Artist: Elton Britt w/ Zeke Manners' BandThe title of this album sums up much of the story of Elton Britt. His
wanderings have led him to millions of people all over the earth, from
farmhouse to penthouse—in person, on radio and TV, and,
of course, on recordings.
It all started in Marshall, Arkansas, where Elton, at the age of ten,
received from his father—who was a fiddle player and who led a
country band—his first guitar, a $5.95 Sears Roebuck mail order item.
By the time Elton was twelve, he was already an accomplished singer
and guitar player, and enjoyed great popularity in the Ozark Mountains.
About this time, popular musical history was being made on the
Pacific Coast—the Beverly Hillbillies, headed by Glen Rice and Zeke
Manners, had become the sensation of Movietown. Broadcasting
from KMPC in Beverly Hills, the group had attracted so much
attention that Zeke and Glen flew to Arkansas, up into the Ozarks,
on a hunt for more ideas and talent. It was then that they heard
about Elton's family of musicians. After much persuasion, Elton's
parents, "'lowed as how it would be all right for Elton to fly to
Hollywood and go into show business...for a short spell." (The "short
spell" still hasn't ended!) Upon Elton's arrival in California, he was an
immediate sensation. The Beverly Hillbillies broke all existing records
at Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Pantages and the Palace in Los
Angeles, where they were held over for an unprecedented six weeks.
Several years later, Zeke brought Elton to New York, and their
over-night success on NBC and local New York stations became
something of a legend on the East Coast. At this time, Elton entered
a yodeling contest conducted by Tom Mix. His formidable opponents
were from the traditional strongholds of the art of yodeling; men
from the Swiss and Bavarian Alps, who represented generations of
yodeling families. Elton won the contest hands down.
Not a "Broadway Cowboy," Elton lives on his farm in Maryland,
raises cattle, fishes on his own lake, and tends to the livestock himself.
He has one of the world's largest collections of silver saddles and
guns. He flies his own plane. His penchant for fine Western clothes
has set the styles for many of Hollywood's and TV's Western stars.
The group heard on this record has been successful in many parts
of the world, but one anecdote from Korea best sums up the
universal nature of Elton's appeal. One day in 1951, while he was
entertaining our troops on the front lines, he noticed a surprising
lack of gunfire for accompaniment. It became clear that the
Chinese Reds in the surrounding mountains were too intent on
listening to shoot. They had crept up to the impromptu open-air
theater, and were swinging along with Elton with as much enthusiasm
as the American boys whom Elton had thought were his only audience!
Elton and Zeke have just come to New York once more, 20 years
after their first Arkansas encounter. This album is their musical
portrait of the many Western TV shows seen and loved by all
America, ranging from "Maverick" to "Have Gun, Will Travel." With
Zeke conducting the band behind Elton, the recording session rolled
on with remarkable and unusal smoothness, because of the deep-
rooted bond between The Wandering Cowboy and Zeke. "It's not
really so surprising things turtned out so well," said Zeke. "After all,
we've been rehearsing this album for twenty-five years!"
[ Elton Britt & Zeke Manners ]
wanderings have led him to millions of people all over the earth, from
farmhouse to penthouse—in person, on radio and TV, and,
of course, on recordings.
It all started in Marshall, Arkansas, where Elton, at the age of ten,
received from his father—who was a fiddle player and who led a
country band—his first guitar, a $5.95 Sears Roebuck mail order item.
By the time Elton was twelve, he was already an accomplished singer
and guitar player, and enjoyed great popularity in the Ozark Mountains.
About this time, popular musical history was being made on the
Pacific Coast—the Beverly Hillbillies, headed by Glen Rice and Zeke
Manners, had become the sensation of Movietown. Broadcasting
from KMPC in Beverly Hills, the group had attracted so much
attention that Zeke and Glen flew to Arkansas, up into the Ozarks,
on a hunt for more ideas and talent. It was then that they heard
about Elton's family of musicians. After much persuasion, Elton's
parents, "'lowed as how it would be all right for Elton to fly to
Hollywood and go into show business...for a short spell." (The "short
spell" still hasn't ended!) Upon Elton's arrival in California, he was an
immediate sensation. The Beverly Hillbillies broke all existing records
at Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Pantages and the Palace in Los
Angeles, where they were held over for an unprecedented six weeks.
Several years later, Zeke brought Elton to New York, and their
over-night success on NBC and local New York stations became
something of a legend on the East Coast. At this time, Elton entered
a yodeling contest conducted by Tom Mix. His formidable opponents
were from the traditional strongholds of the art of yodeling; men
from the Swiss and Bavarian Alps, who represented generations of
yodeling families. Elton won the contest hands down.
Not a "Broadway Cowboy," Elton lives on his farm in Maryland,
raises cattle, fishes on his own lake, and tends to the livestock himself.
He has one of the world's largest collections of silver saddles and
guns. He flies his own plane. His penchant for fine Western clothes
has set the styles for many of Hollywood's and TV's Western stars.
The group heard on this record has been successful in many parts
of the world, but one anecdote from Korea best sums up the
universal nature of Elton's appeal. One day in 1951, while he was
entertaining our troops on the front lines, he noticed a surprising
lack of gunfire for accompaniment. It became clear that the
Chinese Reds in the surrounding mountains were too intent on
listening to shoot. They had crept up to the impromptu open-air
theater, and were swinging along with Elton with as much enthusiasm
as the American boys whom Elton had thought were his only audience!
Elton and Zeke have just come to New York once more, 20 years
after their first Arkansas encounter. This album is their musical
portrait of the many Western TV shows seen and loved by all
America, ranging from "Maverick" to "Have Gun, Will Travel." With
Zeke conducting the band behind Elton, the recording session rolled
on with remarkable and unusal smoothness, because of the deep-
rooted bond between The Wandering Cowboy and Zeke. "It's not
really so surprising things turtned out so well," said Zeke. "After all,
we've been rehearsing this album for twenty-five years!"
[ Elton Britt & Zeke Manners ]
No comments:
Post a Comment