NW MUSIC: THE SAGA OF "LOUIE, LOUIE."

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays detailing the long history of the Northwest's signature rock 'n' roll song: "Louie, Louie." From 1957, when Richard Berry brought his song here from California; to Seattle's Dave Lewis Combo rockin' it at the Birdland; to its adoption by the Playboys, Little Bill & the Bluenotes, and the Viceroys; to radio hit versions by Rockin' Robin & the Wailers, the Kingsmen, and Paul Revere & the Raiders; then the Sonics booming it for all eternity; a humorous 1980s campaign to get the ditty named Washington State's "official rock song," and ever onwards...

• "The 'Black Roots' of the Original Northwest Sound"
• "Richard Berry (1935—1997): Part I"
• "'Louie Louie' makes Seattle Debut at September 21, 1957 Eagles Hall Dance"
• "'Louie Louie': The Saga of a Northwest Hit Song"
• "Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia's Lost Landmark (1931—2000)"
• "Dave Lewis: Seattle's 1950s R&B Pioneer" (1983) 
• "Dave Lewis: The Father of Northwest Rock" 
• "Dave Lewis (1938—1998): A Tribute" (1998)
• "Barney Hilliard: Seattle's First Teenage R&B Sax Star"
• "Birdland: Seattle's Fabled '50s R&B Hotspot"
• "Little Bill and the Bluenotes: Tacoma's Teen-R&B Pioneers (1958-1960)"
• "Etiquette Rules! The Northwest's Reigning '60s Garage-Rock Record Company"
• "Rockin' Robin Roberts (1940—1967): Tacoma's Legendary Rock 'n' Roller" 
• "Rockin' Robin Roberts: R.I.P."
• "Joe Boles: Seattle's First Hit-Making Audio Engineer"
• "The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 2: The Garage Years"
• "The Kingsmen: Best of, featuring 'Louie, Louie'" (LP liner notes, 1988)
• "Jerden Records: When the Seattle Music Biz Got Serious" 
• "The Viceroys: Seattle Rock Royalty (1958—1966)"
• "The Sonics: Tacoma's '60s Garage-Rock Teen Titans"
• "'Louie Louie' Through the Ages"
• "Garage Rock Anthem ‘Louie Louie’ Turns 50"

NW MUSIC: 1950s ROCKABILLY

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays about the history of 1950s rockabilly music in the Northwest. From the first gigs in the region by Bill Haley and his Comets in 1955, right on through subsequent ones by Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps,  Buddy Holly & the Crickets, Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, and all the other touring stars from the deep south and Hollywood. And then the rise of homegrown rockabillies and rockabelles like Clayton Watson & the Silhouettes, the Benny Cliff Trio, Sherree Scott & the Melody Rockers, and more...

• "The 1950s Rockabilly Invasion of the Northwest"
• "Hot-Rod Songs of the Northwest (1950-1960)"
• "'Hot Rod Lincoln' hit song by Spokane's Charlie Ryan scores on Billboard Charts (1960)"
• "Rockin' Party: the Northwest's Rockabilly Roots" (1990)
• "Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia's Lost Landmark (1931—2000)"
• "Clayton Watson: Northwest '50s Rockabilly Pioneer" (1983)
• "The Maddy Brothers: Country / Rockabilly Cats (1954—1965)"
• "The Women of Northwest Rock: The First 50 Years (1957—2007)"

NW MUSIC: COUNTRY & FOLK

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays about the history of hillbilly, country/western, and folk music in the Northwest. From early rural sounds, to Wobbly anthems, pioneering country bands, regional radio hits, roadhouse hoe-downs, folk balladeers, and 1960s folk-rockers.

• "Country Music in the Pacific Northwest"
• "Annie Jackson: Seattle's 1800s Banjo Gal"
• "Labor Song Traditions of the Northwest"
• "'Morrie' & Alice Morrison: Northwest Music Industry Pioneers"
• "Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia's Lost Landmark (1931—2000)"
• "The Spanish Castle Ballroom"
• "Paul Tutmarc (1896—1972) & his Audiovox Electric Guitars"
• "Woody Guthrie: His Northwest Days"
  
• "Seattle Songster, Earl Robinson, & his famous 'Joe Hill' Tune"
• "Ivar Haglund, The Seafood-Selling Songster (1946)"
• "Buck Ritchey: Northwest Country Radio Legend (1915—1973)"
• "Bonnie Guitar: The Northwest's Trail-Blazing Pop Pioneer"
  
• "'Sheriff Tex' Jim Lewis (1909—1990)"
• "Jack Rivers: Seattle's 1950s Country Guitar Star"
• "Hot-Rod Songs of the Northwest (1950-1960)"
• "Charlie Ryan's 'Hot Rod Lincoln' hits Billboard's Pop Charts in May 1960"
• "Gary Williams: Spokane's 'Travelin' Blues Boy" (1986)
• "Rarest NW Records: Rollie Webber's 'Tired of Livin'' (1959)"
• "The Fairmont Singers: Oregon's Fine Folkies (1962)"
• "Alexys, Seattle folk-pop singer, opens big Beach Boys & Yardbirds concert at the Coliseum (1966)
• "The Daily Flash: Seattle's '60s Folk-Rock Heroes (1965—1967)"
• "Fat Jack: Bellingham's 1st Hippie Folk Band (1966-1968)"
• "Paula Tutmarc-Johnson (1950—2013): A Northwest Songster of Note"

NW MUSIC: JAZZ, R&B & SOUL

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays about the history of jazz, rhythm & blues, gospel, and soul music in the Northwest. From the earliest jazz gig at Washington Hall; to the founding of the "Negro Musicians' Union;" the rise of Seattle's Jackson Street jazz scene and its stars – Ray Charles, Bumps Blackwell, Ernestine Anderson, & Quincy Jones; the coming of '50s R&B and doo-wop; and the emergence of a gospel tradition and a soul scene.

• "Washington Hall (1908—2010)"
• "The 'Negro Musicians' Union,' Seattle Local 493 (1918—1958)" 
• "The Black Hawks: Seattle's Legendary Roaring '20s Jazz Band"
• "Blind Radio Five Orchestra: Seattle (1925)"
• "Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia's Lost Landmark (1931—2000)"
• "'Jazz Intoxication' bill introduced to Washington State Legislature (1933)"
• "The Ubangi Club: Seattle's Hot Nitespot (1936—1938)"
• "Tacoma's Musicians Benefit Ball (1937)"
• "Al Smith (1916-2008): Seattle's Jazz Scene Photographer" 
• "Al Smith photo exhibit opens at MOHAI (1993)" 
• "Louis Jordan rocks Seattle's New Orleans Club: 1940s"
• "Gene Krupa Rocks Seattle's Trianon Ballroom (1946)"
• "Jack McVea & his Door Openers (1946—1948)"
• "The Rocking Chair: Seattle's Fabled 1940s Nightclub"
• "Ray Charles cuts his debut Record: Seattle (1948)" 
• "Quincy Jones (b. 1933)" 
• "Quincy Jones (& the Lionel Hampton Orchestra) rocks Seattle's Trianon Ballroom on August 31, 1951"
• "Cecil Young's Be-bop Jazz: Seattle (1951)"
• "The 'Negro Musicians' Union,' Seattle Local 493, holds benefit bash in 1951" 
• "Jazzman Elmer Gill Fights Seattle's Segregation (1956)"
• "Ernestine Anderson: Jazz Singer"
• "The Mastersounds Jazz Combo Records in Seattle (1957)"
• "Rarest NW Records: the Braxton Quartet's 'White Port' (1950s)"
• "Seattle's Groove Record Shop (1950s)"
• "Billy Tipton: Spokane's Secretive Jazzman"
• "The 'Black Roots' of the Original Northwest Sound" 
• "Richard Berry, Los Angeles R&B singer, brings 'Louie Louie' to Seattle on September 21, 1957" 
• "Richard Berry (1935—1997): Part I" 
• "Birdland: Seattle's Fabled '50s R&B Hotspot"
• "The Barons: The Northwest's First Hit-Making '50s Teen Rock 'n' Roll Group"
•  "Four Pearls: Northwest Doo-Wop (1957—1960)"
• "Two segregated musicians' unions, Seattle's AFM Locals 76 & 493, merge in 1958"
• "Dave Lewis: Seattle's 1950s R&B Pioneer" (1983) 
• "Dave Lewis: The Father of Northwest Rock" 
• "Dave Lewis (1938—1998): A Tribute" (1998)
• "Barney Hilliard: Seattle's first Teenage R&B Sax Star"
• "Vintage Rhythm & Blues of the Pacific Northwest," DISCoveries Magazine, 1990
• "Northwest Rock: The Great Eruption of '59"
• "Seattle Jazzers Think Rock 'n' Roll is 'Disgusting' (1959)"
• "The Gallahads: Seattle's '50s Doo-wop Kings"
• "Ron Holden: Seattle's Sweet '60s Teen Balladeer"
• "Little Willie John: His Final Gigs in Seattle (1964)"
• "Overton Berry (b. 1936)"
• "Overton Berry Trio starts legendary gig at Seattle's Doubletree Inn on June 28, 1969" 
• "Patrinell Staten's new soul 45 becomes Seattle radio hit in 1969"
• "Pat Wright: Seattle's Gospel Music Star"
• "Seattle JazzED: A Music Education Organization"
• "Industrial Revelation: Seattle's Jazz 'Geniuses' (2014)"

NW MUSIC: THE GUITAR-MAKERS

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays about the history of guitar-making and guitar-instruction in the Northwest. From Seattle's Otto Anderson and Port Townsend's Chris Knutsen and their lutherie shops in the 1890s; to Frank Coulter designing and building wild new instruments in the 'teens and '20s [essay coming soon!]; Paul Tutmarc and John Coppock both going electric in the 1930s; Seattle's remarkable franchise schools (the National Institute of Music & Arts) for kids, and onwards to Harvey Thomas' eccentric and eye-popping guitars, Dave Bunker and his visionary "Touch" guitars, and more...

• "Otto Anderson (1857—1938): Seattle's Early Guitar-Maker"
• "Audiovox Electric Guitars" 
• "Audiovox: The World’s First Electric Bass Guitar Is Discovered!"
• "John Coppock & his Deluxe Electric Guitars (1934—1958)" 
• "John Coppock & his Hawaiian Band (1927)" 
• "John Coppock, Peshastin's Star Guitarist, Returns from Hollywood for Hometown Concert in 1927" 
• "Coppock Guitars: Rarities from the Pacific Northwest" 
• "Seattle's National Institute of Music & Arts [NIOMA] (1932—1955)"
• "NIOMA's "Open Air Musical Festival" wows Seattle crowd (1933)"
• "Harvey Hansen & his Hanburt Electric Guitars (1939—1950)"
• "Harvey Thomas (1920-1987): Maker of Electrifying Custom Guitars"
• "The Seattle Daily Times features Harvey Thomas's eccentric and obscure guitar-making company on September 21, 1969"
• "Dave Bunker files Patent Application for his Unique Electric Guitar (1957)"
• "Dave Bunker & his Mind-Blowingly Unique Electric Guitars (1955—2013)"

NW MUSIC: STUDIOS & LABELS

BELOW ARE LINKS to essays about the history of audio-recording & record companies in the Northwest. From the first field trips here by outside companies seeking to record local talents back during the Roaring '20s; to the founding of early homegrown studios and pioneering record companies; to notable early regional radio hits and singing stars; the rise of legendary sound engineers like Joe Boles and Kearney Barton; and the back-stories of numerous successful local labels.

• "Vic Meyers' 'Shake It...' Seattle's First Record (1923)"
• "Columbia Phonograph Co. records Local Musicians in Spokane (1927)
• "Recording Studios of the Pacific Northwest (1940—1960s)"
• "'Morrie' & Alice Morrison: Northwest Music Industry Pioneers"
• "Linden Records: Seattle’s 'Lost' Post-War Music Company"
• "Aragon Recording Studios & the Vern Mallory Orchestra (1944—1945)"
• "The 'Seattle Song' (1952)"
• "Joe Boles: Seattle's First Hit-Making Audio Engineer"
• "The Mastersounds Jazz Combo Records in Seattle (1957)"
• "Kearney Barton: The Man Who Engineered the 'Northwest Sound'"
• "Dolton: The Northwest's First Rock 'n' Roll Record Company"
• "The Northwest's 1st 'Sampler Album' (1959)"
• "Seafair Records: Seattle's Swingin' '60s Music Company"
• "Nite Owl Records & Everett's '50s R&B Stars: The Shades"
• "Jerden Records: When the Seattle Music Biz Got Serious"
• "The History of Northwest Rock: Vol. 1" 
• "Etiquette Rules! The Northwest's Reigning '60s Garage-Rock Record Company"
• "Camelot Records: Seattle's 'Lost' Label of the 1960s"
• "The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 2: The Garage Years" 
• "The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 3: Psychedelic Seattle"

NW MUSIC: ROCK 'N' ROLL

BELOW ARE LINKS to chronologically ordered essays about the history of local rock 'n' roll, rockin'-R&B, doo-wop, rockabilly, Seattle Bandstand, "Louie, Louie," the original "Northwest Sound," teen-dances, Top-40 radio, pop, music at Seattle's 1962 World's Fair, folk-rock, psychedelia, blues, punk, New Wave, grunge, and more...

• "The 'Black Roots' of the Original Northwest Sound"
• "Birdland: Seattle's Fabled '50s R&B Hotspot"
• "The Barons: The Northwest's First Hit-Making '50s Teen Rock 'n' Roll Group"
• "Dave Lewis: Seattle's 1950s R&B Pioneer" (1983) 
• "Dave Lewis: The Father of Northwest Rock" 
• "Dave Lewis (1938—1998): A Tribute" (1998)
• "Barney Hilliard: Seattle's First Teenage R&B Sax Star"
• "Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia's Lost Landmark (1931—2000)"
• "'Louie Louie' makes Seattle Debut at September 21, 1957 Eagles Hall Dance"
• "Richard Berry (1935—1997): Part I"
• "'Louie Louie': The Saga of a Northwest Hit Song" 
• "'Louie Louie' Through the Ages" 
• "Garage Rock Anthem ‘Louie Louie’ Turns 50"
• "The 1950s Rockabilly Invasion of the Northwest" 
• "Rockin' Party: Northwest Rockabilly" (1990) 
• "Clayton Watson: Northwest '50s Rockabilly Pioneer" (1983)
• "The Maddy Brothers: Country / Rockabilly Cats (1954—1965)"
• "Little Bill and the Bluenotes: Tacoma's Teen-R&B Pioneers (1958-1960)"
• "Rockin' Robin Roberts (1940—1967): Tacoma's Legendary Rock 'n' Roller" 
• "Rockin' Robin Roberts: R.I.P."
• "Joe Boles: Seattle's First Hit-Making Audio Engineer"
• "Dolton: The Northwest's First Rock 'n' Roll Record Company"
• "The Frantics: Seattle's Top Teenage '50s Band" (1984) 
• "The Gallahads: Seattle's '50s Doo-wop Kings"
• "The Northwest's 1st 'Sampler Album' (1959)"
• "Northwest Rock: The Great Eruption of '59"
• "'High School USA' (Seattle / Portland) (1959)"
• "Seattle Bandstand debuts on KING-TV on March 16, 1958" 
• "Seattle Bandstand (1958—1961)"
• "The Spanish Castle Ballroom"
• "Parker’s Ballroom"
• "Nite Owl Records & Everett's '50s R&B Stars: The Shades"
• "Ron Holden: Seattle's Sweet '60s Teen Balladeer"
• "Lola Sugia's "Blue Tears" 45 (1960)" 
• "The Swags: Bellingham's First Rockstars (1958—1960)"
• "Seafair Records: Seattle's Swingin' '60s Music Company"
• "Jimi Hendrix (1942—1970)"
• "Kearney Barton: The Man Who Engineered the 'Northwest Sound'" 
• "Bonnie Guitar: The Northwest's Trail-Blazing Pop Pioneer"
• "Pat O’Day: The Godfather of Northwest Rock?"
• "The Checkers: Yakima's Rockers (1958—1962)"
•  "Inland Empire Rock: The Sound of Eastern Washington" 
• "The Dynamics: North Seattle's Top '60s Teen-R&B Band (1959—1968)"
•  "The Fabulous Chancellors: Boise's Rocker Boys (1961—1965)" 
• "Farewell to Northwest Blues Giant, Joe Johansen" (1997)
• "Nancy Claire: The First Lady of Northwest Rock"
• "Merrilee Rush: The Angel of The Morning"
• "Merrilee Rush's Biggest Hit enters Billboard Charts on May 4, 1968" 
• "Century 21 Expo (1962): Twist Party Celebrates Seattle World's Fair Opening"
• "Century 21 Expo: Saturday Night Dances debut on June 28, 1962" 
• "Century 21 Expo: Elvis Presley's arrival in Seattle draws throngs on September 5, 1962" 
• "Century 21 Expo (1962) Seattle's September Days with Elvis Presley"
• "Lake Hills - Bellevue's Rockin' Roller Rink (1963-1980s)" 
• "The Counts: Ballard's Best R&B Band (1958—1966)"
• "Chance Eden: Port Angeles' '60s Singing Star" (1985)
• "Tom Ogilvy, Seattle's Original 'Record Man' (R.I.P. 2000)"
• "Jerden Records: When the Seattle Music Biz Got Serious" 
• "The History of Northwest Rock: Vol. 1 (CD Liner Notes)
• "Battle of the Bands Vol. I" (CD Liner Notes, 2001)
• "The Viceroys: Seattle Rock Royalty (1958—1966)"
• "The Raymarks & Bremerton's Rockin' Roots (1960—1966)"
• "The Beachcombers: Aberdeen / Hoquiam's 1st Rockers" (1986)
• "The Beatles in Seattle (1964)"
• "Etiquette Rules! The Northwest's Reigning '60s Garage-Rock Record Company"
• "Jini Dellaccio: Iconic Photographer of Northwest Musical Icons"
• "The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 2: The Garage Years (CD Liner Notes)
• "The Kingsmen: Best of, featuring 'Louie, Louie'" (LP liner notes, 1988)
• "The Sonics: Tacoma's '60s Garage-Rock Teen Titans" 
• "The Sonics: The Ultimate Sonics (CD Liner Notes, 1990)
• "The Sonics: Maintaining My Cool" (CD Liner Notes, 1991)
• "The Sonics: Live In Tacoma 1964 (CD Liner Notes, 1997)
• "The Bards' 'British Invasion' Days (1966)"
• "The Bootmen: Olympia's Baddest '60s Band" (1984)
• "The Daily Flash: Seattle's '60s Folk-Rock Heroes (1965—1967)"
• "Alexys, Seattle folk-pop singer, opens big Beach Boys & Yardbirds concert at the Coliseum (1966)"
• "Paula Tutmarc-Johnson (1950—2013): A Northwest Songster of Note"
• "Rockin' Robin Roberts, former singer with Tacoma rock band, the Wailers, dies in an automobile accident on December 22, 1967"
• "The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 3: Psychedelic Seattle" (CD Liner Notes)
• "Easy Chair: Seattle's '60s Psychedelic Sons" (1986) 
• "Fat Jack: Bellingham's 1st Hippie Folk Band (1966-1968)"
• "Lake Hills Roller Rink burns after dance on July 30, 1968"
• "Led Zeppelin rocks Seattle's Green Lake Aqua Theatre on May 11, 1969"
• "It's A Beautiful Day's Seattle-penned song, "White Bird," hits the Billboard charts on October 4, 1969."
• "Northwest Rock: The Reunion Concert of '72"
• "Northwest Rock: The 'Great NW Rock and Roll Show' of '80" 
• "Punks Rock: Seattle's First DIY Show (1976)"
• "Iggy Pop & David Bowie Rock The Paramount (1977)"
• "The Showbox Theater: Seattle’s Musical Landmark"
• "Bruce Springsteen Rocks Seattle's Old Timers' Cafe with Tavern Band (1980)"
• "Same Love: A Brief History of Quer Musicians in the Northwest"
• "Sweet Madness: Spokane's Lost New Wave Kings (1978-1981)"
• "The Squirrels: Scrapin' For Hits CD Liner Notes" (1996)
• "Neil Young's iconic anthem 'Rockin' In The Free World' makes its public debut in Seattle Con
• "The Dawn of Grunge Rock" (1988)
• "Nirvana places 'Drummer Wanted' classified ad in The Rocket magazine (May 1988)"
• "Louder Than Heck: Grunge Rock's Beginnings," DISCoveries Magazine (1990)
• "Kurt Cobain (1967-1994): The Northwest Rock 'n' Roll Icon"
• "Nirvana debuts new song, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' at Seattle OK Hotel on April 17, 1991"
• "Crocodile Cafe Opens on April 30, 1991, as Grunge Rock Scene Erupts" 
• "Crocodile Cafe: Seattle's Grunge Rock Era Icon"
• "Neil Young's iconic anthem 'Rockin' In The Free World' makes its public debut in Seattle Concert on February 21, 1989"
• "Pearl Jam performs debut gig at Seattle's Off Ramp Cafe on October 22, 1990"
• "Nirvana's Live & Loud MTV Concert rocks Seattle's Pier 48 Warehouse (1993)" 
• "Krist Novoselic: A Biography"
• "The Women of Northwest Rock: The First 50 Years (1957—2007)"
• "The Sonics Reunite At Paramount Theater In 2008"
• "Fabulous Hammers: Pikesville CD Review" (2009)