Derrell Felts - Texas Rock & Roll

Another re-upload of this Texas based rockabilly artist. The demo tapes Felts and his band laid down for Jack Rhodes are incredible good and fine examples of raw, sheer rockabilly. I hope everyone had some nice Christmas days and enjoys this compilation.

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Marlon Grisham on Blake

  Marlon Grisham - Queen of the City (Blake 2-222), 1968
Both the label and the artist have covered on this blog before. Blake Records was owned by John Cook. This record by Marlon Grisham is from 1968 but I didn't even know it exists until recently, when I purchased it. Grisham is most famous for his 1959 Cover recording "Ain't That a Dilly" but also recorded a fair amount of other songs on Memphis labels. He passed away in 2004.

Read more:

• Blake Records story

• Marlon Grisham on Cover

Ray Harris - Greenback Dollar

This one's by request. My first selfmade compilation... Thanks Matt, you know why!
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Big Jim Edwards

Big Jim Edwards (Clearpool 102), prob. 1965   "So Undecided"    "Long Line of Sorrow"
Here are two neat little country outings by Big Jim Edwards, judging from his voice an elder singer already back then. You can read more about the Clearpool label here. I assume the componist of "So Undecided," Evelyn Edwards, was Jim's wife. I couldn't find anything on the writer of the other side except that his full name was H. Curtis Marshall.

Big Jim Edwards sings in a nasal country style here, similar to Billy Wallace. Before hearing the disc, I guessed he was the same Big Jim Edwards that was a DJ on several pop radio statios across the US, including in Memphis for some time. I have changed my mind by now - but who knows?

The same Big Jim Edwards? Probably not!

Clearpool

Clearpool Records Inc.

Clearpool Records Inc. was most likely owned by Memphis bassist Bill Black and located in Memphis, Tennessee. Clearpool was named after a popular night spot in the city, the "Clearpool" restaurant, an entertainment complex that also included a swimming pool. The released recordings were published through Black's Lyn-Lou Publishing company.

Bill Black

The label was set up in the first half of 1965. During the previous six years, Black had been very successful nationally with his "Bill Black Combo" and toured with the Beatles in 1964. The founding of Clearpool was possibly one of his last activities in the music business; Black was diagnosed with cerebral tumor and died on October 21, 1965, in Memphis.

Due to Black's passing in 1965, the label was only a short-lived affair. Memphis music vetetan Marlon Grisham had the initial release on the label (#101), it was his last rock'n'roll record. Clearpool #102 was by Big Jim Edwards, "So Undecided" b/w "Long Line of Sorrow," two country performances. I first suspected this to be the same Big Jim Edwards, who was a popular DJ on different stations, including CKLW, but this one was more of a 1960s pop and rock lover. The Edwards on Clearpool sounds more like an older country artist. Also on the label were Billy and the Fabulous Echoes as well as Dennis Turner, who sang with Bill Black's Combo at that time.

You can find more info on Clearpool #103 at DeadWax.

Discography
101: Marlon Grisham - Why Did She Go / Jungle Love (1965)
102: Big Jim Edwards - So Undecided / Long Line of Sorrow
103: Billy and the Fabulous Echoes - Just Love Me Right / Jump and Shout
4002: Dennis Turner - Roll On / Confused

Thanks to DrunkenHobo

More Willie Gregg...

  Willie Gregg - Rebel (Bridge-Way 1003), 1968
I presented a superb version of Merle Haggard's "If You Want to Be My Woman" by Gregg here. Today's disc is more of a teen record with a slight country feel, which is more promiment on the flip "A Heart Afraid to Break." As it turns out, I'm still not able to come up with some assured information on him. My assumption is that he was a local artist, active in the Orange-Port Arthur area in Texas. I have evidence he recorded in the 1960s for four different labels at least, three of them of Texan origin. Here a short overview:

Kay-Bar Dane KBD-044: Willie Gregg and the Velvetones - You Fool / I'll Find You (1966/67) 
Ringo 2001: Willie Gregg - You Fool / How Long (poss. ca. 1968)
Bridge-Way 1003: Willie Gregg - Rebel / A Heart Afraid to Break (1968)
Waterflow 702: Willie Gregg and the Country Kings - She's No Good / If You Want to Be My Woman (1969)

The Kay-Bar Dane label was based in Orange, Texas, near the Texas-Louisiana state border. Waterflow was run by Tee Bruce in Port Arthur, which is located less than 20 miles southwest of Orange. I have no info on the Bridge-Way label except for the fact it was pressed by Houston Recorders, just as the Waterflow and Kay-Bar Dane discs were.

There is a fourth single on the Crowley, Lousiana, based Ringo label, which features a slightly different take of "You Fool." Crowley is located about 111 miles east of Gregg's usual stomping ground Port Arthur, so I have no explanation how he ended up in Crowley.

BMI lists Willie Gregg with seven different compositions, two of them as Willie Clyde Gregg. The majority of these songs were published by Tabitha Publ. of Livingston, Texas. There was a Willie Gregg from Groves, Texas, who was born on February 20, 1940, and died on September 10, 2005. Groves is located in the Port Arthur/Nederland/Port Neches area. Probably our man?

George Hamilton IV on ABC-Paramount

  George Hamilton IV - If You Don't Know (ABC-Paramount 45-9765), 1956
Although I have to admit that I am neither an expert on his life nor on his recordings, I always considered George Hamilton IV a great artist. His "Abilene" hit recording is one of the best from that period but he was also versant with the rockabilly sound, as "If You Don't Know" as well as his other great rocker "Everybody's Body" testifiy. 

Born on July 19, 1937, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as George Hege Hamilton IV, he came - in contrast to the majority of country singers of his era - from a relatively worthy family. Hamilton's father was vice president and manager of a company in Winston-Salem. Growing up in a city, Hamilton enjoyed many of the advantages of urban life a country boy could not. One of those was going to the cinema, where he would see the movies of the singing cowboys. His love for country music was stimulated by his grandfather, a railroader, who had many of the old Jimmie Rodgers records. Hamilton would also listen to the Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville every Saturday evening.

Hamilton learned to play guitar and formed a band while at high school. The outfit performed at local gatherings, civic events and social meetings. By 1955, he attended the University of North Carolina and then the American University in Washington, D.C., which enabled him to perform on the Jimmy Dean TV Show.

In the summer of 1956 came his first big break. Hamilton knew Orville Campbell, who owned Colonial Records in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He persuaded Campbell to sign him to a recording contract and recorded a first session for the label in March 1956 at the WUNC Swain Hall at the University of North Carolina that produced "I've Got a Secret" and "Sam." On that date, Hamilton was backed by Joseph Tanner on electric lead guitar and Henry Heitman on bass. Though, those titles were reserved initially.

When John D. Loudermilk, at that time also a young and unknown songwriter, pitched a song entitled "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" to Campbell, Hamilton was given the chance to record it. In return to recording Loudermilk's teen ballad, Hamilton was also allowed to cut one of his originals, the rockabilly tune "If You Don't Know." Campbell set up a second session again at WUNC Swain Hall on June 18, 1956, which resulted in recording both songs that day. In addition to Hamilton, Tanner, and Heitman, drummer Dennis Beams and a vocal group called "The Blue Notes" were added for the recording of "A Rose and a Baby Ruth." On "If You Don't Know" however, the trio turned into a great rockabilly performance with a strong rhythm guitar by Hamilton, a sophisticated lead guitar by Tanner, and a deep, slapping bass by Heitman.

Billboard review on September 1, 1956

Billboard review on October 20, 1956

It was released in late summer 1956 on  Colonial #420 credited to "George Hamilton IV and the Country Gentlemen", followed by a national release through the ABC-Paramount label (ABC-Paramount #45-9765). It was "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" that caught on and eventually peaked at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100. The record became a million-selling hit and catapulted Hamilton into stardom. He was transferred to the ABC-Paramount label and recorded more teen pop material, similar to "A Rose and a Baby Ruth." His only other pure rocker, "Everybody's Body," again showed his love for a solid rockabilly sound.

In 1959, Hamilton moved his family to Nashville, in order to establish himself as a country singer. In 1960, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and singed with RCA-Victor. Country hits followed, including the No.1 "Abilene," written by Loudermilk and Bob Gibson. The hits faded in the early 1970s but Hamilton remained active, especially as a live act. He undertook wide tours around the world, which earned him the nickname "The International Ambassador of Country Music." George Hamilton IV died September 17, 2014, in Nashville.

Another Lightning Ball 45

   Slim Dortch - Below the Dixie Line (Lightning Ball LB-45-8701), ca. 1993

Here we have another of Slim Dortch's late Lightning Ball releases. In addition to the two I had found earlier, I discovered there were two more of them around. This is one of them. While "Below the Dixie Line" was included on Dortch's 1993 album of the same name, the flip side "I Found Happiness" saw first and only release on this 45rpm record. It is certainly from the same session as all his other 1990s Lightning Ball material. I wonder if there are more of these discs around...

ART Records

The ART record label 

Harold Doane's ART label out of Miami is mainly well-known for its Calypso/Goombay music releases during the 1950s. Mike Callahan has compiled an excellent overview of Art's complete longplay album output on "Both Sides Now Publications." What has been largely neglected by researchers is Art's 45rpm releases. 

Harold E. Doane set up his recording studio early in 1945  on 304 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach and called it "American Recording and Transcription Service, Inc." At first, Doane did not record music but weddings, funerals and parties for private use only. It was probably in the late 1940s, when Doane released his first 78rpm EP discs. Somtimes between 1949 and 1951, Doane moved his business to Miami on 2185 NW 79th Street. At some point in the 1950s, he again changed locations and settled on 1224 NW 119th Street in Miami. Also sometimes between 1952 and 1956, Doane renamed his company "Art Records, Inc." and eventually to "Art Records Manufacturing Company." In 1960, Doane changed locations one last time and moved his studio to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In 1951, Doane signed a contract with Charlie Freeman from the Royal Victoria Hotel in Nassau to record the local musicians that were appearing at the hotel. The first of those artists was Blind Blake Higgs, a black calypso musician that appeared regularly at the hotel. Two albums appeared in 1951 and 1952. In addition, Doane released "John B. Sails" by Blind Blake Higgs on a 78rpm single in 1952. Around 1955, Doane began releasing also 45rpm records from local groups and singers. Tommy Spurlin recorded his classic rockabilly sides in 1956 for Art, followed by Kent Westberry, Randy Luck, The Roxsters, and more. 

Doane also released discs for Panama's and Costa Rica's record markets. From the 1960s onwards until Art's close-down in 1979, Doane concentrated on recording local groups and releasing the results on LPs. A detailed view on Art's LP material can be seen on Both Sides Now Publications.

ART 45rpm (and 78 & 33 rpm) Discography

Art 2

Blind Blake and his Royal Victoria Calypsos

John B. Sails (n.c.) / ?

Art 500

Blind Blake Higgs

My Name is Asta (n.c.) / Those Good Ol' Asta Boys (n.c.)
Presented by the Nassauu Bahamas Development Board Convention May 3-7, 1956

Art AEP-3
Blind Blake and his Royal Victoria Calypsos
Run-Come-See, Jerusalem (n.c.) / Love Alone (n.c.)
2-A
Lord, Got Tomatoes (n.c.) / My Pigeon Gone Wild (n.c.)
2-B
"A Songs of the Islands Production, Nassau, Bahamas"

Art AEP-4
Blind Blake and his Royal Victoria Calypsos
Peas and Rice (n.c.) / Little Nassau 1891 (n.c.)
1-A
John B. Sail (Wreck of the John B.) (n.c.) / A Conch Ain't Got No Bone (n..c)
"A Songs of the Island Production, Nassau, Bahamas" 

Art AEP-4
 Blind Blake and his Royal Victoria Calypsos
Gin and Coconut Water (n.c.) / Sara Jane (n.c.)
2-A
Foolish Frog (n.c.) / Hold 'Im Joe-Jump in the Line-Wheel and Turn Me (n.c.)
2-B
"A Songs of the Islands Production, Nassau, Bahamas"   

Art AEP-14
George Symonette and his Calypso Sextette
Peas and Rice (n.c.) / Sponger Money (n.c.)
ART AEP 14 1-A
Delia Gone (n.c.) / Eight Babies (n.c.)
ART AEP 14 1-B
"A Bahama Records, Ltd. Production, Nassau, Bahamas"

Art AEP-26
Fifi Barton & Don Miller 
with the Sandpipers & the Three Thirds
Song of the Barefoot Mailman (Graff-Leach-Armentrout) / 100 Years from Today (Young-Washington-Young)
Why I Was Born () / Doodle Doo Doo ()    

Art LR-103
Frankie Anderson with Billy Cook's Calypsos
The Limbo Song (Rost)
ART LR-103-1
Harold (Digby) McNair with Billy Cook's Calypsos
Zombie Jamboree (Back-to-Back, Belly-to-Belly) (n.c.)
ART LR-103-2  

Art 45-C-109

Tommy Spurlin with the Southern Boys

Hang Loose () / One-Eyed Sam ()

1 / 2

1956

Note: Both songs were previously released on Perfect 45-C-109. The Art version feature overdubbed drums.

Art 45-C-157

Rudy Lewis and the Sputniks

Moonbeam (Rudasill) / Beer, Beer, and More Beer! (Rusasill)

1 / 2

Art 45-160

The Four Bits

Don't Call Me (I'll Call You) (Watson-Evans-Cary-Zadeh) / Trouble on the Cable To-Night (Watson-Evans-Cary-Zadeh)

Art 45-170

Randy Luck / Tommy Miles, Guitar

I Was a Teen-Age Cave Man (Luck) / Twelve O'Clock (Luck)

1 / 2

1958

Billboard pop review on June 9, 1958

Art 45-172

Kent Westberry and the Chaperones

My Baby Don't Rock Me (Westberry) / No Place to Park (Westberry)

1 / 2

1958

Note: Art 45-172 was re-released soon after on Trail A-103.

Art 45-174

Kent Westberry with the Chaperones

Turkish Doghouse Rock () / Popcorn and Candy Bars (Ruth Hardt)

1 / 2

1958

Art 175

The Roxsters

So Long (Ward-Johnson) / Goodbye Baby (Ward-Johnson)

1 / 2

1958

Art 178
The Short Cuts
Mi-Am-Mi Lonely for Miami (Smiley-McCord) / Muskrat Ramble (Gilbert-Ory)
178-1 / 178-2

Art 181
Sammy Walsh
The Lawyer (I Think He Tripped Me!) (Roberts-Fisher-Walsh) / I'm Breaking My Back for Beck ()
ART-181-1 / ART-181-2

Art 184

Rico Bertoni with the Dante Trio

Stay Here with Me (Modugno) / Ti Diró (Bracchi-D'Anzi)

ART 184-1 / ART 184-2

Art 191

The Danny Bridge Trio

All By Myself () / Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime ()

Art 198
The Echoes
Wild Mother (Makol-Lewis-Ahern) / Every Second of the Day (Kenny Ahern)
1 / 2

Art 200
Lucho Azcarraga y su Conjunto
La Bala (Arturo C. Hassan) / El Galope De Mi Caballo (L. Azcaragga)
200-1 / 200-2  

Art 210

 Bob Bellows

Chippewa Town (Sedaka-Greenfield)

1

Ronnie Kemper

The Doodle Bug Song (Kemper-Hillman)

2

Art 212

Bob Bellows

Stranger at the Fair () / Yes, You Can in Spokane ()

1974

Art 1003

Lucho Azcarrago y su Conjunto

Tengo Un Novio (Luis Séptimo Dominguez) / Guarare (Ricardo Fábrega)

Note: This was a Costa Rican release. 

Art 1004

Lucho Azcarrago y su Conjunto

Taboga (Ricardo Fábrega) / Dice Que Me Qiere (T. Plicet)

Note: This was a Costa Rican release. 

Art LLP-2009
Soroya
Miserlou (n.c.) / Is Kadara (n.c.)
Soroya's Dance (n.c.) 
"Arranged & Directed by: Mickey Farah"
 

Glolite Records

William E. "Bill" Glore's Glo-Lite record label and recording studio was located on 625 Chelsea Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. Although Glo-Lite record labels often showed different adresses, it seems the studio was (at least until 1972) located on Chelsea Ave. Other adresses shown on labels included: 760 Los Angeles - Memphis, Tennessee (Glolite #103) and 1366 Cherry Road - Memphis, Tennessee (Glolite #95), 4081 Jackson - Memphis, Tennessee (Glolite #98). Both the label and the studio were established in 1968 by Glore.

In addition to engineering the sessions and producing many of the Glolite records, Glore offered his studio for custom recording. Martin Hawkins produced a session at Glolite when recording Charlie Feathers, Malcolm Yelvington, and Red Hadley (brother of Jay Hadley, who also recorded for Glolite) in 1974. The results were released on a Shelby County EP #001. 

Glolite GL 92

Southwind Symphony

Your Love Is Fading (George L. Pride) / Coming Home (George L. Pride)

"Produced by: Kenneth Smith for Albatros Production Co."

Glolite GL-93
Buck Ridley and the Band-ettes
Hot Tears (on Cold Cheeks) (B. Ridley) / Bad Luck Day (B. Ridley)
"Prod. by Bill Glore & Buck Ridley"
"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."
"Recorded at Glo-Lite Studios, 4081 Jackson Ave, Memphis, Tenn."

Glolite GL-94
Buster Brown and the Showmakers
Closer Girl (B. Fuller; J. Benson) / ?
4-1270-B2 / ?
"Prod. by Lucky Three Productions"
"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville Tenn."

Glolite GL-95

Charlie Bee and the Cockleburs

Life (Early, Bradfield, Fuller) / Lonely Tears (Early, Bradfield)

333A / 333B

"Prod. by Mace Productions"

"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville Tenn."

Glolite GL 96

John Hendricks & the Moonriders

Moonrider Pt. 1 (E. Adcock & J. Hendricks) / Moonrider Pt. 2 (E. Adcock & J. Hendricks)

96 A / 96 B

"Produdced by: Edward L. Adcock"

"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."

"Recorded at Glo-Lite Studios, 4081 Jackson Ave, Memphis, Tenn."

Glolite GL-97
The Excentrics
Hold Me Tight (I Feel So Fine Inside) (Ron Smith) / What Can I Do, What Can I Say
97-A / ?
"Prod. by R. Smith & B. Glore"
"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."

Glolite GL 98

Travis Lee

I Wish the Sun Would Shine (Travis Lee) / Then I'll Go (Travis Lee)

GL 9-17 A / GL 9-17 B

"Prod. by Travis Lee"

"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."

 
Glolite GL 99
Roy Jones
I Got Everything (Roy Jones) / Your Pilot Light Went Out (Roy Jones)
GL 12-20-A / GL 12-20-B
"Prod. by Johnny Brazil and Roy Jones"
"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."

Glolite GL 100

Jim Waldrip & the Tunedrops

Wino of the Year () / It Don't Hurt Much Anymore (Jim Waldrip)

? / GL 100 B

"Prod. by J. Green & C. Spencer"

"Dist. by Southern Records, Nashville, Tenn."

Glolite GL 102
Charlie Bee & Cockleburs
P. O. W. (Thurman Pruitt) / Average Worker ()
"Produced by Bill Glore & Lewis Willis"

Glolite 103

Dena Adams

Neglected Woman (Dena & Dusty Adams) / For Better or Worse (Dena & Dusty Adams)

9030 / 9031

Note: "Apr 26 1971" stamped on label.

Glolite GL-104

Jay Hadley 

Dance, Baby, Dance (W. Hadley, Jr.) /  Darlin' How Was I to Know (W. Hadley, Jr.)

9288 / 9289

"Prod. by Bill Glore & Jay Hadley"

Glolite GL-105
Johnny Moon
I Don't Want You to Go () / Mississippi Moon (McPeters, Cypert, Nichols)
? / 9727
"Produced by Bill Glore & O.L. Ervin"

Glolite CL 106

Roy Alden & the 6-S Aldenaires with the Memphis Sound Singers

How Do You Break an Angels Heart (Jesse Craig-Roy Alden) / Crazy Memories (Roy Alden)

106-A / 106-B

"Produced by Lewis Willis"

Glolite 107
Ray Austin
Love Is () / You Stole the Key ()

Glolite GL-108
Jay Hadley with the Memphis Sound Singers
Wearing Out My Shoes (W. Hadley Jr.) / I'm That Sure (That I Love You) (W. Hadley Jr.)
108-A / 108-B
“Produced By: Bill Glore & Jay Hadley”

Glolite GL-109

Paul England

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (Is the Hand That Rules the World) () / Heart Be Still (J. Hadley)

? / 109-B

Glolite GL 111

Jay Hadley

Come On and Be My Woman () / I Just Stopped to Say Goodbye ()

Glolite GL 112 

Donna Jean Bennett

#1 Fool (Donna Bennett & Les Isaacs) / You Can't See the Forrest ()

A-1 / ?

"Prod. by Ray Harris"

Glolite GL 113
Zeke Smith and the Cosmos Kids
So Near to Me (Jewel Smith) / Doll of a Woman ()
113 A / ?
"Producer: Jewel Smith"

Glolite No.#
Roland Eaton
This Woman Is Mine () / Don't Call Me I'll Call You ()

Thanks to DrunkenHob, the Discographer