MYSTIC RECORDS 679

BILL GOODWIN

Nov 57   (BMI Clearance on 31st January 1958.)

45-679-A - So Wrong

(Gene Hopkins / Shorty Sasser)   (Starrite BMI)

45-679-B - I’ll Stand In Line

(Gene Hopkins / Earl Brewster)   (Starrite BMI) 

MYSTIC RECORDS 679
804 Main St, Canon City, CO.

Source: Lars Lundgren

Tennessee born Bill Goodwin, like many young men around this time, served time in the military. After getting his discharge he sought out the Government program that retrains ex-service men to join the private sector. Bill decided on being a journalist and found work at the Henderson Star News – working there for eight years.

Then his wife wanted to move back to Colorado and so they hiked over to Cañon City, CO. According to the excellent blog Elk Bugles by Lisa Wheeler (where most of this info comes from), whilst journalism paid the bills, he began to dabble in song composition. He found a local recording studio and after booking some recording time, turned up and started to sing. The producer (unnamed) stopped him and asked him to come back with some musicians and also, he specifically wanted Bill to record his own compositions. The next session with musicians in hand brought forth two 45’s – both on the local Mystic label.

Now this is where I swerve off of the road from the excellent article and add my own (albeit pretty mundane) observations. Unless Bill was hiding under the alias of Gene Hopkins, these two tracks represented here were written by other people. I don’t know if these guys were also the musicians on this record. In fact, pretty sure he isn’t Gene and Bill and Gene share song writing credits on his next release – but I mentioned it as it wouldn’t be the first time two people wrote a song and they were the same person.

Neither side got any radio play and to be honest, apart from Bills’ fine vocals, there isn’t much here to sell the record to the public. But still, this recording session gave him the impetus to keep writing, singing and recording, so it wasn’t by any means a waste of time – especially when you hear his third offering on the Starday Label (710)

More on Bill in 10 records time J

For the full interview, please go to  www.elkbugles.com

A blog full of music from the Rocky Mountain State. Always interesting. Lisa’s radio shows are also recommended!