Category Archives: US

Categories: Feature, Racine, Rampro, Wisconsin

The Voyagers on Feature Records

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“Voyagers Greet Nixon and Schadeberg”, from left: Jay Sieger, Lance Davenport and Marc Peterson. Photo courtesy of Eddy Hauser.

The Voyagers came from Racine, Wisconsin, cutting two 45s for the Feature Records label out of Janesville.

The band first recorded as a quintet with:

Mark Peterson – vocals
Jay Sieger – lead guitar
Ed Hauser – rhythm guitar
Lance Davenport – bass
Steve Porter – drums

Their first 45 was the excellent “Away” backed with “I’m So Lonely”, both songs written by Sieger and Davenport, from August 1966 on Feature Records 817R-111, an RCA custom press. Spad Music would publish all their original songs.

The band met Richard Nixon at a political rally in October, 1966, and another photo from this event ran in Newsweek on October 10, 1966, with the caption “Nixon stumping Wisconsin: Always a gracious thank you for the band” (tip of the hat to Chas G.).

Voyagers Feature 45 I Want You Back

Voyagers appearing weekly at the Racine YMCA, with special shows by the Delights, Five Emprees, Crying Shames, and Buckinghams. Poster photo courtesy of Eddy Hauser.

By the time of their second single, in 1967, Marc Peterson and Ed Hauser had left, replaced by Joey Carrion (Tino Gonzales) on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. This lineup recorded two more originals, “Can’t Save This Heart” by Sieger / Davenport, and “I Want You Back” by Carrion. It was released as Feature Records F-101, and produced by RAM Prod. After the single, Jay Sieger left and was replaced on lead guitar by Bob Spock.

Steve Sperry in Chicago, 1966
Steve Sperry in Chicago, 1966
Voyagers photo, with Ed Hauser on Gibson Firebird (photo courtesy of Eddy Hauser)

Arthur Sullivan sent me Stephen Sperry’s photo and business card, and wrote to me with some information:

This group, The Voyagers was produced by Steve Sperry who operated Ram Productions during the 1960s. This group was probably managed for bookings by Ken Adamany who lived in Janesville during that time. Steve lived in Janesville WI and also managed Dick Campbell of Monroe WI for a while. I don’t know where it was recorded but it has a very good clean sound. There was Leaf Studio in Janesville or Cuca at Sauk City.

Stephen Sperry Ram Productions, Janesville
Stephen Sperry & Ram Productions card, Janesville

Steve Sperry had an early 45 on Cuca J-1008 “That Ain’t So” / “Our Summer Love” before starting Ram Productions artist management and the Rampro label.

Arthur Sullivan had his own release on Swan Records ‎S-4153 as Artie Sullivan with the Rhythm Beats ‎– “It’s Time” / “Suzanne”, and produced singles with vocalist Dick Campbell on Camsul Records out of Worcester, MA (The Wild Ones “Surfin’ Time Again” for example), and CineVista Records out of Monroe, Wisconsin, among many others.

Thank you to Eddy Hauser for some of the photos in this article.

Sources: Gary E. Myers Can You Hear That Beat and On That Wisconsin Beat, and 45 cat

Categories: California, Chalon, Hollywood, Impression, Los Angeles, Unknown

The Grim Reepers “Two Souls” on Chalon

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Grim Reepers Chalon 45 Two SoulsThe Grim Reepers cut the excellent single “Two Souls”, but are still something of a mystery group. I haven’t been able to find any photos or gig listings for the Grim Reapers or Reepers, however they intended to spell the band name.

Two likely members are Greg Magie and Mark Paterson. Greg Magie’s name is in the song writing credits of the album “Stuntrock” by the late ’70s Los Angeles group Sorcery, (sound track to the movie Stunt Rock), and he is also, I believe, the vocalist in Sorcery as Greg McGee.

J. Sturgis is another name on the song writing credits, but in the BMI database, “Two Souls” shows only Mark Patterson, Richard Serrana and Joanne Funk.

“Two Souls” / “Joanne” was released on Chalon 1003 in January of 1967. Besides a few country singles by Roy Stevens, the Grim Reepers is the only other release on Chalon Records that I know of. Produced by Walker – J-P Productions (including B. Walker?).

Grim Reepers Chalon 45 JoanneChalon Records shared an address of 5539 Sunset Boulevard with Impression Records. Ramhorn Pub. Co. published “Two Souls” and also published many of the songs released on the Impression label. J-P Productions shows up on the Dirty Shames’ Impression single. A. Jones who is credited with arranging the Grim Reepers single is almost certainly Al Jones. Al Jones and Joe Osborn’s names show up on many Impression singles, and on the writing credits to Roy Stevens “Over Again” on Chalon 001.

Greg Magie’s “Joanne” is published through Reklaw Music Co.

Categories: Arkansas, California, Canada, Dionysian, Hot Springs, Los Angeles, Ontario

Beau Hannon on Dionysian

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Beau Hannon Dionysian 45 Who's Got The Right Of Way“Who’s Got the Right of Way” is the snotty, upbeat B-side to the light “Rosie, Rosie”. This Los Angeles production on Dionysian from late 1967 comes roughly in the middle of Beau Hannon’s recording career.

I had read that Beau Hannon was a Canadian singer from Niagara Falls, Ontario, but  Mellow’s Log Cabin website says that the group was from Arkansas and started as Beau-Hannon and the Mint Juleps.

They cut a good rockin’ teen single “It’s All Over” / “Brainstorm” on the Hot Springs, Arkansas label United Southern Artists, Inc in 1961. The song writing credits for “It’s All Over” reveals his actual name, Jim Bohannon; “Brainstorm” is credited to Larry Fite who played bass. Other members of the group included Buddy Dodd lead guitar,and Ken Martin on drums.

After touring the east coast, the band did a months-long engagement in Montreal at the Black Orchid club. The band broke up due to the draft and other reasons, but Hannon stayed in Canada & New England and continued his career.

His second single “Stop Me From Falling In Love” on Eskee was picked up for release in Canada, Belgium and Germany.  Later he had an LP of lighter pop, Most Requested on Birchmont.

“Who’s Got the Right of Way” was the first of two releases on Dionysian Records, DP-101 / DP-102. Arnold Rosenthal wrote both songs, published by Appolonian (BMI), and Georgie Dee and Rick Centman produced both sides. Δ-69230 in the deadwax indicates a December 1967 pressing. It was almost certainly cut in Los Angeles.

The only other release I know of is Dionysian DP-103 A/B, Richard Williams singing I’m a Free Man” with a similar arrangement of “Who’s Got the Right of Way” on the flip. Notable on this release is Jesse Edwin Davis credited with arrangement, and a co-writing credit on “I’m a Free Man” to Davis and Bramlett (published by Appolonian / Lawana).

A white label promotional copy of Dionysian DP-103 has the artist credited as “Beyond Good And Evil”. On the label photo I’ve seen, this artist name is crossed out and Richard Williams’ name is written at top.

One source notes Richard Williams was Dick Anthony Williams who had a career as an actor, but I can’t confirm this.

Arnold Rosenthal has many song-writing and occasional production credits, but he doesn’t seem to have held a position at any label or company for long. He seems to have been most active from ’69 to ’72, when he wrote much of Gary Lewis’s ‎”I’m On The Right Road Now” album, and played bass on Jesse Ed Davis’s version of “White Line Fever” and on a couple tracks from Ben Sidran’s Feel Your Groove LP.

Categories: Ohio, Prism, Washington Court House

The Duprays on Prism Records

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The Duprays came from Washington Court House, Ohio, which lies about 40 miles southwest of Columbus and a little further from Dayton.

Duprays Prism 45 You Make MeMembers were:

Bruce Daulton – lead vocals
Ray Joslin – guitar
Mike Burnette – guitar
Dennis Minshall – keyboards
Don Miller – bass
Carl Mullen – drums

Guitarist Ray Joslin wrote the excellent top side, “You Make Me”, which starts with what is supposed to be his girl’s wailing, with some unusual echoed drumming. The wailing continues through the guitar break and short recitation.

The band shares composition credit on the bizarre B-side, “The Frog (Froggy)”.

Released on Prism Records PR-1929, the RCA custom pressing code SK4M-1497/8 dates it to late 1965.

B-W Music, Inc and WWMG Pub. published “You Make Me”, while WelDee Music and WWMG Pub. published “The Frog (Froggy)”, though I couldn’t find Library of Congress registrations for either song.

Unlike many Ohio bands of the era, the Duprays did not seem to get any local press coverage, perhaps because they were young teenagers.

Does anyone have a photo of the group?

More info is at Buckeye Beat.

Duprays Prism 45 The Frog

Categories: Hillsboro, Mega Sound Studio (Dayton), Ohio, Prism

The Incrowd “Set Me Free” on Prism

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Incrowd Prism 45 Set Me Free

The Incrowd came from Hillsboro, Ohio, close to 60 miles east of Cincinnati. Members were:

Larry Zuggs – vocals
Randy Applegate – guitar
Paul “Bud” Long – guitar
Charles Murphy – organ
Mike Waddell – bass
Jay Cooper – drums

Circa 1965 they traveled to Dayton’s Mega Sound Studio (distinct from Mega-City Studio) to record their only single, featuring an intensely wrought soul ballad “Keep It” on the A-side. On the flip is the frantic and distorted “Set Me Free”. Both songs were supposedly written at the recording session!

Instead of release on Mega Sound’s standard Prism label, they were given the plain b&w Prism package plan for their pressing of 500 copies. Other bands on this 3000 custom series included the Senators and the Warbucks.

Anyone have a photo of the band?

Info from Buckeye Beat, with help from Matthew Baker in distinguishing Mega Sound and Mega-City studios.

Incrowd Prism 45 Keep It

Categories: Bullet, Nashville, Tennessee, Unknown

The Breakaway Five “Jivin” on Bullet

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Breakaway Five Bullet 45 JivinThe Breakaway Five cut the great instrumental “Jivin” for Red Wortham’s revived Bullet label, featuring pounding drums in the intro and great guitar work, including a quote from Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On”. The flip “I’m Gonna Walk” is a country song by F.L. Parrish, livened up by the echo on the guitar lines.

Members of the Breakaway Five included Norman Davis, Larry Davis, Larry Morgan, and possibly Ronnie Morgan. According to a comment on youtube, the band may have started as the Rivieras from Dickson, Tennessee, just west of Nashville.

Sur-Speed Music ASCAP is listed as publisher on both songs, though “Jivin” does not have any writing credit.

I’m not sure of the release date on this, but I would guess late ’50s or early ’60s. The label credits do not match the Villains 45s or any other Bullet 45 releases of the 1960s. The release number 241 is closer to Bullet’s early 78 rpm releases by Cecil Gant and Wynonie Harris. No other Bullet 45s have similar mastering codes (869-1165/6 in this case), a production credit to Wortham, or (in most cases) lack of an address.

Categories: Bundy, Freeport, Hempstead, Nassau County, New York

The Cordials “Tell Me Please”

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Cordials Bundy 45 Tell Me Please

The Cordials recorded for the Bundy label of Freeport, New York. They may have been a local group, but Freeport is not far from Brooklyn, so the group could have been from anywhere in the New York metro area.

The Cordials cut a fine version of “Misery”, originally done by the the Dynamics on their 1963 single on Big Top. I prefer the flip, “Tell Me Please”, a moody original with great harmonies, written by Rick Stevens and published by M.C. Music Pub. BMI.

Cordials Bundy 45 MiseryAn article in Cash Box from August 7, 1965 gives an approximate date for the Cordials release and some background on Bundy:

“Bundy-Fonic Expands”

Mickey Carr, top man at The Bundy-Fonic Corp., is in the process of expanding the firm’s activities, and has appointed Bob Spina to veep and Clarence Finnell as A&R boss.

The diskery, with Dee Dee Records as a subsidiary line, will be offering two new releases, the first tagged “Misery” b/w “Tell Me Please” by the Cordials, and another by the Diablos, the titles on which will be announced at a later date. Both disks will be on Bundy Records. The address of the firm is 22 Pine St., Freeport, L.I.

Although Bundy had a 1962 release by Ray Artis, “Dear Liz” / “Wella-Wella” (Bundy BU-222), I haven’t found the Diablos single or anything else on Bundy. There were several record companies called Dee Dee, and I’m not sure if the one mentioned in the Cash Box article actually released anything.

The Cordials is a styrene 45, released on Bundy BU7711, Mickey Carr gets credit for arranging and producing both sides, and Bundy is listed as a subsidiary of Bundy Phonic Ent. Corp.

Categories: Brite-Star, Cleveland, Monongahela, Newberry, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh

The Stairway to the Stars “Cry” / “Dry Run” on Brite-Star

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Stairway to the Stars, 1967, from left: T.r. Sollosi, Dave Benard, P.J. Geary, and Ray Niccolai. Photo courtesy of Paul Geary
Stairway To The Stars Brite-Star 45 Dry Run

The Stairway to the Stars came from the Pittsburgh area, but cut this 45 for the Brite-Star label out of Newberry, Ohio, near Cleveland. Newberry is only a couple hours from Pittsburgh, but the labels indicate a Nashville base.

One side has a moody, echoing vocal, “Cry”, written by Tom Sellosi and Dave Benard. The intensity grows for the short recitation at the end.

On the flip is “Dry Run” a great instrumental featuring a lot of tremolo on the guitar, a strong three note riff that sounds like a keyboard more than guitar, and a long and dissonant middle section for the lead break. Phil Dirt pointed out the similarity of the opening melody to the Vistas “No Return” on Tuff, but the Stairway to the Stars really expand on that theme in the rest of the song.

The Rite account number is 728 and the release numbers are 17909 (“Dry Run”) / 17910 (“Cry”), released in September or October 1966.

Members on the record included:

Tom Sollosi – lead guitar
Dave Benard – lead vocals
Paul Geary – tenor sax
Ray Niccolai – rhythm guitar and bass

Paul Geary provided the photos and wrote to me:

We all lived in the Monongahela, Pa. area south of Pittsburgh. Tom Solossi knew I played tenor sax in the jazz band in high school and he was trying to get a little band together. He had already recruited Ray Niccolli for rhythm guitar. Tom himself played lead guitar and also taught guitar at a local music shop. Dave Benard who worked at a furniture store in Mon City was our vocalist.

The band did a lot of weddings, teen dances, and social clubs. We were all in high school at the time and appreciated the extra money we made playing music.

Tom knew a local DJ in Charleroi, Pa. His name was Johnny Barbero and he wanted us to come to the radio station WESA for a recording session. I played sax on the recording but was drowned out by the heavy guitars.

We made a demo and paid Brite-Star Records to make some records to distribute. It played on a few local radio stations, but never took off.

Q. Do you remember who played drums on the record?

We were between drummers at the time but I’m pretty sure it was George Tirpack.

We stayed together for about a year and then everyone started applying for colleges and that ended the group.

The Library of Congress has a registration for “Cry” from September 12, 1966, to David Benard and Thomas Sollosi. The “Dry Run” label lists T.R. Sollosi, but this song wasn’t registered.

Teen Beat Mayhem indicates this 45 came with a picture sleeve, which I’ve never seen. Paul tells me there was never anything but a plain sleeve for the single.

The Blue Knights, precursor to Stairway to the Stars, from left: Frank Champ, accordion and keyboard; Tom Sollosi, lead guitar; Bill Garrison, drums; Paul Geary, sax; Ray Niccoli, rhythm guitar. Photo courtesy of Paul Geary.

Info on Brite-Star came from the 45rpm Records site.

Stairway To The Stars Brite-Star 45 Cry

Categories: Dallas, Texas

The Galaxies from Dallas, TX

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Galaxies Dallas Garden City Telegram Nov. 10, 1965

This is a probably unrecorded group from the Dallas area called the Galaxies.

Members were:

Steve Connor
Frank Schefflier
Monty Oakley
Garry Ford – guitar

Garry’s father, Robert Ford wrote a profile of the group for AP which ran in the Garden City Telegram on November 10, 1965.

These Galaxies are NOT the Garland, TX Galaxies that recorded “Gitchy-Gitchy-Goo” on Limelight and were active throughout most of the ’60s. That group included Bobby Lake, Kenneth Pugh, Bubba Tomlinson, and Ray Windt.