October 1, 1959 : JOHNNY HORTON is back at Bradley Studio in
Nashville and records "They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose" (for the Xmas
season) / "The Electrified Donkey" (Columbia 41522), as well as "The
Same Old Tale the Crow Told Me", which was posthumously issued
in 1965 on the LP "I Can't Forget You" (Columbia CS 9099) and also
as a single (Columbia 43143). Backing by Grady Martin, Hank Garland
and Tommy Tomlinson (guitars), Buddy Harman (drums), Joseph Zinkan
(bass), Marvin Hughes (piano) and an unknown tambourine player.
Producer: Don Law. 
 
October 6, 1959 : At the same Nashville studio, MELVIN ENDSLEY
records his next single, "Ain't It Fine"/"I Can't Go Anywhere" (MGM 
K 12859, released in December 1959). Hank Garland plays electric 
guitar, Millie Kirkham provides backing vocals, other details unknown. 
Producer: Jim Vienneau.
 
Thursday, October 8, 1959 : Still in Nashville, but this time at RCA 
Victor Studios, DON GIBSON lays down four tracks : "I'm Movin' On"/
"Big Hearted Me" (RCA 47-7629, released late November 1959), "Maybe
Tomorrow" (the Don & Phil Everly composition), for release on the LP
"Sweet Dreams" (RCA LPM 2269, 1960), and "Everybody But Me",
first released on the LP "Look Who's Blue" (RCA LPM 2184, 1960).
Personnel: Hank Garland, Chet Atkins, Harold Bradley, guitars ; Bob
Moore, bass ; Buddy Harman, drums ; Floyd Cramer, piano, and the
Anita Kerr Singers. Producer: Chet Atkins.
 
October 8, 1959 : TRACY PENDARVIS is at the (old) Sun Studio in 
Memphis backed by the Swampers (personnel unknown, just bass, 
drums and guitar). Tracks recorded : "Is It Me"/"Southbound Line" 
(Sun 345, for release in August 1960), "Girl In My Hometown" (unissued) 
and one of two versions of  "Hypnotized" (first released on the Various
Artists bootleg LP "Rock 'n' Roll Fever", Redita RLP 125, in 1985).

October 9, 1959 : RICKY NELSON records "Hey Pretty Baby" (Imperial 
LP 9122) at Master Recorders in Hollywood. Personnel: James Burton
(guitar), James Kirkland (bass), Gene Garf (piano), Richie Frost (drums).
Johnny & Dorsey Burnette may have been present at this session, produced
by Jimmy Haskell.

October 11, 1959 : In New York City, THE CRESTS record their next
single, "A Year Ago Tonight"/"Paper Crown" (Coed 521, for release in 
November). "Young Love" is first released on Rhino CD R2 70948 in 1990 
(and on Ace CDCHD 297 in the UK). A first attempt at "Journey of Love"
remained unfinished. The Crests are: Johnny Maestro, Harold Torres, 
Talmadge Gough and J.T. Carter.
 
October, 12, 1959 : CARL MANN records the single "Some Enchanted
Evening"/ "I Can't Forget You" (Phillips International 3550, January 1960),
"South of the Border" (Phillips Int. 3555, the later B-side of "I'm Coming
Home"), "Kansas City", "Today Is Christmas" and a first attempt at
"Mountain Dew" (the last three originally unissued). This is followed
on October 16 by the LP tracks "The Wayward Wind" and "Ain't Got
No Home" (both on Carl's LP "Like Mann", Phillips International 1960 -
that's both the catalogue number and the year of release!), as well as
"Crazy Fool", "Blueberry Hill" and "I'll Always Love You Darling". Some
of the titles from these two sessions were later re-recorded and/or over-
dubbed. Backing by Eddie Bush, Robert Oatswell and W.S. Holland (see
below), production by Sam Phillips at the new Sun Studio, 639 Madison
Avenue, Memphis.
 
October 12, 1959 : Carl Mann's guitarist, EDDIE BUSH, has a session of 
his own at the new Sun Studio. "Baby I Don't Care"/"Vanished" is released
on Phillips International 3558 in July 1960. Eddie's version of "Walkin' 
and Thinkin'" is shelved for decades until the release of Carl Mann's box-
sets on Bear Family (BFX 15274, vinyl ; BCD 15713, CD). Still unissued 
are "Naturally", "Thank You and Come Again" and the second version of
"Hey Baby Doll" (an earlier version, recorded on September 25, 1959, 
appears on the Carl Mann 4 CD-set). Personnel: Eddie Bush, vocal / 
acoustic guitar ; Robert Oatsvall, bass ; W.S. Holland, drums ; Carl Mann,
backing vocals/piano/acoustic guitar on some tracks.
 
October 14, 1959 : CHARLIE RICH records the single "Lonely Weekends"/
"Everything I Do Is Wrong", for release on Phillips International 3552 in
February 1960. Personnel: Charlie Rich, vocals, piano ; Roland Janes,
guitar ; Billy Riley, bass ; Martin Willis, tenor sax ; Jimmy Van Eaton,
drums ; plus one other unknown musician. Location : (Old) Sun Studio,
706 Union Avenue, Memphis. 
 
October 14, 1959 : This month, the ISLEY BROTHERS record ten tracks
for their first LP, "Shout" (RCA LPM 2156, for release in January 1960).
On this day they record "How Deep Is the Ocean" (also released as a
single, RCA 47-7718) and "Respectable" (different from the single version,
which will be recorded on November 9). This is followed by three tracks on
October 22 : "That Lucky Old Sun", "When the Saints Go Marching In" and
"Ring-a-Ling-a-Ling" and another three on October 23 : "He's Got the Whole
World In His Hands", "Without A Song" and "Yes Indeed". "Rock Around
The Clock" and "St. Louis Blues" are laid down on October 24. 
Production by Hugo & Luigi. Location: RCA Studio A, New York City.
 
October 14/15, 1959 : At Regent Studio in New York City, CONNIE FRANCIS
records her next single, "Among My Souvenirs"/"God Bless America" (MGM
K 12841, for release in November). Also recorded, but unissued until the 
release of the Bear Family box-set (BCD 15616) : two compositions by Doc 
Pomus and Mort Shuman : "The Tiger and the Mouse" (re-recording) and 
"No One But You", as well as the Leiber-Stoller composition "(Happy Little)
Snapdragon". Production by Ray Ellis, who also conducts the orchestra and
chorus.
 
October 15, 1959 : In Nashville, JIM REEVES records his next single,
"He'll Have To Go"/"In a Mansion Stands My Love" (RCA 47-7643), for
release in December, plus the LP tracks "Snowflake" and "After a While".
A gooey novelty, "But You Love Me Daddy", recorded at the same session
with Steve Moore, the nine-year old son of bass player Bob Moore, was a
UK Top 20 hit ten years later. Producer: Chet Atkins.
 
October 20, 1959 : THE FLAMINGOS record six tracks in New York City.
Five of these are released on a 45: "I Was Such A Fool"/"Heavenly Angel"
(End 1062, January 1960), "You, Me and the Sea" (End 1068), "Mio Amore"
(End 1073), and "Dream Girl" (End 1092, B-side of "Time Was", June 1961).
"Crazy, Crazy, Crazy" ends up on the LP "Flamingos Favorites" (End LP 307).
 
October 21 and 23, 1959 : Overdub sessions for EDDIE COCHRAN at Liberty 
Custom Recorders, Hollywood, concerning  two songs recorded in August. 
"Hallelujah I Love Her So" is overdubbed on the 21st and "Little Angel" on the 
23rd, at Goldstar Studio. This becomes Eddie's new single (Liberty 55217) in 
November. Musicians: Eddie Cochran, vocal, guitar (and piano on "Hallelujah") ; 
Mike Henderson and Mike Deasy, saxophones ; Dave Shriver, electric bass ; 
Gene Ridgio, drums ; probably Jim Stivers, piano on "Little Angel". Plus 
overdubbed strings and chorus.
 
October 22 and 23, 1959 : RICKY NELSON is back at Master Recorders in
Hollywood. Produced by Jimmy Haskell, he records "Mighty Good"/ "I Wanna Be
Loved" (Imperial 5614). Same personnel as the October 9 session, with the
addition of Billy Strange (guitar).
 
October 25, 1959 : Another Nashville session for JOHNNY CASH produces
the single "Bandana"/"Wabash Blues" (Columbia 41573), released in March
1960, plus two songs sung in German: "Viel Zu Spät" (I Got Stripes) and "Wo
Ist Zu Hause Mama" (Five Feet High and Rising). These last two were first
released on a Bear Family LP (BFX 15016) in 1976. Producer: Don Law.
 
October 25 and 26, 1959 : BOOTS RANDOLPH records nine tracks for his
"Yakety Sax" LP (RCA LPM 2165, for release in January 1960) : Sleep, The
Battle of New Orleans, After You've Gone, Sleepwalk, Little Big Horn, So 
Rare, Teach Me Tonight, The Happy Whistler, Estrellita. Backing by James
Rich and Hank Garland (guitars), Bob Moore (bass), Floyd Cramer (piano),
Buddy Harman (drums) and the Anita Kerr Singers. Produced by Chet Atkins
at RCA Victor Studio in Nashville.
 
October 26, 1959 : At Bell Sound Studio in New York City, RONNIE HAWKINS
lays down eight tracks for the LP "Mr. Dynamo" (Roulette SR 25102), released
in early 1960 : Baby Jean, Southern Love, Someone Like You, Hey Boba Lou,
Hayride (also issued as a single, Roulette 4249, in April 1960), Love Me Like 
You Can, You Cheated You Lied, Dreams Do Come True. "Southern Love"/
"Love Me Like You Can" is chosen for the new single (Roulette 4209), issued
in November 1959. Accompaniment by Fred Carter, Jr. (lead guitar), Jimmy "
Luke" Paulman (rhythm guitar), Jimmy Evans (bass), unknown (organ) and 
Levon Helm (drums).
 
October 27, 1959 : Another session for RICKY NELSON this month. At Master 
Recordings in Hollywood, he records "Again", "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain"
and "Make Believe" for his "More Songs By Ricky" LP (Imperial LP 9122, to be
released in July 1960), and "Young Emotions" (Imperial 5663). This time, backup
is supplied by Billy Strange (guitar), Leroy Vinegar (bass), James Rowles
(piano) and Frank Capp (drums). Producer is Jimmy Haskell, Violins will be
overdubbed on February 8, 1960. 

October 28, 1959 : CARL PERKINS is at Bradley Studio in Nashville for a
session produced by Don Law. "Too Much For A Man To Understand" will be
issued in April 1960 on Columbia 41651 as the flip-side of "L-O-V-E-V-I-L-L-E".
"The Drifter" and "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" were originally
unissued and now available on the Bear Family box-set.

(With thanks to Henk Gorter for the Carl Perkins information.)

Additions and corrections welcome.

Dik

In the can index