Tommy Wills Early Releases

Tommy Wills and His Club Miami Band
Club Miami 501
CP-1004 - Let E'm Roll (blues)
CP-1005 - Horn Happy (inst.)

Tommy Wills and His Club Miami Band
Club Miami 502
CP-1022 - T. N. O. Mambo (inst.)
CP-1023 - B For Best (inst.)

Tommy Wills and His Club Miami Band
Club Miami 503
CP-1024 - Mambo Lil (inst.)
CP-1025 - I've Been Drinkin' (blues)

Tommy Wills was one of the earliest to use Rite's custom pressing (CP-) program in 1955. His three Club Miami releases from Hamilton, Ohio are some of the earliest known Rite pressings. Four of the six Club Miami sides are instrumentals featuring Tommy Wills on Sax but two are very entertaining R&B/Blues vocals by Tommy.

He next recorded on Estella Dodds Esta Label then started another new label which he named Big Bang.

Tommy Wills and His Tomcats
Big Bang 101
BBR-45-001 - Tuxedo Junction (inst.)
BBR-45-002 - Diane (inst.)
1st press, 1958 by King Records
King Account #591

Tommy Wills and His Tomcats
Big Bang 101
CP-1817 - Tuxedo Junction (inst.)
CP-1818 - Diane (inst.)
2nd press, 1959 by Rite

It's important to note that 1st pressings of Big Bang releases 101, 102 and 103 were pressed by King's Royal Plastics custom pressing division in Cincinnati. Rite repressed Big Bang 101 a year later and added their CP-number at that time.

Tommy next started the Terry label based out of nearby Middletown, Ohio. The Terry label had a pretty long run and featured a variety of musical styles by many artists. Some of the Terry releases are very sought after and command premium prices. Terry 106 is significant because of the confusing matrix information.

Tommy Wills and His Tomcats
Big Bang 102
BBR-45-003 - The 3rd Man Theme "Rock"
BBR-45-004 - Mr. Mov'in Is Groov'in
1st press, 1958, King Records, Account #591

Tommy Wills and His Tomcats
Terry 106
CP-4935 - Mr. Movin' Is Groovin'
CP-4936 - 3rd Man Theme "Rock"
2nd press, 1960, pressed by Rite Records
No Rite account # was used

Terry 106 was pressed by Rite using the same metalwork (mother's and stampers) that had been made for Big Bang 102 by King records. There is no Rite information in the deadwax of Terry 106 - only the original King matrix numbers and King account #591. The only Rite information is the CP- numbers printed on the labels. Tommy Wills' account number with Rite was #125. Also notice the titles were updated and the b-side of Big Bang 102 became the a-side for Terry 106.

In the 1960's and 70's, Tommy Wills formed at least five more labels - Airtown, Gregory, Juke, Terry-Gregory and Golden Moon but we'll save them for another day.