So-Called Race Records on RCA Bluebird

[Teasing the Korean]

My parents were both professional group singers in New York, singing on commercial jingles and providing oohs and aahs behind singers on radio, records and TV. Sadly, they are no longer of this realm, and there are a lot of things I'd like to ask them that I've either forgotten or didn't know enough to ask in the first place.

Here's my question:

My Dad told me on a few occasions that he'd hooked up with a producer/A&R guy from RCA Bluebird in New York and sang backup on a number of so-called "race records" on that label. I had never heard this term until he used it. I'm guessing in this case we're talking proto-R&B/jump blues. I don't remember the A&R guy's name, but if I remember correctly he was African-American. My Dad was (primarily) white. This will sound racist from today's perspective, but the producer told my Dad that "You have to have some white singers in the group or no one will understand what the hell they're saying." (These are the producer's words according to my Dad; not mine).

Based on my Dad's time in New York, his service in WWII, and what I know of his work history, these recordings must have occurred between 1938 and 1943 (recording ban notwithstanding); and/or between 1945 and 1950, maybe even as late as '52 or '53 (He had more regular gigs by this time and did less freelancing). As stated, I don't know the name of the producer or the artists involved.

I know this may be vague, but can anyone provide educated guesses as to:

1 - Who the producer/A&R guy might be;

2 - Who the artists may have been

3 - If any of this stuff has been collected on CD.

Thanks in advance for any direction you may provide.

[Fer Urbina]

FWIW, and IIRC, "race records" was a term regularly used at the time in reference to recordings made by African-American artists. This term was first changed to "rhythm & blues" in 1949(?) in Billboard magazine by Jerry Wexler (later of Atlantic records fame).

Very interesting story, Teasing. Would also like to see your questions answered.

Fernando

[JSngry]

Lester Melrose, but he was white, It hink.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Melrose

[Alexander]

"Race" was the common term for black recorded music from the 20s through the 40s, at least. It certainly wasn't intended to be insulting. Rather, it was feared (on the part of the record companies) that no one would buy "Negro" or "Black" records. "Race" is just the euphemism they settled upon.

Lester Melrose, but he was white, It hink.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Melrose

Lester Melrose was, indeed, white...

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

dude i met this dude who was telling me how he is a music historian for unknown jingle/session vocalists in the LA area....there was a group of singers who worked for hire for commericals and jingles and some even got their starts in the big bands. it was very interesting

[Teasing the Korean]

"Race" was the common term for black recorded music from the 20s through the 40s, at least. It certainly wasn't intended to be insulting.

Thanks, but the part that I thought was racist was what he said about the background singers, not the concept of "race records."

The name Lester Melrose does indeed ring a bell, but that article has him working primarily out of Chicago.

Is there any evidence of him doing sessions in NY during any of those years that I previously posted?

Edited July 30, 2009 by Teasing the Korean

[Big Beat Steve]

My Dad told me on a few occasions that he'd hooked up with a producer/A&R guy from RCA Bluebird in New York and sang backup on a number of so-called "race records" on that label. I had never heard this term until he used it. I'm guessing in this case we're talking proto-R&B/jump blues. I don't remember the A&R guy's name, but if I remember correctly he was African-American. My Dad was (primarily) white. This will sound racist from today's perspective, but the producer told my Dad that "You have to have some white singers in the group or no one will understand what the hell they're saying." (These are the producer's words according to my Dad; not mine).

Based on my Dad's time in New York, his service in WWII, and what I know of his work history, these recordings must have occurred between 1938 and 1943 (recording ban notwithstanding); and/or between 1945 and 1950, maybe even as late as '52 or '53 (He had more regular gigs by this time and did less freelancing). As stated, I don't know the name of the producer or the artists involved.

I know this may be vague, but can anyone provide educated guesses as to:

1 - Who the producer/A&R guy might be;

2 - Who the artists may have been

3 - If any of this stuff has been collected on CD.

Interesting story indeed, TTK.

However, since all this is HISTORY, there is no ned to duck away and feel uneasy when certain terms come up.

As others have pointed out, "Race Music" was "THE" standard term from the 20s to the late 40s for what became to be known as "black music" (i.e. originally "R&B").

"Race" definitely did not have the negative connotations that are attributed to that term to day, and it was not intended to be pejorative. Remember the general term "the race" was even used by African-Americans to denote THEIR "race" and their successes, as borne out by numerous press statemens in the BLACK (and probably black-owned) press of the day, e.g. in "black" music trade papers which here and there refer to this or that accomplishment by black artists as being "a tribute to the achievements of the race" (my italics but the way the term was rused obviously indicates they used this term not in a pejorative sense).

About having "white singers in the group otherwise no one will understand what they're saying": A common statement at the time (apparently - at least to white ears - there can't have been enough Bon Bons around ); Bullet Records owner Jim Bulleit is reported as having been in utter amazement at the success of his singer Wynonie Harris because to him what Wynonie sang was totally uncomprehensible and "nothing but noise". Any why do you think Stan Freberg, in his early-50s spoof of "Sh-Boom", lets his protagnonist shout encouragements of "Mumble! Mumble!" to the studio singers because what they sing "gotta be unintellsheeble" (for the target audience anyway) :D

Now for your questions:

1 - Can't have been Steve Sholes either. He was as white as they come too (and was he involved with the Bluebird branch?). But no doubt research (is there a written history of the RCA label) ought to bringt up the names of those major A&R men involved in reecord producing from the late 30s to the early 50s. I guess RCA will be among the better-documented labels.

2 and 3 - A label discography should help (RCA Bluebird MUST be documented in full), but from there it's anybody's guess.

Session file sheets would be the next step to research. But given the wide scope of music recorded there, it might well be that some music that may have been fairly hot for a time back then but from today's collecting vantage point might not fit any categories (not jazzy enough, too pop-oriented for R&B or country music collectors, too black or too country-ish for pop collectors, etc.) and therefore might have been off the radar of reissuers. But a LOT has been reissued, though far from all, I guess.

Anyway, the clues you have are very meagre, I am afraid, so I think researching the name(s) of African-American A&R men working for BB at that time would be the first step, and then the session files (they should list the A&R men names too) would be the next. Who knows, maybe you ARE lucky and the backing singers did NOT always go uncredited.

Good luck!

[Big Beat Steve]

"Race" was the common term for black recorded music from the 20s through the 40s, at least. It certainly wasn't intended to be insulting.

Thanks, but the part that I thought was racist was what he said about the background singers, not the concept of "race records."

Even that part should not be considered too racist. Because if you use that yardstick there'd be nothing but discriminatory statements in the music biz whenever a new musical style or trend comes along. Take a look at how "rural" vocal styles were enforced for "rural" audiences and some singers were considered not "rural enough" or, in more recent times, take a guess at how punk rock singinig would sound to ears tuned to, say, the Carpenters, or other middle of the rod pop (or pap? ) This could go on and on, so take it as a historical statement (and fact), see it in the context of the times and leave it at that. No excuses needed IMHO.

[Niko]

reasonably interesting article about sholes from 1961 billboard...

http://books.google.de/books?id=IiEEAAAAMB...nard+joy%22+rca

suggests that frank walker, leonard joy and eli oberstein could be names to consider (though i doubt that especially the latter is black...)

Edited July 30, 2009 by Niko

[Teasing the Korean]

Thanks all. I started googling different combinations of names and keywords that took me all over the interwebz. The person that I may be thinking of is an arranger, not an A&R man: Howard Biggs. I found out my parents are on an early Johnny Hartmann session on RCA that Biggs arranged. I'll see what else I can dig up. Thanks again!

Edited July 30, 2009 by Teasing the Korean

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

how did u get whole old issue of billboard like that? does google have a lot of old ones?

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

look at this KING ad....its so sad, its like yay hot 100: but all their records are barely crackin' it....

[Niko]

how did u get whole old issue of billboard like that? does google have a lot of old ones?

at books.google.com

you get all the old billboards and jet (which apparently is/was a publication targeting african americans with reports on billy eckstine, gene ammons...) and of course lots of books

at news.google.com/newspapers

you get the whole village voice (and other newspapers most of which which are pay-per-view or subscription only - maybe you can see them at the public library)

haven't figured out yet how to search for specific issues but searching for keywords works fine with both... for instance

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fNsOA...=charlie-parker