The Kampus Kids (East Liverpool, Ohio)
aka Rick & The Legends (4)
aka Riki & The Rikatones

Personnel :

Rick Palmer (Guitar / Lead Vocal)

Jerry Nolan (Rhythm Guitar / Vocal)

Jay Stewart  (Guitar Bass / Vocal)

Discography :

Rick Palmer
1958 - You Threw A Dart / My Greatest Wish (Carlton 491)

The Kampus Kids
1960 - Leave Me Alone / Mr Rainbow Man (Ensign 5000)

Riki & The Rikatones
1960 - Whiphash    / T.N.T. (Manhattan 201)

Rick & The Legends (4)
1963 - The Diary Of A Teenage Bride / All Of Your Love (JD 155)
1965 - I Wonder Why / Leave Me Alone (JD 162)
1966 - I Wonder Why / Love Me Like I Know You Can (UA 5093)

Biography :

Originally from East Liverpool, Ohio, the group begin in 1958 as The Teen-Kings, a musical group  comprised of Rick Palmer, Bill Pipes, Don Hay and Jerry Nolan.  In November 1958, Rick Palmer recorded  "You Threw a Dart" b/w "My Greatest Wish" released On Carlton records.In 1959 Rick Palmer on lead vocal and lead guitar teamed up Jerry Nolan on rhythm guitar and vocal and Jay Stewart on bass and vocal. Their current manager  sold their contract to Buck Ram. As Their new manager, Buck provided the group with "Mr. Rainbow Man" and "Leave Me Alone" released on on the new Ensign label (Antler’s subsid) as the The Kampus Kids.

The Kampus Kids - From top : Jay Stewart, Jerry Nolan & Rick Palmer

The single made it all the way into the top five on radio station WNOR in Norfolk, Virginia. Even though the song was extremely popular regionally it failed to achieve success nationally. After several ups and downs they moved to Cleveland Ohio where their manager had a "You Write 'Em and I'll Record 'Em" business for songwriters who wanted to hear their songs recorded. They were his house band and some of the recordings they made for him were released on his Manhattan label as Riki & The Rikatones, two Rockabilly "Whiphash" and "T.N.T.". In the very early 60s (1961/1962) the band relocated to the Norfolk, Virginia area & played Virginia Beach regularly as well as the naval base officers club. It was here that the band got to open up for and back-up the late, great Roy Orbison. Rick Palmer also did lots of session work and played with Ray Peterson on "Tell Laura I love her".

 
                                                                                      clockwise from top left: Jean Palmer, Buzzy Rose, Jerry Nolan and Rick Palmer

 He backed up Nashville artist, Minnie Pearl also. In 1968 the band relocated to Massachusetts where they recorded "Love me like I know you can" in their basement for the United Artists label. In 1962 Buzzy Rose joined Rick Palmer and Jerry Nolan as their drummer and added Rick's wife Jean  (keyboards & vocals). They call themselves The Coachmen and changed to Rick & The Legends. Soon they cut their first record on the JD label "The Diary Of A Teenage Bride" b/w "All Of Your Love". The next record was "I Wonder Why" b/w "Leave Me Alone". Then United artists cut "I Wonder Why" and a new song Rick wrote, "Love Me Like I Know You Can".

Songs :

The Kampus Kids

  
Mr Rainbow Man                                   Leave Me Alone

Rick & The Legends (4)

  
The Diary Of A Teenage Bride                    All Of Your Love            

  
         I Wonder Why                           Love Me Like I Know You Can

Rick Palmer


You Threw A Dart


Riki & The Rikatones

  
Whiphash  (Rockabilly)                      T.N.T. (Rockabilly)    

..