From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Mon Jun 17, 2002  1:50 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Cliff Gallup
 
CLIFF GALLUP (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born Clifton Elwood Gallup, 17 June 1930 (apparently Chesapeake,
Norfolk, Virginia)
Died 9 October 1988, Chesapeake Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia

When Cliff Gallup played the intro of "Race With The Devil" at the first
Gene Vincent Capitol session on 4 May 1956 in Nashville, the A-Team
musicians brought in by producer Ken Nelson just packed their instruments
and went back home. None of the contemporary guitarists was able to play
like Cliff.
Cliff's style was deeply influenced by Chet Atkins, Les Paul and jazz music.
He could play more notes than anyone, as Les Paul was doing, except he
did it with his fingers, while Les Paul used over-dubbing and speed-up tricks!
Cliff is THE integral part of the early Gene Vincent sound and is the
GREATEST rockabilly guitarist.
Cliff served time in the early 1950's in Korea, and, upon his return to the
States, worked part time in the WCMS houseband "The Virginians", which
included Wee Willie Williams, Jack Neal and Dickie Harrell. As such they
backed touring musicians when they stopped by Norfolk (it is said Cliff even
backed country star Hank Snow) and were used as a back-up band to cut
demos. Anyway, they were hired by Sheriff Tex Davis to record the demo of
"Be Bop A Lula" with Gene Vincent. They became "The Blue Caps" and
history was on its way.
By 1956, Gallup was already 26 years old and a married man and was not
too keen to go on the road. After a few months of crazy work with The Blue
Caps, he called it quits, only to return with Gene Vincent for the October
1956 studio sessions.
He then returned to his day job (as a plumber and later as a superintendant
for the Chesapeake schools), still playing guitar and live dates around the
Norfolk area. He issued an instrumental LP as the "Four C's featuring Cliff
Gallup" in 1966, backed by local musicians.
Cliff is always described as a reclusive man, refusing to sign autographs, who
didn't endorse the somewhat cult status that his recordings with Gene Vincent
have gained over the years.
He died of a massive heart attack, aged 58.

Recommended listening:
ALL the 35 tracks with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps from 1956 (plus
2 live cuts at the Alan Freed Show).
Gene Vincent's Legendary Blue Caps - MAGNUM FORCE CDMF 089
(features 7 tracks from The Four C's "Straight Down The Middle" Pussy
Cat PCLPS 701, 1966 LP).

More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/gvCliffGallup.html