EASTSIDE BANDS - CHICK CARLTON & THE MAJESTICS

There is much confusion regarding the recorded music of Chick Carlton and a group called The Majestics. I have read corrections of errors made by other bloggers by Chick himself and will try to do the best I can. Maybe Chick will e-mail me with additional corrections.

According to Steve Propes book "L.A. R&B Vocal Groups 1945-1965" Chick Carlton (real name Carlton Brown) was a Kansas City native who made his recording debut in 1958 with "You Enchanted Me" and "Honey I've Got To Go" (Demon 1504). He attended Jefferson High School & Manuel Arts in Los Angeles and then back to Kansas City's Lincoln High where his music teacher was the great Earl Grant. After high school he went on tour with Cecil "Count" Carter, Jim Wynn & Rudy Ray Moore.

In 1959 Eddie Davis released "So You Want To Rock" and "(I Want To Be A) TV Cowboy" by Chick Carlton & The Majestics on his Faro label (Faro 592). (It seems Eddie was fond of the name The Majestics). According to Chick " Eddie Davis created The Majestics, which was a few Mexican guys from East L.A. Eddie said although I was black I fit in well with them"

You May Listen To Chick Carlton & The Majestics " So You Want To Rock" (a real rocker in the style of Ritchie Valens) Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sms7Tqt9ado&feature=em-uploademail

You May Listen To Chick Carlton & The Majestics "(I Want To Be A) TV Cowboy" (another rocker) Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sms7Tqt9ado&feature=em-uploademail


A second Majestics group would release a record on the Linda label "Strange World" and "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" (Linda 111). This Majestics group was really The Atlantics. Eddie Davis used the original Atlantics recording of "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" for one side of the record (see Eastside Oldies Part 1) and a song Chick Carton wrote called "Strange World" but recorded with his Atlantics group for the other side.

You May Listen To The Majestics "Strange World" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVk2eahL7Pw

Promo copies:

Not to confuse you but hoping to make it clearer, there was a third Majestics group and I decided to mention them here.

David & Ruben Robles recorded the Raft label rarity "Are You My Girl" (see Eastside Rarities) in 1962. They joined their brother saxophonist Arthur to form a group calledThe Majestics. They were discovered by disc jockey Rudy Marini who took them to Eddie Davis.

This record is impossible to find so I had one pressed:

If you have a copy of the original label Raft release I would love to get a scan of the record.

Along with The Romancers band, David, Ruben & Arthur Robles recorded as The Majestics "Girl Of My Dreams" and "(I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me" on Davis' Linda label (Linda 121) in 1965. "Girl Of My Dreams" is the Eastside classics written by Jesse Belvin and "It Hurts Me" is an Arthur Robles composition.

You May Listen To The Majestics "Girl Of My Dreams" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujqgnq4b3qw

You May Listen To The Majestics "I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2IkL1evGiM

Later in 1965 Eddie Davis would reissue the two Majestics sides on his Rampart label (Rampart 662) but billed as David & Ruben and titled "Girl In My Dreams" and "(I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me"

Eddie Davis took the master to Warner Brothers and used the Ralph Ventura Mariachi Group (group that backed Linda Ronstadt) and put in horns and violins. Warner Brothers released the record in 1969 (Warner Brothers 7316).

Not easy to explain or understand. Corrections & comments are welcome.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.