Sunday, May 9, 2021

Summer Time News

 


The Shags
Concert Recordings, Minneapolis
1078-65
1965



Summer Time News


Louis Louis




The Shags played their first gig in the spring of 1965 at Ye Olde Pizza in New Ulm. The band made $10.  "More than enough to fill a car's gas tank twice," said founding member Bruce Melzer.

Melzer started The Shags while still attending New Ulm High School, joining forces with guitarist Tom Ginkel, drummer John Ginkel and rhythm guitarist Jack Volinkaty — who later wrote "Satin Sheets," Jean Pruett picked up the song in 1973 and made it a No. 1 country hit in the 1970s.  In addition, “Satin Sheets” has been recorded by a number of other famous artists including Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Barbara Fairchild and, most recently, Martina McBride

The Shags cut this record at Concert Studio in the Twin Cities. Their admittedly low-budget production included misspellings on both song titles — "Louis Louis" (instead of Louie Louie") and "Summertime News" (instead of "Summertime Blues").

The name “Shags” came from a superstitious ghost roaming around a Minnesota River road.     



1 comment:

  1. Hi!

    Thanx for this one. Pretty obscure stuff & "new" hears here.

    Cheers!
    Ciao! For now.
    rntcj

    ReplyDelete