Posted by Pete Smith on April 25, 2008, 10:58 pm
86.144.130.130
“The Advertiser” (UK) 18 April 2008
Rockabilly was, and still to some extent still is, a man thing. For a female to break into this male dominated arena she had to be something rather special. Laura Lee Perkins was, and still is, a very special lady. A very talented young woman Laura Lee not only sings but also plays piano, guitar, ukulele, drums and trumpet. She was born Alice Faye Perkins in Killarney, West Virginia where as a child she sang in school, church, and any place where there was a piano and someone willing to listen. She graduated from Stoco High School in 1957 and at the age of 17 years she left home taking all her possessions in a cardboard box and headed for Cleveland, Ohio. The big city was too overpowering so she moved west to the small township of Elyria, Ohio where she secured a job as a waitress in a restaurant just across the street from Radio Station WEOL. One night a D.J, Jeff Baxter heard Laura playing the piano and was so impressed he made a tape and sent copies to Imperial Records, in Hollywood and Sun Records in Memphis. Laura was offered a contract by both labels but opted for Imperial. In February of 1958 Laura flew to California where she recorded several songs, two of which she wrote herself. Returning to Ohio Laura continued to perform live shows, often with top recording artists of that era.
In 1958 Laura saw the release of her debut single, "Kiss Me Baby", a rocking little number featuring guitar ace Joe Maphis. The single gained many positive reviews but sales were disappointing. Five weeks later Imperial released the follow-up, “Don’t Wait Up” but though Laura toured extensively in support of the song, again sales did not match expectations.
The following year, 1959, Laura travelled to Detroit, Michigan where she joined up with several bands to tour throughout the United States and Canada. In 1963, she married Neal Kitts and with him had 3 fine sons. She continued to sing and later wrote and sang jingles for radio and TV. She still lives in the Detroit area and still sings whenever the opportunity arises.
It is now half a century since Laura Lee cut her first sides and to celebrate she has released an album she recorded in 2006. “I’m Back And Here We Go!” includes four recent songs penned by Laura Lee, the six sides she recorded in the fifties and a few golden oldies including rocking versions of Hank Williams “Jambalaya” and “I Just Don’t Like This Kind Of Livin’” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” plus Laura Lee’s own “A Better Life”, “The Wrong Kind” and “Oh La Baby”. www.lauraleeperkins.com
“The Advertiser” 25 April 2008
Mark Brine was part of the folk movement of the 1960s. During the seventies he moved to Nashville to be closer to the traditional country music that he loved but by that time pop country had become the in-thing. He could have joined in or become an “Outlaw” but his musical integrity would not allow that. Mark came to the attention of Hank Snow who invited him to join the “Grand Ole Opry”. The pop country sounds began to take over the Opry and so Mark had to leave. Undeterred Brine has continued to keep alive those true country sounds and along with them the spirit of Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and other great pioneers. After five singles released between 1978 and 1980, Mark returned to the recording studios to
cut his first album, on cassette, for the KJK label, “Return To Americana”, one of the first
instances of the term “Americana” being used in connection with music. This was followed three years later by a vinyl album, “American Pieces”, again for KJK. Another seven years without an album, then in 1995, along came the magnificent “New Blue Yodel” (Resigned). No one could accuse Brine of being a prolific recording artist, well not until after 1999 when during a nine-year period he released ten albums. It was in 2003 when I became really acquainted with Mark through his “For Karrie” album, his talent simply astounded me and I went on to review, for both “The Advertiser” and the late, lamented “Country Music Round Up”, “Fortunes” (2004), “I’m Not Anyone” (2005) and “I Deliver” (2006). Now I am privileged to bring to your attention Mark’s latest offering “Out On Luke’s Highway” (Wild Oats). This is a superb collection of 14 songs, ten of them originals that, through the brilliance of performance, bring into the twenty-first century the sounds of the 1930s and 1940s. Mark’s own songs vary in mood from the happy “Long Lost Art Of Common Sense” to the devotional “Karrie’s Smile” to the spiritual “He Wrote Our Names”. Mark lovingly revives the oft forgotten Hank Snow tale of tragedy “Little Buddy”, introduces a slightly new sound to Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and remains faithful to Jimmie Rodgers on “T. For Texas”. Helping Mark on this project are Linda Joseph (brilliant fiddle work throughout, and harmony vocals), Denis Colby (electric guitar), Tony Palmer (steel), John Ownby (bass fiddle) and Rick Lonow (snare drums). Mark’s son, Keeve, makes a guest appearance on a couple of tracks playing snare and acoustic guitar. Mark Brine’s work deserves recognition for his preservation of the sounds of real country music. This was achieved when he was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Association Hall of Fame. www.markbrine.com
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