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You Can't Stay Single

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 Jean Stansbury
 with P.L. Busby and his Western Play Boys

Music :  P.L. Busby
Words  : Grace Gideon
© Pratt Pub. Co.; 10 September 1960
 
Startime Records LO8W-3334/5
1960

Born around 1934, Abilean Jean Stansbury has been a member of The Brushcutters, the Shorty Underwood band who backed Slim Willet on "Don’t let The Stars Get In Your Eyes"  (4 Star Records #1614, 1952).  She previously recorded a duet with Slim for Star Talent Records (My Story's Sadder Than Yourn, Star Talent 780, 1951). 

The Abilene Reporter (April 2, 1961) reported her release on Startime Records :
New Record Features Abilenian Jean Slansbury, 27-year old Abilene vocalist, has sung for the Vice President of the United States and is now  singing for the American public by way of a new record just released. They're country and western numbers, "Make Up Your Mind" and "You Can't Stay Single." ln case her name is unfamiliar, she's the blue- eyed blonde who sang the title song, "Kennedy Johnson," at Hose Field House last year at the fund-raising campaign for Vice President and Mrs. Johnson.  Mrs. Johnson personaly commended Jean for her singing at that time. Jean has been singing professionally since she was 10 years of age.  She also does a little guitar work when not utilizing her vocal chords. She has appeared locally with several country and western musical organizations. The Pratt Publishing Co. of Abilene has published the songs which were recorded for release by a Nashville, Tenn.. firm. The numbers were written by two Abilenians, P. L. Busby and Grace Gideon.

She appeared locally with several country and western bands, among others Bob Burks And His West Texas Wranglers (mid-sixties).


The Brushcutters (1953)
upper left :  Jean Stansbury (and not Standsburg)


Startime Records issued six singles in 1960 and 1961.  "Startime Records, Nashville, Tenn." is printed on most, but at least one had "Abilene, Texas".  

Pratt Publishing Co. was owned by Jabe Pratt, a local businessman who also owned the Beacon Recording Studios.

Aside from the Startime label, Pratt Pub. Co. can be found on several Abilene recordings, such as Bluebonnet, Shenandoah and Royalty.  All were most likely recorded at the Beacon studios.  For a listing of these labels, see next post.





Beacon Studios (Abilene, Texas)

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Loyd E. Roberson. “Kennedy and Johnson.” 
Abilene: Pratt Publishing, 1960.
Music Division, Library of Congress


Jean Stansbury (see previous post) sang the title song, "Kennedy Johnson," at the fund-raising campaign for Vice President and Mrs. Johnson in 1960.  Written by Abilean Loyd E. Roberson, the song was published by Pratt Pub. Co. [release, if any, unkown]  

Jabe Pratt opened Pratt Publishing Co. and Beacon Recording Studios in September 1960 at 1235 N. 5th St.. Abilene, Texas.  He had perhaps some lurking idea in mind and just wanted to be popular for some political agenda :
For the opening, Pratt will give away 100 make-up compacts to women as long as they last [ed.: the make-up compacts, not the women]  and hair dressing or shaving lotion to 100 men as long as they last*. A three-speed Columbia turntable will be given at a drawing at which anyone may register.   Free drinks will be given everyone. 
Pratt proposes to tape record and have printed sheet music of interested artists and send them, direct to other well-known singing stars, asking if they wish to record the songs. 
The Abilene Reporter, September 2, 1960


A native of Little Rock or Arkadelphia, Arkansas (born in 1914) and a resident of Texas since the age of six months, Pratt attended public school in Ranger and also attended Abilene Christian College for two years.  He worked for various companies (Boyer International Laboratories, Dennetics Inc.) since 1936 before establishing his advertising agency and recording studio in Abilene, which lasted only two years .   It seems that he moved on quickly to other interests and in January 1962, he filed with County Democratic Chairman as a candidate for the Texas Legislature.  Later on, according to his obit which mentions only his religious involvment,  Jabe was a minister at many churches across the Northeast and the Western United States  He died in 2010.

The studio recording engineer was W.D. (Bill) Wilson, who also worked as tool and die maker and production engineer for Winters Manufacturing Co.   At his home, Bill made and repaired stringed instruments.  He also cuted and polished all types of stones and made the machines to do it with. "I've been accused of getting a bigger kick out of making the. tools to make  things, than from the product," said Bill.   
The following discography is for Beacon Studios recordings and/or songs published by Pratt Publishing Co.


BLUEBONNET 

1234 North 5th Street, Abilene
Probably the Beacon studios in-house label.


Ray Jordan  
Holding Hands / I Stopped, I Turned Around  mx L8OW-1948/9


Bill Whittley acc. by Jimmie Phillips and his Country Boys
Why Did You Leave Me / I'm A Rich Man   mx L80W-7453


Darrell Wayne and the Lone Star Drifters 
Dark Haired Stranger / No Desire  mx M8OW-8323

Cindy Blain with Darrell Wayne and the Lone Star Drifters

I Want To Cry/ So Many Times I've Wondered    mx M8OW-8325
http://www.45cat.com/record/bb8325

 

STARTIME

Nashville address or Abilene (Rudy Owens)

David O'Connor 
Thump-I-Ty Bump-I-Ty Oh!  / Fourteen Hundred Tear Drops  mx LO8W-3317/8

Jean Stansbury with P.L. Busby and his Western Play Boys
You Can't Stay Single (And Be Married To Me)  / Make Up Your Mind  LO8W-3334/5


Dale Glasson Trio with J.D. Goen and his Western boys 
You Waited To Long / Memory Waltz. mx MO8W-3200 


Rudy Owen with the Ravens (Buenger Dickson, Jack Smith, Joe Collins)

Pretty Linda / The Cry of the Raven  mx M80W-3287/8
 see Rockin' Country Style, http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/label.php?key=2879


Walter (Geo) Brown With The Art Clyde Combo
You On My Mind / You’re Why I Sing The Blues   mx M80W-3484/x

Marty Clifford With The Permian Play Boys (Milton Clevenger, Clint Kniffen, Bill Norton)

As The World Turns/  Darling Please Tell Me   mx M80W-8117/8

Neila Flowers
unknown titles (1960)
20-year-old New Mexico singer, has been awarded a five-year recording contract with Starlime Records of Nashville, Tenn.  Miss Flowers, who is also a song writer, was aided in negotiating the contract by Pratt Publishing Co. of Abilene.
 

ROYALTY 

802 Lillius Street,  Abilene, Texas

Danny Snow With Trio And Combo
Forever / Sally   mx L8OW-1727/8 
see Rockin' Country Style  http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artist.php?key=snow0700

 

SHENANDOAH


P.O. Box 156, Culpeper, Virginia

Owned by Robert L. Butler who was at the time an airman at Dyess Air Force Base.
He soon moved to Columbus, Ohio where the label had most of its output.

The four singles listed below were likely recorded in Abilene in 1961 and issued in 1962.
For a full listing of the label see http://www.buckeyebeat.com/shenandoah.html



Bobby Butler And His Country Caravan
A Short  Romance / The Harm They're Doing  (Pratt Pub. Co.)  (Billboard, 18 August 1962)

Tommy Roots 
Shenandoah Ride / Country Caravan'  (Green Pine Music Pub.)
Meet Mr. Calahan / Walking My Baby Back Home

Sunny Lee and Little Mike
Goodbye Kisses / Queen of the Back Street Bars


Come Back Jack

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Trudy & Amos


Smith-Montgomery-Channell, LeBill Music BMI

Le Cam #952

November 1961


Unlisted Major Bill Smith production.  Other songwriters are Marvin Montgomery and Bruce Channel.  This was possibly recorded with the same personnel on "Hey Baby" issued by Bruce Channel on Le Cam 953, the label's following release.

Personnel on the "Hey Baby" session was : Delbert McClinton (harmonica), Bob Jones (guitar), Billy Sanders (guitar), Jim Rogers (bass), Ronnie Dawson (or Ray Torres) on drums.

Amos is Amos Milburn, Jr. who had several singles on the label.  But who is Trudy ?
There is very few black artists named Trudy.   My best (and only) guess is that she is Trudy Williams who was previously one of The Six Teens, a successful Flip Records group.   Does anyone know any better ?




What You Got Baby

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Val Vasilieff (Mr. America)

F.Joseph-  R.Edwards
Virtu Music/AMG Music ASCAP

Globial W-101

1964?


This is body builder Val Vasilieff.   Not a bad record, just a little bit odd.

Valentino Vasilieff (later changed to Vasilef) won the Mr. America title in Chicago (July 14, 1964).  He was then a Sicklerville, Pa. resident.   After the bodybuilding career came a successfull fortunebuilding.  Check out his multi-million dollars "house" in Bradenton, Florida.

Val Vasilef is the recipient of over 80 physical fitness and record setting feats of strength awards including the esteemed "Mr. America" award. He is one of the most prolific formulators of health and wellness products and innovators of holistic and natural food products on the market today. His world wide audiences, readers and customers have benefitted over the years from his intense research into retarding the aging process and maintaining optimum levels of health and fitness.
Val's unique contributions to the world are manifest through his two companies Health Is Wealth Natural Foods of Blackwood, NJ and his supplements company Vitol Products of Bradenton, FL. Two of his most famous formulations include the world renowned "Russian Bear" muscle building formula and his latest formula "Pomegranate Liquid Multiple."



Roll Back The Rug

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Tommy Galindo
vocal & sax

Dale Walker
Esto Pub.

Oro #1

1958

 
A member of  Musicians Union Local No. 652 (Modesto, California), Tommy Galindo was a jazz musician who played many instruments.  He also had his own School of Music.
 
 

Walkin' the Dog

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The Mam'selles

Walkin' the Dog

Bison Records
1969


Lounge act girl trio comprised of Sharon Walker, Janice and Pat Plinkze.  On this Rufus Thomas song, this is Sharon on vocal and piano, Pat on bass and Janice on drums.   Recorded in Nashville, at the Woodland Sound Studios.  Bison Records was located in Buffalo, upstate New York.






Little Atom

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THE MEGATONS


Dixon DeVore II
Jaspar & Beam Pub. and Whitecap Music (BMI)

Forest F-046
1963

Manchester, New Hampshire ?

The Forest label was perhaps owned by Dixon DeVore, who also wrote both sides of the previous release on this tiny recording label (which was Jimmy Helms : Fairytale Princess / Daddy! Daddy!)

Jaspar Music Publishing Co. was owned by the Marvel Records Co.  located (at least since the late forties) in Manchester , New Hampshire.  The company was the US representative of Banff and Rodeo International (Canada), and W&G and Melbourne (Australia).  



Born in Buffalo, New York, Dixon began piano lessons at the age of 4. His Mother was a Piano Teacher and his Father was a Doctor.   A classmate of Oscar Hammerstein's Physician, who took him to his first Broadway musical at the age of 5, Dixon says, he has been hooked on the art-form ever since. Particularly English Music Hall, type Theatre. To this day, "HALF A SIXPENCE," is still one of his favourites.

Dixon attended and graduated from an East Coast Prep School, went to college in Mexico and served in the Far East; Tokyo, Hong Kong and environs for the U.S. Government for several years.

He later became a staff writer in New York and wrote "special" material for New York nightclub acts. Dixon has also written and won awards for the music plays he has done in the children's field, some of which have been produced and performed at various elementary schools around the U.S.


***

 Wannabe Wino, a song sans words
One of numerous videos posted by
Dixon DeVore II, chart-topping songwriter, on YouTube

Hours of listening pleasure on the Dixon DeVore YouTube channel, with titles such as
Never Take A Nap On A Firing Range , Please Don't Pee In The Whiskey, Marry Yourself A Plumber, Honey Please Rent Me A Hooker For My Birthday...etc

Dixon DeVore is listed by Irwin Chusid in his valuable reference book "Songs In The Key Of Z: The Curious Universe Of Outsider Music".   Now, I know why.

The Lip

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Doug Johnson & The Outlaws

Johnson-Pitman, Venetia Pub. BMI
Prod Howard Pitman-Doug Johnson
Corina 101
1963

"The Lip" was also issued on Witch Records.  A previous record issued in late '62 by Doug Johnson and the Outlaws was on Bethlehem Records.  You can listen to both sides on YouTube.

Doug Johnson, about who little info can be found, collaborated with Howard Pitman for a release on Concord Records by the Candidates. Concord Records was started by Howard Pitman, a former member of the Five Chances on Blue Lake.  Initial release was "The Gorilla" by The Ideals. The master was leased to Cortland Records.

Venetia Music was owned by Bill Erman.  He was the owner of the Diamond Coal Company, at 1501 Est Cortland on the Chicago North Side.  He made his money from coal and oil, but his real love was music.  Bill Erman founded the first of his labels in 1961 : Witch and Cortland for r&b music and Ermine for rock 'n' roll and country music.  (Robert Pruter : "Chicago Soul", book)



Voo Doo Drums

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Aki Aleong

A.Aleong-B.Abbott-H. Beckett
All World Publ. ASCAP

Hank Levine Orchestra vocal acc. by the Ravels
Mona-Lee Records
1959

First pressing was on Pan World 520, Aki Aleong's own label.
Mona Lee Records was incorporated on April, 4 1960 in New York by Samuel Kaufman, Esq., 507 Fifth Avenue.  President was Leonora "Lee" Rupe,  ex-wife of Arthur Goldberg, better known as Art Rupe owner of Specialty Records.  In 1959 Lee was engaged (and she married him at a unknown date) to Harry Apostoleris, of the mighty records distributor Alpha Distributors, New York. 

The label issued about ten singles between 1959 and 1963, about half of these releases were re-issues. Original labels include G&G (Calif.), Antone, Bayou (Ft. Worth), Ebb (Calif.) and Carellen (Florida).  The label was re-activated in 1968 for three releases distributed by Bell Records.

Actor and record executive Aki Aleong was born on December 19, 1934 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, to Henry Leong (Aleong), a cook from Hong Kong, and Agnes Vera Gonsalves from St. Vincent, British West Indies; he was originally called Assing Aleong by his father and Leonard Gonzales by his mother. Aleong attended Progressive Education Institute in Trinidad as a youth. After moving to Brooklyn, New York, with his mother in 1949, Aleong graduated from Boys High School; in 1951, he started taking classes at Brooklyn College while working in a hardware store.

Responding to a casting call for an Asian character, Aleong was cast as the Goat Boy in the 1954 Broadway production of Teahouse of the August Moon on Broadway. In 1956, Aleong made his first live television appearance in The Letter, an episode of NBC’s Producers’ Showcase. In 1957, Aleong was cast in the movie Motorcycle Gang...


Bad Luck

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Danny
 

Danny Winkle, Big Howdy BMI

Big B 557
 Bogalusa, La.
1960

 
Danny (Winkle) was perhaps from Biloxi, MS where he played The Copa Lounge on Pat Harrison Avenue around 1959.  Danny had at least another release on Village Records in 1962   :  "Don't Fall In Love" b/w "The Girl At Johnny's " produced by Pee Wee Maddux and Kennedy.
 
This Big B label (not to be confused by the Big B label from Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey) was owned by Hastel Joseph "Hack" Kennedy (1915-1994) whose main label was Big Howdy.  Village Records was also perhaps his own.



Doing The Popcorn

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Little Earl Jenkins

 Reynaud 1021
7422 Meadow Lark Lane
Texas City, Texas
1965
Reynaud Records was started in the early sixties in Opelousas, Louisiana by Lloyd Reynaud.  
Lloyd Walter Reynaud, Sr. was born on October 26, 1936 in Opelousas, Louisiana.  He was the brother of saxman Hot Rod, a member of Cookie and the Cupcakes’ horn section.   Band leader and drummer, agent and manager, he brought horn player Duke Stevens, Little Victor and guitarist Charles Tyler to Lanor Records.  For his own label, he recorded bluesmen Jay Jay Callier and Roscoe Chenier.

In 1963, he earned a degree in electronics and upon graduating NASA/Taft recruited him to their space center in Houston, Texas.  He moved to Texas and, with him,  his label as well.

He wrote and/or produced further records with Earl Jenkins and Charles "Chuck" Colbert which were issued on the Grover Barbour's Bee label, out of Reading, Pennsylvania.  What was exactly the agreement between Lloyd Reynaud and Grover Barbour and how it was made is not known.
 

Arriba

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Chuck Vedder
Tenor Sax and Band

Arriba

Chuck Vedder, Dandelion Music, BMI
A Fabor Robison Production
Radio 123-45
Malibu, Calif.
1959



Charles Nicholas Vedder was born on Apr. 3, 1904 in Sweet Springs, Saline County, Missouri.  He probably played music in Kansas City before moving to California and may had been first a classical musician as I've found that he wrote a "Concerto in G minor" in 1945 (he was then a Ventura, Calif. resident). 

The Radio 45 is perhaps the only one issued under his own name, but The Chuck Vedder Band is credited on most of the releases issued by singer Ronnie Summers between 1959 and 1963 on various California labels. 

With his wife, pianist Iola Maria Vedder (born in 1909), he played supper venues in the sixties  (THE CHUCK VEDDER TRIO "West's Most Enjoyable Trio" at the THE WHEEL SEAFOOD BUFFET Served fresh every Friday night).

Yvette Vickers, their daughter (b. 1928), released a jazz CD in the 1990s called "Tribute to Charlie and Maria" that showcased some of her parents' songs.  She is probably best remembered for her role as Honey Parker in the cult classic ""Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"(1958).  She died at home in 2010. Her mummified body was discovered only one year later, on April 27, 2011.




Wham Bam

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 Jo Ann Miller


Carroll-Griggs
JaMar Publishing Co. 6562 Patrick Dr. Dallas, Texas/ M.L. Griggs BMI
Jag 250

1965

A pallid interpretation sure to please to the song-poems aficionados.

"Wham Bam" originally issued as 'Hot Damn',  was a very risqué record for the times, especially with a girl saying it, whose lyrics in part go :  A new stud / I happened to meet / He's a real sharp bone / He's real neat / Now should I act just like a lamb / Or should I say hot damn? // On the day that / He hit this town / All of the chicks / Began to gather around / Now did I act just like a lamb / Or did I say hot damn?  

The not sanitized version is available on "Great Rockin' Girls" (Collector Records (CD 4409)

Mary Lois Griggs, a former singer and guitarist from Griffith Switch, a Texas whistle stop near Alvarado, Texas, began writing lyrics in the early sixties.  Now a physical education teacher she recruited some local singers, arrangers and musicians and started her own publishing company and record label, Jag Records.  

Jag Records issued about ten singles and one album, all songs penned by M.L. Griggs.    Sharon Leibow And The Jag Singers, Jerry Hitt, Tony Harrison, B.J. Wright and Jo Ann Miller were the vocalists who delivered the words of the enterprising teacher..   Several of her songs were put in music by Billy Winston Baker whose name appears on the first Andy Starr rockabilly release on Lin Records (Dig Them Squeaky Shoes, Lin #1009, 1955)


Jo Ann Miller was raised in Arp, Texas (pop. 850).  A graduate of Texas State College for Women, she spent four years in college as a vocalist for the school orchestra. She also captured the much sought after, title of "Princess of the Red Bud Festival," one of the highest honors presented to the loveliest girl in the school.   In 1953, she was the featured singer with Blue Barron and his orchestra.

She was working on her master's degree in archeology at Columbia (New York) when Tommy Dorsey heard her sing in summer stock and hired her.   She recorded a full album for Audio Fidelity Records ("Unrestrained", AFPL 1864).   

She may be also the Jo Ann Miller who recorded for Tally with Bonnie Owens as The Kern County Sweethearts (1956) and for Scope Records ("Talk To Me" / A Brand New Man", but it's not confirmed.


Rock Pebbles Rock

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Little Red and The Rocking Hoods

(McGee)

Richland Recording
Columbia, South Carolina
1967
 
The Rocking Hoods, 1967

Family combo led by the dad who actually built a sort of recording studio next to their house, which was just across Pinebelt from Keenan HS, on Upland Drive in Columbia, South Carolina.

For a few years you couldn't go to many public events [around their home town, I assume] without seeing them play.  



Jack The Ripper

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The Valiants
 
Jimmy Friis & "The Valiants"

Ridge Records
Park Ridge (Illinois)

1964


Jim Friis also recorded as vocalist of The Jacemen (Larson Records) and on Allstar Records with the Valiants.   This Ridge 45 was also issued on Allstar.



A recent photo of Jim Friis holding up the "Serpents And Spiders" record (Allstar)
Picture credit : MusicMaster Oldies




My Dearest Prophecy

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Richard Wilkinson And His Drifters

Wilkinson-Smitherman
Queen-ette BMI

Tone TO-1126
Cameron, Texas
1956

Probably Richard Wilkinson  b.1935 who died June 1, 2011 in Celina, TX,  He worked as maintenance supervisor for Texas Utilities.  No further info about this local Cameron band.

Song co-writer Smitherman is probably Gene Smitherman, long-time owner and polka DJ for KMIL-AM in Cameron.     Gene had been a co-owner since 1958 and had presided over the popular  Polka Party Time weekdays from 1-2 for many, many years. 

This record was likely produced by Wink Lewis.  Wink Lewis got his start in the Texas/Louisiana area and in the mid 50s, moved to West Texas where he teamed up with Hoyle Nix. This year, 1956, Wink Lewis was doing a daily two-hour record show over KMIL, Cameron, Tex.  Like so many back then,  Wink was not only a deejay, but also did some recording. While at Cameron, he and some local musicians formed Tone Records.  One of the records Wink recorded was ‘Zzztt, Zzztt, Zzztt” on Tone.



I Gotta Know

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Lonnie Nye

I Gotta Know
Lonnie D.Knie
Sage Brush Music Bmi

Lo-Lon LO-45-101
P.O. Box 972 Yakima, Wash.
1959

Elvisy effort.  The next releases on Lonnie Nye's own label gives location as Arcadia, Calif. (#102) and Caldwell, Idaho (#103).

Is he the happy winner of a scratch game found here ?  Probably.


Don't Let Me Go

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Jimmy Haggett
 
 
Morris - Pitts- Haggett
Arva Music BMI
Vaden Records #116


1959

The top side "Today's Reality" can be heard here.
 
 
 
Haggett (right) with John Mays (left)
Dee jays contest day at KBOA (apparently Mays was the winner)


Jimmy Haggett, country and rockabilly singer hailed from Illinois.  He played with several bands before forming the Ozark Mountain Boys.  He also worked as a disc jockey for KBOA in Kenneth, Missouri, and WWYN and KLCN in Arkansas.  Haggett cut records on several labels, including Sun Records (1956), Meteor (57), Caprock, Vaden (1959) and K-Ark (1960).
More info about Jimmy Haggett is found at the excellent 706 Union Avenue Sessions website powered by John Klompenhouwer.


Jackie and Arlen Vaden

Vaden Records, based in Trumann (Poinsett County), started as a mail-order company featuring gospel music. It soon grew into a regional studio that released music by such blues and early rock and roll artists as Bobby Brown, Teddy Riedell, Larry Donn, and many others who went on to regional and national fame. 

In the early 1950s, husband and wife Arlen and Jackie Vaden of Trumann were singing gospel music all over northeastern Arkansas in a group called the Southern Gospel Singers. They also started singing on local radio stations in Osceola (Mississippi County) and Blytheville (Mississippi County) and soon branched out to stations in other states, such as XREF in Del Rio, Texas, and XEG Radio in Fort Worth, Texas; XREF and XEG broadcast out of Mexico and were much more powerful than U.S. stations. The Vadens taped their shows in Trumann each week and mailed them to radio stations. On the shows, they would offer records of their music for sale, as well as those of other gospel singers featured on the show. The mail-order company that became Vaden Records was a big business for the post office in Trumann, receiving orders every day.

With the advent of rock and roll, Arlen Vaden decided to branch out and release some other types of music.

Valley Of Despair

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Ned Costner

Low-Wolpert
 Nickel 501
 1961

"Valley of Despair", penned by James N. Low and Art Wolpert, was published by Red River Songs, a company owned by Johnny Bond, a popular and prolific country recording artist. 
Ned Costner had previously recorded for Hamilton Records a song  (probably better known by Jean Shepard, Capitol Records, 1959), called "Jeopardy", which is available on a Buffalo Bop compilation.  No further info.


Let The Good Times Roll

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Little Joe And The Latinaires


Valmon 022
Austin, Texas
October, 1963


Little Joe (Hernandez) would play his first musical performance in Cameron, Texas in 1955 for $5.00 at a high school Sock Hop.  He was so excited, he realized that picking guitars beat cotton picking and he could actually get paid for it.

In 1958,Joe would make his recording debut as a guitarist for Terro Records in Corpus Christi, Texas, an instrumental single "Safari part 1 and 2" which was composed by all members of the Latinaires.

In the 60's, Joe would sign with Texas based independent record companies, starting with his 1st record deal, Corona Records in San Antonio, next Valmon records in Austin and later El Zarape Records in Dallas.  Joe ventured into his own independent label"Buena Suerte Records" for spanish recordings and "Good Luck Records" for his english records.  Also to follow would be Leona Records, a label also owned by Joe and a distribution deal with Freddy Records in Corpus Christi,Texas which would keep Joe independent through the 70's and 80's.


Further reading :
Little Joe is living history, by Naughty Mickie

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