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.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The Do-Ra-Me label

Murry Nash's Do-Ra-Me Records was based in Nashville, Tennessee. Nash was an influential but today mostly forgotten record producer during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. He worked for RCA-Victor and Mercury during the 1940s and almost became director of the Grand Ole Opry in the mid-1950s. However, Nash started to produce records for independent labels by 1955 and branched out on his own and established Ashna Music in the late 1950s. Ashna ("pig latin" for Nash) was the parent company to a couple of record labels operated by Nash during this time.

Billboard November 10, 1962, advertising of a Wayne Johnson record on Do-Ra-Me

Do-Ra-Me was launched in 1959. In early 1960, Nash bought Reavis Recording Studio in Nashville from Joe Reavis and established his "Recording of Nashville" studio there, which had been in the Cumberland Lodge Building from 1955 on. It can be assumed that a lot of the recordings on Do-Ra-Me were recorded at Sound of Nashville. Though, a couple of sessions were held at other facilities. Also, most of the songs were published by his Ashna Music. 


I was able to trace down single releases on Do-Ra-Me until ca. 1963. Around the same time, in 1964, Nash took a dayjob at the main post office in Nashville. He still ran his music operations up to 1970, then he retired from the music business.

You can listen to Charley Matthews' Do-Ra-Me single on Some Local Loser and to April Clarke's recordings also here.

Discography


Do-Ra-Me 1401
Jimmy Hurt and the Del Rios 
You Know, Darling (I’m In Love with You) (Collier-Richbourg) / Oh What a Feeling () 
F-790 / F-788

Do-Ra-Me 1402 
Wally Jeffery 
Oh Yeah (Miller-Jeffery) / Lonely, Lonely, Heart (Miller-Jeffery) 
F-792 / F-793 

Do-Ra-Me 1403
Chuck Howard
Out of Gas () / Let's Talk Things Over ()

Do-Ra-Me 1404 
Little Willie Brown & the Cameos 
Cut It Out (W. Brown) / Gonna Make It on Back () 
F-794 / ? 

Do-Ra-Me 1405 
Audrey Bryant 
Someone Like You (Robbins-Biggs-Biggs) / Let’s Trade a Little (Ralph Nelson) 
F-800 / F-801 

Do-Ra-Me 1406 
Herbie Smith 
Most Likely to Succeed (Smith) / Baby Moon () 
F-804 / F-805 
1959 (BB) 

Do-Ra-Me 1407 
The Marquees
Can It Be Wrong () / In the Halo of Your Love ()

Do-Ra-Me 1408 

Do-Ra-Me 1409 
Mary Lou Williams 
I’m Gettin‘ Married (H. Phillips) / Does My Heart Tell the Truth () 
F-818  / ?

Do-Ra-Me 1410 
Tom Moses 
Unruly Heart () / It’s a Lonely Road () 

Do-Ra-Me 1411 

Do-Ra-Me 1412 
The Dixielanders 
Uncle John’s Bongos (Blake-Culpepper-Evans) / Walk Easy (Blake) 
F-828 / F-829 

Do-Ra-Me 1413 
Lenny Davis 
Satan’s Got You (By the Hand) (Ray Whitt) / Sing Little Bluebird (Ray Whitt) 
RN-704 / RN-705 

Do-Ra-Me 1414 
The Imps 
Uh-Oh () / That’ll Get It () 

Do-Ra-Me 1415 
The Music Makers with the Marrob Singers
Something Else (McDearis) / Dreams of Teresa ()
F-835 / ?

Do-Ra-Me 1416 
Houston Turner and the Dixielanders 
Uncle John’s Bongos (Blake-Culpepper-Evans) / The Best Dressed Beggar (in Town) (Houston Turner) 
F-828 / F-860 
1962 (BB) 

Do-Ra-Me 1417 
Jimmie John
Frankfurter's Machine () / Fire in the House ()

Do-Ra-Me 1418 
April Clarke
Afraid to Answer (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins) / Lonelyville (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins)
F-872 / F-873

Do-Ra-Me 1419 
Pete Gusman
Listen (Jerry Butler) / Let's Talk Things Over (C. Howard)

Do-Ra-Me 1420 
The Dixielanders
The Trot (R. Blake) / I'll Watch Your Lights Grow Dimmer ()
F-853 / ?

Do-Ra-Me 1421 
Wayne Johnson
I Put My Ring Back on My Finger () / Admit It ()
1962 (BB)

Do-Ra-Me 1422 
Redd Stewart with the Pee Wee King Band 
Levi Lady (Blair-Barnes-Peppers-Stewart) / River Road Rock Twist (Pee Wee King-Redd Stewart) 
F-878 / F-879
1962 (BB) 

Do-Ra-Me 1423 
Jimmy Maynard
Lilly White Rose () / The River's Running Wild ()

Do-Ra-Me 1424 
Al Horn 
It’s Much Too Soon (Harley Frazier) / Where Does Love Go (Jan Crutchfield) 
C-122 / C-123 
1963 (BB)

Do-Ra-Me 1425
Jimmie John 
I’m Your Toy (Jimmie John) / They Don’t Really Know Me () 
Note: This was a special record cut for and distributed by Al Payne Motor Sales (Newark, Ohio). 

Do-Ra-Me 1426 
Johnny Stills
In My Time () / Battle at San Juan Hill (Jimmy Driftwood)
? / VN-704

Do-Ra-Me 1427 
Wayne Johnson 
Just You () / Just Thought You Ought to Know () 

Do-Ra-Me 1428 
Marty Martel
Half of Me () / Love Hangover ()

Do-Ra-Me 1429
April Clarke 
Afraid to Answer (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins) / Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus (Swan-Hager) 
F-872 / C-144 

Do-Ra-Me 1430
Bob Watts
I Don't Care (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins) / If I Die Tomorrow (From Loving You Too Much) ()
C-141 / ?
1963  
Do-Ra-Me 1431

Do-Ra-Me 1432
Bob Taylor
Samson and Delilah (L.W. Einbinder) / Let's Talk Things Over ()
C-142 / ? 
1963 (BB)

Do-Ra-Me 1433
The Moores
After It's Over (Ruby Moody) / The Soul of a Child (E. Judkins-M. Biggs)
C-152 / C-153

Do-Ra-Me 1434
Charley Matthews
I Wished Upon a Bluebird (C. Matthews) / Just Your Love (C. Matthews)
C-150 / C-151

Do-Ra-Me 1435
Al Horn
Crazy Moon () / Slowly Dying ()

Do-Ra-Me 1436
Jimmie John
Daddy, Where Did I Come From? () / The Soul of a Child ()

Do-Ra-Me 1437 
Houston Turner 
Buenos Noches (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins) / Candy Apple Red (H. Turner) 
BN-162-v / BN-163-v 

Do-Ra-Me 1438 
Ronnie Dale 
Bald Headed Lover (Jimmie John) / Don’t Wake Me Up () 
N-164 / ? 

Do-Ra-Me 1439
Webster Brothers
My Heart Won't Let Me Forget () / The Memory Waltz ()
1963 (BB)

Do-Ra-Me 1440 
Houston “Buck“ Turner 
If I’d Died Before I Met You () / I Was Loving You More ()

Do-Ra-Me 1441
The Cumberland Mountain Boys / Vocal by Jimmy Maynard
Election Day ()
The Cumberland Mountain Boys
Cumberland Breakdown ()

Do-Ra-Me 5023
Sierra Sue
Christmas Snowman (Meredith-Liberty) / Alone, Deserted, Forgotten ()
F-847 / ? 

Do-Ra-Me 5024

Do-Ra-Me 5025

Do-Ra-Me 5026 
Dewell Everette and the Dual-Tones 
One More Kiss (D. Everette) / I Left Her Crying (D. Everette) 
F-855 / F-856 

Do-Ra-Me 5027 
Cliffie Nash 
I’ll Never Know (C. Nash) / No Time for Sisters (John Meredith) 
F-55 / F-57 

Do-Ra-Me 5027
Sierra Sue
Whole Heart and Soul (Sierra Sue - J. Meredith) / Love Words ()
F-872 / ?

Do-Ra-Me 5028 
Cliffie Nash 
Jennie Lou (C. Nash) / I Love You Darling (C. Nash) 
F-56 / F-58 

Do-Ra-Me 5035
Charlie Gore
Slow and Noiseless Footsteps (Wesley Young) / The Same Old Story (Jimmie John)
N-183 / N-184

Do-Ra-Me 5037
Johnny Stills
Here's a Toast to You () / My Home Away from Home ()

Do-Ra-Me 5040
Bob Flowers and the Star Dusters
To Keep You Satisfied (Doc Gaines) / It Was Sweet While It Lasted ()
N-207 / ?
"Recorded in Nashville"

Do-Ra-Me 5040 
Jimmie John 
I Like It That Way (Jimmie John) / You Just Don’t Care () 
C-109 / ? 

Do-Ra-Me 5043 
Gene Boden 
This Kind of Hurt (Dan Carter) / But Maybe Tomorrow () 
GB-94-1 / ? 

Do-Ra-Me 5045
Bob Flower and the Star Dusters
I'll Celebrate This New Years (with the Blues) (Bill Baker) / Always Loving You (Virginia Windhan)
F-247 / F-249
 

Do-Ra-Me 5050
Bob Flower and the Star Dusters
Three Months Ago Today (Wm. Howard Baker) / It's Over Now ()
FN-248-1 / 
"Recorded in Nashville"

Do-Ra-Me 5402
The Moores

My Heart Won't Let Me Forget / Another's Heaven
C-135 / ?

Do-Ra-Me DJ-2
Wayne Johnson - I Put Your Ring Back on My Finger () / Wayne Johnson - Admit It () / Wayne Johnson - Just You ()
ZTBV-83113-1A / T1 (Columbia)
Wayne Johnson - Just Thought You Ought to Know () / Redd Stewart - River Road () / Redd Stewart - Levi Lady ()
ZTBV-83114-1C / T1 (Columbia)
1962

Information concerning Murray Nash mostly taken from: "ROCK 'N' ROLL PIONEER" by Bo Berglind 
Other sources: RCS, Billboard, own collection
Thanks to Rocky Lane, Anonymous, Derik, jimbomacaroni, Steve Hathaway

24 comments:

Steve Hathaway said...

Murray started with Post Office after losing his music business. I believe Murray said that he was swindled by a partner.
He transfered to Cupertino, California where he retired from Post Ofice and moved to Florida, where he died.

Rocky Lane said...

I have in my database:

Do-Ra-Me 1403 was by Chuck Howard.
A-Side: Out Of Gas - B-Side: Let's Talk Things Over

Do-Ra-Me 1407 was by the Marquees. A-Side: Can It Be Wrong - B-Side: Unknown.

Do-Ra-Me 1417 was by Jimmy John.
A-Side: Frankfurter's Machine - B-Side: Fire In The House.

Do-Ra-Me 1420 was by the Dixielanders.
A-Side: The Trot - B-Side: I'll Watch Your Lights Grow Dimmer

Do-Ra-Me 1432 was by Bob Taylor.
A-Side: Samson And Delihah - B-Side: Let's Talk Things Over.

Do-Ra-Me 1439 was by the Webster Brothers.
A-Side: My Heart Won't Let Me Forget - B-Side: The Memory Waltz.

Do-Ra-Me 5037 was by Johnny Stills.
A-Side: Here's A Toast To You - B-Side: My Home Away From Home.

Bob said...

A good Murray Nash bio can be found here :

http://www.geocities.ws/shakin_stacks/murraynash.txt

Mellow said...

Thanks Rocky! Have added them.

@Steve: I think you're right, but Bo mentions indeed 1964 in his article.

Unknown said...

YOUR BLOG IS AMAZING....

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
bopping said...

Thanks for the info. As usual, super job! I have the label scan of side to Webster Brosthers (# 1439). Are you interested?

Mellow said...

Yes of course, thanks! You can send it to me email adress!

Derik said...

DO-RA-ME 1407
The Marquees
Aside:Can It Be Wrong
Bside:In the Halo Of Your Love

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hi there,

DO RA MI 1418
April Clarke

A: Afraid to answer
B: Lonelyville

Greetings from Holland

jimbomacaroni said...

I have Do-Ra-Me 1419. The recording artist is Pete Gusman. The A side is "Listen" written by Jerry Butler and B side is "Let's Talk Things Over" credited to C. Howard. Thanks for the blog, otherwise I wouldn't have a clue about this good sounding record.

Steve Hathaway said...

Do-Ra-Me 1423 - Jimmy Maynard.
Lilly White Rose
The River's Running Wild

Do-Ra-Me 1428 - Marty Martel
Half of Me
Love Hangover


Steve Hathaway said...

Just added this promo EP to 45cat site:

http://www.45cat.com/record/nc235888us

Anonymous said...

A couple of points
1) Nash's studio was “Recording of Nashville” (as you say in piece on Reavis) not “Sound of Nashville”
2) BB label is also of interest as it operated from Nash's home address and the matrices listed by RCS nicely dovetail with Do-Ra-Me – any chance of putting a BB listing together – be careful of the first two on RCS the database artist name differs from that on discs.
3) musiCentre 1965/66 was also his with the credit “By-Nash of Nashville”
4) “Sound of Nashville” pressing plant would seen to fit well with his “Recording of Nashville” studio and “Nash of Nashville” production credit but I don't think he had anything to do with it.

I have more on Murray Nash and his recordings if I can find it but other tasks come first

Keep up the good work

Discographer

Mellow said...

1) You're right. I have no clue how I came to "Sound..."
2) BB sure is interesting, thanks for the idea. I will compile it.
3) MusiCenter is another interesting label. I also saw By-Nash of Nashville on Do-Ra-Me releases, by the way.

Thanks for your additions and corrections!

Anonymous said...

Do-Ra-Me DRM-1441

The Cumberland Mountain Boys / Vocal by Jimmy Maynard:
Election Day

The Cumberland Mountain Boys:
Cumberland Breakdown

Anonymous said...

Do-Ra-Me 5035 - Charlie Gore
a: Slow and Noiseless Footsteps
b: The Same Old Story

Derik said...

Do-Ra-Me 1430
Bob Watts
Aside: I Don't Care
Bside: If I Die Tomorrow (From Loving You Too Much)

added to 45cat

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the actual labels, but according to Craig Moerer sale listing:
JIMMIE JOHN: daddy, where did i come from? / the soul of a child
DO-RA-ME 1436

https://www.recordsbymail.com/search.php?artist=JIMMIE+JOHN

Chris Till said...

A Spangle Records historian here. Murray Nash and Floyd Whited (of Spangle) must have continued their business relationship into the beginning of Do-Ra-Me. Early Do-Ra-Me artist Herbie Smith was from Dayton, Ohio, near Whited (then still in Springfield, Ohio). Lenny Davis was also from Dayton area. Both sides of Lenny Davis's single are written under one of Whited's pseudonyms, Ray Whitt. Davis did some engineering and promo-ish work for Spangle right at the end of that label in late 1958. Specifically, Davis engineering Sonny Flaharty's sides with Spangle and went on a promo tour with Spangle artists Jimmy Crain and Sonny circa late 1958. I've got a copy of a Nash letter circa 1985, in which he states Whited left the music business when Spangle folded, but that's just not accurate. Whited was back at it circa 1961 with Lenny Davis then opening his Dayton recording studio, Mega Sounds, circa 1964. Also, respectfully, I don't believe the photo ID'd as Chuck Wiley & Band is Chuck Wiley. Chuck was a pianist, not a guitarist. And he didn't look like that. Chuck is still alive, but, alas, suffers from Alzheimers. Great blog! Thanks, Chris Till 937-767-2326

0045rpm said...

Came home with this one.

The Moores.
My Heart Won't Let Me Forget / Another's Heaven.

Record No. 5402. (C-135)

Do-Ra-Me

Mellow said...

Thanks for the additions, have added the record.