My Heart Jumped

The Wilson Sisters
My Heart Jumped

Dick Liberatore
Briarcliff  BMI

Bethlehem 3032

1962

Written by D.J. Alan Freed's son-in-law, Dick Liberatore, "My Heart Jumped" was first recorded by Bobby Fuller on Yucca Records.  The three other known songs by the Wilson Sisters  are also covers. The sisters were promoted to the main King Records label before the end of the year just in time for Christmas. 

Not an uncommon name in music.  I've found three other "Wilson Sisters"  : one on Freedom in 1958, another one was a hillbilly act who also recorded as The Beaver Valley Sweethearts, and a third, a soul/gospel group on Solid Soul (1968).   But who where these young Wilson Sisters is still a mystery.

Mister Dream  (Bethlehem 3032),  cover of Paul Chandler, Rendezvous Records, 1962

Little Klinker   (King 5724)   previously recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1962

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth  (King 5724) originally recorded by Spike Jones & His City Slickers in 1947, with lead vocal by George Rock.

A very quiet Christmas with The Royals

The Royals

White Christmas

E. Berlin, ASCAP

Vagabond Records VR 444
1963

The Royals were Larry Riera, accordion and piano, Al King Guitar and Tony Castro Drums, 

Larry (Lawrence George) Riera was born in 1937 in Oakland, California where he began his life-long career in the music  He taught music at Fiore's Music in Oakland, and played accordion and piano with his band The Royals. He later owned Riera's TV Music in the Tri-Valley, and then was the top salesman at Kamen Music Corporation for many years.   He died in 2012.

One of his students, Rocky Howard, set the Guinness world record for accordion marathon (72 hours continuous playing on an accordion) at Touch of Italy restaurant in West Covina, California December 9-11, 1979 and held it until 1983.

Records by The Royals have been described as Surf, Garage, or Elevator Music, the latter seems to me the more realistic tag, but like my fellow bloggers I HAD to post a Christmas music...  I am asking for your indulgence.

Yodlin' Hobo

Porky and The Travelers

Vocal By Al Witherow

Yodlin' Hobo

ABS 144

1961

 

 

Al "Porky" Witherow was born to Bob and Pauline Witherow in York, Pennsylvania back in 1935.   Music was a part of his family, for they would listen to the big country stations back then, WWVA out of Wheeling, West Virginia and WSM in Nashville, Tennessee.

When he was just four years old, he made his singing debut with his sister Betty, doing some gospel songs.

During the Korean war, Bob Hope wanted Mr. Witherow along to entertain the troops on his numerous USO tours. He worked with such famed Grand Ole Opry acts as Ernest Tubb, Minnie Pearl, Tex Ritter and Grandpa Jones.

He toured for over twenty years with his band the Travelers and the Country Mystery.  He recorded in the seventies for Arctic Records, which was his own label, located in Vails Gate, New York.

Music was seemingly always a part of his life. He went back to York in 1977 to care for his parents. He later enjoyed a career as a training manager at the local chain of Denny's Restaurants in York for over 14 years. In 1997, he retired to Inverness, but kept entertaining the folks there as well and helping out where he could. 

He died in 2004 in his home in Inverness, Florida.

Acknowledgments : Hillbilly-music.com

Al "Porky" Witherow

The Pride of The Western Empire (1969)