THE JONESES RECORDS 525

Mrs. R.D. JONES

Jul 55 (BMI clearance on 30th Sept 1955)

45-525-A - I Ain't Got Time

(Jones)   (Starrite BMI)

45-525-B - My Prayer For The Ones I Love

(Jones)   (Starrite BMI)
THE JONESES RECORD 525
Box 743, Bogalusa, LA

I love this record! It’s certainly a primitive recording and the fidelity seems to fluctuate here and there. But the guitar steals the show with some nice chording and fills whilst Mrs Jones sings along pleasantly. I always imagine Mrs Jones sitting at the family piano belting this out in front of the family whilst the marsh mellows toast in the fire. It’s a joyous record - fills this ol’ heart with a little glee. Flipside is an altogether sadder affair, and somebody’s playing an accordian instead of the piano but again, Mrs Jones is in fine vocal form. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is about this 45, but for me I could listen to it again and again without getting tired of it. (Others I’ve played it to don’t even try to stifle a yawn so maybe it’s just me it effects). Only the large amount of Jonses in the Bogalusa area prevents me from phoning each one up and asking “Excuse me , are you Mrs Jones?” But on somebody else’s dime, I’d certainly give it a go.(MC)

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Phil Tricker

CAROLINA RECORDS 524 (Updated)

FRANK LEVINER and his Pentacostal Musicians

Summer 55 (BMI clearance on 23rd Sept 55)

524-A - Keep Looking Up

(F Leviner) (Starrite BMI)

524-B - Plan Of Salvation

(No writers info) (Starrite BMI)
CAROLINA RECORDS 524
Route 2 - Box B, Bennettsville, SC

No info. Not heard the records. Never heard of Frank. (I feel like a failure!) The late BMI clearance suggests to me that was issued either August or September. Also, I'm unsure of the A/B side designations (well, I am now as I have a label shot). That's just how I wrote it down in my notebook all those years ago.

Any info? Email me!

Update - 17 Nov 2018 - Thanks to Tommy Bones for label shot. (He sent it to me ages ago and I managed to file it without removing the label shot.)

Source: Sumter Daily Item, 13 March 1954

STARDAY RECORDS 523

RED MANSEL and his Hillbilly Boys

Jul 55 (BMI clearance on 29th July 1955)

45-523-A - I've Crossed You Off My List

(R Mansel / A Stanley)   (Starrite BMI)

45-523-B - Broken Fickle Heart

(R Mansel / C Lee)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 523
(Tx Artist)

Nice bar-room honky tonk from Red and his Hillbilly Boys, with the A side being especially good. Fiddle, steel guitar and a nice upright piano with rhythm guitar and bass accomp. Red Mansell was (unsurprisingly) the star of “Red Mansell and Boys” on KFDA-TV, Amarillo, TX, (15 min slot on TV between 4:45-5:00pm (Tuesday) and again at 12:45-1:00 pm (Saturday) and was also heard daily over the radio station. He also appeared on Dan Menchuras’ Allstar label from Houston, TX after this release. (He signed a 2 year contract with the label in early April 1956.) “Johnny On The Spot” / “Would You Ever Believe It’s True” - ALLSTAR 7160 {Billboard stated that this release was "lightweight material (that) can't go far!"} and “My Only One” / “Going Steady With A Dream” - ALLSTAR 7174 are two of the better ones where rockabilly is concerned. Mansell appears on a writers credit on Starday 518. (MC / Rockin’ Country Style - Terry Gordon)


Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Al Turner.

STARDAY RECORDS 522

BILLIE and GORDON HAMRICK with the Low Country Gospel Band

Jul 55 (BMI clearance 24th June 55)

522-A - Our Prayer

(Donna O Smook) (Starrite BMI)

522-B - When I Feel The Spirit (Brother) I'm Gonna Shout

(Bernice Jennette) (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 522

Considering the fact that we have almost no info on the majority of the artists who graced a Starday Custom waxing, the cup on the Hamricks (husband and wife) is literally overflowing! They first appear on my radar as early as 1949 with a snippet of info in a billboard magazine - (Dec 31st 1949) "Billie and Gordon Hamrick, formerly on the "Dixie Barn dance" have moved to WSOB, Jacksonville, FL. Billie is Mrs. Gordon Hamrick in private life." I'd certainly like to know if they were recording around this time. Then, I find them again in Billboard (Aug 9th 1952) "Billie and Gordon Hamrick, formerly at WJHP, Jacksonville, FL have moved to WHAN, Charleston, SC. They recently inked with Hill and Range Publishers." Fifteen months later, they grace the pages of Billboard once again with this :- (Dec 19th 1953) "Billie and Gordon Hamrick have moved from WHAN to WCSC, Charleston, SC and still sponsored by Old Fort Packing Company." (By now I'm wondering if they actually came from Florida originally - they certainly seem to move around between radio stations quite a bit.) And again :- (13th August 1955) "Gospel singers Billie and Gordon Hamrick are now being heard over WUSN-TV, Charleston, SC. Their sunday afternoon "Old Country Church" program has had its time boosted from a half hour to an hour. Their latest on the Starday label is "Our Prayer." So, at this point we present our second gospel offering from the Hamricks, now featuring their Low County Gospel band (which may well have been uncredited on the RANGELAND 506). There is a feeling amongst collectors that the first disc sold well enough for a reprint, so Starday issued their second offering on their own label hoping to garner a bit more interest for the disc. (Others think the Hamricks paid extra for it to be issued on Starday.) Anyhow, it's a mandolin led country gospel for the A side. Bernice Jennette gets another slice of writers credit on the B side, which is a fast, fiddle led exhortation on the joys of having God in your heart. Kinda makes you wanna jump up in the aisles and yell “Hallellulah!” Finally, after ruining my eyesight slowly reading through yet more Billboard offerings, I come across a final snippet of info :- (Sept 3rd 1955) "C and W spinner Clarence Jackson of WJOT, Lake City, SC is now also doing a stint over WUSN-TV, Charleston, SC. Jackson plays steel guitar with Billie and Gordon Hamrick on their "Old Country Church" program." (Gee, after this, I almost feel like I know them personally :-) )

Any additional info or correspondence, please email me at: malcychapman@mac.com

so I can reply if necessary. If you send a message via Blogspot, it comes up as anonymous.

Label Shots courtesy of Kent Heineman and Lars Lundgren

B and G Hamrick (Unk date) (Source: Marty Hamrick)

Gordon Hamrick (1957/8) (Source: Marty Hamrick)

HOYTS RECORDS 521

REV. CAMPBELL with the Wonder Boy

Jun 55 (BMI clearance on 1st July 55)

521-A - Old Ship Of Zion

(R Campbell / J Smith Jr.)   (Golden State Songs)

521-B - You Can't Hurry God

(R Campbell / J Smith Jr.)   (Starrite BMI)
HOYTS RECORDS 521
Po Box 2069, South Greenwood, SC

HOYTS 521 was also issued on HOLLYWOOD 1036. I believe Rev Campbell is a black artist - a rarity amongst Starday Customs. Wonder Boy is apparently a J Smith Jnr. Two other recordings on Hollywood (“No Room For Liars” / “Stop That” - Hollywood 1037), (“This Is A Mean Old World” / “You Can’t Fool God” - Hollywood 1064) and at least three releases on HSE in the late 60’s pretty much exhaust the info I could find on Campbell. As an aside, Billboard stated (Feb 6th 1954) that Don Pierce had gained complete control of the Hollywood and Rec In Hollywood labels from John Dolphin. (MC / PJT / Gospel Records Vol 1 - C Hayes / R Laughton / Nate Gibson / M Proost)

Any info? Email me!

Label Shot (Hoyts): Michel Proost / Doug Brown

Label Shots (Hollywood): Nate Gibson

label Shot (Hollywood)78: Malcolm Chapman

STARDAY RECORDS 520

HOWARD BRAMLETT

Jun 55 (BMI clearance 17th June 55)

ST-2284 - Let's Take Our Children To Church

(Bramlett) (Starrite BMI)

ST-2285 - City On The Hill

(Bramlett) (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 520

Unusually for most Starday Custom Discs, this seems to have a Starday Matrix instead of the usual record issue number and a A/B prefix. Bramlett also recorded another disc which was pressed by RCA ("Country Love" / "A Man With A Broken Heart" - GIBSON RECORDS No. #) in 1957 and also recorded gospel for BRC Records. (MC / PJ Tricker).

(From Unknown Source)

Back about 1955 or so, the first mention of Howard Bramlett, who was one of the stars of the Saturday Night Jamboree that aired over WROM-TV out of Rome, Georgia. That show aired on Saturday nights from 7:00 to 7:30pm and from 8:30pm to 10:00pm.

He first started singing with his sister at church when he was a youngster they said. In 1945, he started performing over the Armed Forces Network. They mentioned he was the leader of the band, the “Tennessee Valley Boys” on the Jamboree show on WROM-TV.

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots - Al Turner (45) / Terry Gordon / Doug Brown (78) Fan Club - Doug Brown

Photo = Doug Brown

(Times Herald, Newnan, Georgia,Thu, 7 Nov 1957 · Page 20)

STARDAY RECORDS 519

JIM CUNNINGHAM and the Missouri Wranglers

May 55 (BMI clearance on 27th May 55)

519-A - A Pain A Pill Won't Reach

(Cunningham)   (Starrite BMI)

519-B - Take Time To Cry

(Cunningham)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 519

(Unknown Location)

No info on Jim and his band at the present time. It's a good hillbilly disc with sawing fiddles and steel guitar. Both sides bounce along nicely. (MC)

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Al Turner

STARDAY RECORDS 518

DANIEL JAMES

Apr 55 (BB = 28th May 55)

518-A - Magic Wands And Wishing Wells

(D James / N Miller)    (Starrite BMI)

518-B - Through The Barroom Door

(D James / R Mansel)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 518

Artist Based In Houston, TX

STARDAY 518 was reissued on ALLSTAR 7161, which isn’t that surprising when you consider that Daniel James is Dan Mechura, who owned Allstar. Billboard mentions in passing (26 March 1955) that Daniel had signed with Starday Records and he was broadcasting over KNUZ. To promote this disc, Daniel toured with Hank Locklin, Lee Leissner and Texas Rhythm Boys in June 55. Compared to the torrid “Rock Moon Rock” - (Allstar 7163) and “I’m Gonna Move” - (Allstar 7183), Daniel delivers this plaintive hillbilly disc with all the gusto of a man singing whilst reading the lyrics in front of him. Nice echoey sound on the disc though gives it some atmosphere. The odd thing about this is that at the time of this disc, he already sees to have started his Allstar label with an address out of Garrow Street, Houston, TX. Menchura was happy to offer the same kind of deal that Starday offered here - cut the tracks - stick out a 45rpm, limited distribution and hoped for a hit to carry the momentum onwards and upwards. Dan and his Allstar label were also active in the seedy world of "Song-Poem" record labels. But by the mid 60's, Dan's labels folded after issuing at least close to 200 45’s on either the main label or on one of Dan’s numerous subsiduary labels. Note the publishing details have changed by the time he reissued it on his Allstar label.(MC / Phil Tricker)

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Phil Tricker

SAVANNAH RECORDS 517

BUDDY LIVINGSTON and his All Girl Band (Vcl - Buddy and Trio)

Apr 55 (BMI clearance on 15th Apr 55)

517-A - I Can't Help The Way I Feel

(Livingston)   (Starrite)

517-B - When You Stuck Your Tongue Out At Me

(Livingston)   (Starrite)

SAVANNAH RECORDS 517

510 West 37th St, Savannah, GA

B side is a nice hillbilly disc from Buddy and his sisters - mid tempo with good harmonies and steel guitar. Compared to the previous release (513), the actual recording sounds a little primitive and perhaps it was recorded around the same time as the release on Savannah 505. It’s a darn fine disc all the same. Also judging by when BMI cleared the song for broadcast, this disc may have been actually issued to the public (so to speak), or if you prefer - shipped to Buddy before Diamond 515 and Evangelistic 516. (I am going by the assumption that all discs were pressed and the songs were submitted to BMI once payment reached Starday.)(MC)

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Joe Watson

EVANGELISTIC RECORDS 516

CURT AND FAYE BARTMESS with String Ins Accmp. (sic)

Mar 55 (BMI clearance on 13th May 55)

516-A - Country Music In A Sacred Way

(C Bartmess)   (Starrite BMI)

516-B - The Narrow Way

(C Bartmess)   (Starrite BMI)

EVANGELISTIC RECORDS 516

(No known location, possibly Oklahoma based.)

According to Flyrite CD 64 (Hillbilly Gospel), Curt and Faye were from Oklahoma and broadcast over KJBC in Midland, TX. Evangelistic was their own label, created after non payment of royalties etc from another TX label (not credited in the sleeve notes). Reverend Curt Bartmess still has a congregation in Oklahoma, but Faye (if her real name was Myrtle Faye Hensley-Bartmess) has passed away. Anyhow, the A side is a pleasant country gospel number with some nice guitar and mandolin throughout. Flip is slightly slower with some good vocal interplay between Curt and Faye - shades of Luke the Drifter. (MC / Flyright CD 64 / Bruce Bastin).

Thanks to Regina Frye for the updated Faye Bartmess name.

Any info? Email me!

Label Shots: Phil Tricker