Buddy Knight on Fine Art

 

Buddy Knight

CP-4095  - Why Cry (C.L. Blair, Dorris Dubois)
CP-4096  -  Please Come Back (Joe McClain)
Fine Art 217  

Tall Tonio And The Mello-Dee's

 


Tall Tonio And The Mello-Dee's

CP-2199 - Ten-Reasons
W. Stevenson, F. Brown, T. Clark        

CP-2200 - Hot-Rod-Car    
W. Stevenson, F. Brown, T. Clark, Stebro Pub. Co. (BMI)

Stepp 235x45
1959
Rite numbers are in the dead wax


Tony Clarke Chess promo picture

Tall Tonio is Tony Clarke. His first record on the tiny Stepp label owned by Mickey Stevenson

https://mentalitch.com/the-short-life-and-career-of-tony-clarke/

Bob Rayford (Bango Records)

Bob Rayford
Landis Brady & His Tel-Stars

9601 ~ I’m Going To Pay You Back Baby
9602 ~ I’ve A Got A Notion Blues

Bango 504

1963

 

Thanks to : http://45rpmrecords.com/,  Fonsoul Bcn (YouTube)

The Prodigal-Jerome Meriwether

The Prodigal-Jerome Meriwether

RR-42245-A - Sinner's prayer
(J.Meriwether-V. Vaughn)

RR-42245-B -Someone is Going to Meet Me
(J.Meriwther)

Supernatural Productions
19401 W. McNichols
Detroit, Michigan 48219

Producer : Jerome Meriwether
Assistant : Jerry Kyser
Composer : Jerome Meriwether
Music director : T. Thomas

1982

Co-writer of the top side is Viola Vaughn, who later moved with her husband, jazz musician Sam Sanders, to Senegal, Africa,  Jerome Meriwether wrote several songs with her.  See BMI database

One 2001 article describe him as a griot and tour leader at the Motown Historical Museum :

"Motown was the heartbeat of young America," said Jerome Meriwether, griot and a tour leader at the Motown Historical Museum. "But these cats were the heartbeat of Motown."
guide

Though they get 33,000 visitors a year -- many from Europe -- there are likely to be only four or five other guests when you arrive to join a tour led by -- if you're lucky -- Jerome Meriwether.

Meriwether, it must be said, is the kind of guy who somehow manages to get away with wearing sunglasses on a dark and stormy day.

He calls the old musicians who once hit gold in these rooms "cats.".  It also doesn't hurt that he went to school with Smokey Robinson and that his neighbors were "all the cats that were playing over here." He'll show you photos of Detroit-bred stars like Mary Wells ("My Guy"), the Supremes, the Contours and the Miracles, a display case with three pink sequined dresses worn by the Supremes, and five bright green sequined jackets from the Temptations.

Juanita Stewart Miles (Revel)

Juanita Stewart Miles
Organist : Wm. Brown
Pianist : A. Tolbert

37387 - Jesus You're My Friend 

(J. Miles, Tieway Music BMI)

37388 -  [unknown title]            

Revel Records
Dist.: Bennett's Records
3152 Delta Dr. Jackson, Ms. 39213

1976

Detroit gospel singer, Juanita Stewart Miles had previously recorded a full album on Tieway Records. See this blog here

Velma Cross on Fine Art

Velma Cross, vocal

piano : Etta Jean Brazil
guitar : Leroy Collins

CP-3277 - He's A Terrible Blow
CP-3278 - Darling, I'm Hoping

Fine Art 214

Velma Cross
And Her High Steppers
James Cohen, Piano
Count Monty, Sax
Leo Johnson, Drums

CP-5481 -I'll Be Oh So Good
CP-5482 - He's My Daddy

Fine Art 222

Velma Cross was born in 1915, it is believed, in South Bend, Indiana.   No further records as Velma Cross are known.

Juanita Stewart Miles (Tieway Records)

Juanita Stewart Miles
Accompanied By The Joy Singers of Detroit

Tieway 847
1974

 

Side A — 33393

1. Give Me Wings (Trad., Arr. J. Miles)
2. Have You Tried Jesus 
3. How Big Od Is
4. I Saw The World Shining A Hope For Me

Side B  —33394

1. Lord Make Perfect And Whole
2. God Is Everywhere
3. O Lord You Consider Me
4. I Got That Feeling

Joy Singers

Mildred Hoard - 1st soprano
Delsi Adams - 2nd soprano
Barnetta Norwood - 1st alto
Charles Tompkins - Tenor
Frank White - organist
Milton Pullen - piano
Bass & tambourine - Dave Hamilton

Produced by Dave Hamilton & Juanita S. Miles
La Frieda Miles - Album cover
Engineer Dave Hamilton

All songs written by Juanita S. Miles and published by Tieway Music, BMI  with the exception of "Give Me Wings"
 

Mrs. Miles started singing at an early age of ten. She studied music at the Robert Nolan School of Music and the Art Center School of Music at an early age in Detroit, Michigan.

Juanita Stewart Miles

The Checkmates on Northwest 1009

 

The Checkmates

12011 - West Side Whizz [Vocal]
12012 - West Side Whizz [Instrumental]

both wr. D. Jakary, Skintone Music Co. BMI

Northwest NSC-1009

Northwest Sound Company
14958 Ardmore
Detroit, MI

Full name of the songwriter is Daniel A. Jakary.
Skintone Music Co was owned by Julian G Skinner


Clip (vocal side)

Joe Williams and the Staccatos

Joe Williams and the Staccatos

vocal by Cornelius Grant / Count James
CP-6753 - The Mother Hubbard
Williams-Gurley-Grant, Eddings Mus. Pub. BMI

instrumental
CP-6754 - No Harm Done
 Williams-Gurley-Grant, Eddings Mus. Pub. BMI

Carrie

1961

Detroit, Michigan

An early release on the James Hendrix label.

Composers are Cornelius Grant, James M. Gurley, Joseph T. Williams.

Cornelius Grant (b. 1943) guitarist, composer, and band leader. He served as the musical director, guitar player, and live show arranger for Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1964 until 1982.

James M. Gurley : possibly the one who moved to San Francisco and became "the father of psychedelic guitar" (Big Brother and the Holding Company)

Eddings Music Co. was owned by William Summers,  first black to manage and own a radio station (in Louisville, Kentucky)

Gene Nitz And The W. Va. Ramblers on Rhododendron

Gene Nitz And The W. Va. Ramblers

19401 - I Don't Know What I'm Looking For

sample

 You Broke My Heart in Tennessee

19402 - How Much Longer

Kentucky Sweetheart

Directed By Yolanda Owens
Produced  By Gene Nitz

Rhododendron EP

1966

Detroit country

 

Gene Nitz and his West Virginia Ramblers played at Ray Taylor-owned country bar at the corner of Milwaukee and Brush in the 70's.  (Ray Taylor of "Hamtramck Baby" fame on Clix).

"Running From The Law" b/w "Bail Bondsman" were recorded in 1969 for the Country Caravan label, a subsidiary of Mutt Records, owned by Nate Dore, a bail bondsman who had a small studio in the back of his office. These sides are on YouTube.

And there was also a single on Rich-R-Tone ‎#2026 (Blue Shoes / My Kentucky Sweetheart) recorded at Champ Studio in Nashville, Tennesse and issued as by Eugene Nitz (date unknown).

Probably Eugene R Nitz (1928-1994)

The Zion Harmonaires of Philadelphia, Pa. on Fine Art

The Zion Harmonaires of Philadelphia, Pa.

CP-5965 – He Bled and Died 

(Leroy Cannon)
Solo: Roberta Stokes- Lead Paul Williford
Pianist : Richard Ellis

CP-5966 – I Want to Know More About Jesus 

(Leroy Cannon)
Lead Paul Williford
Pianist : Richard Ellis
Organist : Robert Coldman

Fine Art 224

1961

Mary Kaye on Lectron

Mary Kaye

13901 - Secret Thoughts 

B.Jesmore - R.Oness, Active Music ASCAP

Popular teen style

note : unbilled guest appearance by Sammy Marshall

13902 - Actions Speak (Louder than words)

Henry J. Sommers Henry J. Sommers ASCAP

Popular teen style

Lectron

Detroit, Michigan
1965
 - -
Actions Speak (Louder than words)

Song-poem record.    "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" is from the pen of the indefatigable Henry J. Sommers (1907-1996).  The earliest mention of his song is from 1942, date of the copyright (song and melody credited to Noel Davison Bear).   The last mention I've found is from a Billboard ad from April 1972.  The song was recorded by several artists throughout the years.

Yes, this is the Love Song the Public clamors for! Being nationally featured thru Radio broadcats and in places of diversion!  Complimentary copies available.  Sheet music and orchestrations on sale at your music jobber, or direct from the publisher. Care Bushell 786 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Billboard, 19 June 1943

"Actions" on Metro Records #8009

Sommers address is now Hyattsville, Maryland

Billboard 16 January 1954

"Actions" just recorded by Earl Stuart on Blue Hen Records

Sommers address is now Silver Spring, MD

Billboard 22 December 1958

 "Actions" on Songs by Sommers as done by Wade Holmes

Billboard 24 August 1963

SHOW ME A HEN
That can write with a pen
And I'll bet you then,
Backed by a 'ten',
'Tis not a hen
But a gem!
HENry J. Sommers

Billboard, 6 November 1965

Billboard, 22 April 1972

Bobby Faro on Universal Sound

Bobby Faro

18005 – Burning Lips

Powers-Greer, Mitten Music BMI

18006 – Bitter Sweet

Produced by J.Powers and M. Valvano

 

Universal Sound 150

     Detroit, MI

1966

Johnny Powers and Mike Valvano, the producers, were good friends.  They met at Motown Records and then produced together, hung together.   At Motown, Johnny filled a number of support roles, adding foot stomps to several Supremes classics and banging tambourines with Valvano.

Universal Sound was one of the scores of labels that came from the Sound Incorporated Studios established on highway 94, Northeast of Detroit, halfway to Port Huron. 56880 North, New Haven Michigan.  Sound Inc did use a common numbering system across various labels : previous number in the series was on Sound Records (The Capreez), #146 was on Walker Records (Arizona Weston and the Westerners) etc.

Howard Walker started the business up but it was later taken over by Danny and Larry Lick (a shortened version of their original name, Pavlick).   Johnny Powers [born Pavlick] was also a co-owner.

Whail on Luv

Whail

33089 – You Are What I Am

Gordon Lightfoot, Moose CAPAC

33090 – Summer Holiday

Gibson, King, Mack  Vicki Music BMI

LUV 714

Produced By Ron Hanson

A Product Of G.M. Recording Co., East Detroit, Michigan, 48021

1974

These two tracks previously issued on their album

(see below)

Whail

Fresh Air

Side one [32583]

I've Never Seen Love Like This
You Are What I Am
I Am Not Sayin
Circles
Julia
Drugstore Man
Be What You Want
Prelude to Side Two

Side two [32584]

I Want You Girl
I Can't Make It Anymore
Can I Look
Kalamazoo Winter
Summer Holiday
Long Long Time
Hey Boy

Luv 701

Rite account #5778

Lounge rock with a wide range of styles from Gordon Lighfoot covers to a couple more psych tracks. Occasional use of synth. 

Dean-O-Delray And His Delrays

Dean-O-Delray And His Delrays

10393 - I Want To Be Your Lucky Star

10394 - The Ballad Of Billy The Kid

Both wr O.Davidson, Roman Music Pub. Co.

  Northwest Sound Company 1007

14958 Ardmore, Detroit, Michigan

1963

(Songs copyrighted on 5 June 1963)

Dean-O-Delray's real name is Oscar Davidson. (see comment)


The Northwest Sound Company was operated by the owner/engineer named Julian G. Skinner, also known as "Jody"

According to Ron Murphy (Soulful Detroit Archives) :

Jody lived with his parents upstairs and his studio was in the basement of the house, it had a small control room with a Ampex 351-2 track,he also had a little dub cutter and the studio was just one 9X12 room but he did have good ears and got a pretty good sound for that set-up, sometimes he would press records on his own Northwest Sound label for people paying to make their own record...he operated there for quite a long time from about 1960 into the 70's.

Ted (member of Anvil, a rock band) :

We recorded in a cheap mono studio in Detroit [in 1970] for our first attempt. Julian G. Skinner ran the recording equipment with the back of his twisted hands as he had several palsy. Could not speak well, and would not let us use our amplifiers.

Sound files are from the CD "Move and Rock" (Collector Records)

Mike Mitchell and the Play Boys on Bango

Mike Mitchell and the Play Boys

8859 - Josephine   (Vocal Ernie Greene)

Gus. Kahn and Wayne King, Leo Feist Pub. ASCAP

8860 - Playboy Boogie Twist (instrumental)   sample

E.C. Mitchell, Blair's Music BMI

Bango 502

1962

1906 Clements Street
Detroit 38, Mich.

Not much is known about the owners of Bango Records, Clarence .L. Blair and Rose E. Blair.    They had certainly some kind of Philadelphia connection as several acts issued on their other label, Fine Arts, were from the City of Brotherly Love.

Mr Blair was probably born around 1900 : "I've Got The Blues To-Day" is one of the first song copyrighted by Clarence Blair (1923, Detroit).

Here I Go, Where the Morning Glories Grow", another of his composition, was copyrighted in 1938 (his address is then Philadelphia).   "Here I Go" was recorded in 1950 on Gotham Records, a Philadelphia label, by Roland Burton, a former Lionel Hampton balladeer.     The copyright for this song was renewed in 1952 with the name of Rose Blair then added.

Allen Shepard And The Countdowns on Redstone

Allen Shepard And The Countdowns

CP-5639 - Scrumshus
CP-5640 - Hands Of Time

Redstone Records - RS-001
4837, Mitchell Ave.
Detroit 7, Michigan

1961

"Chalypso-Style" beat b/w ballad (e-bay)

☆ ☆ ☆

First release on the Redstone label, formed in 1961 by Owney Burnett and Bob Holiday (Billboard, May 15, 1961). Names of the label, of the artist & of the band were undoubtely inspired by the first manned space mission of the USA : launched by a Redstone rocket, astronaut Alan Shepard piloted a 15-minute spacecraft on May 5, 1961, three weeks after the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had carried out the first orbital spaceflight. He was the first American in space,

Bob Holiday is the pseudonym of Robert Senecal. And Owney Burnett is the pseudonym of Norbert S. Biernat, previously owner of Star-X Records.

Sammy Marshall, the ubiquitous song-poem singer, had a release on both labels, Redstone and Star-X.




.

The Meditations (Hob 117)

The Meditations
Laura Rundless leader

Under the direction of James Cleveland

CP-4825 - One More River To Cross
CP-4826 - His Eye Is On The Sparrow

HOB 117

111 Mack Avenue
Detroit, Michigan

1961

Carmen Murphy established her House of Beauty parlour around 1948 and developed it into a well-respected and profitable establishment. In the late 50s she ventured into the music business when DJ-cum-singer Jack Surrell persuaded her to fund gospel recordings. She had a piano placed in the salon's basement, converting it into a practice room, and consequently became an unlikely pioneer of Detroit R 'n' B.

The first secular HOB label release was made around 1959 by one of Detroit's premier vocal groups, The Peppermints, whose members included Lee Rogers, Jesse Greer and Duke Browner.

The Meditation Singers
Back: Verlene Rogers, Ernestine Rundless, Marie Water
Front: Laura Lee, Donna Hammonds

Laura Lee Rundless

Born Laura Lee Newton, 9 March 1945, Chicago, Illinois)

Lee was born in Chicago, but as a child relocated to Detroit with her mother. After a few years, she was adopted by Rev. E. Allan Rundless, who had previously been a member of the Soul Stirrers, and his wife Ernestine, who led a gospel group, The Meditation Singers. Featuring Della Reese, they were the first Detroit gospel group to perform with instrumental backing. The group recorded on the Specialty label in the mid 1950s, appeared on the LP Della Reese Presents The Meditation Singers in 1958, and in the early 1960s recorded for Checker Records.

As Laura Lee Rundless, she replaced Reese in The Meditation Singers in 1956, and over the next few years toured widely around the country. In 1965, as Laura Lee, she launched her secular solo career as an R&B singer in clubs in Detroit, although she also continued to record occasionally with The Meditation Singers. She first recorded solo for Ed Wingate's Ric-Tic Records in 1966, with "To Win Your Heart".

Source : Wikipedia

According to Dan Nooger :

"The tough, independent women performers of today owe a strong debt to Laura Lee, who paved the way with such women's liberationist anthems as Rip Off, Wedlock Is A Padlock, Love and Liberty, and of course the song with which she will be forever associated, "Women's Love Rigghts. The toughest and raucnhiest of the Hot Wax ladies.

Chuck Cole on Big Star

Chuck COLE

16233 ~ My Bonney
16234 ~ Ha Baby

Big Star 004

500 E. Warren
Detroit, Michigan

Blues




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Raymond Carbone on Star-X

Raymond Carbone
Music by Eddie Bartel and orch.

STAR-X 502

CP-2111 ~ My Christmas Problem
(Norbert Biernat-Arthur Dietz)

CP-2112 ~ Rockin' On My Rockin' Horse
(Renee Lee-Eddie Hatrack)

August 1959 Rite repressing of Star-X 502. The original issue was pressed by RCA Records Custom Division in 1957. Ray Carbone was 13 years old when he recorded this tune, he was the brother of Jackie Carbone on Star-X, Fox and Ciro's.

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