Southbound Express / Cross My Heart

This 1959 single from The Playboys was produced by Nite Owl Records, a local record label which had only recently been established in Seattle, Washington. Both songs on the single are originals; “Southbound Express” is credited to The Playboys as a group, while “Cross My Heart” was written by band members Andy Duvall (b. unknown) and Bob Risley (1940-2020).

The Playboys formed in 1957 around a group of schoolmates, including Ron Holden (1940-1997). Their first performance was at a University Presbyterian Church dance, but as they improved, and learned to play more songs, they were able to perform at better venues. The Playboys was one of the most significant young bands in Seattle in the late 1950s, alongside The Frantics, an all-white rock band, which they often competed with for recognition and venues. However, The Playboys are probably best known for being one of the first Pacific Northwest bands to play “Louie Louie,” even before the canonical versions performed by the Wailers, the Kingsmen or Paul Revere and the Raiders.