Marshall Ellis

Marshall Ellis

Memphis Record Producer

Marshall Erwin Ellis is now most famous amongst Memphis music lovers for running the Erwin label that turned out such rockabilly classics as Hoyt Johnson's "Enie Meanie Minie Mo" or Ray Scott's "Boppin' Wig Wam Willie." Ellis, who also ran the Rivermont and Clearmont labels for a short time, was born in Booneville, Mississppi, in 1912. Before moving to Memphis, he lived in Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri. After his stint in the US Air Force during the war, he began to perform with local bands in Memphis, first with the Cotton Choppers and then with Mel Allen's Melody Boys. But Ellis gave up performing a couple of years later in the early 1950s. One cause was possibly Mel Allen's move to California around 1951.

By then, he earned his living as a barber but music still kept a hold of Ellis. At one point in late 1956, Ellis decided to set up his own recording studio at the Suzone Theatre on Main Street and, at the same time, formed Erwin Records. Because of difficulties to start his business, he decided to utilize Bill McCall's 4 Star OP program to release the first three discs on Erwin. The first of those were two songs by Ellis and his band with female singer Billie High on vocals, released approximately in November 1956. High had a release on the label under her own name later on. The other two were by Carvis Turney ("Honky Tonk Ways" / "The Love That Should Have Been", Erwin #OP-264, 1957) and Len Griffin ("Spanish Rock-a-Rolla" / "Rainbow Love", Erwin #OP-265-45, 1957).

Hoyt Johnson (behind the microphone) and band

Since Erwin had no numerical system, record catalog numbers were assigned discretionary it seems. Thus it is difficult to determine the chronology of the releases. Other Erwin discs that appeared during the curse of 1957 were by Ray Scott ("Bopping Wig Wam Willie" / "My Life's Desire", Erwin #700), Lee Carzle ("I'm Askin' But I'm Not Gettin'" / "What's In Store for Me", Erwin #E-77), and Hoyt Johnson's "It's a Little More Like Heaven" (recorded by Johnny Cash on Sun as "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven") as well as his classic rockabilly "Enie Meanie Minie Mo" / "Standing in Your Window" (Erwin #555). Many of the recorded material on Erwin was published by E&M Publishing, Ellis' own publishing company (not to be confused with Earl Fox' E&M label from Little Rock, Arkansas).

Johnson's "Enie Meanie Minie Mo" was composed by Reece Flemming, who had played piano previously with Malcolm Yelvington's Star Rhythm Boys, while "Standing In Your Window" was eventually covered by Eddie Bond. Hoyt Johnson, who was born 1935 in Arley, Alabama, was discovered by Alabama DJ Jim Atkins in Alabama. It was Atkins who became Johnson's manager and arranged a recording contract with Marshall Ellis. None of Johnson's Erwin singles sold well, so he moved to other record labels. He recorded for RCA-Victor until 1960 and various other small Memphis labels like Zone and Satellite (which later became Stax). He died in 1989.

Ray Scott, on the other hand, hailed from the German/Dutch community of Bicknell, Indiana, where he was born in 1929. In 1955, Scott moved to Memphis and learned to play guitar, followed by many appearances in local bars and clubs. In late 1956, Billy Riley and his Little Green Men recorded Scott's "Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll" for Sun. After meeting Marshall Ellis in 1957, a recording session at Slim Wallace's Fernwood studio was set up for Scott ca. in July that year, where he recorded "Boppin' Wig Wam Willie." On that day, he was backed by the Little Green Men in disguise - under the name of "The Four Recorders." Billboard reported on August 26 that "M.E. Ellis, head of Erwin Records and E&M Publishers, Memphis, says he has signed Ray Scott, composer, to a two-year artist pact." Another single on Erwin followed and Scott recorded for other labels during the next years. He left the music business in 1971 and died in 1999.

In late 1957, Ellis was joined by H.C. Wilson and William Dotson to create another label, Rivermont Records. This venture lasted only for about six months and three releases, closing in early 1958. However, Erwin continued to release discs by such artists as the Monarchs, Mason Dixon, Merdell Floyd, and others. Some of the records' labels show adresses on it. Probably a later release by Papa Cat, "Mini Skirt" / "Wonder Pill" (Erwin #E-507) shows 2674 Steele - Memphis, Tennessee, as adress. Another adress, "Erwin Records Music Center" on 625 Chelsea Avenue, appeared on Erwin #561, #E562, #E-1069, and #E-503, among some others. The same adress later housed Bill Glore's Glo-Lite Studio. Interestingly, an invoice sent by Plastic Products to Glo-Lite in 1975 charges 5.100 $ for 300 copies of Erwin #700, a reissue of two older songs by Jimmy Evans and Ray Scott.

In 1962, Ellis also operated the Clearmont label in Memphis, which had only two discs released: Johnny Barnes with "Big Johnny Blues" / "Blue Boy" (Clearmont #501) and Jimmy Evans with "The Joint's Really Jumpin'" / "I Just Don't Love You" (Clearmont #502).

Ellis operated Erwin well into the 1970s and recorded such artists as Eddie Bond, Mike Deal, Lynne Burns and others. He kept on producing records until 1992. Marshall Ellis died two years later, in 1994.

Discography

Erwin
OP-258-45: M. E. Ellis & his String Band - I Almost Cried Today / I Guess I'll Wait a Little Longer (1956)
OP-264-45: Carvis Turney - Honky Tonk Ways / The Love That Should Have Been (1957)
OP-265-45: Len Griffin & his Boys - Spanish Rock-a-Rolla / Rainbow Love (1957)
E-65: Hoyt Johnson and the Four Recorders - I Bet You Didn't Know / I'll Have a Broken Heart 
E-65: Hoyt Johnson and the Four Recorders - I Bet You Didn't Know / The Day I Found You
E-77: Lee Carzle with Bobby Mizzel & the Le-Bow's - I'm Askin' But I'm Not Gettin' / What's In Store for Me (1957)
E-184: Rufus Thomas - How Far Will You Go / Let's Talk It Over 
E-501: The Song Masters Trio - Teach Me to Live / Jesus Ever Near to Me (1957)
E-555: Hoyt Johnson and the Four Recorders - Enie Meanie Minie Mo / Standing In Your Window (1957)
700: Ray Scott and the Four Recorders - Boppin' Wig Wam Willie / My Life's Desire (1957)
800: Billie High and the Four Recorders - Wondering If You Still Care / The Blues Got Me (1957)
E-226: Ben Gattis - I'm Leaving This Town / Two Timin' Lover
E-503: Chuck Hensley and the Strollers - Tall Man / Dreams Really Do Come True
E-506: Mike Deal - One Heartbeat Away (from Loving You) / Ode to Adam and Eve
E-507: Papa Cat - Mini Skirt / Wonder Pill
E-508: Paul Bradshaw - My Dog Jack / I Flubbed My First (Dear Hunt)
E-561: Lynne Burns-Gene Williams - Aint Gonna Worry (About You No More) / This Lonely World
E562:  Lynne Burns with Gene Williams Band - Dum Da De Doe / You're Not Homesick
E-100: Merdell Floyd - Juke Box Mama / I Got the Blues from Awaiting (1960)
E-688: Ray Scott - The Train's Done Gone / Just Behind Your Smile (1960)
E-Z 500: Little Sandy Parker - You Once Had Eyes Just for Me / That's the Reason (1963)
E-700: Ray Scott - Boppin' Wig Wam Willie / Jimmy Evans - The Joint's Really Jumpin' (1975)
E-750: Tex Dixon and the Bop Kings - One Has My Name / Funny How Love Can Be
E-1069: The Monarchs IV - Surge / Weekend
E-1071: Jimmy D. Payne - The Devil Lives Across the Street / If You're Living In a Lonely World
1100: Walter Dixon and his Band - Goodbye She's Gone / Slowly Dying
EG 2000: Mike Deal & the Regenerations - Searching for the Lord / ?
EG 2001: Eddie Bond - Someday I'll Sober Up / Here Comes That Train
E-2410: The End - You Never Called / People Talked

Rivermont
600: Retus Blair - Lowdown Feelin' / All I Want (ca. 1957)
R-1159: Kimball Coburn and Sy Rose Orch. - Cute / Boo-Be-Ah-Be (1958)
R-1160: Rex Ellis - You'll Be the Last to Know / Bop Hop Jamboree (1958)

Clearmont
501: Johnny Barnes - Big Johnny Blues / Blue Boy (1962)
C-502: Jimmy Evans - I Just Don't Love You / The Joint's Really Jumpin' (1962)

Thanks to Hillbilly-Researcher, Bayou Bum and Bob

Slap Happy Bass

  Sid Elrod - Slap Happy Bass (Summer 503), 1959
A request from one of my visitors. Here is "Slap Happy Bass" by Sid Elrod aka Macy Skip Skipper. He has been covered here on Mellow's Log Cabin. Enjoy!

Blake Records story

John Cook's Blake Records

A Memphis Country, Bluegrass and Gospel label

498 Lundee Street in Memphis in September 2011, where
John Cook would first operate Blake Records from.

The Cooks probably moved to 3291 Park Avenue later.

The Blake record label out of Memphis, Tennessee, has never been spotlighted in its full glory. Though the label has an extensive discography that could take years to research in detail, the label's history has been largely obscure since its demise sometimes in the 1970s.

Blake was founded by John Cook, a country and gospel musician originally from Arkansas. Similar to Arlen and Jackie Vaden from Trumann, Arkansas, Cook and his wife Margie would sing harmony gospel duets on radio and also made the occassional record during their career. John was born and raised in Cord, Arkansas, a small town about 20 miles east of Batesville and 25 miles north of Newport. He came from a musical family and started playing guitar and singing at the age of ten. He met his future wife Margie at a camp meeting and married her three months later. Margie hailed from Melbourne, Arkansas, and was also born into a musical inclined family. Together, they began to sing gospel and country duets with John on guitar as well as vocals and Margie joining him.

The Cooks began their professional career in 1947 on the radio. They soon appeared on different stations, including border town stations like XEG (Fort Worth, Texas), XERF (Del Rio, Texas), XERB (San Diego, California) and also did a couple of TV appearances. Probably their first recording was released in either late 1958 or early 1959 on the Volunteer label. A Starday custom press, it featured two of the couple's originals, "The Love I Have for You" / "Do I Have to Stay Alone" (Volunteer #737), credited to "John and Margie Cook and the White River Boys." The name of the band drew probably from the White River in Arkansas, which is located south of Cord and west of Melbourne. The label already showed a Memphis adress (1745 Lamar Avenue), so the Cooks likely lived in Memphis at that time.

Another record of John and Margie appeared in 1965 on the Dot label, coupling "River of Love" b/w "I'll Take Down Your Shingle." It was around that time that John founded Blake Records in Memphis. The initial release on the label had Hershel Jeanes, accompanied by Dotye Dee and her Rhythmaires, with "Let Me Start with You" b/w "Guess Tonight I'll Make the Bars Downtown" (Blake #2-200). Interestingly, this very first release had a completely different, simpler, label design than waht would follow. Jeanes had a second single out with Dee on Zone as well as further releases on Blake. Dee also recorded for Yesteryear Records in her own right. Billboard reported in January 1965, that Jeanes and Dee took part in a benefit show that was held at the Linden Circle Theater (then known as the "Mid-South Opry House"). Other artists included Eddie Bond, Roland Eaton, the Davis Brothers among others. Jim Wells acted as the show's emcee.

The next known release on Blake was by Roland Eaton, "Married in Church" b/w "My Baby Walks All Over Me" (Blake #2-202). Eaton was a country singer from Arkanas. Born in 1935 in Ravenden, Northeast Arkansas, he was the emcee of the Mid-South Jamboree in the 1960s, appeared with Gene Williams' Country Junction show in 1968 and also had his own show on KAIT in the late 1960s. He would go on to record for Capitol 1968-1971 but later quit the music business.

Roland Eaton during an appearance on Ernest Tubb's
Midnight Jamboree in June 1967.

However, a release date for neither Jeanes' nor Eaton's single is not known. It is Sue Simpson's "The Great Tornado" (Blake #2-216) which can be dated as 1966; all releases prior to her single have to be issued around 1965/1966. Due to missing reliable sources such as Billboard reviews or matrix numbers, it is difficult to date early releases on Blake. By 1970, John Cook was using Precision's pressing plant in Nashville, which makes it easier to estimate the release dates because of the plant's matrix code.

John and Margie also released their own recordings on Blake. The first was "Till You Come Home" / "You Were Not Around" on Blake #2-211. During the next years, they would cut another five records plus an entire album. Early Blake labels show 498 Lundee Street in Memphis as adress but soon after, the label would move to 3291 Park Avenue (as seen on Blake #2-215). Both streets are located in residential zones, thus it is likely John ran the label from their home. It is also likely he didn't operate his own studio but rented other facilities in Memphis. In any event, the business seems to have been more a custom label than a professional record business. Nevertheless, Cook had his own publishing firm "John Cook Music" (whereby most of the recorded material was published) as well as another label, Marble Hill Records, which came into existence in 1968. According to Colin Escott, Marble Hill was co-owned by Memphis singer Howard Chandler, who also had the debut release on the label.

The label's output was similar to what John and Margie were singing: gospel, bluegrass, country, and some upbeat country music thrown in from time to time. There were at least 123 45rpm records on Blake and the Cook's album. A short Billboard mention in its November 18, 1972, issue, describes Blake as "one of the mainstays in country in Memphis." The last known single is "Country Waltz" b/w "Golden Slippers" by Dusty Ray Sawyer on Blake 2-232 in 1977.

John and Margie, however, had another record out in the 1970s on the Sardis label, "I'll Take Down Your Shingle" / "River of Love" (Sardis #5 5716). The picture sleeve of the record stated it was recorded at Arthur Smith's studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, so this was possibly a re-recording of their earlier Dot single. 

John Cook died in 1983 and was buried at Memorial Hill Gardens in Memphis. By the time of his passing, the Cooks lived in West Memphis, Arkansas.

 Discography

Release dates are estimated from pressing plant matrix numbers and stampers on record labels.

2-200: Hershel Jeanes - Let Me Start with You / Guess Tonight I'll Make the Bars Downtown

2-201: John & Margie Cook - Oh God, Please Bring My Daddy Back / Cabin in the Mountain

2-202: Roland Eaton – Married in Church / My Baby Walks All Over Me

2-203: Paul Cecil – Brink of Tears / Melba from Melbourne

2-204: Wayne Raney – I'm in Love /My Beautiful Bouquet

2-205: Ray Arnold – Blues in My Heart / Ballad of Lefty Bill

2-206: Glen Chandler – Soft Lips / Glen & Margie Chandler - Heart Breaker

2-207: Don Osment – Honky Tonk & Booze / I'll Take You Back Again

2-208: Clyde & Marie Denney - Little Kentucky Mountain Home / Johnny's Breakdown

2-209: Wilma New – It’s Too Late Now / Wilma New / Mack Self – It’s Time to Cry

2-210: Bud & Joyce Murry – I'm Stuck in Jackson / Joyce Murry – I'll Keep on Loving You

2-211: John & Margie Cook - Till You Come Home / You Were Not Around

2-212: Audrey Maupin - God Calls His Children Each By Name / Precious Lord

2-213: Clyde & Mary Denney with Blue Grass Mountain Boys – What’s Wrong with You, My Darlin / Sally Is a Dandy

2-214: Lloyd Arnold - Million Miles to Nowhere / Time Enough to Die

2-215: Bud and Joyce Murry - Tiny Raindrops / Ain't Gonna Worry

2-216: Sue Simpson –  Soldier in Viet Nam / The Great Tornado (1966)

2-217: Hershel Jeanes – Tonight I’ll Join the Crowd / Loves Come Back

2-218: Frank Milam - The Big Ole Jug of Wine / Money in My Pockets (Money in My Shoes)

2-219: Margie Griffin – More Than My Heart Could Understand / Fine Feathers Do Not Make a Fine Bird

2-220: Audrey Laird - Blues in My Heart / Jambalaya (on the Bayou)
2-221: John Daniel - Walk Right Through the Door / I Still Do
2-222: Marlon Grisham - Queen of the City / You're the Rose for Me
2-223: Bobby Joe Boyels - The Wedding Is Over / You're Gonna Hate Yourself
2-224: John & Margie Cook - Mama and Papa / You, the Judge and Me
2-225: Edith Caviness - I'm Not Here / Too Wet to Plow

2-226: Hershel Jeanes & Dotye Dee – The Gentle Judge / Stronger Than Pride

2-227: John & Margie Cook – Wire My Grave with Country Music / ?

2-228:

2-229: Charlie (Slim) Knight – The Outcast / Money Can’t Buy True Love

2-230: Ray Arnold - The Old Man's Outlook on Life / Why Must Man Love Woman

2-231: Sharon Peel - The Gossip Line / It's All Over Now

2-232: The Peggy Carey Story (Interviewed by Jim Wells) / ?

2-233: Marie Roberson – The Patriot / Shadow Path

2-234: Ronnie Parnell – I’m a Fool for Loving You / Everything Changes

2-235:
2-236: Joe T Gibson - Meet Me on the Other Side of Town / Arkansas Boy
2-237:
2-238: Sam & Kay Neal - I Can't Feel the Pain / Dear Angel (1971)
2-239: Martin K. Neal, Jr. - Please Forgive Me / I'll Die Ten Thousand Times (1971)

2-240: Babe Sanders – Last Glass of Wine / Ballad of Ma and Pa

2-241 
2-242: Sam & Kay Neal - If I'm Not Here / Etty Bitty Josephine (1971)
2-243:
2-244:
2-245: Hershel Jeanes - Will There Be Beer Joints in Heaven / Just Because
2-246: Clyde & Marie Denney and the Kentuckians - Southbound / Forty Years Ago
2-247: Kay Neal - I'll Take the Stand Tomorrow / Sam & Kay Neal - (Answer to) Hello Darling

2-248: Joe T. Gibson – Team of Mules / Television (1971)

2-249: Ross Lewis - Right As Rain / After I'm Gone
2-250: John Cook - Old Maids Can Love You / A Soldier in Vietnam
2-251: Sam & Kay Neal - My Love Is Gone / We're Gonna Live with Him Someday (1971)
2-252:
2-253: Lloyd Baker - The Song About Jesus / The Endless Time of Eternity
2-254: Sam & Kay Neal - Dozen Red Roses / Sam Neal - Tear Drops in Her Eyes (1971)
2-255: Willie Eiland - Do What You Want to Do / Shoveling (1971)

2-256: Martha Panell – Mister D.J. / Sad Movies

2-257: Sam & Kay Neal - Let's All Party / I've Got a Bobcat By the Tail

2-258: Clyde & Marie Denny and the Kentuckians - Clinging Vine / Ann

2-259: Sam & Kay Neal – They Call Me Orphan / Cold Lonely Heart

2-260: Sam & Kay Neal - I Need You for Real / Springtime in Mississippi

2-261: Sam Neal - Don't Call My Name / Lifetime of Sorrow

2-262: Marion D. Brewer – Too Much to Lose / She’s Been Asking About Me

2-263: Sam & Kay Neal – She's an Angel to Me / I'm Disowned

2-264: Sam and Kay Neal - Sweetheart, My Queen / Pay Day on the Country Road

2-265: Alvie Addison, III – Sanlorsa / Never Forget Mama

2-266: Farrell Dunkin - 8 to 12 / I Turned Her Heart to Stone

2-267: Stewart Douglas – Pass Me By / It’s Not Love But It’s Not Bad

2-268: Farrell Dunkin - Me and Loniless / Fire, Wind and Rain

2-269: James “Juicy” Joel – I Bought the Blues / Crying on the Inside

2-270: Billy Joe Mack – Loneliness / Hold Back Tomorrow

2-271: Southern Ramblers – Our Love Has Ended (vocal by Jean Wilkinson) / Letting Her Love Destroy My Mind (vocal by David Seal)

2-272: Jimmy “Red” Wiggins – Don’t Burn the Bridges / The Ache of a Fool

2-273: Ray Mitcham – You’re Welcome Once More / They Say Today’s Thanksgiving

2-274: Ray Mitcham – Wish I Had a Nickel / Winds of Change

2-275:
2-276:
2-277: Ronnie Hughes - Nashville, You Got a Hold on Me / Six Nights in Vegas
2-278: Jimmy "Red" Wiggins – Roadsigns of Your Heart / When I Hear Your Name (1973/74)
2-279:
2-280: John Cook - Corn Stalk Annie / John and the Water Moccasin (1974)

2-281: Sue Neal – The Image of Me / Truck Driver’s Sweetheart

2-282: Sam Higdon - Dear Mr. President / Courage to Try (1974)

2-283: Sue Neal – Our Rig / Only One True Love

2-284:

2-285: Jessey Higdon – Pay Telephone / Polk Salad Time on the Mississippi

2-286: John & Margie Cook – Eight Miles from Home / Because We Cheated

2-287: Gene Stilley – Angels Play Guitars / It’s Hard to Get Up Once You’ve Been Down

2-288: Bud Rateliff – I’m Not Gonna Be Your Fall Guy Any More / You Left a Stain on My Heart

2-289:

2-290: Clinton McKinney - My Only Reason to Stay / I Throwed It All in a U-Haul

2-291: John Cook – John and the School Teacher / Margie Cook – Kiss Me Love (1974/75)

2-292: John Cook - John and the Billygoat / Margie Cook - Sitting in a Bar Room for the First Time

2-293: Farrell Dunkin – Broadway Flower / 8 to 12

2-294: Lisa Adams - Ain't It Good to Be in Love Again / Benny, the Bald Knob Buffalo

2-295: Wilson Brothers – Trail of the Lonesome Pine / Let Me Live One More Time (1975)

2-296: Con Brewer – Loving You / Dreams

2-297: Merv Landon - Me and Bobby McGee / Four in the Morning

2-298: Scotty Day – No Pickin in the Corner / What Would I Give

2-299: Gary Abbott – Bar Room Angel / Living in a World of Miseries

2-300: Dee Proctor – As the World Keeps on Turning / Walk with Me

2-301: Scotty Day - Baby I'm Crying / Scotty & Rachel Day - Gonna Jump, Drown or Hang (3 Ways to Go)

2-302:

2-303: John & Margie Cook – Would You Call Jesus Hippie / Mama and Papa

2-304: Sue Neal - Trying to Forget You / Clouds to Glory

2-305:

2-306:

2-307: Jim McKee – She Makes Me Glad That I’m Alive / I’ve Got Heartaches and Trouble on My Mind

2-308: Jim McKee - If It Hadn't Been for You / Yours and Mine
2-309:
2-310:
2-311:
2-312: Joe T. Gibson - I'm the Loving Kind / It Hurts
2-313: Sue Neal - If She Can't Go to You / You'll Be Sorry
2-314:
2-315: Lucille Vandiver - Nestle in the Arms of Jesus / Just Let Me Make It Home Lord
2-316:
2-317: Southern Comfort - A Light in Her Eyes / Let's Talk It Over
2-318:

2-319: Paulette Cruzon – Yesterdays, Darling, Are Gone / One You Left So Blue
2-320:
2-321:
2-322: Dusty Ray Sawyer – Shannon Waltz / Joys of Quebec (1977)
2-323: Dusty Ray Sawyer – Country Waltz / Golden Slippers (1977)

Thanks to DrunkenHob, Peter, Jack Hill, Mark C., Eric, Bayou Bum

Gene Wester acetate

Gene Wester & the Goodtime Band - Borrowed Angel / A Thing Called Sadness (acetate)

When I bought this disc around 2014, I had no information on neither Gene Wester & the Goodtime Band nor on Echols Recording. It came from Los Angeles to me and I guessed it was a Bakersfield related disc. But that was not the case. In 2016, Wester's son gave us a little insight. Wester was a local Fort Worth, Texas, country music singer and performed around the city's honky tonks and joints. He recorded this disc in 1975 or 1976 in a garage in Fort Worth.

If there is more info out there, feel free to pass it along.

"Borrowed Angel" was a #7 country hit for Mel Street on the Royal American record label. Written by Street, he recorded it originally in 1970 for the small Tandem label and after some good airplay, Royal American picked it up and released it nationwide in 1972. Street had several more top ten hits in the following years but committed suicide in 1978. He had been fighting depression and alcohol problems for some time then.
 

Lee Finn on Rose

  Lee Finn - Lonesome Road (Rose No.#), 1962
Lee Finn was born Dwain Lee Voorhies in 1926, in Greentop, Missouri. I won't cover his entire biography here, mainly because Shane Hughes has featured him on his highly informative Rockabilly Hall page. But let me say a couple of things about Finn. His life remains, in spite of Hughes' efforts, mostly undocumented. The only interview Finn gave was in the 1970s, when Rockin' Ronnie Weiser was able to track him down.

Today's selection was Finn's last release. Both original composition, I chose to present "Lonesome Road" here. It was released in 1962 on the Rose label, which origin is not known. Finn had recorded previously for Stardust (1957), and Westport (1959). He died in 1999.

Tennessee Hayloft Jamboree

The Tennessee Hayloft Jamboree, a live stage show from Chattanooga, Tennessee, still misses a well-grounded documentation. Although the show does not share the historial importance with such formats as the Grand Ole Opry or the Louisiana Hayride, it is nevertheless an interesting part of local Tennessee music culture and worth a detailed story as well.

According to Billboard, the show began its run on July 25, 1953, at the Chattanooga Memorial Auditorium. The show lasted three hours; one our was broadcast through a network of six different stations from Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. Another one-hour portion was carried by WGAC in Chattanooga.

Headliners of the show were three local acts: Bob Sanders, the Hixson Playboys and the Signal Mountain Gang. Though, the show's cast was made up of 42 different local singers and bands. Les Morrison, from WDXB in Chattanooga, was "heading the details," according to Billboard (whatever that means).

The show aired at least until 1954, judging from a 1954 article in Cowboy Songs No. 32 by Bobby Gregory. If anyone has more information or memories he would like to share, please leave a comment below or feel free to send me an email (adress can be seen on my profile page).

Indio Records

The Indio label was founded by country and rockabilly singer Bill Carter in 1961. It was first located in Modesto, California, but moved to Emeryville soon after the first two releases.

Born on December 11, 1929, in Eagleton, Arkansas, Carter's family moved to Broken Bow, Oklahoma, when Carter was eight years old. A couple of years later, in 1943, the Carters once again changed homes and settled down in Idaho, California, where they made their living as farmers. At that time, Carter started his career as a singer and landed a spot on KREO in Indio (hence probably the name of his label).

From 1950 up to 1953, he served the US Air Force and upon his return, he made a guest appearance at Cottonseed Clark's TV show "Hoffman Hayride" and started his recording career. His first disc was released in 1954 on the 4 Star label ("Making Believe" / "More Than a Man Can Stand," 4 Star X 91). During the next years, he would record for such labels as Republic (1956), Tally (1957-1958), Black Jack, Showboat and Challenge (all 1959), Ozark, Honey B (both 1960), Checker (1960), D (1961) and others.

Cal Veale (left) and Bill Carter holding a Jim Reeves record,
penned by Veale.

Carter was also a DJ. He was on KBOX (Modesto) as well as KPIX (San Francisco) and appeared regularly at the Riverbank Clubhouse in Riverbank, California, in 1956. Around the time he recorded "Shot Four Times and Dy'in" / "Stranger, Shake Hands with a Fool" for D in 1961, he also founded Indio Records. One of Carter's business partners was Cal Veale, who acted as a producer and songwriter for the label. Veale had tried his luck in the recording business unsuccessfully in 1956, when he recorded one single with the Howard Reading Trio ("Don't Cry Baby" / "Standing on the Edge of Nowhere," Las Vegas #1237). Veale owned a recording studio in Modesto, where probably most of the Indio recordings were cut. Larry McGill, who had one release on Indio under his own name, also appeared on a couple of Indio releases as a songwriter. As Carter remembers, he played bass on many of the Indio recordings. Del Reeves was also at some point part of the studio band.

It appears almost all known releases were issued in 1961, as many Billboard reviews document. However, one disc is certainly from 1969 ("Camille" / "Now I'm a Star" by the Stage Hands, Indio #8692), judging from the Southern Plastics matrix code. At that time, Carter had already left the business, as he confirmed to me. The Stage Hands, which included Clyde Arnold, simply took label name and design from him. Arnold also wrote one of the songs, "Camille" and had recorded the classic "Black Smoke and Blue Tears" in 1961 for Indio. He was once described by Carter as a "leather jacketed hoodlum." This 1969 release, however, shows the label's location as Newark, California.

Nevertheless, Indio was a  short-lived affair for Carter. He became a Christian in October that same year and turned to Gospel music. Nowadays, he is retired but has recorded some sides with his wife.

An interview with Bill Carter can be found here. 

Discography

Indio IN-1 

Jimmy North / Jack Mashburn Band 

Leavin' Town (Jim Hostetter) / I Know I'm to Blame  ()

A / B

1961

Indio IN-2

Ray Smith and his Oklahoma Outlaws 

You've Heard About Texas (Ray Smith) / Bluer Than Blue (Ray Smith)

A / B

1961

Indio IN-3

Dave Miller with Joe Richie and the Impossibles

Froggy Went A'Rockin' (Arr. Dave Miller) / With You (Dave Miller)

A / B

1961

Indio IN-4

Bob Gordon with Slim Williams and the Blue Valley Boys

Why Make Believe (Bob Gordon) / It's Not Easy to Forget (Bob Gordon)

A /  B

Indio 605
Ralph Hill with Roy Henderson and the Arkies
There Goes My Baby () / Sweet Love ()

Indio IN-606

Clyde Arnold

Black Smoke and Blue Tears (C. Arnold; C. Veale) / Livin' for Your Lovin' (C. Arnold; C. Veale; McGill)

A / B

1961

Indio IN-607

Larry McGill with the Echo-Tones

I Want a True Love () / I Only Wish ()

A / B

1961

Indio IN-608

Clint Marrs and the Saddle-ites

Love and Money (Clint Marrs) / A Million Memories (Bob Morphew)

A / B

Indio IN-609

Ruthe Dee

I Want a True Lover (Bill Carter; McGill) / Tears on the Rocks (Ruthe Dee)

A / B

Indio 8692

Stage Hands

Camille (Clyde Arnold) / Now I'm a Star (Nancy Tester)

SO: 7398 / SO: 7399 (Southern)

1969

Thanks to DrunkenHobo, Svein Martin Pedersen