& The Five Stars
70’s Rockabilly
always click on pic’s.
Hazel Park, Michigan, USA
Born Dec. 15, 1937; Died July 5, 2004 (aged 67)
Don Rader sang country and rock ’n’ roll for more than forty years. He grew up in Hazel Park, Michigan, a suburb at the northern border of Detroit, at a time when the city was settled by hundreds of families from the South. In 1958 Rader cut his first record, “Rock And Roll Grandpap.” Fifty years later, Rader personified the title of his song as he sang country and vintage rock ’n’ roll with a rock band in Southeast Michigan nightclubs.
There was a place called the Wayside Garage over on [West] Coy [Avenue] and John R [Road] in Hazel Park — and it’s still there, it’s a church now. I had a paper route. One day I walked in there to collect for the paper, and here’s this old May Bell guitar sittin’ in the corner — and I didn’t even know what it was! I looked at it and I just fell in love with that thing when I saw it. I said, “What is that?” And he said, “It’s a guitar. Haven’t you ever seen Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and these guys?” I said, “I want that!” He said, “Well, you get eight dollars and come back, and I’ll sell it to you.” And that’s where it all started. Eight bucks! You’d pay more’n that for a set of strings, now. … Read full text here >>> Don Rader
Original release, FORTUNE 206 (US) 1959 ; This release, re-issue on STRATE-8 1507 [02/1970]
Rock and roll grandpa b/w A day att the pines