Eric Budd, Carl Bunch, Charlene Condray, Doug Coppock, Sonny Curtis, Jimmy Dean, Elroy Dietzel, Hi-Pockets Duncan, Ralna English, Gordon Franklin, Bobby Fuller, Snuff Garrett, Peggy Sue Gerron, Hal Goodson, Jim Green, Hope Griffith, Don Guess, Ben Hall, Tommy Hancock, Clyde Hankins, Gerald Hanners, Glen D. Hardin, Carolyn Hester, Mrs. Ella Holley, Mr. L.O. Holley, Buddy Holly, Jack Huddle, Ivan (Jerry Allison) , Jill Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Virgil Johnson, Dean Kelley, Buddy Knox, Don Lanier, Stan Lark, Robert Linville, Ramona Locke, Trini Lopez, Joe B. Mauldin, Keith McCormack, Bob Montgomery, Weldon Myrick, Jerry Naylor, Jack Neal, Terry Noland, Roy Orbison, Glen Pace, Gordon Payne, Jimmy Peters, Norman Petty, Vi Petty, Charlie Phillips, Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Richard Porter, Ronnie Price, Jim Reese, Eddie Reeves, Gary Reeves, Debbie Reynolds, Eugene Richmond, Doug Roberts, Jim Robinson, Ray Ruff, Ray Rush, Jimmy Self, Earl Sinks, Don Skiles, Ronnie Smith, Jim Solley, Clyde Stacy, Terry Stafford, "Pappy" Dave Stone, Niki Sullivan, Chuck Tharp, Gary Tollett, Ramona Tollett, George Tomsco, Jimmy Torres, Danny Trammell, Larry Trider, Rick Tucker, Jay Turnbow, Morris Tyler, Jack Vaughn, Billy Walker, Terry Wayne, Don Webb, Larry Welborn, Sonny West, Bob Wills, J. Frank Wilson, "Peanuts" Wilson.

THE GROUPS:

Ad Libs, Big Beats, Bobby Fuller Four, Bowman Brothers, Buddy And Bob, Buddy And Jack, Camps (Campers), Cavaliers, Checkmates, Crickets (with Holly), Crickets (post Holly), Don And His Roses, Emeralds, Fireballs, Five Bops, 580 Ranch Hands, Four Teens, Holidays, Hollyhawks, Ivy Jives, Jitters, Leen Teens, Lubocs, Nighthawks, Nomads, Picks, Poor Boys, Raiders, Ravens, Rhythm Bandits, Rhythm Orchids, Rhythm Playboys, Rock 'n' Rollers, Roses, Shams, Sparkles, String-A-Longs, Teen Kings, Three Tunes, Twisters, Two Tones, Velvateens, Velvets, Whirlwinds, Wink Westerners.