The Wolf Hop

The Anderson Sisters

Wilma Jean - Ruby Lee

With Leon Houston And The Cumberland Mountain Boys

 The Wolf Hop

Devora Brown, Trianon Publications BMI

  Fortune 202

1958

 Song copyrighted by Dorothy S. Brown in February 1950

This is a re-up. Previously posted in 2015.

It's Because Of Love

The Fowler Sisters

 It's Because Of Love
A. Fowler, Whole Note Pub. BMI

(ESP) by Special Request

1976

Produced by George Fowler.  George Fowler was an organist, session player and GospeI and Blues and R&B songwriter and producer at Motown Records. He produced virtually ALL Motown's Gospel releases (first on Tamla and Motown Records, and then was the producer who ran Motown's Divinity Records.

Aside from his duties with the acts on Divinity, Fowler also wrote and/or produced songs for La Brenda Ben, Mable John, Eddie Holland, Henry Lumpkin, Liz Lands, Marvin & Mary, the Supremes, the Contours and Marv Johnson from 61-64. Oddly, he also produced "Everytime I Feel The Spirit" for the Supremes in 1967, several years after his departure from the label.

Other releases on his own ESP label were :

ESP 6132 : The Status Quo – World Of Trouble (background Fowler Sisters)
     Forward Productions, Highland Park, Michigan address
ESP 6523 :  (Lady) Liz ‎– Make Your Future Come Right Now

George Fowler passed away on April 13, 2016.

That Jive

That Jive

Vitacoustic unissued

Kitty Stevenson (1918-1952)

Born in Thompson, Georgia, Kitty Stevenson came to Detroit in 1929. She started out as a dancer and her first singing job in Detroit with Lorenzo Lawson at Lee's Sensation. Under the management of Al Green she toured widely in 1950 and 1951.  Kitty Stevenson was known as the "Blues Bombshell" in her brief career.  Her son is Motown producer & songwriter Mickey Stevenson

Vitacoustic recording from December 1947.  Vitacoustic was a Chicago independent, associated with the up-and-coming Universal Recording operation. It collapsed into bankruptcy in less than a year, amid nasty management disputes, after investing heavily in recorded material that would never see release.  [...] Because it spent freely on Billboard ads, and its riches-to-rags story attracted a lot of coverage, the company's story is much better documented in contemporary sources than was usual for small labels.
http://campber.people.clemson.edu/vitacoustic.html

Sam Pan Sue

John Osborne and band


Stepping Out To


Sam Pan Sue

Every sign on this "High-Fi  / C & W /Made in Detroit" record says "song-poem record" :

–  the label : previously active in 1963-1965, the Lectron issued at least four records, all pressed by Rite Records in Cincinnati (Cara Stewart, The Cones, Mary Kaye)

–  Margie Bish,  songwriter of both sides, had few songs issued on the Preview label
–  Active Music (ASCAP) was the publishing wing of Jack Curry's Air label, operating from 3170 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida

But the otherwise unknown John Osborne doesn't sound to me quite like a song-poem singer ?

Archer Record Pressing from 1968.  

Keeping You Alive

Rose Mary White And Grable Garrett

Keeping You Alive



Rose Mary White

Sugar Boy

One-off Detroit release from 1963. Both songs written by Othea George (also credited as the arranger), Gabriel Garrett & C. Washington.

George, Garrett & Washington were all members of The Four Tracks, of Tony & The Technics  and later of The Four Voices.

Rose Mary White is unknown to me, but Grable Garrett is probably Gabriel Garrett.

Cha Cha Blues

Tony Rinaldi

Cha Cha Blues

Bart 7-G-16

1957

After this recording for Nick Bartell's Bart label, Tony Rinaldi became in Detroit a member of a group composed of Miami, Florida students :  the Sonny Bloch's Coralairs, named after Coral Gables, Florida, where the University of Miami is located.  


Tony Rinaldi is the uncredited vocalist on Baby Blue Eyes released in 1958 on the Detroit Bee label (produced in Miami) as by the Sonny Bloch's Coralairs. That's the sum of my knowledge of this artist.

The Coralairs, Tony Rinaldi is on left

Colonel Daniel F. Cunningham's Absolute Cure All - The Wonderful Elixer Of Life

The King Twisters

Colonel Daniel F. Cunningham's Absolute Cure All - The Wonderful Elixer Of Life

 Sax Kari, Kari Music Co. BMI

MasterCraft Productions 103

 1961

This short-lived label was located in Detroit  The Magnolias and The Mighty Cravers are the two other groups issued by the label.

I think it's safe to assume that MasterCraft Productions was owned by Sax Kari.

Isaac Saxton Kari Toombs was born in Chicago in 1920.  Sax Kari, according to Preston Lauterbach [*] had done it all to make a buck in the entertainment business: payola bagman, stand-up comedy second banana, composer of blaxploitation film soundtrack—for The $6,000 Nigger to be precise—emcee, leader of a big band, record producer, and talent broker, for starters. He’d worked in virtually every city relevant to 20th century American music, Memphis, New Orleans, Chicago, Miami, and New York, and in every genre from swing to hip-hop. 

Sax Kari died in Florida in 2009.

Sax Kari discography

Sax Kari as songwriter see the the BMI database online here (548 songs!)

[*] author of the book "The Chitlin' Circuit: And the Road to Rock 'n' Roll"

 

A Secret Memory

The Dolton Boys

A Secret Memory

(Gerry Boire, Andie Boire, Sidrian Music BMI)

Universal Sound 156

Early 1967

Unknown elvisy vocal, probably issued right after the merger of Sound, Inc of New Haven, Mich. and Sidra Records of Detroit (see Billboard 18 February 1967) as Sidrian Music is the song publisher on this Sound Inc. subsidiary label. 

 

Perhaps a Sidra production?

 

 

 

Snake In The Grass

Jimmy Carroll and The Boy Friends 
-
Snake In The Grass

James Carroll-Gary Wright

Elysian Music Corp. BMI

Produced and directed By Ralph and Sid Glaser

Arranged And Conducted by Gary Randy

Glaser Hollywood GH-1000

November 1960

Possibly the same Jimmy Carroll who recorded "Big Green Car" on Fascination

Glaser Hollywod, divison of Elysian Music Corp New York City, was owned by Ralph and Sid Glaser.   This short-lived label had few releases in 1960-1961 (see discography below).  The label main musical talent was arranger and conductor Gary Randy, also known as Gary Harrison, Harry Nivens, Harry Nivins, Harry E. Nivens and Harry Edward Nivens.

Harry Nivens was from Detroit.  He managed The Royal Holidays, The Royaltones and Melrose Baggy  (real name: David R. Sanderson, a former member of The Royaltones). 

The earliest mention of Harry Nivens is found is in a book published in 1951 "A Salute to the Chaplain; a Day With a Far East Command Hospital Chaplain" :

The two pianists are Sgt. Harry Nivens, a patient, and Red Cross worker Virginia Kershaw of Fort Payne, Ala. The coffee hour group, including Chaplain Ellenberg, really loosen up and hit the rafters with some old song favorites under the spell of the two talented keyboard artists.

Sergeant Nivens, from Detroit, who has served with the 24th Infantry Division, is an up-and-coming song writer who supplied the music for one of the Occupation's hit shows, "Opportunity Knocks." Some of his songs have been recorded by Columbia Records. Harry plays the Hammond organ sometimes for the chaplain at his services. His is a very cheerful disposition, and he's good medicine for his fellow patients. The chaplain speaks highly of Harry.

Among the various Harry Nivens contributions to Detroit music (as writer, arranger and/or producer) :

• Sandy Evans on Drummond
• The Monitors on Circus
• The Royal Holidays on Penthouse
• Marco Hammon on D-Town
• Johnny Cruise on Jaro
• Cally Dodd on Calico
• The Towers on Stuart
• Don McKenzie on Ridge
• Johnnie Mae Matthews on Reel (and Sue)

Glaser Hollywood discography

PM-1000 (Also on Rose-C 3342)
Linda Chanfer
Exactly Like You / My Own Angel Love

GH-1000
Jimmy Carroll & The Boy Friends
Snake In The Grass / Shy Boy

GH-2000
Bruce Lenox
Seventeen Years / Youthful Desire

GH-3000
Becky Baines
All Of My Life / Loved

That's The Way It's Gonna Be

 Billy Lee

That's The Way It's Gonna Be

Carrie 1515

Box 7763, Detroit 7, Mich.

September 1962

This is William Levise Jr. later known as Mitch Ryder, front man for one of the most raucuous "blue-eyed soul" bands of the 1960s, the Detroit Wheels.  Writer is the Reverend James Hendrix, owner of Carrie Records. This is the very first Mitch Ryder recording.

Ryder's father looked for ways to encourage the son's talent.   One of his coworker belonged to a church presided over by Rev. James Hendrix, a part-time music producer who owned Carrie Records, a small independant label which distributed a handful of modest gospel recordings.   "That's The Way" was an attempt by the reverend to expand his gospel label into more popular directions. "James looked around and saw Elvis and Bobby Rydell, all these white boys", Ryder said. "He thought there was a fortune to be made."

On left, William Levise (Billy Lee)

 Rev. James Hendrix (center bottom )

The Arabians

Edward Hamilton

Cornell Blakely (right bottom )

I'm Comin' On Back

Taffy Thomas

I'm Comin' On Back 

(T. Navarro, Gee Pub.)

ZTSC-104345

What'd I Say

(Ray Charles, Progressive BMI)

ZTSC-104346

A Sammy Gee production

Newport Records #130

1965

Taffy Thomas would be the lead singer of the Sanshers, all girl group  — several sources says group is from Ohio, but I would say more likely from Michigan — who recorded two singles in 1964 :

• It's Only A Paper Moon  / My Ideal (Essar Records)
• Gonna Git That Man / Kansas City (Kweek Records)

But she's surely not Taffy Thomas "the West Coast nitery canary" , discovered by Frank DeVol  ("I Said No", Columbia 41644, 1960).   That Taffy would be actually Sue Thompson ("Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", Hickory Records, 1961)

None of these six songs recorded by Taffy Thomas are original.  And "I'm Comin On Back" is no exception : it's a cover of a song which was featured on "Twist Around Town", a Tommy Navarro album produced by Abner Levin and  issued in 1961 by Urania Records, a peculiar recording company.  It can be heard on YouTube HERE. 

Tommy Navarro's songs have been loved on the northern soul scene for years in the UK,,  “I Cried My Life Away,” on De Jac Records. being massive in the mid 1980's. 

Teen Age Queen

J.J. Barnes

Teen Age Queen

Mickay's Records

1963

 

James Jay Barnes was born on 30th November 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. He is known as J.J.Barnes and has released over 25 singles including his big hit ‘Baby Please Come Back Home’. He is a respected singer and songwriter on the northern soul scene.

J.J.Barnes began his musical career in gospel. He sang with his sister, Ortheia Barnes, in The Halo Gospel Singers....

Discography

Biography

Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy

The Millionaires

Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy

(Do The Cocaminny)

Ann Curry, Stinson Music BMI

Cadillac 163

The previous release on Cadillac was the R'nB sounding "Arkansas Jane"  also by The Millionaires, oddly enough a cover of a  Dallas Frazier-penned song first recorded by Elwood James on the tiny Robie Lester's Bonanza Records, a Los Angeles concern.  Here, "Shimmy" is obviously sung by a white group. But perhaps the Millionaires were an "integrated" group after all ? I don't known.

Anyway, for want of any better regarding the Millionaires story or line-up ,  I made some progress in my research regarding the quite obscure Cadillac label, and was able to fill some gaps in the label discography that I've tried to compile.

Cadillac Records was founded in 1949 in Detroit as a subsidiary of Park Avenue Music publishers headed by songwriter, vocalist and former orchestra leader  Jerry Harris as president.  

The label moved to New-York in 1951,  a move mentionned by Billboard in their September 15, 1951 issue.   Graham Prince is then designed as the owner of the firm.   I've seen mention of another owner, Charles Boulanger, who like Graham Prince, was a band director.  One of the first release on the new New-York label was Ruth Casey's "Hold Me Just A Little Bit Longer" and "Cry" on #103. The ballad "Cry" was soon covered for Columbia Records on its subsidiary label Okeh, by Johnny Ray and became a national sensation, a big hit.     

The less obscure artist on the label is perhaps Charlie Graci/Gracie whose first three records were on Cadillac Records.  

I've not be able to found any trace of activity (release) on the label between 1955 and 1960, except the mention of a Cadillac recording artist performing in front of the inmates at the Detroit House of Correction.  One of another artists of this 1956 Yule confined show was Jack Scott and His Rock-A-Billies,  well before his very first record on ABC.

In the early sixties, there were new releases out of Detroit,  still produced by Graham Prince on Cadillac, and on S.A.K. Records  and Go-Gee Records as well.

Graham Prince (1904-81) started out in the 20s with Whitey Kaufman's band. He is credited with quite a few publishers' arrangements and some co-credits on songs.

In compensation for the lack of a Millionaires picture, please find below one of Ruth Casey. It's so cold and rainy tonight.

 

The Way It Goes

Nickey, Lorraine, And Lucy

The Way It Goes
(M. Theodore-A. Kay, High Hopes BMI)

Arr. & Prod. by Mike Theodore

Sound Score Records

★

Detroit girl group. They attended Mumford High believes their producer, Mike Theodore. Their manager was Ian Gaum.

"Does anyone know where these girls are ?" asked Mike in 2003, in the Soulful Detroit forum.

If their own producer don't known, why should I known better ?



.

Go Devil Go

Al Corsal
Music by the Regal-Airs

Go Devil Go

Star-X Records



Sight and sound courtesy of colnel (e-bay)




-

Needles And Pins

The Monarchs


Needles And Pins

(Bono-Nitzsche, Metric BMI)


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

1965



*

NOTE: link is dead, have another one HERE

Tony Lee and His Quintette

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?









*

Jogger

Dennis Bice & the Rhythm Riders

Jogger

Detroit, Michigan

Late sixties?




.

Saturday Night Fish Fry

Charles Tucker Trio

Staff 802

Recorded and produced by Idessa Malone


Saturday Night Fish Fry


.

The Blue Tempos - Rock and Roll Rhythm

The Blue Tempos - Rock and Roll Rhythm

1966

The Blue Tempos recorded at Terra Sherma Studios in Detroit, Michigan in 1965/66. This is likely the only release on the label, a custom RCA pressing (927M was allocated to Meadowbrook Records owned by Ernie Stratton who also ran the Terra Sherma Studios).

George Brown was member of the Blue Tempos.

I've got only a clip of "Steal Away", the quite interesting slow side, but it's in a file which includes a clip of both sides. Too lazy this evening to do the necessary editing work. If you feel like it, it's HERE.

.