Robbk

Yes, the Hollywood records label was formed in Texas in 1953, from the purchase of remaining masters from John Dolphin's Recorded in Hollywood label. They also signed their own artists. It ran until the late '50s. That label was resurrected in 1965, distributed by king Records. The "Merry Christmas Baby" LP (Hollywood 501), released in 1957, has mostly early '50s songs, such as "Merry Christmas Baby" by Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers (vocal by Charles Brown), "Lonesome Christmas" by Lowell Fulson, and "Sleigh Ride" by Lloyd Glenn, and songs by Jimmy Witherspoon and Marie Scott. The 1965 LP was a re-release of the '50s mono LP.

I've seen a lot more of the DJ issues, and a LOT more of my searching was in USA (during the '60s) than in UK (during '70s and '80s). So, I'm guessing that there may have been less store stock actually pressed, or that the unsold store stock left at distributors was destroyed.

Why is "Sippin' A Cup of Coffee" by The Ordells "Psychadelic Soul"? It sounds like pure mid-sixties Philadelphia sweet Soul to me. Neither the instrumentation nor the lyrics make me think even remotely of any psychedelic association.

I wouldn't be surprised if that is why so many "garbage records" were produced, pressed and "released" on the various Motown labels. I don't believe that Berry Gordy ever thought Ray Oddis', Joel Sebastian's or The Chuck-A-Lucks' records would sell more than a handful of copies (If that).

Ed Wingate's labels were distributed in BOTH white and brown record sleeves.

They are DEFINITELY NOT the same group. The RCA group was from The East Coast (I read their story somewhere, but can't remember). The Impact group was from Michigan, and there was no connection. I just remember that The East Coast group wasn't from NYC. They were produced by Charley Fox in New York. The reason they sang a Jobete Music song was because of The New York Jobete office's marketing and both Charley Fox and Teacho Wilshire had connections to NY Jobete writer/producers, George Kerr, Sidney Barnes, Gene Redd Jr., and George Clinton.

And it was performed by a Drifters' group with NOT ONE MEMBER that was in The Drifters who recorded "Drip Drop"- (although Johnny Moore was a Drifters member in both the mid '50s and the '60s-bouncing in and out of the group).

Yes! That's obscure enough. I didn't know she sang that.

The Swirl design was East Coast. Shelley was located in New York. The "straight design" shown above was pressed on styrene at L.A.'s Monarch pressing plant, but also on vinyl in some other plants around USA (I seem to remember seeing many in The Midwest on vinyl). Maybe they were pressed by RCA or one of the other majors? They weren't pressed at Columbia Midwest (Chicago/Terre Haute). I would remember if they were a ZTSC pressing. I followed that plant very closely, as almost all their pressings were Detroit and Chicago labels.

Yes, I have that one.

Doesn't that ZXSE 12300 series code indicate that it's a Columbia pressing?

Weren't all The Knights and Arthur's recordings vanity recordings? The guy, (Krass) had a large business in Philadelphia that could help him pay for his singing hobby. I guess he fancied himself a "Soul singer". He couldn't sing, but had a professional Soul backup group and used the best Philadelphia arrangers and session musicians and songwriters (and also Curtis Mayfield songs). He had lots of money to fund them. Here is his version of The Impressions' "Man Oh Man": There was also this release on Landa:

Didn't it have addresses both in NJ and NY (later?)?

Carnival Records was located in New Jersey. I would expect Carneval Records to be located in Brazil, Spain, Mexico or Argentina. So, I suspect that it is a misprint. Pretty awful when the printers misspell the name of your company. Let's hope it wasn't a Carnival Records company employee, who spelled it wrong on the printing order.

Well, I was a " '60s American". "In The Pocket" meant exactly the same as "In The Groove". It was a music term used by Jazz musicians when everyone was jamming together and they hit a point where they were really working well together. They hit a groove, and remained in it. I guess that George Clinton, Rose Marie McCoy and J.J. Jackson (as well as Darrell Banks and J.J. Barnes meant that the singer's love relationship with their girlfriend had really hit a high point , got into a plateau there (groove) and remained there.

She hasn't been posting on Soulful Detroit Forum for quite a while. But, if she's not to busy, it would be nice for her to visit here and talk about her career in the music industry. Her posts on SDF were very inlightening, providing first hand glimpses into what was really going on in the '60s.

Here's a link to the first page of a 3-page discography of all Dora Hall's releases: https://www.discogs.com/artist/Dora+Hall I saw only MOR Pop, old standards and a few Soul/pop crossover hits. What's interesting is that her husband spent many, many thousands of dollars on recording her and producing TV specials starring Dora. with guest stars such as Frank Sinatra Junior, Rosey Grier and others. It was quite laughable. You can watch all her TV shows on video.

I've seen the overall list of Dora Hall's record releases. MOST of her songs were MOR Pop music. She sang remakes of maybe 15-17 "Soul" songs. But, from what I remember NONE of them were "obscure". All of them charted, and, more importantly, I believe ALL were not only Soul chat hits, but ALL were pop chart hits ("I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Groovin' ", "Barefootin' ", etc.). I don't remember her singing any songs that didn't make the Pop charts. She lived in Chicago. I imagine she heard those songs on WLS. I doubt that she listened to WVON. Do you remember, offhand, any "obscure" Soul songs she sang (released either on 45 or LP)?

I knew you were kidding. I just wanted to get my deadpan joke in. I have resisted using smilies most of my Internet career. But, I see, now, that I'm going to have to use them almost all the time. ARRRGH!

The Knights and Arthur made some pretty decent vanity records, which could have been much better with a "real" professional lead singer. The other group members were a solid Soul group, and the always used some of the best philadelphia musicians, and arrangers, and they sang great songs written by Curtis Mayfield, and other top Chicago and Philadelphia Soul music writers.

What a waste of a decent backing track. The Gino Johnson recording was quite nice. Brings to mind Dora Hall, and her Calamo, Cozy and Reinbeau labels funded by her multi-millionaire husband, owner of the Solo Cup Company. https://youtu.be/dPoBTToXBLo

I'll say! There are no synagogues nor kosher butcher shops in The Arizona Desert, and certainly not enough religious Jews to form a minion!

Then, it may be the original, local pressing, BEFORE Bandera made the distribution deal with USA Records. Bandera was distributed by VJ, and then (if I remember correctly) Constellation (via Dart Distributors), just before USA. That particular label format (of the Navy Blue pressing) looks more akin to Dart than USA or VJ.

I've never seen a Navy Blue pressing before. it might be legit, or might be a boot. I have seen only powder blue pressings on the original store stockers, which I bought in 1965: Otherwise, I have only sen the white DJ. Both have Distributed by USA Records along the label outside edge, and have MW 931 and MW 932 etched into the groove trail. The navy blue copy to which you refer has a legitimate 1965 Chicago label style and look to it. I remember that style being used, and also some labels having used that on a press run at a different pressing plant from their major first local run. So, perhaps it is a legitimate issue. Maybe Bob A. knows the history of this pressing, and if a navy blue labeled press run was made in a different pressing plant?

Same to all of you, and everyone else in this great forum community!