Joe Bennett
Joe Bennett was a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina where he grew up in the Cannon’s Campground community and attended Cowpens High School. He developed a love for music at an early age and took private guitar lessons from the late Jerome Fowler who once taught the legendary Hank Garland. As a child, Bennett started a band called The Jamborettes.
In 1956, while still in high school, he formed the rock and roll band that came to be known as the Sparkletones, which is now enshrined in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. The band members, ranging in age from 13 to 16 at the time the band was formed, included: Joe Bennett, the eldest of the group, on guitar, Wayne Arthur on bass, Howard “Sparky” Childress on guitar and Jimmy Denton on drums. In January 1957, Bob Cox, a talent scout for CBS, held auditions at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, and The Sparkletones took first prize at the event. Convinced they would be a success, Cox quit CBS to manage the group and flew them out to New York City to sign with ABC-Paramount. Their big hit was the song “Black Slacks.” They toured, appeared on the “Ed Sullivan Show” and even met Elvis Presley.
Joe Bennett, the well-known leader of the Rockabilly group often billed as Joe Bennett and The Sparkletones, passed away on Saturday, 4 July 2015 at the Rainey Hospice House in Anderson, South Carolina at the age of 75. He had been suffering from complications related to Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia as a result of being exposed to the chemical Agent Orange while serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. Not only will he be remembered as the leader of the Sparkletones, but he will also be evoked for his work and passion as a teacher.
Follow Joe Bennett and The Sparkletones
Recent Posts
Nadia Khristean and Colby Ferrin’s Addiction Recovery Message – “Hit Undo”
When some people think of the word “addiction” they perhaps relate it to such things as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or pornography. However, a dictionary definition of the word paints a much broader picture. Addiction is defined as “the fact or condition of being...
Alex Boyé Encourages Us to Have “A Heart of A Lion”
This author has often said that the easiest way to become defeated in this life is never to try at all. Sometimes in life we are faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles and instead of trying to get over them, or go around them, we view the obstacles as a roaring...
Monica Scott’s Magnificent Arrangement of “My Heavenly Father Loves Me”
Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor who was one of the most influential figures in jazz. The song that is associated with him the most is “What A Wonderful World” which is about appreciating the...
Matthew Caldwell and Madilyn Paige Cover Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds”
Falling in love with someone can perhaps be the most incredible feeling that a person can experience. Love makes the heart sing, and when a person is in love, they picture themselves as being on the top of the world and believe that nothing could ever destroy such...
Sara Lyn Baril – Where Would We Be Without Family?
The home is the place where the word “love” is not a noun, but a verb. The love and compassion that family members have for one another are demonstrated more than just through spoken words. Each member of the family sets love in motion as in their day-to-day familial...
Garth Smith’s Fresh New Arrangements of Christ-Centered Hymns
Garth W. Smith, an LDS musician/pianist who specializes in original arrangements of LDS hymns on the piano, released his third full-length album titled Behold the Great Redeemer, Sacred Hymns, Vol. III on 1 September 2016. The album comprises a collection of familiar...