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Bob Lovely
05-19-2002, 10:03 AM
All,

I just purchased this CD yesterday. It is a real "trip" down memory lane for me in that it drives home the diversity of music played on Top 40 Radio in the late 50's through the early 70's. The mastering is very good, the liner notes and booklet are superb and it includes 30 tracks that crossed over onto the Pop charts from 1956 to 1965. There is a story associated with each track detailing the recording sessions, the artists and the relationships of people in the music business during that era. It is truly amazing how many of these artists died in private plane crashes and auto accidents.

Here's the track line-up:

1) White Lightning--George Jones 1959 (Mono)
2) You're the Reason--Bobby Edwards 1961 (Mono)--recorded at Goldstar using "session musicians". I wonder if any of the Wrecking Crew played on the session?
3) Detroit City--Bobby Bare 1963 (Stereo)--Bill Porter engineered sound. Definite folk influences here.
4) Abilene--George Hamilton IV 1963 (Stereo)--another Porter engineered folk-influenced Top 40 classic.
5) El Paso--Marty Robbins 1959 (Stereo)--I still like the SH mastered Mono version the best.
6) Please Help Me I'm Falling--Hank Locklin 1960 (Stereo)--another RCA, Porter engineered hit.
7) Ring Of Fire--Johnny Cash 1963 (Stereo)--those Mariachi horns...
8) Big Bad John--Jimmy Dean 1963 (Stereo)--can you say Reverb?
9) Walk On By--Leroy Van Dyke 1961 (Stereo)--big Top 40 hit
10) Let's Think About Livin'--Bob Luman 1960 (Stereo)--originally thought to be the next Elvis, Luman had only this one Top 40 hit. Recorded in Nashville using the same musicians as were used in the Everly Bros. sessions.
11) I Fall To Pieces--Patsy Cline 1961 (Stereo)--that Owen Bradley sound.
12) Crazy Arms--Ray Price 1956 (Mono)
13) Don't Let Me Cross Over--Carl Butler 1963 (Stereo)
14) Still-Bill Anderson 1963 (Stereo)--more of a Pop record--very Ray Conniff sounding.
15) Oh Lonesome Me--Don Gibson 1958 (Mono)--Don wrote I Can't Stop Loving You later recorded by Ray Charles, Sweet Dreams recorded by Patsy Cline.
16) Wolverton Mountain--Claude King 1962 (Stereo)
17) Right Or Wrong--Wanda Jackson 1961 (Stereo)--had a Rock n' Roll hit with Let's Have A Party in 1960.
18) He'll Have To Go--Jim Reeves 1960 (Stereo)--definite Bill Portor sound.
19) I Ain't Never--Webb Pierce 1959 (Stereo)--more of a Rock n' Roll record, a real gem. I swear Hank Garland plays guitar on this track.
20) The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton 1959 (Stereo)
21) Waterloo--Stonewall Jackson 1959 (Stereo)
22) Hello Walls--Faron Young 1961 (Mono)--written by Willie Nelson, big Top 40 hit.
23) From A Jack To A King--Ned Miller 1957 (Mono)
24) A Little Bitty Tear--Burl Ives 1961 (Stereo)
25) Flowers On The Wall-Statler Bros. 1965 (Stereo)--song was on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.
26) Alabam--Cowboy Copas 1960 (Mono)
27) Gone--Ferlin Husky 1957 (Mono)--Jordanaires sing back-up.
28) Gonna Find Me A Bluebird--Marvin Rainwater 1957 (Mono)
29) Six Days On The Road--Dave Dudley 1963 (Mono)
30) King Of The Road--Roger Miller 1965 (Stereo)--more like a Pop record that crossed over onto the Country charts, but that the way it worked in those days.

This CD was mastered by Duncan Cowell. I hear tape hiss on a number of the tracks. The RCA tracks sound the best. The Columbia tracks sound good but are awash in long delay reverb as was typical for them at the time.

I highly recommend this CD to those who want to learn more about Top 40 hits from the late 50's to mid 60's....Ace Records CDCHD 845.

Bob
:)

Steve Hoffman
05-19-2002, 10:10 AM
23) From A Jack To A King--Ned Miller 1957 (Mono)

Bob,

Can you check that date again for me? Should be around 1962 I think....

Bob Lovely
05-19-2002, 10:14 AM
Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
23) From A Jack To A King--Ned Miller 1957 (Mono)

Bob,

Can you check that date again for me? Should be around 1962 I think....


Steve,

According to the liner notes it was recorded in 1957, released on the Dot label and fizzled. Then in 1962 it was re-released on the Fabor label and was a big hit. The CD liner card lists the original years in which all the tracks were recorded versus released. Sharp eye!

Bob

Steve Hoffman
05-19-2002, 10:33 AM
Hmmm. I guess they know what they are talking about. I always heard that the later hit version was a re-do...

What's the sound quality on that song, if I may ask? Does it sound pinched and midrangy? Lo-Fi? If not, the ACE dudes scored some kind of master copy that doesn't exist here in the States....

Bob Lovely
05-19-2002, 10:49 AM
Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Hmmm. I guess they know what they are talking about. I always heard that the later hit version was a re-do...

What's the sound quality on that song, if I may ask? Does it sound pinched and midrangy? Lo-Fi? If not, the ACE dudes scored some kind of master copy that doesn't exist here in the States....

Steve,

I believe it is the original Mono recording (circa 1957). It sounds very vintage late 50's to me, but you are correct--mid-rangy and somewhat "pinched", although on my "big" system it has a more openness than the only other version I have on CD (synced up A/B comparsion). I played the Ace version on a HHB CD recorder and the other version on a Tascam CD player.

Here is a quote from the liner notes...

"Miller himself nearly broke From A Jack To A King on Dot in 1957. From A Jack To A King lost momentum with Miller and Fabor Robinson parting company with Robinson reportedly lying low in Brazil to escape the clutches of the IRS. At some point in 1962, Robinson re-activated his Fabor label from a PO Box in Burbank. Responding to a suggestion from a distributor based in Seattle, Robinson re-issued From A Jack To A King (and some other songs under his control) and he "persuaded" some DJs to promote them on the off-chance."

Bob

Steve Hoffman
05-19-2002, 11:04 AM
Nice tidbit!

I didn't know that. Thanks.

For some reason, when I was a little kid and this song came on the radio, I really liked it. Kind of bouncy. I remember my mom taking me to the record store (The House Of Sight And Sound) and when I saw the label (sort of a washed out black color with dirty silver writing), I thought "geez, what an ugly record label", so I didn't demand she buy it for me. I was a weird kid.

Bob Lovely
05-19-2002, 11:10 AM
Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Nice tidbit!

I didn't know that. Thanks.

For some reason, when I was a little kid and this song came on the radio, I really liked it. Kind of bouncy. I remember my mom taking me to the record store (The House Of Sight And Sound) and when I saw the label (sort of a washed out black color with dirty silver writing), I thought "geez, what an ugly record label", so I didn't demand she buy it for me. I was a weird kid.

Steve,

The liner notes go on to talk on how the song had surprising universal appeal accross audiences. After a number of listenings the arrangement sounds like a one-off on late 50's Elvis arrangements. I was a weird kid too. Instead of buying baseball cards I bought 45's that I played on my 45 changer that my Dad hooked up to an old 5 watt tube amp and a Jenson speaker in an old broadcast enclosure....

Bob :)

Steve Hoffman
05-19-2002, 11:11 AM
Funny!

Probably a lot of here were weird kids. I'm still weird.

Michael
05-19-2002, 06:44 PM
Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Funny!

Probably a lot of here were weird kids. I'm still weird.

Me too! :)

Gary
05-19-2002, 07:57 PM
I'm not weird. I am perfectly normal. My Doctor's tell me so. I am getting better every day and in every way, too.

Yours Sincerely,

Nap. Bonnie-Part.

;)

Mark H
05-20-2002, 12:14 PM
I'm not a weird kid. Just because I used to fall asleep almost every night in the late sixtie's with my little G.E. transistor radio on with the little earplug. Sheesh!!!!!

Bob Lovely
05-20-2002, 12:41 PM
Originally posted by Mark H
I'm not a weird kid. Just because I used to fall asleep almost every night in the late sixtie's with my little G.E. transistor radio on with the little earplug. Sheesh!!!!!

Mark,

I did the same thing...what stations did you listen to?

Bob

Mark H
05-20-2002, 03:01 PM
Hi Bob,
Mostly heard all the AM top 40 hits of the day. Began my lifelong love affair with the Beatles and CCR with that little radio. Wish I still had it today just for nostalgias sake. Stations here in upstate N.Y. back then: WPTR,WSNY and WGY reported to be one of the first of the 50,000 watt powerhouses. A.M. up here now is mainly Talk shows and the occaisional Country station. I'll always remember "Boom Boom"
Branigan playing every cut off the "new" Beatles White Album back in '68. I remember my Dad bought it for me for X-Mas that year and actually let me play it on the Magnavox console he had.So i wouldn't ruin it!

BradOlson
05-20-2002, 03:04 PM
AM radio here is all talk shows.

Bob Lovely
05-20-2002, 03:08 PM
Originally posted by Mark H
Hi Bob,
Mostly heard all the AM top 40 hits of the day. Began my lifelong love affair with the Beatles and CCR with that little radio. Wish I still had it today just for nostalgias sake. Stations here in upstate N.Y. back then: WPTR,WSNY and WGY reported to be one of the first of the 50,000 watt powerhouses. A.M. up here now is mainly Talk shows and the occaisional Country station. I'll always remember "Boom Boom"
Branigan playing every cut off the "new" Beatles White Album back in '68. I remember my Dad bought it for me for X-Mas that year and actually let me play it on the Magnavox console he had.So i wouldn't ruin it!

Mark,

WGY can be heard in this area at night. I used to listen to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night cuddled up in my bed as well as stations in Chicago (WLS) and Oklahoma City (KOMA)--all were Top 40 powerhouses in the 60's. I had to keep the volume sooo low because my parents thought I was sleeping! Wow!, you know Dad is in a good mood when you get to listen your latest record on the "adult" system. Thanks for sharing the memories!

Bob :)

Joe Koz
05-20-2002, 06:53 PM
I used to listen to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night cuddled up in my bed as well as stations in Chicago (WLS)
Bob,

Remember Art Roberts's top 10 count down on Sunday nights. I also had a little admiral transistor AM radio tucked under my pillow at night. Back then WCFL & WLS in Chicago ruled.

Joe.

Michael
05-20-2002, 07:03 PM
Originally posted by Mark H
I'm not a weird kid. Just because I used to fall asleep almost every night in the late sixtie's with my little G.E. transistor radio on with the little earplug. Sheesh!!!!!

Me too! Only I put my little pocket AM radio under my pillow for a more" Hi-Fi" sound in early 60s'. LOL!

Bob Lovely
05-21-2002, 04:40 AM
Originally posted by Joe Koz

Bob,

Remember Art Roberts's top 10 count down on Sunday nights. I also had a little admiral transistor AM radio tucked under my pillow at night. Back then WCFL & WLS in Chicago ruled.

Joe.

Joe,

And his Top 5 countdown as voted by listeners every weekday evening at 9pm. I remember listening to Ron Britain and Joel Sebastian on WCFL. I grew up downstate in Peoria.

Bob