Golden Hits Of The 60s”
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PREMIERS
“FARMER JOHN”
(Terry Harris)
Warner Bros. 5443
No. 19 August 1, 1964
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Very few Latino rock’n’roll bands, in the days before Santana, managed to successfully steal even a slight
serving of the nation’s auditory attention. Among the few such acts were the Blendells, the Midnighters,
CANNIBAL & THE HEADHUNTERS, and the Premiers.
The Premiers–George Delgado (guitar), Johnny Perez (drums), Larry Perez (guitar), Phil Ruiz (sax), Joe
Urzua (sax), and Frank Zuniga (bass)–were East L.A.’ers through and through. Since they were building
up a reputation on the Southern California circuit as a knock-out band, producers Billy Cardenas and
Eddie Davis made a special effort to checkout their paces at the Rainbow Gardens in Pomona. Cardenas
and Davis were impressed, and approached the guys about making some recordings. “Farmer John,” a
cover version of an old Don & Dewey number, was the first side issued on the localFaro label.
The unruly crowd sounds in the background give the impression that “Farmer John” was alive recording;
the label even claims that the number was taped “live at The Rhythm Room in Fullerton, California.” In
actuality, Cardenas and Davis brought the band and a pile of friends into an old studio on Melrose Avenue.
The friends were duly inebriated and instructed to whoop it up as if they were at a wild party (this bit of
trickery became an increasingly common way to simulate the excitement of a live performance on record).
When sales on “Farmer John” ballooned beyond the Hispanic community, Warner Bros. picked up the 45
for national distribution.