I have never published a post regarding music publishing.
Much of music publishing seems to have been the playground of unpaid royalties, shadowing dealings, flimflam men, and the like.
The Goodman Family
It seems the publishers met often in smoke filled rooms, met song writers, toured the record shops, wormed their way into the offices of record labels, spent lots of time on the phone following tips, met with DJs – delivered records around New York and beyond – did some serious and not so serious horse trading, moved locations, vanished – reappeared – vanished again…..
But not all publishers of course.
The Chess Brothers
Gene and Harry Goodman were the brothers of the very famous Benny Goodman. Their publishing companies were “Regent”, “Arc” and “Conrad Music”. Perhaps their biggest coup was to land the publishing rights to the Chess catalog and representing Chess in New York City.
Both brothers had been involved with Benny Goodman and his music, with Gene working as a sort of “roadie” for the Goodman band and Harry was in the band. And then Gene talked Harry into leaving the band to try their hand at the publishing game.
Benny Goodman and Company
Gene was the driving operative of the two brothers, always on the lookout for a tune, a deal, a trade – the next big thing! The days of owning copyrights on sheet music were coming to an end with the popularity of 45’s and the publishing industry would soon realize that owning publishing rights to the recordings become the name of the game.
The income from records came from two sources: record sales and air play. Often, music men would obtain a copyright was already a hit, and then they would profit from other versions going forward, or they may have obtained copyright for all future sales.
On Broadway – The “Brills”
The Goodmans had the great experience of having worked out of both the famous music houses on Broadway in New York City, the original Brill Building at 1619 and the hipper rock and roll digs at 1650 Broadway.
On a trip to England to speak with EMI the Goodmans would acquire the entire Django Reinhardt catalog for all future U.S. publishing rights.
Django Reinhardt
Gene Goodman was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1997 as a publisher. Gene Goodman passed away on October 20th, 2023.
The Goodman’s Publishing Credits
Here are just a few of the many songs published by the Goodmans. Gene had a tremendous ear for a hit record which permitted him to transition from the Tin Pan Alley Days into teen pop, rock and roll and especially great rhythm and blues.
“The Flat Foot Floogie” – Benny Goodman Orchestra – June 1938
“Flying Home” – Benny Goodman Sextet – November 1939
“Soft Winds” – Benny Goodman Sextet – December 1939
“Moonlight Cocktail” – Glenn Miller Orchestra – December 1941
“I’ll Be Around” – The Mills Brothers – May 1942
“Flying Home” – Lionel Hampton – June 1942
“While We Were Young” – Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians – February 1946
“Air Mail Special” – Lionel Hampton – June 1946
“Sunrise Serenade” – Frankie Carle Orchestra – March 1947
“You Came a Long Way (From St. Louis)” – Ray McKinley & Some of the Boys – May 1948
“While We Were Young” – Peggy Lee – April 1949
“Takes Two to Tango” – Pearl Bailey – August 1952
“Takes Two to Tango”- Louis Armstrong – September 1952
“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” – Jimmy Boyd – November 1952
“Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite” – The Spaniels – March 1954
Gene bought rights to half the song from Vee Jay who badly needed income.
“Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnite” – The McGuire Sisters – May 1954
“Sincerely” – The McGuire Sisters – November 1954
“Air Mail Special” – Tex Williams – December 1954
“See You Later, Alligator” – Bill Haley & His Comets – January 1956
Gene Goodman obtained this copyright after Bobby Charles cut the original.
“I’ll Be Home” – The Flamingos – January 1956
“I’ll Be Home” – Pat Boone – January 1956
Johnnie & Joe – “Over the Mountain” – April 1957
“Happy, Happy Birthday Baby” – The Tune Weavers – August 1957
“Silhouettes” – The Rays – September 1957
“Daddy Cool” – The Rays – September 1957
“At the Hop” – Danny & the Juniors – November 1957
“Book of Love” – The Monotones – February 1958
“Apache” – Jorgen Ingman – November 1960
“Some Kind of Wonderful” – The Drifters – March 1961
“Operator” – Gladys Knight and the Pips – March 1962
“Surfin’ U.S.A.” – The Beach Boys – June 1962
Gene was the one who tipped off Chess that Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” was the basis for the Beach Boy early hit and thus obtained 100 percent of all future publishing royalties!
“Do You Hear What I Hear” – The Harry Simone Chorale – December 1962
“Boom, Boom” – The Animals – November 1964
“The Men in My Little Girl’s Life” – Mike Douglas – November 1965
“Lady Godiva” – Peter and Gordon – September 1966
“Tell it Like it Is” – Aaron Neville – October 1966
George David Wess was born on April 9th, 1921 in New York City. His first entry into the music industry was arranging songs for Stan Kenton’s orchestra and others.
He began composing songs in the 1940s in the tradition of the tin pan alley writers out of the original Brill Building in New York. He worked on Broadway scores such as “Mr. Wonderful”, “First Impressions” and “Maggie Flyn”.
Weiss’s regular composing partner was Bennie Benjamin who had his first taste of success with “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire” in 1941 with several successful versions, the Ink Spots being one of them. In the 1960s Weiss worked with the team of Hugo and Luigi, most notably on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.
Weiss proved to be resilient and able to move with the times when the glory days of tin pan alley were past.
Weiss is an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and was the president of the Songwriters Guild of America for nearly 20 years.
George David Weiss Selected Discography
Frankie Carle Orchestra – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #1 Pop – January 1946
Frank Sinatra – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #1 Pop – February 1946
Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #4 Pop – March 1946
Charlie Spivak Orchestra – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #5 Pop – March 1946
Perry Como – “Surrender” #1 Pop – June 1946
Woody Herman Orchestra – “Surrender” #8 Pop – June 1946
Frankie Carle Orchestra – “Rumors Are Flying” #1 Pop – September 1946
Betty Rhodes – “Rumors Are Flying” #5 Pop – September 1946
Tony Martin – “Rumors Are Flying” #9 Pop – October 1946
The Andrews Sisters with Les Paul – “Rumors Are Flying” #4 Pop- October 1946
Harry Cool & Mindy Carson – “Rumors Are Flying” #12 Pop – October 1946
Billy Butterfield Orchestra – “Rumors Are Flying” #6 Pop – October 1946
The Three Suns – “Rumors Are Flying” #7 Pop – November 1946
Doris Day & Buddy Clark – “Confess” #16 Pop – June 1948
The Stardusters – “I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes Anymore” #5 Pop – April 1949
Perry Como – “I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes Anymore” #11 Pop – May 1949
Patti Page – “I’ll Keep the Love Light Burning (In My Heart)” #26 Pop – September 1949
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae – “Echoes” #18 Pop – December 1949
Annie Laurie & the Paul Gayten Orchestra – “I’ll Never Be Free” #4 R&B – April 1950
Louis Jordan & Ella Fitzgerald – “I’ll Never Be Free” #7 R&B – April 1950
Dinah Washington – “I’ll Never Be Free” #3 R&B – April 1950
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians – “Tiddley Winkie Woo” #24 Pop – June 1950
Dottie O’Brien & Jan Garber – “I Wanna Be Loved” #23 Pop – August 1950
The Ames Brothers – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” – #5 Pop – August 1950
Kay Starr & Tennessee Ernie Ford – “I’ll Never Be Free” #3 Pop – #3 “Country” – August 1950
Ray Anthony Orchestra – “Can Anyone Explain? (” #5 Pop – September 1950
Dick Haymes – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” #23 Pop – September 1950
Dinah Shore – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” #29 Pop – September 1950
Vic Damone – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” #25 Pop – October 1950
Larry Green Orchestra – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” # 28 Pop – October 1950
Eddy Howard Orchestra – “To Think You’ve Chosen Me” #9 Pop – November 1950
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – “Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No)” #30 Pop – November 1950
Lucky Millinder Orchestra – “I’ll Never Be Free” #8 R&B – January 1951
Nat “King” Cole – “Jet” #20 Pop – #8 R&B – February 1951
Sarah Vaughan – “These Things I Offer You (For a Lifetime)” #11 Pop – June 1951
Ray Anthony Orchestra – “These Things I Offer You (For a Lifetime)” #17, 1951
Patti Page – “These Things I Offer You” #26 Pop – June 1951
Buddy Greco – “I Ran All the Way Home” #30 Pop – November 1951
Sarah Vaughan – “I Ran All the Way Home” #18 Pop – November 1951
Dinah Washington – “Wheel of Fortune” #3 R&B – February 1952
Eddie Wilcox Orchestra – “Wheel of Fortune” #13 Pop – #2 R&B – February 1952
Kay Starr – “Wheel of Fortune” #1 Pop – February 1952
Bobby Wayne – “Wheel of Fortune” #6 Pop – February 1952
The Bell Sisters – “Wheel of Fortune #10 Pop – March 1952
The Cardinals – “Wheel of Fortune” #6 R&B – March 1952
Bette McLaurin and Her Friends – “I May Hate Myself in the Morning” #23 Pop – May 1952
Teresa Brewer – “Dancin’ & Someone (Longin’ for You)” #17 Pop – April 1953
Patti Page – “Cross Over the Bridge” #2 Pop – February 1954
Eddie Fisher – “A Girl, A Girl” #6 Pop – March 1954
Joni James – “How Important Can it Be” #2 Pop – February 1955
Sarah Vaughan – “How Important Can it Be” #12 Pop – February 1955
Teresa Brewer – “How Important Can it Be?” #18 Pop – February 1955
The Blue Stars – “Lullaby of Birdland” #16 Pop – December 1955
Sarah Vaughan – “Mr. Wonderful” #13 Pop – February 1956
Teddi King – “Mr. Wonderful” #18 Pop – February 1956
Peggy Lee – “Mr. Wonderful” #14 Pop – #5 UK (first UK charting single) – March 1956
Eydie Gorme – “Too Close for Comfort” #39 Pop – April 1956
Joni James – “Summer Love” #97 Pop – July 1957
Perry Como – “Mandolins in the Moonlight” #47 Pop – #13 UK – October 1958
Conway Twitty – “Hey, Little Lucy” #87 Pop – May 1959
Knightsbridge Strings – “Wheel of Fortune” #88 Pop – November 1959
Lavern Baker – “Wheel of Fortune” #83 Pop – May 1960
Johnny Horton – “Johnny Freedom” #69 Pop – July 1960
Della Reese – “And Now” #69 Pop – September 1960
Jimmy Ricks and Lavern Baker – “I’ll Never Be Free” #103 Bubbling Under
Elvis Presley – “Wild in the Country” #26 Pop – #4 UK – June 1961
Linda Scott – “Star Light, Star Bright” #44 Pop – July 1961
Della Reese – “A Far, Far Better Thing” #115 Bubbling Under – August 1961
ELVIS PRESLEY – “WILD IN THE COUNTRY” #26 POP – JUNE 1961
THE TOKENS – “THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT” #1 POP – #7 R&B – #11 UK – NOVEMBER 1961
ELVIS PRESLEY – “CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE” #2 POP – #1 ADULT – #1 UK – DECEMBER 1961
THE TOKENS – “B’WA NINA” #55 POP – FEBRUARY 1962
THE CORSAIRS – “I’LL TAKE YOU HOME” #68 POP – #26 R&B – APRIL 1962
The Castells – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #91 Pop – August 1962
Kitty Kallen – “Please Don’t” #121 Bubbling Under – March 1963
THE ESSEX – “A WALKIN’ MIRACLE” #12 POP – #11 R&B – AUGUST 1963
Nat “King” Cole – “That Sunday That Summer” #12 Pop – #3 Adult – #19 R&B
Joe Sherman – “Toys in the Attic” #92 Pop – October 1963
LITTLE PEGGY MARCH – “THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENED” #57 POP – NOVEMBER 1963
The Jaynetts – “Keep an Eye on Her” #120 Bubbling Under – November 1963
Little Peggy March – “The Impossible Happened” #57 Pop – November 1963
LITTLE PEGGY MARCH – “THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENED” #57 POP – NOVEMBER 1963
The Village Stompers – “The La-Dee-Da Song” #104 Bubbling Under – February 1964
Nat “King” Cole – “More and More of Your Amor” #102 Bubbling Under – July 1964
Georgia Gibbs – “Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder” #132 Bubbling Under – May 1965
Nat “King” Cole – “Let Me Tell You, Babe” #90 Pop – #20 Adult – July 1966
TOM JONES – “WHAT A PARTY” #120 BUBBLING UNDER – SEPTEMBER 1966
Lorraine Ellison – “Stay with Me” #64 Pop #11 R&B – October 1966
Lorraine Ellison – “A Good Love” #131 Bubbling Under – December 1966
Louis Armstrong ‘”What a Wonderful World” #116 Bubbling Under – #12 Adult – #1 UK – October 1967
Jimmy Roselli – “Oh! What it Seemed to Be” #35 Adult – May 1968
VIC DAMONE – “WHY CAN’T I WALK AWAY” #21 ADULT – SEPTEMBER 1968
Johnny & Jonie Mosby – “I’ll Never Be Free” #26 Country – October 1969
AL MARTINO – “I CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU” #54 POP – #5 ADULT – FEBRUARY 1970
ROBERT JOHN – “THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT” #3 POP – #6 ADULT – APRIL 1972
Susan Raye – “Wheel of Fortune” #16 Country – September 1972
THE SOFT TONES – “THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT” #56 R&B – JULY 1973
THE SOFT TONES – “THE FIRST DAY” #69 R&B – DECEMBER 1973
THE STYLISTICS – “HEY GIRL, COME & GET IT” #4 DANCE – 1974
KATE SMITH – “SMILE, SMILE, SMILE” #42 ADULT – MAY 1974
Charlie Rich – “I Don’t See Your Eyes Anymore” #1 Country – #47 Pop – #9 Adult – May 1974
VAN MCCOY – “LOVE IS THE ANSWER” #22 ADULT – #77 R&B – JUNE 1974
THE STYLISTICS – “LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER” #18 POP – #8 R&B – #26 ADULT – #9 UK – JULY 1974
THE STYLISTICS – “HEAVY FALLIN’ OUT” #41 POP – #4 R&B – OCTOBER 1974
THE STYLISTICS – “STAR ON A TV SHOW” #47 POP – #13 R&B – #27 ADULT – #12 UK – JANUARY 1975
THE STYLISTICS – “THANK YOU BABY” #70 POP – #7 R&B – APRIL 1975
THE STYLISTICS – “CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING (BUT MY LOVE)” – #51 POP – #13 DANCE – #18 R&B – #34 ADULT – #1 UK – JULY 1975
THE STYLISTICS – “FUNKY WEEKEND” #76 POP – #23 R&B – NOVEMBER 1975
THE STYLISTICS – “BECAUSE I LOVE YOU” #43 R&B – SEPTEMBER 1976
THE STYLISTICS – “I’M COMING HOME” #90 R&B – JULY 1977
Louis Armstrong – “What a Wonderful World #32 Pop – #7 Adult – #53 UK – February 1988
Roy Clark – “What a Wonderful World” #73 Country – March 1989
Kenny G – “What a Wonderful World” #22 Adult – August 1999
Louis Armstrong – “What a Wonderful World” #53 – August 1999
Rod Stewart – “What a Wonderful World” #13 Adult – October 2004
Shareefa – “Need a Boss” #62 Pop – #10 R&B – July 2006
Being a long-time collector of 45s and having sifted through tens of thousands of singles, whenever I came across one of those RCA 45s with the little “Hugo & Luigi” logos on it, I always wondered just how that came to be – for a production team to have their very own logo, especially on a major record label like RCA!
The book “Record Makers and Breakers – Voices of the Independent Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneers” includes a great chapter on the two Italian cousins. The logo is mentioned – once.
No explanation is given on the logo other than they duo had one. I surmise that RCA was so excited to have the production/arranging/composing team in their fold that a little logo was a no brainer.
Hugo Peretti was born on December 6th, 1916 in New York City. He was a trumpet player and worked his way through several orchestras.
Luigi Federico Creatore was also born in New York City on December 21st, 1921. He and his cousin to begin composing and producing for others.
The cousins got their start producing children’s records and composing jingles. While there they met Irving Green of Mercury Records. After Mercury A&R director Richard Hayman was let go by Mercury, Hugo and Luigi came on board. Nothing happened for about a year but then the two arrangers broke through big time with the Gaylords “The Little Shoemaker” and also Georgia Gibbs covering “Tweedle Dee”.
The Gaylords
Gibbs balked at the song but Mercury forced her into the studio where she begrudgingly recorded the song quickly and stormed from the building. After the song reached the upper parts of the charts, Gibbs she more or less apologized and thanked the new Mercury team.
Miss Gibbs
In 1957 Hugo and Luigi entered into partnership with Morris Levy and formed Roulette Records, so name because the endeavor was a bit of a gamble. They had good success, especially with the young folk singer, Jimmie Rodgers.
In 1959, Hugo and Luigi would say goodbye to Levy and Roulette, leaving on good terms and would join up with RCA Records who were looking to find a replacement for the young phenoms, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Perhaps their biggest success at RCA was working with singer songwriter Sam Cooke who wanted to break away from Keene Records and did so in a big way! The first song the Tokens brought to Hugo and Luigi the song which would become “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” it was merely an acapella chant.
Hugo and Luigi told the Tokens that they weren’t about to spend time on a chant and so talked the group into letting them add some lyrics and work over the music. It paid off with the Tokens only number 1 song!
Then, in 1963, the pair, never ones to sit still, returned to Roulette Records and Morris Levy.
Morris Levy
Their final shot in the music business came with their purchase of the Avco-Embassy label and rode the charts with the Stylistics and Van McCoy but then the industry experienced a severe downturn. Hugo and Luigi could read the writing on the wall that the days of the independents was rapidly coming to an end so they finally called it a career.
Stylistics
Luigi Creatore passed away on December 13th, 2015 in Boca Raton, Florida at the age of 93. Hugo Peretti died on May 1st, 1986 in Englewood, New Jersey at age 69.
Hugo and Luigi Selected Composing/Producing/Recording Discography
The Gaylords – “The Little Shoemaker” #2 Pop – July 1954
Georgia Gibbs – “Tweedle Dee” #2 Pop – January 1955
Hugo & Luigi – February 1955
Sarah Vaughan – “Experience Unnecessary” #14 Pop – July 1955
Hugo & Luigi withe their Family Singers – July 1955
Hugo and Luigi with their Family Singers – October 1955
Hugo & Luigi with their Family Singers – February 1956
Sarah Vaughan – “It Happened Again” #72 Pop – October 1956
Hugo & Luigi – June 1957
Jimmie Rodgers – “Oh-Oh, I’m Falling in Love Again” #7 Pop #19 R&B #5 Country – February 1958
Hugo & Luigi – February 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “Secretly” #3 Pop #7 R&B – April 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “Make Me a Miracle” #16 Pop – May 1958
Hugo & Luigi – May 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “Are You Really Mine?” #10 Pop #13 Country – August 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “The Wizard” #45 Pop – August 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “Bimbombey” #11 Pop – November 1958
Jimmie Rodgers – “I’m Never Gonna Tell” #36 Pop – February 1959
Jimmie Rodgers – “Because You’re Young” #62 Pop – March 1959
Hy Weiss was born Hyman Y. Weiss in 1923 in Romania and then an immigrant to Brooklyn. Weiss met the controversial future record executive, Morris Levy when they were both just starting out.
After serving in World War II, Weiss would team up with his brother Sam and form the Parody record label in 1949. That endeavor was short lived with only one record released in July of 1949.
Sam Weiss was born in Romania on September 19th, 1926. He passed away in Boca Raton, FL on March 19th, 2008. Later in the 1970s Sam would form the disco music label “Sam Records” and in 1991 joined his son Mike Weiss to form the Nervous Records label.
Sam Weiss
Weiss was working as a record distributor when he ran into the 5 Crowns who were about to record a session in New York, and he convinced them to come into a studio to record on his nerly formed Old Town label. Their session would produce the first single for Hy Weiss in August of 1953.
Weiss had a good ear for rhythm and blues music, and managed to land a handful of musicians who left us with some memorable hits. Weiss was a hard driving businessman but was far more respected than Levy Morris. He worked as a salesman many R&B labels along the way.
His good ear for the music brought the Cleftones, Billy Bland, Robert and Johnny, Sonny Terry, the Fiestas and other significant names to Old Town.
Hy would launch the Barry record label in 1961, naming it after his son.
Barry Debut Release – March 1961
Weiss stayed with the label until 1970 at which time he sold it to Atlantic Records. Then he signed on to work with Stax Records.
Weiss would never stray from his stubborn stance to remain an “independent” record man within the industry. In the early 1990’s after his wife passed away, Weiss would finally sell the Old Town catalog and subsidiary recordings and finally became a millionaire.
In 1973, Weiss would revive Old Town. Weiss passed away on March 20th, 2007 in Englewood, NJ.
August 28th, 1954 – Cash Box Magazine
July 23rd, 1955 – Cash Box Magazine
September 15th, 1955 – Cash Box Magazine
May 12th, 1956 – Cash Box Magazine
(Ruth McFadden and Robert & Johnnie – Old Town Perform)
August 4th, 1956 – Cash Box Magazine
December 29th, 1956 – Cash Box Magazine
February 15th, 1958 – Cash Box Magazine
May 10th, 1958 – Cash Box Magazine
April 11th, 1959 – Cash Box Magazine
May 30th, 1959 – Cash Box Magazine
February 21st, 1961 – Cash Box Magazine
March 17th, 1962 – Cash Box Magazine
August 18th, 1962 – Cash Box Magazine
September 1st, 1962 – Cash Box Magazine
December 21st, 1963 – Cash Box Magazine
June 22nd, 1964 – Cash Box Magazine
July 10th, 1965 – Cash Box Magazine
June 25th, 1966 – Cash Box Magazine
December 3rd, 1966 – Cash Box Magazine
May 3rd, 1969 – Cash Box Magazine
September 12th, 1970 – Cash Box Records
Old Town Records Selected Discography
I am listing the debut recordings on Old Town and the charting hits. Hy Weiss wasn’t much of one for investing in long plays and so only a handful were produced and nearly all of them were by Arthur Prysock, the musician who provided Weiss with the initiative to revive Old Town Records in 1973.
5 Crowns – August 1953
The Solitaires – January 1954
The Valentines – November 1954
The Clefftones – March 1955
Billy Bland – November 1955
Ruth McFadden & the Supremes – January 1956
The Royaltones – January 1956
Robert and Johnny – April 1956
Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee – June 1956
The Co-Eds with Gwen Edwards – August 1956
Bob Gaddy – November 1956
The Rogues – November 1956
The Fi-Tones – 1957
Hana – 1957
Wild Bill Moore – February 1957
Oscar Brand – February 1957
Lou Dee & Valley Boys – June 1957
Keytones – August 1957
Preston Brown – December 1957
The Tremaines – May 1958
Riff Ruffin Orchestra – May 1958
The Inspirators – June 1958
Arthur Prysock – September 1958
Vinny Lee – November 1958
The Fiestas – “So Fine” #3 R&B – #11 Pop – November 1958
Billy Bland – “Let the Little Girl Dance” #7 Pop – #11 R&B – January 1960
Arthur Prysock – “The Very Thought of You” #19 R&B – March 1960
Billy Bland – “Pardon Me” #102 Bubbling Under – June 1960
The Fairfield Four – June 1960
Gene Kennedy – July 1960
The Vocaleers – October 1960
The Capris – “There’s a Moon Out Tonight” #3 Pop – #11 R&B – December 1960
Davey Jones – January 1961
Lori Rogers – May 1961
Arthur Prysock – “One More Time” #30 R&B – August 1961
Ron Rich – December 1961
Larry Finnegan – December 1961
The Packards – 1962
Members of the Packards become members of the Drifters.
The Fiestas – “I Feel Good All Over” #123 Bubbling Under – November 1962
Tommy Andre – 1962
Was a member of the duo – Tommy & Cleve with Cleveland Horne
The Crab Creek Country High School Band – May 1962
The Fiestas – “I Feel Good All Over” #123 Bubbling Under – October 1962
Coley Arnez – November 1962
The Earls – “Remember Then” #24 Pop – #29 R&B – November 1962
The Earls – “Never” #119 Bubbling Under – February 1963
Arthur Prysock – “Our Love Will Last” #128 – March 1963
The Chanticleers – March 1963
The Earls – “Eyes” #123 Bubbling Under – May 1963
The Wilshire Trio – May 1963
Tom Austin & His Healeys – September 1963
Erlene & Her Girlfriends – September 1963
Freddie Houston – November 1963
Arthur Prysock – November 1963
The Volumes – January 1964
Prince Jefferies – February 1964
Kenny Stevens – March 1964
The Sparkels – March 1964
Donald Height – March 1964
Arthur Prysock – “Close Your Eyes” #124 Bubbling Under – June 1964
Butch, Peggy and Little John – July 1964
Long Island, NY siblings – the Lindelman’s
Rosco Gordon – August 1964
Arthur Prysock – “Without the One You Love” #126 Bubbling Under – September 1964
The Gypsies – September 1964
South Carolina group who became the Flirtations and later based themselves in England
Ella Johnson – 1964
Arthur Prysock – 1964
Rosco & Barbara – December 1964
Rosco Gordon with Barbara Kerr
Riffs – March 1965
Arthur Prysock – “It’s Too Late, Baby Too Late” #11 R&B – #56 Pop – July 1965
Arthur Prysock – “Only a Fool Breaks His Own Heart” #125 Bubbling Under – September 1965
Lester Young – October 1965
December 1965 – Kriss Anderson
Billy Meshel – 1965
Arthur Prysock – 1965
Arthur Prysock – “Let it Be Me” #124 Bubbling Under – June 1966
Arthur Prysock – 1966
Al Cassero – February 1966
Bobby & Betty Lou – April 1966
Jessie Johnson – May 1966
The Flambeaus – 1968
Bobby Long and the Dealers – 1969
Charlie Thomas – 1969
The New Jersey Turnpike – January 1969
Irene Reid – April 1969
At this point in 1970 Hy sold the label – He would reactivate in again in 1973
Arthur Prysock – “In the Rain” # 36 R&B – #110 Bubbling Under – August 1973
Peggy Scott – November 1973
Lords of Percussion – May 1974
Dickie Williams – 1974
Malcolm’s Locks – 1975
Arthur Prysock – “When Love is Now” #10 R&B – #64 Pop – November 1976
Arthur Prysock – “I Wantcha Baby” #43 R&B – March 1977
Arthur Prysock – “You Can Do It” #33 R&B – August 1977
Old Town Long Play – Various – “Your Old Favorites on the Old Town” – 1959
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “I Worry About You” – 1960
Old Town Long Play Arthur Prysock- “Sings Only for You” -1960
Old Town Long Play – Ted Curson – “Plenty of Horn” – 1961
Old Town Long Play – Stan Free – “Piano a la Percussion” – 1961
Old Town Long Play – Various – “In the Purple Grotto” – 1961
Old Town Long Play – The Fairfield Four – “The Bells are Tolling” – 1962
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock “Coast to Coast” – 1963
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “A Portrait Of” – 1964
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “Everlasting Songs for Everlasting Love”
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “In a Mood With” – 1964
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “Intimately Yours” – 1964
Old Town Long Play – The Earls – “Remember Me Baby” – 1965
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “A Double Header With” – 1965
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “All My Life” – 1976
Old Town Long Play – Arthur Prysock – “Does it Again” – 1977
Old Town Long Play – The Solitaires – “The Best Of” (date unknown)
Lada Edmund Jr. Not Your Grandma’s Hullaballoo Gal!
Lada on Hullaballoo
I learned about Lada when I recently put together a post on the short-lived Hullaballoo TV program, I came across the appearance of Lada Edmund Jr. She was one of the original Hullaballoo go-go dancers before she returned to recording and then returned again to Hullaballoo during the 2nd season in 1966 to sing, not dance.
Lada was born in 1947 Lada Michele Perkins in Minneapolis, MN. By the time that Hullaballoo was cancelled in 1966 and replaced by those zany Monkees, Lada was already trying to find a spot in Hollywood thinking that acting could be her calling.
After all, at the age of just 12, Lada made her debut on Broadway in New York City playing the part of “Penelope Ann” in “Bye, Bye Birdie”. Roles in other Broadway productions would follow including “West Side Story” and “Promises, Promises”.
1971
In ‘tinsel town’, Edmund would get roles in some less than memorable films including “The Devil’s 8”, “Out of It” both from 1969, then “Jump” (1971), “Savage” (1973) and “Act of Vengeance” (1974). None of the roles were memorable, and often she was selected for her dancing prowess.
The movies weren’t cutting it for Lada but her fortunes would take a turn after meeting up with primo movie stuntman Hal Neeham. Soon Lada would put her athletic prowess to work performing stunts for films including “Smokie and the Bandit”. One of her first “stunts” was a gig for Allstate Insurance where she accompanied Neeham in a test car and was paid a hefty twenty five grand to crash into a brick wall to test air bags!. She collected her hefty check.
Stunt Legend Neeham
She also would take a motorcycle sky bound hurling over an automobile to promote an Evel Knievel TV special. That one cost her a compression fracture. The bumps and bruises of stunt work paid off, with Lada becoming the highest paid stunt woman in the world!
Lada would eventually make her way back to the East Coast and would take up boxing – a sport she had always been fascinated with when she was growing up.
Lada on the Big Bag
Along with boxing, Lada became a personal trainer and then a boxing referee. Today (2024) Lada runs a youth training program in New Jersey. She is 77 years old.
April 4th, 1965 – The Portland Press Herald
August 2nd, 1965 – The Canonsburg Daily Notes
August 4th, 1965 – The Kenosha News
January 8th, 1966 – The Longview Daily News
March 13th, 1966 – Richmond Times-Dispatch
June 5th, 1969 – Cedar Rapids Gazette
June 6th, 1969 – The Waterloo Daily Courier
January 29th, 1970 – The San Francisco Examiner
April 15th, 1973 – The Atlanta Constitution
July 12th, 1974 – The Madison Capital Times
December 27th, 1974 – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Interesting that this ad refers to the film as “Rape Squad” while the title generally appears as “Acts of Violence”. Thinking the original title must have been revised.
Lada Edmund Jr. Discography
45 – “The Answer” b/w “Foxy” – October 1961
45 – “I Want a Man” b/w “This Time” – September 1962
45 – “Tear Drop Shop” b/w “Little Heart” – January 1963
45 – “I Know Something” b/w “Once Upon a Time” – April 1966
45 – “The Larue” b/w “Soul Au Go Go” – August 1966
45 – “Trouble (Is His Middle Name)” b/w “Boopsie” – August 1967
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