If you were alive in 1965, you probably remember a song that sounded like it was recorded in a garage filled with lightning. It had this punchy horn line and a guy screaming "Hey!" with enough force to crack a windshield. That was Roy Head and The Traits. Their hit, "Treat Her Right," is one of those songs that feels like it’s always been there, vibrating in the background of American culture. It’s been in Tarantino movies, covered by Bruce Springsteen, and used to sell everything from soda to cars.
But here’s the wild thing: that song almost knocked "Yesterday" by The Beatles off the top of the charts. Think about that. A bunch of guys from San Marcos, Texas, were neck-and-neck with the Fab Four during the height of the British Invasion. They didn't have the mop-tops or the fancy suits. They just had grit, a tight horn section, and a frontman who moved like he’d been electrocuted.
The San Marcos Roots of Roy Head and The Traits
Roy Head wasn’t some manufactured pop star. He was a farm kid from Three Rivers who moved to San Marcos and teamed up with a group of high school buddies. They were originally called The Treys, but a radio announcer messed up the name and called them The Traits instead. They just rolled with it.
Honestly, the band was a total Texas melting pot. They played rockabilly, they played R&B, and they played whatever kept the beer joints jumping. They were white kids playing music that sounded "black" enough that when "Treat Her Right" first hit the airwaves, most DJs thought Roy was a soul singer from Detroit or Memphis.
That "Acrobatic" Stage Presence
If you ever get a chance to watch old clips of Roy Head and The Traits on shows like American Bandstand or Shindig!, do yourself a favor and click play. Roy didn't just dance. He did backflips. He did the splits. He had this move where he’d lick his fingers and touch his shoes like they were too hot to handle.
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He once famously did a somersault off a stage and landed right back on the beat. It wasn't polished like a Vegas act; it was chaotic and dangerous. Some people called it "spaz dancing," but it was actually high-level athleticism fueled by pure adrenaline. He copped moves from James Brown and Joe Tex but added a frantic, country-boy energy that was entirely his own.
The "Treat Her Right" Phenomenon
The story behind their biggest hit is kinda hilarious. It was recorded at Gold Star Studios in Houston for about $500. The song was originally called "Talking About a Cow." No, seriously. Bassist Gene Kurtz—who basically co-wrote the hook—convinced Roy to change the lyrics to be about a girl because, well, songs about cows don't usually sell a million copies.
The song is a masterclass in simplicity.
- The Hook: A 12-bar blues structure that repeats until it’s burned into your brain.
- The Tag: That "Stronger than dirt" line at the end? They stole it from an Ajax laundry detergent commercial they saw on late-night TV.
- The Vibe: It’s raw. You can hear the room. You can hear Roy ad-libbing "You’re too much, baby" because he was genuinely feeling the groove.
In September 1965, the song hit No. 2 on both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts. It was held back from the top spot only by "Yesterday." Roy Head and The Traits were officially international stars, but the fame was a weird fit.
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Why They Didn't Become the Next Rolling Stones
People often wonder why Roy Head and The Traits didn't have a string of ten more Top 10 hits. Part of it was the timing. The British Invasion was sucking all the oxygen out of the room. But the real reason was a bit more "small-town Texas."
Most of the band members—guys like Dan Buie and Bill Pennington—had actual lives and jobs they didn't want to leave. They were playing frat parties and regional gigs, making decent money, but the idea of a grueling world tour didn't appeal to everyone. Roy was the only one 110% committed to the "star" lifestyle.
Eventually, the group imploded. There were lawsuits over money, and Roy went solo, eventually pivoting to a very successful career in country music in the 70s and 80s. But that magic of the original Traits lineup—that specific blend of Texas R&B and rockabilly—was never quite the same without the full squad.
The Legacy of Blue-Eyed Soul
Roy Head and The Traits are often cited as the pioneers of "blue-eyed soul." They proved that a white band from the South could have enough "stink" on their music to satisfy R&B audiences. They paved the way for acts like The Box Tops and even The Righteous Brothers to some extent.
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Today, Roy’s son, Sundance Head (who won The Voice), carries on that vocal legacy. But for those who remember the 60s, it’s all about those 2 minutes and 4 seconds of "Treat Her Right."
How to Appreciate the Traits Today
If you want to really understand the impact of Roy Head and The Traits, don't just listen to the radio edits.
- Seek out the "Where The Action Is" footage. You need to see Roy’s feet to understand why he was a threat to every other frontman in 1965.
- Listen to the B-sides. Songs like "Apple of My Eye" and "Live It Up" show the band's range beyond the one big hit.
- Check out the 2019 "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" soundtrack. Tarantino used "Treat Her Right" to perfectly capture that era of cool, grit, and transition.
- Look for the 2025/2026 vinyl reissues. There has been a massive resurgence in "Texas Soul" lately, and many of their TNT and Back Beat recordings are being remastered for a new generation.
The best way to honor the band is to simply turn the volume up until your neighbors complain. That’s how Roy would’ve wanted it.