[78-L] record pressing plants

[Bill McClung]

I had to ask David what an orphan label is. He graciously explained.

According to a Bullet blues compilation cd booklet by Fred James when
Bullet shut down in 1952 some of the masters were sold but most were
trashed.  In the late 50s Red Wortham, who was a former Bullet employee,
and Jim Bulliet revived the label.  They already had partnered in the Delta
and J-B labels and when they revived Bullet they also started Sur-Speed
Records. Bulliet bowed out and Wortham ran Bullet/Sur-Speed into the
mid-70s.  In 1996 Wortham sold the Bullet, Delta, and Sur-Speed masters to
Bluesland Productions.



[Original Message]
> From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Date: 6/2/2009 1:57:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] record pressing plants
>
> Has anything other than "Near You" and "Beg Your Pardon" ever been
reissued? 
> (They were combined on the Dot release.) I wonder if Bullet qualifies as
an 
> orphan label?
>
> dl
>
> Bill McClung wrote:
> > You are correct.  Bullet lasted until 1952.  The paragraph I was reading
> > from said that John Dunn, who was VP of Bullet Plastics, changed the
name
> > of the company to Southern Plastics when Bullet Records folded. Thomas
says
> > the info he has lists Southern as early as 1949.  So I'm not sure which
> > date is correct.
> > 
> > Hitchcock was an owner of both the record company and the pressing
plant. 
> > Jim Bulleit sold out to Hitchcock in 1949.  In 1950-51 Bullet recorded
> > fewer sides while releasing what was already in the pipeline.  In 1952
they
> > released their last record and according to the book closed their
offices
> > and tossed into the trash most of their files and many of their masters.
> > 
> > I'm not sure of the relation to Dot.  The flow of the book is not by
label
> > so I'll have to sit down with the book and see what it says.
> > 
> > And as a general FYI, Bullet Records was not named by or for Jim
Bulleit. 
> > The name was already chosen by Wally Fowler but when the time came to
start
> > the company Fowler didn't invest so it was Hitchcock, who had a pinball
and
> > jukebox company, and salesman Bulleit and Bulleit's wife who were the
three
> > founders.
> > 
> > The first 50 or so Bullet 78s I ever saw were all "Near Me" and at
first I
> > was thinking Bullet was a private label for Francis Craig.  Since then
I've
> > found quite a few good performances on Bullet although I must admit good
> > Bullet performances seem to be pretty few and far between.
> > 
> > 
> >> [Original Message]
> >> From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> >> To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> >> Date: 6/2/2009 10:20:51 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [78-L] record pressing plants
> >>
> >> According to ARLD, the Bullet label was still active into late 1952
> > (started in 
> >> 1946). One C. V. Hitchcock acquired Jim Bulleit's interest in early
1949.
> > What 
> >> became of the label itself? Did DOT take it over or did Wood get only a
> > few 
> >> sides? I have the ever-popular "Near You" on a Dot DJ vinyl, pressed
from 
> >> original parts. (Yes..a quiet copy!)
> >>
> >> dl
> >>
> >> Thomas Stern wrote:
> >>> Thanks Bill!
> >>>
> >>> Tom Fine's post on 4/9/2008 includes this Texas company:
> >>>> A&R RECORD MANUFACTURING - Dallas, TX USA
> >>>> http://www.arrecords.com/
> >>> The list included only CURRENTLY operating vinyl pressing plants.
> >>> Best wishes, Thomas
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
> >>> [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com]On Behalf Of Bill McClung
> >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 10:07 AM
> >>> To: 78-L Mail List
> >>> Subject: Re: [78-L] record pressing plants
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I'm guessing that you know Southern Plastics actually started in
> > Nashville
> >>> in 1947 as Bullet Plastics.  When Bullet Records folded in 1949 the
> > company
> >>> changed its name to Southern Plastics.
> >>>
> >>> This is from A Shot in the Dark: Making Records in Nashville
1945-1955.
> >>>
> >>> And on the list you mentioned are there any Texas pressing plants from
> > the
> >>> 40s and 50s?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> [Original Message]
> >>>> From: Thomas Stern <sternth at attglobal.net>
> >>>> To: 78-L at 78online. Com <78-l at 78online.com>
> >>>> Date: 6/1/2009 11:59:51 PM
> >>>> Subject: [78-L] record pressing plants
> >>>>
> >>>> anyone know of a 78rpm pressing plant late 40's early 50's in
> > Tennessee?
> >>>> On the List Tom compiled of currently active companies only United
> > Record
> >>>> Pressing, successor to Southern Plastics which started in 1949 is in
> > TN.
> >>>> Thanks, Thomas.
> >>>>
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l