From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Jun 27, 2002  1:13 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Ersel Hickey
 
ERSEL HICKEY (By Shaun Mather)

Born 27 June 1934, Brighton, New York; died 9 July 2004, New York City

I think it's fair to say that the infamous photo of Ersel Hickey in the rock
'n' roll pose has taken his name to places that his actual music never did,
appearing as it has in countless films. That's not to detract from the music,
some of which was high quality rock 'n' roll.

His childhood was unhappy following the death of his father when Ersel was
only four and his mother suffered a nervous breakdown and was put into a
hospital. Ersel and his siblings were placed into foster homes from which
he continually ran away. Aged 15 he joined his sister who was working as an
exotic dancer named Chicky Evans. He tried his luck at singing and won
first place and $500 in an amateur competition. He cut his first sides for
Fine Records, Then I'll Be Happy and the self-written Baby You're No Good.

Following a chance meeting with Phil Everly in 1958, Ersel wrote his most
famous song, Bluebirds Over The Mountain, which he recorded in Buffalo for
the Epic label. He also cut You Threw A Dart, Don't Be Afraid Of Love,
People Gotta Talk and I Can't Love Another. On May 20, 1958 at the old
Columbia Studios in New York he cut three more songs including the great
rocker Goin' Down That Road. Success was to elude Hickey, although he
recorded for the next year or so until his three year Epic contract expired.
He signed to Kapp Records and later Toot Records. A renewed interest was
shown in his work with his songs being re-issued during the rockabilly
revival of the 70's and 80's, but it's still the photo that lingers.

Recommended listening:
Bluebirds Over The Mountain - Bear Family.
The Rockin' Bluebird - Collectables.
Recommended viewing:
www.rockabillyhall.com/ErselHickey.html (SAO member Johnny Vallis' page).

updated 23 April 2005