Okeh Records - Outside Productions

[pikeys dog]

Thing I've been mulling over the last couple of weeks and kept meaning to post:

What percentage of the 45s released on Okeh during the 60s were outside productions?

For instance, where were Ted Taylors 45s recorded?

Were Little Richards releases West Coast productions, ditto williams and Watson?

Which notable tracks were leased in?

[Jim Elliott]

Variations, 'Yesterday is gone' on Bob Jay or somesuch, great underated record, can't remember where from tho .

Seven Souls, ? California area along with Larry and Johnny.

Regards

Jim

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Overall not too many Okeh singles were 'buy-ins'. Either the artists or their producers were invariably under contract to Okeh's parent company, Columbia, As part of a label with branch offices in several US states, Okeh artists would be recorded all over America

Almost all of Ted Taylor's Okeh sides were recorded in Nashville, for instance. Walter Jackson was recorded mostly in Chicago, but also cut sessions in Nashville and New York - as did Major Lance. Little Richard cut his Okeh material on the west coast (apart from 'Get Down With It', which was recorded in the UK) because he lived there, just like his producers Larry Williams and Johnny Watson.

In its final years the label did start issuing more one off sides that they leased in (Margie Joseph, Watson T Browne etc). But most 'Golden Age' Okeh repertoire was actually recorded for, rather than acquired by, the company

Edited February 14, 2011 by TONY ROUNCE

[Anoraks Corner]

Found this a couple of weekends ago...'A Mississippi Artists Corp. Production'...both sides...and what wonderful sides they are!

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

The Chymes' "Bring it Back Home" was also produced by 'Mississippi Artists' i.e. Cliff and Ed Thomas and Bob McRee, in Jackson MS. Their independent producers' deal with Okeh was probably the result of them bringing the Poppies to Okeh's parent label, Epic...

[Guest Paul]

The Chymes' "Bring it Back Home" was also produced by 'Mississippi Artists' i.e. Cliff and Ed Thomas and Bob McRee, in Jackson MS. Their independent producers' deal with Okeh was probably the result of them bringing the Poppies to Okeh's parent label, Epic...

Hello Tony,

Tommy Tate's first Okeh 45 was leased to CBS by Mississippi Artists Corp under a deal which gave CBS (Sony) first option on product for three years.

So 'I'm Taking On Pain' / 'Are You From Heaven' (7242) isn't owned by Sony but the follow-up, 'Big Blue Diamonds' / 'A Lover's Reward' (7253), was produced by Billy Sherrill at CBS in Nashville so it may have been under different (direct) deal. Nobody is quite sure at the moment.

I discovered this when planning to issue a 4-track EP, I only have access to two masters.

Best wishes,

Paul

[pikeys dog]

Thanks chaps,

This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for...