ANDY STARR

Chanteur US né Franklin Delano Gulledge, le 21 octobre 1932 à Combs (Arkansas). Andy Starr fit ses débuts en 1954 sur le label Lin Records. Excellent guitariste, il joua avec David Ray Smith et les "Strikes" et enregistra de la Country Music sous le nom de "Frank Starr And The Rock-A-Way Boys". Il grava également en 1956 du Rockabilly chez MGM et enregistra aussi chez Decca, Kapp, et Holiday Inn Records. Andy Starr est décédé le 12 septembre 2003.

Andy Starr was never much than one of rock 'n' roll's footnotes, in terms of his commercial impact or success, but what a footnote! Never a star in his own region, he wasn't widely known outside of the south. But back in 1956 and 1957, Andy Starr was rumored to be the next Elvis Presley, and a couple of times he got records out that were good enough to make the case convincingly. Needless to say, that eventuality was never realized, but he did make enough noise as a performer to record throughout the second half of the 1950's, and intermittently, into the 1990's. Born Franklin Delano Gulledge near Combs, Arkansas, in 1932, he grew up in dire poverty, and was never far from the edge of delinquency, going over the edge, according to scholar Wayne Russell, when he pulled a pistol on a teacher — by 14, in 1947, he had left school and was riding the rails and living life as a hobo. According to those who knew him, Starr had one talent in those days beyond a knack for survival, and that was playing guitar, something he'd picked up in his abbreviated time at home and never forgotten. He was 17 when the Korean War exploded and he signed up; luckily for him, someone noticed his musical ability and he was assigned to special services rather than to a combat unit, where his fate might have been very different. He formed the Arkansas Plowboys from the ranks of fellow southerners and survived his two years in South Asia, coming out a little bit straighter in life than he'd gone in — he still drank, sometimes to excess, but he tried regular work in a factory in Kansas before moving to California. There, he and his brothers Bob and Clark formed a new group, also christened the Arkansas Plowboys. Billing himself as Frank Starr, he played lead guitar in the band and soon so outstripped his siblings in skill and seriousness that he left them behind, musically and literally. He packed up for Texas, and in the early 1950's was scratching out a living around Denison for two dollars a night, working some of the worst roadhouses and shanty-town clubs in the state, catering to military personnel and anyone else brave enough to enter — by some accounts, nights without barfights and flying beer bottles and chairs were rarer than those with. But he hung on and built a reputation for doing an exciting show and generating a hot rockabilly sound, and in 1955 he parlayed a spot on local radio into an audition for Joe M. Leonard Jr., of Lin and Kliff Records. Leonard was impressed enough to cut four sides with Starr, two of which, "Dig Them Squeaky Shoes" and "The Dirty Bird Song (You Can't Hardly Get Them No More)", become his debut single. Although neither his first nor his second singles were hits, Starr managed to get work on the same bills with the likes of Porter Wagoner and Grandpa Jones. He also occasionally wrote songs, including "Rockin' Reelin' Country Style." Then, in 1956, he was forced to change his name — he and Leonard got word of a performer using the name Frank Starr working out of California, which led to the Arkansas-born singer changing his name to Andy Starr. Joe M. Leonard Jr. was unfazed by the momentary pause, and was prepared to continue recording his most promising rock & roll act. He got Andy Starr placed with MGM Records, which opened his national recording career with the best record of his whole life, "Rockin' Rollin' Stone", co-written by Starr, who also played lead guitar on top of singing — in the former department, he was no Cliff Gallup, but he had a distinctive style and a very raw, visceral sound. The B-side was the almost equally fine "I Wanna Go South." There was talk of Starr being the next Elvis Presley, based on this record, but MGM wasn't able to put him across to the public the way RCA had done with Elvis. He also pushed hard with "Give Me a Woman," but never charted a record nationally, and his departure for Alaska for five years stalled whatever career momentum he might've had, except in the 49th state. He worked as Frank Starr up there, and tried some more records with Leonard, right up through 1963. He was back in the lower 48 by the mid-1960's, but none of the sides that he recorded made it out to the public. It was around that time that he took a break from music, and from the drinking and drug problems that he'd developed over the years — instead, Starr spent the late 1960's and the early 1970's as a sawmill worker, living in Kingston, Idaho. He tried cutting some country music sides for his own Starr Records label, but these never attracted large audiences. Starr also continued to perform locally and write songs, which he published through his old producer, Joe Leonard. None of this activity, which also later encompassed gospel-themed material — coinciding with Starr's turning toward God and even becoming a preacher for a time — registered much beyond where he lived. By the 1970's, he'd developed other interests, including politics, running unsuccessfully for the Idaho legislature in 1974, and then for President of the United States, twice, in 1976 and 1992 — he never got near the Oval Office, but, conversely, based on his Lin and Kliff sides, he was also a far greater musical talent than his fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton. Starr died in September of 2003 at age 70, of complications from pneumonia. He had lived long enough to see his complete 1955-63 sides cut with Joe Leonard issued on CD by Bear Family Records, and Wild Oats Records was reportedly planning a release of some of his later recordings for sometime in 2004.

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/AndyStarr.html
http://www.rockabilly.nl/reviews/starrstruck.htm
Talents : Singer, Guitar
Style musical : Rockabilly, Rock 'n' Roll

DIG THEM SQUEAKY SHOES GIVE ME A WOMAN ROCKIN' ROLLIN' STONE ROUND AND ROUND

Années en activité :

1910

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2000

DISCOGRAPHIE
Singles

02/1955	SP LIN 1009 (US)	Frank STARR & The ROCK-A-WAY BOYS - Dig Them Squeaky Shoes / The Dirty Bird Song (You Can't Hardly Get Them No More)
07/1955	SP LIN 45-1013 (US)	Frank STARR & The ROCK-A-WAY BOYS - Tell Me Why / For The Want Of Your Love
05/1956	SP MGM K12263 (US)	Rockin' Rollin' Stone / I Wanna Go South
08/1956	SP MGM K12315 (US)	She's A Going Jessie / Old Deacon Jones
11/1956	SP MGM K12364 (US)	Round And Round / Give Me A Woman
02/1957	SP MGM K12421 (US)	One More Time / No Room For Your Kind
08/1957	SP KAPP K-190X (US)	Do It Right Now / I Waited For You To Remember
08/1961	SP HOLIDAY INN 104 (US)	Frank STARR - Evil Eye / Knees Shakin'
04/1962	SP HOLIDAY INN 108 (US)	Frank STARR - Little Bitty Feeling / Lost In A Dream
1963	SP LIN 5033-45 (US)	Frank STARR - Me And The Fool / Pledge Of Love

1981	LP 12" POLYDOR 2489 180 (F)		U.S. ROCKABILLY - Rockin' Rollin' Stone / She's A Going Jessie / Round And Round / One More Time / + CONWAY TWITTY / + MARVIN RAINWATER
1995	CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 15845 (D)		DIG THEM SQUEAKY SHOES - She's A Going Jessie / One More Time / Rockin' Rollin' Stone / Old Deacon Jones / No Room For Your Kind / Round And Round / I Wanna Go South / Give Me A Woman / Old Deacon Jones (alt.) / Dig Them Squeaky Shoes / The Dirty Bird Song / Do It Right / Rockin' Reelin' Country Style / Tell Me Why / For The Want Of Your Love / Love Is A Simple Thing / Me And The Fool / Loverman / Knee Shakin' / Evil Eye / Little Bitty Feeling / Lost In A Dream / Pledge Of Love / Do It Right Now / I'm Seeing Things (I Shouldn't See) / Somali Dolly / I Waited For You To Remember

My Father: Andy Starr

[size=9]By Linda Hone (posted January 22, 2004).
My father was born Franklin Delano Gulledge in 1932 in Combs, Arkansas. He got interested in music at a young age. He joined the Army at the age of 17. He served during the Korean War, When he got out of the Army, he formed the group known as "The Arkansas Plowboys," which consisted of his two brothers, Bob and Clark. This was sometime around 1952/1953, and only for a short time. Dad also recorded songs in the early '50s through the early '60s, on record labels such as: LIN, MGM, KAPP and HOLIDAY INN.
Dad worked in Alaska at a night club from 1859 to 1965, and did very well. I was a little girl at that time. We were there in the 1964 earthquake. Dad decided to leave Alaska in 1965 and signed on with Hollywood International Talents, Deville Recording Company, HIT Talent along with it. This was out of Hollywood, California on El Centre Ave. He was booked in Santa Barbara, California. He also had a booking in Las Vegas, NV, but for reasons only known to him, he never showed.
Dad then settled in Kingston, Idaho, and took up working at a sawmill while trying to raise a family. He never gave up his music. He would always be picking his guitar at home, that was his passion. He had a show he did on the radio in Wallace, Idaho. The station was KWAL. The station manager at the time asked my Dad to write a song for the valley we lived in. The valley during that time period was known as "The Fabulous Valley" from the latter '60s and early '70s. Dad wrote the song and called it, "The Fabulous Valley." It is a very beautiful ballad. It was recorded on a "45" and I an unable to locate a copy of it. It is my most favorite song of all that my father wrote.




The Valley here in Idaho is now known as "The Solver Valley." In 1972 a disaster happened. There was a fire at the Sunshine Mine here in Idaho, where 92 men lost their lives. Dad wrote and recorded a song called "The Tragedy at the Sunshine Mine." Also in 1972 Dad made his only Gospel album, It was titled "You Can't Disguise Religion" - Frank Starr with the Wilson-McKinley Jesus Rock Band and Neil Livingston on steel guitar. Dad traveled around to various churches, preaching and playing his guitar, singing Gospel songs.
My Dad then decided to go back out and sing for the public. In 1973 he recorded the album "Frank Starr Live at Wanda's Club." The drummer (Richard Ochoa) who was a friend of my Dad, and was playing on that album, recently gave me a copy of it. I listened to it and I must say, it sounded as if my Dad was having a lot o fun while singing it.


Frank when he was known as "Frank Starr and his Blue Notes.
Then man in the niddle is Buck, 86 years old in 2003.
Photo is from the mid to late '60s

Frank and Neil Livingston when they were recording the Gospel album
with The Wilson-McKinley Jesus Rock Band.

I wasn't of age to ever see my dad sing in public like that. I did get to watch him record the Gospel album in Spokane, Washington at the Sound Recording Studio. I also received another album from the same drummer, that I never knew existed. The album is "Frank Starr Sings Patterson & Starr." It's a collection of songs that Dad and his friend Harry Patterson had both written (with my Dad singing all the songs). This is about all I know of my father's music career, except that he did record a CD in Nashville along with two groups in 2002 called "Starr Struck." Gail Lloyd of the Tricksters did a duet with my father. The only known duet that I know of. She was very kind to me after my dad had passed, although I never met her personaly.



I'll always remember my Dad having his guitar on a stand in the living room, ready for him to pick up and play if the mood hit him. He was a man with great talent when it came to picking the guitar. He never could read music, he learned to play by ear and that takes talent. I'd like to think my dad made some people happy with his music. My father had five daughters and two sons. We will miss him always!! If anyone has memorabilia related to my Dad, please contact me. Thank you.
Linda Hone
P.O. Box 924
Rathdrum, Idaho 83858
Email: loubug@earthlink.net

Posted: February 11, 2000 - by Shaun Mather

Born on a farm near Combs, Arkansas on 21st October 1932, Frank Andy Starr was never going to be any old southern kid, he was always destined to be a little bit different. Christened Franklin Delano Gulledge after the thirty second American president, he grew up during the height of the Depression, and from an early age showed he had a bit of fire in his belly. This kid was always gonna be more like Daniel Boone than Pat Boone! After pulling a gun on a teacher he decided perhaps school wasn't for him and left at the ripe old age of fourteen. After a couple of years riding the freight trains he was recruited into the Special Services and whilst serving in Korea, he formed The Arkansas Plowboys. After leaving the army he and his two brothers Chuck and Bob settled in California where the trio began a new band, again using the Arkansas Plowboys monikor. The band was short lived and Frank sold up and moved to Texas, stopping in Las Vegas for a long beer and a short wedding.

By 1954 the south was starting to hear the first strains of a new rockabilly sound, young hillbilly kids mixing their Wills and Williams with a bit of rhythm and blues. Along with Tennessee, Texas was at the forefront of this explosive revolution and it was only a matter of time before even the backwater towns got to hear it. Frank was now stationed in Denison, TX and found steady work in the many clubs which serviced the local Air Force base and also a daily spot on radio KDSX in Denison. The station manager persuaded him to audition for Joe Leonard, who owned the Gainsville based Lin label and KGAF radio. Leonard was impressed by the uptempo hillbilly stuff on offer and a session was arranged for early '55 at the Cliff Herring Studio in Fort Worth.

[b][i]Dallas songwriters Mietzl Miller and Bill Baker were commissioned to write a couple of songs, the first The Dirty Bird Song is a catchy uptempo item, not a million miles from Marvin Rainwater. The second number, Dig Them Squeaky Shoes is a plodding country rocker, with some nice guitar work from Frank. The resultant single (Lin 1009) failed to click on the charts but was a more than decent debut. Tell Me Why is probably the best song from the session, a real chugger, Franks vocals still very rural at his stage and the band on top form. It was written by bass player Marvin Pace, a local car salesman whose band, including fifteen year old piano playing son Johnny Pace, backed Frank billed as the Rock-Away Boys. For The Want Of Your Love is a country weeper with backing vocals from the pen of W.D.Patty who supplied songs to other Joe Leonard artists, most notably the excellent Buck Griffin but when released as Lin 1013 both sides sank without trace.

Another session at the Cliff Herring Studio was arranged but sadly, neither song was released at the time, only seeing the light of day two decades later on Ronnie Weisers' Rollin Rock label. Do It Right is a nice hillbillish rocker and Rockin' Reelin' Country Style is a great mover complete with chicken picking and frantic vocals.

He was starting to show a real flair for the new rocking sound and if he was unsure what road to take with his musical future, his mind was soon made up following a local gig on April 14th 1955. The Elvis Presley freight train was building momentum all over the south including a week long whistle stop tour of Texas with the great Onie Wheeler in support. Joe Leonard, through Elvis' manager Bob Neal, put the duo on at the Gainsville baseball field Owl Park and arranged a spot for Andy Starr and the Rock-Aways. Arriving in town in a pink and white Cadillac, wearing pink peg slacks and an orchid shirt, the Memphis hot shot, just turned twenty, was pushing his new (fourth) Sun single, Baby Let's Play House/I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone but he was virtually unknown in Gainsville and only a handful of teens turned up. Those that did had a ball and both Elvis and Andy Starr went down well with the locals. Leonard lost money on the concert and Elvis, upset at the turn-out promised Joe that he would return and play for the original fee of $300. Elvis soon found Carny Tom Parker, who wasn't the type to let his boy do such a thing and the deal never materialised. Things calmed down for a while Leonard tried to get Starr hooked up with a lease deal. Via the influential Aberbach brothers, a deal was struck with MGM. From the outside it looked like a swell move, but MGM were still reaping the rewards of having Hank Williams stuff in the can and were therefore content to send out just 200 promo copies on new artists. Career wise the year with MGM was a flop, but musically it was anything but.

With Joe Leonard still in the producer's chair, four classics were cut, once more in Fort Worth. Definative rockabilly has barrels of bass, hot flashes of electric guitar and a squirrel headed singer - this session couldn't fail then. Rockin' Rollin' Stone, penned by Starr and Patty is pure rockabilly, a relenting double bass, Sun-style guitar, courtesy of Larry "Red" Adair, and energetic vocals, rounded off with nonsense lyrics - ah, heaven. Old Deacon Jones is a loping rocker with two more great guitar solos. She's A Going Jessie starts off with the immortal lines "I believe in girls 100%" before turning into more of the same. I Wanna Go South is a slower bluesy affair with Starrs vocal showing an Elvis influence and Adair again shining. Stone and South were chosen as the first single (MGM K 12263) and released at the end of May '56 to fairly strong reviews from Billboard who picked up on the Elvis influence and perceptively acknowledged that the sound could be limited to the southern states. No only did the Yankies show no interest but the sales in Dixieland weren't sufficient to hit the charts. Jessie and Old Deacon Jones came next (MGM K 12315) with more of the same from Billboard and more of the same from the public.
At the annual DJ convention in Nashville Andy was walking from his hotel to the Andrew Jackson Hotel, decked out in his best red and white stage suit when he was mobbed. The following ran in national press the following week: "(Nashville, Tennessee) - A group of squealing teenagers mistook a young country singer for Elvis Presley in Nashville, Tennessee Friday night. The youngsters nearly tore the clothes from the singer's back before discovering he wasn't their idol. The teenagers had congregated at a downtown hotel on a rumour that Presley would show up for radio station WSM's Annual Disc Jockey Festival. Andy Starr of Gainsville, Texas, came along. He has long sideburns and long black hair similar to Presley's. He promptly was mobbed by the screaming youngsters, male and female. The crowd ripped the pockets and buttons from his coat and shirt and even made off with his shoe laces. Policemen finally rescued him. Patrolman Ernest Castleman commented "This is the wildest thing I ever saw. If Elvis were here, I don't think these kids would be in any frame of mind to love him tender." Starr wasn't too upset by the publicity. As for Presley, he was rumoured en route to Las Vegas, Nevada - and not in Nashville at all."

Unshaken, not even stirred, Starr and Leonard headed back to Fort Worth on 9 September 1956 and cut four more crackers. This time Joe took his new Texan discoveries The Strikes as the back-up band and their sterling support maintained the standard. The first track cut was the moody mid paced Give Me A Woman complete with driving guitar and drums and plenty of oohs and aahs from the band. Round And Round is pure excitement, frantic vocals and the drums and guitars well to the fore. One More Time is a more controlled rocker, but none the worse for it. Although not the best of the MGM cuts it was perhaps the one with the most chance of commercial success. No Room For Your Kind was a rocker from the band but the strained vocals did little to hide the country side of Starr. Albert Branden Cornelius again plays some blinding lead guitar. Round And Round and Give Me A Woman opened the batting (MGM K 12364) and Billboard enthused that "Starr is one of the more noteworthy Presley disciples, and here he is blessed with a strong piece of material and a funky back shack backing that ought to inspire plenty of deejay play. The beat is solid and works on the nerves hypnotically". Of the flip it delared that it was "Also in the rockabilly vein and reminiscent of one of the Presley numbers". The pulses in the Starr camp must have been racing when Billboard finished the review with "He could break thru, if any of the Presley imitators can". MGM was so moved that they shipped 201 advance copies to the radio stations and again the failed to hit nationally. Strangely, Give Me A Woman clicked in Pasadena, California, and some TV and radio promotions were arranged. KXLA DJ The Squeakin' Deacon introduced him - "You've heard of Elvis The Pelvis. Now here's Andy The Dandy". Starr liked the sound of that and so he kep' it.
So after two sessions, four singles and eight glorious tracks, Starr and Leonard left MGM, proud that they had given more than they had received from the label. It had been a one sided love affair.

Source :::

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/AndyStarr1.html