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- Pet Rock Rock (T N Corpening & D Hughes)2:54
- Without My Rock (T N Corpening & D Hughes)2:39
- Listen To the Music (Tom Johnston)3:46
- Kansas City (Stoller & Leiber)2:52
- Alone Again4:09
- Moody Blues Medley (Hayward, Lodge, Thomas, Pinder)7:52
- Delta Dawn (Collins & Harvey)2:59
- Johnnty B Gioode (Chuck Berry)3:01
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken3:18
- That's When the Music Takes Me (N Sedaka)3:50
- Rocky Mountain High (Denver & M Taylor))4:22
- Long Ago4:10
- La Paloma Blanca (George Baker)3:44
- Summertime (George Gershwin)4:33
- Break Song0:49
- It Takes Time (L.VanWaters & D.Hughes4:12
- It's Always Been The Same (L VanWaters & D Hughes)3:02
- Bound For New Orleans (Claude Wooley)2:49
- Unto The Light (Claude Wooley)4:07
- Is It Not Real (C Wooley & D Hughes)4:58
- Mean Ole Woman (Bobby King)3:17
- Hold On To Me (Claude Wooley)3:38
Merlin was formed as a duo by David Hughes and Linda VanWaters in 1975. The couple spent many hours and days trying to decide on a name. Then while sitting in the car listening to the radio before going into a Mall in Fort Worth, TX a song was played by the Moody Blues titled "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" that was about Merlin the Magician. At that time both decided instantly that Merlin would be the duo's namesake. While performing at a talent showcase in Dallas, TX the duo was selected by an agent who booked them for an indefinite stay at the Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, TX. Merlin performed at the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel for several months until signing with the Gerlach agency in Houston with Dave Vandiver booking the group. In 1976 Bobby King was added on drums, trombone & vocals and the group recorded their first single record. It was two songs with lyrics written by Dr. Thomas N. Corpening from Houston, TX about pet rocks to be included in his book of pet rock jokes and songs. The music was written by David Hughes and the trio recorded at Sound Masters Studio in Houston. Later in Autumn of 1976 Claude Wooley (not shown in the photo above) was added on Bass Guitar & Vocals and the group recorded their second single of original songs written by Linda VanWaters (lyrics) and David Hughes (music). The songs were titled Why? and Who Are You? and the recording was done at Robin Hood Bryans studio in Tyler, TX.
- Let's Live Together & Country Roads7:30
- I Just Can't Help Believing (Mann & Weil) 4:22
- Yesterday & I've Just Seen A Face (McArtney & Lennon)5:11
- Ob la Di Ob la Da (Lennon & McCartney)2:14
- Higher and Higher (Smith, Jackson & Miner)2:06
- I Can Help (Billy Swan)3:09
- Solitary Man (N Diamond)2:50
- Wipe Out Intro0:15
- Wipe Out (The Safaris)2:20
- Wildwood Flower1:18
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- Seals & Crofts Medley (Seals & Crofts)7:55
- Pray For A Miracle (Claude Wooley)3:57
- You Light Up My Life (Joseph Brooks)3:30
- Sweet Surrender (John Denver)2:54
- Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Bob Nolan)2:55
- When The Saints Go Marching In3:18
- It's Too Late (Toni Stern)2:50
- Sabre Dance & Goodhearted Woman (Khachaturian-W Nelson & W Jennings)3:51
- Brown Eyes Blue (Richard Leigh)3:26
- Proud Mary (John Fogerty)3:06
- Going Out Of My Head (T Randazzo & B Weinstein)3:17
- I Honestly Love You (Peter Allen)3:29
- Jambalaya (Hank Williams Sr.)3:34
- 2001-Also Sprach Zarathustra (Richard Strauss)2:18
- Are You Sitting (Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas)3:54
- Who Are You? (D Hughes & L VanWaters)3:37
- Why? (D Hughes & L VanWaters)4:48
The picture above is a 1977 promo picture of Merlin with David Hughes, Linda VanWaters, Bobby King and Claude Wooley. By this time Linda and David had ended their relationship and Claude soon started a relationship with Linda. Bobby met Peggy, a Houston musician & singer and quit Merlin to start a duo with her. Merlin continued as a trio until 1979 when the trio broke up, Bobby, Peggy and Claude joined a group in Houston ,TX called Branded with Faron Evans on vocals and fiddle and Eddie Parker on guitar. Linda was unable to find another band that was a good fit for her and in 1980 she became a booking agent for musical acts. David moved back to Ft Worth, TX in early 1979 and started a duo, Reunion, with Coral Nuckols, a high school friend, after dating and later being married in December, 1979.
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Above is the photo of a painting on canvas by the maintenance man, Rudy (his last name isn't recalled and he didn't sign the painting) at the Sheraton Hotel in Gretna, LA just across the river from New Orleans. Merlin played at that hotel several times and Rudy presented the group with this excellent and imaginative painting of the group which he took from a publicity photo. We had it mass produced and used it as promo picture until Bobby King, the drummer left the group. Rudy also invited the band to his home on the bayou for lunch one afternoon with his family and everyone had a great time. Thank you Rudy.
David H.
MERLIN