Pitt Records was one of the labels for Pitt Sound Studios, originally at 906 S. Washington Street in Greenville, North Carolina. The most notable song cut at Pitt Sound Studios was the O’Kaysions “Girl Watcher”, though the original label was North State.
Pitt Records had a number of gospel releases, a couple of country singles by Larry Anderson, and garage cuts by the Inspirations and the Empalas. I’d like to know more about the Royal Charmers, which I’ve read is garage.
Under different ownership the Pitt Sound Studio moved northwest of Greenville, on Highway 43 towards Falkland, where it was still in business as of 2008.
Romat Records was owned Roy Matthews, now deceased. He was a DJ and barber from Robersonville, north of Greenville. All of the Romat releases were recorded at Pitt Sound.
One source told me Roy sang on the 45 by the Forbes Brothers on Pitt, “Arkansas Jail” / “Idaho Red” which included members who went on to the Supergrit Cowboy Band. Roy’s daughter says that was incorrect, and the label seems to bear this out, with lead vocals by Ola Forbes, Jr. That 45, like most of the Pitt and Romat releases was produced by Carl Lineberger, with publishing by Roy Matthews Music.
Pitt discography:
any help with this would be appreciated
Pitt 657 – Larry Anderson – “On The Losing End” / “After You Leave”
Pitt 658 – Royal Charmers – “Hey Girl” (Greg Williamson) / “Midnight Hour”
Pitt 659 – Summitts – “On My Knee’s” (David Erdman) / “Mercy, Mercy”
Pitt 661 – The Singing Spiritual Heirs (Bill Harris and Lloyd Adams) – “A Higher Mansion” / “I Need A Blessing” / “One More Valley” / “Cast Your Cares Upon The Master”
Pitt 662 – Forbes Brothers featuring Ola Forbes, Jr. – “Arkansas Jail” / “Idaho Red”
Pitt 665 – Larry Anderson – “Memories of the Past” (Vernal Gaskins) / “Absent Without Leave” (produced by Patrick Woodard)
Pitt 667 – The Inspirations – “Loving Man” / “I Had You Always”
Pitt 669 – The Empalas – “Girls, Girls, Girls” / “Gentle On My Mind”
Pitt 670 – Elder Lanier and the Zion Travelers – “Yes I Know” (N.L. Lanier) / “Christmas Gift”
Pitt 675 – Terry Carraway – “Put Your Hand In The Hand” / Deborah Wooten – “Reach Out to Jesus”
Pitt 678 – Robert Fuller and the Southern Spirituals – “It Won’t Be This Way (Always)” / “Thinking Of A Friend” (Andrew Herring)
Pitt 680 – Waterside Male Chorus – “Wave On The Water” / “I Know The Lord Will Make A Way”
Pitt 682 (?) – The Uptighters featuring Tyron Green – “Smoke” / “I Need Some Magic”
Pitt 11197 – Dan Marshburn – “Disc Jockey’s Last Show” / “Round and Around”
Is the Summitts release the same group with the 45 from 1970, “I Can’t Get Over Losing You” (Joe Tate) on Dontee? That was supposed to be a DC group.
LP:
PSS-LP 1006 – The Gospeletts – Hand in Hand, recorded at Pitt Sound Studio Greenville, NC; Roy Matthews Audio Engineer.
Romat discography:
Romat 1001 – The Sound System – Take A Look At Yourself / Serenade
Romat 1002 – The Soul Twisters – Swingin’ on a Grapevine / Soul Fever
Romat 1003 – The Scotsmen – Down and Out / A Groovy Place
Romat 1004 – The Soul Twisters – Doing Our Dance / If It Takes A Year
Romat 1005 – Clear Blue Sky – Morning of Creation / Ugly Girl
Thanks to Doug Pickette for the sleeve to the Scotsmen 45, below. Doug tells me the lead guitarist was Harold Stephens, and the keyboardist was Wilbur Weeks (RIP), who ran a music store in Scotland Neck, NC.
Check out my earlier posts on the Sound System the Soul Twisters, and the Clear Blue Sky.
Thanks to Ken Friedman of Tobacco a Go Go for info about the Romat label, to Brad Hufford for info on the Gospelettes album and to Lightnin’ Wells for filling in many of the gaps in the Pitt Records discography.
Thank you to Chris Matthews for correcting the location of the original Pitt Sound studio.
