Terry Noland

Among the Texas rockabillies who recorded at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico, Terry Noland remains the least recognized. He broke from Petty’s supervision at an early stage, heading instead to New York City in search of teenage fame. Sessions there featured arrangements by Milton DeLugg, musical director of The Tonight Show. The move carried Noland away from the raw West Texas rockabilly of “Ten Little Women” and its title track toward lighter pop fare such as “Puppy Love,” “Teenage Teardrops,” and “Let Me Be Your Hero.” Born Terry Noland Church, he adjusted readily to the milder sound and wrote most of the pop material himself, a choice that has undercut his credibility with many rockabilly collectors. The outcome is unfortunate, because his strongest performances date from the period when he was still chasing major success. Like countless others, Noland produced his finest work at the outset. After leaving Petty’s Clovis operation, his style grew steadily more diluted. Additional singles and an album that failed to chart led him to set aside his guitar. He returned to Texas, entered real estate, and eventually relocated to Oklahoma, where he became the state’s largest and most successful land developer.