Curios - Highland Fling / Raunchy Twist (Digital 45)

One of the unsung heroes of rockabilly music, Bobby Brown was born in Olyphant, Arkansas, a small country village about 10 miles from Newport. In the mid 1950s he formed a band and continued to play locally until he graduated high school in 1956. After high school he moved to St. Louis and formed a band and worked the local clubs, before the group relocated to Jonesboro, not too far from Memphis to try to get a record deal with Sun Records. The band met Elvis' guitar player Scotty Moore and recorded tracks for the Fernwood label that were never released. They continued to play clubs and finally recorded for Arlen Vaden's Vaden Records label.  After splitting, Brown and drummer Johnny Welker joined Sonny Burgess' band and started traveling with the Johnny Cash Show, playing one-nighters all over the United States. On those tours, they backed up several famous people including The Collins Kids, Joe Maphis, Merle Travis, Sonny James, Mitchell Torok, Marty Robbins, and a tribute show with Jerry Lee Lewis, when Carl Perkins brother died. After about 9 months working with Sonny, Brown formed his road band, bringing in Johnny "Baby Huey" Adams on bass and Tommy Holder on lead guitar. With those two new additions plus Welker on drums and Bobby on guitar and vocals, the band was complete. They played shows with literally everyone including Narvel Felts, Bo Diddley, Ronnie Hawkins, Conway Twitty, Jay and The Americans, Duane Eddy, Del Shannon, Wanda Jackson and many many more. They named the band The Curios and worked the high-end club circuit which included the Copacabana and Peppermint Lounge in New York City, Atlantic City Boardwalk, Brown Derby in Toronto, and many more. In late 1961 they recorded for the New York based Fargo Records label and released the rockabilly instrumental 45, "Highland Fling" b/w "Raunchy Twist." This ultra-rare little gem is presented here newly remastered.