Loose Ends and Closing Credits

[NOTE TO NEWCOMERS: This was the last of the thirteen entries with which I began this blog, all entered in rapid succession during late February / early March 2008.]

And now, some loose ends that I still need to tie up.

First of all, is this single a U.P. Groove?

Arthur D. Noel - LINDA BROUGHT THE RAIN DOWN b/w PRETTY WORDS (Stop ST-1699). I've found very little info about this single or Mr. Noel, though he may have some U.P. connections (the single was made in Nashville, TN). Side B is a Marty Robbins song, while Side A was written by one Jim Aho - Elmer's relative, maybe? Or Elmer himself, under a pseudonym?


THE COTTERILL SISTERS - These three sisters from Iron Mountain were a musical trio that traveled throughout the world during the 1910s-20s, even performing for royal audiences. I figured that they'd have been likely to make a commercial record, but as far as I know they never did. However, I stand ready to stand corrected.

ELMER M. AHO - Aside from what I've cited in previous posts, I've caught many fleeting glimpses of his name on other record labels. I know that Mr. Aho hosts a country-oldies request show every Saturday night on an Ishpeming country station that I normally can't receive; I still hope to get in touch with him and get info about his other recording exploits.

NEIL BOUGIE - This Escanaban apparently recorded an album which was produced by Gary S. Paxton, the former L.A. music biggie who later became Tammy Faye Bakker's record producer. I heard radio ads for the album ("Gary Paxton is a producer ... Neil Bougie is an artist"), but I never saw the album itself in any stores, nor have I seen a copy to this day.

"SAULT STE. MARIE" by DEAN MARTIN - I know Dino recorded a song called "Sault Ste. Marie," written by one Kevin Bowe, for one of his albums; but (a) I haven't heard the song, though I've read its lyrics; and (b) I have no idea whether the "Soo" of the song was in Michigan or in Ontario! (My attempts to contact Mr. Bowe have so far led nowhere.)

KRIS ERIK STEVENS - I have found out about Kris Erik's 1972 album FEELINGS, which is now duly listed in "Some Grooves I Don't Have"; even so, can anyone tell me if Kris Erik put out any other records?

POLKAS - Besides Paul Ray, the Ramblers, Viola Turpeinen and other acts I've already mentioned, I'm sure other U.P.-connected polka acts made commercial records, and if anyone has any extra data on the subject, I'm here. (For those who don't know, Frankie Yankovic was neither a U.P. native nor a permanent U.P. resident, though he often vacationed and performed in the U.P.)

And now to give credit where credit is due ... The following people have all played major roles in the realization of this project, providing me with info and pointing me in some right directions:

KIP BROWN - creator of the Yahoo! Group "michiganmusicfromthesixties"

RANDY HAUCK - the recording engineer who worked with Omo the Hobo, and provided me with most of my info about him

BRIAN R. JUNTIKKA - U.P. native, devoted polka collector, host of the syndicated radio show "Polka Time America"

GARY ELSWORTH MYERS - Milwaukee-born musician/author/publisher, whose books Do You Hear That Beat? and On that Wisconsin Beat are both histories of Wisconsin's recorded music, often straying into the U.P. His website is http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777

STEVEN SEYMOUR - Veteran journalist and co-owner (with his wife Sue) of The Record Rack in Escanaba, one of Michigan's few remaining independent record stores. He is the author of the book Rock'n'Roll Graffiti, and yes, he has his own blog - http://rocknrollgraffiti.blogspot.com/.

DAVID WATCHORN - bassist for The Prophets of Doom and other Escanaba-area bands; he's sometimes spoken of starting his own website about the Prophets, and I hope he will.

The CUCA RECORDS DATABASE - The starting point for those interested in the history of the Sauk City, WI-based record company that played a major role in the U.P. GROOVES! saga. (And it's pronounced KOO-ka, not ... you know.) http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/cuca

And also these various and sundry individuals who had some influence or effect on the project: Catte Adams, Gerald Anderson, "Ange," Jim Brogan, Elaine Buchbinder, Lynn Coffey, Joe Dehut, John Douros, Mike Dugo, S.M. Geer, Don Heikkila, Professor Michael Irish, Jim Kirchstein, "Lady J" Koda, Frank Merrill Jr., Gene Michaels, Phil Nadeau, Lawrence & Mathew Olivares, "Country Paul" Payton, Michael Thom, Bill the VinylSpinner, Larry Wheatley, Brendan Williams, and the fine people at the Spectropop and Hillbilly Yahoo! Groups.

Well ... there. That's the "last of the first" set of posts for this U.P. GROOVES! blog. Of course, I'll be entering new info and correcting false info in these posts whenever I can, and there's always the possibility of all-new posts in the future. But for now, I thank you for your interest, and hope we'll meet again sometime.


Groovingly yours,

Andrew Charles, Amateur Popular-Culture Historian.
www.facebook.com/andrew.c.jones2

"I believe in music - I believe in love." (Mac Davis)