CONTRACT 8252
WADE BAKER – A RENFRO VALLEY ARTIST
Long Gone From Bowling Green (8252.A) (Deadwax RV-1002)
(Handy) (No Publisher Noted)
You Can’t Make Me Cry Anymore (8252.B) (Deadwax RV-1001)
(Covington – Lair) (No Publisher Noted)
“Long Gone From Bowling Green” was also issued on RADIO 1052 (A)
The A side is an old Kentucky folk song called "Long John" or "Long Lost John". Youtube has a video showing Merle Travis performing this. Also rockabilly artist Kenny Owens recorded it, as well as Burnett & Rutherford and I've got a version by a harmonica player called "Uncle Henry".
ReplyDeleteIn his book "It All Happened In Renfro Valley" Pete Stamper discusses a record factory that was opened at Renfro Valley in 1947. It went under the name "Ekko Recording Corporation of Renfro Valley, Kentucky". He discusses the fact that the corporation pressed records for the Radio label which he speculates may have been owned by Ekko. He doesn't mention Contract but Wade Baker and Fairley Holden had records on both labels so it is pretty likely that they were affiliated. Also, the
ReplyDeleteRenfro Valley Folks Label has the same look as the Contract Label. In addition, Pete Stamper says that Ekko was owned by John Lair and "a gentleman from Kansas who owned some record pressing equipment". The Kansas gentleman may well have been the Red Barn-White Church owner. This would explain the
connection between Red Barn-White Church and Renfro Valley. Stamper also says the Renfro Valley recording operation was short-lived because John Lair became concerned that the record company might cause the musicians union to come into Renfro Valley.
Don't forget that Carl Perkins used the part "gone from Bowling Green" in Gone Gone Gone Sun 224
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