Earl Aycock

Earl Aycock (born November 1, 1930 in Meridian , Mississippi ) is an American country and rockabilly musician and disc jockey. Aycock gained notoriety as a member of the George and Earl duo .

Life

Earl Aycock was born in the hometown of the Father of Country Music Jimmie Rodgers . Aycock started his career as a disc jockey for a local radio station. Before joining the US Air Force in 1951 , he played bass in Bill Nettles ' band . He also made his first recordings with Nettles when Aycock played on his famous Hadacol Boogie .

After Aycock was released from the Air Force, he returned to Meridian. In 1954 he played Martha Carson in Birmingham , Alabama , and was recorded shortly thereafter. Aycock quickly found himself in Nashville , Tennessee , where he accompanied Carson in sessions for Capitol Records and RCA Victor , performed with her in the Grand Ole Opry and took on the role of emcee on tours with Bill Carlisle , Hank Snow and Elvis Presley . Aycock was also the first musician to use an electrically amplified bass in the Opry in 1955.

Another young musician named George McCormick also played in Martha Carson's band . Soon Aycock befriended McCormick and the two formed the duo George and Earl . By 1956 both musicians recorded singles for Mercury Records , none of which became hits, despite promising sales figures. After their last record was released in April 1956, Aycock left Nashville and moved to Houston , Texas , where he had moved with his wife in 1955.

In Houston he got a lucrative offer and was active as the front man of his own band and as a disc jockey. In 1957 he also worked for Starday Records ' Hillbilly Hit Parade . In the spring of 1958, Allstar Records released his first solo single The Love That Thrills / Magic Words . In the late 1950s he brought Bill Willbourne to D Records and also wrote Letter Overdue for Claude Gray . In 1958 Aycock moved back to Meridian, but continued to work at KRCT in Baytown , Texas until 1959 .

At Meridian, Aycock continued working on radio and television in the 1960s before leaving the music scene and entering the insurance business.

Discography

year	title	Label #
1958	The Love That Thrills / Magic Words	Allstar 7164
	I'm coming home ? ? ? ? ?	Dixie 520
Unpublished titles
	All I Have To Do Is Dream (with Sleepy LaBeef )	[Status unknown]

literature

• Charles K. Wolfe: Goin 'Steady with the Blues: George & Earl , Bear Family Records; Liner Notes

Web links

• Earl Aycock on Hillbilly-Music.com (English)
• Discography with audio samples