WAOK Gospel Caravan

 

 

 

From 1964. There is no artist credited or track list on labels, but photo of Brother Esmond Patterson, host of the Gospel Caravan, is indeed on the cover.  According to discogs, "RITE 1367 12919 Curtom" can be found in dead wax. Did Curtis Mayfield had some involvement in this release?  But in 1964 he was still in Chicago and came later to Atlanta. Who knows?

Anyway, presumably, it's quite probable that is the same LP which was nationally re-issued in 1965 by Savoy Records with, this time, artists duly credited (see below). Tracks in the zipped file (see bottom of this page) are from the Savoy release.

Savoy MG-14118 W.A.O. Gospel Caravan

Gospel Caravan on Hallelujah

 

Gospel Caravan
[no artist credited]

13433 - Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross (Traditional)
13434 - Gilmer's Prayer (Willie Gilmer)

Hallelujah

[1964]

Bro. Esmond Patterson was a Gospel music radio host and concert promoter in Atlanta, Georgia. Known for his signature attire, the tuxedo, Bro. Esmond Patterson gave many local and national gospel artists an opportunity to sing and minister on his monthly concert series, The Gospel Caravan. The Caravan would be held in various churches on the first Monday of each month for some 40 plus years.

The singer here is Willie Gilmer (uncredited). Both tracks were issued in 1965 by Savoy Records. Rev. Willie M. Gilmer (1928-2009) was an Atlanta-area gospel singer and preacher. See 45cat

 

Earlier in 1964, Esmond Patterson produced another Gospel Caravan with 8 tracks from various artists. See next post.

Soul, Inc. on Trepur

Soul, Inc.

17109 ~ Work It On Out
17110 ~ Ode To A Girl

Trepur 1019

Only record for this Pine Mountain/West Point, Georgia garage band which included Larry Bowie, John Whitley, Lavonne Moon and Phil Whitley.  Larry Bowie, who wrote both songs on this release, later played with The Continentals (1965), Rock Garden (1968) and The Backalley Bandits (1978)

Larry Bowie

Sweetie Jones (Scottie)

Sweetie Jones

CP-2354 - I've Been Wrong

CP -2355 -Baby Please Don't Leave

Scottie 1312

James Randall Jones
1941-2004

Discography Rockin' Country Style

Bio here at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame website (with thanks for the Sweetie Jones picture)

The uncomped side (I've Been Wrong)

Loyal Pritchard

 Loyal Pritchard

10765 ~ Heartbreak Party
10766 ~ Second Chance

Trepur Records

#1017

McClendon Enterprises

LaGrande, Georgia

1963

Loyal Pritchard, Alabama songwriter and singer

Discography

Loyal and Ronnie

57 - Trepur 1002 : Darling How I Miss You / You Can't Hand Me That Line

Loyal Pritchard

61 - Moonbow 939 :  The Bounce / Driftwood
63 - Trepur 1017 :  Heartbreak Party / Second Chance
68 - Moonbow 1002 [Rite 18941/2] : It Must Be Love / Too Much Of Not Enough     
69 - Loral 19069  [Rite 23757/8] : Love By The Golden Rule / Relax And Rare Back

?? - Nervous Breakdown, unissued (White Label LP 8943)

Jo & Loyal Pritchard

72 - Loral [Rite 29561/2]  : Who Will I Will / You Cry Not Alone

Zotz 101

side 1
Nancy Broom
19113 - Forever And A Day

side 2
Tony Vaughan (Vocalist)
19114 - You Just Lost Me
(Written by The Vaughans)

Zotz 101

A "White Church Custom"
 Lee Roy Abernathy
Canton, Georgia 404-479-3423

Tony Vaughn, now a member of The Local Legends, has played in several popular Atlanta Bands through the years and throughout the southeast. F******K

The Spades (Super Records)

The Spades

CP-2623 - Challenge
Mike Furry, Superior Music Co, BMI

The Spades, vocal by Al Steele

CP-2624 - Fatty Patty
Don Bryant, Superior Music Co, BMI
Super 001

1959

Wayne Cochran on Gala

Wayne COCHRAN
CP-6309 ~ Last Kiss
Wayne Cochran, Perry Music, BMI

CP-6310 ~ Funny Feeling
Joe Carpenter-Milt Skelton, Perry Music BMI 

Gala Records 45-117
Gala Recording Co., Inc.
Vidalia, Georgia

"A blues, chanted in relaxed style, with a funky guitar backing.  Derivative but a good job." ("Last Kiss" review, Billboard, 18 September, 1961)

For a story of the song "Last Kiss" see wikipedia article

 

 

Gala 117 : second press

 

Wayne and Monica Cochran

The Southern Wonders on Gusman

The Southern Wonders

25659 ~ Christain Plea

(Louis King, Gusman, BMI)

25660 ~ Straight Road Home

(James Smith, Gusman, BMI)

Gusman Records G-102

The Churchmen Quartet : "Love Is Why" (You And I Are Free)

The Churchmen Quartet (With Jimmy Barkley At The Piano)
Presents  "Love Is Why" (You And I Are Free)  (1965)

Side 1  (15429)

The Churchman Medley :

I Am Resolved
Power In The Blood
Showers Of Blessing
Kneel At The Cross

Welcome Home My Child
Precious Memories
When We All Get To Heaven
Love Is Why

Side 2  (15430)

Satisfied With Jesus
On Bended Knees
Keep On The Firing Line
Dear Jesus Abide With Me
How Great Thou Art

The Churchmen Quartet was organized in the latter months of 1960 in Savannah, Georgia.  Membership was composed of two local business men and two enlisted Air-Force men.

From the beginning the expressed purpose of the group has been to witness for Christ through the ministry of Gospel singing.  To this end they have appeared regularly in church services, revival meetings, hom-coming and special events in churches of various denominations in Savannah and adjacent communities.  Their ministry includes periodic permormances on television and radio programs.

Since 1963 personnel changes occured and the present group felt a change in name was in order.  Prayerfully they sought the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and after consultation with a local clergyman, individually and collectively God appropriately led them to "The Churchmen."

James W. Barkley — accompanist.  Jimmy is 49 years of age and the newest member of the quartet.  He joined the group in September 1964.  He is the only bachelor in the group and is in the floral business.

Owen T. Brown — bass.  Owen is 55 years of age, is one of the founders, is married, has two sons and one daughter, and has the distinction of being the only "Grandpa" in the group.  He is employed by the State of Georgia.

George L. Harrell — baritone.  George is 45 years of age, is married and has a son and two daughters.  He is also one of the founders.  He is employed by the Federal Government.

William R. DeWitt — 1st tenor.  He is married and has three sons.  Bill joined the quartet in November 1963. He is employed in one of the local banks.

Cecil E. Milligan — 2nd tenor.  Cecil is 41 years of age, joined the quartet in February 1964, is married and has one daughter and two boys.  He is employed in a large paper mill.

Sharon Scott on Miracle

Sharon Scott 

(Sterlings)

CP-2247 - Whisperin' 

(Bobby King)

Sharon Scott
CP-2249 -  Please Tell Me What To Do 

(Chuck Coffee)

Miracle 002
Arranger Chuck Coffey

1959

Clips



Another NRC related label.  Master number on a side is an error (should read 2248). Sterlings on a side is the name of the backing vocal group.

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.

Jimmy Dempsey Paid Political Songs on S&G

Jimmy Dempsey
(Paid Political Sang By)

12027 - Goldwater Rally Song (Mildred Adair)
12028 - I Ain't As Smooth As Lyndon B. (Gilstrap)
   

 S&G Records
Savage & Gilstrap Record Co.
1801 Piedmont Ave. , Atlanta, Ga.

[June 1964]

LBJ On One Side, Barry On The Other
Political Platter Is Bipartisan 

By Diane Wilson

In the middle of an election year with November only five months away, you hear a lot of talk about political records.

The Savage and Gilstrap Record Company of Atlanta has put out a political record that's not only topical, but bipartisan.  Side one is a song written by F. Pierce Gilstrap called "I Ain't As Smooth As Lyndon B."

And Gilstrap should known about Lyndon B. Johnson.  They were friends back in 1933 when both were members of the "Little Congress" in Washington, an organization made up of civil servants in the Capitol.  At that time, 1932-1933, Gilstrap was a doorman at the House of Represntatives and Johnson was elected speaker of the "Little Congress."  his first elected office.  Gilstrap and Johnson used to sit in the judiciary room in Washington those days and talk politics.

Gilstrap got out of politics and became editor of the Fayetteville Enterprise in Georgia.  In 1937, when he was a struggling editor of a very small paper with only $1.50 in his pocket, he heard that Johnson had been elected to Congress.

Gilstrap spent part of his $1.50 to send a congratulatory wire to Johnson.  The new Representative reciprocated by inviting his friend to visit him.

But Gilstrap had gone into the Navy and was with the Seabees in the Pacific.  He had no time for visiting.

Gilstrap hasn't seen his old friend since, except during a parade in Atlanta.

"I called out "Lyndon!"  he explained " but I guess he couldn't hear me."

The song, "I Ain't As Smooth As Lyndon B."  was written a few months ago because, as Gilstrap explained, "It just got to hammering at me and I have to write it down."

Gilstrap, whose only claim to the presidency is his name –  Franklin Pierce Gilstrap – is currently in Daytona Beach to plug his record.

The record sung by Jimmy Dempsey is being distributed by the S & G Record Company, 1801 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, Ga.

Oh yes, on the flip side is a "Goldwater Rally Song."

I told you he had a bipartisan political record.

 

Daytona Beach Morning Journal, July 4, 1964

Hear both sides on ebay HERE

Billy Sandlin (Gala 115)

Billy Sandlin

CP-4573 ~ Teenager's Dream   G-79
CP-4574 ~ Cha Cha Bop  G-80

sample

Both wr. Sandlin, Perry Music BMI

Gala 115

November 1960

Billy Sandlin, the son of Mr and Mrs H.C. (Buck) Sandlin, farmers in Williston, Florida, began singing professionally while still in high school. 

His first record was out on Vim Records in 1959. It was recorded  at the nearby Jacksonville Magnum studios owned by Tom Markham and Tom Rose, "with the real echo from the tank out back".  The record, "She's Mean", was issued again on Gala Records.

After this second record on Gala, Billy  served with the Army in Germany where he was stationed with the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Air Borne at Frankfurt.    He still performed at various occasions and made appearances in Army teenage clubs throughout USAREUR.  He sang with a German combo known as the Strangers :

“Billy Sandlin was a GI….One evening, this colossus with his natural blond short crop climbed te stage urging us to let him sing what we graciously allowed him. Later on, he asked us if we’d like to be his backing band in the recording-studio – everything would be paid by him. So we recorded a few songs, he sent the tapes to some American record company, and the next – and last – thing we would hear from this session was in a box full of single-plays."   ["My Little Twisting Baby" / Billy Sandlin, The Strangers & The Bluetones, Strike Records, 1963]

After his discharge, coming back home, he recorded in the sixties with The Embers  "You´ll Always Have Someone" (Viking Records) and, with the Interns "Poor Rich Girl" , on Royala Records,

In the early 70s, he and ex-Royal Guardsmen, Barry Winslow , released a 45 on Mega Records ("Seen a Rainbow Lately".  They co-wrote with Roland Lavoie (Lobo) "Let Me Down Easy"

Sad to say, Billy got killed in a car crash  :  Billy Sandlin and Melinda, his wife, were killed in a car crash with a drunk driver who was being pursued by the police in his hometown of Ocala, Florida, in 1973.

Debbie on Flash

Debbie

CP-2609 - Letter To Santa Claus 
CP-2610 - Santa's Too Old To Rock N' Roll  

 ♪♫ (sample)

Both wr. Mike Chotas, Demos BMI

Flash 501

1959

Eddie Billups on Peachtree

Eddie Billups

20745 - Soldier's Prayer

20746 - Ask My Heart

Both wr. Eddie Billups, Henry Wynn Music, BMI

Peachtree 104

The rarest 45 on the Peachtree label. The last copy offered at e-bay was sold for... 3.940 $US according to  popsike.


Peachtree Records

In the late 60s William Bell had earned Stax Records national hits with some ballads such as Everybody Loves a Winner, A Tribute to a King and I Forgot to be Your Lover . However, since William wasn’t signed to Stax as a writer or a producer those days, he was free to look for other outlets for his creativity as well, and as a result he became the co-owner of a new label in Atlanta, Georgia :

 “I got a new management with a young man named Henry Wynn out of Atlanta.  Peachtree was formed by me and Mr. Wynn in 1969  (ed.  first releases are from 1967].  When he signed on as a manager for me, I was doing a lot of his tours and he saw that I was different from a lot of acts.  I was always trying to cram knowledge of the inner workings of the music industry, because Sam Cooke was one of my heroes and when he expressed that there’s money to be made in publishing – ping!  I’m thinking ‘okay, I’ve given all my publishing away.  Now let me renegotiate, and get half of the publishing at least’.”

 “Henry suggested that he had some opening acts that he was putting on his tour that didn’t have record deals, but they were good acts like Johnny Jones, Jimmy Church and all of those guys.  So he said ‘why don’t we form a record label, and you handle the production end and I’ll handle the promotional end’.  So I was doing the writing and producing for Peachtree and he was handling the marketing end of it, and we put these acts on tours with us.”

Shorty Billups and the Original Foxx Band

Shorty Billups

 The following information is from Shorty Billups's own website : 

Born in New London, Connecticut, February 1,1932, Shor'ty Billups (pronounced Shor-tay), started at an early age singing and playing the piano . He started traveling and performing for our "Troops" at the age of  15 yrs  old with the U.S.O. At the age of 18 years old he set aside his "dancing shoes" for the purpose of serving our Country for the next four years, never losing site of his vision.

There is a lot of confusion regarding Shorty Billups and Eddie Billups various records   


The most pertinent information I've found is from Matt Starr who posted the following message in 2001at a Southern Soul forum :

Shorty vs Eddie Billups :

According to Shorty Billups, from an interview I did with him in 1991, he and Eddie are brothers. Shorty sings and plays drums, and Eddie plays keyboards. At some point due to "personal reasons" which he wanted to remain off-the-record, Shorty wanted the records issued under Eddie's name, even though Shorty says he is the vocalist on ALL of their records together.  There is one possible exception, noted below.   I hope some day to speak to Eddie to hear his side and confirm this, but to date I haven't. But this seems reasonable, given that their earliest records (United Artists, Blast, Tri-boro), which seem to be just the
vocalist in front of a studio band, were all issued as by Shorty. The later (mid-60s) 45s, when they were a self-contained unit, go either way. Sometimes the same sides were issued as by Eddie on one label, and by Shorty on another.

According to Shorty, the only possible exception is the B-side "Rap on Alone" which may be Eddie in duet with Mickey Jackson....

Clifford E. Bibbins

Even more confusing is the meager information found online regarding Clifford E. Bibbins who wrote and produced a lot of songs recorded by Shorty, from the start of Shorty's recording career (Fine Records in 1960).   Edward Alfred Bibbins as he was also known was born in/1938 and died in 2008. He is buried in Chattanooga, TN.  But the story of Bibbins is yet another story...

Shorty/Shortie/Eddie  Billups/Billips/Billup various labels

Jimmy Goad on Goad

Jimmy Goad

27427 - Darling If You're Sure
27428 - You Can Beat Me, Bang Me

Singing with Robins Strings
Vocal - Jimmy Goad
Writer - Jimmy Goad
Focal Point BMI

Goad 0002
Box 341 - Rt 6 - Macon, Ga.
(IF ITS GOAD ITS GOOD)

Produced by Ray Melton


From eBay
Auction has sound clips
(described as "hillbilly boogie")



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The Meter-Tones on Jax

Piano Red presents
The Meter-Tones
(Vocal Curtis Smith)

CP-2432 ~ Talk To Me
Wr. Curtis Smith, Lowery Music BMI

CP-2433 ~ Believe in me
Wr. Curtis Smith, Willie Perryman, Lowery Music BMI

Jax 1002

Subsidiary of National Recording Corp. -Atlanta, Ga.

Piano Red and the Interns
Roy Lee Johnson, Jr. (guitar), Howard Hobbs (bass), Bobby Lee Tuggle (drums), Curtis Smith (guitar), and Beverly Watkins (guitar).

The Meter-Tones were the Piano Red (aka Willie Perryman) backing band. Members were likely also those listed HERE, backing Piano Red on the Okeh sessions from 1961 and pictured above.

Guitarist Beverly Watkins remembers :

Me and some guys got together and we formed a band, and we named it Billy West Stone and the Down Beats. I was like tryin' to play bass, but what I would do, every song we would do I would tune the first bass string down and run the bass line like that. So we kept that group for around about two years, then I met this drummer, Bobby Tuggle. And he carried me and introduced me to Piano Red. And I went out and I talked with Red. Durin' that time he had his radio show there on Madison Place. He used to broadcast from, he had somethin' like a little house in the back of his house, and he'd come on WAOK every evenin', I'd say around about three o'clock. That was around '59. And I was like going into my junior year at Archer High School. Then we formed a band there called Piano Red and the Meter-tones. And we had two guitars, bass, and drums. Curtis Smith on lead, myself on rhythm, Bobby Tuggle was on drums, Piano Red doin' his show separately.

Piano Red (1911-1985) :

Willie Lee Perryman, who performed during his career as "Piano Red" and as "Dr. Feelgood," was a self-taught pianist who played in the barrelhouse blues style. ..
Some music historians credit Perryman's 1950 recording "Rocking With Red" for the popularization of the term rock and roll in Atlanta.......


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The Jackie Stripling Family on Stripling

The Jackie Stripling Family
Featuring Jackie, Sheridan, Jackie Jr., Victor and Roger
(At Swampland Opera)

38547 - Wells Of Living Water
(E.T. Manus & Jackie Stripling)
Focal Point Music BMI

38548 - Walking Up That Lonely Hill
(Steve Bridgers)
Focal Point Music BMI

Stripling
Route 1
McIntyre, Ga. 31064

Musicians
Carlton Lavender- Rhythm
Randy Harris- drums
Jack Ward- lead
Doyal Ennis- steel
Jackie Stripling –piano
Jackie Stripling, jr. – bass

Produced by Ray Melton

1977

Country gospel




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The Sound of Howard Finster, Man of Visions

Howard Finster

The Sounds of Howard Finster Man of Visions
Worlds Minister Of Folk Art Church, inc.

Side 1 – Vocals with Banjo [RR 42001A]
1. Some of These Days
2. Old Time Religion
3. The Saints Go Marching In
4. I Want to Cross Over
5. Five Come a Five Cripple Creek
6. Coming Around the Mountain

Side 2 – Solo Vocals [RR 42001B]
Choir
Sermon

6. Rock of Ages
7. Victory in Jesus
8. It' a Grand and Glorious Feeling
9. I'll Fly Away
10. Explanation of the Devil and Faith
11. I Don't Know Why
12. There's an Eye Watching You

From the back cover :

Howard Finster is a man of many talents. Besides his very special gift for visual invention, during his 65 years on the planet Earth, he has worked as a farmer, grocer, taxidermist, plumber, cabinetmaker and bicycle repairman. In addition, since being « called » at the age of sixteen, he has devoted his life to God. This has included pastoring nine churches, seven years of « on the road » revivals, and hundreds of weddings, baptisms and funerals. Through his ministry, as well as his art and music, Howard Finster’s spirit has touched the lives of many.


After a rather intense vision in 1976, Reverend Finster began painting. He has since completed over 2000 works, including tractor enamel paintings on glass, wood, paper, T.V. sets and other found objects. But this is not all…in 1971, he single-handedly began creating « Paradise Garden », a monumental 2-1/2 acre environmental sculpture. Using thousands of objects discarded by others, including jewelry, marbles, broken glass, mirrors, toys, machinery and other « inventions of man », he composed a visual environmental poem dedicated to all of Mankind. Reverend Finster continues his work on Paradise Garden today, and looks forward to its completion before he returns to God’s planet.

Howard Finster is a man who loves freely, and is loved in return. His visions are as boundless as his energy and motivation. He was sent here to spread the messages of the Lord, and with this album we hope to partially fulfill that goal.

VF June 4, 1981

Recorded in various locations (Summerville, Georgia and North Carolina)
This album was made possible with the support of The American Folk Art Company Tappahannock, Virginia
Produced by Victor Faccinto and Jeffery Camp

★

Victor Faccinto, animated filmmaker, painter, sculptor, and photographer, is gallery director and a member of the art faculty at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He began photographing Finster and his work on his first visit to Paradise Garden in 1978, and he has since produced two Finster record albums (1979 and 1981).

★

Howard Finster (1916-2003) was perhaps the best known self-taught artist of the modern era. Howard saw himself as a visitor from another planet, a modern Noah before the flood, sent here to spread the word of the Lord. God spoke directly to him through his visions, which inspired his paintings

There is plenty of information regarding the life and works of Howard Finster available on various website.
But, as they say in France : " c'est-y de l'art ou du cochon ? (Is this art or pig ?).

Is Howard "too popular" ?

Some suggest that the Reverend Howard Finster was seduced by the market, despite his often-expressed intention of proselytizing by getting as many pieces as possible into the hands of potentials converts. Still, the work is treated as if the creation of the rare aesthetic object was his primary goal. Finster’s early work is revered by collectors and is expensive. His later works (those after the late 1980s) are cheaper, more-mass produced, and are less regarded and worth less. Many assumed that by the end his family was doing much of the work. One collector commented about works dated when Finster was hospitalized : « This is not good. Right there that throws a wrench into the idea of Howard ». The toll-free number (1-800-FINSTER) and price list didn’t help. Finster is given a pass by some because, as a minister, he wishes to « get the word ou , » but few suggest that his output of the last decade of his life is very significant aesthetically. Said one collector, Finster has become « too discovered..infected by popular acclaim ».
Gary Alan Fine : everyday genius Selft-Taught Art and the Culture of Authenticity, The University of Chicago Press,2004

Academic books can be (on purpose or not) funny. Found in the same book, as a fact of matters :

One self-taught artist (Sudduth) colors his works with materials such as molasses, coal dust, crepe paper, pine needles, berries, Coca-Cola, and the exhaust fumes from his lawn mower.

The Official Homepage Of Howard Finster

Howard Finster sings & play banjo




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