From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat Dec 7, 2002  6:56 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Boyd Bennett
 
BOYD BENNETT (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born 7 December 1924, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Died 2 June 2002, Sarasota, Florida

Boyd Bennett was born in Alabama but spent his childhood very near to
Nashville, in North Davidson County, Tennessee. His grand father was a
horse trader and a music teacher, teaching music to the congregation at the
country churches. Boyd attended these classes and eventually started his
musical career singing gospel songs with him.
A multi instrumentalist, Boyd could play a bit of everything, guitar, sax,
bass and drums. He soon realized he could make more money singing in
honky tonks. Before WW II, Boyd was associated with Nashville singer
Francis Craig (who had a big hit "Near You") but with the advent of the war,
he served in the Navy for 5 years (he participated in the Normandy landings
on D-Day).
Upon his discharge, Boyd resumed his musical career, performing in bars
and honky tonks with various dance bands, mainly in Western Swing and
Country styles, and also worked as a disc jockey and announcer on several
radio stations around Louisville.
In 1951, he landed a deal with Columbia Records, but the label didn't record
him as they didn't know what do to with him. The following year he signed
with King Records and issued the first of many singles in his 6-year asso-
ciation with label, "Time" / "A Hopeless Case", a regional hit on the country
charts. By 1955, with a band re-named "The Rockets", Boyd and the guys
recorded their biggest chart hit "Seventeen", which peaked No 5, but The
Fontane Sisters cover made No 3. The group's second and final US Top 40
was "My Boy Flat Top" which made No 19, but was also outsold by Dorothy
Collins' version.
Nevertheless, Boyd and The Rockets recorded tasty rock'n'roll sides during
their stay with King, like "Mumbles Blues", "The Groovy Age", "Right Around
The Corner", Tennessee Rock 'n' Roll" to name but a few.
The Rockets shared lead vocals between Boyd, Big Moe (Joe Muzey) and
Cecil McNabb (the great "Clock Tickin' Rhythm") and they also provided
the backing for Moon Mullican on his "Seven Nights To Rock" January 1956
session. Boyd also played drums on King releases by Earl Bostic, Bill
Doggett, Otis Williams and James Brown.
In 1958, Boyd had signed with Mercury (seven releases, but no more hits)
and odd releases followed on his labels, Benjon and Kernel. By the mid
1960's, he had left the music business and ran several businesses, first
he developed the TV series "Boyd Bennett & The Space Buddies ", then,
moving to Dallas in 1970, night club management, ownership of a thermal
plastic manufacturing firm and broadcasting administration.
Boyd had moved to Florida very recently and was set to appear for the first
time in the UK at the November 2002 Rhythm Riot, but he sadly passed
away last June.

Recommended reading:
Boyd Bennett interview in Now Dig This 111 & 112

Recommended listening:
- "Tennessee Rock'n'Roll" CHARLY CD 282 (19554-1956 King tracks)
- "King Rockabilly" ACE CDCHD 777 (contains  "Seven Nights To Rock"
and "Clock Tickin' Rhythm")
Website: http://www.boydbennett.com