Look what I found on youtube. Your Love is True/ Say So.
This is my first song on record. It is also a fine example of what records in 1967 sounded like. Both sides of the record have good songs, good music, good productions, – and every 60’s cliche in the lyrics!
I wrote Your Love Is True in Tyler, Texas and it ended up recorded by the Dallas group American Blues, two of which went on to a much much more famous group. Here is the story.
It was the 60’s, groups and combos were everywhere. The Five Americans, out of Oklahoma, had some notable national hits with two personal favorites, I See the LIght, and Western Union.
Both were produced by Dale Hawkins, a music producer who was known for his 50’s classic recording, Susie Q. (See youtube.)
Dale was looking for original songs for another group of his called the American Blues. Through some Tyler, Texas connections, one of my songs reached him. He liked it and wanted his group to record it in the same style as the Five Americans.
But first some tinkering. He changed my lyrics, the title, added two other composers to the credits, and misspelled my name on the record!
If you listen, you’ll hear the new lyrics have just about every late 60’s cliche in them!!! I promise you I did not add them … most of them anyway.
Anyway, the American Blues recorded my song, Your Love is True (originally called, Your Lovin Trip before they changed it – it was the Summer of Love remember,) and it became the A side of a single,Your Love is True / Say So. The flip side is pretty good too! My song got a good review in Billboard, but no national airplay. And I have never seen any royalties. Hear both sides on Youtube.
The group tried some other recordings, but nothing worked and they disbanded. Two of the group joined a Houston guitar player and formed, Z Z Top. So 2 of the 3 members of Z Z Top recorded my song! See if you can find a copy. It is still a good song, a two sided hit, and a great 60’s recording.
Tags: American Blues, Dale Hawkins, Your Love Is True, ZZ Top
Musea Zine 
November 26, 2016 at 1:56 am |
November 26, 2016 at 1:57 am |
January 20, 2023 at 12:25 am |
Harris Hobbies
Tom Hendricks Best I remember Dale was doing arranging with Abnak and I was available to go to Tyler. If I remember Robert Clarke was playing guitar and I think Jerry McDonald was playing bass but not sure. We three also did the background vocals. Jon Abnor was a singer or so he thought and his dad owned an insurance company downtown. His dad started the Abnak label for John and also signed the Five Americans. I was working at a club on Lovers Lane with Robert and John hired us to join a band he was forming. We would practice at his house on Royal Lane at first and then they got a small building in Oak Cliff for us to rehearse. Sometime along this timeline enter Dale. All I remember about that time is going to Tyler to cut two sides at Robin Hood. It was a little later that Jon got Robin and formed Jon & Robin. I did two shows with them. One in Waco and one in Abilene. Then I left the band. At 77 my memory is not the best as for timelines.