Jerry Dixon (Sterling 182)

Jerry Dixon

With Lew Tobin's Orch.

CP-1700 - You Stole My Heart

 (Juanita Gismondi, & Lew Tobin)

CP-1701 - My Cotton Pickin' Baby 

 (K.W. Brooks)

Sterling 182

According to an 1961 issue of Trainman News, K. W. Brooks Of lodge 794 taked his hobby of singing and song-writing seriously.   Of Hamlet, North Carolina, K.W. Brooks was yard conductor-switchman on Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

 

My Cotton Pickin' Baby

Cara Stewart on Titan

Cara Stewart

 The Hudsonair's and the Lee Hudson Orchestra

9969 –In Between Dreams

 (R. Magee-W. Daugherty) 

Blue Ribbon Pub. ASCAP 

9970 – I'll Have To Dream Somemore 

(R. Magee) 

Blue Ribbon Pub. ASCAP

An Honor Product

Titan 1
1963

Song-poem record currently offered for sale here (short audio clips are provided)

Joe Shultz, evangelist and ventriloquist

Joe Shultz
Joe and Jake

"Joyfully Yours"

28681 -  "Oh, I Know It" / ABC
28682 -  "He Took My Sins Away"
 

SCR 121

Sound Associates
Box M Grand Rapids, Michigan

1971

Joe Shultz was a multi talented evangelist who used humor as well as music to convey his message. He composed over 30 published songs and produced three albums.

Joseph Harmon Shultz, born Feb 13, 1931 in Wichita Kansas, began his preaching ministry in Canton, Kansas when he was 18 years of age and was officially ordained into the ministry at the age of 21, while a student in Bible College. For twelve years he directed Youth for Christ in McPherson, Kansas and Canton, Ohio.

 

Joe Shultz was a gospel magician, ventriloquist, and speaker who worked with youth in school and church programs.  He was the founder of Kings Valley Ranch and Boys Home in Southern Ohio that provided many safe summers for countless children. He was also a member of the North American Assoc. of Ventriloquists and the American Assoc. of Foster Parents. 

 

Joe has spoken in over 3,000 public high school assembly programs and over 1,000 churches in 45 states, 5 Canadian provinces and joined in frequent missionary trips to Mexico, Panama, the Marshall Islands, Guatemala, Honduras and Brazil.

He died in 2005.

This 45 is currently offered for sale here (sound clips are provided)

The Immortals (Richmond, Virginia)

The Immortals
Kilmarnock, Virginia
Telephone 435-1666

21063 - You Went Your Way (Lawson-Wray)
21064 - Like I Love You Lawson-Wray)

RSSW0969M

Custom produced by Richmond sound stages
2314 W. Cary Street Richmond, Virginia
1968

The Immortals began in the fall of 1966 at York Academy in Shacklefords, VA. , Jack Wray (lead guitar), Jack Lawson (bass guitar & lead vocals), Richard Cowles (drums), and Bruce Dawson (rhythm guitar) came together as a rock group not unlike millions of other teenage boys after the British Invasion in 1964.

They were ages 13-15 as they began this musical relationship that has spanned more than forty-five years

"Your Went Your Way” was recorded in December, 1967 at Richmond Sound Stages.  The production director and engineer's name there from 1965-1973 was Frank Brooks.  He also had a Jazz radio program on AM radio in Richmond during the 60s.  Although we’re not positive, he was more than likely the guy who engineered The Immortals record.  He was also probably the guy who engineered such contemporary efforts as  Why Did You Leave Me by The Klansmen and Lord I Need You  by Ray (Pittman) & the Soul Beats.

Info above from the oficial Immortals website here

This 45 is currently offered for sale here

Bob Harris and the Kings Four

Bob Harris and the Kings Four

CP- 7141 - Bertha Lou 

Marascalco

Robin Hood Music Co. BMI

CP- 7142 – Marty’s Place

Thrush

EAI PS-101 (Pop Series)
Entertainement associates inc.

Saginaw, Michigan
1962

 ★ 

Entertainement associates inc. was operated by David W. Oppermann, a Michigan and Midwest jazz, sports and show promoter and also a fireworkds distributor. 

Bob Harris formed the Kings Four in 1960. They later recorded an album on Kent Records (band picture above is from its back cover). At that time, members comprised Bob Harris, Lyle & Clayton Trush and Dave Nikaido. 

"Play Nice and Easy" was the album title. Their takes on standards such as "Misty", "Tenderly" and "Desafinado" among others, featured Dave Nikaido on lead vocals.

Among the appearances for the band was an engagement at the 1963 Inaugural Ball of Michigan for Gov. George Romney.  The band played all types music including the then current fads the twist, bossa nova, limbo and others.  

 ★  

"Bertha Lou" was written (and then sold to Marascalco) by Dorsey Burnette who recorded it as well as Johnny Faire for Surf Records in 1957 .  Some radio stations banned "Bertha Lou", because of the line "I wanna conjugate with you".  See Bertha Lou story

Bertha Lou, Bertha Lou
Let me slip around with you
If I could raise some sand
I'd be a mighty-mighty man
'Cause you're so ooooh, Bertha Lou
Bertha Lou, Bertha Lou
Gotta get a date with you
If I could hear you moan
On Mr. Bell's telephone
Ain't no tellin' what I'd do, Bertha Lou

You wear your hair in a poodle cut
You're walkin' down the street like a semi-truck
And everybody knows that you're so sweet
You tickle me from head to my athlete's feet

Hey-hey, Bertha Lou
I wanna conjugate with you
You know my blood is running wild
And I know you ain't no child
When you do what you do, Bertha Lou
(Rock! Rock! Rock! - Instrumental break)

You wear your hair in a poodle cut
You're walkin' down the street like a semi-truck
And everybody knows that you're so sweet
You tickle me from head to my athlete's feet

Hey-hey, Bertha Lou
I wanna conjugate with you
You know my blood is running wild
And I know you ain't no child
When you do what you do, Bertha Lou

Bertha Lou, Bertha Lou, Bertha Lou.

(Transcribed from the Dorsey Burnette version)

Buddy Dean and the Enchantments

Buddy Dean and the Enchantments

CP-5529 -  Say Mamma

(J.Meeks-J.Earl)

CP-5530 -  Is It Such A Crime 

(H. Audett)

D-J 1961-1/2

1961

D-J Record Co. was located at 289 Belmont Street in Fall River, Mass. according to Billboard (24 October 1960). On the same label in 1962  :  Johnny & The Blue J's.

Buddy Dean died in 2013.

Sib Galloway And The Harmonettes

Sib Galloway And The Harmonettes

EP  "Close To The Master "

16117 - I'm Nearer Home / Close To The Master
16118 - He'll Understand And Say Well Done/ The Highest Hill

Halo CREP-2031

1966

Unheard.

The CREP prefix in the catalog number denotes probably a Carolina Custom recording studio.  But I've not still determined if it's from the North Carolina or from the South.

I have a short list a three earlier records with the same CREP prefix :

• Klub CREP-2001 The Rhythm Ranch Hands
• Hollifield CREP 2005 (EP) Hollifield Trio
• Ranch 1574 CREP-2016 Shirley Ann & Hillbilly John Of The Dixie Ramblers

Stringbean on Cullman 6416

Stringbean

CP-2386 - Barn Yard Banjo Picking

CP-2387 - Train Special 500

Cullman 6416
1959

Cullman Records and Gaylord Music Co. were owned by James Harrell "Hal" Smith (1923-2008), Nashville musician, artist manager and television producer.

David Akeman (1916-1973), better known as Stringbean (or String Bean), was one of the Opry's major stars in the 1950s.

From Wikipedia :

Akeman was modest and unassuming, and he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Accustomed to the hard times of the Great Depression, Akeman and his wife Estelle lived frugally in a tiny cabin near Ridgetop, Tennessee. Their only indulgence was a Cadillac. Depression-era bank failures caused Akeman not to trust banks with his money. Gossip around Nashville was that Akeman kept large amounts of cash on hand, even though he was by no means wealthy by entertainment industry standards.

On Saturday night, November 10, 1973, Akeman and his wife returned home after he performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Both were shot dead shortly after their arrival. The killers had waited for hours. The bodies were discovered the following morning by their neighbor, Grandpa Jones.

Chewing Chewing Gum 

Rev. Archie Clatterbuck

Rev. Archie Clatterbuck

33679 - I'll Fly Away

(A.E. Brumley, SESAC)

33680 - Sweet By And By

(Starday-York BMI)

1974

This is Archie E Clatterbuck (1916-1997) from Rappahannock County, Virginia.  A pentecostal pastor, he was heard with his Gospel Singers on Big K Radio (WKCW, Warrenton Virginia)

Prayer Meeting Time for Archie Clatterbuck

The 2 / 3RDS on April

The 2/3RDS

19063 ~ All Cried Out

19064 ~ 2/3 Baby 

(Gene McCormick, Alison Music ASCAP

April Record Co. 101

223 S. Carolina, Daytona Beach

1967 (April?)

 

From Daytona Beach, the 2/3rds recorded this one 45 at Quimby’s studio in nearby Ormond Beach, and released it on the April label in early 1967. At the time of this recording, the band included Gene McCormick on vocals and tenor sax and organ, Phil (PJ) Jones on drums, Ralph Citrullo bass and Allen Dresser lead guitar.

“2/3 Baby” is a moody complaint with a fine chorus, written by McCormick. It was backed with a bluesy ballad, “All Cried Out” written by Pete Carr. Members of the band eventually became the Third Condition, releasing two 45s on the Sundi label in 1970, one of which got some airplay, “Monday in May” about the Kent State tragedy. (The song was bounced off the airwaves by CSN&Y’s “Ohio”).

After Gene left the band to join Jam Factory in New York, the band moved to Tallahassee to attend FSU. Later members included several who had been in another Daytona group, the Hungri I’s: Neil Haney vocals, as well as Max Eason on drums from Tallahassee. The band was named Rock Garden for a brief time (Neil Haney, Allen Dresser, Ralph Citrullo, Max Easom and Chris Drake) then became Duck (Chris Drake, Allen Dresser, Rick Levy and Max Easom – later Benny Jones replaced Rick Levy and Don Langston replaced Max Easom).

Info above from garagehangover here

Audio clip from Florida Rocks Again! every Saturday night on Surf 97.3 FM, streaming at flaglerbeachradio.com.

Little Rock My Home Town

CP-6447 -Little Rock My Home Town
CP-6448 - Little Rock My Home Town (instr.)

KVLC

1961

Don Cochran (Pig Pen Boogie, Big K)

Don Cochran

40063 - The Arkansas Line

Donald J. Brundridge MOMU Pub.  BMI

 

40064 - Pig Pen Boogie

Harold Hassler, Shelter BMI

Special effects Bill Johnson

Producer : C.Kellogg - D. Cochran

Big K Records
11517 No. Oak, Kansas City, Missouri 64155

1979

Don Cochran's previous record on Big K was the intriguing "What do you charge to haunt houses". No further info.

The Reliables on Anderson

 

The Reliables

 

22531 ~ Uglist Guy In Town
22532 ~ Dreams That We Once Knew

 

wr. both W.J. Chafin

 

Anderson Records

1968

Anderson Records discography here

No further info

Joe Williams and the Staccatos

Joe Williams and the Staccatos

vocal by Cornelius Grant / Count James
CP-6753 - The Mother Hubbard
Williams-Gurley-Grant, Eddings Mus. Pub. BMI

instrumental
CP-6754 - No Harm Done
 Williams-Gurley-Grant, Eddings Mus. Pub. BMI

Carrie

1961

Detroit, Michigan

An early release on the James Hendrix label.

Composers are Cornelius Grant, James M. Gurley, Joseph T. Williams.

Cornelius Grant (b. 1943) guitarist, composer, and band leader. He served as the musical director, guitar player, and live show arranger for Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1964 until 1982.

James M. Gurley : possibly the one who moved to San Francisco and became "the father of psychedelic guitar" (Big Brother and the Holding Company)

Eddings Music Co. was owned by William Summers,  first black to manage and own a radio station (in Louisville, Kentucky)

Mattie Allen And The Lonesome Drifters

Mattie Allen And The Lonesome Drifters

26179 ~ Ride Around
26180 ~ Just The Same Old Girl
(M. Smithers, Jaclyn BMI)

Dayton Records #351
1806 Brown St. Dayton, Ohio 45409

In the Jalyn Records numerical series.  The name Dayton was also used for a Gene Higgins & Dave release (#345).  Mattie Allen Smithers was probably the name of the artist. No further info.

Label & audio from YouTube (CheesebrewWaxArchive)

  

Buddy Livingston and the Versatones

Buddy LIVINGSTON

and the Versatones

CP-2402 - The Russians Were A-Rushin'

CP-2403 - Fumbling
 

Buddy Livingston-Billy Brown,  Lowery Music Co. Inc

Scottie 1313

November 1959

"Buddy Livingston and the Versatones" played almost every night at a club called "The Bamboo Ranch" in Savannah, Georgia and even had their own 30-minute television show on WTOC for a while.. Buddy played bass guitar and was the lead man for the band which once included Billy Joe Royal, Joe South and Ray Stevens.

On the vocal side here, the (not credited) singer is possibly Billy Brown (a Versatone for a while?)  : his Columbia contract was not renewed in 1959 and he moved on to Gene Autry's Republic label, on which he had two singles released in 1960-61.

Lee Long And The Four Fifths on Reed

Lee Long  And The Four Fifths

CP-2567  -- Samanthy

Brooks-Ewing-Patrick, Brooks Publ. Co.

CP-2568 -- The Drifter

Ewing-Brooks, Brooks Publ. Co.

Reed 1036

1959

What can I say about Lee Long which was not said before ?  She penned both songs of the Bill Perry release on Reed 1029 (Go Fly A Kite b/w You Hit The Nail On The Head).

Songwriters Brooks and Ewing later composed "Senior Prom" which was sung by Violet Ray on Gladatone 101, a label out of Moss Point, Miss. owned by Ramblin' Frank Cunningham.

Kalamazoo, My Home Town (PAMS)

Terry And The Melody Laners

vocalist Terry Lea
8365 - Kalamazoo, My Home Town

The Melody Laners
8366 - Kalamazoo, My Home Town

produced for the people of Kalamazoo by
WKMI
1360 Melody Lane

Lyrics: Howard D. Steere

Lyrics copyrighted 1962 Steere Broadcasting

Musical rights publications Meeks Publications

Recorded by PAMS of Dallas

Arranger-composer : Euel Box

For air use on Radio Station WKMI (Dial 1360)

July 1962

Bill Meeks started the PAMS Advertising Agency in the mid-fifties.

While the concept of using catchy tunes to promote a product was nothing new, the idea of using a full length song to promote a radio station was. In 1960, Meeks came up with the idea of creating a standard 1:30 music bed, entitled “My Home Town” (in the “Sound of the City” – Series 16 jingle package). The song bed, written by Euel Box, was pitched to radio stations from Abilene to Winston-Salem. Localized lyrics would be penned by the jocks, or other staffers. However, more often than not, the amateur songwriters would cram as many words as they could into the canned music bed. 

It’s estimated that there are over 100 different versions of “My Home Town.”
 

While Terry was consistently the main voice on  the "My Home Town" PAMS jingles series, her name credit on the singles is anything but. Variations on her name have included “Terry Lea," "Terry Lee,” “Terry Lea Jenkins," and "Terry Lee Jenkins."
 

For as long as Marie Therese Leahy could remember, she was always performing.

“I first sang at the Capitol Theatre, in Austin, on the kiddie show,” she said. “If you were asked to perform, you got in free to the movie that day, and got two passes for later in the week. America was in the middle of a depression so I went to the kiddie show every Saturday and got on, and got my tickets.”

By 1941, she would find herself entertaining on another stage – in front of the troops, at one of the several bases around Austin. “Mr. John Peninger, who was a friend of my dad’s, was head of the USO in Austin and asked if I could be on the USO shows – I was only 14 at the time,” she said. Terry, as she was starting to be called at the time, would find herself singing before thousands of soldiers at Camp Swift in Bastrop, or at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin. “I would perform on a flat bed truck, driven out into a field, and there would be five thousand young men waiting to be entertained.” She would later be crowned Queen of Melody of Camp Swift. “What a treat that was, but I well chaperoned as my dad was quite strict.”
 

 read more :

http://www.jinglenews.com/articles/the-voice-of-my-home-town-terry-jenkins/

Eric and the Vikings on Zip

Eric and the Vikings

20563 ~ Chinese Soul

20564 ~ Vikings Theme

Zip presents

W.S.M. 102167

Zip Music Co.

Scranton, Pa.
October 1967

A-side is is actually "Ling Ting Tong" which was done by The Five Keys for Capitol Records in 1955.  B-side is an instrumental.

Unless some family relatives of Eric or of The Vikings band come to me with info (and please don't say just "Hi, that's my dad!"), Eric and the Vikings will be doomed to perpetual internet darkness.

***

The Modern Age on Hellam

The Modern Age

35723 – The Bullfrog Rock
35724 - Glenda Cheryl

Glenn D. Hake, ASCAP
Produced by Glenn D. Hake

Hellam
1975

Note : date of copyright 1957 on label is obviously wrong. The two songs were copyrighted on October 11, 1975.

From Hellam, a suburb of York, Pennsylvania.  'The Bullfrog Rock' has been re-issued in 2003 on "Rockin' And Stompin'" (Collector 4479) credited to Glenn D. Hake.

Glenn Daniel Hake was born in 1933 in Martinsville, Pennsylvania. His father died when he was a 3 year-old and his mother had to support the family.   Truck driver, free-lance photographer and country music singer, he operated Hellam Records and Majestic Air Photo in Hellam. 

In 1965 he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to seven charges, • including cheating by false pretense. Authorities said Hake failed to deliver on promises to have aerial photographs he took of various properties painted in oil after he received $450 from property owners.

 

 In 1978, Glenn Hake found a 2-year pit bull terrier in the streets of dowtown Harrisburg and went home with the dog.  One time when Hake was playing the old piano that he bought at a yard sale, Boopie jumped on a stool by the instrument and began tapping the keyboard with one paw.  "A light went on in my head. I thought it was a great thing, a dog playing the piano," Hake recalled.  So, he went about teaching Boopie to play the piano. At first Boopie would only use his left paw, but two weeks and many doggie treats later, Boopie was tickling the ivories with both paws. "With his talent, I could use him to make a profit. I decided I'd rather make it non-profit.  I'd like to use his talents to help poor people," Hake said.   So he decided to found Man's Best Friend Charities Inc., with the purpose of raising money during charity events where Boopie will be the star performer.

Glenn Hake died in 1993, but The Modern Age 'sans' Glenn Hake still performed as recently as two years ago at Hellam Fire Company  pic :

After dinner, couples may take to the dance floor to dance the night away to the tunes of local band The Modern Age. “The event is meant (to give people the opportunity) to dance, attending couples are not required to dance.   However, even people who are not planning to dance may change their minds when they hear The Modern Age, which has been performing an assortment of country rock from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, on and off locally since 1970.   The band currently consists of Jim Haugh of Hellam on rhythm guitar and vocals, Bill Dunlap of Yorkana on bass guitar and vocals,  Jeff Winter of Wrightsville on drums and vocals, Mike Hubler of Wrightsville on lead guitar and vocals, and special guest Logan Kinard of Craley on guitar and vocals.

Gene Ray (Cowtown EP 702)

 

Gene Ray

 

CP-1557 - Oklahoma Waltz
               A Picture Of You

CP-1558 - Indigo Blue
              Learning The Mambo

Cowtown EP-702
P.O. Box 192, Avery, TX

Gene Ray's name can be found on three other Cowtown releases between 1957 and 1960.  I can't add much to that.

 

The four songs were penned by one D. E. Winstead who was quite probably Dr Dabney Edgar "D.E." Winstead (1889-1963) whose obituary report  :

Long-time doctor in Graham, Texas practicing since 1921. He graduated from Baylor Medical School in Dallas. He enjoyed a good practice in his profession.

In 1930, Dr. Winstead published a science fiction article, "Earthworms of Karma" in the pulp magazine "Weird Tales" in the July-September 1930 issue. With this issue, Dr. Winstead began his successful journey as a science fiction author. Dr. Winstead used a pen name "Lon Dexter" in all of his science fiction publications.

Among other songs he penned are "I Need Vitamin You", "Mambo is Going to School" and "My Rock 'n' Roll Baby And Me".

Uncle Clyde on Bryte

Uncle Clyde

15089 — Mother Went A-Walking
15090 — Dear Ivan  

Pro-Per P.
with Tony Richards

Bryte Records
Brite-Star Prod.

Newbury, Ohio

1965

"Cold War themed recitation". 

Uncle Clyde, M.C., dee jay and comic, was  a regular member of the Southern Jamboree on WSLR in Akron, Ohio at the time of this release.  He recorded four sides for Tex Clark's Bryte Records.  Next he had a gospel music show at WWIZ (Lorain, Ohio) and was later with Roy Rogers, Jr. at WBKC (Chardon, Ohio).  His real name was Harry Fay. He died in 2011.

Obit  :

Harrison B. “Uncle Clyde” Fay, 77, of Canton, died unexpectedly Saturday afternoon, July 16, 2011 in the Mercy Medical Center, Canton, Ohio. He was born July 3, 1934 in Norwalk and was a 1952 graduate of Monroeville High School. Harry was employed at the Stark County Jobs and Family Services, for 15 years, retiring in 1996. Prior to this, he had worked at Spector Freight Company and the Norwalk Truck Line. He was a member of the Friendship Community Church, Canton, North Canton Playhouse, was one of the original Shoestring Players, lifetime member of the Ohio Country Music Association, where he is a member of their Hall of Fame. Harry was a country music comedian, known as “Uncle Clyde”. He was on the Roy Rogers Jr. T.V. show, and on “A Little Country” T.V. show, and had performed on many other stages.

Uncle Clyde here with Roma Leah

late 1960s or early '70s picture

 

 

The Beech Resorts

THE BEECH RESORTS

18829 - Springtime (T.Resor)
18830 - Distortion Don't Know (D.Williams)

 

Key Records

Produced by Raebet's Productions

1609 Miles Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI

1967

Beech Resorts don't known,  Raebet's don't known much either despite hours of research.   Raebet's produced all the records issued on Key Records and on Grace Note Records (a religious label) as well.

I think possible that the Rev. Reinhold A. Barth and his wife Helen McAlerney Barth may have been involved in some way.  Research still in progress...

Key Records discography

Calvin "Hound Dog" Ruffin, Billy Stewart, the Michael Graham Crackers

Calvin "Hound Dog" Ruffin And the Michael Graham Crackers
CP- 2010  Tell It Like Tee I Tis (Calvin C. Ruffin)

Billy Stewart And the Michael Graham Crackers

CP-2011  I Want a Sweet Little Girl  (Michael A. Graham)

Mag Music record no. 103

(BALE 103 in dead wax)

 

 address label of label owner

"2 nice little-known '59 D.C. R&B tracks" currently on ebay HERE.   Or rather unknown, I would say,  There is no mention of this record anywhere on the internet. 

 

 This record was perhaps intended to be issued on Bale Records, a tiny Washington label owned by Bea Tibbitts (Betsy B. Tibbs).  It showcases two artists probably managed at the time by Michael Graham, artists who had already recorded several singles (on Chess/Argo and Okeh for Billy Stewart,  on Josie (as Frank Motley band vocalist) and Golden Crest for Calvin Ruffin).

A native of Savannah, Ga., Michael Angelo Graham (picture on left is from 1946) started as an entertainer and was" nationally known in theatrical circles" as "Georgia's Glamour Boy".  He came to the nation's capital in the late 1940s, working in night clubs and also touring with his Washingtonians and then with his Graham Crackers.   Both groups featured blues and scat singer Nudie Williams who recorded for Wheeler Records, a New York label, in the early fifties.

 

Michael Graham worked with various singers and doowop groups and helped launch the careers of Van Allen McCoy, Marvin Gaye, the Clovers, Johnny Hartman, Don Covay, and Billy Stewart.  

Master of ceremonies at the old Howard Theater, he also promoted a number of musicals and a variety of shows in Washington (Graham Crackers and Oldies But Goodies, a TV program that featured The Clovers, The Jewels, and Sonny Till and The Orioles).   

Graham joined The New Observer, Washington D.C.'s oldest Black-owned community newspapers in 1956, worked his way up from a reporter to editor-in-chief. 

 

He died in 1985, aged 72.

Al Blevins, Cousin Frank and the Silver Sands

Al Blevins, Cousin Frank and the Silver Sands

20955 - Kennedy The Great (Al Blevins)
20956 -  Red River Jump (Al Blevins)

Silver Streak Records

2016 7th St.
Portsmouth, Ohio

1967

sample (both sides)

 

Bobby Lawson played with Al and Cuz Blevins in West Virginia and Ohio in the fifties  :

When he returned home in West Virginia after serving his tour in the Army, Bobby and Junior Lawson played with Al and Cuz Blevins. "We would all load up in a car and drive around looking for nite clubs and roadside bars where we could play. We would just go in, get permission to set up and start playing. We used a tip box (usually a cigar box taped shut with a slit in it) for folks to drop in their money."

"At this time I began singing Rockabilly (Jerry Lee, Elvis, and Perkins) and people liked it. So we decided to look for other places to play. Ohio here we come! We got work as soon as we got to Portsmouth. We were now getting a salary plus tips. WOW! This was great. "
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BobbyLawson.html

 William Hobbs (Middle), Grandpa? (Left), Chuck? (Right)

West Virginia Hot Shots; abt. 1961

Original caption of a picture posted by Marilyn at Mundia.com

 

 

Someone at ancestry.com  is "looking for AL HOBBS aka: AL or WILLIAM BLEVINS - Played in a Bluegrass band in the early to mid 60's called THE WEST VIRGINIA HOT SHOTS in the Portsmouth, Ohio and surrounding areas. Believed to originally come from Pennsylvania, probable but not likely. Other members of the band was "Chuck" ??? perhaps HOBBS."

"A special thanks to Al Blevins wherever you are". are the last words on the Bobby Lawson''s page at Rockabilly Hall of Fame.   Nobody seems to known what happened to Al and the Blevins, including members of their own family.

Gene Nitz And The W. Va. Ramblers on Rhododendron

Gene Nitz And The W. Va. Ramblers

19401 - I Don't Know What I'm Looking For

sample

 You Broke My Heart in Tennessee

19402 - How Much Longer

Kentucky Sweetheart

Directed By Yolanda Owens
Produced  By Gene Nitz

Rhododendron EP

1966

Detroit country

 

Gene Nitz and his West Virginia Ramblers played at Ray Taylor-owned country bar at the corner of Milwaukee and Brush in the 70's.  (Ray Taylor of "Hamtramck Baby" fame on Clix).

"Running From The Law" b/w "Bail Bondsman" were recorded in 1969 for the Country Caravan label, a subsidiary of Mutt Records, owned by Nate Dore, a bail bondsman who had a small studio in the back of his office. These sides are on YouTube.

And there was also a single on Rich-R-Tone ‎#2026 (Blue Shoes / My Kentucky Sweetheart) recorded at Champ Studio in Nashville, Tennesse and issued as by Eugene Nitz (date unknown).

Probably Eugene R Nitz (1928-1994)

Sonny Flaharty and his Young Americans on Falcon

Sonny Flaharty and his Young Americans

 

9593 — Hurricane

9594  — Joann

both A.L. Webster - S. Flaharty, Glenway Music Co. BMI  

A Young American Production

Falcon 1000

3029 Springboro
Dayton, OH

1963

Glenway Music was a subsidiary of Pam Enterprises formed in 1960 by Geno Abbatiello, president of the Electro-Sew-Vac Corporation in Cincinnati and former ESV and Flame Records prexy, and Ed Labunski, head of Labunski Productions, producer of jingles and independant sessions.

 

After a first single on Spangle Records in 1958, Sonny Flaharty was signed by Pam Enterprises Inc. of Cincinnati in 1960.   Under the guidance of Ed Labunski Sonny cut a session in Nashville. The resulting masters were leased to Epic Records.  

 

Sonny Flaharty discography

Plague (LP)

 Plague

Side One #26907

 Songs Written by McMahon - Jones - Potter - Seese  - Dewitt - Kropf

A Million Tunes (Can't Make You Love Me)
Hard To Wait ( I Need You)
College Bound
Sharon
Somebody Help Me

Side Two #26908

Songs Written By Jones And McMahon

I Want To Say

Raincoat

Young Boy

Black And Pretty

Rite account #4091

Recorded at Smitty’s Studio on the NW side of Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of Acid Records (The Psychotics).

A group of high school guys from Lowell that played high school dances, many Battle of the Bands and Ray Hummell III venues.  Two titles from this LP (Somebody Help Me and Hard To Wait) were also issued on a single on the Smitty's Recording Studio imprint pressed by the Archer Record pressing plant.

 Not related to any other band by the same name from  :

• Albuquerque (New Mexico) on Epidemic
• Bismarck, (New Delaware), unreleased
• Wilkaukee (Wisconsin) on Wright
• Norfolk (Virginia), on Nottingham Disc Co.
• Richmond (California)  unrecorded

or to bands named The Plagues :

• Taunton (Massachusetts), on Robb
• Lansing (also from Michigan),  on Fenton and Quarantined
  
  

Stan Johnson : On The Banks Of Big Muddy

 Stan Johnson
On The Banks Of Big Muddy

Side 1 #32839

Big Muddy
Lora Ann
Demand To Be Free
Try Try Again
I Won't Let Them Know

Side 2 #32840

Big Black Train
Preparations For A Wedding
I Don't Have A Thing To Call Mine
Take A Letter Bartender
Baby Baby Doll

side 1 : Hanks Music Inc. - Annis House - LR Publ. - L&R Publ. - Hanks Music
side 2 : Cedarwood - L & R Publ. - L & R Publ -Hanks Music Inc. - Annis House

Ruby RU74200C

1974

Stan Johnson came into Ruby Records for an audition, early in February 1957.  Even though he wrote the material we used, it took eight hours to complete his first session. Stan started his career at a young age, with his own band, The Blue Chips. He appeared at different clubs and lounges, such as The Southern Inn for three consecutive years. He also appeared with Smoky Ward on WPFB, Middleton, Ohio.
Stan has played our local venue, at Liberty, Indiana. Also on a number of tours I have set up, in Kalamazoo, Lexington, and Richmond, Virginia.

 (based on Derek Glenister’s interview of Larry Short, owner of Ruby Records – New Kommotion # 16, Summer 1977, reproduced from the bopping website (link below) with thanks for posting the Stan Johnson picture.

Links :

 Stan Johnson discography  

 Ruby Records discography  
Ruby Records Story

Toledo's Bobby Jacobs sings

Toledo's Bobby Jacobs sings
accompanied by the Rhythm Rascals
 

CP-4849 — How Deep is the Ocean
CP-4850 — On the Sunny Side of the Street

January 1961

 Bar owner was a real showman

Toledo Blade, June 18, 2002

Robert 'Bobby' Jacobs, 75, a colorful Toledo bar owner and showman whose businesses were synonymous with the area's night life, especially during the 1960s, died of compliations of diabetes Sunday in Toledo Hospital.

Mr Jacobs grew up in North Toledo, the youngest of eight children born to Lebanese immigrants, in the close-knit neighborhood that was home to his famous cousin, entertainer Danny Thomas, and actor Jamie Farr.  He was a graduate of Woodward High School.

Mr Jacobs had an excellent singing voice, which friend and restaurateur Gus Nicolaidis compared to Frankie Laine's, and when he was young longed to be a professional entertainer.

He was inspired by the enormous success of his famous older cousin, but the right breaks never came his way for a career in show business, according to his first wife, Helen Warr.  By way of consolation, he went into the bar, restaurant, and night club business and became a consummate showman on a smaller scale.

"He was a sharp dresser, always wearing the sharkskin suits," Mr. Nicolaidis recalled.  "He had a 12-inch cigar in his mouth and ark hair combed straight back.  His hair was black and shiny.  We called him "Dick Clark" because he was so theatrical. He was a good guy."  Mr. Jacobs' businesses included the Carousel Club, the Whiskey A-Go-Go, the Patio Lounge, and Gigi's.

It was at the Carousel Club, 2620 West Central Ave., that his show-biz flair was most evident, Mr. Nicolaidis said. "He was such a showman.  He had a vocal group that he used to advertise as "Direct from Las Vegas," but they were all local guys. I knew them."

"He would get up on stage and sing, with a cigar in one hand and a microphone in the other," Mr. Jacobs's son, Gary, said.

The gregarious Mr. Jacobs was loved by his customers, who had a way of becoming friends over the years, his son said.  He loved practical jokes.

Mr. Jacobs and his second wife, Lena, were married for 40 years.  For much of that time they owned and operated Gigi's, a restaurant at 4350 Monroe St. with an upstairs apartment they lived in.

His health deteriorating badly, Mr. Jacobs retired 10 years ago.  For the last 2½ years he was a resident of the Darlington House nursing home in West Toledo, his son said.

Mr. Jacobs was an avid golfer, hunter, and fisherman.

*

The Rhythm Rascals were husband and wife,  Anita and Eddie Boudreau, veteran instrumentalists (bass and guitar) and comedy duo.  They started in the show business around 1940. 

In 1960-61, they played the Patio Lounge in Toledo.

Hoodoo / The High School Chanters (Fashion Records)

Hoodoo
CP-2456 - Hoodoo The Voodoo

(Jack Morrow, Glendell Music Inc. BMI)

The High School Chanters
CP-2457 -  Teenage Chant 

(Jack Morrow, Glendell Music Inc. BMI)

Fashion Records #001

November 1959

Probably a Ft. Worth (or Dallas) recording intended to be pressed by the brand new National Recording Co. pressing plant of Atlanta, which apparently was not quite ready to handle the promised custom business and had to resort to an external plant,  as it happens, Rite Records of Cincinnati. 

Jack Morrow, writer of "Hoodoo The Voodoo," had penned two BMI award winning songs : "For Rent" (Sung by Patsy Cline) and "That's Why I Love You Like I Do"  (Sonny James).  Glendell Music published several songs penned by him.

Billboard (November 2, 1959) announced the formation of Glendell Music, a new C&W label :

Glendell Music, Fort Worth, has Artie Glenn as president; Darrell Glenn, vice-president, and Marvin Montgomery, secretary-treasurer.  The new record firm is slated to announce its first release soon, with "Crying" occupying one of the sides.

Glendell Music as publishing company was formed earlier and had a number of profitable songs. Glendell published "Percolator," (written by Jack Morrow) which was the B-side of the Boots Randolph hit "Yakety Sax".

Anyway the Glendell Music label as such never was, but instead there was a Fashion label which released only a handful of equally obscure records by Darrell Glenn (60), The Smith Brothers (62), Homer Lee (63), Jack and the Rippers (64) and Artie Glenn (66).  There was also "So You Want To Write A Song", a educational LP published in 1972 by Artie Glenn.

In 1960, Fashion Records issued "Take Time To Be Happy" by Darrell Glenn after he left the NRC label.  Or rather re-issued, as the record was first released in 1957 by the unknown LuLu Records of Hollywood.   The single was followed by "Hoo Doo The Voodoo" on Robbie 101.  Same title as the Rite-pressed Fashion 45, but different song, penned by D.Glenn and J.B. Robertson (hence the label's name Robbie ?)  and published by Downey Music Pub.

Indecent, Untruthful Textbooks In Schools

Wally Butterworth [narrator]

Indecent, Untruthful Textbooks In Schools

U.S. Government "Takeover" In Education

A Wally Butterworth Recording Release No. 35
 Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

1965

Rite numbers : 14713/14714

Klan Invades Swarthmore, Pa.

The Free Lance-Star Nov. 2, 1965

Swarthmore, Pa. - Most residents don't know it, but this quiet Quaker community has suddenly become the focal point for the Northern mail campaign of the Ku Klux Klan.  Wally Buterworth, public relations man for the United Ku Klux Klans, has rented Box 33 at the Swarthmore post office and picks up his mail here two or three times a week - mail that comes in as a result of a campaign to enlist right-wing support in this liberal college town, the home of the Swarthmore College.

Wally Buttersworth is the former Philadelphia-New York radio-TV announcer who once lived with James Venable, KKK attorney, in the shadow of Stone Mountain, Ga.    Now 63, Butterworth has an excellent speaking voice, and does a quite a business in recording anti-Jewish and anti-Negro tapes which are circulated among hate groups.  He frequently calls upon whites to protect their way of live by violence.

For some years Butterworth has been publicity director of the United Klans and recently drifted up to the Philadelphia area where he rented a post office box at Swarthmore. Swarthmore postl officials have not been happy over the rental, but under the law have nothing to say about who rents boxes as long as obscene and subversive matter is not circulated through the mails.

One possible explanation for Butterworth's picking Swarthmore for his post office is the location of a vigorous right-wing radio station -WXUR -in Media, only four miles away.

Last March 19, the Federal Communications Commission transferred WXUR to the Faith Theological Seminary, of which Rev. Carl McIntire, the right-wing Fundamentalist preacher, is president.

The licensing of WXUR to the McIntire group was made despite protests by the Catholaic Interracial Council of New York, the American Baptist Convention, the Lutheran Church in America, the Anti-Defamation League, the United Church of Christ, the Greater Philadelpia Council of Churches, the PResbytery of Philadelphia, the National Urban League and the NAACP.

Seldom has there been such an array of religious and social groups opposing the award of any radio license.  Despite this, the FCC gave WXUR to the McIntire group without a public hearing and despite the fact that the three-year license of the original owners had not expired.

Chief reason for this unusal transfer was the mercenary one that the station was "currently losing money."   We have determined that a hearing looking forward a possible denial of the application is not warranted,"  wrote the majority of the FCC Commissioners.  They said they relied on the pledge of the McIntire group that it would "not slant the news or in any way distort factual material."

Commissioner Kenneth Cox issued a blistering dissent.  He demanded that the commission at least hold a public hearing before giving a radio license to the McIntire organization.  "While I recognize that Rev. McIntire is not the applicant here, I think a sufficient showing has been made to indicate that he will ne the dominant figure in the proposed license.

"The fact that Rev. McIntire has a right to express his views does not signify that he is entitled to controle a boradcast facility,"  wrote Commissioner Cox.  "The test the commission must apply is not whether the public inerest will be served by entrusting a scarce frequency to his control."

Commissioner Cox was referring to the extreme right-wing duatribes which Rev. McIntire has delivered over a national hook-up of radio stations.

Since March, when the WXUR license was granted, Commissioner Cox's fear seem to have been justified. WXUR has featured such right-wing commentators as DAn Smoot, Rev. Billy Hargis, Dean Manion, R.K. Scott, Kent Courtney, Howard Jerskner and the American League of Englewood, Calif.

Recently the book blasting President Johnson, "None Dare Call It Treason" by John Stormer, has been promoted for dsitribution over WXUR.

Life Line, the radio program produced by Texas oilman H.L. Hunt, is also heard three times a day on WXUR and twice on Sunday.  The Voice of Americanism of Englewood, Calif., another right-wing program, is heard six times a week;  while every afternoon, between three and four,  Tom Livezey conducts "Open Mike," a right-wing program in which he answers telephone calls.

Swarthmore and Media are old Quaker communities dating back to the days of William Penn.  The house where Benjamin West was born in 1738 is still standing on the campus. The college, one of the most liberal institutions in this country, recently celebrated its one-hundreth anniversary.

Into this community has been injected a steady stream of radio abuse and intolrance.  No wonder Wally Butterworth and the Ku Klux Klan chose the Swarthmore post office as the focal point for their Northern drive to enlist support.

Wally Butterworth

Herbert Wallace “Wally” Butterworth was an American radio announcer and host of a variety of quiz shows. In the early 60’s Butterworth lost a lawsuit with GE over a contract for a television quiz show and this subsequently caused him to become politically active.   Initially on radio and later by way of phonograph records Butterworth created programs educating the American people about the issues of the day, namely how the Jews were destroying the United States.   Butterworth worked with both the Georgia based National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and Robert Shelton’s UKA.