SELF HELP

For some weird reason Ronnie Self's "Bop-A-Lena" ran through my head today. So, here's a few from him. They've been posted before, but fuggit, "Bop-A-Lena" came calling. That was his biggee, written by Webb Pierce and Mel Tillis, and it was his only song to chart back in the day (1958), but not for lack of trying. He kept at it, recording sporadically in ensuing years. Despite having recorded at Sun, having other sessions produced by Dale Hawkins, having Grady Martin on hand for a session or two, and writing songs recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent, his most noteworthy credits (for chart watchers anyway) were the two Brenda Lee hits he wrote, "I'm Sorry" and "Sweet Nothin's".

Here's wHere my heartstrings were pulled, his sister Vicki's recollection of his live show (courtesy of the always dependable Rockabilly Hall of Fame): "He'd start at the far back of the stage, throw his guitar over his back and run out to the mike, grab the mike stand and go right down on the floor with it and sing the first song. That was how he'd start. He'd never stop moving on stage ... He'd turn around with his back to the audience and face the band - but he never stood still. He'd never talk to the crowd, just went from one song to another but the band never knew what it was gonna be." Aw hell, sign me up.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Ronnie Self - Bop-A-Lena mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Ronnie Self - You're So Right For Me mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Ronnie Self - Ain't I'm A Dog mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Visit:
Ronnie Self at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame