March 1, 1956 : JOHNNY BOND is at Radio Recorders in Hollywood to record
his next single. "The Little Rock Roll"/"I'll Be Here (After You're Gone)"
is issued on Columbia 21521 in May.
Personnel : Johnny Bond (vocal / guitar) ; Joe Maphis (guitar) ; Wesley
Tuttle (guitar) ; Bud Dooley (bass) ; Billy Lee Woods (piano) ; Jerry Adler
(harmonica) ; Murray Wald (sax) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums).
Produced by Don Law.
 
March 1, 1956 : At New York's Capitol Studio, THE CUES record three tracks.
"Destination 2110 and 65" is their next A-side (Capitol 3400, April). "Why"
will be their last release on Capitol (3582, November) and their biggest hit.
"Be My Wife" is first released on Bear Family BFX 15309 in 1988.
The Cues are : Jimmy Breedlove, Ollie Jones, Abel De Costa, Robie Kirk and
Eddie Barnes.
 
March 1, 1956 : Also in New York City, THE CARDINALS record four tracks :
"Off Shore" (Atlantic 1090, April), "The End Of the Story" (Atlantic 1101,
August) and "The Show Is All Over" and "Neki Hoki" (both unissued).
 
March 1, 1956 : RAY PRICE records the biggest country hit of 1956 (20 weeks
at # 1), "Crazy Arms", and its flip, "You Done Me Wrong". Released on
Columbia 21510 in April.
Backing by Pete Wade (lead guitar) ; Van Howard (guitar / harmony vocal) ;
Jimmy Day (steel guitar) ; Tommy Jackson (fiddle).
Produced by Don Law at Bradley Studio in Nashville.
 
Friday, March 2, 1956 : Three-song session for RUTH BROWN in New York City
(Los Angeles, according to Slaven / Leadbitter). "Sweet Baby Of Mine" is
released in April (Atlantic 1091), "I Still Love You" in October (Atlantic
1113). "Love Walked In" remains unissued.
Personnel unknown. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
 
March 2, 1956 : FREDDIE HART lays down his next two singles : "Dig Boy Dig"
/"Two Of A Kind" (Columbia 21512, April) and "Snatch It And Grab It"/"The
Human Thing To Do" (Columbia 21550, August).
Backing by Merle Travis (guitar) ; Noel Boggs (steel guitar) ; John Dodson
(bass) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums).
Produced by Don Law at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.
 
March 3, 1956 : STAN FREBERG records his next single, "The Great Pretender"
/"The Quest For Bridey Hammerschlaugen" (Capitol 3396, release date April 9).
Freberg does both voices on "The Great Pretender", the vocalist and the
frustrated cling-cling-cling pianist. The actual piano player is Paul T.
Smith.
Arranged and conducted by Billy May, produced by Ken Nelson in Hollywood. 
 
March 4, 1956 : Third Atlantic session of this month, by CLYDE McPHATTER.
"When You're Sincere"/"Treasure Of Love" becomes the new single (Atlantic 
1092, April). "I Make Believe" will be "released as the B-side of "Without Love"
in late November (Atlantic 1117). "Go! Yes Go!" is saved until October 1960
for release on Atlantic 2082.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
 
March 5, 1956 : Live recording by PIANO RED at the Magnolia Ballroom in
Atlanta, Georgia. Six of the 13 tracks recorded are released as one side of 
the LP "Piano Red In Concert" (Groove LG 1002, mid-1956). One track is
lost ("Red's Boogie") and almost all the other tracks are first released on
the Bear Family 4-CD set "The Doctor's In !" (BCD15685, 1993). 
Personnel : Willie Perryman aka Piano Red (vocals / piano ) ; Wesley Jackson
(guitar) ; Kid Miller (bass) ; Clyde 'Blow Top' Lynn (tenor sax) ; James Jackson
(drums) ; John Peek (trumpet).
Produced by H.R. Clark.
 
March 5, 1956 : In Dallas, SID KING and the Five Strings cover Roy Orbison's 
"Ooby Dooby" (Columbia 40680, late April, c/w "Booger Red", also from this 
session). Later in the month (exact date unknown) they record three demos,
"How Easy It Was Dear", "When My Baby Left Me" and "Good Rockin' Baby",
which are first released on Bear Family BCD 15535 in 1991.
Personnel on "Ooby Dooby" and "Booger Red" is : Sid King (vocal / guitar) ;
Billy King (lead guitar) ; David White (guitar) ; Mel Robinson (guitar) ; Ken
Massey (bass) ; Bill Simmons (piano) ; Bill Peck (drums) ; Clinton Scott
(sax).
Produced by Don Law at the Jim Beck Studio.
 
Tuesday, March 6, 1956 : BOBBY DARIN's very first recording session 
takes place at the Pythian Temple in New York City. Four tracks are laid
down, released on two 45s : "Rock Island Line"/"Timber" (Decca 29883, April 2)
and "Silly Willie"/"Blue Eyed Mermaid" (Decca 29922, May 21). 
Backing by Jack Pleis and his orchestra.
Produced by Milt Gabler.
 
March 6, 1956 : RUSTY AND DOUG are in the Hickory studio in Nashville. 
They record "Hey, You There" (Hickory 1048, May), "I'll Understand"/"Mister
Love" (Hickory 1055, October) and "We'll Do It Anyway" (Hickory 1091,
January 1959). Personnel : Doug Kershaw (vocal / fiddle) ; Rusty Kershaw
(vocal) ; Wiley Barkdull (bass vocal, piano) ; Rufus Thibodeaux (fiddle) ; 
Jimmy Day (steel guitar) ; Chet Atkins (guitar) ; Eddie Hill (rhythm guitar) ;
Ernie Newton (bass).
 
March 6-7, 1956 : In NYC, JOE TURNER records the LP "Boss Of the 
Blues" (Atlantic LP 1234). None of the 11 tracks (almost all songs that
Turner previously recorded for other labels) is released as a single.
Musicians : Joe Newman (trumpet) ; Pete Brown (alto sax) ; Frank Wess
(tenor sax) ; Pete Johnson (piano) ; Freddie Green (guitar) ; Walter Page
(bass) ; Cliff Leeman (drums). On the second day Jimmy Nottingham (tp)
and Seldon Powell (ts) replace Newman and Wess.
 
March 7, 1956 : WILEY BARKDULL records two singles on his own, 
without Rusty and Doug. "I've Got A Brand New Baby"/"Going Walking" comes
out on Hickory 1052 in June and "Sweet As An Angel"/"After All" on Hickory
1059 in January 1957).
Wiley (vocal / piano) is supported by Rufus Thibodeaux (fiddle) ; Chet Atkins
(guitar) ; Jimmy Day (steel guitar) ; Eddie Hill (rhythm guitar) ; Ernie
Newton (bass). Location : Hickory studio.
 
March 8, 1956 : Fifteen-year old JANIS MARTIN makes her debut as a 
recording artist. "Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll"/"Will You, Will Yum" becomes
her first single (RCA 6491, April). "One More Year To Go" (RCA 6560,
June) and "Let's Elope Baby" (RCA 6744, December) follow later in the
year. Accompaniment by an all-star cast : Chet Atkins (electric guitar, 
producer) ; Grady Martin (rhythm guitar) ;  Bob Moore (bass) ; Floyd 
Cramer (piano) ; Buddy Harman (drums). Location : RCA Victor Studio,
Nashville.
 
March 12, 1956 : DON GIBSON, who is contracted to MGM at this time, records
material for two singles in Nashville : "I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time"/"Ah-Ha"
(MGM 12290, June 29) and "It Happens Every Time"/"I Ain't-A Studyin' You Baby"
(MGM 12494, June 14, 1957).
 
March 13, 1956 : MARTY ROBBINS records his next two singles at Bradley Studio
in Nashville. "Long Tall Sally"/"Mister Teardrop" is rush released on
Columbia 40679 (March 26) and "Respectfully Miss Brooks"/"You Don't Owe Me A
Thing" comes out on Columbia 40706 on June 11.
Personnel : Marty Robbins (vocals / guitar) ; Hank Garland, Hillous Butrum 
(guitars) ; James Farner (steel guitar) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Floyd 
Cramer (piano, organ) ; Jimmy Gossett (drums).
Produced by Don Law.
 
March 14, 1956 : MERRILL MOORE records his version of the current Lonnie
Donegan hit, "Rock Island Line", as well as "King Porter Stomp". Both tracks
are issued on Capitol 3397 in April.
Personnel : Merrill Moore (vocal / piano) ; Jimmy Bryant (electric guitar) ;
Roy Lanham (rhythm guitar) ; Speedy West (steel guitar) ; Unknown (guitar) ;
Marty Korb (bass) ; Roy Harte (drums). Location : Capitol Studio A, Hollywood.
 
March 14, 1956 : WYNONA CARR does a 4-song session in Hollywood. "Nursery
Rhyme Rock"/"Please Mr. Jailer" is released on Specialty 575 in late April.
"Jump Jack Jump" follows in July (Specialty 580). "Now That I'm Free" stays
in the can until the release of the "Jump Jack Jump" LP in 1985 (Specialty
SP 2157).
Produced by Art Rupe.

March 16, 1956 : GUITAR SLIM is in New York City. He records "Oh Yeah!"
b/w "Down Through The Years", the first single on his new label (Atco 6072,
June). "Strange Things Are Happening" and "Plenty Good Room (In My House)"
will finally be selected for the album "Atco Sessions" (Atlantic LP 81670,
1988). 
Personnel : Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones (vocal / guitar) ; Edgar Blanchard
(guitar) ; Gus Fontenette (alt sax) ; Joe Tillman (tenor sax) ; Alvin Tyler
(baritone sax ; Dalton Rousseau (trumpet) ; Lawrence Cotton (piano) ; 
Lloyd Lambert (bass) ; Oscar Moore (drums). 
 
March 17, 1956 : SMILEY LEWIS has two sessions this month. On this day he
records "She's Got Me Hook, Line and Sinker" (Imperial 5389, April),
"Nothing But the Blues" (saved for Smiley's sole Imperial LP, "I Hear You
Knocking", 1961, Imperial LP 9141), "Baby Please" (Knight 2007) and "By the
Water" (Knight 2011). On March 20, three further tracks are laid down.
"Please Listen To Me" becomes the reverse of "Hook, Line And Sinker",
"No, No" will be released as the B-side of "Shame, Shame, Shame" (Imperial
5418) in November and "Rootin' And Tootin'" has to wait until March 1958
for release on Imperial 5470.
Personnel : Ernest McLean (guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Salvador Doucette
(piano) ; Lee Allen and Clarence Hall (tenor saxes) ; Unknown (baritone
sax) ; Dave Bartholomew (trumpet, producer) ; Earl Palmer (drums).
Location : J & M Studio, New Orleans.
 
March 20, 1956 : PAUL GAYTEN records in New Orleans. "You Better Believe
It" is coupled with the instrumental "Mother Roux" for release on Checker
836 in April. The next year, "Mother Roux" is retitled "Yo Yo Walk" and
coupled with the hit "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" by the Tune Weavers it 
will be reissued (Checker 872, August 1957). Unissued from this session are
"Squeeze Tease" and "The Right To Love You".
Musicians : Paul Gayten (vocal / piano) ; Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler
(baritone sax) ; Waldron 'Frog' Joseph (trombone) ; Frank Fields (bass) ;
Unknown (guitar) ; Frank Parker (drums). 

March 20, 1956 : At the same day and same location, DAVE BARTHOLOMEW records
"Turn Your Lamp Down Low" for his next single (Imperial 5390, June, b/w
"Would You" from the October 1955 session).
Kurt Mohr gives the following session details : Dave Bartholomew (vocals /
trumpet) ; Joe Harris (alt sax) ; Clarence Hall and Herb Hardesty (tenor
saxes) ; Salvador Doucette (piano) ; Ernest McLeann (guitar) ; Frank Fields
(bass) ; Earl Palmer (drums).
 
March 22, 1956 : Another session for THE CADILLACS in New York City.
"Zoom Boom Zing" and "Why" are held in the can until the release of the
LP "The Crazy Cadillacs" in 1959 (Jubilee LP 1089), but "That's All I Need" 
gets a single release (Josie 805) in October. According to some sources, 
the single "Zoom"/"You Are" (Josie 792) was also recorded at this session, 
but it was already listed in Billboard of March 31, so that must have been 
a real rush release . The Cadillacs are : Earl Carroll, Charles Brooks, Earl
Wade, Laverne Drake and Bobby Phillips.
 
March 23, 1956 : BILL HALEY and his Comets record six tracks at the
Pythian Temple in New York City, supervised by Milt Gabler, which will
be released on the LP "Rock 'n' Roll Stage Show" (Decca DL 8345, August 13) :
"Goofin' Around", "Rudy's Rock" (also a single, Decca 30085, October 6),
"Hide And Seek", "Hey Then, There Now", "Tonight's the Night" and "Hook, Line
And Sinker" (also Decca 30214, March 3, 1957). Three more tracks for the
album are recorded on March 27 : "Blue Comet Blues" (also on Decca 30085),
"Calling All Comets" and "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie" (also Decca 30148, December 3).
Personnel : Bill Haley (vocals / rhythm guitar) ; Billy Williamson (vocals /
steel guitar) ; Franny Beecher (lead guitar) ; Rudy Pompilli (tenor sax) ;
Johnny Grande (piano, accordion) ; Al Rex (double bass) ; Ralph Jones (drums).
 
March 26, 1956 : ANDY STARR records four tracks at Clifford Herring
Studio, Fort Worth, Texas. "Rockin' Rollin' Stone"/"I Wanna Go South"
comes out on MGM 12263 (May 18) and "She's A Going Jessie"/"Old Deacon Jones"
on MGM 12315 (August 12).
Personnel : Andy Starr (vocal / guitar) ; Larry Adair (guitar) ; Lyman
Macklin (bass) ; Bill Peck (drums).
Produced by Joe Leonard.
 
March 26, 1956 : HANK BALLARD and the Midnighters (Lawson Smith,
Henry Booth, Sonny Woods) record their next single at the King Studio
in Cincinnati : "Tore Up (Over You)"/"Early One Morning" (Federal 12270, 
May). Personnel : Cal Green (guitar) ; H.T. Martini (electric bass) ; Joe 
Hunter (piano) ; Hank Moore (tenor sax) ; Wilbert Dyer (alto sax) ; George 
DeHart (drums).
Produced by Syd Nathan.
 
March 27, 1956 : ROY ORBISON and the Teen Kings from Wink, Texas, record at
the Sun studio in Memphis. "Ooby Dooby" and "Trying To Get To You",
previously recorded for Je-Wel, are rerecorded. "Ooby Dooby"/"Go Go Go" is
selected for single release (Sun 242, May). One of the two Sun versions of
"Trying To Get To You" is first released on the LP "Hot Southern Boppers"
in 1985 (Sun LP 1024, UK). 
Personnel : Roy Orbison (vocal / guitar) ; Johnny Wilson (guitar) ; James
Morrow (electric mandolin) ; Jack Kennelly (bass) ; Billy Pat Ellis (drums).
Produced by Sam Phillips.
 
March 27, 1956 : JAMES BROWN's second session yields six tracks for three
singles : "Hold My Baby's Hand"/"No, No, No, No" (Federal 12277, August),
"I Won't Plead No More"/"Chonnie On Chon" (Federal 12290, March 1957) and
"You're Mine, You're Mine"/"I Walked Alone" (Federal 12300, July 1957).
Personnel : Cleveland Love and Ray Felder (tenor saxes) ; Fats Gonder
(piano) ; Nafloyd Scott (guitar / backing vocals) ; Clarence Mack (bass) ;
Reginald Hall (drums) ; Johnny Terry, Sylvester Keels and Bobby Byrd
(backing vocals). The Little Richard-styled rocker "Chonnie On Chon"
features just Brown, without the backing vocals by the Famous Flames.
Arranged by Gene Redd. Location : Cincinnati, Ohio.
 
March 27, 1956 : In Chicago, JOHN LEE HOOKER lays down material for three
singles : "Every Night"/"Trouble Blues" (VeeJay 188, May), "Dimples"/"Baby
Lee" (VeeJay 205, September) and "I'm So Worried Baby"/"The Road Is So
Rough" (VeeJay 233, January 1957).
Personnel : John Lee Hooker (vocal / guitar) ; Eddie Taylor (guitar) ;
George Washington (bass) ; Tom Whitehead (drums).
 
March 28, 1956 : JERRY REED has a split session with SIMON CRUM in
Nashville. Reed records "When I Found You" (Capitol 3429, May) and "I've
Had Enough" (first released on a French LP, "Rock And Roll At the Capitol
Tower" in 1975, although that Tower was not opened until April 1956!).
Simon Crum (Ferlin Husky's alter ego) records "Bop Cat Bop"/"Muki-Ruki" 
(Capitol 3460, June).
Produced by Ken Nelson.
 
March 29, 1956 : THE CLOVERS do a three-track session in New York City.
"Love, Love, Love"/"Your Tender Lips" is chosen for the next single 
(Atlantic 1094, May). "Bring Me Love" is released on Atlantic 1107 in 
September as the flip of "From the Bottom Of My Heart".`
 
March 29, 1956 : Another three-track session on this day. In Cincinnati,
BOYD BENNETT and his Rockets record "Let Me Love You" (King 4925,
April, B-side of the previously recorded "The Groovy Age") and "Rockin'
Up A Storm"/"A Lock Of Your Hair" (King 4985, October).

March 29, 1956 : DEAN BEARD has his first recording session for Sam Phillips
in Memphis Tennessee. However, "I Need Your Love", "Rock Around The Town",
"Don't Lie To Me" and "What Can I Do" will not see a release on the famous
yellow label. Instead these tracks will appear on the albums "We Wanna Boogie"
and "Rock Around Town" (Dutch Bop Cat 200 & 700).
Personnel : Dean Beard (vocal / piano) ; James Steward (guitar) ; Johnny Black
(bass) ; Jimmy Seals (sax) ; Johnny Bernero (drums).   

March 1956, unknown date : EDDIE BOND's second session for Mercury
is also his last. Two singles are the result : "Flip Flop Mama"/"Slip, Slip,
Slippin' In" (Mercury 70882, June) and "Boppin' Bonnie"/"Baby, Baby, Baby"
(Mercury 70941, August). Personnel : Eddie Bond (vocal / rhythm guitar) ;
Reggie Young (lead guitar) ; probably John Hughey (steel guitar) ; Unknown
(bass) ; Johnny Fine (drums).
Produced by Dee Kilpatrick in Nashville.
 
March 1956, unknown date : SANFORD CLARK makes his recording debut in Phoenix,
Arizona (Ramsey Studio). "The Fool"/"Lonesome For A Letter" is first released
on MCI 1003 in May, then on Dot 15481 (June 27).
Accompaniment by Al Casey (lead guitar) ; Jimmy Wilcox (bass) ; Corky Casey
(rhythm guitar) ; Connie Conway (drums / percussion).
Produced by Lee Hazlewood.
 
(Probably) March 1956, unknown date : CURTIS GORDON has a session in
Nashville. "Draggin'"/"Mobile, Alabama" becomes his next single in (Mercury
70861, April 17). "I'm Sittin' On Top Of the World" is saved for release till
April 12, 1957 (Mercury 71097). "Rock, Roll, Jump And Jive" is first released
on the album "Rock, Roll, Jump & Jive" (Bear Family BFX 15181, 1985).
Personnel : Curtis Gordon (vocal / guitar) ; Dusty Stewart (lead guitar) ;
Eddie Hill (guitar) ; Al Murray (steel guitar) ; Slick Gillespie (bass) ;
T. Tommy Cutrer (drums).
Produced by Owen Bradley.
 
March 1956, unknown dates : CARL PERKINS has several recording sessions at
the Sun studio in Memphis. From the first two sessions, "Boppin' the Blues"
/"All Mama's Children is selected for his next single (Sun 243, May), "Only
You" and "Wrong Yo Yo" find a place on the LP "Dance Album Of Carl Perkins"
(Sun LP 1225, 1958), and another attempt at "You Can't Make Love To Somebody"
sees a first release on the V.A. compilation "Rabbit Action" (Sun LP 1018,
1985).
Later this month (with Eddie Starr replacing Jay Perkins) Carl records
"Dixie Fried" and "I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry" for a subsequent single (Sun
249, August), "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" (Sun LP 1225) and a first
version of "Put Your Cat Clothes On" (Sun LP 1018).
Personnel : Carl Perkins (vocal / guitar) ; Jay Perkins / Eddie Starr (guitar) ;
Clayron Perkins (bass) ; W.S. Holland (drums).
Produced by Sam Phillips.
 
March 1956, unknown date : MARVIN RAINWATER records the single "Hot And Cold"
/"Mr. Blues" (MGM 12240, April).
Backing by : Roy Clark (lead guitar) ; Bill Badgett (steel guitar) ; Unknown
(bass and drums).
Rainwater says that this session took place at the Ben Adelman studio in
Washington, D.C., the MGM recording sheets list the RCA Victor studio in
Nashville.

With thanks to Peter Stoller, Steve Walker and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index