COWTOWN RECORDS ep 702

GENE RAY
May 58
CP-1557 - Oklahoma Waltz
               A Picture Of You
CP-1558 - Indigo Blue
              Learning The Mambo
COWTOWN ep 702
Po Box 192, Avery, TX   (John Stephenson)

This was pressed even further away than Beverly 701. I can't seem to locate my label shots for this but I seem to remember both sides were at least mostly Starrite BMI. More of a continuation of Cowtown Records than anything else, Starday could have still been paid to press this (and again sending it to Rite). 

You think this is confusing - wait until I get to Brite Star!

COWTOWN RECORDS ep 701

JOHN STEPHENSON and the Texans
Apr /May 58
CP-1494 - Was I Borned To Lose     (Starrite BMI)
(J W Stephenson / Mary M Miller)
               Sweeter Day By Day     (Starrite BMI)
(Mary M Miller)
CP-1495 - The Truth Hurts
               I Was Warned.
COWTOWN 701
Po Box 192, Avery, TX   (John Stephenson)

Now - conundrum time. Is this a Starday Custom pressing and does it fit in with this listing? Well, after every London Record Fair at Great Portland Street, the weary collectors, sellers and dodgy geezers with notebooks and plastic carrier bags full of beaten up 45's (sounds a lot like me, except for the carrier bag), get together in the local pub / bar / watering hole and talk rubbish for an hour of two, usually about records. (It's a bit like fishing stories - the "One That Got Away" and "I Used To Own That But Not Anymore"). Anyhooo, as most of the contributors of this listing seem to drink together, especially on the rare occasion Phil Tricker blows the dust off of his wallet, flits away the moths and gets the beers in, the talk usually steers towards Starday Customs. (Don't often see Ian Saddler in there, but he's usually behind his stall counting his money).

The general consensus is:- (cue trumpets or drums) that it was probably sent to Starday for pressing and Starday farmed off the duties to Rite in Cincinnati. The Rite numbers are a little ahead of March 1958, but Rite wouldn't despatch until payment was received. (This was pressed after the Starday Custom 712 - Jesse Stevens). So in theory it is one. But others stammer and yell that, as there is already a bonefide 701 (Lou Walker on Starday), then it's probably not part of this series and simply a Starday / Rite pressed follow up to Cowtown 700. Whatever, I've included it anyway. It's covered with Starrite Publishing and it almost fits datewise. You know it's not like DNA sequencing - there's probably not a true "order" of things except the fact that the listing is numerical. Feel free to leave your comments and I'll add them to this page - unless of course it's simply to tell me it isn't one without some kind of explanation.

John Stephenson and his Cowtown label was sometimes part of the "Song Poem" legacy. 

Source: Udo Frank / Dan DeClark

COWTOWN RECORDS 700

HARRY PEPPEL and his Shenandoah Valley Rangers
(Side A by Tommy Donohue)  (Side B by Dick Dorn)
Mar 58
CP-1444 - One Night's Love  (Starrite BMI)
              Oh My Aching Head   (Stephenson Music)
CP-1445 - Thermostat baby   (Starrite BMI)
              Old Fashioned Waltz   (Starrite BMI)
COWTOWN 700
Po Box 1694, Ft Worth, TX  (JW Stephenson)

Another Rite pressed Starday Custom. JW Stephenson owned Cowtown Records which dabbled in Song/Poems and self-financed record releases on the label, as well as taking a punt on a few with his own money. Cowtown issued some fine music here and there. Label based around Avery, TX, although here Fort Worth is mentioned as the address. The Dick Dorn sides are especially nice on this EP.
Harry Peppel is a mystery to me - although I am informed his name appears on a few more records dotted around the US, but I have no details at present. (He does appear on an earlier Cowtown release in this series.)

I have to mention that there is another contender for the #700 spot - see next post - but with the Rite information, the dating of this record seems to fit in the listing quite nicely.

Source: Terry Gordon

COWTOWN RECORDS 677

GENE RAY

Nov 57

45-677-A - Rock And Roll Fever

(Gene Ray)   (Starrite BMI)

  If I’d Been Asked

(Mary L Miller / John Stephenson)   (Starrite BMI)

45-677-B - Achin’ Heart

(Harry Fousse / Jack Phillps / John Stephenson)   (Starrite BMI)

Love Proof

(Mary L Miller / John Stephenson)   (Starrite BMI)
COWTOWN RECORDS 677
Po Box 1694, Fort Worth TX.

Source: Terry Gordon

Four months after cutting “I Didn’t Mean To Fall In Love” / “I Lost My Head” (Cowtown 646), Gene was thrown back into the studio with 4 more songs to tackle, including one of his own.

Mary Miller and John Stephenson penned two of the tracks, whilst John added his name to a third side (standard practice in the fifties if you’re the label owner.) But perhaps John balked a little at putting his name on a heroic slice rock Rock & Roll and left Gene as the sole contributor. This track stomps along like a galloping stallion with fine, breathless vocals and a great guitar solo.

Now Gene’s got a vocal range that seems to fit most musical categories and he’s on fine form on the first track. The band seem to enjoy being let loose on such a torrid song and their arrangement is as tight as an ants’ butt. “If I’d Been Asked” is a bit of a let-down after the first track. Whiny country; albeit played by a great band.

“Love Proof” is also a pretty good country / hillbilly bopper. Love the one note “Slip” by the guitarist near the end of the intro – like he’s suddenly realized the recording light is on and he desperately tries to play catch up without slipping his fingers into position. (He makes up for it during his solo.). The song itself is a bit clunky and Gene seems to struggle with the phrasing of the lyrics, but he soldiers on like a trooper. “Aching Heart” is a bit of a weeper with an Ink Spots type intro. Yawn……..

COWTOWN RECORDS 651

HARRY PEPPEL and the Shenandoah Valley Rangers  Vocals by Alice Brammer

Jul 57  (Billboard Review on 15th August 1957)

45-651-A - No Baby No

(M.L. Miller / J.W. Stephenson)   (***)

45-651-B - Take A Letter, Mr. Moon

(M.L. Miller / J.W. Stephenson)   (***)

COWTOWN RECORDS 651

Po Box 1694, Fort Worth, TX

*** Label notation reads: “Perf. Rights = Starrite BMI / Copyright = Stephenson Music BMI”

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Label Shots: Lars Lundgren

COWTOWN RECORDS 646

GENE RAY

Jul 57   (BMI Clearance on 16th August 1957.)

45-646-A - I Didn’t Mean (To Fall In Love)

(No info) (No info)

45-646-B - I Lost My Head

(No info) (No info)

COWTOWN RECORDS 646

Fort Worth, TX

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COWTOWN RECORDS 605

GENE HARRELL

Jan 57   (BMI clearance on 15th Feb 1957)

45-605-A - I Won't Be Back No More

(Mary L Miller)   (Starrite BMI)

45-605-B - Mumbles

(Daphine Orme)   (Starrite BMI)

COWTOWN RECORDS 605

PO Box 1694, Fort Worth, TX

Label owned by John W Stephenson. More of a vanity / Custom Press label than a song poem concern, he did manage to release quite a few great records in amongst the dross. The label was still going through the 70's.

As for Gene, he was performing at Chaylor's Night Club in Texerkana, TX at the time of this release. For some reason, there seems to be two pressings of this disc. (MC/PJT/AT)

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Phillip J Tricker

Phillip J Tricker

Phillip J Tricker