The story of RUBY RECORDS (Larry Short)
I started in operating « Ruby Records » in February 1955. Before that I played the electric steel guitar for several years. Later on I met Esta Dodds, and worked as her A&R man, on « Esta records ». She was several years my senior and I felt she was satisfied moving at a slow pace. This irritated me and I became to be dissatisfied, so decided to start my own recording service, « talking letters » (Short recorded weddings, speeches and cut demos – in the same manner as did Sam Phillips in Memphis during the late 40’s).
Receiving satisfaction from this facet of recording, it prompted me into seeking my own label. I wanted to register it as « Rainbow Records », but there was a « Rainbow » label in Memphis, Tenn. Rather than be a part of an infrigement act, my wife gave written permission, without involvement to her, to use her name. The name « Ruby » was placed in a two dimensional diamond figure, with simulated glitter…with stars emitting from the glitter – which formed the logo. Then I was successful in getting it registered at the principal register in Washington. Wherein « Ruby Records » was given birth.
Since I had my own sound room and control box and access to the public library, I facilitated and accelerated my own education in sound reproduction. My first commercial recorder was an Ampex model 300 console, RCA custom division in Chicago and Indianapolis normally press our records.
We had distributors in Baltimore, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Dallas. The « Billboard » (trade mag) reviewed all our releases, and we got some good reviews. I remember one which was not so good, I don’t believe I will ever forget it, because it was the truth ! This is why I respect this trade paper so much.
Our biggest sellers were Big Black Train / Stan Johnson, and I’m Walking Out/ Walt Scott. Scott was my first artist, he was an excellent showman and writer. He wrote Burning Bridges for Jack Scott – though they were not related, says Walt.
Our earliest releases were in the Country/Gospel vein, because I felt strongly that the stories in the material told of heritage. This was about the time (Broadcast Music Inc) started expanding their operation, and a large number of publishing houses used this format.
Believe me, it was hard going in the 60’s. We went from seventeen artists, down to three. Two or three per year and not promising of any releases, depending on the trend of the industry and various formats. I honestly our format would start moving again, I learned a lot in those lean years. I didn’t make a lot of money, but it was then I learned a small, independant label did not need a large roster to operate and be recognised.
Some of our people left the area. Jesse Kidd went to Hollywood, and became involved in making class « B » movies. Tex Fields went to Ft Worth, Texas, in some radio work. Ray Pennington was for a while in the area, as a D.J. for WNOP radio, then to Pamper music in Nashville, then to RCA. Leaving us with Stan Johnson, Cindy Dee (his wife), Chubby Wagner and Jack Daniels, with options on several others.
As for our current activities, we record regularly. Stan Johnson writes his own material, but we also use other writer’s stuff for him, should it be in his style. Chubby writes some, we have taken options on various sound tracks for him. Jack Daniels also writes, and collaborates with other writers in the Country/Pop field.
« Galactic Enterprises » embraces our entire operation, including our subsidiary label « Shomay ». The artists on this label are people with potential, that could come up to « Ruby Records » later. Over the years I think it can be determined that we have stayed with the industry in sound, and in quality of product.
Stan Johnson – Stan came into « Ruby Records » for an audition, early inFebruary 1957. Even though he wrote the material we used, it took eight hours to complete his first session. Stan started his career at a young age, with his own band, The Blue Chips. He appeared at different clubs and lounges, such as The Southern Inn for three consecutive years. He also appeared with Smoky Ward on WPFB, Middleton, Ohio.
Stan has played our local venue, at Liberty, Indiana. Also on a number of tours I have set up, in Kalamazoo, Lexington, and Richmond, Virginia.
Bobby Martin – Bobby was a member of the Tune Twisters. Charles Kanter, a representative of Annis House, a publishing firm in Chicago, Ill., had intentions of using a major studio in Cincinnati, to record the group. When they arrived at the studio, the engineer was intoxicated, so Charlie brought them to us.
It was midnight on a Saturday, when we started the session. The entire group recorded, which included the Begley Sisters, Bill Stucker and Bobby Martin.They were farm kids, managed by a TV personality by the name of Vic Bellamy. The day of the session, the kids did farm chores at their various homes, put on their regular radio show in Herrosburgh, Kentucky…did a TV show later in the morning and then journeyed to Cincinnati, to find the session there was aborted. They arrived at our « Ruby » studio in Hamilton shortly before midnight, January 2nd 1957. We finished on Sunday morning 9 :00am..No one went to church that day.
Emery Blades – Emery is a local Hamilton boy, a brother-in-law to Joe Nuxhall, Cincinnati baseball’s ace pitcher. He’s married to Joe’s sister and they have two boys. As a family, they are active in Church attendances, engaged in singing in Church services.
Hoyt Webb – Hoyt was from Montgomery, Alabama. I don’t rate Hoyt too high as a singer, but on recitations they were few who could touch him. He moved his family and possessions in a pick-up truck, to Oxford, Indiana, where he had friends who arranged for him to have an audition at our studio.
We used our ‘staff band’, The Rhythmaires, who consisted of Wendy Hargraves (steel guitar), Clyde Marcum (lead guitar), Tommy Short (bass), George Baker (fiddle) and Dave Roark on rhythm guitar.
We cut his session on the 9th day of March 1957, in the evening. His wife Sarah coached him from the control room on Baby Won’t You Slow It Down, he needed no coaching on the flipside. Hoyt and his family moved to Liberty, Indiana, later on, the town where we held our weekly stage shows, in a leased theatre. We worked our people on our own stage, and on the road on an alternating basis.
Article revised (Nov. 2, 2011): I’ve found a label scan (+ music) to Bill Stucker‘s “I Go On Prentending” (# 420). An average, ordinary, fiddle-led hillbilly from 1957. Then I added to podcastsWinnie Parker‘s “Down Boy Boogie” (# 350). Someone had asked for it. It’s a lovely medium Hillbilly Bop/Rockabilly, with references to “Blue Jean Bop” and “Blue Suede Shoes“. Lazy vocal, and a very fine guitat throughout.
Finally, label’s first issue was by Walter Scott, the very fine Country Bop “I’m Walking Out” (# 100). Scott was backed apparently by the Corn Huskers, who do appear on his next issue (# 240), “One Life To Live” (music untraced). Just lend the post an ear!
(based on Derek Glenister’s interview of Larry Short – New Kommotion # 16, Summer 1977)
Ruby 100 |
Walter Scott |
G8OW-2673 G8OW-2674 |
I’m Walking Out A Little Love Will Go A Long Long Way |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 110 |
Cliff Clay |
G8OW-4036 G8OW-4037 |
I Live Upon A Mountain Rose Of My Heart |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 120 |
Emery Blades |
G8OW-4183 G8OW-4184 |
The Rock And Roll Carpenter I’m Leaving You The Key To My Heart |
RAB C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 130 |
Pappy Tipton – Ralph Leguire Bobby Thompson Mt. Rhythm Boys |
G80W-5214 G80W-5215 |
Well Acquainted With A Broken Heart Empty Bottles And Cigarette Butts |
NA NA |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 140 |
Everett Ray |
G8OW-5262 G8OW-5263 |
Bonhams-Busline Take These Chains From My Heart |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 150 |
Gene Bleuens |
G8OW-5731 G8OW-5732 |
Forever My Darling The Dreams I Dream Each Night |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 170 |
George Lee Mystery Ramblers |
G8OW-7049 G8OW-7050 |
Heartbreak Trail My Little Angel |
BGR C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 180 |
Cliff Clay Rainbow Rhythmaires |
G8OW-7051 G8OW-7052 |
Sugar Baby Barrel Of Kisses |
BOP BOP |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 200 |
Glen Scott Corn Huskers |
GO8W-0106 GO8W-0107 |
Katey Bar The Door Spanish Chimes |
C&W INST |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 210 |
Tex Fields, Bob Thompson & The Poor Boys |
G8OW-7225 G8OW-7226 |
I Can’t Get Started To Stop Loving You You Don’t Love Me Anymore |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 220 |
Zekie Browning Rainbow Rhythmaires |
G8OW-7053 G8OW-7054 |
I’ll Agree It’s Too Late Now |
NA NA |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 230 |
Emery Blades Rainbow Rhythmaires |
G8OW-7227 G8OW-7228 |
Your Broken Hearted List Look What You Done To Me |
BOP BOP |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 240 |
Walt Scott Corn Huskers |
GO8W-0108 GO8W-0109 |
One Live To Live It Was Just A Dream |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 250 |
Lee Gordon Rainbow Rhythmaires |
GO8W-0114 GO8W-0115 |
Those Wasted Years Until I Met You |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 260 |
Sandy Center |
GO8W-0110 GO8W-0111 |
Come On Baby It’s Christmas For Me No Christmas |
XMAS XMAS |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 270 |
Danny Wyatt with His Rolling Stone Tuneste |
GO8W-0112 GO8W-0113 |
You Broke A Date, Vow And Heart Christmas In Kentucky |
BOP XMAS |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 290 |
Ray Pennington Ray’s Western Rhythm Boys |
GO8W-0363 GO8W-0364 |
Fancy Free You’ll Want Me Back But I Won’t Care |
C&W C&W |
1956 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 280 |
Stan Johnson The Blue Chips |
H8OW-6763 H8OW-6764 |
Big Black Train Six White Horses |
RAB RAB |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 300 |
Hank Cabe Rainbow Rhythmaires |
H8OW-0161 H8OW-0162 |
Echo Mountain You’ll Cry |
C&W C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 310 |
Nelson Young |
H8OW-0163 H8OW-0164 |
Hillbilly Rock & Roll A Star From Heaven |
BOP C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 320 |
Hoyt Webb Rainbow Rhythmaires |
H8OW-0165 H8OW-0166 |
Baby Won’t You Slow It Down Florest Send These Flowers |
RAB C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 330 |
Dayward Penny Lazy Acre Cowboys |
H8OW-7130 H8OW-7131 |
Bee Bop Song Have I Forgotton |
BOP C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 340 |
Emery Blades |
Try Try Again Somewhere Someday |
BOP C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
|||
Ruby 350 |
Winnie Parker Rhythm Maniacs |
H8OW-6744 H8OW-6745 |
Down Boy Boogie My Dreams Will Come True |
C&W C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 380 |
Suzie Begley |
Peppermint Stick You’re Dead You Don’t Know It |
NA NA |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
|||
Ruby 390 |
Bobby Martin Tune Twisters |
H8OW-0612 H8OW-0613 |
Give Your Heart To Me Sleepy Time Blues |
RAB RAB |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 400 |
Bobby Martin Tune Twisters |
There Ain’t No Nothin’ Tonight I Ain’t Gonna Rock |
RAB RAB |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
|||
Ruby 410 |
Begley Sisters Tune Twisters |
H8OW-0610 H8OW-0611 |
If I’m Easy To Love I’d Like To Break Into Your Heart |
C&W C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 420 |
Bill Stucker |
Foolin’ Me Around I Go On Pretending |
C&W C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
|||
Ruby 450 |
Rudy Gilbert Rainbow Rhythmaires |
HO8W-0577 HO8W-0578 |
You Conquored Me Waiting At The Altar |
NA NA |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 470 |
Della Hicks |
Book Of Life When De Debbil Taps You On De Shoulder |
SAC SAC |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
|||
Ruby 530 |
Stan Johnson |
HO8W-0579 HO8W-0580 |
Shimmy And Shake Lonesome Man |
RAB RAB |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 540 |
Arnold Van Winkle Rainbow Rhythmaires |
HO8W-0581 HO8W-0582 |
An Old Rusty Dime How Many Heartaches Make A Tear |
RAB C&W |
1957 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 550 |
Stan Johnson Blue Chips |
J9OW-0609 J9OW-0610 |
Baby, Baby Doll Lora Ann |
RAB RAB |
1958 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 610 |
Hank And Ramona Rodgers |
K8OW-8179 K8OW-8180 |
Wild Horse Hop, Skip And Jump |
BOP RAB |
1959 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 170 (No #) |
George Lee |
844 |
7167 7168 |
Heartbreak Trail My Little Angel |
BGR C&W |
1962 |
Hamilton, OH |
|
Ruby 67-100 |
Stan Johnson The Sonics |
U4KM-3251 U4KM-3252 |
I Won’t Let Them Know Big Black Train |
C&W RAB |
1967 |
Hamilton, OH |
||
Ruby 70-100 |
Stan Johnson Harmonaires |
5151 |
27049 27050 |
I Don’t Have A Thing To Call Mine Demand To Be Free |
C&W C&W |
1971 |
Hamilton, OH |
|
Ruby 75-300 |
Chubby Wagner The Rite Men |
5295 |
34837 34838 |
For Every Cheatin’ Woman From Now On |
C&W C&W |
1975 |
Hamilton, OH |
|
Ruby 75-200 |
Jim Archer Son And Daughter |
5151 |
35213 35214 |
The Promise Love Me Just For Tonight |
C&W C&W |
1975 |
Hamilton, OH |
|
Ruby 75-400 |
Deek Rivers The Bakers 4 |
5151 |
35241 35242 |
Burning Bush Today Is Forever |
C&W C&W |
1975 |
Hamilton, OH |
label listing from www.45rpm.com
I am in Cincinnati and ran across a promo copy of Bob Thompson and the Poor Boys with Tex Fields album # 210. Do you have any idea how many were produced or made or exist? Any info would be very appreciated. Thank You.
Hi!
Sorry I really cannot help!
Xavier
Keep working ,splendid job!
looking high and low for an original 45 of Stan Johnson on Ruby – Big Black Train…can anyone help me??? you can email me at barbara@fdarms.com – thanks!!
I have some wonderful memories of my Dad and his first studio. Him playing Big Black Train right after it was cut.
So many memories comes back. Where he started and the technology today, it’s really worth knowing. Thank you so much for this piece of history. It means a great deal.
J. Short
Thanks James for your message!
Love this…Larry short was my grandfather. ????????
The part about Emery Blades had some incorrect information. It states that he was a brother in law to Joe Nuxhall and is married to Joe’s sister, which is incorrect. It was Don Nuxhall (Joe’s brother) who was Emery’s brother in law because Emery’s sister Myra married Don, Joe’s brother. So, Emery is not really related to Joe.
It’s great to find this information about Ruby Records. My dad, Walter Scott, recorded the first record for Ruby Records. I think I may have sat in on the recording session, but I was only a few years old at the time and can’t remember exactly. The “Lorraine Scott” listed on the record was my mom. Her actual name was Dolores Lorraine Scott. Glen Scott, also mentioned on this site, was my uncle. I can remember traveling with my dad from radio station to radio station to promote his music in the early days. Thank you so much for remembering him.
I was going through some old pics and papers that once belonged to my grandmother and found a newspaper clipping with a photo of the Rainbow Rhythmaires advertising their show at Lady Sylvia. Hate to toss it, since someone knows of these people. Anyone want it?
Hi Crl,
Do you can scan the paper and send it to me? xavier.maire@free.fr Thanks beforehand
I remember being a little girl in my grandfathers studio . This is an amazing piece of my families history.