Gwenn Records

[Roburt]

Gwenn Records was a 1960's New York / New Jersey based label that released records by Buster Brown a while after the guy had enjoyed his big hit on Fire; "Fannie Mae". I would guess that the label was owned or run by the likes of Wayman Glasco & Bill Cook. Bill Cook had been around for a while as he had been Roy Hamilton's manager back in the mid 50's. I would say that he also acted as manager for Buster Brown and a later Gwenn Records group, the African Beavers. RCA licensed a few tracks by the African Beavers (from Gwenn) in 1965 and put out 2 45's by the group. These found a degree of favour at the time and since, their 1st RCA outing also escaping in Germany & the UK. It seems likely that the guys who formed the group had made a start while they were serving in the military, possibly at a base in Europe (Germany ?). However, I'd guess that their tracks were cut back in the New York area after they returned from a spell in service. The lead vocalist on their initial recordings is said to be Tony Fox / Larry Hale / Larry Cappel which could explain why their 45 ended up being licensed by RCA. A picture sleeve RCA 45 was put out but the photo of the group doesn't include Tony Fox (the "Love, Let Love, Be Loved" guy) in the line-up, so who the actual members were (apart from a James Mitchum / Mitcham) isn't known.

 

Little is known about the group, their recordings or what became of them, though a concert they undertook on 1st July 1965 was advertised as being their first US appearance, so this does seem to back up the info about them being a foreign based GI based group as their 45 had already been issued by then.

 

 

Anyone here know much about Gwenn Records, the African Beavers or Wayman Glasco ??

Did Waymon Glasco have a connection to mid 60's New York based Glasco Records (who Donald Height worked for). 

 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAn5nsYNRRQ

Edited December 28, 2013 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Another African Beavers cut ...............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8aqt1acb3U

 

 

[Roburt]

Two of the songs that the African Beavers cut were penned by Wayman Glasco and one by Bill Cook ......

....... I guess that's a good pointer to who ran the company that they cut their tracks for .............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6erbSe2E8I

Edited December 28, 2013 by Roburt