From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Oct 24, 2002  1:18 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Glen Glenn

GLEN GLENN (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born Glen Troutman, 24 October 1934, Joplin, Missouri

Glen Glenn was one of the many great unknown artists of the 1950s that,
despite both a distinctive style and talent, failed to acquire the success he
deserved.
Glen was born in Joplin, Missouri and lived there until 1948 when the family
moved to California and the town of San Dimas, just east of Los Angeles.
Glen remembers the family gathering around the radio on Saturday nights
to listen to the Grand Ole Opry, and he cited Hank Williams as his main
influence. But it was not until the age of 16 (by then Californian resident)
that Glen was able to buy his first guitar, a prized Martin D28.
He then teamed up with a schoolmate, the gifted guitarman Gary Lambert
(who mastered the Merle Travis picking style), to play country music. Almost
every Sunday, they attended the Squeakin' Deacon Show at The Riverside
Rancho, where a host of celebrities such as Hank Williams, Ray Price and
Joe Maphis appeared. They eventually managed to win the prize on the show's
talent spot, with a version of Joe Maphis' "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Loud
Loud Music".
By early 1954, they were appearing regularly as "Glen & Gary, The Missouri
Mountain Boys" on many local venues like The Country Barn Dance in
Baldwin Park and on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree. It was at the Barn
Dance that Glen first met The Maddox Brothers and Rose. During 1955, Glen
made some demos at local studios, and toured Southern California as support
to Marty Robbins and Wanda Jackson. The following year, Glen, on the
advice of Fred Maddox, finally saw Elvis live. He met Elvis in person and
their friendship lasted, as they met several times over the next two years
whenever Elvis was in California.
In the spring of 1956, Glen and Gary toured Missouri with, among others,
Glen's cousin Porter Wagoner. Back in California, Glen teamed up with The
Maddox Brothers and spent most of 1957 with them, touring a lot and also
hosting a TV show, Cal's Corall. But he was now looking for a recording
contract and had recorded some demos in both rockabilly and country format.
Some more were recorded in January 1958 and Era Records gave him a
contract and released the classic "Everybody's Movin" / "I'm Glad My Baby's
Gone" (ERA 1061). It was a minor success, but the follow up "Laurie Ann" /
"One Cup Of Coffee" (ERA 1074) was a big hit, right at the moment when
Glen received his draft notice and served in the Special Service in Hawaii.
Unable to promote his records, his third single "Would Ya" / "Blue Jeans And
A Boy's Shirt" (ERA 1086) made little impact.
In 1959, while still in the Army, Glen was taken to Doré, a company newly
formed by former Era exec Lew Bedell. They teamed Glen with the Ernie
Freeman Orchestra and produced a more pop orientated single "Goofin'
Around" / "Susie Green From Abilene" (DORE 523) which went nowhere.

Released from his duties, Glen returned to personal appearances and TV
work. He got married in 1961 and, by 1965 had gradually quit the music
business.
The success of the "Hollywood Rock 'n' Roll" LP on Chiswick, featuring the
best selection from his ERA singles, followed by the "Glen Glenn Story" on
ACE in the early 1980s led him to return to the studio in 1982 where he
recorded with his old buddies Gary Lambert and Guybo Smith. The result
was issued in 1984 on the "Everybody's Movin' Again" LP on ACE.
He finally made his first appearance in the UK in 1987 and has played
rockabilly festivals in the US, notably with his old friend, the late Rose
Maddox .

Recommended listening:
- "The Glen Glenn Story/Everybody's Movin'' Again" ACE CDCHD 403
(50s tracks plus the 1982 recordings)
- "Memphis Rockabilly 55-65" STOMPER TIME  STCD 4
(a collection of rare alternate cuts and live recordings)
- "Hollywood Rock'n'Roll" Various Artists  ACE CDCHM 1
(features ERA singles)

Please refer to Tapio's well documented Glen Glenn discography at
http://www.pcuf.fi/~tapiov/discographies/glenglenn.htm to know what's on
what.