Derrell Felts

Derrell Felts (* in Texas ) is an American rockabilly musician.

Life

Felts first appeared on Stardays custom label Dixie Records in 1958 when he released his first single Playmates / The Weepers with the Confederates in October . Both songs were typical rockabilly titles with an echo effect and slap bass. In mid-1956, Felts and his band had already traveled to Texas at the invitation of Don Carter , where he made some demo recordings of songs that Jack Rhodes had written. However, all recordings remained lost for a long time.

In May 1959 was released by Okeh Records with It's a Great Big Day / Lookie, Lookie, Lookie another single. Felts had recorded the songs in Norman Petty's studio in Clovis , New Mexico earlier that year , as Petty was looking for a replacement for Buddy Holly , who died in February 1959 . Felts was accompanied on these recordings by Holly's former band, the Crickets . While a first version of It's a Great Big Day by Felts and his band was recorded during the demo session for Jack Rhodes in 1956 and was therefore Felts' own composition, he covered Lookie, Lookie, Lookie . The latter was a song written by producer Carl Bunch, musicians Ronnie Smith and Norman Petty, which first appeared in the version of KC Grand and the Shades in early 1959 . According to Felts 'version, Ronnie Smiths' recording was also released in the summer of 1959. However, Felts' OKeh single missed the charts again.

Felts stayed true to the Texan music scene and later got his own television show, the Derrell Felts Television Show , which was broadcast in Texas, Oklahoma , New Mexico , Louisiana , Arkansas, and Colorado . 1974 Felts had a small success with the single Calling Johnny Rodriguez . In the first ten days after the record was released, Felts sold over 4,000 copies in Dallas alone . The song was also well received on the radio.

Discography

year	title	Record company
1958	Playmates / The Weepers	Dixie 45-2008
1959	It's A Great Big Day / Lookie, Lookie, Lookie	Okeh 4-7118
1974	Calling Johnny Rodriguez / A Week Ago Today	MSA MS 40179
Unpublished titles
1956	It's A Great Big Day (old version) Rock Saturday Night Shake It Up And Move Too Much Lovin '(Goin' On)

Web links

• Discography with audio samples