Rockin' Rebellions

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The Rockin' Rebellions were a Birmingham-based rock band active in the late 1960s. They shared the Municipal Auditorium stage with many of the decade's biggest artists at WVOK's Shower of Stars concerts.

The group was formed in 1966 with Donald Barbee on guitar and keyboards, Ronald Barbee on bass, Rick Fortenberry on lead guitar and Ross Gagliano on drums. Vocalist Henry Lovoy joined after their first summer of playing sock hops and practicing at Gagliano's Woodlawn Shoe Repair.

In November 1966 the group went to Ed Boutwell's recording studio and cut "By My Side", written by Donald Barbee and Lovoy. A cover of the Beatles' "Run for Your Life" was recorded for the b-side of the 45 rpm single released on Vaughn Ltd. WSGN disc jockey Dave Roddy inserted it into his weekly Top 40 Countdown at #37 and it climbed as high as #28.

On May 6, 1967 the Rockin' Rebellions recorded a cover of Frank Zappa's "Anyway the Wind Blows" at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. Bo Diddley's "Don't Let Go" was the b-side of that single. On May 20 the group won the grand prize (three VOX Super Beatle amplifiers) at the WVOK Battle of the Bands at Municipal Auditorium. They went on to win first place in the Southeastern Battle of the Bands in Atlanta on June 17.

That November Duke Rumore introduced the group to Memphis producer Eugene Luchessi. They recorded "Would You Like to Go Somewhere With Me Sometime" for him at the new Sun Studios. They toured the next summer with the Swingin' Medallions.

The group was inducted into the Birmingham Record Collectors Hall of Fame in 2008.

References

External links

  • Run For Your Life covered by the Rockin' Rebellions, audio at garagesector.blogspot.com