Bill Haley & Friends Vol. 4: Johnny Kay - Tale of a Comet

Johnny Kay, a.k.a. John Kaciuban, was Haley's lead guitarist from 1960 to 1967, returned for some session work in 1968, and returned to the Comets again for some live shows in 1972. He was initially hired as a replacement for Franny Beecher, and shared lead duties with Beecher for a time when the elder musician returned to the Comets in 1961-62, but after Beecher left for good it was Kay who served as lead for much of the 1960s. Kay recently returned to recording rock and roll, and this German release is a companion to last year's Songs from the Cradle of Rock 'n' Roll, recorded by Kay with his pre-Comets 1950s group, the Rockets.

The CD booklet is packed with rare photos and document reproductions (including Kay's performance contract with the Comets!), and Kay's personal thoughts about each song on the CD.

Tracks:

(# indicate first known release; * means first known CD release). Tracks 1-12; 14 by Bill Haley and His Comets - 1. #Guitar Boogie (inst.); 2. Yucatan Twist (inst.); 3. Pure de Papas (inst. with Johnny Kay interjections); 4. Oaxaca Twist (inst.); 5. Tampico Twist (inst.); 6. El Trajo de Sam (Mohair Sam) (Kay vocal); 7. Twist Del Dia (inst.); 8. El Septimo Hijo (The Seventh Son) (Kay vocal); 9. Viajando Con El Madison (inst.); 10. *Feelin' Happy (Big Joe Turner vocal); 11. The Peppermint Twist (Kay vocal); 12. Wolverton Mountain (Kay vocal); 13. *You Changed (Joey Welz with Comets backing); 14. White Parakeet (inst.). Tracks 15-25 by J.K. Rockets (all Johnny Kay vocal except where noted) - 15. #Rockabilly Bill; 16. #Watcha Gonna Do; 17. #Skinny Minnie; 18. #That's How I Got to Memphis; 19. #Crime Doesn't Pay 2007; 20. #Live it Up; 21. #How Many (Stan Kay vocal); 22. #Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie; 23. #ABC Boogie; 24. #Crazy Man Crazy; 25. #Farewell - So Long - Goodbye. Tracks 26-29 by Johnny Kay's Rockets, 1958 - 26. #Catalina Kitten; 27. #Crime Doesn't Pay; 28. #Angel; 29. #Teenage Man