The Younger Brothers were a country band out of Falls Church, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC, and next door to Maryland. From 1967, until 1969, they were the road band for Jimmy Case, who was located in Falls Church also. They were an exceptionally good group of musicians who not only played country music, but played rock-n-roll, rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock-a-billy. Tony Cornell was the lead singer and played acoustic guitar. Tony was blessed with the ability to sing anything and do it well.

Jimmy Edwards played bass and was a music major, who could read, write, and compose music. He played bass as good as any studio musician in Nashville. Jimmy Case, Myself, and Hank Henry had a booking agency in Rockville, Maryland. At the same time we booked military officer, NCO, and CPO Clubs from Maine to Texas. Jimmy Case had been playing country music forever. He had worked with at one time or another with just about every act in Nashville and The Wheeling West Virginia Jamboree. Jimmy knew Patsy Cline and worked shows with her and Dale Turner back in the early 50′s. Jimmy met the Younger Brothers when they were first getting started in 1960, when they were teenagers. Buddy Badgett, who played drums with the group got his trade honestly. His dad Buddy Badgett, Sr. had played professionally in the Washington DC area for years and wound up his career with the String Dusters, one of the best bands the Washington, DC area ever had. They had a recording studio in a night club in Falls Church, Virginia called Hunters Lodge. There probably wasn’t a country band in Nashville that hadn’t played Hunter’s Lodge, in the 50′s, 60′s, and 70′s. If your picture wasn’t on the wall in Hunter’s Lodge and you were considered a name country band, you had better throw away your guitar pick and go back to your day job.

Doug Palmer, who played steel guitar, lead guitar, and saxophone, grew up around Hunters Lodge and was a big fan of the String Dusters. The four young musicians met in high school and formed the band Young and Country when they graduated, they began to play around the DC area. Earl Dixon who owned Hillbilly Heaven Records in Fairfax, Virginia heard them playing one night and signed them to his label. Earl released one record “You” b/w “Lots Of Time To Kill” written by Tony Cornell and Doug Palmer. The record went no where and the decided to change the name from Young and Country to The Younger Brothers then they went on the road with Jimmy Case for several years. When Jimmy, Hank, and Myself went into business together both Jimmy and Hank had their own booking agency. We decided to combine all three agencies and us my company’s name Promotions Unlimited.
I was working as a disc jockey for WDON a country music station in the Washington DC area. Jimmy decided he wanted to do nothing but country music. The Younger Brothers wanted to do rock-a-billy, so Jimmy hired Ed Spicher’s band out of Ohio. Ed is the brother of Buddy Spicher. The fiddle player who has played on so many recording sessions in Nashville.

I became the manager of the Younger Brothers. I liked rock-a-billy and at that time country rock was coming into it’s own. I can remember playing “Honey Don’t” by Mac Curtic at WDON. It was a jumped up version of Carl Perkin’s “Honey Don’t” on Sun. Tony came up with an idea to do Elvis’ early stuff. He worked it all out and told me to come over to the Pizza Hut where they were playing in Fall Church, Virginia. When I got there, they had done one set. Tony said, “I want you to meet Danny Gatton.” “He helped me work this thing out.” I had not met Danny, but I had heard he was one good guitar player. They did this Elvis deal. They started off with “Mystery Train” with Danny on lead. The hair started standing up on the back of my neck and I got chills up my spine, hearing Danny play. I thought I was hearing Scotty Moore. Danny had every lick down perfect. They went from “Mystery Train” into “My Baby Left Me,” right into “That’s Alright Mama.” I Couldn’t believe it. Boy! Had they come up with some kinda knock you out show. They stayed at the Pizza Hut about two weeks and I went over several times to see the show it was beyond belief. Tony tried to get Danny to go on the road with them, but Danny would have no part of it. I never saw Danny after that. He went on to become famous in his own right as I knew he had to.

The Younger Brothers wanted to relocate to Nashville. They did some shows with Narvel Felts and he wanted them as his back up band, but it never worked out. Later Billy “Crash” Craddock wanted them and I worked out a deal with him and The Younger Brothers became his band, and he changed the name to the Dream Lovers. I’ll say this when Billy Crash took the Youngers as his back band they were as good as any rock-a-billy band anywhere. Wonder what they would have been like if Danny Gatton had stayed with them? That was many years ago and the last time I saw Tony or Crash Craddock was when I was watching Nashville Now one night and Ralph Emory introduced them as his guest. Many things have changed since those thrilling days of yesteryear. I know I’m not the first one to say this and I know I won’t be the last, so here goes … At one time I managed one of the best little country bands in the business.