Weldon Rogers

Weldon Nelson Rogers (born October 30, 1927 in Marietta, Oklahoma, United States - died September 13, 2004) was an American songwriter, singer of country and rockabilly, radio disc jockey, and record producer. He co-founded Je–Wel Records with Chester Oliver to produce, as Je-Wel's first record, the first record for The Teen Kings in 1956.

Teen Kings

The members of The Teen Kings were:

  • Roy Orbison (1936–1988) – vocals, guitar[1]
  • Jack Kennelly (1937–2009) – upright bass[2]
  • Peanuts Wilson (1935–1980) – rhythm guitar[3][4]
  • James Emitt Morrow (born 12 Jan 1936 West Point, Arkansas) – electric mandolin (played through an Echoplex)[5]
  • Billy Pat Ellis – drums[6]

The Teen Kings first record (and Orbison's first recording) was:

  • Je-Wel 101
Side A: "Trying To Get You", by Charles Singleton and Rose Marie McCoy
Side B: "Ooby Dooby", by Wade Moore and Dick Penner

Selected discography

Original releases

  1. Weldon Rogers & Wanda Faye Wolfe Side B: Women Drivers, by Weldon Rogers (JE 103)
  2. Rogers Brothers with the Western Melodiers – vocal duet: Weldon Rogers & Willie Rogers (JE 102) Side A: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music) (vocal duet: Weldon Rogers & Willie Rogers) 45-JE-102-A
    Side B: For Always; Yes Forever (vocal: Weldon Rogers) 45-JE-102-B
  3. Weldon Rogers (JE 103) (1959) Side A: This Song Is Just For You 45-JE-103-A
    Side B: Everybody Wants You (Weldon Rogers & Wanda Wolfe) 45-JE-103-B
  4. Weldon Rogers (JE 105) (May 1960) Heaven's Back Door
    Cimarron
  5. Weldon Rogers (JE 107) (September 1960) Lying Lips and Cheating Heart
    If I Had One Day To Live
  6. Weldon Rogers, Wanda Rogers (Chart 1220) (45 rpm single) OCLC 732364095 Side A: Don't Steal My Style — SoN-19242 (matrix)
    Side B: Two Empty Glasses — SoN-19241 (matrix)
  7. Weldon Rogers & The Teen Kings (Imperial X5451) (45 rpm single) (1957) † Side A: So Long, Good Luck and Goodbye, by Weldon Rogers, IM-1400
    Side B: Tryin' to Get to You, by Weldon Rogers, IM-1401 (July 8, 1957)
  8. Wanda Rogers, Weldon Rogers (Columbia 4-43322) (45 rpm single) OCLC 732360598 Sides A & B produced by Donald Firth Law (1902–1982) and Frank Mervyn Jones (1926–2005)
    Side A: Bright Lights — ZSP110861-1C (matrix)
    Side B: Lying Lips and Cheating Heart — ZSP110862-1C (matrix)
  9. Wanda Rogers, Weldon Rogers (Columbia 4-43492) (45 rpm single) OCLC 732360626 Sides A & B produced by Donald Firth Law (1901–1982) and Frank Mervyn Jones (1926–2005)
    Side A: The Longest Night — JZSP112653-1B (matrix)
    Side B: Old Memories Keep Returning — JZSP112652-1B (matrix)
  10. Pete Cassell, Wanda Rogers, Weldon Rogers, Carl Butler, Pearl Butler (Columbia 4-43030) (45 rpm single) OCLC 732360499 Sides A & B produced by Donald Firth Law (1902–1982) and Frank Mervyn Jones (1926–2005)
    Side A: Just a Message — JZSP-77271-1E (matrix); Radio station copy
    Side B: I'm Hanging Up the Phone — JZSP-77270-1F (matrix); Radio station copy
† While living in California, Rogers landed a recording contract with Imperial Records, but, in doing so, he presented Orbison's recording of Trying To Get To You as his own. Lewis Robert Chudd (1911–1998) of Imperial agreed for Weldon to again record at Norman Petty's studio backed up by The Teen Kings, who, in December 1956, had split from Orbison. Four sides were laid down including So Long, Good Luck, Goodbye (which was composed on the drive to the session). This side was selected for release along with a re-recording of Trying To Get To You. When the record was issued, there was a snafu. Imperial company used Orbison's version but credited Rogers. There then arose a series of disagreements between Rogers and Chudd that led to a cessation of Imperial releases of Rogers. Rogers asked for, and got, a release from his contract.[7]

Re-releases

  1. Weldon Rogers, Tryin' To Get To You, Bear Family Records, (January 26, 1998) (CD) OCLC 236174823

    Track Song
    1) So Long, Good Luck, Goodbye
    2) Trying To Get To You
    3) Sale of Broken Hearts
    4) My Only Love
    5) Please Return My Broken Heart
    6) I'm Building a ?? on the Moon
    7) Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (and Loud, Loud Music)
    8) For Always, Yes Forever
    9) Everybody Wants You
    10) I Still Want You
    11) I'm Gonna Be Around
    12) If I Had One Day to Live
    13) Lying Lips and a Cheatin' Heart
    14) You Made Me Love You
    15) Talk Of The Town
    16) That Was in the Deal
    17) Bright Lights
    18) This Song Is Just For You
    19) Back Door of Heaven
    20) Cimarron
    21) As Long As You Are Mine
    22) Living With a Heartache
    23) Our Rendezvous
    24) I'm Gonna Love Again
    25) I Lost the Moon
    26) I Haven't Seen Myself in Years
    27) Mr. Mountain Lion
    28) I've Got the Yearning

    29) Would You Still Want Me

Re-releases via MP3 downloads

  1. Tryin' To Get To You

    From the Album, Doo Wop Finders Keepers Vol 3

    Label: Ling Music Group (May 27, 2011)
  2. I'm Building A ??? From the Album, The Ultimate 50's Rockin' Sci-Fi Disc
    The Viper Label (October 12, 2009)

Compositions recorded by other artists

Rogers' composition, So Long, Good Luck and Goodbye, was recorded by Bob Dylan.

Compositions
  • So long, good luck, and goodbye, w & m Weldon Rogers (©1957)
  • Sale of broken hearts, w & m Weldon Rogers (©1957)
  • Lying lips and cheating heart, w & m Weldon Rogers (©1960)
  • If I had one day to live, w & m Weldon Rogers (©1960)
  • I've got the yearning, w Wanda Rogers, m Weldon Rogers (©1961)
  • As long as you are mine, w Weldon Rogers, m Wanda Rogers (©1962)
  • Heaven in your arms, w Wanda Rogers, m Weldon Rogers (©1963)
  • I'm hanging up the phone, w Wanda Rogers, m Weldon Rogers (©1963)
  • Longest night, w Weldon Rogers, m Wanda Rogers (©1965)
  • Two empty glasses, w Wanda Rogers, m Weldon Rogers (©1965)
  • Longest night, w Weldon Rogers, m Wanda Rogers (©1965)
  • Old memories keep returning, w & m Weldon Rogers (©1965)
  • That was in the deal (©1966)
  • I haven't seen myself in years (©1968)
  • Would you still want me? (©1968)
  • Mr. Mountain Lion (©1968)
  • Our rendezvous (©1969)
  • How times have changed (©1971)
  • I lost the moon (©1972)
  • I'm gonna love again (©1972)
  • That was in the deal, by Weldon Rogers (©1980)
  • Bad Boy Slippin' Out Of me (©2008)

Family

Weldon was one of five children born to Otto R. Rogers (born 1903) and Sadie Rogers (born 1910) who were farmers.[8] Otto and Sadie were married in 1927. Weldon Rogers was married for many years to singer Wanda Faye Wolfe (her second marriage).

Weldon Nelson Rogers died September 13, 2004, in Perryton, Texas, and is buried in the Ochiltree Cemetery, Perryton, Texas.[9]

References
  1. Roy Orbison, Wink High School, Class of 1955
  2. Jack Desmond Kennelly, later known in Hollywood as Jackson D. Kane (born June 30, 1937 Madera County, California; died October 9, 2009 Littleton, Colorado)
  3. Peanuts Wilson, né Johnny Ancil Wilson (born November 28, 1935 Rivesville, West Virginia; died September 1980)
  4. ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth edition, compiled for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers by Jaques Cattell Press, R.R. Bowker, New York (1980)
  5. James Morrow, Wink High School, Class of 1955
  6. Billy Pat Ellis, Wink High School, Class of 1954
  7. Tony Wilkinson, "Biography of Weldon Rogers
  8. Tony Wilkinson, This is My Story
  9. "Obituary: Weldon Rogers, 76, of Perryton, died September 13, 2004", The Perryton Herald (Texas), September 16, 2004, posted on Find a Grave, Inc. (online db), Salt Lake City
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