Benny Joy - The Benny Joy Story Vols 1-5

Rockabilly treasures

An obscure rockabilly singer from Tampa, USA, Joy flirted with the very edges of success while modelling his appearance on Elvis Presley, though his delivery often had Gene Vincent’s energy and passion. He recorded a small selection of rare singles in the 50s, was managed by Platters manager, Buck Ram, signed to Decca and was even offered a contract on the Sun label. Other commitments, however, meant that he would only ever appear as a writer for the Ray Smith single, Boss Man, though many of Joy’s later country songs would be sung by the likes of Carl Perkins and Marty Robbins.

This series of five LPs (Crash The Party, Rollin To The Jukebox Rock, I’m Gonna Move, Wild Wild Lover and Love Zone) covers a wide array of Joy’s work, including all of his 50s output, plus a host of unissued demos. They might provide a unique picture of the life of a marginalised artist, always on the cusp, but they also ooze quality. Joy is totally believable, putting his heart and soul into these fine performances.

Norton | ED-346-350

Reviewed by Paul Rigby
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