Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BURNETTE, Johnny and Dorsey

Rockabilly singers. Johnny (b 25/28 March '34, Memphis TN; d in boating accident 14 Aug. '64, Clear Lake CA) and Dorsey (b 28 Dec. '32, Memphis; d 19 Aug. '79, LA) formed trio with guitarist Paul Burlison, former Howlin' Wolf sideman whose buzz-saw guitar sound became group trademark. Early lives similar to Elvis Presley's; they even worked at Crown Electric, but unlike Presley they were turned down by Sun's Sam Phillips. To NYC early '56, won Ted Mack's Amateur Hour three times in a row, signed to Coral label; little success then, but mixture of R&B and country was later regarded as seminal, often revived: the Yardbirds picked up 'Train Kept A-Rollin' ', Rod Stewart and many others 'Tear It Up'. Dorsey left late '56, replaced by Bill Black's brother Johnny; the trio broke up when Burlison left '57, but breakneck live performance was captured in Alan Freed film Rock Rock Rock. Brothers worked on West Coast writing songs for teen idol Ricky Nelson; recorded as duo and separately, both having chart hits '60-- 61. Johnny cleaned up the image, scored with 'Dreamin' ', 'You're Sixteen', 'Little Boy Sad', 'God, Country And My Baby'; Dorsey with 'Tall Oak Tree' and 'Hey Little One'. Dorsey had low-key country career until death from heart attack. Burlison had quit music to run construction business, but released '81 tribute LP recorded on Sun's original tape machine with fellow Memphis rockabillies Johnny Black and Charlie Feathers. CD Rockabilly Boogie on Bear Family by the Trio is 28 tracks of the real stuff from '56--7. Dorsey's son Billy and Johnny's son Rocky continued in music; Rocky (b 12 June '53, Memphis) was songwriter with Acuff/Rose '67, recorded 'Tired Of Toein' The Line', sent to EMI UK as a B- side; it was a minor UK hit '79, re-exported back to USA it went top ten '80.