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.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Nash's MusiCenter

By Nash: The MusiCenter label

Murray Nash's activities as an independent record producer in the late 1950s and early 1960s have been the subject on this blog several times. Another label that was operated by Nash was the small MusiCenter Records, which had at least six releases. He started this outlet in 1965 and ran it also from his Recording of Nashville studio that also housed his other labels such as Do-Ra-Me, Topic, Round-Up, and Cee Cee.


Chuck Wiley and band
The debut release was by Chuck Wiley and featured "Come Back Baby" b/w "Little Star, Little Star."  Curtis Hobock, a rock'n'roll singer from Tennessee, also cut two discs for MusiCenter. He also had two releases on Cee Cee, one of Nash's other labels.

MusiCenter releases are easier to date because Nash used RCA's custom pressing service, thus a reliable indicator of the pressing year. Nash's account number at RCA was 692B, which also appeared on Country Music Nashville, another one of Nash's labels. MusiCenter lasted at least until 1966. Most of the known releases have Nash's "By-Nash of Nashville" listed as publisher. If anyone has more info on MusiCenter or can fill gaps in the discography, please feel free to contact me.


For further reading, see also:



Discography

MusiCenter 3101
Chuck Wiley
Come Back Baby (Charles Wiley) / Little Star, Little Star (Charles Wiley)
S4KM-8430 / S4KM-8431 (RCA)
1965
"Produced by: Murray Nash"

MusiCenter 3102
The Valiants
All Night Long () / I'm Getting Tired of You ()

MusiCenter 3103
Curtis Hobock and the Stardusters
Lonely Weekends (C. Rich) / I Found a Way (C. Hobock)
SK4M-3561 / SK4M-3562 (RCA)
1965
"Produced by: Murray Nash"

MusiCenter 3104
Kenny Norton
To Know You (Biggs-Biggs-Robbins) / Oonie, Oonie, Yah, Yah, Yah ()
SK4M-3563 / ? (RCA)
1965 
 
MusiCenter 3105
Curtis Hobock and the Stardusters
Definition of Love (Geneva Hobock) / One Heart'll Love You (Hobock-Jones-Howell-Bates-Luther)
T4KM-2327 / T4KM-2327 (RCA)
1966
Note: Geneva Hobock was Curtis Hobock's wife. The other composers listed on "One Heart'll Love You" were members of the Stardusters: Tommy Jones (ld gtr), Bobby Howell (dms), Howard Bates (bs), Richard Luther (pno).

MusiCenter 3106
Eugenia Oaks
There Stands the Glass (Russ Hull-M. J. Shurtz) / Country Hotel (Russ Hull)
TK4M-3219 / TK4M-3220 (RCA)
1966

2 comments:

Bob said...

Missing :

#3102- The Valiants, All Night Long b/w I'm Getting Tired Of You.

#3104- Kenny Norton, To Know You b/w Oonie, Oonie, Yah, Yah, Yah.

From the same period is another Murray Nash label named Country Music Nashville (same RCA custom account 692B). First release was Bob Roark (#2001).

Unknown said...

I recorded for Murray in 1963. He released my contract to Don Robey at Duke/Peacock Records in Houston. Don sent me back to Nashville and had Murray produce four covers. I recorded The Valiants two sides of MusiCenter #3102 as R and B, I also recorded covers of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and Get Back., which Roy Head had recorded for Huey Mraux. After leaving Robeys, I signed with Meaux. I am currently an Indi artist with 5 singles on iTunes and most music sites. We are working on A CD to be Released Next Year. I can't say enough good about Murray Nash, an honest man in a sea of sharks. I received my education at the hand of Robey and Meaux as did many others. Murray Nash was a credit to the Music Business, and the people He worked with were blessed to have him pass through their lives. Kenny Norton