Thursday, December 20, 2012

Rugged Ralph The Rapid Rabbit Runner




wr G. Shelton


first issue by Raunchy Ron & His Ravishing Ruckus Rompers

Greenlake presents 45-GL-109-A
Publ. : Sabra Music (BMI)

second issue by Ralph, on Candix 321 (1961)
Dixsil Music/ Sabra Music (BMI )



Who was Raunchy Ron/Ralph ?  

I've spent a  part ( immoderate, some will say ) of my time trying to find the answer.  The only sure thing I can say after many hours of research is that he's definitely NOT Gary Shelton a.k.a. Troy Shondell, as it's rumored.   The confusion was made first, I believe, by re-issue company Dunhill Records in their Troy Shondell compilation called "The Trance" probably based on the songwriter credit featured on the A-side of this record, G. Shelton.

No other releases on Greenlake are known.  Greenlake (or Green and Lake?)  doesn't ring a bell.  Sabra Music, the publishing company, doesn't have published other songs that I'm aware of.   But I did found a Greenlake Music (ASCAP),  in a music directory book published in 1972,  located at 106 South Flores, Los Angeles, Calif. 90048.


Several records were issued by Gil Shelton, who may be the author of the A-side and also the Ralph/Raunchy Ron real name  :

  • 56  Trinity 106 : Lullaby At Midnight / Thought I Heard Your Voice  (both Greenwald, BMI, Austin, Texas)   
  • 60  Lute 6004 : Penny In The Wishing Well  / Shirley, My Love  (charted Jan. 1961 on KTSA San Antonio, TX) 
  • 65  Valiant 6062  : Not Now / Your Heart Wasn't In It
  • ??  Emmett :  You Don't Love Me  / On The Road Again  "great growley garage mod fuzz," arr & cond. by Gil Shelton & Marvin Montgomery   (Dallas?)
  • ??  Gilly-Boy 101 : You Don't Love Me/ ?


The most intriguing observation is related to the master identification allocated by Candix Records (and printed on the label)  :

Matrix of Candix 321 and Candix 325 are both identified by the letters PM, which means some kind of relation between the two releases :
Candix 321 - Ralph
PM-1  Rugged Ralph The Rapid Rabbit Runner
PM-2  I’ve Got It 

Candix 325 - The Kelly Four (also issued as by Big Daddy Deerfield and The Kelly Four)
PM-3C Sweet Angelina
PM-4C Annie Had A Party
note : letter C = Capehart, the producer ?



List (not exhaustive) of masters letters found of Candix labels  :
 F  Frogmen
SW Sonny Wilson
MC Marc Cavell
TJ The Jackaels (Jay Jackson and)
BL Bill Lyons
TS The Beach Boys aka The Surfers
GA Gene Anderson
MG Moongooners
SS Skip Soder Band
CB Curtis Byrd
DB David Box
DB Dean Beard

It's quite clear that ALL letters above are initials of the recording artists or groups.  Is it also the case for PM ? If so, like it's probable, who is PM ?

'Annie Has A Party' was first issued on Silver Records in 1960.  A speeded-up version of 'Annie Has A Party' was also released on Crest 1088 in 1961 by the Gee Cees.   'Annie Had A Party' (normal speed) was released on Candix 325 by The Kelly Four in 1962.  The three versions were all produced by Eddie Cochran's manager, Jerry Capehart, who recorded a novelty song with a rabbit theme as Jerry Neal  (Dot 15810, 1958).

Was Jerry Capehart involved in the production of the Raunchy Ron single ? 

Was Raunchy Ron the actual artist on Silver,  The Kelly Four taking credit for the recordings ?

 Or perhaps Raunchy Ron was a member of the Kelly Four ?



6 comments:

  1. I have a little to offer:
    The Gee Cees was the name used for Glen Campbell's instrumental studio experiments, usually produced by Jerry Capehart, and released on Crest Records, which was actually an outlet for American Music Publishing (BMI). As far as I knew, Crest Records did not handle any songs that were not published by them.

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  2. The Marc Cavell on CANDIX 329 had the MC master letters but the one on CANDIX 322 did not. It has the standard CD Letters. Which i assume stand for Candix.

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  3. I found an unplayed copy of this in Los Angeles.

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  4. Have you ruled out a connection between the Gil Shelton on these records, and the famous Texas-born comic/psychedelic poster artist with the same name? The latter is definitely the guy on "If I Was A Hells Angel" b/w "Southern Stock Car Man" (ESP Disc 1966) https://youtu.be/tzhlgbMm8U8, and his bio says he was a friend of Janis Joplin in art school.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, transoniq. Yes, I've searched that possibiility too but I didn't think it could the same, but I can't remember why

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  5. Copyright entries
    1) Rugged Ralph the Rapid Rabbit Runner w & m Gil Shelton (Gilbert Shelton) Sabra Music 25-May-1961 EU673318
    2) I've Got It w & m Harry Green & Sol Lake, pseud of Sol Lachoff Greenlake Music 08-May-1961 EU670039

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