The Fendermen

The Fendermen
Genres Rockabilly
Years active 1959-1963
Labels Cuca, Soma
Past members
Jim Sundquist
Phil Humphrey

The Fendermen were a pop/rockabilly duo in the early 1960s.

At the time The Fendermen formed, the group was primarily composed of Jim Sundquist (from Kingsford, Michigan), and Phil Humphrey (from Milwaukee, Wisconsin). At this point, Humphrey lived in Stoughton, Wisconsin with his wife and daughter.

Sundquist and Humphrey met as students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the late 1950s. The group had one big hit with "Mule Skinner Blues", released in 1960 on the Cuca Records label which was picked up for national distribution by Soma Records. The song hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at #32 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1960.[1] A short-lived "offshoot" group, The Muleskinners,[2] formed later in the 1960s.

Sundquist and Humphrey shared the same birthday 26 November 1937.[3] They called themselves "the Fendermen", because they both played Fender guitars (a Telecaster and a Stratocaster), and they connected them both to the same amplifier. Interestingly, these guitars were the only two instruments used in the Fendermen's recording of Mule Skinner Blues; they were played with such skill and precision that the inclusion of a bassist and drummer, typical of most groups of the period, was not necessary.

Contents

Discography

Albums

Year Album Label
1960 Mule Skinner Blues[4] Cuca

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
US US Country
1960 "Mule Skinner Blues" 5 16 Mule Skinner Blues

References

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 197. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  2. ^ Allmusic (3)
  3. ^ The Fendermen on Allmusic
  4. ^ Allmusic (1)

External links