Hawkins went on to a long and successful career, recording a number of songs for Chess Records. In 1998, Ace Records issued a compilation album, Dale Hawkins, Rock 'n' Roll Tornado, which contained a collection of his early works and previously unreleased material. Other recordings include the cult classic "LA, Memphis and Tyler, Texas," and a 1999 release, "Wildcat Tamer," of all-new recordings that garnered Hawkins a 4-star review in Rolling Stone. However, his career was not limited to recording or performing. He hosted a teen dance party, The Dale Hawkins Show, on WCAU-TVin Philadelphia.
Thanks to Paul . The Louisville connection: the song was a hit in two places: Tyler and Louisville. Robin Hood went on to become the sound man for ZZ Top; Mouse and the Traps featured guitarist "Bugs" Henderson, who developed into a noted Texas Blues guitarist. From Wikipedia
In this time period, they met Bugs Henderson (or Buggs Henderson), lead guitarist for a local instrumental band, the Sensors. Weiss and Knox Henderson – no relation to Buddy (Bugs) Henderson - co-wrote "A Public Execution" and brought the song to Robin Hood Brians, who manages Robin Hood Studios that is still in operation in Tyler, Texas today. This song – which strongly resembles Bob Dylan's music in the mid-1960s – was released as the band's first single in 1966 under the name Mouse. Jerry Howell (who was also in Jerry Vee and the Catalinas[3]) and Ken (Nardo) Murray joined the group shortly thereafter, and most of their remaining music was released under the name Mouse and the Traps. Besides Brians, other musicians that have played in various incarnations of the band over the years include Bobby Delk, Don (Levi) Garrett and Tim Gillespie.
After releasing several singles on the Fraternity Records label, Mouse and the Traps also recorded two singles for Bell Records that were produced by Dale Hawkins (a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and known as the writer and original recording artist for the early Creedence Clearwater Revival hit, "Suzie Q"). The band also performed on two of Hawkins' singles and contributed toward his 1966 album on the label, L.A., Memphis and Tyler, Texas[4]. The band broke up in 1969, but all members remained in music except Jerry Howell (who became a Baptist minister).
By 1966, the members of Mouse and the Traps – along with Robin Hood Brians and Doug Rhone – were working with singer Jimmy Rabbitt, who was attempting to launch a band under the namePositively 13 O'Clock. Continuing their Dylan connection, the name is an obvious play on Dylan's hit in the same time period, "Positively 4th Street". A Los Angeles studio session at Hanna-Barbera Records in September 1966 resulted in their only recorded single that included a frantic version of Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction"[5]. However, a planned album for the band never materialized[6].
The first single by Mouse, "A Public Execution" was much more Dylanesque than any of their later music and reached as high as #121 on Billboard charts[7]. The single was released on REO Recordsin Canada as well and became a regional hit in Ottawa, where many local bands frequently covered the song[8]. The song mimicked both the musical and lyrical features of Dylan's songwriting (particularly "Like a Rolling Stone") as well as Dylan's singing style to the point of homage or even parody. In the original liner notes of the Nuggetscompilation album, Lenny Kaye states of this song: "There are some who say that Mouse does Dylan's Highway 61 period better than the Master himself". Another reviewer remarked: "['A Public Execution'] is to Dylan what the Knickerbockers' 'Lies' is to the Beatles: one of the few rip-offs so utterly accurate that it could easily fool listeners into mistaking it for the original article"[9].
Their second, punkier single, "Maid of Sugar, Maid of Spice", is regarded by many as being their best recording but did not repeat their earlier chart success. The next single was a novelty song that went in a completely different direction. Titled "Would You Believe", it was a take-off on the running gag of that name by Don Adams on the television sitcomGet Smart. A promo exists that shows the artist of this third single as only Mouse.[10] However, a more subdued, later single "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" spent one week at #125 and was a regional hit in Tyler, Texas, Nashville, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky.
Allmusic describes Mouse and the Traps as "a fine band who was probably too chameleon-like to find their niche in the national market".[11]
By 1968 Bugs Henderson had formed another band call "The Dream" and was playing night club venues around Dallas.
The band reformed briefly in 1972 but had a genuine reunion in 1986 with the original members during the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration, with a performance at Flag Pole Hill in Dallas before an estimated 7000 people. A videotape of the 1986 reunion concert is reportedly available from Marc Hood Productions[12].
Ronnie (Mouse) Weiss continues to tour and perform regularly, and often with his former bandmates; he is also a writer and is in demand as a session player.
Bugs Henderson has had a renowned career as an influential blues/rockguitarist with 8 albums to his credit. His 2004 release on No Guru Records, Stormy Love includes a version of "Maid of Sugar, Maid of Spice"[13].
Jimmy Rabbitt has had a long and varied career as a rockabilly musician. He is also a celebrated Dallas and Los Angelesdisc jockey who has had an internationally syndicated radio program, The Rabbitt Report since 1971[14]. (Although the vocalist's name for Positively 13 O'Clock is sometimes spelled as "Jimmy Rabbit", he was evidently not a member of an obscure 1960's garage rock band,Jimmy Rabbit and the Karats). Rabbitt was signed to Capitol Records as Jimmy Rabbitt and Renegade. An album was produced by Waylon Jennings and the band consisted of former Sweathog (band) bass player, David L. Johnson.
The music by Mouse and the Traps and the other associated bands has been assembled by two European record labels on retrospective albums. The first was an LP called Public Execution that was released in 1982 (on Eva Records), which included nearly all of their singles, including the Positively 13 O'Clock record. The LP was re-released on CD by New Rose Blues Records in 1995 with 4 bonus tracks, including both sides of the 45 that was released under the name of Chris St. John. Out of the 25 recordings on their various singles, the only un-reissued tracks are on their final Bell Records single, "Knock on My Door" and "Where's the Little Girl". (The reason that there is an odd number of recordings is that "Cryin' Inside" was released as the "B" side of a 1968 single after its original release in 1967).
Also, in 1997, a CD was released on Ace Records/Big Beat Records with 7 previously unreleased songs that is still in print. Both retrospective albums are comprehensive overviews of the band's career, although the two albums have several tracks that are not in common. Their recordings are also widely available on numerous compilation albums of garage rock music.
In 1956 one of the members of the group who was a big reader of Playboy magazine suggested they rename the group to “The Playboys”. “Sam Montalbano” the president and owner of “Montel” records who also managed the local Catholic Youth Center would hold dances and sock hops. He booked John and his group and a close friend “Johnny Ramistella” (better known as “Johnny Rivers”) to as many of them as they could make. Sam really liked one of the songs they regularly performed “Shirley” that was composed by both John and “Tommy Bryan”. On 23 September 1958 he took 17 year old John and his band to a recording studio owned by “Cosimo Matassa” in New Orleans. Some previous hits recorded there were “Don’t You Just Know It” by “Huey Piano Smith & The Clowns”, “Tutti Frutti” by “Little Richard”, “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” by “Jessie Hill” and “Jock A Mo” by “Sugar Boy Crawford”.
“Fats Domino” was at the studio this day and agreed to record a quick version of “Shirley”. John had already sang backing vocals on “My Girl Across Town” by Jazz singer and trombonist “Lester Robinson” on Sam’s “Montel” records. So Sam decided instead of having Fats record “Shirley” he asked John and his band to record it. Before they recorded the song Sam told him he was aware of another group called “The Playboys” and suggested they go by “John Fred & The Playboys”. They also had Fats’ band backing them up on the song. The flip side of the record was “My Love For You” a take off on the #9 pop hit and #1 R&B hit this year by “Chuck Willis” of “What Am I Living For”. “Shirley” was released in December and began getting a lot of airplay on the R&B stations until the disc jockeys found out the group was not black and stopped playing it.
The song debuted on the pop charts on 23 February 1959 and peaked at #82 and was on the charts for only 5 weeks. The song would become a top 10 hit in the UK in 1983 by “Michael Barratt” (better known as “Shakin' Stevens”). John next appeared in March on radio in New York City on “The Alan Freed Show” where he met “Clyde McPhatter”. Their second release in April was “Mirror Mirror (On The Wall)” that had “The Jordanaires” dubbed in with backing vocals but it failed to make the charts. In August they release “Good Lovin’”, written by “Robert Charles Guidry” (better known as “Bobby Charles”) who is said to be one of the founding fathers of swamp pop. This is not the same version that was a #2 R&B hit in 1953 for “The Clovers” a #81 pop hit for “The Olympics” in 1965 or a #1 pop hit for “The Young Rascals” in 1966.
In 1967, John Fred and band member Andrew Bernard co-wrote "Judy in Disguise", whose name is a parodic play on the title ofThe Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". The song, issued by Louisiana-based Jewel Records on the Paula label( Stan Lewis other label ), became successful, knocking another Beatles song ("Hello, Goodbye") out of the #1 chart position on the Billboard Hot 100for two weeks in January 1968.[3] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[4] Although Fred actually had a well-rehearsed and talented group honed by years on the road, now known as John Fred & His Playboy Band, he was branded as a novelty act and never had another success.
Dale and Grace
In 1963, Dale Houston was working in a bar in Ferriday LA (home of Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousins Micky Gilley and Jimmie Swaggert , Sam "Montel " Montalbano approached Houston about teaming up with a female singer, Grace Broussard (born 1939) from Prarieville near Baton Rouge.Both had been singing in area bars for several years - Grace with her brother, Van Broussard .The two met and practiced on Montalbano's home piano for four hours. When Houston began to play an old song written and recorded in 1957 by Specialty Records performers Don and Dewey— "I'm Leaving It Up To You"
Montel, asleep in the next room, woke up and screamed: “Play it again. That’s a hit!” [3] The song was soon recorded and released locally on the Montel label
According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, the song broke at Top 40 radio station KNUZ in Houston, where it was unanimously voted the "pick hit of the week" by the station's panel of seven deejays. Montel wanted to change the key in which the violins were recorded, but was persuaded by the KNUZ deejays to leave the recording as it was. It was nationally distributed as Montel #921 by Philadelphia's Jamie/Guyden Records after negotiations by producer Huey Meaux.[7][6]
Montel's prophesy was vindicated when "I'm Leaving It Up To You" reached #1 on the U.S. chart, where it remained for two weeks.[8] The song was #1 during the week that Kennedy was assassinated and also reached #1 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart.
Houston appeared on Clark's American Bandstand program. In autumn 1963, Houston and Broussard toured with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars. The Clark caravan, which also included Brian Hyland andBobby Vee, was standing on a street corner on Main Street in Dallas waving at John F. Kennedy on that fateful day. Moments later, the Kennedy limousine turned right onto, ironically, Houston Street, then turned left onto Elm Street, after which the president was killed and Texas GovernorJohn B. Connally was seriously wounded. The group had gone back to their hotel rooms after waving to Kennedy and did not hear about the assassination until several hours later.[7]
The follow-up release "Stop And Think It Over" went to #8 in 1964. However, the popularity of The Beatles, combined with personal problems between the two performers, Broussard's homesickness, and a serious illness which landed Houston in the hospital, caused the duo to separate in 1965. Grace returned to singing with her brother.
The Uniques with Joe Stampley at the helm were based out of Shreveport, and began performing in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. In 1965, The Uniques recorded, "Not Too Long Ago", the first national hit for Paula Records. One year later, they followed with "All These Things".. They were active from about 1965 to 1970, recording most of their material at Robin Hood Studios, located in Tyler, Texas.
Louisville Connections The song "All These Things" was written by a newscaster in Louisville, Kentucky, named Tom Maxedon, written as a love song for his wife Carrie. In a time of need for supplemental income, Maxedon sold the rights to the song for $200 to an unknown producer making his rounds around the radio stations. The song hit the charts in 1966, and Maxedon's home station, WAKY in Louisville, began playing the song in their regular rotation in respect to Maxedon. "All These Things" became a nightly staple on WAKY, regularly one of their top-requested songs each night for over 10 years. The song stayed in the top 40 for just a few weeks nationwide, but was a local phenomenon in Louisville for over a decade.( So says Wikipedia )
Toussiant Mccall and yes it was recorded in his living room in Monroe LA . Released on Ronn Records by Stan Lewis Mr Mccall in 1988 made a cameo appearance in the John Watersfilm,Hairspray, lip syncing to his hit song. ( clip is there to the left ) and you ask does Ruth Brown speak French , just like everybody else in this clip ) N'est-Ce Pas ?
For another time Louisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport,Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music. Elvis Presleyperformed on the radio version of the program in 1954, and made his first television appearance on the TV version on March 3, 1955.
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