SIR RALEIGH and the CUPONS
Spokane Spokesman-Review, display ad, November 21, 1965.
Homebase: Seattle, WA
Stats: 1964-1965
Misc Notes: Born in Canada, Dewey Martin (1940--2009) began playing drums at age 13. After forming a rock band in high school he went on to make a guest appearance singing "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On" backed by Andy Wilson's group local club act, Larry Lee and the Leesures as part of a rock & roll package show in Ottawa in the early 1960s. A Nashville-based producer saw him and invited him there to record. Over the following couple years Martin played with stars including Carl Perkins, the Everly Brothers, Patsy Cline, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison and Faron Young. Young took him on the road out to Las Vegas and California where he met fellow drummer, Mel Taylor of Tacoma's hit-makers, the Ventures. Martin then connected with another Northwest group, Lucky Lee & The Blue Diamonds. In November 1964, he used local musicians to record his first single -- the standard "White Cliffs of Dover" backed by an original, "Somethin' or Other" -- for A&M Records, which was released under the guise of Sir Raleigh & The Cupons, whose name was sometimes promoted as the Cupons, other times as the Coupons - was a spoof based on Raleigh brand cigarettes and the bonus gift coupons that were included with each pack. During 1965 that band released two more singles on A&M – "While I Wait" / "Somethin' or Other" and "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" / "Whitcomb Street," plus a single for Tower – "Tell Her Tonight" / "If You Need Me." Martin then returned to Los Angeles and picked up local group the Sons of Adam (which at one point included Walla Walla guitar ace, Craig Tarwater) to support him back in the Northwest where they scored great gigs opening for the likes of the Beach Boys and Herman's Hermits. Martin then cut a final single for Tower – "I Don't Want to Cry" / "Always," which was released in February 1966. In 1980, the Picc-A-Dilly / First American label pulled together most of the Sir Raleigh & The Coupons material for the Dewey Martin album, One Buffalo Heard. Back in Los Angeles, Martin drummed at times with the Standells, the Modern Folk Quartet, and the Dillards. Then he made the connections with a newly forming group: Buffalo Springfield. Martin became the last member to join the legendary group at its founding. Along with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, he was one of only three musicians to stay with the group from its inception in April 1966 to its folding on May 5, 1968. For a period, Seattle guitarist Doug Hastings (ex-Daily Flash) had also joined them, having been recruited to replace Neil Young. Martin went on to form and record with the Medicine Ball band, cut a tune for the 1971 Angels Die Hard biker movie soundtrack, and formed another band that included Seattle guitarist Joey Newman (ex-Merrilee & the Turnabouts) and soon recorded as Blue Mountain Eagle. He passed at home in Van Nuys, California, in 2009.
See also:
1.) SIR WALTER RALEIGH
MISC NOTES:
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Norman Raleigh (guitars); ‘Sneaky’ Pete Kleinow (guitar); Al Harris (guitar); Johnny Meeks (bass); Dewey Martin (drums
RECORDING STUDIO:
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 7"
SPEED: 45 rpm
DISC NOTES:
Known Label Designs:
2P.) A - B promotional disc. White label background. Orange A&M w/black RECORDS and trumpet image beneath to left center of spindle hole. Other numerals and lettering black including PROMOTIONAL COPY NOT FOR SALE right center of spindle hole.
2R.) A - B retail disc. Gold label background. Orange A&M w/black RECORDS and trumpet image in white box left center of spindle hole. All other numerals and lettering black.
A-SIDE MATRIX:1124
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2P.) ^56519
2R.) ^56519
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Dewey Martin
A-SIDE PUBLISHER: Burdette Music Co. (BMI)
B-SIDE MATRIX: 1125
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2P.) 1125 ^56519 - X
2R.) 1125 ^56519 - X
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Midkiff - Raleigh - Harris - Meeks - Kleinow
B-SIDE PUBLISHER: Burdette Music Co. (BMI)
MISC NOTES: Artist name on label = Sir Raleigh and The Cupons
LOCATION: Seattle
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Dewey Martin (drums / vocals).
RECORDING STUDIO: Audio Recording
RECORDING ENGINEER: Kearney Barton
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 7"
SPEED: 45 rpm
DISC NOTES:
"White Cliffs Of Dover" Album Reissues:
1.) 1976. Side 2 track #2 on The History Of Northwest Rock Volume 1, (The Great Northwest Music Co., GNW 4003) compilation LP.
Known Label Designs:
2R.) A - B retail disc. Gold label background. Orange A & M w/black trumpet below in white box left center of spindle hole. Black numerals and lettering.
A-SIDE MATRIX: 1109
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2R.) A+M1109
2R.) ^55025
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Kent - Burton
A-SIDE PUBLISHER: Shapiro & Bernstein, Inc. (ASCAP)
B-SIDE MATRIX: 1110
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2R.) A+M - 1110
2R.) ^ 55025 - X
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Midkiff - Raleigh - Harris - Meeks - Kleinlow
B-SIDE PUBLISHER: Burdette Music Co. (BMI)
MISC NOTES:
LOCATION: Seattle, WA
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Norman Raleigh (guitars); "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow (guitar); Al Harris (guitar); Johnny Meeks (bass); Dewey Martin (drums / vocals).
RECORDING STUDIO: Audio Recording
RECORDING ENGINEER: Kearney Barton
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 7"
SPEED: 45 rpm
DISC NOTES:
2PA. & 2RA.) Monarch Records delta (^) numbers point toward these discs being pressed May - June, 1965
Known Label Designs:
2PA.) A - B promo label. White background. Greenish JERDEN JERDEN JERDEN. JERDEN slanted above spindle hole. Black numerals and lettering including PROMOTIONAL DISC NOT FOR SALE
2RA.) A - B retail label. Teal blue background. Greenish JERDEN JERDEN JERDEN in slanted white swath above spindle hole. Other numerals and lettering black.
"Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" album reissues:
1966. [As SIR WALTER RALEIGH] Side Two Track #6 on compilation album The Hitmakers (Jerden #7005)
1986. Side Two, Track #1 on compilation album Highs In The Mid Sixties Volume 14; The Northwest Part Two: Out Of The Slime (The Northwest. Archive International Productions Los Angeles, CA AIP 10020)
2006. Track #18 on compilation cd album The History Of Northwest Rock Vol. 4 Battle Of The Bands (Jerden JRCD 7071)
A-SIDE MATRIX:
2PA.) 45 - JD - 132
2RA.) 45 - JD - 132
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2PA.) JD - 132 (etched) ^57057
2RA.) JD - 132 (etched) ^57057
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Steve Venet - Tommy Boyce
A-SIDE PUBLISHER: Screen Gems - Columbia (BMI)
B-SIDE MATRIX:
2PA.) 45 - JD - 133
2RA.) 45 - JD - 133
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
2PA.) JD - 133 (etched) ^57057 - X
2RA.) JD - 133 (etched) ^57057 - X
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Jerry Dennon
B-SIDE PUBLISHER: Burdette Music Co. (BMI)
MISC NOTES:
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL:
RECORDING STUDIO:
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: compact disc (CD)
DISC NOTES: JRCD 7071 - Track #19 on The History Of Northwest Rock Vol. 4 Battle Of The Bands CD compilation album
COMPOSER:
PUBLISHER: