Rockabilly
always klick on pic’s.
Gainesville, Texas, USA
Willie Jacobs (vcl.), Kenneth Ewing Scott (vcl.), Paul Kuntz (vcl.), Albert Branden Cornelius (gtr), Don Alexander (bass), & Walter Paschal Parsons (dr)
Discography & Info. The Strikes
The Strikes were among the numerous white vocal groups that sprung up around the middle-1950's,
trying to grab a piece of the rock 'n' roll action that was starting to swirl around the charts.
They'd started out as a country vocal trio, consisting of Willie Jacobs on lead, Ken Scott singing
tenor and playing rhythm guitar, and Paul Kunz singing bass, at North Texas State College in the
first half of the 1950's - their sound in those days was honky-tonk, and their main influence was
Hank Williams, but they also had an interest in and appreciation for rhythm-and-blues which,
combined with their country roots, made them a natural fit for the burgeoning sounds of
rock 'n' roll.
By 1956, the Strikes - named, according to one interview, in response to a
fellow student's observation that they would "strike out" - were a sextet, rounded out by
top-flight rockabilly guitarist A. B. Cornelius, bassist Don Alexander (who soon started
singing as well), and drummer Paschal Parsons. They played around East Texas and cut records
backing other artists, most notably Andy Starr at Lin Records in September of 1956, for which
Jacobs and Alexander also wrote all four songs that Starr recorded - in the process, Lin
founder Joe Leonard was impressed enough to sign the group up, despite the fact that none of
the Starr sides hit.
Original release, LIN 5006-45 (US) 12/1956 b/w RM RMA 1004 Uniss. rec. 1957 [1975]
This release, re-issue and issue on RM RMA 1004 [1975]
If you can't rock me - 1956 b/w Come back to me [uniss. rec, ’57]