What 78 are you spinning right now ?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I've been trying out an additional wider stylus 0035 rather than 0032. The former is meant to be closer in size to many pre-war 78s. The reality is as you might expect very variable. Of the sides I've tried so far pre war UK Decca and HMV sound much better with very little background hiss. UK Columbia sound no better no worse. A few worn items sound better as the stylus is riding higher in the groove and away from the wear. Nice addition to and probably my last 78 stylii collection ( 3 int total). Worth it I think but longer play back will answer that question. I think I'll need to start marking down which 78 sound better with which stylii. Hmmm. .....sounds much too organised for me.

Consumption costs time and effort, as well as cash.

And we all know it here, don't we?

MG

[jeffcrom]

I've been trying out an additional wider stylus 0035 rather than 0032. The former is meant to be closer in size to many pre-war 78s. The reality is as you might expect very variable. Of the sides I've tried so far pre war UK Decca and HMV sound much better with very little background hiss. UK Columbia sound no better no worse. A few worn items sound better as the stylus is riding higher in the groove and away from the wear. Nice addition to and probably my last 78 stylii collection ( 3 int total). Worth it I think but longer play back will answer that question. I think I'll need to start marking down which 78 sound better with which stylii. Hmmm. .....sounds much too organised for me.

I've thought about having a variety of styli on hand for different records, but the logistics have deterred me. Do you have different cartridges and/or headshells? Or can you just change the stylus easily with your cartridge?

I have separate stereo and mono cartridges/headshells for my LP rig, but the Miracord turntable I use for 78s had a non-standard headshell, and the connection system seems kind of delicate, so I don't want to be pulling it off and on with any regularity.

Edited July 23, 2013 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

It's an Ortofon OM 5 moving magnet cartridge. The various stylii slide in easily but securely . It's a stereo cart but the mono button on my amp sorts that out. Tracking weight is 3 gm on the stylii I've had made for me by Expert Stylus here in UK.

I'm pleased wirh the set up as I can play 78s or LPs. Although more usually I use my Amadeus TT for LPs.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Clunky

[Clunky]

Stanton and Shure do similar carts that allow a range of stylii to used. Expert Stylii seem to be able to retip any stylus to whatever spec is required. I'm sure someone in the US could do something similar though. Retipping sounds a bit dubious but the results I've had are very robust and sound light years better than the original 78 stylii manufactured by Ortofon .

[jeffcrom]

Thanks for the info, Adrian.

Old-time country today; I've probably mentioned some of these before. Many of these records are quite worn, but somehow that doesn't diminish my enjoyment; it's just part of the sound.

Roy Harvey and the North Carolina Ramblers - The Brave Engineer/The Wreck of Virginian No. 3 (Columbia, 1926/27). Roy Harvey was the guitarist in Charlie Poole's Ramblers; here he fronts the band.

West Virginia Night Owls - I'm Goin' to Walk on the Streets of Glory/Blind Alfred Reed - Fate of Chris Liveley and Wife (Victor, 1927). Reed was one of the Night Owls.

Dock Walsh - The East Bound Train/I'm Free at Last (Columbia, 1925)

Carolina Tar Heels - Love My Mountain Home/When the Good Lord Sets You Free (Victor, 1927). The Tar Heels were Dock Walsh and Gwen Foster.

Holland Puckett - The Old Cottage Home/Little Bessie (Supertone, 1928)

Scottdale String Band - Carolina Glide/My Own Iona (Okeh, 1927). Scottdale is down the road from me - a suburb of Atlanta that grew up around a cotton mill. The musicians here worked in the mill.

McCartt Brothers & Patterson - Green Valley Waltz/Over the Sea Waltz (Columbia, 1928). This is the only group here about whom I can't find any information. It's a good record, though.

Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers - Natural Bridge Blues/Polecat Blues (Bluebird, 1941). Later than the other records, obviously, but very good - traditional string band music with an awareness of western swing.

[AllenLowe]

Jeff, you're becoming me - or vice versa. That's my stuff. Great choices. As a matter of fact, I'm just starting to work on a history of country music.

[jeffcrom]

Well, I'm far from being an expert on early country music, but I enjoy it, especially in 78 RPM form. I come across "old-time" records in junk and antique shops fairly frequently during my 78-hunting trips around North Georgia - that's what people listened to around here. They're usually not in great shape, but that doesn't bother me that much. I found a Victor by Fiddlin' Powers and Family, one of the first Appalachian string bands to record, on Saturday - I haven't even cleaned and played it yet.

Allen, let me know if you find out anything about the McCartt Brothers and Patterson.

[AllenLowe]

don't know those guys; but I'll send an email to Tony Russell.

[jeffcrom]

Just did an internet search with smarter wording - the McCartt Brothers & Patterson record I have was apparently their only release. It was recorded at Columbia's Johnson City, Tennessee field session on October 18, 1928.

And "Patterson" is Andy Patterson, the "Andy" of Cap, Andy & Flip. They recorded three fascinating 78s for their own Fireside Melodies label on November 9, 1939. I found all three of them in Chattanooga a couple of years ago. They're just weird enough to be very cool - one of the titles is "Television in the Sky."

I'm glad to have made that connection. I need to play those Cap, Andy & Flip records tomorrow.

[jeffcrom]

Today's old country, starting with three from 1939 by Cap, Andy and Flip on their own Fireside Melodies label (manufactured for them by Gennett):

Television in the Sky/McBeth Mine Explosion

I'm Taking My Audition to Sing Up in the Sky/Lover's Message

I'll Be Listening/Nobody Answered Me

Cap, Andy and Flip were a popular West Virginia group in the 1930s and '40. Their Fireside Melodies records have never been reissued, as far as I can tell, except for "McBeth Mine Explosion," which recently showed up on a disaster songs anthology. While looking for a picture online, I saw that Audition/Lover's Message sold at auction this past February for $181.

Buell Kazee - The Ship That's Sailing High/If You Love Your Mother (Brunswick, 1927)

Fiddlin' Powers and Family - Ida Red/Old Joe Clark (Victor, 1924)

Fiddlin' Powers and Family - The Little Old Cabin in the Lane/Sour Wood Mountain (Victor, 1924)

Fiddlin' Powers was the real deal, and his family band was one of the first country string bands to record. I guess that Victor was worried about Powers' accent, though - they brought in the smoother country singer Carson Robison to do the vocals.

Edited July 26, 2013 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

First new 78s in a month or so, got a dozen or so most of which seem to involve Hawk , sides with the Henderson brothers on Decca, sides on Davis with Monk or Walter Thomas, with the Chocolate Dandies on Parlophone and these four fine jam session like sides from an all star group.

The Varsity Seven

It's Tight Like That/ Easy Rider (Varsity 8147)
Scratch My Back/ Save it pretty mama (Varsity 8135)

Edited July 28, 2013 by Clunky

[jeffcrom]

The Varsity Seven

It's Tight Like That/ Easy Rider (Varsity 8147)

Scratch My Back/ Save it pretty mama (Varsity 8135)

Those Varsity Seven records are on my want list.

Tonight, all my Rev. J. M. Gates 78s:

I'm Going If It Takes My Life/I've Left This World Behind (Paramount, 1926)

Baptize Me/Dying Gambler (Regal, 1926) - recorded for Paramount

Where Will You Be Christmas Day?/Will the Coffin Be Your Santa Claus (Okeh, 1927). Jolly Christmas messages from Rev. Gates.

The California Kidnapping/Are You Bound for Heaven or Hell? (Okeh, 1927/28)

You Midnight Ramblers/Dead Cat on the Line (Okeh, 1929)

It struck me today as odd that my three favorite recording preachers are all Atlantans: J. M. Gates, Jasper Williams, and Johnny "Hurricane" Jones. Then it struck me as even odder that I have three favorite recording preachers.

I went from Rev. Gates to some black vaudeville - not really that big a leap.

Butterbeans and Susie - I Can't Use You/A Married Man's a Fool (Okeh, 1924)

Butterbeans and Susie - Cold Storage Mama/Bow Legged Papa (Okeh, 1925)

Miller and Lyles - Fourth of July in Jim Town/Election Day in Jim Town (Okeh, 1922). The writers of Shuffle Along perform two routines from the show. The humor is pretty cringe-inducing now, but this was an important show at the time.

Edited August 1, 2013 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Five sides by the Original Indiana Five, all from late 1926 or 1927:

The Chant/Stockholm Stomp (Harmony)

One Sweet Letter From You/Play It Red (Harmony)

My Melancholy Baby (Banner) (Flip side is by Mike Markel's dance band.)

I really enjoyed these. The Original Indiana Five (who were from New York, not Indiana) stylistically resemble the Original Memphis Five. They weren't the equal of the OM5, but they were good.

[jeffcrom]

I found seven Hank Williams 78s for a buck apiece at an estate sale this past weekend. That led me to play some post-war country; I won't list all the Hanks, but I also played:

Jimmy Swan and His Range Riders - I Love You Too Much/Triflin' on Me (Trumpet, 1951)

Tag Williams - One-Sided Love/Sweetheart I Wouldn't Change a Thing (Trumpet, 1952)

Delmore Brothers - Pan American Boogie/Troubles Ain't Nothing But the Blues (King, 1949)

Merle Travis - Sweet Temptation/So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed (Capitol, 1946 or so)

All of Trumpet's blues and gospel recordings have been reissued, but the country sides are harder to find. Jimmy Swan is excellent; Tag Williams less so.

Trumpet owner Lillian McMurry was pretty tough and knew what she wanted. (I saw/heard her speak at an informational session about the Trumpet label back in the 1990s.) I can't resist quoting one of her letters to Lucky Joe Almond, another of her country artists, after she listened to his latest recordings:

"We are very disappointed in your slow tunes.... Instead of blasting so loud on the high notes, why don't you soften up on your voice? Try singing your slow tunes soft, like your girl was standing right beside you, instead of shouting at her across the cow pasture."

[jeffcrom]

Wasn't quite ready to put the old dust cover on the 78 turntable, so I spun a couple of late 78 issues, both great R & B instrumentals from 1957:

Lee Allen - Walkin' with Mr. Lee/Promenade (Ember). What a great New Orleans band, with Allen Toussaint, Edgar Blanchard, and Charles "Hungry" Williams.

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

[jeffcrom]

I've got some nice early ragtime records, and played a bunch of them today. In some cases I played the non-ragtime flip side to keep the flavor of the release.

Victor Military Band - Some Smoke/Leg of Mutton (Victor, 1913)

Victor Military Band - Too Much Mustard/Gertrude Hoffman Glide (Victor, 1913)

Arthur Pryor's Band - That Flying Rag/Ramshackle Rag (Victor, 1911)

Vess Ossman - Creole Belles (Monarch [Victor] one-sided, 1902) !

Hager's Orchestra - Creole Belles (Zonophone one-sided 9", 1900-01) !!

Sousa's Band - Creole Belles/Hiawatha Two-Step (Victor, 1912)

Fred Van Eps - A Rag-time Episode/Arthur Collins - I'll Lend You Everything I've Got Except My Wife (Victor, 1911)

Victor Orchestra - Black and White Rag/Herbert L. Clarke & Darius Lyons - The Land of the Swallows (Victor, 1909)

Ossman-Dudley Trio - St. Louis Tickle/Vess Ossman - A Gay Gosson (Victor, 1905/6)

The two most interesting records are right in the middle. The Ossman and Hager versions of "Creole Belles" are both introduced by an announcer - a holdover from cylinder records. The Ossman is a slightly later pressing, from around 1905 or so, but the Zonophone is my second-oldest record, pressed in 1900 or 1901, and presumably recorded around that time. It's slightly magical to me that I can hold a record from those early days of recording in my hands, and actually play it.

Edited August 9, 2013 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

I've got some nice early ragtime records, and played a bunch of them today. In some cases I played the non-ragtime flip side to keep the flavor of the release.

Victor Military Band - Some Smoke/Leg of Mutton (Victor, 1913)

Victor Military Band - Too Much Mustard/Gertrude Hoffman Glide (Victor, 1913)

Arthur Pryor's Band - That Flying Rag/Ramshackle Rag (Victor, 1911)

Vess Ossman - Creole Belles (Monarch [Victor] one-sided, 1902) !

Hager's Orchestra - Creole Belles (Zonophone one-sided 9", 1900-01) !!

Sousa's Band - Creole Belles/Hiawatha Two-Step (Victor, 1912)

Fred Van Eps - A Rag-time Episode/Arthur Collins - I'll Lend You Everything I've Got Except My Wife (Victor, 1911)

Victor Orchestra - Black and White Rag/Herbert L. Clarke & Darius Lyons - The Land of the Swallows (Victor, 1909)

Ossman-Dudley Trio - St. Louis Tickle/Vess Ossman - A Gay Gosson (Victor, 1905/6)

The two most interesting records are right in the middle. The Ossman and Hager versions of "Creole Belles" are both introduced by an announcer - a holdover from cylinder records. The Ossman is a slightly later pressing, from around 1905 or so, but the Zonophone is my second-oldest record, pressed in 1900 or 1901, and presumably recorded around that time. It's slightly magical to me that I can hold a record from those early days of recording in my hands, and actually play it.

Amazing to think the oldest record here was recorded around the time man achieved powered flight.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Wasn't quite ready to put the old dust cover on the 78 turntable, so I spun a couple of late 78 issues, both great R & B instrumentals from 1957:

Lee Allen - Walkin' with Mr. Lee/Promenade (Ember). What a great New Orleans band, with Allen Toussaint, Edgar Blanchard, and Charles "Hungry" Williams.

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

No - I know Heartsman's name but I've never heard anything he did. Chicago guitarist, wasn't he?

MG

[jeffcrom]

Wasn't quite ready to put the old dust cover on the 78 turntable, so I spun a couple of late 78 issues, both great R & B instrumentals from 1957:

Lee Allen - Walkin' with Mr. Lee/Promenade (Ember). What a great New Orleans band, with Allen Toussaint, Edgar Blanchard, and Charles "Hungry" Williams.

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

No - I know Heartsman's name but I've never heard anything he did. Chicago guitarist, wasn't he?

MG

No, he was a Californian - part of the Oakland scene. He was bluesman Al King's guitarist in the 1960s - that's west coast Al King, not the Stax artist Albert King. And Heartsman made a nice album for Alligator in 1991. But I just thought you might know "Johnny's House Party" if anyone here would - it was on the R & B charts in 1957, and it's just a really fun record.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Wasn't quite ready to put the old dust cover on the 78 turntable, so I spun a couple of late 78 issues, both great R & B instrumentals from 1957:

Lee Allen - Walkin' with Mr. Lee/Promenade (Ember). What a great New Orleans band, with Allen Toussaint, Edgar Blanchard, and Charles "Hungry" Williams.

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

No - I know Heartsman's name but I've never heard anything he did. Chicago guitarist, wasn't he?

MG

No, he was a Californian - part of the Oakland scene. He was bluesman Al King's guitarist in the 1960s - that's west coast Al King, not the Stax artist Albert King. And Heartsman made a nice album for Alligator in 1991. But I just thought you might know "Johnny's House Party" if anyone here would - it was on the R & B charts in 1957, and it's just a really fun record.

Oh, then I may have him on an Al King 45 - Think twice before you speak, which came out in the US on Flag. Would Heartsman have done the guitar solo, or King?

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

Am sort of late to the game (once again) but apart from marveling at the stash of 78s you have - and still manage to unearth, I'd like to comment on a couple of your recent posts.

Today's old country, starting with three from 1939 by Cap, Andy and Flip on their own Fireside Melodies label (manufactured for them by Gennett):

Television in the Sky/McBeth Mine Explosion

I'm Taking My Audition to Sing Up in the Sky/Lover's Message

I'll Be Listening/Nobody Answered Me

Gennett ("THAT" Gennett?) still in business in 1939??

Fiddlin' Powers and Family - Ida Red/Old Joe Clark (Victor, 1924)

Fiddlin' Powers and Family - The Little Old Cabin in the Lane/Sour Wood Mountain (Victor, 1924)

Fiddlin' Powers was the real deal, and his family band was one of the first country string bands to record. I guess that Victor was worried about Powers' accent, though - they brought in the smoother country singer Carson Robison to do the vocals.

Don't know if you're familiar with this one, but the book described below has a chapter on Fiddlin' Powers for more background info:

Tony Russell - Country Music Originals - The Legends and the Lost

http://global.oup.com/academic/product/country-music-originals-9780199732661;jsessionid=E8D24C7C7140A89D1D44986424F3CDA4?cc=de&lang=en&

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

I've got that one. Really fine, and your description "Party record" is quite fitting.

For a time in the early 80s I took the plunge (quite an adventure in those pre-internet, pre-Paypal days etc.) to buy 78s from Ray Avery's set sale lists, and I mostly went for the oddball stuff on "indie" labels (small-band swing, R&B, novelty ... which were priced quite OK in those days but fairly rare on his lists anyway, unfortunately). This is one of those that came from that source (which for the most part I bought without having heard the tracks before, just goint on what the titles of the tunes and the "image" of the indie labels suggested, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed...

Edited August 10, 2013 by Big Beat Steve

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Am sort of late to the game (once again) but apart from marveling at the stash of 78s you have - and still manage to uneartj, I'd like to comment on a couple of your recent posts.

Today's old country, starting with three from 1939 by Cap, Andy and Flip on their own Fireside Melodies label (manufactured for them by Gennett):

Television in the Sky/McBeth Mine Explosion

I'm Taking My Audition to Sing Up in the Sky/Lover's Message

I'll Be Listening/Nobody Answered Me

Gennett still in business in 1939??

Yes, Gennett closed in 1931 or '32 but Starr Pianos, the owner of the label was still in existence. When Eli Oberstein started Varsity, I understand he reissued some Gennett material and used the old pressing facilities. Some other companies did that, too, particularly after the war commenced and shellac was rationed so that new companies couldn't get an allocation; Gennett filled the bill for a company in existence before the war. I'm sure you've read in 'Honkers & Shouters' Henri (or Leon) Rene's story about melting down old 78s and pressing new 78s which had a variety of colours, sometimes psychedelic!

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

I'm sure you've read in 'Honkers & Shouters' Henri (or Leon) Rene's story about melting down old 78s and pressing new 78s which had a variety of colours, sometimes psychedelic!

MG

Yes I have, but admittedly I did not make the cnnection with Gennet (or rather their parenty company) acting as a (custom) pressing plant even later on.

[jeffcrom]

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

No - I know Heartsman's name but I've never heard anything he did. Chicago guitarist, wasn't he?

MG

No, he was a Californian - part of the Oakland scene. He was bluesman Al King's guitarist in the 1960s - that's west coast Al King, not the Stax artist Albert King. And Heartsman made a nice album for Alligator in 1991. But I just thought you might know "Johnny's House Party" if anyone here would - it was on the R & B charts in 1957, and it's just a really fun record.

Oh, then I may have him on an Al King 45 - Think twice before you speak, which came out in the US on Flag. Would Heartsman have done the guitar solo, or King?

MG

That's a great record - I have the Sahara issue. (King leased his Flag recordings to Sahara.) Check out the composer credit on the flip side, "The Winner," and I think you'll have your answer.* Plus, King was "just" a singer; as far as I know, he didn't play guitar professionally.

*For those of you without access to the single, yes, Johnny Heartsman wrote it, and plays guitar on both sides.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Johnny Heartsman - Johnny's House Party, parts 1 & 2 (Music City). A blast, by the incredibly talented Mr. Heartsman, who played organ and flute as well as he did guitar. Do you know this record, Magnificent Goldberg?

No - I know Heartsman's name but I've never heard anything he did. Chicago guitarist, wasn't he?

MG

No, he was a Californian - part of the Oakland scene. He was bluesman Al King's guitarist in the 1960s - that's west coast Al King, not the Stax artist Albert King. And Heartsman made a nice album for Alligator in 1991. But I just thought you might know "Johnny's House Party" if anyone here would - it was on the R & B charts in 1957, and it's just a really fun record.

Oh, then I may have him on an Al King 45 - Think twice before you speak, which came out in the US on Flag. Would Heartsman have done the guitar solo, or King?

MG

That's a great record - I have the Sahara issue. (King leased his Flag recordings to Sahara.) Check out the composer credit on the flip side, "The Winner," and I think you'll have your answer.* Plus, King was "just" a singer; as far as I know, he didn't play guitar professionally.

*For those of you without access to the single, yes, Johnny Heartsman wrote it, and plays guitar on both sides.

Ah, interesting. Strange who you know that you don't know

Thanks Jeff.

MG