The “Golden Hits Of The 50s”
Main MenuConcept Refinement The Author..Wayne JancikGolden Age Of The 50sGolden Age Of The 60s1970s and There After
ROYALTONES
“POOR BOY“
(Mel Mitchell, David R. Sanderson)
Jubilee 5338
No. 17 December 1, 1958
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One of the best instrumental acts in all of ’50s era rock’n’roll–the Royaltones–never got the chance to
make an album, or even see their works of pop art compiled in album form. Their material is long since
out of print. Their individual names–as well as their collective moniker–are unknown but to those
derisively labeled “record fanatics.” To report that all is well and their excellent efforts have been
rewarded would be a fabrication.
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“I’ve worked behind and with many top-notch performers,” said “Bob,” David R. Sanderson to Norewen
Kukkonen, writer for the Leader Newspapers. “Often, I’d be sitting back, watching them and say to
myself, ‘Some day, I’m gonna be up there.'”
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Bob was 58 when he died. The futuristic guitarist with the Royaltones died of a heart attack on June 25,
1994, at Garden City Hospital, Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
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Largely through his work with radio station WCXI, Bob performed in concert with Johnny Cash and June
Carter, Roger Miller and Johnny Paycheck, Tanya Tucker, Ricky Scaggs and Conway Twitty. For years
Sanderson performed in his hometown haunts. In 1980, he began fronting his own touring band, the
Porcupine Mountain Band. Sporadically singles would be issued–“Back on the Barstool Again,” “I Know
Your the Rain”; the later place on the Billboard “Adult Contemporary” charts. His 1988 release, “Gettin’
Down, Gettin’ Together, Gettin’ In Love,” was given a positive review by Cashbox–“Top Single Pick.” “It
makes you feel good inside when you read your record review and it’s among such names as Donna Fargo
and Louise Mandrell,” said Sandersen, at the time.
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“Bob” was born David Robert Sandersen in Cumberland City, in Tennessee, in 1936. Mama sang; papa was
a particularly good banjo picker. “I saw my dad playing various instruments as I was grew up,” he told
Kukkonen. “I was taught myself how to play guitar, but my main instrument was my voice.” Before the
Royaltones–ironically, and instrumental-only band–Bob got to record at least one single under his own
name, a vocal, “Beauty” b/w “My Hands.”
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Despite these superabilities no album has ever been released. Their dozen singles are long out-of-print.
And next to no one knows much of anything about who they were and how on this earth they got that God-
granted good.
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The Royaltones were four in number. George (Katsakis) Kaye was their screamin’ sax man. The second
guitar cries were tore out by Karl Kay. On drums and piano were the Popoff brothers, Greg and Mike
respectively. They played dances and surely must have driven their audiences to the edge of frenzy.
Someone with clot spotted them and brought them to the attention of Jerry Blaine at Jubille Records.
History has yet to tell whether such a perfect pounder as “Poor Boy” was their first release or not. Justice
was momentarily theirs and the honkin’ wax actually found a place on the nations radios. Follow-ups
were another story.
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