Showing posts with label Alabama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alabama. Show all posts

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Paul Helms, Jughead Godwin and the Allen Brothers



Paul Helms - Jughead Godwin
with Allen Brothers

35967 - Jugheads Flop-Eared Boogie 
wr. C. Helms-Godwin

Paul Helms and the Allen Brothers

35968 - Tax Happy State
wr. Paul Helms

Tennessee Valley Boys Recording

Scottsboro, Ala.

1975

Jugheads Flop-Eared Boogie was penned in 1953 by Eskil M. Godwin.   Godwin was born on Sand Mountain near Grove Oak, Alabama in 1925. Early in his life he became an entertainer.  He has traveled extensively and appeared with such famous named stars as Uncle Dave Macon on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, Lester Flatt and others.

In the sixties, he sold peanuts for a living.  He had a peanut stand at a corner of the courtsquare of some Alabama town : 
Although he is handicapped, he asks no favors.  In this day of welfare and the dole, Godwin is a good example of American ingenuity and freedom of enterprise.  Each week, he buys and roast 150 pounds of peanuts.  He roasts his peanuts in an old refrigerator he has modified, using charcoal to heat them.  Godwin told the Advertiser Interviewer he walks 15 miles per day peddling his sacks of peanuts. 
Godwin has what he calls a specialty act.  In reality it is a one man show.  Godwin plays his harmonica and accompanies himself by “flopping his right ear,” slapping it vigorously with his hand, making rhythmic sound similar to a bass fiddle.  He also buck dances….all at the same time.

Godwin has a record of a song he wrote in 1953 called “Jughead’s Flop Eared Boogie”.  He also has other songs he has written and hopes to record.
Eskil "Jughead" Godwin passed away in 1992.

 

Friday, April 24, 2015

Lefty Pritchett on Bama


Lefty Pritchett
And His Country Cats
(Pritchett-Dickenson)
Vocal By Lefty Pritchell And Lucy Carter

CP-4104 – She Stole My Heart Away
(Pritchett)
Vocal By Lefty Pritchell

From The Heart of Dixie It's
Bama Records 00001
1960

Claude "Lefty" Pritchett
, a self-taught musician, was born in 1931 in Alabama, the son of Alabama sharecroppers.   He had an ear for music at a young age, especially the guitar.  "My first guitar was used.  I paid $1.75 for it," he recalls.
 
    His guitar playing and singing were constant companions when he joined the Army in 1950.  Korea was his first stop after basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.  Serving with the Seventh Infantry Division in Korea, he organized a country music group, which has became popular with the GI's overseas.    "Lefty Pritchett and His Country Rhythm Boys", as the group was commonly known in Korea, played at service clubs, parties and entertainment programs in Korea.    Pritchett wrote many of his songs and broadcasted his original tunes on a weekly radio program    
 
     The troops weren't the only ones Claude serenaded.  Korea is also where he met his future bride Bonnie.  "I saw her for the first time with a dark corduroy uniform on and she had pigtails and she just took my heart away."

     Claude also saw duty in Vietnam in the late 60's.  And, yes, his guitar made the trip, too.  "If I wasn't on duty I'd start playing and singing and all the troops would come around.  We'd have a big jam session."

     When Claude got back to the states he recorded one of the 150 songs he has written.  It was called "Vietnam Rotation Blues." (*)  Claude says over there they wanted to hear something about coming home, so that's why he wrote the song.
     
     Once back home Claude became an Army recruiter.  His guitar was one of his recruiting tools.  "When (a recruit) would make up his mind to go, I would sing him a song and ask him when he wanted to leave.  We'd have to send him to get his exam and everything.  I always met my quota," Claude said with a big smile.

__________

 *Released on Dee Lark Records, you can hear the song here

Sunday, April 6, 2014

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.



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."



Thursday, February 7, 2013

Hawkeye Hawkins (Hawkins 104)

Hawkeye Hawkins
The Lonesome Rambler

 
CP-1867 — I'm the Big Wheel In This Town Town Town
Hawkins, Double "M" Music Co. (BMI)

CP-1868 — Wabash Cannon Ball

Hawkins Records 104
608 N. 24th St.  Apt. B, Birmingham 4, Alabama

 For his other records, see Hawkins discography

Friday, October 19, 2012

The Hi-Boys on Unicom



The Hi-Boys

   9547 - Mist Of Blue

9548 - They Say

    Unicom 1202
 Huntsville, Alabama

 1963



Standing : Walter Buddy Tarr drummer, Curtis Boldin, guitarist and singer, Bobby Glenn bass man. 
Seated Wendell Haygood, singer and guitar
Students at Butler High School.

 
The Hi-Boys were classmates at Butler High, Huntsville, Alabama. Unicom is their first record.  There was at least two further records (on Gold Master and Woodrich Records). They continued to perform together, with some personnel changes, well into the 1970's.

Songwriter Dean Frazier was the owner of the label.  See the first release on Unicom here :  http://thatsallritemama.blogspot.fr/2012/01/roger-wilcoe-on-unicom.html

Songwriter C. Hughey is Carlyle "Buddy" Hughey who recorded for local labels Cherokee and Woodrich. Buddy Hughey is listed in Rockin' Country Style, rockabilly online discography.



 
 Billboard, March 16, 1963




Sunday, October 7, 2012

Jan Records (Alabama)


Jan Records
819 Thurman St.
Montgomery, AL



Bobby Jackson   

CP-1541 – Oh Baby
CP-1542 – Waltzing With You   
Jan 101
1958

Bobby Jackson

? – You Got Me Rocking And Rolling
? – Dreamy Sunday
Jan 102
Billboard October 6, 1958

Bobby Jackson

CP- 2029 – New World
CP-2030 – Cha Cha Cha
Jan 103
 1959

Bobby Jackson // Robert Jackson and The Sneakers

CP-2981 –  Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
CP-2982 –  Closer To My Heart
Jan 104
Billboard March 7, 1960


  

Billboard ad, December 15, 1958



Al Dixon, in his younger days, was known as "Dizzy Dixon" or "Ugly Al", the radio DJ. "The Soul Mouth of the South...".

He recalls Bobby Jackson :

Bobby Jackson was well known around the local clubs. Starting out, Clarence Carter played in his band on the circuit. "We had a lot of fun. One thing about the Chitlin Circuit...you were comfortable, you were in your place," Jackson admitted.

During the '60s Jackson played The Elks Club in Montgomery where recording artists like The Drifters, Joe Tex, Tyrone Davis and The Manhattans would pack the house.

But the road to success did have its down side. "They didn't have business managers to go in and look at the books to know how many records were sold," Dixon said adding, "they didn't really concern themselves with it." Why? "All they wanted to do was perform. It was their life."

It was a journey that's seen many twists and turns. "Now, most everything is more sophisticated..." Long gone are the segregated clubs, and the road so many artists traveled to fame is now history.




Sunday, August 26, 2012

Ronnie Moore on Teen's Choice


Ronnie Moore

CP-4341 ~ Time For School
CP-4342 ~ Sweet Shop Doll

Teen's Choice 7




Billboard October 17, 1960




R
onnie Moore, bassist and singer from Birmingham, Alabama. He was the previous year on Stomper Time Records in Memphis. Bassist of The Stompers, Eddie Bond's band.

Later bassist of The Gentrys ("Keep on Dancing", MGM Records).

Leon Bowman co-wrote "Sweet Shop Doll".

There was a Ronnie Moore who recorded for Major Bill Smith in Fort-Worth, Texas (records on Le Cam and Jaro), but probably a different artist.



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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Pat Riley And The Rockets on Reed


Pat Riley And The Rockets

CP-1769 ~ I Need You Baby
CP-1770 ~ Little Bop A Little

Reed 1201

May 1959




"Little Bop A Little" saw the light again in 1997, thanks to Cees Klop (The Rockin' "Reed" Recordings, Collector CD 4440), which was not the case of "I Need You Baby".

Both songs were written by one Payne (probably Irvin Payne, a guitar and steel player who died in 2009. Irvin Payne taught many people in the Birmingham area how to play guitar for over 50 years).

The "Sensational" Pat Riley on Tin Pan Alley (two singles in 1957) is obviously a different Pat Riley. You can hear Pat "not bopping" Riley at YouTube here, here or even here...

In the sixties, there was one Pat Riley on Gold Standard and one on Bandit. but I've not heard them.

Another Pat Riley listed in Billboard on Whiz Records (1968) but it's a misprint. The artist is actually Pat BRILEY.




Reed Records was founded by Homer Milam in 1958. The first releases were pressed by the RCA Records custom division and the songs published by Double "M" Music, BMI. The Pat Riley record is one of the first of many pressed by Rite Records. Later records were published by Starland Music, a company owned by Gary Sizemore, blues singer Jerry McCain’s manager and sales manager of the Bel-Aire Distributing Company (formed in Birmingham in 1959).
This is perhaps the indication of a change of the label's ownership.

According to Malcom Chapman, Reed Records & Recording Service was located above Brittney’s Cafe on 1917 First Avenue N in Birmingham.

The studio was already active as early as 1956, when Birminghamian Baker Knight (and his Knighmares) recorded here “Bring My Cadillac Back" (Kit Records, leased to Decca).

According to Bobby Mizzell, Homer Milam had a heart attack and died in the early 70's. "They tore Reed to the ground and I have no idea what happened to all those records." (see Bo Berglind article).


Label pictures credit : Udo Frank

Reed Records discography (Rite pressings only) 45rpmrecords.com

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Roger Wilcoe on Unicom

Roger Wilcoe

7943 - Hello Heartaches
7944 - Delta Gal

Both written by D. Frazier and published by Crosswind Music BMI

Unicom Records
Kennan Rd.
Huntsville, Ala.

country

1962


First release on a label launched by Dean Frazier who was then working at the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) tower in the Hunstville airport. He co-wrote the two sides of Buddy Hughey's Cherokee single issued in 1959, three years earlier.

His "Don't Hide Your Face From Me" was recorded by Clarence Brown for Avalon Records (date unknown).

According to the BMI database, the songs that Dean Frazier wrote are handled today by Linco Music, a company owned by Ernie Tucker, out of Fayetteville, Tennessee, where Ernie also operated his own label, Linco Records (1959-1963).



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Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Starliners on Reed



The Starliners


9389 – Thunder
9390 - Static

Reed Records RR 1066

1963

A pair of instrumentals.

Sound files are from The Rockin' "Reed" Recordings (Collector CLCD 4440)



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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Danny Edwards on Woodrich


Danny Edwards

Woodrich 1251

O-M 15499 - Just Benny And Me
(Woody Richardson, Woodrich, BMI)

O-M 15500 - You're Always Welcome At My House
(Cecil Marcum, Woodrich BMI)



*

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Sonic Explosion on Big City Sounds

Sonic Explosion

Big City Sounds

Big Dog Productions
135 East 18th Ave. Tusc. Al.

Produced by Sonic Explosion for Big Dog Productions
Tuscaloosa., AL

39581 - We Belong Together
(Hayward R. McKanstry, Bee Dee Publ. BMI)

39582 - I'm A Believer

1978


You can hear both tracks HERE (Digging for Diamonds in Mountains of Mediocrity, blog)



*

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Buddy Martin With The Bowen Sisters


Buddy Martin With The Bowen Sisters

Broom 001
"Sweeping the Nation"
Billy Hogan Enterprises
Hunstville, Alabama

CP-5343 - Forgive Me God
(Ernest Ashworth) Acuff-Rose BMI

CP-5344 - Stay Happy

1961


Billy Hogan (1933-1994) is probably best known for his "Shake It Over Sputnik" issued in 1958 on his own Vena label. He wrote songs for Ernie Ashworth (1928-2009) and also acted as his manager at a time, according to this snippet found in Billboard (issue dated October 30, 1961) :

Billy Hogan, president of Broom Music Company, is slated to leave Huntsville, Ala., at 6 a.m. Wednesday (1) armed with a broom, and plans to walk and sweep his way, 115 miles, to WSM’s Country Music Festival in Nashville. Huntsville mayor, R.B. Searcy, is skedded to see him off. Hogan is putting the big sweep on Enrest Ashworth’s Decca recording of « Be MineAgain. » Hogan wrote the tune in collaboration with Rose Hall, and Hogan’s Broom Music is publisher. Billy hopes to land in Nashville sometime Friday (3).

Picture credit : eBay http://myworld.ebay.com/investorinc/?_trksid=p4340.l2559




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Friday, February 18, 2011

Bro. Robert Armstrong, Jr. on B:A



Bro. Robert Armstrong, Jr.
Thunderbolt Number Two
Of Oklahoma

A. McDonald, Organist - D. Scott Pianist;

B:A 1101

104 Brighton Avenue
Bessemer
Alabama

10705 - This is it (Armstrong)
10706 – Live the Life You Sing About


Label pictures credit : e-bay http://myworld.ebay.com/kitzkatz/?_trksid=p4340.l2559




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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Slick Lawrence on Squire


Slick Lawrence

Squire 305

CP-4893 ~ Little Mama

CP-4894 ~ No One Can Tell




Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Mona Taylor & The Blondells



The Blondells

CP-5501 - Rocking My Blues Away
sample
(Taylor, Starland Music BMI)



Mona Taylor & The Blondells

CP-5502 - No One Will Ever Know


Label : MBM 8020

1961


The label says "Miami/Los Angeles" (?). More likely from Alabama, I guess.

Audio sample : http://myworld.ebay.com/dadomax (Birmingham AL)




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Sunday, December 5, 2010

Harold Dodd on SaPa


Harold Dodd

SaPa 1004

CP-1982~ After The Dance
(Floyd Starling, Double « M » Music BMI)

CP-1983 - I've Found Another
(Adonis Gill, Floyd Starling, Double « M » Music BMI)

1959

According to Billboard ( July 20, 1959 issue), Paul Rowe, commercial manager and jockey at WZOB, has framed his own recording company, Sapa Records, with Harold Dodd, backed by the Three Teens, cutting the firm’s initial release. (…) A postcard to Sapa Records, Box 126, Fort Payne, Ala., will get deejays a free sample.

Address printed on label is Birmingham, Ala. and there is no mention of the Three Teens backing.


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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Bill Cobb Trio

Bill Cobb Trio
Bill Cobb With Lynne & Cheryl Cobb
Ages 7 & 8
Larry Barton, Pianist

Bill Cobb 505
Produced By Artists Recording Co., Birmingham, Ala

CP-1907 - A Phone Call To Mother (In Heaven) / Brother I Won't Be Far Behind
CP-1908 - ?



Bill Cobb Trio
Lynne & Cheryl Cobb (Ages 9 & 10)
Bill Cobb
Jimmie Roberts, Pianist

Bill Cobb Records 507
4435 Bryan Avenue Anniston Alabama

CP-4715 - I Shall Inherit A Mansion( Freeman) - I've Got That Old Time Religion
CP-4716 - ?


☆ ☆ ☆

Two of the three Christian Gospel Bill Cobb Trio records offered at the present time at eBay by dowado. The third (Bill Cobb #508) doesn't seem to be a Rite press).

Others Bill Cobb Trio records on Bill Cobb (EP) 506 Way Down Deep In My Soul + 3) and albums on Clarion (After All. Clarion CL2102. 1972), Scripture (Eternal Paradise, Scripture S126) and SOA (Brand New Feeling. SOA LP1056).


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Friday, October 29, 2010

Berry Smith and the Radio Pals on McDowell



Berry Smith and the Radio Pals

McDowell 710

10975 ~ Hawaiian Stars

10976 ~ Berry's Bounce


A pair of instrumentals

Pictures credit : sprydiddle (eBay)


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