The Spidells

Misspelled name on a mid-60s Tennessee Tech poster feat. Night Train performers.

Formed in 1962, this band was also billed as 'The Spidells featuring Billy Lockridge,' and regularly performed on Night Train, playing original songs as well as covers.

Billy Lockridge Spidells biz card

History[edit | edit source]

Formed in 1962 at then Tennessee A&I State University, now known as Tennessee State University. The group consisted of one senior and four freshmen. The group's first recorded single entitled "Find Out What's Happening" on Monza Records was later recorded by Elvis Presley and Louise Mandrell.

The Spidells also provided backup vocals to soul and gospel singer Percy Wiggins, who also attended Tennessee State University.

The group's back up band was the all-white "The Exotics", a garage combo from Franklin, during 1965-66, touring throughout Tennessee (not to be confused with the Excello recording artists of “Boogaloo Investigator” fame).

Spidells and Exotics

E. Mark Windle writes: Sam Jones, of The Astors from Memphis, remembers being introduced to them by Larry Lee at the Club Del Morocco as early as 1962. Lee was associated with the group at that time, perhaps as part of the supporting band but also as songwriter...Lawrence “Larry” Lee (b. 1943, d. 2007) appears on writing credits of “If It Ain’t One Thing (It’s Another)”. Lee was originally the rhythm guitarist for Earl Gaines. He had also previously written two of the Monza sides for The Spidells. Larry Lee holds a wider interest for rock historians not only through his association with Billy Cox and Jimi Hendrix in the early 1960s but also in 1969 when Hendrix asked Lee and Cox to join him in forming Gypsy Sun and Rainbows – cementing their immortality through a now legendary performance at Woodstock. Lee made the move to Memphis after the demise of Hendrix and continued notable musical activities such as band leader for Al Green and Albert King.

Jerry Crutchfield (b. 1934) produced a few of the Monza 45s, and indeed The Spidells’ later releases on Coral. Crutchfield commenced his music career writing jingles for WKYB in Paducah and later worked at WCBL in Benton whilst attending Murray State University, Kentucky. Over the following fifty or so years he was to become general manager of Capitol, president of MCA Music in Nashville, and formed his own companies Crutchfield Music Publishing and Glitterfish Music. Crutchfield’s move to Tennessee came in the late 1950s when he and his group, the Country Gentlemen, attracted the attention of Chet Atkins, legendary musician and A&R man for Nashville RCA. There, Jerry developed a deeper interest in production and song-writing for country, pop and soul genres. From an R&B perspective, this was initially with local labels including Monza and by the end of the 1960s, with Coral and other major labels.

Crutchfield penned “Find Out What’s Happening”. The song was essentially an up-tempo rock and roll number, and an original for The Spidells, though it was later associated with Elvis who cut a few versions (the first of which appeared on the 1973 LP “Raised on Rock”). The Spidells’ version also found its way onto a UK Sue release. The flip of the Spidells take, “That’ll Make My Heart Break”, is a very competent gentle doo-wop / soul ballad, and perhaps a better demonstration of their vocal talents. The second Monza release “Hmmm, With Feeling Darling” was written by the group’s own James Earl Smith and is firmly in mid-sixties soul territory; another up-tempo dance number reminiscent of the harmony group sounds of The Impressions or The Esquires. Jerry Crutchfield produced this track also. There is the possibility that both 45s were derived from the same recording session.

Members[edit | edit source]

James Earl Smith, Nathaniel Shelton, Lee Roy Cunningham, Billy Lockridge, and Michael Young

James Earl Smith (first tenor vocals)

Nathaniel Shelton (tenor vocals)

Lee Roy Cunningham (baritone vocals, tenor vocals)

William Lockridge (lead tenor vocals)

Michael Young (bass vocals, baritone vocals)

Other replacement members:

In April 1967, The Tennessean newspaper carried a short piece on a forthcoming concert appearance by The Standells, in which The Spidells and The Exotics were also to perform. The article indicated that at this stage The Spidells were a four man act. James, Nathaniel and Lee were replaced by Wallace Brown and Frank Pillow.