Haskell
Clyde Stacy (11 August 1936 – 6 November 2013) was an American rockabilly
singer and guitarist who recorded in the 1950s as the leader of Clyde Stacy
& the Nitecaps, and has been credited as a founder of the "Tulsa
Sound".
He
was born on a farm near Checotah, Oklahoma. He started his education at Jenks
before moving with his family to Arizona and then, in 1949, to Lubbock, Texas,
where he learned guitar and knew Buddy Holly, one year his senior. He moved
back to Tulsa in 1954 and soon formed his own group, the Nitecaps, with lead
guitarist John D. LeVan.
He
was discovered by radio disc jockey Don Wallace, who became his manager and won
him a contract with the Candlelight record label. In 1957, his first single,
"So Young" backed with "Hoy Hoy", reached no.68 on the
Billboard pop chart, and became even more 
popular in Canada. "So
Young" was banned by some radio stations because of the sexy female voice
overdubbed onto the record by producer Woody Hinderling. Several of Stacy's
later records, including "Baby Shame" (1958) – originally recorded by
Little Willie Littlefield – and "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor" (1959)
also performed better in Canada than in the US, where his only later chart
success came when "So Young" briefly re-entered the national pop
chart in 1959.
popular in Canada. "So
Young" was banned by some radio stations because of the sexy female voice
overdubbed onto the record by producer Woody Hinderling. Several of Stacy's
later records, including "Baby Shame" (1958) – originally recorded by
Little Willie Littlefield – and "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor" (1959)
also performed better in Canada than in the US, where his only later chart
success came when "So Young" briefly re-entered the national pop
chart in 1959.
In
1958 he settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He continued to perform and tour,
opening shows for Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and 
others, and appeared on
American Bandstand. He also continued to record occasionally until 1963. In
1975 he returned to live in Oklahoma, running a fence company, and also
performed at rock and roll festivals across the US and in Europe, on occasions
with old friend Leon Russell. He retired from the music business in 1985. More
than 25 years later he was persuaded to return to the stage at ‘Viva Las Vegas’
in 2011.
others, and appeared on
American Bandstand. He also continued to record occasionally until 1963. In
1975 he returned to live in Oklahoma, running a fence company, and also
performed at rock and roll festivals across the US and in Europe, on occasions
with old friend Leon Russell. He retired from the music business in 1985. More
than 25 years later he was persuaded to return to the stage at ‘Viva Las Vegas’
in 2011.
Clyde
was killed in a car accident, November 6, 2013. He was traveling northbound on
Highway 69 near Muskogee when he drove into a truck that had stopped on the
highway. (Info mainly Wikipedia)
Here's Clyde singing "I Sure Do Love You Baby"
