Little Joe Carson

[Dale Bennett]

I was just nosing around u-tube and ran across a guy i used to love, named Little Joe Carson. I came across a song I used to sing called Who'll buy my memories. Does anyone know who played steel on that? I think it was recorded in the 60's. I can't play steel but i'm such a fan and I loved this guys sound. I sure would like to know. Thanks, db

[Mitch Drumm]

Here ya go, Dale; looks like Walter Haynes:

25 April 1963 [19:00-22:00] RCA Victor Studio, 1611 Hawkins St., Nashville 3, TN – Joe Carson (Kelso Herston, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, Walter Haynes, Bob Moore, Tommy Jackson, Doug Kirkham, Hargus Robbins. Producer: Tommy Allsup)
019 P3KM-5625 I DID IT AND I'M GLAD LST 7360
020 P3KM-5626/LB-1637 WHO'LL BUY MY MEMORIES 55578
021 P3KM-5627/LB-1636 I GOTTA GET DRUNK 55578

Mooney and Emmons played on some of his earlier stuff. Billy Mize played on "Helpless".

[Dale Bennett]

Wow, thanks a lot Mitch. Of course I know Mooney from the west coast and I knew Billy Mize and Cliff crawford real well but I did not know Billy was on that record. That's great. Thanks again guy, db

[Mitch Drumm]

He didn't record much, so here is the whole deal.

Looks like he recorded with Hank Thompson's guys in his early years before going to the west coast.

All of this stuff is on a single CD now.

December 1953 poss. Castle Studio at The Tulane Hotel, 206 8th Ave. North, Nashville 3, TN - Joe Carson (prob.: Billy Gray, Norman Stephens, Bobby White, Billy Stewart, Amos Hedrick, Bob White, Gil Baca. Producer: Dee Kilpatrick)
001 YW-7529 I DIDN’T HAVE A CONTRACT 70315-x45
002 YW-7530 I’D GIVE ANYTHING (TO BE WITH YOU) 70348-x45
003 YW-7531 I’LL DO THE DISHES 70315-x45
004 YW-7532 I COULD LOVE THE DEVIL OUT OF YOU 70348-x45


April or May 1954 Clifford Herring Studio, 1705 W.7th St., Fort Worth, TX - Joe Carson (prob.: Billy Gray, Pee Wee Whitewing, Bobby White, Bob Stewart, Amos Hedrick, Bil Gace. Producer: Dee Kilpatrick)
005 YW-7592 SHOW ME HOW 70398-x45
006 YW-7593 I’M NOT ALLERGIC TO LOVE 70438-x45
007 YW-7594 DON’T ENTER 70398-x45
008 YW-7595 JUST A LITTLE WHILE 70438-x45


14 December 1956 [no. 4702] Capitol Recording Studio, 1710 North Vine St., Hollywood, CA – Joe Carson (Tommy Allsup, Joe Maphis, Buck Owens, Ralph Mooney, Bud Dooley, Marion Adams, Jelly Sanders. Producer: Ken Nelson)
009 16280 CRAZY DREAM Capitol F3760
010 16281 TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS F3760
011 16282 LOVE TRANSFUSION F3645
012 16283 PASSION AND PRIDE F3645


Spring 1959 KOYL Radio Station Studio, Odessa, TX – Joe Carson
013 1176 CARELESS WORDS D 1083
014 1177 TIME LOCK 1083


9 January 1963 [19:00-22:00] RCA Victor Studio, 1611 Hawkins St., Nashville 3, TN – Joe Carson (Harold Bradley, Ray Edenton, Buddy Emmons, Jerry Kennedy, Buddy Harman, Hargus Robbins. Producer: Tommy Allsup)
015 LB 1582 SHOOT THE BUFFALO Lioberty 55547
016 I'LL NEVER LOVE NO ONE BUT YOU LST 7360
017 LB 1583 THREE LITTLE WORDS TOO LATE 55547/LST 7360
018 FORBIDDEN WINE LST 7360


25 April 1963 [19:00-22:00] RCA Victor Studio, 1611 Hawkins St., Nashville 3, TN – Joe Carson (Kelso Herston, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, Walter Haynes, Bob Moore, Tommy Jackson, Doug Kirkham, Hargus Robbins. Producer: Tommy Allsup)
019 P3KM-5625 I DID IT AND I'M GLAD LST 7360
020 P3KM-5626/LB-1637 WHO'LL BUY MY MEMORIES 55578
021 P3KM-5627/LB-1636 I GOTTA GET DRUNK 55578


29 July 1963 [19:00-22:00] United Recording Corp., 6050 Sunset Blvd.,Hollywood, CA – Joe Carson (Tommy Allsup, Glen Campbell, Sonny Curtis, Billy Mize, Clifford Hills, Gwyn Nichols, Billy Armstrong, Bobby Bruce, Glen Hardin. Producer: Tommy Allsup)
022 LB 1706 HELPLESS 55614/LST 7360
023 LB 1707 THE LAST SONG (I'M EVER GONNA SING) 55614/LST 7360
024 LB 1796 DOUBLE LIFE 55664/LST 7360
025 LB 1797 FORT WORTH JAIL 55664


10 February 1964 [20:30-23:30] United Recording Corp., 6050 Sunset Blvd.,Hollywood, CA – Joe Carson (James Burton, Sonny Curtis, Billy Mize, Bob Morris, Jerry Allison, Billy Armstrong, Bobby Bruce, Glen Hardin. Producer: Tommy Allsup)
026 BE A GOOD GIRL LST 7360
027 GUESS YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE unissued
028 RELEASE ME LST 7360
029 WHO'LL BUY THE WINE LST 7360
030 I'LL BE THERE LST 7360
031 FRAULEIN LST 7360

[Jason Odd]

I assume Gwyn Nichols in the late drummer Junior Nichols.

[Billy Tonnesen]

Jason:

Yes, that is Junior's real name. I worked with him for a while in the late 50's. He died much to early. Great Drummer and sort of a crazy guy. As I remember he was on the Hank Thompson Band for a short while.

[Jason Odd]

Yep, he even had his name on the bass drum when with Hank, I used to have a killer pic of him with the Brazos.. but the file was corrupted when a hacker got inot my PC and wreaked havoc.

Can't recall the source, might have sneakily copied it from an ebay listing.

Junior was also the sub for Mel Taylor with the Norm Raleigh Band at The Lazy X in '64, that's before Mel went back out on the road with The Ventures and Dewey Martin joined on drums-vocals.

Junior passed away back in 1981, in his late fifties or so?
Monte Paul told me he'd see him at gigs with busted drumsticks, playing with the ends!

[Jerry Hayes R.I.P.]

Hey Dale, when I was playing steel for Billy Mize at the old Foothill Club, we did "Helpless" one night and I'd never played it before so I just did a standard sort of steel ride to the changes. At break time Billy told me that he'd actually played the steel on Joe Carson's recording and showed me how it went on my steel. I believe Billy played an E13th on the recording with the appropriate pedals raising the 3rds and 5ths. He has to be the nicest person I've ever worked with.........JH in Va.