Cameo-Parkway Info and listing by Pete Smith

Cameo-Parkway by Pete Smith First on Soul Source in 1997

CAMEO PARKWAY

Releasing material from the Philadelphia-based Cameo/Parkway group of labels (which also included the popular collector's label Fairmount), C/P (as it shall be referred to from hereon) hit the big time in the early 60's with million sellers from Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and Dee Dee Sharp. Originally appearing in the UK via the London label, CP soon found a home at Columbia before getting it's own logo in 1962 via the Pye group. Unfortunately, this move coincided with a downturn in the company's fortunes, and by the time Beatlemania and the British Invasion had taken over America in late '63/early '64, Chubby and Bobby's days were numbered. The UK arm of Cameo Parkway issued singles up until early 1967 but met with little success chart-wise, though it's credibility is beyond any doubt - you only have to listen to Question Mark & The Mysterians' 96 Tears to confirm that fact. Although the label ran to a couple of hundred releases, most were poor sellers, and this is one of the big labels for collectors.

Issues are very striking; red and black with the cameo 'brooch' logo on the left hand side. Certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing labels you'll come across. Even the company sleeves are smart (and hard to find). Demos are Pye style, white with black lettering. Very late demos are simply issues with a date stamp added (Chris Bartley - Sweetest Thing This Side Of Heaven being an example of this).

CP also used a strange and rather confusing numbering system; most releases seem to utilise their respective American catalogue numbers, yet there are two number 100's and two number 101's - albeit prefixed by a 'C' or 'P'. In this instance, the 'C' may possibly stand for 'Calla', the label on which the two releases in question appeared on in the States.

Highlights From Cameo Parkway

Candy & The Kisses were a New York trio comprising sisters Candy & Suzanne Nelson, plus schoolmate Jeanette Johnson. 'The 81' (336), another in the long, long line of dance craze records, is an exhuberant, effervescent record which, although sounding just a little too close to 'In My Lonely Room' for comfort, stands up just as well today as it did back in 1964.

The Tymes, a 5 piece vocal group from Philadelphia, made it all the way to the top of the US pop charts in June 1963 with So Much In Love. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from that moment on, as each subsequent follow-up failed. The sublime Here She Comes (924) was one such flop, even more so in the UK where it sold only a handful of copies. A lovely, crisp harmony record, this single very rarely turns up and is much prized by collectors. The Tymes themselves underwent a reversal of fortune in 1974 with a series of hits on RCA, including the UK number 1, Ms. Grace.

Doris Troy's I'll Do Anything (C101) must surely be one of the most enduring records ever played on the soul scene. Despite being issued on four different UK labels (Cameo Parkway, Toast, Mojo and Pye) and numerous CD's, there's still a demand for this track and always will be. Doris was born Doris Payne in New York City in 1937 and is a well known composer/vocalist/session singer who also recorded for Atlantic and The Beatles' Apple label.

Chubby Checker's history has been well documented in the past; real name Ernest Evans, former chicken-plucker (so the publicity went), inventor of The Twist (he actually covered a Hank Ballard number) and so on. What's not generally recognized is the fact that Chubby was actually a superb vocalist who cut numerous top quality soul sounds in the mid-60's. At The Discotheque (949) was once, along with Little Hank's Mister Bang Bang Man, the in-demand soul record of the late 60's, whilst Everything's Wrong (959) couples clever lyrics with a heartfelt vocal. But for the real meat, the classic You Just Don't Know (965) stands in a league of it's own. A fantastic Motown-styled uptempo stormer, this one has had them rocking in the aisles for many years now and it's power is overwhelming. A classic among classics, this is one of the best - and rarest - soul sides ever issued in the UK, and amazingly it's even rarer on it's USA release, a very uncommon occurence indeed. Note that all demonstration copies of this track mistitle it as simply 'You Don't Know'.

Surprisingly, Jerry Jackson's incomparable It's Rough Out There (P100) is still a relative unknown in comparison to the records I've mentioned so far in this piece. Surely that can only be attributed to the fact that this is a super-scarce record which simply never turns up. Fitting nicely into the beat ballad scheme of things, this track is in a league of it's own - good lyrics, expert vocals, big, big production - but wait a minute! Take time to check out the flip side, I'm Gonna Paint A Picture, and lo and behold you've got two monster tracks for the price of one, and if anything this side is even better. Sadly, having only ever seen one copy of this record I can't really see this side ever going big - but it's an armchair listeners delight.

C 100 LITTLE JERRY WILLIAMS Baby you're my everything / Just what do you plan to do about it 12/22

C 101 DORIS TROY I'll do anything / But I love him 50/90

P 100 JERRYJACKSON It's rough out there / I'm gonna paint a picture 120/175

P 101 CHRIS BARTLEY Sweetest thing this side of heaven / Love me baby 20/-

C 103 SOUL CITY Everybody dance now / Who knows 20/35

P 153 BUNNY SIGLER Let the good times roll / There's no love left 15/-

C 230 DEE DEE SHARP The night / Ride 5/8

C 239 DON COVAY The popeye waddle / One little boy had money 10/15

C 260 DEE DEE SHARP Rock me in the cradle of love / You'll never be mine 6/8

C 273 ORLONS Crossfire / It's no big thing 7/10

C 336 CANDY & THE KISSES The 81 / Two happy people 50/90

C 375 DEE DEE SHARP Standing in the need of love / I really love you 35/50

C 382 DEE DEE SHARP It's a funny situation / There ain't nothing I wouldn't do (possibly demo only)75/60

C 413 EVIE SANDS Picture me gone / It makes me laugh 40/50

C 428 ? & the MYSTERIANS 96 tears / Midnight hour 12/20

C 441 ? & the MYSTERIANS I need somebody / 8 teen 10/15

C 467 ? & the MYSTERIANS Can't get enough of you baby / Smokes (unissued?) 12/15

C 750 DON & DEWEY Soul motion / Stretchin' out 10/15

P 871 TYMES So much in love / Roscoe James McClain 4/6

P 874 BILLY ABBOTT Come on and dance with me / Groovy baby 10/15

P 924 TYMES Here she comes / Malibu 50/90

P 933 TYMES Here she comes / Twelfth of never (exisitence unconfirmed)

P 935 PATTI LABELLE & the BLUEBELLS Danny boy / I believe 7/12

P 936 CHUBBY CHECKER The weekend's here / Lovely lovely 8/15

P 949 CHUBBY CHECKER (At the) discotheque / Do the Freddy 20/50

P 959 CHUBBY CHECKER Everything's wrong / Cuma La Be Stay 15/30

P 960 EDDIE HOLMAN A free country / This can't be true 30/30

P 965 CHUBBY CHECKER You just don't know / Two hearts make one love 100/120

P 969 LEN BARRY Hearts are trump / Little white house 8/15

P 989 CHUBBY CHECKER Hey you little boogaloo / Pussy cat 8/15