Bennie Leaders and his Western Rangers - Hey Miss Fannie / My Love For You (OK'ed 1050)
"Hey Miss Fannie"
"My Love for You"
Bennie Leaders' last record as a vocalist (he made a few square dance records later, as a sideman) finds him and his group in fine form, at least on the B-side, a western swing cover of the Clovers' hit. This is a Gold Star Studio recording from early-to-mid 1953. The OK'ed label was a Bennie Hess operation, his earlier "Opera Records" marque having been retired by this point. (The fake Los Angeles address was retained, however.) The dreadful "My Love for You" was the actual A-side here, so it's easy to see why this single dropped without a trace. A 45 rpm pressing also exists.
Billboard reviewed this along with Arlie Duff's "You All Come" in its August 1, 1953 issue.
The Houston Chronicle did a nice piece on Bennie in 2009. Read it here.
Bennie Leaders and his Western Rangers, Houston, 1952. L to R: Clyde Brewer (piano-fiddle), Ernie Hunter (fiddle), Link Davis (fiddle-vocal), Bennie Leaders (vocal-bass), Bill Buckner (lead guitar), Frank Juricek (steel guitar), Tommy Sanders (drums). Click to enlarge.
