Album Notes

The band formed, in 1956, after seeing Elvis, Scotty & Bill at the San Angelo Municipal Auditorium in 1955. Original founding members, from San Angelo, Texas, were Alton Baird (vocals/guitar), Carroll Smith (up-right bass) & Sid Holmes (lead guitar). After winning the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce sponsored talent contest, along with backing Jerry Naylor who won 2nd place, the group toured 16 small towns across West Texas playing theaters, high schools and colleges. In early 1957 Jerry Naylor Jackson would become the lead vocalist playing daily KPEP radio shows, Taylor\'s Night Spot along with alternating with Dean Beard & The Crew Cats at the San Angelo Youth Center\'s Friday Night Sock Hops. In 1962 Jerry Naylor became the lead vocalist for the post Buddy Holly Crickets being the featured vocalist on \"Don\'t Ever Change\" that reached #5 in the U.K. Jerry has just recently completed a Rockabilly Legends tribute DVD documentary that is currently being aired across the U.S. on PBS. In 1959 Tommy Ruble, from New Orleans, became the lead vocalist as The Cavaliers would spend 3 years in Memphis. In 1980 Tommy received The Memphis Song Of The Year Award for his performance on \"Swinging Down In Memphis Town\". After the band returned back to San Angelo, in 1962, J. Frank Wilson became the lead vocalist playing weekly radio shows and 6 nights a week, for a year, at the Dixie Club, West Texas largest and most popular night club. After playing drums, for The Cavaliers, Johnny Hunter would return back to Memphis recording a novelty number \"Let It All Hang Out\" that reached #12 nationally. After recording \"Last Kiss\" in San Angelo, in the Summer of 1964, J. Frank Wilson would go solo in the Fall. Lewis Elliott, bass on Last Kiss, would then organize a group featuring James Thomas on vocals. James would then keep the band\'s names alive in the San Angelo area for the next 30 years. After moving from San Angelo to Ft. Worth, in 1967, original member, Sid Holmes, formed a Cavalier group featuring Jerry Campbell, (Crowley, Tx), then Wayne Martin (Mansfield, Tx) in the 80\'s and then Rudy Mata (Kennedale, Tx)in 2004. In 2001 \"Last Kiss\" Pearl Jam/Cavaliers was voted #3 in the VH1 \"Greatest Songs Of All-Time\" poll in the \"Cover Song Category\" edging out Whitney Houston/Dolly Parton\'s smash hit \"I Will Always Love You\". In 2004 The Cavaliers, as a group, were inducted into The Rockabilly Hall Of Fame. The Cavaliers (1956-2006) double CD features Rudy Mata in 2006 along with 18 live tracks recorded on a portable reel recorder in 1956 & 1957 featuring original members Jerry Naylor Jackson & Alton Baird.