I picked this one up earlier this summer. The label
probably doesn't mean much to most people, but when I see a 45 like this, it
jumps out at me like a glow-in-the-dark voodoo doll in a dark alley.
First, there's the sheer plainness of the label. That's
usually my cue to go into full detective mode and do two things: check where it
was recorded and check the label number.
In this case, Step 2 immediately set off my Regional
Record Geek Alarm. It was recorded at Arthur Smith Studios in Charlotte, North
Carolina. And if you've followed my collecting habits for more than five
minutes, you know I always
grab records recorded there.
Then there's the label number: 6-6491. That led me down
the rabbit hole of believing it was pressed by Kay Bank in Minneapolis most
likely after they expanded and opened a pressing plant in Charlotte. Of course,
Kay Bank numbering can be about as predictable of where it was pressed as a
squirrel on espresso, so there's always room for debate.
Now, not everything recorded at Arthur Smith wound up on
a North Carolina label. For example, the Swingin' Medallions' "Double
Shot" was recorded there but first appeared on a South Carolina label. So
I'll admit I'm being a little North Carolina-centric here.
And let's be honest, looking at these regional releases
can sometimes make us forget just how many heavy hitters passed through Arthur
Smith's doors. James Brown recorded "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
there, for starters. The catch is that many of those major releases never
bothered to advertise the recording location on the label.
As for this 45 on ABC, I think we can all agree this
isn't that ABC
Paramount. According to the cogs of Dis detectives, it was a regional North
Carolina label.
So there you have it, boys and girls: me
enthusiastically overanalyzing a random 45 on a Saturday morning. And this was
all after just one
cup of coffee.
Imagine the conclusions I would've reached after two. I
might've started drawing charts and connecting label numbers with red yarn. 😆
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