September 1-3, 1956 : During a marathon studio session at Radio
Recorders in Hollywood, ELVIS PRESLEY records the forthcoming single
"Too Much"/"Playing For Keeps" (RCA 6800, January 4, 1957) and eleven of
the twelve tracks for his second LP, "Elvis" (RCA LPM 1382, October 19) :
"Love Me", "Paralyzed", "How Do You Think I Feel", "How's the World
Treating You", "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again", "Long Tall Sally",
"Old Shep", "Anyplace Is Paradise", "Ready Teddy", "First In Line" and
"Rip It Up". (The twelfth track, "So Glad You're Mine" was recorded on
January 30, 1956.)
Personnel: Elvis Presley (vocals / guitar) ; Scotty Moore (guitar) ;
Chet Atkins (guitar) ; Bill Black (bass) ; D.J. Fontana (drums) ;
Marvin Hughes (piano) ; The Jordanaires (vocal group).
Produced by Steve Sholes.

September 4, 1956 : CHARLES BROWN also records at Cosimo's this day.
"I"ll Always Be In Love With You"/"Soothe Me" is chosen for the next
single (Aladdin 3339, September 12), soon followed by "Merry Christmas
Baby" (Aladdin 3348, October 19). "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie"/"Please
Believe Me" is released on Aladdin 3366 around May 1957. Several other
unissued titles were recorded.
Personnel (probably) : Lee Allen (tenor sax) ; Red Tyler (baritone sax) ;
Justin Adams (guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Earl Palmer (drums).

September 4 and 11, 1956 : MARTY ROBBINS records at Bradley Studio in
Nashville. "Knee Deep In the Blues"/"The Same Two Lips" comes out on
Columbia 40815 in December. "Where D'ya Go" (vocal duet with Lee Emerson)
is released on Columbia 40868 in March 1957, b/w "I Cried Like A Baby" by
Lee Emerson. 
"The Little Rosewood Casket", "The Letter Edged In Black", "The Convict
And The Rose" and "The Dream Of The Miner's Child" (this latter track 
recorded on September 11) will all be selected for the EP "Marty Robbins"
(Columbia B 2153), issued in November. Several other tracks recorded
during both sessions will be not be released until the appearance of the
Bear Family box-set "Marty Robbins Country 1951-1958" (BCD 15570) in 1991.
Personnel : Marty Robbins (vocals / guitar) ; Hillous Butrum, Jack Pruett
(guitars) ; James Farmer (steel guitar) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Floyd
Cramer (piano) ; Grover Lavender (fiddle).
Produced by Don Law.

September 4, 1956 : Saxophonist SIL AUSTIN records the biggest hit of his
career, "Slow Walk" and its flip, "Wildwood" (Mercury 70963, September 10),
at Mercury Sound Studio in New York City.
Personnel : Sil Austin (tenor sax) ; Ace Harris (piano) ; Doc Bagby
(organ) ; Mickey Baker (guitar) ; Clarence Collier (bass) ; Freddie Bonita
(drums).

September 4-5, 1956 : JEFF DANIELS (aka Luke McDaniel) records the
following tracks at the Sun Studio in Memphis : "Uh Babe (Huh Babe)",
"Go Ahead Baby", "High High High", "My Baby Don't Rock", "That's What I
Tell My Heart" and "The Cause Of It All". None of these tracks was
originally issued, but between 1976 and 1986 they were released on
various Charly LP's (including some alternate takes), with the exception
of "The Cause Of It All".
Personnel : Jeff Daniels (vocals / rhythm guitar ) ; Roland Janes, Brad
Suggs or Buddy Holobaugh (lead guitar); Marvin Pepper (string bass) ;
Martin Willis (tenor sax) ; Johnny Bernero or Jimmy Van Eaton (drums) ;
Jerry Lee Lewis (piano on "That's What I Tell My Heart").
Produced by Sam Phillips.

September 4-5 : ELVIS PRESLEY continues his stay in Hollywood with a
soundtrack session for the movie "Love Me Tender", at 20th Century Fox,
Stage 1. Both "Poor Boy" and "Let Me" end up on the EP "Love Me Tender"
(RCA EPA 4006, November 21).
Personnel : Vito Mumolo (guitar) ; Myer Rubin (bass) ; Richard Cornell
(drums) ; Carl Fortina (accordion) ; Luther Roundtree (banjo) ; The Ken
Darby Trio (vocal chorus).
Produced by Lionel Newman.

September 5, 1956 : Four-track session for IVORY JOE HUNTER in New York
City. "Since I Met You Baby" will become the biggest pop hit of his
career. It is coupled with "You Can't Stop This Rocking and Rolling" for
release on Atlantic 1111 in late October. Both "All My Life" and "To Lose
You" end up on the LP "Ivory Joe Sings the Old And New" (Atlantic LP 8015,
February 1958).
Arranged and conducted by Ray Ellis.

September 5, 1956 : JOE TEX records the single "Pneumonia"/"Get Way Back"
in New York City (King 4980, November).
Personnel : Joe Tex (vocals) ; Dave Van Dyke (tenor sax) ; Mickey Baker
(guitar) ; Andy Gibson (piano, producer) ; Unknown (bass) ; Specs Powell
(drums).

September 6, 1956 : LITTLE RICHARD records in Hollywood this time, at
Master Recorders, backed by his own band, the Upsetters. Only one track
from this session will be released : "She's Got It" (Specialty 584,
October). Versions of "I Got It", "Send Me Some Lovin'", "Hound Dog" will
stay on the shelf until 1989 (boxset "The Specialty Sessions", LP / CD 
Ace box 1), while "Caravan" (instrumental) remains unissued.
Personnel : Richard Penniman (vocals / piano) ; Wilbert Smith (tenor
sax) ; Grady Gaines (tenor sax) ; Jewell Grant (baritone sax) ; Olsie
Robinson (bass) ; Nathaniel Douglas (guitar) ; Charles Connor (drums).
Supervised by Art Rupe and Bumps Blackwell.

September 8, 1956 : SHIRLEY AND LEE record a successful follow-up to
their hit "Let the Good Times Roll" : "I Feel Good"/"Now That It's Over"
(Aladdin 3338, October). The two other tracks from this session, "That's
What I Wanna Do" and "When I Saw You", will be released back to back on
Aladdin 3362 in February 1957.
Produced by Dave Bartholomew at Cosimo Recording Studio in New Orleans.

September 9, 1956 : ANDY STARR waxes his next two singles at the Clifford
Herring Studio in Fort Worth, Texas : "Round And Round"/Give Me a Woman"
(MGM 12364, October 19) and "One More Time"/"No Room For Your Kind" (MGM
12421, February 8, 1957).
Personnel : Andy Starr (vocals / guitar), with The Strikes Band : Albert
Cornelius (guitar) ; Don Alexander (bass) ; Ken Scott (rhythm guitar) ;
Walter Parsons (drums).
Produced by Joe Leonard.

September 10, 1956 : The debut recording session of  BOBBY BARE yields
two singles : "Another Love Has Ended"/"Down On the Corner Of Love"
(Capitol 3557, December) and "Darlin' Don't"/"The Life Of A Fool"
(Capitol 3686, May 1957).
Backing by Buddy Stoops (lead guitar) ; Buck Owens (rhythm guitar) ;
Speedy West (steel guitar) ; Merrill Moore (piano) ; Jimmy Bryant
(fiddle) ; Pee Wee Adams (drums). Produced by Ken Nelson at the
Capitol Tower in Hollywood

September 12, 1956 : First session by SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS for his new
label, Okeh. The result is the incredible single "I Put A Spell On You"
/"Little Demon" (Okeh 7072, October). "You Ain't Foolin' Me" is first
issued on the CD "Cow Fingers & Mosquito Pie" (Epic EK 47933) in 1991.
A first attempt at "Darling, Please Forgive Me'' remains unissued.
Hawkins is accompanied by the Leroy Kirkland Orchestra : Jimmy Shirley
(guitar) ; Lloyd Trotman (bass) ; Ernie Hayes (piano) ; Sam Taylor
(tenor sax) ; Heywood Henry (baritone sax) ; Panama Francis (drums).
Arranged by Leroy Kirkland, produced by Arnold Maxim in New York City.

September 13, 1956 : WERLY FAIRBURN records his next single, "I'm A
Fool About Your Love"/"All the Time" (Savoy 1503, October). "Love
Routine" and "Cryin' Shame" from this session are unissued and lost.
Personnel : Werly Fairburn (vocals / guitar) ; Unknown (lead guitar) ;
Joe Martin (bass) ; Eddie Landers (drums) ; Unknown (piano).
Location : Cosimo Studio, New Orleans, according to Bear Family.
Michel Ruppli's Savoy discography locates this session in New York
City, on September 30.

September 13, 1956 : JACKIE BRENSTON does a session with Ike Turner's
Kings of Rhythm in Cincinnati. Two singles are the result : "What Can
It Be?"/"Gonna Wait For My Chance" (Federal 12283, November) and "Much
Later"/"The Mistreater" (Federal 12291, January 1957).
Backing by Raymond Hill and Eddie Jones (tenor saxes) ; Ike Turner
(guitar) ; Fred Sample (piano) ; Jesse Knight, Jr (bass) ; Eugene
Washington (drums).

September 13, 1956 :LOUIS PRIMA records at the Capitol Tower in
Hollywood, backed by Sam Butera and the Witnesses. The four tracks end
up on two singles : "Banana Split For My Baby"/"Five, Months, Two Weeks,
Two Days" (Capitol 3566, October) along with "Whistle Stop"/"Be Mine
(Little Baby)" (Capitol 3615, January 1957).
Produced by Voyle Gilmore

September 14, 1956 : First recording session of THE FOUR PREPS, at the
Capitol Tower in Hollywood. Selected for single release is "Dreamy Eyes"
/"Fools Will Be Fools" (Capitol 3576, October 29). Three other songs are
recorded, all unissued : "Where Wuz You" (first version), "Completely
Yours" and "The Fire Burns Low".
Backing by Van Alexander and his orchestra.
Arranged and directed by Lincoln Mayorga, produced by Voyle Gilmore.
The Four Preps are Bruce Belland (tenor) ; Marvin Inabnett (high tenor) ;
Glen Larson (baritone) and Ed Cobb (bass).

September 17, 1956 : CHAMPION JACK DUPREE records four songs for Groove
Records in New York City. "When I Got Married" is coupled with "Lonely
Road Blues" for release on Groove 0171 in October. "The Ups" and "Story
Of My Life" have to wait more than 50 years (until 2007) for release on
the CD "Shake Baby Shake" (SPV Blue 50812).
Personnel : Jack Dupree (vocals / piano) ; Mr. Bear (Teddy McRae)
(second vocal on "The Ups" and "Lonely Road Blues") ; Larry Dale
(guitar) ; Al Lucas (bass) ; Gene Moore (drums).

September 18, 1956 : BILL DOGGETT and his band do another session at
the King studio in Cincinnati. "Leaps And Bounds, Parts 1 & 2" is saved
until December 1957 for release on King 5101.
Vocalist Tommy Brown joins the band for "Honky Tonk"/"All I Want" (King
4976, October). [N.B. : this is the first of two vocal versions of
"Honky Tonk" by Brown ; more details next month.]
Personnel : Bill Doggett (organ) ; Billy Butler, John Faire (guitars) ;
Edwyn Conley (bass) ; Clifford Scott (tenor sax) ; Shep Shepherd 
(drums) ; Tommy Brown (vocals on "Honky Tonk" and "All I Want").
The same band also backs LITTLE WILLIE JOHN on this day, on the singles
"Suffering With the Blues" (King 4989, November) and "No More In Life"
(King 5179, January 1959).

September 19, 1956 : LEW WILLIAMS records material for two singles in
Hollywood : "Bop Bop Ba Doo Bop"/"Something I Said" (Imperial 5411,
October) and "Centipede"/"Abracadabra" (Imperial 5429, March 1957).
Backing by Barney Kessel (lead guitar) ; Ernie Freeman (piano) ;
unidentified (sax, bass, drums).
Arranged and produced by Jimmy Haskell.

September 20, 1956 : WANDA JACKSON is back at the Capitol Tower in
Hollywood for a four-song session. "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad" is
coupled with "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" for release on
Capitol 3575 (November). "Baby Loves Him" comes out on Capitol 3637
(February 1957) and "Honey Bop" on Capitol 3941 in March 1958.
Personnel : Joe Maphis, Buck Owens, Lewis Talley (guitars) ; Ralph
Mooney (steel guitar) ; Clarence Dooley (bass) ; Pee Wee Adams
(drums) ; Jelly Sanders (fiddle).
Produced by Ken Nelson.

September 20, 1956 : Final Capitol session for THE CUES at New York
City's Capitol Recording Studio on 46th Street. "Prince Or Pauper"
becomes the B-side of the previously recorded "Why" (Capitol 3582,
November 5). "I Pretend" will be issued on Capitol's subsidiary
Prep 104 (May 1, 1957). The other two songs, "Warm Spot" and "Ladder"
have never been issued.

September 21, 1956 : Three days after his session with the Bill 
Doggett Combo, LITTLE WILLIE JOHN returns to the King studio in
Cincinnati. Tracks recorded : "I've Been Around" (King 4989, November),
"Will the Sun Shine Tomorrow"/"A Little Bit Of Loving" (King 5003,
December), "Tell It Like It Is" (King 5147, August 1958), "I'll Carry
Your Love Wherever I Go" (King 5170, December 1958).
Personnel : Ray Felder (tenor sax) ; Alexander Nelson (baritone sax) ;
Emmanuel Kennebrew (piano) ; Bill Jennings, Clifford Bush (guitars) ;
Edwyn Conley (bass) ; Edison Gore (drums). Unknown (vocal group).

September 24, 1956 : In London, a British rock 'n' roller makes his
first visit to a recording studio, as TOMMY STEELE records "Rock With
the Caveman" and "Rock Around the Town", which will be released on
Decca F 10795 in mid-October. The backing is provided by a group of
notable jazzmen (including saxman Ronnie Scott) who are credited as
The Steelmen.

September 25, 1956 : Four-track session by RUTH BROWN in New York
City. "Lucky Lips" is selected for release on Atlantic 1125 in
January 1957. "When I Get You Baby"/"One More Time" follows in May
1957 (Atlantic 1140). The fourth track, "I'd Pay the Price Again"
remains unissued.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

September 25, 1956 : HANK BALLARD and the Midnighters have their
second and last 1956 session at the King studio in Cincinnati. All
six tracks recorded are released as singles : "I'll Be Home Someday"
/"Come On And Get It"/(Federal 12285, October), "Let Me Hold Your
Hand"/"Ooh Bah Baby"/ (Federal 12288, December) and Baby Please"/
"Ow-Wow-Oo-Wee"/"(Federal 12339, November 1958).
Personnel : Hank Ballard (lead vocal) ; Lawson Smith (baritone
vocal) ; Henry Booth (tenor vocal) ; Sonny Woods (bass vocal) ; Cal
Green (guitar) ; Cowboy Martin (bass) ; Don Wilkerson (tenor sax) ;
Wilbert Dyer (alto sax) ; Joe Hunter (piano) ; George DeHart (drums).
Produced by Syd Nathan.

September 25, 1956 : GUY MITCHELL is in New York to record a "pop"
version of "Singing The Blues", a recent C&W hit for label-mate (!)
Marty Robbins. The latter is annoyed, but producer Mitch Miller
says "it would have been covered by a pop singer anyway, and it
might as well be someone on Columbia". B/w the other song from the
session, "Crazy With Love", the single (Columbia 40769) will become
a millionseller within a month.
Personnel : Guy Mitchell (vocal) ; Don Arnone, Allen Hanlon and Hy
White (guitars) ; Buddy Weed (piano) ; Cliff Leeman (drums).

September 26, 1956 : STOMP GORDON records the single "Ride Superman
Ride"/"Oh, Tell Me Why" (Savoy 1504, October). Four other titles are
unissued :"Oh, Darlin'", "Alone With You", "Juanita" and an untitled
instrumental.
Location : New York City.
Musicians : Stomp Gordon (vocals / piano) ; Gene Walker (tenor sax) ;
Curtis Peagler (alto sax) ; John Green (guitar, bass) ; Donald Drake
(drums) ; The Hi-Lites (vocal group)

September 27, 1956 : ROY BROWN has his first Imperial session, in New
Orleans. "Saturday Night"/"Everybody" is selected for his first single
on the label (Imperial 5422, February 1957). "The Tick Of the Clock"
comes out on Imperial 5469 in October 1957. A fourth track, "No Greater
Thrill" is first released on the CD "Roy Brown : The Complete Imperial
Masters" (Capitol 7243 8 31743 4) in 1995.
Backing by (probably) : Lee Allen, Herb Hardesty, Clarence Hall
(saxophones), Justin Adams (guitar) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Frank
Fields (bass) ; Charles 'Hungry' Williams (drums).
Produced by Dave Bartholomew.

September 1956, unknown date : CLARENCE HENRY's very first recording
session  yields two singles : "Ain't Got No Home"/"Troubles, Troubles"
(Argo 5259,  October) and "I'm A Country Boy"/"Lonely Tramp" (Argo 5266,
February 1957).
Backing by Lee Allen, Eddie Smith (saxes) ; Big Boy Myles (trombone) ;
Walter Nelson (guitar) ; Paul Gayten (piano, producer) ; Frank Fields
(bass) ; Eugene Jones (drums).
Location : Cosimo Studio, New Orleans.

September 1956, unknown date : AMOS MILBURN returns to Cosimo Recording
Studio in New Orleans to record the single "Every Day Of the Week"/"Girl
Of My Dreams" (Aladdin 3340, November). Backing by unknown members of
Cosimo Matassa's studio band.

(Possibly) September 1956, unknown date : ROY ORBISON and the Teen Kings
record their next single, "You're My Baby"/"Rockhouse" (Sun 251,
September 24) at the Sun Studio in Memphis.
Personnel : Roy Orbison (vocals / guitar) ; Johnny Wilson (guitar) ;
James Morrow (electric mandolin) ; Jack Kennelly (bass) ; Billy Pat
Ellis (drums).
Produced by Sam Phillips.

With thanks to Steve Walker and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

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