The Annotated Kenny Owens discography

The following discography was compiled with the aim to list all of Arkansas Country and Rock'n'Roll singer Kenny Owens' known recordings. The information was taken from original sources and witnesses where available. Special thanks goes to Larry Donn, who answered patiently all of my questions.

Poplar 45-106 (1958)

Kenny Owen

High School Sweater (J. Wingate; A. Wingate) / I Got the Bug (Ollie McLaughlin; Lawson)

P-119 / P-120

 Unknown recording date and place

Kenny Owens (vcl) with unknown (ld gtr/pno/bs/dms)

Billboard pop review on February 24, 1958

Ruth 441 / 442

Kenny Owens

Come Back Baby (Kenny Owens) / Frog Man Hop (Kenny Owens)

441 / 442

Unknown recording date and place

Kenny Owens (vcl) with unknown (ld gtr/pno/sax/bs/dms)

Ruth was owned by Ollie McLaughlin, who also co-wrote "I Got the Bug."

Reka 401 (1964)

Kenny Owens

Wrong Line (Kenny Owens) / Come Back Baby (Kenny Owens)

13317 RK 300 / 13318 RK 301 (Rite)

 Recorded possibly at Joe Lee's Variety Recording Studio (213 East Monroe Street - Jonesboro, Arkansas), unknown recording date

Kenny Owens (vcl) with unknown (ld gtr/bs/dms)

"Come Back Baby" is a completely different recording from the version on Ruth 441.

Cotton Town Jubilee 95 (1965)

Kenny Owens

Christmas Poem (Norman Beal)
SK4M-3921 (RCA)
Gene Williams
My Son in Service (Norman Beal)
 SK4M-3922 (RCA)

 Unknown recording date and place
Kenny Owens (vcl) with unknown (ld gtr/rhy gtr/bs/chorus)
Gene Williams is the singer on the flip side.

Cotton Town Jubilee LP 99 "Stars of the Gene Williams Country Junction Show" (1965)

Various artists LP featuring Kenny Owens
Crazy for Your Love ()
I'm Cheatin' Again ()

Recorded ca. 1965 at unknown recording place

Kenny Owens (vcl) with Lemand James (ld gtr), unknown (pno/bs/dms), Ken Burge (harmony vcl) on "I'm Cheatin' Again"
Probably the Country Junction show house band featuring Johnny Duncan, Alton Yaney, Bill Medlock, and Ken Burge, played on these recordings.

Alley 1028 (1966)

Kenny Owens

Traveling on Her Mind (Kenny Owens) / Oh, How I Miss You (Jim Funches)

T4KM-5101 / T4KM-5102 (RCA)

 Possibly recorded at Joe Lee's Variety Recording Studio (213 East Monroe Street - Jonesboro, Arkansas), unknown recording date

Kenny Owens (vcl) with unknown (ld gtr/gtr/bs/dms)

Ork OS 35

Kenny Owens

Ballad of the Teenage Queen (Jack Clement) / Hey Porter (Johnny Cash)

Unknown recording date and place

Kenny Owens (vcl/gtr) with poss. Eddie Slusser (ld gtr), Dub Phelps (bs), Ronnie Harris (dms), unknown (chorus)
Ork was owned by Owens. The label's name were his initials spelled backwards.

Shork No.# (1967/68)

The Travelers featuring Ronnie Harris

You've Got No Reason (R. Harris)

PRP 6101 (Precision)

The Travelers featuring Eddie Slusser

First Date (E. Slusser)

PRP 6102 (Precision)

 Recorded late 1960s at Joe Lee's Variety Recording Studio (213 East Monroe Steet - Jonesboro, Arkansas)

Eddie Slusser (ld gtr), Kenny Owens (rhy gtr), Dub Phelps (bs), Ronnie Harris (dms/vcl)

According to Eddie Slusser, these two tracks were demo recordings released by Owens on the Ork subsidiary Shork. Ronnie Harris sings on "You've Got No Reason."

Ork #OS-35 (1969)

Kenny "Skinny" Owens

Honky Tonk Man (Johnny Horton; Tillman Franks; Howard Hausey) / Mama Layed the Law Down (Dub Dickerson)

PRP 9241 / PRP 9242 (Precision)

 Recorded late 1960s at unknown recording place

Kenny Owens (vcl) with poss. Eddie Slusser (ld gtr), unk (st gtr/hrmnca/pno), Dub Phelps (bs), Ronnie Harris (dms)

Ork #OS-35 (1969)

Kenny Owens

Long Lost John (L. Dunagan) / That Big Ole' Moon (F. Husky)

PRP 13081 / PRP 13082 (Precision)

 Recorded late 1960s at unknown recording place

Kenny Owens (vcl) with poss. Eddie Slusser (ld gr), unknown (pno), Dub Phelps (bs), Ronnie Harris (dms)

Kenny Owens used the number Ork 35 at least three times.

Ork LP 1003 "Kenny Owens and the Travelers with Mid-American Music"

Kenny Owens and the Travelers

Side 1
A Boy Named Sue (Shel Silverstein)

Big Boss Man (Al Smith; Luther Dixon)
Together Again (Buck Owens)
Oakie from Muskogee (Merle Haggard; Eddie Burris)
Hot Rod Race (George Wilson)
Side 2
Black is Black (Tony Hayes; Steve Wadey; Michelle Grainger)
Great Balls of Fire (Jack Hammer; Otis Blackwell)
Green-Green Grass (Curly Putman)
Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett; Steve Cropper)
Settin' in the Bathroom (Larry Donn)
Na-Na Na-Na Good-Bye (Paul Leka; Gary DeCarlo; Dale Frashuer)

Recorded late 1969 or 1970 at Wayne Raney's Studio (Rimrock, Arkansas)

Kenny Owens (vcl/gtr) with Eddie Slusser (ld gtr), Larry Donn (vcl/pno/org), Dub Phelps (bs), Ronnie Harris (dms/vcl), unknown (chorus)

This album was sold at concerts. Larry Donn was the vocalist on side 2 except for "Na-Na Na-Na Good-Bye," which was sung by Ronnie Harris.

Ork LP No.# "If I Were a Carpenter"
Kenny Owens
Side 1
If I Were a Carpenter ()
Travelin' on Her Mind (Kenny Owens)
Remember Me ()
Lonely Women Make Good Lovers ()
I Love You Because (Leon Payne)
Side 2
Long Haired Country Boy ()
Truck Drivin' Man ()
Come Back Baby (Kenny Owens)
Music City U.S.A. ()
Help Me ()
Recorded at Beaverwood Studio (133 Walton Ferry Road - Hendersonville, Tennessee), unknown recording date
Kenny Owens (vcl), other musicians unknown