Ted Daffan - songwriter of standards such as 'Born To Lose'

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by melstapler, Dec 10, 2019.

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  1. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

    Ted Daffan (1912-1996) wrote numerous hit songs which have been recorded by the likes of Ray Charles, Dean Martin, Ringo Starr, Ella Fitzgerald, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Rick Nelson, Doug Sahm, Jeff Beck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kay Starr, Jim Reeves, Hank Williams Jr. and Connie Francis, Bill Haley, Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, Tex Ritter, Ivory Joe Hunter, Webb Pierce, Jack Guthrie, Roy Drusky, Wanda Jackson, Asleep At The Wheel and Willie Nelson, Eddy Arnold, Sonny James, Conway Twitty, Don Gibson, Les Paul & Mary Ford, The Everly Brothers, The Ventures, Billy Preston, Patti Page, George Jones and Gene Pitney, The Sons Of The Pioneers, Boots Randolph, Ferlin Husky, Hank Thompson, Red Simpson, Conway Twitty, LeAnn Rimes, Merle Travis, Red Foley, Porter Wagoner, Ned Miller, The Stanley Brothers, Faron Young, Hank Snow, Pete Fountain, Charlie Walker, Ray Price, Johnny Rodriguez and Elton John and Leonard Cohen. Cliff Bruner recorded a number of Daffan's songs, including a rendition of Daffan's 'Truck Driver's Blues,' which became a major hit and is regarded as the first trucker song. Daffan was also a pioneer in the use of electrified instruments.
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    Known for writing standards such as 'Born To Lose,' 'I'm a Fool to Care' and the aforementioned 'Truck Driver's Blues,' Theron Eugene Daffan was born in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. Daffan operated a repair shop for radios and electric musical instruments. Located in Houston, this repair shop enabled experimentation with pickups and amplifiers. During the 1930s, western swing hero Milton brown convinced Daffan to close his music repair shop and focus on performing.
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    Ted Daffan with the Bar-X Cowboys in 1939 on steel (seated on far right)

    Daffan worked as a steel guitarist in a Hawaiian band called The Blue Islanders, before moving into country music in 1934. During this period, Daffan was performing with Leon "Pappy" Selph's Blue Ridge Playboys; a band whose revolving door of personnel included Floyd Tilman, Aubrey "Moon" Mullican, Bob Dunn and Cliff Bruner. The following year, Daffan joined the Bar-X Cowboys and Shelly Lee Alley's Alley Cats, before forming his own band, the Texans. He signed to the Columbia label and had numerous hit songs.
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    'Born To Lose' as recorded by Ted Daffan & His Texans
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    Daffan originally recorded 'I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night' and was responsible for Faron Young recording his hit version.

    In addition to versions of 'Born To Lose' and 'Worried Mind,' he also scored with 'No Letter Today' in 1944 and 'Headin' Down the Wrong Highway' in 1945. 'Worried Mind,' his first hit, sold a reported 350,000 records and its flip side, 'Blue Steel Blues,' became a popular country instrumental. Daffan's songbook experienced a renewed interest during the 1950s and into the 60s, when Ray Charles began recording his material. In the years prior to his retirement, Daffan partnered with Hank Snow to run a publishing company in addition to having his own record label, Daffan Records. Daffan received a Platinum record for Ray Charles’ recording of 'Born to Lose' in 1982 and 10 years later, BMI recognized the song for having one million plays. Daffan was inducted into the Hall of Fame Western Swing Society in 1994 and died from cancer at age 84 on October 6, 1996.
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    Daffan in his later years

    Daffan's version of 'Born to Lose' sold over one million copies and was awarded a Gold record by the RIAA. Despite this massive success, Daffan's original hit versions are largely overlooked in favor of the later interpretations by other artists and this favoritism is unjust. As loyal fans of Ted Daffan, we've waited far too long and it's time for his recordings to be given the proper reissue treatment they deserve, while introducing the man and his music to new generations of fans on a worldwide level. We need for a competent reissue label to release a comprehensive collection of Ted Daffan's recordings.
     
    Tord, john hp, vonwegen and 7 others like this.
  2. Hurakan

    Hurakan Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego
    Italian singer Mina - I'm A Fool To Care - Paintings by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2019
    John B Good, melstapler and bluemooze like this.
  3. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    I had a Ted Daffan's Texan's 78 when I was very little. I still have it. My mom bought it in the supermarket when 78's were being cut out. She paid 10 cents for it, thought I would like the label because it was old. Let me try and find the tune on YouTube.
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    Geez, here it is. I loved this, little me had NO idea what a steel guitar was (maybe a guitar made out of metal?) but I played this a zillion times. I didn't like the other side (which of course was A WORRIED MIND).

     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    The B side that I didn't like as a kid. When I heard RAY CHARLES' version in the 1980s I realized I had this and gave it another shot.

     
    Tord and melstapler like this.
  5. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    This is how I heard Worried Mind. Too cool for school
     
    Tord, clhboa and melstapler like this.
  6. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter

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    'Too Far Gone' from 1947
     
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  7. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist Thread Starter


    'Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt'
     
    Tord likes this.
  8. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    A friend of mine was listening with me to the Everlys singing Born to Lose, and got quite angry, thought it was the most depressed writer and depressing song he had ever heard.
     
    baptistbusman and melstapler like this.
  9. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    Ted Daffan was a great talent all around and everything that needs to be said has been said already.
     
    melstapler likes this.
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