NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) - Ersel Hickey, one of most recognized rockabilly singers has died at age 70. He was hospitalized at NYU Medical Center after surgery to have his bladder removed because of a tumor.
Ersel Hickey was born in Brighton, New York on June 27, 1934. His Mother was from Kingston, Ontario, his Father was Irish (O' Hickey was the original name), he passed away when Ersel was four, there were eight children. Ersel's Mother had a nervous breakdown and was put into a hospital, at that time he was put into fosterhomes. He would run away all the time, living in different parts of New York State.
When Ersel was 15 he started traveling with his sister "Chicky Evans" an exotic dancer. She was very popular in the circuits and together they travelled for about a year. He decided to go on his own and travel with the carnival, then left and then began living in Columbus, Ohio. From there he was sent to a "tough kids" home, where he became familiar with the main Rhythm & Blues groups and started singing with the gospel group there. Johnnie Ray was sweeping the nation in 1951 and Ersel found his talents singing like him.
In 1954 Ersel heard "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" by Elvis and he went crazy for it. Telling everyone about Elvis. Ersel was playing a few places in Rochester that his brother booked him in, he was drawing very well. It was around this time that he went and recorded his first record on Fine Records. One side was "Then I'll Be Happy", an old song and the other side was called "Baby You're No Good" a song Ersel had written. The single was released locally, not much happened with it.
One night Ersel went to a show at the War Memorial in Rochester and was in a restaurant after and one of the members of the show walked in, Phil Everly. Ersel approached Phil and said "I want to be a singer, what should I do?" He says "Well, you got to have a song." That night Ersel went home and wrote "Bluebirds Over The Mountain". Ersel woke his brother up at 2:30 in the morning and asked him what he thought. He said "It's a hit!". Ersel decided to leave for Buffalo the next morning with $20 his brother gave him.
LaVerne suggested to Ersel that he call Mike Corda who was a personal manager, bass player and songwriter (Corda had previously managed Enzio Stuarti). Corda believed that "Bluebirds" had potential they had a demo session for the song at National Studio in New York, which Corda paid for the session. They brought Jimmy Mitchell to play guitar and Mike Corda played bass. Mitchell tapped on his guitar case to make the "percussion" sound on "Hangin' Around".
After they were happy with the session, it was Corda's job to pitch the song to a label.
March 12, 1958 Ersel recorded two more singles "You Threw A Dart", "Don't Be Afraid Of Love" - "People Gotta Talk", "I Can't Love Another" and the unissued "Shame On Me". Ersel went back in the studio May 20, 1958 this time in New York at the old Columbia Studios. They recorded 3 songs "Lover's Land", "Goin' Down That Road" and "Due Time". The next session was October of 1958, they went back into National Studio to record "You Never Can Tell", "The Wedding" and "Roll On Little River".
Al Lewis was one of the co-writers on "You Never Can Tell" (co-written Blueberry Hill"). Lewis had just formed a music publishing company with Don Kirshner (later the manager/producer behind The Monkees). Kirshner brought Ersel "You Never Can Tell" and a song called "I'm Ready" both demo recorded by Bobby Darin. Turned down "I'm Ready", but recorded the other. Fats Domino picked "I'm Ready" Ersel's record charted high in Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.
September 29, 1959 recorded "Love In Bloom". By the time Ersel went back in the studio December 17, 1959 the music world had changed. Chuck Sagle brought Ersel into the Columbia Studios for his last sessions. The song was "What Do You Want" which was a big hit for British Pop star Adam Faith. Faith sounded a lot like Buddy Holly, Sherman thought that Ersel too had that sound. They worked up an arrangement quick and gave Ersel a day to rehearse it. (It was a split-session with Roy Hamilton and Bobby Vinton). Ersel didn't like the song and didn't want to record it, but Sherman told him he was going to.
April 18, 1960 Sagle took Ersel in to record "Stardust Brought Me You" this version was left un-released until 1993. May 7, 1960 Ersel went and recorded his last single for Epic Records "Stardust Brought Me You" and "Another Wasted Day". Al Avellino was the co-writer with Ersel on "Stardust Brought Me You" a song they had written on the piano at Famous Music that Hoagy Carmichael used to write "Stardust". After Ersel three year recording contract with Epic expired, he decided to work more at writing songs. One day Ersel was at 1650 Broadway when he saw Joe Sherman. They hadn't worked together for a couple of years, Joe offered to manage Ersel. Shortly after he got Ersel signed to Kapp Records. Late 1960 they went in the studio at Bradley Film & Recording in Nashville. On December 7 they recorded "Lips Of Roses", "Teardrops At Dawn" and the un-issued until 1993 "Magical Love".
Then on December 8 they recorded the last session for Kapp "I Guess You Could Call It Love", "What Have You Done To Me?" and the un-issued until 1993 "A Mighty Square Love Affair". Joe Sherman only managed Ersel for six months, he placed Ersel on a few tours that he did very well at. Ersel got married in 1961 which quieted things down and he went into business. Writing was a band-aid for him as he wanted to perform, but bookings were slow. It became very complex with contracts and the business became overwhelming. Ersel then record "The Millionaire" and "Upside Down Love" on Apollo, a great record. The company was already in money trouble and went out of business. Then Laurie Records with "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Put Your Mind At Ease" in 1963. 1964 Ersel went back to songwriting, he wrote a song with Eddie Miller called "Don't Let The Rain Come Down" it was a huge hit for The Serendipity Singers.
Many artists have recorded Ersel's songs including Jackie Wilson "The Millionare" and "A Little Bird Told Me So" for LaVern Baker.
Toot Records was owned by Eddie Miller, Ersel recorded "Blues Skies" and "Tryin' To Get To You" in 1967 and "Strings of Gitarro" and "There is Just One Time" in 1968.
1968 was a great year for Ersel when the Beach Boys bought the publishing on "Bluebirds Over The Mountains" and cut it as a single. It has appeared on many compilations. There were many other labels that he went on like Unifax, Rameses II, Black Circle, Parkway and Magnum.
Ersel has unreleased material - 24 songs in all recorded between 1960-1985 (with musicians such as Dave 'Baby' Cortez) he owns them all. Ersel was truly a Legend in Rock and Roll music, not just for his famous picture, but for everything he has accomplished.
Discography
Singles:
1955: Then I'll Be Happy/Baby You're No Good
1958: Bluebirds Over The Mountain/Hangin' Around, Lover's Land/Goin' Down That Road, Ersel Hickey In Lover's Land (Lover's Land/Bluebirds Over The Mountain/Goin' Down That Road/Hangin' Around), The Wedding/You Never Can Tell
1959: 9309 You Threw A Dart/Don't Be Afraid Of Love, I Can't Love Another/People Gotta Talk, Love In Bloom/What Do You Want (Picture Sleeve)
1960: Stardust Brought Me You/Another Wasted Day
1961: Teardrops At Dawn/I Guess You Could Call It Love, Lips Of Rose/What Have You Done To Me
1962: The Millionaire/Upside Down Love
1963: Some Enchanted Evening/Put Your Mind At Ease
1967: Blue Skies/Tryin' To Get To You
1968: (Play On) Strings Of Gitarro/There Is Just One Time
1970: Bluebirds Over The Mountain/Self Made Man
1971: Oh, Lord Look What They've Done To Your Garden/Slidin' Home
1972: How Unlucky Can You Get/Put It To Your Heart
1975: Waitin' For Baby/In Spite Of The Fool That I Am
1982: Let Me Be Your Radio
1984: Country Tough
Albums:
1984 BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN
1985: THE ROCKIN' BLUEBIRD
1985: ERSEL HICKEY BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN
2001: ROCKIN' BLUEBIRD
