June 1, 1958 : During the week that their "Book Of Love" drops out of the Top
Ten, THE MONOTONES record a follow-up, "Tom Foolery"/"Zombi" (Argo 5301, end
of June), probably in New York City. But their first hit would also be their
last. 

Monday, June 2, 1958 : JOHNNY HORTON is at Bradley Film & Recording Studio in
Nashville for an evening session (19:30-23:00). "All Grown Up"/"Counterfeit 
Love" is chosen for his next single (Columbia 41210, July). "Mister Moonlight" 
will be included on the album "The Spectacular Johnny Horton" (Columbia CL 
1362, June 1959). The session is closed with a first attempt at "Got the Bull 
By the Horns", which finally sees a release in 1990, on the CD "Rockin' Rollin' 
Johnny Horton" (Bear Family BCD 15543).
Personnel : Johnny Horton (vocals / guitar) ; Grady Martin, Reggie Young
(guitars) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Buddy Harman (drums). 
Produced by Don Law.

(Possibly) June 2, 1958 : BUDDY HOLLY records two demos intended for the
Everly Brothers, but their manager, Wesley Rose, refuses to permit anyone
outside his stable of songwriters, even Buddy Holly, to write for the Everlys.
"Wishing" will eventually be released, with overdubs, on June 29, 1963 (Coral 
62369). "Love's Made A Fool Of You" gets its first release on the LP "Showcase" 
(Coral CRL 5 7450) in May 1964, also with overdubs. (Prior to that, the song
was recorded by the Crickets in 1959, with Earl Sinks on lead.)
Personnel : Buddy Holly (double-tracked vocal / rhythm guitar) ; Tommy Allsup
(lead guitar) ; George Atwood (bass) ; Bo Clarke (drums).
Produced by Norman Petty at his Nor Va Jak studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

June 3, 1958 : THE DEL VIKINGS record four tracks at Mercury Sound Studio in 
New York City, only one of which sees an immediate release, namely "Pretty 
Little Things Called Girls" (Mercury 71345, July, coupled with a cover of "You
Cheated", to be recorded on July 3). "You Are Invited" and "Heaven On Earth" 
are first issued on Harlem Hitparade LP HHP-5009 in 1973 and "The Bells" stays 
in the can until 1986 (LP "Swinging Singing Record Session, Mercury 826960-1, 
Germany). Lead vocals by Clarence Quick. Arranged and conducted by Hal Mooney.

June 3, 1958 : BILL HALEY and his Comets have a busy recording schedule with
four sessions this month. On this day they record two instrumentals, "Chiquita 
Linda" (Decca 30741, September) and "Joey's Song (Decca 30956, August 1959). 
For personnel and other details see June 9.

June 3, 1958 : JERRY WALLACE records his first hit, which will peak at # 11
in Billboard : "How the Time Flies" (Challenge 59013, late June). The sax 
player is Plas Johnson, other details unknown. The reverse, "With This Ring", 
had already been recorded on February 3, 1958. Location : probably Gold Star 
studio, Hollywood. Produced by Joe Johnson.

June 3-4, 1958 : During a two-day session, CARL PERKINS records no less than
sixteen tracks at Bradley Studio in Nashville. Twelve of these constitute the
LP "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" (Columbia CL 1234, November) : "Whole Lotta
Shakin' Goin' On", "Tutti Frutti", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Sittin' On Top
Of the World", "Ready Teddy", "Long Tall Sally", "That's All Right", "Where
the Rio de Rosa Flows", "Good Rockin' Tonight", "I Got A Woman", "Hey Good
Lookin'" and "Jenny Jenny". Also laid down are "Pop Let Me Have the Car" and
"Levi Jacket" for his next single (Columbia 41207, July). "Because You're 
Mine" and "You Were There" remain unheard until 1990 (box-set "The Classic 
Carl Perkins", Bear Family BCD 15494).
Personnel : Carl Perkins (vocals / guitar) ; Eddie Starr (guitar) ; Clayton
Perkins (bass) ; Marvin Hughes (piano) ; W.S. Holland (drums). Produced by
Don Law.

June 4, 1958 : Pianist ERNIE FREEMAN and his combo record eight tracks in
Los Angeles. "After Sunset"/"Rose Marie" is the next single (Imperial 5527),
released in the third week of June. "School Room Rock" is issued in October
(Imperial 5551, c/w "Blues After Hours" from a later session). Four tracks
find a place on the LP "Ernie Freeman" (Imperial LP 9057) : "The Glory Of
Love", "Sleepy Lagoon", "The Bells Of St. Mary's" and "I'll See You In My
Dreams". Finally, "Once In A While" is a track that has never been issued.

June 4, 1958 : SMILEY LEWIS does his only session of 1958. "Li'l Liza 
Jane"/"My Love Is Gone" is chosen as his next single (Imperial 5531, July). 
"I Shall Not Be Moved" will come out on Knight 2007 (January 1959), an
Imperial subsidiary. "Crazy" is first released on a French LP titled
"No No" in 1986 (Pathe-Marconi 156 6321). Location is Cosimo Recording 
Studio in New Orleans.
Personnel : Justin Adams (guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Herb Hardesty,
Clarence Hall (tenor saxes) ; Dave Bartholomew (trumpet / producer) ; Edward
Frank (piano) ; Charles 'Hungry' Williams (drums) ; Gerri Hall (vocals).

June 5, 1958 : BILL JUSTIS is at the Sun studio in Memphis with his band.
"Cattywampus" (aka "Tuff") is coupled with "Summer Holiday" for his next 45
(Phillips International 3529, June 17). "The Snuggle" will be included on the LP
"Cloud Nine" (Phillips International PLP 1950) in mid-1959. A fourth track, 
"Raunchihula" is unissued and probably lost.

June 5, 1958 : SLICK SLAVIN (real name Trustin Howard) records a single for
Imperial in Hollywood : "Speed Crazy"/"She Says She's Mine" (Imperial 5540,
September). "Speed Crazy" will be featured in a film of the same name in 1959.
It is a split session with Frankie Sands, who lays down "Got Me A Baby"/
"Wondrous One" (Imperial 5535, August).
Accompaniment by : James Burton (guitar) ; James Kirkland (bass) ; Gene Garf
(piano) ; Ritchie Frost (drums). Produced by Jimmie Haskell.

June 6, 1958 : BILLY "CRASH" CRADDOCK has his first Columbia session, again
supervised by that busy producer Don Law. "Ah, Poor Little Baby"/"Lulu Lee" is
chosen for single release (Date 1007, July). "Sweetie Pie" is issued in March
1959 (Columbia 41367), while "School Day Dreams" stays on the shelf until 1992
when it is included on the Bear Family CD "Boom Boom Baby" (BCD 15610).
Personnel : Billy Craddock (vocals / guitar) ; Patrick Sullivan, Jack Parrish
(guitars) ; Lightnin' Chance (bass) ; Floyd Cramer (piano) ; Basil Freeman Jr
(sax) ; Jack Tysinger (drums) ; The A. Beasley Group (vocal chorus).
Location : Bradley Studio, Nashville, Tennessee.

June 7, 1958 : CHUCK BERRY is back in the Chess studio in Chicago to record
four tracks, all released on singles. "Sweet Little Rock and Roller"/"Jo Jo
Gunne" appears in October (Chess 1709), followed by "Anthony Boy" in January
1959 and the classic "Memphis Tennessee" in June 1959 (Chess 1729), hidden on 
the B-side of "Back In the USA" (from a later session).
Personnel : Chuck Berry (vocals / guitar) ; Johnny Johnson (piano) ; Willie
Dixon (bass) ; Fred Below (drums). Rumours that Bo Diddley also played on 
this session are unconfirmed.

June 9, 1958 : SAM BUTERA does an evening session at the Capitol Tower in
Hollywood, with his group The Witnesses. "Bim Bam"/"A Twinkle In Your Eye" is
his new single (Capitol 4014, July). "Handle With Care" also gets a release
on single (Capitol 4119, December). "Dig That Crazy Chick" appears eventually  
as the opening track of the CD "Wild, Cool & Swingin'" (Capitol 5 20335 2) in
1999. Herb Alpert received his first royalty check (for $ 2,48) for co-writing
"Bim Bam".
Personnel : Sam Butera (vocals / tenor sax) ; Bobby Roberts (guitar) ; Tony
Liuzza (bass) ; Lou Sineaux (trombone) ; Willie McCumber (piano) ; Paul
Ferrara (drums).

June 9, 1958 : ERNIE CHAFFIN is at the Sun studio in Memphis with unknown 
musicians. He records material for what will become his last two Sun singles : 
"Born To Lose"/"My Love For You" (Sun 307, October) and "Don't Ever Leave Me"/
"Miracle Of You" (Sun 320, April 1959). "Be Faithful To Me" is first issued in
1986, on the 10-LP box-set "Sun Records : The Country Years, 1950-59" (Bear
Family BFX 15211) and "Got You On My Mind" stays in the vaults until 2006
(CD "Laughin' & Jokin' : The Sun Years", Bear Family BCD 16780).

June 9, 1958 : CONNIE FRANCIS does two one-track sessions at Metropolitan
Studio in New York City (1697 Broadway) this month. On this day she records
"Carolina Moon", with Joe Lipman and his orchestra. On June 18 she lays down
the other side, "Stupid Cupid" (MGM 12683, July), with LeRoy Holmes and his
orchestra. "Stupid Cupid" is written by Neil Sedaka, who plays piano on the
session. The sax player is probably Seldon Powell. Other details unknown.
Both sides are produced by Morty Craft. A # 1 hit in the UK, # 14 in the US.

June 9, 1958 : TOMMY EDWARDS rerecords "It's All In the Game", a # 18 hit for
him in 1951. This time it will go all the way to # 1. The reverse is "Please
Love Me Forever", also from this session. Release date is July 7 (MGM 12688).
"Love Is All We Need" is the follow-up single (MGM 12722, October). "Love Is
A Sacred Thing" gets a place on the LP "It's All In the Game" (MGM E 3732,
November).
Arranged by LeRoy Holmes, whose orchestra also provides the accompaniment. 
Produced by Harry Myerson at Metropolitan Studios in New York City.

June 9, 12 and 18 : BILL HALEY continues his sessions at the Pythian Temple 
in New York City. The following nine tracks will all appear on the LP "Bill 
Haley's Chicks" (Decca DL 78821, January 1959). Recorded on the 9th are "Dinah" 
and "Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider", followed on the 12th by "Marie", "Eloise", 
"Whoa Mabel" (also a single, Decca 30741, September) and "Corrine Corrina" 
(also Decca 30781, November). Finally on the 18th, Bill and the Comets cut 
"Sweet Sue, Just You", "B.B. Betty" (flip of "Corrine Corrina") and "Charmaine" 
(Decca 30844, February 1959).
Personnel : Bill Haley (vocals / rhythm guitar) ; Franny Beecher (lead guitar) ;
Billy Williamson (steel guitar) ; Al Rex (bass) ; Rudy Pompilli (sax) ; Johnny
Grande (piano) ; Ralph Jones (drums). Produced by Milt Gabler.

Tuesday, June 10, 1958 : JOHN LEE HOOKER waxes one of his better singles, 
"I Love You Honey"/"You've Taken My Woman" (Vee-Jay 293, September), in Chicago.
Personnel : John Lee Hooker (vocals / guitar) ; Eddie Taylor (guitar) ;
Everett McCrary (bass) ; Joe Hunter (piano) ; Richard Johnson (drums).

June 10-11, 1958 : With a two-week leave scheduled at the beginning of June,
Private ELVIS PRESLEY is booked into RCA's new studio B in Nashville. In the
course of six hours, five sides are cut : "I Got Stung" (RCA 7410, October,
b/w the previously recorded "One Night"), "I Need Your Love Tonight"/"A Fool
Such As I" (RCA 7506, March 1959), "A Big Hunk O'Love" (RCA 7600, June 1959)
and "Ain't That Loving You Baby" (RCA 8440, September 1964).
In the absence of Scotty and Bill, there is for the first time a whole new
line-up. Elvis (vocals / guitar) is accompanied by : Hank Garland (lead
guitar) ; Chet Atkins (guitar) ; Bob Moore (bass) ; Floyd Cramer (piano) ;
Buddy Harman (drums / bongos) ; D.J. Fontana (drums) ; The Jordanaires (vocal
group). Produced by Steve Sholes.

June 11, 1958 : THURSTON HARRIS is rushed into Radio Recorders in Hollywood
to cover another Bobby Day number (after "Little Bitty Pretty One"), namely
"Over And Over". It is released on Aladdin 3430 in July, coupled with "You're
Gonna Need Me" from a January session. Vocal backing by the Sharps.

June 11, 1958 : LITTLE WILLIE JOHN records his next single, "Let's Rock
While the Rockin's Good"/"You're A Sweetheart" (King 5142, end of June).
Produced by Henry Glover in New York City.
Personnel : Lowell Hastings (tenor sax) ; George Barnes, Kenny Burrell
(guitars) ; Bill Pemberton (bass) ; Ernie Hayes (piano) ; Panama Francis
(drums) ; Unknown (vocal chorus).

June 13, 1958 : BOBBY BARE is at Gold Star studio in Hollywood to record the
single "Vampira"/"Tender Years" (Jackpot 48010, release date September 8). 
Jackpot is a subsidiary of Challenge Records. A third track, "When the One 
You Love" remains unfinished, but is included in 1994 on Bobby's Bear Family 
4-CD set "All American Boy" (BCD 15663).
Personnel : Luther Roundtree, Buddy Bruce (guitars) ; Cliff Hills (bass) ; 
Merrill Moore (piano) ; Jimmy Seals (sax) ; Gary Wilson (poss. drums).
Arranged by Ace Odell, produced by Joe Johnson.

June 14, 1958 : More recording activity by FATS DOMINO at Cosimo Recording
Studio in New Orleans. "Young School Girl" will be issued as a single in 
September (Imperial 5537) and "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday" in July 1959 
(Imperial 5606). "How Can I Be Happy" ends up as an LP track on "Walking To 
New Orleans" (Imperial LP 9227, January 1963), while a first attempt at "Let 
the Four Winds Blow" is unissued and lost.
Personnel : Fats Domino (vocals / piano) ; Ernest McLean (guitar) ; Frank
Fields (bass) ; Wendell Duconge (alto sax) ; Herb Hardesty, Clarence Ford,
Buddy Hagans (tenor saxes) ; Cornelius Coleman (drums) ; Band members (vocal
chorus). Produced by Dave Bartholomew.
According to Bear Family, Fats was absent at this session and overdubbed his
vocals at a later (unknown) date. In that case the pianist would possibly 
have been Allen Toussaint.

Monday, June 16, 1958 : SONNY JAMES pays another visit to Bradley Studio 
in Nashville. The harvest is the single "You Got That Touch"/"I Can See It In 
Your Eyes" (Capitol 4020, July). "I'm Makin' Time With You" stays in the vaults 
until the release of Sonny's 6-CD box-set "Young Love, 1952-62" (Bear Family 
BCD 16373) in 2002. Produced by Ken Nelson.

June 16, 1958 : LARRY WILLIAMS takes a trip to New Orleans to record at 
Cosimo Recording Studio. The resulting two tracks will not see a release until 
1974 : "Took A Trip" (with references to the then popular Purple people eater) 
on the LP "The Unreleased Larry Williams" (Specialty SP 2158) and "Hocus Pocus"
on an LP with the same title (Specialty SP 2162).
Personnel : Larry Williams (vocals / piano) ; Red Tyler (baritone sax) ;
Norman Rich (sax) ; Roy Montrell, Lonnie Fowler (guitars) ; Richard Payne
(bass) ; Charles 'Hungry' Williams (drums). 

June 18, 1958 : JIMMY BOWEN records his next single, "By the Light Of the 
Silvery Moon"/"The Two Step" (Roulette 4083, July). Label credit goes to Jimmy
Bowen and the Rhythm Orchids (Donny Lanier, lead guitar, more details unknown).
It is a split session with Buddy Knox, see below. 
Location : Bell Sound Studio, New York City.

June 18, 1958 : THE HOLLYWOOD FLAMES record "Much Too Much"/"In the Dark" in
Los Angeles. Release is postponed until June 1959 (Ebb 163), not long before 
the Ebb label folds. (Ebb 164, by Earl Nelson, is the last Ebb  single.)

June 18, 1958 : BUDDY KNOX records three tracks at Bell Sound Studio in New
York City, with the Rhythm Orchids. "C'mon Baby"/"Somebody Touched Me" appears
on Roulette 4082 in July. "The Girl With the Golden Hair" is included on the
LP "Buddy Knox / Jimmy Bowen" (Roulette R 25048, November).

June 18, 1958 : ART NEVILLE does his penultimate session for Specialty Records,
at Cosimo Recording Studio in New Orleans. Only two songs are recorded : "What's
Going On" (Specialty 656, January 1959) and "I'm A Fool To Care". The latter is
not the same song as the later Joe Barry hit and is not released until 1986, on
the LP "That Old Time Rock 'n' Roll" (Specialty LP 2165).
Personnel : Roy Montrell (guitar / leader) ; Justin Adams (guitar) ; Frank Fields
(bass) ; Clarence Ford (sax) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Charles Williams (drums).
Produced by Harold Battiste.

June 18, 1958 : Yet another session on this Wednesday : the final New York City
session for MARTY ROBBINS. "Sittin' In A Tree House" is released on July 7, on
Columbia 41208. "The Last Time I Saw My Heart" is also chosen for release on a
45 (Columbia 41282, October 18). "Jeannie And Johnnie" stays in the vaults
until Bear Family issues the LP "Rockin' Rollin' Marty Robbins, Vol. 2" (BFX
15105) in 1982.
Personnel : Al Caiola, Bucky Pizzarelli, Carmen Mastren, Danny Perri (guitars) ;
Frank Carroll (bass) ; Dick Hixson (trombone) ; Ed Shaughnessy (drums). 
Arranged by Ray Conniff, produced by Mitch Miller.

June 18, 1958 : At Hollywood's Gold Star studio, RITCHIE VALENS records his first
single, "Come On, Let's Go"/"Framed" (Del-Fi 4106, August). Probably also cut at
this session is "Dooby Dooby Wah", the UK flip-side of "Come On Let's Go" (Pye
Inter-national N 25000), and included on Ritchie's first LP ("Ritchie Valens",
Del-Fi DFLP 1201), which will appear posthumously in March 1959.
Personnel : Ritchie Valens (vocals / guitar) ; Rene Hall (guitar / arranger) ;
Irving Ashbyor Carol Kaye (rhythm guitar) ; Buddy Clark (standup bass) ; Earl
Palmer (drums).
Produced by Bob Keane. Peak position in Billboard : # 42.

June 19, 1958 : BUDDY HOLLY is rushed into the Pythian Temple in New York City
to cover both sides of Bobby Darin's "Early In the Morning"/"Now We're One",
after Bobby's Brunswick single (credited to the Ding Dongs) had to be withdrawn,
as Darin was legally contracted to Atco. Buddy's version is released on July 5
(Coral 62006), but will be outsold by Darin's version (reissued on Atco).
The musicians are exactly the same as on Bobby's session of April 24 : George
Barnes (lead guitar) ; Al Chernet (acoustic guitar) ; Sanford Bloch (string
bass) ; Ernie Hayes (piano) ; Sam Taylor (sax) ; Phil Kraus (percussion) ;
Panama Francis (drums) ; The Helen Way Singers (vocal chorus).
Both versions are produced by Dick Jacobs.

June 23, 1958 : At Nashville's RCA Victor Studio, JIMMY EDWARDS records his
third Mercury single, "Do That Again"/"Wedding Band" (Mercury 71348, August).
Personnel : Jimmy Edwards (vocals / guitar) ; Narvel Felts, Chet Atkins, Leon
Barnett (guitars) ; J.W. Grubbs (bass) ; Floyd Cramer (piano) ; Jerry Tuttle
(sax) ; Bob Taylor (drums) ; The Jordanaires and Millie Kirkham (vocal chorus). 
Produced by Bob Cloud.

June 23, 1958 : The session above was probably a split session with NARVEL 
FELTS, who records "Vada Lou"/"Little Girl Step This Way" (Mercury 71347,
August). Studio and producer are the same, but Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer
are absent this time.
Musicians : Narvel Felts (vocals / guitar) ; Leon Barnett (guitar) ; J.W. Grubbs 
(bass) ; Jerry Tuttle (sax) ; Bob Taylor (drums) ; The Jordanaires and Millie 
Kirkham (vocal chorus).

June 24, 1958 : DON GIBSON starts work on the religious LP "No One Stands
Alone" (RCA LPM 1918, December). Recorded on this day are "Taller Than Trees",
"Wait For the Light To Shine", "Canaan's Land" and a first, rejected version
of "Satisfied", which will be included on the Bear Family box-set "Don Gibson,
The Singer - The Songwriter, 1949-1960" (BCD 15495) in 1991.
Personnel : Don Gibson (vocals / guitar) ; Chet Atkins (guitar / producer) ;
Velma Smith (guitar) ; Junior Huskey (bass) ; Floyd Cramer (piano) ; Buddy
Harman (drums) ; The Jordanaires (vocal chorus).
Location : RCA Victor Studio, Nashville, Tennessee.

June 24, 26, 1958 : THE FOUR PREPS record their next single, "Lazy Summer
Night"/"Summertime Lies" (Capitol 4023, July), along with "Cinderella" (also
a single, Capitol 4078, October), "Listen Honey" (the later B-side of "Down
By the Station", Capitol 4312, November 1959) and the LP tracks "Avalon" and
"Love Letters In the Sand" (Capitol T 1090, "The Things We Did Last Summer").
The Four Preps are : Bruce Belland, Glen Larson, Ed Cobb and Don Clarke.
Arranged and conducted by Lincoln Mayorga, produced by Voyle Gilmore at the
Capitol Tower in Hollywood.

June 25, 1958 : Second recording session for THE CRESTS, in New York City.
"Pretty Little Angel"/"I Thank the Moon" is their next single (Coed 501,
July). "Beside You" will become the B-side of their monster hit "Sixteen
Candles" (yet to be recorded), in November (Coed 506). "Strange Love" stays 
in the can until the release of the CD "Johnny Maestro and the Crests : The
Best Of the Rest" (Ace CDCHD 322, UK) in 1991.

June 25, 1958 : JOHNNY GARNER does a four-track session at Master Recorders
in Hollywood. The songs are released on two singles : "Kiss Me Sweet"/"Little
Starry Eyes" (Imperial 5536, July) and "Didi, Didi"/"Fool" (Imperial 5548,
September). The latter is also released in Holland by the record company Bovema
on their own Imperial label (December).
This may have been the only session Garner ever did and.
Personnel : Roy Lanham (lead guitar) ; Neil Levang (rhythm guitar) ; Ray Siegel
(bass) ; Gene Garf (piano) ; Robert Gilman (drums). Arranged and produced by
Jimmie Haskell.

June 26, 1958 : Four-track session for HANK LOCKLIN at RCA Victor Studio in
Nashville. "That Inner Glow"/"The Upper Room" is selected as Hank's next 45
(RCA 7317, August). "The Other Side Of the Door" follows in October (RCA 7393).
"Paper Face" stays in the can until May 1963, when it appears on the LP "This
Song Is Just For You" (RCA Camden CAL 765).
Personnel : Grady Martin, Velma Smith (guitars) ; Bob Moore (bass) ; Floyd
Cramer (piano) ; Buddy Harman (drums) ; The Anita Kerr Singers (vocal chorus).
Produced by Chet Atkins.

June 26, 1958 : RAY PETERSON records three tracks during an afternoon session
at New York City's RCA Victor Studio A on 24th Street. "My Blue Eyed Baby" is
the B-side of his next single (RCA 7303, July ; A-side recorded on June 30,
see below). "Dream Away"/"I'll Always Want You Near" follows in September
(RCA 7336).
Personnel : Mundell Lowe, Carmen Mastren (guitars) ; Harry Roser (ukulele) ;
George Duvivier (bass) ; Boomie Richman, Sol Schlinger (saxes) ; Mel Davis
(trumpet) ; Sol Gubin (drums) ; The Ray Charles Singers (vocal chorus). Plus
a 10-piece string section. Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter, produced by Lee
Schapiro.

Friday, June 27, 1958 : KENNY LEE MARTIN is at Bradley Studio in Nashville 
where he records the single "The Rock Keeps Rollin' On"/"The Shape I'm In" 
(Decca 30754, October). The B-side is the original version of the 1959 Johnny 
Restivo hit. A third track, "At the End Of My Rope", remains unissued. Backing 
by unknown members of the Nashville A-Team.

June 30, 1958 is mentioned by Bear Family as the recording date of "Chantilly 
Lace"/"The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor" by THE BIG BOPPER.
However, as the single (Mercury 71343) is already reviewed in Billboard of
July 7, this is very unlikely. Even more so seeing that the Mercury single is 
already the second release, preceded by an appearance on Pappy Daily's D label 
(D 1008). A recording date in May 1958 seems more likely.
Personnel : J.P. Richardson aka The Big Bopper (vocals) ; probably Glenn Barber 
or Sonny Burns (guitar) ; Buck Henson (bass) ; Doc Lewis (piano) ; Link Davis 
(sax) ; Bill Kimbrough (drums).
Produced by Harold 'Pappy' Daily at Gold Star studio in Houston, Texas.

June 30, 1958 : JESSE STONE undertakes a session for RCA Victor, at their
studio in New York City. Both "Tadpole Wiggle" and "Crawfish" are mainly
instrumentals. They are released back to back on RCA 7309 in July, with label 
credit going to "The Stone Crushers".
Personnel : Jesse Stone (leader) ; The Stone Crushers (vocal chorus, consisting
of four men and three women) ; Everett Barksdale, Wally Richardson (electric 
guitars) ; Doles Dickens (bass) ; Bert Keyes (piano) ; King Curtis (tenor sax) ; 
Unidentified (flute) ; Joe Marshall (drums) ; Walter Spriggs (bongos). Produced 
by Herman Diaz, Jr. It is a split session with Ray Peterson, who waxes a vocal
version of the Perez Prado hit "Patricia" (RCA 7303, July).

(Probably) June 1958, unknown date : EDDIE FONTAINE is without a recording 
contract at this time and goes into a New York studio to record "Nothin' Shakin" 
and "Don't Ya Know" at his own cost. But he finds no buyers for the masters and 
will soon rerecord "Nothin' Shakin'" for the Sunbeam label. However, without 
his knowledge, the original version is sold to Chess and released on Argo 5309 
in early August, resulting in a # 64 hit, Fontaine's only chart entry.
Personnel : George Barnes, Eddie O'Connor (guitars) ; Cozy Cole (drums) ; more
details unknown.

June 1958, unknown date : Three songs are recorded by DALE HAWKINS at KWKH
Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana : "La-Do-Dada"/"Cross-Ties" (Checker 900, July)
and "Superman". The latter is first released as by Wailin' Dale on Rarin' LP 
666 (a Various artists bootleg LP from 1978) and sees its first legal release 
on Norton 256 (LP/CD "Daredevil") in 1997.
Personnel : Dale Hawkins (vocals / guitar) ; Roy Buchanan, Joe Osborn (guitars) ;
Marc Mathis (bass) ; Shelton Bissell (alto sax) ; Al 'Puddler' Harris (piano) ;
Jerry Hawkins (maracas) ; D.J. Fontana (drums) ; Margaret Lewis, Dean Mathis
(overdubbed backing vocals). Produced by Dale Hawkins.

June 1958, unknown date : SHIRLEY AND LEE have their penultimate session for
Aladdin Records. The result is the single "Come On And Have Your Fun"/"All I 
Want To Do Is Cry" (Aladdin 3432, last week of July). Although recorded in Los
Angeles, the sound is pure New Orleans and the backing is probably provided by
members of Dave Bartholomew's band.

With thanks to Steve Walker and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index