Colorado A&M College - Go Aggies (Rams)

Interview with John Hirn conducted Sept. 10, 2013

One night, while searching for Colorado records on a certain online auction site, I stumbled upon this 78 rpm record, from a seller in New York.  I had never seen a pre-Colorado State University recording, and at $9.99 and free shipping, I didn't think twice to "buy it now."

After I received it, I did a search for any information, only to come up empty-handed... that is until I contacted John Hirn, the volunteer athletic historian for Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Listen to a sample

"That record is somewhat of a legend in CSU history," he said.  "I don't know the exact year it was produced, but sometime around 1953 is the best I can give you."

"The Fight Song you have on this record is the original incarnation of what CSU has as our fight song today," Hirn added.  "It was written around 1928 by Dr. Richard F. Bourne, but not commonly used until later on in our history. You will note they say 'Fight on ye Stalwart Aggie Team' rather than 'Fight on you Stalwart Ram Team' like we do today. There are other subtle changes to the lyrics of the 1950s version and today's fight song. 'Aggie Boom Song' was another original Aggie song sung beginning in the 1910s and used into the 1950s."

According to Hirn, the record I found was actually one of three from a set, which also included "Alma Mater" on side A, and "On Wisconsin" on the flip.  The contents of the third record are a mystery.  Apparently both records were issued in a green and orange folder, with the words "Colorado A&M" on the front.  The inside shows pictures of the campus, choir, and the band, with lyrics of the songs. If anyone has the folder, or the mystery third record, let me know...

"'On Wisconsin' is in there because the original fight song for CSU was called 'Come on Aggies' and it was sung to the tune of 'On Wisconsin.' It dates to 1915 and was used until 1955 or so," Hirn said.

I was curious about the mascot (the ram) and the use of "aggies" in the song.  Again, I turned to Mr. Hirn.

"In 1945, Colorado A&M students voted to adopt a ram as the school's mascot, and for the next 20 years there was a struggle among students, alumni, and other fans to call them the Aggies or the Rams. Finally in 1966 the school totally dropped Aggies as a team nickname. The ram logo was being used more and more in the 1950s. Our football helmets had ram horns on them, even though our 1955 basketball team wore uniforms with "AGGIES" written across the chest. A different ram logo seemed to pop up constantly at this time. So this logo, which has an "A" along with the ram head, is a perfect example of how the school was known by both nicknames."

Pretty cool, huh?

For more information about Colorado A&M and its history, visit Coloradoaggies.com

Coach John Ralston

I've already admitted that I bleed orange, so I thought it fitting that I start the 2013 NFL football season with yet another Denver Broncos-related vinyl find.

 The Face in the Mirror (Jay Records 10072 - 1974) is a spoken word, "how to sell with confidence" LP courtesy of then-Broncos head coach, John Ralston.  Coach Ralston apparently knew a thing or two about success, when he took the Orange Crush from a 5–9 record in 1972, to it's first winning season (the following year) 7-5-2, and the follow-up 7–6–1, in 1974.

Listen to a sample

Ralston rode on the coattails of the Broncos turnaround, going on public speaking tours, touting his secrets to winning. His "think positive" talks were a hit with sales conventions, where The Face in the Mirror was apparently recorded (no note of where or when on the disc).

Unfortunately it would not be Coach Ralston hoisting the Lombardi trophy. 

1976 was a make or break season for the coach, who had taken a beating in the media (and the fans) for the 6–8 record the previous year.  While the team went on to finish with a 9–5 record, it was not enough to get them in the playoffs. To add insult in injury, Broncos players issued a protest vote of no confidence in their coach and Ralston resigned at the end of the season.

It would be coach Red Miller who, in 1977, took the Broncos to their first playoff appearance, and ultimately first Super Bowl, where they were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys, 27–10 (of course, we all know how it ends in 1997 and 1998).

Ralston went on to be the assistant coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers...and the Toronto Argonauts.  He later became head coach of the USFL Oakland Invaders, and the Dutch (Netherlands) Lions.

The Search for John Thomas Dalie

John (Jack) Thomas Dalie was an experienced hiker who set out, one August morning in 1954, to hike the 14,259 ft. Longs Peak.  He wasn't alone, as 32 other members of the Colorado Mountain Club went along to hike along the cable route of the mountain -- but he would be the only one who got lost.

Hail and snow plummeted the route, but he managed to get to the top, only to find nobody else in his party. A gust of wind then blew his knapsack (and all of his provisions) down the mountain, and he soon realized he was in trouble.

It wasn't until the rest of his hiking party made it to the bottom that they realized Dalie wasn't with them. Three SA-16 planes circled the mountain, attempting to locate the 25-year-old, first year Denver University law student.  After four days they began looking for circling birds of prey.  All hope appeared lost.

Then, after six days, Dalie walked into the Meeker Peak campground... 60 pounds lighter, but alive.

On August 30, 1954, KOA radio's Norman Nesbit interviewed Dalie about his six days and nights on Longs Peak.  What you have here is an almost 60 year old rare recording of that interview. A very cool addition to my collection, courtesy of my dear friend Joel Scherzer.

 

 Listen to a sample

John T. Dalie died May 7, 2003 in Denver.

Mark Morris Associates

My dear friend, and eight-track format historian, Bucks Burnett (visit his eight-track museums in Dallas, and Roxbury) sent me a couple of unique 33 1/3, 7" discs this summer - two Denver-based spoken word pieces from Dr. Mark Morris.

Mark Morris (to those unfamiliar with veterinary history) was the founder of Morris Animal Foundation, the world's largest non-profit organization, funding humane animal health research and studies.

To most folks, he's best remembered as the guy who developed Science Diet and Hill's, the largest pet food company in the world (and since sold to Colgate).

Sometime in his busy schedule he also started up a veterinary education record label.  No telling how many of these were produced, and how many topics there are, but the two records Bucks found are dated 1961 ("Diagnosis and Management of Liver Disease"), and 1963 ("The Aged Dog").

"Diagnosis and Management of Liver Disease"

Dr. Jack O. Knowles - Miami, Florida and Dr. Lester E. Fisher, Berwyn, Illinois

Listen to a sample

Dr. William K. Riddell - Los Angeles and Dr. James R. Rooney, University of Kentucky

Dr. Morris passed away in 2007, at the age of 72. The Morris Animal Foundation, based in Denver, continues on in his name.

Jeff Valdez

 Listen to a sample

Do a search for "Jeff Valdez" and "Pueblo" in your favorite search engine, and you will find numerous stories, and background info.  I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, by copying and pasting everything on here, but it's a pretty darn cool story:  Poor kid from Pueblo, who found fame and fortune, etc., etc... (Wiki entry).

Valdez left Pueblo in 1974, after he graduated Central High.  Somewhere between his time up in the Springs, doing stand-up comedy, and before he high-tailed it to California and became a media executive, he got together with Colorado Springs record producer Tom Gregor (who produced the Starr LP), and cut a single.

"Blown Away" is a reggae-infused, ode to ganja, co-written by Rick Kocor, who played in the Colorado Springs-based band Giving Tree, of which Valdez was a member.
 
On November 22, 1981, "Blown Away" was featured on the Dr. Demento Show, sandwiched inbetween "Granny Won't You Smoke Some Marijuana" by John Hartford, and Noel Coward's "Let's Do It."

The flipside of the single features a 45-second "advertisement" for the fabricated movie "Farts From Hell," and a 3 minute monologue, "Your Friendly Neighbor."

Jerry Savoy

After I wrapped up writing my story on Randy King, I discovered a second single on the Denver-based Enterprise label. This one from Jerry Savoy, and released right before the King 45.

Now pay attention, because it gets kinda random here…

Both sides of the single “All That Really Matters” and “With You” were produced by Gary Paxton.

Ring any bells?

Paxton is best known for his involvement in two novelty hits: “Alley Oop” (1960) by the Hollywood Argyles (Paxton sang lead), and “Monster Mash" (August, 1962) by Bobby Boris Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers. Both of these facts will be important later…

Somewhere along the way, in Paxton’s busy producing career, he ended up in Denver. In December 1961, he was at the helm of the Hollywood Argyles Finer Arts single, “The Morning After”/ “See You in the Morning.” Finer Arts was owned by former Puebloan Morey Bernstein of Bridey Murphy fame. The single didn’t do much. A January 6, 1962 Billboard mention said, “The Morning After” had “moderate sale potential.”

But I digress…

On to Jerry Savoy.

How Gary Paxton and Enterprise got together is a mystery to me, but here’s what I found. Sometime in early 1962, while Paxton was still producing in Denver, he hooked up with Enterprise, and country singer, Jerry Savoy. Jerry recorded “All That Really Matters,” written by Gary Paxton, and – wait for it – Johnny MacRae. Johnny MacRae was a vocalist in – wait for it – Bobby Boris and the Crypt-Kickers.  The b-side is another MacRae composition, “With You.”

 Listen to a sample

Note Garpax on the label. Garpax would go on to be the label Gary Paxton used to release “Monster Mash” in 1962.

Still with me?

 So “All That Really Matters” received favorable reviews. In fact Billboard gave it four stars and deemed that it had “strong sales potential,” on June 16, 1962. No clue what happened to this catchy number, but it didn’t go anywhere. Paxton went on to bigger and better things, and that was that.

Of course it didn't go passed me that the Enterprise and Garpax labels look very similar.

Several years later Savoy would go on to release two records on the Chart label: Chart 1105 – “Make it Hard for Me” / “Where Can a Poor Man Go” Chart 1108 – “Foot in Mouth Disease” / “Falling Apart at the Seams”

NOTE: Chart also released Warren Robbe’s “Pick of the Week” / “I’ve Got Nothing” (1072).

Movin' On To A Better America

Finding a Colorado-based Independence Day record that compares to last year's Dick Bodine post was hard - so I'm not even going to try to top it.

But I think I came close...

 Listen to a sample

I actually found this single in a thrift store in Midland, TX. How I get so lucky finding Colorado records in some of the most unlikely locales, is beyond me.

This ode to America, specifically American chambers of commerce, was appropriately released in 1976, and penned by the prolific Ralph Harrison and Tim Schumacher, over at the Great American Music Machine, in Denver. The company had a knack for writing long-form PSA-style songs (one of these days I'll write an entire blog about them, but every time I think I have every possible GRAMM record out there, I find another - see the Denver Nuggets and the Skiing in the Rockies LP for two recent GRAMM posts).

"The mission of your Chamber of Commerce is to advance human progress through an economic, political, and cultural system based on individual freedom, incentive, opportunity, and responsibility..." - Liner notes on the picture sleeve.

Ralph handles the vocals on "Movin' On to a Better America," and the spoken-word flipside, "The Story of Free Enterprise."

He follows with the spoken word text:

"Yes the American way, it's a good way. A way of life enjoyed by over 200 million proud people who share its many values. A legend of freedom and prosperity, envied by billions the world over, who have only heard of its greatness. An example of humanity worth preserving for the free world to follow in the years that lie ahead. And when you talk about preservation of our preferred American lifestyle, the discussion leads directly to the work of the many dedicated chambers of commerce..."