Page 109 - ION Indie Magazine November December 2019 Issue

Music by Al Hendrix
“I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive”

Review by Scott Wikle
Photography courtesy of Al and Loraine Hendrix

Al Hendrix, known as "America's Lost Rocker" has released a new tribute CD to Hank Williams. I
will review the album, but first, I want to talk about his history in music. Al is a national treasure with
whom we all need to become more familiar.

Al Hendrix was born Clyde Allen Hendrix on November 12, 1934, in Miami, Florida. Later that year,
his family relocated to California and settled in Lynwood, where they stayed until 1945. They then
moved back to Tampa, Florida, for two years before settling in Odessa, Texas. Al's father, Joseph
Allen, was a professional butcher. His mother, Lena Jean Jenkins, was a housewife who was also
a guitar picker and singer with her two sisters. Al listened every Saturday night to The Grand Ole
Opry and was inspired by the music of Hank Williams Sr. As a teenager, he began playing rhythm
guitar to accompany his singing and his startling expressive voice won him first and second place in
local talent shows. In March 1953, Al enlisted in the army. He served for three years, including an
18-month tour of duty in Korea. He was honorably discharged from the service, having attained the
rank of corporal in the military police.

When Al left the army, he came out to a significantly changed world of music. Rock & Roll was the
latest craze, and Elvis Presley became Al's new favorite and his own vocal performances sounded
a lot like Elvis, naturally. Al settled in Bakersfield, California, and it was here at the Blackboard Cafe
that Al met Buck Owens. Al and Buck made music together, often with Bill Woods and The Orange
Blossom Playboys. Around this time, Al made his television debut on the Los Angeles based show
"Rocket To Stardom."

In 1957, Joe Keplinger (aka Jolly Jody) hired Al to be the lead singer for his group, Jolly Jody and
The Go Daddies, and they packed in 3500 at the county fairgrounds in Bakersfield. With The Go
Daddies, Al recorded "Rhonda Lee" and "Go Daddy Rock" for the Tally label. The two sides were
picked up by ABC Paramount in February, 1959. During this time, he also appeared on Cousin Herb
Henson's TV show in Bakersfield called the "Trading Post Gang.” The show was mainly for country
acts; Buck Owens was a regular.

Al later signed with LaGree Records in Hollywood. The initial recordings were "I Need You" and
"Young and Wild,” cut at Gold Star Studios and issued in 1960. Liberty Records leased them for
nationwide release. "I Need You" was a number one hit in El Paso, Texas for 6 weeks. Alan Freed
was playing the flip side, "Young and Wild," every hour on his radio show in Los Angeles. "I Need
You" also made the top 20 in San Diego. Al appeared on the Wink Martindale television show at
Pacific Ocean Beach and at Art Laboe's show at Pasadena Civic Auditorium.