Brosh 500 (EP)

CP-6527 

Kris Arden

My Guy (Essie Smock)

 Sammy Marshall  and the Keynotes
 Just A Few (M.Fritz)

CP-6528

The Mystery Girl
 Makes My Heart Start Flopping Around
Greenlaw-Johnson

 Ronnie May  
Love 'em So (Royal H. Lawson)

Brosh BR-500 EP

3223 W. Birchwood Ave., Milwaukee 21, Wisc.

John O' Brien distr. : Phone EV 4-0180

Octobre 1961

Song poems all published through Jasmine Music (BMI), a publishing company whose name is also found on Jabar Records and Caveman Records. 

The company operated  from a Post Office Box in Princeton, Florida.  Razor blades and aloe gel were other subjects of advertisements at various times, between 1959 and 1968.from the same P.O. Box.  Possible relation with Active Music and Jack Curry of Air Records.

There is also a Mystery Girl singer on Dial Records.  Same singer ?

Billboard, 13 April 1959

 Billboard, 17 April 1962

Popular Mechanics, August 1964

Stainless razor blades

 Billboard, 26 November 1966

publishing, foreign royalties

 Billboard, 18 February 1967

needs rhythm and blues recording for foreign releas

Popular Mechanics, March 1968

Salesmen wanted for Aloe Gel miracle healing lotion

Danial Bridges on F.C.M.

Danial Bridges

Blue Flames

CP-5113 ~ Oh Happy Days

Dan Bridges, Falls Church Music BMI

CP-5114 ~ Fools Like Me 

J.Clement - M.Maddux, Knox Music, Inc. BMI

F.C.M. Records
Falls Church, VA.

1961

The B-side penned by Jack Clement and Murphy "Pee Wee" Maddux was recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (Sun Records, 1958).   "Oh Happy Days"  had a second chance on Jason Shapiro and Bob Schachner's Gateway Records (out of Pittsburgh, Pa.) in 1964.  

Danial William Bridges had at least two more records on Jeree Records (a label owned by Jerry Reed in Beaver, Pa.).

Discography

Danial Bridges Blue Flames
F.C.M. — Oh Happy Days / Fools Like Me (1961)

Daniel Bridges
Gateway 733  — Oh Happy Days / A Simple Little Cottage (1964)

Dan Bridges And The River Rats
Jeree 66-15/16 — You Can Have Her / Sam Houston (1966)

Dan Bridges
Jeree 66-31/32 — That Gal / Cannibal Jerk (1966)

These two songs are listed in the BMI database (unknown label, perhaps Jeree)

Golden Shades Of Long Gone Days (1966)
Her Transistor Radio

Note : the other songs written in collaboration with Ralph Bass and listed in the BMI database are from another Dan Bridges

"Bobbie" and the Valiants on Arco

"Bobbie" and the Valiants

16309 ~ Rambunkshus

Mundy-Millander

16310 ~ Goofin' Around

Frank Beecher-Johnny Grande

Arco Records SC-100
A product of Stereophonics Corp., New Bedford, Mass.

1966

The virtual community has almost no memory at all of "Bobbie" and the Valiants.  One early reference to the band is found in The Beacon, the Cape Cod Community College newspaper., in which Elsie Rodriques wrote that her and her fellow students "danced to the music of Bobbie and the Valiants of New Bedford." from 8-12 p.m.  (that's was a Friday.  Friday, September 1962, 28  precisely).   And, probably happy with their music, Rick Lippard was of the opinion "that they should be invited back at a future date". 

Rambunkshus is actually "Ram-Bunk-Shush" the 1957 Bill Doggett hit,  a tune that had been first recorded by Lucky Millender  (King Records #4534, 1952).

Goofin' Around is the Bill Haley tune performed in the movie Don’t Knock the Rock and issued on Decca Records in 1956 (LP and EP only, not on single).

Proclaimers of Liberty

The Proclaimers of Liberty

Jesus Broke The Yoke

Side 1: By the Anointing - Medley / He / I'm Singing Wonderful / Jesus Use Me / English - Ilocano - Medley / I Want More of Jesus
[ 35197 ]

Side 2: Born to Serve the Lord / I've Got That Old Time Singing - Medley / He Paid the Debt / Who Am I / Dancing Heart
[ 35198 ]
 

year : 1975

On the cover, L. to R. : 

Carlton Shaw, Mrs Veronica Shaw,

Pacita Rosendo, Rev. Robert C. Rosendo

For additional records, write :
Rev. Robert C. Rosendo
P.O. Box 208 Duluth, Minnesota
or P.O. Box 205 San Jacinto, California

From an old ebay listing, which had a sample, which I preserved.

Robert C. Rosendo, a member of the Igorots, a tribu of former headhunters far north of the Tasadays, a peace-loving tribe which was discovered years ago but still living in the Stone Age, is the founder and director of the International Christian Chuch of the Philippines, Inc.   The Reverend resided in Simi Valley, Calif  in the late 70s.  

In 1948, when Rosendo was nine years old, he met a GI who later returned to the tribe to convert members to Christianity.  "Becoming a headhunter was proof of manhood," he explained.  " Skulls were objects of worship.  Houses were decorated with them to ward off evil spirits."  "It took three years to change the village completely," he said, "and you would never know that the people here were ever savage." 

A miracle only God can do. 

Even more obscure is another LP, also pressed by Rite Records, as by The Proclaimers/ Robert Rosendo And Veronica Shaw. The title : "Bu Tje Ampotomg Kesis Breals Tje Uple".

More info and another miracle are needed. God? Anyone?

Decapitated enemy of an Igorot head hunter

What is a Igorot ?  Answer HERE

And what about headhunting the Philippine Cordilleras ? Answer HERE

Of lesser interest is the article "Critique Of Imperial Cultural Studies And The Task Of Indigenization In The Philippines" by E. San Juan, Jr., Fellow, Harry Ransom Center, University Of Texas, Austin, USA which contains plenty of five (or more) syllabs words    link

Ross Barnett For Governor Campaign Song (1967)

Ross Barnett For Governor
Campaign Song

MAGNOLIA STATE QUARTET

With Jerry Lane Orch.

19263 -Lets Roll Again With Ross

19264 - When Good Ol' Ross Goes Rolling In

Both written and produced by Houston Davis

Delta Records Custom Dpt
1653 Raymond Rd
Jackson, Miss.

★ 

Label picture and audio files are taken from Brian Perry YouTube channel.  Brian Perry collects political memorabilia. He has collected several records from Mississippi gubernatorial campaigns "which provide a glimpse into the politics, issues and culture of the time.".   

Brian Perry :

In 1967, Barnett ran for governor again but finished fourth in the Democratic Primary. He still had catchy songs. The chorus of "Let's Roll Again With Ross" goes: "Who is the best man yet? Ross Barnett! Ross Barnett! Who is the best man yet? Ross Barnett you bet!" He takes on President Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy: "All left wingers stay away from me / we don't need your Great Society / in Mississippi we just want our sovereignty / Roll with Ross, roll with Ross, roll again with Ross....All the reds in Washington will say / they hope Ross will fall along the way / but we won't give our state to little Bobby K."

On the record's flip side, "When Good Ol' Ross Goes Rolling In" (to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In") hits a number of his opponents including William Winter: "when another man collected tax, his piggy bank, it runneth over, with that old black market tax."

Barnett lost to Congressman John Bell Williams who had his own song. "John Bell Williams is A Fightin' Man" performed by Bob Cates & the Dixie Six begins with a variation of Dixie (an instrumental of which appears on the B-side).

"All you people gather around I got a story to tell / about a man from Mississippi that they call John Bell / he was sitting up North on the Capitol Dome / watching the way his folks were treated back home. Saw those Johnson boys in the high silk hats / and wonder what they're doing to us Democrats / Saw little brother Bobby having all of his fun / he stood up and said 'you can't do that son.'"

Full text HERE

★  

The Magnola State Quartet was organized in 1961 and had Brookhaven, Mississippi, for headquarters.  The personnel was Carlton Brown (1928-2002), lead and manager; Marvin "Buck" Boyd, 1st tenor; Carroll Smith, baritone; C.O. Stegall, bass; and I.W. Brown, accompanist. 

They sing just about all the time in any place where they are welcome, and they are welcome about any place where they are known.  No place is too small or remote for them to appear.  They have appeared at some of the larger gatherings over the country with many of the outstanding singers.  One of the most well remembered occasions is when they sang at the inauguration of Hon. Paul Johnson on Jan. 19, 1964, after working in his campaign for Governor. [From the back cover of their "Sings For You" LP on Sing Records, Atlanta, Georgia]

★  

Delta Records was noted for it's custom recording work. They recorded wedding, church and college choirs. Also they recorded foreign language departments for Ole Miss in Oxford, MS and many commercials for numerous radio stations.  They also recorded radio stations all over Mississippi for ASCAP.    When Mississippi was searching for a state song, Delta Recording Studio recorded all the state university bands in search of the song that would truly be representative of the state. "Go Mississippi", written by Houston Davis was chosen as the official State Song of Mississippi in 1962.

Marc Ryan, author of "Trumpet Records: An Illustrated History With Discography" (Big Nickel Publications 1992, wrote this about the early days of Delta Records : 

Jimmie Ammons [Delta Records owner] earned his living as a machinist, but enjoyed a second vocation with the aid of his new tape recorder. He and a friend would meet once a week after work and concoct melodies for poems that were solicited by mail from aspiring songwriters. The ditties were recorded by Ammons, then forwarded back to the amateur lyricists for a fee.

At the same time [1953], Ammons began doing demos for local artists, and was developing a feel for the R&B sounds of the day by hanging out now and then with his brother, who was the proprietor of a local record shop. Delta records were cut and pressed mainly as promotional discs for sale by local artists at their personal appearances, and they included a smattering of hillbilly, gospel and blues, all by obscure artists.

★  

William Houston Davis was born in Oklahoma in 1914 but moved to Mississippi during WWII.  He died in 1987.  Biographical data on Houston Davis is hard to come by.   He wrote a number of political songs, but he was above all a song composer for hire, as shows a self-promotion booklet he published around 1960 : "Houston Davis : successful composer of political songs, jingles, parodies." and his credit on the label of a song-poem acetate recording (see below).

 A blatantly song-poem on Delta Records acetate

"Lonesome Valley", another song by James Vernal Fout (from Danville. 1llinois) was put in music in 1939 by Luther A. Clark of Thomaston, Maine.   On Luther A. Clark, see "How To Write A Song Poem (In Three Complete Lessons)"

The Zion Harmonaires of Philadelphia, Pa. on Fine Art

The Zion Harmonaires of Philadelphia, Pa.

CP-5965 – He Bled and Died 

(Leroy Cannon)
Solo: Roberta Stokes- Lead Paul Williford
Pianist : Richard Ellis

CP-5966 – I Want to Know More About Jesus 

(Leroy Cannon)
Lead Paul Williford
Pianist : Richard Ellis
Organist : Robert Coldman

Fine Art 224

1961

Johnny Barnette and Bob and the Vets

 

Johnny Barnette

and

Bob and the Vets

9527 ~ Whispering Blues
9528 ~ Shadow My Baby

PIOM Music BMI

Vance Records 481
Ripley, MS

1963

Rockin' Country Style lists another record on the Rich label by Johnny Barnette.   But it's a different artist, I think. One Johnny Barnett on Cap Tone Records (out of Azuza, California in 1967) has been described as "teen with a "Marty Robbins" sounding lead", but again probably a different artist.

I believe that P.I.O.M. Music was owned by Bill Harris who played bass in Harold Jenkins (Conway Twitty) band whom he later managed as well.  Does anyone can confirm?

Vance label discography

Noel Owen on M.C.M.

 

 

Noel Owen

CP-6171 - Come In My Darling

CP-6172 - Just A Wondering

both sides : wr. N.Owen, Kenny Marlow Music –BMI

MCM Records  3.377
Whitsett Lane, Nashville 11, Tenn.
1961

♦

Owen , one of 12 children , felt he was a heartbeat from stardom when Standard Coffee Co. transferred him from Courtland [Alabama] to Nashville to continue developing a route.   In his spare time , he kept up his songwriting and singing , pitching his creations to anyone who would listen , and pulling gigs wherever he could find a spot.

He finally landed a recording contract with a small company called MCM , cut a record and began spending even more time away from his young family.

Back then , marketing was pretty simple , he said You pitched your own records , and I went to about every country station around.   Every disc jockey I saw put the song on the air , and they'd tell me , 'You're on your way!'.

His wife , the former Jean Terry of Courtland , was having a hard time keeping track of her music-loving husband.  When Owen came home , the displeasure in her face was as plain as the pain in any old Hank Williams' tune.  At that late hour , she stood in the middle of the den between their two young sons , holding their hands.  Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Honey , I just can't stand this , I just can't stay here by myself anymore , she said.  Hadn't you rather be here with me and the boys than out on that old road?.

Owen asked his wife to please give him a chance , that he was closer than ever to realizing his dream , but she couldn't see it..  He brought his family back to Courtland in 1961.   After working as an agent for Mutual Savings Life Insurance Co. , in Decatur , he sold appliances for W.T. Grant.  He then joined the United States Department of Agricultural , working for 26 years as a meat inspector at Wayne Farms , retiring in 1992.

 ♦

 

Other Noel Owen records can be found on Myown, Star and  High Goal Records.

The Mauraders

The Mauraders

Terry - Steve - Dick - Alan

O-M 8191 ~ Dreamy

O-M 8192 ~ Motorcycle Bug

(Manning)

[No label]  FR 6148

1962

A Findlay (custom) Recording  of Findlay, Ohio

-

-
Motorcycle Bug

Mary Kaye on Lectron

Mary Kaye

13901 - Secret Thoughts 

B.Jesmore - R.Oness, Active Music ASCAP

Popular teen style

note : unbilled guest appearance by Sammy Marshall

13902 - Actions Speak (Louder than words)

Henry J. Sommers Henry J. Sommers ASCAP

Popular teen style

Lectron

Detroit, Michigan
1965
 - -
Actions Speak (Louder than words)

Song-poem record.    "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" is from the pen of the indefatigable Henry J. Sommers (1907-1996).  The earliest mention of his song is from 1942, date of the copyright (song and melody credited to Noel Davison Bear).   The last mention I've found is from a Billboard ad from April 1972.  The song was recorded by several artists throughout the years.

Yes, this is the Love Song the Public clamors for! Being nationally featured thru Radio broadcats and in places of diversion!  Complimentary copies available.  Sheet music and orchestrations on sale at your music jobber, or direct from the publisher. Care Bushell 786 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Billboard, 19 June 1943

"Actions" on Metro Records #8009

Sommers address is now Hyattsville, Maryland

Billboard 16 January 1954

"Actions" just recorded by Earl Stuart on Blue Hen Records

Sommers address is now Silver Spring, MD

Billboard 22 December 1958

 "Actions" on Songs by Sommers as done by Wade Holmes

Billboard 24 August 1963

SHOW ME A HEN
That can write with a pen
And I'll bet you then,
Backed by a 'ten',
'Tis not a hen
But a gem!
HENry J. Sommers

Billboard, 6 November 1965

Billboard, 22 April 1972

The Sistrunk Bros.

 

The Sistrunk Bros.

33787 —  Leave God's Children Alone
33788 — Talking Is Easy

Sistrunk Records

North, NC ?

 

1974

sample1  sample1

Herman McFadden on Cawthron

Herman McFadden
Chuck Tillman and Band

1833 - The Girl I Love

Herman McFadden, Lyco, BMI

1834 - Gal Crazy 

James Waugh, Lyco, BMI

Cawthron 505

4767 Maffitt Avenue, St. Louis, Mo.

1959

Gal Crazy

The Billboard of June 29, 1959 has this record in a listing of new releases. The reviewer was not very enthusiastic. He gave two stars for "The Girl I Love": Feelingful rockabilly-styled delivery by McFadden on so-so tune with interesting backing". For the flip he had just one star left: "Routine rocker is sung in personable fashion." It cannot have helped that Billboard erroneously gave the label's name as "Cawthorne". 

Chuck Tillman led his own bands in St. Louis for a few years. Tillman played tenor sax on "Gal Crazy" (Cawthron 505-B) and flute on "The Girl I Love" (505-A).

The detailed activities of Dunlap J. Cawthron (the "J" is for James) and his companies remain somewhat unclear.   According to a letter from Los Angeles Gospel DJ John Phillips to Armin Büttner, the "Allegro Recording and Music Studio" was run by Cawthron in Los Angeles from 1955 to around 1965. However most (if not all) records on his first – eponymous - label, Cawthron, were issued around 1959 with a St. Louis address.   John Phillips told researcher Opal Louis Nations that Cawthron had a day job as traveling government meat inspector in the late fifties and early sixties. So could it be possible that Cawthron had bases in both towns?

 Source: THE CAWTHRON, C&C AND ALLEGRO LABELS, compiled by Armin Büttner and Opal Louis Nations  http://www.jazzdocumentation.ch/allegro/cawthron.html

Little Herbert and The Arabians on Teek

Vocal by Little Herbert and The Arabians

CP-6497 - Bouncing Ball

CP-6498 - Condition Your Heart

Teek 4824-1/2

1961

Cut by Bennie Smith, the dean of St. Louis electric guitarists, who taught many students through the years.  He also coached Benny Sharpe during an early incarnation of The Sharpees called The Turbans which included Stacy Johnson, Vernon Guy, Morris Henderson and Little Herbert.   

Little Herbert Reeves later sang lead on The Sharpees'  "Do The 45" (Knockout Records)

 

Jim (Ruffuss) Belden / Bro. Ruffus π Pik'n & Cuzz'n √ Cleetuss

34607

 Jim (Ruffuss) Belden
A Long Way To Go (Barnett)

 Prod. by E.J. Mohrman

34608

Bro. Ruffus π Pik'n & Cuzz'n √ Cleetuss

Willie Go Round
Prod. by Pur Luck

 

on both sides :

A&R Al Viles (Cleetuss)

J.Belden A. Viles FLUNKYS 

Design Larry Daylight

Record Lable

1975

Currently offered on ebay (link to auction). where "Willie Go Round" can be heard, which is in truth the Billy Preston song titled “Will It Go Round In Circles” (A&M Records, 1972).  

All info that I am able to collect indicates a Tulsa, Oklahoma production :

Al Viles (or Cousin Cletus)

Musician Alvia Viles, 34, of Tulsa, Okla., saved a couple from a burning truck in May 1982. He was honored in 1983 for heroism by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. The hero fund, founded by industrialist Andrew Carnegie after he witnessed a 1904 mine disaster that killed 178 men and boys, awarded medals and $2,500 each to 22 heroes and the families of four people who died in rescue attempt. [From a 1983 newspaper article]

Jim "Rufus" Belden

 is probably Jimmie Doyle Belden (1947-2009) who worked as a DJ in Tulsa (KOTV) and announcer/audioman/rasslin' MC.   He was also, quite probably, Jimmie Belden who recorded two songs penned by Emma Jo Mohrman, first issued on Empire Records in 1960 and also on Pla-Me Records in 1966. : " Darling Ann"  b/w "My Lovely Star ". That would make sense since the producer of the first side, "A Long Way To Go "  is  one E.J. Mohrman,  ( Emma Jo?). 
Mike Bruchas (Tulsa TV Memories website,) wrote some amusing lines about Belden :

Wrestling at KOTV was out of production when I went there in '76 but Buddy Allison said the wrestlers used to use the front bathrooms to change in and because there are no showers at KOTV, did splash baths from the sinks! Jimmy Belden - audioman and sometime announcer used to work as commentator talent on these, too. I remember seeing him in a formal light blue double knit suit - he said it was what he wore when co-anchoring wrasslin' coverage. Formal double knit!

Jimmy's claim to fame or infamy was to blow up his house one Winter while at 6. We ran all these stories on 6 about NOT crawling under your house to check for frozen pipes with a lighter or oven source of flame. Jimmy did - hit a gas pocket and blew up his house! Somehow he survived. Jimmy also played in some REAL honky tonk bands. He pestered me to shoot some band pictures while in performance - so 1 Saturday night I went to a VERY redneck club on 11th by Sheridan and started popping off pix with my flash as the band played. I was asked/no threatened to leave by folks in the audience afraid of them being captured on film WITHOUT their spouses AND by Jimmy's band. Gulp.

Jimmy and Mike Hall and the Venango Valley Boys

JIMMY and MIKE HALL

and The VENANGO VALLEY BOYS

14007 - WHEN I LOVED YOU

(Ira and Charles Louvin  Acuff-Rose BMI)

14008 - WILD SIDE OF LIFE

W. Warren -A. Carter  Commodore Music BMI
 
Process 136

1965

On another pressing (second pressing?), name of the backing band is omitted.

A-side is the Louvin Brothers song released by Capitol Records in 1958  hear it on YT)

B-side is the Hank Thompson song from 1952 (also on Capitol)  hear it on YT

Audio files credit : ebay (turnblue auction, no taker?)

The Dissonaires / Mike Lawing and the Dissonaires

 The Dissonaires

CP-1916 —  Blitzkrieg

(Karras)

 Altair AK 101

Mike Lawing 

and the Dissonaires

CP-1917 —  One Love

(Karras)

Altair BK 101

Billboard review (Good Sales Potential) : June 29, 1959

★ 

It is believed that the band members were students at the Duke University. Durham, North Carolina. It is also believed that Karras is Harry G. Karras who later produced some Beach Music bands such as Bob Meyer and the Rivieras and The Swinging Medallions, with some help from Mike Lawing who wrote several songs with Karras.

Quite intriguing is the Karras' early sixties involvement in two West Coast labels owned by two brothers, Ben & Len Weisman : namely Talent Records and Skylark Records, apart for the two following releases :

→ In July 1960, both titles of the Altair single were re-issued on Talent #107 with different credits :

"Blitzkrieg", the instrumental side issued as by the Eden Rockers and "One Love", the vocal side  credited to Mike Lawing and The Blends / Music By The Eden Rockers.  Name of Ben E. Weisman is added to the songwriting credits and Bilya Bah Music, his publishing company, is added as well (the originals on Altair had no publisher).

→ In February 1961, "Blitzkrieg" is issued again (on Skylark #111). This time, the band is called The Penetrators.  On the flip : Mike Lawing and the Famous Keys "Chimpanzee Rocket Ride"  (H.Karras-L.Keith).     

→ Mike Lawing (no backing band credited) had a last single produced by Len Weisman in Summer of 1961 : "In L.A". / "Chimpanzee Ride" on Hawk Records.

Paul Durham

14525 ~ Mean Woman Married Man Blues
14526 ~ Nobody Loves Me

Both Paul Durham, McDowell Music BMI

McDowell Records #507
828 So. Lawrence St.
Montgomery, Ala.

1965

15301 ~ The Way I Love You (sample)
15302 ~ She Lied

Both Paul Durham, Sandspur Music BMI

Sandspur Records
PO Box 192
Deatsville, Ala.

Division of Little Lou Records
1965

Sandspur Records was Paul Durham's own label.

Perhaps he was this Paul Durham (but his voice sounds not quite like the voice of a 37-yr old man?) :

Paul Durham was born on July 07, 1928 and died on February 03, 2004 at the age of 75 and the social security number (SSN): 423-32-5454. Paul last resided in Deatsville, Alabama in Elmore County.

There was a Paul Durham, disc jockey at KOGT, Orange, Texas in 1955.  According to Billboard, Paul Durham " is planning to open a record shop in the near future. Durham writes, "I have been plugging record sales for other shops for years, so I figured I might as well make something out of it myself.  It also gives me a chance to pick up interesting tidbits on the new platters and on personalities from the distributors."

Gary Hahn / The Vibrants on Delphia

 

Gary Hahn

20757 - Goodbye Girl

(Words & Music Gary Hahn)

The Vibrants
20858 - Something Else

Delphia 1
R.D. 1, Windsor, PA

1967

Jack Rains and His Melo Tone's on REM

Jack Rains and His Melo Tone's

CP-4045 - Your Heart 

(Jack Rains, Fayette Pub. BMI
Vocal Roland Hyatt and The Blazers Guitar Kenny Whalen

CP-4046 - Don't Go Away *

(R. Hyatt - J. Rains, Fayette Pub. BMI)

Vocal Roland Hyatt and Albert Blakley, Guitar Kenny Whalen

* hear on YouTube


Rem 301

1960

Note : this is the second use of #301 on the label (first is Tommy Baldwin) #302 not yet found. So...

Guitarist Kenny Whalen was born in Bourbon County and is a graduate of Bourbon County High School.  He began playing music in high school  and played with many bands after graduating from high school.  In 1967 Kenny recorded a song called " Stop the World" backed with an instrumental called "Wheels," (Buttila 925).   Another single on the same label was  "Green Back Dollar" / "Next Time I Fall In Love".   Some of Kenny's favorite guitar players are: Chet Atkins, Merle Travis and Les Paul, to name a few.   Kenny still plays today with The Travelers, a band he formed in 1967.

Bandleader Jack Rains (Jack O'Rains, Jack O'Neal Rains) was born in 1931. His brother was country singer and disc-jockey Mack Rains.   In Lexington, Kentucky, he operated  the Rains label  from 1961 to 1963 and, later, in Winchester, Kentucky  (Rains Recording Co., 1092 Flanagan Sta. Rd.), a few other labels such as Buttilla, Nashville Allstar, Needle-Mate and Reka.

Geraldine Altmyer on Gerry

Geraldine Altmyer

23715 - Lonely And Blue
23716 - You Gotta Have Love

sample

Gerry 001

Route 2, Sewickley, PA

1969

Beautician grandmother records her first song 

"My, but I'm lonely tonight. I need you only tonight," sang Gerry Altmyer as she was working one evening in her beauty shop, Mount Nebo Road, Ohio Township.  But she stopped suddenly and said to herself, "Where did I get that tune from? Hummmm." She went to her organ, sat down and finished the song that she hadn't realized she even started! - "It was after the Christmas season last February, and I was feeling down and bored that night.   So, I unconsciously started singing what I felt. "And that was that. 

Now, Mrs. Paul Altmyer has made a record, on her own label (Gerry records). On one side is her first song, "Lonely and Blue" "On the flip side is a song I wrote when I was inspired by a sermon in church one day. It was the second song I wrote and it's sort of a jazzy tune, 'You Gotta Have Love.' Mrs. Altmyer says she has always liked music. "I always wanted to cut a record, but, " she laughs, "I got to be a grandmother before it happened."

Mrs. Altmyer has been a beautician since she was 18 and has owned her shop on Mount Nebo Road for 20 years. After she had written-her songs, Mrs. Altmyer had a friend transpose them onto music paper.   She then obtained a copyright, had background music arranged and went to the recording studio Dec. 17 and cut the record. "I wasn't really nervous. It's just such a thrill to hear yourself on a record, singing songs you wrote yourself."

The record should be released by mid-January. Mrs. Altmyer has three children, Mrs. Lee (Janet) Sazton, 1010 Homer St., Perrysville; Mrs. John (Betty) Corson, of Colorado, and William Klug, of California.  She is the grandmother of three. Of her musical accomplishments she claims, "My husband is proud, but he doesn't say much."  Will the singing beautician make other records after this one?    As her song goes, "You gotta have faith in your heart if you wanna succeed. You gotta be proud. You gotta believe."   from North Hills News Record 24 December 1968



Ohio Township grandma still singing

Whatever happened to Ohio Township's singing beautician? Three years ago. Mrs. Paul (Gerry.) .Altmyer. a grandmother, started to write down what she sang...

Today she's still singing -- and accepting royalties. Mrs Altmver. who has lived on Mount Nebo Road more than 20 years, said. "I'm still writing lyrics for new songs.  Mv latest record. 'Little Old Church.' and 'Hangup Blues.' is on local " jukeboxes as well as other sections of "the state " Mrs Altmyer said she's sent records to disc jockies all over the United States, Australia, Canada and England.  Her first songs. "Lonely and Blue" and "You Gotta Have Love." are also on jukeboxes   She has formed her own company "Gerry Music " '

Her records have been played on an Ambridge station, WTAE. KDKA and WPIT. "You Gotta Have Love" was picked by Brite-Star Promotions as a pick hit in Billboard Magazine Mrs. Altmver also sings in area restaurants and at club meetings.   from North Hills News Record,  May 5, 1971

Gerry 002 (1971 )

Note the same 23715 number as Gerry 001 on left, 

but this is not a Rite pressing

Singer on Gerry's second issue is Jim Lea, who had recorded few song-poem records :

RCI 3003: Mystery In Hanoi  / Death Valley

Tropical 138: World Without Love / I Better Go
Tropical 156: Just Pass Me By / other side by Country Church Singers
Tropical 164: You Can Light Another Candle / other side by Charles Vickers
Tropical 170: The Doing Of Our Thing   / 5 O'Clock Friday
Mickey :  You Don't Known (What I'm Missing, Baby) / ?

The Ithacas on Fee Bee

The Ithacas

 
22045 — If You Want My Love

(McConnell, Donnator Music BMI)

22046 — Gonna Fix You Good

(Teddy Randazzo-Victoria Pike, Vogue Music BMI)

Fee Bee 220

1968

McConnell, writer of the A-side, is possibly Robert McDowell, better known as Bob Mack.  B-side was first recorded by Little Anthony And The Imperials in 1966 (Veep Records)

Ron Kincade With The Kountry Kings

Ron Kincade

With The Kountry Kings

 

   23533 - Count Me Out 

Dewey Long, Autum Pub. BMI

 

23534 - Counterfeit Kisses

 

Big Sound Records

Box 546,  Richland, Wash. 99352

Country label possibly owned by Alden William "Shorty" Holloway (1925-2013). Anyway, he certainly owned Autum Publishing.

 

 

On Shorty Holloway, see :

• http://www.hillbilly-music.com/news/story/index.php?id=8990
• http://hillbillycountry.blogspot.fr/2013/02/alden-holloway-on-dixie.html

Big Sound label discography, see :

• http://www.45rpmrecords.com/ST/Big%20Sound.php  

The Cochran Family (Carpenter's Records)

Richard Cochran And The Cochran Family
31217 ~ Banjo Special 

Reno & Hobbs, Lois (BMI)

Little John & The Cochran Family
31218~ Maple Sugar

Carpenter's 2001/2

Recorded At Carpenter's Studio

Sutton, West Virginia

1973

The Cochran Family had also an album on the same label, the same year : The Little John And Cochran Family– Pick Memories Of Old Time Bluegrass.  Details HERE.

Label later address was in Cottle, West Virginia.   Partial label discography HERE

The Cochran Family (1976)

Hailing from Diana, W.Va.,  the Cochran Family consist of five children ranging in ages [1973] four through fifteen years of age under the leadership of their father, "Daddy Frank".  Little John, age 7, Lindo Jo 4, Richard Lee, 10; Bert Steven, 11 and James Franklin, 15.  Besides appearing regularly on Jamboree USA radio show heard on WWVA, the Cochran Family has toured for the West Virginia Department of Commerce and appeared at many of the fairs, parks and bluegrass festivals around the country.

Nervous Norvus on Neale

Nervous Norvus

12953 - Cowboy Soldier

(A.W. Crawford, Neale Music Ascap)

12954 - Wa-Hoo 

(A.W. Crawford, Neale Music Ascap)

Neale 45C-726-101/102

     

   1964

[ P.O. Box 3294, San Bernardino, Calif. ]

Unlisted Nervous Norvus song-poem record recently offered on ebay by donnchriss ("morbid novelties", winning bid $82,99)

As Jimmy Drake, Nervous Norvus has already sung the poetry of the same A.W. Crawford on Rally Records issued the previous year and also pressed by Rite Records. See Jimmy Drake on Rally

On Singing Jimmy Drake (Nervous Norvus) see :

http://www.songpoemmusic.com/drake/afterlife.htm
http://www.songpoemmusic.com/drake/
http://www.songpoemmusic.com/drake/discog.htm

★ 

Owner of Neale Records was Roy Neal Wrightman.  Born in 1889, Neal (or Neale) Wrightman has been involved with music since the early twenties.  He was a musician, a songwriter, a music publisher and record labels owner.  Before his (final?) establishment in San Bernardino, Calif., Neale Wrightman has used various addresses in Charles City, Iowa, in Chicago, in New-York, in Hollywood and San Francisco.

Labels he owned includes Wrightman ("Songs That Satisfy") and its subsidiary Robinet (1947-1952) and Wrimus ("A New Enjoyment in Recorded Music with the Ultimate in Sound", 1956-1961).  The last trace of the activity of Neale Music is a 1968 copyright for "Stand Up America", with mention of a Statue of Liberty sticker (?).  I have no idea of what is that (sheet music perhaps?)

Neale discography

http://www.songpoemmusic.com/labels/neale.htm 

http://www.45rpmrecords.com/ST/Neale.php 

Wrightman Records

The Hillbilly Researcher has posted a Wrightman Records discography HERE, and several audio files and labels shots as well.

Bill Parker on Showboat

Bill Parker

And Showboat Band

CP-4097 ~ Showboat (Bill Parker)
CP-4098 ~ Hard Times  No 2 (Paul Mitchell)

Showboat Records 501

 

1960

Willie Parker Guidry, Jr. (Legendary Bill Parker) was born in 1927 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.   He began in the music industry as a trumpet player but the "lip swelling" quickly directed him to another instrument.   He chose the playing of drums which proved to be to his liking.   

Bill Parker had a string of gimmicky releases with his Showboat Band. A Veteran of the Lake Charles scene, Parker worked with James Freeman and Clarence Garlow before oganizing his own popular band featuring vocalists Jesse "Blues" Palmer, Little Miss Peggy and Claude Shermack; guitarist Chester Randle later made soul records for Eddie Shuler's Anla label. 

Bill Parker himself eventually moved to  Oklahoma City  where he operated the Showboat label.

He later moved to the West Coast and formed his new band called"The Concrete Band," touring with Bobby Blue Bland and many others. He formed Optune Records and discovered Carol Shinnette.

 

He died March 11, 2003 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.