Record #0084: Party Doll / My Baby’s Gone – BUDDY KNOX

Roulette 4002 (original) USA, Feb. 1957
Words & Music by:  Side A – Jimmy Bowen, Buddy Knox; Side B – Knox, Bowen
Musicians: Buddy Knox (vocals on side A and rhythm guitar), Jimmy Bowen (vocals on side B), Donny Lanier (lead guitar), Dave Alldred (“drums”), Knox’s sister and two of her friends (chorus), unknown bass (Jimmy Bowen played it first, but was replaced) and cymbals
Recording sessions: Norman Petty Studios, Clovis, NM, 1956
Highest chart positions:  US #1, US R&B #3, UK #29

Knox, Bowen & Lanier were high school kids from Happy, Texas, who formed a band (the Rhythm Orchids) and went to Clovis, NM (as Roy Orbison encouraged them to go there) just to record a couple of songs they could sell around the college. Well, little did they know …

“Party Doll” was first released on a small local label (Triple-D) with Jimmy Bowen’s “I’m Sticking With You” on the flip side. Only 1500 copies were pressed and just about 200 were initially sold. Roulette Records was looking for some new talent. Lanier’s sister did some promotional work and the band got a contract with them and this was the first release they made. The record sold well over one million copies and launched their careers.

Later Knox continued as an artist, Bowen became a record producer and Lanier found a career as a composer and songwriter.

List price:  Red label w/ black text and roulette wheel around: Very Good+ is $20, Near Mint is $40; Maroon label, silver text and roulette wheel around: VG+ $25, NM $50; Red label, roulette wheel on top half: VG+ $15, NM $30; Red label, no roulette wheel: VG+ $12.50, NM $25; White label: VG+ $7.50, NM $15.