Since the early 80’s, Teddy & The Tall Tops have offered audiences a unique blend of rock-n-roll honky tonkin’ country, rockabilly and blues, often delivered with a garage rock edge.
Teddy & The Tall Tops started in Dallas,1983. Founding members were Ted Roddy (vocals and harmonica), Jim Heath aka Reverend Horton Heat (guitar), Phil Bennison aka Homer Henderson (bass) and Jas Stephens (drums). From the git-go the band blended 50’s rockabilly with 60’s honky tonk and blues. The band backed up and performed with many of the great Dallas original rockabilly acts of the 50’s including Sid King and Five Strings, Johnny Carroll, Groovey Joe Poovey, Mac Curtis and Gene Summers. Along the way, they opened for acts like John Lee Hooker, an up and coming Steve Earle, The Blasters and the great Count Basie and his Orchestra.
In 1986 Ted relocated to Austin and reformed the band with a new line-up: songwriter Joe Dickens (guitar and vocals), Texas Tornado Speedy Sparks (bass) and Leroi Brother Mike Buck (drums). The band won Best Texas Roots Band in Austin Chronicle’s 1987 Music Poll. They also released an EP (Crazy Date) on the French New Rose label that earned them another award that year: Best Texas EP 1987. The band was asked by legendary DJ Larry Monroe to perform three KUT live sets (a record?). The Tall Tops held a regular Tuesday night slot at the Hole in the Wall. The band issued a cassette culled from the live set performances: Rockin’ on The Radio. Later released a CD on the Swedish rockabilly label Sunjay with tracks from Rockin’ on The Radio along with unreleased Dallas recordings. They continued to work with acts as diverse as Johnny Bush, Hasil Adkins, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Rodney Crowell, Sleepy Labeef and Lazy Lester. The Tall Tops toured Sweden and Norway three times. Teddy & The Tall Tops were featured on The Nashville Network Texas Connection TV show.
Recently re-united, the original Austin line-up of Teddy & The Tall Tops is booking shows in 2022. Be there, aloha.
Ted Roddy Music 