Women's Lib

 Vicki Leah

Women's Lib

Frank Leah, BMI

Craft Records #201

Recorded in Nashville.  Craft was Frank Leah's own label. Early seventies?

Frank Leah, a composer, singer and musician (playing rhythm guitar, blues harmonica) was looking for talent for a new band in the late sixties.

 

He heard about the Shomer family in Kansas City and was told they were remarkably gifted and versatile. When he arrived at the Shomer home the first time, only Vicki's mother was home. Mrs. Shomer said: "You better come back tonight when Vicki will be here. I know you'll just love her voice and personality. And she plays great bass, too." Mrs. Shomer was surprised and disappointed when Frank promptly rejected Vicki saying: "No, ma'am! No girl vocalists for me. They're nothing but trouble, trouble. I only want men for my bands."

Six months later, he married Vicki Shomer.

Vicki Leah, born Shomer

Boom Boom

The Blazers

With Lil' Ray Armstrong

Boom Boom

Antunes-Armstrong, Grand Canyon Music Inc

Empire Records

1650 Broadway, N.Y.C.
1963

Produced by Jack Peters of F.G.G. Productions  (Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer)

 

Upstate New York band formed by Ray Armstrong, from Rome, New York, and  Mike Antunes (born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts). The "A" side is "Boom Boom" which they sang at almost every gig, and the "B" side is "A-Time" written just by Mike Antunes. The record never made it real big, but The Blazers were a big hit around Syracuse and  Ithica (Upstate New York).   Mike Antunes, the sax player, and Bill McCool (bass) were in the Air Force.   The Blazers, at one time, had a steady Sunday night gig at Zito"s Hacienda. They would change members due to the fact the guys in the Air Force would get transfered in and out of Griffiss (Air Force base located in Rome). 

Let's Do The Itch

Lets Do The Itch

 1 -Tiny Hill - Lovebug Itch -Mercury - 1951
 2 -T. Texas Tyler - Scratch & Itch -Decca - 1953
 3 -Rex Jennings - Itchy Feet -Mar-Vel' - 1954
 4 -Chuck Higgins - The itch -Dootoo - 1956
 5 -Bobby Hendricks - Itchy Twitchy Feeling -Sue - 1958
 6 -Charles Dean - Itchy -Benton - 1958
 7 -Curley Jim  - Rock And Roll Itch -Metro - 1958
 8 -Curley Jim  - Rock And Roll Itch -Mida - 1958
 9 -Deep River Boys - Itchy Twitchy Feeling -His Master's Voice (UK) - 1958
 10 -Sonny Burgess - Itchy -Sun - 1958
 11 -Arlie Neaville - Lovebug Itch - unissued - 1958 or 1959
 12 -Carl Cherry - The Itch -Tene - 1959
 13 -Little Scooter Bill - Let's Do The Itch -Razorback - 1961
 14 -Eddie Pace - The U T Itch-Enterprise - 1962
 15 -Freddy & The Ravens  - The Big Itch -WED - 1962
 16 -Guitar Crusher - Itch With Me -Bethlehem - 1962
 17 -Metallics - Itchy Twitchy Too -Baronet  - 1962
 18 -Rufus Thomas - Itch and Scratch pt1&2 -Stax - 1972
 19 -Toby King - Itch & Scratch -Sound Plus - 1972

They didn't make it in time for this comp (too busy scratching?) :

The Divots-I Itch-Mart
The Knights-Itching Powder-Terra
The Maniacs-Itch And Scratch-Metropolis
Billy Nix, Russ Dugan, Morris Willett, Jack Cain-Itchy Feet-Ben

... and Bill Clinton

Little Fish

Ken Pepper

Little Fish

J. Duncan, Dundee Music, BMI

Roulette 4375

July 1961

 Recorded in Clovis, N.M.

Ken Pepper real name is Homer Tankersley, Jr.

Homer Tankersley was the long-serving lead singer of The Imperial Quartet, a Texas gospel group organised in the forties by Marion Snider, former pianist for the Original Stamps Quartet and Rangers Quartet. By 1955 the Imperial Quartet began transitioning away from gospel music and into popular music as the Commodores (records on Dot and Challenge,1955-1957)

 Homer Tankersley, Clovis News Journal :

While teaching voice in California, my dad called and said the Imperial Quartet wanted me to audition as lead singer.

I did and the job lasted for some 16 years.

As recording artists, The Imperials traveled coast-to-coast performing with many gospel groups. We were on the “Texas Quality Network” weekly in Dallas and a Friday night television show with Pat Boone in Fort Worth, Texas.

Eventually we became known as The Commodores, singing popular music with a hit record “Riding On a Train.” We were guests several times on the CBS “Arthur Godfrey Show” in New York.

While in New York, I resigned from The Commodores and moved my family to Clovis, where I became program director for KCLV and later KICA radio stations.   I started working with Norman Petty, recording under the name “Ken Pepper” (my radio name). Ken James and I sang with the Norman Petty trio and worked many recording sessions as backup singers.

Chandler Family Day

Chandler Family Day today at Dead Wax with Elaine Chandler and her brother Wayland Chandler from San Angelo, Texas.  

Elaine Chandler Tiptoein' thru the Teepee (4 Star 1700, 1956) : later known as Elaine Kiser, Elaine Chandler was born around 1937.  She recorded her only (I believe) record in 1956,  that was also the year she broke the heart of poor Gene Cody "She jilted me for a chance to be a recording star." (From YouTube comment)

Wayland Chandler : Bop With Me Baby (acetate, unissued) was recorded at the Wood Music Center in San Angelo on April 20, 1956.  Wayland recorded later, like his sister, for "4 Star" and two of his songs were recorded by Patsy Cline. 

Wayland Chandler, Sid Holmes and Danny Duseck started out as the Texas Tumbleweeds. They played the usual school gigs, and some stage shows.   The big thing that spurred these teens into action was the appearance of Sun Records own Elvis Presley on tour in West Texas, where he appeared in January & February of 1955.

Wayland Chandler died recently, in November 2014.

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive / Get Happy

Lonnie Sattin

Arnie Goland Orch.

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive / Get Happy

Sunbeam 111

1958

Sattin, one of nine children, was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but moved as a child to Philadelphia.  He earned his way through Temple university by working as a barber, house painter and door-to-door salesman.   Following the example of his father, the Rev. C.T. Staton, a Church of God pastor, Lonnie toured the eastern seaboard as an evangelist.   After winning a singing contest sponsored by the National Freedom Day association, Sattin gaves a series of concerts that won attention.   Soon he had to face a choice - to stay in the ministry or to seek a musical career.   "I hated to turn my back on my father, who always had wanted me to follow in his footsteps," said Lonnie, " I finally decided to make song my ministry when he told me, 'you have to live with yourself, son. You can't preach with a divided mind.

He was launched on a coast-to-coast concert tour.  The west coast, included on his itinerary, especially appealed to Lonnie and he played several clubs, including the famous jazzspot Oasis, where Earl Hines singled him out to etch two of his songs for his own [D'Oro] label and also him to travel with his band.  When Hines disbanded, Lonnie remained in Chicago, and worked the Club DeLisa and Black Orchid.  In Chicago, he was a member of the Skyloft Players, a theatrical group

 

Then embarked for New York City, where he has been in demand in noted night clubs.

Making his first Apollo appearance in 1956, Lonnie Sattin went on to become the leading vocalist in the famed Cotton Club Review in Miami, Fla.    New Yorkers will remember him from his appearance in the Broadway production of "The Body Beautiful." (1958)

In 1960, he was in Italy with movie star Jane Russell where she planned to make a number of Italian films with Lonnie Sattin co-starring with her in some of them.

His records can be found on :

D’Oro (1953), Capitol (1956-1957),  ,Sunbeam (1958),,Warner-Bros (1959-1960), Decca (1961)  and Scepter (1962-1963)

(An album recorded in Brazil, Lonnie Sattin sings Bossa Nova was released by Scepter in 1963)

The following quote from an article published by Jet Magazine in 1958 will be my last word  :

 

Sattin, who has stood on the fringes of stardom for several years, has had mild success as a concert and pop singer   

Let's Waddle

Don Covay -  The Popeye Waddle  (Cameo)
The Tangiers - Doin' the Waddle (AJ)
Sherry Ravon - Waddle Loo (Million)
The Slades - The Waddle (Domino)
Don Barber And The Dukes - The Waddle (Thunderbird)
The Bracelets - Waddle, Waddle (Congress)
The Earls - Let's Waddle (Old Town)
The Spartans - Can You Waddle? (Web)

Let's Waddle

And God Created Rebecca De Mornay

Mama - Come Save Your Child

Maureen Cannon

Mama - Come Save Your Child
Lincoln Chase, Robert Mellin, Inc. BMI

Orchestra directed by Milton DeLugg

 

Jubilee 45-5272

1957

Born in Chicago in 1924, Maureen Cannon appeared in short films and on stage, playing and singing in musical productions (she was Rosie, an aspiring singer in Up In Central Park, 1945-1946).  She sang on the Goodyear Revue television program from 1949 to 1952.

In September 1952, Derby Records released a couple of tunes featuring Maureen Cannon and the Striders: "Did I Speak Out Of Turn"/"Yes Lord."

DERBY 809 — Maureen Cannon turns in a bright performance as she bows on the Derby label with a swingy rendition of the Willard Robison gospel- styled oldie, backed in fair style by the chorus and ork.

Maureen Cannon made her first Chicago public appearance in her hometown in Augut 1954 with her singing, "fresh from TV and Broadway."

Not much information can be found about her career after 1958, date of release of her second Jubilee single.

 

She was on tour in England (1960) and Brazil (1961).

 

 In 1965 she was hired to replace the ailing actress (Sylvia Posedel) in Gypsy, a musical (probably in Portland, Oregon?) and according to one account "She reopened the show after only a few days of rehearsal"

 

Maureen Cannon  died in New York in 2003

Discography

Maureen Cannon And The Striders

1952 — Derby 809  Yes, Lord/Did I Speak Out Of Turn

 

Maureen Cannon /Orch. directed By Milton DeLugg
1957 — Jubilee 5272 : Mama - Come Save Your Child / Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh 

 

Maureen Cannon, musical director Billy Rock

1958 — Jubilee 5314.I Double Dare You / I'm Never Satisfied

Who Is It This Time?

Ethel Ennis

Who Is It This Time?

Spiral Records #1234

 1971 or early 1972?

Ethel Llewellyn Ennis (born November 28, 1932, in Baltimore, Maryland) began performing on the piano in high school, but her natural vocal abilities soon eclipsed those as a pianist. Embarking on a solo career, she recorded a number of sides for Atlantic Records before the Lp debut, 1955's Lullabies for Losers was released by Jubilee Records. In 1957, Ennis moved to the Capitol Records label for a two-album contract, and A Change of Scenery was released. Soon after the 1958 follow-up Lp Have You Forgotten, Ennis took a six-year hiatus from recording during which she toured Europe with Benny Goodman. [Wikipedia]

This is one of few singles she recorded in New York for Gladys Shelley's Spiral Records in the early seventies.

Spiral discography

Ethel Ennis discography (singles only)

Jailhouse Rock

Eli Whitney

 

Jailhouse Rock

 

Promenade
1957

One of the many budget labels operated by the Synthetics Plastics Company (or SPC) of Newark, New Jersey 

 

Eli Whitney, whoever he really is,  wasn't the most prolific name used on the label.  I've found only four titles performed by this pseudonymous artist, whose name was obviously devised to cover the Elvis Presley hits of the day.

The three others are Wear My Ring (58),  I Got Stung (58) and I Need Your Love Tonight (59).

I'm Your Slave

Jeanie Allen

I'm Your Slave

J.Allen, Scope Music, Inc. BMI

Vocal background by The Beavers 

with orchestra conducted by Marvin Montgomery

A Robert Lissauer Production

Arliss 1001

Arliss Records, a division of Scope Music, Inc., N.Y.C.

1960

 

 

This is the first record issued on Arliss Records,which was the only label, I think, ever owned by veteran songwriter, publisher and artists manager Robert Lissauer.

Orchestra leader and vocal backing are the same on the second Arliss release (Eddie McDuff) and both, Arliss 1001 and 1002, are probably from the same session (held in Dallas?)

Marvin Montgomery was by the early 1950s to 1962 the musical director of the Big D Jamboree, a weekly radio show syndicated nationally from Dallas that featured well-known and rising stars in country music.

The Beavers : siblings Judy, Rick and Robin joined the Big D Jamboree about 1958. Their repertoire included songs such as "If I Had A Hammer" and the traditional ballad "Barbara Allen".  They backed local artists on several recording sessions, such as Dub Dickerson and Bobby Crown among others.

I've not discovered much info about the singer Jeanie Allen.  Was she from Texas? I don't known.  Anyhow, she has certainly worked closely with Bob Lissauer in New York, first as songwriter and later as his assistant.  

 

Before recording two singles for the new Mala label in 1959, Jeanie Allen co-authored "Look Out I'm Fallin In Love " with Clint Ballard, Jr., a song recorded by The Morrison Sisters on Decca (1958). Her pen name then was Jean Kieffer.

Jeanie Allen discography 

 Mala 402 - Jeanie Allen - I Can't Stand It / Tony - 1959

Mala 403 - Jeanie Allen - I Really Love You / Nobody To Love Me - 1959
Arliss 1001 - I'm Your Slave / It's All Over Now - 1960

 

Robert Lissauer (1917–2004) Bob Lissauer was born in New York City where he attended the Juilliard School and then worked with Irving Berlin on his musical This Is the Army. From this production "Yanks A Poppin" was developed as a show that could be performed for troops in the field. As a soldier in World War II, Lissauer managed a production unit that traveled across the Pacific Theater.

 

After the war he managed the song library of Vincent Youmans, the composer of standards like "More Than You Know" and "Tea for Two,'' and worked as a record producer and songwriter. 

 

In 1955, Bob Lissauer opened two new publishing firms. Mode Music, Inc., is his ASCAP .outlet, while Scope Music, Inc., is his BMI affiliate.

A lifetime of experience led to his writing Lissauer's Encyclopedia of Popular Music in America (first edition, 1991)

 

 

Arliss listing (1960-1962)

 1001 Jeanie Allen
1002 Eddie Mcduff
1003 Jimmy Randolph
1004 The Preludes
1005
1006 Lonnie Heard (Original Member Of The Five Dollars/Don Juans On Fortune Records)
1007 Karl Hammel, Jr.
1008 Jay And Dee (early Doris Troy)
1009
1010 Pancho Villa
1011
1012 The Expressions
1013 Joe Bragg
3301 Sam Sacks (LP)
 

Scratchin' On My Screen

Feelin' Joyous

Scratchin' On My Screen

(new link)

Ric Cartey-Larry Handley

Lowery Music

El Rico 069 1/2

1962

A reworking of the song recorded four years earlier by Ric Cartey on NRC.  Feelin' Joyous is quite possibly Ric Cartey himself.  The song, written by Cartey, was loosely based on the old country blues "Diggin' My Potatoes".  The P.O Box on label is the address of the Lowery Music Company. 

Carole Joyner and Ric Cartey

Ric Cartey will be remembered as the co-writer of "Young Love". Few songs have charted in so many different versions. Alongside the chart-topping renditions of Sonny James and Tab Hunter, there were hit versions by The Crew Cuts (# 17, 1957), Lesley Gore (# 50, 1966), Connie Smith & Nat Stuckey (# 20 country, 1969), Donny Osmond (# 25, 1973) and Ray Stevens (# 93, 1976).

Ric Cartey was a protégé of the Atlanta-based music publisher and record producer Bill Lowery, who launched the Stars label in 1956 with Cartey (and his group the Jiv-A-Tones) as his principal artist. Ric's debut single, "Ooh-Ee", was reviewed in the C&W section of Billboard (November 24, 1956) and scored a 90, a rating rarely given. "A unique listening experience", wrote the reviewer. Hidden on the backside of this rockabilly number was a ballad in a completely different style, "Young Love", which Cartey had written together with his girl friend, Carole Joyner.   

http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/ric_cartey.htm

Chick Chick

 

Little Bob and his electric uke

Chick Chick

B&L 2

1966

Seattle, Washington

 

This is Robert Hrvatin (1932-1973).  He resided in Burien (Washington State) at the time of his death.

 

His previous record on the same label, "Rock That Uke", is listed at the Rockin' Country Style website here 

 

Stand By Your Man

Besame Mucho

Sherri Malinou

Besame Mucho

Vassar 326

1962

 

Was issued with a picture sleeve. The new "Spillane Dame" is presented on the back of the sleeve by her future husband, the crime novelist Mickey Spillane : 

 

Great things can happen by accident.  When Sherri Malinou posed for the back cover photo of my latest book THE GIRL HUNTERS,  I discovered not only a beautiful model, but one of the greatest voices I ever heard.  Now, on top of recordind single records and albums for Vassar Records, she'll be featured in my Mike Hammer motion pictures produced by Fellane Productions.

Although just entering her twenties, Sherri's dancing career goes back to age five and the vaudeville stage.  She sang and danced her way into the Bell Telephone Hour, the Ray Bolger Broadway hit ALL AMERICAN, the award-winning off-Broadway show Riverwind and the Oldsmobile Show.

A throroughly trained and talented singer, Sherri Malinou's voice has an incredible range and calibre.  She can inspire musicians and listeners alike.  Arranger, Lew Douglas sweeps her into new dimensions of song and sound destined to thrill music lovers of all ages.

Note : she was not featured in "The Girl Hunters" movie and I can't find evidence of further recordings by Selma (Sherri) Malinou.

Sherri on the book cover

photographied by Mickey Spillane 

(1972)

Her marriage ended in divorce (and a lawsuit) in 1983.  She found work later with Ruth Webb, a talent agent, as casting agent in her Scandal Agency  : 

Although Ms. Webb chats plenty on the phone, she spends most of her day up in her bedroom, with her 1,500 stuffed raccoons, typing out her memoirs. Ms. Spillane and another agent, Scott Stander, appear to be the real worker bees. Each morning, they plow through a list of available roles, looking for spots for their clients.

Casting agent for pimps, athletes connected to violent crimes and "actors" who are associated with athletes connected to violent crimes, Sherri Spillane.says that her job is really good old-fashioned charity work.

"I help people," she said about the scandalous (or as she prefers to call them, "high-profile, controversial") client list she recently developed at the Ruth Webb talent agency here. The first was the figure skater Tonya Harding, who was stripped of her national championship for her role in the attack on her rival, Nancy Kerrigan, last year. [1994)

Since signing Ms. Harding eight months ago, Ms. Spillane has also picked up Sydney Biddle Barrows (who ran a high-end prostitution ring several years ago and wrote "The Mayflower Madam"); Jennifer Young, the roommate to another madam, Heidi Fleiss, whose clothing line she markets; Tammy Faye Bakker; Randal Tamayei, a Judge Lance Ito look-alike, and her personal favorite, Joey Buttafuoco, the auto mechanic whose romantic trysts with a Long Island teen-ager, Amy Fisher, resulted in a bullet wound to the head for his wife, Mary Jo, and, thanks to the agency, a few tickets to the Academy Awards ceremonies.

And just what qualifies Sherri Spillane for this scandalous task?

Well, according to the company's press release: "Sherri's own scandal, dating Sammy Davis Jr., while still married to world famous mystery writer, Mickey Spillane, has given her all the experience she would need dealing with the media blitz that follows every major scandal . . . Sherri recognized an opportunity in an uncharted market and found her niche."

Swingin' Ring

Flora Belle Singer

Swingin' Ring

Star-Star Selections 524

Ed Rudy produced it.

Ed Rudy started in show business as “The Milkman” on 1010 WINS in New York City. He later worked at WMGM and WABC in the city. He did both syndicated and live radio and also worked as a newspaper columnist and a record producer. It was his broadcasting for INS Radio News, Radio Pulsebeat News and UPI Radio that put him in contact with The Beatles in 1964. He traveled with The Beatles on their first American tour. The Beatles tolerate him at best.

Ed Rudy claimed to be the only "reporter" to follow the group for the entire tour, a boast that he parlayed into a weird souvenir album from the period : The Beatles - The American Tour with Ed Rudy.  Cheaply packaged, with rubber-stamped printing on a white cover, this was one of the first Beatles exploitation interview albums, a industry that amazingly continues to thrive.   

Ed Rudy website
 

Singer, the singer

possibly born in 1937 in Pennsylvania ?

no info

School Bus Blues

Jim Harris

and

Bobby Albright's Boot Hill Express

School Bus Blues

Empire Records

Out of Lubbock, Texas from, I guess, the early seventies

He's Gone

Pearl Reaves

with Paul Farano Trio

He's Gone

Pearlsfar 101

1958

Pearl Reaves, a singer originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, moved to Rahway, New Jersey in the late 40s. After winning some local talent shows, she started singing at the Palace Blue Room, owned by bandleader/drummer Paul Farano. She not only sang, but played guitar with the Paul Farano Trio there for two years (and ended up marrying Farano).  She mostly limited her career to singing with her husband's band.

For more info, see The Concords, article by Marv Goldberg here

The Lovely & Incomparable Pearl Reaves

and Paul Farano Trio

The Frog

 The Constellations

The Frog

 Impel Records

Shelby, NC

mid-sixties

Over the course of three decades beginning in the late 1950s, David Lee, this unheralded songwriter, musician, producer, and entrepreneur released fourteen 45s and two LPs on his Impel, Washington Sound, and SCOP labels, run out of his Washington Sound record shop in Shelby, North Carolina.

The Constellations had 3 records on Impel

More on David Lee here

Please Don't Play On That Guitar

Calvin Cheek

Please Don't Play On That Guitar 

wr. Calvin Cheek, Chuck Huffman

Tally 103

From Bakersfield, California, with Bill Woods on fiddle.

I can't tell you much about Calvin Cheek.   He and Chester "Chuck" Huffman also wrote three songs listed in the BMI database (Sweet Lovin Ways, With Or Without You and Wood Man), so after all this wasn't perhaps his only record. 

 

Bo Diddley

Jimmy Elledge

Bo Diddley

RCA Victor 47-8042

1962

 

 

So What

Carmen Taylor

So What

King 5085

(1957)

King "bio" (but no bio). Carmencita Taylor, also known as Elena Madera in some spanish speaking countries according to my own research

Personnel for the King Records session  :

Hilton Jefferson, Leslie Johnakins (alto saxophone) Hal Singer (tenor saxophone) Dave McRae (baritone saxophone) Kelly Owens (piano) Billy Butler (guitar) Carl Pruitt (bass) Panama Francis (drums) Carmen Taylor (vocals)
 

NYC, September 9, 1957

Great Big Baby

Don Caron’s Orchestra

with Gini Patton vocalist

“Great Big Baby”

Academy 5558

1955

Male vocalist (Eddie Allyn?) with group backup. Obviously, despite what the label says, the vocalist is not Gini Patton who was a female singer born Virginia Pasternak.

Don Caron was a schoolteacher who also headed an orchestra that was popular in the Chicago area throughout the 1960s.  The orchestra was the house band for a local record label named I.R.C.   In 1962 the Caron orchestra got an instrumental hit on a reworking of an old traditional number, "The Work Song."  Released on IRC, the record lasted two months on the WLS survey chart.

Roly Poly

Wade Morris

Roly Poly

Virgelle 733

"Goldenrod Series"

Producer Ron Biberthaler

1965

Virgelle Records, a Seafair-Bolo subsidiary,  was located in Seattle, Washington

Wade Morris (1932-2013)

Woodie Wade Morris played music all his life. He played the bass guitar, steel guitar, lead guitar and flat top guitar.  He has written many songs and recorded them as well.

Wade Morris obituary

A Razzle Dazzle

 

Eddie Korosa Jr.
Boys From Illinois

Frank Cernugel, Ronnie Zola, Greg Zola, Jeff Chmielewski

 

A Razzle Dazzle 

E. K. J. Productions CTN-215

 

 

Eddie Korosa and the Boys have been playing together since 1976 playing polkas, big band, rock and roll and country music,  

Eddie Korosa, Jr. official website

Great Moments in Boxing

Great Moments?

It depends on who you ask

It's Time To Leave You

Merle Lee And The Eye Shadows

 It's Time To Leave You 

(Jules Benner-Lee Sages)

Debbie Anne Music Inc, ASCAP

Debbie 1271

 Foster-Gates Productions

Recorded At A.M.S

1963

 

It's Time To Leave You

Arranger and composer Walter "Gates" Grigaitis (d. 1977) worked for Swan Records.  His arrangements were used by Chubby Checker, The Supremes, Freddie Cannon and others.  He also operated his own record production firm in Philadelphia with singer Debbie Foster.   

Little is known about Debbie Foster who is probably the fashion model coached by Artie Singer for a band canarying spot with Art Wendall at the Palladium in Philadelphia in 1953

Nothing is known about Merle Lee and The Eye Shadows

The Chicken Mash

Dennis Weaver

 

The Chicken Mash / The Apes

 Hal Moffett-Bob Summers
Exbrook Music, BMI
Produced by Hal Moffett
Eva 103
1963
Box 2921, Hollywood 28, Calif. 

Dennis Weaver, of part-American Indian background, served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  He was a struggling actor in Hollywood in 1955, earning $60 a week delivering flowers when he was offered $300 a week for a role in a new CBS television series, Gunsmoke (1955). After nine years as Chester, who he played with a stiff-legged gait, he was earning $9,000 a week.

Mainly known as actor, Dennis Weaver was also a musician.  In 1958, he formed a singing trio with Milburn Stone and Amanda Blake. In 1960, the trio broke the house record for the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair.   Dennis Weaver recorded three albums of country music in the seventies.

Dennis Weaver discography

45s

1959 — Cascade 5906 : Girls (Wuz Made To Be Loved) / Michael Finniga
1963 — Eva 103  : The Apes  Chicken Mash
1963 — Warner Bros 5352 The Sinking Of The Reuben James/ Genesis Through Exodus
1969 — Century City  : Days Like These / Cobwebs Of Your Mind
1973 —  Im'press 716  : 20th Century Man / No Name
1975 —  Ovation 1056 : Hubbardville Store / Prairie Dog Blues

Albums

1972 —  Im'press 1614  Dennis Weaver
1974  — ABC 847 : People Songs
1975  — Ovation 1440 One More Road

Dennis Weaver official website

Carmen Taylor and Elena Madera

 Elena Madera
 *

Willie B.

Carman Taylor

Big "Tootin'" Buddy Lucas Band

El Toro 501

 

The tiny El Toro label was launched in 1963 by music store owner Buddy Dunk who was once the manager of The Limelighters, a black vocal group who recorded for a lot of budget labels under a great variety of names. (For details, see the Marv Goldberg article HERE

"Willie B", recently re-issued, is the most obscure record ever recorded by Carmen Taylor, a New York cabaret artist, songwriter and session singer who recorded for a number of East Coast labels in the 1950s.  The labels she recorded for, besides Guyden, were Atlantic, Mercury, Apollo, King and Kama Sutra.

So many records and so many songs penned (most with Willis H. Carroll) and yet, I've been unable to find much info or even a picture of Carmen Taylor who was with Lavern Baker and Ruth Brown on Atlantic Records at the same time and was not less successfull.

Exit Carmen Taylor, enter Elena Madera.

Born in Havana, Cuba of a Cuban-born mother who was a professional dancer, and a father, born in the USA, who was a bandleader in the Philadelphia area.  Elena came to the United States of America at age two, began singing at age three,  For a little more details about Elena Madera, see Alex who is just as curious about the fact  that there isn't much info about Elena Madera on the web.

After extensive research, there is no much doubt in my mind today that Carmen Taylor, Carmen Taylor and Elena Madera are one and only one person !

Carmen Taylor  : My Son (Kama Sutra)


Elena Madera : Pepito

Elena Madera : El Chipi-Chipi

Rock-A Bayou Baby

Don't Call Me Chicken

Bob Crewe

Don't Call Me Chicken

Melba 119

1957

The story of Bob Crewe and Frank Slay starts generally with "Silhouettes", a song recorded by The Rays.  

But their association actually dates back from 1953, when Crewe met and partnered with Frank Slay Jr., a young pianist from Texas who came to New York aged 21 in 1951.

 

"Don't You Care", the earliest song they wrote together and sung by Bob Crewe, was issued on the Philadelphia BBS label in 1953, a label owned by Bill Borelli.

 Before this Melba release, Bob Crewe also recorded for Jubilee (1954), Spotlight (1955-1956) and Coral (1956).

To tell Crewe's full story would take a book 

 

Iona Wade

 Iona Wade 

And The Billboards

with J. Hemsley and his Orchestra

I Love You Baby

 D. Polk - T. Polk

No More Dogging

Gordon

both Dan Tan Music BMI

Vistone Records 2025
1962

Iona Harlin Wade was born in 1918 in Indianapolis.  A jazz vocalist, Iona Wade seems to have debuted with Snookum Russell in 1943. She recorded with Eric Von Schlitz & His Big Six, with Sherman Williams (1947-1948), with Bill Gaither (MGM, 1949), on Peacock with Jay McShann (1950), with James Moody in the fifties and with Bill Gaither and his Madcaps. 

Dave Polk has produced some records for Vistone Records before lauching his own Flodavieur label.

The Vistone label was first located in San Pedro before moving to Los Angeles. Vistone Records was owned by an eccentric guy called Pete Korelich, who had emigrated from Croatia.  Pete Korelich had also a pressing plant which was used by Sam Phillips for some Elvis records on the Sun label.   These West Coast pressings, according to some collectors, are better sounding than those pressed by Plastic Products in Memphis.  

Do You Wanna Jump

The Creels

Do You Wanta Jump

Carole McCord, Singing River Pub. Co.

Judd 1005
1958

The Creels, from Alabama,  previously recorded for Abbott Records, a West Coast label. 

Writer of the song, Carole McCord, was probably born Creel and married Pete McCord, a session bass player and songwriter.  Also member of The Creels was Helen Bozeman, wife of Johnny Bozeman, owner of Sandy Records, a Mobile label.

Bridgestone 90

 The Panthers

Bridgestone 90
T. Dishaw - J. Cunningham

D&C 12/13

1966

Massena, Upstate New York band led by Tommy Dishaw.

With the introduction of the 90 series to America in 1964 the Bridgestone 90’s placed Bridgestone in the American motorcycle market as a serious and dominating force.
With a total production sales of 51,000 by 1966 the 90 series was truly the model that proved it. Offered in nine different models the 90 series had the most models of any other series offered by Bridgestone to the U.S. market.

Hold On To My Shaking Hands

Jan Hodson

Hold On To My Shaking Hands 
Scott Blake-Jack Hill,

 Snooty Music BMI

RCT Recording Co. Of Tenn.
2751 Kimball Memphis, Tenn.

 Produced by Ken Laxton

Ken Laxton was a Memphis trumpet player who became sound engineer and producer, working with The Meters, The Nevilles, Allen Toussaint etc

 

No much info other than that.  Jan Hodson is unknown as is the date of release.  Presumably this RCT label is not related to the earlier Memphis RCT label owned by Ray Scott from the early sixties ?

 

I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine

Frank Messina And The Mavericks

Called by Fenton "Jonesy" Jones

I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
Mack David, Famous Music Corp, ASCAP
 

Square Dance With Call

Mac Gregor 8065

1957

Fenton G. "Jonesy" Jones (1907–2003), born in Los Angeles, was best known as a square dance caller.   His mother, who died when Jones was seven years old, was a pianist and guitarist.  Jones began calling dances in 1940, touring the United States and calling at various square dancing events. He also called dances regularly at his home state of California.   

 

He had previously recorded his calls, first in 1946 on the Black and White then on Imperial, Capitol, MGM and Mastertone labels.[Jones also appeared in many films television series in the 1970s and 1980s, most often uncredited, as a square dance caller

The Mac Gregor label, founded in 1950, was a division of C.P. MacGregor Transcriptions.

C.P. MacGregor. owner of the label, was one of those unseen hands in early radio.  He produced radio programs, recorded musicians, and syndicated everything. He was known as "the DeMille of the discs.".   The first of his companies, MacGregor and Ingram Co. was incorporated about 1929.

MacGregor was a prolific producer and distributor syndicated transcription discs. He did the Shadow, Cecil and Sally Eps, AFRS programs, Al Jolson, Jubilee, Lux Radio theatre, The Hollywood Theatre, Eb and Zeb, and sessions with Leadbelly, Charlie Parker, Stan Kenton... hundreds of others.

 

Capitol Records, before they had their own studios, recorded in the Mac Gregor Studios in the 1940s.