Music Style Rockabilly

Musical Influences Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis

Artist History Bobby Poe was born in Vinita, Oklahoma, a small town northeast of Tulsa. His father was a singing minister who accompanied himself on the guitar, and it's no wonder that from his very early years Bobby was to come in contact with the instrument that would influence his whole life - first as a musician/singer and then as a producer/manager, and as a publisher of a music industry publication "Pop Music Survey". Bobby went to college in Coffeyville, Kansas. There he formed his first band, "The Poe Kats". Big Al Downing was his piano player, whom Bobby met at a talent show. On weekends the band was playing in bars around Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas, where Jim Lowe, a Dallas disc jockey, heard them and signed the group to his White Rock record label. In 1957 Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats recorded their first single release titled, "Rock and Roll Record Girl" b/w "Rock and Roll Boogie". At the same session Big Al Downing's first single was recorded titled, "Down On The Farm". The release of Bobby's record was canceled as Bobby had written rock and roll lyrics to the melody of the classic hit "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy". Acuff-Rose, the publisher of that song, would not give Bobby the permission to release the record, but with the influence of Jim Lowe -- one of the most famous disc jockeys in Dallas -- the record was released 8 months later. In the fall of 1958 Bobby recorded his second single for White Rock Records, and this record was leased to East West Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. This record was titled "Piano Nellie" b/w "I Found A New Love". At this time Bobby had changed his name and that of the group to Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers. The record was released on East West Records in 1958. These two songs were written by Bobby and published by Mustang Music. Bobby's two records never made the national charts, but are a must for any Rockabilly record collector. In 1959 Bobby left the group to become the manager and producer of Big Al Downing, who became a single act. Bobby changed the name of his original group again, from the Rhythm Rockers to The Chartbusters, and became their manager and producer also. In 1963 Bobby produced Big Al Downing's first hit "The Story Of My Life" on Chess Records. In 1964 Bobby produced The Chartbusters first hit "She's The One". Vernon Sandusky was the lead singer/guitarist of The Chartbusters and has been with Roy Clark playing lead guitar for 17 years. In 1968 Bobby started his third career by publishing the musical trade paper "Pop Music Survey". Source: Liner Notes of "Let's Have A Ball" (Eagle Records/EAR 90114, 1993)

Group Members Bobby Poe (lead vocals), Big Al Downing (piano, vocals), Vernon Sandusky (lead guitar, vocals) and Joe Brawley (drums).

Instruments Guitar, piano, drums

Albums "Let's Have A Ball"

Location Coffeyville, Kansas - USA

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