WAYNE MOORE (Part 4)

Nashville West

The new group "Cajun Gib & Gene" was formed around Gib and Gene Parsons and would be strictly country which suited Wayne fine. Gib explained Wayne's and his own switch from pop oriented folk to straight country music: "We'd been trying all that stuff but actually we were both country guitarists and we started playing country".

Alley Oop '66 Gene Parsons was asked to learn how to play drums and Wayne the bass guitar for the group. Both musicians must have learned their new instruments quickly for within a brief time the band was playing in Palmdale at the Jack O' Diamond club and doing session work for Gary Paxton.

Paxton had started out with a small studio in Hollywood. During this time Wayne received a call from Gary S. Paxton (from Skip & Flip - that's Skip Battin and Gary Paxton), to sing lead vocals on the "New Hollywood Argyles" record "Alley Oop '66" (Kammy K-105) in Beverly Hills.

"Alley Oop '66" on CD

New Hollywood Argyles
- New Hollywood Argyles: Alley Oop '66/Do the funky-foot (Kammy 9665) "Alley Oop '66" written by D. Frazier, "Do the funky-foot" written by Gary Paxton.

Note: This single is also available on the CD : "The Hollywood Argyles feat. Gary Paxton" (Mar 120). Also two Gary Paxton solo releases backed by "Nashville West" with Wayne Moore ("Mother-In-Law" and "Going through the motions").

Paxton had re-introduced Gib to guitarist Clarence White, a former bluegrass musician who had worked with the legendary Kentucky Colonels. By 1966 Clarence had been playing the electric guiatr and doing a lot of session work for quite some time. He'd backed artists as diverse as the Monkees, Pat Boone, The Byrds and had played on some of the Gib Guilbeau solo album sessions. "We thought he was just incredible," says Gib of Clarence White. Gib, Wayne and Gene had been employing "anybody, local players - none of them that great" on guitar. Clarence was quickly offered the lead guitar job for the band and he accepted. The band was finally christened NASHVILLE WEST, a name that came from a club in El Monte where the group played in 1967.

Nasvhille West Club

Note: The real name of "Nashville West" was THE REASONS! They also played as "Gib Guilbeau and The Reasons", "Gary Paxton Band" or "Cajun Gib and Gene" but NEVER as "Nashville West"!

Gary Paxton moved his base of operations to Bakersfield. Wayne, Gib, Clarence and Gene worked steadily for Paxton and ended up on many sessions. Gary Paxton built a session crew that comprised Wayne Moore (bass, vocals), Gib Guilbeau (voclas, guitar, fiddle), Gene Parsons (vocals, drums, harmonica), Clarence White (dobro, lead guitar), Vern Gosdin (guitar, vocals), Rex Gosdin (guitar, bass, vocals), Ben Benay (guitar, vocals), Leo LeBlanc (steel guitar), Ken Johnsons (vocals, bass, drums, guitar) and Dennis Payne (vocals, guitar, bass).

"Nashville West"
Clarence White, Gene Parsons, Wayne Moore & Gib Guilbeau

Nashville West were one of the first bands to approach country music from a pop perspective outside the Anglo-American ethic of the middle and late sixties. Wayne Moore, to a large degree, was responsible for bringing much of the early rock'n roll sound to Nashville West. They played a lot of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly songs. From time to time other musicians played with the band like Glen D. Hardin, Lloyd Green, Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Gram Parsons. Nashville West continued to back many Paxton produced artists during 1967-1968, among them, the Gosdin Brothers (whom Clarence had played lead guitar for in 1966) and Gary Paxton. One of Gary's strongest singles, released on Capitol, featured all the members of NASHVILLE WEST prominently. That record was "Mother-In-Law"/"Miles and Cities". Gene played harmonica and drums on the session; Clarence took guitar solos on both sides; Wayne contributed bass and Gib sang background. Another Gary Paxton single was "Going through the motions"/"You got to do the best you can". It's likely that these 2 singles come from the same session so Wayne, Gib, Clarence and Gene may also play and sing backing vocals on this second 45.

NASHVILLE WEST played a similar backing role for the Gosdin Brothers' classic "Sounds of Goodbye" album which appeared on Capitol in 1968. Wayne and Gib even wrote one song for the album, "Woman's Disgrace".

Gosdin Bros. album

Album with Nashville West

- THE GOSDIN BROTHERS: Sounds of goodbye (Captiol ST 2852 & Big Beat CDWIKD235)
Produced by Gary Paxton.

Note: In 2003 British Big Beat label released the "Sounds of goodbye" album with a lot of bonus tracks - unreleased songs, singles etc ..... .

Note: The Gosdin Bros. single "Hangin' on" was nominated in 1967 for "The best single of the year" by the "Academy of Country and Western Music".

Gary Paxton also recorded the members of Nashville West in various backings, as solo artists and released records on them for his Bakersfield International label.

Wayne single Wayne Moore recorded two singles for Gary Paxton's Bakersfield International label: , "Guitar pickin' man" written by Wayne and Jan Paxton (but this song is unreleased). "Hey Juliana" written by Wayne and " Rocks in my head" written by Loraine Mercer, all with Clarence White on lead guitar.

Wayne Moore single
- WAYNE MOORE: Hey Juliana/Rocks in my head (BIP 1004)

NOTE: "Hey, Juliana", written by Wayne, is partly sung in French adding a Cajun flavor but a rauching sax break in the middle adds some good time rock n' roll feeling.
The side B of the single, "Rocks In My Head", is more straight-ahead country with Clarence White's guitar playing having an organ like-sound.

Note: Gib said in an interview 1976 that they recorded for two years every day for Gary Paxton's Bakersfield label. They were the "houseband"! There must be much more unreleased or maybe released stuff with Gib, Gene, Clarence and Wayne!!

On following singles Nashville West are more or less musicians:

Singles with Wayne Morre, Gib Guilbeau, Gene Parsons and Clarence White

- Cajun Gib & Gene: Sweet Susannah/Louisiana rain (BIP 1001)
- Gosdin Bros.: Hangin' on /Multiple heartaches (BIP 1002)
- Clarence White: Tango for a sad mood/Tuff & stringy (BIP 1003)
- Wayne Moore: Hey Juliana/Rocks in my head (BIP 1004)
- Gosdin Bros.: She still wishes I were you/There must be someone (BIP 1006)
- Cajun Gib & Gene: Sweet Rosie / Your gentle ways of loving me (BIP 1007)
- Clarence White: Grandma Funderbunks music box/Riff raff (BIP 1008)
- Gary Paxton: It's my way (of loving you)/My heart won't let my lips say goodbye (Capitol 5467)
- Gary Paxton: Goin' thru the motions/You've got to do the best you can (Capitol 5707)
- Gary Paxton: Miles and cities/Mother-in-law (Capitol 5975)
- Gosdin Bros.: Till the end/Louisiana man (Capitol 2412)
- Gosdin Bros.: One Hundred Years From Now /No Matter Where You Go (Edict 167)
- Bruce Oakes: The lineman song / I don't play love (Boomer 1001/1002)
- Bruce Oakes: I'll live today / On pins and needles (Boomer 1003/1004)

Clarence White CD

2003 "Big Beat" label from UK released a Clarence White CD with the title "Tuff & Stringy - Session 1966-86". Much of the material is derived from sessions that White and the Reasons - Gene Parsons, Gib Guilbeau and Wayne Moore, aka the legendary Nashville West - worked for Paxton, accompanying local country and pop acts, and tunes that were only ever released on obscure, hard to find independent 45s.

Clarence White CD with Nashville West

- CLARENCE WHITE: Tuff & Stringy - Sessions 1966-68 (Big Beat CDWIKD 227)
Re-issue producer Alec Palao.
Wayne Moore is singing lead vocals on three songs:

Hey Juliana

Rocks in my head

Guitar pickin' man (unreleased!!!)

Bakersfield Rebels CD

Another "Big Beat" release feat. Wayne Moore, Gib Guilbeau, Clarence White and Gene Parsons is the 2004 released "Bakersfield Rebels - Late 1960s gems featuring Clarence White, The Nashville West Band and others".

Bakersfield Rebels feat. Clarence White and The Nashville West Band

- BAKERSFIELD REBELS: Late 1960s gems feat. Clarence White, The Nashville West Band and others (Big Beat)
Re-issue producer Alec Palao.
Wayne Moore and the Nashville West band appears on many songs!

Note: The version of "I'll Live Today" (which is credited to Gib & The Reasons) comes from a backing track that Gib Guilbeau, Wayne Moore, Clarence White and Gene Parsons recorded for Paxton in March 1968 and never finished. However, Alec Palao liked it so much that he asked Gib to put a vocal on it - which he kindly did!

The Reasons with Jack Reeves

Note: When Paxton moved his operation to Bakersfield in 1967, maverick producer Paxton thumbed a nose at country convention and charted his own, heavily experimental, course, installing a studio in a disused bank vault and recording country and rock acts night and day, ably abetted by his crack studio band the Reasons aka Nashville West, featuring Clarence White, Gib Guilbeau and Gene Parsons. The results were a quantity several singles and albums that generally appeared on tiny labels to little or no acclaim, despite the high quality of the material and performances.

NASHVILLE WEST were backing up the "LeGarde Twins" (from Australia) on an unreleased album recorded at Gary Paxton's studio in Bakersfield.

NASHVILLE WEST also did sessions with Jack Reeves. Jack Reeves remembers:

"Gene Parsons, Gib Guilbeau, Wayne Moore and Clarence White were all dear friends of mine and they did do a session with me at Gary Paxton's studio in Bakersfield in about 1967. I had gotten them the job at "Nashville West" and they were kinda helping me for doing that for them. The little "Martin Guitar" that Clarence had I gave him for doing the session because he wouldn't take anything for it."

Note: Jack Reeves released the single with "Nashville West" on a CDR with the title Jack Reeves: The Original Singles 1968-1976.

Jack Reeves about when he met Gib, Wayne, Gene and Clarence and about the musicians on the "Original Singles" CDR:

"Wayne was probably on some of them and also Gib. We were all good buddies then and lived close together. I met Wayne in 1958 and he has played with my band "The All Americans" on and off for all that time. Gib I met about a month after meeting Wayne and my little buddy Clarence I met I think around 1967 and he was a special friend, Eric his brother was in my band for a couple of years at one time and he's a great bass player. Gene I met through Gib and Wayne about that same time. They were all twenty years ahead of everyone else in the music business. It was horrible Clarence getting killed as he was such a wonderful young fellow and we all loved him very much. I was useing all sorts of musicians back then on my records. I know Bob Warford was on a lot of those old records."

NASHVILLE WEST also made several attempt at recording on their own. Eddie Tickner, successful manager of the Byrds, the Dillards and later the Flying Burrito Brothers (with partner Jim Dickson) arranged a few sessions for the band which were not released under the name Nashville West.

Recordings with Nashville West were released on albums credited to Rusty Dean (that's Gary Paxton):

Rusty Dean albums with Nashville West

- RUSTY DEAN: Country hits of today (Alshire S-5125)
- RUSTY DEAN: A country bouquet of hits (Alshire S-5234)

Nashville West were also musicians on a various artists compilation on Alshire, a triple LP set entitled:

Nashville West musicians

- Various artists: Country & Western songs Vol. 2 (Alshire SF 303)
Various musicians but with Gib Guilbeau, Clarence White, Gene Parsons, Wayne Moore
(that's Nashville West) on at least a few songs and
Vern and Rex Gosdin, Gary Paxton (aka Rusty Dean), Clyde Beavers and more

Note: There is also a triple LP set with the title "Country & Western songs Vol. 1" with songs by Rusty Dean, Gib Guilbeau, Clyde Beavers and others. Track list unknown!? Maybe Nashville West plays on a few songs too!?

Eddie Tickner was especially impressed with Wayne Moore whom he thought had the best chance as a commercial country artist out of the Nashville West quartet. Wayne remembers that Tickner wanted him to learn some new material but the bassist let the opportunity of a projected recording session slip by. "At that time I was having some personal problem and I was a little too shy and laid back" says Wayne.

Nashville West album

The only record released unter the name Nashville West was a live album, recorded by Gene Parsons with his private two track recorder. Gene Parsons taped the show to get an idea of the sound Clarence was getting on his guitar. That recording was released in 1979 on Sierra/Briar records by the same name "Nashville West" and was subsequently released in Holland, England and Italy. It was re-released in 1997 on CD with four unreleased songs. The CD was released world wide with liner notes by Marty Stuart and featured Wayne's lead vocal on "I washed my hands in muddy water" and "Mempis".

Nashville West album
- NASHVILLE WEST: Nashville West (SRS 8701) with: Wayne Moore, Gib Guilbeau, Clarence White, Gene Parsons re-released by Sierra on CD in 1997 with the addition of 4 bonus tracks. (HS67000)

Note: 2003 the UK label Rev-Ola re-released the "Nashville West" album (CRREV 23).

Note: In 1987 "Guitar Player" magazine proclaimed the Nashville West album one of the "20 Essential Country Guitar Albums" of all time! Buy this album direct from Sierra Records!

Note: Sierra Records released an unreleased version of the song "Tuff & Stringy" on a CD with the title "Clarence White: White Lightnin'" 2009. This song was recorded by Nashville West with Gib Guilbeau, Clarence White, Gene Parsons & Wayne Moore.
You can order that CD direct from Sierra Records.

Clarence, Wayne, Gene & Gib

Wayne Moore plays bass and sings harmony on the Gib Guilbeau & Gene Parsons produced singles for Bruce Oakes:

- BRUCE OAKES: The lineman song / I don't play love
Released June 1967.
- BRUCE OAKES: I'll live today / On pins and needles
Released March 1968.

The song "The lineman song" features Clarence White on lead guitar, Gene Parsons on drums, Gib and Bruce Oakes on guitars and Wayne Moore on bass. Everyone is singing harmony on the flip side "I don't play love". Also on this single are Vern and Rex Gosdin, they sang harmony!
The single "I'll live today" features again Clarence White on lead guitar, Gene Parsons on drums, harmonica and harmony vocals, Gib on guitar and harmony vocals, Bruce Oakes guitars and lead vocals, Wayne Moore on bass and harmony vocals and again Vern and Rex Gosdin doing harmony vocals!

Note: Both singles were released as bonus tracks on the new 2004 released Bruce Oakes CD "Picking with friends" on Boomer Records 102640-1-CD.

Nashville West continued to work mostly in the Palmdale area during the first half of 1968 until Clarence accepted an offer to join the Byrds in July. Gene Parsons followed Clarence into the Byrds a short time later and Nashville West subsequently disbanded.

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