Rudy "Tutti" GRAYZELL

Chanteur Rockabilly US né Jiminez Grayzell en 1933 à Saspamco(Texas). Rudy Grayzell a débuté à l'orée des années cinquante en enregistrant des Hillbillies pour Capitol Records et dès 1955, il devient la vedette du Louisiana Hayride de Shreveport (Louisiane). Multi labels, Rudy a aussi enregistré pour Abbott (53-54), Starday (56-57), Mercury (57), Sun (58), Award (59) et Ocean Records. Rudy Grayzell fut surnommé "Tutti".
Rudy Grayzell was born in 1933 in Saspamco, TX, just outside of San Antonio. He grew up listening to the regional mix of Tex-Mex and country music, but had his sights set on being a baseball player. That is, until in his early teens, Rudy figured out that being a musician was a much quicker route to the women's hearts. His first C & W combo, the Silver Buckles, evolved into the Texas Kool Kats in the early '50s. The Kool Kats (which included an 11-year old Doug Sahm) were good enough to land a daily radio show out of San Antonio and regular gigs throughout the Southwest, all under the sponsorship of Pearl Beer. This quickly led to Rudy hooking up with Abbott Records out of Louisiana, where he cut 3 country-tinged 45s between 1953 and 1954. Tour dates expanded to include higher-profile shows in Nashville and eventually the Louisiana Hayride, where Rudy shared the bill with a soon-to-be-famous Elvis Presley. "The nickname Rudy "Tutti" was given to me by the King, Elvis, in Tulsa OK during a concert" says Rudy. "I traveled with Elvis for about 1 1/2 years - wow, I was always in a trance - Elvis was a top cat .
As rockabilly began to "evolve", Rudy made the jump from Abbott to Capitol. Rudy says "I was more into the rockabilly thing, man. I needed to rock!" Three singles were released in 1955, including "Hearts of Stone" b/w "There's Gonna Be a Ball". Ironically, Otis Williams & the Charms released their stepped-up faster version of "Hearts of Stone" just a month after Rudy, and had a huge hit. "Baby, I lost a million bucks!" laments our hero. In 1956, Rudy signed on with Starday Records, where he cut his most rockin' records like "Let's Get Wild", "You're Gone" and one of the seminal rockabilly tracks, "Duck Tail" (written by Rudy), which became a regional Top 10 hit out of Houston. He then moved over to the famous Sun label who released "Judy" in 1957. Then it was on to Award Records and the 1958 single, "FBI Story", which ultimately ended up being Rudy's last rock & roll recording for over 30 years. Rudy crossed paths with Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens while touring through the late 1950s, but opted to relocate to Portland, OR in 1960. Rudy spent much of the last 30 years as an "entertainer", but never really lost his rockin' edge. "When you're young and you have a manager pushin' you in one direction, it's hard to resist baby. It was a mistake, I admit it. If I could do it again, I'd never have quit makin' the kinda music I like. Rock & Roll music!" reflects Mr. Grayzell.
With a renewed interest out of Europe in the 1980s in his rockabilly sides, Rudy contemplated a return to his roots. Full of energy and enthusiasm, and after some well-received European tours, Rudy cut a 4-song EP for Norton Records in 1991, backed by the A-Bones. He started gigging on a more regular basis, including opening some shows for Wanda Jackson and was ready to go all over again. In Spring'98, Rudy approached Burnside Records about doing a full-length rock & roll record for their new roots imprint, Sidebum. By June, Rudy was in the Studio in Springfield, MO with the Skeletons, where they knocked out 14 tracks for "Lets Get Wild" in less than three days. The energy and spontaneity of the sessions comes through loud & clear, and Rudy is singing at the top of his game.
http://www.myspace.com/rudygrayzell
Talents : Singer, Guitar
Style musical : Rockabilly

DUCK TAIL LET'S GET WILD THERE'S GONNA BE A BALL

09/1953	SP ABBOTT 145-45 (US)	.	Rudy GRAYZELL - Looking At The Moon And Wishing On A Star / The Heart That Once Was Mine
11/1953	SP ABBOTT 147-45 (US)	.	Rudy GRAYZELL - I'm Gone Again / Bonita Chiquita
03/1954	SP ABBOTT 157-45 (US)	.	Rudy GRAYZELL - It Ain't My Baby / Ocean Paradise
10/1954	SP CAPITOL F2946 (US)	.	Rudy GRAY - There's Gonna Be A Ball / Hearts Made Of Stone
02/1955	SP CAPITOL F3044 (US)	.	Rudy GRAY - You Better Believe It / Ca-Razy
06/1955	SP CAPITOL F3149 (US)	.	Rudy GRAY - Please, Big Mama / My Spirit Is Willing
03/1956	SP STARDAY 45-229 (US)	.	Rudy GRAYZELL - The Moon Is Up / Day By Day
05/1956	SP STARDAY 45-241 (US)	.	Duck Tail / You're Gone
11/1956	SP STARDAY 45-270 (US)	.	Rudy "Tutti" GRAYZELL & The IMPERIALS - Jig-Ga-Lee-Ga / You Hurt Me So

Grayzell, Rudy



Real name Rudy Jiminez Grayzell. Born 1933 in Saspamco, Texas.

References:
Feature article and sessionography in issue 29 (1988) of New Kommotion.
Feature article and sessionography in issue 46 (1992) of Rockin' Fifties.
Feature article and sessionography in issue 55 (1993) of American Music Magazine.

Original Releases



Discography is intended to be complete through 1964

Date & Source	Label & Number	V	Titles {& References to LP/CD List}	As By	Matrix Numbers
1953/Sept. 19 Bb c&w rev.	Abbott 145-45		Looking At The Moon And Wishing On A Star {q} The Heart That Once Was Mine {q}	1 1	a b
1953/Nov. 14 Bb c&w rev.	Abbott 147-45		I'm Gone Again {q} Bonita Chiquita {q}	2 2	b a
1954/Mar. 27 Bb c&w rev.	Abbott 157-45		It Ain't My Baby (And I Ain't Gonna Rock It) {e,q,z} Ocean Paradise {q,z}	2 2	a b
1954/Oct. 16 Bb c&w rev.	Capitol F2946		There's Gonna Be A Ball {i,l,n,q,x, H,J} Hearts Made Of Stone {q,z}	3 3	45-12940 45-12963
1955/Feb. 26 Bb c&w rev.	Capitol F3044		You Better Believe It {q, I} Ca-Razy {q}	3 3	45-12950 45-12964
1955/June 11 Bb c&w rev.	Capitol F3149		Please, Big Mama {q,z} My Spirit Is Willing {q}	3 3	45-13447 45-13446
1956/Mar. 17 Bb c&w rev.	Starday 45-229		The Moon Is Up (The Stars Are Out) {i,q} Day By Day {i,q}	1 1	2399 2400
1956/May 5 Bb c&w rev.	Starday 45-241		Duck Tail {c,i,j,m,q, A} You're Gone {i,j,m,q, C,G}	4 4	2434 2435
1956/Nov. 3 Bb c&w rev.	Starday 45-270		Jig-Ga-Lee-Ga {c,i,j,m,q} You Hurt Me So {i,q}	5 5	2488 2487
1957/June 24 Bb c&w rev.	Mercury-Starday 71138x45		Let's Get Wild {i,o,q,s} I Love You So {i}		YW14964 YW14963
1957/Sept. (Bb est.)	Starday 45-321		Let's Get Wild {d,j,m,q,v, F} I Love You So {q}	4 4	2627 2626

1958/May 26 Bb pop rev.	Sun 290		Judy {a,b,g,h,i,k,q,r,u,w,y, B,D} I Think Of You {i,k,q,u, E}	1 1	U-295 U-294
1959/July 20 Bb pop rev.	Award AW129/30		F-B-I Story {i,q} You'll Be Mine {i,q}	6 6	AW 129 AW 130
Additional Tracks on Comps
1957 (Sun Rec.)	Sun unissued		I Won't Be The Fool {u} Remember When {q,t,u}
1958	Sun unissued		Judy [alt. vers.] {f,i,p,q,u}
	[need info]		Let's Get Wild [alt vers.] {q}

References in "As By" Column:

1. as by Rudy Grayzell
   
2. as by Rudy Grayzell With Louisiana Hayride Band
   
3. as by Rudy Gray
   
4. as by Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell
   
5. as by Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell And The Imperials
   
6. as by Rudy Grayzell And His Thunderbirds Accompanied By The Sparkles
   

Other Notes:

• "Country Rockin' And Flyin'", attributed to Grayzell on Starday LP 1321 is actually by Buddy Dee.
  

Collector-Oriented Compilation LPs and CDs Containing Tracks

	1973
a.	SSS HJS 224 (lp)	Rocking & Stomping
	1977
b.	Charly CR 30116 (lp)	Sun - The Roots Of Rock, Vol. 9: Rebel Rockabilly, Vol. 2
	1979
c.	Gusto 5017X (lp)	Dixie Starday Rockabillys, Vol. 1
d.	Gusto 5031X (lp)	Dixie Starday Rockabilly's, Vol. 2