Updates

• Added info on Jimmy Ford, thanks to Volker Houghton. • Extended and corrected the post on Happy Harold Thaxton (long overdue), thanks to everyone who sent in memories and information! • Added information to the Jim Murray post, provided by Mike Doyle, Dennis Rogers, and Marty Scarbrough. • Expanded the information on Charlie Dial found in the Little Shoe post.

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Paul & Roy on Mercury

Paul & Roy, the Tennessee River Boys - Spring of Love (Mercury 6374-X45), 1952

When I first posted this record in 2012, I had no idea who the duo of Paul & Roy were. The internet was no help back then and it's still not today. This duo seems to be forgotten, although they recorded a slew of singles throughout the 1950s, the majority of them even for the big Mercury record label.

Paul & Roy were blind singer/guitarist Paul Boswell and mandolinist/singer Roy Pryor. They performed together for at least over a decade, starting likely in the late 1940s. They went on tour with Cowboy Copas through Canada around that time and it seems that they were quite cross-linked in the Nashville music scene. Philip Pryor, son of Roy Pryor, remembered so many now famous musicians that hung around with his father, it is astonishing the duo remained so obscure. Musicians like Benny Martin and Little Jimmy Dickens or radio personality/producer Noel Ball were only some of those names. Boswell also worked as a session musician.

Paul & Roy gained a recording contract with Mercury in 1951 and their first disc comprised "Every Dog Must Have His Day" b/w "You're All Alone, Tonite" (Mercury 6360). I once compared their sound to those of popular duo Johnnie & Jack, whose bluegrass-country-gospel melting was successful and influential as well. It is no surprise that Pryor and Boswell were friends with one of their brothers.

From their second release for Mercury, we feature their own composition "Spring of Love" from early 1952. This is another fine example of their sound and songwriting talent. Apart from writing most of their own material, Pryor also wrote or co-wrote songs performed by other artists. Country comedy duo Lonzo & Oscar used to sing Pryor's "Mama's on a Diet" at the Grand Ole Opry until they were told to omit the song as Pryor was not in the Musicians' Guild at that time. Pryor also co-wrote "I'll Keep Your Name on File" with George McCormick, who recorded it for MGM in 1957.

Paul & Roy continued to record for Mercury until 1953, releasing a total of six discs over two years. They would not record until 1959 when they made ties with Nashville entrepreneur called Mr. Pace, who was originally active in the pinball machine business, before starting out as a record label and publishing firm owner. Paul & Roy's two releases for Pace were two of the label's earliest releases but also remained their last sides.

Pryor and Boswell drifted into obscurity in the 1960s and only few seem to remember their recordings now. The British Archive of Country Music has released a CD in 2013 comprising their complete recorded output.

Discography
Mercury 6360: Every Dog Must Have His Day / You're All Alone, Tonite (1951)
Mercury 6374: Spring of Love / You’ve Been Cheating on Me, Darling (1952) 

Mercury 6406: Only Pretending / The Shape My Heart’s In (1952)
Mercury 70027: You Made the Break / The Way You Lied to Me (1952)

Mercury 70121: Don’t Ever Tell Me / Wicked Love (1953)
Mercury 70197: The Flower of Old Tennessee / I'm Lost Without You (1953)

Pace 1003: Meet the Lord Half Way / There Will Be No Disappointments (1959)
Pace 1004: Free, Twenty-One and Ambitious / I Wish You’d Be a Country Girl (1959)

See also

Sources
• Thanks to Roy Pryor's son, to Paul Boswell's son and to Bob for sharing their knowledge and memories with me.
• Entries on 45cat and 45worlds/78rpm

15 comments:

Bob said...

Roy is certainly Roy Pryor.

Earlier Mercury release (1951) was Mercury 6360 : Every Dog Must Have His Day /?

Mellow said...

Thanks for the additions Bob. I guess he's not related to Cactus Pryor? Cactus had a son named Paul Pryor (so Paul & Roy are possibly brothers?) But only guess, just wonderin'...

Floyd said...

Realy enjoyed this cut by Paul & Roy. Thanks Floyd

1 Proud p0p said...

Roy was my Dad Roy Pryor & Paul was Paul Boswell. They played together for years and toured with Cowboy Copas on a Canadian tour in the late '40s-early '50s. I have Dad's 1948 Gibson A-50 mandolin & it still plays sweet, even tho it's on its' 3rd fret board. They were offered a job at Opryland when it opened in order to use the copyrighted name "Tennessee River Boys" but when they learned the job consisted of performing the same songs over & over they declined & relinquished rights to Opryland.

Mellow said...

Hello, thank you very much for your comment, your dad was an excellent musician! Are you willing to answer a couple of question? I'd like to have some more info on them.

1 Proud p0p said...

I tried to email you but your email client isn't installed. You can leave me a message on Facebook under my name, Philip Pryor and I'll do what I can for you. I was looking for some pics of Dad and have a few but I'll check as I know I have 1 good one

Mellow said...

Thanks, please send me an email through this form: http://arkansas45s.blogspot.com/p/contact.html

This is another blog of mine which has a contact form, I really should have one for this blog too!

1 Proud p0p said...

It's funny that Johnny & Jack were mentioned as Dad hung out with the brother who lived on Riverside Dr. off of Shelby Park. Noel Ball, Jimmy Dickens, H. D, Ayers, Benny Martin; the list was long of people who were around back in the day and we kids never realised how lucky we were just to be around them. Tommy Neblitt was one of the best studio guitarist around & played on quite a few recordings locally. He was laid back & subtle with a smooth style, even with his 3 pack a day habit. Mr. Pace was known around town for his pinball machine endeavors before his venturing into music publishing. Nashville was sure a much smaller town back then! I'll post more as these old memories are seeping back. Philip Pryor

1 Proud p0p said...

There's a brand new dress down at the store my wife would like to wear. But she's afraid to try it on she know where it will tear. She's gonna have to lose some weight before she takes a chance. She thinks it might help us to rekindle our romance. Mama's on a diet tryin' to lose some fat, I get so hungry sometime I think I'll cook the cat! I wonder if it's worth it, what will be our fate?? Moma's on a diet but the family's losing weight!

1 Proud p0p said...

The above is the 1st verse & chorus from "Mama's On A Diet" written by Roy Pryor. Lonzo & Oscar performed it on the Opry a few times until the were told not to as Dad wasn't in the Musicians Guild at the time. Things were a little bit more loose back in the day. You could brown bag your bottle & roll your own Country Gentleman smokes inside the Ryman and there was no such thing as a racial devide. Truly was the good ole days!

ralph11 said...

Just got through reading the comments. It adds much tothe music itself. Thank you all.
ralphh11

1 Proud p0p said...

I have a cassette tape of some of Dads' stuff but I think it some gospel he wrote after they were stranded in that old grain elevator on Kentucky Lake during a hurricane in 1950. If I can find it I'll try to convert it & share.

Anonymous said...

Paul is Paul Boswell the blind guitarist and tenor.Paul was my dad he and Roy toured with Cowboy Copas. My dad did a lot of
studio recording and played all types of music and instruments.)

Harlan Taylor said...

Enjoyed all of the comments on this one! Would either of you have a picture of Paul and Roy together?

Thanks so much for this, Mellow.

Anonymous said...

The opposite side of don't ever tell me. Is wicked love