Junk Box Jury

“Love Woman” taken from the album “Star Collection” (Midi MID K34009) 1974

The First Edition | Star Collection | (Midi) | Music was Kenny Rogers great love when he was still a kid at High School. Back in 1958 he already had a small hit with “Crazy Feeling”. Later he joined the Bobby Doyle Trio. Then he teamed up with the New Christy Minstrels in 1966, when Terry Williams joined them too.

Terry came to music through his mother and father, respectively trombonist and singer with Tommy Dorsey. At 14 he slung on a guitar and became a studio musician. But some time or other it dawned on him that maybe he should do something about his unsettled life, and he went to Warner Bros. promotion departement. When that became a drag, he played with the New Christy Minstrels.

Alongside Kenny Rogers and Terry Williams in the band were Thelma Camacho and Mike Settle. Mike was writing loads of songs at the time, yet they were never done by the New Christy Minstrels. Time and again he got the thumbs-down because, they said, it was too big a risk to change their image by doing new-style stuff.

The four abandoned the Minstrels to their image, and took off as The First Edition. They got a few club dates, including one at Ledbetters in Westwood. Tommy Smothers saw them there. Tommy had a TV show going at the time and asked The First Edition to join him. The Smothers Show was not only a hit over a wide area, but also delighted the critics: “the most musical group since The Beatles and Association”, as one wrote. Further dates followed, including one on the Ed Sullivan Show, the top spot for any artist. That was in 1967.

During this initial phase The First Edition worked like crazy to make a national name for themselves. So they were on the road without a break, in one year for 230 days. At leats they were known throughout the U. S. in the autumn of 1968, when their “Just Dropped In” climbed to Top Five listing in the charts.

Then suddenly Mike Settle grew fed up with travelling. A married man, he no longer cared for dropping by at his own home just as a guest. He departed. So did the lovely Thelma, who wanted to try going solo. Mickey Jones came in instead, on the recommendation of Tommy Smothers.

The First Edition | Love Woman | (Midi)

Mickey already had quite a big career behind him. At home he’d got to know both Buddy Holly and Trini Lopez. One day Trini was off on tour, when his drummer broke an arm: Mickey jumped in, and stayed eight years with the group. For another three he worked with Johnny Rivers. Bob Dylan saw him playing in Hollywood’s Whisky A GoGo, and enlisted him for The Band. When Dylan had his bike accident, The Band broke up, and for a short time Mickey was with Tommy Smothers.

Besides Mickey Jones, Mary Arnold and Kin Vassy joined the group. Mary Arnold came from Iowa, studied psychology and music there at Drahe University, then switched to Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. She and Thelma Camacho were room mates at The Kids Next Door, and became constant companions.

Kin Vassy came from Georgia. He sang in a Rock’n’Roll band when still at High School. Before learning guitar, he played the trumpet for eight years. He made his bread as a DJ on his father’s radio station. Then he fled west and joined Back Porch Majority in Los Angeles. Kenny Rogers says of him: “He sings higher, harder and longer than anybody else, and for a white, he sure has plenty of Soul.”

The First Edition | Star Collection | (Midi)

Now a new line-up comprising Terry Williams, Mary Arnold, Kin Vassy, Mickey Jones and Kenny Rogers, the group styled themselves “Kenny Rogers And The First Edition”. With a whole row of hits in the charts besides “Just Dropped In”, of the likes of “But You Know I Love You”, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town” and “Reuben James”, they fast gained a place among the top U. S. groups.

They didn’t only draw offers for top concerts, among them for gigs at the Las Vegas Hilton and the White House, but had their own TV show in 1971. “Rolling On The River”, as it was called, was put out by 163 American TV stations, whereby 90% of all American households were enabled to see Kenny Rogers And The First Edition. The group also did guest appearances on 65 other shows, and made more appearances than any other on the Johnny Cash Show.

Some time ago the magazine “Billboard” had this to say: “With the consistency that has made them popular chart-riding favourites, Kenny Rogers And The First Edition took inspirational songs of some of the top writers of the day, and gave them a sincere and creative treatment.” To which nothing can be added.