Category Archives: Label

Categories: D'Arcy Sound Studios (Norfolk), Hampton, Sounds International, Virginia

The Nite Liters “Set Me Free”

March 18, 2019 Chris Bishop 7 Comments

Nite Liters Photo — The Nite Liters horn section at D’Arcy studio, from left: George Resto, Harrel Baker and Danny Kelly.

Don Faulk and Harrel Baker wrote the A-side of the Nite Liters excellent single on Sounds International 631, “Set Me Free”. D’Arcy Sounds Studios‘ publishing company Twenty Grand Music belatedly registered copyright on over 20 songs including “Set Me Free” on April 3, 1968. Since this seems to be the earliest release on Sounds International, the single likely dates a year or two earlier.

Danny Kelly of the Nite Liters wrote to me about the group and sent the photo seen above:

I did play trumpet with the Nite Liters along with George Resto and Harrel Baker on sax and also rhythm guitar. Bobby Schnell on drums, Joe Fromel on keyboards and vocals, Donnie Faulk on bass and vocals, and Steve Keith on lead guitar filled out the rest of the band.
We all went to Hampton High School. Danny and the Del Notes went to Newport News High School which was a real rivalry in every sense.
We recorded an original titled “Set Me Free” and covered “The Harlem Shuffle” in D’Arcy Studio around the time Danny and the Del Notes did their record. We were both on the Sounds International label. Our 45 aired locally on AM and played on a few juke boxes. We only had 500 copies made.
Before George and I were recruited into the band, the Nite Liters played in the battle of the bands at the Peninsula Auditorium.
I remember playing with Dennis and the Times at the Peppermint Beach Club in Virginia Beach. The best times were when we were the house band at the Hullabaloo Club in Newport News, Va. We even tried getting into some psychedelic music there. That was really crazy.
There were other good times like when a couple of members including myself went down to North Carolina to get a dj Russ Spooner to play a demo tape on the air. We recorded that also at D’Arcy studio.
As of right now, we’re all still alive and kicking. Steve, Bobby and myself are the only ones still in the area. George and Joe are up in northern Va., Donnie’s somewhere out west and Harrel is music director with a group in Hawaii. He was a surfer back when we were at Hampton High School. I’m retired from the USPS.
Danny Kelly, March 2019

Categories: Farrall Records, Kentucky, Louisville

The Dynamics “Later On” Farrall Records

March 16, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Dynamics were from the west side of Louisville, Kentucky, and cut a great instrumental single from 1962 or 1963 on Farrall Records.

Jerry Hargrove wrote the A-side, “Later On”, which starts out with a solemn intro for 15 seconds then kicks into high gear with a driving guitar riff and growling saxophone. That slow intro was cut when this song appeared on a volume of Strummin’ Mental many years ago.

Gary King wrote the flip, “Departure”, a ballad all the way through. Tronic Music published both sides. Issued as Farrall Records FAR-45-694.

Max Waller alerted me to an entry in Brenda & Bill Wood’s book Louisville’s Own which gives an extensive band member list. On this instrumental, the likely lineup is:

Jerry Hargrove – lead guitar
Gary King – saxophone
Bob Webb – bass
Johnny Coffman – drums
and possibly Freddie Witzelhouse on rhythm guitar

According to Louisville’s Own, the Dynamics formed in 1961, most members students from Shawnee High School.

Other members would include:

Tinsley Stuart – lead vocal
Gary Harrod – vocal
Kenny Flowers – vocal
Tommy Flowers – vocal

In 1963, most of the band (Tinsley Stuart, Gary Harrod, Bobby Webb, Gary King, and Johnny Coffman) joined members of two southern Indiana bands (the Citations and the Imperials) and Frank Bugbee (later in Soul Inc. and Elysian Field), and formed the ten-member group, the Shadows, who released one single “Shake Sherry” / “That’s All” on Jam 45-109 in September 1964. That band later became the Chateaus. The Chateaus had three singles including ones on Jam and Boss Records.

Farrall Records released a number of good rockabilly and country-bop singles by Ken Turner, Paul Wheatley, Jimmie Dale, & Fannom Patrick, among others. It may be best known for the original version of “Scorpion” by Jimmie McConville & the Shamrocks. The label had an address of 1834 Nelligan Ave, near Portland Ave.

Thank you to Max Waller and Louisville’s Own for information on the group.

Categories: Church Hill, Kingsport, Tennessee, Trail Records, Tri-State Recording Company (Kingsport)

The Shades Of Depression

March 14, 2019 Lonnie Salyer 5 Comments

Shades of Depression photo — The Shades Of Depression, circa 1967, (l to r): Joe Johnson, Ronnie Slemp, George “Rocky” Hammonds & Chuck Leamon.

Less than two weeks ago The Shades Of Depression were a complete unknown band in the garage rock 45 rpm community, one of those iconic bands that recorded a stunning and highly collectible record and disappeared into the lore of history to be debated on late night chat rooms and podcasts 40 plus years later. When I first started collecting local records a couple years ago Trail TSRC-1712 released in 1967 was at the top of my want list. “Time For Love” backed with “I’m A Fool” by The Shades Of Depression doesn’t sound like a record made in the hills of East Tennessee and the band name oozes West Coast coolness.

Shades of Depression Trail 45 Time For Love — The Shades Of Depression, “Time For Love”, Trail TSRC-1712, side 1, released 1967.

Frustrated that I’ve never even seen a copy of this gem recorded less then 3 miles from Big Lon’s clandestine lair, I posted pictures of one I’d found grossly over priced on eBay asking if anyone knew anything about the band and within an hour had made contact with a band member and the widow of a band member. By this past Saturday, I was standing outside The Down Home getting a hug from Anne Hammonds, the widow of one of the band members with a near mint un-played original copy in my hand and a story to share.

Shades of Depression Trail 45 I'm A Fool — The Shades Of Depression, “I’m A Fool”, Trail TSRC-1712, side 2, released 1967.

Turns out The Shades Of Depression were not from an exotic far-off land, they hailed from God’s country, Church Hill, TN just a few miles down Bloody 11-W from the Tri-State studio in Kingsport. This band formed in 1967 consisted of Church Hill High School students Joe Johnson (vocals, guitar, song writer), Chuck Leamon (guitar, vocals), George “Rocky” Hammonds (bass, vocals) and Ronnie Slemp (drums).

They performed together 2-3 years while in high school mostly playing local sock hops and dance parties. Rocky and Chuck would sit up late night with a tape recorder and AM radio to catch the newest Beatles or Doors songs on Chicago radio stations and then learn them for the next weekend gig as new records released in major markets didn’t make it to small towns like Kingsport until two or three weeks later giving The Shades Of Depression a leg up on other local bands.

Their biggest rival band for local shows was The Odds’n’Ends from Surgoinsville, TN which featured Benny Wilson (Passenger, Janie Fricke Band, Benny Wilson Band) and Billy Greer (Passenger, Bishop, Kansas) who had just recorded TSRC-1709 “Record Shop Song” at Tri-State.

The band had 500 copies of the record pressed. They sold them mostly to friends and family with a few available at the local Woolworths and Joseph’s Music Center in Kingsport.

As with most garage bands life happens and they broke up as Chuck went to college, Rocky joined the Air Force and Joe started a successful real estate business. Chuck said he doesn’t know what happened to Ronnie as they drifted apart as school, jobs, wives and children rearing became the priorities. Rocky passed away in 2007. Chuck and Joe still live in the area.

Anne and Chuck were surprised by the clamor about this record released over 50 years ago and were appreciative I wanted to do a story about the band and that this treasured 7” piece of vinyl means so much to those of us trying to preserve the musical legacy of Southern Appalachia. Chuck said he tossed 50 or 60 of these away a few years ago with no thought that one day people around the world would clamor for a copy. As Anne’s note says ”it’s all about the music”. Thanks to The Shades Of Depression for preserving a piece of the local 1960’s history through a timeless 45.

Shades Of Depression Trail 45 For Lonnie — Thank you Anne for sharing Rocky’s musical legacy!

Lonnie Salyer writes about eastern Tennessee music at Big Lon’s Crateful Dig on Facebook. Each week, Big Lon spins obscure original local 45rpm and 78rpm records on Radio Bristol at WBCM 100.1 FM and online.

Categories: Arkansas, Fort Smith, Jaguar

The Roustabouts “Just You And Me” on Jaguar Records

March 5, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Roustabouts came from Fort Smith, Arkansas, roughly halfway between Little Rock and Oklahoma City and the base for the earlier group Bobby & the Denos. In July, 1968 the Roustabouts traveled to Little Rock to Steve Jaggars’ studio to cut their only single.

Band members were:

Danny Hendricks – lead vocals
Gene Rodgers
Johnny Carrol Scott
Dave Davis

Danny Hendricks wrote “Just You And Me”, the chugging, almost menacing, A-side of the single. Dave Davis wrote the ballad “Lonely Blues”. Tyler Pub. Co. published both songs.

The Roustabouts stayed active until the 1980’s, according to the liner notes to Lost Souls vol. 1., where I found most of this info.

Anyone have a photo of the group?

Categories: East Baltimore, Fayette, Littlefields, Maryland, Virtue Recording Studios

The New Diablos

February 6, 2019 Chris Bishop 12 Comments

The New Diablos came from East Baltimore, Maryland, making two excellent psychedelic singles during their time together.

The band went through many lineup changes but included as many as eight people at one point:

Bub Deskin – lead vocals
Bill Bell – lead guitar
Bobby Peter – rhythm guitar
Wayne Smith – bass
George Dobash Jr. – drums
Dave Smith – keyboards
Norm Snyder – saxophone
Tim Cech – saxophone

Their first single contained vocal and instrumental versions of “Land of Love”, song writing credits to Serpents Inc., Edw. E. Medcaff (or Ed Metcalffe). It seems Bob Deskin brought this song with him from his prior band, the Serpents. Saxophones are absent from both their singles, but this one has flute to accompany the lead vocal.

The New Diablos released “Land of Love” on Littlefields Records RI 2759, with Alfred L. Cullen credited for production and publishing “at White Marsh, MD”. George Dobash, Sr at 823 Lannerton Road in Baltimore has arrangement credit.

Their next single may have come as late as 1970. “Tangerine Guides” and “I’m Fake” have touches of psychedelia and soul. Bill Bell and George Dobash wrote both songs (Dodash on the label is a typo). I’m still trying to puzzle out the lyrics to “I’m Fake”.

It was recorded at Virtue Recording Studios at 1618 N. Broad St., Philadelphia and released on Frank Virtue’s Fayette label, F-9370. D. Hutch gets producer credit.

The band continued into the ’70s with some lineup changes.

Categories: Dot, Lebanon, MusiCenter, Nashville, Tennessee

The Valiants with Jerry Gillespie on Dot Records

January 30, 2019 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

All four of the Valiants songs were composed by Jerry Gillespie. The band was probably based in Lebanon, Tennesee, east of Nashville. They definitely sound like a real group, not a studio creation.

Members included Gary Gillespie, his cousin Jerry Gillespie, Jim Ladas and Donnie Scarlett.

Their first single was “I’m Getting Tired of You” / “All Night Long” MusiCenter 3102 from 1965 (RCA custom pressing SK4M-3501), produced by label owner Murray Nash.

Both songs are listed with By-Nash of Nashville BMI, though I don’t see copyright listings for either. According to an article on Mellow’s Log Cabin site, Murray Nash had Kenny Norton cover both songs, but these do not seem to have been released. Kenny Norton was a young singer from Texas who had a single on MusiCenter 3104, “To Know You” / “Oonie, Oonie, Yah, Yah, Yah”.

In May of 1966, the Valiants had their second release, “Don’t Make the Same Mistake” / “I’ll Return to You” on Dot 45-16884 (MB-20860/1).

Although “Don’t Make the Same Mistake” has song writing credits by Jerry Gillespie with Cedarwood Publishing (BMI) while “I’ll Return to You” is credited to Wayne Gillespie with Ivory Pub. Co. (Sesac), it seems likely this is the same person, Jerry Wayne Gillespie, from Decatur, Alabama who penned a good number of big country hits in the ’70s and ’80s. I suppose the Valiants were his first group, but do not have any information on that yet.

The sticker from the German division of Peer Music is interesting, however this did not see release in Europe, and even the US single on Dot is very rare now.

Produced by John E. Denny and Noel Ball as “A Jed Record Production”; they also produced the Mod Rockers “Lover’s Lane” (Kenneth Ball) / “Stop And Smell The Flowers” (David Ball) released on Dot Records 45-16907 only a month or two after the Valiants single.

John E. Denny produced the Uncalled For’s classic “Do Like Me” (by Larry Welding and Tollie Lee) for Laurie Records, as well as many country recordings.

Categories: Argee, Florida, Miami

The Burgundy Blues on Argee

January 22, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Burgundy Blues were the recording name of a Miami, Florida group called the Amen. Members included:

Tim Yero – lead guitar, lead vocals
Bob Lewis – bass
Bill Sabella – organ
Keith Van Schaick – drums, replaced by Burt Compton

Tim Yero wrote “I’ll Get You Back Again” and “Nothing Without You”, published by Artrec BMI with copyright registrations on September 27, 1966.

Ron Deeb produced the band’s sessions at Dukoff Recording Studios in North Miami. They were well known locally as the Amen, but Deeb changed their name to the Burgundy Blues as more commercial; the band only played two or three shows with that name. Yero estimated a pressing run of 500 copies, on Deeb’s Argee Records 100. From what I’ve read, many demo recordings of the Amen performing Tim’s original songs exist, including a very different early arrangement of “I’ll Get You Back Again” recorded at Voice Incorporated studio, but I haven’t heard any of them.

The band broke up when Tim Yero was drafted.

Eric Sabella would join Jerald Cohn, Ronald Chassner, Ken Thomas, Rick Thomas and Alberto DeAlmar in the Leaves of Grass who cut two singles on Platinum in 1968. From that group came the Metaphysical Animation with Sabella, Alberto DeAlmar, Steve Margolis and Robbie Hansen. In 1973, Metaphysical Animation recorded about 60 minutes of music at Ben Scott Studios, which was pressed up on two LPs in a plain sleeve, now very rare.

Anyone have photos of the group?

Source: much information is available through searching in the Limestone Lounge.

Categories: Brass, Kansas City, Missouri

The Blazers on Brass and Melinda and the Misfits on U-Nek

January 21, 2019 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

The Blazers cut one fine single, “I Don’t Need You” (D. Hord) b/w the more ’50s sounding”Lovin’ to Do” (H. Halter) on Brass 306 in November 1965, produced by John C. Price.

I don’t know the band members, but in BMI’s database, both songs are listed as co-written by Dennis Hord and Harold Halter, published by Mantle Music (BMI).

Brass Records at 7807 Truman in Kansas City, MO also released three singles by the Fabulous Four.

Dennis Hord and Harold Halter wrote both sides of Melinda and the Misfits’ “Don’t Take Your Love Away” / “Forever and a Day”, on U-Nek Records 711, copyrighted in March of 1967 for Velcille Music, BMI. This has a very different sound than the Blazers, a pop production with lots of echo.

Hord and Halter also wrote Melinda & the Misfits next single “Sweet Love” and “My Kind of Man” on U-Nek 712, also produced by Don Price but published by Bill Roberts Music. Bill Roberts had his own single on Brass 307 “Shout It Out” / “Please Take”, and would also release “Kansas City Chiefs” with the Fabulous Four on Cavern 2218.

That’s as far as I can trace the careers of Dennis Hord and Harold Halter.

Melinda Mendenhall would have one more release on U-Nek Records 829 “You’re the One” (an original song by her) and “Two Big Birds” (Deb Dyer) with Tom Harrison and Craig Schuemaker on guitars and Lee Waterman on drums, then join the first incarnation of Morningstar in 1969.

Categories: Bridgeport, Connecticut, Randall

The Satyrs “Zodiac Zoo”

January 18, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Satyrs released two singles in 1972 and 1974, both recorded in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but released with an address in Syracuse, New York.

Their first single “Right On” / “Sahib Sam”, is a light-hearted take on cliches of the era. It was released on Randall Records MF 10013-2514. Credits show both songs by Maceo Jefferson, Gerald Randall and Samuel Turiano; arranged by Tobias C. Frey, and engineered by Steve Csordas. Copyrights on these songs date back to December 21, 1970.

There was a Maceo Jefferson who played with Louie Armstrong as far back as 1934; it seems unlikely this could be the same person.

Their second single, “Zodiac Zoo” starts with a slow rhythm that reminds me of Traffic Sound’s “Virgin”, then doubles the pace just before the verse. The vocals are an unusual meld, a male voice sounds slowed down a little.

Released on Randall Records R-101 with an address of 1643 West Genesee St., Syracuse, New York, the labels note it was “produced, engineered and arranged by Steve Csordas” and also that it was recorded at Connecticut Recording Studios, Inc., Bridgeport, CT.

The musicians on both songs are obviously accomplished. The flip side is “I’m an Astrologer, Too”, but it is lighter fare.

Both songs were composed by Gerald Randall and Tobias C. Frey, with H & G Randall, Inc as publisher. Library of Congress copyright records show lyrics by Gerald Randall, and music by Tobias Charles Frey, registered on July 25, 1973 along with several other songs: “Two Souls in Love”, “If What the People Say Is True” and “Satyrs’ Ball”.

Registration for “I’m an Astrologer, Too” came in 1974, plus a host of other collaborations that must not have seen release, including “Bagnew Dixen”, “Be My Destiny”; “I Guess You Can Blame Me”; “Mr. Uncle, Little Yahoo”; “Mr. World War II”; “Satyrs Visit Grandma’s Pad”; “There’s One More Adventure Left in Me”; and “What’s the Shouting For”.

Other songs that seem to have been unreleased include “Why Me Blues” by Maceo Jefferson, Gerald Randall and Samuel Turiano, dated October 26, 1970, and “The Toby’s Song”, featuring lyrics by Gerald Randall and Michael Schwab, with music by Tobias Charles Frey, registered on September 8, 1972. Also the intriguing “Satyr Called Ralph” in November, 1972, and “Why is Your Love Haunting Me” with words by Gerald Randall and Sam Turiano and music by Maceo Jefferson.

These were not the Satyrs who cut the excellent “Yesterday’s Hero” on Spectrum, or the band from Asheville who cut “Don’t Be Surprised” on Wal-Mor.

Thank you to Nick M. for letting me hear the clips of the first Satyrs 45.

Categories: Columbus, Ohio, Sure

The Shilos “Let’s Go Again”

January 14, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Shilos had only one single, featuring the fine r&b sounds of “Let’s Go Again”, released on the Sure Records label in the second half of 1965.

The Shilos became the Four Winds, and one member recalled those groups lineups as including:

Jeff Pharion – lead vocals
Roger Riley – guitar, replaced by Bob Hill
Walt Edry – bass, replaced by Bob Blackburn
Dave Smith – drums
Russ Geis – saxophone (on occasion)

Other than Jeff Pharion on vocals, I don’t know exactly who plays on the record. The flip is the lighter “You’re Leaving Sunday” featuring a trumpet player. It was an RCA custom press, with master numbers 754S-5932, SK4M-5932/3.

Chuck Howard, a country singer well-known throughout southern Ohio, wrote both songs.

I’m sorry to report that Jeff Pharion passed away January 6, 2019.

Buckeye Beat has photos of the Four Winds and more info on that group.

Garage Hangover