CLW Records

CLW Records – Edgewater, Colorado

CLW Records was the brainchild of owner, writer, producer Jim Ward.  The CLW studio was first located on Knox Court and later on 5393 West 25th Avenue in the West Denver-adjacent community of Edgewater.  Jim Ward was married to Pat Floyd of the Floyd Sisters – a CLW act.  And according to Band Box artist and local entertainment celebrity Dick Dedrick the label was named after Ward’s daughter Crystal L. Ward.  Ward moved around a bit according to various addresses printed on the label – and then in the 1970’s Ward apparently moved out of the State of Colorado and into Texas.  Dedrick also recalls that the Edgewater recording location was in the back of a beauty parlor.

I visited the former location recently on an early morning bike ride – and found the building had long-ago been scraped – and as near as I can tell – replaced by the Edgewater landmark eating establishment – The Edgewater Inn (mmmm! Pizza supreme!).

November 5th, 1964 – Colorado Transcript

November 9th, 1967 – Broomfield Star

Jim Ward

December 7th, 1967 – Broomfield Star-Builder

June 7th, 1968 – Cash Box

June 4th, 1966 – Cash Box

Blackie Minor – Billboard International 1966

One of the first CLW recordings

Monte Dale on CLW – early 1960s

5393 West 25th Ave in Edgewater, Colorado – Site of CLW Records

This building resides a few structures away from where the CLW studios stood

Along 25th Avenue in Edgewater

“Fabulous KIMN” Radio – Edgewater landmark – is now long gone.  The “Denver Tiger” ruled Denver’s rock and roll airwaves for well over 30 years before moving and then finally closing down.

Note the signage for the all-time favorite KIMN Boss Jock

CLW Records Discography – 45’s

CLW 2002 – Buten La Rita – “The Deputy” b/w “Tonette” – 1966

CLW 6569 – Monte Dale

CLW 6572 – Blackie Minor

This CLW 45 was released with two different catalog numbers – one of which CLW 6572 was redundant with the Jackie Lyons release

CLW 6572 – Jack Lyons

CLW 6573- Blackie Minor

CLW 6575 – Monte Dale

CLW 6576 – Floyd Sisters

CLW 6576 – Archie Liseo & Chinaways

Another redundant CLW catalog number

CLW 6577 – Dave Spangler

Another duplicate catalog number

CLW 6577 – Blackie Minor

Blackie Minor and the Floyd Sisters recorded for Jim Ward’s CLW label in Edgewater. Blackie also recorded as a solo act as did Pat Floyd who was Jim’s wife. See the CLW Record Label Discography Page

This from Blackie’s grandson George Hendricks: “He (Blackie) died in 1977, before I was born. I know where he is buried, alongside his wife, Peggy, and my father, Dennis. I am trying to learn more about him, as well. I also have some recordings of his son, my father, who was a drummer for a band called Little Smoke, back in the 70’s. Most notable member of Little Smoke was Lynn Morris, who made it big in the Blue Grass world. I would love to find more of those recordings, too, but I have a feeling they will be even harder to come by.”

CLW recording artist – guitar player Gene Harrell backed Blackie on many of his CLW recordings.  See the Gene Harrell page.

George listed the following additional tracks which were cut by Blackie:

Soft Lips (Which was written for my Grandmother, Peggy) – Selfishnes in Man – Have Thine Own Way, Lord – Precious Memories – Lamb of God, I Come – Gather at the River – Come Home – Where Could I Go – I Love to Tell the Story – Finale

45 – CLW 6577 – Walk Away b/w Wedding Band – (two different versions of picture sleeve)

CLW 6578 – Little Ellis and His L 7’s –  (duplicate cat. #)

CLW 6578 – Donna Harris – (duplicate cat. #)

I met Donna’s former husband – Kenny Brent – a Denver & Colorado rockabilly artist who performed with and personally knew many local and national country artists. I am now in touch with Kenny and his very nice wife Julie Brent and will be loading up with additional information on Donna and other artists. Donna recorded one single for Jim Ward’s local CLW label and then was signed by national label ABC where she was produced by another local and famed country artist – Buster Jenkins. She released the two ABC singles listed below. 

Donna cut her first record at the age of 16!

CLW 6581 – Blackie Minor & Floyd Sisters – (duplicate catalog number)

CLW 6582 – Larry Green (duplicate catalog no.)

CLW 6583 – Doug Mc Lain

CLW 6584 – Jim Stewart

CLW 6593 – Gene Harrell – “Patricia Gunn A Go Go” b/w “Cashing In” – Spring 1966

Visit my CLW Gene Harrell Page

CLW 6594 – Doug McLain – “Heartaches for Company” (B side unknown) – Spring 1966

CLW 6595 – Blackie Minor & Pat Floyd – “Golden Haired Angel” b/w Sealed with a Kiss” – Spring 1966

Variation Font (very slight)

CLW 6596 – Mickey Gress And His Happy Hunsmen – “La Golondrina” b/w “Snow Man”

CLW 6597 – Chasers

Group Members:

Richard Frase – drums
Dave Myers – vocals
John Rivera – guitar (The Chosen Few)
Troy Valdez – bass (The Chosen Few)

The Chasers also recorded on the local Round & Round and Top Ten labels

CLW 6601 – Pat Floyd

CLW 6602 – Jack King

CLW 6603 – Bo Ratliff

CLW 6607 – Jimmy Dallas & the Valley Trio

Born on July 26th, 1927 and died September 28th, 2004 – Jimmy records on many labels including Decca, Westport, Tribune, Lee Mac, Sho-Me and Kansa.  He was backed on his lone CLW session by guitarist and CLW artist Gene Harrell.

(Photo from Hillbilly-music.com)

CLW 6608 – Pat Floyd

CLW 7011 – Bo Ratliff – “Give Them Guns” b/w “First Bouquet”

Around this time Jim Ward moved the CLW operation out of the State of Colorado first to Nashville and later to Fort Worth, Texas

CLW 7013 – Dr. J. E. Jenkins

CLW 715 – Bo Ratliff – “Piece of Paper” b/w “Going Back to Denver

CLW 7016 – Bo Ratliff – “Dim Cafe” b/w “Do Your Thing”

CLW 7028 – Tyrone Kelly

CLW 7578 – Julie McLain

CLW 7582 – Ronnie Tilson

CLW 7585 – Tumblin’ Creek

CLW Long Play Albums

LP – CLW 2005 – Blackie Minor and the Floyd Sisters –  “Hymns”

Carl Zeller – CLW 2006 – “The Fabulous Carl Zeller Jr.”

Carl Zeller – Greeley – February 1976

LP – CLW (Number Not Known) – Savvy – “Get On Down the Road” – 1977

Group members included:

Brian Urquhart (bass) – Rick Miller (drums) – James Pullen (guitar) – Rich Mauch (guitar) – Gary Kissinger (guitar) – Brad Trumball (keyboards)

Also: Betty McManus (sax) – Larry Patton (trumpet)

Newland Records

Another Jim Ward Label out of Edgewater, Colorado

Rita Craig

45 – Newland 4005 – “Take Your Memory” b/w “Fortune Riches and Fame”

Hal Franks

Was a performer on Buster Jenkins Rocky Mountain Jubilee with Buster Jenkins on KLAK radio

(Photo courtesy of Jerry Street)

45 – Newland 4001 – How Can You Tell True Love b/w I’m Leaving You Tomorrow

Jim Kirk

45 – Newland 4003 – Broken Dreams b/w A Bad Debt

Jimmy Key

45 – Newland  4004

The Night Beats

The Night Beats – Newland 4005

A late 1960’s group who recorded on Jim Ward’s CLW Records in Edgewater, Colorado, before he uprooted the operation and moved to The South.

Summit Records

This was another sister label to CLW – also a Jim Ward endeavor.

Summit 2001 – Butch La Rita – “Unhappy” b/w “Saga of the South Platt River”

This artist is most likely Buten La Rita from the CLW label above or at least a relative.