We take you now to the more rockabilly side of things. Well, maybe it's not pure rockabilly per se, but it does have a nice little bit of satire on the late 50s rock 'n' roll scene. And it does rock accordingly. The record I'm talking about is "That's Show Biz" by Dale Wright and the Wright Guys from 1959.
Wright was born in 1938 and had worked as a DJ in the Midwest. He was signed to the Cincinnati-based label Fraternity Records in 1957 after they heard a song he wrote on the air. Between 1957-1960, he recorded some twenty or so sides, charting twice in 1958 with "She's Neat" (#38) and "Please Don't Do It" (#77). He was dropped from the label in the early sixties, but continued to record for smaller labels up through the decade. Later, he returned to radio doing a talk show for a Lexington, Kentucky radio station.
Our tale begins with Dale calling No Hit Record Company and telling them about a song he just wrote that he thinks would be a hit, but the guy on the phone tells him in a lowdown voice, "Sorry kid, that's showww biz!" Thus we have the theme of the record in which Dale sings and swings his tale of desperation while getting nowhere. At the end, he figures that he always wanted to drive a truck anyway, which probably would have been the end result of his endeavors. Still, a really cool record that I hope you dig.
6 comments:
First heard this on Rex's show over at WFMU some years ago. Rather happy to then find the 45 was already sitting on my shelf!
I'm sorry to ask, but is Dale still living? My mother, who will be celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary this year has told me over the years that she met Dale on a flight (she was a stewardess). They corresponded for some time, and has said the "She's Neat' was written about her. Not that it's really important, but I'd like to contact Dale never-the less to give her a token from her past (autograph or letter. Does anyone know where he lives? Sorry for this blog, bu this is the only one that I found that has gone into some detail about him
I was friends with Dale Wright for years, in the late 60's early 70's. We lost touch, and I would love to get in touch with him too. My friends and I traveled throughout the tri-state area when Dale and his band were the opening band for the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour--it was an awesome time!
If anyone knows about Dale, I would love hearing about him or from him.
Charlotte
Dale passed away several years ago. He was in a nursing home in Lexington, I believe.
My name is Ron Mock and I was a "wright guy" from 1959 to 63. He did pass away several years ago. His real name was Harlan Riffe.
Hi, Dale passed away at home with his room mate (my uncle) and nurses by his side in Lexington, Ky on April 15, 2007. I grew up calling him Uncle Dale, because he became so much part of our family. There was no funeral although my mother, my uncle, myself and brother did get to view him and say our goodbyes. His remains were given to my uncle as Uncle Dale was cremated.
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