The “Golden Hits Of The 60s”
Main MenuConcept Refinement The Author..Wayne JancikGolden Age Of The 50sGolden Age Of The 60s1970s and There After
DUALS
“Stick Shift”
Sue 745
(Henry Bellinger)
No. 25 October 23, 1961
.
.
.
Their story is a short one and a sufficiently sad, dearest readers and consumers of trivia.
Henry Bellinger (b. 1942/Colorado) and Johnny Lageman (b. 1942/New Orleans) were two black youths
who lived on the same block in a comfy Los Angeles neighborhood. They met and soon learned of each
others abilities on the guitar. Henry had some tunes up his sleeve, tunes that when in John’s accom-
paniment sounded like white-boy rock’n’roll. Somehow, early in 1961 their paths crossed with H. B.
BARNUM, the great L.A. studio utility man. With the aid of some long-forgotten rhythm men, H. B.
shaped and taped Henry’s “Stick Shift” llke a hard rockin’ pre-surf sounding instrumental complete with
hot rod sounds. Star Revue Records issued the disk locally. When the platter got hot, Juggy Murray
picked it up for national distribution on Sue, his successful independent label.
For reasons unknown to even Ms. History, after the release of a lone lp on Sue, Henry and John severed
their relationship with each other and with Juggy’s company. Henry found himself another musical
buddy in Ron Barrett. Together they practiced and wrote some tunes and with Ron producing some sides
were recorded. Only one totally obscure single is marginally known to have resulted, “The Big Race” b/w
“Oozy Groove” (Infinity 032).