Don Argo, a pop singer whom I have no biographic information about.
Don recorded 3 singles for the Nashville Hickory label. See discography below.
I have no other recording information about him, nor have I seen a picture, birth date or whatever. Anybody can help me?
This Don Argo is not the math professor/ writer (book: Canaveral Light). I mailed him, but he does not know his musical namesake.
Don's first (?) record I Love You, Lucy was a local success in Clovis, New Mexico. It hit the KCLV Top 10 in July 1965.
Two follow-up records flopped. Of which Candy Sue shows Don doing a nice Buddy Holly style pop song. I haven't heard the third one.
Any additions will be appreciated!
Discography:
Hickory 45-1318 (1965): I Love You, Lucy / Linda With The Lonely Eyes
Hickory 45-1352 (1965): Blue Heartaches / Candy Sue
Hickory 45-1380 (1966): Go To Him / She's Not A Bad Girl
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11 comments :
What a great song!
Love it, played on my radio show here in Sydney, Australia..
Fantastic,
Dave
Don Argo also used the name Tex Ashby.
He was from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I don't remember his real name. He performed frequently at a club then known as "The Burger Ranch" on Hwy 58 outside Chattanooga. This was in the mid to late 60's.
Kees, an entry on this page (alas! preview only) from Chattanooga High School Yearbook, Class of 1958: WAYNE ARTHUR TEX ASHBY. A member of the school choir, so...
http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Chattanooga_High_School_Dynamo_Yearbook/1958/Page_31.html>
Thank you Lyn for your suggestion.
Yes, it could be him. So name Wayne Arthur Ashby. There are a few Wayne A. Ashby's around, but no match so far.
Well, this is actually my dad. He is deceased and i only have so much information. He went by various names musically, another not mentioned was also Randy Lee. My mom said there were more, but couldn't remember all of them at the time. He put out many singles using several vocal styles singing other people's music. He also put out an album called Soakin' With Tears. As far as I know though the songs in the album were all his own. His birth name was Thomas Ashby . Although that does seem to be him in the yearbook photo and i know he named one of his children Wayne (there are many of us, but i am from the last generation). One of his ex's said it looks like him, I haven't had a chance to ask my mom. My mom has a ton of demos at her house that never got released, some on cassette and some on reel to reel. It's kinda neat. To me though he was just my dad who died way too soon of lung cancer. He had a great interest in animals, especially bugs and butterflies. He was an awesome guy. I found this link that i though you might be interested in. Apparently you can't listen to the songs, but you can find them on youtube....i just found this out today though so i am SUPER excited!
https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/randy_lee
It is exciting. Great to read your words. Hope to see more details here as you find them.
Thank you Leeanne for your comments. This ansers a lot of my questions. Great to see that after 10 years this new information still can come up!
He was a really cool guy. I miss him a lot. I never realized any of his stuff was online...or that he used any name other than Randy Lee until i specifically asked my mom. I sure never realized people still listened to him. It's pretty awesome. Most of the stuff i am finding i had never even heard before. I keep having to double check with my mom to make sure it's all actually him. The year book picture seems legit btw. Mom said his ex would know more than her and my sister told me her mom saidit looked right and seemed to be the right school. As far as the name difference....best we can figure is well one he had to fake a few things to play in night clubs for awhile (he started when he was something like 14) and two you could get away with changing things in yearbooks back then...nick names and what not. He did name one of his kids from his first marriage Wayne so it kinda fits. Anyway this was probably more details than my mom wanted me to give out. She thought it was nice that there was/is an air of mystery around him...and she said if he was still alive he would have gotten a total kick out of his music being online and people still listening to it...he never did lose his live for it.
Interesting updates.
In summary:
Thomas Ashby [birth name]
Wayne Arthur ‘Tex’ Ashby [1958 high school yearbook]
Tex Ashby [stage name mid-late 60s]
Don Argo [Hickory label 1965-66]
Randy Lee [Elektra album ‘Soakin’ With Tears', EKS 75081, July 1974]
And Lyn, addition, Randy Lee also in his Everest/ Philips recording days, 1959-1962
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