2007 OCTOBER 18 #291
The Redcoats
MP3:
01 Should I Care (1:51)
02 Blue Fire (2:07)
03 Girls Girls Girls (2:13)
04 She's My Baby (2:30)
05 Blue Skies (2:27)
06 Teardrops in My Eyes (live) (3:12)
07 Lawdy Miss Clawdy (live) (3:20)
08 Tequila (live) (3:28)
09 Home By Eleven (2:12)
10 Big Name Button (live) (2:57)
11 Jelly (2:53)
12 Shake Rattle and Roll (2:40)
13 Let's Have a Party (2:26)
14 Hayride (2:40)
15 Bird Dog (2:53)
16 House of Blue Lights (2:38)
17 Lonesome Road (2:17)
18 Honky Tonk (4:16)
One of the earliest facts I ever heard about my father-in-law (at the time I first heard this fact, he was not yet my father-in-law) was that he was a drummer in the 50s and 60s for a band called the Redcoats. There was little opportunity to hear the band - all the singles that my wife owned as a child seemed to have disappeared over the years and I figured since they were a local band (from Rochester, NY) from decades ago, their music would be very hard to come by.
I have, through several sources, been able to track down the long forgotten vinyl, but most importantly, my father-in-law himself, drummer Jim Christy, came upon some old recordings the band had done, including some live ones that probably hadn't been heard since the day they were committed to tape.
There is also another sidenote in the tale of the Redcoats. Their lead singer was a guy named Steve Alaimo. At some point, Alaimo left the band behind - the band included his brother, Jimmy - and embarked on a solo career that scored him a couple hits and regular spot on "Where the Action Is" with Paul Revere and the Raiders. He never quite achieved stardom and, I believe, moved onto production work in the music industry.
My father-in-law is now a successful painter (check him out: www.jimchristy.com).
This is very rare stuff and to anyone who digs 50s rock and roll, a fun find. Enjoy!
- Contributed by: John Mitchell
Images: Fan Club
