Je–Wel (initial name) and Jewel Records (without the dash, later name), was a small, independent American record label founded in Odessa, Texas, in 1955 by (i) Weldon Rogers (1927–2004), himself a singer, and (ii) Chester Calvin Oliver (1907–2000). Je–Wel is most known for having engaged, recorded, and produced fledgling artists from West Texas at the dawn of rock-n-roll in the mid to latter 1950s. Je–Wel's most notable production was a recording of The Teen Kings (with Roy Orbison) performing Ooby Dooby. The session was recorded March 4, 1956, at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Ooby Dooby was on the B side and "Tryin' to Get to You" was on the A Side. The record – manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona – was issued as JE-WEL 101 around March 19, 1956. Je–Wel 101 is now accepted as one of the world's rarest and most collectible rarities. It exists in both 78 and 45 rpm versions with at least three label variations: the first pressing misspells Roy's surname "Oribson" and many copies credit "Trying To Get You" instead of "Trying To Get To You."
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Naming and founding
Je–Wel was formed, essentially, for the purpose of promoting and recording The Teen Kings. The name "Je–Wel" was derived from the first letters of (1) the middle name of Bobbie Jean Oliver (1939–2008) (daughter of co-founder Chester Oliver) and (2) Weldon.
Bobbie Jean Oliver was a singer and accordion player with Western Melodiers, a band that backed up other local artists including Weldon and Willie Rogers. Jean Oliver also frequently performed with the Teen Kings, although she was never an actual member. In 1993, Chester's wife, Acia, told John Ingman, a journalist with Now Dig This, that it was Jean who had persuaded her parents to finance The Teen Kings' recordings, and that Rogers made little contribution. Weldon Rogers and Jean Oliver had been briefly married, but quickly annulled it at the insistence of Jean's parents. Jean, later, had dated James Morrow, a member of The Teen Kings, who, when not appearing at the Archway Club in Monahans, Texas, usually performed at the Saturday Night Jamboree in Jal, New Mexico. That is where James Morrow met and dated Jean Oliver. Jean's father, Chester, had worked for Phillips Petroleum and the family lived in Seminole, Texas.
The whereabouts of the Je-Wel master tapes
The Je–Wel tape box was taken from Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, to California by MCA's Steve Hoffman in 1984 and never returned. MCA had no rights to the tapes and have no knowledge of what happened to them.
The tracks have since popped up on product and being licensed by Rollercoaster Records of the UK, supposedly on behalf of the Orbison Estate.
Je–Wel's short relationship with Orbison
In 1955, Orbison had arranged for The Teen Kings to perform on KMID, a TV station in Midland, Texas. Cecil "Pop" Holifield (1905–1974) also arranged for Johnny Cash to perform on the same program. Holifield owned two record stores ("The Record Shop"), one in Odessa and one in Midland. Holifield also was a concert promoter for Elvis and Cash and arranged TV performances. Holifield also regularly contributed articles to Billboard magazine.
KMID was where Cash first heard The Teen Kings and met Orbison. Cash, in turn, invited Orbison to a concert at Midland High School on the evening of October 12, 1955, starring Elvis Presley and featuring himself, Wanda Jackson, Floyd Cramer, Porter Wagoner, Bobby Lord, Jimmy C. Newman and Jimmy Day (1934–1999). Billy Walker also performed, but was not named in the promotional materials. That afternoon, after a free promotional concert at Midland High School, Johnny Cash introduced Oribison to Elvis.
Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley tried to persuade Sam Phillips of Sun Records to give Orbison a contract. When Orbison made a follow-up call to Phillips, Phillips made it clear that no one, not even Johnny Cash, was going to dictate who did and did not get an audition on his record label. After what had happened to the careers of Elvis and Cash, artists were coming to Sam Phillips in droves.
Elvis, Cash, and Orbison had failed to persuade Phillips to sign Orbison.
On the day that Je–Wel released The Teen Kings' single, Orbison took a copy to Cecil "Pop" Holifield (1905–1974) of Odessa, who owned two record stores ("The Record Shop"), one in Odessa and one in Midland. Holifield was also had promoted local concerts for Elvis and Cash and arranged TV performances. Holifield also regularly contributed articles to Billboard magazine. Holifield phoned Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records and played Ooby Dooby over the phone and told him it was "sellin' big." He promised Phillips that he would never regret auditioning Orbison. A few days later, Phillips phoned Holifield to say that he wanted The Teen Kings in Memphis in three days to record for Sun Records.
The Teen Kings arrived in Memphis on Monday, March 26, 1956. When Phillips was made aware that Orbison was underage when he signed the contract with Je–wel without parental consent on behalf of The Teen Kings, Phillips persuaded Orbison to sign a contract with Sun and Orbison's father co-signed. Phillips also got a court order to prevent Je–wel from selling any more its records of Orbison, although, seemingly, another 5,000 copies were pressed with the assistance of Norman Petty. At this point, Chester Oliver had reach his threshold of tolerance and bowed-out of the partnership with Weldon.
On March 27, 1956, The Teen Kings re-recorded “Ooby Dooby,” “Trying to Get to You,” and also recorded “Go Go Go (Down the Line)” at Sun Records. Bob Neal (1917–1983) — owner of Stars, Incorporated, and Elvis Presley's first manager — signed the group to a booking and management contract. By May 1956 The Teen Kings had their first hits on the Sun label, the back-to-back singles "Ooby Dooby" and "Go Go Go." The Teen Kings toured southern venues that included dance halls and drive-in movies theaters, performing on the projection house roofs between film showings. They appeared with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Warren Smith, Sonny Burgess, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Jerry Lee Lewis and other country and rockabilly performers.