The Rebels (rockabilly band)
Encyclopedia
The Rebels were a rockabilly
band from Dallas, Texas that recorded School of Rock 'n Roll
and Straight Skirt
with Gene Summers
. The group consisted of James McClung (guitar), Gary Moon (drums) and Benny Williams (slap bass). They were soon joined by pianist Bill Brown who played on some of their early personal appearances. They were one of the first rock 'n roll bands to record using the name Rebels (February 1, 1958) preceding Duane Eddy
's Rebels by at least six months and the "Wild Weekend" Rebels by more than two years.
The Rebels began their musical career in 1957 while in high school at Duncanville, Texas
joining forces with another classmate and singer Gene Summers
. They appeared together on high school assembly programs and soon were playing gigs
at the Carswell Air Force Base
in Grand Prairie, Texas
. At one of these shows they met a country music comedian nicknamed "Cornbread" who was appearing on a TV show hosted by Neal Jones on KRLD-TV in Dallas. Cornbread was impressed with Summers and The Rebels and invited them to appear on the TV program. This led them to a regular, weekly spot on another television program, also on KRLD, called "Joe Bill's Country Picnic" in the fall of 1957. It was while appearing on this show that they were discovered by songwriter Jed Tarver. He wanted them to record some of his songs "Straight Skirt
" "Nervous
", "I'll Never Be Lonely
", "Gotta Lotta That
" and "Twixteen
". With the assistance of their manager/agent, Thomas Wolverton, Tarver was able to get them an audition with Jan Records a newly formed Dallas label.
Their first release on Jan was on February 1, 1958 and featured Tarver's "Straight Skirt
" composition flipped with an original James McClung song "School of Rock 'n Roll
". "Straight Skirt" became a regional chart hit and The Rebels found themselves appearing at record hops, concerts and radio and television shows throughout the country. After touring for several months, Williams and Moon decided to pursue other interests and left the band. McClung and Summers replaced them with other musicians and The Rebels continued to perform until 1961. After this, the group disbanded. Summers continued a solo career and was still recording and touring well into the 21st century in both the USA and abroad.
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...
band from Dallas, Texas that recorded School of Rock 'n Roll
School of Rock 'n Roll
"School Of Rock 'n Roll" is a song composed by James McClung in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February, 1958 by Jan Records #11-100...
and Straight Skirt
Straight Skirt
"Straight Skirt " is a song written by Mary Tarver in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February, 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. On March 8, 1958 Cash...
with Gene Summers
Gene Summers
Gene Summers is an American rock/rockabilly singer and entertainer. Some of his classic recordings include "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", "Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That", "Twixteen", "Alabama Shake" and his biggest-selling single "Big Blue Diamonds"...
. The group consisted of James McClung (guitar), Gary Moon (drums) and Benny Williams (slap bass). They were soon joined by pianist Bill Brown who played on some of their early personal appearances. They were one of the first rock 'n roll bands to record using the name Rebels (February 1, 1958) preceding Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he had a string of hit records, produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebel Rouser", "Peter Gunn", and "Because They're Young"...
's Rebels by at least six months and the "Wild Weekend" Rebels by more than two years.
The Rebels began their musical career in 1957 while in high school at Duncanville, Texas
Duncanville, Texas
Duncanville is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Duncanville's population was 36,081 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 42,500 in 2008. Duncanville is a suburb of Dallas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Duncanville, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.-Geography:Duncanville is...
joining forces with another classmate and singer Gene Summers
Gene Summers
Gene Summers is an American rock/rockabilly singer and entertainer. Some of his classic recordings include "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", "Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That", "Twixteen", "Alabama Shake" and his biggest-selling single "Big Blue Diamonds"...
. They appeared together on high school assembly programs and soon were playing gigs
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
at the Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located about northwest central of Fort Worth, Texas, United States; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth and White Settlement...
in Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
. At one of these shows they met a country music comedian nicknamed "Cornbread" who was appearing on a TV show hosted by Neal Jones on KRLD-TV in Dallas. Cornbread was impressed with Summers and The Rebels and invited them to appear on the TV program. This led them to a regular, weekly spot on another television program, also on KRLD, called "Joe Bill's Country Picnic" in the fall of 1957. It was while appearing on this show that they were discovered by songwriter Jed Tarver. He wanted them to record some of his songs "Straight Skirt
Straight Skirt
"Straight Skirt " is a song written by Mary Tarver in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February, 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. On March 8, 1958 Cash...
" "Nervous
Nervous
Nervous may refer to:* The nervous system* "Nervous" , a rockabilly/doo-wop song first recorded by Gene Summers and His Rebels in 1958* Nervous Records, a UK record label* Nervous Records , a US record label-See also:...
", "I'll Never Be Lonely
I'll Never Be Lonely
I'll Never Be Lonely is a song written by Mary Tarver in 1958 and published by Ted Music, BMI. It was first recorded by Gene Summers and His Rebels in 1958 and issued by Jan/Jane Records that same year. "I'll Never Be Lonely" was recorded at Master Recorders in Los Angeles, California in 1958...
", "Gotta Lotta That
Gotta Lotta That
"Gotta Lotta That" is a song written by Bernice Bedwell in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI. It was first recorded by Gene Summers and His Rebels in 1958 and issued by Jan/Jane Records...
" and "Twixteen
Twixteen
"Twixteen" is a song written by Mary Tarver in 1958 and published by Ted Music, BMI. It was first recorded by Gene Summers and His Rebels in 1958 and issued by Jan/Jane Records...
". With the assistance of their manager/agent, Thomas Wolverton, Tarver was able to get them an audition with Jan Records a newly formed Dallas label.
Their first release on Jan was on February 1, 1958 and featured Tarver's "Straight Skirt
Straight Skirt
"Straight Skirt " is a song written by Mary Tarver in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February, 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. On March 8, 1958 Cash...
" composition flipped with an original James McClung song "School of Rock 'n Roll
School of Rock 'n Roll
"School Of Rock 'n Roll" is a song composed by James McClung in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February, 1958 by Jan Records #11-100...
". "Straight Skirt" became a regional chart hit and The Rebels found themselves appearing at record hops, concerts and radio and television shows throughout the country. After touring for several months, Williams and Moon decided to pursue other interests and left the band. McClung and Summers replaced them with other musicians and The Rebels continued to perform until 1961. After this, the group disbanded. Summers continued a solo career and was still recording and touring well into the 21st century in both the USA and abroad.
Reviews
- "Straight Skirt" Getting Buildup - Dallas Morning News, February 25, 1958.... "I'm back in town to get in a few plugs for our first big release, explained Dan Weisfeld. "It's a tune called Straight Skirt by Gene Summers and The Rebels. "Summers and his group," he continued "are students at Arlington State College. They are four of the best rock 'n roll musicians and singers I've ever heard, and the reaction to their first effort has been phenomenal. It is getting a good sendoff around the country." -Tony Zoppi, Dallas After Dark (Dallas Public LibraryDallas Public LibraryThe Dallas Public Library system serves as the municipal library system of the city of Dallas, Texas .-History:In 1899, the idea to create a free public library in Dallas was conceived by the Dallas Federation of Women's Clubs, led by president Mrs. Henry Exall. She helped raise US$11,000 from...
)
Media
- Dallas TV Quartet Returns After Recording Session - Dallas Times HeraldDallas Times HeraldThe Dallas Times Herald, founded in 1888 by a merger of the Dallas Times and the Dallas Herald, was once one of two major daily newspapers serving the Dallas, Texas area. It won three Pulitzer Prizes, all for photography, and two George Polk Awards, for local and regional reporting...
, January, 1958
A quartet of KRLD-TV performers, Gene Summers and The Rebels, of the Sunday County Picnic program, have returned from a California recording session, where they cut five discs for Jan Records. The first record released has a song written by one of the group, James McClung, who wrote "School of Rock 'n Roll." On the flip side is "Straight Skirt." Other members of the group, aside from Summers and McClung, are Gary Moon and Benny Williams. Williams attends Thomas Jefferson High and the other three are freshmen at Arlington State College. (Dallas Public LibraryDallas Public LibraryThe Dallas Public Library system serves as the municipal library system of the city of Dallas, Texas .-History:In 1899, the idea to create a free public library in Dallas was conceived by the Dallas Federation of Women's Clubs, led by president Mrs. Henry Exall. She helped raise US$11,000 from...
)
- Rock 'n Roll Rebs Cut Five Discs - Arlington State College NewspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, January, 1958
Three ASC freshmen recently returned from making rock-n-roll recordings in Hollywood. They are Gene Summers, 19, James McClung, 18 and Gary Moon, 18. They made five recordings for Jan Records, a Dallas firm that has a Hollywood office, two of which will be released this week. The record is entitled "School of Rock 'n Roll" and the flip side carries the ditty "Straight Skirt". Their other recordings have a later release date. Instrumental-wise, Gene plays the guitar and sings, James plays the lead guitar, and Gary performs on drums. Another member of the band, not at ASC, is Benny Williams of Thomas Jefferson High, Dallas, who plays the bass. Gene Summers and The Rebels is the name of this enterprising band. The boys hasten to explain that they had this name before coming to ASC and also they were known as the Dixie Rebels. Organized last summer, The Rebels are currently appearing on the Sunday TV show Country Picnic at 12:30 on Channel 4, Dallas. If their records sell in volume, the boys are hoping to make a series of personal appearances throughout the country. -Mary Winkworth
- Radio Events of the Day - The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
, March 27, 1958 - Section: Part 2, Page: 7
"Pierce Allman, host of his own recorded show will feature Gene Summers and The Rebels on the Thursday broadcast beginning at 9:05 PM on WFAA-570." (Dallas Public LibraryDallas Public LibraryThe Dallas Public Library system serves as the municipal library system of the city of Dallas, Texas .-History:In 1899, the idea to create a free public library in Dallas was conceived by the Dallas Federation of Women's Clubs, led by president Mrs. Henry Exall. She helped raise US$11,000 from...
)
Sources
- Dallas Morning News archive
- Dallas Times HeraldDallas Times HeraldThe Dallas Times Herald, founded in 1888 by a merger of the Dallas Times and the Dallas Herald, was once one of two major daily newspapers serving the Dallas, Texas area. It won three Pulitzer Prizes, all for photography, and two George Polk Awards, for local and regional reporting...
- Liner notes "The Ultimate School Of Rock & RollThe Ultimate School of Rock & RollThe Ultimate School Of Rock & Roll is a 32-track CD by Gene Summers. It is a compilation of his biggest hits including out-takes and alternate tracks. The CD was released nationally in the United States by Crystal Clear Sound Records in 1997 and is still in print...
" CD 1997 USA - Liner notes "Rockaboogie Shake" CD 1999 UK
- Liner notes School Of Rock 'n Roll (album)School of Rock 'n Roll (album)School Of Rock & Roll is a CD by Gene Summers. It was his first CD release although many of his recordings had been previously released on various artists compilation albums and CDs...
1994, Holland - Article and sessionography in issue 15 (1977) of New Kommotion Magazine UK
- Article and sessionography in issue 23 (1980) of New Kommotion Magazine UK
- Feature article and sessionography in issue 74 (1999) of Rockin' Fifties Magazine GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Feature article with photo spread in issue 53 (2000) of Bill Griggs' Rockin' 50s Magazine USA
- Feature Article with photo spread in issue 54 (2000) of Bill Griggs' Rockin' 50s Magazine USA
External links
- Rockabilly Hall of Fame Page retrieved on August 6, 2008.