The Sparkles

The first line-up of the Sparkles consisted of Stanley Smith and Carl Huckeby on guitars, Bob Donnell on bass, Johnny Waller on piano, brothers Jesse and Guy Balew on saxophone and vocals, and Gary Blakey on drums. The band made their first recording in 1958 for legendary record producer Norman Petty (who also worked with Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison), but the recording went unreleased. The band line-up changed again when drummer Harold "Lucky" Floyd, bassist Bobby Smith, and guitarist Donnie Roberts joined the group, with Hatchett leaving to form his own group, The Raiders, along with Blakey. When Nunn and Holt decided to quit the band, around 1968, Floyd, Smith, and Marriott relocated to California and changed the band's name to the Pearly Gate, making a handful of appearances in a television series called Judd, for the Defense. and "Hipsville 29 B. C." has appeared on Mayhem & Psychosis, Vol. 2 and ''Garage Beat '66, Vol. 1. In addition, "No Friend of Mine" has appeared on the 1998 Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 box set, the CD version of Pebbles, Volume 1, Songs We Taught The Fuzztones, Garage Beat '66, Vol. 1, Uptight Tonight: Ultimate 60's Garage Collection, Acid Dreams: Testament, Trash Box, Best of Pebbles, Vol. 1, and Ear-Piercing Punk''. ==Band members==

• Guy Ballew - vocals (first line-up) • Jesse Ballew - saxophone (first line-up) • Gary Blakey - drums (first and second line-up) • Bob Donnell - bass (first line-up) • Carl Huckeby - guitar (first line-up) • Stanley Smith - guitar (first, second, and third line-up) • Johnny Waller - piano (first line-up) • Charlie Hatchett - guitar (second line-up) • Harold "Lucky" Floyd - drums, vocals (third, fourth, and fifth line-up) • Donnie Roberts - guitar (third line-up) • Don Settle - bass, vocals (second line-up) • Bobby Smith - bass, vocals (third, fourth, and fifth line-up) • Louie Holt - guitar (fourth line-up) • Jimmy Marriott - drums (fourth and fifth line-up) • Gary P. Nunn - guitar (fourth line-up) • Steve Weisberg - guitar (fifth line-up) ==Discography==

Singles • "The U.T."/"He Can't Love You" (Caron 94) 1962 • "The Hip"/"Oh Girls, Girls" (Hickory 1364) 1966 and (Triola TD 311) 1966 • "Something That You Said"/"Daddy Gonna Put the Hurt on You" (Hickory 1390) 1966 • "Jack and the Beanstalk"/"Oh Girls, Girls" (Hickory 1406) 1966 • "The Hip"/"Jack and the Beanstalk" (Triola TD 323) 1966 • "No Friend of Mine"/"First Forget (What Has Made You Blue)" (Hickory 1443) 1967 • "Hipsville 29 B. C."/"I Want to Be Free" (Hickory 1474) 1967 and (Festival SPX 10) 1968 EPs • No Friend of Mine (Sundazed SEP 176) 2005 ==References==