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Loyd Howell

Loyd began his musical career right here in Waynesboro playing guitar at area square dances. As an adult, his music hobby turned more professional when he and our mom moved to Detroit in the mid-1950s.

"Loyd Howell and the Blue Stars" was the band he formed. Theyplayed at area clubs and were one of the top country/rockabilly bands in the Detroit area. In 1961, Loyd and his band went to Nashville and recorded the song “Little Froggy Went a-Courtin” on the StardayRecords subsidiary - the “Nashville” label. Nathan Gibson wrote in his book “The Starday Story”, that “Froggy” was a “rockabilly-charged stomper”. Gibson writes that, “Howell recalls that it was the country flipside 'They Don’t Know' that became a regional hit for them.”  Nateshared with dad that collectors considered his version of "Froggy" as “the holy grail" of the Nashville label’s recordings.  Dad lived to see copies of "Froggy" selling at up $250 on Ebay.

Loyd cut records on Detroit’s “Fortune” record label, their “Hi-Q” label, and his own “Ry-Ho Records”. Another song he wrote and recorded on Hi-Q, “Truck Driving Jack”, gained regional success on jukeboxes and at truck stops. In 2019, the STARZ network TV series “American Gods” included it in an episode playing on a jukebox at a restaurant. You can still search it on the internet and see that segment featuring his song.

In the early 70s, Loyd formed his own record label with his bass player, Don Rye. The label, “Ry-Ho Records”, recorded numerous Detroit area artists. The company also presented country music shows featuring Grand Ole Opry artists. Of course the band opening these shows featured Loyd and his band, which by this time included Jeff, Vicky and me.

By 1977, Loyd had sold his portion of “Ry-Ho” to his partner and moved back here to Waynesboro with the family. Loyd and our family band hosted a weekly radio show on Waynesboro’s WAAN. He also formed a publishing company - Beech Creek Music - named after the area he grew up in as a boy. Dad opened The Family Music Center here in 1978. After 43 years and three locations, the business still resides on Highway 64 East and is operated by my brother, Jeff. Loyd also opened a recording studio in partnership with Jeff. They’ve recorded talents from around the region, and made demo recordings for artists from California to New York, and even Papau New Guinea.

Loyd continued to perform with the family at local activities, church, TV shows, and special events like our annual 4th of July celebration. Infact, Dad's last performance was in 2008 at the city's 4th of July event. He died in December of that year, but he never lost his strong singing voice or his love of music.