The Complete Goldwax Singles, Vol. 1 1962-1966

CD1

01. Jon Kennedy - Big Bad Jon The Twister (2:30)

02. Jon Kennedy - Pop-Eye (2:27)

03. Bobby Mcdowell - A Thousand Vows (2:21)

04. Bobby Mcdowell - A Gal Named Jo (2:14)

05. Oboe - Tradin' Stamps (2:40)

06. Oboe - Mother-In-Law Trouble (2:40)

07. Darling - The Lyrics (2:19)

08. The Lyrics - How A Woman Does Her Man (2:20)

09. Oboe - The Day The World Cried Part 1 (2:43)

10. Oboe - The Day The World Cried Part 2 (2:02)

11. Jeb Stuart - The Greasy Frog (2:37)

12. Jeb Stuart - Will I Ever Be Free (2:30)

13. Bobby Mcdowell - Our Last Quarrel (2:32)

14. Bobby Mcdowell - These Ain't Raindrops (2:31)

15. Oboe With The Keys - Too Slow (2:31)

16. Oboe With The Keys - She's Better Than You (2:48)

17. The Lyrics With The Top Notes - The Side Wind (2:23)

18. The Lyrics With The Top Notes - So Hard To Get Along (2:01)

19. Ov Wright With The Keys - That's How Strong My Love Is (2:58)

20. Ov Wright With The Keys - There Goes My Used To Be (2:53)

21. Eddie Bond - I Can't Fight This Much Longer (2:18)

22. Eddie Bond - Now And Then (2:31)

23. James Carr - Only Fools Run Away (2:50)

24. James Carr - You Don't Want Me (2:37)

25. Phillip And The Faithfuls - Love Me (1:55)

26. Phillip And The Faithfuls - Rhythm Marie (2:38)

27. The Playboy Five - Spoonful (2:23)

28. The Playboy Five - What Am I Living For (3:01)

29. The Ovations Feat Louis Williams - Pretty Little Angel (2:30)

30. The Ovations Feat Louis Williams - Won't You Call (2:43)

CD2

01. Gene 'Bowlegs' Miller - Toddlin' (1:51)

02. Gene 'Bowlegs' Miller - Bow Ld (2:23)

03. James Carr - I Can't Make It (2:21)

04. James Carr - Lover's Competition (2:15)

05. Merits - Arabian Jerk (2:11)

06. Merits - Please Please Little Girl (2:39)

07. Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - It's Wonderful To Be In Love (3:12)

08. Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - Dance Party (2:49)

09. Big Lucky Carter - Ohio Bound (2:30)

10. Big Lucky Carter - Hurricane Blues (3:09)

11. Dorothy Williams - The Well's Gone Dry (2:29)

12. Dorothy Williams - Country Style (2:58)

13. Al Vance - Every Woman I Know (Is Crazy Bout Automobiles) (2:39)

14. Al Vance - Have You Seen Jean (2:04)

15. Spencer Wiggins - What Do You Think About My Baby (2:46)

16. Spencer Wiggins - Lover's C (2:12)

17. Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - I'm Living Good (version 1) (2:44)

18. Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - Recipe For Love (2:31)

19. Spencer Wiggins - Love Works That Way (2:43)

20. Spencer Wiggins - I'll Be True To You (2:37)

21. James Carr - She's Better Than You (2:21)

22. James Carr - Talk Talk (2:17)

23. Lamar - My Motorbike Balked (2:32)

24. Lamar - Patsy (2:53)

25. Ovations - Don't Cry (2:35)

26. Ovations - Need A Lot Of Loving (2:29)

27. Vel Tones - Darling (2:43)

28. Vel Tones - I Do (2:19)

The Memphis-based Goldwax label has a cult following among deep soul fans, especially for its recordings of James Carr. Still, it's fair to say that there aren't a whole lot of people fanatical enough to want a single-by-single retrospective of the company's entire 45 output, as has been produced for a couple of bigger soul labels with much bigger followings, Stax and Motown. Ace Records takes pride in tackling projects for niche collector markets, however, and for those Goldwax aficionados out there, this two-CD, 58-track set will be heartily welcomed. To be technical, some of these were issued on Goldwax subsidiaries, or labels in which Goldwax founder Quinton Claunch was involved before Goldwax started; there are also a couple of Spencer Wiggins 1968 tracks that came out on a collector-targeted bootleg single, though they didn't appear on a Goldwax 45 at the .

It should be stated right from the outset that although Goldwax was most known for Memphis soul, like virtually all labels, it toyed with a bunch of different styles than the one that became its trademark, especially in its early days. So while there's a good share of the soul music with which Goldwax became identified here -- especially as personified on sides by Carr, O.V. Wright, Spencer Wiggins, and the very Sam Cooke-like Ovations -- there's also a surprisingly high percentage of other stuff. Sure, some of it's just different varieties of R&B that wouldn't be wholly surprising, like some Booker T. & the MG's-type or Lonnie Mack-ish instrumentals; some nearly straight electric brassy blues by Big Lucky Carter; and the raucous '50s rock & roll-styled "Every Woman I Know (Is Crazy About an Automobile)"/"Have You Seen Jean" 45 by Al Vance (which is one of the highlights). Yet there are also novelty twist records; a bathetic tribute to then-recently shot John Kennedy on "The Day the World Cried" by Oboe, who'd find greater fame as black country singer O.B. McClinton; and even straight country music by Eddie Bond. The variety of genres might be a little unnerving for soul fans who want a steady diet of what they expect from Goldwax. But for the less specialized listener, the curveballs actually enhance the listening pleasure, fog a snapshot of a gutsy and rootsy small Memphis label that tried a bunch of unpredictable angles. It's true that little here is in the gem-like category, despite the presence of O.V. Wright's "That's How Strong My Love Is," which in demo form was covered by Otis Redding. It's more solid but somewhat generic material in the early- to mid-'60s Southern soul and R&B-pop field, somes falling outside of that spectrum entirely. Detailed track-by-track annotation gives more details on the records and performers that you suspect could have ever been unearthed.

The Complete Goldwax Singles Vol. 2: 1966-1967

CD1

01. James Carr - You've Got My Mind Messed Up (2:24)

02. James Carr - That's What I Want To Know (1:58)

03. Yo-Yo - Leaning On You (2:12)

04. Yo-Yo - I Can't Forget You (2:40)

05. Leroy Daniels - Hello Daughter (2:43)

06. Leroy Daniels - Gonna Comb You Out Of My Hair (2:28)

07. Oboe - Trying To Make It (2:38)

08. Oboe - I'm Just That Kind Of Fool For You (2:50)

09. Gene 'Bowlegs' Miller - Here It Is Now (2:24)

10. Gene 'Bowlegs' Miller - What Take Ye Got (2:24)

11. The Ovations - I Believe I'll Go Back Home (2:28)

12. The Ovations - Qualifications (2:41)

13. Ivory Joe Hunter - Every Little Bit Helped Me (1:55)

14. Ivory Joe Hunter - I Can Make You Happy (1:53)

15. Jeannie Newman - Little Things (2:03)

16. Jeannie Newman - Ain't That Lonely (2:08)

17. Spencer Wiggins - Take Me Just As I Am (2:45)

18. Spencer Wiggins - The Kind Of Woman That's Got No Heart (2:45)

19. James Carr - Love Attack (2:57)

20. James Carr - Coming Back To Me Baby (2:01)

21. Yo-Yo - Gotta Find A New Love (2:50)

22. Yo-Yo - I've Got Something In My Life (2:35)

23. James Carr - Pouring Water On A Drawning Man (2:42)

24. James Carr - Forgetting You (2:56)

25. Spencer Wiggins - Old Friend (You Asked Me If I Miss Her) (2:48)

26. Spencer Wiggins - Walking Out On You (2:35)

27. George & Greer - You Didn't Know It But You Had Me (2:15)

28. George & Greer - Good s (2:38)

CD2

01. The Ovations - Me And My Imagination (2:22)

02. The Ovations - They Say (2:06)

03. Percy Milem - Crying Baby Baby Baby (2:05)

04. Percy Milem - Call On Me (2:20)

05. Eddie Jefferson - When You Look In The Mirror (2:34)

06. Eddie Jefferson - Some Other (1:56)

07. James Carr - The Dark End Of The Street (2:32)

08. James Carr - Lovable Girl (2:28)

09. Barbara Perry - Say You Need It (2:36)

10. Barbara Perry - Unlovable (2:24)

11. The Terry's - Cry Me A Hand Full (2:28)

12. The Terry's - Stormy Love Affair (2:21)

13. Ivory Joe Hunter - Don't You Believe Him (2:25)

14. Ivory Joe Hunter - What's The Matter Baby (1:48)

15. Timmy Thomas - Have Some Boogaloo (2:17)

16. Timmy Thomas - Liquid Mood (2:29)

17. Spencer Wiggins - Uptight Good Woman (2:43)

18. Spencer Wiggins - Anything You Do Is Alright (2:17)

19. The Ovations - I've Gotta Go (3:03)

20. The Ovations - Ride My Troubles And Blues Away (2:32)

21. Kathy Davis - The Wife Of The Life Of The Party (2:39)

22. Kathy Davis - You Can Dish It Out (But Can You Take It) (2:01)

23. James Carr - Let It Happen (2:42)

24. James Carr - A Losing Game (2:03)

25. Carmol Taylor - Did She Ask About Me (2:13)

26. Carmol Taylor - Here Comes The Fool (2:24)

The second of Ace's three volumes documenting the Goldwax's label complete run of singles enters what most connoisseurs would consider to be its p period, with all of the tracks having first been issued in 1966 and 1967. In particular, this era found Goldwax's most prominent artist, James Carr, releasing some of his most heralded songs, including "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man" and "The Dark End of the Street." It's no surprise that Carr is the most heavily represented member of Goldwax's roster on this two-CD compilation, as he's responsible for ten of its 54 tracks. It's also no surprise that the kind of deep Southern soul Carr sang is the most heavily represented style on this anthology, especially in the sides by Spencer Wiggins and the almost annoyingly Sam Cooke-like Ovations. But since Goldwax is so identified with the deep soul style, the big surprises for collectors are the numerous cuts that found the label venturing outside of the R&B field. Kathy Davis, Leroy Daniel, Carmol Taylor, and the Terry's all do relatively straight country-pop with a honky tonk angle, though they're more competent than memorable. Jeannie Newman's 1966 single is country-meets-girl group pop that recalls, as the liner notes rightly point out, some of Sandy Posey's work. Yet more unexpectedly, the Yo-Yo's play something of a mixture of garage rock and blue-eyed soul, though only "Leaning on You" makes much of a mark. Even the 1967 single by Timmy Thomas (later of "Why Can't We Live Together" fame) is kind of left field, offering organ-dominated soul instrumentals.

While Ace's completism is admirable as ever, the stew of deep soul and other genres makes one question who's going to find this a wholly satisfying listen. Deep soul fans can find entire CDs devoted to the output of Carr, Wiggins, and the Ovations, and aren't likely to be unduly impressed by the non-R&B oddities. While some of the soul rarities by Goldwax's lesser-known artists (like Barbara Perry) are OK, they're not stunning, especially when a past-his-peak Ivory Joe Hunter runs the Drifters and Arthur Alexander through a blender for the highly derivative "Don't You Believe Him." And while this opinion won't sit well with Goldwax advocates, even much of its better stuff was rather derivative of -- or at least doesn't compare favorably to -- the more famous soul coming out of Stax in Memphis at the same . But a meticulously sequenced series such as this isn't really aimed at the most discriminating listeners. It's for those who want it all in a good package, and there probably couldn't be a better such package of the Goldwax catalog for those who want it, complete with Ace's usual thorough liner notes.

The Complete Goldwax Singles Volume 3 - 1967-70

CD1

02 Percy Milem - She's About A Mover (2:21)

03 Terry's - Stay Away From Brenda (2:29)

04 Terry's - I Don't Feel Guilty (2:10)

05 Ivory Joe Hunter - Did She Ask About Me (2:36)

06 Ivory Joe Hunter - From The First We Met (2:52)

07 Timmy Thomas - It's My Life (2:51)

08 Timmy Thomas - Whole Lotta Shaking Going On (2:06)

09 James Carr - I'm A Fool For You (2:00)

10 James Carr - Gonna Send You Back To Georgia (2:15)

11 Wee Willie Walker - Ticket To Ride (2:32)

12 Wee Willie Walker - There Goes My Used To Be (3:00)

13 Spencer Wiggins - The Power Of A Woman (3:33)

14 Spencer Wiggins - Lonely Man (2:10)

15 Jeanne Newman - He Called Me Baby (2:47)

16 Jeanne Newman - Whem Will The Good Apples Fall (3:03)

17 James Carr - A Man Needs A Woman (2:45)

18 James Carr - Stonger Than Love (2:29)

19 B.B. Jasper - O'Ketchee-Me Doggie Creek (2:14)

20 B.B. Jasper - Hard Luck Guy (3:02)

21 Spencer Wiggins - That's How Much I Love You (2:54)

22 Spencer Wiggins - I'm A Poor Man's Son (2:09)

23 Five C's - Loves A Tricky Thing (2:47)

24 Five C's - If You're Looking For A Man (2:49)

25 Willie Walker - You Name It, I've Had It (3:01)

26 Willie Walker - You're Running Too Fast (2:23)

27 James Carr - Life Turned Her That Way (2:32)

28 James Carr - A Message To Young Lovers (2:47)

CD2

01 Ben Atkins & the Nomads - Love Is A Beautiful Thing (2:37)

02 Ben Atkins & the Nomads - Love Is A Beautiful Thing (Instrumental) (2:39)

03 Spencer Wiggins - Once In A While (Is Better Than Never At All) (3:34)

04 Spencer Wiggins - He's Too Old (2:11)

05 Kathy Davis - Teach Me How To Let You Go (2:12)

06 Kathy Davis - A Girl In Love (2:10)

07 Carmol Taylor - Love Me Tonight (2:36)

08 Carmol Taylor - Sugar Creek Bottom (2:54)

09 James Carr - Freedom Train (2:19)

10 James Carr - That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me (3:15)

11 Carmol Taylor - The Train Never Stops At Our Town (2:16)

12 Carmol Taylor - Another Mans Shoes (2:20)

13 Willie Walker - From Warm To Cool To Cold (2:43)

14 Willie Walker - A Lucky Loser (2:20)

15 Spencer Wiggins - I Never Loved A Woman (The Way I Love You) (3:01)

16 Spencer Wiggins - Soul City USA (2:03)

17 James Carr - To Love Somebody (3:17)

18 James Carr - These Ain't Raindrops (2:35)

19 Ovations - Happiness (3:08)

20 Ovations - Rockin' Chair (2:12)

21 William Morgan & the C's - Medicine Man (2:27)

22 William Morgan & the C's - You've Gotta Be Different (1:55)

23 Ovations - You Had Your Choice (2:41)

24 Ovations - I'm Living Good (2:45)

25 James Carr - Row, Row Your Boat (2:13)

26 James Carr - Everybody Needs Somebody (2:42)

27 Percy Milem - I Slipped A Little (3:17)

28 Percy Milem - I'm Crying Over You (2:39)

The third volume of the Goldwax singles is the story of music industry decline. If not exactly riches to rags - Goldwax sales were never that good - it is the tale of an independent label slowly losing its way in an increasingly difficult environment. This was not just about a failure to sign talent, but about changes within the business, and that meant that it became more difficult for regional independents to survive and thrive.

The company's peak year was probably 1967. Musically James Carr and Spencer Wiggins were at the top of their game, whilst the Ovations continued to record great records. New talent such as Willie Walker entered the fray and label owners Quinton Claunch and Doc Russell were confident enough to start the country music imprint Timmy to showcase talent as good as Carmol Taylor and Jeanne Newman. However distributor Bell had no real clout in the country market and the new label's outpit fell on deaf ears, or more likely wasn't even played to them. Other signs of how tough it was was the licensing out of various singles by 'Ivory' Joe Hunter and Willie Walker to Veep and Chess respectively - which Quinton now admits was to tide the label over cash flow shortages.

In 1968 things were not improving. Although James Carr continued to make records of amazing quality, sales began to decline and, even more worryingly, James became increasingly difficult to entice into the studio and onto the road to promote his records. Inexplicably strong 45s by Wiggins failed to make the charts and it began to look as if the struggle was never going to get easier. Of course all this wasn't helped by the way that the industry was developing, with a more centralised, major-orientated distribution network taking hold, and the church-based southern soul sounds that had formed the core of Goldwax's sales bning to seem old-fashioned, even in the local market. Memphis' big soul sellers into the 1970s would be the orchestrated masterpieces of Isaac Hayes and the smoother sound of Hi's Al Green.

The label was effectively over by 1969 and completely over by 1970. The artists had moved on, been sold on or simply left without a label. The final side on Goldwax was James Carr's 'Everybody Needs Somebody' a country soul ballad of exceptional quality, and is typical of how high the quality remains throughout volume three of "The Complete Goldwax singles." There are errors and side-steps, but until the day the doors swung shut for the final the sounds of the label were almost always a joy to the ears. This is southern music at its' very best.



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