February 1, 1955 : NAPPY BROWN records four tracks in New York
City. "Don't Be Angry"/"It's Really Love" is selected for the
new single (Savoy 1155, March). "Just A Little Love" is issued
on Savoy 1167 in August. "It's All Yours" remains unreleased.
Personnel : Sam Taylor and Bud Johnson (tenor saxes) ; Maurice
Simon (baritone sax) ; Howard Biggs (piano) ; Abie Baker (bass) ;
Mickey Baker (guitar) ; Dave Bailey (drums).
 
February 3, 1955 : In Chicago, MUDDY WATERS lays down material
for two singles : "I Want To Be Loved"/"My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble"
(Chess 1596, May) and "Manish Boy"/"Young Fashioned Ways" (Chess
1602, July). Also recorded is the LP track "This Pain". Backing
by : Little Walter (harmonica) ; Willie Dixon (bass) ; Jimmy Rogers
(guitar) ; Otis Spann (piano) ; possibly Francis Clay (drums).
 
February 5, 1955 : ELVIS PRESLEY is in the Sun Studio in Memphis,
with Scotty Moore and Bill Black. Recorded are "Baby Let's Play
House" (the next single, Sun 217, released April 25), "I Got A Woman"
and "Trying To Get To You". The tape including the latter two songs
has yet to be located.
Producer : Sam Phillips.
 
February 7, 1955 : In Los Angeles, GENE AND EUNICE record their
next single, "This Is My Story"/"Move It Over Baby" (Aladdin 3282,
March), as well as "Flim Flam" (Aladdin 3292, August).
 
February 7, 1955 : Recording date of TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD's
version of "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett". Released on Capitol 3058
on March 1.
Produced by Lee Gillette at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studio in
Hollywood. (The Capitol Tower wasn't built until 1956.)
 
February 9, 1955 : LITTLE RICHARD and the Upsetters record two
demos at WMBL Studio in Macon, Georgia : "Baby" and "All Night
Long". These will arrive at the office of Specialty Records on February
17, but Richard is still contracted to Peacock and his first Specialty
session will not take place until September. Accompanying Richard
on these demos (available on the 6-CD set "The Specialty Sessions",
Ace Box 1) are : Danny Carmichael and Wilbert Smith (tenor saxes) ; 
Luke Gonder (piano) ; Thomas Harwell (guitar) ; Jimmy Rice (bass) ; 
Charles Connor (drums). 
 
February 9, 1955 : THE BARONS are in Los Angeles to record "Boom Boom"/
"Eternally Yours" (Imperial 5343,  March), produced by Dave Bartholomew.
Unissued from this session are "I Love You Baby" and "Hold Me Baby".
The Barons are : Billy Gold (first tenor) ; Andrew Fisher (second
tenor) ; George Bonney (bass) ; Eddie Ray (vocal) ; Danny ? (baritone).
 
February 14, 1955 : PIANO RED records at the RCA Victor Studio in
Nashville. "Jump Man Jump" and "Pay It No Mind" are chosen for the
next single release (Groove 0101, March), "She Knocks Me Out" will
be released on Groove 0136 in January 1956 and "Do She Love Me" is
first issued on the LP "Piano Red In Concert" (Groove LG 1002) in
May 1956. Personnel : Piano Red (real name Willie Perryman, vocal /
piano) ; Wes Jackson (guitar) ; Kid Miller (bass) ; James Jackson 
(drums) ; Clyde 'Blow Top' Lynn (tenor sax).
Produced by Bob Rolontz.
 
February 15, 1955 : A session by JACK DUPREE in New York City 
yields four tracks, released on two singles : "Blues For Everybody"/
"Two Below Zero" (King 4779, late March) and "Harelip Blues"/"Let 
the Doorbell Ring" (King 4797, May). Musicians : Jack Dupree (vocals /
piano) ; Sidney Grant (tenor sax) ; Jerome Darr (guitar) ; Cedric
Wallace (bass) ; Cornelius Thomas (drums).
 
February 16, 1955 : SAM COOKE and the Soul Stirrers do a session
at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago. The harvest is four
songs, released on two singles : "Nearer To Thee"/"Be With Me Jesus"
(Specialty 878) and "One More River"/"I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't
Last Always)" (Specialty 882). Vocals by : Sam Cooke, Paul Foster,
Silas Roy Crain (who also acts as A&R man), Jesse J. Farley and
R.B. Robinson. Backing by : Wille Webb (organ) ; Edward Robinson
(piano).
 
February 17, 1955 : CHARLIE FEATHERS has his first Sun session, 
at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis. Six titles are recorded, but only
"Peepin' Eyes" is released, on April 30 (Flip 503, also Sun 503). 
The unissued songs are "Crazy Love For You", "Baby Pay Me No
Mind", "I Want To Go Where the Good Girls Go", "Pretty Little Flower"
and "Hammer Hammer". The tapes have not been found and were 
probably re-used by Sam Phillips.
 
February 20, 1955 : LaVERN BAKER pays another visit to Atlantic's
studio in New York City. "That''s All I Need"/"Bop-Ting-A-Ling" will
become the next single (Atlantic 1057, April). "Lots And Lots Of 
Love" gets a place on the LP "LaVern" (Atlantic LP 8002) in 1956.
Personnel includes : Sam Taylor (tenor sax) ; Mickey Baker (guitar)
Connie Kay (drums). Vocal group : The Gliders.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
 
February 23, 1955 : SLIM RHODES and his band record four tracks
at the Sun studio in Memphis, all four of which - rather unique for a
Sun session! - will be released : "Don't Believe"/"Uncertain Love"
on Sun 216 (April 1) and "The House Of Sin"/"Are You Ashamed Of
Me?" on Sun 225 (August 1). On "Don't Believe" and "Are You Ashamed 
Of Me", the lead vocal is by Brad Suggs, on the other two tracks by
Dusty and Dot Rhodes.
Produced by Sam Phillips.
 
February 24, 1955 : JOHNNIE RAY covers Joe Turner's "Flip Flop And
Fly", for release on Columbia 40471 in March. No further session
details available.

February 28, 1955 : In Cincinnati, Ohio, COWBOY COPAS (real name
Lloyd Estel Copas) is in the King Studio to record "Pledging My Love"/
"Ashamed Of Myself" for his next single (King 1456), a remake of his
1946 hit "Tragic Romance", to be used for a future single (King 1486)
and "Faithful And True Love", which will see a belated release in 1960
(King 5437). Personnel : Cowboy Copas (vocal / guitar) ; poss. Zeb
Turner and Zeke Turner (guitars) ; Jerry Byrd (steel guitar) ; Louis
Innis (bass) ; Tommy Jackson and Dale Potter (fiddles).   
 
February 1955, unknown date : In Memphis TN, CLYDE LEOPPARD and his
Snearly Ranch Boys record "Split Personality" and "Lonely Sweetheart"
for Sam Phillips. The tracks will be released on Sun's sub-label
Flip (502) in February. Personnel : Bill Taylor (vocal) ; "Smokey"
Joe Baugh (vocal, piano) ; Buddy Holobaugh (guitar) ; Stan Kesler
(steel guitar) ; Clyde Leoppard (drums).
The same group, minus Leoppard, will record again later this year,
albeit under the name of Smokey Joe!
 
(Probably) February 1955, unknown date : FRANK STARR (aka Andy Starr)
records four tracks at the Clifford Herring Studio in Fort Worth,
Texas, produced by Joe Leonard. "The Dirty Bird Song"/"Dig Them 
Squeaky Shoes" is rush-released on Lin 1009, "Tell Me Why"/ "For
the Want Of Your Love" comes out on Lin 1013 in July. Personnel :
Frank Starr (vocal / guitar) ; Marvin Pace (bass) ; Paul Buskirk
(fiddle / mandolin) ; Johnny Pace (piano). 

With thanks to Tony Watson, Steve Walker and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index