The Sundowners: Baby Jane 1963

Teddy Toi, Bob Wynyard, Trixie Willoughby, Sonny Day, Lloyd Tangaio and Max Purdy

The Sundowners were formed in the late 1950’s in Auckland, New Zealand.  Originally called Sonny Day and the Sharks. They played a form of Rock and Roll that had yet to be influenced by The Beatles. They recorded three singles and an EP for local label Viking Records before signing to another Auckland label Zodiac Records in 1963. Released in the same year, Baby Jane was their second single for Zodiac. They release three more singles, one under name of Dave Henry and the Sundowners, before folding in 1964. They never recording an album. The song Baby Jane was also recorded by The Applejacks  a year after the Sundowners. The B-Side was a cover of the Little Richard’s gem Keep A Knockin’.

Produced by Dave Dunningham

Sonny Day                                  Guitar
Bob Wynyard                              Guitar
Teddy Toi                                      Bass
Max Purdy                                   Piano
Lloyd Tangaio                     Saxophone
Graeme 'Trixie' Willoughby        Drums

Baby Jane.mp3

Keep A Knockin'.mp3

Peg Leg Howell: New Jelly Roll Blues 1927

Henry Williams, Eddie Anthony, and Peg Leg Howell 

Peg Leg Howell was born Joshua Barnes Howell on March 5 1888 in Eaton, Georgia. Just twenty three years after the ending of slavery. His music comes from an era that predates the Blues. He worked as a farm worker until 1916 when he lost his right leg after his brother-in-law shot him with a shotgun during an argument. Hence, his nick name Peg Leg. He was sent to Prison for bootlegging in 1925 and 1930. Bootlegging was his primary source of income at the time. In 1926 he started recording for Columbia Records. New Jelly Roll Blues was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia on April 8, 1927. Beaver Slide Rag was the B-Side. After his friends and band members Henry Williams and Eddie Anthony died (Henry Williams in prison in 1930 and Eddie Anthony in 1934). Howell retired from music saying, “I just didn’t feel like playing anymore. I went back to selling liquor.” In 1952 he lost his other leg to diabetes. During the 1960’s blues revival he was “rediscovered” living on welfare and at 75 years old recorded again for Testament Record. He died in 1966 aged 78.

Peg Leg Howell      Vocals/Guitar
Henry Williams                  Guitar
Eddie Anthony                    Violin

New Jelly Roll Blues.mp3

Beaver Slide Rag.mp3

Johnny Cash: The German Connection

In the 1960’s and 70’s many musicians re-recorded their hits in various foreign languages to cater to different markets. Among them were The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Marvin Gaye. Johnny Cash pioneered the practice by dubbing German vocals for his song I Got Stripes in 1959. He also dubbed Five Feet High and Rising and I Walked The Line as well as recording two German songs in German, Besser So, Jenny-Jo and Kleine Rosmarie. His German connection goes back to 1952 when he spent two years as a radio operator with the U.S. Air Force stationed in Landsberg, Germany.  It was there he brought his first guitar and formed his first band the Landsberg Barbarians. Here’s Viel Zu Spät (I Got Stripes) and Wer kennt den Weg? ( I Walked The Line).

Viel Zu Spät (I Got Stripes).mp3 

Wer kennt den Weg (I Walked The Line).mp3