Jimmy Blakley-steel guitar and vocals Cliff Blakley- vocals & lead guitar Dorothy Blakley-piano & upright bass & vocals Red Pope & George Clayburn- fiddles Jan Blakley-bass
Before Bell left the band he had established radio & televisions shows on KSWS in Roswell, for the band. These appearances appear to have continued for a number of years and it is stated that some shows were done on location, from Scotty's Club. Jimmy Blakley, Dorothy, Cliff and Jan Blakley had done some recording up in Clovis in the mid and perhaps later fifties and through his association with Norman Petty, Jimmy soon got interested in trying a studio in Roswell. So he purchased a big Berlant Concertone recorder that Petty had retired (from his studio) and the Blakley's began producing their own recordings and records in Roswell, NM! Prior to this, between 1955-58 Starday records had already taken an interest in several of the Blakley's songs and released several 78's of them! The first record on Starday was released in 1955 and was by 'Jimmy and Dorothy Blakley'. The songs were: Take my heart & You Left me with the Blues. There were two more singles released by the duo on the label and one single by Jimmy alone before they were moved over to the D label. There were also two singles credited to Cliff Blakley on Starday of which one is a rockabilly collectible today. Harold 'Pappy' Daily had founded Starday records with Jack Starnes, Jr. down in Beaumont way back in 1953. When he sold-out his share of the label in 1958, Daily soon started a new label, 'D' records as it was called. This Houston label wasn't anything fancy, it just had a big capital D at the top of each record which stood for Daily, I suppose. Anyway, more of the recordings that the Blakleys made during the later fifties era seem to have been released on Daily's new label including Jimmy's hit 'Honky Tonk Princess'. By now the band was called Jimmy Blakley and his Western Swing Band . They were still headquartered in Roswell but by now they appear to have traveled the tri-state area to play (Texas, NM and Colorado).
After buying the Berlant (Concertone model) recorder from Norman Petty and establishing their own studio in Roswell (perhaps in c.1961) the Blakleys began releasing recordings on the Darsa & Midas labels. Also about this same time Jimmy Blakley came into contact with another musician in the Roswell area, Curtis Haskins. It is unclear (to the author) but this new musician may have become a member of Blakley's band during this time. Nevertheless, it is stated that Haskins and his wife were both musicians and that Curtis had written a song for Hoyle Nix that did eventually become quite successful. Haskins stated in an interview that he had owned a record label in partnership with Jimmy Blakley of Roswell. It was called 'Midas' (Artesia News, April 6, 2008). This was possibly between 1962-65 as Haskins goes on to state that soon after his wife was killed in a car-wreck (in 1965) he took 100% interest of the label and Blakley sold his interest to him. He continues to state that Blakley started the 'Darsa' label after their break-up. This obviously is incorrect but perhaps he was just mixed-up on historical fact and date, as the Darsa label was already in existence as early as 1962 as was the Midas label. A song titled 'Swamp Hop' dates to this year and was released on Blakley's Darsa label. While two songs by a doo wop group 'The Dellords' was released on the Midas label in the same year. (The guitar instrumental 'Swamp Hop' was re-issued on a compilation CD Germany in 2002 and was probably produced at Blakley's Roswell studio). We have further proof that Blakley's studio in Roswell was in operation in 1962 from this published notation of a record by Jimmy's daughter Debbie:
It's difficult to put an exact date on when the Blakleys moved from Roswell to Lubbock but it seems to have occured in the summer of 1969. So this could not account for the break-up of the partnership in the Midas label between Jimmy and Curtis Haskins back in 1965. Blakley did purchase an interest in the Palm Room, a club on the eastern side of Lubbock on the Idalou highway. Jimmy, Dorothy and family left New Mexico and Roswell behind in pursuit of this new enterprise. Cliff (and Jan) would also move to the Lubbock area soon so Cliff could continue as lead guitarist with the band it seems. Jan also played and/or sang with the band some.
This move to Texas did not end the Blakley's ambitions in being recording artist however. The Berlant console recorder that Jimmy had purchased from Petty in perhaps the late fifties was soon installed in a private part of the Palm Room and made ready for recording. It is unclear if Blakley had recorded any live performances at their new club but he did make studio recordings privately with various musicians it appears. His club band appeared weekly at the Palm Room and he ran a successful entertainment business at the Club. One such release from the Palm Room was put out on another of Blakley's own labels.. PR International. We can only assume that the initials PR stood for Palm Room and this record dates to 1974. Aside from crediting Jimmy Blakley as the artist, he is also credited as the producer. Blakley does a fine job of singing on this record but the music although very good seems rooted in the late fifties. But this is not surprising since Blakley's band had been playing Western Swing out in New Mexico for a couple decades before coming to Texas. It's only a guess as to how many members of the Roswell band followed the Blakleys to Lubbock. We do know that at least three members of the old band played at the Palm Room, including Jimmy, Dorothy and Cliff. Incidentally, all three of these musician/singers were legitimate recording artist, in their own right for all three of the Blakleys had record releases on the Starday label! Another Blakley is also playing on many of their earlier recordings, this was Jan Blakley a bass player and brother Cliff's wife.
Indications are that the Blakleys operated the club for several decades and it would not be long before other members of the family would also perform at the club. Jimmy and Dorothy's sons (Jimmy Jr. and Ronnie) also became fine musicians and surely played there on occasion, as did other members of the Blakley family. Their daughter Debbie whose first record was released at eleven did a lot of singing/recording around Lubbock also. To describe the Palm Room as a 'honky tonk' would be inaccurate. Blakley's band played sophisticated country music, western swing and catered more to the champagne crowd it seems. Phade Vader (a Blakley relative) stated that during their ownership of the club there was never a disturbance in which the law or sheriff had to be called. Folks, this is a remarkable record for any public club or dance hall! The Blakley's finally sold the Palm Room in the 1990's but it has continued to operate as a dance hall & dance hall. One recent writer states this about the Blakleys and their club, "...Jimmy and Dorothy were revered musicians in Lubbock, Las Vegas and all over the West Coast....the Palm Room was the place (to be) in West Texas for many years....until Dorothy became ill and passed after a long fight with cancer!" This statement seems to indicate that sometimes the Blakley band toured while some other bands carried on at the Palm Room.
In closing, it should be stated that during his lifetime Jimmy Blakley appears to have owned an interest in at least three record labels Darsa, Midas and PR International. Aside from these labels and the two Pappy Daily labels (Starday & D) some of the Blakley's recordings also appeared on the mail-order label 'Dixie' out of Chicago. The releases on Dixie were from the Starday catalogue and appear to have been a compilation of current hits, as sung by Starday artists. Several of the Blakley's songs appeared on Dixie but they were not given credit except on those listed in the discography below.
Starday #200: Artist: Jimmy & Dorothy Blakley / Songs: Take My heart / You left me with the Blues / year of release: 1955 / Possibly recorded in Clovis, NM
Starday #221: Artist: Jimmy & Dorothy Blakley / Songs: Ping Pong / Sorry for You / year of release: 1956 / Possibly recorded in Clovis, NM
Starday #299: Artist: Jimmy Blakley / Songs: Crazy Blues / Runaway Heart / year of release: 1957 / Possibly recorded in Roswell, NM
Starday #318: Artist: Jimmy & Dorothy Blakley / Songs: A Pair of Crazy Hearts / Making Beleive you are Mine / year of release: 1957 / Possibly recorded in Roswell, NM
Starday #369: Artist: Cliff Blakley / Songs: Get off my Toe / Not going steady anymore / year of release: 1958 / Possibly recorded in Roswell, NM
Starday #352: Artist: Cliff Blakley / Songs: High Steppin / I want to be with You / year of release: 1958 / Possibly recorded in Clovis, NM
Starday #594: Artist: Dorothy Blakley / Songs: Yodeling Ivory Waltz / year of release: c.1960 ? / Recorded in Clovis, NM /
Dixie #526: Artist: Jimmy Blakley / Songs: Lovesick Blues / My arms are a House / year of release: 1958 / Note: These two songs may be on an extended play record with other artists such as George Jones. / Possibly recorded in Roswell, NM
D (records) #1175: Artist: Jimmy Blakley / Songs: Island Paradise / Honky Tonk Princess / year of release: 1961 / Recorded in Clovis, NM
United Artist # ? : Artist: Jimmy Blakley / Songs: Island Paradise / Honky Tonk Princess / year of release: 1961 / Recorded in Clovis, NM /
PR Intermational #1001: Artist: Jimmy Blakley / Songs: A Tribute to Tex Ritter / Her House / year of release: 1974 / Probably recorded in Lubbock, Tx / Note: PR stands for 'Palm Room' (Lubbock, Tx.) /
Midas_ (label): location: 607 S. Aspen, Roswell, NM.. / original owners: Jimmy Blakley & Clyde Haskins / active date: c.1962--65 / Artists: The Dellords .../ songs: In Togetherness / September Song / Possibly recorded in Roswell,NM / Note: Alfay music is listed with this label as well as other Blakley labels. Therefore Alfay, a BMI affiliate may have been owned by the Blakley family. /
Darsa_ (label): location: Roswell, NM.. / owner: Jimmy Blakley / active date: c.1962 / Artists: Bob Buster , Debbie Blakley.../ songs: Swamp Hop (by Buster), Behind that Wall (by Buster), Teen Twistin Tommy (by Blakley), Tell Billy (by Blakley) / All songs probably recorded in Roswell, NM/ note: The 'Swamp Hop' instrumental was re-issued in Germany in 2002, on an album titled 'Jungle Rock'.