Tuesday 8 February 2011

CAROLINA RECORDS 620

RENE McCALL and her Candy Ranch Boys
Mar 57   (BMI Clearance on 26th April 1957.)
45-620-A - We’re Strangers Now
(C Johnson / R McCall)   (Starrite BMI)
45-620-B - The Waltz In The Rain
(Preston Miller)   (American Music Inc)
CAROLINA RECORDS 620
Rt 7 - Box 474, Charlotte, NC

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Source: Al Turner.











CRESTWOOD RECORDS 619

MARVIN JACKSON with the Battreal Boys
Mar 57   (BMI Clearance on 26th April 1957.)
45-619-A - Honey, If You Love Me
(M Jackson)   (Starrite BMI)
45-619-B - World Of Make Believe
(M Jackson)   (Starrite BMI)
CRESTWOOD RECORDS 619
Cadet, MO

Here's Marvin Jackson's first record. Now, Marvin may not be household name around these parts, but thanks to White Label / Collector Records, there's a whole CD of his stuff floating around out there. He cut some rough and ready rockabilly tracks, a few instrumentals (Marvin plays lead guitar) and some country stuff. Marvin got this and his follow up disc pressed by Starday - 300 hundred copies and perhaps some promotional material (which was either post cards to send to DJ's or - in Red Moore's case - a stamper which you could stamp "Play This - It's Hot" on the paper sleeves.) His third disc was pressed by King who only pressed 200 copies. According to my notes, the artist was based out of Cadet, MO at the time of these recordings, and Crestwood was his own label.


A side is pretty much country, but Marvin's got that voice that easily skips the fence of Country into the green fields that is rockabilly, so it's an early example of what he's gonna sound like later on. B side is a ballad. Quite nice steel guitar featured on both sides. I'll have some more info on him by the time we reach his next release (#644) (MC / Steve Kelerman / Adam Komorowski)


Better label shots would be nice!

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Label Shots: Phil Tricker




Sunday 6 February 2011

STARDAY RECORDS 618

BUDDY SHAW
Mar 57   (Billboard Review on 13th April 1957.)
45-618-A - No More
(Ruth Snider / B Shaw)   (Starrite BMI)
45-618-B - The Breath Of Life To Me
(Ruth Snider / B Shaw)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 618


Buddy's back with another offering by him and Ruth Snider. "No More" is ALMOST rockabilly. In fact, if you cut out the steel and added a guitar it'd be darn close to being really good. But as it is, it's darn fine hillbilly. Flip is a ballad which, apart from the fine vocals by Buddy, is a little pedestrian for my tastes. (MC)

Saturday 5 February 2011

HUFF RECORDS 617

COWBOY HUFF
Feb 57   (BMI Clearance on 12th April 1957.)
45-617-A - Lover’s Waltz
(Huff / Raines)    (Starrite BMI)
45-617-B - Patonia (Pride Of The Plains)
(Arr: Huff)    (Starrite BMI)
HUFF RECORDS 617
18 Southwest 27th, Oklahoma City, OK


See previous entry for (what is laughably called a) bio. More of the same here from Huff. A side is indeed a waltz with fiddles taking the lead. Flip is faster and more like the previous two sides. (MC/Bill McClung).


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Label Shots: John Burton
78 Label Shot: Bill McClung






HUFF RECORDS 616

COWBOY HUFF
Feb 57   (BMI Clearance on 5th April 1957.)
45-616-A - No Two Timing Me
(Huff / Raines)   (Starrite BMI)
45-616-B - What’s Gonna Happen To Me
(Not listed)   (Not Listed)
HUFF RECORDS 616
18 Southwest 27th, Oklahoma City, OK

As usual, despite exhaustive searching (well, browsing the internet and phoning a few people), I've found very little on this artist. I am informed that Cowboy Huff is Charlie Huff, a singer, songwriter and record label owner from Oklahoma. As Charlie Huff, he cut at least one good rocker on Arlo Records (which he may have owned) {She's My baby / Hiding My Tears - Arlo 100} which also appeared on Huff Records (#100). (Both labels carry the same Oklahoma City, OK address). There's also a Cowboy Charlie Huff LP on Northstar 1001, which may be the same guy. Also Billboard magazine mentions (25th Mar 67) that ...."Charles "Cowboy" Huff is trying to sell all of part of his publishing firm, Record Masters."
Also found two 4-Star Releases {4-Star 1190 "Conversations with a mule / Sad Sack"} and {4-Star 1191 "Maybe next week sometime / High hat blues"}, plus a couple of 45's on North Star (727 and 729), plus a couple of later Huff Records (722 and 723). (Man, I should check my database more regularly).

As for this record, the A side is a fast(ish) hillbilly number with fiddles taking the solo and what sounds like an accoustic guitar taking the place of a stand-up bass. (The record is a little stomped on so I'm not sure). B side is more of the same really. I like Huff's vocals - he's got that Texas/West Coast drawl to his voice. Obviously as a fan of Rock-A-Billy, it's hard for me to get too excited about these, but I can imagine Phil Tricker hopping around the kitchen when he spins this on his decks while Al Turner desperately tries to catch the flying plates, saucers and teapot in Phil's wake! (MC)

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Label Shots: John Burton



Friday 4 February 2011

NO NAME LABEL 615

HOYT SULLIVAN
Feb 57
45-615-A - Hoyt Sullivan's Drug Products 1 and 2
(No info)   (No info)
45-615-B - Hoyt Sullivan's Drug Products 3 and 4
(No info)   (No info)
NO NAME LABEL 615
Phoenix Street, Greenwood, SC


Cut in records with R and B hits of the day. Hoyt ran a reasonably successful beauty products company. (See advert below). He later owned HSE Records (Amongst others) where he recorded Gospel Music. I'm figured Hoyt was (is) black, but according to Alistair Blazaar, he was white. (MC)

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VAN RECORDS 614

CAMPBELL TRIO with Jerry Tuttle (Steel Gtr)
Feb 57
45-614-A - Satan Lost A Sinner
(Jack and Billy Campbell)   (Starrite BMI)
45-614-B - God Can Do Without Your Service
(Jack and Billy Campbell)   (Starrite BMI)
VAN RECORDS 614
614 North Kimball, Malden, MO

Nice, delicate white gospel (with a hillbilly flavour)  from the Campbell Trio. It's the harmonies that win me over here. A side is taken at a faster clip than the B side, but it's the B side I prefer. Jerry Tuttle, the steel guitarist appears on a Rite Pressing from 62 (King Tutt - "Twisting At The Little Big Horn" / "Shorter Hours In School" - STARLINE RECORDS 1001 (Flint, MI), and he had at least one release on Dot Records ("Tweedle-O-Twill" / "Bop Goes The Weasel" - DOT 16093). As for the Campbell Trio - nada!

(MC)

Label Shots: Al Turner


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STARDAY RECORDS 613

ART RODGERS with the Texas Top hands
Feb 57  (BMI Clearance on 5th April 57)
45-613-A - Our anniversary
(Rodgers)   (Starrite BMI)
45-613-B - Ten Thousand Miles
(Rodgers)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 613

Another slightly blurred label shot from another unknown artist. I found an Art Rodgers on Seven Stars Label from Cincinnati, OH from 57, and it's possibly the same artist, but not 100% certain. The A side is a nice mid-tempo honky-tonk song. (Maybe it's my dodgy hearing and the bad condition of the disc) but he sounds to be about 30-40 years old). Flip side is mid tempo but more in the hillbilly vein. Nice fiddles and steel guitar. B side has some nice harmonies as well. (MC)
Label Shots: Phil Tricker


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Thursday 3 February 2011

MARYLAND RECORDS 612

THE GOSPEL TROUBADORS  Gospel Vocal by Henry Noe
Feb 57
45-612-A - Cry Aloud And Spare Not
(Noe)   (Starrite BMI)
45-612-B - Ananais
(Noe)   (Starrite BMI)
MARYLAND RECORDS 612
RFD No. 1, Laurel, MD


Not heard this disc as yet, but I managed to snag label shots from long time collector of all good records, John Burton. They're a little blurred so maybe I can get better ones.(MC)


(12 Apr 2011) - Better label shots sent by John Burton. 


Label Shots: John Burton.

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UNKNOWN LABEL 611

UNKNOWN RECORD LABEL 611
UNKNOWN ARTIST
Jan 57
"All I Do Is Cry Over You"
"One Dark Sunday Night"

This is a blank acetate, supplied by Dave Sax. It has no artist, label or song credits. In fact, it's totally blank. The only info is in the dead wax which has the issue number and A/B designations. As there are no titles, the ones listed here are what a few of us "think" they are - we could very well be barking up the wrong tree with these.


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TARHEEL RECORDS 610

LEVON McCALL
Jan 57   (BMI Clearance on 5 Apr 57)
45-610-A - I Lose Again
(No info)   (No Info)
45-610-B - If I Don't Change My Mind
(No Info)   (No Info)
TARHEEL RECORDS 610


Nothin on the above artist or label. Still, at least I have a record listed, which is more than I can say for the next issue. (MC)

STARDAY RECORDS 609

BUDDY SHAW
Jan 57   (BB rev = 9 Mar 57)
45-609-A - Just Like A Fool
(Ruth Snider / B Shaw)   (Starrite BMI)
45-609-B - I Belong To You
(Ruth Snider / B Shaw)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 609

Two ballads from Buddy. Both are pleasant without being exceptional. I especially like Buddy's "Hick" Vocals. Band lend fair support with steel guitar being the prominent lead instrument. He was locally popular enough to have a fan club which was based in Snyder, Texas. Luckily for guys like me who crave the more RaB type of music, Buddy comes alive later on in the series. Both sides are co written with Ruth Snider who eventually married Buddy.

Buddy cut three singles and them gave up on his musical ambitions (if he indeed had any) and spent his time working for the Bell Telecommunications company. He passed away in December 2007.


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Label Shots: Kent Heineman and Lars Lungren











STARDAY RECORDS 608

LUCKY WRAY with Link and Doug Wray
Jan 57   (BB rev = 6 Apr 57)
45-608-A - Teenage Cutie
(H Albert / C Davis / L Wray)   (Starrite BMI)
45-608-B - You're My Song
(B Baker / J Williams / L Wray / C Davis)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 608


Killer Rock-A-Billy and classy ballad from Lucky and Link. A side is fast, mean and moody with Lucky's understated vocals threatened by Link who threatens to steal the proceedings with a flick of his pick up switch. The ballad side is a dreamy affair with Link almost sounding like a steel guitar in parts. Sadly this was their last appearance on a Starday-Custom pressed disc (as far as we know anyways). Both Link and Lucky (to a lesser extent), went on to bigger and better things. I saw Link Wray quite a few years ago in the UK and my hearing still hasn't recovered!

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Label Shots: Neil Scott.




STARDAY RECORDS 607

DON OWENS and the Circle "O" Ranchboys
Jan 57   (BB rev = 9 Feb 57)
45-607-A - Last Chance
(Owens)   (Starrite BMI)
45-607-B - A Thief (In The Heart Of A Rose)
(Owens)   (Hank Snow Music)
STARDAY RECORDS 607


A pleasantly sung country/hillbilly song. The A side has a bit of, perhaps, "Rhumba" influence. Taken at a brisk tempo, it has nice accoustic guitar accomp. with sawing fiddles and steel guitar sharing the solo. I can hear Hank Snow singing this. Odd to mention Snow as he's the writer of the B side. This is a ballad sung with feeling. There's a small bio on Don on his previous Starday Custom Release (#559). (MC)

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Label Shots: Neil Scott.




Wednesday 2 February 2011

STARDAY RECORDS 606

HOYT SCOGGINS and the Georgia Boys
Jan 57   (BMI clearance on 15th Feb 1957)
45-606-A - What's The Price (To Set Me Free)
(J Rackey / H Scoggins)   (Starrite BMI)
45-606-B - The Old Chain Gang
(H Stillwell / H Scoggins)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 606
(Artist based in Rome, GA at time of recording)


More jolly hillbilly from Scoggins. Both are nicely sung, nicely played. The A side sets a terrific pace, whilst the flip is more akin to a medium tempo'd blues ditty, albeit sung in a hollerin' country manner. Hoyt was performing over WROM (TV Channel 9) and was the Band leader of the Saturday Night Jamboree (Rome, GA??). In any case, it's not "Tennessee Rock", but it's a mighty fine accompaniment. (MC)

Photo Source: Rockabilly Hall Of Fame
Label Shots: Kent Heineman and Lars Lungren


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Back Row-On Right - Hoyt Scoggins.