Search - Various Artists :: The Rogana Story

In the 1960 s, William Hoss Allen was one of the most powerful men in the rhythm and blues music industry. He was disc jockey at WLAC Radio in Nashville, the highest wattage clear channel R&B station in the country. He was also a music publisher, record label owner and record promotion man. In 1965 he started a new label, Hermitage Records and the Rogana Production Company. Rogana was designed to licence Allen s productions to other labels. The idea being that he had access to more artists than Hermitage could handle. He held sessions at the recording studios of Starday/ King Records in Nashville on Dickerson Road. These sessions were held every weekend with Johnny Jones and the Imperial Seven, as the studio band. The band featured the cream of Nashville R&B musicians and in addition to Johnny on guitar there was Billy Cox on the bass, Freeman Brown on drums, Harrison Calloway and Aron Varnell on horns, Larry Lee on rhythm guitar and several keyboard players, including Skippy Brooks and Ray Valentine. Hoss also took some of his artists to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record. Fame studio had a unique sound and the Rodge Martin sides in particular bare the indelible stamp of that legendary studio. In 1966, Hoss broadened his palette and became the host of the nationally syndicated television show The !!!! Beat. It was the first nationwide black music TV show and the house band was Johnny Jones and the Imperial Seven (now called The Beat Boys) with Frank Howard and the Commanders as vocalists and many of the artists appearing on the show had direct connections to Allen. In 1972 Allen retreated from the music business of recording but stayed on at WLAC Radio through the early 1990 s, hosting their gospel music programming. Hoss Allen passed away in 1997 but left a legacy of a life lived in the rhythm & blues firmament. The music remains richer for his participation.