Eddie Bond - The man who broke Elvis Presley's heart

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by melstapler, Jan 3, 2019.

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  1. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    When Elvis Presley was a teenager in May 1954, he auditioned to sing with Eddie Bond's band at the Hi Hat club in Memphis, Tennessee and the club manager wasn't impressed with the performance Presley delivered. Bond became the bearer of bad news, telling Presley that he would be better off driving a truck than attempting to make it in music.
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    In 1957, as Presley was about to film “Jailhouse Rock,” he told a friend that Mr. Bond “broke my heart.” Traveling by train to Hollywood, he said, “I wonder what Eddie Bond thinks now.”
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    Warren Smith with Elvis Presley in 1956

    Less than a year after Eddie Bond broke Elvis Presley's heart, both artists were touring together as part of a package show with Johnny Cash. Despite touring with the likes of Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Warren Smith, Bond never quite achieved the level of stardom he so rightly deserved.
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    Rockabilly legend Eddie Bond performing

    Eddie James Bond was born on July 1, 1933, in Memphis. By the age of sixteen, Bond was playing in bands and after a stint serving in the Navy, he returned to the Memphis music scene. Bond formed his group The Stompers in 1952 and guitarist Reggie Young would join the band in 1955.

    Eddie Bond & The Stompers featuring Reggie Young on lead guitar

    For more info on legendary guitarist Reggie Young, please see the enjoyable thread created by our friend @Rick Bartlett Reggie Young - Guitarist

    Bond performed on the Grand Ole Opry, The Louisiana Hayride and The Big D Jamboree. Despite the sizable cult following Bond maintained around the world, he never had a major hit as a singer.
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    Bond served as band leader, record label owner, deejay and radio station manager, television show host, nightclub owner, agent, concert promoter and editor of a monthly entertainment newspaper.
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    Eddie Bond during his years on Mercury
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2019
  2. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    Another great candidate for the complete Bear Family treatment.
    The only apparent decent release is this one:
    Rockin' Daddy (2-CD) | Bear Family Records
    Another artist that released material on small independent labels that would
    be fitting to have all together in one place.
    Here's one from 1973.
     
  3. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

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    In 1968, Bond contacted Buford Pusser, the famous Tennessee sheriff who fought crime and corruption and served as the basis for the semi-autobiographical "Walking Tall" films and survived seven stabbings and eight shootings. Bond wrote a handful of songs as a tribute to Pusser, with most of them collected on the 1973 "Eddie Bond Sings The Legend Of Buford Pusser" LP.

    'Legacy Of Buford Pusser' by Eddie Bond
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    Last edited: Jan 3, 2019
  4. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    I couldn't imagine this one getting much airplay.... :sigh:
    Interesting!
     
  5. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    Some neat 'hardcore country' as 'The Possum' would say.
    This has a bit of a 60's Johnny Paycheck vibe to it.
     
  6. john hp

    john hp Forum Resident

    Location:
    Warwickshire, UK
    Rockabilly classic -
     
  7. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

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    Eddie Bond with Faron Young
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    Despite numerous business ventures and interests, Bond continued to perform and record. The rockabilly revival during the late 1970s and into the 80s embraced Bond and this resurgence found him performing to audiences around the world.
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    Bond performing live in Germany in 1992
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2019
  8. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

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    Sadly, Bond had been experiencing poor health since 2011 and perished in March 2013, leaving behind a large, yet mostly consistent body of work which will continue to be cherished by fans of rockabilly and real country music. Unlike many artists from his era and level of fame, Bond's back catalog has been fairly well-represented and we've had the good fortune of some satisfying releases on CD. Bond recorded for several labels and at numerous studios, so it will be interesting to hear what additional live or studio recordings are unearthed in the vaults.

    Bond performing live at a casino in Wisconsin in 2007
     
  9. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    Apart from the 2 CD Bear comp, what are some good CD's you recommend?
    I'm not familiar with much after his 50's rockabilly period to be honest.
     
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  10. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    Definitely. Here are some essential 1CD comps which will serve as nice companions to the highly recommended 2CD on Bear Family Records. For Eddie's later recordings, he would do a mixture of rockabilly and country songs, so you'll still have overlap between the two styles on many of his compilations.
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  11. The Killer

    The Killer Dung Heap Rooster

    Location:
    The Cotswolds
    I've got the Bear Family 2 CD set, this reminds me I haven't heard it for a while, must dig it out for a blast daddy-o.

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  12. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    I saw those listed, but thought those as being in the words of BF:

    ' There are several Eddie Bond records with Rockin' Daddy, Slip Slidin' In, Flip Flop Mama and Boppin' Bonnie on them, but they're either bootlegs or re-makes. Only Bear Family has all the original Mercury, Ekko, Sun and Phillips International recordings on two generously full CDs. 51 recordings tell the story of Eddie's remarkable rockabilly and country career between 1955 and 1962.'

    So the quality on these are pretty good are they? Do you think these are boots?
     
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  13. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    Definitely. The quality is excellent on these comps, but this is one artist whose re-recordings remained energetic and stayed true to the originals.
     
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  14. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    Elvis, was it true you Eddie Bond told you you'd be better off driving a truck?
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  15. The Killer

    The Killer Dung Heap Rooster

    Location:
    The Cotswolds
    Quite fancy that Stompertime Memphis Country Music King CD, they do have a website but they only deal in cash or cheque (bless). Might risk it, why not...

    They also link to Bim-Bam who are in the 20th century (just) and have an online purchase option. Ordered!
     
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  16. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    @The Killer The 90s-era photo I posted above is Eddie Bond backed by Dave Travis and his band. Travis is a long-running UK rockabilly artist, music historian and businessman who currently operates Stompertime. They're a terrific record label up there with the likes of Bear Family. He's been active since 1967, playing everything from rockabilly and blues to classic country in addition to working with a number of first generation rockabilly legends including Eddie Bond, Sleepy LaBeef, Warren Smith, Jack Scott, Buddy Knox, Charlie Feathers and Ray Smith.

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  17. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    I like this shot, also includes the young guitarist Reggie Young top left:
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  18. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    Good grief! Reggie was barely just a calf when this was taken!
     
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  19. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    [​IMG]
    And! a few years earlier:
    Jody Chastain also played double bass with Charlie Feathers on the King records and also
    cut some of his own solo 45's.
     
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  20. Timmy84

    Timmy84 Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Did anyone ever get to ask Eddie what he thought about Elvis after he made it? Did they ever see each other again? He seemed to not have regretted his place in history but I'm sure he was a little bitter that Elvis got to be the uber-huge star and he didn't.
     
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  21. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    What a small world! Also, Bob Neal was briefly Elvis Presley's manager. He must've lived with regret for not staying with Elvis, think of the untold amounts of money after Elvis broke through on RCA.
     
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  22. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    In later years, Eddie indicated that he was conveying the decision/opinion of the club manager and I suppose that's a situation when taking the blame pays off in the form of publicity. Either Eddie felt guilt for being quick to judge Elvis or he was simply forced to take one for the team. It would've been interesting if Eddie could've reunited with Elvis during the 1970s, as both of them probably would've had a good laugh.
     
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  23. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    The American counterpart of "guitar groups are on the way out"?
     
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  24. Timmy84

    Timmy84 Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Interesting...
     
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  25. Front 242 Addict

    Front 242 Addict I Love Physical format for my listening pleasure

    Location:
    Tel Aviv ,Israel
    Thank you for sharing melstapler , I didn't knew about that.
    I love to listen to the music of these two amazing artists :)
     
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