By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.5 - 62.252.128.5) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 09:47 pm:

babbit are you saying that much of duke's work for harry balk was recorded in golden world studios?

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.5 - 62.252.128.5) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 09:55 pm:

i've just read an old e-mail from john rhys in which he says he cut 'oh how happy' at golden world for harry balk.

i wish we could dig up an old pic of harry. ralph says he was always so cool.

hey, i wish we could dig one up of duke browner too. another unsung hero.

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 10:43 pm:

As requested, from my archives - Harry Balk with Irv Micahnik, and Del Shannon.

By Dennis Coffey (205.188.195.201 - 205.188.195.201) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 11:01 pm:

Hi folks. I did a lot of sessions with both Del Shannon and Duke Browner. We rehearsed at Harry's office on Alexanderine and recorded some of it at Specialty Recording on Grand Blvd. We recorded Del at Bell Sound in New York. The Royaltones which included myself, Bob Babbit and drummer, Marcus Terry plus horn players George Katsakis and Dave Sandy did some of the sessions. Duke Browner always seemed to write everything using just the black keys on the piano which made songs in B, C# and G# and F#. I don't know why. We used to use the large tiled bathroom at Harry's office for our echo chamber on our demos on groups like The Volumes.

Dennis Coffey

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 11:13 pm:

Hi Dennis

Thanks for the info on the Del Shannon sessions - I have to admit, I love his early sixties stuff, and I make no apology for saying so on this forum :o) (Remember, "Runaway" DID make it top ten R&B!)

As for the Volumes (fine group) I think you may be hearing from Graham - aka acooolcat - on this subject..?

And your list of classic cuts on another thread.... Just that - classics. "Who's Making Love" - still a stone killer in my book.

By Ian W (213.122.116.80 - 213.122.116.80) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 11:21 pm:

Dennis

Do you still have any of the recordings of your sessions (the Royaltones you mentioned sounds mind-blowing)?

Perhaps Duke Browner was classically trained (lots of Chopin music seems to be in keys with as many sharps or flats as you can get on the page - come to think of it so does some Jazz stuff)?

How did Duke earn his nickname?

Ian

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 12:13 am:

Ritchie,
Thanks loads for the early pic of Harry. I have never seen him that far back. And yes, Harry was SO very cool!

By recordboyusa (208.61.5.193 - 208.61.5.193) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 12:47 am:

WQAM here in Miami played "Our Faded Love" by the Royaltones back in 1964.

You can see a replica of an old WQAM survey (with the Royaltones at #45) at:

http://www.560.com/html/body_wqam_1964_surveys_15.html

Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com

By Dennis Coffey (205.188.200.29 - 205.188.200.29) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 02:11 am:

Hi Jeff. I co-wrote Our Faded Love with George Katsakis who played clarinet and sax. I also played guitar on that record along with Babbit and Marcus Terry on drums. Bobby Rydell recorded a vocal version of it and TV host Wink Martindale wrote the lyrics. I still have some of my Royaltone recordings and still talk with George Katsakis. I do not know how Duke got his name. He really didn't read a lot of music so I don't think he was classically trained. He had a funky feel and wrote some good songs. I think Joe Hunter and T.J. Fowler wrote out the arrangements back then.

Dennis Coffey

By acooolcat (211.78.0.219 - 211.78.0.219) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 02:46 am:

Hi Dennis - one of The Magnetics told me that the Bonnie label was named after Duke Browner, he infered his nickname was "Bonnie" - but I wonder if he's mistaken it for Barney? Wasn't Mack Rice was sometimes called "Bonnie" ?
All the best, Graham

By david, glasgow, scotland (213.122.71.18 - 213.122.71.18) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 08:45 am:

thanks ritchie. what a great pic!

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 09:09 am:

Ralph - David

My pleasure! According to the original caption, the picture was taken at the session that produced Del's version of "Your Cheating Heart" so this may have been part of the "...Sings Hank Williams" album. I believe that album was cut at United. If so, that's where this pic hails from too.

By david, glasgow, scotland (213.122.52.60 - 213.122.52.60) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 12:11 pm:

ritchie, what year do you think?

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 03:30 pm:

Hi David

My guess is probably early '65. On checking a discograohy, it appears "Your Cheating Heart" was actually track one of the Hank Williams album, released May 1965, so a date just a little earlier in the year for the sessions seems quite likely.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 03:41 pm:

I would guess the picture dates a little earlier than 1965 remembering Harry as I do and how he looked around 1967. In this pic he looks quite young compared to when I first met him.

By phillysoulman (64.12.107.34 - 64.12.107.34) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 04:57 pm:

There is actually a recording studio in L.A. called Royaltone!! It is where the remake of Lady Marmalade was done.

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 06:36 pm:

Ralph

I tghink you could well be right about the year of the pic. Though I can't comment on Harry B, Del Shannon looks more like his 1962/3 persona than a mid-60s edition, but I simply repeated here the info from the original caption. Maybe it wasn't the YCH session at all, but some earlier date. (It's a little academic anyway!)

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 07:14 pm:

I'd put the pic closer to 60 or 61 Ritchie. But you're right...it doesn't matter. I love the pic like I love the man himself. I can't thank you enough for posting it.

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 08:59 pm:

Ralph

Again, my pleasure. I think the date is open to conjecture - any time from 1960 onwards... maybe we'll never know.

By the way, congrats on the latest TS update. I don't know about anyone else, but to me, the article feels like being privileged to a personally-guided tour of the studios. Having read the whole thing, I feel like I've actually been there. I appreciated the "tecchie bits" too! Again, well done to all.

By Dennis Coffey (64.12.105.159 - 64.12.105.159) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 11:18 pm:

Hi folks. I think Duke's nickname may have been Barney. I played on the Cheating Heart album with Del Shannon. We recorded the entire album at United Sounds Studio. I felt a little weird doing all country songs with Del, but I first learned to play guitar on some Hank Williams tunes so I enjoyed the session.

Dennis Coffey

By Ian W (213.122.180.30 - 213.122.180.30) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 11:33 pm:

The writing credits for the Magnetics 'Lady In Green' were for B. Browner as were the Volumes 'I Got To Love'. I presumed he was called Barney and 'Duke' was the nickname.

Has anybody heard or got the following:

Duke Browner - Wait/Return - Exit 1001 (S-2179/80)

It's got to be the same chap, but I've never heard anything of the 45!

Ian

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 04:44 am:

I'm sure Exit was one of Mike Hank's labels. I once found a copy in a junk shop in Detroit - but can't remember what it sounds like. I think Duke/Barney Browner started out in The Peppermints, a fine vocal group who later changed their name to The Barons (I'm not 100% sure on this though). They started with Carmnen Murphy and then Mike got involved. I think Lee Rogers was also in The Peppermints.
Ian - are you familiar with the Spartan and Starmaker record labels?

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 04:55 am:

Ritchie,
Thanks for the kind words.It's been my pleasure to work with David and Lowell in putting the story together. Believe me Ritchie, it has been a great experience for me bringing back all these wonderful memories.

By Ian W (213.122.67.101 - 213.122.67.101) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 11:04 pm:

Thanks Graham.

I've only heard the Deans '(Lady Of The) Caravan' on Starmaker but I saw another on Roger Banks' last list - Beth Bynum 'I'll Set You Free' which was described as a R'n'B number. I only know of one record (which I've not heard) on Spartan which is Freddy Pride's 'The Runaround'. Do you know of any others? I have a few listed under Starmaker which is another(!) of Mike Hanks' labels. Is Spartan another of his?

Interestingly, I have another record listed on Exit:

E00015 - Eddie Willis & the Starmakers - Shake Loose/Answer Me.

I guess we know where the label comes from (or t'other way round).

I've not heard of the Peppermints. They sound an interesting group from the line-up. Are the Barons the same as the RCA group (or Etah)?

The most interesting is the Carmen Murphy reference. I'm a lover of the tiny record companies! I've never, ever yet seen a 'House Of Beauty' label. Now that would be nice!

Ian

By Ian W (213.122.67.101 - 213.122.67.101) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 11:07 pm:

Ralph

I really enjoyed the floor maps of TS. Now I know who to turn to when we redecorate! I've got to tell you I fancy one of those reverb chambers but I don't think the whole house is big enough to fit one in!

Many thanks for the latest episode. What next?

Ian

By Marilyn (67.217.183.252 - 67.217.183.252) on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 06:17 pm:

Ritchie-
I'm in the middle of writing a book on the history of the music industry in Detroit,1940-1964,which will be out this summer. That's a great photo of Harry,Irv,& Del. Harry doesn't have ANY. I'd like to know if I could use yours for my book. You can e-mail me at mb4music@yahoo or call me at 517-536-0891. Does anyone have any photos of old clubs,venues,or any of the record distributors on Woodward? I've been in the record industry for 47 years,so I think this is very important to pass on to other generations. Thanx.
Tunefully,
Marilyn

By Ritchie Hardin (62.254.0.6 - 62.254.0.6) on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 06:30 pm:

Hi Marilyn

The pic - no problem! I'll do a re-scan of it at a higher resolution and email it to you. I'll scan it at 300 dpi and use minimal compression, which will of course make for a bigger file size, but should be better for whoever's handling the artwork. (Better to resample and resize down than up.)

Leave it with me. I'll get onto it tonight.