This flashy sparse rockabilly version of "Mystery Train" was recorded by Johnny Waleen in 1964 on the local Coulee label. It has been reissued many times since 1978 and the original record is now 300 USD or more worth.
Johnny Waleen, whose real name is Johnny Wallin, was born in 1940 in Cumberland, Wisconsin. His first record was released in 1959 on the Minneapolis, Minnesota, based Soma label, featuring "The Road to Heartaches" and "Mandy." In 1964, Waleen cut his version of "Mystery Train" coupled with "Now Is the Hour" for Coulee Records out of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Waleen is still alive and performing.
3 comments:
This is a monster! Almost sounds like a surf version (ooo-wee! that guitar! is that double picking or what?), but Waleen's vocals top Elvis!
Thanks for pointing that incredible record out to me. A pity he didn't record anything else in that style, or did he?
BTW, kudos to your blog and the work you put into it. You should get more comments!
had a elvis sound alike ballad on Soma (MN) 45 - 1120 (1959) "Road of Heartaches " as Johnny Wallin
That was the one I was speaking of, thanks DrunkenHobo.
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