The Porter Records Story

Phoenix, Arizona label owned by country deejay, air-conditioning salesman and musical entrepreneur Frank Porter. 

Porter Records was active in 1957/1958. Some details here.

 

There's A Great Day Coming (new links)

 

 Chip Young



A: There's A Great Day Coming

 
B: Just As You Are

both wr. Joe South, Joe South Music (BMI)

    Esco 200 CY
Sept. 1959

It seems that the Billboard reviewer sensed insufficient promotion from Esco for this Chip Young record ("could step out with plugs" and "could create interest with exposure").  And he was not wrong, at least regarding a national promotion. 

The Esco label (and its Escophonic sound proudly printed on all the labels) was the offshoot of Esco Artists, a local booking agency located at 112 Nathan Rd.,in Atlanta, recording members of its stable [except Joe South] to ensure a regional promotion. At  Esco, the star was Joe South, a NRC recording artist, who penned almost all the songs recorded by the label, which were all copyrighted by his own publishing company, Joe South Music (BMI). Still under contract with Bill Lowery as a recording artist, Joe South didn't have a record issued by Esco. Did he owned that booking agency ?

Guitarist and producer Chip Young died Dec. 20 2014 at the age of 76 in Nashville, Tenn., a month after undergoing triple bypass surgery at St. Thomas Hospital.

Young, a.k.a. Jerry Marvin Stembridge, was born in Atlanta, Ga., on May 19, 1938, and began his remarkable career in the 1950s, playing with guitarist Jerry Reed and singer-songwriter Joe South. In the '60s and '70s, Young lent his notable thumb-picking talents to Dolly Parton's hit 'Jolene,' Elvis Presley's 'Guitar Man,' Charley Pride's 'Kiss an Angel Good Morning' and many other fan-favorite songs.

He was a regular member of Presley's studio band from 1965 until the King's death in 1977. Young worked with other talented artists as well, including Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kris Kristofferson, Porter Wagoner, George Jones, Willie Nelson, the Oak Ridge Boys and Reba McEntire, among others.

The Retreds (R & T Records)

 The Retreds

R & T Records RP 660
Acton, Massachusetts
[listed in RCS, but location unknown]

1966

DC Hill Studios

Vocal by John Hill

 
Black Mona Lisa

 
Johnny Be Good

The Retreds

Image from this blog (The Making Of A Band) written by The Old Dude who was a member of the band. Plenty of recollections there...