From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Jun 20, 2003  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Joe Leonard
 
JOE LEONARD (By Shaun Mather)

Born Joe M. Leonard, Jr., 20 June 1919, Gainesville, Texas

Joe Leonard was born in the Texas town of Gainesville. He will be known
to Shakin' All Over members as the owner of the Lin and Kliff labels which
hosted such revered rockabilly artists like Buck Griffin and Andy Starr.
Leonard's activities far from end there - he's enjoyed a colourful life which
perhaps reached its peak last year when he celebrated his 60th Wedding 
Anniversary to his beloved wife Mary Sue.

He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1937 and four years later left
the University of Texas, Austin with a major in Government and a minor in
economics/journalism. With World War II in full fling, he joined the Army 
and was shipped of to Europe in the 113th Signal RI Company, attached to
First U.S. Army, SHAEF. He was at the D-Day invasion of Normandy and
at the front line of the Battle of the Bulge. By the end of the War he'd been 
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Signal intelligence work/ the European
Theatre of Operations Medal with Five bronze stars for the campaigns of 
Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe; 
as well as the Victory Medal. When he left in 1946 he'd achieved the rank
of Captain.

He became Advertising Manager for the family owned Gainesville Daily
Register (the first newspaper in Texas when founded by his grandfather)
but a year later made his first move into the music business. He co-founded
the Gainesville Broadcasting Co., Inc. and the area's first radio station,
KGAF AM/FM. Eventually he started recording some local talent, mainly
in the country vein. It was when he discovered Buck Griffin in 1954 that
things really picked up. Griffin's dozen or so sides sides were released on
Leonard's Lin label and included Let's Elope Baby which picked up a cover
from Janis Martin. Some of his best work like Stutterin' Papa, Jessie Lee
and Watchin' The 7:10 Roll By were leased to MGM in a package that also
included another Leonard protegee, Andy Starr.

Starr's records are the epitome of rockabilly, Rockin' Rollin' Stone, Round
And Round, Dig Them Squeaky Shoes, She's A Goin' Jessie and Give Me 
A Woman being just some of his highlights. Other rockabilly classics that Joe
Leonard was responsible for include Lonesome Baby Blues, Jitterbugging Baby
and Lonesome Feeling (David Ray), The Fickle Chicken (The Atmospheres),
If You Can't Rock Me and Come Back To Me (The Strikes) and Wild, Wild
Woman (Steve Wright). The closest he ever got to a major hit was with local 
boy Ken Copeland who scored nationally with Pledge of Love in 1957.

After leaving the music business he founded his own Merger and Acquisition
Consultancy in Dallas. When he and a group of consultants joined together to
form NAMAC/INTERMAC (National and International Consultants), they 
became the world's largest company in the field of small-mid size mergers.
Through the years he served as their President, Chief Executive Officer and 
Chairman Emeritus. Other achievements have included being President of the 
Texas Association of Broadcasters, 1959-60, Secretary-Treasurer, Daytime
Broadcasters Association, 1959-62. Director, National Association of FM 
Broadcasters, 1960, Director and Vice-President, Red River Authority of Texas, 
1960-67, President, Gainesville Junior Chamber of Commerce, 1951, Director, Texas 
Goods Roads Association, 1967-82. director, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, 1948-50.

And if he gets any spare time he likes to fish!!!!

Recommended listening:
That'll Flat Get It Vol.15 - Lin/Kliff - (Bear Family).
Link/Kliff STory 4CD box- (Bear Family).
Buck Griffin - Let's Elope Baby - (Bear Family).
Andy Starr - Dig Them Squeaky Shoes - (Bear Family).

Recommended reading:
Gainesville Daily Register :-))

P.S. by Dik: Shaun is far too modest to mention his own book,
which has just been published:
Joe M. Leonard, Jr., Rockabilly, Radio, and WW II. As told to
Shaun Mather. Austin, TX : Eakin Press, 2003. 126 pages.
ISBN 1-57168-758-0 : $ 17,95

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