1957 Margie Rayburn – I’m Available
Marjorie Helen Orwig was born in California in the twenties and began singing professionally with the Ray Anthony Orchestra in the early fifties.
Her future husband sometimes worked with a group called the Sunnysiders and co-wrote the song Hey Mister Banjo. She sang on the single with the band, and it became their only hit record in 1955, as described in another Lost or Forgotten Oldie article:
https://whatwasleftin.blog/2020/07/03/lost-or-forgotten-oldie-of-the-day-1955-the-sunnysiders-hey-mister-banjo/
Margie also sang background vocals on tours with Gene Autry.
Singer/songwriter Dave Burgess went to work for Gene in 1957. Margie’s husband became familiar with a song Dave had written, I’m Available, and convinced her to record it.
Liberty Records didn’t think the song had much promise, but spent just enough money to record the song with Margie and three musicians.
To almost everybody’s surprise, the single reached #9 in December 1957.
Liberty didn’t want to pay for an album, but an album got completed and released and…crickets. Very few sales and no interest from anybody on follow-up singles.
Margie continued recording singles for various record companies until she retired from the music industry in 1966.
Dave joined The Champs as their rhythm guitarist, and that group had a number one hit with the song Tequila in 1958.
http://www.onehitwondersthebook.com/?page_id=2896
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margie_Rayburn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Available
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sunnysiders
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