Mini Skirt

 

Papa Cat - Mini Skirt
W. Colston, E&M Publ.

 Erwin Records
2674 Steele Memphis 38127

 DL link

Papa Cat was certainly William Wirth Colston, a retired employee of General Motors Corp. in Memphis, who died in 1975, 68-year old, Like so many M.E. Ellis' Erwin custom records, date is unknown, probably late sixties or early seventies.

I have only a snippet of the flip  (Wonder Pill) that I hesitate to post.

Astronote Blues

 

Big John

Astronote Blues

Astrol Records PB-764 (Capitol Records custom pressing)
1963

Tiny Memphis label. They are only two other records on Astrol Records, all from 1963 : Calvin Newborn and Johnny Scott (later owner of the Portra label). Who was Big John, I don't know. 

But the guitarist on his record is certainly Calvin Newborn, a member of the Newborn jazz dynasty. He played on BB King's vinyl debut "BB's Boogie" on the Bullet label. That's Calvin on guitar with father Finas (or Phineas) Newborn Sr. on drums and brother Phineas Jr. on piano. The family band held down the floor at Memphis' Flamingo Room every weekend (where young Calvin often beat Pee Wee Crayton in legendary after-hours "Battles of the Blues") and even hit the road as Ike Turner's band with "Rocket 88"  

Ike Turner taught Calvin how to drive - in return, Calvin taught Ike his first guitar licks. Calvin also taught Elvis Presley how to gyrate, using his own "Calvin's Boogie" as inspiration for hip-shaking.

Beti Webb

Beti Webb in 1955

Beti Webb (born in 1935) was a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in english and drama with an emphasis on media production, advertising , marketing and journalism. She has acted in or directed over 180 plays. In 1959, she was the featured vocalist with Warren Covington and the Tommy Dorsey orchestra. Her first record, produced by Stan Kesler, was on the XL label out of Memphis and was also issued nationally by MGM with a different flipside.

Beti Webb discohraphy

A: My Marine
B: I Know (You Can Be Happy)
    XL 359    1966

A: I Have, I Have
B: I Know (You Could Be Happy)
    MGM K 13715    Apr 1967

A: Tic Toc
B: It's Not Me
    MGM K 13847    Nov 1967

Zoom Zoom Zoom

 

The Mask

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

(Writers proceeds donated to The Hall Of Fame)
Pub. Gatto Music
It'll Do Records 1500

After an in-depth research, I think I can named the man that hides behind the mask. Several clues were helpful, but the most convincing is the comparison between the picture found on the record front sleeve [see 45cat] and the picture of Harold Streibich, a music attorney from Memphis,Tennessee, who also happens to be the founder (or co-founder) of Il Gatto Music the publisher of Zoom, Zoom, Zoom.  Same facial morphology, prominent cheekbones, thick chin and neck.

According to an article published by Billboard (March 29, 1969) :

A graduate of the University of Virginia law school, where he was a classmate of the late Robert Kennedy, Streibich has his fingers in many musical pies. He also dabble in politics, and just recently was named one of the five members of the State Athletic Commission.   More than an attorney, Streibich is a salesman. He believes in Memphis - every square inch of it. He extols the virtues to every visitor, takes individuals, or groups on sight-seeing (at his own time and expense), and spares nothing

which corresponds fairly well to his participation in a record intended to promote a (planned) Hall Of Fame, which was perhaps a project launched by the Memphis Music Association referred in the following article published by Billboard (April 27, 1968).

Harold Streibich co-founded in 1979 the High Water Recording Company :

The High Water Recording Company was founded by Dean Richard Ranta, Dr. David Evans and the late Harold Streibich in 1979, as part of The University of Memphis’ College of Communication and Fine Arts. High Water was modeled after Sun Records, producing records by a younger generation that was previously unknown. High Water recorded artists such as R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Jessie Mae Hemphill.

Elvira

Doyle Nelson Trio

Elvira
(Dallas Frazier)

Jay Records
4908 East Shore (Road) Memphis
70's

Produced by J.W. Brown, who was Jerry Lee Lewis’ bass player and father of his child bride.

A Stonewall, Arkansas native, Doyle Nelson learned his craft playing alongside of many of the stars of Memphis, Ace Cannon, Bill Black, Gene Simmons, Bobby Woods and Sam the Sham.  As a session musician, Nelson played keyboards at Hi, American and Sonic studios in Memphis, and worked with musicians like Reggie Young, Bobby Woods and Wayne Jackson. In the late 70s, he moved to Los Angeles for a year, headlining at venues throughout the Southern California area, including the world famous Palomino Club.
 

Doyle Nelson (1920-2015)

Doyle Clitus Nelson, 94, of Morehouse, died March 9, 2015, at the VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born November 30, 1920, in Hartman, Ark., to the late Elzie and Georgia Thomas Nelson, he served in the US Navy and was employed by Music City Manufacturing. He was a musician, and played guitar for Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. He was a member of the Nashville Musician Association AFM Local 257. He also was a member of the Canalou Assembly of God Church. On December 17, 1947, in Piggott, Ark., he married Janet Tharp, who survives of the home.

Call Me Skinny

Jim Climer

Call Me Skinny

Rolando 45-202
Produced by Roland Janes
Late sixties?

Memphis (or West Memphis, Arkansas?) artist and radio personality (on KWAM), Jim Climer had two records issued in 1962 : on the Kris label, Little Twister/On Top Of Old Smokey and on Fernwood : Tall Mack The Lumberjack/he Clown With A Broken Heart.  According to Wayne Jackson, trumpetist with The Mar-Keys, Jim billed himself in these days as "Jim Climer, Ninety Pounds of Rock and Roll".

A friend of Eddie Bond, he co-wrote with him a song entitled "Ballad of Buford Pusser." 

Ape Man

Ape Man

Rather obscure Memphis artist despite the release of at least five singles issued between 1962 and 1966. James V. Yancey (his name) switched to record production after his singing career was over. At Sun Studios, he recorded Li'l Smokey Miller in early 1966 (Black Gold#500) and later Len Barrow for his own Yanden label (3494 Obion Road, Memphis).  One Judd Wood seems to have been one of his regular partners in songwriting.

Discography

Zone 1500   (1962) (as James Yancey)
I Need Some One / Uncle Bum

Penthouse  (1963)
Painting The Town Blue / Hat's Off To You Mister

Wildfire   (1965)
Best Friend You Ever Had / Stop The Music

Black Gold  (1966)
Ape Man / Lions Den
   
Express 712 (196x)
Cotton Patch / Loneliness Finds Me

I cannot find a date for the 45 on Express, a tiny but long-lasting label owned by Bob Taylor, the singing truckdriver.

Black Gold Records and Black Gold Productions were operated by Tom Phillips, brother of the Sun Records owner.

You Caught Me Off Guard

Joanne Touchstone
You Caught Me Off Guard
Lichterman-Williams, Triumvirate Music BMI

Sound Stage 7 45-2543
1965

Joanne Touchstone recorded three singles for Sound Stage 7, a Monument Records subsidiary, all produced by Bill Justis in 1964-1965.   As Joanne Spain (her birth name) she recorded disco music for Casino/GRT Records in 1976.   She also wrote "Another Neon Night" that was recorded by Grand Ole Opry star Jean Shepard.

Joanne Spain (1938-2009)
From a Casino Records ad, 1976

Her obit (edited) from The Commercial Appeal, April 8, 2009:

JOANNE SPAIN, 70, of Memphis, Tennessee died on April 6, 2009 at Baptist Memorial Hospital. Surrounded by friends in life and death, she fought a courageous battle with cancer,

Joanne was born on May 8, 1938, in Jackson, Tennessee to Joseph Thomas and Louise Spain. She graduated from Northside High School in Jackson, Tennessee where she starred on the basketball team. She earned her Bachelor's Degree at Lambuth College and her Master's degree from Memphis State University. Joanne's sense of humor was her hallmark. . She was an avid golfer and contributed to the game by serving as president of the Women's Competitions Committee for the Tennessee Golf Association.

Joanne followed in her mother's footsteps and became a teacher. She taught both Vocal Music and English in Memphis City Schools at Colonial Junior High, Messick High School, Whitehaven High School, and East High School.

She produced many musical productions while a music teacher at Colonial Junior High School that had students expressing their gratitude for those experiences for years after they had graduated. She touched the lives of many students who have become successful adults because of, not only her skills in teaching, but also the lasting connections that she made. As stated in her teacher evaluation, "Love bounced off the walls in her classroom."

Joanne left her teaching career briefly to pursue her dream as a singer/ songwriter. She produced an album with two hit songs, Walk Softly and Elevator. She also wrote the hit song, Another Neon Night that was recorded by Grand Ole Opry star Jean Shepard. A loyal University of Memphis fan, she loved her dogs, golf and the beach. 

Hold On To My Shaking Hands

Jan Hodson

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

 Snooty Music BMI

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

 Produced by Ken Laxton

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

 

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

 

Hall Of Shame

Jean Dixon

Hall Of Shame

Gwen McEwen

H. Graves Music Co. BMI

Fonovox 102

1447 Union, Memphis Tenn.

1959

Short-lived label operated by Elston Leonard and Hillburn (Pappy) Graves. 

Elston Leonard was the founder of Fotovox Inc., a TV and commercial film producing firm, in 1951 at 1447 Union.

 

Hillburn Graves (1913-1973), was a saxophonist and clarinet player from Arkansas.  He toured extensively from more than two decades with the "Pappy Graves Show"

Gwen McEwen was best  known as a comedienne. She traveled for many years with Pappy Graves ("Pappy Graves Music and dancing Revue, featuring riotously funny Gwen McEwen, That inimitable "Phyllis Diller" Gal ! ")  She never made a career for herself in music, although she recorded few demos at Sun Records ("Steady Freddie" and "We"ll Have A Ball" were issued by Bear Family in 2002).   She wrote both sides of the Smokey Joe 45 on Fonovox, the only other known release on the label.

 

Jean Dixon is perhaps the former band singer who was associated in Dallas with the Hugh Fowler Agency in 1958-59 (Billboard, 31 August 1959). No further info.

 

Mama

Anita Wood

 

Mama 

(He Treats Your Daughter Mean)

 

Wallace - Lance

Marvin Mueil BMI

Nita 126

 

 

Ruth Brown cover by the most serious of the Elvis girlfriends (1957 to 1962).  The song was penned by Johnny Wallace and Herbert Lance and issued in 1953 on Atlantic #986.

Anita Wood was not the greatest singer,  but this is  probably her best and certainly her most obscure.  Equally obscure was the Nita label (perhaps) named for her and (perhaps again) owned by Billy Riley.  

More on Anita Wood here

 

 

 Anita Wood discography 

ABC-Paramount 9947  - Crying In The Chapel / I'm Liking This   (October 1958)

Nita 126 -  Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean) /  It Hurts Me To My Heart,  1960

Sun 361  -  I Can't Show How I Feel /  I'll Wait Forever ,   May 61

Santo 9008  - Two Young Fools In Love  / Memories Of You   (Moman-McGinnis Prod.) , Bb 18 May 63

Santo 9008  - Memories Of You / -Still   2nd release of 9008 w/alt. flip ,  distr By Dart Record Sales

Santo 9054  – Dream Baby / This Has Happened Before ,  April 64

Nita label discography (all 1960 releases)

126 Anita Wood :   Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean) /  It Hurts Me To My Heart

127 J.M. Van Eaton  : Midnite Blues / Bo Diddley 

128 Jimmy Louis    Your Fool  / Gone And Left Me Blues    Re-issued on Phillips Int’l 3565    

129 The Jivin' Five     South / Basin Street Blues

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

Spider Webb

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

W.Webb, Tuneville Music, BMI

Scottie 1326

1960

The last issue on this NRC subsidiary.  The Scottie label was started in 1959 and lasted just one year, releasing two dozens of singles from #1301 to 1326.   #1317 and 1322 are still to be found.

Publisher of the song, Tuneville Music, was owned by Bill Justis, who has been signed by NRC chief Bill Lowery as a.& r. chief for the label a few months before (Billboard, Februrary 15, 1960).   And if Spider Webb had a release of Scottie, that was probably thru Bill Justis.  

Several "Spider Webb" distinguished themselves in the music field :

• Gary "Spider" Webb, drummer, member of The Hollywood Argyles, who recorded The Cave on Bamboo ('61
• Bobby "Spider" Webb, a bluesman, native of San Francisco
• Spider Webb (r.n. Kenneth Rice), drummer, a Detroit native
• Spider Webb (r.n. Willbern M. Welten) steel guitarist of Sparta, IL
• Spider Webb signed by 'Teen Records, subsid of Teen Magazine in 1961
• Spider Webb (and The Insects) on Lugar ( Maggie / Big Noise From Winnetka)
• Spider Webb, LP "Life Of The Party" on Astari Records in 1982 ("treated Vocals, Fuzz Guitar Blasting, Weird Songs,Kinda Lo-Fi Sounding")
• Spider Webb, Chicago disc-jockey (fifties)
• and probably some more........

But OUR Spider Webb is none of the above.

Our Spider Webb, whose first name initial letter was W., according to the songwriting credit printed on the label, is almost certainly Woodrow C. Webb, aka Jimmy Webb, whose song "No Traffic Out of Abilene" was recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1972.

He is also almost certainly Jim "Spider" Webb, country singer on the Memphis Select-O-Hits label. (late sixties).

Jim "Spider" Webb

From the Select-O-Hits 001 picture sleeve of

"Biggest Coward Of The West" b/w  “When You Snooze You Lose"

I'm Starryeyed

Ann Caudell

I'm Starryeyed
(Ann Caudell, Lyn Lou BMI)

Quick Records
3191 N. Watkins
(Memphis, Tennessee)

Subs. of Carroll Records, Inc.

1963?

The B-side (Longing For You) is readily available on the net, including a tampered speeded up version.

As it's almost always the case, the fellows YouTube "do-wop/northern-soul/and whatever " stakhanovists have choosen to spread the worst side on which Ann is backed by an horrendous and omnipresent Hammond organ.

The best side is certainly "I'm Starryeyed" on which you'll feel Miss Ann's breath.

Annette (Ann) Caudell wrote both sides of her record. the BMI database shows a third song : "Raindrops keep Fallin" a song she co-wrote with John Hinson And Leonard Varah.

This is the second record on the tiny Quick label (first was Sonny Lavelle).



.

Jump and Shout

Billy and the Fabulous Echoes

Jump and Shout
(Adkins, Ford; Lyn Lou BMI)

Clearpool Records
P.O. Box 27027
Memphis,Tennessee

Clearpool Records was probably named after a popular Memphis fifties spot. (In those days, most Memphis restaurant kitchens closed at 10 p.m., so going "out to Clearpool to grab a bite" became very popular with the late-night crowds. The Garavelli family had built the entertainment complex, which included the circular Clearpool swimming pool.)

Dennis Turner, then vocalist of Bill Black Combo, had a single on the label as had Marlon Grisham of Ain't That A Dilly fame. The label was likely owned by Bill Black. [Lyn-Lou was his publising company]

Billy and the Fabulous Echoes had another record, "Road Runner" [original release unknown] compiled on the Collector CD 4486, and also compiled on Collector CD 4521 as by Billy Adkinson.

On Billy [Adkins.] or Billy Adkinson or on the Fabulous Echoes, I can't find any information.

Today, the Memphis postal box correspond to "Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc."



-

Sweetheart Boogie

"Dreamy Joe"

Sweetheart Boogie


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

.

Peak Records of Memphis

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?).





.

Darrell Tatum

When Dave Travis of Stomper Time Records bought the Fernwood and Santo masters from Wayne McGinnis (Meteor recording artist), he had some masters he has bought on an artist named Darrell Tatum. He asked to Larry Manuel if he can find information about the label and on Darrell Tatum :

"I've checked all my sources here in Memphis and have come up with almost nothing. Stan Kessler remembers a Santo label but never heard of Darrell Tatum. " said Larry.

The two first Santo label releases involved Darrell Tatum. A full page ad in Billboard contains a bit of info that is not found on the label of Santo 500.

Billboard ad, detail

So the Holidays were a trio and Darrell Tatum was the guitarist. "Dark Valley","a twisting instrumental", was backed by "Desperate" another instrumental.

The second release on Santo ("Battle Hymn Of The Republic/Dixie ") was credited to Darrell Tatum.

Santo 501

Three years later, he was on Fernwood ("My Darling Wears White Today / Best Man Always Wins", Fernwood 141, '64).

Fernwood 141

And, finally :

Billboard, Nov. 18, 1967 picture
showing (center) a Darrell Tatum of Big Foot Music in Flint, Mich.

Is he the same Darrell Tatum?

.

The Music Shoppe (Roy Cost)

Are You Really My Girl
The Music Shoppe
Vocal by Roy Cost

The Music Shoppe
picture credit : Rockabilly Hall of Fame (Roy Cost page)

According to Roy Cost's own website :

By 1969 Roy Cost organized "The Music Shoppe" consisting of Cost, Jimmy Jobe, and the late Alfred Crump. Cost had his biggest break with another trip to Lyn-lou Studios in Memphis. This recording session was produced and engineered by Larry Rogers (Studio 19, Nashville) and musician, Steve Bogard. The song "East Of Tulsa" and "Are You Really My Girl" became a hit due to the efforts of KXLR'S Larry Dean and the giant KAAY. Joe Stampley who was a singing idol of Cost took some of the "East Of Tulsa" 45s back with him to Shreveport. The two still communicate with each other. Stampley resides in Nashville these days instead of in Springhill, La. "East Of Tulsa" was a dream come true and provided Roy Cost with trips to Nashville and appearances on Ralph Emery's Opry Star Spotlight and Grant Turner's "The Morning Show on the legendary Grand Old Opry's WSM Radio. There Cost appeared on shows with Eddie Rabbitt, Waylon Jennings, Maxine Brown of the Jim Ed Brown & The Browns, Ray Pillow and Doyle Wilburn.

.