Before getting into the life and music career of Little Julian Herrera I must make a couple of points. Little Julian Herrera is my favorite singer with the finest voice to come out of the Eastside Sound. There is not much known about his life nor his disapperance after 1962 but he would become the idol of the young Chicano community in Southern California. He would become the first teen sensation of the Eastside preceeding Ritchie Valens.
I was so intrigued by the music & mystery of Little Julian Herrera that I sent an e-mail to Steve Propes, author, record colector and disc jockey on radio station WPMD. Steve dedicated one of this 45's shows to Little Julian, playing his records & trying to fill in some of the missing pieces of the man's life.
I also frequented Wenzels Music Town in Downey & owner Tom Wenzel & I would talk about Little Julian & Tom would tell me what he remebered of Little Julian's days on the Dig label. Truly fascinating stuff.
Little Julian was not Latino but Eastern European. According to some sources his given name was Ezekial and that he ran away from home in Massacheusetts at the age of eleven & hitchiked to Los Angeles. He also went by the name Ron Gregory according to a probation officer who had a picture of him.
Little Julian would settle in Boyle Heights, a suburb of East Los Angeles and adapt the name Herrera from the Mexican-American family who took him in. The name Little Julian came from Don Julian of the Meadowlarks who had a hit with "Heaven & Paradise" at the time
Little Julian met Johnny Otis who asked him to perform in his shows at El Monte Legion Stadium where he became a star attraction. In the summer of 1956 Little Julian would record for Otis' newly formed Dig label. The session would produce "Lonely Lonely Nights" and "In Exchange For Your Love'. The group backing Little Julian is probably the Premiers who were also on the Dig label. The record would be a big hit locally but would do little elsewhere.
You may listen to both "Lonely Lonely Nights" and "In Exhange For Your Love" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdT9EoBAbr8
In the spring of 1957 Otis would get around to releasing a follow-up record "Symbol Of Heaven" and "Here In My Arms"
You May Listen To "Symbol Of Heaven" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77jMpkCbdcE
You May Listen To "Here In My Arms" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI-WnGVObcg
Shortly afterward, Johnny Otis abandoned his Dig label to pursue opportunities at Capital Records. Little Julian was introduced to the Tigers, a Pomona-based group through the lead singer of the Premiers, Sammy Yates. With Art Laboe as the producer Little Julian Herrera & The Tigers recorded "I Remember Linda" for the Starla label. The flip side was a Little Richard tune "True Fine Mama". "I Remember Linda" became a local hit due to the constant plugging by Art Laboe on his live radio show from Scriverner's Drive-In.
Although Ron Shy claims that he & James Thompson wrote "I Remember Linda" the label credits Egnoian (Art Laboe) and Otis (Johnny Otis) as writers. As the story goes Linda was James Thompson's girlfriend.
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera & the Tigers "I Remember Linda" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcORyFbrA9g
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera & The Tigers "True Fine Mama" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQAzTjW-A0
Julian would be accused of statutory rape killing record sales and after a stint in jail he would disappear. In 1963, he was rediscovered by Dick "Huggy Boy" Hugg who was told that Little Julian was performing in Tijuana. Hugg would release an updated version of "Lonely Lonely Nights" and "I Want To Be With You" on the Essar label. For this release Little Julian was backed by the Illusions, a band from the Bellflower-Long Beach area. Of major interest to record collectors, there are two markedly different takes of "Lonely Lonely Nights" issued on the Essar label with identical release numbers for which there is no known explanation.
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera "Lonely Lonely Nights" (Essar) Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVnLu6f0Z0Y
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera "I Want To Be With You" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N--3C4O4A5g
You will find both takes of Little Julian Herrera & The Illusions on the CD "The Illusions - Surfin & Stompin The Complete Story" released on the Gee-Dee label.
Little Julian's last release would be "Your Careless Love" and "You Will Cry" released on the Emmo label. Another Eastside Classic this record is extremely hard to find.
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera "Your Careless Love" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M269snAlitQ&feature=g-all&context=G25af30fFAAAAAAAAOAA
You May Listen To Little Julian Herrera "You Will Cry" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFK4CpxRlF4
In 1963, Eldo records would re-issue "Lonely Lonely Nights" & "In Exchange Foe Your Love"
The Compete Recordings Of Little Julian Herrera is available on compact disc.
Little Julian would disappear into obscurity again. According to Huggy Boy's last interview, Little Julian's body was found in Elysian Park. RIP Little Julian.
With just five singles to his musical discography, Little Julian Herrera remains a mystery but a true Eastside Legend.
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!
Solely for historical, educational & listening pleasure.
I would like to say a little comment.
ReplyDeleteLil Julian Herrera lived in the One Ways, in
Norwalk Ca. In the late fifties. I have a sister
and a high school friend that was going with Lil Julian, difference times acourse. I had went to his house in the One Ways of Norwalk, he did play the piano and sang for us. My friend had told me the last time she saw him, was when she was painting a room at her house and she said that he came to her house, which it was a couple of blocks from her, and that was the last time she had heard from him.
I still play his records today.
Lil julian was my uncle, the brother of Harvey earl Gregory, l know what happened to him, but we kept it in the family my neck name guy real name is gaetano Antony gregory born in norristown pa 1956
DeleteLittle Julian Herrera was a Hungarian refugee
ReplyDeleteraised by the Herrera family in Los Angeles.
Was a local hit sensation and sang with the Twiliters, Tigers, Romancers, Premiers per
Johnny Otis on KLON radio w/Steve Propes early 80's.
Ronald Gregory was his real name, he was my uncle, I'm gaetano Antony gregory, son of Harvey earl Gregory I was born in norristown Pennsylvania in 1956,the family know's what happened to lil julian but I was told by my father to leave it alone he was the best uncle, he taught me to play the harmonica at nine years old, but my father wanted me to be a boxer like him my first name gaetano was because my father used to hang out with the gaetano family back east any way thanks for remembering my uncle,
DeleteI lived in Toonerville in the late 50's and early 60's Julian was going with a friend of mines sister and would come to neighborhood often. Sometimes he would bring a guitar and play for us. He would play everything from Little Richard to Bo Diddley.
ReplyDelete.
LITTLE JULLIAN WAS DATING MY GIRLFRIEND LUCILLE TOONERVILL WHERE SHE LIVED THEY BROKE UP AND CAME TO MY HOUSE SOMEHOW WORD GOT OUT AND A LOT OF GIRLS FROM SCHOOL SHOWED UP ONE GIRL NAMED LINDA SHE WAS 6FT HEIGHT JULLIAN STARTED PLAYING THE PIANO AND SINGING I REMEMBER LINDA AND SHE WAS SCREAMING OH HE WROTE A SONG 4 ME LINDA AND MYSELF JULLIAN AND DAVID LUNA AND ANOTHER GUY WENT TO GRIFFITH PARK THE TWO GUYS LEFT THE CAR AND LINDA SAID SHE HAD TO POTTY OBSERVATORY WAS CLOSED SO SHE WENT IN THE BUSHES JULLIAN AND I WERE IN THE CAR SHE WAS YELLING HELP I CAN'T GET UP SO ME AND JULLIAN HELPED HER UP AND SHE LEFT WALKING BACK TO THE CAR JULLIAN AND I WENT WE WERE TALKING AND OUT OF NOWHERE SHE CAME RUNNING TO THE CAR HER BLOUSE WAS OPEN AND SHE SAID SHE HAD BEEN RAPED SHE WAS CRYING THEN THE OTHER 2 GUYS CAME BACK WE DROVE HER TO A PLACE CALLED POLICE SHE WENT TO HOSPITAL TO GET CHECKED NEXT THING U KNOW SHE SAID JULLIAN RAPED HER IMPOSSIBLE I WAS THE STAR WITNESS 4 JULLIAN AND THEY SAID THAT JULLIAN AND I DID IT WELL THEY FOUND HIM GUILTY AND I SWEAR JULLIAN DID RAPE THAT GIRL LATER THE 2 GUY'S SAID THEY RAPED HER AND THEY WOULDN'T COME FORWARD TO CLEAR JULLIANS NAME WHAT KIND OF IS THAT? LINDA WAS ALSO DRUNK DRINKING WITH THE 2 GUYS IN THE CAR BEFORE THEY WENT 4 THE WALK MY MOTHER WORKED WITH LINDA'S MOM AND THE WORD WAS SHE ACCUSED JULLIAN BECAUSE HE HAD MONEY AT THE TIME HIS CAREER WAS JUST GETTING STARTED AND DIDN'T HAVE MONEY I HOPE LINDA CAN NEVER FORGIVE HERSELF 4 RUINING A GOOD MAN'S LIFE AND CAREER FAR AS I'M CONCERNED SHE KILLED HIM WHEREVER U ARE LINDA I TOTALLY HATE U 4 WHAT U DID AND THE OTHER 2 GUYS YALL WILL ANSWER TO GOD JULLIAN WAS INNOCENT MY NAME IS JEHRI LOOK AT COURT RECORDS MY NAME IS THERE RIP JILLIAN I LOVE YOU JEHRI
Delete