CBID - And they play Chuck Berry music - part 4

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: The more you browse the Internet, the more cover versions you find. Here's another list of artists and band playing Chuck Berry's music. [continued]

As mentioned before, more and more cover versions are now available as download only, and you’ll find most of them on You Tube.
Here are a few new interesting ones:

RICARDO RIBEIRO (Spain) – Louie To Frisco (6:35) 2021

ROE JULES (Spain) – My Mustang Ford (2:50) 2020
2 versions, one in English and one in Spanish, the latter being the best. The second time someone has covered this obscure Berry rocker. In 1980 a group from Canada called The Shakers did a cover of the song and you’ll find info on this blog.

NUVOLE BIANCHE (Spain) – Go Bobby Soxer (3:01) 2020
(is it a little peculiar that these three above are all from Spain?)

SATB CHOIR (USA) – Run Rudolph Run (2:35) 2017

ALEX CHILTON (USA)

See more info on this blog.

Memphis, Tennessee [as “Memphis”] (3:11) 1977 (live)

2-LP: Ocean Club ’77 [Norton Records ED-400] ● USA, 2015
CD: Ocean Club ’77 [Norton Records CED-400] ● USA, 2015

Recorded at the Lower Manhattan Ocean Club in ‘77. Previously unissued.

CONRADS (Germany)

Blues trio led by singer, songwriter, guitarist Stefan George, plus Jay Trapp (bass) and Will Clipman (drums).

No Money Down (4:48) 1998

CD: Way Back Home [Line Music 9.01369] ● Germany, 2000

Recorded by Jim Pavett at Allusion Studios, Tucson, Arizona.

COPS LTD. (USA)

Rock quintet of law enforcement musicians from Yakima, Washington. Joe Smith (guitar, vocals), John Caiman (guitar, vocals), Mike Schreimer (keyboards, vocals), Bob Broyles (bass, vocals), Terry Roseberry (drums, vocals).

Roll Over Beethoven ( : ) 1975

LP: Play Old New [Tell International Records 27152] ● USA, 1975

Recorded at R.P.M. Studios, Yakima, Washington, in September ‘75.

COPS ’N ROBBERS (UK)

1960s beat/R&B group, formed in Watford, Hertfordshire. They had one single on Decca (1964) and two on PYE (1965),and one EP in France (1965). It’s not easy, they are pictured as a quartet, quintet and sextet. Members: Dane Stephens (vocals), Brian “Smudger” Smith (vocals, guitar), Duff Jackson (vocals, guitar), Colin Strange (guitar), Brian “Chuck” Rainer (guitar), Terry Fox (keyboards), Keith Canandine (harmonica), Steve Smith (bass), Alan Whitehead (drums), Henry Harrison (drums).
Take your pick.

Betty Jean (2:24) 1964
Let It Rock (2:30) 1964

CD: The Cops ’N Robbers [Distortions Records DR-1036] ● USA, 1997

Both songs copied from acetates, previously unissued.

JEFF CURTIS & THE FLAMES (UK)

Beat band formed in 1961. However, on the tracks below the band was as follows: Jeff Curtis [real name David Myers, born 1940] (lead vocals), Louis McKelvey (lead guitar), Keith Gardiner (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Malcolm Randall (saxophone), Dave Wigginton (bass), Malcolm Tomlinson (drums, backing vocals). Jeff Curtis really had a career in pop music during the ‘60s, check out garagehangover.com/jeff-curtis-and-the-flames

Bye Bye Johnny (2:17) 1963 (demo)
It Don’t Take But A Few Minutes (2:31) 1963 (demo)

4-CD set: Something Inside Of Me [Wienerworld Presentation WNRCD-5114] ● UK, 2021

“Unreleased Masters & Demos from the British Blues Years 1963-1976”. They also did “Route 66” which I am sure is in the Berry/Stones way.

DAVOLI (Croatia)

Pop band from Split, active from 1983. They were playing a mix of ‘50s and ‘60s rock’n’roll, rockabilly and Mediterranean pop.

Memphis, Tennessee (3:32) 1998

CD: Space Twist [Dallas Records CD-2415] ● Croatia, 1998

Recorded summer/autumn 1998 at Studio Garaža, Rijeka.

Memphis, Tennessee (2:20) 2016 (live)

2-CD: Studio M & Kulušić Live [Croatia Records 2CD-6074389] ● Croatia, 2016

JERRY DEEWOOD (Belgium)

Pop singer, born 1943 in Bruges.

Promised Land (2:45) 1980

LP: From Ballad To Rock & Roll [International Bestseller Co. 1A 058-63714] ● Belgium, 1980

This album is a tribute to Elvis in some way, so I would assume it sounds like Presley’s version.

Back In The USA (3:00) 1982
Sweet Little Sixteen (2:30) 1982

LP: Souvenirs [Sounds Superb (EMI) 4M 036 64748] ● Belgium, 1982

“Back In The USA” is based on the Linda Ronstadt version, at least for the tempo and the piano.

DELFINI (Italy)

Delfini was a beat/rock quartet from Padua, founded in 1961. They actually released a lot of singles and two albums during their heydays 1964-1968.

Memphis, Tennessee (3:29) 1966 (live)

LP: Una Serata Al Piper [Arc SA-9] ● Italy, 1966 (Piper Club Series)
CD: Una Serata Al Piper [On Sale Music 64 SOM-104] ● Italy, 2015

DIVIN’ DUCKS (Norway)

Rock quartet from Oslo.

Roll Over Beethoven (3:01) 1998 (live)

CD: Brewed And Bottled – Alive! [Clean Cut Records CCR-01] ● Norway, 1998

DONNEZ (Sweden)

They are a Swedish danceband from Perstorp in Skåne (the very south area), formed in 2000. Donald “Donne” Laitila is the leader on vocals, keyboards and accordion. They sing both in English and Swedish.

Run Rudolph Run (3:12) 2014

CD: Vem Tänker På Tomten? [Neptun NEP-1406] ● Sweden, 2014

Pretty goode rockin’ version, actually.

DREAMBOATS (Canada)

An old fashion rock’n’roll quartet from Mississauga, comprised of Sir Ritchie Hummins (vocals, guitar), Matt Best (lead guitar, vocals), Bryan Lewis (vocals, bass), Johnn G. Wiz (drums, vocals).

I’m Talking About You (1:53) 2021

CD: Back To The Start [Dreamboats no cat no] ● Canada, 2021

I am a little uncertain if there’s actually a proper CD or is it just for downloading? But this version is so good it needs to be here. Yes, I can make an exception. And there is also a video on You Tube from 2015 where they play a speed-up version of “Maybellene”.

T. O. EARNHEART (USA)

Thomas O. Earnheart, singer, guitarist in the rock’n’roll genre.

Around And Around (3:05) 1970s
Back In The USA (2:51) 1970s

LP: Big Rockin’ Daddy [Audio Dimension AD-077] ● USA, 1970s

Recorded at Audio Dimension, Memphis, Tennessee. Again these kind of record labels had trouble of getting any year printed.

DAVE EDWARDS (Canada)

Real name: Gaston Fortier, singer, songwriter, guitarist from Québec

Johnny B. Goode / Rock And Roll Music (in a R&R medley) (7:20) 1982

45: Unidisc UN-158 ● Canada, 1982

This is a shorter version at (4:19).

LP: Everybody Likes Rock And Roll [Unidisc UNI-1084] ● Canada, 1982

The rock’n’roll medley is titled “Everybody Likes Rock And Roll” containing in addition to the two Berry ones the following songs: Rock Around The Clock, Blue Suede Shoes, Good Golly Miss Molly and Long Tall Sally.

ETHICAL DEBATING SOCIETY (USA)

Kris Martin (el.guitar, vocals), Tegan Christmas (el.guitar, vocals), Eli Caballero (drums).

Run Rudolph Run (2:02) 2015

Various CD: Riot Grrrl Christmas [Cleopatra CLO-0092] ● USA, 2015
Various LP: Riot Grrrl Christmas [Cleopatra CLO-0092] ● USA, 2020

What the f… and what a noisy version, guitars all over the place (!) You get completely mad after 20 seconds.

FATHER Featuring RICKI YORKE (Canada)

Ricki (Ricky) Yorke is a vocalist from Toronto. In the ‘70s she was one of the singers for session work at Art Snider’s Sound Canada Recording Centre studio and releases on his Periwinkle Records label, and also on Ed LaBuick’s Cachet Records. Members on the album below: Ricki Yorke (lead vocals, tambourine), Dave Konvalinka (lead guitar, backing vocals), Rick Santagato (keyboards), Peter Simpson (tenor sax), Bruce Flynn (tenor and baritone sax), Brian Lucrow (trumpet), Bill Short (bass), Leigh “Leroy” Robinson (drums).

Chuck Berry Medley: Roll Over Beethoven-Rock And Roll Music-Sweet Little Sixteen-(Can’t Turn You Loose) (5:32) 1974

LP: Father [Periwinkle Records PER-7319] ● USA, 1974

Don’t know what the last title is all about, as there is no Berry song with that title, and I haven’t heard the medley so I can’t comment.

FATHER DOLAN (USA)

Singer, guitarist. He’s a minister according to the picture. Songs on the album varies from Oh, Rock My Soul, Universal Soldier, Cotton Fields to Blowin’ In The Wind and Mansion Over The Hilltop. Therefore interesting that he included Memphis. I assume he liked the fabulous lyrics.

Memphis, Tennessee (2:27) 1965

LP: Guitar In Hand [T N’ R Records (Guildcraft Productions) 803V-1001] ● USA, 1965

Guitar supplement: Dwight Pacific. Record label out of Hammond, Indiana. Recorded for Guildcraft Productions by RCA Custom Records.

DANNY FISHER (Belgium)

Singer, songwriter, guitarist. Real name Edmond Vermeylen, born in 1940, died in 1980. Had his first single out in 1961 and he had many after that, and a few albums.

Memphis, Tennessee (2:19) 1972
No Particular Place To Go (1:43) 1972
Rock And Roll Music (2:26) 1972
Roll Over Beethoven (2:35) 1972
Sweet Little Sixteen (2:50) 1972

LP: Rock & Roll [Diábolo  LS-27007] ● Spain, 1972

HALINA FRĄCKOWIAK (Poland)

Pop singer, songwriter, born 1947 in Poznań. She must be a popular performer as she’s had a lot of singles and albums out since 1970.

Rock And Roll Music [Polish lyrics](1:56) 1986 (?)

CD: Napisz Proszę… [Polskie Nagrania Muz PNCD-204] ● Poland, 1992

This is a compilation album which means some of the tracks have been out before. I haven’t been able to find the Berry cover on other releases so I will assume that it’s previously unissued. Two songs on the album, including the Berry one, have PRiTV written behind them so maybe it’s taken from a TV show? You can check a clip of her on You Tube doing it from a 1986 TV performance.

FRANK OG FYRENE (Denmark)

Six piece dance-band of elderly musicians, based in Nordsjælland. To be quite honest, they call themselves a ‘60s band playing music from that Decade. So far they have released three albums.

You Never Can Tell (4:00) 2020

CD: Alle Gode Gange 3 [Eldorado (BMG) unknown cat no] ● Denmark, 2021

Pretty ordinary and a little boring, but I am sure it’s a good dance tune for the people.

GABBY HAZE (USA)

Good time music played by a band consisting of Dan Layman (vocals, autoharp), Dave Magnone (Guitar, vocals), Carl Bailey (Sax, flute, keyboard, vocals), Bill Yetzer (harmonica, percussion), Jerry Fretwell (double bass, vocals), Paul Cline (drums).

Maybellene (2:49) 2011 (live)

CD: Live At The Mockingbird [Gabby Haze 49213] ● USA, 2012

Recorded live at The Mockingbird in Staunton, Virginia, July 2011. Album released in March 2012. Goode and a little unusual version.

GAMSI (Slovenia)

Folk-rock band consisting of three brothers Marko Omahna (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Tone Omahna (accordion, keyboards, vocals) and Janko Omahna (bass). They also have a drummer and other guest musicians when necessary.

Roll Over Beethoven [as “Zarolajmo Na Slaka”] (2:20) 1998

CD: Jodl Korl-Hit [Helidon 6740919] ● Slovenia, 1998

ANTHONY GERACI (USA)

Blues and jazz keyboard player and composer. Born 1954 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Promised Land (4:21) 2018 (live)

Various 2-CD: Lucerne Blues Festival 2018 [Lucerne Blues Festival no cat no] ● Switzerland, 2018

The 24th Annual Lucerne Blues Festival. This was released by the help of many sponsors.

TONY HADLEY (UK)

Anthony Patrick Hadley from London, born 1960. He was a member and lead singer of the 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet. And started on his solo career in 1990 after the band split up. You’ll find a lot of records by him, singles, CDs, videos from 1992 and up.

Run Rudolph Run (2:33) 2015

CD: The Christmas Album [Universal Music 0602 547 627025] ● UK, 2015

Standard rock version with guitar and a good piano solo.