LONNIE YOUNGBLOOD

NOTE:
The release year of 1963 given on the label of these Fairmount singles is incorrect.
See the Lonnie Youngblood dates & personnel -page for more information.


Released in USA
Titles: Go Go Shoes / Go Go Place - 7" single
Composers:
Go Go Shoes - (May Thomas, Lonnie Youngblood (aka Lonnie Thomas), Ace Hall)
Go Go Place - (May Thomas, Lonnie Youngblood (aka Lonnie Thomas), Ace Hall)
Producer: Lonnie Youngblood
Arranged by: Lonnie Youngblood
Release date: 23 May 1966 2
Label: Fairmount Records
Catalog number: F-1002
Matrix A: FA-1002A (all hand written)
Matrix B: FA1002B (all hand written)
The matrix numbers are preceded by something that looks like a stamp on both sides but it's completely unreadable.

Exists in 3 different versions, same label design with different text:
- Stock copy
- With text: "D.J. Copy Not For Sale" (No picture available - matrix number?)
- With text: "Promotion Copy Not For Sale" (matrix number?)

Record World 14 May 1966:
"Fairmont Label Reactivated
NEW YORK —Neil Bogart, Sales manager, announces that Cameo/Parkway is reactivating its long-dormant Fairmont label and has added Marty Thau as Regional Promotion Manager.

Bogart revealed that Cecil Holmes, in addition to his duties as National Promo Manager, will head up the new Cameo/Parkway affiliate which will release its first two singles, "False Alarm" by Tarri Stevens and "Go Go Shoes" by Lonnie Youngblood on May 23. Fairmont will concentrate on issuing R & B product with a pop appeal."

Stock copy side A

Stock copy side B

Promotion copy side A

Promotion copy side B


Released in USA
Titles: Soul Food (That's A What I Like) / Goodbye, Bessie Mae - 7" single

Composers:
Soul Food (That's A What I Like) - (Lonnie Youngblood, Hank Anderson)
Goodbye, Bessie Mae - (Lonnie Youngblood)
Producer: Lonnie Youngblood
Release date: April 1967 1
Label: Fairmount Records
Catalog number: F-1022
Matrix A: fairmount 1022-A J.A. (all hand written)
Matrix B: fairmount 1022-B J.A. (all hand written)

This single was released in two different versions, with a "striped" and with a "black & blue" label design, both editions get their own entries.

The first pressing of this single probably used the striped design followed by a run on black & blue labels:

Firstly, the original black & blue design used by Fairmount had been replaced by the new striped Fairmount label long before the issue of this single so any new releases would by default come out with the striped label design.

Secondly, both editions have the same basic matrix number on the disc but the black & blue label issue has added markings and it would seem logical that the pressing with additions made to the matrix number would follow the one with less markings. But WHY was there a release on the black & blue label to begin with? That remains a mystery, just like the question why all of the black & blue label releases had the date "1963" regardless of the actual year of release. Even more puzzlingly both editions were released in stock AND promo versions meaning that someone didn't just use wrong label for one unfortunate batch of disc but rather that there were two different planned-out-in-advance print runs.

But, there is also a possibility that the two different editions weren't actually the first and second pressings, instead two different stampers created from the same mother were used at two different pressing plants simultaneously to press the vinyl. One plant could have added it's own markings to the stamper and for some reason used the old label design. Hopefully we'll one day find out which scenario is the correct one.

The stock & promo version are pressed with exactly the same plates, only the label design is different.
- Stock copy (blue & white stripes label)
- "D.J. Copy Not For Sale" (grey & white stripes label)

Stock copy side A

Stock copy side B

D.J. copy side A

D.J. copy side B

 

Released in USA
Titles: Soul Food (That's A What I Like) / Goodbye, Bessie Mae - 7" single

Composers:
Soul Food (That's A What I Like) - (Lonnie Youngblood, Hank Anderson)
Goodbye, Bessie Mae - (Lonnie Youngblood)
Producer: Lonnie Youngblood
Release date: April 1967 1
Label: Fairmount Records
Catalog number: F-1022
Matrix A: (triangle) 65768 fairmount 1022-A J.A. (circle)
Matrix B: (triangle) 65768 X fairmount 1022-B J.A. (circle with letters "MR" inside)

This release has identical handwritten "fairmount 1022-A J.A." and "fairmount 1022-B J.A." matrix markings compared to the striped label releases, but with additions before and after the matrix when compared to the striped label issue: a stamped circle, the numbers "65768" and a stamped circle with the letters "MR" on side B.

- Stock copy (blue & black label)
- "Promotional Copy Not For Sale" (blue & black label)

Side A

Side B

A side

B side




SOURCES
1 A copy of the 45 exist with a "APRIL 3 1967" date stamp on the label. Who stamped the disc is unknown but a radio station employee / DJ seems likely. The copyright registrations for the tracks are dated 11 April 1967, and finally, the single is listed in Billboard issue15 April 1967 on page 18 under "Spotlights - Predicted to reach the R&B SINGLES Chart" meaning it had just been released. See the Lonnie Youngblood solo recordings -page for more information.

2 The tapebox for the mono mix used by Fairmount to press the single is dated 11 May 1966 (email from John McDermott 31 May 2012). This is likely to be the date when the mix / tape was made, it could also be the date of the recording session but as the single was released less than two weeks later this seems unlikely. The copyright registration for "Go Go Shoes" is dated 1 June 1966 and a copy of the single exists with DJ markings including a date "5/24". Based on the preceding information I originally estimated the release date to be May 1966. Which turned out to be correct when I came across the 14 May 1966 issue of Record World listing ""Go Go Shoes" by Lonnie Youngblood on May 23" as an upcoming Fairmount Records -release.