Always Look Inside an Album Cover...

So I was databasing the LPs I found, at the spring Denver Record Expo, when I discovered a typewritten piece of paper inside the recently-acquired Public School Music Festival, Cañon City, Colorado, Spring 1966.

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The paper inside noted that the albums were pressed at Lewis Record Manufacturing, of Inglewood, CA., by Mr. Ted Lewis. It noted that Ted was "a former student, at Cañon City schools." So I hit the Internet, to see what I could find, on this former Southern Colorado resident, who was now in the record business, in California.

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The first thing that came up, was a 1980 Billboard story titled "Springsteen Awarded $2.1 Million In Federal LP Bootlegging Case" noting that the FBI questioned a Lewis Record Manufacturing employee, Kathleen May Jones, who admitted to pressing bootlegs, at the Inglewood location.

Wait, what?

The next thing mentioning Ted Lewis and Lewis Manufacturing, was a link to the incredible blog The Amazing Kornyfone label, yes the same label (known also as just TAKRL) which was one of the first bootleg record labels in America. Based in Southern California, in the 1970s, the label churned out hundreds of illegal (mostly live) recordings from The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis, The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and that's barely touching the surface. The label was run by "Ken," (Ken Douglas) who previously ran the equally infamous Trade Mark of Quality (TMOQ) bootleg label, along with "Dub" Michael Taylor. Douglas started up TAKRL, in 1973.

As a record collector, I have seen (and have formerly acquired), a few of these deemed illegal, but rare and often $$$ bootleg LPs, over the years. They are prized among specific artist collectors, and have a devoted following.

In an archived interview with Douglas, he stated that he employed Ted Lewis and Lewis Manufacturing, to press bootlegs.

"... taken our business to a place called Lewis Record Manufacturing, where we dealt with a wonderful woman there named Kaye. She was old enough to be my grandmother and she kind of reminded me of a woman who would have been comfortable with the likes of Bonnie and Clyde in her youth. She wasn’t afraid of anything. It was to her that we handed My God (Jethro Tull boot) and Establishment (Bob Dylan boot - both TMOQ releases) and these were our first records on colored vinyl which the growing number of bootleg fans really seemed to like..."

Needless to say, shocked doesn't cover my reaction. I couldn't find any information on just how many bootlegs Lewis pressed for TMOQ / TAKRL, nor could I find any information on what repercussions they faced for doing so. I also hit a dead end on finding out what ever happened to Ted Lewis, or Kaye.

The fact that there is now a documented Southern Colorado link with these labels is crazy to believe. If it had not been for that typewritten piece of paper, found in a Cañon City Public School Music Festival LP, that fact may have been lost forever.

Dick Hull

 Dick Hull Plays the Hammond Organ

Monaco FT 592 (1955)

I'm a sucker for organ music. My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother each had an organ in their homes. I remember hearing three generations of "Laura" throughout my childhood, and I guess the sound just stuck with me (for the record, the closest I ever came to personally playing the organ, was attempting to bang out "Rock Lobster," on mom's living room Hammond).

 I found this album, at the recent spring Denver Record Show, thanks to my buddy Chris. Guess he knew I would probably be the only person in the room who would quickly hand over $3 for a Colorado organ LP (grin). Turns out, it was one of the highlights of the daylong dig.

Packing finds: Theron Bennett and The Dutch Mill Sheet Music Publishing Company

The "Great Move" is underway, with packing commencing, as we prepare to relocate up the road, to the Denver metro.  The process has been daunting, but it has allowed me to rediscover a few Colorado-related music items, in my collection. Example #1 - a piece of sheet music from Theron Bennett, the original proprietor of Denver's Dutch Mill Cafe.

I won't copy and paste the extensive Theron Bennett / Dutch Mill history that's out there, so check out this fantastic synopsis and list of his published works.

"My Love's A Radio" was published in 1924, and appears to be one of the last pieces of sheet music published by Bennett. He died in 1937, at age 57, after a prolonged illness.

When the night is falling and there beams a silv'ry moon

Then comes love enthralling and my love is yours I tune

And far through heaven's blue, my heart sings to you.

My love's a radio

Each night at nine

It's calling soft and low

Your heart to mine

Tis my love light a glow

And tells you true dear

My love's a radio

That's calling you, my you.

Distance lends enchantment, and through it may have its charms

Still to me 'tis sweeter just to hold you in my arms

And so love's song a new, calls each night to you.

My love's a radio

Each night at nine

It's calling soft and low

Your heart to mine

Tis my love light a glow

And tells you true dear

My love's a radio

That's calling you, my you.

Russ Wolfe and the Flying W Wranglers

Got word, late last night, that Russ Wolfe, the co-founder of the Flying W Ranch, passed away, at the age of 94. You can see his amazing biography, along with his obituary, here.

The Flying W Ranch has put out numerous LP and 45rpm souvenirs (and later cassettes and CDs), in its history. Several of the LPs started off with an introduction, by Russ Wolfe.

Russ Wolfe's Introduction
(audio sample taken from Volume 1, below)

As I mentioned above, these chuck wagon musical mementos were plentiful, as one always manages to find one (or more) at a neighborhood garage sale, or local thrift store, around these here parts. Here are the ones I managed to corral (See what I did there? - heheh). Some of the last names are missing, in this story. If you can provide any info, drop me a line. Also, you will obviously see the label numbers and volumes are hard to keep track of, as you will note the inconsistency in the discography.

An Evening at the Flying W Ranch (Vol. 1)
Year unknown (label is marked FW-1000)

Members: Russ Wolfe, Cy Scarborough, Jack Smith, Bob Minser, Babe Humphrey, Chuck Camp, and Laramie Jordan (who was later replaced by Buck Teeter)

Echo Valley

FW-5705 (no year, possibly 1957)
Members are not noted

 

Folk Songs of the Western Frontier

FW-5750 (no year, possibly 1957)

 The back of this LP promotes "Vol. 1" and Echo Valley, but no other LP, which indicates this is (possibly) the third release for the group.

Members (introduced in the recorded intro): Russ Wolfe, Chuck Camp, Babe Humphrey, Bob Minser, Buck Teeter, and Cy Scarborough

The Rostvit Sisters Sing 

FW-5760 (no year, possibly 1957 or 1960)
(Fay, Sharon, Janice and Lora Jean, accompanied by the Flying W Wranglers)

 

An Evening at the Flying W Ranch (Vol. 2)

7961 could indicate "1961" 
Members (introduced in the recorded intro): Jim Blanton, Chuck Camp, George Jackson, Buck Teeter, Cy Scarborough, and Russ Wolfe

An Evening at the Flying W Ranch (Vol. 2)  

 (label is marked FW 1001) 
NOTE: This LP also says "Volume 2". 
Members (shown in order on LP cover): Cy Scarborough, Buck Teeter, George Jackson, Chuck Camp, Jim (J.B.) Blanton, and Russ Wolfe

An Evening at the Famous Flying W 

NOTE: LP uses the same cover photo as Vol. 2, directly above, but the back cover shows a different photo (with the same members as above). The songs are the same as those on the "first" Volume 2.

SR4S-050 (no year) 

Winter Swing

FWWS 140 
(no year, but the subtitle is "Dance Album Volume One") 
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Rick Martinez, Scott Vaughn, and Denny Peter

The Place Where I Worship

SW-4 (no year listed)
Members names not listed

 

An Evening at the Flying W Ranch (Vol. 3)

Year unknown (label marked LPFW 420) 
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Babe Humphrey,  
Larry Humphrey,  J.B. Blanton, and Larry Mahan
 

 

An Evening at the Flying W Ranch (Vol. 4)
FWS-1970

Label is marked 1970, and thus starting a new label numbering system, indicating year.
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Babe Humphrey,  
Larry Humphrey,  J.B. Blanton, and Larry Mahan
 

Cow Country Styles (Vol. 5)

FWR-1973
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Babe Humphrey, Larry Humphrey, Terry Martin, 
 J.B. Blanton, and Larry Mahan

Centennial Show (Vol. 8)

FWR-1976
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, J.B. Blanton, Babe Humphrey, Larry Humphrey, Denny Peter, and Bill___ 

 

This is Flying W Country (Vol. 9)

FWR-1977
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, J.B. Blanton, Babe Humphrey, Larry Humphrey, Denny Peter, and Scott Vaughn

This is Flying W Country (Vol. 11)  
FWR-1979

Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Vern Thomson,   

Scott Vaughn, Jim Blanton, Denny Peter, and Rick Martinez

This is Flying W Country (Vol. 12)  
FWR-1980
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, VernThomson,  Scott Vaughn, Jim Blanton, Denny Peter, Rick Martinez, and LarryMahan

This is Flying W Country (Vol. 13)

FWR-1982
Members: Russ Wolfe, Sam Nicola, Vern Thomson, Rod Black, Rick Martinez, Gary____, Jim Blanton, and Lewis Mock

On The Trail (Vol. 14)

FWR-1983 
Members: Wes English,  Rod Black, Sam Nicola, Vern Thomson, and Scott Vaughn

Where the West Begins (Vol. 15)

FWR-1985
Members: Dennis Bailey, Wes English, Sam Nicola, Vern Thomson, and Scott Vaughn

Live at the Ranch  
FWR-1987
(back cover doesn't show members)

Packing Up the Records...

No, this isn't a "day after April Fools' Day" joke.

After almost four years in my current Colorado zip code, I'll be packing up the records and moving to a new Colorado locale, further north. The reason is all good, but I would be lying if I admitted that I was thrilled to pack up this collection o' mine, after unpacking it all not that long ago.

Since we are trying to get everything ready for the real estate agent to come by, to evaluate the casa for resale, I'm slowly starting to box up the vinyl, and all of the ephemera, now. Which means the radio show, and my blog posts, won't be as regular.

Anyone going to the Denver Record Show, April 14? Drop by and say "hi," and help me clear out some primo prog LPs, and hillbilly ephemera, which I really don't want to pack for the move (grin).

The KLZ Night Owls

Found this fantastic photo in that big stack of  Purple Sage Riders / Si Westbrook pictures I acquired, not that long ago. Great shot of a dance band, called the Night Owls. The microphone shows the Denver radio call letters, KLZ, which obtained its license to broadcast March 10, 1922. It was the first — thus making it still the oldest — broadcasting station in the state of Colorado, and one of the oldest in the United States.

Not a lot of clues to go on, with dating this photo. It appears it was taken, possibly before (or after) a dance contest. You can see the dance marathon clock in the upper left corner. A quick search finds that Wednesday, August 22 fell on 1923 and 1928.

Then I found a video, on the history of the station, and noticed a segment showing a dance marathon, from the 1920s, with the exact same band banner, shown in the picture (at 1:46 mark).

Couldn't find a thing on the band, Night Owls. If anyone has any information, please drop me a line.

Lottie Keas

 

Hey all!  So a couple of weeks back, I did a big Denver crawl, and met up with the walking encyclopedia of Colorado music, Mike Stelk. Mike is a big supporter of this blog o' mine and invited me up to hang with him, at the north Black and Read store. Had a fantastic time, finding lots of new additions to the collection. As I was headed to check out, Mike said, "I have some things for you."

Holy cats, did he ever.