Dead Wax

Jedco, Commerce & related labels

2012-02-11T02:40:00.000-08:00

Despite the variety of label names (Jedco, Commerce, Ivanhoe and Boot Hill) and musical genres (Country, pop, soul, girl group, RnB) there was only one and same recording company, somewhat obscure and, as it seems, not documented.

The first releases are on Jedco, a label certainly launched by Jack E. Downes in 1963, possibly with the financial backing of Dale Rogers (see below).

Of Jack E. Downes, not much is known. His name - as arranger and/or producer - can be found on sixties labels such as Vistone Records (artists : Carmel Covered Popcorn, Danny Michaels), Megatone (a cover of "Harper Valley PTA" by Bobbie Dee), or Regon (Oregon label, artist : Dottie Collins)...

Dale Rogers was perhaps "the man with some bucks who wasn't really in the music business " described by Tony Johnson, a member of the Accents and Commerce recording artists. Dale Rogers' main business was Sun Aviation Corporation located in Downey. Owning a label such a Commerce Records was perhaps motivated by a tax evasion intention. Anyway, Dale Rogers headed toward other hobbies, as Commerce Records folded in 1965. In 1967, Premier Enterprise, a Division of Sun Aviation, was producing slot-cars, such as the Cyclone Avenger model. But "The model was very unsuccessful in the marketplace because it came a bit too late and was obsolete by the time it reached the hobby shops shelves". (see the Slot Car Museum).

Bobby Boyd was only briefly a partner of Dale Rogers :

Billboard (January 18, 1964 issue) inform its readers that "Bobby Boyd, head of Boyd Records, has purchased an interest in Commerce Records and will distribute both labels through Boyd distributors, Boyd announced here [in Downey] last week. Dale Rogers will remain as Commerce president and will aid in directing Boyd Records from the West Coast."

Bobby Boyd, a five-eights Choctaw Indian, began his career in entertainment as an actor, working in most of the John Wayne movies.His first association with music came with a group he managed and produced called the Windjammers - boys for Norway who were in the USA as exchange students - , whom he met in Hollywood. Production came to Bobby naturally. He was around the Warner Bros., lot in Hollywood for a long time before forming Boyd Records

The Bobby Boyd involvment in the Commerce partnership didn't last long : there was only few records resulting from this partnership

Discography

Jedco, Commerce, Ivanhoe, Boot Hill labels (1963-1965)
Hollywood and Downey (California)

Jedco 5001 - 1963
Jack E. Downes & His Friends
Strictly Drums (P4KM-7836)
Surfin’ Way Out (P4KM-7837)

Jedco 5002 - 1963
Jack E. Downes
Prod. Terry Hudson, Bryan Roy Publishers BMI
Strictly Drums part I (P4KM-7836)
Strictly Drums part II (P4KM-7837)

Jedco 5002 is a re-titled issue of Jedco 5001. Both sides can be heard HERE.

Strictly Drums Part I is a technically proficient drum solo straddling the styles of Cozy Cole and Denver’s favorite session drummer Ronny Kae. The track sounds more like an advanced drum student’s homework assignment than an actual song and the relentless tempo leaves you gasping for air as the song concludes.

Jedco 5007 (w/picture seeve)
Woody Coleman
Linda Darling
High On A Mountain

Both wr J.P. Sloane (Angeles Crest, BMI)

Real name : J.P. Sloane. During the years of 1965-68, J.P. Sloane was the lead singer for The Brothers Grim, a popular recording group booked out of Hollywood who appeared in concerts, clubs and on television. They have the distinct honor of being the first American rock group to promote VOX concert amplifiers which were made famous by the British rock group, the Beatles.

5008

Jedco 5009 and
Commerce 5009 1964/Jan. 18 C&W
Roy Counts
Temptation, Hitway BMI, M-557
Blue Angel , Trio BMI

Both sides written by Eddie Miller
Country with Ralph Mooney on steel guitar.

Jedco 5010 and
Commerce 5010
Billy Van
I've Been Saving All My Love For You (M-558)
It's My Way

This is William Allan Van Evera, (1934–2003), known by the stage name Billy Van. Canadian comedian, actor and singer.

Commerce 5011 (with picture sleeve)
Eddie Dean
Don't Take Advantage Of Me (559)
Stop Me If You've Heard

Picture sleeve has liner notes by Biff Collie on the back. Record brought to Commerce by Bobby Boyd.
Eddie Dean (born Edgar Dean Glossup) (1907-1999) was an American western singer and actor whom Roy Rogers and Gene Autry termed the best cowboy singer of all time. Dean was best known for "I Dreamed Of A Hill-Billy Heaven" (1955), which became an even greater hit in 1961 for Tex Ritter. [Wikipedia]

Commerce 560
The Road Runners feat. Jim Edgar
Little Pig
Rains (Jim Edgar)

Cover of Dale Hawkins. First issued in 1963 on Bobby Boyd's Chan label #111.

Managed by Bobby Boyd. The Road Runners were Jim Edgar, Sam Edwards, Farland Stanley, Larry Marcum and Jimmy Driskol.

Commerce 5012 - May 16, 1964 (Billboard)
The Accents feat. Sandi
Tell Me (What’s On Your Mind) M-561
Better Watch Out Boy M-562

Based in San Diego, this group included Don Beck, Tony Johnson, Gabe Lapano, Don Lovas, Frank Mannix, Doug Myers, and Sandra (Sandi) Rouse at various times.

“Better Watch Out Boy,” a song composed by one of Sandi’s acquaintances, George Semper, climbed to the top ten in San Diego and top twenty in LA and a few other major cities. Challenge Records picked up the record and re-issued it. Three singles followed on Charter, Liberty and Karate.

Accents website

Asked to what were the circumstances leading to the opportunity to record, Tony Johnson said :

A man with some bucks showed up at a gig and expressed interest. He wasn't really in the music business but took us to Los Angeles where we recorded at a high-end studio with no supervision. We were just kids and didn't know what we were doing but came up with our first single, ‘Better Watch Out Boy.’

Commerce 5510 (w/picture sleeve)
Diamond Jim Bradley
Love Me Baby
I Don't Care

Listed by Bob McGrath in his R&B indies discography. Diamond Jim Bradley is likely the father of Little Jimmy Bradley Jr. (see below)

Commerce 5013 (5511)
Little Jimmy Bradley Jr.
Teddy Bear Stomp 5013-A
Drummer Boy Rock 5013-B
Produced by Downes-Rogers

At the age of three, JBJ's musical talents were being realized by his parents as they saw him retrieving pots and pans from the kitchen cabinet to perform on. Because they were performing musicians, they were able to give James support and teaching. James Bradley, Jr. was a child-drumming prodigy and at the age of four he was recognized as the worlds youngest professional drummer. Appearing on major television shows in the sixties such as "I've Got A Secret", "Steve Allen", "Jack Benny", "Art LinkLetter", "Nat King Cole", "Hollywood Palace", and many others. And then a contract with Paramount Pictures, where JBJ played a part in the movie "Cool Hand Luke".

Jimmy Bradley biography

Commerce 5014
The Mandarins feat. Jimmy Hayes
That Other Guy (H. Johnson)
You Better Watch Out Girl

Prod. By George Semper

George Semper's pumping intro takes a Drifters style arrangement into another league! Emotional pleading lead-vocals, backed by a fluid backup vocals, Southern California style brass work, blends into a fabulous dancer!

Commerce 5015
Jimmy Hayes
The Goose (wr George Semper)
As A City Sleeps (wr J. Hayes)
Prod. By George Semper

Commerce 5016
Tony Harrison
Arranged by J. Carmichael
Sad Occasion
I'm Not The Only One

Commerce 5017
Sammy Lee
As A City Sleeps
Rosetta

Arr. by J. Carmichael

Inspired by Bacharach & David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart this 1964 Jimmy Hayes creation guided by James Carmichael will delight those of you who appreciate brass-crammed beat-ballads.Sammy Lee seering vocal handles everything with such ease and style. (John Manship)

Ivanhoe 5018
Walter Scott and the Kapers
Brand New Girl
Want To Thank You

Arranged by James Carmichael

No connection to the Walter Scott of Bob Kuban fame.

Ivanohe 5019 (March 1965)
Dolly & the Fashions
Just Another Fool wr Clifford E. Chambers
The Right One
arr. by J. Carmichael

Commerce 5020
Danelle Darris
Let's Do The Shotgun
Don't Love Me And Leave Me

Nice reworking of Jr Walker's Tamla Motown hit 'Shotgun' from Danelle Darris. A soulful dance number. The backing track is also used on Bill Griffin's 'Try to run a game on me'.

Commerce 5021
Sammy Jackson
Superbug
Troublemaker

Sammy Jackson previously recorded for Orbit and Arvee. Born 1937 in Henderson, N.C. Starred in the ABC-TV situation comedy "No Time For Sergeants" in 1964-1965. Also appeared in motion pictures. He co-starred in The Fastest Guitar Alive, a 1967 MGM motion picture starring singer Roy Orbison in his only starring role as an actor.

? 5022 ?

Boot Hill 5023
Haskell May
Cherokee Boogie
Oklahoma City Girl

According to the artist : "Jack Downs owned Boothill Records, J.W. Bateman wrote and paid for the recording session for "Oklahoma City Girl."

★ ★ ★

Other related records :

★ Commerce Records distributed two releases on Naptown Records :

901/902
Briggette Koberly
Don't Love Me & Leave Me
As The City Sleeps
Arr. by J. Carmichael /cf. Commerce 5015

903/904
Bill Griffin
Try To Run A Game On Me
Forbidden Fruit (wr O.C. Groom, Naptown BMI)

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Mind Your Own Business

2012-02-02T06:21:00.000-08:00

Les Stewart, Jr.

Mind Your Own Business
(Hank Williams)

Groovey Grooves Records
2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, Pa.

Arranged by Bob Lowden

A Bill Hamilton Production

1969

The first releases on the Groovey Grooves label in 1968 were The Exceptions, former vocal group with Cameo/Parkway and Richie Allen, slugger with the Phillies baseball team, backed by the Ebonistics.

Independant producer Bill Hamilton had a hand on all the releases on the label, but Groovey Grooves was perhaps a Cameo/Parkway-owned subsidiary.

Robert Lowden (1920-1998) became the primary arranger and composer for the 101 Strings and the Somerset label after Joseph Kuhn died in 1958, and contributed to most of the label's recordings over the next ten years.

Les Stewart, Jr. was... well, you probably known as much as me about Les.

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Dotty Anderson on Tra-X

2012-01-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

Dotty Anderson
With Dickie Thompson's Orchestra

I Can't Sit Down (Til I Know Where I Stand With You)
(Dotty Anderson- Ben Smith, Styletone Music BMI

There's A Jungle Out There
(Smith-Bragg, Sylvia BMI)

Tra-X Records 5/6

☆ ☆ ☆

Tra X Records was part of Ben Smith's stable of New York labels, including :- Tarx, TraX, TriX & X-tra.

Ben Smith had been, with Big Al Sears, a sax player in Andy Kirk's Clouds Of Joy and then lead of the Ben Smith Quartet. Aside from Teenage Records (co-owned with Bill Gordon), he owned the X-Tra label at 1650 Broadway in New York. It was run out of an office he shared with Al Sears' Sylvia Music Publishing Company. (source : Marv Goldberg)

Dotty Anderson had also, on the same Tra-X label, . "Real Jive Cat" b/w "Never Mind The Gypsy Woman".

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Sweetheart Boogie

2012-01-28T12:21:00.000-08:00

"Dreamy Joe"

Sweetheart Boogie

Action Productions
Division of Action Advertising Agency, Inc.
Memphis, Tenn

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Pink Cadillac(s)

2012-01-21T03:19:00.000-08:00

Here at Dead Wax, we — I, myself and my ordinary Toyota — are following the news very closely, with a real taste for the tasty details.

From recent news (and, yes, the seized Cadillac Convertible is really pink) :

In addition to a multiple bank accounts and PayPal accounts, the government seized more than 20 vehicles including 15 Mercedes-Benzes, a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a 1957 Cadillac El Dorado, a 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible and a 2010 Maserati GranCario registered to Megaupload’s chief marketing officer, Finn Batato.

Some of the vehicles sported unusual vanity license plates, such as “God,” “Stoned,” “Mafia,” “Hacker” and “Guilty.”

At DivShare, "All your files will stay online forever!" That's what they say at DivShare. Forever! A perfume of Eternity!

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Love Me Tender '69

2012-01-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

Herman Schmerdley

Love Me Tender '69

Guitar Accompaniment by Hereas Schlumberger

Freeway Records

Herman : "I left Louisville, KY on April 2, 1956. I moved to Los Angeles. I started a record company in L.A. that same year. I did not release any records until about 1963. My label was called Freeway Records. I never had a hit."

Tom Willett (nickname Herman Schmerdley), height 1.93 m, was born in Chenault, Kentucky in the 1930s. He grew up in Hammond, Indiana. His grade school was Lafayette on Calumet Av. He moved to Andyville, Kentucky at age 14 and dropped out of high school.

Tom helped with the family farm which also had a poolroom and beer bar. He enjoyed listening to the country and popular music radio stations and enjoyed singing along with the songs. As rock and Roll began to evolve from the Country and Rhythm and Blues, Tom became a big fan.

At age 16 the family moved to Louisville. Tom got a job in a service station pumping gas into the cars of that day. Gas cost 22 cents per gallon in 1955. A new Chevy would set you back about $1600. Tom saved up $400 and moved to Los Angeles at age 17 with the idea of getting into the movies.

23 years later Tom appeared as an extra in his first movie Smash (1979)with Dean Paul Martin. Soon after that 1979 beginning, Tom had appeared in more than 100 feature films as an extra. Then he got his big break.

"Dear John" (1988) became a successful TV series and Tom worked as a cast member for the entire run of 4 years on NBC TV.

Tom also has enjoyed success as a radio announcer, musician, songwriter and stand up comic.

☆ ☆ ☆

Tom Willett, quite a character, has an extensive "digital" presence on his own websites one is HERE, on Youtube, on Flickr. All worth to check it out.

On his latest CDs is titled "5 Decades of Recording and STILL NO HITS!"

Dynamic Sound Studios in Las Vegas. L to R. : Dick Richards, Gene Burch, Tom Willett, Johnny Cassata and Huey Meaux, (1965 or 1966)

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My Man

2012-01-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

Shirley McPherson
sings

My Man

Musical Accompaniment by Jan Stanley & the Convicts

Bowery Records, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Arthur Smith Studios Charlotte, N.C.

Pressed by Kay Bank in Minneapolis (in 1964, according to the KB number printed on label).

One-off release on a label perhaps named after "The Bowery", sometimes referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World - a landmark located 50 yards from the Atlantic Ocean in Myrtle Beach (cold drinks and live entertainment every night since 1944...)

The one recognizable name on label is Arthur Smith. But he was just the owner of the sudio where was recorded the Bowery single. Someone has to explain one day why the Arthur Smith Studios had their records pressed so far away in Minnesota...

Jan Stanley & the Convicts are completely unknown.

I've found several references to Shirley McPhersons but none are conclusive. One was a singer with a group touring Army bases when she met (and married) the Arthur Prysock's bass player, named Lucky Romain. (ref.Pamela McPherson-Cornelius CDBaby page HERE).

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Johnny Latorre and the Rhythm Rockets

2012-01-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Johnny Latorre and the Rhythm Rockets

Atomic Bounce
Mildred Phillips & Jim Ayre,
Myers Music, Inc. ASCAP

Rhythm Baby

Anthracite Records

1955

In the mold of Jimmy Cavello, this double-sider was also issued in Belgium by Ronnex Records.

Most releases of the Black Gold Series were by Lee Vincent and his orchestra. Anthracite Records was owned by Joseph Brulo out of Wilkes-Barre, Penn.

The following year, in 1956, Johnny Latorre and his Rockets is listed by Billboard as a Groove Records recording artist, but I can't find any evidence of a single issued on this RCA-Victor subsidiary.

Numerous references to various Latorres in the area of Pittson, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre can be found, the most famous being perhaps Stefano LaTorre, originally from Sicily, who founded The Bufalino crime family, also known as the Pittston crime family, or the Scranton Wilkes-Barre family, which was a Mafia family active in Northeastern Pennsylvania cities.

But, of Johnny Latorre, no mention. My lips are sealed.

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I Felt A Little Teardrop

2012-01-13T02:57:00.000-08:00

vocal by Betty Dodd accompanied by Babe Zaharias on the harmonica

I Felt A Little Teardrop

w & m Frank "Pee Wee" King, Redd Stewart & Neal Burris.

Mercury

Recorded in Nashville in 1953

Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (June 26, 1911 – September 27, 1956) was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field.

Mildred Ella Didrikson was the sixth of seven children born in the coastal oil city of Port Arthur in southeastern Texas. Her mother, Hannah, and her father, Ole, were immigrants from Norway.

Already famous as Babe Didrikson, she married the "Crying Greek from Cripple Creek," (George Zaharias), a professional wrestler, in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 23, 1938. Thereafter, she was largely known as Babe Didrikson Zaharias or Babe Zaharias.

Betty Dodd, her closest female friend (i.e. her lover) was a promising golf protegee from San Antonio who was twenty years Babe’s junior.

The Babe Zaharias article in Wikipedia has not a word about Betty Dodd.

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Ooh-Poo-Pah-Do

2012-01-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

Esse and the Showman

Ooh-Poo-Pah-Do

Recorded Live at El Cajon Valley High School

Produced by Currie & Irvin

Among the El Cajon Valley High School notable alumni is Lester Bangs, rock critic and journalist.

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This Is Love

2012-01-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

The Fortunes

This Is Love

Yucca Records

"This is Love" is the slower side (doo wop). S. Hebert wrote it and it's Steve Rollins on vocal.

The rocking side is "Lonely teardrops" written and sung by Jim Decker. Already available on Youtube HERE

Both songs were published by Renda Music, a name usually found on Phoenix, Arizona labels. Perhaps The Fortunes were from there?

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Peak Records of Memphis

2012-01-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

Here is the transcription of an article published by Billboard on August 10, 1959.

MEMPHIS – This quiet, cotton-ginning river town is coming up with a new commercial gimmick again. The town’s got a talent for turning up the unexpected in music.

The new gimmick is more commercial than any, in that it has to do with money more than with music. A group of Memphis businessmen has devised an intriguing new way for financing a record company, embellished by the latest styles in capital gains and all that jazz.

Ten men have launched Peak Records, which has released six singles to date with 10 more due in the next 60 days. Among these new mahoffs [ 1 ] are a grocer, a manufacturer of ornemental iron, two lawyers, a bakery manager (who doubles as the label’s musical director), a radio station engineer, a chicken and egg wholesaler, a cosmetic distributor, and a clothier. Together, these men put up half the risk capital for their disks. Where does the other half come from ? That’s where the gimmick is.

For every artist signed, Peak sets up a company within the company in the form of a limited partnership. Then it seeks outside investors in each artist. That is, the owners put up $1,000 per artist, and raise an additional $1,000 from others, preferably in small chunks of $200 apiece. The company retains a 60 per cent interest in the artist, the outside money buying a 40 per cent interest.

Starting with a $2,000 fund behind an artist, the label issues a release, usually at a cost of about $1,000, followed by another very thereafter. Then the investors pray that one of them hits at least moderately. If it does, no profits are paid out. Instead, they are plowed back into the artist for a third release within six months, followed by a fourth within a year. After 13 months, an accounting is made and profits are paid. The timing is such, that the profit on the original investment - if there is one - is now eligible for a capital gain.

The label meanwhile retains an option to buy back the outstanding interest in the artist before the end of the second year. If they decide to this – which, of course, they would do only if the artist turns out to be a money maker – the original investors make out just dandy.

Suppose, for instance, that one of the first two records by an artists is a modest hit, netting $10,000. The other three are total failures, losing $6,000, including promotional costs taken out of previous profits. The company would buy the artist back from the partnership for $4,000, representing undeclared profits, plus about $500, representing additional sales to be expected out of inventory. Total price is thus $4,500. Total investment was $2,000. In less then a year, an investment was more than doubled at a low capital gain tax rate.
The company advises its investors to hedge against risks of the disk business by investing small amounts in any one artist, spreading available cash around a number of them on the theory that one or more of them is bound to pay off. A number of ivestors are expected to buy a piece of as many as 10 artists, as fast as the label signs them.

The big risk rides on the first couple of releases of any artist. If both flop, the fund is wiped out. In fact, if the first release is produced in an expensive session, consuming most of the original $2,000 fund, a single flop can end the partnership. But the theory is that most investors will be riding several entries simultaneously, so that one winner, ever on a small investment, will cover a good many losers.

Peak’s chairman of the board, Abe Sauer, an iron manufacturer, points out that the owners of the label take 50 per cent of the loss, thus management shares the risk with outside investorts. On winners, management takes 60 per cent of the profit, thus enjoying only a 10 per cent differential for their role as entrepreneurs. Of course, their option to buy back the full ownership of successful artists provides another long-range advantage to the management group.

Among the early releases on Peak’s partnership plan are two by Eddie Cash, « Land of Promise » and « Doin’ All Right, » and one by the Eberly Twins [ 2 ], who are deejays in Little Rock, « Sittin’ in the Drive-In ».

- - - - - - - - -

[ 1 ] mahoff : "big cheese", "important person". See The Word Detective. Ex. : Madoff was a mahoff.

[ 2 ] Actually, the Morgan Twins.

Four Peak Records releases are listed in Rockin' Country Style. Another release is #155 "Sputnik Hires A Band" by Sputnik Monroe. Label shot here. (45cat)

I'm not aware of any other releases on the same label. But the American Recording Corporation of Memphis Tennessee produced also at least two records on the Al-Be label [ Charlie Fury & the Rebel Rockets and Jay Rainwater ]

Dale Vaughn on Von was also produced by the American Recording Corp. (cut in the studio built on to back of Lansky Brothers Clothes Shop on Beale Street).

Chairman Abe Sauer is the only name cited by the article.

Bernie Frieden (or Freiden), Howard Chambers, and Curtis Foster were execs of the Peak and Al-Be labels.

The clothier cited in the article was one of the Lansky Brothers (Alvin?).

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Chime Bells

2012-01-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

Sheri Lee Douglas: Chime Bells
(Maverick Records)

Unusual, exactly like wrote the reviewer (Billboard July 25, 1960).

Sound file is borrowed from Kogar the Swinging Ape. Kogar says : "Lux and Ivy swear this is KAY MARTIN singing, and I have to agree with them. It sounds exactly like her."

Label pic from Gerd Miller/Rockin' Country Style.

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Barber Shop Blues

2012-01-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ira Lee
Accompanied By Bill Jeffery

Barber Shop Blues

Henagar, Alabama

From the birthplace of the Louvin Brothers come this custom record released in 1972 or 1973.

Born on 16 Aug 1907. Ira L married Manilah Mae Hicks and had a child. He passed away in Henagar, Alabama, in 1986.

All the man's life coming down to just few words. That's quite frightening. I can't find anything else about the man.

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I Don't Know

2012-01-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Fussell and the Dixie Crystals

I Don't Know

Red Stick Music BMI

Bonnie Fussell had a minor local hit in Baton Rouge in 1959 with "Where Are You" on the Hammond label. And you have certainly heard the flip "Too High Class".

This Carmie release is probably from 1964. Carmie 102 is by Bobby Loveless (aka Little Lee Allen). Buck Rogers' "Nobody's Darling but Mine" was also probably on the same label.

The label was possibly owned by Sam Montalbano (also known as Sam Montel), who operated the Montel and Montel-Michelle labels in Baton Rouge (red stick in french, name of his publishing company).

In the mid-sixties Bonnie launched his own label, Bofuz, in partnership with Tom Guarino.

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Sleeve only, no record

2012-01-01T00:29:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Her name is Carolyn Crawford)

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The Peaceful Protest Of Charlie McDig

2011-12-15T13:00:00.001-08:00

Linda Manning

The Peaceful Protest Of Charlie McDig

Mercury

1969

Linda Manning was born on Nov. 24, 1946, in Cullman to James Arlander and Fannie Roberta Bradford Manning. She was a 1964 graduate of Cullman High School, where she was elected “most talented” every year. She also attended Calhoun Community College in Decatur. While working in California, she also studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse.

After high school, she entered the entertainment business, with her own television program, “The Linda Manning Show” on WLW-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also appeared on other shows as a musical guest. Linda was also a regular at the Palomino Club in Hollywood, and performed at numerous music festivals, including both international venues.

During her entertainment career, she was managed by Jimmy Keys of NewKeys Music in Nashville, Tenn.

Her single, “Shade Tree Mechanic,” written by frequent collaborator Tom T. Hall, was certified as a “gold record.” .

After her entertainment career, Linda returned to Cullman and opened a jewelry store with her husband, David. Together they owned and operated Wholesale Jewelers International for 25 years in Cullman. After retiring from the jewelry business in 2003, Linda managed her commercial business space rental company, Diamond Plaza Properties, until her death.

She died Dec. 18 2005 of a heart attack at her home in Cullman.

Discography

Doke (1960)
105 I Don’t Want To Say Goodnight To You / Puppet Lover - 59
106 Boy, I Can't Forget / Walking On A Cloud - 60
108 Gotta Run / ? – 09-60

Bulletin (1961)
1000 Our World Of Rock And Roll / Sweeter Than Sweet – 07-61 (rev. July 31)

Fraternity (1962)
F-895 Lovin' Kind / Completely Lose Control – ca. 08-62

Gaylord (1962-63)
GR 6425 Johnny Kiss And Tell / Thanks A Lot For Everything – ca. 12-62
45-6429 Hello, Little Lover / Turning Back The Pages – 18-06-63

Rice (1964)
5010 The Girl From Saginaw, Michigan / Boo On You - 64
5012 Au Revoir / I Feel A Cry Coming On – 64

Roulette (1965)
R-4638 You're Loving Me To Death / Shade Tree Mechanic – 65
R-4675 Downtown Lonely Girl Blue / Buy Me Something Pretty

Rice (1966-67)
5020 Only For A Moment / Smoking In Bed - 66
5022 Life Keeps Movin' On / You Wouldn't Know What To Do With It – 67
5024 No Thanks To You / Bon Jour Tristesse – ca. 08-67

Mercury (1968-70)
72803 Hurt Me Now / Someone Up There Still Loves Me – ca. 04-68
72875 Talk Of The Town / Since They Fired The Band Director (At Murphy High) 11-68
72906 Billy Christian / The Peaceful Protest Of Charlie McDig – 02-69
73016 If There's Not A Heaven / Old Memories Don¢t Die - 01-70
73135 When They Burned Down The Local Motel / Riverboat Queen – ca. 10-70

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Johnny Be Good

2011-12-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

Chuck Howard

Johnny Be Good

Garrett Records

Chuck Berry cover [instrumental] - 1963

The first release on the label, out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The label was owned by George Garrett,also proprietor of the Uncle George's Record Shop and of the Bangar and Twin Town labels.

Chuck Howard was born in rural Kentucky but like many of his peers migrated to the bigger cites across the Ohio river. He cut his first 45 on Nashville for the Sand label, an interesting operation that was a local (Cincinnati area) affiliate of Sage and Sand labels from California.

Chuck recorded two more 45s for Cincinnati labels, "Joy Gray" on ESV and "Gossip" on Flame. All three of these 45s are great rockers and some of Ohio's best recordings of the time.

Around 1960 Chuck relocated to Columbus. He helped start a label, Kim records, and recorded a couple records himself along with writing many songs recorded by a variety of artists including Cliff Nash and the Shilos. The Kim label recordings are in the 'countrypolitan' style (RCA records/Nashville) that was popular at the time.

He was also on Port, Do-Ra-Me, Allison, Fraternity, Columbia, Monument, Boone, etc.

He passed away in 1983.

[Bio notice from Buckyebeat.com]
Chuck Howard picture : from YouTube (Thanks Bruce!)

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Southern Hospitality

2011-12-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

Perry Brice

Southern Hospitality

Plaid Records
Greenville, S.C.

March 1961

A cover of the Moon Mullican song (King Records, 1950).

Produced by Charles Rush (owner of Plaid Records) and Alan Riddle (Plaid Records A&R).

Perry Brice was from Vero Beach, Florida where he worked for WTTB radio.

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Sandy Reid on Ac'cent

2011-12-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

Sandy Reid
Ac'cent AC 1054

Billboard, July 8, 1957

Lemonade
Young artist attractively presents a cute tale about kiddie lemonade stands as a source of movie money. Fair possibilities (Kord, BMI)

Put the Beat Behind It
Pleasant rocker with a very danceable beat is agreeably presented, but flip is stronger. (Kord, BMI)

Later in 1957, Sandy Reid had a second release on the Bakersfield located Tally Records (Tally 114 : Wotcha’ Doin’ Tonight / What A Boy). Her two records were almost certainly arranged and/or produced by Ralph Yaw.

According to Chris Kelsey :

Ralph Yaw wrote arrangements for a great many swing-era bandleaders during the '30s and '40s, including Isham Jones, Cab Calloway, Eddie Barefield, Count Basie, and Les Brown, but Yaw is best-known for his work with Stan Kenton, for whom he wrote and arranged in the early '40s.

Yaw ceased his jazz activities around 1947 and subsequently embarked on a career in country music. His "No Longer a Prisoner", a song on the Korean War theme, was a hit for singer Hank Snow (RCA Records, 1953).

He wrote straight away a follow up to the Hank Snow hit, "I’m Still A Prisoner (Of Love)" [The first armistice song", claimed the ad published by Billboard] which was released on his own Kord label. (Billy Mize sung it, backed by Bill Woods And His Orange Blossom Playboys).

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Cash T. Woodson

2011-12-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Cash T. Woodson

Maxime

Shirley

Harvey Records
Mansfield, Ohio

King Records custom pressing
1959

Of Cash T. Woodson nothing is known.

Writer of both sides (and also perhaps producer of the record) is Harvey E. Connell.

As singer, Harvey had a single on Fraternity Records (Autumn Heart / Sentimental Journey, Fraternity 891, 1961). He recorded again Autumn Heart, song issued on Tri-City in 1966.

As producer, Harvey Connell recorded Fred Gartner and the Ferraris from Mt. Vernon. That's was one of the first rock-n-roll records cut at the Mus-i-col studios in 1965.

He had also a studio in Columbus for a short period of time but did not make any money so it was closed down. Harvey later owned a bar and lived in Mount Vernon Ohio.

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Graphomania or Typomania?

2011-12-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

A sample of obsessive writing urge
(Subject : Joann R., year unknown)

Graphomania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graphomania (from Greek γραφειν — writing,and μανία — insanity), also known as scribomania, refers to an obsessive impulse to write. When used in a specifically psychiatric context, it labels a morbid mental condition which results in writing rambling and confused statements, often degenerating in a meaningless succession words or even nonsense and called then graphorrhea. The term 'graphomania' has been used in early 19th century by Esquirol and later by Eugen Bleuler, becoming more or less usual. Graphomania is near condition to typomania - obsessiveness with seeing one's name in publication or with writing for being published, excessive symbolism or typology.

Outside the psychiatric definitions of graphomania and related conditions, the word is used more broadly to label the urge and need to write excessively, whether professional or not.

.

You're Right

2011-12-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

Don Winters - You're Right - Robbins Records - 1966

This record is listed in Rockin' Country Style HERE

Country music singer Don Winters, known to fans as ''The Yodeling King,'' died in 2002 at his home in Nolensville after a yearlong battle with liver cancer. He was 73.

Born in Tampa, Fla., and raised in southern Georgia, Mr. Winters began his musical career with his father's band, Pop Winters and the Southern Strollers, in the late 1940s.

He moved to Nashville in the 1950s to launch his solo career, recording on RCA and Decca Records labels. He showed up on the Billboard charts with songs Too Many Times and Shake Hands with a Loser.

In 1960, country music legend Marty Robbins asked Mr. Winters to join his band, a move that launched a lifelong friendship between the two entertainers. Together they serenaded audiences, along with Bobby Sykes, as the Marty Robbins Trio. Mr. Winters and Robbins collaborated until Robbins' death in 1982.

The Robbins label was owned in Nashville by Marty Robbins Enterprises.

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Country Guitar Girl

2011-12-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

Don West and Rose Lee
with the Sunset Playboys

Country Guitar Girl

Sioux Records

1966

<-- Country team of Don West and Rose Lee had a TV show in the mid-seventies on Channel Seven, Bangor, Maine.

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Jonny B. Good

2011-12-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Rockets
Vocal Johnny Vosdos

Jonny B. Good

Wide Records AF 935
RB-391
(Capitol custom pressing RB= 1964)

A great unknown Chuck Berry cover sung by one Johnny Vosdos. Nothing is found about this band or this singer. The record is out of Reading, Pennsylvannia.

On the same label : The Del-Rays and Little Johnny Poole (the latter listed in Rockin' Country Style with address in Chester, Pa.).

I suspect that the Wide label is related in some way to Kingston Records.

.

Back To School Again Blues

2011-11-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

Andy Quinn -"Back To School Again Blues"

Quinn Gets Decca Pact :
Decca Records has signed Andy Quinn, a 25-year- old warbler-cleffer to an exclusive pact. With his first releases next week, Quinn will leave on a seven-city promotion trip (BILLBOARD, September 2, 1957)

Andy Quinn performed the flip side, "Rock-A-Boogie" on The Ed Sullivan Show" on October 27, 1957. He had three releases on Decca Records, all listed in Rockin' Country Style.

That's all I can't find on this "warbler-cleffer".

Post-Scriptum : "Rock-A-Boogie", that's a song I would like to hear!

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Wrong Line

2011-11-26T05:02:00.000-08:00

Gene Barnett

Wrong Line

Wheel Records

1971

Gene Barnett started his musical career playing bass for Bobby Lee Trammell shortly after Trammell's hit record, “Arkansas Twist” was recorded. Barnett moved-on to play with Kenny Owens, a local singer who had a large following in the Jonesboro area. Barnett appeared on Owens' TV variety show on KAIT Jonesboro in the late 60's.

Gene Barnett is now member of The RetroRadio Band, a four-piece Jonesboro-based musical group that plays a variety of music to include 50's and 60's, R&B, Mototown, Country Rock, and Disco.

G. Barnett (recent) picture is from MySpace Retro Radio Band

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Oh Well-A-Watcha-Gonna Do

2011-11-22T12:30:00.000-08:00

Gerry Granahan

Oh Well-A-Watcha-Gonna Do

Mark Records

1958

This is perhaps his best rocker. Written by Jack Hammer, the song was previously recorded by Harry Douglass and the Deep River Boys (RCA 47-7195, Billboard March 24, 1958). You can hear the RCA version HERE.

The Granahan story is told by various websites. I've tried to resume his story but the various sources are showing a lot of discrepancies. there is no mention of his (first?) record on Eldorado Records in 1956, a label owned by Buchanan and Goodman. The Eldorado record is only mentionned by Terry Gordon on his Rockin' Country Style, but no flipside is shown and no label scan found.

When the Mark record was released (April or May 58), Gerry Granahan had already records out on Atco Records (as Jerry Grant) and, as a member of Dicky Doo and the Don'ts, on Swan Records, one of the first release on the label.

.

Tick Tock Rock

2011-11-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

Eddie L. Davis & The Bureaucats

Tick Tock Rock
(Wayne Corps-Davis)

Fable Records 637

Edward LouisDavis had been a child actor. He did a lot of films. Then he became a restaurant owner in 1953. It was called the Eddie Davis Parkway Grill. He became very financially secure. From there he bought another restaurant, the Eddie Davis Steakhouse Supper Club. Then he got into music.

He decided to cut his own records :

On Vita 170 : Heart Of Ice / To Be Or Not To Be (57)

On Fable 637: Eddie L. Davis & The Bureaucats : Teen Age Brain Surgeon / Tick Tock Rock ('58)

and on Faro 596 ('59) : Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea / Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow (duet with Connie Stevens, as by Ed Davis)

He realized he didn't have the talent to make it as a singer and decided to move into record production and label ownership. In 1958, by selling his restaurants and other businesses, Davis accumulated the necessary capital to incorporate his own record firm, Faro Productions.

As a producer and owner of the Faro, Linda, Rampart, Valhalla, Prospect, Boomerang, and Gordo labels, Eddie Davis was a major figure in the East Los Angeles rock scene of the 1960s and early '70s. (He was dubbed "the Barry Gordy of East L.A.").

Davis produced and released records by a bunch of Mexican-American East L.A. bands, including the Romancers, Cannibal & the Headhunters, the Blendells, and the Premiers. ..

He died in 1994.

Eddie Davis (circa 1958) Parkway Grill Restaurant, Hollywood

Eddie quote :

"If anybody thinks I got rich over my East Los Angeles music, they're wrong. I cooked a lot of hamburgers to make those records."

Further reading: Eddie Davis bio by Richie Unterberger.

Fable label shot : Terry Gordon (Rockin' Country Style)

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Go Devil Go

2011-11-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Al Corsal
Music by the Regal-Airs

Go Devil Go

Star-X Records

Sight and sound courtesy of colnel (e-bay)

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Rock & Roll Story

2011-10-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

The Definitive Rock and Roll History ?
Courtesy of Kicks Magazine

.

I Tried

2011-10-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

Howard Boone
and
the Rhythm Five

I Tried

Tifco Records

The flip side, "Baby Please Don't Go" by Jimmy Jeens & The Rhythm Five is readily available on the net.

Second issue. Was first on Bomac as by The Rhythm Five feat. Howard Boone. See Rockin' Country Style. website.

Tifco Records discography HERE

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The Golden Pear

2011-10-25T01:19:00.000-07:00

That's the only known picture of the young Tommy Rowe
(exclusively on Dead Wax!)
(yes, the day was foggy)

Here is an interesting teen rocker about which I can't find much information. It's from "Rebel Rockabilly Rock, Vol. 6" (LP compilation from 1994). The song was written, according to the back cover, by Sehorn [Marshall Sehorn?] and published by Selma Music.

The only information that I can find (in my computer files, not on the net) is that "The Golden Pear" was released on Tel Records, probably in 1959 or perhaps in early 1960.

The Golden Pear

Billboard (March 16, 1959) inform us of the formation of Tel Records :

Morty Craft, colorful disker, officially became a record company president this week, with signing of final papers establishing United Telefilm Records, Inc. The new Craft set-up aligns him with the Canadian firm, United Telefilms, Ltd., of Toronto, which owns 85 per cent of the stock of the new diskery with Craft holding the balance of 15 per cent. There will be two labels, Tel Records and Warwick Records.

For a Morty Craft biography, see Black Cat Rockabilly

TEL RECORDS LISTING

1959-1960

1000 Bill Farrell
1001 William S. Allen
1002 The Sounds
1003 The Squares
1004 Bill Kenny
1005
1006 The Cavaliers
1007 The Page Boys
1008 Marty Wilson & The Strat-O-Lites
1009
1010 Cammy Carol
1011 Bill Kenny (Of The Ink Spots)
1012 The Big Beats
1013 Tommy Rowe
1014 The Nutmegs
1015 Ethel Smith
1016
1017 Junior Barnes

My Baby's Gone Away

2011-10-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Eddie Riff

My Baby's Gone Away

This is Edward Nehemiah 'Riff' Ruffin. He recorded as Mister Ruffin, Riff Ruffin and Eddie Riff for Spark and Mambo (55), Cash (56), Middle-Tone (56), Ebb (57), Ball (58), Atlantic (58, unissued), Fire (60), Fury (61), Enjoy (64-65) and Duke (66), as well as a session guitarist backing Elmore James and other artists on Fire and Fury records.

This Dover release was recorded in 1956. The New-York label was owned by two songwriters, Al Lewis and Larry Stock.

Larry Stock (1896– 1984) co-wrote "Blueberry Hill" (the Fats Domino hit) in 1940, which was first recorded by Gene Autry in 1941.

One of his sister's grandsons became well known and was one of the founders of Atlantic Records : Jerry Wexler.

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Crazy Man Crazy

2011-10-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

<---
Leonard "Lucky" Enois

pic found here :
http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/local627/generation/home.asp
(University of Missouri - Kansas City)

LUCKY ENOIS QUINTET
Crazy Man Crazy
MODERN 905 – Side cut at a concert is full of infectious excitement. Jimmy Waters chants in unhibited style as the group backs him wildly. Could be a loot catcher. (Eastwick, BMI)
Billboard, May 30, 1953

<---

Kentucky Home Boogie

2011-10-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Marvin "Lefty" Wright and his Rhythm Kings

Kentucky Home Boogie

X Records

MARVIN (LEFTY) WRIGHT
Kentucky Home Boogie…………………69
« X » 0063 – The efforts of Wright on piano, backed by guitar and rhythm, result in some highly imaginative music-making here. Combining technical finish with bold ideas and lively spirit bring about a pleasing platter. (Billboard October 30, 1954)

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Fishtruck Boogie

2011-10-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Kitty Kaye and the Cats

Fishtruck Boogie

Hawk Record Co.
Cleveland, Ohio

1953

<-- Bill Hawkins

Hawk Records was owned by "Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins. He was the first black DJ in Cleveland in the late 40s and may have been one of the first in the country playing blues and R& B records on the radio.

The record probably did not have national distribution, Hawkins owned a record store on East 105th street and sold his records there as well as some local record stores.

SEE : http://www.walkintalkin.com/bios2.html

Blue Suede Shoes

2011-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Blue Suede Shoes

Gospel singer Brother John Sellers (1924-1999) doing the Carl Perkins song. Recorded in Paris (France) in 1957.

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The Centurys on Mark C

2011-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Centurys

Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On

Gandy Dancer

Mark C Records

(San Antonio, Texas)

WILL BELLAMY Remembers ......

"The Centurys" started in 1963 at Alamo Heights High School at the annual Howdy Night Fiesta. Tony Volz and Bill Bellamy had taken guitar lessons at Caldwell Music Co. from Ed Fest over the summer. Tony had a National fat body electric guitar and I had a Fender 3/4 Musicmaster solid body. We shared a Silvertone Twin Twelve Amplifier with reverb and tremolo. Our passion was instrumentals by The Ventures and Freddy King. So we played almost unnoticed at Howdy Night as the music of choice then was country western and the best band was Peyton Starr and The Drifters featuring Johnny Witherspoon. One fellow noticed, a different kind of guy from New York with Brylcream hair named Pat Wellberg. He asked if he could sit in and produced a white Fender Stratocaster with an Ampeg fliptop amplifier. What proceeded was an outrageous version of Gandy Dancer by The Ventures executed with flawless double picking. We recruited Pat instantly and a fellow nearby said he was Jimmy Taylor and could play drums. Jim had a white pearl Ludwig set and could play Wipeout. Pat's brother, Ed had played with Joey Dee and The Starlighters at the Peppermint Lounge in NY. Remember the Peppermint Twist? Ed told us at practice that we'd be more professional if we did steps (choreography) And wore black and gold lamme tux jackets which he happened to have. So we did.

Read more HERE

In 1966, with the departure of Tony Volz, they changed name and were The Pandas, recording one single on Swingtime Records.

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"Yaba Da Ba Do"

2011-10-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

"Yaba Da Ba Do"

Andy and the Classics

The band began it's rock life as the Premiers in 1959. Performing at many local nightspots and high school and college concerts. The Premiers soon changed it's name to Andy and the Classics.

During the early 1960s the band frequently played before large audiences at DiCastro's in Sylvan Beach a club that during those days, was one of the "hottest" of local establishments.

The group comprised of Andy Cittadino (sax, vocals), Mike Carletta (guitar, vocals), Joe DePalma (drums, vocals) and Tim Maggiolino (bass, vocals).

Source : Stephen Roberts

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Goodbye Little Sylvia

2011-10-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

Sylvia Vanderpool died on September 29, 2011.

Born in New York on March 6, 1936, Sylvia Vanderpool recorded as Little Sylvia for Columbia, Savoy and Jubilee before teaming with guitarist Mickey Baker in 1955.

Links :

Remembering Sylvia Robinson, Justin Kantor

Sylvia (and Mickey & Sylvia too) label shots HERE

A Little Boy

Fine Love

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One-Man Band

2011-10-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

One-Man Band (circa 1890) Charles Wallace Jacob Johnson

Charles Wallace Jacob Johnson was a miner, photographer, musician, and dance instructor, born in Maryland August 3, 1833, the son of George M. and Matilda Johnson. He came to California and was on the North Fork of the Feather River in 1857 and in Grass Valley in 1863. He went to Nevada in 1863 where he worked as a one man band and taught dance and returned to San Francisco in 1868. In Eureka and Arcata he went into the photography business with William N. Tuttle. He moved back to San Francisco with Tuttle. Later, he moved to Watsonville and went into partnership with T. Al Sullivan and married Sullivan's sister, Mrs. Norah Pardon on Dec. 2, 1875. He moved to Monterrey and continued his photography business from 1881-1898. He died in Salinas, January 17, 1903.

Credit : California State Library.

For a list of one-man bands see Dave Harris' blog HERE

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Filling the hole

2011-10-01T03:52:00.000-07:00

The significance of the hole in art goes back to antiquity, particularly Aztec and Mayan sculptural work as well as Celtic stone sculpture. ... ``There is an enduring fascination for creating lightness in practical structures and architects and designers are always flirting and experimenting with it.[1 ]

The mind of the inventor of the record's big hole (RCA Records) was not at all fascinated by such artistic aspect of the round emptiness in the middle of the plastic matter, but rather by the technical or commercial aspects :

The generally-accepted theory is that the large center hole on 45s made it easier for jukeboxes to handle them. The reality was that RCA did everything they could to try to create a radically new format to thwart CBS -- different-sized record, different hole, different rotational speed, etc. -- just for spite. [2]

Few record labels tried to use the hole as part of the design. The various designs that i've found belongs to the following categories :

1 - the hole is to be seen as matter : bagde, bomb or sun

2 - the hole is an entry : cavern, igloo

3 - the hole is a mouth : human, shark, whale (my favorite!)

4 - the hole is a hole : ring

Doin' The Waddle

2011-09-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

The Tangiers

Doin' The Waddle

Ann Smith, Buna Music BMI

A-J Records

1962

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Spatzal!

2011-09-29T02:55:00.000-07:00

Two girls, one guy and a transvestite make up Molvania’s most successful pop music act, the award winning Spatzal !, who made it to fifth place in the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest with their catchy dance tune ‘Vlarsh ei Czolom’ (« Your Boogy I am Shaking »). Sadly, the group split up in 2001 (bass player Vron Gzapaov reportedly has a solo album in the works) but such was their influence that there are numerous Spatzal ! tribute bands still touring the Baltic region.

Following the success of their previous LP’s ‘I’m Ready From Yuo ! » (1993) and « Hey Beutifulls ! (1994), Spatzal’s « Let’s Rock !) (1996) proved to be an historic album, described by Rolling Stone as Molvania’s first ever correctly spelt English language release.

Information above is from the essential jetlag travel guide "Molvania, A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry". Strongly recommended.

More info about jetlag travel guide HERE

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Wizard Rock

2011-09-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gene Anderson

** WIZARD ROCK – Up-tempo ditty receives a fair vocal from the chanter. (Sage & Sand, SESAC)
Billboard October 10, 1960

Sage Records

Label picture credit : Rockin' Country Style / Henk Netten
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Livin' Lovin' Temptation

2011-09-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

Eddie Cash

"Livin' Lovin' Temptation"

Todd Records

Eddie Cash : We recorded at the Fernwood Studio, downtown on the Main Street. Bill Harris wrote one side called "Thinkin' Man" and he got the idea from a Marlboro slogan. Then I wrote the other side "Livin' Lovin' Temptation". On the session we used Jackie Hartwell (g), Gerald Hunsucker(rg), Prentiss McPhail (eb), Tommy Bennett (p), Dennis Smith (d) and Martin Willis (ts). We had female vocal group The DeLons, which also appeared on Thomas Wayne's recording of "Tragedy".

From Bo Berglind's Eddie Cash article found HERE.

Edward Allen Cash (1941- )

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Hillbilly Polka

2011-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Boyd's Solo Band

Hillbilly Polka

Cuca Records #1049

1961

This is Boyd Skuldt (1919-2006), one-man band from Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin.

The picture on the record was a mural they had at the photography studio. I went in the studio over in Sauk Center at Cuca. He was in a hurry that day and I wasn’t happy with the record. That guitar wore out. Whetever I would go, they would call up the tavern and book me. Word of mouth. A couple came over to Monroe to pick me up ; they insisted I come out to Jersey. That was a long way to go. Lefty Frizzell played out there and so did Car Smith around the time I did. I’ll tell you I was shakin’ in my knees that night. A six piece band comes walking off the stage and I’m up there all alone. A big crowd, there was a big crowd. They made me feel good. Then I stayed out there for a hundred bucks in 1960 for the fun of it. I pissed off a lot of musicians, too, when I was out there. « you ain’t gonna be cuttin’ prices, » they said. They were probably getting fifty or sixty a night and, well, I could put prices ‘cause I was one man. I pratically got beat up. The mob was in control of the clubs out there, too. I just wish somebody would have copied me. No one copied me ! I heard so many guys say when I was playing « Well, I’l show that Boyd off ! They never did. I think what killed ‘em was that snare drum, that fooled ‘em. That was tricky. Bass drum, the foot, no problem. I made a gizmo that attached to my knee that would hit the snare drums. Why couldn’t anyone copy me I don’t know. There was a guy from over in Jefferson, I tried to help him, but he couldn’t get that rhytm. I said you got to get that rhythm, sing or something. He died a few years ago, nice fellow. There was a one man band from Dodgeville who played the bass drum only. I played lead on the guitar, too, and the mouth organ. It was hard work standing in one spot, but I didn’t mind it. After a while it was just like shifting a car. I started playing the mouth organ when I was fve or six and it took me about twenty-five years to get that thing together. See how I really started out was playing with my neighbor who was an accordion player. He was very young and very good. We started out playing in the night clubs. First thing you know they found out his age and he was out. I already played the mouth organ and I thought that would take care of the accordion. I played nothin’ but country songs. Played at a drive-in over by Madison before the movies would start ; it was the Badger Big Sky Drive In. Played all over down through La Crosse, Bear Valley, Monroe, Dodgeville, New Clarus, Ridgeway, Mt. Vernon, all down through there. Mostly taverns, but hospitals, and wedding dances, too. I did have a good rhythm and made it easy for them to dance. Five piece one man band !

(from Badger Bars & Tavern Tales: An Illustrated History of Wisconsin Saloons, book by Bill Moen and Doug Davis.)

The Man In The Moon

2011-09-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Utah Carl

The Man In The Moon

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Power Pak label : cover art (?)

2011-09-17T04:07:00.000-07:00

Three crappy covers courtesy of Power Pak Records, budget division of Gusto Records (Nashville, mid-seventies)

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Two early Ruby Starr records

2011-09-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

Connie Little

Boy For Me

Elmor Records

Connie and The Cytations

Boogie Rock

Town And Country Records

Recorded at Hanf Recording Studio in Toledo, Ohio in1961 when Connie was 12 years old and released on the Town and Country Records label. Written [and possibly produced] by 1960's Toledo music impresario Murray Cohen

Ruby Starr (November 30, 1949 - January 14, 1995) was born Constance Henrietta Mierzwiak in Toledo, Ohio. Starr started performing at the age of nine under the stage name Connie Little.

In 1961, she recorded as 'Connie and The Cytations' on Town and Country Records.

Another early band, Connie and the Blu-Beats, died their hair blue. Ruby dropped out of high school at age 16 to front the band the Downtowners, then fronted the Blue Grange Ramblers.

She later joined Ruby Jones in 1969. In 1971 they were signed to Curtom Records and recorded their first album, Ruby Jones. Shortly after that album's release, Black Oak Arkansas lead vocalist Jim "Dandy" Mangrum saw Starr singing in an Evansville, Indiana, club and convinced her to join his band. At this point she assumed the stage name of Ruby Starr.

...

In the '90s, Starr was diagnosed with cancer, eventually passing away at home in Toledo in January of 1995.

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I Feel Thunder

2011-09-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

Bill Berry

I Feel Thunder

GMA Records

230 North Michigan Ave.
Chicago, Illinois

1964

Of Bill Berry, I known nothing.

Seymour Schwartz, head of Hearbeat Records in Chicago, has formed GMA Records in 1964. Motto : That Million Dollar Sound. I've counted 18 singles issued on the label, the first was "Summertime Blues" by The All-Niters.

Writers -- and producers -- are Neaville and Miller (Arlie and Arlie).

Arlie Neaville recorded also as Dean Carter for his own Milky Way Records

Dean Carter discography

Artie Miller (And The Bullets) recorded for Lucky Records ("Lou Ann", 1960)

16 unissued sides of the two Arlie were released by Buffalo Bop in 1985 (LP The Bop That Never Stopped, Vol. 40).

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Don't Fight Juvenile Delinquency

2011-09-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Bad Boy

2011-09-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

Steve Bair and his orchestra

Bad Boy

Cherokee Records

Steve Bair had a second release on Cherokee in 1962 as by Steve Bare. Was he a relative of Bobby Bare who made some demos for the same label before he was drafted ?

Cherokee Records Discography (source : Dan DeClark)
Owner : Orville Lunsford

7 Broadway
Wellston, Ohio

58 777 Steve Bair : Bad Boy / You Are the One
--- 778 Earl Reed and his Rhythm Rockers : Drink Wine / Mama
--- 779 Earl Reed and his Rhythm Rockers : Flat Foot Sam / Playing With My Heart
59 780 Cherokee Rhythmaires Vocal by Billy Parsons What I Get For Lovin' You / My Everything
59 781 A.G.I. : Dear Mama / From Now on Til Never

1106 Lake Drive
Chillicothe, Ohio

62 785 Steve Bare Daisy Mae / Smooth
62 778 Sunny Harris Friendship Seven / Sad Sacks

Orville Lunsford
(LIFE, May 16, 1960)

"In late 1958, future country star Bobby Bare fell in with Bill Parsons, an old friend from Coalton, Ohio, who was trying to get on record. 24 year-old Parsons had just come back from army service in Germany and was working in small Ohio night-spots for $10 a night. Parsons and a 40 year old half-Irish, half-Cherokee drifter named Orville Lunsford had penned "All-American Boy", a talking blues parodying Elvis' rise to fame and his subsequent call to duty. Parsons actually had greater faith in another song "Rubber Dolly", a trite rocker adapted from a folk song, and set up a session at the King Records studio in Cincinnati on 4th November, 1958.

Dik de Heer has the details HERE

777 was the number of the Cherokee initial release. Several label owners seeked luck in the same way as Orville Lunsford :

Be-kay
Colvin
Cowtown Hoedown
Dandy
Dash
Edsel
Guitar
Heart
Holiday
Leeds
Mills
Mr. Maestro
Parliament
Praise
Radar
Ray Star
Shannon

Most of them had very few releases and for some, this was their first and last...

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There'll Be A Crown For Me

2011-09-13T04:22:00.001-07:00

David Beatty and the Continental Quartet

There'll Be A Crown For Me

Friddell Records

Cleveland, Tennessee

1958

Friddell Records issued only a handful of singles in 1958 and 1959. This David Beatty release is not listed in Rockin' Country Style or by any other reference books. The label was owned by Gene Woods. There was also two singles by Jimmy Swaggart in 1964 on Friddell, but it may be another label.

Note : several songs on Friddell were published by La Dee Music owned by Dee Marais out of Shreveport, Louisiana.

Gene Woods, 1974

Singer, songwiter and producer Gene Woods recorded at least two singles on his own Friddell label. In 1960 he was on Hap Records, a subsidiary of the Mountain City recording studio, Chattanooga, for which he recorded the Marshall Pack penned "The Ballad of Wild River" at the occasion of the filming of "Wild River" at Cleveland.

The Elia Kazan film starred Montgomery Clift as a TVA administrator who's supposed to persuade local landowners to sell their land to the utility for a dam. Jo Van Fleet was the matriarch who refused to be budged and Lee Remick was the granddaughter who captured the TVA man's heart.

In 1961, Gene Woods was on Choice Records for one single, then had several 45s on Chart Records. In the seventies he was exec of Arrow Records, Cleveland, Tn.

-

Goin' On Baby

2011-09-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

Big Dave and the House-Rockers

"Goin' On Baby"
(Dave Myott)

Cordé Records

Newark, New Jersey

Late fifties

No info about Big Dave. Some sources assume that Dave is possibly Dave Myott, credited as the writer of the song. The only reference I can find to Dave Myott is that he wrote "Washing Dishes" with bluesman Brownie McGhee. The song was copyrighted in 1963, but I can't find any release of this song?

Cordé Records was the in-house label of the Hertz Recording Studios located at 38 Halsey St. in Newark. A label "Famous for Cordite Quality" who issued Break Resistant records. Not much really, three as listed in Rockin' Country Style. I've seen two or three regional gospel groups listed on the same label and reference to sixities band recording there : The Sey Heys, the Viscanes, the Creations, The Riptides. In the mid-sixties, the motto of the Hertez Studios was then : "Our Records Speak For Themselves".

But the history of the studio is much older : 20 y. old Harold Ford, later a band leader, made a demo early in the forties at Hertz Studio and was hired by owner to work there playing piano.

According to one source, the studio was an old Church converted into a recording studio. Research shows at the same address, at various times : Robinson Aerial Surveys Inc., High Impact Anti-Crime Program and Johnson's Barber Shop.

The Cordite effect?
Halsey Street today (thanks Google!)
Was the Hertz studio there, where the parking lot is now?

Cordite - A double-base smokeless powder made of gun cotton, nitroglycerin, and mineral jelly and shaped in long cylindrical strands.

In short, a now forgotten explosive...

-

Jelly, Jelly

2011-09-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Sonny Hines

Jelly, Jelly

Seeburg 5021 (Stereo)

Blues

note : the other side of this record has been posted HERE

Few information available on this Ohio singer . He recorded in the late fifties and the sixties. Here is a list of his records compiled by myself, list probably incomplete.

58 Esta
I'm Glad You're Jealous Of Me
This Morning

61 Decca 31290
Give me back my heart
Teardrop Avenue

-- Decca 31373
Look for me
Follow your heart (Benny Joy wrote it!)

62 Terry 111
Sonny Hines - Nothing Like Your Love
Anytime, Any Day, Anywhere

63 Terry 113
All My Love Belongs To you
(I Finally Found) Someone to Believe In Me

65 Terry-Gregory 1001 (label on cover; on label it's Terry only)

All My Love Belongs To You*
I Finally Found Someone To Believe In Me*
Nothing Like Your Love*
Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere*
If I Had You§/
Let The Good Times Roll§

65? Seeburg 5013
Out Skirts Of Town
I Can't Wait

65? Seeburg 5021
Has Anybody Seen My Kitty?
Jelly Jelly

68 Airtown 2005
You Send Me - Bring It On Home
Nothing Like Your Love

The two Seeburg singles are likely from 1965. Produced by the Seeburg juke-box company based in Chicago and leased, not sold, to the juke-box operators, as explained by Seeburg officials (Billboard May 22, 1965) :

CHICAGO – In introducing its Coin Operators Phonograph Performance Society (COPPS) concept around the country in some 48 separate meetings, Seeburg officals were bombarded by operators questions and comments. Here’s a sampling :

Q. Why are Seeburg records leased –not sold ?
A. Two reasons. First, according to present copyright law, one a company sells a record, it can be recorded by other companies. Operators would lose their exclusivity. Seeburg is restricting use of its records to juke box operators. The material can’t be played anywhere else. Second – since the record is not sold, it is legally a « transcription, » and Seeburg can utilize artists bound « commercially » to other labels.

Several numerical series were used, 3000 is the Discoteen series, 5000 the Rhythm series, 7000 C&W series... And few more probably. In these series, earliest records are all credited to the Seeburg Spotlite Band (members were certainly "artsts bound commercially to other labels"...).

Real names were later printed on the label. In the Rhythm series, Tommy Wills was the first artist to be named (Seeburg 5011).

Full page advertising
the new Country and Western series
Billboard July 17, 1965

Right Now

2011-09-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Zilla Mays

Right Now

(Danny Taylor- Leroy Kirkland, Flip & Skip Music BMI)

Groove Records

1955

Jet Magazine, December 23, 1954

Zilla was the late night DJ on one of the most important black radio stations of the 50's WAOK in Atlanta where she did the late night show from around '52. WAOK apparently could be heard over an eight state area.

She passed away in September of 1995.

Read more : The Dream Girl : Zilla Mays

Zilla, on strike, 1973

The employes of Atlanta Black-oriented WAOK station went on strike againts station management. The incident that sparked the strike began when a WAOK employe, Mrs. Grace Davis, was fired.

Most of sthe striking employes have returned to their jobs when the strike ended, but Zilla Mays and three others were not rehired.

Sonny and Cher at least reunited

2011-09-09T03:29:00.001-07:00

Well, actually I've reunited their pictures.

Well, actually the picture of their dolls are reunited...

Sonny : over 12 inches tall & poseable. The small print says " 1976 Mego Corp..manufactured exclusively for Mego Corp., New York, N.Y. 10010 in the British Colony of Hong Kong."...# 62401.

Cher : Turn a knob on back of doll and her hair can grow.

Amazing. The quantity of information available on the net is quite incredible! Surely this post would help to boost the number of my blog's visitors, like the "Fat Girls" post has doing recently.

Like the late (but great) french writer Alexandre Vialatte concluded his columns : "Et c'est ainsi qu'Allah est grand!"

---

I’m Looking For A Girl

2011-09-07T01:05:00.000-07:00

Sugar Bob Kirkland
And
Frankie Pecora Orch.

I’m Looking For A Girl
(audio file from the Buffalo Bop CD "Struttin'", #55169)

Reno Records #BK-2

6006 Broadway, West New York, New Jersey

-

It's the only release of this label that I know of. The artist is backed by another orchestra on "Donda" the other side (Bobby Bloom Orch.).

On Broadway
(West New York, New Jersey that is)

-

R.I.P. Orangie Ray Hubbard

2011-09-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Orangie Ray Hubbard passed peacefully September 1, 2011 in his 78th year.

Just Moved In

Hey, Hey, Baby

2011-09-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

Marlene
The Nite Shades

Hey, Hey, Baby
(Marlene Thumm, Knotty Music BMI)

Seattle, Washington

1959

Billboard ad curiously credits the artist as
Marlene and her tomahawk (?)

The label is best known for its 1961 release by Ray Gentry and the Rovin' Gamblers (Willie Was a Bad Boy / Do The Fly) and also perhaps for the unusual yodelling "Chime Bells" by Sheri Lee Douglas and the Gondoliers. Both records are listed in the Rockin' Country Style website.

Maverick Records was not, as wrote Billy and Jeff Miller in their liner notes of "Everybody's Boppin'" Northwest compilation on Norton Records. a short-lived label.

Maverick Records was a subsidiary of Knotty Music Inc, established in Seattle in the mid-fifties by Ernest Powell (Ernie) Vigars.

Vigars was already active in the music business in the forties (he wrote in 1947 a 17 pages booklet titled "Deal Yourself A Tune").

In 1952, there was an advertisement for The Northwest Songwriters, Inc. for eight new songs. Persons interested were invited to write to Hazel (Blondy) Vigars, corresponding secretary. (wife of Ernie Vigars?)

The online BMI database contains 23 songs written by Blondie (or Blondy) Rule and Slide Rule, all published by Knotty Music. I assume that Blondie Rule is Blongy Vigars? But who is Slide Rule?

Three labels came out of the Vigars diskery : Knotty, Embassy and Maverick. The result of my research regarding these labels can be found below. The discography is probably incomplete. Any comments or corrections would be appreciated.

KNOTTY RECORDS
12065 Beacon Ave.
Seattle 88, Wash.

5581
The Borland Sisters -Billboard Oct. 15 1955
I'll Be With You When The Roses Bloom / Tomorrow's Too Late

5582
The Borland Sisters - Billboard Oct. 15 1955
Chapel In My Heart / Tattoo

5641
Bobby May & The Knotty Four - Billboard June 16,1956
Put On Your Hat / Have Yourself A Ball

5642
The Sunliners And The Knotty Four - Billboard June 30, 1956 C&W
Ain't Goin' Nowhere / Uh-Huh

Knotty Records, in Billboard ( July 15, 1957) placed a "Coming Soon" ad : Shirley Strand, The Three J's, Henry Day, John Engebretson, Michele Morgan With Jerry Anderson were the artists listed. But except the Three J's (see below), no releases by these artists can be found.

EMBASSY RECORDS (1957)

571
Shirley Hovey & Jerry Anderson - 1957
Gee, But I’m Lonesome / Meannest

572
The Three J’s & Lilyce & Jerry Anderson (Dec 57)
How About Me / Spin A Web

MAVERICK RECORDS
12065 Beacon Ave.
Seattle 88, Wash.

591
Marlene / The Nite Shades / Jack - John - Bill - Billboard ad, Dec. 21, 1959
Hey, Hey, Baby / I Love You Baby
NOTE: The Billboard ad mentions "Hey, Hey Baby" credited to Marlene and her tomahawk (?)

592
Bobby May - Billboard Oct. 12, 1959
Why Do You Treat Me This Way / I Kissed You

601
Sheri Lee Douglas / The Gondoliers - Billboard July 25, 1960
Chime Bells / Gray Skies

606
Duane / The Gondoliers - Billboard May 1, 1961
Wilderness / Lonesome Light

614
Ray Gentry / The Rovin' Gamblers Willie Was A Bad Boy —
The Rovin' Gamblers / Vocal - Ray Gentry Do The Fly

618
Don Thompson / The Yellow Jackets - 1961
Don't Let Me Go / Kathy

-

Ronnie Reno on Reno

2011-09-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Ronnie Reno

Somebody Left Another Youngin' At Our House

Lasses

Reno Records

-

File under "Music To Suffer By"

-

Bop-Cat Rock

2011-09-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Young Mark was listening Country and Western show to the family radio every Saturday night. He much admired Hank Williams and Webb Pierce. With no musician friend(s) in the straight surrounding area of Billerica, he had the idea to place an advertisement in the Billboard magazine :

Rhythm Guitarist, singer and M.C. Country and Western swing. Young, dependable and sober. Single, gave all equipment, and new car. At liberty Sept. 13, 1954, for work with 3 or more (will consider trio). Exeperienced and a real hustler. Want radio, TV, night club or personal appearance work. Must be flat rate pay. Write or phone Mark Cleary, 5 Park St. Billerica, Mass. Phone Billerica 8582. (Billboard, September 18, 1954)

Young, dependable and sober Mark was bitten by the rock 'n' roll bug after seeing Elvis live at his first Massachusetts show (in Foxboro in September '56) and started a rock 'n' roll band, playing weddings and local bars. Soon he was discovered by a local gay undertaker who was willing to pay for a recording session and the Bop Cat label was born. The label owner lacked connections in the music industry, but he knew he had a hit in the second Bop Cat release "Bop Cat Rock" issued in July 1957.

Small Record co. In Boston, with first release (R&R) « moving fast , » needs a major label to « take over » or a public relations man, agent, promoter, distributor, an individual party or group who have connections, to promote this label and first single nation-wide. Will consider selling master. Bop-Cat Records, 70 Beacon St., Somerville, Mass. Billboard August 5, 1957

Apparently, diskery honchos never read the Billboard small print...

The two Billboard excerpts above are real, but everything else is totally imagined.

I've posted a piece (that's all i've got) of the song at YouTube where I've just opened an account : i'am ATOZ176 , pseudo randomly attributed by Youtube and I've tried to make myvery first video as dumb as possible like so many other Youtubers do. I think I've been successful. (?)

As you will hear, it's rockabilly. And a good one.

Massachusetts rockabilly!

In 1957!

Why the song has never be re-issued is totally beyond my understanding. ..

Bo-Did-It

2011-09-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

The Monterays

Bo-Did-It
(Hockensmith, Visual Hits BMI)

Recorded live
Introduction by Terry McGrew
Arr. by Tom Hays

T-Hee Records
Midwest City, Oklahoma

The first commercial release of guitarist Hadley Hockensmith, later lead guitarist for Neil Diamond's tour band.

-

Heartbreak Hotel

2011-09-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Delbert Barker
and the Gateway All-Stars

Heartbreak Hotel

Gateway Records

May be there is some sort of conspiration around here : this cover version by the great Delbert Barker is unavailable anywhere on re-issue compilation or on YouTube or on any blog!

Come Summer

2011-08-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

Al Barkle
with the Dave R. Band

Come Summer

Frantic Records

-

Square Records

2011-08-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yo Yo

2011-08-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Mr. M.B.

Yo Yo

Elmore Records
West Point Mississippi

This is Mack Banks.

In the wake of Elvis Presley’s breakthrough in 1955, Banks “got on that style” and “went from hard-core country to rock’n’roll.” At Houston, Mississippi, radio station WCPC (620 AM), he made tape recordings of two songs, “Be Boppin’ Daddy” and “You’re So Dumb”, which became local hits. With assistance from WCPC’s owner Robin Mathis, Banks recorded the songs in 1956 as a single under the name Mack Banks & His Drifting Troubadours for the Houston-based Fame label.
Note : Houston, Mississippi, that is.

...

Mack Banks founded Mack’s Western Supper Club in Crawford in 1967. Banks himself performed at the Supper Club every weekend from 1967 until July 1994, when the club burned down. The club featured chicken wire in front of the stage to protect the band from flying bottles, and beginning in the ‘80s it became a popular destination for students from Mississippi State. By this time Banks had stopped performing with a band, and appeared solo with his guitar performing his own irreverent comedy songs.

More about Mack Banks HERE (at the Mississippi Arts Commission website)

-

Sail On

2011-08-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Rythm Rockers "5"
featuring
Charlie and J.J.

Sail On
(Arrg.- Troyce Key)

Chance Records

1962

J.J. Malone first recording.

According to "La Gazette de Greenwood" "JJ Malone, autodidacte au piano, à la guitare et à l'harmonica, a enregistré en 1962 son premier single sur le label Chance Records avec deux titres Does she love me et Sail on, à San José (Ca), en compagnie de Troyce Key (g) et de Charles Banks (b). "

The two others Rythm Rockers are unknown.

-

Fat Girls

2011-08-23T01:23:00.000-07:00

The Neons : Fat Girls (Challenge Records)

My Sweet Thing

2011-08-22T03:02:00.000-07:00

Comer Money

My Sweet Thing

Tomahawk Records
4443 Ritch Haven Road
Columbus Georgia

1967

Comer Money

-

Hey, Miss Lula

2011-08-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

Wally Mercer

Hey, Miss Lula

Ring Records

A product of Cactus Records, Inc.
Box 1224 - Nashville, Tenn.

1957

*

Short-lived label owned by Murray Nash. #1501 was issued on Cactus (Sky Johnson). #1503 on Ring (Red Kirk). All releases from 1957.

From the epilogue of "Trumpet Records: Diamonds on Farish Street" a book by Marc Ryan :

For years after the demise of her Trumpet label, Lillian McMurry maintained an active interest in Globe Music, the publishing company where most tunes issued on Trumpet, as well as many others never isued, reposed.

In 1957, she was instrumental in effecting a contract between blues singer Wally Mercer and R. Murray Nash and Associates in Nashville, arranged for several Globe songs originally recorded by Mercer for Trumpet in 1954 to be rerecorded and released on Nash’s Ring label. These included « Hay ! Miss Lula, » which had potential as a rock ‘n’ roll release. Although at least one Mercer was issued on Ring, very few copies seem to have been circulated, and Nash’s venture was soon defunct. Lillian was never offically notified of the release, nor was she compensated for Globe’s songs or for the session fees which she had fronted for the rerecording of « Hey ! Miss Lula » and « Love Me, don’t Put Me Down. »

Summertime

2011-08-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

Keith Williams presents the GENTRY V

Summertime

Valon Records # 714

Pacific Palisades, Calif.

*

Garage pop. Another single on Valon Records is the Cajun Kings.

The label had several albums issued by Keith Williams' big band.

I Got Caught In The Washing Machine and I'm Gonna Twist All Night!

2011-08-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

John Shur

I Got Caught In The Washing Machine and I'm Gonna Twist All Night!

Caricature Records

This New-York label was (partly?) owned by Joe Kaliff (1912-1992), a famous caricaturist and syndicated Broadway columnist.

Backing John Shur on this record are the Abstracts and the Charmettes (Sharilyn Martin, her sister Radean Martin and Susan Meriwhether).

John Shur and the Charmettes signing the contract with Caricature Records
Standing is Saladin (a.k.a. Tony D'Angelo) another Caricature recording artist

Penny Jay & Vernon Dee on Forest

2011-08-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Penny Jay & Vernon Dee

You're Stepping Out On Me

That's Tough

Forest Records

1965

The Forest label was likely from Nashville (the label had ten releases or so between 1961 and 1965)

Vernon Dee is almost certainly Vernon Derrick, a longtime member of Jimmy Martin's bluegrass band (1964-1970).

Great pictures of Penny Jay can be found at the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum HERE

*

The Travelers with Danny Cavedo

2011-08-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Travelers with Danny Cavedo

Not The Kind / That's All

Chi 108

1963

Chi Records : a subsidiary of Bett-Coe Records, Chicago

Billboard, July 6, 1963

Chicago – A small Mid-western record label named Bett-Coe Music is churning up excitement throughout the territory.

The firm is owned by Bettie M. Colebaugh of nearby Moline. She also owns Bett-Coe Publishing, a BMI affiliate. In fact, she writes the songs, arrange them, signs the artists (all local names), supervises the recording (done at Owen Bradley Studios, Nashville), and runs around to help with her own promotion.

She’s put out two records : « Check That Baby Out, One Time » by Randy Proffitt and the Beachcombers, and « Over, All Over, » by Carolyn Chipman and the Beachcombers. The Jordanaires back both groups.

She’s moved 23,000 copies of the two disks, mostly in the Rock Island-Moline area. One large shopping center in Moline actually ordered 10,000 records following a very successful record hop at which Randy Proffitt and Carolyn Chipman appeared

Drive-In Date

2011-08-08T23:41:00.000-07:00

GASPAR SISTERS

Drive-In Date

Jolar Records

This Boston label was owned by John J. Sullivan, an entrepreneur that also ran a theatrical & talent agency. The label address was #132 Boylston Street, then #80 on the last two releases.

Jolar Records Discography

Little Jonna Jaye (born 1950) who had four releases on the label is the daughter of John J. Sullivan.

The Gaspar Sisters (Barbara and Arlene) were a singing-dancing act

*

Jambalaya

2011-08-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

Dave Drennon

Jambalaya

Fifth Wheel

*

Get Off My Back

2011-08-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Eddie King - Mae B. Mae

Get Off My Back

Jay-V Records

Produced by Mica Records
Chicago

Mid-sixties

Eddie King and his sister Mae Bee Mae

Liner notes for Eddie King´s "The Blues Has Got Me" (Double Trouble lp DT-3017) by Robert Pruter are worth reading.

Read HERE.

*

Deutsche Rock 'n Roll

2011-08-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Gene Nash

Deutsche Rock 'n Roll

Capitol Records

Produced by Tom Morgan

*** Deutsche Rock ‘n’ Roll –CAPITOL 4215 – A listenable novelty with a rock and roll beat is sung brightly by Gene Nash over a catchy novelty. (Desert Palms-Trinity, BMI) - Billboard June 8, 1959

Start Movin'

2011-08-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Art Rouse
with Herbie Layne's
Orchestra & Chorus

Start Movin'

Gateway Records

Cover of the Sal Mineo hit in 1957

The Scavenger

2011-07-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Outlaws

The Scavenger

Surf instrumental out of Ohio

Picture below and band info from Buckeye Beat website :

A four member group of Akron high school students, they had a Beach Boys/surfer look at least in dress... The Outlaws shared the 1965 Carlton's Battle of the Bands title with the Chambermen.
They were Gary Garcia, Rick Bevan, Pat Lehere, Rick Garan.

Gary Garcia teamed up with former Rogue Jerry Bucker to record "Pac Man Fever" in 1980.

Oh Yeah

2011-07-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

Sweetie Jones

Oh Yeah

This is the slow side of the first record that Sweetie recorded for Bill Lowery's Fox Records (Atlanta, Georgia)

Picture above : originally a black and white publicity photo that Homer Scarborough colorized using the colors that he remembered from those days, as well as adding the names and years of birth and deaths of the group members.

front Sweetie Jones 1941-2004
back row left to right : Homer Scarborough 1941- (drums), Billy Strom 1940-2005 (piano) Jackie Hobbs 1937-2008 (lead guitar)

More info HERE

Label shot picture credit : Shane Hughes/Rockin' Country Style

*

Needles And Pins

2011-07-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Monarchs

Needles And Pins

(Bono-Nitzsche, Metric BMI)

Roman Records
A division of Northwest Sound Co.
14958 Ardmore, Detroit Michigan

1965

*

Ever Night Lulu

2011-07-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

Johnny Appleseed

Ever Night Lulu

Ramco Records

1968

Johnny "Appleseed" Salisbury is one of few individuals who helped set the stage for early ’60 rock in Albuquerque with his Record Party on KOAT-TV, Albuquerque’s answer to American Bandstand who featured local bands on his program. He owned a few teen clubs during the mid-sixties in the same town.

In 1966, Johnny has been national promotion director of Presta Records and Buena Vista Productions and hosted a show on KTAR-TV, Phoenix.

In 1967 he joined Buck Owens’ new station in Phoenix – KTUF – where he was doing a three-hour midday daily show.

"Ever Night Lulu" was his second record for Ramco. " I Hope To Kiss An Alligator" was his first for the label.

His first recorded effort seems to have been the vocal part of the frat rock "Work Out Sally" on Lomas 2133 credited to King Richard & The Knights. the Albuquerque band led by Dick Richard (King Richard).

Walking In The Rain

2011-07-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

Walking In The Rain

wr.Frank Detrano, Abcoa Music ASCAP

Frankie Dee

Abco Records #1002

Arr. by Jerry Markoe

★

"Walking In The Rain" was first issued on the extremely rare Tee-Jay label (August 1961), out of Baldwin, Long Island, New York. It is not known if the Abco is a re-recording, but it's likely the case, as the Abco and Tee-Jay releases had different flipsides.

Jerry Markoe, the arranger, is the discoverer of astro music which is based on planetary positions and is the founder of astro musical research which produces astrology charts in music.

Born Gerald J. Markoe March 22, 1941, in Brooklyn, NY Jerry has conducted District 12 Orchestra at Lincoln Center, NY, for three years, performed with the New York Philharmonic as well as with the Manhattan School of Music orchestra and chorus. He has led and performed in dance orchestras, including those of Lester Lanin, Meyer Davis, Steven Scott, and the Noblemen as vocalist, guitarist and bassist under the name Jerry Markoe. He has also played in cocktail lounges and piano bars as a one man orchestra.

Frankie Dee (Frankie Detrano or De Trano) has written and produced at least two records issued on the Golden Crest subsidiary Shelley label, out of Huntington Station, Long Island :

Shelley 164 - Baby Sticks & The King Tones : Pigmy/ Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider (1962)
Shelley 185 - Augie Rios : Augie Stay Home / Lullaby (1963)

He is not the Frankie Dee on Future and RCA (real name : Frank DiPaola) . And the Frankie Dee on 20th Fox may well be a third Frankie Dee...

Rockin' Rhythm

2011-07-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

Billboard, August 5, 1950

Peewee Barnum

Rockin' Rhythm

Imperial Records

1950

This is a young Hidle Brown Barnum, better known as H.B. Barnum.

Producer and arranger H.B. Barnum remains one of the unsung giants of popular music, collaborating with a who's who of acts spanning from Frank Sinatra to Puff Daddy. Born Hidle Brown Barnum in Houston on July 15, 1936, he won a nationwide amateur talent contest at the age of four, resulting in an appearance in the feature film Valley of the Sun Marches On. Within a year he was a regular on the children's television program Broom Stick Buckaroos as well as the radio smash Amos 'n Andy, additionally guest starring on The Jack Benny Show and CBS Playhouse.... Read More HERE

Runnin' Wild

2011-07-15T04:57:00.000-07:00

Arv Jenkins

Runnin' Wild

Ramco Records
Phoenix, Arizona

1962

♠ ♠ ♠

I can't find any evidence that Arv Jenkins recorded another record. Arv was c&w program director for the Gila radio network and KGLU, Safford, Ariz.

In May 1961 he has switched to the brand-new KATO in that town.

Not much else to say, but at least we have his picture!

Whisper To Me Baby

2011-07-13T03:24:00.000-07:00

Bucky Buckler And Windjammers

Instrumental acc. by Al Good

Whisper To Me Baby

Buckler R 1464

1960

Managed by Hollywood agent Bobby Boyd, Bucky Buckler was in Nashville in December 1959, recording at the RCA Victor Studio. "Whisper To Me Baby" was likely recorded at this session. Mention is made in Billboard Magazine (Feb. 3, 1962) that Bucky Buckler is a new artist on the roster of the Tillman Franks Enterprises, Shreveport, La. , at one time the youngest member of the Oklahoma Legislature. (Seminole County, 1957 and 1959 Legislatures).

Bucky lost his mother in 1988 in unfortunate circumstances :

Ex-legislator Held in Slaying

SHAWNEE, Dec. 3, 1988 - A former state legislator remains in the Pottawatomie County jail after admitting he killed his 85-year-old mother, Sheriff Paul Abel said.

James M. " Bucky " Buckler, 58, was jailed on a murder complaint Wednesday after he walked into the sheriff's office and confessed to the killing of Verta M. Buckler , Abel said.

Bucky admitted strangling his mother after enduring "a lifetime of abuse". As he choked his mother to death, Bucky cried out, "Will it never end?", testified the sheriff's deputy.

*

Good Rollin'

2011-07-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Joe Usury and his Band
featuring
Jimmy Gresham

Good Rollin'

Boogie Records #102

Year unknown. Possibly late fifties.

Obscure record. Band leader Joe Usury is completely unknown, perhaps a pseudonym?. Jimmy Gresham is better known. He is featured in the excellent Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven website HERE, but the rocking blues "Good Rollin'" is not listed. "Love and Devotion", the flipside of this Boogie record is listed by Sir Shambling on Right Groove, a mid-sixties release. Possibly a different version as the song is in two-parts on the Right Groove label.

The only other release on the Boogie label seems to be Little Arthur Mathews : Now you Got To Go / Let's Do The Slop (Boogie #101).

Little Arthur Mathews, singer/comedian and long-time member with the Johnny Otis show, was a good blues singer and cut "I'm Gonna Whale On You" with the Johnny Otis Band for Federal in 1955. In 1956 he cut the rocking "Hot Diggety Dog" as "Bad Bad Bulldog" for Dig 117. He worked as Dope in the comedy duo Mope and Dope. Later he worked with Skillet of Skillet and Leroy Fame.

That's all I know, I swear.

*

Birthday Cake

2011-07-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

Fran Mounce
with Bill Mounce and
His Bluenotes

Birthday Cake

Rock Records
RCA custom pressing : H8OW-2301

Pic credit : http://myworld.ebay.com/twilightzonekid/
eBay auction HERE (three days left)

Pic from back cover of White Label LP 8932

"Not suitable for radio" mention suppressed from the first copy above, while the second copy has the RCA custom matrix erased...

Western swing practitioner, Bill Mounce, from Waco Texas, formed a studio band, Sons of the South, in '41 to record on Bluebird. Combo featured ace steel guitarist Bob Dunn and Jerry Irby as vocalist on some songs. He was one time member of the Texas Playboys. And also a booking agent :

Waco drummer and music entrepreneur Bill Mounce, formerly of the Texas Playboys, picked up the slack and developed what Bob Murrell described as « a stable of local musicians. » Mounce became the principal booking agent in Waco, organizing bands to fit every kind of job. Bob was one of the many qualified musicians who enjoyed steady work with Mounce. [The jazz of the Southwest: an oral history of western swing, Jean Ann Boyd, book]

I've found several Bill Mounce ads in the classified (Musicians) section of Billboard, from 1950 to 1960, with four different addresses. Bill was looking for job :

'50 May — Jackson, Tennessee (mention : Western swing drummer, with Bob Wills two years)
'52 June —Rosedale Inn, Greeley, Colorado
'52 September to August '53 — Humboldt, Tennessee
'57 May to February '60 — Waco, Texas (available, little band with a big sound)

Tweedle Dee

2011-07-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

Vicki Young
(1925-2007)

Tweedle Dee

Capitol Records #3008

Recorded November 22, 1954

...
During her eight year career at Capitol Records, Young cut 56 sides, including such titles as "Honey Love," "Pink Shampoo," "Tweedle Dee," "Ricochet" and "Riot in Cell Block No. 9." Vicki Young made the best-selling pop charts twice, with "I Love You So Much" (b/w "Let Me Hear You Say It," Capitol 2478) which charted in June 1953, and her cover of The Drifters' R&B tune "Honey Love" (b/w a cover of The Robins' R&B tune "Riot In Cell Block No. 9," Capitol 2865) in October 1954.
...

Biography and discography

Graduations Almost Here

2011-07-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Coley Harwell II

Graduations Almost Here

Robbins Records

1965

♦ ♦ ♦

Marty Robbins performed and recorded several songs by longtime songwriter Coleman Harwell, most notably "Thanks but No Thanks" in 1964.

Harwell is the nephew of former Nashville Tennessean newspaper editor Coleman Harwell.

Vince Everett on Laurel Records

2011-07-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Laurel Records - record label founded by Vince Everett and Peggy Van Alden. He got 51 percent, she got 40 percent, and their lawyer, Mr. Shore, got 9 percent. Three different picture sleeves were printed, but no actual record was ever issued on the label.

Great Balls Of Fire

2011-07-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hal Willis

Great Balls Of Fire

Top Hit Tunes

Waldorf Record Corp., Harrison N.J.

★ ★ ★

According to Hall Willis' own website, this cover of the Jerry Lee Lewis hit was recorded in Nashville in December of 1957.

Hal is backed by Chet Atkins, Grady Martin, Bobby Moore, Marvin Hughes at the piano, Buddy Harman & the Jordanaires! (The Nashville A-team!).

*

Baby-O

2011-07-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Bobby Angel

Baby-O

(Bob Roberts, Rahm BMI)

Rhum Records

1961

*

Tony Lee and His Quintette

2011-06-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

Tony Lee and His Quintette

Poppin' Off
b/w
Suicide

Fortune Records
Detroit, Michigan
1959

Two instrumentals.

Tony Lee, probably the sax player here, is not Tony Lee on King or Tony Lee on Mercury.
There was also a Tony Lee on Darryl (no info).

I can't find any info on Tony Lee, or any trace of other recordings?

*

Lil-Tee Records

2011-06-30T02:30:00.000-07:00

1001

"Big T"
Tony Val

A - You're Moving Me

B - I Love You Too Much
(Bobby Stevenson, Eden Music BMI)

Arranged and conducted by George Butcher

I Love You Too Much

1002
Jimmy Calvert

A - Stolen Love
(James Mills, Youman ASCAP)

B - I Wanna Go Home Again

Arranged and conducted by Joe B??

★ ★ ★

In response to Richard Sibelo who posted Lil-Tee 1003 in his blog "On The Record".

Lil-Tee 1001 has also a Clyde Otis connection, as Eden Music was one of the publising companies owned by him.

The double slanting dash present in the name of the label is typical of a certain New-York record label printing company whose such use was systematic when a dash was present in the name of the label (around 1959-1960). For instance :

February 1959, Cleff-Tone
New-York label

1960
Cee-Jay 577
New-York

Running Wild

2011-06-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

Don Jarrells

Running Wild
(C. Rogers, Moss-Rose BMI)

Tonka Records
1226 West Gray
Houston Texas