Je–Wel

Orbison's name is misspelled on this label
The title on this label, "Trying to Get You" is incorrect. The correct title is "Trying to Get to You"

Je–Wel (initial name) and Jewel Records (without the dash, later name), was a small, independent American record label founded in Odessa, Texas, in 1955 by (i) Weldon Rogers (1927–2004),[1] himself a singer, and (ii) Chester Calvin Oliver (1907–2000).[2] Je–Wel is most known for having engaged, recorded, and produced fledgling artists from West Texas at the dawn of rock-n-roll in the mid to latter 1950s. Je–Wel's most notable production was a recording of The Teen Kings (with Roy Orbison) performing Ooby Dooby. The session was recorded March 4, 1956, at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Ooby Dooby was on the B side and "Tryin' to Get to You" was on the A Side. The record – manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona – was issued as JE-WEL 101 around March 19, 1956. Je–Wel 101 is now accepted as one of the world's rarest and most collectible rarities. It exists in both 78 and 45 rpm versions with at least three label variations: the first pressing misspells Roy's surname "Oribson" and many copies credit "Trying To Get You" instead of "Trying To Get To You."[3]

Naming and founding

Je–Wel was formed, essentially, for the purpose of promoting and recording The Teen Kings. The name "Je–Wel" was derived from the first letters of (1) the middle name of Bobbie Jean Oliver (1939–2008)[4] (daughter of co-founder Chester Oliver) and (2) Weldon.

Bobbie Jean Oliver was a singer and accordion player with Western Melodiers, a band that backed up other local artists including Weldon and Willie Rogers. Jean Oliver also frequently performed with the Teen Kings, although she was never an actual member. In 1993, Chester's wife, Acia,[5] told John Ingman, a journalist with Now Dig This, that it was Jean who had persuaded her parents to finance The Teen Kings' recordings, and that Rogers made little contribution. Weldon Rogers and Jean Oliver had been briefly married, but quickly annulled it at the insistence of Jean's parents.[6] Jean, later, had dated James Morrow, a member of The Teen Kings, who, when not appearing at the Archway Club in Monahans, Texas, usually performed at the Saturday Night Jamboree in Jal, New Mexico. That is where James Morrow met and dated Jean Oliver. Jean's father, Chester, had worked for Phillips Petroleum and the family lived in Seminole, Texas.[7]

The whereabouts of the Je-Wel master tapes

The Je–Wel tape box was taken from Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, to California by MCA's Steve Hoffman in 1984 and never returned. MCA had no rights to the tapes and have no knowledge of what happened to them.[8]

Je–Wel's short relationship with Orbison

In 1955, Orbison had arranged for the The Teen Kings to perform on KMID, a TV station in Midland, Texas. Cecil "Pop" Holifield (1905–1974)[9][10] also arranged for Johnny Cash to perform on the same program. Holifield owned two record stores ("The Record Shop"), one in Odessa and one in Midland. Holifield also was a concert promoter for Elvis and Cash and arranged TV performances. Holifield also regularly contributed articles to Billboard magazine.

KMID was where Cash first heard The Teen Kings and met Orbison. Cash, in turn, invited Orbison to a concert at Midland High School on the evening of October 12, 1955, starring Elvis Presley and featuring himself, Wanda Jackson, Floyd Cramer, Porter Wagoner, Bobby Lord, Jimmy C. Newman and Jimmy Day (1934–1999). Billy Walker also performed, but was not named in the promotional materials. That afternoon, after a free promotional concert at Midland High School, Johnny Cash introduced Oribison to Elvis.[11]

Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley tried to persuade Sam Phillips of Sun Records to give Orbison a contract. When Orbison made a follow-up call to Phillips, Phillips made it clear that no one, not even Johnny Cash, was going to dictate who did and did not get an audition on his record label.[12] After what had happened to the careers of Elvis and Cash, artists were coming to Sam Phillips in droves.[13]

Elvis, Cash, and Orbison had failed to persuade Phillips to sign Orbison.

On the day that that Je–Wel released The Teen Kings' single, Orbison took a copy to Cecil "Pop" Holifield (1905–1974)[14][15] of Odessa, who owned two record stores ("The Record Shop"), one in Odessa and one in Midland. Holifield was also had promoted local concerts for Elvis and Cash and arranged TV performances. Holifield also regularly contributed articles to Billboard magazine. Holifield phoned Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records and played Ooby Dooby over the phone and told him it was "sellin' big."[16] He promised Phillips that he would never regret auditioning Orbison. A few days later, Phillips phoned Holifield to say that he wanted The Teen Kings in Memphis in three days to record for Sun Records.

The Teen Kings arrived in Memphis on Monday, March 26, 1956. When Phillips was made aware that Orbison was underage when he signed the contract with Je–wel without parental consent on behalf of The Teen Kings, Phillips persuaded Orbison to sign a contract with Sun and Orbison's father co-signed. Phillips also got a court order to prevent Je–wel from selling any more its records of Orbison, although, seemingly, another 5,000 copies were pressed with the assistance of Norman Petty. At this point, Chester Oliver had reach his threshold of tolerance and bowed-out of the partnership with Weldon.[17]

On March 27, 1956, The Teen Kings re-recorded “Ooby Dooby,” “Trying to Get to You,” and also recorded “Go Go Go (Down the Line)” at Sun Records. Bob Neal (1917–1983)[18][19] — owner of Stars, Incorporated, and Elvis Presley's first manager — signed the group to a booking and management contract. By May 1956 The Teen Kings had their first hits on the Sun label, the back-to-back singles "Ooby Dooby" and "Go Go Go."[20] The Teen Kings toured southern venues that included dance halls and drive-in movies theaters, performing on the projection house roofs between film showings. They appeared with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Warren Smith, Sonny Burgess, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Jerry Lee Lewis and other country and rockabilly performers.

Selected discography

  1. The Teen Kings (JE 101) (1956)

    Roy Orbison (1936–1988) – vocals, guitar[21]
    Billy Pat Ellis – drums[22]
    Jack Kennelly (1937–2009) – upright bass[23]
    James Emitt Morrow (born 12 Jan 1936 West Point, Arkansas) – electric mandolin (played thru an Echoplex)[24]
    Peanuts Wilson (1935–1980) – rhythm guitar[25][26]
    Side A: Trying To Get You, by Charles Singleton and Rose Marie McCoy

    Side B: Ooby Dooby, by Wade Moore and Dick Penner
  2. Weldon Rogers & Wanda Wolfe (Wanda Faye Wolfe) † Side B: Women Drivers, by Weldon Rogers (JE 103)
  3. Rogers Brothers with the Western Melodiers – vocal duet: Weldon Rogers & Willie Rogers (JE 102)

    Side A: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music) (vocal duet: Weldon Rogers & Willie Rogers) 45-JE-102-A

    Side B: For Always; Yes Forever (vocal: Weldon Rogers) 45-JE-102-B
  4. Weldon Rogers (JE 103) (1959)

    Side A: This Song Is Just For You 45-JE-103-A

    Side B: Everybody Wants You (Weldon Rogers & Wanda Wolfe) 45-JE-103-B
  5. Weldon Rogers (JE 105) (May 1960)

    Heaven's Back Door

    Cimarron
  6. Weldon Rogers (JE 107) (September 1960)

    Lying Lips And Cheating Heart

    If I Had One Day To Live
† Wanda Faye Wolfe was once married to Weldon Rogers (her second marriage). She also signed with Columbia Records in 1964. She was inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame (1983)

References

  1. ↑ Weldon Nelson Rogers (b. 30 Oct 1927 Marietta, Oklahoma; d. 13 Sep 2004 Perryton, Texas)
  2. ↑ Chester Calvin Oliver (b. 1907 Oklahoma; d 2000 Seminole, Texas)
  3. ↑ John Ingman, Roy Orbison in Clovis, Now Dig This, Issue 189 (December 1998)
  4. ↑ Obituary: Jean Wilson (formerly Jean Woodruff) (25 Feb 1939 – 16 May 2008, Seminole, Texas), Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, May 18, 2008
  5. ↑ Acia Bea Oliver, née Breckon (b. 29 May 1913; d. 23 Aug 2002)
  6. ↑ John Ingman, Roy Orbison in Clovis, Now Dig This, Issue 189 (December 1998)
  7. ↑ Mick Perry, Roy Orbison – The Teen Kings, January 1995
  8. ↑ John Ingman, Roy Orbison in Clovis, Now Dig This, Issue 189 (December 1998)
  9. ↑ Obituary: Cecil Leon Holifield, The Dallas Morning News, December 10, 1974
  10. ↑ Cecil Leon Holifield, Sr. (b. 16 July 1905 Dallas, Texas; d. 9 July 1974 Odessa, Texas)
  11. ↑ W.W. Bear Mills, Midland Concert Helped Orbison "Cash" in on Music Career, Midland Reporter-Telegram, April 22, 2007
  12. ↑ Rick Koster, Texas Music, St. Martin's Griffin (March 8, 2000)
  13. ↑ Stanley Oberst & Lori Torrance, Elvis In Texas: The Undiscovered King 1954-1958, Taylor Trade Publishing (November 19, 2001)
  14. ↑ Obituary: Cecil Leon Holifield, The Dallas Morning News, December 10, 1974
  15. ↑ Cecil Leon Holifield, Sr. (b. 16 July 1905 Dallas, Texas; d. 9 July 1974 Odessa, Texas)
  16. ↑ Billy Poore, Rockabilly: A Forty-Year Journey, pg. 120, Hal Leonard Corporation (June 1, 1998)
  17. ↑ Tony Wilkinson, Biography of Weldon Rogers
  18. ↑ Bob Neal, aka Robert Neal Hobgood (b 6 Oct 1917; d 9 May 1983 Nashville, Tennessee)
  19. ↑ Obituary, Bob Neal, The Philadelphia Enquirer, May 12, 1983
  20. ↑ W.W. Bear Mills, Midland Concert Helped Orbison "Cash" in on Music Career, Midland Reporter-Telegram, April 22, 2007
  21. ↑ Roy Orbison, Wink High School, Class of 1955
  22. ↑ Billy Pat Ellis, Wink High School, Class of 1954
  23. ↑ Jack Desmond Kennelly, later known in Hollywood as Jackson D. Kane (b. 30 June 1937 Madera County, California; d. 9 Oct 2009 Littleton, Colorado)
  24. ↑ James Morrow, Wink High School, Class of 1955
  25. ↑ Peanuts Wilson, né Johnny Ancil Wilson (b. 28 Nov 1935 Rivesville, West Virginia; d. Sept 1980)
  26. ↑ ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth edition, compiled for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers by Jaques Cattell Press, R.R. Bowker, New York (1980)

External links