Words & Music by: Side A – Keith McCormack, Jimmy Torres; Side B – Mike Hawker, Marty Wilde
Musicians: Jimmy Gilmer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), George Tomsco (lead guitar), Stan Lark (bass), Doug Roberts (drums), Norman Petty (Solovox keyboards)
Recording sessions: Produced by Norman Petty at Norman Petty Studios, Clovis, NM, Apr. 1963
Highest chart positions: US #1, US R&B #1, UK #45
This was a huge hit for the group. In addition to the chart success (5 weeks at US #1), the record also sold 1.5 million copies.
Billboard also ranked "Sugar Shack" as the #1 song of 1963.
Reportedly Petty added the keyboards to the track without asking the group first. Initially they were upset about it. But it seems he knew what he was doing this time, as the neat keyboard riffs and sound seemed to be the gimmick that got the hit going.
I think that Petty didn't know what he was doing when he had his wife to play celeste on Buddy Holly's "Everyday". Honestly ... celeste! :)
The flip was co-written by a British rock'n'roll star, Marty Wilde. This was still before the British Invasion - it was fairly unusual for an American rock/pop artist to cover a British rock/pop song at the time.
List price: Very Good+ is $7.50, Near Mint is $15
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