MINT 8/9 PINK PROMO CARL DOBKINS 1959 LP ROCKABILLY R&B

$

77

CoLLecTaBLE TuNeS





ABOUT THE ARTIST:


Carl Dobkins Jr. is one of those rockabilly legends who won't


quit, even decades after his last chart entry. From a number three hit in 1959 with "My


Heart Is an Open Book," he maintained a decades-long career that delighted audiences for


generations on both sides of the Atlantic. Dobkins was born into an Appalachian family that


had transplanted themselves to Cincinnati in search of a better life. The family was filled


with amateur musicians -- both of his parents sang, and his mother played guitar -- and at


age nine Dobkins was given a ukulele by his parents. He quickly learned the instrument and


moved on to the guitar, learning first the country and hillbilly songs that his family


favored. While Dobkins was in high school, he started writing songs of his own and cut a


demo record of two of them, which led to a meeting with disc jockey Gil Sheppard, who


offered to manage Dobkins in a potential music career. Rock & roll was breaking nationally


and Sheppard saw Carl Dobkins Jr. as a potential star. Thus, he became "the Teenage Rage,"


and began singing at local dance parties and record hops.





Every record label was looking for the next Elvis Presley or Carl Perkins, and Dobkins was signed


to the Cincinnati-based Fraternity Records, which released "Take Hold of My Hand" b/w "That's Why I'm


Asking." It failed to chart, and he next moved to the much larger King Records for a recording session,


but Sheppard sold the master to the still larger Decca Records label. Issued on Decca,


"If You Don't Want My Lovin'" became a regional hit on its initial release, and did well


enough to justify Decca investing more time in Dobkins. He cut his first sessions for


Decca in Nashville under the aegis of Owen Bradley. The result was "My Heart Is an Open


Book," Dobkins' lasting claim to immortality in the field of rockabilly. One of the better


crossover records in the field, it rocked hard with a solid guitar sound and a great beat,


and featured the artist backed by two of the Anita Kerr Singers. Ironically, the record


took six months to take off, requiring two rounds of promotion by the label. When the smoke


cleared, Dobkins was making appearances on national television behind "My Heart Is an Open


Book," including Dick Clark's American Bandstand the day after his graduation from high


school. He toured nationally and worked in six months of army reserve service in the i


nfantry as well, as "My Heart Is an Open Book" soared to number three nationally in the


spring of 1959, earning a gold record in its 24-week chart run.





A follow-up, "Lucky Devil," reached number 25 in a 17-week run late in the year, and even


"If You Don't Want My Lovin'" made it to number 67 when it was reissued nationally around the


same time. Dobkins also got to number 62 the next spring with "Exclusively Yours."





Carl Dobkins Jr. made all of the usual moves that a young rock & roller did in those days,


romantic sounds as the public's taste for rock & roll seemed to retreat in the early '60s


-- by 1961, he was even cutting versions of movie themes, such as "Pretty Little Girl in


the Yellow Dress" from the western The Last Sunset, starring Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson.


In all, he cut 18 singles and an LP, and remained active in the business for years,


touring with Bobby Freeman, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, Buddy Knox, Frankie Avalon, Jan & Dean,


Frankie Ford, Freddie Cannon, and Jimmy Clanton, the Drifters, and the Crickets.















This is an original 1St Pressing of CARL DOBKINS JR. 1959 album on DECCA DL 8938 featuring his top ten hit titled


"My Heart Is An Open Book"! This is a rare PINK LABEL PROMO issue which were issued to radio stations only!


The cover is in wonderful shape and with MINT 9 seams and spine. The printing on the spine is perfect. The back is


virgin white with sharp lettering. Sharp corners! Only the slightest of wear at the opening or the mouth of the cover


forces me to grade it at NEAR-MINT 8!





The thick, non-flexible record has Shiny, Glistening Vinyl that is also in Gorgeous Shape! NO needle Scratches and


NO surface Scratches! The vinyl actually shimmers under a bright light! The labels show NO spindle marks.











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PLEASE SEE TEN PICTURES BELOW! BOTH SIDES OF THE COVER, RECORD AND LABELS ARE SHOWN!