Marylyn Scott & The Lou Currie Quartet - Free 1002 (1945)

I've been after this one ever since finding out it existed but never thought I'd actually own a copy.

After seeing only one other that had been sold two years ago, and having hope dimmed over time, the record actually found me via email from a visitor to this site.

I have no idea about the value or scarceness of the record, but for me, it is one more disc in an almost complete run of related 78s.

Marylyn Scott g, v / Ed Locke p / Obadiah "Obie" Rolle as / Herbert Reeder ts / Lou Currie sb.

Recorded in Charlotte in 1945.

Taylor's Dixie Orchestra (1931) / Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra (1936)

Although James Henry Gunn has had a school named after him in Charlotte, North Carolina for almost 70 years now, not much is known about the man. Even the picture of Gunn from the school's website is not a photograph but rather what looks to be a charcoal drawing.

Poring through discographies, Gunn seems to have made his recording debut as the pianist of a Carolina territory band from Charlotte's Johnson C. Smith University in 1931. Taylor's Dixie Orchestra waxed their only two sides in Charlotte on May 23, 1931 for the Victor label. Other than a couple of newspaper clippings announcing upcoming concerts for the group, again, information is sparse.

After poor health sidelines Taylor, Gunn assumes control of the outfit, and plays on the CBS Dixie Radio network leading to audience exposure. A few years later, Gunn heads back to Charlotte and records six sides at Southern Radio Corporation's second floor warehouse for Victor's budget label, Bluebird on June 18, 1936.

The open warehouse gives the music a wonderful cavernous ballroom ambiance that is captured nicely within the grooves.

Once again, newspaper clippings survive touting the engagements this band would perform around the country.

History shows that Jimmie Gunn enters academia as a math teacher several years later and even becomes principal of Clear Creek High School in Mecklenburg County between 1944 and 1945.

The school was named for him in 1947 and after going through many changes, is now a thriving elementary school.

Below is every Jimmie Gunn side, including the Japanese issue of My Blue Heaven.

Taylor's Dixie Orchestra: Dave Taylor dir / Lester Mitchell t / Joe Jordan t, v / Leslie Johnakins as, bar / Skeets Tolbert as, v / Ernest Parham ts, v / Jimmie Gunn p / Guy Harrington bj, v / Harry Prather bb / Bill Hart d.

Recorded in Charlotte, NC on May 23, 1931.

The News Leader (Staunton, VA) July 17, 1931

The Charlotte News

April 6, 1920

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra: Jimmie Gunn p, dir / Dave Pugh t, v / Charles Daniels, Herman Franklin t / John Orange (Slats?), Sam Hinton tb / ?Skeets Tolbert, Robert Griffin, James Berry as / Otis Hicks ts / William Shavers p / Alton Harrington g / Harry Prather sb / Raymond Mason d / Sam Jennings v.

Recorded in Charlotte, on June 18, 1936.

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra - Victor Junior JR-66 (1936)

Well...I thought I had completed my Gunn run a while back but with the acquisition of this Japanese pressing, I can now say that I have indeed done so.

According to Rust's discography, this side was the only one issued on an additional label.

Personnel listing is either:

Jimmie Gunn p, dir / 'Slats' tb / Skeets Tolbert as / Otis Hicks ts / g / Harry Prather b / d / David Pugh, Sam Jennings v.

or...

Jimmie Gunn dir / Dave Pugh t, v / Charles Daniels, Herman Franklin t / John Orange tb / Robert Griffin, James Berry as / Otis Hicks ts / William Shavers p / Alton Harrington  g / Sam Hinton bb / Harry Prather sh / Raymond Mason d / Sam Jennings v.

Recorded in Charlotte, on June 18, 1936.

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra - Bluebird 6469 / 6500 / 6508 / 6578 (1936)

After executing my first ever trade a few years back, I was introduced to two, largely forgotten, North Carolina territory bands that recorded just months apart at the Southern Radio Corporation's second floor warehouse in Charlotte. The spacious warehouse gave a large empty ballroom echo that can be heard on these recordings.

I have finally completed the run of Jimmie Gunn and find myself just one shy of the Locke Brothers Rhythm Orchestra.

Here are the Gunns in recording order from that summer day in Carolina...

Here's the official website for J.H. Gunn Elementary school in Charlotte named after the bandleader.

One discography has the personnel listed as:

Jimmie Gunn p, dir / 'Slats' tb / Skeets Tolbert as / Otis Hicks ts / g / Harry Prather b / d / David Pugh, Sam Jennings v.

while another has:

Jimmie Gunn dir / Dave Pugh t, v / Charles Daniels, Herman Franklin t / John Orange tb / Robert Griffin, James Berry as / Otis Hicks ts / William Shavers p / Alton Harrington  g / Sam Hinton bb / Harry Prather sh / Raymond Mason d / Sam Jennings v.

Recorded in Charlotte, on June 18, 1936.

Robesonian Newspaper Lumberton, NC March 12, 1934

Statesville Record & Landmark NC April 7, 1933

Fitchburg Sentinel MA July 13. 1936

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra - Bluebird 6500 (1936)

I am this close to completing the Jimmie Gunn run. This record is the missing piece. Although I have it in my possession, it's not mine...yet. Still trying to work out a deal.

Here are the others.

Locke Brothers Rhythm Orchestra - Bluebird 6316 (1936)

Over half way to a complete run of this basically unknown North Carolina territory band.

Recorded in Charlotte, NC on February 15, 1936.

Locke Brothers Rhythm Orchestra - Bluebird 6288 (1936)

Another get from this largely unknown Carolina territory band from their lone session on February 15, 1936.

Recorded in Charlotte, NC.

Three Tobacco Tags - Bluebird 6730 (1936)

Here's another Tar Heel outfit that I have just discovered...The Three Tobacco Tags. They were an old-time string band from Gastonia, NC.

On this recording, they consisted of Luther Baucom (vocals) & George Wade on mandolin and Reid Summey (vocals) on guitar.

Recorded in Charlotte, NC (same hotel as Jimmie Gunn, Locke Brothers & Bob Pope?) on October 13, 1936.

Jimmie Gunn & His Orchestra / Bob Pope & His Orchestra - Bluebird 6508 (1936)

With this acquisition today, I am just one record shy from completing Jimmie Gunn's run.

It's all about the hunt, isn't it?

Here are the conflicting lineups for Gunn's band:

Jimmie Gunn p, dir / 'Slats' tb / Skeets Tolbert as / Otis Hicks ts / g / Harry Prather b / d / David Pugh, Sam Jennings v. 

or 

Jimmie Gunn dir / Dave Pugh t, v / Charles Daniels, Herman Franklin t / John Orange tb / Robert Griffin, James Berry as / Otis Hicks ts / William Shavers p / Alton Harrington  g / Sam Hinton bb / Harry Prather sb / Raymond Mason d / Sam Jennings v.

Recorded at the Southern Radio Corporation's 2nd floor warehouse in Charlotte on June 18, 1936.

The flipside is from former Coon-Sanders' trumpeter, Bob Pope.

Bob Pope ldr, t / Howard Gaffney, Tommy Hatcher t / Howard Gibeling tb / Sonny Thorpe, Vic Christenson as / J.V. Johnson, Nolan Canova ts / Mac McGowan p / Fowler Hays sb / Johnny Blowers d.

Recorded in Charlotte on June 21, 1936.

Andy Kirk & His Orchestra and Four Knights - Decca 24139 (1946)

Just came across this one that has been stacked in a 'common' box for a few years. (It is rather fun to go junking around your own collection...you never know what you packed away)

These sides seem to have a just-shy-of-r&b tinge to them.

The Four Knights were originally a gospel quartet based out of Charlotte, NC. 1945 saw them picked up by a major label, Decca, and a shift to more secular fare.

This was also basically Andy Kirk's last recording session other than a few on-demand pick-up sessions in 1949 and the 1950s.

Andy Kirk dir / Fip Ricard, Clarence Trice, John Lynch, unknown t / Milt Robinson, Henry Wells, Bob Murray, Wayman Richardson tb / Reuben Phillips, Joe Evans as / Jimmy Forrest, Eddie Davis ts / John Porter bar / Hank Jones p / Floyd Smith g / Al Hall b / Ben Thigpen d / The Four Knights v (Gene Alford lead tenor / Oscar Broadway bass / Clarence Dixon baritone / John Wallace tenor & guitar)

Recorded in New York on December 2, 1946.

(I was just alerted to the fact that Eddie Davis is indeed "Lockjaw." Thanks to Jazzrealities!)