The Sound Stage Seven Story

Not all compilations are created equal. I've experienced compilations that seemed quite exciting on the face turn out to be a yawner, but here is the opposite, a compilation full of obscure names that is a fabulous listening experience. Even those of you who are skeptical about compilations need to give this one a spin. You won't be sorry!

 " Sound Stage 7 was an American, Nashville, Tennessee based record label of the 1960s and 1970s, noted mainly for its soul music releases. The label's biggest star was Joe Simon, who placed numerous singles on the U.S. R&B and pop charts during his 1965-1970 tenure. The label was founded in 1963 by Fred Foster, who had already achieved a measure of success as the founder of Monument Records. Monument was known primarily as a country and pop label. Sound Stage 7 was founded specifically to house artists who were more oriented towards R&B, although in its very early years the label was also home to several pop acts."

You may remember Monument from the Tony Joe White post. The early material which is controlled by Foster has yet to be reissued so I am skipping forward to the chapter covered by the material on THIS disc.

John Richbourg

In mid-1965, Foster struck a deal with John Richbourg who became the label's head of A&R. From this point on, Sound Stage 7 was strictly a soul and R&B label, and almost all of the label's output was produced by Richbourg under the aegis of his JR Enterprises company. Also working for JR Enterprises was the songwriter, co-producer and occasional recording artist, Allen Orange, who was Richbourg's right-hand man until the late 1960s.

Joe Simon

Richbourg's biggest commercial success was bringing Joe Simon to the label in 1966. Simon had already scored two hits on Vee-Jay Records in 1964 and 1965, but was left without a recording contract when that label folded. Richbourg produced fifteen singles for Simon on the label between 1966 and 1970. All of them would make the U.S. pop and/or R&B charts. Simon's biggest success on the label was his 1969 hit "The Chokin' Kind", which hit #1 on the R&B charts, and #13 pop, and sold over a million copies.

The only other charting artists on the label between 1965 and 1970 were Ella Washington and Roscoe Shelton, both of whom had one charting R&B single apiece. Washington and Shelton were also the only artists (other than Simon) to release an album on Sound Stage 7 between 1965 and 1970. Although Sound Stage 7 released over a hundred singles during this era, the label only released eight albums, six of which were by Simon.

Other notable artists on the label during this era, who had chart success either before, or after, their stay at Sound Stage 7 included Roscoe Robinson, Arthur Alexander and Ivory Joe Hunter.

Ella Washington

Roscoe Shelton

Richbourg's production deal with Sound Stage 7 ended in 1970, and Simon left the label the same year. Orange, who had contributed to the label as a songwriter and co-producer also left the company in the late 1960s to form his own label, House of Orange Records. Sound Stage 7 was dormant until late 1971, when Richbourg resumed producing material for the label, albeit at a reduced rate. From 1971 through 1976, Sound Stage 7 only issued twenty one singles. Post-1970, Richbourg devoted much of his production activity to artists at his own labels (Seventy Seven and Sound Plus), as well as producing material for Joe Simon at Simon's new label, Spring.

Joining JR Enterprises as Richbourg's right hand man was Jackey Beavers. Beavers performed much the same function as Orange had in the 1960s, being a frequent songwriter and co-producer of Sound Stage 7 recordings, as well an occasional recording artist in his own right.

Geater Davis

Notable artists on the label's roster during the 1970s included Betty Everett and Ann Sexton. However, the label's only charting artist from 1971 to 1976 was Joe Simon, who hit with the single "Misty Blue" in 1972. The previously unreleased track had been recorded several years earlier, while Simon was still under contract to Sound Stage 7.

In 1977, Ann Sexton charted on the R&B chart with "I'm His Wife (You're Just A Friend)". This would be the label's final hit. Sound Stage 7's final release was the Betty Everett single "Prophecy", released in late 1977.

As part of the deal he made with Foster, Richbourg retained the rights to all the recordings he produced for the label. Various compilation albums have been issued over the years of Sound Stage 7 material, almost all of it drawing on the recordings controlled by JR Enterprises. Much of the Foster-controlled material has yet to see reissue."

Charles Walker - Number By Heart

Here is another great record made in 2003 by Nashville producer/guitarist Fred James for another fine and distinctive Nashville soul singer, Charles Walker.    There are striking similarities between Charles Walker and Freddie Waters - their backgrounds, their approach to singing, and the tremendous quality of the "comeback" work that they did for Fred James a decade ago.   Listen in particular to the similarity in delivery of “It Tears Me Up.”   That is no accident.  Charles Walker was present, and sang background vocals, at Freddie Waters’ One Step Closer to the Blues" session. 

 

Charles Walker worked the Chitlin’ Circuit for a number of years, and was also based in New York for a while in the 1960s with his band, Little Charles and the Sidewinders.  He recorded as early as 1959, but only managed to release a handful of singles before essentially retiring from music in the 1970s.   He became active again in the 1980s and early 1990s after relocating to Europe, and resumed recording after his return to the States in 1993.   “I’m Available,” recorded for Black Magic, and later re-released as "Leavin’ This Town” on Cannonball Records, announced the presence of a great R&B voice from the shadows. 

Since that time, Charles Walker has been primarily fronting a funk band, the Dynamites, and made several records with this unit.   While some of these records are quite nice, they do not showcase the real talent of Charles Walker, which is Deep Southern Soul.

Enter Fred James.   As was the case with Freddie Waters, Fred James set Charles Walker up with an optimal group of musicians and set of songs for “Number By Heart” for Zane Records.  The result again was magic, timeless and distinctive Southern Soul served up the right way.

Since the release of Number By Heart, I impatiently awaited the the follow-up.  It took seven years, but Fred James finally brought Charles Walker back in the studio again in 2010.  While the result, Soul Stirring Thing, may not quite reach the heights of “Number By Heart,” it is nevertheless a superb release in the same vein.  Those who enjoy “Number By Heart” would be well advised to pick it up.