The Roses


David Bigham (front left)
Robert Linville (back)
Ray Rush (right)

The group hailed from the towns of Andrews & Odessa, TX & had originally backed up Roy Orbison on his Sun recordings. Being that Roy used the Clovis studios, it was through him that they were introduced to Norman Petty & became session vocalists there from 1957 to 1959.

The Roses were the only backing vocalists to tour with Buddy Holly & The Crickets.
They went on Alan Freed's "Biggest Show Of Stars" tour:


BIGGEST SHOW OF STARS FOR 1958 - Autumn Edition
FEATURING: Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, The Olympics, Dion & The Belmonts, Bobby Freeman, The Elegants, Jimmy Clanton
The Danleers, Duane Eddy, Clyde McPhatter, Jack Scott, The Coasters, Sil Austin Orchestra, Buddy Holly & The Crickets

October 3 - Worcester Auditorium - Worcester, MA
4 - State Theater - Hartford, CT (cancelled) replaced by:
Arcadia Ballroom - Providence, RI
5 - Forum - Montreal, Quebec
6 - Memorial Centre - Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
7 - Memorial Auditorium - Kitchener, Ontario
8 - Sports Arena - Toledo, OH
9 - Indiana Theatre - Indianapolis, IN (2 shows)
10 - State Fair Coliseum - Louisville, KY
11 - Veterans Memorial Auditorium - Columbus, OH
12 - Stanbaugh Auditorium - Youngstown, OH (2 shows)
13 - Syria Mosque - Pittsburgh, PA (2 shows)
14 - Akron Armory - Akron, OH (2 shows)
15 - Community War Memorial Building - Rochester, NY
16 - Catholic Youth Center - Scranton, PA
17 - Municipal Auditorium - Norfolk, VA (2 shows)
18 - Park Center - Charlotte, NC
19 - Mosque - Richmond, VA (2 shows)


Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army, David got married, and somehow the two lost touch. No attention was given to The Roses until the Clovis Music Festivals started up in the mid '80s and with each newspaper interview Robert (who helped organize the festivals) did, he mentioned how he would like to get in touch with his fellow Roses again. Finally in 1991, David Bigham's daughter read his story in an Amarillo newspaper and got the two reunited after 30+ years!

Ray Rush released a few singles under his own name and also acted as A&R man on several David Box recordings. He was supposedly to be promotions mgr. for Buddy's Prism record label, but dropped out of the company in its early stages. He stayed on in the music business & later discovered B.J. Thomas and eventually setting up a label in Nashville. It was suspected for years that he had passed away, but in June of 2002, he was found to be residing in Texas.

   

Robert & David both kept very busy with Wal-Mart men's choir, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and organized the Clovis Music Festivals as well as help with Petty Studio tours.

In 2000 (40 years since they had last recorded), they performed their classic backups once again on CD releases by "The Shackshakers", "The Fireballs" and "Jerry Naylor".
Their track "Lotta Lovin" with The Shackshakers charted overseas later that year.

In December of 2000 they were inducted into The Rockabilly Hall Of Fame, and in April of 2001 performed at the Ryman Auditorium (Grand Ole Opry) in Nashville.

August 2002, David & Ray met again for the first time since the late '50s


Robert & David last performed together with The Fireballs in Lubbock, TX
in Sept. 2001, Robert passed away at age 65 on November 3, 2001.

David & Ray performed together once in Lubbock, TX in September 2004.

Ray Rush was residing in a nursing home near Houston, TX
when he contracted the covid virus.
He passed away at age 83 on July 7, 2020.

David Bigham continued helping with Petty Studio tours until
his passing at age 84 on December 8, 2021.

PARTIAL SESSIONOLOGY:

1956
12/14 - Sun Studios – Memphis, TN
Roy Orbison - Sweet & Easy To Love
Roy Orbison - Devil Doll
Roy Orbison - Fool's Hall Of Fame

1957
08/20 – Roy Orbison - An Empty Cup (A Broken Date)
08/20 – Roy Orbison - (A Cat Called) Domino
08/20 – Roy Orbison - A True Love Goodbye
08/20 – Rick Tucker - Patty Baby
08/20 – Rick Tucker - Don't Do Me This Way

10/16 – Terry Noland - Patty Baby
10/16 – Terry Noland - Don't Do Me This Way
10/23 – Jimmy Self – Oh Babe!

11/10 – Johnny “Peanuts” Wilson – My Heartbeat
11/13 – Fred Crawford - Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt
11/19 – Babe Ritchie - Hold Me Close Tonight
11/19 – Babe Ritchie - Bring Back My Cotton Sack
11/20 – The Roses – Rock Me My Baby

12/21 – Jimmy Bowen - I'm Keeping You
12/21 – Jimmy Bowen - Island Love
12/21 – Buddy Knox - All For You
12/21 – Buddy Knox - Hey Love

1958
02/14 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets - Think It Over
02/14 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets - Fool's Paradise
02/14 – Jimmy Craig - Walking In Darkness
02/20 – Don & The Roses - Right Now
02/20 – Don & The Roses – Since You Went Away To School
02/22 – Buddy Knox - Somebody Touched Me
02/22 – Jimmy Bowen - I’m Learning
02/22 – Jimmy Bowen - Well Oh Well

04/09 – Rick Tucker - Dig Ya Little Later
04/09 – Rick Tucker - Play Girl
04/14 – Ivan (J.I. Allison) - Real Wild Child
04/22 – Sonny West - Doll Britches
04/22 – Sonny West - Bessie Lee
04/24 – Ronnie Smith - My Babe
04/25 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets - It's So Easy
04/25 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets - Lonesome Tears
04/28 – The Roses - Almost Paradise

05/05 – Johnny “Peanuts” Wilson - Silly Lilly
05/08 – The Roses - I Kissed An Angel
05/08 – Jimmy Craig – All For You
05/08 – Jimmy Craig - Gonna Love My Baby
05/08 – Earl Henry (Earl Sinks) – My Suzanne
05/08 – Earl Henry (Earl Sinks) – Believe A Traveler
05/10 – Ronnie Price – White Bucks
05/10 – Ken Copeland – Chaser Of Hearts
05/10 – Ken Copeland – Dar Es Salaam
05/21 – Charlene Condray - Do You Remember
05/21 – Charlene Condray - Intermission

06/01 – Vi Petty – True Love Ways
06/01 – Vi Petty - Kiss Me Goodnight

07/25 – The Nighthawks - When Sin Stops
07/25 – The Nighthawks - Alla Your Love

08/08 – Don & The Roses - Tease
08/08 – Don & The Roses - Leave Those Cats Alone
08/08 – Don & The Roses - Don't Try To Change Me
08/09 – Ken James (Homer Tankersley) - If I Had Known
08/09 – Ken James (Homer Tankersley) - Within My Heart

09/02 - Neal Echols & The Raindrops – College Love
09/02 - Neal Echols & The Raindrops – Hayride Of Love
09/10 – Waylon Jennings - When Sin Stops
09/15 – Sonny West - Linda Loves A Hula Hoop
09/20 - Bill Sego - Come Along Dolly
09/26 – Tommy Hancock - Young Romance
09/26 – Tommy Hancock - Rock Baby Rock

11/12 – Sonny Curtis - Talk About My Baby
11/12 - Sonny Curtis - Red Headed Stranger
11/21 – The Crickets (with Earl Sinks) - Someone, Someone
11/27 – Juanita Jordan - I Get The Blues When It Rains
11/27 – Juanita Jordan - Gonna Take A Stroll

12/15 – Ivan (J.I. Allison) – Frankie Frankenstein
12/15 – Ivan (J.I. Allison) – That’ll Be Alright
12/16 – The Crickets (with Earl Sinks) - Love's Made A Fool Of You
--/-- - Joe Bob Barnhill - Crossfire / Bye Bye Blue Days

1959
01/11 – Ronnie Smith - Lookie, Lookie, Lookie
01/11 – Ronnie Smith - A Tiny Kiss
01/14 – Wes Bryan - Blue Baby
01/14 – Wes Bryan - I Just Want Your Love
01/14 – Buddy Knox - I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself
01/14 – Buddy Knox - To Be With You

02/01 – The Nighthawks - Good-Time Girl
02/01 – The Nighthawks - Queen Of Love
02/13 – Derrell Felts - Lookie Lookie Lookie
02/14 - Jimmy Craig - Walking In Darkness  (this was The Roses final 7th Street session)

09/18 - I Get The Blues When It Rains - Ken Pepper (backing track from 1958 Juanita Jordan recording was used)
09/18 – True Love Ways - Ken Pepper (backing track from 1958 Vi Petty recording was used)

1960
Bill Sego – Walking In Darkness (backing track from 1959 Jimmy Craig recording was used)

David Bigham & Robert Linville as "The Roses":
2000 – 05/06 (Lubbock, TX) - The Shackshakers - Lotta Lovin'
2000 – 05/06 (Lubbock, TX) - The Shackshakers - Mr. Heartache
2000 – (Dallas, TX) - Jerry Naylor - Think It Over
2000 – (Dallas, TX) - Jerry Naylor - Yesterday's Teardrops
2001 - (Clovis, NM) - 7th Street Legends - Everybody Should Have Lived In The '50s
2001 - (Clovis, NM) - 7th Street Legends - Most All Of The Time



The Roses recording for the first time since 1959
with "The Shackshakers" in Lubbock, TX (2000)