Gene Stanton And The Satellites

 

Gene Stanton And The Satellites

Honeybee
 Blues With A Beat..(Carroll Reeves) 
Publisher : Lake Erie Music BMI 
A-A Double Records 45-101

 

King custom press, presumably from 1955. Not listed at the Dan DeClark's Ohio River Valley discography

No info about the artists, but probably from Cleveland (Ohio) where Lake Erie Music, the publisher, was based, owned by Kenny Bass.

 

Love Spider

 

River Witch LP, cover

 

Cincinnati Joe and Mad Lydia

Love Spider

I’m a love spider baby  forty fingers on my hands
Forty ways of makin you feel good...

This song, written by Mad Lydia, is from their album released on their own label, River Witch late in 1971. "Cincinnati Joe, Mad Lydia."  They were, at the time, regulars at Mahogany Hall, in suburban Mount Adams, catering * the soul-rock-jazz clientele.

Cincinnati Joe (Joe Spaulding) and Mad Lydia (Lydia Wood) were a couple in music and life. Known previously as the Spaulding Wood Affair, they were signed to Kapp Records in New York in 1968. A full album was recorded, produced by none other than Sly Stone, but for some reason, the album wasn't issued. Only one single has been released : Something About You / Your Tomorrow (Kapp 942). But, at least, we know some details thanks to the following article by Ed Ochs (Billboard, Nov. 9, 1968)

The Spaulding Wood Affair

A mixed couple, Joe and Lydia were with the William Morris Agency, but they were dropped because the public took a dim view of mixed couple. Hence the album withdrawn from Kapp, perhaps.

From her interview published in 1980 :

Astrology and the occult seemed to be a good theme for a musical career. We came back to Cincinnati and put on our act on Mount Adams as Mad Lydia and Cincinnati Joe. I wore lots of beads and Joe dressed gypsy-ish. When I had the twins I stopped performing at night.  

I'm doing another show now with Joe and the kids, The Night Queen and the Rock and Roll Troll. It has lots of magic. The witch and the spider ten years later.

Joe Spaulding died recently in 2022.

 

The Incredible Upsetters

;

The Incredible Upsetters
Audio Lab AL-7-2046
1960

 

John L. Dickerson (1933-2021), a graduate of the 1948 class of Sandusky High School, formed the Upsetters with his brother and a few high school friends. They were soon performing all over Ohio with Dickerson as the front man. 

As The Incredible Upsetters, the group recorded this EP for Audio Lab, a King Records short-lived budget subsidiary, in 1959 (issued in 1960).

John Dickerson, as Big John, was later the vocalist of Lonnie Woods Trio ("Shakin' Sugar",  Peacock Records, 1965).

 

Baby I'm Your Man
Only A Dream
Oo-Wah-Cha-Wah
My Life, My Loved One

After Midnight

 

After Midnight

Rick & Ray, Vocal by Ray Fleming on their own R&R label. Record number (255-08H) is typical of a pressing job from Magnetic Sounds of Columbus, Ohio. That would place this (unlisted) record in 1964, which is also the year of the copyright by Walter V. Laplante who wrote the lyrics, composed the music and arranged the record.

For a incomplete listing of Magnetic Sounds records, see 45rpmrecords

That's My Ginny In Her Mini-Skirt

The Beacon St. Society

That's My Ginny In Her Mini-Skirt

★

On the quite obscure Diablo label from Youngstown, so obscure that isn't even listed by Dan DeClark in his Ohio River Valley discography

Written by William Schaffert and published by Paubil Pub. Co.; arranged and conducted by Sam D'Angelo. Date is 1967 based on the copyright and also on the Capitol custom pressing code (W=1967).

William Fred Schaffert was born in 1929. He wrote several songs, among them one he copyrighted in 1969 intriguingly titled "Nasturtium Neighborhood"

Sam D'Angelo (1941-2019) was a composer, arranger and musician. He was also a teacher  at the (Catholic) Ursuline High School, from 1965 to 1971.  Sam has been described as "a very hip band director " (1)

Diablo Record Co. was located at 3518 Champlain Ave. in Youngstown (2), which was certainly the residence of Bill Schaffert, the owner, who started the Diablo label with a single numbered 3518, thus imitating, perhaps without knowing it, the Chess Brothers.  The first release number on their Chess label (by Gene Ammons) was selected after their first Chicago home address - 1425 South Karlov Avenue.

Five singles were issued between 1966 and 1980:

3518 Mike Rance :
I'm In A Dreamer's Paradise / Awake All You Lovers, To Love  (66)

3519 The Beacon St. Society :
That's My Ginny In Her Mini-Skirt / Awake, All You Lovers, To Love   (67)

3520 Cycles Featuring Kathy Onderko :
I Was A Loser Now I'm A Winner / Gone, But Not Forgotten    (78)

3521 Colleen Cefalu :
Why Speak Of Love / Love Can Be

3522 Teri Butler :
I'm Gonna Find Out / Cause I Love You       (80)

You Make My Heart Sing Ah!

The Shadows




You Make My Heart Sing Ah!

Fraternity 795
1958

Young Elroy Peace and Paul White

The Shadows are Elroy Peace and Paul White. One of the most memorable songs of bandleader Ted Lewis  was "Me and My Shadow" with which he frequently closed his act.  Around 1928, he started to use a shadow mimicking his movements during his act.   Several Afro-American played the Shadow.  Elroy Peace and Paul White were two of them in the forties.

    Elroy first got steamed up about show business when he was seven years old. He won second prize imitating Cab Calloway on the West Coast and Elroy, under the tutelage of his aunt, Roxy Williams, took the plunge. He won a spot with a Major Bowes' unit and traveled about the country with the Major. He was a pro for real. Elroy was born in Kansas City, Mo., but his big break came when his family moved to Los Angeles.

    The late movie actor Ben Carter helped draw Ted Lewis' attention to the artistry of young Elroy and all that can be said is that Elroy has been walking in Lewis' shadow for eleven years.

Elroy Peace's first record was probably "Onion Breath Baby" for the Swing Time label in 1953. Followed a duet with Willie Mae Thornton on Peacock,   

After this Fraternity single, he was heard on West Coast labels such as Keen, Romeo, or Helga. In the early sixties, during a tour in Australia & New-Zealand, Elroy recorded at least two singles which were issued on local labels.

Elroy Peace was also a songwriter whose songs were recorded among others by Little "Butchie" Saunders And His Buddies (Herald), Gene La Marr And His Blue Flames (Spry) , The Bow Ribbons (his nieces) & Debra Lewis.

Since I Met You Baby

June Mason Spencer and Harvey Russell

Since I Met You Baby

Recorded at the Columbia Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. June Mason Spencer, on this Jade label owned by Harvey Russell, is unknown to me.

Harvey Russell

1933-2018

Singing Cop - was all you needed to say in 1960s Akron. Harvey Russell was a cop, and a singer, and in the polarized world of the mid-late 60s, a cop who sang rock-n-roll.  See buckeyebeat

Harvey had started singing in local pop vocal groups including the Wonders (who recorded a 45 on Reserve). In the early 60s he continued to sing 'solo'. He had a local hit with "Out of My Teens" on the Vicki label.
 

 

He Taught Me How To Yodel

Before the internet, before the telephone, before the telegraph and even before the tom-tom, there was the yodeling, according to Bart Plantenga and his book "Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World";

Plantenga suggests that yodeling most likely originated in Africa, "at the beginning of mankind, when man decided he could do different things with his voice. More practically, it probably began 10,000 years or so ago, when animals first were domesticated, [as] a way to keep the cattle together. It probably also had to do with people amusing themselves. The Pygmies [still] use it for many things, including feasts and playing. They have this method of singing back and forth between two voices, and it's just pure pleasure at that level."

.......

Did a centuries-old, Swiss mountain tradition make its way into American country music? As his fascinating book reveals; yodeling is not just a Swiss thing - everyone from Central African pygmies, Nashville hunks-in-hats, avant-grade tonsil-twisters like Meredith Monk, hip-hop stars De La Soul, and pop stars like Jewel have been known to kick back and release a yodeling refrain. Along the way, we encounter a gallery of unique characters, ranging from the legendary, such as country singer Jimmie Rodgers, to the definitely different, including Mary Schneider 'the Australian Queen of Yodeling' who specialises in yodeling Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, and the Topp Twins, a yodeling lesbian duo who employ the sound in their songs aimed at battling homophobia. 

Ethel Delaney was born and raised in a small coal mining town in Southern Ohio. People in this rural community had to make their own entertainment, so at an early age (5 years old) Ethel started to learn to play the guitar and began singing all types of songs and yodeling.
The guitar was finally ordered from the catalog and the days were full of anticipation and excitement waiting for its delivery. Yodeling came naturally and living in the beautiful hills of Ohio Ethel was able to yodel as long and as loud as she wanted. She performed whenever she could and did so for all the church socials and school naffairs.
Ethel's first songwriting attempt, "Echo Mountain" was published by B-W Music, recorded at a studio in Cleveland, Ohio and released on the privat DECO labl; several other songs have been written, recorded and released since that time.

More about Ethel here

Ethel Delaney & Pee Wee King

He Taught Me How To Yodel

Cumberland Spoons

Joe Jones known to many as "Mr. Spoons" made his living off tips for many decades by playing the spoons.  He described himself as an "ignorant" man but as usual explains it away with a wise thought.  "If you're intelligent, you've got to work 'cause you owe it to the world.  If you're stupid, they put you to work to keep your hands busy and out of trouble.  But if you're just ignorant... well then no one much wants ya, so they leave ya alone."

His brother-in-law had four degrees and has to borrow money from him  all the time.  Think about that before taking your law boards!

See him live here at the Kentucky Horse Park Bluegrass Festival in 1991

Cumberland Spoons

Joreen

L. E. Richards And The Girls
Joreen
D. Lee, Warmat BMI

Universe 45-550
1962

This quite obscure Ohio label, pressed by King Records in 1962, had only two releases, three if we count the second issue of this one which came on a black label.  "Joreen (She's Something Else)" was given a second chance with the release of Universe 501 by Cody Black & The Celestials as the flip of "The Camel Walk" 

What the two releases had in common was they were composed and produced by Dicky Lee, a pseudonym for one Warren Hambrick.   I've found several songs penned by Warren Hambrick between 1961 and 1963, but none seems to have been recorded:

1961
Sweet Papa Sticky;
Let's Do "The Big End"

Baby Is It True? 
Turn Him Loose, Wine

1962
Don't Mean Nothin", Ain't No Big Thing; (Don't Mean Nothing),
Everybody Likes To Twist;
Many Regrets;
You're Too Fine; 
That Kind Of Blues;
What Did I Do?  
Pretty Crazy,

1963
 Daddy Yum Yum; 
The Eyes Of The Beholder; 

Universe discography

People Are Talking About Watergate

Sons of Truth
 (Bill Spivery)
People Are Talking About Watergate

version1

version2

Agency Recording Studios
Cleveland, Ohio

1973

(issued on Dee-Jay Records)

The Agency Recording Studios 1730 East 24th Street, Cleveland, Ohio were located above the Agora Theatre and managed by William C. Noyes

Gospel, r&b singer-songwriter, Bill Spivery, whose song “Operator” was made famous by the Manhattan Transfer, died in 2004. He was 73.

He wrote “Operator” in the 1950s. It had the catchy refrain: “Operator, information, give me Jesus on the line.” The song was featured on the soundtrack of the 2002 film, “Phone Booth.”

Spivery lived in the Cleveland area since the early 1950s. He held various day jobs while pursuing a musical career.   He performed with three groups: the Friendly Brothers, the Sons of Truth and Bill Spivery and the Operators. He also sang at churches throughout the Midwest and appeared on show bills with Diana Ross, Leslie Gore and Bobby Womack.

In 1964, Spivery wrote and recorded “Mr. John” in honor of the late President John F. Kennedy. It became a regional hit, reaching No. 3 on local charts behind the Beatles and the Dave Clark Five.

He also wrote “Non-Violent Man,” a musical tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sons Of Truth
From the book Cleveland's Gospel Music by Frederick Burton

Dee-Jay Records discography (Bill Spivery own label)

Hey Mrs. Jones

The Three Dukes
Sing And Play

Hey Mrs. Jones

Forrest & Reagan, Pamlee Music BMI

Triple A 2505
1953

Cleveland, Ohio young jazz trio "The Three Dukes" were one of the first groups to cover the Jimmy Forrest song recorded in 1952 for United Records. Members of The Three Dukes were Vincent Tancredi (drums), Ronnie Feskanin (piano) and John DiPalma (bass).  The Three Duke's recording of "Hey Mrs. Jones" was pressed for Jack Gale's Triple A Records.  The new release was Triple A's debut in R & B and was considered a "good version of the lively tune now riding high" according to Billboard reviewed somewhere in the Rhythm & Blues section between new records by Edna McGriff (Why, Oh Why on Jubilee Records) and Hadda Brooks (When I Leave the World Behind, Okeh Records) on February 28 1953.  The reviewer also noted that "Coverage platter is rather late and will have a difficult time catching much coin"

The trio broke up soon after.

More versions of the song in my next post

Baby Should I

Don Morse with the Characters
Baby Should I

Ann White, Jamige Music Co., BMI

GC Records 101

1515 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH
1957

Another obscurity on a label owned by Gene Carroll, who hosted his own TV show for years in Cleveland. The first on the label ?

GC Records discography

Your Feet's Too Big

Marty Roberts

And His Nightriders

Baby

Your Feets Too Big 

ARC 8003

1956

Born Martin Robert Schopp in 1918 in Chenoa (Illinois).

Marty Roberts got an early start to his radio career when he was appearing on WDZ in Illinois when he was only in his second year of high school.  At the age of 17,  he was the bass fiddle player with The Lone Pine Fiddlers, a bluegrass group led by String Bean Akeman, who became a longtime member of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. and a star of the long-running television show, "Hee Haw."

In 1937, he played bass with Ted DeLeon and his Mexican Caballeros, toured the country with the band by private train.

A year later, Roberts was playing with the Moon Mullins Dixieland Band in Greensboro, N.C., when he got his first big break.

"Three guys came in one night wearing cowboy hats. They needed a bass player. They said they were the Tennessee Ramblers and they worked at WBT in Charlotte, N C.   They had just made a movie with Gene Autry."  

The Ramblers were one of the biggest country music groups in the nation in the late 1930s and early 1940s.   Roberts, joined the Ramblers and with them made a movie with Autry ("Ride, Ranger, Ride") and with Tex  Ritter ("Riding the Cherokee Trail").   He also began recording with and without the Ramblers. He did some of the vocals for their Bluebird recordings.  He was also a member of the WBT Briarhoppers. During that time, Marty's name was Tex Martin. 

Around late summer of 1943, Marty was appearing regularly on The Breakfast Frolic show over radio station WJJD in Chicago when he got drafted by Uncle Sam to serve his country during World War II.   

In the mid-1950s, he was spinning Country and Western records with Nelson King on the mighty WCKY in Cincinnati, Ohio.   (WCKY could be heard throughout most of the eastern half of the United States, up into Canada and specifically into the southern half of the country and down into the Caribbean islands.)

At least 3 records were issued by Dome Records (1951-1953) and 4 on Coral Records (1953-1955) before the two singles recorded by Rite Records of Cincinnati and issued on their "in-house" ARC label. 

Marty passed away in November 2009 in St. Petersburg, Florida, survived by his two sons, Allen and Martin.

"Happy Tex" Martin, a.k.a. Marty Roberts

Santa Claus Rocket Ship

Phyllis Hamilton

Santa Claus Rocket Ship
Larry Edwards, Beycor Publishing BMI

Hark Records #500
Marion, Ohio

1959    

Little Phyllis Hamilton was a regular on "Ohio State Country Round-Up" presented each Saturday night at the Ohio State Fairgrounds and aired 11-12 p.m. over WMNI (emcee : Jimmy Stout). She was later one of the performers at The Paint Valley Jamboree from its debut, formed in 1965 by James Sweeney, of Bainbridge, and Lou Harris, of Portsmouth. 

She gave up music for 40 years until the owner of the Jamboree convinced her to come back recently.   You can see one of her recent performance  here

As Phyllis Ann, she recorded on Karl Records (1961) and as Phyllis Ann Hamilton on Shenandoah (1964-1965).

Pink Shoelaces

Honey Gabore 

and Coastiers Hot Shots

Pink Shoelaces

A Coast To Coast Top Hit Records 1275

1959

A cover of the 1959 Dodie Stevens hit. 

 This record is not listed in this Coast To Coast discography.
This label is a continuation (in the same series) of the Gateway Top Tune label owned by Rite Records of Cincinnati.

5 Sable Sisters

5 Sable Sisters

 Little Wee Lady

R. Trivanovich Starday BMI

Hope Chest

C. Sable, Starday BMI

Dixie 45-868

July 1960

Teen-age group from Ohio.  Bob Fenster, New York, was their personal manager.  That's all I can find and that's not much.

 Billboard,     April 11, 1960                                                        Aug. 1, 1960 

Momma, You Ain't Gonna Worry Me

Three And One

James Screetch, vocal

Momma, You Ain't Gonna Worry Me

Fabar 285-121

1966

James T. Screetch, age 66, of Dayton departed this life on Wednesday, May 17, 2006. He received his formal education at Dunbar High School, and worked for the Dayton Board of Education until his illness. He was a member of St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church. Jimmy was a musician; an avid fisherman and loved to make and sell fishing poles and also work on cars. He was well known for his musical skills. 

 

A former member of Dayton’s Moroccos, Jimmy formed The Jimmy Screetch Trio  He played piano and saxophone.  He worked with Etta James, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Ike & Tina Turner, Nancy Wilson...

Don't You Know?

Andy Wilson And The Leesures

Don't You Know?
 (A. Wilson, Robadon Music BMI)

Destiny 506, 1961

Recorded, like most of the other Destiny releases, at Audio Recording Studio, Cleveland, Ohio.   

Andy Wilson was a Canadian act who was recorded there when he played engagements in Lorain.  

Terry Gordon's Rockin' Country Style has a Andy Wilson discography, which includes a record on Backbeat Records.  But that doesn't sounds at all like the same singer.   You can hear "Too Much Of Not Enough" here (YouTube)

Destiny Records discography

Cash T. Woodson

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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