Gayle Griffith - I’m Gonna Anchor My Heart

1950s Hillbilly Boogie (Emerald Label) Gayle Griffith borned 1940. Gayle Griffith was getting attention in Greenwood, Indiana even though he was only fourteen years old back in 1954. The son of Gladys and Harold Griffith was already recording for the Emerald Recording company with the LMC trio out of Indianapolis. That recording session got national notice. George D. Hay was publisher of Pickin’ and Singin’ News out of Nashville back in 1954 and featured Gayle in a small feature. Bobby Gregory noted the recording session in his column for Country Song Roundup as well. The two recordings he made with the group were written by Charles A. Hager of Indianapolis according to a 1954 article. Mr. Hager was also the rhythm guitarist for the group. He had help with the music from Mrs. Oran L. Richardson. His grandparents, Mr.a nd Mrs. Roy Logan, boosted Gayles musical interests by gave him and his family a piano when he was just four years old. It didn’t take him long to learn to play the piano to accompany his singing. During the summer of 1954, it was said that Gayle appeared several times at the Shady Acres Ranch that was located near Mulberry, Indiana with Curly Myers and the Ranch Boys. He also appeared in front of the audiences at Bill Monroe’s Brown County Jamboree in Bean Blossom, Indiana. His first television appearance was on AUgust 14, 1954 as a guest on Shorty Sheehan’s “Hillbilly Heaven“ show that was popular on WISH-TV in Indianapolis. He later appeared on Uncle Bob Hardy’s show, the “Hayloft Frolic“ on August 26, 1954 over in Bloomington, Indiana. In October of 1954, he appeared at the Lyric Theatre with his group, performing his hit recording “Rockin’ and Knockin’“. Tom Edwards wrote in his contribution to Country and Western Jamboree as part of their regional roundups that Gayle had appeared over in the Cleveland, Ohio area a couple of times and was popular with the audiences with just the one release on Emerald. Tom noted Gayle was a “...personable young man with a wealth of talent.“ Tom Edwards reported in late 1955 that Gayle appeared with a number of other artists such as Porter Wagoner, Charlie Gore, Herb and Kay Adams along with the Junior Kentucky Briarhoppers at the Circle Theater for two appearances in early December 1955. Gayle had a sister named Sharon Diane. Gayle was a student at the Indiana School for the Blind since the age of seven. He would stay at the school during the week, then visit his parents’ home on weekends.