There were countless small independent record labels specializing in sizzling rock and roll and rockabilly spread across the American south during the 1950s and ‘60s. These seven collections offer some truly sparkling examples of those companies’ output. Houston-based Spade Records unleashed its share of rip-snorting rockabilly by Royce Porter and Vern Pullens, while Wild Hog Hop spotlights an insane vocal by label co-owner Bennie Hess. Yucca Records was located way out in Alamogordo, New Mexico, yet owner Calvin Boles had no problem attracting top-notch talent—among these two volumes from its catalog are blues guitar great Long John Hunter, whose El Paso Rock stirred up a lot of desert dust, and Bobby Fuller long before he ever fought the law.
 
Down in Lake Charles, Louisiana in the heart of bayou country, Eddie Shuler’s Goldband imprint pressed up its fair share of rockers—witness these rockabilly stormers by Al Ferrier, Johnny Jano, Larry Hart, and Gene Terry as well as The Crawl by Guitar Jr., who later migrated to Chicago and achieved fame as bluesman Lonnie Brooks. Bobby Crafford launched Razorback Records in 1962 in Newport, Arkansas after an extended stint as Sonny Burgess’ drummer. Both of them contributed gems to the logo’s catalog, along with Ronnie Hawkins’ first great guitarist Jimmy Ray Paulman (as Jimmy Luke) and piano-pumping Teddy Redell. Vin Records was the sister label to Johnny Vincent’s Ace Records and issued some pungent Louisiana R&B (represented here by Albert Scott and Elton Anderson), but there’s plenty of rockabilly by Jimmy Lee Fautheree (under two different aliases), Harry Lee, and Danny Ray. Finally, there’s a collection paying loving homage to Buddy Holly via a cadre of his devoted acolytes, notably Tommy Roe, Bobby Fuller, David Box, and The Hollyhawks, who were fronted by ex-Cricket Niki Sullivan.
 
If you’re not familiar with these feisty little record labels, you’re in for a real treat. If you are, you’ll know that every one of them is truly indispensable!