Sleepy LaBeef
Encyclopedia
Sleepy LaBeef is an American rockabilly
musician.
LaBeef stands 6' 7" tall and was given the nickname "Sleepy" from the appearance of his eyes. Born in Arkansas
, he was raised on a melon farm and moved to Houston when he was 18. There, he sang gospel music
on local radio and put together a bar band to play venues as well as radio programs such as the Houston Jamboree and Louisiana Hayride
.
In the 1950s, as the rockabilly component of rock-n-roll became evident, LaBeef began recording singles in the genre; his first, "I'm Through", was issued on Starday Records in 1957. In 1964, he moved to Nashville
and moved to a more solidly country
style, recording singles for Columbia Records
. His first genuine hit was 1968's "Every Day", which peaked at #73 on the U.S. Billboard Country charts. After moving to Plantation Records
in 1969, he scored a second hit in 1971 with "Blackland Farmer", which charted at #67. Around this time LaBeef also starred in the horror movie The Exotic Ones. LaBeef transferred to Sun Records
in the 1970s and continued releasing albums and touring widely; his popularity flagged in America but rose in Europe. The 1980s saw him sign to Rounder Records
, where he released albums into the 1990s.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
musician.
LaBeef stands 6' 7" tall and was given the nickname "Sleepy" from the appearance of his eyes. Born in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, he was raised on a melon farm and moved to Houston when he was 18. There, he sang gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
on local radio and put together a bar band to play venues as well as radio programs such as the Houston Jamboree and Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
.
In the 1950s, as the rockabilly component of rock-n-roll became evident, LaBeef began recording singles in the genre; his first, "I'm Through", was issued on Starday Records in 1957. In 1964, he moved to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and moved to a more solidly country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
style, recording singles for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. His first genuine hit was 1968's "Every Day", which peaked at #73 on the U.S. Billboard Country charts. After moving to Plantation Records
Plantation Records
Plantation Records was a country music record label started by Shelby Singleton. The label is best known for the Jeannie C. Riley 45rpm single, "Harper Valley P.T.A." which was a number one pop record in 1968....
in 1969, he scored a second hit in 1971 with "Blackland Farmer", which charted at #67. Around this time LaBeef also starred in the horror movie The Exotic Ones. LaBeef transferred to Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
in the 1970s and continued releasing albums and touring widely; his popularity flagged in America but rose in Europe. The 1980s saw him sign to Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
, where he released albums into the 1990s.
Singles
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | I’m Through / All Alone | Starday Records |
| 1957 | I’m Through / All Alone | Starday-Mercury Records |
| 1957 | All The Time / Lonely | Starday-Mercury Records |
| 1958 | Ballad Of A Teenage Queen / Eskimo Pie | Dixie Records |
| 1958 | Oh, Oh, I’m Falling In Love Again / One week Later | Dixie Records |
| 1960 | Found Out / Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind | Gulf Records Records |
| 1961 | Turn Me Loose / Ridin’ Fence | Crescent Records |
| 1962 | Ride On Josephine / Walkin’ Slowly | Wayside Records |
| 1963 | Tore Up / Lonely | Wayside Records |
| 1963 | Drink Up And Go Home / Teardrops On A Rose | Finn Records |
| 1963 | Ride On Josephine / Lonely | Picture Records |
| 1965 | You Can’t Catch Me / Everybody’s Got To Have Somebody | Columbia Records |
| 1966 | A Man In My Position / Drinking Again | Columbia Records |
| 1966 | I’m Too Broke / I Feel A Lot More Like I Do Now | Columbia Records |
| 1961 | Ballad Of A Teenage Queen / The Ways Of A Woman In Love | Columbia Records |
| 1969 | Blackland Farmer / ? | Columbia Records |
| --- |
|
not issued |
Albums
- 1974: The Bull’s Night Out
- 1976: Western Gold
- 1978: Rockabilly 1977
- 1978: Beefy Rockabilly
- 1979: Early, Rare and Rockin’ Sides
- 1979: Downhome Rockabilly (Sun Records)
- 1979: Downhome Rockabilly (Charley Records)
- 1979: Rockabilly Heavyweight (with Dave Travis)
- 1979: Sleepy LaBeef and Friends (Ace Records)
- 1979: Sleepy LaBeef and Friends (Ace-Chiswick Records)
- 1980: Early, Rare and Rockin’ Sides (re-release)
- 1980: Downhome Rockabilly (re-release)
- 1981: It Ain’t What You Eat (Rounder Records)
- 1982: Electricity (Rounder Records)
- 1992: Nothin’ But The Truth (Rounder Records)
- 1994: Strange Things Happen
- 1995: The Human Jukebox (Rounder Records)
- 1996: I’ll Never Lay My Guitar Down (Rounder Records)
- 1996: Larger Than Life (6 CD-Box, compilation)
- 1997: A Rockin’ Decade
- 1999: Flyin’ Saucer Rock’n’Roll: The Very Best Of Sleepy LaBeef
- 1999: The Bulls’s Ride Out & Western Gold
- 2000: Tomorrow Never Comes
- 2001: Rockabilly Blues
- 2001: Road Warrior
- 2003: Johnny's Blues: A Tribute To Johnny CashJohnny's Blues: A Tribute To Johnny CashJohnny's Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash is a 2003 compilation album, released by Northern Blues Music, of blues-oriented songs made popular by Johnny Cash, sung by various Canadian and American performers.- Track listing :...
(Northern Blues) - 2008: Roots
- 2008: Sleepy Rocks (Bear Family anthology)