From:  "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Feb 27, 2004  6:27 am
Subject:  This Is My Story : Rusty Isabell
 
RUSTY ISABELL

Born Russell Isabell, circa 1938, Phoenix, Arizona

Those who have followed my SAO contributions over the years will
know that I'm a great fan of piano rock 'n'roll. An interesting but rather
obscure representative of this genre is Rusty Isabell, whose staccato
attack on the 88 keys combines intensity with a rare precision. The
only pianist known to me with a somewhat comparable style is the
former Bruce Springsteen accompanist Roy Bittan in his wilder
moments (for instance on Bob Seger's "The Fire Inside", one of
my favourite records from the 1980s).

Not much is known about Isabell. His Christian name is probably
Russell, though I've also seen a reference to Clyde "Rusty" Isabell
in the booklet accompanying Bear Family's "Rockin' and Boppin' in
the Desert" (page 12).

The first time I encountered the name Rusty Isabell was in October
1959, in an advertisement by Delahaye Records (the company that
represented Top Rank in the Netherlands in its early stages) in
Muziek Parade, a Dutch music monthly that I subscribed to at the
time. Twenty new releases on Top Rank - a label that had started
its European operations just a few months earlier - were mentioned,
among them "Firewater" by Rusty Isabell on Top Rank HTR 524.
However, I cannot remember hearing the record on the radio back
then. During the fifties, Dutch radio was even more conservative than
the BBC in its programming of popular music. The disc was not
released in the UK, which precluded its being played on Radio
Luxembourg. (At least in the evening hours, during the English-
language broadcasts. There was also a Dutch-language morning
program on Luxembourg, but the music there was hardly ever
interesting.) I think I first heard an Isabell record in 1965, in a
weekly Monday night rock & roll programme on Radio Veronica,
a Dutch pirate station, operating from the North Sea. For this
particular instalment, Henk van Raay, then vice-president of the
Dutch Jerry Lee Lewis Fan Club, had been invited to spin some
of his favourite platters. He had brought along the Top Rank single
by Isabell. However, it was not the A-side, "Firewater", that got its
first (?) Dutch airplay, but the other side, "The Blast".

The title says it all. This pounding piano instrumental made a deep
impression on me, though my attempts to find a copy of the disc
remained fruitless for several decades. I found someone who had
the single, though, and he was willing to tape both sides for me.
"Firewater" proved to be quite something as well, but "The Blast"
was THE side for me and I still consider it to be one of the best
R&R instrumentals ever.

But this was not Isabell's first record. He first recorded for Frank
Porter's Porter label out of Phoenix, Arizona, under the name of
Red "Hot" Russell, a name given to him by his friend Don Cole.
"Stop"/"Pedro Joe" (both vocal sides) was released on Porter 5012
in March 1958. The romping A-side was written by Don Cole, whose
original wild version of "Stop" is available on the "Phoenix Panorama,
The Viv Labels" Bear Family box set. Cole and Isabell also recorded
as the Rio Rockers, together with an unknown drummer. "Mexicali
Baby" (written and sung by Isabell, with a thumping piano solo) /
"Mexican Rock and Roll" (written by Cole, a restrained piano/guitar
instrumental) was recorded for Frank Porter, but leased to Capitol (3884).

Porter had four unissued sides in the can by Rusty Isabell and these
were released forty years later, in 1998, on the Bear Family CD "The
Porter Records Story" (BCD 16272), with a picture of red-haired Rusty
on the cover. Two were instrumentals : "Slinky" (sensational !) and
"Jaybi", the other two vocals : "Little Miss Butte" (done Jerry Lee Lewis
style) and "Yi Yi". This CD (which I can recommend) also includes the
four tracks from Porter 5012 and Capitol 3884, mentioned above.

Isabell then went on to record for Bobby Shad's Brent label in New York
City. "Firewater"/"The Blast" (Brent 7001, which received a positive review
in Billboard) was followed by "Manhunt"/"I Give Up" (both sides only
average) on Brent 7006, both from 1959. "Firewater" (probably with Don
Cole on guitar) was a regional hit in Arizona.

By the late 60s Rusty was playing at The Showboat in Las Vegas, where
he recorded a live album of honky tonk piano favourites. (At least, this is
what John P. Dixon tells us in the Bear Family booklet ; I've never seen
this LP mentioned anywhere else, let alone seen the actual record.)
"The Blast" was finally issued on CD in 2002, on the CD "More Rockin'
on Broadway" (Ace CDCHD 853). I have to agree with Jim Raper who
wrote in his NDT review (Now Dig This 233, August 2002) : "The Blast is
a wild piano instrumental but sounds a bit tinny next to my original
Brent 45." (In my case, make that my Dutch Top Rank 45.) This CD
also includes the instrumental "I Give Up". Its predecessor, "Rockin' On
Broadway" (Ace 758), includes "Firewater", which is also on "Rockin' and
Boppin' in the Desert : Arizona Rockabilly, Vol. 1" (Bear Family BCD
16230 AR - was there ever a Vol. 2? I don't think so.)

Tapio, does the MegaGuide CD-ROM mention any other releases by Rusty?
I think I have covered his complete output.