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A Brief Biography of
Lawton Jiles
Lawton was born in Salliaw, Oklahoma. His family moved to the San Joaquin Valley in Central California in 1943 while Lawton was a young boy. The family first settled in Fresno, but relocated to Delano shortly thereafter.
After learning some basic chords from his parents, Lawton started playing music around the age of nine. His brother Johnny (who was two years younger) also began playing around the same age. A few years later, they found themselves playing at parties. While the two were still in high school they formed a band called, “The Valley Rhythm Boys” and played there first club engagement at The Blue Moon Café in Richgrove, California. The band members were Red White on vocals and rhythm, Lawton on fiddle and steel guitar, Johnny Jiles on lead guitar and Dick Chaney on drums.
After Lawton graduated from high school, the band played throughout the Central Valley with ties to Bakersfield. In January 1951, he joined the Air Force, serving for three years during the Korean Conflict. Johnny kept the band going and upon Lawton’s discharge, the band expanded and took on a new sound. The change enabled them to play the larger and more prestigious dance hall venues up and down the San Joaquin Valley. Lawton also began to take his song writing career more seriously. During this time Lawton was vocals and guitar, Johnny on lead and bass guitar, Larry Petree on steel, Dean Trammell on fiddle, Toby Minter on the drums and Del Baker on piano and fiddle. Dean Trammel and Del Baker are now members of the National Fiddler's Hall of Fame.
In 1956, he recorded four songs for the then thriving, Bakersfield Records. Buck Owens played guitar; Bill Woods produced and played bass while Johnny Couviello, “The Original Texas Drummer Boy,” played drums. With the band in full swing, they began a nightly radio show over KCHJ Radio in Delano California five nights a week. When the show interfered with their live gigs, the band taped their radio program.
In 1957 a pivotal year for Lawton, he formed a song writing partnership with his brother-in-law, Charles “Buster” Beam. With Buster as a co-writer, Lawton continued his duties leading the band and Buster plugged their songs in the Los Angeles area. The hard work finally paid off. The two landed a deal with Four Star Music and soon they found themselves writing for a relative newcomer on the country music scene, Patsy Cline. The two were able to land six cuts with Patsy, their biggest hit being, “Let the Teardrops Fall.” They also found their songs in the hands of Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Carl Belew, Rusty Draper, T. Texas Tyler, Janie Frickie, Katie Moffet and Kathy Bee.
Lawton also found continued success as an artist. This led to a 1960 signing with King Records in which Lawton released an album and a single. That same year, Lawton and his friend Bob Scott, a local radio promoter, spoke of the need for a country radio station. They talked about a small station in Bakersfield that played mostly R&B records that was not doing so well. Bob found the owner in Beverly Hills and made the deal in the fall of 1959. Overnight, KIKK was converted to country music and in 1960 the named was changed to KUZZ. Lawton worked as a Disc Jockey, and did remote shows for the station. KUZZ is still on the air and is owned by Buck Owens.
In 1961, Lawton joined his longtime friend Buck Owens as bandleader of Buck’s band in the early stages of Buck’s career. Working with young Don Rich, Lawton watched as country music was being reinvented. The Bakersfield Sound was being defined! He worked two years with Buck and many of the top country stars, appearing as headliners while Buck was crossing the country doing one night shows and promoting his records with Radio DJs.
After two years, Lawton returned to the business world and continued writing as well as managing his copyrights. In 1978, he became a full time publisher, forming Jiles-Beam Music, a solely owned company but using the name Beam to honor his writing partner. By this time, Buster Beam had developed an independent label using his last name, “Beam Records,” using it to release some of his own material on the label.
In the late 1980’s, Lawton built his own recording studio in Upland, California and started doing his own demo. In the early 1990’s he purchased Beam Records from Buster and began to produce other artists. The first release under the new Beam Records was a Christmas Album, “The Legend of the Tabby Cat” sung by Kathy Bee. The album was co-written by Lawton, Buster, and Arty Lange. Kathy released one more album on the Beam label.
In May 1993, the Patsy Cline Collection containing six songs written by Lawton and Buster Beam went gold. In August 1998’ the album went Platinum. Lawton continues to write and work his catalog as well as an assortment of projects and releases being issued on the Beam Label.
Lawton’s two sons; Casey who serves as A & E Director and Michael who serves as Technical Director are both involved in the business as well as his granddaughter Liz. Lawton’s most recent project on the Beam Label is his own album "Memories Live On," a 17-song presentation of Buster and his songs.
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Bands:
Valley Rhythm Boys 1948 – 1959
Buck Owens Band 1960-1962
CJ Band 1978-1990
Clubs:
Blue Moon Café 1948-1951
The Celler Club 1955-1959
Radio:
KCHJ Delano 1955-1959
Nightly Show and Remotes throughout the Valley
KIKK Bakersfield 1959-1960
DJ’d and did remotes with various bands and special guests.
KUZZ Bakersfield
Dj’d and Remote Shows
Recordings:
Bakersfield Records 1954
2 Sides with Buck Owens, Bill Woods and Johnny Couviello
Bakersfield Records 1955
2 sides with Tootsie Lee: Santa Clause Forgot Me
King Records 1960
You’re Not That Easy to Forget
That’s What I get for Loving You 1961
BEAM Records 2000
Memories Live On
Songs Recorded with Other Artists:
“Let the Tear Drops Fall” T. Texas Tyler
“Confined” T. Texas Tyler
“Let the Tear Drops Fall” Patsy Cline
“Yes, I Understand” Patsy Cline
“How Can I Face Tomorrow” Patsy Cline
“I’m Blue Again” Patsy Cline
“Love Me, Love Me, Honey Do” Patsy Cline
“Crazy Dreams” Patsy Cline
“My Baby’s Not Here in Town Tonight” Porter Wagoner
“My Baby’s Not Here in Town Tonight” Norma Jean
“My Baby’s Not Here in Town Tonight” Carl Belew
“My Baby’s Not Here in Town Tonight” Rusty Draper
“Can’t You Hear Me Call Your Name” Carl Belew
“That’s What I Get For Loving You” Carl Belew
“There Will Be a Christmas” Kathy Bee
“Happy Birthday Jesus” Kathy Bee
“He Was There” Kathy Bee
“Jesus is the Reason Don’t You Know” Kathy Bee
“Our Little Town” Kathy Bee
“The Legends of the Tabby Cat” Kathy Bee
“Patsy We’re Still Lovin’ You” Kathy Bee
“You Gave Me Love” Kathy Bee
“There’s Just the Smallest Chance” Kathy Bee
“Well There You Go Again” Kathy Bee
“When You Touch Me” Kathy Bee
“Me, Merle Haggard and the Wine” Kathy Bee
“I’ll Take it From Here” Kathy Bee
“Watch our Love Die Slow” Kathy Bee
“It’s Only You” Kathy Bee
“Hollywood and Vine” Kathy Bee
“You are America” Kathy Bee
Awards:
Platinum for “Patsy Cline Collection”:
“Let the Tear Drops Fall” Patsy Cline
“Yes, I Understand” Patsy Cline
“How Can I Face Tomorrow” Patsy Cline
“I’m Blue Again” Patsy Cline
“Love Me, Love Me, Honey Do” Patsy Cline
“Crazy Dreams” Patsy Cline
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