STARDAY RECORDS 554

STARDAY RECORDS 554

(Artist based in OH at time of release)

MARTY LICKLIDER

Apr 56

45-554-A - Cold Hands, Warm Heart

(Licklider)    (Starrite BMI)

45-554-B - Our Anniversary Day

(Licklider)    (Starrite BMI)

Mr. Licklider was business manager, singer, guitarist and song writer for a band called the Fox Hunters. Marty was also a DJ on WICA (Ashabula, OH) in 1952. The Fox Hunters consisted of Marty, Buell Licklider (Marty's brother) on mandolin and bass fiddle, Andy Hill (Violin), Eddie Allen (Accordian) and Marty's son, Larry who also played a violin. Marty had at least one disc issued on Coral (64126) ("Down By The Missouri River" / "I Don't Want My Darlin' To Cry.") The A side of this disc is a very pleasant hillbilly bopper with good steel & lead guitar. Flip is a ballad about the joys of marriage. Billboard described this disc on the 28th April, 1956 as:- "Cold hands, Warm Heart" - Licklider, new to the label, has a deep voice and relaxed style that reminds the listener of the incomparable Ernest Tubb. He employs his voice to good advantage on this humorous, bouncy tune." "Our Anniversary Day" - "The singer portrays the feelings of a couple that has been happy in marriage for many years. A thoughtfully presented reading that many country deejays will want to program." (MC)

Label Shots courtesy of Al Turner

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ARKANSAS RECORDS 553

ARKANSAS RECORDS 553

Box 336, Judsonia, AR

ALTON GUYON and his Boogie Blues Boys

Apr 56 (BMI clearance on 27th Jul 56)

45-553-A - River Boat Blues

(K Murphy / A Guyon)    (Starrite BMI)

45-553-B - Leave My Baby Alone

(K Murphy / A Guyon)    (Starrite BMI)

Tough as old boots hillbilly bopper, bordering on early rock-a-billy from Alton and his Boogie Blues Boys from Judsonia, Arkansas. According to the excellent sleeve notes by Wayne Russell on the CD listed below, about a year after this disc was pressed, Guyon’s manager sent Starday four more sides for consideration which were (sadly) rejected. Quite why they didn’t press these onto a Starday Custom is anybody’s guess. As an aside, the A side was recorded by Buddy Phillips for the CKM label from Bald Knob, AR, with the flip (Coffee Baby) also written by K Murphy and Alton. I wonder if this track is also one of the remaining unissued sides. Over to you, Ace Records!! By the way, the CD is a “Must Have” in any collection. (MC / Wayne Russell - Starday / Dixie Rockabilly Vol 2 - ACE CDCHD 708).

Below is an email sent to Mark Lee Allen.

Hello Mark,

 

Yes I am relative.  I am his granddaughter.  He had three children with his only wife Matlida B. Guyon.  His oldest daughter passed at 9 years old of cancer.  The other two children-one boy (my dad) and one more girl.  Unfortantely, we do not have any of his records.  We live in south Louisiana and everything was lost due to Hurricane Katrina.  I would love to receive copies of his 45s.  Another thing you may not know is that in the late 80's he had his voicebox removed due to throat cancer.  So, i can barely remember his voice.  The record I purchased from you is a Christmas gift to my dad. He passed away almost 10 years ago. I thought my dad would enjoy hearing his fathers voice again. 

 

My sister who was very envious of the fact that I found this record first went on a mission this weekend to find his other records.  I can ask her if she has found any copies.

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Label Shots courtesy of Terry Gordon.

STARDAY RECORDS 552

LUCKY WRAY

Apr 56 (BMI clearance on 26th May 56)

ST-2421 - It's Music She Says

(Cindy Davis / Larry Stone) (Starrite BMI)

ST-2422 - Sick And Tired

(Cindy Davis / Joe Drew) (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 552

Lucky, Doug and the more famous sibling, Link hailed from North Carolina, although by the early 50’s they were playing in and around Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. (Lucky (real name Vern) took the name lucky because of his luck at gambling). The original band were called Lucky Wray and the Lazy Pine Wranglers, playing mainly Country / Western / Hillbilly music. They worked mainly at the Fernwood Farms Dance Hall in Virginia. By 1955, they had renamed themselves Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch hands and had relocated to Washington, DC, which included Shorty Horton on bass. The track above (and the other two singles) were cut at Ben Alderman’s studio. The A side on this disc bops along with Links’ guitar to the fore and an unknown steel guitarist - a hillbilly bopper that’s almost Rock-A-Billy. Flip is more mainstream hillbilly with Vern in fine vocal form and nice harmonies in the chorus. Both sides sport a Starday matrix which makes me wonder if Starday were considering placing this in their main series instead of pressing it up as a custom. (MC / Link Wray - Missing Links Vol 1 - (Norton CED 210) - notes by Billy Millar).


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Label Shots: Neil Scott

MID WEST RECORDS 551

MID WEST RECORDS 551

MOWEE JOHNSON and his Rocky Mountain Boys

Apr 56 (BMI clearance on 13th Apr 56)

551-A - I Hope Tomorrow Never Comes

(Johnson) (Starrite)

551-B - What Am I Going To Do

(Johnson) (Starrite)
Wichita, KS

Yet again, another artist had slipped past my radar and vanished into that "Bermuda Triangle" of obscure artists. (MC)

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