Sammy Masters

Samuel T. Lawmaster (July 18, 1930 – March 8, 2013), known by his stage name Sammy Masters, was an American rockabilly musician. He is perhaps best known for his 1960 hit, "Rockin' Red Wing".

Masters showed skill in music from an early age, debuting at 12 on the radio with Bob Wills. He recorded his first solo single in 1950 before serving in the Korean War, where he often performed for fellow soldiers. He worked at 4-Star Publishing as a songwriter and demo tape recorder from 1954-1957, where Patsy Cline recorded his "Turn the Cards Slowly" for a minor hit. Masters wrote for American Music in the intervening years before signing with Lode Records in 1960. His song "Rockin' Red Wing" first became a regional hit in California, eventually reached No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. It gave Masters his only appearance in the UK Singles Chart when it peaked at No. 36 in June 1960. His next single, "Golden Slippers", was released nationally by Dot Records, but it was not a success, and neither was "Pierre the Poodle", his last release before losing his recording contract.

He became friends with Willie Nelson in 1961, and his song "Who Can I Count On?" became the B-side to Nelson's "Crazy", a multi-platinum smash for Patsy Cline. In the wake of "Crazy"'s success, singers such as Bobby Darin and Wayne Newton covered "Who Can I Count On?". That same year Masters founded his own label, Galahad Records, which was not a vanity label, though Masters did release an album, May the Good Lord Bless You and Keep You, in 1964, as well as a few singles, on the label. He co-hosted a television program on KCOP in the 1960s and 1970s, and increasingly found work in TV production in the following decades.

In 1997, Masters signed with Dionysus Records and released Everybody Digs Sammy Masters, with Deke Dickerson and Ray Campi, hoping to make a comeback on the rockabilly revival scene in Europe and Japan. He toured in both areas at the end of the decade.

Death Masters died on March 8, 2013, at age 82.

Discography Singles Year Title Label 1951 "Lost Little Nickel" / "May I Call You Darlin’?" Cormac Records 1956 "Pink Cadillac" / "Some Like It Hot" 4 Star Records 1956 "Pink Cadillac" / "What’s Up" Modern Records * 1956 "Whop-T-Bop" / "Flat Fleet" 4 Star Records 1956 "Whop-T-Bop" / "2 Rock-A-4" 4 Star Records 1957 "Angel" / "My Heart Is A Hobo" 4 Star Records 1957 "Tall Grow The Sycamores" / "The Drifter" Decca Records 1958 "Jodie" / "If I Could See The World" 4 Star Records 1958 "Whop-T-Bop" / "2 Rock-A4" Moonglow Records 1958 "Pink Cadillac" / "Some Like It Hot" Moonglow Records 1959 "Rockin’ Red Wing" / "Lonely Weekend" Warner Bros. Records 1960 "Rockin’ Red Wing" / "Lonely Weekend" Lode Records 1960 "Charolette (In The Pink Corvette)" / "Golden Slippers" Lode Records 1960 "Charolette (In The Pink Corvette)" / "Golden Slippers" Dot Records 1961 "Never" / "Pierre The Poodle And The Puppy Dogs" Lode Records 1962 "Stick Around Joe" / "Remind Me Baby" Galahad Records 1963 "All Alone In San Antone" / "Roses Remind Me Of You" Galahad Records 1964 "I Fought The Law (And The Law Won)" / "A Big Man Cried" Kapp Records 1964 "Louisiana Jane" / "Barcelona Baby" Kapp Records 1965 "You Can Have Her" / "You Can Have Her" (instrumental) D&D Records

Version of original "Pink Cadillac" with additional drums

EPs Year Title Label 1958 EP "Angel" "My Heart Is A Hobo" "Tall Grows The Sycamores" "The Drifter" Sammy Masters Label (4 Star Records) ca. 1958/1959 EP "Stop The World (And Let Me Off)" "Pink Cadillac" "A Wonderful Time Up There" "Tall Grows The Sycamores" 4 Star Records