IN THE CAN : OCTOBER 1961
 
October 3, 1961 : THE BEACH BOYS put "Surfin'" and "Luau" on
tape during their first official recording session at World Pacific studio
in Hollywood. Both tracks will be used for their first single on a local
label (X 301), and the group, formerly known as The Pendeltones,
has been renamed. Shortly afterwards both tracks are licensed to
Herb Newman who releaseas them twice (Candix 301, Candix 331).
The A-side will be included on the LP "Surfin' Safari"(Capitol T 1081),
"Luau" has to stay in the can until 1992 (CD "Lost & Found" (Castle
CD 022)). The session is produced by Hite and Dorinda Morgan.
 
October 5, 1961 : NEIL SEDAKA records his new single at RCA 
Victor Studio A in New York City. "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"/
"Don't Lead Me On" is released on RCA 7957 in the first week of
November. Produced by Al Nevins and Don Kirshner, arranged by
Alan Lorber.
 
October 9, 1961 : DALE HAWKINS has his first session for Atlantic.
"Stay At Home Lulu"/"I Can't Erase You (Out Of My Heart)" is chosen
for single release (Atlantic 2126, December). "Mumbly Peg" will see
its first release in 1997, on the Norton LP/CD "Daredevil". "The First To
Know" remains unissued from this session. Personnel includes Larry
Taylor (guitar) and Charlie McCoy (harmonica). Produced by Bob Crewe
in Nashville. (With thanks to Tapio.)
 
October 10-11, 1961 : CONWAY TWITTY pays another visit to Bradley 
Studio in Nashville. "Portrait Of A Fool" is chosen for the new single 
(MGM 13050, early December). "There Is Something On Your Mind" 
also gets a single release, on MGM 13089 in July 1962. "Turn Around"
and "Walk On By" end up on the LP "Portrait Of A Fool" (MGM SE
4019). An overdubbed version of "Walk On By" is released on MGM 
14408 in 1973. Personnel includes Harold Bradley, Al Bruno and Grady
Martin on guitar and Floyd Cramer on piano. Produced by Jim Vienneau.
 
October 11, 1961 : At RCA Victor studio in Nashville, SONNY JAMES
re-records his 1956 hit "Young Love". Though Sonny is now contracted
to RCA, this track will be used for one of its sublabels (Groove G4-1).
Personnel: Grady Martin (guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harman
(drums), Floyd Cramer (piano), and the Anita Kerr Singers. The session
is produced by Chet Atkins.
 
October 12, 1961 : THE CLOVERS are back with Atlantic and record
four tracks in New York City, two of which ("Salty Tears" and "Travel On") 
have never been issued. The other two, "The Bootie Green" and "Drive It 
Home" are released on Atlantic 2129 in December. Billy Mitchell is the
lead singer on all four tracks ; the other members are Harold Lucas, 
James Walton and Robert Russell.
 
October 13, 1961 : BOBBY BARE is in Cincinatti (King studio) to 
record "Brooklyn Bridge" for his next single (Fraternity 890, December)
and "Great Big Car", which will be kept in the can for more than thirty
years, until the release of the CD boxset "All American Boy" on
Bear Family 15663. Bobby is accompanied by Rusty York on guitar, further
details unknown
 
October 15-16, 1961 : First of two October sessions for ELVIS PRESLEY.
This one is held in Nashville and produced by Steve Sholes. "Good Luck
Charm"/"Anything That's Part Of You" is released on RCA 7992 in March 
1962.  "Night Rider" is a track for the "Pot Luck" album (RCA LPM 2523, 
May 1962). "I Met Her Today" and "For the Millionth And Last Time" are 
first released on the LP "Elvis For Everyone" (RCA LPM 3450) in July 1965.
Backing by Scotty Moore and Jerry Kennedy (guitars), Bob Moore (bass), 
Floyd Cramer (piano), Boots Randolph (sax, clarinet), Buddy Harman and
D.J. Fontana (drums), Gordon Stoker (accordion), Millie Kirkham and the
Jordanaires (backup vocals).
 
October 17, 18 and 21, 1961 : In Nashville (Bradley Studio) JIMMY DEAN 
lays down eleven tracks, eight of which will appear on the LP "Big Bad John"
(Columbia CS 8535). Released as a single are "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke
That Cigarette" (Columbia 42259, December), "To A Sleeping Beauty"
(Columbia 42282, January 1962), "Walk On Boy" (B-side of "PT 109",
Columbia 42338, March 1962) and "Little Bitty Big John" (Columbia 42483,
June 1962, B-side of "Steel Men"). Personnel includes Grady Martin, Ray
Edenton and Harold Bradley on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano and Buddy
Harman on drums. Produced by Don Law.
 
October 18, 1961 : GENE VINCENT records "Lucky Star"/ "Baby
Don't Believe Him" for release on Capitol 4665 in December. Backing
by the Dave Burgess band. Produced by Nick Venet at the Capitol
Tower in Hollywood.  
 
October 19, 1961 : DUANE EDDY's final Jamie session results in 
the single "The Avenger"/"Londonderry Air" (Jamie 1206, November).
Personnel : Duane Eddy, guitar ; Bill Pitman, guitar ; Howard Roberts,
guitar ; Red Callender, bass ; Earl Palmer, drums ; Jim Horn, sax ;
Larry Knechtel, piano. Arranged by Bob Thompson. Produced by
Duane Eddy at United Recorders in Hollywood. Rebel yells on "The
Avenger" overdubbed the next day.
 
October 21, 1961 : AARON NEVILLE is at Cosmo's Recording studio
in New Orleans, to record "Humdinger ", How Many Times", "Sweet
Little Mama" and "I'm Waiting At The Station" for his next 2 singles
(Minit 630 and Minit 639). Personnel includes the cream of the New
Orleans session men: Roy Montrell (guitar), Chuck Badie (bass),
John Boudreaux (drums), Nat Perilliat (tenor sax), Alvin "Red" Tyler
(baritone sax), Melvin Lastie (cornet), and Allen Toussaint (piano). 
The latter also produces this session.    
 
October 23, 1961 : RUTH BROWN's first post-Atlantic session, in
New York City, with the Milestones. Eight tracks are recorded, but
only "If You Don't Tell Nobody"/"He Tells Me With His Eyes" gets a
release (Philips 40086, summer 1962). "If You Don't Tell Nobody" will
also be issued on Philips 40119, with a different flip ("Satisfied",
from a later 1961 session).
 
October 23, 1961 : TOMMY SANDS records one of his better songs,
"The Wrong Side Of Love" (written by Paul Anka), which is coupled 
with "Jimmy's Song" (by John D. Loudermilk) for release on Capitol
4660 in December. Produced by Ken Nelson. Vocal chorus : The
Jordanaires. Location : Bradley Studio, Nashville.
 
October 24, 1961 : BOBBY VEE records his new single, "Run To
Him"/"Walkin' With My Angel" (Liberty 55388, rush released).
Produced by Snuff Garrett in Hollywood.
 
October 25, 26 and 29, 1961 : BRENDA LEE records ten tracks for
the LP "Sincerely, Brenda Lee" (Decca DL 4216), which is released
on February 12, 1962. No singles are drawn from this uninteresting
album. On October 29, Brenda also records two snappier titles, "Organ 
Grinder's Swing" (for the LP "Brenda, That's All", Decca DL 4326, 
October 1962) and "Let the Four Winds Blow", which is held in the
can until 1975, when it emerges on "Legends Of Rock 2" (Coral 7292). 
Too much personnel to mention, but Grady M., Harold B., Floyd C. 
and Buddy H. are present as always, as are the ubiquitous Anita Kerr 
Singers. Produced by Owen Bradley in Nashville.
 
October 26, 1961 : THE DRIFTERS are at Atlantic Studios in NYC, 
where they record three tracks. "Jackpot" becomes the B-side of the
non-charting single "Sometimes I Wonder" (recorded in May 1960 with
Ben E. King on lead) in July 1962 (Atlantic 2151). "When My Little Girl
Is Smiling" will be released in February 1962 on Atlantic 2134. "She 
Never Talked To Me That Way" was shelved until it came out on a
UK compilation (Pickwick LP SHM 3029) in 1972.
Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, arranged by Stan Applebaum.
Rudy Lewis is the lead singer on all three tracks.
 
October 26-27, 1961 : ELVIS PRESLEY records a soundtrack session
for the movie "Kid Galahad" at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. The six 
songs, "King Of the Whole Wide World", "This Is Living", "Riding the 
Rainbow", "Home Is Where the Heart Is", "I Got Lucky" and "Whistling 
Tune" are released on an EP  ("Kid Galahad", RCA EPA-4371) in 
September 1962.
Personnel : Scotty Moore (guitar), Tiny Timbrell (rhythm guitar), Bob
Moore (bass), Neal Matthews (guitar), D. J. Fontana (drums), Buddy
Harman (drums), Dudley Brooks (piano), Boots Randolph (sax), the
Jordanaires (vocal group). Produced by Jeffrey Alexander.
 
October 28, 1961 : In New York City, BEN E. KING records "Ecstasy"
and "Yes", for release on Atco 6215 in January 1962. The third track from
this session, "Jamaica", stays in the can until 1965, when it finds a place
on the LP "Seven Letters" (Atco 33-174). With 11 strings, Ernie Hayes
(piano), Phil Spector, Allen Hanlon and Al Casamenti (guitars), Gordon
Mitchell (bass), Gary Chester (drums), Martin Grupp and Phil Kraus
(percussion). Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
 
October 30-31, 1961 : A two-day session for WANDA JACKSON results
in nine tracks, six of which will come out on the LP "Wonderful Wanda" 
(Capitol T 1776), in August 1962 : "Seven Lonely Days", "Don't Ask Me 
Why", "I Need You Now", "Is It Wrong", "We Could" and "You Don't Know
Baby".
"This Should Go On Forever" is released as a single (Capitol 4973) in May 
1963 and "The Tip Of My Fingers" first appears on the LP "Wanda Jackson 
Sings Country Songs" (Capitol T 2438) in 1965. Finally, "Before I Lose My
Mind" is first issued on the Bear Family box-set "Right Or Wrong" (BCD
15629) in 1992. Produced by Ken Nelson in Nashville.
 
October 31, 1961 : Another Los Angeles session for BOBBY DARIN.
"Irresistible You" is chosen for the next single (Atco 6214, November).
"Jailer Bring Me Water" becomes the B-side of "Things" in June 1962
(Atco 6229). "Baby Face" is released on Atco 6236 in September 1962.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun, arranged by Jimmie Haskell. 
 
October 1961, unknown date : THE PLATTERS record seven tracks at
an unknown location. "Song For the Lonely" is released on Mercury 71904
in December, "Reaching For A Star" on Mercury 71921 in February 1962
(B-side of "It's Magic"). "How Will I Know" and "Keep Me In Love" are 
tracks for the LP "Songs For the Lonely" (Mercury MG 20669) and "All
the Things You Are" is an EP track. "Say A Prayer" and "If Only You
Knew" are shelved until the release of the 9-CD Bear Family box-set
"Four Platters And One Lovely Dish" (BCD 15741) in February 1994.
Backing by David Carroll and his orchestra.
 
With thanks to Henk Gorter and Steve Walker.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index