Hey Cat !

Hey Cat !

Wednesday 30 December 2015

Mart Records !



Doug Tubb .
Mart Record Company # 1003 - 1954
The World Is A Monster / Deaf, Dumb And Blind .


Before recording for Decca and Dot and changing his name to Glenn Douglas, Doug Tubb recorded this monster for 'Mart' in late 1954 and wow what a tune.
Written by Doug and Roy Duke this is killer country music, not a mover i'll give you that .....but changing from minor to major chords this lil' devil rolls and bops for sure and when Doug states "For the world is a monster and it's food is mans heart"  you better believe it buddy ......I just love this 78, not in the greatest condition but it's a monster all the same !

Born Douglas Tubb (Son of Ernest Tubb), June 29, 1935 in San Antonio (Texas). Glenn Douglas is still active as Country singer 


Thursday 17 December 2015

Bethlehem Records !


Bert Bryson and his Musical Boys 
Bethlehem Records # 1294 - 1954
One Sided Heart / I Was Burned In Carolina.

This very early release by the newly formed 'Bethlehem' record company showed just a little pomise. After failing with their early pop crooners they opted for the Country sound with this nice little yodel hillbilly tune right out of New York.

Bethlehem was formed in 1953 in New York City by Gus Wildi. Wildi, a Swiss immigrant, had been in the country for about two years and wanted to create something
According to the announcement concerning Bethlehem's establishment, found in Billboard on February 27, 1954 (p26), Bethlehem Records was initially structured with Gus Wildi as President of the label, with Murray Singer the General Manager & National Sales Manager, Jim Bright as the A&R (Artists & Repertoire) Manager, and Elaine Bergman handling promotion.

In June and early July, 1954, Bethlehem released "One Sided Heart"/"I Was Burned in Carolina" by Bert Bryson [Bethlehem B1294], "Honky Tonk"/"Moderner Liebestraum" by Jim Bright [Bethlehem B1295], "Don't Steal My Heart"/"Hip Shaking Mama" by Beulah Swan [Bethlehem B1296], and "Broken Hearted Waltz"/"Echoing Mailbox" by the Simmons Twins [Bethlehem B1297]. So by the end of July, 1954, Bethlehem had released seven singles with Sy Oliver as musical director. As is not uncommon with new labels, sales of these singles were, to put it bluntly, dismal. The funds that had been set aside to start the company were running out. 



Tuesday 20 October 2015

Meladee Records !


Don Ray with The "High Steppers"
Meladee Records - M 118 - 1956
Step Aside (And Let A Good Man Pass) / Hand Full Of Memories 
RCA Custom Pressing.

Very little is known about Mr Don Ray and his "High Steppers" but what I can confirm about this Meladee record is .......that it is an absolute top drawer record and that 'Step Aside' is pretty much the kinda song that sticks in your head for days & days. 
It is not ferocious rockabilly or even quick high tempo hillbilly , it is melodic, tuneful, and damn right brilliant, wonderful voice and the guitar pickin' and steel work is sublime......if you find this on a 45 or 78 BUY IT !





Flip Records !



Add caption
Charlie Feathers 
Flip Record Inc. # 503 - 1955.
Peepin' Eyes / I've Been Deceived

Charlie Feathers (vcl/gtr); Quinton Claunch (gtr); Stan Kesler (steel gtr); Marcus Van Story / William Diehl (bs); Bill Cantrell (fiddle)

 Sun records founder Sam Phillips launched Flip records in February, 1955. The label folded abruptly after threats of legal action were voiced by Ed Wells, owner of another Flip label in Los Angeles. Recording took place at Sun studio, 706 Union Avenue in Memphis. 

This rare as hens teeth 78 is a thing and sound of beauty , Nothing comes close to Charlies voice and every word is crammed to the brim with pure raw emotion ! 
Within months of the law suit from LA , Flip # 503 saw a release on the Sun label as Sun # 503 ( both the Charlie Flip and Sun records are highly prized by collectors) 
I have been after a copy on 78 for years and finally got my chance to own what I consider to be one of the greatest and important records of that era ......Flip #503 is nothing short of a masterpiece !





Tuesday 13 October 2015

Ollit Records !


Tommy Little and Sunrise Rangers .
Ollit Records # 2001 - Date 1950 ?
Mean, Mean Woman / One Time Too Often.

Top shelf Country bop, superb Guitar, fiddle and Steel and pure hick vocal from Mr Little on this hillbilly bruiser right out of New York .......both sides are monsters ......this is what it's all about for me, rural, hick bop !!!!!



Thursday 1 October 2015

Arrow Records !


Lattie Moore and his Allen County Boys .
Arrow Records # n/n - 1951.
Married Trouble / Hide-Away Heart.





Here is Lattie Moore's 1st ever recording, this record was the holy grail for most collectors for over 50 years and I only know of two other copies apart from mine !!! so it's rare ....VERY RARE !
This is tip top hillbilly bop, superb Guitar solo and some solid bass playing .
Recorded most likely at label owner Tate Bolands house in Indianapolis in 1951.


Wednesday 26 August 2015

Atomic Records (Salt Lake City)!


Riley Walker and his Rockin-R-Rangers.
Atomic Records # 1039 - 1954
Uranium Miners's Boogie / No Use To Feel Blue "And Start Cryin' Now"

Riley Walker - Vocals / Rhythm Guitar
Belva Walker (Riley's sister) - Piano
Gordon Hawkins - Bass
Charles Gallagher - Steel Guitar

Here is the first of Riley Walker and his self promoted records on his own label Atomic! 'Uranium Miner's Boogie'. He sold both his releases (78 & 45 rpm) at local bars, record stores and roadhouses around Salt Lake City for the princely sum of 98 cents!!
This is the better of the two releases IMO and is sought after by collectors on both formats, a real country boogie about a subject that was a major part of life and industry in and around Salt Lake City, Utah and down to Cortez in Colorado.
Prominent Piano and some superb Steel playing make this one helluva Uranium geiger counter boogie woogie!







Thursday 13 August 2015

Westport Records !


My copy in original Westport sleeve

JIMMY DALLAS ( with Cathy Justice) 
Westport Records # 131 - 1956
Who Do, Honey You Do / I've Got A Right To Know .


Jimmy Dallas (1927-2004, rn Keith B. Kissee) was a country performer famous on the KC scene of the 50’s. He had 3 releases on Westport. «Good Intentions» is a fine uptempo hillbilly tune : strong vocal, sawing fiddle and bright steel. «Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Mo » and « How Do ? Honey You Do » are duets sung with Cathy Justice.

Friday 7 August 2015

Lin Records !



Frank (Andy) Starr & The Rock-Away Boys.
Lin Records # 1013 - 1955
Tell Me Why / From The Want Of Your Love .



Born Franklin Delano Gulledge, 21 October 1932, Mill Creek, Arkansas Died 12 September 2003, Fayetteville, Arkansas

The station manager persuaded Frank to audition for Joe Leonard, who owned the Gainsville based Lin label and KGAF radio. Leonard was impressed by the uptempo hillbilly stuff on offer and a session was arranged for early '55 at the Cliff Herring Studio in Fort Worth, Texas. 
Dallas songwriters Mietzl Miller and Bill Baker were commissioned to write a couple of songs, the first The Dirty Bird Song is a catchy uptempo item, not a million miles from Marvin Rainwater. The second number, Dig Them Squeaky Shoes is a plodding country rocker, with some nice guitar work from Frank. The resultant single (Lin 1009) failed to click on the charts but was a more than decent debut. Tell Me Why is probably the best song from the session, a real chugger, Franks vocals still very rural at his stage and the band on top form. It was written by bass player Marvin Pace, a local car salesman whose band, including fifteen year old piano playing son Johnny Pace, backed Frank billed as the Rock-Away Boys. For The Want Of Your Love is a country weeper with backing vocals from the pen of W.D.Patty who supplied songs to other Joe Leonard artists, most notably the excellent Buck Griffin but when released as Lin 1013 both sides sank without trace. ( Taken from RAB Hall of Fame)

Thursday 23 July 2015

Sims Records !


Jimmy Patton .
Sims Record # 103 - 1955
Guilty / Careful (Duet with Ann Jones)



Born Oscar James Patton, 28 October 1931, Berwin, Oklahoma
Died 25 June 1989, Portland, Oregon

Jimmy Patton was basically a country singer and not a very successful one at that, but his claim to fame lies in a couple of ferocious rockabilly recordings, most notably "Okie's In the Pokie", "Yah! I'm Movin'" and "Let Me Slide", all of which have been heavily reissued on compilations.

Born on a farm in Oklahoma, Patton and his family moved to Springfield, Oregon in 1943. It was here that Jimmy began to take music seriously and took all chances to sing and play wherever he could. He had a job
as a rodeo rider which came to an abrupt end when he broke his arm in July 1953. Jimmy did his first recording in 1955, for the Sims label which was then based in Sun Valley, California, although the recordings were made in Fabor Robinson's home studio in Malibu. Three singles were
released during 1955, the first of which was "Careful" (a duet with Ann Jones) c/w "Guilty" (Sims 103). This was still old-fashioned hillbilly, sung in a high pitched voice, not unlike Charlie Feathers' Sun recordings.

Monday 13 July 2015

Ramblin' Lou Records !


Ramblin' Lou Schriver and his Twin Mountaineers .
Ramblin' Lou Records # 205A/205AA - 1951
Dust On The Bible / Radio Station S-A-V-E-D.




Here we have a great rare slice of Gospel country by Ramblin' Lou on his own label out of Niagra Falls, NY in 1951. 
Ramblin' Lou had quite a stint at WJJL in the Niagara Falls area. He had a daily three-hour shift as disc jockey; he had a live show called "Rainbow Ridge"; and a special Saturday night broadcast from Ramblin' Lou's Record Ranch, which was one of the leading country and western record stores in Niagara Falls.
He had a band around 1951 called the "Twin Pine Mountaineers". He and the band did personal appearances in Western New York and Pennsylvania and in Ontario, Canada, too. He also appeared on the WWVA Original Jamboree at one time, too.

Friday 3 July 2015

Chess Records !


Jack Ford 
Chess Record # 4858 - June 1954
I Understand / That's All You Gotta Do.


Hot diggity dog ! this is a nice lil' humdinger from Jack Ford. Been after this platter for quite a while, missed out on it a few times but finally managed to get it for an absolute steal .....£8.00 !!!! 
I just love Jacks easy going vocal on this rare slice of Chess Country .
Back in 1951, the Chess Brothers tried to set a Hillbilly Series that lead to 4 records by Harmonica Frank Floyd and by Bob Price, all sides being purchased from Sam Phillips. In 1954, they made a second serious attempt purchasing a number of masters from Stan Lewis. The series was numbered 4800 and Jack Ford opened the way with his first solo record "That's All You Gotta Do"/"I Understand (Just how you feel)" (Chess 4858) was issued in June 1954.


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Jimmy Lee & Johnny Mathis.
Chess Records # 4859 - Sept 1954
Side A - I'm Beginning To Remember
Side B - If You Don't Somebody Else Will

This the very next release after Jack Ford (see above) we get this BIG hit for Jimmy & Johnny'. The A side is the usual country weepie, high vocals and screeching fiddles! OK but nothing compares to the flip! now you ain't gonna get red hot Rockabilly but you do get dual harmony vocals on a steady chugging tune that sounds just perfect and then!!!! you get that pickin' solo by Jimmy Lee Fautheree and wow! there it is just on the edge of Rockabilly but not all the way! just letting you know that he has the chops when it will be needed in a few months time! This was a monster record for the pair but did not lead onto major success which is a real shame!





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Jimmy Lee & Wayne Walker
Chess Records # 4863 - April 1955
Side A - Lips That Kiss So Sweetly
Side B - Love Me

1955 KWKH Radio Station Studio, 509 Market St., Shreveport, LA - (Jimmy Lee Fautheree [vcl/gt], Wayne Walker [vcl/rh gt] + Sonny Trammel [stee], Tillman Franks [bass], D.J.Fontana [drums], Dobber Johnson [fiddle], Floyd Cramer [piano])

005 U-7768 LIPS THAT KISS SO SWEETLY 4863/

006 U-7769 LOVE ME 4863/




Quite frankly! if you want top notch Country Rockabilly then look no further than side Chess 78 masterpiece! The A Side 'Lips That Kiss So Sweetly' is superb! a real country mover & if it was not for the totally brilliant B side this would still be a 
desirable record! But it's the B side screamer that collectors need! Jimmy and Wayne are simply in a different ball park to all the others trying to climb aboard the rockabilly train with 'Love Me' and they skilfully weave their way through this toe tappin' masterclass in blistering boppery with consummate ease! dual vocals come no better than this! you cannot help but sing along! tap your toes and swing your hips to this one! it is right up there as the pinnacle in monster Rockabilly!



Monday 29 June 2015

Gilt-Edge Records !


Rocky Bill Ford and the Sunset Wranglers .
Gilt-Edge Records # 5023 - 1950
Beer Drinking Blues / Aggravatin' Woman


Written by Bill, this song has been reworked many times in many guises. This is your classic drinking tune, and tells the story of a man bragging how he can out drink any man, any time ! Also recorded in the 1960's as Beer Drinking Blues by Eddie Noack and has Beer Drinking Daddy by Johnny Champion and James Mask .

October or November 1950 Houston, TX - Rocky Bill Ford
001 3879 BEER DRINKING BLUES X1 Gilt-Edge 5023/Audio Lab AL-1561 Design SDLP
002 3880 AGGRAVATIN‘ WOMEN X1 Gilt-Edge 5023/Audio Lab AL-1561 Design SDLP

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SLIM RHODES .
GILT-EDGE RECORDS # 5026 - 1951
SIXTY DAYS / MEMPHIS BOUNCE.


Recorded at The Memphis Recording Studio (AKA Sun Studio) in December 1950. Dusty Rhodes handles the vocals on "Sixty Days" and the flip is a tremendous instrumental.
Released in early 1951 this was Slims second release on Gilt-Edge and the A side motors along, western swing with a touch of Hillbilly makes it a classic from the Sun vaults . Pee Wee Suggs can be heard playing some sweet Jazz guitar on both sides .
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"Rocky" Bill Ford & The Sunset Ramblers.
Gilt-Edge Promo Record # GE-5039 - June 1951
Side A - You Know Doggone Well I Do
Side B - Was I Dreaming

William Anderson Ford "Rocky" Bill Ford - 28th Dec 1926 - 15th Nov 1998

Before Bill recorded the monster 'Have You Seen Mabel' on Starday he was a truly special country singer and writer! the A side is cool sounding mid paced country shuffle and exactly the sound for the year and label! OK! It's not a monster tune and not get you bopping around the floor but this was what the folks wanted in 1951! something that you could tap your feet along to and if you wanted! you could grab your gal and smooch together around the floor! Mr Bill Ford never disappoints! 



 


































































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Curley Cole 
Gilt-Edge Record # 5029 - 1951
I'm Going To Roll / Another's Arms Are Holding You.



Not much is known about Curley Cole, no photo's that I can find and the only the info is on the DJ copy label that I own. He was born in Mayfield, Kentucky and that he plays Mandolin, Fiddle, Guitar and Bass.
'I'm Going To Roll' is a typical train rollin' down the line tune, with great steel and some nice piano.

Monday 22 June 2015

Mode Records !


Tennessee Valley Boys 
Mode Records - 101 - 195?
Bitter Feelings / I'm Wondering Now .




This is a 78 record I found that is not listed anywhere ! Pretty rare and all attempts have me stumped on it's history and date !
This song 'Bitter Feelings' and 'I'm Wondering Now' were both released in 1953 on two different releases on 'Demo' Records ( a anagram of 'Mode' ? ) and were straight Country songs under the name 'Larry Lee (Phillipson) and the Westerneers' . This 78 (pic above) is a Bluegrass version with very sparse instrumentation (Mandolin and Banjo) so I would estimate an earlier recording (poss 1952)
Larry Phillipson later recorded the 'Bitter Feelings' side again in 1959 and was released on the 'Cinch' label and the song was faster and in a straight Rockabilly style. 

Sun Records !


Roy Orbison and Teen Kings 
Sun Records - # 242 - 1956
Ooby Dooby / Go Go Go




Classic Sun twin spin monster from Roy! & it does exactly what it says on the tin! it rocks, it moves and it shakes! all at the same time . The session at Sun took place on the 

27 March 1956 Sun Studio, 706 Union Ave., Memphis, TN – Roy Orbison (Roy Orbison [vcl], Johnny Wilson [gt], James Morrow [mandolin], Jack Kennelly [bass]. Billy Ellis [drums])

ROY FACT - "Ooby Dooby was a song I heard at North Texas State when I met two guys there, Wade & Dick. I took their song back and recorded it.
Then I called Sam Phillips at Sun, on the advice of Johnny Cash. I told Sam that Johnny had said I might be able to get on his label. Sam Phillips replied Johnny Cash doesn't run my record label and he hung up"

Roy's first release was a 45 rpm on Jewel records # 101 it was recorded March 4, 1956 in Norman Petty's studio, Clovis, New Mexico, the A Side was 'Tryin' To Get To You' B/w 'Ooby Dooby'. That record sparked Sam Phillip's interest and 'Ooby dooby' was quickly re-recorded later in March for SUN and released with 'Go Go Go' in May 1956 as Roy Orbison And Teen Kings !

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Carl Perkins 

Sun Records # 249 - 1956

Dixie Fried / I'm Sorry, I'm Not Sorry




Dixie Fried was not the sort of single you would have expected as a release after Carl's previous hit on Sun Records but Sam Phillips went for it all the same . The dark tale of late night boozing ,Honky Tonks, Razors and bar room brawls .....not really the stuff that Mum and Dad were gonna buy  for their kids back in 1956, but this is the stuff the collectors want now, this is Rockabilly with a dark twisted edge and boy oh boy does it move ....Rave on cats !

March 1956 Sun Studio, 706 Union Ave., Memphis, TN – Carl Perkins
024 U-211 DIXIE FRIED 249
025 U-210 I'M SORRY I'M NOT SORRY 249


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Warren Smith 

Sun Records # 250 - 1956

Ubangi Stomp / Black Jack David.

In August 1956, Smith went back to the Sun Records studio to record his second release, "Ubangi Stomp". This infectious rocker had an incorrect lyric including an African chief with the syntax of a movie Indian. For the B side, Smith recorded the classic ballad "Black Jack David". This song, which originated in early 18th-century Britain and survived in various forms in the mountains of the American south, may be the oldest song ever recorded by a rock and roll performer. Although a resounding artistic success, it did not sell as well as Smith's debut.


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Ernie Chaffin

Sun Record # 262 - 1957

Feelin' Low / Lonesome For My Baby.





Ernie Chaffin for me, can be summed up in just one word .......King !
For me he was the king of Country at Sun studios, a trail blazer, a man way before his time, a truly gifted song writer and vocalist. Sam Phillips obviously saw the same in the man and released a total of four singles ( not bad for a simple Country singer in 1956/57 ) while all around him Jerry Lee, Roy Obison and Carl Perkins were rocking it up for the kids, Ernie just kept doing what he did best, quality songs that were not only catchy but were different, oozed class and are today considered classics .......these are beautiful songs and I will say it one more time ........ERNIE CHAFFIN IS .........KING !
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Ernie Chaffin

Sun Record # 275 - Aug 1957

Laughin' And Jokin' / I'm Lonesome



Ernie Chaffin again pulls a monster record from the Sun studios! Laughin' And Jokin' with it's chuggin' beat and gold crafted melody smacks you square between the eyes with a tune so ahead of it's time it's scary! A full on country rockabilly record which has style and a  performance that must have turned Sam Philips head right around!  


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Earl Peterson (Michigan's Singing Cowboy) - Sun Records # 197 - 20th  Feb 1954

A Side - Boogie Blues
B Side - In The Dark 

A masterpiece of the first fiddle boogie country bop to be released by Sun (just three months before Elvis got his 1st release) Earl lays on some yodel and inflections in his voice that show maturity and you get some sublime guitar pickin' just for good measure! Whoever is on this session were top notch musicians that's for sure! Just a few months later Earl hopped over to Columbia records and re recorded and released 'Boogie Blues' for them! but it did not have that magic that he got in Memphis and Earl I'm sure carried on singing Country until his death in 1971!





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Rhythm Rockers ( Hardrock Gunter)

Sun Records # 248 - 1956

Jukebox Help Me Find My Bay / Fiddle 

Bop.



Full name Sidney Louis Gunter Jr. Born 1925 in Birmingham, Ala. Disc jockey and performer on WWVA (Wheeling, W.Va.) in 1953-54.


In 1953, Gunter took as job as a disc jockey at WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia. The next year, while in Birmingham, Gunter cut a new version of "Gonna Dance All Night", which was leased to Sun Records. Sam Phillips was looking for an artist who could bridge the gap between R&B and pop and he may have thought that he had found just that in Hardrock Gunter (before hitting the jackpot with Elvis Presley later that year), but the Sun version (201) sold just as poorly as the Bama version of four years earlier. A second release on Sun (248) was "Jukebox Help Me Find My Baby" in 1956, credited to the Rhythm Rockers. This had originally appeared on the small Cross Country label and ran over three minutes. Phillips edited down Gunter's single to a more commercial length (2:31), but sales of the record, which had been gathering momentum prior to Phillips' involvement, ground to a screeching halt. Gunter was very dissatisfied : "Sam Phillips edited the hit out of the record. Without the novelty parts, the record fell flat." Between the two Sun singles, Gunter had recorded for King in Cincinnati. In 1957, he started his own label, Emperor Records, together with WWVA colleague Buddy Durham. He recorded several singles and an LP ("Songs They Censored In the Hills", 1958) for Emperor, but chart success continued to elude him. In 1964 he took a break from the music business to build up a career in insurance.


Jack Earl And The Jimbos 

Sun Records # 240 - 1956

Slow Down / A Fool For Lovin' You


A bop classic ! a Rockabiily tune that needs no introduction to any fan, in short this is what Sun Records is all about, this is the Sun sound and Jack is the ring master as he conducts the Jimbos in a furoius  A side in "Slow Down" and then brings them down with a skippy ballad on the flip ........just a dream records !


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Johnny Cash And Tennessee Two.

Sun Records # 258.

There You Go / Train Of Love


You wanna hear classic Johnny Cash ? then look no further than Sun # 258 .....pure Cash, you get exactle what you need, heartbreak, love, chuggin rhythm and the voice of Johnny ......unmistakeable brilliance !