In the cool night air

This is a great rocking song by a band called the Mints. They were a five member group from Center, Texas. How many vocal groups came from Texas? Even stranger, they’re white guys. I never would have thought this record was made by a bunch of white guys from Texas!

The Mints, also known as the Four Mints, grew up together and had been singing since the forties. They formed the group around 1954 and release this 45 on Lin Records in 1957. Hollywood’s Imperial Records picked it up and re-issued it the same year.

Unfortunately, this is the only Mints song I have. Strangely enough (this record has a lot of strangeness – how common were split singles in 1957?), the record was split single with Ken Copeland on the flip. I don’t like Copeland’s side of the record and didn’t want to post it. Apologies to all you Ken Copeland fans out there. Copeland’s song was written by one of the Mints.

I don’t know if The Mints made many records. The group did stay together until 1962, eventually playing clubs in Las Vegas.

I found the 45 (on Imperial) in a junk store in Johnson City, TN in 1996. The vinyl has got a bunch of strange spiral scuffs running out from the label. Maybe the record was in a jukebox for a few decades.

Bonus(?): The runout groove from the Mints record is pretty cool sounding. If you're interested, here it is.