WHAT WAS BUDDY HOLLY'S FIRST MAJOR RECORDING LABEL BEFORE BRUNSWICK?
(Find Out At The Bottom Of This Column)
 
LEON BECK (Friendswood, TX) houstonhotcountry@hotmail.com Jim, You've had a very interesting career in radio. I really enjoy reading your column. It brings back a lot of memories, and names of people that I used to listen to. I used to listen to KULF before it was KULF. Back in the '60s, I recall, the station's call letters were KTHT -- Demand Radio 79. The station played a lot of easy listening pop music like Jack Jones ("Wives And Lovers") and Kai Winding ("More"). Back in the mid-'60s I worked in a car wash on South Main. I got a chance to look at all the radio dials. Guess where most of them were programmed? On KTHT. My favorite radio station. Kind of an unscientific poll.
 
Remember Chuck Dunaway? "The Round Mound Of Sound" on KILT back in the '60s. I found his website a year or so ago and I sent him an e-mail. I remember all the great KILT DJS -- Jim Wood(s)?, Steve Lundy, Russ Knight "The Weird Beard," Bob Presley (he broadcast from KILT's Pool and Patio.).
 
I'm hooked on talk radio now -- particularly Chris Baker on KTRH 740. I went to junior college with a couple of DJs -- Johnny Goyen and Bob Allen (not Channel 13's Bob Allen). Back in the late '60s Johnny Goyen had a country show on KPRC on Sunday nights, and he also worked at KRBE.
 
At one time I wanted to go into radio and I got my FCC license. But I never pursued a career in radio. I have my B.A. degree in journalism from the University of Houston. I published an Elvis magazine in '97, the 20th anniversary of Elvis' death. The magazine was called ELVIS: Houston Remembers The King. I interviewed several radio people for that magazine, including Mary McCoy, Joe Ford, Arch Yancey, Paul Berlin, Dave Morris and Ken Grant. I've probably interviewed more radio disc jockeys in Houston over the years than anyone else.
 
When I was with KILT and KKBQ, I had the best of both worlds. Radio, journalism and country music. But I've also interviewed several rock 'n' roll legends over the years, including Roy Head, B.J. Thomas, Archie Bell, Johnny Rivers, Percy Sledge, Paul Revere, Tommy Roe, Mark Lindsey, Bobby Vee, The Shirelles, Gary Lewis, Carl Perkins and others.
 
I would love to do a '50s/'60s/'70s rock 'n' roll legends magazine. I was talking to KLDE, the sister station to KKBQ about doing a legends magazine for the Oldies station before Cox bought the stations. But then things changed at the station and I left in 2001. Maybe I can find another oldies station that would like to have a magazine.
 
What are you doing these days? Are you still involved in radio? You sure are knowledgeable about the industry and the people. My knowledge of computers is rather limited. I pretty much taught myself how to layout and design a magazine on a computer. I really want to learn how to build a website. I'm still living in the old days -- but I hope to catch up.
 
Do you stay in touch with Joe Ford? I'd like to get word to him about the reunion. I really appreciate your interest in what I'm trying to put together. I'm going to do a big spread in my magazine with photos and names of all (or as many as I can) the radio guys and artists who attend the reunion.
 
I saw Frank Haley's name mentioned in your column. I interviewed Frank back in '75 or '76 when he was with KTRH. Frank wanted to take my interview tapes and develop a syndicated radio show with my interviews. Unfortunately, I interviewed the artists back stage, in dressing rooms, on buses, on parking lots, in cars, etc., and there was background noise. I understand with modern technology these tapes can be cleaned up.
 
Do you remember Tillman Franks and Claude King? Tillman managed Johnny Horton, Claude King, Webb Pierce, Slim Whitman and other country music legends. Tillman also wrote Johnny Horton's "North To Alakska," "Sink The Bismark," "When Its Springtime In Alaska," "Honky Tonk Man." "The Commancheros," "One Woman Man" and several other songs. Tillman and Claude, who recorded "Wolverton Mountain," were also Houston disc jockeys back in the late '40s/early '50s. They were living in Shreveport when they decided to move to Houston. They sold cars and worked at a radio station downtown. Guess who was listening to their radio show one day? Hank Williams. Hank called them up at the station and they met him after their radio show was over. The last time I talked to Tillman, he told me he had a classic country radio show on a Shreveport station.
 
Do you know Johnny Western? The last I heard he was a working at a country music station. I'd like to interview him one of these days. The legendary Larry Kane contacted me back when I published the 93Q COUNTRY Magazine and told me how much he enjoyed my magazine. He wrote a column for me for several years. He passed away several years ago. Hey, Jim, another long e-mail. I could talk (or write) for hours about Houston radio. I hope to be able to meet you some day for lunch. Your radio friend, Leon
 
JOE FORD (Houston, TX) Joefordsho@aol.com Subject: Country Reunion. Jim, Saw the bit about the Country Reunion. Count me in. I would love to see some of the crew again. Especially Chuck Tiller. I  got a note from him and  I'm glad he's doing well. I had lunch with Ol' Arch (Arch Yancey) a few weeks back and we need to make sure he shows up...what a hoot! Joe Ford
 
What a pleasant surprise to hear from my pal, JOE FORD. Wouldn't that make a whale of a remote broadcast if all of us showed up at the same time for the Houston Country radio reunion? Why do we love radio so much? The love of music is my excuse.
 
SEND YOUR MUSIC TRIVIA WITH ANSWERS
 
LEON BECK (Friendswood, TX) houstonhotcountry@hotmail.com Jim, I was writing an e-mail to you last night when I got distracted by a phone call that took a long time. Then I had to run to a couple of clubs on business. Got back in late and fell asleep -- and now I'm back at it. Actually I don't live in Harris County. I was born in Houston, grew up on the West End (that's what they called back then --maybe they still do) and went to Reagan High School in the Heights. I now live in a very nice community outside of Houston called Pearland. My wife has her business here and she wants me to get a "Real Job." I would like to do a four page magazine supplement about the reunion in my magazine. Three pages of photos of disc jockeys/artists/music industry people, and one page for sponsor logos and ads to help cover the cost. I'm running two full page ads (June and July) about the reunion in my magazine and am getting sponsors to help cover those costs. If you know of any music-related or radio-related businesses that would like to sponsor the ad, please let me know. Thanks, Leon
 
BOB TOMLINSON (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net Subject: Contemporary Christian music stations. My memory is not near as sharp as yours but I remember once stopping at a Christian station in Houston sometime between the last 70's and 81 or 82. Seems like it was on the Gulf Freeway but I could be wrong.  Studio seemed nice. but canned programming and the fact that in my head,wrong as it was, that real dj's didn't work at those kinds of stations.  Later I would say why didn't I ever give that a shot. I had a chance to visit Jeff McLain at KENR one weekend in 1980. What great equipment. State of the art and what a great view out the windows as I recall. Those were really the only stations in Houston I ever saw the inside of. Talk to you later. Bob
 
Houston's Contemporary Christian radio stations have moved around quite a bit. What BOB described sounds like KGOL FM, which was off Loop 610 across from the Astrodome on the ground floor of a Holiday Inn. KGOL FM was owned by JOHN BROWN University and its control room had a large double-glass window which faced out toward the sidewalk and parking lot. KFMK FM was in an old sky scraper in the Medical District which was only about a mile north of the Astrodome. KFMK FM's transmitter was on the other side of a very wide sliding glass door. KFMK FM was sold after several successful years and became an Oldies station.
 
A well-heeled bunch of investors got together and formed KSBJ FM which is way up north near Conroe. When I was there briefly toward the last of 1986, they were in new studios. We played records from index cards inside metal boxes. You pulled out a card, initialed it and filed it to the back of the box. Only did Saturday mornings for a couple of months and quit. The 50+ mile drive was too much.
 
This was a year after the Shell lay off on December 17, 1985. Had been out of radio since the first month at Shell in October 1981. Later went over to KENR-1070 on Saturday mornings which I dearly love. KENR was up high in Greenway Plaza and was very nice. Offered me 7p-midnights. Accepted, but a new Program Director entered the picture and rearranged my Saturday morning show to afternoons. Told him that I only wanted Saturday mornings, but he wouldn't budge, so I quit radio for a long time, until the 2nd round at KILT FM from 1992-96. Then KILT began to fall apart. Most of us left the building. Been out of radio ever since. Until last year when I began to write this radio column in June 2004.
 
FRANK HALEY (Albuquerque, NM) fhaley@qwest.net Subject: CHAPMAN MOTT's phone number. Jim, Just got off the phone with Chapman, and he sounds great. he's writing, which was his first love, doing well in Houston, in fact he's in the phone book there. concerning Ed Beauchamp. Champman says he died a few years ago. too bad. gotta go. his email is chapmanmott@earthlink.net Frank H
 
ROD TANNER (Houston, TX) rodiana@ev1.net Hey Jim, enjoying the column as always. Been getting a big kick out of all the emails about the old KXOL studios. I had a lot of fun there even though I was only there for a short stint before coming down to Houston. I was always doing goofy stuff on the air as you know and one of my best memories is the time I invited a couple of girls who worked at a topless club down the street  to come on my show and show me how to get topless so I could do the first topless radio show. Before it was over they were really topless and so was I and my newsman the infamous Ken "hubcap" Carter, took a bunch of pictures and sent them in to R & R which ran them. I heard from everybody I had ever worked with. In fact that's how I ended up in Houston. Ray Cooper was pd at KRLY and had been looking for me and when he saw the pictures, called me and offered me mornings. You just never know. Rod Tanner
 
That's a good one. During 1975-76, when I was a DJ and Music Director at KXOL-1360, ended up on three separate airshifts at different periods. The second one was 6p-10p. One night was very slow. Topless nightclubs seemed to be the rage. Thought, why don't I just call one of the many Ft. Worth topless clubs to see if I could a showgirl on the phone. Indeed, a topless dancer answered the phone. Must have been a slow night for her, too, because we carried on a conversation for several minutes. Informed her at the beginning who I was and that we were on KXOL's airwaves. Gave her many leading questions, but never could get her to respond like I wanted. She played it cool.
 
BOB CROWLEY (Arlington, TX) bobcrowley@mail.ev1.net Hey Jim, Ever been fired? I remember hearing this story when I was in Houston. A dee-jay heard from a co-worker he was going to be let go. So he goes into the PD's office, pulls a knife, and says "I hear you're going to fire me, is that true?" The PD says "No! I'm not going to fire you! You do a great job. In fact, I'm looking for a way to give you a raise!". The jock folds the knife, puts it in his pocket, and says "That's what I expected you to say. I could never work for a lying S.O.B. like you". He walks out, gets on his motorcycle, and rides off, never to be seen again. I was told it happned at KILT. Know anything about it? Bob
 
CHARLES HARDIN HOLLY was born September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. MARIA ELENA SANTIAGO was working at Southern Music, BUDDY’s publisher, when they met early in his career and later married.
 
Nashville-based booking agent, EDDIE CRANDALL played some of BUDDY’s recordings to JIM DENNY, who signed HOLLY to Decca Records. On January 26, 1956, BUDDY recorded four tunes with the legendary OWEN BRADLEY as producer. Another legend, GRADY MARTIN took HOLLY's spot as guitar picker. SONNY CURTIS, strummed the lead guitar. DON GUESS was on bass. BUDDY returned to Nashville July 22, 1956 and recorded three other cuts in addition to the original version of That’ll Be the Day. This line-up was BUDDY, SONNY CURTIS, DON GUESS and JERRY ALLISON (Known as the Three Tunes). OWEN BRADLEY remained HOLLY's producer.
 
PAUL COHEN, Decca's A & R Director, was not a BUDDY HOLLY fan. COHEN described BUDDY as the biggest no talent I have ever worked with. BUDDY returned to Nashville on November 15, 1956 and layed down a second version of some of the cuts accompanied by GRADY MARTIN, BOOTS RANDOLPH, FARRIS COURSEY and OWEN BRADLEY on piano.
 
All this effort produced no success. HOLLY visited NORMAN PETTY’s Studios in Clovis, New Mexico and recorded Brown-Eyed Handsome Man and Bo Diddley, but Decca was not interested and released BUDDY from his contract. With PETTY, HOLLY found the artistic freedom he had sought with Decca. JERRY ALLISON, NIKI SULLIVAN and WELBORN, who was later replaced by JOE B. MAULDIN got back with BUDDY to record songs for a possible deal with Roulette Records. This included a new version of That’ll Be The Day. Roulette turned HOLLY down. So did Columbia.
 
BOB THIELE at Brunswick gave BUDDY a contract in 1957. This presented new problems. Brunswick was a subsidiary of Decca. To avoid contractual difficulties with the new version of That’ll Be The Day, the single was released as the CRICKETS without HOLLY listed on the label.
 
That’ll Be the Day hit Billboard August 19, 1957 and rose to #1. This hot wax did the same in England. BUDDY signed with Coral as a solo and the single, Words Of Love, was released, but failed to make the chart. In 1991, Words Of Love became the title of a BBC-TV play, which was about a young lad who is a BUDDY HOLLY fan. This tells how he handles HOLLY’s death.
 
In November, 1957, BUDDY had a major solo hit with Peggy Sue, who was JERRY ALLISON’s girl friend. On November 11, 1957, Peggy Sue landed on Billboard and climbed to #3 in the U.S., #6 in England. While That’ll Be the Day was still on Billboard, Oh Boy with the CRICKETS hit Billboard December 2, 1957 and surfaced as #10 in the U.S. and #3 in England. In 1958, Next came Maybe Baby at #17 and four more Top 40 hits. During 1958, HOLLY and the CRICKETS' concerts blanketed England and Australia.
 
BUDDY's glasses played a definitive part on CLIFF RICHARD’s SHADOWS' guitarist HANK B. MARVIS, who influenced generations of guitarists which included Neil Young. HOLLY’s touch affected ELTON JOHN and ELVIS COSTELLO. On October 1958, BUDDY decided to head to New York city. The CRICKETS remained in Texas.
 
HOLLY began recording with DICK JACOBS at the Pythian Temple in New York. This took BUDDY into a totally new direction in Rock'n'Roll when strings were introduced on his platters. During the October 21 session, HOLLY recorded True Love Ways, which was MARIA ELENA’s favorite one of the bunch, Moonbeams, Raining In My Heart and Paul Anka’s It Doesn’t Matter Anymore. This, along with True Love Ways, are two of my favorite BUDDY HOLLY songs. These were Holly’s first stereo recordings.
 
In December of 1958, BUDDY asked WAYLON JENNINGS to join him in New York and arranged for and produced WAYLON’s very first recording, Jole Blon. WAYLON was a DJ at KLLL Lubbock and joined BUDDY as bass guitar, along with TOMMY ALLSUP on guitar, drummer CHARLIE BURCH. These guys tuned up for the huge Winter Dance Party.
 
Due to MARIA ELENA's pregnancy, she did not join HOLLY on the Winter Dance Party tour of the frigid north land. Just before 1:00 am on February 3, 1959, the plane took off. Shortly afterwards, the plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa. BUDDY HOLLY, RICHIE VALENS and THE BIG BOPPER were killed in that tragic disaster. This was the day the music died. 
 
JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE and RINGO came up with an insect name to honor BUDDY HOLLY and the CRICKETS - The BEATLES. MCA inherited BUDDY's catalog. In 1986, MCA released a 50th Birthday 4-track EP in celebration. Each year, PAUL MCCARTNEY, who now owns HOLLY’s publishing catalog, holds a BUDDY HOLLY festival. In 1994, Nashville, the town that rejected BUDDY HOLLY, inducted him into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Decca Records celebrated his 60th Birthday with a tribute album, Not Fade Away. Wonder what BUDDY thinks, as he looks down from Heaven above, of all this revelry? One thing's for sure, BUDDY HOLLY lives on in the hearts and minds of us music lovers throughout the world.
 
Jim Rose
Houston, Texas
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