Cutlass / Hot Line Records, Nashville 1972/73

[Roburt]

Anyone have the full info on this Nashville label; or at least ... on it's soul output (being from Nashville, it also put out C&W stuff).

It was started up in late 71 or early 72 and by the end of 73 was gone (due to the prosecution of it's execs for bootlegging). Seems the guys who ran the company were Charles Shafer & Billy Carr. They started out with just the Cutlass Record label and then added the Hot Line label especially for their soul stuff. They obviously had a wide outlook as they were soon teamed with John Abbey / Trojan Records here in the UK, with lots of their tracks being released here on Action. 

The Martha Turner tracks were cut around April 71 in the Jack Clement Studios in Nashville, so her 45 has to be one of their 1st releases (though it states on the label 1972; Custom Recording Co, 16th Ave Nashville -- arranged by Billy Carr). The 73 piece on the labels says that Custom Recording was based in North Augusta, Sth Carolina. . . . .   ALSO lots of their product seems to be 'bought-in tracks, rather than self produced.   

Anyone know how the Cutlass / Trojan tie up came about  -- maybe via B&S and John Abbey ?

If I remember right; I got some Cutlass / Hot Line 45's in a Contempo (B&S) soul pack around 73-ish.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Roburt

[Kenb]

custom recording co inc was also Schafer's ( prexy).

I think Chester & Charles defence against piracy was some 'loop hole' about state law versus fed law jurisdictions  on recordings made after Feb 1972.

Custom recording co inc, manfuctured 8 track tapes principally.

[Roburt]

A bit more info on the Cutlass set-up ... 

Floyd Morris (from Chicago) had a 45 out on Cutlass, produced by Bunky Sheppard. Before this 45 he'd played on recordings with Johnny Pate's band and had 45's out working with the likes of Jack Daniels. Tom Tom Washington, etc.). 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Roburt