RHYTHM HARMONEERS

I thought we'd stay with the FLAIR label for a little longer and take a look at The Rhythm Harmoneers who, like Jimmy Walton, had just one solitary offering on the label. It would seem that the Harmoneers had previously recorded for the West Monroe, Louisiana JAMBOREE label before cutting at least two sides for FLAIR. My initial thoughts were that the Harmoneers were regulars on The Louisiana Hayride, however, having picked my way through Robert Gentry's "The Louisiana Hayride" (Volume 1 - 1948 thru 1955), I could only find one reference to the Harmoneers, and that was on The Hayride's bill for 14th February 1953. Their FLAIR recordings sound as though they could have been recorded in Shreveport with the Hayride's house band, that is especially evident on their cover of "Mexican Joe". The Harmoneer's may have comprised of Thomas E. Bearden (who was perhaps the Tom Bearden who recorded for FABOR?), Brian Douglas Ritter, and Messrs  Tiner and McGee, I wonder if the latter was Billy McGee who recorded for IMPERIAL and RCA?

Anonymous10 December 2013 04:11

The members on Flair (1952-53) were Tom Bearden on acoustic guitar, Bryan Ritter on Fender double-neck 8 string lap steel, and Harry Liner on standup bass. That's all 3 of them singing on "Good Old Chlorophyll".

They joined the Hayride just after Hank left the Opry.

Bryan is a retired mechanical engineer and still living in West Monroe. He still plays pedal steel.

Thank you anonymous for that superb information, I wonder if the Tiner credited as co-writer of "Good Old Chlorophyll" is a misprint and that it is infact Harry Liner?

Anonymous update
Look here: http://www.cheniere.org/correspondence/111502.htm Additionally, I think the correct name is Liner because you can find a promo photo of the group online in which the name "Harry Liner" is printed on the photo. I have no idea why Tiner is shown on the label, although of course it may be that Tiner and Liner are two different people on RHYTHM HARMONEERS

JIMMY WALTON - FLAIR RECORDS

The Bihari Brothers FLAIR label, a subsidiary company of their much larger MODERN set up, is probably best known for its Rhythm & Blues recordings, many of which enjoyed chart success in the mid fifties. However, the label initially started out as a vehicle for Hillbilly material, representing a second stab at that market by the Bihari's, perhaps spurred on by growing popularity of the genre nationally. The first ten releases on FLAIR were all Hillbilly, featured here is Jimmy Walton's sole offering on the label. Walton, who appears to have been based on the West Coast, also had two releases on STARDAY.

I have left the sticker on both sides as it appears the company forgot to include The Publishers details! Master number (deadwax only) is F-117

Master Number (deadwax only) F 118

LEE MADRON - CANYON RECORDS

JOHNNY DAUME

Like many of his contemporaries Johnny Daume was a DJ, albeit a DJ with a difference, who travelled around the country in a converted bus with a built in studio, he also made the occasional record for labels like CRYSTAL, and his own JOHNNY DAUME label.

RUSTY McDONALD - Something Different!

This offering by Rusty McDonald, from late 1954 or early 1955, is something of an enigma. What was Virginia Richmond (the label owner) trying to archive with these recordings? Obviously McDonald, who is credited as writing both songs, crafted the material to be aimed at the R&B market,. there was no attempt at trying to fuse R&B with Hillbilly / Western Swing, Whilst Rusty McDonald's performance is exemplary, however, in the final analysis McDonald was just another vocalist fronting Maxwell Davis' band. That statement is not meant to demean either McDonald, or Maxwell Davis and his band, it's just that to be brutally honest, it could be anyone of a number of vocalists black or white fronting the band.

PAPA CARIO - B&C RECORDS

The choice of the letters B and C for the name of the label, perhaps derives from the initial letter of the surnames of songwriter A. R. Bossley and Papa Cario?

JIM FULLEN aka JIMMIE JOHN