The “Golden Hits Of The 60s”
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LARRY VERNE
“MISTER CUSTER“
(Fred Darian, AI Delory, Joseph Van Winkle)
Era 3024
No. 1, October 10, 1960
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“Custard’ was a hit, because it fit the perfect formule for comedy–tragedy, plus time,” said Larry Verne,
in an exclusive interview. “I didn’t know that then, ‘course. You gotta live awhile to figure that one.
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“I wasn’t no singer, meaning, I dabbled in it. I’d lose talent contests all over town. I really wasn’t
serious about nothin’, had all kinds of jobs, after I served in the Marine Corps.; truck driver, bartender,
TV stuff as a stunt man for ‘Zorro,’ ‘Circus Boy,’ Range Rider,’ ‘Rin Tin Tin.”‘
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When Larry (b. Larry Vern Erickson, Feb. 8, 1936, Minneapolis) was discovered, he was a photog-
rapher’s assistant. “The Balladeers, three fellows, Fred [Darian], AI [Delory], and Joe [Van Winkle],
had an office in the same building as the photo studio where I worked. ‘Fact, their office was right
across the hall. I got to know them and they mentioned this idea they had–it was no more than an idea.
I’d throw in a line, once ‘n while. So, one day, they said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna go down and make a dub on
‘Custard.’ Ya wanna come along.?’ I had nothin’to do, so I went down with ’em to Gold Star [Studios].
They laid down a basic rhythm track and said, ‘Go in there; you do it.’ It was a lot of ad libbin’ and 18
hours later we came out with a record.”
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As anyone who has heard the spoof on General Custer at Little Big Horn will attest, the disk is a slice
of off-yonder wall, dark humor. They [Fred, AI, and Joe, the Balladeers] took it in to their label, Dei-
Fi. Bob Keene, the owner [the man who discovered Ritchie Valens, the Bobby Fuller Four] gave ’em
some advance money at first, but later passed on puttin’ it out, saying he didn’t think it was so funny.”
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Then, back in the studio making a re-dubbing, a dub-down, Herb Newman [ERA Records founder]
happened to be in the hallway and heard it. He says, ‘What is that? I’ve gotta havethat.’ He snatched it
up; signed me to a contract.
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“We needed a flipside, so I joked ’round and ad libbed this thing we called the ‘Okefenokee Two Step,’ a
country boys take on ‘The Madison.’ Straight-laced folk weren’t suprised, but nothingelse Larry fooled
with received nar a notice. “I did ‘Mister Livingston’ and this album full ofMister things and eight
singles in addition. There was ‘Abdul’s Party,’ ‘The Speck,’ ‘RunningThrough The Forest,’ and so
many nondescript records that we did. ‘The Porcupine Patrol,’was misguided and ‘Charlie At Bat,’
well Charlie was invisble, my alter-ego. They were just sessions; some released, some not.”
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When the records stopped in 1963, what became of Larry Verne?
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“I got into something that year that I liked much better. I got workin’ in the motion picture business,
set construction for 23 years, now; did [Sylvester Stallone’s] Tango And Cash [1986] and Rambo Ill
[1989], all three of the [Louis Gossett, Jr.] Iron Eagle flicks [1986, 1988, 1991]–hundreds of ’em, in
all. Recently, I worked on Lost World, Jurassic Park 2. I retired in February [1997]. Who knows
where I go; I got the guitar out and I’ve been writing a few tunes.
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