Nervous Records

Excels

The Excels were created December of 1963 in Mc Kinney, Texas. The four members of The Excels were: Roger Bennett, lead guitar; Gibson Harris on drums; Danny Goode on bass guitar and lead vocalist and James Goode on rhythm guitar.
     Danny, Roger and Gibson were juniors in Mc Kinney high school and had been practising for a school talent show. James, Danny's older brother had listened to the three practice and suggested that the four of them form a band - just for fun. All of a sudden they became very popular. They were invited to just about every party in town. And, of course, they were asked to bring their guitars and drums and play. Back then The Excels would play every chance they got ... usually just for the fun and no money. James was a freshman at North Texas State University. He started booking the band at various frat parties at NTSU. The word spread and soon The Excels were playing frat parties at SMU and TCU. The highlight of the frat parties was when The Excels played for a NTSU homecoming Party at the Adolphus Hotel in Downtown Dallas. The party got so large and attracted such a crowd that the hotel staff had to take down the removable walls to accommodate the overflow. Seen at the party among the crowd was the current mayor of Dallas, Earl Cabell. Also seen dancing was another party crasher, Jane Mansfield and her husband, Mickey Hargaty.
     After two years as a freshman at NTSU and on scholastic probation numerous times, James dropped out of school and started to work at Gibson's Discount Center in Mc Kinney. Sam Turner, the assistant manager of Gibson's booked The Excels for the Gibson's Discount Center employee Christmas party. The people at the party would not let the guys stop playing. The Excels wound up playing an extra set. A few days later, Sam Turner asked James if The Excels would like to do a recording. The guys in the band recorded 'Let's Dance' at the Herring Studios in Fort Worth, Texas.

Let's dance (Goode/Goode) Nervous Publishing Walking the dog (Thomas) Universal Music