Cyril Vetter is an American songwriter with a career has spanned a variety of industries, including music, broadcasting and publishing. He owned TV and radio stations, a television production firm, newspapers as well as music recording and publishing companies. He may be best known for the popular song "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)", co-written with Don Smith.[1]
Vetter performed as drummer for the Greek Fountains, a 1960s group composed largely of Baton Rouge youths. As the British Invasion dominated rock and roll and Rhythm & Blues in the mid-1960s, the members wore moptop hair and Madras pants. The band was popular in the Gulf Coast region in many venues. They opened for such concert performers as The Animals, Sonny and Cher, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Dave Clark Five. Their Mercury Records single of "Countin' the Steps" was a regional hit with noteworthy airplay in the Southeast.[2] In January 2010, songwriter Vetter was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.[3]
"Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)" was originally recorded by Dick Holler & the Holidays, and later recorded by The Swingin' Medallions who released it as their second single in 1966. The song became a Top 20 hit for the group, peaking at #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song has since been recorded by other artists, including Joe Stampley.[4]
Vetter's most recent project was Dirtdobber Blues, a fictionalized biography of longtime friend singer/songwriter/actor Charles "Butch" Hornsby, a multimedia package complete with 14 song CD, sheet music and photographs of his artwork.[5]
In addition to Dirtdobber Blues, (release March 2011), LSU Press has published two of Vetter's previous books. Fonville Winans' Louisiana: Politics People and Places, a biography of the legendary Louisiana photographer Fonville Winans, includes historical subjects such as Huey P. Long and unmistakably iconic Louisiana figures and locales. "The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town", another Vetter collaboration with Gould vividly records through drawings and photographs Town's major contributions to the vernacular of original Louisiana architecture.[6]
In 2003, Vetter wrote and produced Deacon John's Jump Blues, a critically acclaimed and award-winning music CD, concert video and documentary film.[7]
A U.S. Army veteran, Vetter served in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He earned political science and law degrees from Louisiana State University.[citation needed] Vetter practiced law in Louisiana from 1973 to 2012.[8]
| Year | Main Artist | Title | Label | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Greek Fountains | Well Alright / That's The Way I Am | Bofuz Enterprises, Inc. | Co-Writer on 'That's The Way I Am' |
| 1966 | Blue Jean / Countin' The Steps | Philips | Co-Writer | |
| The Swingin' Medallions | Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) / Here It Comes Again | Co-Writer on 'Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)' | ||
| I Don't Want To Lose You Baby / Night Owl | Smash Records | Co-Writer on 'Night Owl' | ||
| The Flying Cavarettas / Jimmy Cavaretta | I Tried To Treat You Right / I Want To Be Free | V&O | Co-Writer on 'I Tried To Treat You Right' & Co-Producer | |
| The Dry Grins | You're Through / She's A Drag | Montel Michelle | Co-Producer | |
| John Fred | Leave Her Never / Doing The Best I Can | Paula Records | Co-Producer & Writer on 'Doing The Best I Can' | |
| John Fred And His Playboys | Outta My Head / Loves Come In Time | Co-Producer | ||
| 1967 | 34:40 Of John Fred And His Playboys | Writer on 'Doing The Best I Can' | ||
| Up And Down / Wind Up Doll | Co-Writer on 'Wind Up Doll' | |||
| Agnes English | Writer on 'Most Unlikely To Succeed' | |||
| The Uniques | Groovin' Out (On Your Good, Good Lovin') / Areba | Co-Writer on 'Groovin' Out (On Your Good, Good Lovin')' | ||
| J. J. Stately | Another Saturday Night / The Skill Of The Magician | Josie | Writer on 'The Skill Of The Magician', Co-Producer | |
| The Greek Fountains | I'm A Boy / She Does It | Pacemaker Records | Co-Writer on 'She Does It' & Co-Producer | |
| I Can't Get Away / An Experimented Terror | Montel Michelle | Co-Producer | ||
| 1977 | John Fred And His Playboys | Juke Box | Guinness Records | Writer on 'Keep It Hid' |
| 1979 | Irma Thomas | Safe With Me | RCS Records | Co-Producer on 'Safe With Me', 'Take What You Find', 'Don't Stop' & 'Looking Back' |
| 1990 | Various | Beyond The Calico Wall | Voxx Records | Co-Writer on 'An Experimented Terror' |
| 2003 | Deacon John's Jump Blues | Vetter Communications Corporation | Co-Producer |