[78-L] Tennessee Ernie Ford promo Background

[Michael Biel]

agp wrote:
> ...or 'Why does Capitol repeatedly screw everything up?'
>   

It is part of a multi-national meaga corporation.
>
> So,what's the background on this release, apart from acknowledging 
> the ol pea-picker's 20 years at the tower?

I think they sent it to everyone, promotional people, store owners, and 
radio stations.  That's probably where I got my copy, at the college 
station.  I don't remember.
>  Oh -- and I'm not sure 
> what stylus to play this with 78/ lp -- green or red :-)
Probably microgroove.  Most of these things at that time were.

> Second -- a plain black label that looks nothing like any other 
> Capitol label, well maybe a little like the promo/radio station-only 
> thingies you put out. You couldn't even dig out a retro 1949 style 
> label with a full size dome on it?

I agree, but most of the other promo 78s done at that time also used labels that were not repros, Liberty, United Artists, etc.  Hmmm, all part of the same multinational.



 > Third, mastering -- and I guess this is minor, but you have a 78 size

> label stuck to a raised label area sized for an lp. Okay, so maybe no 
> one at that time could properly do this up. 

Their machinery that cuts and bends the central area so the stampers fit the presses were probably not able to make a flat pressing or one with a smaller raised area.  

> But I note that this 
> isn't the only time you messed this up. In the UK you did a 10 inch 
> 78 in 1990 for Dave Edmund's tune King of Love and put an lp sized 
> label on that.

Remember that the British also pressed some of their their Decca LPs with small sized labels and large sized raised areas.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com