Monday 20 May 2013

Jill Jackson born 20 May 1942


Jill Jackson, born May 20 1942, in McCaney, Texas and Ray Hildebrand, born December 21 1940, in Joshua, Texas were a pop singing duo Paul & Paula, best known for their 1963 #1 hit "Hey Paula. "Hildebrand and Jackson were students at Howard Payne College when a Brownwood, TX, DJ called for entertainers to volunteer to benefit the American Cancer Society. They volunteered and sang "Hey Paula," a song Hildebrand wrote. It went over so well that everybody encouraged them to make a record.

Major Bill Smith's LeCam label in Fort Worth, TX, had just scored a major hit with Bruce Channel, so they drove there late in 1962 hoping for an unscheduled audition. Wrong day. Smith was busy recording that Saturday, but they hung around anyway. Opportunity knocked when Amos Milburn Jr. didn't show and Smith had five musicians sitting around exchanging snaps at five dollars each. Not wanting to blow the money, he asked
Hildebrand and Jackson to sing their song. After a brief audition, Smith took them in the studio. The rest is history.

Smith offered "Hey Paula" to Vee Jay Records but Ewart Abner turned it down. So he released it on LeCam, as by Jill & Ray. (Abner realized his error and paired Jerry Butler and Betty Everett after "Hey Paula" exploded.) The hot seller caught the attention of Mercury Records' Shelby Singleton. Mercury reissued it on its Phillips subsidiary. But not before Singleton renamed them Paul & Paula, pointing out that two people name Jill & Ray singing the lyrics "Hey, hey Paula" and "Hey, hey Paul" didn't make sense. They resented -- everybody in West Texas knew them as Jill & Ray -- but later acquiesced.                                             

 
                              

"Hey Paula" sold nearly two-million copies early in 1963. They followed with "Young Lovers" and "First Quarrel." A couple of albums, including one of Christmas songs, followed. "Hey Paula" originally ran more than six minutes. But Smith said it was too long, and Hildebrand used the cut parts to create "Young Lovers."Everything seemed like a fantastic dream, but by 1965 Hildebrand had second thoughts. He didn't like the traveling. Plus, he wanted to complete his college education. (His parents were schoolteachers.) The final straw came when he left Jackson in a lurch on a Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour and Clark had to fill in.

Jill Jackson married their manager Marvin Landon and continued as a solo artist. They later divorced and she married an attorney. Hildebrand worked behind the scenes as a songwriter/producer, then left the business for a while. He returned to music in 1983 as one half of the Christian music male duo, Land & Hildebrand, who remained together into the new millennium. Hildebrand has also worked on the national staff of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Both he and Jackson as Paul & Paula, are members of the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.  


Hildebrand lives in Kansas, and Landon lives in California, but the two continue to perform together nationwide, and often “Hey Paula!” is the only song the promoter wants them to sing.
(Info mainly All Music Guide)
 
US duo Paul & Paula performing a medley of their records on Australian TV show 'Sing, Sing, Sing', hosted by legendary Johnny O'Keefe

7 comments:

boppinbob said...

For Paul & Paula's Greatest Hits go here:
http://novafile.com/3vx8yjsh8ccc


1. Hey Paula
2. Pledging My Love
3. Something Old Something New
4. My Happiness
5. All The Love
6. Oh What A Love
7. Flipped Over You
8. First Quarrel
9. Come Softly To Me
10. Hey Baby
11. First Day Back At School
12. You Send Me
13. The Beginning Of Love
14. Two People In The World
15. Young Lovers
16. Ba-Hay-Be
17. We Go Together
18. Love Comes Once
19. A Perfect Pair
20. Blue Roller Ink
21. We Two Forever Shall Be One
22. Average Boy And Average Girl
23. So Fine
24. Sweet Baby
25. School Is Thru
26. Dont Let It End
27. Well Never Break Up For Good
28. Stepping Stone
29. Gee Baby
30. Crazy Little Things
31. Dear Paula

Also here's some comments from my original blog post.

Merle Colvin said...

Thanks for the liner notes. "Hey Paula" was one of my favorites from the past, as I was in High School and had a crush on a girl named "Paulette". Of course I wore the grooves out on "Hey Paula" and bought every single 45 and LP that they released. I still have 5 or 6 copies of their Christmas LP I found in some bargin bins back in the late 60's. I've been looking for Jill Jackson on Reprise records, but haven't found them yet. I did find a few of her cuts on a CD. I also have some of Ray's Christian material, on Maranatha label.

I'll save your liner notes if you don't mind. Thanks for the memories.

20 May 2007 03:39


donald abbondante said...

I was 1 years old when hey paula came out.I'm now 55.Everytime I hear that beautiful song I could cry.It's so touching and warm that to me it's the best love song ever.Jill your truely one of the most beautifuliest woman on the planet and your voice is like a angel.Thank you so much for giving us such a beautiful song.

3 March 2012 08:56

Unknown said...

Love this song. I was born in 67 love the 50's and 60's music

Germán Gabler said...

Hi boppinbob. First of all congratulations for your great blog. For music lovers like me
it's nice to read all the information you provide with every artist you analyze. I have
download some great music from it,

This time I would like to konw if you can repost Paul & Paula Greatest Hits. Thanks in
advance for your kindness and keep going with your great job. Greetings from Chile

German Gabler

Germán Gabler said...

Thanks Boppinbob! I downloaded paul and Paula and in this very moment I'm starting
to listen the collection.

Thanks again and I'll keep peeping at your great blog.

D said...

BB, sadly I just heard that Ray Hildebrand passed away on Aug. 18. RIP.
Would you mind re-posting the Paul & Paula Greatest Hits again?
Thanks mate,
Cheers,
- D

boppinbob said...

Thanks for the news Denis, Here's the new link....

https://www.imagenetz.de/g8iBu

D said...

Thanks, great collection.