Eddie Sulik

Turn back your clock-radio to 1960.



.To hear a rare 30 second, radio interview clip, of Eddie Sulik talking about writing "Bye-bye My Baby" (RealAudio® file).



Pictured above:
A rare Australian record release (1960) CBS-Coronet Records (Columbia)



In the late 1950s, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Eddie Sulik, kept audiences spellbound with his unique blend of rockabilly, country, pop, and Latin sounds. He had a wildly popular nightclub act, playing music sets, between big-name burlesque acts at the popular Emerald Room, in the Sound View Hotel, located on the beach in Milford, Connecticut.



In 1959, Eddie caught the attention of Columbia Records' A&R Director, Don Law, who produced Hit records for names such as Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Marty Robbins, to name just a few. Law heard a demo of Eddie's, called "Loving and Losing", and wanted him to fly to Nashville, to record it for the label, along with three other songs. Eddie had been rehearsing with a background/harmony singer, and convinced law to record them together as a duo.



The records were released under the name, 'the Echoes'. Eddie sang lead on four of his original compositions, titles: "Bye-Bye My Baby", "Do I Love You? - 'Deed I Do", "Ecstasy", and of course, "Loving and Losing". Law brought in Nashville heavyweights to back the recording session, including: guitar GREAT, Hank Garland (co-writer and guitarist of Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock"), also, Grady Martin (who played second guitar), the master bassist, Joe Zinkan, the legendary drummer, Buddy Harman, and the famous, Anita Kerr Singers (for background vocals). This elite group of musicians, tagged 'Nashville's A-Team', collectively, recorded on Hit records by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, and many others.



All four (Echoes) songs received favorable reviews in Billboard Magazine, and did well regionally, and in parts of Europe. In fact, "Bye-Bye My Baby" and "Ecstasy" actually reached Top-10 status, on certain local charts, in the Northeastern United States. However, the records did not make a huge splash throughout the rest of the country.



Unfortunately, the Echoes' records were released during the infamous payola probe, a time when radio stations and disk-jockeys were under investigation for illegally taking money from record companies and music managers, in return for airplay and record promotion (exactly what is done today, legally, through record promoters). The paranoia that this scandal brought forth in the music industry, was devastating to new artists on the scene. With only limited national radio-play, the Echoes did not not have a major Hit record. So, after a brief promotional tour in the the Northeast, appearing on 'American Bandstand' type TV shows, playing at amusement parks like 'Palisades Park' in New Jersey, and performing at state selections for the 'Miss Universe Pageants', the Echoes went their separate ways, and Eddie returned to playing the nightclub scene on his own.



In 1961, under the stage name, Les Parker, Eddie recorded a couple of songs at 'RCA Studios' in New York City, with background vocals by the wonderful, Nastu Sisters. The songs were, a (Sulik) rockabilly original called "We're Gonna Dance All Night" (A.K.A. "Twist All Night"), and on the flip side, a rowdy, rocking, rendition of the Hank Williams classic, "Lovesick Blues". These were released on a pilot record label called T-Kay Records, later that year. Today, these "hard-to-find" platters, are considered gems among rockabilly, and oldies record collectors alike.



In 1965, it seemed that Eddie was finally going to get a second chance to record for a major record label. He was scheduled to meet with Archie Bleyer, the former head of Cadence Records, along with producer Chet Atkins, who was top-man at RCA Victor. The meeting was scheduled to take place two weeks before Christmas, at Bleyer's office in New York City. The scope of the meeting was to discuss a recording contract and music publishing deal with Eddie and RCA Records.



Eddie prepared a briefcase filled with a back-log of demo recordings, original compositions, for the record executives to hear. Unfortunately, the night before this fateful meeting was to take place, Eddie Sulik was killed in an automobile accident, near his home in Connecticut. His death was a true Rock-n-Roll tragedy, in the same vein as "The Buddy Holly Story", the motion picture "La Bamba" (the Ritchie Valens Story), and of course, the fictitious rock-n-roll film, "Eddie and the Cruisers" . The recordings that Eddie packed in his briefcase, sat unheard for over 34 years, until finally being resurrected by Eddie's son (Eddie Sulik Jr.), and forever archived by Hard Rock Hattie Productions.



Limited Edition CD/vinyl boxed sets now available! See ad at bottom of page.



Say, Isn't that "Hard Rock Hattie" sunning herself, on the beach, right outside of the Emerald Room and Soundview Hotel? A Kodak moment for the paparazzi, I guess.



We Now Have 10 Featured Songs On Our Jukebox!



Featured songs include the Echoes' tracks, Eddie's 1959 Nashville sessions, with legendary guitarist, Hank Garland.



Reel to Reel tape recorders such as the one pictured below, were often used for demonstration recordings and work tapes.



Eddie's Lost Gunfighter Ballad! (1962)
"Bounty Hunter Dale"



To view video in 'Full Screen' format, 'Click' on the little box to the left of the 'Menu' button, above.



New Music Video.
"Make You Mine"
(written by Eddie Sulik just days before his death, and left incomplete for 34 years)
Live tribute performance by Australian rockabilly bad boys, Mickey Riff and 'the Traipsers': filmed at the Wintersun Festival 2009 (June 7) Sands Hotel Coolangatta, Australia. check it out!



To read our blog about "Make You Mine", and how this song was almost never found.



Eddie's original hand printed lead sheet of.



Marty (my cous) singing uncle Eddie's song "Loving & Losing"



Nephews Marty, Richie, and Walter, cover their Uncle Eddie's "Loving and Losing".



Eddie's nephew Marty (vocals/rhythm guitar), and great nephew Kristofer (lead guitar) performing "Ecstasy", a wonderful tribute!



Moving picture (above), Eddie with bass player, was made from original photography, vintage - 1963.



Latest Blog. "Eddie Sulik mini-bio featured in new book, distributed world-wide"



.To Read Entry!



Hank Garland, the guitarist backing Eddie's vocals, on the first 4 tracks of our jukebox, is pictured below, on stage with Elvis



Hank (Sugarfoot) Garland playing his Hit song, "Sugarfoot Rag" on a TV show in the 1950s.



"Crazy" (The Hank Garland Story) New Feature film, now available on DVD and Blu-ray, in stores everywhere!



Collage sent in by Joey (Eddie's nephew)



(Above) Graphic sent in by Jennifer (Eddie's great niece)



Letter from site curator (Eddie's son) Eddie Sulik (Jr.).
To all our friends on Myspace,
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your continuing support in helping to keep my father's music, and his legacy, alive, by visiting this page. Since I started this tribute page, we have had over 40,000 profile views, over 5,000 comments posted, countless messages, and my Dad's songs have been played over 73,000 times. This is most heartfelt, and humbling. I am truly grateful. Please keep the messages and comments coming. I read each and every one of them, and I am always happy to hear from you.
God Bless you all. Sincerely,
Eddie Sulik Jr.