Bobby Wayne on Bonita

Bobby Wayne and the Swing Trainers - Swing Train Twist (Bonita 1313), 1962

Bobby Wayne's "Swing Train Twist" is a wild, primitive and action-packed rock and roll record. However, it achieved fame to a much lesser extent than similar songs would do in collector circles. The growling singer Bobby Wayne is not to be confused with all the other singers of the same name, including Bobby Wayne who cut a slew of singles for California and Washington based labels. Virtually nothing was known about Wayne until I unearthed his story with the help of fellow collectors and some of Wayne's contemporaries. A detailed article about him was the result, published in 2012 in American Music Magazine.

"Swing Train Twist", backed by the equally raucous "Twistin' Swing Train" was possibly Wayne's only foray into the record business. The record was issued on Bonita Records (Bonita 45-1313), which was his own label. It was the year 1962 and rockabilly was dead - even rock'n'roll was vanishing. But Wayne didn't care, his "Swing Train Twist" is a wild rock'n'roll outing with a wild guitar break, a sax solo and outstanding vocals by Wayne. The rhythm section is working well, creating a stomping sound imitating a train. At the beginning of the song, Wayne is shouting several West Virginia cities like a conductor.

According to a short Billboard mention in the "Country Music Corner" segment from 1964, the Bonita label just signed C&W artist Bill McDowell, who was the organizer of the "Coonskin Folk Music Festival" in Charleston and a former Rena recording artist. Though, it's not known if this was the same label or a completely different one.

Also, there appeared another single on the House of Joan label in 1962 by band leader Wild Bill Graham. One side of this record featured the song "Roll Clean Out of Your Life", a vocal duet by Johnny Albert and Bobby Wayne, accompanied by Graham's band. If this record was made by "Swing Train" Bobby Wayne is still a mystery.

Advertising of Wayne's new record and a "Swing Train live show"
(Charleston Daily Mail, April 6, 1962)

Bobby Wayne was a popular DJ on several stations throughout the 1960s and his 1970s. He was born in 1942 and started out in the early 1960s in his home state West Virginia, where he had his own rock & roll show on WCAW in Charleston called "Bobby Wayne's Swing Train". By August 1962, he had switched to radio station WGKV. In the years of 1964 and 1965, Wayne was at WSAI in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his "Swing Train" show was with him. 1966 saw him at KDWB in Minneapolis, he then left and returned to Cincinnati in 1968 and found work at WUBE until 1969. Also there, he presented his "Swing Train" show which proved to be very popular on both WSAI and WUBE. Wayne also spun records on WWHY in Huntington, West Virginia, KCBQ in San Diego in 1967-1968, and from 1969 to 1972 as "The Wizard" or Bob "The Wizard" Wayne in New York City on WCBS-FM, WYNY, and WHN.

Wayne continued to work as a DJ throughout his life. Although he was an idol to many younger DJs that worked with him throughout his career, Wayne was also an alcoholic and could not escape his demons. Bobby Wayne died in September 1990 in Florida.

Bobby Wayne at WSAI, ca. 1964-1965
Source: cincinnatinews.net.

Bobby Wayne at WCBS-FM, ca. 1970. 
Source: NY Radio Archive.

See also
• House of Joan

Recommended reading
• Internet Archive: KDWB air check with Bobby Wayne

Sources
• Rockin' Country Style entry
• History of WCAV/WVAF
• Reelradio
• Find a Grave entry
• Picture sources see descriptions
• Thanks to everyone who commented on this post and shared their memories with me. I am especially thankful to Bobby Wayne's widow Pat and his daughter Laura for commenting!