Capture The Art Blog's

If a March 1954 poster for a show at the Bailey Theater in Cabot, Arkansas is anything to go of a Dycus dynasty. There, direct from Korea, Sgt. Connie Dycus and His Fingers of Fire, were the starring attraction along with Rocky Dycus and his steel guitar, Ruthie Dycus ‘Sweetheart of the Mountaineers », Teddy Reidel –15 year old wizard of the piano), Dizzy Dean Ferguson and Lloyd Southerland and the Smiling Mountaineers.

Dycus subsequently settled in Flint, Michigan where he worked for General Motors and sometimes performed at GM employee events. He was at some point a country music deejay at WMRP until Charlotte Harden replaced him in September 1961. Next, he had The Connie Dycus Show on television. Connie Dycus was literally granted 15 minutes of on-air fame 5 days a week. In fact, the 1960s were probably the most productive years for him. Through his TV show, Connie Dycus established himself as a Flint, Michigan celebrity and area entertainer.

Connie Dycus first recorded in 1958 for Mercury. Managed by Jim Minor of Mayflower Music, he certainly got on Mercury through Minor’s contacts though Shelby Singleton told Colin Escott that Dycus was « some bum I got out of Arkansas ».

Other records appeared on Colt 45 (59), Poor Boy (59), Dixie (60), King (64), H and K (67), Prophonics, Cathay and Rimrock (sixties).

Sources :

• Bill Millar, notes to Bear Family CD "Rockabilly from the Vault of Mercury"
• Wyman Stewart