DIXIE RECORDS 913

KEN LIGHTER and his Hay Ryders

Feb 61

634-45-913A - The Corner Of Love

(None Listed)   (Bendon Music)

634-45-913B - Am I Still The One

(None Listed)   (Bendon Music)

DIXIE 913

Source: Terry Gordon / Phillip J Tricker

Merry Christmas to all!!!

The top side is a bit of dreary Nashville country set at a slight waltz tempo. Sorry to all Nashville country fans, but this music genre leaves me a little cold. Probably got some airplay here and there. King Records pressed this one after a small dry spell where Starday either pressed the last few themselves or went elsewhere.

Flip side is set at a better tempo (for me anyway). Still has that Nashville sound, but Ken's vocals has a bit more echo and there's more urgency in delivery. The band are very good and well rehearsed. Yeah, like this side quite a bit. 

DIXIE RECORDS 912

PARKER CUNNINGHAM

Jan 61

45-912A - Little Teardrop

(Jimmy Bradford)   (Tronic Music)

45-912B - Blow Whistle Blow

(Jimmy Bradford)   (Tronic Music)

DIXIE 912

Source: Terry Gordon

B side is a good Cash-A-Like with a smattering of Nashville country musicianship in the background. Parker is better known for the stompingly humourous "Dry Run" on Bill Cooley's Rebel Record Label.

DIXIE RECORDS 911

BOB BEDARD

Jan 61

45-911A - (I’m Proud And It’s) Nice To Be With You

(-)   (-)

45-911B - You Caused The Blues

(-)   (-)

DIXIE 911

Not seen this disc, but the B side is a pretty good country rocker. There are blue and pink versions of the label, suggesting it was repressed? (or perhaps they simply ran out of pink or blue labels - or the pink are DJ copies.) Never heard the A side. 

DIXIE RECORDS 910

CHARLOTTE HARDEN

Jan 61

45-910A - That’s All Right With Me

(Connie Dycas)   (Tronic Music)

45-910B - Lovin’ You Baby

(Connie Dycas)   (Tronic Music)

DIXIE 910

(Possibly Detroit or Flint, MI area)

Source: Terry Gordon

Two more fine songs from the Ozark Sweetheart, both penned by Connie Dycus. Charlotte was from Arkansas but had moved (with her family?) up to Troy, Michigan whilst she was still at school. There is a good chance that the band behind her are all Detroit Musicians. 

(Charlotte appears again later in this series.)

FAITH RECORDS 909

QUEENS OF JOY GOSPEL SINGERS

Jan 61

45-909A - Jesus Is A Way Maker

(M Alexander)   (Starday Music)

45-909B - Lord I Prayed

(D Taylor)   (Starday Music)

FAITH 909

(Although there is no location written on the label, Faith 927 was from Bluefield, VA)

I heard this many years ago on an old cassette tape, long before I knew it was part of the Starday Custom Package. Although at the time I didn't really appreciate Gospel music, I found both sides of this disc pleasantly pleasing, especially the A side. I jotted it down in my "ever-present" note book and promptly forgot about it until recently. I don't have any information on this group (nothing new there) except they reappear in this series on FAITH 927.

Source: Terry Gordon

DIXIE RECORDS 908

HOWARD MAYBERRY with The Sangamon Boys

Jan 61

45-908A - Proof Of Love

(W Sullivan)   (Tronic Music)

45-908B - This Just Can’t Be Puppy Love

(W Sullivan)   (Tronic Music)

DIXIE 908

Box 451, Decatur, IL

Part two of a split session (see previous post) finds the Sangamon Boys lead by Howard Mayberry and shows just how a country band can dabble with Rock and Roll. Top notch effort from the band to keep up with Mayberry's slightly snarling vocals.

The flip-side (actually the top side) has eluded me so far.

Source: Terry Gordon

DIXIE RECORDS 907 (Updated)

JUNIOR GARNER with The Sangamon Boys

Jan 61   (BMI = 31 Jan 61)

45-907A - Mr Satellite

(W Sullivan)   (Tronic Music)

45-907B - Blind Date

(Gardner)   (Tronic Music)

DIXIE 907

Box 451, Decatur, IL

Source: Terry Gordon / Dean Craige Morris

From: Decatur Daily Review (25 Dec 1960)

DIXIE RECORDS 906

ELMER BRYANT

Dec 60

45-906A - Gertie’s Garter Broke

(Bryant)   (Starday BMI)

45-906B - Will I Be Ashamed Tomorrow

(Bryant)   (Starday BMI)

DIXIE 906

Source: Dean Craige Morris

Nashville country meets Square Dancing meets hillbilly with cajun fiddling. Quite  a mix here really. Top side is pleasant enough without keeping me up at night wondering how the hell I was outbid on eBay for it. Flip-side is definitely more country than anything and admittedly doesn't move me musically.

There are many Elmer Bryants listed on Google and I think I have read more obituaries on this name than any other. None of them seem to be this guy (or at least it isn't mentioned in the obit), so maybe he's still out there - trying to patch up Gertie's garter.

DIXIE RECORDS 905 (Bandera 1310)

BUDDY WRIGHT

Dec 60

45-905A - Just For Today

(-)   (-)

45-905-B - Lilly Of The Field

(-)   (-)

DIXIE 905

An unusual entry as I have yet to see this on DIXIE RECORDS, yet it was certainly released on Bandera Records from Chicago, IL. Listed in the fantastic "The Starday Story" book by Nate Gibson, I've yet to find anybody who has a copy (although one or two says it exists.)

However, as I'm a bit of a hoarder, I have kept my original Starday Custom Listing that appeared on my old iMac which I started back in 1992 and there it is - listed as above.  I must have got it from somewhere long before Nate's book. (There is a chance he got this info from me I hasten to add.)

To make it slightly more complicated - Dean Craige Morris sent me label shots of the Bandera which has the date Jan 61 stamped on both sides - about a month after this would have been released. So, I can't shed anymore light on this mystery at this time.

Judging by the Bandera release, the A side is dreary country (sorry Buddy). Nicely recorded and all that, but it's a bit dull. I'm trying to imagine why, if it was on Dixie originally, Bandera would pick this up as I can't see the commercial appeal. The flip is pretty much the same, although a bit more reverb on his voice. I can hear Jim Reeves covering this, so maybe that was a good reason to pick it up.

I left the details blank as, not seeing the Dixie release, I cannot ascertain if the publishing and the writers credits are the same. I have posted the Bandera label shots below.

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