Born
John Olenn McCord, he started his career in the early fifties, playing steel
guitar in the band of Eddie Dugosh and the Ah-Ha Boys in San Antonio, Texas. In
1954 he got his own band together called The Jokers and in 1955 he cut his
first two 45 rpm records for the San Antonio based TNT label.
In 1956 when he
moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and was playing at the Hacienda hotel, he got a
proposal to perform in the 1956 rock 'n' roll movie "The Girl Can't Help
It" and he also got a recording contract with Liberty records that same
year. On this label he cut one 45 rpm record and one album called "Just
Rollin' With Johnny Olenn".
Then
in 1957 he left Liberty records to sign up with Buck Ram's Antler, Dee-Gee and
Personality labels, for which he cut several 45 rpm records. He also performed
that year in the Warner Brothers movie "Born Reckless". After that it
became quiet around Johnny Olenn on the record scene, while however, he kept
performing in Las Vegas, hotel lounges and in Bakersfield, California.
In 1983
Mac Records traced and contacted him and persuaded him to make his first
European performance ever and this happened on October 13th 1984 in
Aulnoye/Aymeries in France. His success was tremendous and that same month he
cut his first 45 rpm record for Mac Records on Mac - 124 and this would become
the beginning of a new recording career.
He
returned to Europe in March 1986, to do three concerts again; One on March 21st
in Bristol, England. On March 22nd, in Aulnoye/Aymeries in France he appered in
the same show with Johnny Carroll and Judy Lindsey. On March 29th in Eindhoven,
Holland where he appeared in a show with Sonny Burgess. This visit to Europe
resulted again in a new 45 rpm record release for Mac Records on Mac - 128.
Johnny
Olenn again returned to Europe in 1987 to perform on June 6th in Lummen -
Belgium where he also appeared on the same show with Mickey Hawks and on June
13th in Amsterdam, Holland. During this latest tour, plans were made to cut an
album for Mac Records, but this time the recording session would take place in
Las Vegas, Nevada with Johnny's own band.
He
gradually cut back on performing and became involved in a financial investment
company. Today, he is retired but does make the personal appearances when
called upon.. He has recently has both hips replaced and this has limited his
mobility on stage. Indeed at Hemsby, he sat on a stool and sang but the beat
was obviously getting to him as he still moved around as much as possible. The
voice is still totally intact. (Info edited from rockabillyhall.com)
From The 1958 Movie "Born Reckless"
3 comments:
Well pop-pickers the only recording I have of Johnny Olenn is the mp3 I posted in the blog.
I'm surprised Ace records haven't issued a compilation of his 50's output.
I had ever heard him before Bob.it never ceases to amaze me just how many we all find
I was surprised to see Johnny "holding" a Fender electric mandolin in "Born Reckless."
Hopefully he received some promo money for that... or perhaps he actually owned the instrument?
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