CEDAR RECORDS 680

SLIM FOSTER and his Cedar Valley Boys

Nov 57

45-680-A - (No info)

(No info)   (No info)

45-680-B - Singin’ Guitar

(Slim Foster)   (Starrite BMI)
CEDAR RECORDS 680
(Unknown Location)

Source: Michel Proost / Ebay

Can’t pretend I know almost anything about Slim Foster. No location on the label to give us at least a mild clue as to where he came from. Obviously never gave any thought to some tired old Englishman trying to piece together a box set about 60 years after the record hit the streets! (61 to be exact)

Anyhow, Although I’m quite partial to the sound of the recordings, Slim seems to be singing without much gusto – (not surprising as the A side is a ballad). But the flip isn’t much better – fairly okay is probably my description. But something must have made Slim think he had what is takes to grab some jukebox coin of some airplay as a few months after this, he released another one! Confusingly, it appeared as CEDAR 681 which, until I set my eyes on this record, would have clashed with the next Starday Custom by Al Sims, But 681 was pressed by Southern Plastics (although billed as a Starday Custom on 45cat. – SO: 327/8).

(This one sounds like it was recorded at the same session and a little livelier than 680.) 681 was also reissued as K-ARK 613.

In 1962, we find Slim with the Glaser Brothers (Tompall, Dick and Jim) on NASHVILLE Records (5080 and 5135). Then there’s an LP on PUME Records (possibly a 70’s release). After that (or indeed before), I know nothing.

A few collectors suggest both Cedar Recordings were recorded in Nashville, TN.

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!

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……..

STARDAY RECORDS 678

SINGING WILLIS FAMILY

Nov 57

45-678-A - He’ll Answer You

(Red Smith)   (Starrite BMI)

45-678-B - I Need The Lord

(Bob Wills)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 678

Source: Lars Lundgren

Nice gentle gospel from the Willis Family. The female singer has got a nice voice but sometimes it slightly overpowers the tracks, especially the first side. “He’ll Answer You” is a nice piano led tune with a melodic guitar solo. (Sadly, mine jumps, kinda spoiling the effect). Flipside is a bit more of a raucous affair. A male vocalist takes the spoils on the singing and there’s no instrumental solo.

Of course, I can’t work out who the “Singing Willis Family” is, or where they’re from, since there’s no label address and they recorded covers – one penned by Red Smith and the other by Bob Wills. There was a gospel record on a King-Pressed Dixie Label (45-123) By Harmon J Willis and the Willis Family (based out of Greer, SC – 1968?), but I don’t know if they are the same as here. The was another “Singing Willis Family” who recorded on a “No Name Label” out of Ft Worth, TX as well (An SO pressing from 57), but they maybe the Singing WILLS Family. (I have the record listed as both so I’m not sure if the typo is mine or not)

No matter – just play the sides and get right with God!

STARDAY RECORDS 676

AL RUNYON

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

45-676-A - The Day Before The Night

(Florence Wilson / Ray Baker)   (Starrite BMI)

45-676-B - Baby Please Come Home

(Al Runyon / Jimmie Skinner)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 676
(Unknown location - possibly KY)

Source: Terry Gordon

It’s odd to consider that for all of the recordings this artist managed to have issued pre 1958, it’s this one that he’s best remembered for. 

Clairborne county was established on the 29^thOctober 1801 and named after William Clairborne who became one of the first Tennessee Superior Court judges, and one of the first representatives in the US Congress from the state of Tennessee. By the time Al was born (Christened Albert Benton Runions), the county boasted a population of approx. 23,000 hard working souls in an area large enough for people to only know their close neighbours.

Al was born on the 29^thAugust 1918 in Little Sycamore Valley near Yellow Springs and east of Tazewell, the county seat. Life was hard for the farmers and sharecroppers in that area and Al didn’t have it easy being brought up in rural poverty. By the age of 14, in the midst of the Great Depression, Al left home and joined a few travelling circuses where he would sing and do comedy. The outbreak of war saw him enlist, but a breathing problem called for a quick medical discharge. So Al decided to entertain the troops overseas instead in several USO shows.

After the war, he moved to Cincinnati, OH and found work on live shows, Radio and a smattering of TV appearences. Whilst trying to scratch a living as an entertainer, he came across Carl Burkhardt – the owner of Gateway / Kentucky Records (amongst others), jukebox operator and slightly later – owner of the famed Rite Pressing Plant. Carl’s jukebox operations was the key here – he would get local artists to cover hits of the day and install them onto the jukeboxes dotted around Cincinnati and the outer areas, including some in West Virginia and Indiana. Like Delbert Barker (who covered mainly Hank Williams tunes), Al did many covers of Hank Snow and Jimmie Rodgers and once paid for their sessions, Carl would put them on his various labels and slot them into the jukeboxes. (After a couple of beers probably none of the bars’ patrons noticed the tunes they picked were not by the original artists.) By this time, Al has respelled his surname as Runyon as it was easier to pronounce for DJ’s.

Various releases was hatched from these session and were mainly issued on Big 4 Hits – One of Carl’s labels and a few on Alcar, Kentucky and Gateway (or Gateway Top Tunes as some of them were called.)

Eventually Al got a shot at Coral records in 1954 and saw “Icicle Tears” / “Bonita Chiquita Senorita” issued (Coral 64187), (leaving two unknown titles in the can.) Back to Burkhart’s set up, he continued to record tracks issued on the above labels, but now was also doing covers of Presley and Johnny Cash to add to his repertoire.

By 1958, Al had a song called “The Day Before The Night” , written by Ray Baker and Florence Wilson, that he was eager to record. Spending most of the studio time getting this side just right, he realised he needed a flip side. A quick 15 minutes of scribbling lyrics alongside Jimmie Skinner (possibly the producer of the session, and a singer / songwriter / record store owner in his own right), run-throughs and an final practice, he cut “Baby Please Come Home” and either Al or Jimmie Skinner sent the recordings off to Don Pierce for custom pressing. (Why he didn’t go to Carl Burkhardt is a mystery.) Don thought the A side had potential and custom pressed it on Starday records (686), pressing 300 copies on 45rpm (with a possible further 200 re-run) and Al waited patiently for stardom to come knocking on his door.

….and waited …and waited a bit more…..

Although getting some local airplay, it never really broke out of the Ohio Valley area, so Al continued to play festivals, night clubs, bars and country picnics – and also appearing on the Corn Huskers Jamboree which was broadcast over WCPO TV in Cincinnati.

(The other version of this story has Starday offering Al a contract and issuing the 45 in the hope it sold enough to warrant a contract extension and extra songs. Either Al, Jimmie Skinner or Starday paid for the session.)

“The Day Before….” is a nice enough song and I can see it had the potential for Al to get a taste of fame out of it, but it’s the flip – the gutsy, guitar driven rocker that deserved all of the plaudits. In fact, if you took away the beat from the song, it could still be a great up-tempo country record. Not bad for a guy just shy of 40 years of age!

He did many fine recordings – had a great voice and had entertainment riffing through his veins at an early age. It’s slightly sacrilegious to hark on about one record when he made so many fine recordings, but once you hear “Baby Please Come Home” at a volume which would wake the neighbours, you’ll understand!

Al passed away on 24^thDecember 1998. Rusty York (a long-time friend) sang at his funeral.

Source: Terry Gordon/Mike Smythe

Source: Terry Gordon/Mike Smythe

UNKNOWN LABEL 675

(UNKNOWN ARTIST)

Nov 57

45-675-A - (No info)

(No info)   (No info)

45-675-B - (No info)

(No info)   (No info)

UNKNOWN RECORD LABEL 675

Sadly we have a blank here. No information at all, apart from an approximate date. After 30 years of various collectors scouring the lands (well, mainly USA for obvious reasons), nobody seems to have found this release. But, perhaps once the box set arrives, somebody will go “Oh, I got a record that fits here” and we can all go home happy. If it turns up, we’ll include it in the next box set as an addition at the end.

The only notes I have is that it might be on TERRY Records - but no confirmation as to who the artist is - or indeed anything. I did add a large question mark to the info in my notebook which is my code for “..probably making it up just to look like he knows something I don’t”. There was a lot of that in the late 80’s.

STARDAY RECORDS 674

FRANK EVANS and his Top Notchers

Oct 57  (Billboard Review on 18th November 1957.)

45-674-A - I Got A Patent (On My Kind Of Love)

(Jimmy Dunklin)   (Starrite BMI)

45-674-B - Lonesome Love

(Bonnie Burke)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDAY RECORDS 674

(Artist based in Tampa, FL)

Source: Terry Gordon

More fabulous music from Frank and his boys. Recorded at WHBO Radio, Tampa, FL. There’s some nice twin guitar being played byArnold Newman (Gtr) and Colin Thomas (Stl) which really helps to set this recording above most of the mainstream music that was flying out of the studios at this time, although if this had been released even 5 years before it wouldn’t have been so much of a surprise.) Played locally over the radio station, it garnered him some fan mail and some gigs but didn’t get much more exposure other than locally.

STARDAY RECORDS 673

BILLIE and GORDON HAMRICK with Red Farrell

Oct 57  (Billboard Review on 23rd November 1957.) 
(BMI Clearance on 27th December 1957.)

45-673-A - Cruel Jealous Heart

(Nell Palmer)   (Starrite BMI)

45-673-B - Gypsy Waltz

(Nell Palmer)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 673

B Side notation reads “ . . with Red Farrell with Smokey Joe Ellis and Frank Addis, twin fiddles”.

Gordon B. Hamrick born November 18, 1917 in Douglasville, GA, died December 30, 2001. He served in the U.S. Army in the Panama Canal Zone in the 1930s and continued military service in the Coast Guard through WWII on the USS Savage as a Chief. He also managed grocery stores in Jacksonville and performed gospel music with wife Billie in Charleston, SC on a television show called The Old Country Church in the 1950s and 60s. Billie and Gordon continued performing gospel music up until his retirement in 1998.

Source: Lars Lundgren

CORVETTE RECORDS 672

JOHNNY SKILES with the Harmony Ranch Hands

Oct 57   (BMI Clearance on 27th December 1957.)

45-672-A - The Twinkle In Your Eye

(Johnny Skiles)   (Starrite BMI)

45-672-B - Ghost Of My Lonely Past

(Johnny Skiles)   (Starrite BMI)

CORVETTE RECORDS 672

12407 E Raymond, Portland, OR.

Johnny was originally from Monroe, LA and his Brother-In-Law was Jack Hammons. After failing to make much headway with his writing pact with Southern-Peer, Johnny headed up to Oregon where he worked for the Post office.

Forming or at least fronting a band - The Harmony Ranch hands (feat Bob Hill on guitar), he cut two sides and promptly sent them off for pressing. Both are pretty much country with a bit of a beat, although the flip has a haunting melody - probably helped by the amount of echo on the recordings. Johnny’s vocals are not that exciting and has a low pitched, southern (not surprisingly) nasal quality to his singing, but on this material it really doesn’t matter. Soon after this record he was back in the studio, this time at Portland’s Ace Studios, recording for Jim O’Neal’s Rural Rhythm record label. Despite the annoying girl chorus, both “Is My baby Coming Back” / “Come Paddle Footin’ Down” (RR# 518) are helped by  a much better recording facility and are pretty damn good. After that, there’s a few more recordings played in his usual relaxed style (He even fronted the Echomores on “What-Cha-Do-In (Rocket 1044)). But by the mid sixties he seems to vanish off the face of the earth.

Source: Phillip J Tricker

STARDUST RECORDS 671

LEE VOORHIES and his Ozark Country Boys

Oct 57   (BMI Clearance on 13th January 1958.)

45-671-A - Load Up My Blues

(Voorhies)   (Starrite BMI)

45-671-B - Hand In Hand

(Voorhies)   (Starrite BMI)

STARDUST RECORDS 671

Box 8044, Kansas City, MO

Born Dwain Lee Voorhies on 19th April 1926 and was from Greentop, MO. He enlisted into the Navy during WWII and once he left the service, relocated to Kansas City, where he found work as a truck driver. Singing locally whilst earning his living as a driver made Dwain (Now Lee Voorhies) decide to make a record. How he appears on the Stardust Label imprint is a bit of a puzzle. According the the excellent interview with Chandos McRill’s wife by Shaun Hughes, she could not recall Chandos ever mentioning or indeed meeting Lee and there’s a possibility that Don Pierce used the same label name and design for the release simply because of the similar location.

Anyhow, this artist also recorded as Lee Finn on Westport Records the following year and then drifted off of the music scene whilst operating a successful haulage company. When contacted by Ronnie Weiser or Rollin’ Rock Records, he allowed him to release some unissued Westport Recordings on an EP but seemed to have had no inclination in resuming a singing career. He passed away on 2nd May 1999.

Source: Phil Tricker