Bobby Poe
Encyclopedia
Bobby Nelson Poe also known as The Poe Kat, had a long and varied career in the music business.
He was born in Vinita, Oklahoma
. In the mid-1950s he formed Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats, which featured African-American piano player Big Al Downing and lead guitar player Vernon Sandusky. Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats were also Rockabilly Queen Wanda Jackson
's first Rock and Roll backing band. They toured with Wanda and can also be found on her early Capitol Records
recordings, including the Rockabilly classic "Let's Have a Party
". Bobby, Wanda, Big Al and Vernon are all members of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
.
Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats came to the attention of Sam Phillips
of Sun Records
with their first recorded track, "Rock and Roll Record Girl". Based on the music of the old standard "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy", "Rock and Roll Record Girl" was at first blocked from release by Wesley Rose
of Acuff-Rose because of that fact. By the time all of the legal hurdles were cleared, Sam Phillips was no longer interested in releasing the track. Instead, Dallas, Texas
radio personality Jim Lowe stepped in and released the single on his White Rock Records label. "Rock and Roll Record Girl" backed with "Rock and Roll Boogie" became a #1 single in the state of Texas.
After one more single for Jim Lowe's White Rock Records entitled "Piano Nellie", under the name of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers, Bobby Poe gave up his career as an artist to become an artist manager. His first client was Big Al Downing. In the 1960s, Poe moved to the Washington, D.C. area and expanded his operation. He managed and co-produced The Chartbusters
, which featured his old bandmate Vernon Sandusky. The Chartbusters scored a Top 40 hit in 1964 with their recording "She's The One
". Tom Hanks
was quoted in People Magazine as saying The Chartbusters were one of the influences for his film "That Thing You Do!". Poe also co-managed The British Walkers, which featured Bobby Howard and guitarist Roy Buchanan
.
In 1968, Poe again switched gears and started several music tip sheet
s for music industry insiders and radio stations. The most successful tip sheet was Pop Music Survey, which grew significantly when Poe began an annual music convention. After 25 successful conventions, Poe retired in 1996.
After his "official" retirement in 1996, in 1999 he created The Grand Grove Opry in Grove, Oklahoma. This music theater showcased local and national Country music talent and shows were broadcast weekly on KITO radio in Vinita, Oklahoma. After new owners bought the Opry building, Mr. Poe continued to promote Country music concerts until 2005.
In March 2009 Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats were inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame.
Bobby Poe died at his home in Grove, Oklahoma on January 22, 2011. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009. While he was able to beat the cancer, he grew steadily weaker during his recovery and suffered a fatal blood clot on the aforementioned date.
He was born in Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita is a city in south-central Craig County, Oklahoma. As of 2009, the population estimate was 6,057. It is the county seat of Craig County.-Geography:...
. In the mid-1950s he formed Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats, which featured African-American piano player Big Al Downing and lead guitar player Vernon Sandusky. Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats were also Rockabilly Queen Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
's first Rock and Roll backing band. They toured with Wanda and can also be found on her early Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
recordings, including the Rockabilly classic "Let's Have a Party
Let's Have a Party
"Let's Have a Party" is a 1957 song written by Jessie Mae Robinson and recorded by Elvis Presley for the movie Loving You. A version of this song was recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1960. It entered the UK chart on 1 September 1960, spending eight weeks there and reaching #32; it also reached #37 on...
". Bobby, Wanda, Big Al and Vernon are all members of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
.
Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats came to the attention of Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips
Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
of Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
with their first recorded track, "Rock and Roll Record Girl". Based on the music of the old standard "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy", "Rock and Roll Record Girl" was at first blocked from release by Wesley Rose
Wesley Rose
Wesley Rose was an American music industry executive and record producer.The son of songwriter Fred Rose, he was born in Chicago, Illinois, and studied to become a Chartered Accountant...
of Acuff-Rose because of that fact. By the time all of the legal hurdles were cleared, Sam Phillips was no longer interested in releasing the track. Instead, Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
radio personality Jim Lowe stepped in and released the single on his White Rock Records label. "Rock and Roll Record Girl" backed with "Rock and Roll Boogie" became a #1 single in the state of Texas.
After one more single for Jim Lowe's White Rock Records entitled "Piano Nellie", under the name of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers, Bobby Poe gave up his career as an artist to become an artist manager. His first client was Big Al Downing. In the 1960s, Poe moved to the Washington, D.C. area and expanded his operation. He managed and co-produced The Chartbusters
The Chartbusters
The Chartbusters were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. The group's lone hit single was the 1964 song "She's The One", which peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100...
, which featured his old bandmate Vernon Sandusky. The Chartbusters scored a Top 40 hit in 1964 with their recording "She's The One
She's the One
She's the One is a 1996 comedy-drama film, and the second feature film to be written and directed by New York actor and director Edward Burns...
". Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
was quoted in People Magazine as saying The Chartbusters were one of the influences for his film "That Thing You Do!". Poe also co-managed The British Walkers, which featured Bobby Howard and guitarist Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
.
In 1968, Poe again switched gears and started several music tip sheet
Tip sheet
A tip sheet is a publication containing the latest information, tips or predictions for a particular industry. Tip sheets are commonly published to impart business or stock market information, music industry songwriter leads, and tips on horse racing results....
s for music industry insiders and radio stations. The most successful tip sheet was Pop Music Survey, which grew significantly when Poe began an annual music convention. After 25 successful conventions, Poe retired in 1996.
After his "official" retirement in 1996, in 1999 he created The Grand Grove Opry in Grove, Oklahoma. This music theater showcased local and national Country music talent and shows were broadcast weekly on KITO radio in Vinita, Oklahoma. After new owners bought the Opry building, Mr. Poe continued to promote Country music concerts until 2005.
In March 2009 Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats were inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame.
Bobby Poe died at his home in Grove, Oklahoma on January 22, 2011. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009. While he was able to beat the cancer, he grew steadily weaker during his recovery and suffered a fatal blood clot on the aforementioned date.