BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
THIS MONTH’S MEETING WILL BE THE SECOND SUNDAY, JULY 14TH 2:30 PM
HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY 1721 OXMOOR RD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
NEXT MEETING, AUGUST 11 TH 2:30 PM THE SECOND SUNDAY
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
A big thanks to Joe Reddick and Doug Roberts for their presentation last month. Both guys brought some LP’s that had either unique cover covers or were drawings or photos by well-known visual artists. I have met many collectors at record shows over the years that had a passion for collecting certain styles or artists work. Thanks, guys.
This month will be our meeting where we will be addressing and stamping our postcards as part of our advertising campaign for the August record show. There will be almost 2300 postcards so we need as much help as possible. Drop by and lend a hand. Sure am glad we don’t have to lick stamps anymore! Thanks! We will have postcards to use for advertising at the meeting that you can take with you to hand out or leave at various stores, etc.
Dates for upcoming monthly club meetings: For the remainder of 2024 all monthly meetings will be on the 2nd Sunday. July 14, August 11, Sept 8, Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8.
HEY! DON’T FORGET ME
Last month I did a piece on Canadians who had success in the states with their music. I received an email from my favorite Doo Wop DJ thanking me for the BRC newsletter and I replied asking him about Canadian Doo Wop during this era. When I read his reply I couldn’t believe I left out the people he mentioned. Thanks, Chi-Town. The sites I used for research didn’t mention these and I just didn’t think of them either. All of these began their careers before the British Invasion of 1964 and had many charted hits before that. So, with my apologies to these guys I wanted to set the record straight.
The Diamonds, how could I have forgotten them. They were a Canadian group that had many hits from 1955-63. Although Maurice Williams’ group, The Gladiolas recorded the song first (Williams composed the song), the Diamonds version hit the pop charts and in 1957 going to #2. The Gladiolas recording went to #11 on the R&B charts but failed to make the pop side. The Diamonds had fifteen Top 40 Pop Chart songs. ‘The Stroll’ and ‘Walking Along’ were just a few of their hits.
The Four Lads hit the pop charts with songs like ‘Moments To Remember’, ‘No, Not Much’, ‘Standing On The Corner’ and ‘Who Needs You’. They were all Top 10 pop hits for the guys. They had a total of twenty-two Top 40 pop hits.
The Crew-Cuts had a #1 pop hits with their version of ‘Sh-Boom’. Recorded first by The Chords, both versions charted on the pop charts. Crew Cuts making #1 and The Chords making #9. The Crew-Cuts would have thirteen top 40 pop hits between 1953-1959.
Ad then there was Paul Anka. A Canadian who had twenty-one top 40 pop hits before the British Invasion and eight more between 1964-1996. ‘Diana’, ‘You Are My Destiny’, ‘Lonely Boy’, ‘Put Your Head On My Shoulder’, ‘Puppy Love’ and ‘You’re Having My Baby’ are just a few of those hits. Oh yeah, he also wrote the theme music to The Tonight Show featuring Johnny Carson.
2024 BRC AUGUST RECORD SHOW
Dates for our 39th annual record show will be Friday, Saturday, Sunday August 16-18. The show will be at the Gardendale Civic Center 857 Main Street Gardendale, AL 35071. Cost is $5. Kids under 12 free. BRC members & ARCA members free admission with membership card. BRC membership applications will be available at the front table at show time. Hours are:
Friday 11:00-2:00 BRC members only 2:00-8:00 Open to public
Saturday 9:00-5:00
Sunday 10:00-4:00
Also, we will be needing volunteers to work the front table during the show weekend. Sign-up sheets will be at the July and August club meetings. If you are not able to come to a meeting to sign up you can contact me and let me know. Thanks. And here is also a special announcement about the show:
THE BIRMINGHAM MUSIC ARCHIVE NEEDS YOUR HELP TO PRESERVE LOCAL MUSIC HISTORY!!!
Local music historian and independent scholar Travis Morgan, who is helping operate the Birmingham Music Archive (BMA), along with his partner Kelly Schiff, will be on hand during the August record show in Gardendale. The BMA is actively looking to scan printed photos of local bands, solo artists and performers, posters & flyers from local venues and events, and ephemera featuring local venues, local recording studios, record stores, radio stations and other items that help tell Birmingham music history. If you have items that fit this description or other items that you think need to be seen/heard by more people, please bring them with you to the record show and introduce yourself to Travis and Kelly. They would love to speak with you and see your items and if you approve, to scan/photograph them. Longtime local music cheerleader, Travis, has become genuinely interested in local music preservation and has recently been awarded a grant from Alabama Folklife Association to research local music. Bryant Saxon and John Horton will be joining them to capture audio recordings, seeking out any local records from Alabama, studio tapes, and any other recordings that document the rich musical heritage of the region. The guys are doing a great job of preserving the history of the Birmingham music scene.
Birmingham Music Archive: Helping preserve Birmingham, Alabama music history before its history.
See ya,
Charlie
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