Update [October, 2011]: C.S. Fuqua has published a book entitled “Alabama Musicians: Musical Heritage from the Heart of Dixie.” Why do I tell you this? Because Gene Sullivan was from Alabama, and Mr. Fuqua included a chapter about him in the book. He also included the photo shown below, and provided yours truly with a nice attribution. I recommend the book, and not just because my name appears in it; it’s quite interesting.
Below is yet another scan from Debbie’s mom’s collection of ’30s and ’40s memorabilia. This one features a couple of musicians, Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan. I hadn’t heard of either of these guys, but there’s a pretty detailed bio here.
Sullivan was a boxer before turning to music, perhaps to avoid the burden of expectation that would accompany such a prestigious pugilistic appellation.
This flyer appears to be a promo for a tire company in Lubbock (the floating tire is obviously superimposed on a photo of the musicians; one can only guess at their relationship to the company). According to the bio, they worked radio stations in Fort Worth and Lubbock, so it’s safe to assume that they were well known in Lubbock at the time this flyer was produced.
The duo formed in 1939, which seems to correspond with the general vintage of the collection of the miscellany I’ve been scanning and posting on this site. In 1941, they recorded “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold,” which Elvis Presley turned to money when he recorded a pop version in 1956. Here’s a recording of the original version, courtesy of YouTube.