The history of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers is very short for the simple reason that the band only existed for a few months in the late 1950's. One single was released by the band, which was "Piano Nellie", a rousing piano rocker, backed with "I Found A New Love", a romantic ballad.
The band was comprised of three members of Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats and you can read more about them and Bobby Poe down the page. The members of Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats that became members of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers were Bobby Poe on lead vocals, Big Al Downing on piano and Vernon Sandusky on lead guitar. The Poe Kats' drummer Joe Brawley had tired of life on the road and moved back to North Carolina to work for his family's trucking company.
With the departure of Joe Brawley, the rest of The Poe Kats decided a name change might improve the band's fortunes. The new drummer of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers was Mitch Corday. Alas, a name change didn't improve the band's fortunes and Bobby Poe also decided he would call it a day as a musician. However, Bobby Poe firmly believed Big Al Downing and Vernon Sandusky were exceptional talents and sold his bandmates on the idea of focusing the band around Big Al Downing, with Bobby Poe becoming their manager. And that's how Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers evolved into Big Al Downing and The Rhythm Rockers. Johnny Dubas was then added on bass.
Here is the only known picture of Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers. (L-R) Big Al Downing; Vernon Sandusky; Mitch Corday; and Bobby Poe
Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats - Kansas Music Hall of Famers from the 1950's - were one of the first and few interracial Rock and Roll groups. The Poe Kats featured legendary African American piano player Big Al Downing and renowned lead guitarist Vernon Sandusky. In early 1956 when Bobby Poe started the band, Big Al and Vernon were both 16 and Bobby was 22. Drummer Joe Brawley, who was also a teenager at the time, rounded out the quartet.
Bobby Poe of Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame on March 7th, 2009!
The late, great Big Al Downing went on to become a Number 1 Country star. Vernon Sandusky was the leader of the British Invasion-era band The Chartbusters in the 1960's and starting in the 1970's was Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Clark's lead guitarist for over 20 years.
Bobby Poe went on to become an artist manager and producer in the 1960's. In the late 1960's "The Poe Kat" founded the respected music industry publication Bobby Poe's Pop Music Survey. Starting in 1972, Bobby Poe presented 25 annual "Pop Music Survey" Radio/Record Conventions, which lasted until his gala retirement Convention in 1996.
The Poe Kats were also Rockabilly Queen Wanda Jackson's first Rock and Roll touring and backing band. Various members can be found on her early Capitol Records singles, including the Rockabilly classic "Let's Have A Party". Here is a picture from a gig featuring Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats, Danny and The Juniors and Wanda. "Let's Have A Party" was first recorded by Elvis Presley for his film "Loving You" and was then known simply as "Party". At Elvis' suggestion, Wanda's version was recorded around the same time (when she and Elvis were dating) and featured The Poe Kats' Big Al Downing on piano, Vernon Sandusky on lead guitar and Joe Brawley on drums. Also on the session were Buck Owens on rhythm guitar and Skeets McDonald on bass. It took a couple of years - until 1960 to be exact - for "Let's Have A Party" to become a Pop hit and one of Wanda's signature songs.
Wanda Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4th, 2009! Our sincere congratulations to Wanda! Her single "Let's Have A Party" has been described as the first Rock and Roll song recorded by a woman!
Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats' debut single on White Rock Records - "Rock And Roll Record Girl" backed with "Rock And Roll Boogie" - was originally released in 1958 and is highly prized by collectors. It was a Number 1 record in Texas at the time.
We would also like to take this opportunity to mention the rare single "Piano Nellie" backed with "I Found A New Love". "Piano Nellie" and "I Found A New Love" were recorded under the name Bobby Brant and The Rhythm Rockers. They feature Bobby Poe, Big Al Downing and Vernon Sandusky of Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats, along with new drummer Mitch Corday. After this single, Bobby Poe would end his career as a musician to become the manager of the band, with the band then going under the name Big Al Downing and The Rhythm Rockers. The band soon added Johnny Dubas on bass.
