DIXIE RECORDS 904 / 102

CHERI ROBBINS
Dec 60
45-904A - Please Don't Call Me Lonesome
(Poovey - Shell)   (Bayou State.)
45-904B - High School Love
(Poovey - Shell)   (Rebel Publ.)
DIXIE 904 / 102
TX?

Two quite nice sides from Jim Shell and Joe Poovey. (Sounds like Poovey's Band behind her). "A" side seems to have the vocals double tracked, or perhaps there's actual female backing vocals - not sure as the recordings are a little either muffled or there's a bit too much natural (or added) reverb.

Flip side is a bit clearer. Both sides smack of Nashville Country, even though they are uptempo and the guitarist has some rock and roll in his fingers. Not sure about Cheri's voice. It's not that she can't sing, but, to me, it seems to lack something. I think she's pretty young, whoever she is.

Also noticed that it seems King Records did not press this (like they had been doing previously.)

Source: Terry Gordon / Dean Craige Morris

TEX-TAN RECORDS 822

DICK FAWCETT with The T Vanek Orch

DICK FAWCETT with Piano and Guitar

Dec 59   (BB = 29th Feb 60)

45-822-A - That Smooth And Easy Waltz

(Fawcett)   (Starday Music)

45-822-B - Another Chance Is All We Need

(Fawcett)   (Starday Music)

TEX-TAN RECORDS 822

Yoakum, TX

Source: Lars Lundgren / Kent Heinemann

DEB RECORDS 781

JIM SOLLEY and The Lubocs
Jun 59   (Billboard review on 22nd June 1959)
45-781-A - Debbie Darling   (Deb Music)
(Jim Solley)
45-781-B - Night Train DEB 781   (Fred Music BMI)
(Forrest)
DEB RECORDS 781

Box 3185, Lubbock, TX
Labels has notation “A Bill Mack Production”.

Unusual as neither side is published by Starday Music or it's affiliates.

Source: Terry Gordon / Phillip J Tricker

GE-MO RECORDS 768

MICKEY NIX
Apr 59
768-A - Do You Have To Go    (Ge-Mo Music)
(Nix) 768-B - Steady Love   (Ge-Mo Music)
(Nix) GE-MO RECORDS 768
2701 37th Street, Lubbock, TX

Source: Phillip J Tricker

ROCKET RECORDS 754

RAY STRONG
Dec 58
45-754-A - You're Gonna Reap What You Sow   (Starday Music)
(Julia and Ray Strong)
45-754-B - Love Shadows   (Starday Music)
(Virginia and Ray Strong)
ROCKET 754
Route 4, Box 1740, Marshall, TX

Source: Terry Gordon

GE-MO RECORDS 753

POLLY FEAZEL
Dec 58
45-753-A - I Love Everything About You  (Ge-Mo Music)
(Feazel)
45-753-B - Settle Down  (Ge-Mo Music)
(Feazel) GE-MO 753
2701 37th Street, Lubbock, TX

I was told many years ago that Norman Petty had something to do with this record. Maybe it's a tenuous Lubbock link, maybe he recorded it - I have no clue. I do notice however that the record has it's own publishing and not a Starday / Golden State Publ. 

Source: Lars Lungren

TEX-TAN RECORDS 743

DICK FAWCETT
Oct 58
45-743-A - Talkin' Thru Your Hat   (Golden State Songs)
(Fawcett)
45-743-B - My Boyhood Days Back Home   (Golden State Songs)
(Fawcett)
TEX-TAN RECORDS 743
Yoakum, TX

Source: Lars Lundgren


Any info? Email me!

DIXIE RECORDS 733

JOE POOVEY and the Royal Dukes
Jul 58   (BMI Clearance on 31st October 1958.)
45-733-A - Careful Baby
(Orville Couch / Eddie McDuff) (Golden State)
45-733-B - Move Around DIXIE 733
(Les Gilliam) (Golden State)
DIXIE 773
(Location : Dallas, TX)

Source: Terry Gordon

NOMAD RECORDS 732

JIM PIERCE
Jul 58
45-732-A - Don’t Tell Me
(Pierce)   (Golden State)
45-732-B - I Tore Up Your Picture
(Pierce)   (Golden State)
NOMAD 732NOMAD RECORDS: Box 667, Sugarland, TX

Source : Phillip J Tricker / Doug Brown

Top two label shots are from Phil Tricker which look a little different from the bottom two - supplied by Doug Brown.

I wonder if the top two were a repressing? 

BIG STATE RECORDS 718

JOHNNY BROWN and the Plainsmen  Vcl Sammy
Apr 58
CP-1539 - Shame   (Starrite BMI)
(Brown) CP-1540 - My Little Darling   (Starrite BMI)
(Brown) BIG STATE 718
325 Prospect, El Paso, TX

Source: Lars Lungren

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

ROCK IT RECORDS 598

GENE TERRY and his Kool Kats

Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)

45-598-A - The Woman I Love

(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)

45-598-B - Tip, Tap And Tell me

(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)

ROCK IT RECORDS 598

Port Arthur, TX

Gene Terry was born Terry Gene DeRouen in Lafayette, LA on January 7th 1940, but raised in Port Arthur, TX, where his main musical influence growing up was his father and grandfather performing Cajun songs. He also attended house and barn dances with his uncle, R. C. DeRouen, a Cajun musician. His uncle taught him how to play guitar and eventually Gene accompanied him on stage. Gene formed his first band, the Kool Kats, in the mid-'50s, doing mainly country and western songs but they gravitated toward rock and roll, eventually changing their name to The Downbeats. Gradually rhythm and blues began to enter the band's repertoire as Gene became influenced by Little Richard, Elvis Presley and local KTRM deejay J. P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson. Word spread to Lake Charles, LA gaining the attention of local club owners and a five year contract with Goldband Records. Gene Terry and the Down Beats recorded several singles for Goldband including classic "Cindy Lou."


Top side is a fast rocker with a nice long guitar solo (although he seems to have not been expecting the first part of the solo because he's a little under-recorded). Flip is more mid paced with a nod towards "Heartbreak Hotel". Awesome! (MC)

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Neil Scott

Neil Scott

.

BIG STATE RECORDS 595

JIMMY SIMPSON and his Oilfield Boys

Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)

45-595-A - Can I Come Home

(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)

45-595-B - Memories Of You

(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)

BIG STATE RECORDS 595

Box 1113, Greggton, TX

Jimmy D Simpson was born on 24th March 1928 in Sullivan Hollow, near Ashland City, TN. After stints in the Army (and Navy and the Paratroopers), he moved to Robert Lee, TX (near San Angelo) with his wife and made a living as a pipeliner. He became a DJ over KERC (Eastland, TX) and sang at the Big D Jamboree in Dallas. A career as an artist for Republic Records was cut short by the labels bankruptcy. He also recorded on Hidus Records (owned by Bill and Buddy Holman) based in a jewelry store in Springfield, TN.

Before he took off for Alaska as a contractor, he teamed up with Jack Rhodes for this release. The A side is bordering on rockabilly - nice vocals and a fine guitar dragging the band along at a fair clip. There's a steel guitar adding some nice fills in the background and it shares the solos with the guitar. Flip side is a ballad. These were recorded at a West Monroe, Louisiana radio station. Same session that produced Simpson's Jiffy single.

Jimmy also recorded on Starday and Nashville Records later on, amongst others. (MC / Al Turner / Andrew Brown)

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Phillip J Tricker

Phillip J Tricker

BIG STATE RECORDS 592

RONALD R A FAULK

Oct 56  (BMI Clearance on 11th January 1957)

45-592-A - You'll Never Know

(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)

45-592-B - My Baby's Gone

(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)
BIG STATE RECORDS 592

468 Third St, Port Acres, TX

The A side is a nice typical Texas honky-tonk / hillbilly song. Flip side is a thunderous rocker with heavy double bass and biting guitar. One of the best examples of the Starday rockabilly sound. The ending of the song is one of the most chaotic pieces of music every pressed into shellac as the musicians don't seem to know where to end. So they all seem to try to end at once with little success. (Sadly, nobody seems to have signalled to the bass player they're stopping!). This makes the side even better for it in my opinion.
Both Roland and his brother (Autry) were veterans of the Port Arthur, TX scene. (Port Acres is slightly west of Port Arthur). Kirby London recorded one of Roland's songs on D 1174.cRoland also recorded "Send Me Someone" / "I'd Own The World" on DIAMOND RECORDS 1003/4 as by Roland and his Rythm Boys (sic)

Birth:	Jun. 19, 1927 Port Arthur Jefferson County Texas, USA
Death:	Feb. 1, 2013 Port Arthur Jefferson County Texas, USA
R.A. Faulk, 85, of Port Acres passed away on Friday, February 1, 2013 at Mid-Jefferson Hospital. R.A. was born on June 19, 1927 in Port Arthur, TX to Zoie and Rose Theriot Faulk. He was a musician and worked at Gulf Oil. R.A. was a member of Faith Harbor Assembly of God Church in Port Acres. He proudly served his country in the United States Army. He loved his family very much and was known as Poppa. R.A. was preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers, Curtis, Autrey, Melvin and Herman Ray; 4 sisters, Gloria, Jeanette, Geraldine and Beverly; 2 sons-in-law, Dennis Earl Miguez and Marcio Illa. R.A. is survived by his wife of 56 years, Myrna "Julie" Faulk of Port Acres; sons, Clint Faulk (Sherrie) of Port Arthur, Tony Faulk (Kelly) of Port Arthur; daughters, Brynda Amburn (Steve) of Groves, Kelly Toutcheque (Sid) of Lake Jackson, TX; brother, Larry Faulk of Port Arthur; sister, Shirley Anzaldua of Yoakum, TX; 19 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

This disc was pressed on both 45 and 78rpm formats.  (MC)

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Al Turner

Al Turner

Terry Gordon