Lonely Weekends (LP)

Rich released his first single in August 1958, Whirlwind for Sun Records. He recorded a number of songs in 1959, but few were released-still too much jazz. In 1960 he recorded his first top 30 single, Lonely Weekends, He then did seven follow-ups and all were clinkers, but several of the songs later gained in popularity and would become staples for him: Who Will The Next Fool Be, Sittin' and Thinkin' and Midnight Blues. Old Charlie's career hit a dead end at Sun Records. Later he was to tell folks that he never got a royalty cheque from Sam Phillips, that the record company owner pocketed the money. Of course Phillips denied the charge, saying that Charlie's exit was Charlie's choice. He left Sun in 1962 and bounced around record companies like a ping-pong ball until he signed with Epic in 1967.