Earl Reed and his Rhythm Rockers

Durham, NC, 1958-9

April 19, 1958...Rockabilly action! Sarasota, FL

One fact we have is that Earl Reed and the Rhythm Rockers were not from Ohio. They did play in Dayton for a short time and recorded 4 songs for the Cherokee label. The credited lead singer, Johnny Scoggins, was form Durham, NC. The rest of the band? they are listed as being from 'the west coast' but then this ad was from Sarasota, FL only 4 months earlier than the Dayton listing. 

August 8, 1958 in Dayton

Three of the songs were credited to Scoggins, and the fourth was a cover of the TV Slim hit "Flat Foot Sam" (also recorded by Tommy Blake). The song is miscredited to Carol Wills instead of Clara Wills, and uses the Lunsford publishing that was used for Cherokee label originals. tsk, tsk...

Earl and the band's stay in Dayton was seemily brief as they only had a couple ads in the paper. Johnny Scoggins recorded a couple records for Fraternity and later moved to Nashville and had a long career in music, he passed away in 2023. Although he was a Durham resident for many years, a story in the Durham paper dated August 24 1960 mentions that he was living in Dayton. A couple years later he was listed with a Durham address. So he may have spent a couple years in Dayton, or commuted between the two cities. 

For Earl and the rest of the band, we have nothing....other than a great picture!

Discography
Drink Wine / Mama - Cherokee 778, 1958
Flat Foot Sam / Playing With My Heart - Cherokee 779, 1958