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A lot of people think Elmore James wrote this song. My vote goes to Robert Johnson because he recorded it when Elmore was 12 - Chris Smither introducing Dust My Broom

Author Topic: Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?  (Read 2394 times)

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Offline Shovel

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Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?
« on: May 29, 2012, 08:12:52 AM »
Too early on a Tuesday for one of these stories?

This 45 showed up yesterday and it looks like someone jumped and made the dealer an offer he couldnt refuse because it is no longer available.   That or they were informed that this is NOT the same Tommy Johnson they think it is.


Link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item1c2779f7c8&item=120921389000&nma=true&pt=Music_on_Vinyl&rt=nc&si=d1ajx6gdQ2jbL2NlmRySNM4ei28%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Description

TOMMY JOHNSON- FAMOUS BLUES/JAZZ GUITARIST AND SINGER - THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL-{NOT ROBERT JOHNSON - HIS CLOSE FRIEND} RECORDED THIS RARE UNKNOWN 45 WITH THE HELP OF JEAN ALFORD, CO-OWNER OF ALEAR RECORDS INC., WINCHESTER VA. ALFORD WAS A SINGER/SONGWRITER IN HIS OWN RIGHT. SONGS ON BOTH SIDES CO-WRITTEN BY JOHNSON AND ALFORD {SEE PICS}. THIS BEING A MAINLY REGIONAL SMALL RECORDING COMPANY LENDS CREDIT TO THE FACT THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO THIS 45 EVER BEING RELEASED. THERE ARE ONLY 17 KNOWN SONGS RELEASED {OTHER LABELS} AND THESE TWO ARE NOT IN THAT GROUP! WITH TOMMY JOHNSON'S IMPACT ON JAZZ/BLUES, AND HIS STATUS IN JAZZ/BLUES HISTORY- COMBINED WITH THE MINOR LABEL AND TWO UNDOCUMENTED, OR NEVER BEFORE DISCOVERED SONG TITLES, AND NO RECORD OF HIM TEAMING WITH ALFORD, MAKES THIS AN EXTREMELY RARE AND VALUABLE RECORD. FURTHERMORE, I BELIEVE THESE WERE RECORDED PRIOR TO HIS DEATH IN THE LATE 50'S- BUT RELEASED IN THE EARLY 60'S. THE ALEAR RECORD CO. WAS IN BUSINESS FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME AND I CAN FIND NO EXACT OPENING DATE.....ROUGHLY LATE 50'S EARLY 60'S.....AND CLOSED IN THE LATE 60'S. THERE IS A SLIM POSSIBILITY THAT TOMMY JOHNSON WAS ACTUALLY STILL ALIVE AT IT'S RELEASE- BUT, I TEND TO BELIEVE THESE WERE RELEASED AFTER HIS DEATH. EVEN SO, YOU HAVE HERE 2 PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN, UNDISCOVERED SONGS FROM A MAJOR PERSON IN BLUES/JAZZ HISTORY ON AN OBSCURE LABEL. VINYL STILL RETAINS GLOSS AND IS A STRONG VG+ W/ LIGHT SCUFFING-SCRATCHING. LABELS VG++ WITH LIGHT WEAR. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE RAREST 45'S KNOWN.......!

Wasn't sure how to get a picture of the actual 45.

I've asked the seller for a soundclip which I'll share if received.  Wonder if the purchaser will?

Thoughts?

(Coulda put this in Super Electrical but this seemed like a bigger topic than that)
« Last Edit: May 29, 2012, 08:17:51 AM by Shovel »

Offline Stumblin

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  • Got the Blues, can't be satisfied
Re: Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2012, 08:19:05 AM »
The usual blend of optimism and cynicism.
A new Tommy Johnson recording would be a fantastic find, but...

Offline Slack

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Re: Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 08:37:41 AM »
Interesting,  you'd think a different Tommy Johnson?, but those could be blues titles or Country Western  :) - and surely he drank himself to death before the late 50's early 60's?, but who knows, would like to hear a sound clip.  And those pics were taken in 2007?  Weird, the label looks legit anyway, here is another Alear lable



« Last Edit: May 29, 2012, 08:39:02 AM by Slack »

Offline Slack

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Re: Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2012, 08:59:04 AM »
I'm betting on the eBay Tommy Johnson being a hillbilly artist.
http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=15419
------
About this time, he teamed up with Jean Alford, a Virginia singer-songwriter, and launched Alear Records. The third Alear release, "It's a Big Old Heartache" by Teenie Chenault of Richmond, looked like it would be the big payoff for their efforts. As the song gathered airplay, record distributors began calling, and they rushed to ship out more copies. Unfortunately, they were never paid for most of those records, Jim says.

McCoy and Alford recorded some of their product in Nashville, such as Al Hogan's version of "He Didn't Become Famous For His Song," a telling title if ever there was one. The records often featured tunes written by McCoy or Alford and were usually pressed by Rite Records or Queen City in Cincinnati.

By the late 1960's, the McCoy-Alford partnership became strained, and Jim started his own Winchester Records, complete with a label picturing a big apple to symbolize the Virginia city. A string of regional performers trooped through his studio at 314 Lanny Drive. Aside from recordings by Jim McCoy and Jean Alford themselves, the Alear and Winchester catalogues included material by country singers Mel McQuain and Frank Darlington, both of Martinsburg; gospel music performer Kenny Johnson of Hedgesville; and the fairly well-known Carroll County Ramblers from nearby Maryland. The majority of the singers they recorded were country artists, but there were also releases by The Lone Star - a folk-rock singer from Romney whose real name was John Mark Hott - and by The Smacks - a Winchester rock group. Most of the records were 45 rpm, but there were also a few album releases. The records were often well-received and won attention in their home areas.

Offline Stuart

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Offline TonyGilroy

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Re: Newly Discovered Tommy Johnson 45 Record on Ebay?
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2012, 03:37:22 AM »

The Rockin Country website lists a Tommy Johnson record from 1963. It's obviously a very common name.


http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artist.php?key=john7800

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