Gene Summers Feature

tIilITED EDITIOH I0LLE(T.0RS' IOVERS ELV*$,ffim&fx, r 0F4T0c0LLErr BIRIHDAy SpEflAL! II{ Ut' r{ili\iril! L* &. 7\',, >! *...; * ? * c:€ =- e l*.7 e i*,1aa :: ,i*: . fi,E,ll \ t I 5 ),( ; lrl;i 6 ! E r3 $ t:", ,"r q q '!; .q l6 ;€ * i'-4, s ,, ,=uq*,[eof Ro& *rf' Gene Summers ! Texan roekfn'roller 6ene Summers has been knscking rorkabillyfans dead for more than 5n years. He's played with the liltes of ftuck Berry and the Drifters and is one of ro(k's most-covered arti$s. "l've lived it and l've Ioved it," he tells Jeremy lsaat, "and I still do!" Who were your niain musical Did you struggle to get the qound influences when|ou were growingup? you wanted? "Long belore rock'n'rol]. I was influenced ''sessions have never been a by early country artists such as Lefty struggle for me. T love'em. Schoo/ Frizzell, Carl Smith, all the Hanks... I also of Rock'n'Roll was recorded in one listened to singers like Frankie Laine and take because we'd heen playing the song country = Vaugh4n Monioe." live for months and had it d.own. School Nashvil/e was originally produced for of Rock'n'Roll, Strdighr Skirt, I':11'Never Be Warren Smith, but after he died, Lake You formed the Rebels in 1957. How Lonely. Fancy Dan and Alabama Shake Countv Records asked iiT would do the didthe band get together? rr ere recorded at that first session at vocals. The facks were already recordeJ- "James McClung p,lai-ed le:d guitar. I Los Angeles' Master Recorders studio in so I just put the voice over. I recorded pla1,ed rhrthrrl. G::';1[oe;l 1la1-ed drums. January 1958. The second session was that whole album on a Sundav,,afternoor-- $e all'n-e::::,: :.:3= :ogether. The at Liberry Records in Holly'wood. That j- =cr+al ftr,r': re::- -,,,-.. : --- : : : ::-.s pla]-er. llost session produced Nervous, Twixteen and You played Europe extensively in the --::'l--l l---= :-::=- $'ere eirler UniOn Gotta Lotta That|' l98os and 199os during the rock'n'rotrl ----.i :-::-. : -.:--.::3 cc,cs-tail lounges or rockabilly revival Were yoursurprised p j _* :i:: :T - :_..,.J:i:l-. laling s it- dou.n ob s. What was it like performing in those to find such a large, young audience for \,::e :i=ein a-anted to lear-e steady early days? the music in Europe? -'.c'h :l _:,:il a rockabilly band. In late "I played a lot ofTV shows and record 'Yes. and I'm still surprised. Every i95i J:-roes. Gar1. alrd I rvere playing a' hops in 1958/'59 with a lot of up-and- concert I do I find more new fans. lt's depa;unenr store in Dallas and on the coming stars like Duane Eddie, Connie very exciting to sing a song and find .ame bill w'as a jazzfpop duo consisting Francis, Bobby Darin and Eddie Fontaine. people know the lyrics and sing along of piano and a stand-up bass player Tn those days, ifyou had a record to - not just my geireration, but also the named Benny Wiiliams. Benny became a promote. you'd walk into a station. give younger fans. It's very gratifr,ing. Long Rebel from thar day forrh." the deejay the record and hang around. live rockabilly and all the great neu- The longer you stayed the more airplay artists who are keeping it alivel There's a What made you play rockabilly? you got. We all stayed, hearing each lot of talent out there." "Elvis and Carl Perkins opened the door others'records over and over." to rockabilly. Their sound consisted of You've always stayed true to your bass, lead guitar and rhythm guitar. lt had You scored your biggest sell er, Big Blue rockabilly roots. YYhat is it about that raw simple, good-time sound thaL Diamonds,in 1964. Were you surprised roekabillythat keeps you involved and I liked, and that's what we tried to build by its popularity? still fascinates fans around the world? on. Gary's drums gave us a little more "I wasn't that surprised because I knew "Rockabitly music is a statement about punch. then when James started writing it could sell. My wife, Dea, wasn't very the 1950s. It takes you back to another songs for the group they fitted righr impressed with the demo and didn't want time - a simpler time, a nostalgic time, into the sryle we were playing." me to release it. She thought it was too and for the people who weren't there it country. She learned ro like icl There have gives them an insight into what things You released your first single, School been more than ten covers of it now.'' were like during those years. T'rn so glad of &oekln'Rol[ in 1958. How did it feel that was my era." tohave your ffrst record out? You continued to record a mixture of 'lli's a once-in-a-lifetime feeling like country and rockabilly and scored a hit You've been rocking for more than 5O nothing you'll ever have again. When you with Goodbye Priscillain 1.977, which years now. How do you feel looking hear it for the first time on the radio, it's was more of a country ballad. Then in back on such a long and eventful like.'Man. this is the start of somettring l98O you recorded Gene Summers in musical career? good!' It was unbelievable: three months N ashville. Has country music always "I ve been very lucl'7. Itseerns that even' ago you graduate from high school. then been important to you? time one door closes another one'opens. you sign a record contract. now you're on "l've always been a big fan of traditional Jt's been a great ride. but there's a lot of the charts! lt's unforgettable." country music, not this modern, so-called miles yet to be travelled." I 14 YII{TAOEROCIISSUE15.

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