Johnny Burnette Trio Rockbilly Boogie CD Review

I’ve covered a great deal of stuff through the years, but I rarely take the time to speak about some of my favorite artists that are no longer with us. Not only that, but artists that have been gone for a long time – this will change today.

The Johnny Burnette Trio were a Rockabilly Trio that came on like a flash in the early 50’s and burned out just as fast only a few years later due to in-fighting. The trio consisted of Johnny Burnette, his brother, Dorsey and Paul Burlison. The Trio recorded a handful of great songs until they parted ways in 57. From all that I’ve read brother; Dorsey had an issue with the Trio being called the Johnny Burnette Trio. I’m sure it also had to do with the band group not having much success in the charts and needing to stay on the road to make money. If you’re a fan of older artists and music like this, you’ll look back and see that very few of them truly got there just due whether it be fame or pay which is ridiculous. Some of the greatest musicians/artists/writers have died alone and penniless and now their material is worth tons. After the disbanding of the Trio, Johnny Burnette went on to have a decent solo career although not quite as good as the Trio’s work in my opinion. Burnette’s career was cut short when he died in a boating accident in 1964 where he sadly drowned.

Through the years several releases have been tossed together representing the work that the JB Trio did but none of them were complete or as well put together as the 1989 release of “Rockbilly Boogie” from the German label, Bear Family Records. This label has been in business since 1975 and is known the world over for reissuing some of the finest Rockabilly/Rock N’ Roll ever released! If you see something on the shelves of your local haunt and it has the name Bear Family Records, scoop it up, it’ll be great. Getting into the meat of “Rockbilly Boogie”. It features what I believe to be the most well-known of the JB Trio’s tunes – “Train Kept A-Rollin’. No matter who you are, you’ve heard this song, I’m sure most of you have heard it due to Aerosmith’s cover, but that one can’t compare to the JB Trio’s version. I’m still confused how this wasn’t a smash hit back in the 50’s, there’s not an Elvis track that can hold a candle to this monster. Burnette’s howling vocals and Paul Burlison’s monstrous guitar riffs keep the song turnin’ and burnin’! It’s still one of my favorite Rockabilly tracks of all time. Stray Cats fans that haven’t done much research will be pleased as hell to hear the Trio’s version of “Rock Therapy” which is as impressive even though Setzer’s guitar playing is a lot more advanced than Burlison’s. This is the version that I heard first, therefore it’s the version I prefer. There’s also the track “Lonesome Train” that was also covered by the Stray Cats and again the same thought process applies here, the original version is my choice of listening pleasure. Setzer and the boys did several Johnny Burnette Trio songs over the years, and I don’t mind that, it shows respect to the craft and the genre of Rockabilly. The only cover version of a JB Trio track that could rival the original is The Cramps version of “Tear It Up”. Lux Interior’s maniacal approach and howling vocals were so over the top that one can’t help but bop like crazy and get lost in the song. And we can’t forget Ivy’s guitar playing/tone, her approach also had a great deal to do with my love of their version. Being a legitimate Cramps fanatic as well as a fan of the Johnny Burnette Trio, I hear a lot of similarities in the playing and approach between both bands. The Cramps of course had a bit more technology at their disposal and a sleazier feel, but if you listen close enough, you’ll hear the Trio’s influence on several Cramps originals. “Honey Hush” is another smokin’ number from the JB Trio that moves along in the same manner as “Train Kept A-Rollin”.
 
This compilation is still readily available for purchase and given that there are 28 classic tracks, it’s a no-brainer that should be in any Rockabilly fan’s collection. There’s not a weak song to be found. I know I might be the only one to feel this way, but the Johnny Burnette Trio could do nothing wrong. Every track was a hit to me, no matter whether it was a toe-tappin’ barnburner or an over exaggerated ballad. The Johnny Burnette Trio have never quite gotten the credit they deserved. Yes, there have been many covers by various bands over the years, but I’m speaking institutionally, they’ve been largely ignored. It seems the group has been downplayed due to not being a part of the Sun Records family or that’s the way it feels to me. It could also be that they weren’t around but a few short years, the music speaks for itself and if you’re a fan Rockabilly music and or a Rockabilly musician, odds are very strong you’ve heard of the Johnny Burnette Trio. My first introduction to the band was having to learn “Train” to play with my family at a show when I was a kid and that was all it took for me, I’ve been a fan since then. I’m also the first one in any band setting when throwing out covers to play to yell for us to play “Tear It Up” or “Train”. Some things just make sense to me and that’s what Johnny Burnette Trio means to me; they make perfect sense musically and their music has been a large part of my growth as a player. This is an absolute must have in your collection!

~Black Angel