T h e   B E L I E V E R S

Believers poster page 1, page 2

The Believers 1964 Audio Track

"Motor Mouth"

work track   

 

"The Believers"

Photos from the Junior/Senior High School Prom, Alpine, Texas May, 1964

Songs from Believers 1964 (not the AHS prom)

Song 1 • Song 2 • Song 3 • Song 4 • Song 5 • Song 6

Song 7 • Song 8 • Song 9 • Song 10 • Song 11 • Song 12

Song 13 • Song 14 • Song 15 • Song 16 • Song 17

Song 18 • Song 19

When the Believers (poster page 1, page 2) played at the AHS Junior Senior prom in 1964, Martin asked for a copy of the tape recording made on their Roberts recorder (seen above) by their manager Bill Spears. The Believers were a group of Sul Ross State College (now University) students. After the prom the band members headed for their homes for the Summer of '64.

The Lead Singer, Grainger Hunt (seen in the middle of the photo above and right) stayed in Alpine with his family. Knowing Martin had a copy of the tape, he called and asked to hear it. Just the month before, for high school graduation, Martin's parents bought him the Webcor (below) which enabled "sound with/on sound." Grainger asked if Martin would help him develop and record some new songs. The rest of the Summer was spent in numerous ("fun & learning") sessions and the "draft" recording of new material for the Believers, including the development of their new song "Motor Mouth." The Believers then went to San Angelo and recorded"Motor Mouth" at Ron Newdoll's Accurate Sound Company.  The studio had a #1 hit with "Last Kiss" by the Cavaliers.

Martin recorded a few more things for the Believers. The relationship with Ron Newdoll and Martin's pursuit of a recording career were the result of this first work with Grainger & Peyton helping in their music development.

Accurate Sound studio building in 2006

News clippings for the Believers and more pdf

Alpine studio 1965   

Martin and Grainger April, 2004 (40 years later)

Webcor Statesman in background

Grainger's old home in Alpine

On May 13, 1969 Martin recorded the last Alpine, Texas recording which was for one of the believers.  John Schweers asked Martin to record a Nashville demo for him.  Martin used his Sony TC-630 reel tape recorder.

"During his 35 year career, Schweers has had over 200 cuts, written 16 top-10 songs, had 13 No. 1 records, and received over 20 awards from ASCAP and BMI, including the Triple Play Award for having three number one records in one year." 2008 - Guest Speaker Night at the Nashville workshop with guest John Schweers

 

In August 2014, Peyton Starr told Martin that while John Schweers was in the Believers he wrote some songs and the band recommended he might look into doing something else.  Luckily John persevered.

John Schweers, a native of San Antonio, Texas, moved to Nashville in 1972. That same year, Tom Collins signed him to a publishing deal with Pi-Gem and Chess Music. Within eighteen months, Schweers had three No. 1 records: "Don’t Fight The Feelings Of Love" and "Amazing Love" on Charley Pride and "Day Dreams About Night Things" on Ronnie Milsap. Other songs on Ronnie Milsap include: "What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down," "Let My Love Be Your Pillow," and "Silent Night After The Fight." Schweers also wrote "She’s Just An Old Love Turned Memory," by Charley Pride; "Looking Out My Window Through The Pain," by Mel Street; "Your Memory," by Steve Wariner; "Do Me With Love," by Janie Frickie; "Golden Tears," by Dave and Sugar; "No On Mends A Broken Heart Like You," by Barbara Mandrell; "It’s A Be Together Night," by Frizzell and West; "Born Country," by Alabama; and his latest, "I Left Something Turned On At Home," by Trace Adkins. Schweers resides near Nashville with his wife, Jane and has a daughter, Ashley.