Category Archives: Nashville

Fire, Rhythm & Smoke – Sissie’s Uptown Lounge

Fire, Rhythm & Smoke Sissie's 45 Fire & RhythmHere’s an obscure one out of Nashville, from the early-70s I would guess. Fire, Rhythm and Smoke do a good hard rock number called “Fire & Rhythm” with very gravely vocals, released on Sissie’s 001.

The flip is “Sissie’s Place”, kind of a ’60s Sam the Sham sound to advertise Sissie’s Uptown Lounge on 125 6th Ave N in Nashville. I can’t find any mention of that lounge in news archives or on the web, and the site may be a parking lot now. For decades it was the address of Rock City Amusement Co. which advertised jukeboxes and pinball machines in Cash Box.

James Snell gets song writing credit on both labels, but BMI lists Dave Sunderland and Gary Turner on both songs, as well as Snell.

Desert Trash published both songs. The only other songs in their catalog are “Lay Me Down By Your Side” & “Cheatin’ on Him” by Ellen Daley, but I can’t find a recording of those.

John Shepherd produced and has his name etched in the runout.

That’s all I can find out. Surely these musicians had some roots in earlier groups.

Carol Chakarian “Put Your Accent on Love” on Nashville

Carol Chakarian Nashville 45 Put Your Accent On Love

Carol Chakarian lets loose with a great vocal on “Put Your Accent on Love”. Not ‘garage’ music, but a pop song in a country style. Hear an excerpt.

The flip is the more sedate “Lost in This World of Love”, both songs written by Phil DeWolf, publishing by Tronic BMI. Released in 1965 on Nashville 5242, “A Tommy Hill Starday Studio Production”.

I can’t find any info on Chakarian or DeWolf.

Bobby and the Blue Denims “Stop and Go”

Bobby and the Blue Denims Statue 45 Stop and GoI can’t find any information on Bobby and the Blue Denims, who cut this single of sax-and-guitar instrumentals. “Stop and Go” is a good bluesy original by Robert B. Hardy. The flip is “Rail Road Rock” arranged by W. Pierce. Cedarwood published both songs.

Released on Statue SR-7637, the L8OW code indicates this was an RCA custom pressing from 1960.

Statue had an address of 146 7th Avenue, North Nashville, Tennessee, which was simply the address of Cedarwood Pub. at the time.

The Violations (former members of Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs)

Violations Dot 45 You Sure Have Changed

Sam the Sham’s entire backing band quit towards the end of 1965, supposedly over financial disagreements. David Martin, Jerry Patterson, Ray Stinnett and Paul Gibson could not keep the Pharaohs name, and Sam recruited an entirely new Pharaohs lineup.

The remaining group cut one single as the Violations on Dot 45-16866, with Sam the Sham’s producer Stan Kesler, released in April, 1966.

Paul Gibson wrote the fast-moving r&b top side, “You Sure Have Changed” and collaborated with Ray Stinnett on “The Hanging”. The drumming is especially noticeable on both sides. I’ve read that “The Hanging” is a comment on the breakup with Samudio, but the lyrics are either oblique, like “People offer many persuasions/ Some offer gold as a prize / But they lie …”, or simply hard to comprehend over the slamming drums!

Violations Dot 45 The HangingCash Box reviewed the single in early May, 1966, giving it positive B+/B reviews, but the single faded without making any charts that I’m aware of.

Violations reviewed in Cash Box, May 7, 1966

Paul Gibson copyrighted two other songs in 1966, “A Long, Long Way” which was the B-side to Sam the Sham’s January 1966 single “Red Hot”, and “Like You Use To” which I’m not sure if anyone recorded.

I read Paul “Butch” Gibson left the music business after this single.

Ray Stinnett formed the 1st Century and released one 445 on Capitol produced by Don Nix featuring two of his original songs, “Looking Down” / “Dancing Girl”. He would work with Booker T. Jones and in 1971 cut his own album that would wait 40 years to be released with the title A Fire Somewhere.

Info from Ian Parker’s interview with Ray Stinnett at For Folk’s Sake.

The Innocence “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records

Innocence Zap 45 Quit Buggin' MeI hadn’t heard the Innocence single “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records 2331, but I bought a copy because the titles were promising and it shares a label with a favorite garage 45, the Starlites‘ “Wait For Me”.

“Quit Buggin’ Me” turns out to be a fairly hilarious song-poem type vocal over a rock backing track (with flute, why not).

Quit buggin’ me,
I don’t want to be bothered,
Can’t you see,
You’re wasting your time.

Besides the singer’s off-time interjections of “Quit buggin’ me”, I like lyrics such as “keep fishin’ round, you got the bait”! plus the chorus chanting “You’ve had your way” and “I’m off the hook”.

“Jungle of Love” is more countrified and the lyrics a bit hackneyed.

Rozella Staples and Joan Hager wrote both songs, published through Top Talent Music BMI. They registered the songs with the Library of Congress in September 1970, but from the pressing code ZAFX-6805217, I believe this was actually recorded and released in 1968.

Zap Records was part of Belle Meade Records in Nashville, also known for song-poem releases.

The Wanderers on Tri-City Records in Nashville

Wanderers Tri City 45 Sick and Tired

The Wanderers cut this great version of Fats Domino’s 1958 hit, “Sick and Tired”, with catchy lead guitar throughout. The flip is a good version of “There Is Something on Your Mind”.

Tri City Records released this as Tri 5452. The code ZTSB 125453 refers to a custom pressing at Columbia’s Nashville plant, probably in early 1966.

I doubt I will discover who was in the Wanderers, as both sides are versions of r&b hits so there is no song writing credit to trace.

Wanderers Tri City 45 There Is Something on Your Mind

It does seem possible these Wanderers are the same group on a yellow-label 45 pressed by World Wide Records in Nashville, and produced by Tri-City Records, No. 3269. One side has Kenneth Castlemen’s great take on “Match Box”, the other James Stafford with the Wanderers doing “Changing My Mind “.

These artists are supposed to be from Jackson, Tennessee, about 2 hours drive west of Nashville.

World Wide Records is mentioned in Billboard as starting in 1966 and having Carlene Westcott Whaley as sales manager, prior to her starting Consolidated Record Enterprises. World Wide had a studio at 5819 Old Harding Rd in Nashville and seemed to specialize in white gospel records.

The Valiants with Jerry Gillespie on Dot Records

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”.

Valiants Dot 45 Don't Make The Same Mistake

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.

Valiants Dot 45 I'll Return to You

The Breakaway Five “Jivin” on Bullet

Breakaway Five Bullet 45 JivinThe Breakaway Five cut the great instrumental “Jivin” for Red Wortham’s revived Bullet label, featuring pounding drums in the intro and great guitar work, including a quote from Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On”. The flip “I’m Gonna Walk” is a country song by F.L. Parrish, livened up by the echo on the guitar lines.

Members of the Breakaway Five included Norman Davis, Larry Davis, Larry Morgan, and possibly Ronnie Morgan. According to a comment on youtube, the band may have started as the Rivieras from Dickson, Tennessee, just west of Nashville.

Sur-Speed Music ASCAP is listed as publisher on both songs, though “Jivin” does not have any writing credit.

I’m not sure of the release date on this, but I would guess late ’50s or early ’60s. The label credits do not match the Villains 45s or any other Bullet 45 releases of the 1960s. The release number 241 is closer to Bullet’s early 78 rpm releases by Cecil Gant and Wynonie Harris. No other Bullet 45s have similar mastering codes (869-1165/6 in this case), a production credit to Wortham, or (in most cases) lack of an address.

The Tangle on Canary Records

Tangle Canary 45 Any Time, Any WhereThe Tangle recorded the very cool single “Any Time, Any Where” / “Our Side of Town” for Canary Records of Nashville, Tennessee in October 1966.

Alvin Holland and Nyman Furr came from Camden, Tennessee, about 50 miles west of Nashville, so that was possibly the base for the group.

Members included:

Alvin Holland – guitar and lead vocals (?)
Ronnie Waters – guitar
Nyman Furr – bass
(?) Hayes – drums

“Any Time, Any Where” has great riffing guitars and a relaxed Stones-like feel to the vocals and band.

When I can make out the lyrics to “Our Side of Town” they’re wild: something about munching her box…lunch.

According to the labels, Halland, Furr, Hayes, Waters wrote both songs. C.L. Womack produced the single and also published both songs through C.L. Womack Pub. Co. BMI but I can find no copyright listing in the Library of Congress indexes.

Halland is a typo for Holland and a site for the Tennessee River Crooks band featuring Ronnie Waters on guitar listed the members of the Tangle as Alvin Holland, Ronnie Waters and Nyman Furr.

Holland, Waters and Furr later played in versions of Maggie Lee & the Percussions.

Nyman Furr passed away on March 10, 2007, according to Wikipedia.

Thank you to Max Waller and Mario Aguayo for their help with finding info on this band.

Tangle Canary 45 Our Side of TownCanary Records had at least seven releases, most seem to be country music. J.C. Rhoton, Jr. shows up a lot on the labels, possibly he owned the label. Howard Rhoton may be his son, his “I’ll Skip School” on Canary was advertised in Billboard on April 25, 1964.

Gower-Moore Studio seems to be connected to the Gower guitar makers in Nashville.

Canary had two Nashville addresses on its labels, 2906 Ironwood Drive and 2911 Harlin Drive.

Canary Records discography (any help with this would be appreciated)

Canary 1002 – Rhodes Boys – “Pretty Little Miss” (V. Rhodes, B. Rhodes, V. Rhodes) / “Got A One Way Ticket”, prod. by Curtis McPeake, Gower-Moore Studio Production.

Canary 1008 – Howard Rhoton – “Look Back” / “I’ll Skip School” (H. Rhoton, J. Rhoton), Gower-Moore Studio Production.

Canary 1010 – Bob Hayes – “Johnny Reb Was a Fighting Man” / “1862” (both by B. Hayes, C.L. Womack for Ironwood Music)

Canary 1012 – The Tangle – “Any Time, Any Where” / “Our Side of Town”

Canary 2001 – Barbara Dale – “Winner Take All” (Joe South) / “There Stands My World”, produced by J.C. Rhoton, Jr.

Canary 2002 – Charlie Rife & the Chordsmen – “Are You Sure” (C. Rife) / “Here’s the Key”, prod by J.C. Rhoton, Jr, for J.C. Rhoton Music BMI

Canary 2003 – Barbara Dale – “Missing You Again” (Baker Knight) / “Greatest Show on Earth” (Mike Cain)

The Four on Clark Records

The 4 Photo
The 4, from left: George Parks, Greg McCarley, Larry Rains and Paul Crider

Here’s an obscure one that isn’t in Teen Beat Mayhem, though it certainly deserves to be. I didn’t know anything about the group, called simply, The Four, but then I found their photo in Ron Hall’s The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook, 1960-1975.The Four Clark 45 Now Is the Time

The band were:

George Parks – guitar
Greg McCarley – guitar
Paul Crider – bass
Larry Rains – drums

“Now Is the Time” is a good mid-tempo song with harmonies and Beatles-type changes. It was written by George Parks.

“Lonely Surfer Boy” is an original by Paul Crider and Greg McCarley. As comments state below, the group came from Brownsville, Tennessee, about 60 miles northeast of Memphis.

SoN 15101/15102 indicates it was mastered by Sound of Nashville, while the ZTSB 99962-A / 99963-A in the deadwax indicates it was pressed at the Columbia Records plant in Nashville. I’m not sure the date on this one but early 1965 seems about right.The Four Clark 45 Lonely Surfer Boy

Both songs were published by Lonzo & Oscar Music, BMI and produced by Jack Logan, who was A&R director of Nugget Records of Goodlettsville, Tennessee which also seemed to own the Clark label.

In late 2013 two acetates surfaced of a group called “The 4” from Sam Phillips Recording of Memphis, “69” / “I Gotta Go” and “When Ever Your Down” (sic) / “Midnight Hour”.

“69” opens with one of the most intense screams ever committed to vinyl, and it is now on the shortlist for Back From the Grave vol 9! it was backed with an uptempo pop number “I Gotta Go”. It’s such a different sound that I thought it must be a different group, but both songs were written by George Parks. I haven’t heard “When Ever Your Down” yet, but it was written by Greg McCarley.The 4 Sam Philips Studios Acetate "69"

The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook notes The Four “cut three singles, all in Nashville in the late ’60’s. After they broke up, Greg McCarley released two singles on the local Klondike label as ‘Beau Sybin.’ George Parks had a release on Epic that he cut in New York and was also a staff writer at Stax.”

A late ’60s release by the Four on the Nashville North label is likely by another group. “Good Thing Going” (B. Carlton, H. Adams, D. Johnson) / “Cy’s Been Drinking Cider” was produced by Vern Terry and Len Shafitz, out of Massillon, Ohio, just west of Canton. Teen Beat Mayhem lists that band as from Elyria, Ohio. They cut a later 45 on Epic as the Sunny Four “Why Not (Be My Baby) / “Goodie Goodie Ice Cream Man”.

The Clark label had two other garage releases that I know of. On Clark CR-235 is the Ebb TIdes “Little Women” (by Donald Kyre, Michael Wheeler, Michael Whited, and Waldron), which sounds something like the Beatles “You Can’t Do That”. The Ebb Tides came from Columbus, Ohio. Their Clark 45 may have come about as part of a deal to do a summer tour of the Ohio Valley area. The flip is “What I Say”, by Gene McKay & the Ebb Tides. McKay was another singer on the tour and though the Ebb Tides backed him on the cover of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say”, they did not otherwise work together.

The Ebb Tides had a second 45, the spooky novelty “Seance” (Benny Van, M. Wheeler) b/w a mystical spoken vocal, “Spirits Ride the Wind” (Benny Van) that I really like. This 45 was produced by Rudy Varju on Jar 106 from early 1967. Benny Van of the Ebb Tides became J.D. Blackfoot.

The other is the Jades “You Have to Walk” / “Island of Love”, both written by Paul Helms and released on Clark CR-262 from May of ’67. That group was from Herrin, Illinois, a small city southeast of St. Louis and almost 200 miles northwest of Nashville, but the publishing is also Lonzo & Oscar, and the label states that it was produced and distributed by Nugget Sound Studios, Goodlettsville.Jades Clark 45 You Have to Walk

Other songs on the Clark label seem to be country, such as CR-266, Charlie Haggard’s “Throw Me Out the Door”.

Lonzo & Oscar were Johnny and Rollin Sullivan, whose family had started the Nugget Record company in Tampa, Florida in 1959, but Lonzo & Oscar Music Publishing had a Nashville base from the start. They bought or built Nugget Sound Studios in Goodlettsville, just north of Nashville. Most releases they recorded are on the Nugget label, and most are country.

History of the Nugget label from 45-sleeves.com. Thank you to Buckeye Beat for the info on the Ebb Tides 45.