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

MAR KAY RECORDS 903

THE CACKLE SISTERS (Mary and Cathy)
Dec 60
634-45-903-A - Gee It's Lonesome Here Tonight
(Everett Duncan)   (Sandra Music)
634-45-903-B - Call My Name
(Everett Duncan)   (Sandra Music)
MAR KAY RECORDS 903
Jonesboro, AR

Source: Jay Stern / Dean Craige Morris

This this the same Cackle Sisters as The DeZurik Sisters (Mary Jane and Carolyn)? A wonderful duo from Minnesota who lit up the airwaves on Vocalion Records amongst others and appeared on the National Barn Dance (if it is them). I'm not so sure, but what do I know?
Obviously it says Mary and Cathy, not Mary Jane and Carolyn.

Well, anyway, Both sides are country with a nice acoustic feel. Pretty good harmonies from the sisters. Musically, an acoustic guitar (maybe two actually or an electric guitar with a nice wooden tone), a fiddle and a string bass tucked far away in the background is well recorded. Nothing to set my pulses racing but something I could listen to occasionally. "Call My Name" is marginally the better side.

DIXIE RECORDS 902

PAT SPENCER

Dec 60

634-45-902-A - Some Boy’s Dad

(Pat Wingo Spencer)   (Starday BMI)

634-45-902-B - A Newsboy On Christmas Eve

(Pat Wingo Spencer)   (Starday BMI)

DIXIE RECORDS 902

Source: eBay / Dean Craige Morris

Simple vocals and acoustic guitar. Lovely echo on the vocals! But both sides are ballads and a bit on the "twee" side. She** has got a nice voice and the songs are nicely crafted and not the usual cliche-stuffed nonsense that was churned out on a regular basis.

But hang on ...**. A side contains the lyrics "He Said, "My Lad - You're Kind To Me" .... so is Pat a male vocalist? To me, it sure sounds like a woman's voice - a bit on the low side, but still it has a "Feminine Timbre" (Not sure if you can use the word Timbre for vocals but hopefully you know what I mean.)

Flip it over and he/says "...Act Like A Big Old Man". So, I have no idea if Pat is Male or Female. I was going to suggest maybe a male wrote the lyrics but the singer is also the songwriter - so I guess he's male. Not sure about Newsboy On Christmas Eve, as the song seems to spend most of it's time lamenting the death of a parent. Not exactly full of Christmas Cheer!

This feels like a classic song poem to me - without the dodgy vocals and nasty organ-type backing you'd get on HalMark Records. Come to think of it, I actually like this quite a lot :-)

THE HUMMING BEES 901

THE HUMMING BEES
Dec 60
634-45-901-A - Jesus Step Right In
(E Watson)   (Golden State)
634-45-901-B - My House
(J Grant)   (Golden State)
THE HUMMING BEES 901
101 Preston St, Texarkana, AR

Source: Neil Scott

There's an another one on Humming Bees label (45-10 - King Press 1134) from Texarkana, AR ("This Is Its" / "Been Born Again"). Plus, there's The "Humming Bees" on 4-STAR 1448 ("Pass Me Not" / "Working On The Building"). Not sure if they are related to the gospel group above.

DIXIE RECORDS 900

JACKIE DUNHAM

Nov 60   (BB = 05 Dec 1960)

634-45-900-A - Lovely Girl

(J. Dunham / B Boathren)   (Starday Music)

634-45-900-B - I'll Leave It Up To You

(J. Dunham)   (Starday Music)

DIXIE 900

As an aside - the Buddy Meredith record on Dixie that has been listed on various sites, books and label listings is a 1956 SO pressing. The Walter Maynard on Dixie 900 is a PRP pressing from 67/8.

Sources: Dean Craige Morris / Nathan Gibson / Ron Lees