Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Not for Sale
Company: Capricorn
Catalog: CP-0162
Year: 1975
Country/State: Walnut, Mississippi
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: minor ring wear; promo copy; promo sticker on cover
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5027
Price: $15.00
I originally picked this album up at a yard sale, took a look at the cover photo and thought 'redneck country artist' and put it back. Luckily Travis Wammack's name rang a bell with me (as a soul music songwriter) and I went back and bought the LP.
So here's a quick thumbnail bio on this guy ... Born and raised in Walnut, Mississippi Wammack was apparently one of those child progedies, playing guitar by the time he was seven, Memphis club dates within a couple of years and with help from Sun guitarist Roland James, recording his first material for Jack Clement and Slim Wallace's Fernwood Records when he was 11 (1957's 'Rock and Roll Blues' b/w 'I Believe in Today' (Fernwood catalog number 103)). Unfortunately that material didn't see a release for some three years at which time, Atlantic Records picked up distribution rights to several Wammack sides. Released in 1964 by Atlantic's ARA subsidiary, Wammack debuted with the fuzz-propelled instrumentals 'Scratchy' b/w 'Firefly' (ARA catalog number ARA 45-402). The single generated considerable local and regional attention, but follow-on efforts did little. and by the mid-1960s Wammack was paying his bills as a touring (including an American tour by Peter and Gordon) and sessions musician becoming part of the famous Muscles Shoals crew. His studio credits are simply mind-blowing, including virtually every soul star you can name (Clarence Carter, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket, Lou Rawls, etc.) and are way beyond the scope of this summary.
Unfortunately Wammack's recording career is rather fragmented and sporadic. Here's what I've been able to piece together without a lot of effort:
- 196?'s 'Don't Cry No More' b/w ??? (ARA catalog number 45-210)
- 1962's 'Distortion (Part 1)' b/w I Ain't Lying' (ARA catalog number 8480
- 196?'s 'Two Little Love Birds' b/w 'Don't Cry No More' (ARA catalog number ARA-8986)
- 1965's 'Upset' b/w ' Louie Louie' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2232)
- 1966 'Tomorrow Night' b/w 'Stay' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2337)
- 1966's 'Have You Ever Had the Blues' b/w 'Waiting' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2345)
- 1966's 'It's Karate Time' b/w 'Night Train' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2387)
- 'Wolverton Mountain' b/w ??? (Congress catalog number C-6005)
- 'Who's Gonna Love Me Tonight' b/w 'Twangin' My Thang' (Congress catalog number C-6008)
- 'Parchman Farm' b/w 'Shepard of Your Love' (Capitol catalog number 6008)
- Whatever Turns You On' b/w 'Slip Away' (Fame catalog number 91001)
- 'So Good' b/w 'How Can I Tell You' (Fame catalog number 91008)
- 'New Orleans' b/w 'Hooker Girl' (Fame MEFMXW267)
- 'Muscle Shoals Alabama' b/w ??? (Fame 90373)
Produced by Rick Hall and recorded at Fame Studios, 1975's "Not For Sale" may not have been the most appropriate title for an album, but it made up for that marketing faux pas in terms of quality and entertainment value. Interestingly, for a guy best known as a guitar slinger the album came as a major surprise in showcasing Wammack's versatile, commercial and likeable voice. With Wammack responsible for writing or co-writing most of the ten tracks, musically the set covered a broad spectrum, including soul ('(Shu-Do-Pa-Poo-Poop) Love Being Your Fooln'), pop ('I Forgot To Remember To Forget') and conventional rock ('Cookin' On the Front Burner'). Highlights included the pretty ballad 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget' and the rocker 'Looking For a Fox'. Sure he may have been a good-ole-boy, but the man had soul !!! To be honest, my only real complaint were Wammack's lame Spanish on 'Easy Evil' and the fact the album all but ignored his guitar chops. Other than a little bit of voicebox effect on 'You've Got Your Troubles' and a rollicking fuzz solo on the closer 'Greenwood Mississippi you'd never have known he was one of rock's most talented guitar slingers. Elsewhere Capricorn tapped the album for a three singles:
- 1975's 'Shotgun Woman' b/w '(Shu-Doo-Pa-Poo-Poop) I Love Being Your Fool' (Capricorn catalog number CPS 0239)
- 1975's - 'Easy Evil' b/w 'Greenwood MIssissippi' (Capricorn catalog number CPS-0242)
- 1975's 'You've Got Your Troubles' b/w 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget' (Capricorn catalog number CPS 0250)
"Not for
Sale" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Cookin' On the Front Burner (Travis Wammack - Leon Sherrill) -
2.) A Lover's Question (Brook Benton - Jimmy WIlliams) -
3.) Shotgun Woman (Travis Wammack - Al Carter) -
4.) I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Travis Wammack) -
5.) Looking for a
Fox (Rick Hall - Clarence Carter - Marcus Daniel - Wilbert
Terrell) -
(side
2)
1.) You've Got Your Troubles (Roger Greenaway - Roger Cook)
-
2.) (Shu-Do-Pa-Poo-Poop) Love Being Your Fool (Jerry Williams Jr. - Charles Whitehead) -
3.) Easy Evil (Alan O'Day) -
4.) Love Rustler (Thomas Cain - Dennis Linde) -
5.) Greenwood Mississippi (Travis Wammack - Albert S. Lowe Jr.) -
In case anyone is interested, Wammack has a modest website at: