LLOYD ARNOLD McCOLLOUGH STORY By: Annette Wondergem (Lloyds niece) with additions from Dave Travis, Al Turner, Terry Gordon & Bo Berglind Photos and Illustrations: Bo Berglind, Jim Cole, Dave Travis and Annette Wondergem. My mother, Zeta McCollough and my father, James Howard were divorced when I was a child so therefore my sister, Barbara and I were raised in the McCollough household. My Uncle Lloyd asked me several times to compose a short biographical sketch of his career. I made him a promise that someday I would indeed write that story. He would have been very honored to know that many years after his passing, people would be interested in his music. I am grateful for those who provided historical additions and to my good friend, Vicky Barnett, for all of her proof-reading of the original article. My sincere thanks also goes out to Dave Travis and Bo Berglind. The Lord Jesus provided the avenue and just the right people that made it possible for me to keep my promise. The following is my uncles story. A raw December wind sent an icy chill through the tall, lean young man who stared longingly at the mandolin in the display window of the music store. Just a few more dollars saved from odd jobs and sacrificed lunches and that fine instrument would be his. He pulled his collar closer about his throat and turned wistfully homeward. The year was 1951, the place was Memphis, Tennessee and the young man was Lloyd Arnold McCollough. At this point Lloyd had a lifetime ahead of him and he could imagine the possibilities that a mandolin could bring. Twenty years later the pressure of a touring musician had begun to take its toll. But, lets not go ahead of time, the story of Lloyd Arnold, who recorded some of the best music to come from Memphis, began many years earlier. Life in the rural area of Strayhorn/Bluegoose, Mississippi was harsh and difficult. The summers were blistering, the winters were frigid and often the land was unyielding. Man carved his living from the dust of the earth, as the Bible says, By the sweat of his brow. It was in this area, around the turn of the century, that Lloyds parents, John Clinton McCollough and Clemmie Elizabeth Coleman met. The young couple found that they had something in common right away, they both loved music . John played the banjo and Clemmie strummed the guitar. The duo made quite a musical reputation performing at church socials and square dances. After they married on April 29, 1906 they remained in Strayhorn and started what they hoped would be a large family. John farmed the land and in his spare time he worked in a gristmill. Johns father came to America from Ireland as a small boy, so John was every inch the Irishman except for the temper. He had no temper . He was a kind and gentle soul, an extremely generous man, with never a harsh word for anyone. On the other hand, due to her Choctaw Indian background, his bride could be very determined and strong willed. But in spite of their differences, this was truly a marriage made in Heaven. Her determination was tempered by his gentleness and his gentleness was strengthened by her determination. Lloyds oldest brother, Thadis, made his appearance in 1908. The baby was born with an enlarged heart. However he did survive and the couple gave thanks to the Lord and entered their first childs name in the family Bible. Clemmie employed an Indian medicine man to stop by periodically and check on her first born. This Indian doctor came from the Choctaw Reservation where her grandmother had been raised, so Clemmie had complete faith in his knowledge of herbs and roots. A second child, Leroy, made his appearance in 1912. In the year 1916, Lloyds oldest sister, Flora Ilene was born. A fourth name was added to the family Bible, when my mother, Zeta Margarine, was born in 1920. A few days after her birth, John and Clemmie adopted a newborn baby boy. The child belonged to Clemmies first cousin who had died while giving him life. So the McColloughs took little Albert Eugene into their home and into their hearts. In the mid-twenties John moved the family to Sardis, Mississippi where Clemmies mother owned a small store with living quarters in the back. He raised vegetables and peanuts while Clemmie worked in the store. In 1926 their next child, James(Jim), arrived. Jim is the brother who would one day help Lloyd organize his first band. It was also in Sardis that the first son, Thadis, took a wife and in 1929 presented John and Clemmie with their first grandchild, Johnnie Marie. John was always looking for more opportunities and better farmland so their next move led them to Tallulah, Louisiana. With the help of his sons, he continued to till the soil, working from sun up to sun down. As time continued, things changed in the household. Flora moved across the river to Vicksburg, Mississippi to try her wings while Leroy married a Tallulah telephone operator. It was in Tallulah that John was diagnosed with severe ulcerated stomach and was hospitalized in nearby Shreveport, Louisiana. In order to be near him, Clemmie left the family in the care of Thadis and went to Shreveport. During Johns long hospital stay, she needed a way to support herself, so she relied on the Lord for help. Very soon her prayers were answered when she was hired to clean and cook in a boarding house that was near the hospital. The doctors were very clear when they told her that her husband could no longer keep up the strenuous pace of a farmers life. For a long time his diet would consist mostly of crackers and milk which was the standard treatment for ulcers in those days. Soon after Johns hospital release, they sought new horizons. In the early thirties, the family moved to the big city where they occupied both sides of a duplex on Tate Street. This house was divided by a dog-trot which was a long, drafty hall that forged its way from the front porch to the back of the house. It was extremely hot in the summer and frigid in the winter, but it was home and the McColloughs had finally arrived in Memphis, Tennessee .. Shortly after this move, Clemmie gave birth to another son. Baby Harold was very frail and lived only a few months. During the Great Depression, John peddled door-to-door, selling small items such as sewing thread, thimbles, shoe strings etce. The memory of lean years and doors being slammed in his face remained with him. In the early 1950s, when I was growing up in the McCollough house, no peddler was ever turned from our door. If my grandfather had no money at the time to buy an item, he would invite the weary man in for a glass of tea and conversation. 1935 was a big year. Zeta became a very young bride while John and Clemmie welcomed their last child, Lloyd Arnold, born on June 25. After Lloyds birth, his parents remained in Memphis. Through the years, they became known as Ma and Pa to most everyone. Including all the musicians who would cross their path in years to come. A few months after Lloyds birth, just as fall lifted her multi-colored skirts and tiptoed into the sparkling frost of winter, tragedy struck. In December of 1935, Thadis developed pneumonia. He passed away just a few days before Christmas, leaving a wife and two small children. During that sad, cold winter of 1935, the McColloughs once again relied on their faith in the Lord to sustain them. Finally the bleakness of that season melted into a budding spring as time continued to march. In 1937, my sister, Barbara was born. Since her and Lloyd were close to the same age, he became very protective of his young niece. At Christmastime, Lloyd and Barbara would stand in line for hours at the Ellis Auditorium to receive a small toy and a piece of fruit from the Good Fellows Fund. These were lean years. The poverty that surrounded them meant that flour sacks became clothes and meals often consisted of cornbread and buttermilk. As bad as the Depression was, how could John and Clemmie have known that they were about to face a hugh mountain in the form of a deadly disease. Lloyd was a thin, frail child and as a small boy he developed spinal meningitis .. In those days that disease was practically a death sentence. He spent a month in isolation in the John Gaston Hospital. Trying to prevent the disease from going to his brain, the doctors strapped him in a bed that stood upright against the wall. Since he was not allowed any visitors, there was a big wooden box placed outside the hospital window. Every morning when Lloyds mother arrived, the hospital staff would raise the window so she could communicate with her son. She would keep the vigil, talking and reading to him throughout the morning. At noon John, Zeta, Barbara and Jim would arrive to take their places on the wooden box. Lloyd was too young to understand what was happening to him and he cried often, begging the family to take him home. During the times that Lloyd was awake there was at least one family member outside his window talking to him and praying for him. The McColloughs used their faith and stood against fear as Lloyd fought a tough battle with the disease that almost took his life. As the weeks turned into months, once again their prayers were answered. Lloyd slowly regained his strength and the doctors were amazed. Shortly after his recouperation, his dad suffered a heart attack. Once again the family rested in the healing power of Jesus and slowly John recovered. In the early 1940s, the family moved from Tate Street to Kimball Avenue. Because of my grandfathers health, he and my grandmother decided to change roles. So in September of 1943, she went to work as a steam checker in the raincoat department of The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company; while he stayed home to care for his backyard garden. John McCollough had a green thumb. He could make anything grow. All kinds of vegetables and fruits simply thrived under his care . In the summer, he canned the food that would feed the family through the winter. He always made certain that he had enough canned goods to distribute to neighbors and friends. I made my appearance in the McCollough house in November of 1945, just at the close of World War II. During alot of Lloyds childhood, his mother was working outside of the home, so this left the majority of the childrearing to my grandfather and my mother. John and Zeta handled the trauma and trails that come with growing up. They were the ones who came to the rescue to mend skinned knees and dry childhood tears. These were the two people who exerted the most influence over Lloyds life and he remained very dependent upon both of them. In the years to come anyone who knew Lloyd professionally or privately also knew Pa and Sis. Few decisions were made without their approval. Growing up in Memphis, along the banks of the lazy Mississippi, was exciting for teenagers of the fifties. They were entering the era of bobby sox, poodle skirts, cherry cokes and wonderful music. Those teens collected memories of people and places that would inspire nostalgia in the years to come. On one of those memorable spring afternoons, Lloyd and Barbara made their way down Parkway Avenue to the Fairview drive-in Restaurant. This was a favorite spot for teens because they served the best cherry cokes in town. As they stopped for a red light, a motorcycle roared up beside Lloyds Ford coupe. The rider glanced toward the car and spoke. -Hey Lloyd, hows it goin? As the light changed, Lloyd waved and returned the greeting. Barbara watched the young man until the motorcycle was completely out of sight. -Who is he ? she asked. -Oh, hes one of the guys from Humes High, his names Elvis Presley. During his high school days Lloyd was extremely popular with the other students. He was an R.O.T.C. major, a member of the colour guard, the Key Club, the Officers Club and of course the A Cappella Choir. In his early teens his goal in life was to become a professional baseball player and this meant many hours were spent on the ball field. Over the years Lloyd had earned a formidable reputation as a baseball player. The level of distinction at the sport was such that the Chicago White Sox, had made tentative approaches with regard to signing him to the Junior Team. The remainder of his time was spent at Rainbow Roller Skating Rink where he became an avid skater, and won his share of trophies. He was a skate cop and also president of the Roller Skating Club. Because of his ability on the rink his classmates dubbed him Fireball Mac. Slowly, however, his attention began to focus upon the field of music. Then during that icy Christmas of 1951 he was both surprised and delighted as he opened the large Christmas box and found the mandolin. He spent the next few days whistling his way through pitch pipes and searching for elusive chords. Finally he mastered the instrument and by the latter part of 1952 he was performing for many high school functions. His favorite singer was Hank Williams Sr. and when Hank passed away in January of 1953, Lloyd decided to make a career in the music business. Family members offered their assistance to help him form his first band. His brother, Jim McCollough(sb) handled the stand-up bass and his niece, Geneva McCollough (Leroys daughter) became the bands first songstress. A family friend, Curley Rainey took over the job of fiddler and the steel guitar was played by a local musician named Grady. (Gradys last name has dissappeared through the tunnels of time). This group comprised Lloyds original Drifting Hillbillies. Later, his nephew, Bo McCollough (Leroys son) joined the band to play lead guitar. Band practice took place at least once a week either in the living room or in the garage. During those fun-filled days the McCollough house overflowed with family, music and laughter. In the years that followed, we would remember this carefree era as the happiest time of our lives. It was that special time of youth that comes but once to each of us; secures us in expectations and then is gone forever. Now that Lloyd had a band, he also needed stage clothes. At that time, country music band leaders wore suits with sequins and rhinestones. Leroys wife, Mattie, was an excellent seemstress and offered her services to create the designs that appeared on most of Lloyds stage clothes. The year of 1953 brought many opportunities for the Drifting Hillbillies. Lloyd obtained a spot on a local country music show called The Saturday Night Jamboree. Every weekend, the McColloughs made their way to the Goodwyn Institute, located at Third and Madison in downtown Memphis, to support Lloyd and all the other artists. Every Saturday night, local musicians congregated at the Goodwyn Institute to display their special mix of gospel, country and blues, never realizing that they were helping to develop a new sound called rockabilly. The Saturday Night Jamboree was founded by Joe Manuel (father of Stomper Time recording artist Larry Manuel), he rented the second floor, which was called the Auditorium. Joe was a popular musician well known in Memphis. He wanted a talent show in the same style as the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where local talent could get their name seen. Many local performers got their start here such as Marcus Van Story, Aubry Rice, Elvis Presley, Doug Stone, Charlie Feathers, Larry Manuel, Jimmy Smith, Tommy Cash (Johnny Cashs brother), Major Pruitt, Ellis Mize and many others. The show only lived for about a year, at the end of 1954 Joe was given notice that he could not stay. The reason given was that the building was up for a major restoration. Joe tried to find another place but did not succeed and the show was discontinued. -Hey E.P., dont leave yet, I need to see you after the show. The shadows stirred and into a sliver of light stepped Elvis Presley. He turned his pockets inside out and yelled towards the stage. -You dont need me, Lloyd, I aint got any money! In the years to come, when Elvis did have money, he often invited Lloyd and Jim to those famous all night parties. They maintained their acquaintance because of their school days and the common bond of those early, lean years. Another Saturday evening, during the Goodwyn Institute days, found Lloyd at home pacing the linoleum floor of the hallway. He was impatiently waiting for his guitarist, Bo, to find his only pair of red stage pants. Bo couldnt remember which dry cleaners had them. He was trying to locate them by telephone so they could be picked up on the way to the performance. On this particular afternoon, two elderly ladies decided to monopolize the party line. Every time Bo listened for a dial tone he received nothing but an ear full of recipes. His tension was mounting because showtime was drawing nigh and Lloyd kept thrusting his head in the doorway, pointing to his wristwatch. Outside the window the other band members were loading instruments, tapping upon the windowpane and calling Bos name. After forty-five minutes Lloyd stopped pacing, rattled his car keys and yelled from the hallway, -Bo, if you dont come on, were gonna leave you and Ill get somebody else to play guitar. The next sound we heard was that of desperation as Bo grabbed the receiver and blurted. -Ladies, will you please get off this confounded line, Ive left my britches somewhere and Im tryin to find em. There was a stunned silence over the phone, then a dial tone - the pants were found and the show went on! In April of 1953 Lloyd and his band performed a benefit show for the Veterans Hospital in Memphis. As the year progressed, his music was brought into the living rooms of thousands of viewers as he stepped before the television cameras of the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. During the months of August through September Lloyd hosted a radio program at WBLE Radio in Batesville, Mississippi. Also in September, as the winds blew briskly across the tents of the Mid-South Fair, he and the Drifting Hillbillies performed on the Country Music Showcase - sponsored by WMCT-TV Channel 5 in Memphis. In November, Lloyd received a letter from Como, Mississippi High School asking him to perform for the student body, which he did on Friday December 18. He was also one of two Technical High School students chosen to perform at the Peabody for the Memphis Kiwanis Club luncheon. It was a cold December 16 in 1953 when Lloyd took his bows from the famed banquet hall of the nostalgic Peabody Hotel. In 1954 he began to experience the many problems of maintaining band members. His brother, Jim McCollough, took a bride and also became a member of the Memphis Police Force. By this time, the band had many out of town engagements and Jims work schedule would not permit him to travel. This left Lloyd in desperate need of a bass man. Buddy Holly (no relation to the famed Buddy Holly) soon replaced Jim. After Buddy left, Bobby Howard, better known to audiences as Droopy Duck took over the stand-up bass. Bobby Howard was related to the McColloughs remotely through marriage, he was my fathers nephew. Bobby recorded in 1966 for Eddie Bonds Western Lounge label. Bobby (Droopy) also doubled as the band comedian. Later Bill Helms was brought aboard to join Bo in playing electric guitar. Just when Lloyd thought his band was secure again, he discovered that Geneva had secretly married his fiddle player, Curley Rainey. She was preparing to trade her guitar for pots and pans. Soon the couple resigned from the band and moved from Memphis; this left Lloyd with no songstress and no fiddler. After Bo McCollough married, he and his bride also left Memphis, ending Bos musical career. Slowly, one by one, the original Drifting Hillbillies were replaced and over the next twenty years a succession of musicians would follow in their footsteps. When he graduated from Technical High School on May 27 in 1954 Lloyd was already somewhat of a seasoned performer, so he and his band began to travel. Slowly they gained popularity through the southern states. This was reflected in a letter that he received from WNAG Radio in Grenada, Mississippi on June 7, 1954: Dear Mr. McCollough, We have a Hillbilly Jamboree each Saturday morning. We have seen you pass through here several times and we were wondering if you could come one Saturday and be on our show? A little more publicity is all the pay we can offer you but this is a new show and we need your help in order to keep it going. A few weeks later, even though money and schedules were tight, Lloyd and the Drifting Hillbillies travelled to Grenada to help them keep their Jamboree. During 1953 and 1954 Lloyd and his band recorded several demos/acetates at the newly opened Memphis Recording Service, at 706 Union Avenue. During the nineties thirteen acetates were re-located by re-searcher Jim Cole, employed by the University of Memphis. Four of these were from Memphis Recording Service, the remaining nine are from unknown locations. In the summer of 1954 when Lloyd turned nineteen, he married a girl who was in her middle twenties at the time. The marriage was in trouble from the beginning. As soon as the vows were spoken, his bride began to complain about his career. She wanted him to get out of the music business, but Lloyd refused. His argument was built on the fact that she had been aware of what he did for a living before she married him. Since he was not willing to abandon his profession, the marriage lasted only a few months. It did, however, produce one child, Lloyds only son. This break-up was very diffcult for Lloyd because it meant that he could not have a father, son relationship with his little boy. In Montgomery, Alabama, the lyrics of Lovesick Blues whined through the crisp September air to signify the beginning of the first Hank Williams Memorial. Lloyd had looked forward to this event for weeks. He was now experiencing backstage jitters as his mind escaped back to the day that he attended Hanks funeral and had the opportunity to speak with Hanks mom. Finally his thoughts raced back to the present as he marvelled at how blessed he was to be given the opportunity to perform at this first Memorial. Hanks style of music, his dress, his expressions and even his stance before the microphone were etched forever in Lloyds mind. The career of Hank Williams had established a musical role model for him. Through the years there was always a portion of Lloyds performances set aside to pay tribute to this legendary artist. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the year was either 1954 or 55 when Lloyd experienced an embarrassing moment professionally. On this occassion, he and the band were performing in an outdoor drive-in theater. The master of ceremonies approached the microphone and spoke; -And now ladies and gentlemen, straight from Memphis, Tennessee, help me welcome Lloyd McCollough and the Drifting Hillbillies .
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 23:30:18 +0000