August 1, 1956 : LITTLE RICHARD completes a three-day session at
Cosimo Studio in New Orleans. Two songs are recorded on this day.
"Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" is first released on Richard's debut
album in March 1957 ("Here's Little Richard", Specialty SP 2100), 
then as the B-side of "Keep-A Knockin'" (Specialty 611) in September
1957. "Shake A Hand" is held in the can until 1959, when an overdubbed
version appears on both Specialty 670 and on Richard's third album,
"The Fabulous Little Richard" (Specialty 2104).
Personnel : Richard Penniman (vocals / piano) ; Lee Allen (tenor sax) ;
Red Tyler (baritone sax) ; Roy Montrell (guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ;
Earl Palmer (drums). Produced by Bumps Blackwell.

Thursday, August 2, 1956 : ROY HALL arrives at Bradley Studio in
Nashville to record his next single, "Diggin' the Boogie"/"Three Alley
Cats" (Decca 30060, August 24). Also recorded is "My Girl And His Girl",
which is first released on the UK LP "Diggin' the Boogie" (Charly CR
30227) in 1984.
Musicians : Roy Hall (vocals / piano) ; with probably Hank Garland and
Grady Martin (guitars) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Buddy Harman (drums).
Produced by Paul Cohen.

August 4, 1956 : SMILEY LEWIS records four tracks in New Orleans
(Cosimo Studio). "Down Yonder We Go Ballin'"/"Someday You'll Want Me"
is selected for single release (Imperial 5404, late August), while
"No Letter Today" and "Mama Don't Like" have to wait until 1985 for a
release on the French album "Ooh La La" (Pathe Marconi LP 156 1391).
Session men include Huey Smith (piano) ; Ernest McLean (guitar) ;
Dave Bartholomew (trumpet, producer) ; more details unknown.
On August 11 Smiley records "Shame Shame Shame" (different from
the version featured in the film "Baby Doll"), which will be released
on Imperial 5418 in November.

August 8, 1956 : JOHNNY CASH records two tracks for a future single,
"Train Of Love"/"There You Go" (Sun 258, November 21).
Johnny Cash (vocals / acoustic guitar) is supported by Luther Perkins
(electric guitar) and Marshall Grant (bass). Produced by Sam Phillips
at the Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

August 9, 1956 : SKEETS McDONALD is at the Capitol Tower in Hollywood
to record two songs. "You Gotta Be My Baby" becomes the A-side of his
next single (Capitol 3525, end of August). "You Better Not Go" is
released on Capitol 3600 in December.
Personnel : Joe Maphis, Fuzzy Owen and Buck Owens (guitars) ; Ralph
Mooney (steel guitar) ; Bud Dooley (bass) ; Muddy Berry (drums) ;
Bill Woods (piano, arranger) ; Jelly Sanders (fiddle).
Produced by Ken Nelson.

August 12, 1956 : WEBB PIERCE records the single "Teenage Boogie"/
"I'm Really Glad You Hurt Me" (Decca 30045, early September) and a
first attempt at "Crying Over You" (unissued), to which Webb will
return later in the year.
Personnel : Hank Garland, Harold Bradley (guitars) ; Sonny Burnette
(steel guitar) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Dale Potter, Tommy Jackson
and Jack Kay (fiddles) ; Buddy Harman (drums) ; The Jordanaires (vocal
chorus). Location : Bradley Studio, Nashville.

Tuesday, August 14, 1956 : Recording date of the single "Take And Give"/
"Do What I Do", credited to SLIM RHODES (Sun 256, November 21).
Personnel : Sandy Brooks (vocals) ; Slim Rhodes and Brad Suggs (guitars) ;
John Hughey (steel guitar) ; Speck Rhodes (bass) ; Johnny Bernero (drums).
Produced by Sam Phillips at the Sun studio in Memphis.

August 14-16, 1956 : During a three-day session at the Capitol Recording
Studio in Hollywood, SONNY JAMES records the single "The Cat Came Back"/
"Hello Old Broken Heart" (Capitol 3542, September), nine tracks for his
first album (Capitol T 779), "Southern Gentleman" ("I'll Always Wonder",
"Forgive Me", "I Got the Feeling", "Can't Get Over Missing You", "Only One
Heart To Give", "Cold Cold Heart", "Lonesome", "Only A Shadow Between
Us" and "I Wish I Knew"), plus three tracks that were originally unissued,
but now available on Sonny's 6-CD Bear Family box-set "Young Love" (BCD
16373, 2002) : "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Just Ask Your Heart" and "In
My Heart".
Personnel : Sonny James (vocals / guitar) ; Joe Maphis (guitar) ; Harland
Powell (steel guitar) ; Bud Dooley (bass) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums).
Produced by Ken Nelson.

August 18, 1956 : Session guitarist ROY MONTRELL records his first vocal
single, the great two-sider "(Every Time I Hear) That Mellow Saxophone"/
"Oooh-Wow" (Specialty 583, September). A third track from this session,
"Go For Yourself", remains in the vaults.
Musicians : Roy Montrell (vocals / guitar) ; Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red
Tyler (baritone sax) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Clemont Tervalon (bass) ;
Earl Palmer (drums).
Produced by Bumps Blackwell at Cosimo Studio in New Orleans.

August 20, 1956 : During a tour on the East Coast, YOUNG JESSIE does a
session in New York, overseen by his manager Buck Ram. "Hit Git And Split"
/"Don't Happen No More" is released on Modern 1002 (September), "Oochie
Coochie"/"Here Comes Henry" will be used for a future single (Modern 1010,
December) while "Pretty Soon" is inexplicably held on the shelf, until
Ray Topping discovers the tape in 1987 and selects it for the LP "Shufflin'
And Slidin'" (Ace CHD 225, 1987) together with alternate versions of "Hit
Git And Split" and "Don't Happen No More". A second take of "Pretty Soon"
is included on the CD "I'm Gone" (Ace CDCHD 607, 1995).  
Personnel includes : Mickey Baker (guitar) ; Sam Taylor (tenor sax) ; other
details unknown.

August 21, 1956 : JOHNNY FULLER does a session in New Orleans.
"Whispering Wind"/"Deep In My Soul" is released on Imperial 5413 in
late October. "Whispering Wind" will be reissued on Imperial 5580 in
April 1959, this time as the B-side of "Heavenly Love", also from this
session. A fourth track, "Norma Jean", remains unissued.
Johnny's single "Stop Look And Listen"/"I Miss You More" (Imperial
5697, September 1960) may also have been recorded on the 21st, but
probably a few days later, at a split session with RUTH AND AL, who
recorded "Real Gone Party"/"Hello Baby" (Imperial 5414, November).
Personnel : Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler (baritone sax) ; Justin Adams
(guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Al Reed (piano) ; Earl Palmer (drums).

Wednesday, August 22, 1956 : SID KING and the Five Strings have their
first session outside of Texas, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. Two
singles are laid down : "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight"/"Good Rockin'
Baby" (Columbia 21564, October) and "When My Baby Left Me"/"It's
True, I'm Blue" (Columbia 40833, February 1957).
Personnel : Sid King (vocals / guitar) ; Billy King (lead guitar) ;
Louis Butterman (bass) ; Jimmy Pruett (piano) ; Marion Adams (drums).
Produced by Don Law.

August 22-24, 1956 : Three-day session for FARON YOUNG, who waxes
nine songs for his first album, "Sweethearts Or Strangers" (Capitol T 778,
January 1957) and three tracks that will be released as singles. On the
22nd Faron records two Hank Williams songs, "Your Cheatin' Heart" and
"I Can't Help It", besides "I'll Be Satisfied With Love" (Capitol 3549,
Sept.) and a new version of  "I'm Gonna Live Some Before I Die" (Capitol
3611, December). This is followed by "Sweethearts Or Strangers", "Shame On
You", "Worried Mind" and "I'll Be Yours" on the 23rd. The third day is
spent on "You Call Everybody Darling", "I'm A Poor Boy" and "You Are My
Sunshine", plus "I Miss You Already" (Capitol 3611, December).
Personnel : Hank Garland (electric guitar) ; Spider Wilson (guitar) ;
Buddy Emmons (steel guitar) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Gordon Terry
(fiddle) ; Buddy Harman (drums) ; The Hubert Long Choir (vocal chorus).
Produced by Ken Nelson at Bradley Studio in Nashville.

August 23, 1956 : FRANKIE LYMON and the Teenagers record their fourth
single, "The ABCs of Love"/"Share" (Gee 1022, September) in New York.

August 23, 1956 : ERNIE FREEMAN, freshly signed to Imperial, records
six tracks for the instrumental LP "Ernie Freeman Plays Irving Berlin"
(Imperial LP 9022) : "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "How Deep Is the Ocean",
"Heat Wave", "Say It Isn't So" (also a single, Imperial 5883, in 1962),
"Blue Skies"and "Always". The remaining five tracks for the album, "All
Alone, "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", "Now It Can Be Told",
"The Song Is Ended" and "Searching For the Moon"are also recorded in
August, but at a different (unknown) date.

August 24, 1956 : ELVIS PRESLEY does a soundtrack session for the film
"Love Me Tender" at 20th Century Fox Studios in Hollywood. The title
song, "Love Me Tender", will be released on RCA 6643 (September 28).
"We're Gonna Move" ends up on the EP "Love Me Tender" (RCA EPA 4006,
November 21). Also taped are first attempts at "Poor Boy", to which
Elvis will return on September 5.
Personnel : Vito Mumolo (guitar) ; Myer Rubin (bass) ; Richard Cornell
(drums) ; Luther Rountree (banjo) ; Dom Frontieri (accordion) ; The Ken
Darby Trio [Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, Charles Prescott] (backup vocals).
Produced by Lionel Newman.

August 24, 1956 : In Hollywood PAUL ANKA has his first (and only)
session for the Bihari brothers. "I Confess"/"Blau-Wile-Deveest-Fontaine"
is rush-released (RPM 472, September 1) and re-released (RPM 499, 1957)
after Paul Anka scores a mega-hit with "Diana" for his new label ABC
Paramount.
Vocal support by The Jacks (Al Frazier, Carl White, John "Sonny" Harris
and Turner "Rocky" Wilson Jr.), who also recorded on their own as The
Sharps and The Lamplighters.

August 24, 1956 : Four-track session by SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON in Chicago.
Selected for single release is "Keep It To Yourself"/"The Key (To Your
Door)", which comes out on Checker 847 in early October. "Please Forgive
Me" is first released on Sonny's LP "Down And Out Blues" (Checker LP 1437)
in 1959 and "Have You Ever Been In Love" on the album "One Way Out"
(Chess CHV 417) in 1975.
Personnel : Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) (vocals / harmonica) ;
Robert Lockwood Jr and Luther Tucker (guitars) ; Willie Dixon (bass) ;
Fred Below (drums).

August 26, 1956 : In Memphis, DEAN BEARD has his second (and last) session
for Sam Phillips. The recorded output will stay in the can for several
decades, but finally several tracks will be spread over various reissue
albums : a first attempt at "Rakin' And Scrapin'" ("Rebel Rockabilly", UK
Charly CR 30105, 1976), a second attempt at "Rakin' And Scrapin" and "When
You're Gone ("Rock Bop Boogie", UK Sun 1021, 1985) and "Long Time Gone"
("More Rebel Rockabilly", UK Charly CR 30116, 1977). "Unfaithful Heart"
will remain unreleased.
Personnel : Dean Beard (vocals / piano) ; Jimmy Seals (sax) ; possibly
supported by : James Steward (guitar) ; Johnny Black (bass) and Johnny 
Bernero(drums).  

August 27, 1956 : JIMMY BOYD records material for his next two singles :
"Rockin' Down the Mississippi"/"Crazy Mixed-Up Blues" (Columbia 21571,
November) and "I Wanna Go Steady"/"Gonna Take My Baby On A Hayride"
(Columbia 40881, April 1957).
Personnel : Johnny Bond, Joe Maphis (guitars) ; Marian Hall (steel guitar) ;
Louis Butterman (bass) ; William Wardle (piano) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums) ;
Margie Ann Warren (fiddle). Produced by Don Law at Radio Recorders in
Hollywood.

Tuesday, August 28, 1956 : A three-track session by JOHNNY BOND
results in the single "Lonesome Train"/"Laughing Back the Heartaches"
(Columbia 21565, October) and "Don't Take It Away", which stays on
the shelf until 2007, when it is released on Johnny's CD "Put Me To Bed"
(Bear Family BCD 16810).
Personnel : Johnny Bond (vocals / guitar) ; Joe Maphis, Wesley Tuttle
(guitars) ; Skeets McDonald (bass ; duet vocal on "Lonesome Train") ;
Pee Wee Adams (drums) ; Jerry Adler (harmonica) ; William Wardle (piano).
Produced by Don Law at Radio Recorders in Hollywood (11:00-14:00).

August 28, 1956 : And yet another session at Radio Recorders supervised
by that busy producer, Don Law. During the evening, THE COLLINS KIDS
record their next two singles  : "Rock And Roll Polka"/"My First Love"
(Columbia 21560, October) and "Move A Little Closer"/"Go Away, Don't
Bother Me" (Columbia 40824, January 1957).
Personnel : Lorrie Collins and Larry Collins (vocals / guitar) ; Johnny
Bond and Joe Maphis (guitars) ; Marian Hall (steel guitar) ; Louis
Butterman (bass) ; William Wardle (piano) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums).

August 28, 1956 : PAUL GAYTEN waxes the single "The Music Goes Round And
Round"/"Be My Baby" (Argo 5257, October), in New Orleans.
Personnel : Paul Gayten (vocal, piano) ; Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler
(baritone sax) ; Waldron Joseph (trombone) ; Jack Willis (trumpet) ; Frank
Fields (bass) ; Unknown (guitar) ; Charles 'Hungry' Williams (drums).

August 28, 1956 : BOBBY CHARLES is back in New Orleans for another session.
"Laura Lee"/"No Use Knocking" is chosen for the next single (Chess 1638,
October). "You Can Suit Yourself" will be used as the B-side of the yet-to-
record "I Ain't Gonna Do It No More" (Chess 1658, May 1957). The fourth
track from this session, "I'm Still In Love With You", has never been
issued and is lost.
Personnel : probably Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler or Clarence Ford
(baritone sax) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Justin Adams or Ernest McLean
(guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Earl Palmer (drums).
Produced by Paul Gayten.

August 30, 1956 : CHUCK WILLIS is at Capitol Studio in New York City for
a three-track session. "Juanita"/"Whatcha' Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves
You" is released on Atlantic 1112 in October, "Ease the Pain" on Atlantic
1130 in March 1957 (flip of "C.C. Rider", yet to be recorded).
Personnel includes : Gene Barge (tenor sax) ; Eddie McMullen (Hawaiian
guitar) ; The Cookies (background vocals on "Juanita"). Other details
unknown.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

August 1956, unknown date : WARREN SMITH is at the Sun Studio in Memphis
to record his next single : "Ubangi Stomp"/"Black Jack David" (Sun 250,
September 24).
Musicians : Warren Smith (vocal / guitar) ; Al Hopson and Brad Suggs
(guitars) ; Marcus Van Story (bass) ; Smokey Joe Baugh (piano) ; Johnny
Bernero (drums).
Produced by Sam Phillips.

August 1956, unknown date : MERLE KILGORE does a self-produced session at
KRVS Radio Station Studio in Ruston, LA, with unknown musicians. "Ernie"/
"Trying To Find" is released on Imperial 5409 in September, while a third
track from this session, "Goodbye", has to wait until 1991 for a release on
Merle's CD "Teenager's Holiday" (Bear Family BCD 15544).

August 1956, unknown date : LEE ALLEN has a recording session for Aladdin
at Cosimo Studio in New Orleans. This time the well-known sax-player receives
full credit, as "Rockin' At Cosmo's" (!!)/"Shimmy" will be released under his
own name the following month (Aladdin 3334, September 5). "Creole Alley" will
stay on the shelf for almost 30 years, until it is included on the french LP
"Aladdin Rocks And Rolls Till Midnight" (Pathé Marconi 1561321, 1985).
A fourth track, "Scuttlebut", remains unreleased.
Personnel : Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler (baritone sax) ; Justin Adams
(guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Earl Palmer (drums).

With thanks to Steve Walker, Jan-Jaap Been and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

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