ROCKY BURNETTE

The son of legendary rock & roll pioneer Johnny Burnette, Rocky Burnette followed in his father's musical footsteps, playing rowdy, high-energy rockabilly that dovetailed nicely with the early-'80s revival of the style. Born in Memphis in 1953, Burnette debuted in 1979 with the EMI America album Son of Rock'n'Roll (around the same time his cousin Billy began recording straight country for Columbia). The following summer, his single "Tired of Toein' the Line" became a Top Ten smash, predating success stories by the likes of the Stray Cats and the Cramps; the song was also quite popular internationally, establishing an overseas fan base for Burnette that would endure for quite some time. However, EMI America's financial difficulties scuttled promotion efforts for the follow-up singles (several of which became hits in other countries), and Burnette's second album, Heart Stopper, got lost in the shuffle. In 1981, Burnette toured Europe with the final version of his late father's Rock & Roll Trio; Burnette also used the band on his next album, Get Hot or Go Home!, which was issued on Enigma. Unfortunately, it met with little commercial response and Enigma chose to drop Burnette and the Trio rather than release their more country flavored follow-up. Burnette began to resurface in the mid-'90s, working with Rosie Flores and Dwight Twilley, and also contributing vocals and the original "Trouble Is I'm in Love With You" to ex-Trio guitarist Paul Burlison's 1997 solo album Train Kept A-Rollin'. In 1996, Burnette finally issued another album, Tear It Up; unfortunately, the label, Core, went bankrupt almost immediately after its release. Undaunted, Burnette kept up his international tours, and supplied soulster Percy Sledge with a European hit with "You Got Away With Love" in 1997. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide. Through the years Rocky has been touring around the world and recording some more records ...

 

ETCD2034 – ROCKY BURNETTE – WAMPUS CAT
How much of a musical pedigree do you want?
If such a thing as a true blue-blooded, thoroughbred, rockabilly royal family exists, then Rocky Burnette is undoubtedly the Crown Prince. The son of Johnny Burnette, nephew to Dorsey Burnette and first cousin to Billy Burnette, Rocky Burnette may have only been two years old when his father's Rock 'n' Roll Trio won a recording contract with Coral Records in 1956 at the height of original rockabilly fever, but he has continued to carry the flame throughout his adult life.
Signed to EMI America in 1979 he released the aptly titled "Son of Rock and Roll" LP containing the punchy "Tired of Toein' the Line" which, released as a 45 rpm single, climbed the US Pop chart in 1980 to lodge at #8 – a Top Ten hit of which his dad and uncle would have been very proud! A year or two later, Rocky teamed up with the Rock 'n' Roll Trio's original guitarist, the late Paul Burlison, and toured Europe – and it became the first of many such trips for Rocky which continue to this day, over a quarter of a century later.
Five years ago, during one such trip, he teamed up with the UK's finest rock 'n' roll combo, Darrell Higham & the Enforcers, to cut the splendid "Hip Shakin' Baby: A Tribute to Johnny and Dorsey Burnette" for Britain's Rockstar label, and he now returns to Europe and El Toro Records to deliver the ferocious "Wampus Cat" – containing 14 tracks of high-energy 'billy bop, accompanied by the cream of Spain's rock 'n' roll musicians: Mario Cobo (guitars, bass solo and backing vocals), Daniel Nunes (double bass), Blas Picon (drums and harmonica) and David Giorcelli (piano), while for the boppin' bluegrass tune "You Never Know", the R C Brothers, Roberto (mandolin) and Ernesto (banjo), step up to the plate.
As before, Rocky pays tribute to his illustrious family with new versions of Rock 'n' Roll Trio favourites such as "I Love You So", "Please Don't Leave Me" and "Lonesome Tears In My Eyes", while on "Rock Therapy" the family trade is placed in the able hands of Rocky's daughter, Shanti Burnette – The Grand Daughter of Rock and Roll, if you will! The treasured clutch of song demos by Johnny and Dorsey which recently surfaced have also resulted in smart arrangements of the infectious "Crazy Legs" and the darker "Wampus Cat", written by Johnny and Dorsey respectively.
The remaining courses from this varied and tasty musical menu, run from the classic loco bop of "Next Train" and the catchy-as-hell rockabilly of "Dinchu" to the Holly-inspired "Streamliner" and swampy "Why Go Home?" and from scorching latin rock 'n' roll "Que Lastima" and the tough neo-rockabilly groove of "Riding On A Rocket" to the kick-ass country rock of Mickey Newberry's "Why U Been Gone So Long?"
On the evidence of this exciting new CD, rock 'n' roll fans should be asking the same question of Rocky Burnette…
Track listing:
 Wampus Cat
Streamliner
Please Don't Leave Me
Riding on a Rocket
Why Go Home?
Why U Been gone So Long
Crazy Legs
Que Lastima
I Love You So
Next Train
Dinchu
Lonesome Tears in My Eyes
You Never Know
Chanti Teresa Burnette sings Rock Therapy

Sound bits coming soon.