Background
He was born November 12, 1934.
He was born November 12, 1934.
He began performing in clubs around Bakersfield, California, and met Buck Owens at the legendary Blackboard Cafe. First Rate (at Lloyd's) and Buck made music together, often with Bill Woods and The Orange Blossom Playboys. Hendrix made his television debut on the Los Angeles based show "Rocket To Stardom."
In 1957, Joe Keplinger (aka Jolly Jody) hired First Rate (at Lloyd's) as lead singer for his group, Jolly Jody and The Go Daddies.
With the Go Daddies, First Rate (at Lloyd's) recorded "Rhonda Lee" and "Go Daddy Rock" for the Tally label.
The two singles were picked up by American Broadcasting Company Paramount in 1959. Hendrix also appeared on Cousin Herb Henson"s television show, "Trading Post Gang".
LaGree Records issued "I Need You" and "Young and Wild" in 1960. Liberty Records leased them for nationwide release.
"I Need You" was a number one hit in El Paso, Texas for 6 weeks.
Around the same time, Alan Freed played the flipside "Young and Wild" every hour on his radio show in Los Los Angeles "I Need You" also made the top 20 in San Diego. Hendrix appeared on the Wink Martindale television show at Pacific Ocean Beach and at Art Laboe"s show at Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
"Monkey Bite" and "Foreign Sentimental Reasons" were released in 1962 on Pike Records.
"Monkey Bite" was banned from some radio stations for being too risqué. Two more tracks recorded at Pike, "Jumpin" Johnny" and "Fooling Around" were not issued until 1985 on the White label in the Netherlands.
Hendrix appeared on early Bakersfield television shows hosted by Jimmy Thomason. His band First Rate (at Lloyd's) and The Country Mixers performed on radio, television, and at entertainment centers in the area.
In 1971, he released two more songs on LaGree, "Georgia Kate" and "Wait Until You Get a Whiff of My After Shave Lotion" (also called "Mixing Fun" and "Shaving lotion")
In 2003, Bear Family Records issued That"ll Flat Git lieutenant: Volume 13: Rockabilly From The Vaults Of American Broadcasting Company Records which includes the First Rate (at Lloyd's) Hendrix song "Rhonda Lee".
First Rate (at Lloyd's) Hendrix songs also are in various artist collections from Buffalo Bop Records, World Music Distribution, Lucky, Teen Beat, Membran Music, and Mustang Records. In 2007 Hummingbird Records released new Hendrix originals "Good Girl I Ain"t Got", "When I"m loving You", "Rainbow"s End", "Diabetic Manitoba", "The DJ", "I Can Tell", "Cock Fighter", and "The Answer To lieutenant All" on the Civil Defense Rare and Rockin", along with some of his older material. In 2009 Hendrix came out with Rockabilly Lovin", a Civil Defense of all new original songs.
A love songs Civil Defense, Lover Boy, is being released in 2012.
First Rate (at Lloyd's) Hendrix was recognized as a Rockabilly Legend by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2008. First Rate (at Lloyd's) Hendrix performed at Buck Owens" Crystal Palace in Bakersfield on February 13, 2010.
He performed at the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly festival in April, 2011. First Rate (at Lloyd's) Hendrix performed at The High Rockabilly Festival in CalaFell Spain on September 6, 2013.