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About The Artist
Arkansas native Roy Clifton Hogsed gained some early musical experience in his home state and neighboring Mississippi. He made a bigger mark in post-World War II California with his recordings on Coast and Capitol, working out of San Diego. Sadly, nearly a decade after retiring from music, he took his own life. Born in Flippin, AR to a family with musical interest, Roy learned the fundamentals at an early age. After completing the seventh grade with the country in economic depression, the family went on the road as part of a tent show. The family had formed a hillbilly string band. In addition to Roy, Mom and Dad, it included his brother and four sisters. But when that show folded, he went back to school. Later, Roy worked in a group known as the Dixieland Troupers, spending three months on radio at WJDX in Jackson, Mississippi. During World War II, like millions of other young adults, he entered military service, in his case the U. S. Navy. Cowboy Song readers learned he married Wilie Marie Gillliam (B: September 9, 1918 (Yellville, AR) — D: October 4, 1979 (Denton, TX)). That marriage took place on May 21, 1940. His wife was from Yellville, AR. He took on a series of jobs and it took him from Arkansas to Oklahoma to Texas and then California where he began to drive a bus. Perhaps for that reason, Hogsed re-located to San Diego. After working briefly as a bus driver, he landed a job playing guitar in a joint called the Stork Club. Soon the young Arkansan formed his own outfit known alternately as the Rainbow Riders or the Hogsed Trio. Cowboy Songs reported that the group came together in late 1946. It consisted of Roy on guitar; Jean Dewez (B: January 22, 1917 (Venlo, Holland) - D: May 26, 1993) on accordion and Casey Simmons on bass. But in June of 1947, Simmons left and his position was filled by Richard (Rusty) Nitz (B: August 15, 1922 - D: April 10, 1990). In 1953, a promotional ad for the Rainbow Riders indicated the group included Phil Ransom, Jimmy Boucher, Bob Montague and Roy Hogsed. Late in 1946, they inaugurated a recording career with Coast Records. When that label discontinued activity early in 1948, they soon signed with the emerging giant, Capitol.
 
 
 
 
    Early researchers disregarded the theory that Roy's early Capitol releases came from Coast masters, but since he had Capitol releases in 1948 during the AFM strike, it now seems obvious that the material did come from Coast. Billboard reported in its May 15, 1948 issue that many labels were using "master buying techniques to cover key tunes and duck the Petrillo ban. It reported that "...Capitol Records had picked up some 20 masters cut by the Rog Hogsed Trio, an instrumental and singing gorup on the Coast (Label)". A week later the magazine reported that Roy's group included Jean Dewez on accordion; Richard (Rusty) Nitz on bass and Roy on guitar. His first Capitol session took place on July 20, 1949. He continued with the label through October 1954. His best-known song was the drug-related "Cocaine Blues," which cracked the Billboard Charts in August 1948. Other memorable songs included "Snake Dance Boogie" and "Slow Train Through Arkansas."
In 1954, TV logs show that Roy had his own show on Channel 10 in San Diego. In 1962, suffered serious injuries when his car hit a light pole on the Cabrillo Freeway. He was being chased by a police patrol car. The patrolman stated he Roy had run four red lights and was driving up to 80mph during the pursuit. At the time, he was playing an engagement at a downtown night club. He suffered cuts and bruises and may have broken a wrist. He was treated at the Helix Hospital. The accident occurred around 2am. After his record contract ended, Hogsed remained active in the San Diego region for another fifteen years. According to the best information available he retired from music about 1969. Thereafter, he worked as a welder for San Diego Gas and Electric until his suicide. One LP and two CDs of his work have been re-issued in Germany. His obituary simply mentions he died at his home in Vista, CA. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local 569. He was survived by his wife, two daughters (Janis and Rickie), three sons (Gary, William and Roy). His wife died in 1979 in Denton, TX. They are both buried in the El Cajon Cemetery. Credits & Sources
Sound Sample—(YouTube Video Format)
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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)
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| Rec. No. | Side | Song Title | ||
| 1201 | A | The Red We Want Is The Red We Got | ||
| 1201 | B | Don't Bite The Hand That's Feeding You | ||
| 1529 | A | Poco Loco | ||
| 1529 | B | Shuffleboard Shuffle | ||
| 1635 | A | Fishtail Boogie | ||
| 1635 | B | Cocaine Blues | ||
| 1721 | A | I Wish I Wuz | ||
| 1721 | B | Free Samples | ||
| 1854 | A | Snake Dance Boogie | ||
| 1854 | B | I'm Gonna Get Along Without You | ||
| 1987 | A | Mean, Mean Woman | ||
| 1987 | B | Let Your Pendulum Swing | ||
| 2083 | A | Stretchin' A Point | ||
| 2083 | B | Put Some Sugar In Your Blues | ||
| 2350 | A | A Bump In The Road | ||
| 2350 | B | Roll 'Em Dice | ||
| 2468 | A | It's More Fun That Way | ||
| 2468 | B | Red Wing | ||
| 2720 | A | Who Wrote That Letter To John? | ||
| 2720 | B | Babies And Bacon | ||
| 2807 | A | Too Many Chiefs | ||
| 2807 | B | You're Just My Style | ||
| 40120 | A | Fishtail Boogie | ||
| 40120 | B | Cocaine Blues | ||
| 40133 | A | Short Cut Cutie Polka | ||
| 40133 | B | Easy Payment Blues | ||
| 40141 | A | Slow Train Through Arkansas | ||
| 40141 | B | Twenty-Five Chickens Thirty-Five Cows | ||
| 40220 | A | Dill Pickles | ||
| 40220 | B | Let's Go Dancin' | ||
| 40274 | A | Cocaine Blues | ||
| 40274 | B | Fishtail Boogie | ||
| 40286 | A | Rag Mop | ||
| 40286 | B | Rainbow Polka | ||
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| Rec. No. | Side | Song Title | ||
| 261 | A | Daisy Mae | ||
| 261 | B | Red Silk Stocking and Green Perfume | ||
| 262 | A | Loafers Song (Livin' A Life of Sin) | ||
| 262 | B | Cocaine Blues | ||
| 265 | A | Don?t Telephone, Don?t Telegraph, Just Tell a Woman | ||
| 265 | B | I Can?t Get My Foot off the Rail | ||
| 266 | A | Baby Won?t You Settle Down | ||
| 266 | B | The Short Cut Cutie Polka | ||
| 271 | A | Come on and Set a Spell | ||
| 271 | B | The Birthday Polka | ||
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