Johnny Burnette

INCLUDES FREE MP3 ALBUM DOWNLOAD

PLUS 4 BONUS TRACKS

It’s tempting to wonder what would have become of Johnny Burnette had he not gone fishing on that fateful night in 1964. His story and songs chart his evolution from a raw rockabilly singer into a successful crooner, pop singer and songwriter. He was on the verge of another creative breakthrough when he was killed in a boating accident at 30 years old. Shortly before his death, Burnette had managed to become a genuine teen idol, hitting the Top Ten with bestsellers like “You’re Sixteen” (which would become a rock & roll standard) and “Dreamin’”.

The intriguing story of Johnny Burnette (Memphis, March 25, 1934 – Clear Lake, August 14, 1964) during his early days with The Rock ‘n Roll Trio, touches on several different areas of rock & roll history. The members of the trio consisted of Paul Burlison (born in Brownsville, Tennessee in 1929), and brothers Dorsey (born in Memphis in 1932) and Johnny Burnette (born in Memphis in 1934). All three were boxers as young men (Dorsey and Johnny had even become Golden Gloves champions) who shared a passion for music. As a group, these contemporaries of Elvis Presley were pioneers in the early days of rock but sadly produced no top forty hits (also Johnny —like Elvis— made some early records that reflected the rich musical heritage of the Tennessee area before later moving on to a style that the parents ofteens probably found less threatening).

This WaxTime vinyl release includes their eponymous and sensational debut album, Johnny Burnette and The Rock ‘n Roll Trio, originally issued by the Coral label in December 1956. A number of the songs are regarded as classics of the rockabilly genre, particularly “Honey Hush”, “All by Myself”, “Train Kept A-Rollin’”, and “Rock Billy Boogie”. In addition to the original masterpiece, this collector’s edition contains 4 bonus tracks from the same period which were not included on the LP.

Among the bonus material is the great “Tear It Up”, which was previously released as a single on June 5, 1956. All of these original gems are simple two-anda- half-minute songs that convey all the sheer power and emotion of rock & roll. Without a doubt, this is the music upon which Johnny Burnette’s legend was built.

PERSONNEL:

JOHNNY BURNETTE, vocals and guitar, plus:

On Side 1 & Side 2, 1-6:
Grady Martin (lead electric guitar), Paul Burlison (rhythm electric guitar),
Dorsey Burnette (upright bass and backing vocals),
Bob Moore (replaces Dorsey Burnette on upright bass on “Rock Billy Boogie”, “Rock Therapy” and “Please, Don’t Leave Me”),
Owen Bradley (piano on “I Just Found Out”, “Chains of Love” and “I Love You So”),
Farris Coursey (drums, plus percussion on “Lonesome Tears in My Eyes”),
The Anita Kerr Singers (backing vocals on “I Love You So”).

Recorded at Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee, July 2-4, 1956.

On Side 2, 7-8:
Paul Burlison (electric guitar), Dorsey Burnette (upright bass and backing vocals), Eddie Grady (drums). Recorded at Pythian Temple, New York City, May 7, 1956

SIDE 1

1. HONEY HUSH
2. LONESOME TRAIN
3. SWEET LOVE ON MY MIND
4. ROCK BILLY BOOGIE
5. LONESOME TEARS IN MY EYES
6. ALL BY MYSELF
7. ROCK THERAPY (*)
8. PLEASE, DON’T LEAVE ME (*)

SIDE 2

1. THE TRAIN KEPT A-ROLLIN’
2. I JUST FOUND OUT
3. YOUR BABY BLUE EYES
4. CHAINS OF LOVE
5. I LOVE YOU SO
6. DRINKING WINE (SPO-DEE-O-DEE)
7. OH BABY BABE (*)
8. TEAR IT UP (*)

(*) BONUS TRACKS