In 1957 Challenge Records, a company owned by film star and 'singing cowboy' Gene Autry, recorded the song Train To Nowhere; it was sung by Dave Burgess, also known as Dave Dupree.
To fill the B-side of the planned single three of Dupree's accompanists (working as the Flores Trio for a different label) registered a jingle. They were mentioned as The Champs on the record; title of the song: Tequila.
The rest is history of almost epic proportions: while Dupree's number was literally a train that never arrived, Tequila took the charts by storm all over the world.
It may seem as if the name Champs was thought up on the spot, but the choice of the Flores Trio was not entirely coincidental: in his films and television shows Gene Autrey rode a beautiful horse called Champion. Champ was so popular that even a comics series was dedicated to it.
To fill the B-side of the planned single three of Dupree's accompanists (working as the Flores Trio for a different label) registered a jingle. They were mentioned as The Champs on the record; title of the song: Tequila.
The rest is history of almost epic proportions: while Dupree's number was literally a train that never arrived, Tequila took the charts by storm all over the world.It may seem as if the name Champs was thought up on the spot, but the choice of the Flores Trio was not entirely coincidental: in his films and television shows Gene Autrey rode a beautiful horse called Champion. Champ was so popular that even a comics series was dedicated to it.
Active: 1958-1965, GBR
Site: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p16381
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