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.
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.The Gaffney Ledger May 2, 1979 Page 2 What's Up? 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.Spartanburg Herald Journal Thursday, August 2, 2012 Music Q&A: Mike Bullman's heart hasn't left stage By Dan Armonaitis He was also providing music at weddings in the early 1980s.Times News September 14, 1981 Weddings, Haynes-Hill
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.Spartanburg Herald-Journal April 30, 1992 Page 10 Variety of entertainment performs at spring fling 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.Spartanburg Herald-Journal September 2, 1997 B1 Upstate Jammin' with Dad
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. In August 2009, he appeared with Kelly Road at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.Transylvania Times August 7, 2009 Mike Bullman & Kelly Road Perform In Saluda
Jesters III From the late 1960s he was the bandleader of an outfit called The Jesters. They were regular performers in Gaffney, South Carolina. 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.Finnishcharts.com JESTERS III - Messed Up Woman (Song) 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.Discogs Jesters III (2) – Funky Country / Dream On And OnCollectors Frenzy The Jesters III teen+ Elvis vocal country soul on Champ hear both sides! 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.45Cat Artist: Jesters III 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.Billboard January 8, 1972 Page 43 Nashville Scene
"Messed Up Woman" appears on the Various Artists compilation Dateless Night, released in 1998 and another comp Move and Rock, released in 2008.Discogs Various – Dateless NightAll Music Various Artists Move and Rock
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.Kay Bank Custom Pressings A listing of Kay Bank Custom Pressed Records, Coulee 114 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.The La Crosse Tribune February 5, 1966 Page 17 Jesters III Play HereThe Racquet Thursday, May 6, 1965 Page 1, Page 3 There was also another unrelated band from Athens, GA called The Jesters that was formed in 1964.Flagpole Friday, May 30 50 Years Later, The Jesters Say Goodbye By T. Ballard Leseman
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.Billboard February 26, 1972 Country Music, Nashville Scene by Bill Williams, Watch out It was cut at Monument Studios in Nashville.Billboard February 12, 1972 Page 83 Nashville Scene 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.Discogs Mike Corliss – You Said It All Before / Too Much Of A Woman
Recent activity In September 2015, Bullman was appearing at the Chesnee Shrine Club.RC Catalyst 11-9-15 Rutherford County Arts & Events He had appeared there previously in 2014.Spartanburg Herald-Journal Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Sound Observations, Upstate SC/Western NC music calendar: June 26-July 9 by Dan Armonaitis
Discography
Jesters III Singles "Messed Up Woman" / "You Said It All Before" - Skyland 2019 - (1968)<ref>Rockin''' Country Style Jesters III Original Releases</ref>Ultratop Jesters III - Messed Up Woman "Little Eve" / "Lonely Blue Boy" - Boss Records 1901 - (1972)45Cat Boss (S. Carolina) - Label Discography "Funky Country" / "Dream On And On" - Champ Records 3001 - (1972?)Discogs Jesters III (2) – Funky Country / Dream On And Various artist compilation album "Messed Up Woman" appears on Dateless Night - Buffalo Bop Bb-CD55069 - (1998), and Move And Rock'' - Collector CLCD 4519 (2000)''Rockin''' Country Style Buffalo Bop Bb-CD55069 (CD) (Germany, 1998) Dateless NightAll Music Various Artists Move and Rock, Releases
Mike Corliss Singles "Too Much Of A Woman" / "You Said It All Before" - Boss Records 1902 - (1972)
References
External links Music Q&A: Mike Bullman's heart hasn't left stage Mike Bullman - Discogs Jesters III at ''Rockin''' Country Style The Jesters - "Funky Country" Mike Bullman - "Lights Don't Hold A Candle"