The track "Pass Around The Apples" was selected for a Various Artists CD Honey Doll. A fantastic CD with a bunch of great rocking unknown girl pop rock and roll.
"Pass Around The Apples" is one of the highlights. Very catchy, up tempo song, a haunting voice, wild, rocking guitars. Click to listen to Bonnie Prater's song.
Singer Bonnie Prater is one of these Rock and Roll mysteries. It seems to be impossible to find any information about her.
But I was lucky to get a mail from Kathleen, who happened quite accidentally upon an internet page of me where the track was listed. It was the song by her husbands Aunt Bonnie, who had passed away. She liked to have the song as it meant a lot to her husband, for Aunt Bonnie was a great influence in his life.
I sent the song to them and asked what more information there was about Bonnie Prater.
Here's the story of Bonnie Prater.
Bonnie Morris Prater was born with the given name of Bertha Louise Morris and called Bonnie all her life. She was born on November 28, 1941. She passed away from cancer on March 26, 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Her singing debut was at age 11 on a local television show in Miami Florida called The Uncle Martin Show. She appeared on the Uncle Harv and Happy Harold shows with her older sister as The Morris Sisters. But when the promoter misunderstood the groups name and announced them as The Massey Sisters and they were a success, they kept that name.
As the Massey Sisters they had a successful career in the local area. Individually Bonnie went on to open shows for Faron Young, Buck Owens, Webb Pierce and other big names that came to the Miami area to perform. At Criteria Studios in Florida, Bonnie sang with individual stars and groups as a back up singer.
In the mid 60's she and her husband, Bill Prater (a studio musician and lead guitarist) started their own band called 'The Cruisers' and played venues in the south Florida area.
In 1968 Bonnie went to Nashville with King Houston to cut her single 'Pass Around the Apples' and back up on the flip side for Houston on 'I Struck the Match'. After hearing her performance Decca Studios offered Bonnie a contract, but she was already signed with Houston, who refused to release her from his contract.
Later Bonnie and Bill went on to do show work with Lee Irvin and the Kentuckians performing in and around the southern United States for several years.
Bonnie and Bill decided to start a family in the 70's and she devoted her time to her two children and husband, eventually leaving Florida and moving to Atlanta, Georgia where she became very successful in the banking business, but continued to entertain family and friends with her beautiful voice.
She is dearly missed by all.
Thank you Kathleen and Bonnie's family for all the information!
12 July 2008
Bonnie Prater, Miami rocker
01 June 2008
Carol Hughes - pop singer ± 1960
Carol Hughes is a not uncommon name. There is an actress by that name who played in a Flash Gordon movie, there is a British writer, and many many more Carol Hughes'es around. That's what makes it hard to find more about that singer Carol Hughes who recorded from 1956-1962 on various US labels.
I have no personal information about the singer. She may be born around 1940 in the Los Angeles area (one of her songs figures on a soul compilation The Sound of East L.A). She's got a good, swinging, deep, powerful voice. She could be black.
Listen to her song Lover Boy
Below an autographed single release.
She has recorded quite some songs. She must have been known outside the US. The record on Mercury that I've got is a release printed in Norway.
That makes it extra strange that I haven't been able to find any other information about her.
Discography:
1956-57 on Mercury:
Merc 70986 Fancy Dance/ Mine all mine (Oct. 1956)
Merc 71095 My Big Brother's Friend/ Lover Boy (Apr. 1957)
1957-58 on Roulette:
Roul 4032 Pick Another Baby / Never Go 'way (Oct. 1957)
Roul 4041 Lend Me Your Comb/ First Date (Jan. 1958)
1958-59 on Dot
Dot 15863 The Bass/ Don't forget I love you (Nov. 1958)
Dot 15923 Bobby/ Sholem Aleichem (March 1959)
1959-60 for RCA-Victor
RCA 7605 Staying Young/ Going to the dogs (Sept. 1959)
RCA 7617 It's me, it's me, it's me/ I must have done something wonderful (Oct. 1959)
RCA 7665 Let Me Go Lover / When Did I Fall In Love (Jan. 1960)
RCA 7726 Creation/ Love, Kisses and Heartaches (Apr. 1960)
RCA 7763 I Can Tell/ Congratulations (June 1960)
For Corby (note: read comments below: this is another Carol Hughes...)
Corby 212 Let's Get Together Again/ Don't Turn Your Back
year unknown; some 1965-67 Corby releases exist, but 1960 could also be possible
1961-62 for Carlton
Carlton 571: Hello Heartbreak/ She's right for you (end 1961, early 1962?)
No information of recording after 1962.
Any help...?
Update Nov. 2009:
Picture of Carol found!
Paper (1956) says: "...a 14 years old, sophomore at West Oranje (NJ) high school, singing since the age of 2, TV experience in Athur Murray Dance Party and the Dean Martin Show...."
04 April 2008
Sophie Pascal - Yé-yé girl from Belgium/ artiste belge?
Sophie Pascal, a 1964-1965 recording artist, probably from Belgium.
Je manque toute information personnel sur Sophie Pascal. Tout que j'ai, sont les titres de ses disques, et une CP avec photo.
Ses disques sont lancés par Palette, maison de disques belgique. Alors, je devine, elle est belge. Ces disques ont été paru en Hollande aussi, en 'picture sleeves'.
Elle a été bien connu, années 1964-65.
Où est madame Sophie maintenant? Elle a renregistré d'autres disques? Quelqu'un peut me renseigner?
Ecoute Sophie: Je ne frapperai plus à ta porte. Disque début, avec l'orchestre Willy Albimoor (1924-2004), un flamand bien connu. C'est une translation de "I ain't gonna knock on your door". Pas la chanson de Eddie Hodges d'ailleurs. Les 'covers' de Sophie sont toujours des disques qui, en version originale, sont restés obscure aux pays d'origine aussi.
Peut-être Sophie faisait sa texte lui-même: la chanson "Plus la même" c'est l'adoption d'une composition de Chip Taylor, texte de Pascal (=Sophie?).
D'autres textes sont fait par Nelly Byl et Van Aleda, des noms fort connus en Belge de 1965.
Discographie:
1964:
Palette 40184 Je ne frapperai plus à ta porte (I ain't gonna knock on your door/ Tant pis pour moi (I don't care anymore)
Palette 40206 Seule sous la pluie / Plus la même (He's my little devil)
1965:
Palette 40230 La petite grive (The little grave) / Les larmes aux yeux (Linda with the lonely eyes)
EP Palette 7256: Seule sous la pluie / Tu es là / Plus la même / Ne te moque pas de moi
Sophie Pascal als artiest gekend onder deze naam is op 24 maart gestorven in Veurne. Overlijdensbericht te bekijken op Uitvaar Kesteloot Veurne.
26 January 2008
Pamela Law - Oklahoma rocker on Boyd?
She recorded, as far as I know, 4 vinyls for Boyd records. An Oklahoma City label, of Bobby Boyd, some releases with an Indian's chief head depicted on a brownish label.
These were her 4 45-rpm records:
Boyd-1985 (Jun 1960) When The Band Plays The Blues b/w Not Like It Was With You
The A-side is a fantastic rockabilly rocker, with a hammering honky tonk piano. The song was composed by John D. Loudermilk and originally recorded by Hank Locklin on RCA one year before. The B-side is probably a cover of the Mel Tillis song, recently unearthed by daughter Pam Tillis on her 2002 cd.
Boyd-1986 (Nov 1960) Just Like You Like It (click to listen) b/w What Did You Do
This record probably was Pamela's biggest seller, though 'big' is of relative notion. The song was penned by a Robert Riley (not likely to be the nowadays Alabama governor!). The B-side was a Walker/ Wilkins song.
Boyd-3036 (May 1961) End of the Line b/w Bingo
Both Robert Riley songs. The seller who labelled the record 'Northern Soul' probably preferred to fool ignorant buyers over giving an accurate description. "Bingo" is a great, fast rocking song, hear it!.
Boyd-119 (Apr. 1962) Naturally / Secret
Again, 2 Robert Riley songs.
Who can tell me who and where Pamela Law (sometimes misspelled as Pamala Law) is, or add other information?
Update Apr. 2010:
I now found more information:
Pamela was born on May 20, 1944 in Davidson County, TN. Her first recording was when 15 years old. Billboard magazine wrote "a Gallatin Tenn. youngster, high school sophomore, frequent guest at Noel Ball's show".
Pam married Joe Lewis Blankenship in 1963 (date explains the end of her recording career).
She was a substitute teacher and later a secretary at Union Elementary and a member of West End Missionary Baptist Church in Gallatin, TN.
Pamela passed away age 58 in 2002.
Still, no more information, no artist photo, ... help!
09 December 2007
Don Argo - 1965/66 artist
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
13 October 2007
Nellie Rutherford - a Northern Soul Hickory label mystery
All I know of this Nellie Rutherford, is that she recorded 2 45-records in 1962. Very interesting records too, for these are covers of Boudleaux/ Bryant, John Loudermilk and Roy Orbison/ Joe Melson penned songs.
After these 2 recordings, she seems to have quit recording.
I haven't got one tiny piece of information about the person Nellie Rutherford. Please help...
Nellie's recordings are catalogued as Northern Soul and Doo-Wop.
"Laughing At Me", can be described as a R&B stomper, with a touch of Harlem Shuffle.
Her cover of "Turn Me On" is an important one. She took the song that was released by Mark Dinning one year earlier. Mark's version treated the song as a crooner's ballad, which did not work. Nellie changed it into a soulful version. Nellie sounds like a black singer, but -recording for Hickory- I would not be surprised if she turns out to be white.
The version by Nellie must have been the inspiration for Nina Simone to record the song in 1966, what eventually led to the mega hit cover of Norah Jones (in 2000). So in a way, Nellie is Norah's grandma.
Listen to a sample of Turn Me On.
Discography:
Hickory 45-1172 (May 1962): Turn Me On (Loudermilk) b/w Laughing At Me (Boudleaux/ Bryant)
Hickory 45-1182 (Sept. 1962): Lavender Lace (Orbison/ Melson) b/w Looking At The Ceiling
16 September 2007
Bobby Wattrell - one 45rpm only?
Bobby Wattrell, [a name that seems to rhyme on: what the hell] who is he...?
I've got this nice 45 rpm of him, but have no information about the singer at all...
The facts: Bobby recorded one 45 rpm record on Magnasound 45-701: Terry b/w Bye Bye Blackbird. One side a John D. Loudermilk song, the other written by Dixon-Henderson. Released December 1963.
Magnasound is a subsidiary label of Monument records. The song is labeled as "A Norro production". Without a doubt this is Norro Wilson, the country singer/ songwriter, who worked for Monument records.
Listen to a sample of Bye, Bye, Blackbird.
Google does not give many clues to the name Bobby Wattrell. He probably hasn't recorded any more as a solo artist.
The family name Wattrell seems to be not very common. Which gives me hope that someday someone somewhere will happen to find my page and be able to tell me more about the singer...
Update March 2019: the Tennessean, March 1970, reports about a concert by the Newbeats, with a Bobby Wattrell added as a drummer.
Posts
