Sitting here with my thoughts: Back to 1958 remembering all those great singers we had back then.
Many styles of music such as doo wop, rock-a-billy, calypso, country, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, bubble gum rock, pop and big band. We didn’t have to put up with single formats on AM only stations during this era.
There were very few FM stations at the time, but lots of AMs that played music from all the styles named above. We had so many great singers and groups from all styles and from every part of the USA that there’s not enough room in this issue of Historic Union County to name all of them. So, we'll talk about two of the groups that were popular in the East Tennessee area and other parts of the USA.
Let’s start with Rocky Davis (real name Billy Smith) and the Shamrocks. Rocky Davis was born May 3, 1937, in Knoxville, but lived in Sweetwater for the first few years of his life. His father was a patient of Eastern State Hospital for 30 years from a head injury at work.
Bill spent time as a youngster singing on the main business streets of Sweetwater for pocket change from passers-by. His mother remarried Carl Maples and they relocated to Knoxville. She worked at Standard Knitting Mills.
Bill Smith (Rocky Davis) grew up and started his professional singing career at the age of 21 as a solo artist at the Blue Star Inn on Asheville Highway in Knoxville. He graduated from Fulton High School in 1955. At Fulton, Billy was a schoolmate of Bobby Henderson, who later worked at WIVK AM and helped Billy become famous in Knoxville.
With the help of his sax player Dave Rudder, who also worked at WIVK AM, Rocky Davis and the Shamrocks became famous in East Tennessee. Rudder also kept Rocky Davis and The Shamrocks booked for years in the Knoxville area clubs. Rocky Davis and The Shamrocks were the only young music group in East Tennessee at this time.
In 1958, under the name of Billy Smith, he and his band recorded two songs at Red Head Studios: A-side “Tell Me Baby,” which was pure rock-a-billy, and B-side “Baby, Please Come Home,” which was a very good country tune. Billy’s steel guitar player was excellent.
In 1959, Billy cut two 45 RPM records at Blue Sky Studios in Florida as Rocky Davis and The Shamrocks. A-side “The Book of Used to Be,” and B-side Hot Rod Baby. These two songs are pure rock-a-billy. The second recording was A-side- “You’re A Doll” and B-side “Save a Little Love for Me.”
After recording these three records Billy Smith, or his new stage name, Rocky Davis, became very popular in Knoxville because of promotion from his records being played on WIVK AM Radio. It was, at the time, the young listener’s station.
The other radio stations in Knoxville jumped from format to format so listeners heard new voices and sounds on an almost monthly basis.
Billy—or Rocky Davis and his Shamrocks—had a good tight band, put out good records and met their show dates, and also looked professional. Here’s a few locations where they performed:
Asheville Highway-Blue Star Inn, Starlite, Roundup, UT-fraternity parties, Gatlinburg-Mountain View, River Terrace, Gatlinburg Coliseum, scheduled for Ted Mack Amateur Hour, played with Dale and Grace and also Ava Barber, opened for: Conway Twitty, Mel Tillis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bellamy Brothers.
He was asked to tour by big stars, but didn’t want to travel. Billy Smith as Rocky Davis quit performing after Knoxville’s World Fair in 1982.
Billy Smith started Smith and Sons printing in the late 1950s and his family still runs it today.
I think that Billy Smith did not want the life of a famous national artist. Most would relish being known and making the big money, but folks, there is a heavy price to pay for that notoriety and fame. I think Billy made the right decision and has an intact family, has done pretty well financially and has enjoyed more peace and sleep by his decision. You can listen to Billy’s music on the internet.
Billy and his wife Judy were introduced by friends in 1972. Judy thought Billy was a “party boy” but went to see him perform. Judy said he was a good performer and had a great band.
Billy and Judy dated a few times, but Billy stopped calling her. So, Judy thought Billy had lost interest, and that made her mad. That’s when Judy decided she had feelings for Billy.
Both Billy and Judy had custody of their children and took them to Gatlinburg for their first family date. Judy said she got really “ticked” by Billy not calling for a while. They got married February 3, 1973, and are still married today.
Billy had a stroke in 2001, but he is active today and he and Judy are enjoying their kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Billy is still proud of his days as the only young band in East Tennessee.
Next is Esco Hankins: Esco Hankins was another gifted singer from Union County. Esco was born January 1, 1914, near Luttrell. His parents were George W. Hankins and Cora G. Hankins.
Esco, like Carl Smith, developed professionally very early and was on Radio Station WROL in Knoxville at the age of 14. Esco could play his guitar well. He had traded his bicycle for an old guitar at a time when most boys were carefree and roaming the woods.
In his twenties, Esco served in the Army Air Corps. After his military service, Esco returned to East Tennessee and formed a new band and toured throughout the south.
The story goes, this band was The Smoky Mountain Boys and Roy Acuff’s band was The Crazy Tennesseans. Well, Roy got called to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry as a member.
Nashville (WSM 650 AM didn’t like his band’s name as they thought the Crazy Tennesseans was derogatory to the State of Tennessee as their radio show The Grand Ole Opry was heard in more than 30 states on Saturday night.
This situation forced Acuff to contact Esco Hankins and try to trade band names. Esco’s band became the Crazy Tennesseans. Esco later dropped Crazy and his band became Esco Hankins and The Tennesseans.
In 1950 Esco moved to Lexington, Kentucky, and started a show on Radio Station WLAP there. Esco became very popular at, and was instrumental in starting the Kentucky Barn Dance in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Happy Valley Barn Dance.
Esco had started recording songs in 1947 and had 16 recording sessions through 1983. He recorded 112 singles, eight albums and three XPs in his recording career.
Esco recorded for King, Mercury, Jewell, and Columbia. In 1954, Esco married his second wife, Jackie Tincher.
He and Jackie travelled together and became a duet act. In 1964, Esco and Jackie joined the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia.
The Jamboree was broadcast over Radio Station WWVA and was listened to by large radio audiences every Saturday night.
Like Knoxville’s Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round, Shreveport’s KWKH Louisiana Hayride and Chicago’s WLS National Barn Dance, the Wheeling Jamboree sent many new country stars to the Nashville Grand Ole Opry.
Esco and Jackie gravitated more and more to gospel music as they progressed to older age and eventually performed only at churches or religious events.
Esco also wrote quite a few country and gospel songs during his life. You can listen to Esco on the internet. I think you will enjoy his music from an earlier time. Think I’ll go start up the computer and enjoy Esco Hankins’ “Low and Lonely.”