“Raised in Bernie, Missouri (about 30 miles north of Kennett and KBOA) where he attended Bernie High School, Felts was discovered during a talent show at the school. He had been encouraged to participate in the show by some of his classmates, and it just so happened that a talent agent was attending the performance at the time. Felts recorded his first single “Kiss-a Me Baby” at the age of 16, and his career skyrocketed with the help of Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash. But it wasn’t until the 1970s when he began enjoying success on a national level as a country singer. His first major hit came in 1973, with a cover of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away”. Felts’ version — No. 8 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in September 1973 — was mid-tempo country compared to Gray’s blues version. The follow-up single, “All in the Name of Love,” just missed hitting the top 10 in December 1973.” (Wikipedia)

I finally noticed the name “Rockets” on the drum kit and did some searching. According to his Wikipedia entry, Matt Lucas was playing a gig at the El Morocco Club in Gideon, Missouri (1956) where he met Narvel Felts. In the fall of that year they ended up in the same band when Jerry Mercer, leader of the band for which Narvel sang, fired Bob Taylor his drummer and Narvel recommended Matt for the job. In 1959 he met up with Narvel Felts again when he was asked to audition for a new trio Narvel was about to form after the breakup of his “Narvel Felts and The Rockets” band.

L-R: J.W. Grubbs, Leon Barnett, Narvel Felts, Bob Taylor, Jerry Tuttle