Saturday, April 28, 2012

J. Mercy Baby on P&P

J. Mercy Baby and the Wonders
14333 - He She's Mine

J. Mercy Baby and Lil-Lether
14334 -The Letter

P&P 101
P&P Records Co.
314 Mobile St. Hattiesburg, Miss.

Both wr. Julius Mullins
Mercy Baby Music, BMI
1965



J. Mercy Baby

15143 - I Tried It
15144 - I Messed Up

Both wr. Julius Mullins
Mercy Baby Music, BMI

P&P Records Co. 105
314 Mobile St. Hattiesburg, Miss.

1965


P&P Records Co.


This is drummer and blues singer Julius "Jimmy" Mullins. on his own label.

Five singles were released, all in 1965. Only one is not by J. Mercy Baby : #102 Helen Williams & the Zionettes.

From JC Marion :
One of the session players on Frankie Lee Sims recordings for Ace was Jimmy Mullins. With Sims and the rest of the combo he took the lead vocals and recorded under the name Mercy Baby. In Dallas in 1957 Ace # 528 was released with the tunes "Marked Deck" and "Rock And Roll Baby". A follow up recording was released on Ace # 535 in October of the year and included the songs "Silly Dilly Woman" and "Mercy's Blues".

During early November Mercy appears with Frankie Lee Sims for Al Benson's big R & B show at Chicago's Regal Theater. Others on the bill are Big Maybelle, Screamin Jay Hawkins, The Dells, Mello-Kings, Joan Shaw, Priscilla Bowman, and Titus Turner. Late in 1957 Mercy recorded for the Ric label based in New Orleans and the tunes "Don't Lie To Me" and "Pleadin" which was issued on # 955.

The next year still located in Dallas, Texas, Mercy recorded for his own label Mercy Baby Records and released two sides. The first on # 501 issued in November was "You Ran Away" and "Love's Voodoo". The second release in June of 1959 was on Mercy Baby # 502 featured "The Rock And Stomp" and "So Lonesome".

Hear a rare Jimmy Mullins recording HERE followed by Finny Mo talkin to Mercy Baby on the phone at the end of recording - and Zuzu Bollin laughing in background (from a KCLE radio show, 1976).



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George Brock and the Happy Rhythm Boys on Ark


George Brock and the Happy Rhythm Boys

CP-7415 ~ Memories Of Dad
CP-7416 ~ Help Me Be A Better Christian

Ark 213

1962


George Brock

His first?

Also recorded for REM Records (1965-1966), Jewel (1967) and Starlite.

G. Brock discography HERE

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Mason Gay on Country Music


Mason Gay
Singing With Guitar

CP-4363 - The Girl I Met At The Bar
CP-4364 - I Never Have The Blues

Both wr Mason Gay, Rite Music BMI

Country Music Records # 501
Forest, Mississippi

1960



eBay donchriss auction ending April 23.




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Monday, April 16, 2012

Smokey Norman on Smokey's


Smokey Norman / Blue Ridge Buddies

11455 - Intoxicated Rat (Dixon)
11456 - Why Did I Cross Over? (Norman DeHart)

Smokey’s Records
1201 Cloverdale Street
High Point, N.C.

1963


"Intoxicated Rat" is a cover of a song first recorded the Dixon Brothers :

According to Gus Meade's book Country Music Sources, Dorsey Dixon, one of country music's finest early songwriters, is the originator and composer, c. 1935. The song was recorded with his brother Howard as the Dixon Brothers in Charlotte, NC, February 12, 1936, and released in June 1936 on Bluebird and Montgomery Ward: BB B6327, MW M4823.


The Dixon Brothers version is on youTube

Label pic from current eBay auction (auction has a sample of both sides)
thanks : http://myworld.ebay.com/djmackgyver

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Friday, April 13, 2012

Bobby Vernon (Air 5019)


Bobby Vernon with Orchestra

CP-3977 – Hey, Little Baby!
(Alwin Krugler, Active BMI)
sample

CP-3978 - Please Don't Tell
( )
sample

Air Records 5019

Produced by Rite Records
("produced by" here meaning probably "pressed by")

1960

Label picture and audio samples : eBay http://myworld.ebay.com/chriscarnahan2

Air Records was located at 3170 SW 8th St., Miami Florida, address of the Silver Court Trailer Park which was once the winter camp for the Ringling Brothers Circus.

Producer and songwriter Jack A. Curry, owner of Air Records, had also other interests outside the "music" world, showing a big concern for the well-being of other people :

In 1953, he wrote "Vitamins cured my bothersome ailments; or, Allergy, no such".

In the mid-sixties he copyrighted two revolutionary inventions :


Air Records links :
http://www.songpoemmusic.com/labels/air.htm

http://www.45rpmrecords.com/ST/Air.php

http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/label.php?key=28




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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Pat Riley And The Rockets on Reed


Pat Riley And The Rockets

CP-1769 ~ I Need You Baby
CP-1770 ~ Little Bop A Little

Reed 1201

May 1959




"Little Bop A Little" saw the light again in 1997, thanks to Cees Klop (The Rockin' "Reed" Recordings, Collector CD 4440), which was not the case of "I Need You Baby".

Both songs were written by one Payne (probably Irvin Payne, a guitar and steel player who died in 2009. Irvin Payne taught many people in the Birmingham area how to play guitar for over 50 years).

The "Sensational" Pat Riley on Tin Pan Alley (two singles in 1957) is obviously a different Pat Riley. You can hear Pat "not bopping" Riley at YouTube here, here or even here...

In the sixties, there was one Pat Riley on Gold Standard and one on Bandit. but I've not heard them.

Another Pat Riley listed in Billboard on Whiz Records (1968) but it's a misprint. The artist is actually Pat BRILEY.




Reed Records was founded by Homer Milam in 1958. The first releases were pressed by the RCA Records custom division and the songs published by Double "M" Music, BMI. The Pat Riley record is one of the first of many pressed by Rite Records. Later records were published by Starland Music, a company owned by Gary Sizemore, blues singer Jerry McCain’s manager and sales manager of the Bel-Aire Distributing Company (formed in Birmingham in 1959).
This is perhaps the indication of a change of the label's ownership.

According to Malcom Chapman, Reed Records & Recording Service was located above Brittney’s Cafe on 1917 First Avenue N in Birmingham.

The studio was already active as early as 1956, when Birminghamian Baker Knight (and his Knighmares) recorded here “Bring My Cadillac Back" (Kit Records, leased to Decca).

According to Bobby Mizzell, Homer Milam had a heart attack and died in the early 70's. "They tore Reed to the ground and I have no idea what happened to all those records." (see Bo Berglind article).


Label pictures credit : Udo Frank

Reed Records discography (Rite pressings only) 45rpmrecords.com

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