Friday, November 22, 2013

Little Herbert and The Arabians on Teek


Vocal by Little Herbert and The Arabians

CP-6497 - Bouncing Ball

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)


 

Saturday, November 16, 2013

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.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

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)
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?)

Monday, November 11, 2013

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.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

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."



Saturday, November 2, 2013

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


Friday, November 1, 2013

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

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) / ?

Thursday, October 31, 2013

The Ithacas on Fee Bee


The Ithacas
 
22045 — If You Want My Love
(McConnell, Donnator Music BMI)
(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)

Saturday, October 26, 2013

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  

Sunday, October 20, 2013

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.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Nervous Norvus on Neale


Nervous Norvus

(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.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

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.

 

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Gene Carpenter / Ernst Joines on Dag Gone


Gene Carpenter / Ernst Joines

28649  — Roof Boltin' Daddy
28650 — They'll Never Land a Man on the Sun

Gene Carpenter/Grayson Music

Dag Gone Records
(Grayson County, Virginia)

1971

Gene Carpenter (1910-1999) was born in Allegeny County, North Carolina, and lived in Grayson County, Virginia.  He worked as a roof bolter in a West Virginia underground mine.
 
 Carpenter uses miner terminology and an unmasked dialect for he intended this to be heard in his own community among other miners..  This song (Roof Boltin' Daddy) originated close the song's subject matter, Carpenter really did bolt the roof in the mineshafts and had pride, a deep connection to his work.. His songs would have retained deep meaning within the camps and it was not expected to become popular within other demographics'
From "Lusty Air from Ailing Lungs : Coal Mining Songs in Appalachia"

The Digital Library of Appalachia has preserved several Gene Carpenter interviews (and singings). MP3 available HERE.


Monday, September 9, 2013

"Skip" Connors on Circo


"Skip" Connors

16643 ~ White Rose
16644 ~ Hearts Win You Lose

Circo Records 102

A Product Of Stereophonics Corp.
New Bedford, Mass.

1966

Stereophonics was owned and managed by W Edward Metcalf.  Sound engineer (and also acting as producer) was Carl German. From 1966 to 1966, some 50 singles were issued on Circo and Arco, two labels who shared the same numerical series.

In 1968, Stereophonics was renamed Metcalf Recording Studios with records issued unto the seventies on labels such Sadbird and Laurel.

Arco/Circo discography (45s only, but at least one LP was issued : "Fabulous New Organ Sounds of Dave ' Mr Talent'  Fredericks".



Monday, September 2, 2013

A Hodge-Podge Of Off-Beat Jazz


Music For Collectors
Presents
A Hodge-Podge Of Off-Beat Jazz

857 45th Avenue
San Francisco Calif 94121

Late 1969 or early 1970


Side 1 –  #25555

That's a plenty (Slim and his Hot Boys) --
St. Louis blues (Broadway Broadcasters) --
I'm wild about horns on automobiles (Billy Hays orchestra) --
Gut bucket shuffle (Harris Brothers Texans) --
Goin' back to Tennessee (Boyd Senter and his Senterpedes) --
The same old moon (Virginia Willrich and her Texas Rangers) --
Down where the blue bonnets grow (Phil Baxter orchestra) --
She's a gorgeous thing (Doc Daughertry orchestra) -

Side 2 –  #25556

Aristocratic stomp (Paul Tremaine orchestra) --
Wha'd ja do to me (Snooks and his Memphis Ramblers) --
Band box shuffle (Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra) --
In a corner (Cecil Scott and his Bright Boys) --
You need some lovin' (Johnny Dunn and his band) --
Variety stomp (Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra) --
Weary stomp (Curtis Mosley and his Dixieland Blue-Blowees) --
Washboard wiggles (Tiny Parham and his musicians).


1927-1931 jazz band recordings regrouped by San Francisco collector Stephen Prosper.  Further Stephen Foster compilations for collectors were re-issued on Alan Roberts' Sunbeam Records, a jazz re-issue label out of Van Nuys.

Stephen Prosper died sometimes in 1974 or 1975.


(Record found at Alexander Stewart's blog Collector Not Complelist

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Alicia Karrol on Jon-Don


Alicia Karrol

14939 – You Excite Me
 
JD-105
E. Forest & P. Connelly, Sandra Music Publishing Co. BMI 

14940 – Feeling Of Love
 JD-106
 
E. Forest & N. Meadows, Sandra Music Publishing Co. BMI

Arranged-engineered by Earl Forest

Jon-Don 2011


1965

 
Unknown torch singer Alicia Karrol, perhaps from Memphis.
 
For another record arranged and engineered the same year by drummer and singer Earl Forest, see http://thatsallritemama.blogspot.fr/2010/02/earl-forest-on-tuff-stuff.html

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Joey Welz on Bat


Joey Welz And His Rock-A-Billy Piano

(Joey Welz, Gil Music Corp.)

CP-2357 - Shore Party
BAT 100

A Fly By Night Recording

BAT Records
2203 Maryland Ave.,Baltimore 18, MD.

[October 1959]


First issued record of the self-proclaimed “Boogie Woogie King of Rock n' Roll”. 

Joseph Wallace Welzant was born in 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland.  Welz has written over 1000 published songs, recorded over 35 vinyl albums, 75 singles and 60 CDs.   



Joey Welz, Louis Hinkle, Charles Shriner

Joey Welz: 
I first started the band business of making Baltimore our stomping ground for this new type of music. We were the first rock & roll band in Baltimore and actually our roots were rockabilly. The group was called the Jayrockers with Sam Cataldie on drums, and Jimmy Staggs on guitar, myself on piano and we had a bassplayer by the name of Greggard and later replaced by a slapping bassman by the name of Flirby. The Jayrockers made their first recordings in Baltimore in 1955 "The Jitterbug Rock", "I'm Lonesome" and "You're The One".  The way that this worked was that I figured if I could get a group togehter I could open for Bill Haley and get to know the band and consequently that's what happened.   

In 1957, Joey formed a new band known as the Rock-A-Billies. The line up featured: Lou Hinkle on drums, Charlie Shirner on lead guitar and Flurry (or Flirby?) on stand up bass. By this time, Joey was using the Monumental Studios in Baltimore, and got a more professional sound with Will Taylor at the controls as engineer.

Quite of interest is a recent post on the tapwrecks blog titled :  Boy With A Dream (and some scissors and glue) .... The Real Joey Welz (Baltimore 1950s-70s / Lancaster 1980s-present) . Excerpt :
For years, Joey has promoted his act out of his house and has his own rock'n'roll museum. He cuts and pastes his face into photos of famous musicians including the Comets and the Beatles for his press kits. Many of his original songs from the 50s and 60s have his more recent Roland keyboard and drum machine inexplicably overdubbed, so it's really hard to know what to make of the "Joey Welz Legend."

 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Danny Reeves on L.G. Gregg


Danny Reeves

9495 - Little Red Coat 
L.G. Gregg and Danny Reeves, L.G. Gregg Music Pub. Co. BM

9496 - Judgement Day

L.G. Gregg Records #1001/2
8414 Fulton, Houston, Texas

1963

This is certainly the same Danny Reeves who had recorded two rockin' singles.  The first was on Pappy Dailey's D Records ("I'm A Hobo", 1961). The second was on Troy Caldwell's San Records ("Spunky Monkey", 1962). Both are listed by Rockin' Country Style discography.  
 
On this one, Danny isn't really singing, he's just speaking on a music background.  Nothing more is known about him.  

L.G. Gregg is perhaps L.G. Gregg who was the founder and pastor of the Pilgrim Baptist Church of Houston.   And, more recently, a L. G. Gregg Ministries Company was based in Mesa, Arizona.

At the address printed on the label, there is no house today, just a empty lot.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

The Vocalaries Of Newport News, Virginia


The Vocalaries Of Newport News, Virginia

29973 — Nobody Knows
(George Washington, Dora Music BMI)
Vocal George Washington

29974 — Rescue Me
 (Jerry Bond, Dora Music BMI) 
Vocal Daryl Harris

Spiritual Produced By Bill Johnson/Earl Long

Pinewood Records 
2732 Beachmont Ave.
Norfolk, Virginia 23534 
(Best On Wax)

1972 (August)


The Vocalaries had at least three singles on the same label before this one.  

Pinewood label discography

Pinewood owner, manager and engineer was Bill Johnson.



Friday, August 23, 2013

Chester Hooks And The Vibrants


Chester Hooks And The Vibrants

(Chester Hooks, Georgianna Pub. BMI)

16174 ~ 60 Seconds
sample
 
Knoll 168

1966

Label owned by Doris Knoll. Address of Georgianna Music Publishers was 16004 Euclid Avenue, East Cleveland, Ohio.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Glenna Dean Case (Brite Star 767)


Glenna Dean Case 
With Ray Guyce And His Lonesome Valley Boys

CP-3333 ~ Thank You So Much (Ray Guyce)

CP-3334 ~ Broken Hearted (Marshall & Geraldine Page)

Both Starday Music BMI

Country Music
Vocal With String Accomp.

Brite Star 767
Mt. Vernon, Indiana
1960
(Billboard, Jan. 23, 1961, C&W)



Ray Guyce and Glenna Dene



Glenna Dene was born in 1944 in Evansville, Indiana.  She also recorded on the Eunice record label in 1960-1961 (See Rockin' Country Style)

Ray Guyce discography (compiled by Dick Grant)

Writers of "Broken Hearted"  were from Grand Prairie, Texas.  Marshall Page was one of the Original Texas Wranglers, hillbilly group heard on KCLW radio in Hamilton, Texas in the early fifties. 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

The Crusader on DIP



The Crusader

18839 – Wake Up, My People
18840 – We Need Wallace For President

   DIP
P.O. Box 96
Beech Grove, Indiana

1967

George Wallace, Conservative governor of Alabama, ran for President in the 1968 election as the American Independent Party candidate,

"George Wallace forged an alliance with many country singers, such as Autry Inman, Hank Snow, and the Wilburn Brothers, who participated often in his campaigns for the Alabama governorship and for the presidency.  Racism was certainly one factor which contributed to Wallace's popularity, but his southern rural/populist roots also made him appealing to many of the "good old boys and girls" who picked guitars and sang.  Wallace identified with country music, but he also spoke the same language, ate the same food, and responded to the same cultural traditions (both good and bad) that most country musicians understood.  He linked his southerness with their own, while also tapping vaguely understood, but often legitimate, feelings of alienation that many Americans everywhere felt.

The George Wallace-country music alliance was a major factor which contributed to the music's rediscovery by the media - the belief that at worst the music represented reactionary and racist politics, or that at best it spoke for alienated American working people."

 From "The Reinvigoration of Modern Country Music", in Country Music U.SA., by Bill C. Malone


Credit : Label and sound file are from "Here Comes Rock And Roll"  Collector CLCD4522. 


Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Symphonics on Bock


The Symphonics

CP-5027 –  She's My Girl

Bock 5001

March 1961


Based on the Rite account (#446) found in dead wax, this has to be from Ohio, perhaps Cleveland.  The earliest known release from account 446 is Falcon #501 Milan Shepel, Rip It Up b/w Blueberry Hill.  


Bill Campbell on Zappo


Bill Campbell

28233 - You Better Not Do That (T. Collins)

28234 - Venita

Recorded by John Lookabill, Greensboro, N.C.
    
Zappo Presents
1971

sample (both sides)


Side one is a cover of the Tommy Collins song recorded on Capitol Records (1954).   

For another Lookabill recording, see Rhythm Rockers/Tex Craddrock. Did he owned a studio in Greensboro ?

John Lookabill and Bill Campbell are both on a video posted on YouTube HERE

See Tommy Collins singing "You Better Not Do That" on the Buck Owens Ranch Show in 1966 HERE

No further info.



Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Bob Strack / Vern Kenyon (Cowtown LP 205)


Bob Strack / Vern Kenyon

Cowtown Records
CLP #205
P.O.Box 192, Avery, Texas

1960



Side 1 – CP-3903
Vocal by Bob Strack

1. Welcome Elvis (J.W. Stephenson-H.Conley) Tronic Music -BMI
2. Panorama Drive (Lou Bridges) Blue Ribbon Music Co. ASCAP
3. Danny (C.Zumwatt) Faye Music-BMI
4. 63rd Street Has The Chicks (J.J. Felder) Stephenson Music 
5. There Must Be A Way (J.W. Evans-J.W.Stephenson) Tronic-BMI
6. Come All Ye Kin Folks (W.W.Lundgren) Blue Ribbon Music Co. ASCAP
7. Home Is Two Loving Arms (N.E. Ahmdeo-J.W.Stephenson) Golden State BMI
8. Never Before (Val McDonald) Blue Ribbon Music Co. ASCAP
9. Play It Square (E.M. Sutton) Blue Ribbon Music Co. ASCAP
10. Won't You Talk To Your Heart (W.W. Lundgren) Blue Ribbon Music ASCAP
11. When The Singing Hit The Ceiling (J.H. Garrett-J.W. Stephenson) Golden State BMI

Side 2 – CP-3904
Vocal by Vern Kenyon

12. Deca Darling (W.F. Schuck-J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI 
13. Honey Bee Bop (W.F. Schuck-J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI 
14. She Doesn't Love Me Anymore (T.W.McLaughlin-J.W.Stephenson) Tronic BMI
15. The Picture On The Wall (M.Sullivan-J.W.Stephenson) Tronic BMI 
16. Put Your Heart In My Hands (L. Neptune-J.W.Stephenson) Tronic BMI   
17. Stuff And Nonsense (I.Morical- J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI  
18. My Hearts Breaking Because Of You (T.W. McLaughlin-J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI   
19. Just Not Caring ( (I.Morical- J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI    
20. Green Eyed Gal (M. McCoy- J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI   
21. Fair Weather Love (W.F. Schuck- J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI   
22. Ada, Ada (W.F. Schuck- J.W. Stephenson) Tronic BMI

The three links above are YouTube posts from user (what a ugly word) named Starday.


Monday, August 5, 2013

Frenchy And The Underground Railroad


Frenchy And The Underground Railroad

26941 - We're Lonely /(Frenchy, ASCAP)

26942 - Trip (Real Carpentier, ASCAP)

Sterling 518

1970

★ 

At the time of the recording, the personnel (13-14 years old, except Frenchy, eight years older) of the group consisted of Frenchy (Yves Carpentier) on vocals, Real Carpentier on vocals and bass, Gene Daigle on vocals and guitar, Bob Fissette on guitar, Rob St. George on drums, and Dave LaCasse on vocals and percussion. The band was managed by Ron Bachand and Alfred Brissette.  
 
The band story is told by Mr. Bellino in his latest post (at Rip It Up R.I.)  a blog celebrating the glory of rock and roll and garage bands from the state of Rhode Island in the 1960s.

 ★
 
If confirmation was needed, this is a proof that Lew Tobin's Sterling Records wasn't just a song-poem operation,   If the bulk of the label ouput was amateur poems put in music by Lew Tobin and "sung" by Norm Burns, Gary Roberts, Mel Moore and al. ,  occasionally local bands were recorded. 

 

Real Carpentier today

Friday, August 2, 2013

Diagnosis and Management of Liver Diseases


Jack O. Knowles, V.M.D. Miami Florida
Lester E. Fisher, D.V.M.,Berwyn, Illinois

CP-4969 - Diagnosis and Management of Liver Diseases


Mark Morris Associates
531 Guaranty Bank Bldg. Denver 2, Colo.

33rpm 7"
 [March 1961]


Spoken word.  A veterinary education record.  

Continue your education and read about this (and hear a sample too and its follow-up, "The Aged Dog" ) in one of the latest posts by Lisa Wheeler  HERE. 

Woof! Woof!

   

Evelyn and Al Downing


Evelyn Downing Sings...
"Angel Eyes"
Featuring Al (A.J.) Downing Jazz Quintet

AJD Records
1976

 
Side 1 - 36261

Angel Eyes / Sunshine Of My Life / Rainy Day / Help Me Make It Through The Night / Bye Bye Blackbird / Satin Doll
 
Side 2 - 36262
When Sunny Gets Blue / There Will Never Be Another You / Bunny / Love Will Keep Us Together / Blue Groove
 
AJD Records 
2121 25th Street So.
St. Petersburg, Fla. 33712   
 
Recorded at Titan Sound Studio Largo, Florida

 

Evelyn Downing

Evelyn Jean Downing was born on February 13, 1950 to Alvin and Bernice Downing, the second of three daughters.

Evelyn attended Sixteenth Street Jr. High School and graduated from Dixie Hollins High School.During her high school years, her parents nurtured her gifted singing ability by featuring her vocal talents in many of her father's performances.  Her style was her own.  She was encouraged, guided and inspired by her parents and as a result of their love of jazz, they founded the Allegro Music Society, now known as the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association.  Her father served as president, her mother served as vice president and Evelyn was the first member of the association.  After graduating from high school, she studied Theatre Arts at Carnegie Tech in Philadelphia, Pa. and attended Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Fl.   In the early 70's, Evelyn successfully began a career as a professional jazz vocalist featured with her late father, renowned jazz pianist and music educator, Alvin J. Downing.  Her most prized accomplishment was recording the album "Angel Eyes" with her father.  She performed with a variety of jazz artists in cities throughout the United States including Atlanta, Georgia, Naples, Miami, Tampa, and St Petersburg, Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana, Little Rock, Arkansas, Denver, Colorado and Los Angeles, California.  Early in her career while performing in Atlanta, she was recognized as the top performing artist at Pascal's and the Clock of Fives Dinner Club located in the Regency Hotel.  She was known for her elegant wardrobe especially designed for her by the late internationally known designer Patrick Kelly. 

Alvin “Al” Joseph Downing was born in 1916 in Jacksonville, Florida.
   
Al Downing is legendary to those who remember the golden days of jazz in St. Petersburg.

 Piano talent and a desire to perpetuate jazz among young people everywhere were two qualities Al possessed from the time he was a young man in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. He formed his first band in high school, pursued music throughout his college days and organized music programs at Gibbs High School when he moved to St. Petersburg, in 1939.

Al served with the Tuskegee Airmen before leading the 613th Army Air Force Band in Tuskegee. He then moved on to other military bands in the U.S. and Japan. When he retired in 1961 as a major, Al went back to school for a Master of Music before returning to St. Petersburg. He taught first at Gibbs and then for another 20 years at St. Petersburg Junior College.

Retiring in 1983, he continued teaching privately. He was recognized as an Ambassador of Jazz by the Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation and named Tampa Bay’s Favorite Artist by Players Magazine. Al firmly believed in an organization to promote jazz and in 1981, he formed the Al Downing Florida Jazz Association. It merged in 1989 with the Tampa Bay Jazz Society and has existed as the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association, Inc. ever since.

Al died in 2000, but his outstanding reputation as a performer, an educator and a humanitarian carries on. To honor him, Perkins Elementary School for the Arts and International Studies dedicated its theater to his memory in 2001. In 2004, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast placed his likeness in the role models mural in their newly renovated, historic Royal Theater performing arts center.
Sources : 


Thursday, August 1, 2013

The Firesiders on Sterling

 
The Firesiders
 
9881 ~  Spring
9882 ~  Jump And Twist
 
Sterling Records #268
1963

Two instrumentals
 
Quite surprising but, yes,  this is on the same song-poem Sterling label owned by music veteran Lew Tobin in Boston, Mass.

Lew Tobin had operated Five Star Music Masters since the early forties and  Sterling Records since 1954.  The earliest record on Sterling I was able to find is #103,   "His Final Address" sung by Roy Jones with Lew Tobin's orchestra.  "This tribute to Hank Williams is both late and unimpressive" simply wrote the Billboard reviewer (Billboard, February 27, 1954).  Hank Williams, incidentally also recorded on Sterling Records, obviously a different label (out of New-York).
 
Lew Tobin and Sterling Records were still active as late as 2002 : that year, in September, they recorded "America's Song" a poem written by Blanche Shipley (1914-2002), a retired teacher, who pieced and tied many quilts after her retirement.