April 3, 1961 : First of three April sessions for RICKY NELSON. On
this day he records "I'll Make Believe" and "Stars Fell On Alabama",
followed by "Lucky Star" and "Oh Yeah, I'm In Love" on April 10.
"That Warm Summer Night" is laid down on April 17. All songs will
appear on the LP "Rick Is 21" (Imperial LP 9152) in May. Backing by
James Burton (lead guitar), Joe Osborn (bass), Richie Frost (drums),
Ray Johnson (piano) and Ricky's own rhythm guitar. Produced by
Jimmie Haskell at United Recording Corporation in Hollywood.
 
April 5, 1961 : DON GIBSON is at RCA Victor Studio in Nashville to
record his next single, "Sea Of Heartbreak"/"I Think It's Best To Forget
Me" (RCA 7890, early June). A third track from this session, "That's
How It Goes" stays in the can until the release of the Bear Family 
box-set "Don Gibson : The Singer, The Songwriter, 1961-1966" (BCD
15664) in 1993. Personnel : Don Gibson, vocals, guitar ; Hank Garland, 
guitar ; Chet Atkins, guitar, producer ; Harold Bradley, guitar ; Bob
Moore, bass ; Buddy Harman, drums ; Floyd Cramer, piano ; The 
Anita Kerr Singers, vocal chorus.
 
April 5, 1961 : In Cincinnati, FREDDY KING records eight tracks for 
the instrumental LP "Let's Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddy
King" (King LP 773, December 1961) : "Onion Rings" (Federal 12529), 
"Sen-Sa-Shun" (Federal 12432), "Side Tracked" (Federal 12456), "The 
Stumble" (Federal 12450), "San-Ho-Zay" (soon to be released  as 
Federal 12428, July), "Wash Out" (the only track not also released as a 
single), "Just Pickin'" (Federal 12470) and "Heads Up" (Federal 12443). 
Personnel: Freddy King, guitar ; Sonny Thompson, piano ; Fred Jordan,
guitar ; Bill Willis, bass ; Philip Paul, drums.
The LP was reissued in 1963 as "Freddy King Goes Surfin'" (King LP 
856), with overdubbed audience noise.
 
April 6, 1961 : JOE JONES is in the studio (location unknown, but
this is probably Cosimo's in New Orleans), to record two parts of 
"The Big Mule". The first part will be used for his last Roulette single
(4377) b/w "I've Got A Uh Uh Wife", the second part will be kept on the
shelves until 1994, when "You Talk Too Much - The Best Of Joe Jones"
is released by Sequel (CD NEM 672). The session is produced by
Henry Glover, further details unknown.
 
April 10, 1961 : THE COASTERS record four songs in Los Angeles
(Goldstar Studios) : "Teach Me How To Shimmy" (released as the
B-side of "Ridin' Hood" on Atco 6219 in February 1962), "Hongry"
(released as the B-side of "Lady Like" on Atco 6341 in March 1965)
and two unissued tracks: "Giving Up" and "I'm A Hum Dinger".
Personnel : Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Cornel Gunter, Will "Dub" Jones,
vocals ; Steve Douglas, tenor sax ; James H. Davids, electric piano :
Michael Adams, guitar ; Llevellyn Klassy, bass ; Sandy Nelson,
drums. Produced by Lester Sill and Lee Hazlewood.
 
April 11, 1961 : THE MARCELS record five tracks in New York City,
all of which will be released on 45s. "Summertime" becomes the new
single (follow-up to "Blue Moon") on Colpix 1961 (May). "You Are My
Sunshine"/"Find Another Fool" is released on Colpix 606 in July.
"Footprints In the Sand" will become the B-side of "Twistin' Fever" in
February 1962 (Colpix 629) and "Hold On" is released on the B-side 
of Colpix 640 in May 1962. Produced by Stu Phillips.
 
April 12, 1961 : LITTLE WILLIE JOHN is back in King's Cincinnati
studio. All six tracks are released both as singles and LP tracks:
"Spring Fever" (King 5503, May), "Now You Know"/"Take My Love"
(King 5516, July), "The Masquerade Is Over" (King 5602, March 1962),
"Every Beat Of My Heart" (King 5641, June 1962) and "Rock Love" 
(King 5870, March 1964). "Like Boy, Like Girl" from this session is
still unissued. Personnel unknown, production by Henry Glover.

April 13, 1961 : EARL KING is in New Orleans to record "You're More
To Me Than Gold", which will be used for a future single (Imperial
5858) b/w "We Are Just Friends". Also recorded are "My Mother's Love",
"Nervous Breakdown" and "Come Along With Me", which will remain on the
shelves for 42 years, until the legal release of "The Complete Imperial
Recordings" (Okra-tone CD 4970) in 2003. Personnel: Earl King (vocal,
guitar), Dave Bartholomew and Wardell Quezergue (trumpet), Waldron
Joseph (trombone), Merris Bechamin (tenor sax), Carl Bluin (baritone
sax), James Booker (piano), George French (bass) and Robert French
(drums). Producer: Dave Bartholomew. 
 
April 14, 1961 : SAM COOKE records his next single, "Cupid" c/w
"Farewell My Darling" (RCA 7883, May) at RCA's Hollywood Studio 1. 
Produced by Hugo & Luigi, orchestra conducted by Rene Hall. 
Background vocals by the Simms Twins.
 
April 17, 1961 : Second RCA session for JOHN D. LOUDERMILK.
(The first one was on March 23, 1961 and produced the hit single
"Language Of Love", RCA 7938). Five tracks are recorded: "Blue
Train", "The Great Snowman" (both for the LP "Language Of Love",
RCA LPM 2434, October 1961), "The Little Bird", "He's Just A
Scientist" and "Rhythm and Blues" (these three for the LP "Twelve 
Sides", RCA LPM 2539, August 1962). "Blue Train"/"Rhythm and
Blues" will also be released as a single (RCA 8308) in February
1964. Produced by Chet Atkins at RCA Victor Studio in Nashville. 
Personnel includes Norro Wilson on harpsichord / piano, Buddy
Harman (drums), Henry Strzelecki (bass) and the Anita Kerr Singers.
 
April 17-18, 1961 : WANDA JACKSON records eleven tracks for
the LP "Right Or Wrong" (Capitol T 1596), which will be released
in October. The title song had already been recorded in October 1960.
Side 2 of the LP is the rocking side, with "Sticks And Stones","Stupid
Cupid", "Slippin' And Slidin'", "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", "Who 
Shot Sam" and "My Baby Left Me". On April 20 Wanda lays down
"In the Middle Of A Heartache"/"I'd Be Ashamed" for a single issued
in September (Capitol 4635), as well as "I Don't Wanna Go" and
"A Little Bitty Tear" for the LP "Wonderful Wanda" (Capitol T 1776,
August 1962). Produced by Ken Nelson at Bradley Studio in Nashville.
 
April 24, 1961 : DUANE EDDY records his next single, "Ring Of Fire"/
"Bobbie" (Jamie 1187, May) at United Recorders in Hollywood. 
Personnel : Duane Eddy, guitar, producer ; Barney Kessel, guitar ;
Howard Roberts, guitar ; David Campbell, bass ; Larry Knechtel, piano ; 
Jim Horn, sax ; Jimmy Troxel, drums, and a vocal chorus of four male
and four female vocalists. Strings (12 violins) arranged by Bob Thompson.
 
April 25, 1961 : In Nashville, BOBBY HELMS is at the Bradley Film &
Recording Studio to record four songs for Decca. "How Can You Divide A
Little Child" and "My Greatest Weakness" will be released soon (Decca
31287), while "I Can Take It Like You Can" and "Teach Me" will have to
wait for Richard Weize when he includes them on the fine "Fraulein - The
Classic Years" 2CD (BCD 15594) in 1992.
Bobby is supported by Grady Martin, Hank Garland and Harold Bradley
(guitars), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harman (drums) and Floyd Cramer
(piano), plus The Jordanaires (vocal chorus). The session is produced by
Paul Cohen.
 
April 26, 1961 : The final Atlantic session of RUTH BROWN produces
only two tracks, one unissued ("Naturally"). "Anyone But You" comes out
on Atlantic 2104 in May, coupled with the previously recorded "It Tears
Me All To Pieces". Backing by Mike Spencer (piano), Bill Suyker and 
Richard Ziegler (guitars), Abie Baker (bass), Gary Chester (drums), Joe
Venuto (vibraphone). Unknown strings, unknown vocal group (overdubbed).
Production by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in New York City. 
 
April 26-28, 1961 : JOHNNY CASH is back in Nashville (Bradley Studio)
for a three-day session produced by Don Law and Frank Jones. On the 
first two days he records two, respectively seven songs for the LP "Hymns
From the Heart" (Columbia CS 8522, 1962), backed by Ray Edenton (guitar),
Floyd Cramer (piano), Marshall Grant (bass), W.S. Holland (drums), Bill
Pursell (organ) and Luther Perkins (electric guitar). For the 28th, omit 
Edenton and Pursell and add Tompal Glaser on guitar. Of the six tracks
recorded, only "Mr. Lonesome" will be released, on the LP "The Sound 
Of Johnny Cash" (Columbia CS 8602). The unreleased tracks include
remakes of "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Hey Porter".
 
April 28, 1961 : BILL HALEY and his Comets record their next single at 
Bell Sound Studio, New York. "Flip, Flop and Fly" is coupled with the
instrumental "Honky Tonk" (Warner Bros 5228, June). Personnel: Bill
Haley, vocals, rhythm guitar ; Franny Beecher, lead guitar ; Johnny Kay,
guitar ; Billy Williamson, steel guitar ; Al Rappa, bass guitar ; Johnny
Grande, piano ; Dave Bates, drums ; Tony Lee, tenor sax ; Rudy Pompilli,
tenor sax.
 
April 1961, unknown date : DALE HAWKINS has his first post-Checker
session, at Owen Bradley Studio in Nashville. Two singles are the result :
"Money Honey"/"The Same Old Way" (Tilt 781, May) and "Forbidden 
Love"/"Wish I Hadn't Called Home" (Tilt 783, July). Fred Carter Jr plays
guitar, Floyd Cramer piano (almost inaudible), other musicians unknown. 
Arranged by Cliff Parment. (With thanks to Tapio.)
 
April 1961, unknown date : DORSEY BURNETTE records three tracks at
United Recording Corporation in Hollywood. "Great Shakin' Fever" is chosen
for the next single (Era 3045, May). "Good Good Lovin'" and "It Could 've
Been Different" are first released on the Bear Family CD "Great Shakin' 
Fever" (BCD 15545) in 1990. Personnel unknown.
 
With thanks to Henk Gorter, Steve Walker and Jarle Jensen.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index