Mike Bullman

Mike Bullman is an American country and rock & roll singer, guitarist and songwriter originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. For a period of time that spanned three decades, he was the leader of a group called The Jesters aka Jesters III. Some of the artists he has opened for include David Allan Coe, Ronnie McDowell and Jerry Reed. He is something of a local legend. He is also rumored to be Mike Corliss.

Mike Bullman
Also known asMike Corliss
BornSpartanburg, South Carolina
GenresRock
Country music
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1965–present

Background

1960s

His musical history goes back to his childhood when as a boy he wanted to be like Elvis Presley who was an obvious influence. He'd practice so he could sound like him. At the age of 12 he formed a band with his friends called Mikes Minors. His first gig was in Spartanburg at a local night club. The year was 1965.

1970s - 1980s

In the May 1979, Bullman was appearing at the Gaffney Moose Lodge on Friday and Saturday nights.[1] In the early 1980s, Bullman was in Nashville, Tennessee where he recorded for independent labels, cutting a couple of singles. He wasn't able to become established in the Nashville music scene and later left.[2] He was also providing music at weddings in the early 1980s.[3]

1990s

In the 90's he was singing Buring Desire, a country group. Besides Bullman, the members were Kevin Eastes, Jeff Rogers, Randy Leith and Gary Rogers. In 1991, the band was at the S.C. Peach Festival in Gaffney where they won the rising star competition.[4] In 1997, he was fronting the Mike Bullman band. In September of that year the group was playing at the Watermelon Crawl at Duncan Park.[5]

2000s

After a break from music for nearly a decade, Bullman returned to the scene in the 2000s and started regularly playing at Danz place in Poppy Square.[2] In August 2009, he appeared with Kelly Road at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.[6]

Jesters III

From the late 1960s he was the bandleader of an outfit called The Jesters. They were regular performers in Gaffney, South Carolina.[2] In 1968, the group released a single called "Messed Up Woman" bw "You Said It All Before" on the Skyland Label. The single was co-written by Bullman along with Mike Harris and Pat Harris. It was produced by Armand Smith.[7] Around 1971 or 1972, Jesters had a single produced by Howard A. Knight, Jr. It was "Funky Country" a funky country soul type of single with an Elvis Presley styled lead vocal. "Funky Country" was co-written by Bullman along with Mike Harris and Pat Harris. The flip side "Dream On And On" had Knight credited as the writer.[8][9] In 1972, they group had another single produced by Knight. It was "Little Eve" bw "Lonely Blue Boy". It was credited to Jesters III, Mike Corliss-Vocal. The A side "Little Eve" was written by Bullman.[10] In the Nashville Scene section of Billboard Magazine January 1972, it was announced that Mike Corliss and the Jesters had a new release on Boss Records.[11]

"Messed Up Woman" appears on the Various Artists compilation Dateless Night, released in 1998 and another comp Move and Rock, released in 2008.[12][13]

Confusion with other Jesters

There is another 1960s group called The Jesters III. They had a single "Pledge Of Love" / "Say That I’m The One" - Coulee 114, which was produced by Lindy Shannon. They are no relation to this group from South Carolina.[14] This particular Jesters III group was formed a couple of years earlier in 1965. It was made up of Wayne McKibbon, Jim Burkhart and Tom Eisenman, and came from La Crosse, Wisconsin. They played other areas such as Washington, Nevada, and California.[15][16] There was also another unrelated band from Athens, GA called The Jesters that was formed in 1964.[17]

Mike Corliss

In a February 1972 issue of Billboard, it was announced that Mike Corliss had a record for release on Boss Records which was to come out in March that year.[18] It was cut at Monument Studios in Nashville.[19] The single "You Said It All Before" bw "Too Much Of A Woman", was produced by Howard A. Knight, Jr., while the B side didn't have a credited composer, Bullman was credited as the composer on the A side.[20]

Recent activity

In September 2015, Bullman was appearing at the Chesnee Shrine Club.[21] He had appeared there previously in 2014.[22]

Discography

Jesters III
Singles
  • "Messed Up Woman" / "You Said It All Before" - Skyland 2019 - (1968)[23][24]
  • "Little Eve" / "Lonely Blue Boy" - Boss Records 1901 - (1972)[25]
  • "Funky Country" / "Dream On And On" - Champ Records 3001 - (1972?)[26]
Various artist compilation album
  • "Messed Up Woman" appears on Dateless Night - Buffalo Bop Bb-CD55069 - (1998), and Move And Rock - Collector CLCD 4519 (2000)[27][28]

Mike Corliss
Singles
  • "Too Much Of A Woman" / "You Said It All Before" - Boss Records 1902 - (1972)[25]

References
  1. The Gaffney Ledger May 2, 1979 Page 2 What's Up?
  2. Spartanburg Herald Journal Thursday, August 2, 2012 Music Q&A: Mike Bullman's heart hasn't left stage By Dan Armonaitis
  3. Times News September 14, 1981 Weddings, Haynes-Hill
  4. Spartanburg Herald-Journal April 30, 1992 Page 10 Variety of entertainment performs at spring fling
  5. Spartanburg Herald-Journal September 2, 1997 B1 Upstate Jammin' with Dad
  6. Transylvania Times August 7, 2009 Mike Bullman & Kelly Road Perform In Saluda
  7. Finnishcharts.com JESTERS III - Messed Up Woman (Song)
  8. Discogs Jesters III (2) – Funky Country / Dream On And On
  9. Collectors Frenzy The Jesters III teen+ Elvis vocal country soul on Champ hear both sides! Archived 2015-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  10. 45Cat Artist: Jesters III
  11. Billboard January 8, 1972 Page 43 Nashville Scene
  12. Discogs Various – Dateless Night
  13. All Music Various Artists Move and Rock
  14. Kay Bank Custom Pressings A listing of Kay Bank Custom Pressed Records, Coulee 114
  15. The La Crosse Tribune February 5, 1966 Page 17 Jesters III Play Here
  16. The Racquet Thursday, May 6, 1965 Page 1, Page 3
  17. Flagpole Friday, May 30 50 Years Later, The Jesters Say Goodbye By T. Ballard Leseman
  18. Billboard February 26, 1972 Country Music, Nashville Scene by Bill Williams, Watch out
  19. Billboard February 12, 1972 Page 83 Nashville Scene
  20. Discogs Mike Corliss – You Said It All Before / Too Much Of A Woman
  21. RC Catalyst 11-9-15 Rutherford County Arts & Events
  22. Spartanburg Herald-Journal Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Sound Observations, Upstate SC/Western NC music calendar: June 26-July 9 by Dan Armonaitis
  23. Rockin' Country Style Jesters III Original Releases
  24. Ultratop Jesters III - Messed Up Woman
  25. 45Cat Boss (S. Carolina) - Label Discography
  26. Discogs Jesters III (2) – Funky Country / Dream On And
  27. Rockin' Country Style Buffalo Bop Bb-CD55069 (CD) (Germany, 1998) Dateless Night
  28. All Music Various Artists Move and Rock, Releases
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