The Bo-Kay label

"Each Record a Bouquet of Music"

Bo-Kay was founded by business man Jesse Smith in 1956 in Lamesa, Texas, but later moved first to nearby Odessa and eventually to Fort Worth. Smith also owend Mary Kaye and Ector labels. Active from 1957 to around 1967, the label mostly released country material but is also famous for releasing Elroy Dietzel's rockabilly sides. Dietzel's "Rock-N-Bones" (composed by Don Carter) was later covered by Ronnie Dawson. Smith had discovered Dietzel and his band, the Rhythm Bandits, in late 1956 while they were playing a club in Lubbock, Texas, and signed them.

Other artists on the label included Billy Thompson and his band, who was the brother of famous western swing singer Hank Thompson. Another western swing band leader who recorded for Bo-Kay was Hoyle Nix, a very popular act in West Texas. Patsy Elshire also cut a single in 1963 for the label, released as by "Patsy Blane." She had been a regular on the Houston Hometown Jamboree (KNUZ, Houston) back in 1956 and had previously recorded for Capitol and Starday. Red Hayes, who was also part of Billy Thompson's band, had a release on Bo-Kay, too, as well as Cecil McCollough and Dee Mullins.

Many singles were cut in Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Songwriter Howard Hausey, also known as Howard Crockett, worked with the label as a producer and composer.

Promo picture for Billy Thompson and his Melody Ramblers (!). The Bo-Kay record acutally showed Melody Cowboys as backing group. Thompson played in the Midland/Odessa area and performed at the Golden Nuggetin Las Vegas during the late 1960s. His Bo-Kay release was recorded at Norman Petty's studio in 1957.

Discography
Singles
K-101: Elroy Dietzel / The Rhythm Bandits - Precious Desires / Teenage Ball (1956)
K-102: Johnny Lynn - Pancho Villa / Love Me Brown Eyes
K-103: Elroy Dietzel and the Rhythm Bandits - Rock-N-Bones / Shang-Hai Rock (1957)
K-104: Billy Thompson and the Melody Cowboys - Waltzing with Sin / Love Gone Blind (1957)
K-105: The Welch Brothers - Blue Eyes and Golden Curls / Thoughts of the Past
K-106: Doug Bowman - Dis-Conted / From My Lover to My Friend
K-107: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - The Kind of Love I Can't Forget / The Lady in Red (1959)
K-108: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - Ida Red / La Golondrina Waltz (1959)
K-109: Red Hayes - Away to Free Myself / Next to Jimmy
K-110: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - Please Don't Bother Me / I Don't Lov'a Nobody (1960)
K-111: Sunshine Travelers - Calling You / Kneel Down and Pray
K-112: Patsy Blane - Things Look Different Now / Feeling (1963)
K-113: Johnny Wood and the Rhythm Aces - Valley of Blue / That's the Way It Has to Be
K-114: Jay Lang - Crazy Kind of Love / Someone I Thought I Knew
K-115: Billy Thompson - Oh Lonesome Me / Worried Over You
K-116: The Lambert Brothers - Dig a Hole in the Meadow / Good Times are Past and Gone
K-117: Ray Chaney - You Wouldn't Cross the Street / Where's That Forever
K-118: Dee Mullins - Riverboat South / Prison Grey
K-119: Terry White - Arms of Memory / The Things That Count
K-120: Cecil McCollough - Pages Blue / Toys
K-121: Johnny Golf - Paradise / Paradise
No.#: Red & Betty Stewart - ? / Love's Gonna Live Here
45-991/2: Morine & the Zircones - Let a Woman Through / Show Me Where It's At

Note: The Bo-Kay single as by Morine and the Zircones is probably not on the same label. This release probably originated from the Gulf Coast.

Albums
LPM-101: Billy Thompson - Big Balls in Cowtown

Thanks to: DrunkenHobo, Westex