Who was/is Lou Graham ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more
When LOU GRAHAM dipped into rock 'n' roll with Wee Willie Brown in November 1957, he was already 28 and a veteran of local radio in Chester, Pennsylvania whose most famous resident, Bill Haley, became his mentor. One of ten children, Graham was born Lewis Lyerly in Woodleaf, North Carolina in 1929. After serving in the US Navy, he worked as a country vocalist and broadcaster joining WPWA, Chester in 1950. It was there that he befriended Haley, then jobbing on the local bar-room circuit with the Saddlemen while holding down the post of announcer at the station.
Graham signed with Philadelphia's Gotham label in 1951 and made his recording debut accompanied by members of Haley's band with whom he occasionally appeared on stage. By the time of his second Gotham release, Graham had moved to WTNJ in Trenton, New Jersey leaving Haley to pursue the musical career which would soon make him an international star.
By 1956, Haley, flush with riches, had assumed the role of benefactor, granting recording favours to a number of acolytes in an ill-fated attempt to create a music publishing and recording empire. Graham was signed to Haley's Clymax label and he cut Wee Willie Brown backed by the Comets. The master was assigned directly to Coral when Haley's enterprizes ran into financial difficulties.
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