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. 

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