Lawton Jiles

lawtonjilesHat: Lawton Jiles moved to Delano in the early 1940s. While still in high school he formed a band named The Valley Rhythm Boys with his brother, Johnny. In 1956, Lawton recorded four songs for the Bakersfield Records label. The songs featured Buck Owens playing guitar, Bill Woods playing bass (and producing) and Johnny Cuviello playing drums. The band began a nightly radio show on KCHJ radio in Delano. Jiles and Charles “Buster” Beam co-wrote six songs including Let The Teardrops Fall for Patsy Cline. Lawton and Bob Scott bought the local radio station KIKK in 1959. The radio station’s format was changed to country music. In 1960, the station’s name was changed to KUZZ. Lawton worked as a disc jockey for the station.

lawtonjilesBoots: Lawton Jiles and Tootsie Lee released the single Santa Claus Forgot Me in 1956 on the Bakersfield Records label.


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