''G.T.O.'' is the debut studio album by American band

Ronny & the Daytonas Ronny & the Daytonas were an American surf rock group of the early 1960s, whose members included John "Bucky" Wilkin (aka Ronny Dayton) (songwriting, guitar, vocals), Paul Jensen (vocals, guitar), Thomas Ramey (bass, guitar), Lynn Williams (drums ...

, and was released in 1964 on

Mala Records Mala Records was a small record label founded as a Bell Records subsidiary in 1959. Beginning in 1967, albums by Mala recording artists were issued on the Bell label instead of Mala. Along with Bell, Mala was acquired in the late sixties by Colu ...

, MALA 4001.

Background

The group was formed in 1964 when

Bill Justis William Everett Justis Jr. (October 14, 1926 – July 16, 1982) was an American pioneer rock and roll musician, composer, and arrangement, musical arranger, best known for his 1957 Grammy Hall of Fame song, "Raunchy (instrumental), Raunchy". As a ...

(best known for his hit "Raunchy") became their producer and manager. They went into the studio and recorded a dozen songs primarily written by group member John "Bucky" Wilkin, who was the son of noted country music writer,

Marijohn Wilkin Marijohn Wilkin ( Melson; July 14, 1920 – October 28, 2006) was an American songwriter, famous in country music for writing a number of hits. Wilkin won numerous awards over the years and was referred to as "The Den Mother of Music Row," a ...

. These were interspersed with several covers of surfing/car songs by artists such as

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

and

Jan and Dean Jan and Dean was an American rock music, rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf mu ...

. The album and three singles all charted on US

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

magazine charts. In 1989, vocalist/guitarist

Alex Chilton William Alexander Chilton (December 28, 1950 – March 17, 2010) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial success in the 1960s ...

of the 1960s era group

The Box Tops The Box Tops is an American rock band formed in Memphis in 1967. They are best known for the hits " The Letter", "Cry Like a Baby", "Choo Choo Train," and " Soul Deep" and are considered a major blue-eyed soul group of the period. They perform ...

, released a cover of "G.T.O." on his EP ''

Black List Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...

''.

Track listing

# "California Bound" (

John "Bucky" Wilkin John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

) – 2:14 # "Antique '32 Studebaker Dictator Coupe" (Jerry Dean Smith) – 2:05 # "Hot Rod Baby" (Smith) – 2:02 # "Little Rail Job" (Wilkin) – 2:19 # "Hey Little Girl" (Wilkin) – 2:16 # "Bucket "T”" (Don Atfled,

Jan Berry Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles ...

, Roger Christian,

Dean Torrence Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles ...

) – 2:37 # " G.T.O." (Wilkin) – 2:30 # "The Little Sting Ray That Could" (

Wayne Moss Wayne Moss (born February 9, 1938 in Charleston, West Virginia, United States) is an American guitar player, bassist, record producer and songwriter best known for his session work in Nashville. Moss was one of the founders of Area Code 615 and Bar ...

Bobby Russell Bobby Russell (April 19, 1940 – November 19, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he had five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the crossover pop hit "Saturday Morning Confusion". Russell w ...

, Bergen White, Neil Wilburn) – 2:07 # "Surfin' in the Summertime" (Wilkin) – 1:50 # " Back in the U.S.A." (

) – 2:16 # "Hot Rod City" (

, Wilkin) – 2:05 # "Little Scrambler" (Wilkin) – 1:49

Personnel

Ronny and the Daytonas

* John "Bucky" Wilkin (aka Ronny) – vocals, guitar * Paul Jensen – guitar, vocals * Lee Kraft – guitar * Thomas Ramey – bass, guitar * Lynn Williams – drums These were the Daytonas at the time of the recording, although many session musicians were also used. The touring band changed members frequently.

Background

Track listing

Personnel

Ronny and the Daytonas

Technical

Charts

Album

Singles

References