Dedicated  to  my  old  friend  Pete  Moorcroft  from  Derby !

Dates And Recording Information

Nashville and Clovis 1956

Researched and Compiled by 
Terry R. Shaw 
Copyright © 2000 by Terry R. Shaw

Pages constructed and maintained 
by Peter Moorcroft

1956

Mon.1/9/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and the Two Tunes start a 14 day "Southern Tour" with the Hank Thompson Show at Little Rock, Arkansas.

Mon. 1/23/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and the Two Tunes end the 14-day "Southern Tour" with the Hank Thompson Show at Memphis, Tennessee.

Thur.1/26/56 LOVE ME (Buddy Holly/Sue Parrish) Take 10 was released on 4/16/56-S, 1/6/58-S and 4/58-A. As the flip side to "Blue Days, Black Nights", it is Buddy's first record release. An unknown take and Take 19 were bootlegged in 6/95-A.

DON'T COME BACK KNOCKIN' (Buddy Holly/Sue Parrish) Released in 4/58-A. Two takes were bootlegged on 6/95-A.

MIDNIGHT SHIFT (Earl Lee/Jimmie Ainsworth) Released in 4/58-A. The Picks added background harmonies in 1984.

BLUE DAYS, BLACK NIGHTS (Ben Hall) Released in 4/16/56-S and 4/58-A, it is Buddy’s first record release. Ben Hall is heard doing his version in the film, "The Real Buddy Holly Story".

All the songs from this date were recorded at the Bradley’s Barn Studio, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee between 7:15pm and 10:15pm. The musicians are Buddy and Sonny Curtis on guitars, Grady Martin on rhythm guitar, Jerry Allison, 17, on drums and Doug Kirkham and Don Guess, 19, on bass. They record under the name of “Buddy Holley and the Two Tunes”. Released in 5/64-A. The Picks added background harmonies on 2/19/1984.

2/UNK/56 BABY WON’T YOU COME OUT TONIGHT (AKA "Moonlight Baby")(Buffalo Girl...) (Adapted by Buddy Holly) Released in 1963-A and 2/81-A. Bootlegged on 6/95-A.

I GUESS I WAS JUST A FOOL (Buddy Holly) Bootlegged in 6/95-A.

Both were recorded in Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Buddy and Sonny Curtis were on guitars, Don Guess on bass and Jerry Allison on drums.

Wed.2/8/56 UNRECORDED: When Buddy receives his Decca Records contract from Jim Denny of Cedarwood Publishing in Nashville, he sees that his name has been misspelled to "Holly". He decides to leave it that way.

Sun. 4/15/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs at the American Legion Center in Lubbock, Texas.

4/UNK/56 CHANGING ALL THOSE CHANGES (AKA "I'm Changing All Those Changes") (Buddy Holly) Released in 2/63-A.

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (Buddy Holly) Released in 2/63-A after the Fireballs in Clovis, New Mexico overdubbed it under the direction of Norman Petty in late 1962. The Picks overdubbed background harmonies on 6/29/84. Bootlegged on 6/95-A.

IT’S NOT MY FAULT (Ben Hall/Weldon Myrick) Released in 2/63-A, the Fireballs under Norman Petty’s guidance in Clovis, New Mexico overdubbed it in 1962 and the Picks added background harmonies on 6/29/84. Bootlegged on 6/95-A.

I’M GONNA SET MY FOOT DOWN (Buddy Holly) Released in 2/63-A. The Picks added background harmonies to this song in on 6/29/84. The Fireballs were overdubbed in 1962.

ROCK-A-BYE ROCK (Buddy Holly) Released in 2/63-A. The Picks added background harmonies to this song on 6/29/84. The Fireballs were overdubbed in 1962. Bootlegged on 6/95-A.

These were all demos recorded in Clovis, New Mexico with Buddy and Sonny Curtis on guitar, Don Guess on bass and Jerry "J.I." Allison on drums.

Sun.5/6/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs with Faron Young's "Grand Ole Opry Show" in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On the show are Ray Price, Red Sovine, Jimmie and Johnny, Carl Perkins, and Tommy Collins.

5/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs with Faron Young's "Grand Ole Opry Show" in Tulsa and Odessa, Oklahoma. On the show are Ray Price, Red Sovine, Jimmie and Johnny, Carl Perkins, and Tommy Collins.

5/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and the Two Tunes back up Sonny James on a one-month tour.

Thurs.5/31/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and Jerry "J.I." Allison go to see John Wayne's movie "The Searchers". In the film, Wayne mutters "That'll be the day!" and later that evening, the boys start writing the song. Years later an English band will take their name from the title of the movie.

Sun.7/22/56 CHANGING ALL THOSE CHANGES (Buddy Holly) Released in 4/58-A and 2/63-A. Sonny Curtis plays lead guitar. Another take exists where Sonny "muffs" the lead.

GIRL ON MY MIND (Don Guess) Take 3 was released on 6/23/58-S, 4/58-A. The Fireballs under Norman Petty’s guidance in Clovis, New Mexico overdubbed it in 1962 and the Picks added background harmonies on 2/19/84 at the Sound Masters Recording Studio in Houston, Texas. Sonny Curtis plays lead guitar. Another take was also released.

ROCK AROUND WITH OLLIE VEE (Sonny Curtis) Take 8 was released on 8/12/57, 9/2/57 and 5/64-A. Sonny named the song after Ollie Vee Robertson, the wife of Willie Robertson who worked on Sonny's dad’s farm. This is what Sonny said in an interview. But Buddy and Sonny were huge Elvis fans and it wouldn’t take much changing of lyrics to have it become a song about "Elvis P." instead of "Ollie Vee". Elvis P. came from Memphis, Tennessee also. Note the songs’ reference to "Blue Suede Shoes" too. This song was recorded again on 11/15/56 with Boots Randolph added on sax, but this is the best version. Sonny Curtis plays lead guitar. The Picks added background harmonies on 2/19/84 to one of the two cuts. A false start and Take 8 were released and bootlegged on 6/95-A.

TING-A-LING (Ahmet Ertegun) Released on 6/23/58-S, 4/58-A. The Picks added background harmonies on 2/19/84. Buddy plays lead guitar. Another take was also released.

THAT’LL BE THE DAY (Buddy Holly/Jerry "J.I." Allison) Take 19 was released in 2/81-A. Buddy sings the lead and the harmony and plays lead and rhythm guitar. This song was recorded again on 2/25/57 and that’s the take that was released.

All were recorded at Bradley’s Barn Studio, 804 16th Ave. So., Nashville, Tennessee, between 10:30am and 1:30pm. The musicians are Buddy and sometimes Grady Martin on guitars, Sonny Curtis on guitar, Don Guess on bass and Jerry "J.I." Allison on drums. Guess was to borrow a bass when they arrived in Nashville. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be, so they had to scramble to get one. Jerry said, "He (Owen Bradley) wanted to go water skiing and he gave us 20 minutes to round up that bass." Later Bradley said that "That’ll Be The Day" was "the worst song I ever heard." All the songs were bootlegged in 6/95-A. Released in 4/58-A, 2/63-A.

Sun. 8/17/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy gets a traffic ticket for "no muffler" on his Triumph sports car. The actual ticket can be seen at the Hard Rock Café on Cozumel Island, Mexico. A picture of the ticket can be seen on the left and on the right Buddy's drivers licence..

Sat.8/25/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs either at the Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas or at the Bamboo Club on North University in Lubbock.

9/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and the Two Tunes start a three-week tour with the Hank Thompson Show.

Sat.10/20/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs at the American Legion Center in Lubbock, Texas.

Thurs.11/15/56 ROCK AROUND WITH OLLIE VEE (Sonny Curtis) Take 12 was released on 9/2/57-S, 6/1/64-S, and 4/58-A. This is the second recording of this song. See the entry on 7/22/56. Take 12 was bootlegged in 6/95-A. Another take was also released.

MODERN DON JUAN (Jack Neal/Don Guess) Take 76 was released on 12/24/56-S, 4/58-A. The engineer says "Take 76" but that seems unlikely in those days. He probably said "Take 7, 6." correcting himself.

YOU ARE MY ONE DESIRE (Don Guess) Take 2 was released on 12/24/56-S, 1/6/58-S, and 4/58-A. A false start and Take 2 were bootlegged.

All were recorded in Nashville (the last session). The musicians were Harold Bradley and Grady Martin on guitar, Don Guess on bass, Floyd Cramer on piano, Faris Coursey on drums and E.R. "Dutch" McMillan on alto sax. Another source says that Owen Bradley played piano and Boots Randolph played sax.The Picks added background harmonies to all the songs on 2/19/84.

11 or 12/56 GONE (Smokey Rogers) Released in 5/64-A. False start (Take 1), Takes 2 and 3 were released and/or bootlegged. Overdubbed by the Fireballs on 10/6/63 at Petty’s Studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

In Norman Petty's studio

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LONELY (Peter DeRose/George Brown) Released in 1/69-A. Takes 1, 2 (incomplete), and 3 (incomplete) were released and bootlegged. Overdubbed by the Fireballs in 1968 in Petty’s Studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

BROWN-EYED HANDSOME MAN (Chuck Berry) This is not the single released version. Released in 1986-A.

GOOD ROCKIN’ TONIGHT (Roy Brown) Released in 1/69-A. Overdub by the Fireballs in 1968 at Clovis, New Mexico.

RIP IT UP (John Marascalco/Robert Blackwell) Released in 5/64-A. Overdub by the Fireballs on 10/6/63.

BLUE MONDAY (Antoine Domino/Dave Bartholomew) Released in 1/69-A. Overdub by the Fireballs in 1968.

HONKY TONK (Bill Doggett, Beresford Shepard, Billy Butler, Clifford Scott) Released in 5/64-A. UNK on rhythm guitar and bass. Overdub by the Fireballs on 10/6/63.

BLUE SUEDE SHOES (Carl Perkins) Released in 5/64-A. Overdub by the Fireballs on 10/6/63.

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL (Charles Calhoun) An incomplete version was recorded and an overdubbed version finishing the song was released in 5/64-A. Overdub by the Fireballs in 1963.

BO DIDDLEY (Ellas Bates McDaniel) This is not the single released version. Released in 1986-A.

AIN’T GOT NO HOME (AKA "I Ain’t Got No Home") (Clarence "Frogman" Henry) Released in 1/69-A. Overdub by the Fireballs in 1968.

HOLLY HOP (AKA "Rockin’") (Ella Holley or Buddy Holly) Buddy didn’t officially name this "warm-up", "jam" or "break" song. Norman Petty gave it the "Holly Hop" name when he had the Fireballs overdub it. Some people remember it as being called "Rockin’". Released in 1/69-A. Overdub by the Fireballs in 1968.

All were recorded in this order either in Buddy Holly’s home, Larry Holley’s garage, the Venture Studio, 1926 19th St., Lubbock, Texas, or Petty’s Nor Va Jak Studio in Clovis, New Mexico according to whatever source you listen to. Buddy’s mother remembers him recording "Gone" and "Have You Ever Been Lonely" in their home. At the end of "Have You Ever Been Lonely", you can hear Buddy call to his mother. Buddy on lead guitar, Jerry Allison on drums and UNK on rhythm guitar and/or bass. I think they were recorded at Buddy’s home and then taken to Venture for copying purposes. It would be unlikely for just Buddy and Jerry to go into a studio by themselves. All were bootlegged in 6/95-A.

Thurs.11/22/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy performs at the American Legion Hall in Lubbock, Texas.

Sat. 12/29/56 UNRECORDED: Buddy and his friends stop a robbery attempt. A shoplifter ran out of a store with 6 women’s slips. A woman saw a car going by and yelled for the occupants to stop the man. In the car, driven by 21-year old Buddy Holley, were Kenneth Austin, 16, Max Rogers, 16, Jack Neal, 20, and two girls, Connie Holton and Melba Barnett. Austin and Buddy took off after the guy and more teens, Jerry Bankston, 17, Mike Temple, 16, and James Long, 16 , held the him until they arrived. Then the man pulled a knife, but he was easily handled by all the teens.

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