Lucky Boggs 

Portsmouth  late 1940s - 1970s

Lucky Boggs was a country performer with a bit of rockabilly to his sound. He was from the Portsmouth area and started out in the post World War II boom for live music. Like so many others in the country music scene, he got a gig on a radio station, WPAY in Portsmouth. In 1947 he was on the road with the Mountain Rhythm Rascals. A newspaper story from 1947 lists the band was JImmy Smith, "Tex" Turner, Carl Pullin (also listed as Karl Pullen), and Don Hancock. 

The band spent some time in Indiana where they appeared on station WCSI in Columbus, IN. At the time their agent was Ray Daugherty. 

From 1948-1950 Lucky was part of a touring show, first named the Ches Davis Variety Swanee River Barn Dance, and later the Ches Davis' Chicago Follies. The group included music and an 'exotic dance' by June Langston, a former Miss Texas. 

By 1952 Lucky was back in Portsmouth, moving to radio station WNXT. He performed locally for the next few years. In 1956 he was signed by Buddy records, a country music label from Marshall, TX. According to the newspaper story, he would have signed with them in February 1956 for a three year contract. It seems, from reading the posted story, that Dutch Willis was the connection that led to the long range connection between Buddy and Lucky. Willis had lived in Marshall and knew the label owner Ardis Young. Willis then moved to Portsmouth and met Lucky, which led to Lucky's signing with Buddy.

There were three 45s released by Buddy, the first one being a 'split' 45 with Jimmie Stout. They were released on consecutive label numbers over a year period. The records must have sold a few copies as they turn up in the used market. 

There are several mentions in the local papers for Boggs and a band playing from 1958 into 1960. One of the bands included Bill Priode on guitar, Lake Brickey on fiddle, with Deek Brickey as caller for square dancing. Another listing reunited Lucky with Don Hancock from the 1947 band. 

Lucky recorded his next 45 in 1959, and it's his best, the driving rockabilly of "Drilling Rig Boogie" that was released on Portsmouth's Shawnee label. The writing credirt is shared with M. Cordle. Shawnee was owned by Zeke Mullins who had worked with Lucky on many occasions going back to the early 1950s. A second 45 by Boggs was released on Shawnee about a year later, "Ease The Pain", which was back to a more straight country sound. 

Lucky disappears from the papers, and our knowledge, for many years, until a benefit for him was held in 1975. At the time he was living in South Shore, across the Ohio river from Portsmouth.

That's all we have for now.

Discography:
Tears In My Heart / Once I Went To Town - Buddy 108, June 1956
Rainbow Waltz / How Long - Buddy 109, Oct 1956
You Can't Stop Her / I Never Cared For Candy - Buddy 110, June 1957
Are You An Angel / Drilling Rig Boogie - Shawnee 101, 1959
Ease The Pain /  - Shawnee 103, 1960