WELCOME

The term Hillbilly used here is designed
as a generic term to describe Country & Western Music of the nineteen
forties and fifties. Feel free to use any of the information contained herein for what ever
purpose you deem appropriate; however, please acknowledge The Hillbilly
Researcher, and any individual who contributed information used to compile
these listings.
If you wish to reproduce any
photograph that is contained in the Blogg, please check first with the
individual who supplied the original. This does not apply to label scans which
you are most welcome to copy and use.

Feedback is most welcome, as are any
additions or corrections to the published listings. Check back on earlier
listings as they are updated when new information is received. Also click on
the Comments button, some great feedback coming through, Thanks to everyone who
has taken the time to contribute, especially Johan for the BILLBOARD data.


Search This Blog

Sunday 3 October 2010

RED BARN RECORDS (AN OVERVIEW)

I don’t normally provide an introduction to these listings, but in this instance I feel that a brief preamble might assist us in trying to piece the RED BARN label together.

RED BARN appears to have run concurrently with the WHITE CHURCH label with both concerns utilising a common numerical progression for releases.

Initial releases on RED BARN give Chicago Illinois as the location of the label, and new releases on RED BARN could be heard on Randy Blake’s “Supper Time Frolic” show broadcast over Radio Station WJJD, from Chicago. Using Blake’s “Supper Time Frolic” as a vehicle for promoting new releases on the label continued when RED BARN relocated to 318 W. Tenth Street. Kansas City, Missouri.

WHITE CHURCH releases give Chicago, Illinois, as the labels location, yet in 1948 the label was reported at 318 W. Tenth Street. Kansas City, Missouri, with BILLBOARD having noted six months earlier (13th September 1947), that “Deb Dwyer had recently set up the WHITE CHURCH Record Company, in Kansas City. Missouri”.

By the time RED BARN ran a quarter page advert in BILLBOARD (April 10th 1948) the label had a reasonably large catalogue, roughly divided into two categories; the first, the so called “HIT TUNES” featuring offerings from Odis Echols; Jimmy Skinner; “The Arkansas Favourite” Elmo Linn; Dude Hank; Jack Holden; and “The Old Red Head” Bobby Dick. Whilst the second category, “JUKE BOX SPECIALS”, contained releases by, “The World’s Champion Fiddler” Tex Grimsley; Ted West; Jerome & Henry; The Shepard Of The Hills & His Kaw Valley Boys; and Bobby & Buddy “The Texas Saddle Pals”.

The RED BARN label appears to have run out of steam quite early, although in 1951 it was, on paper at least, still located in Kansas City. However, very few additional artists been had added to the list of performers that was given in the RED BARN advert that appeared in BILLBOARD three years earlier. WHITE CHURCH on the other hand seems to have gone from strength to strength, with the label moving to Los Angeles in 1952.

Finally, The Blackwood Brothers own label, BLACKWOOD BROTHERS, may also fit in here somewhere, but that is another story for another day!

No comments:

Post a Comment