Shelter Records: I'm On Fire

We finish off our Fourth Week Label feature of Shelter Records with a 1975 single by the Dwight Twilley Band. “I’m on Fire” would be the world’s introduction to the band which was generally considered a duo. Twilley played keyboards, guitar, and sang while Phil Seymour contributed vocals, bass, and drums. Credited as their lead guitarist, Bill Pitcock was not considered an official member of the band.

“I’m on Fire” peaked at #16 during August 1975 and would later appear on the band’s debut album, “Sincerely,” released in 1976. Oister, listed as producer, was actually Twilley and Seymour and was the band's name in an earlier incarnation.  Seymour left Dwight Twilley to pursue a solo career in 1978 and had moderate success with the song “Precious to Me” in 1981.

Shelter Records: Going Down

Freddy King, one of the “Three Kings of the Blues,” had a musical career that spanned from 1956 until his untimely death in 1976. His performance at the Texas Pop Festival brought him to the attention of Leon Russell and he was signed as an early artist to the fledgling Shelter Records after his contract with Atlantic’s Cotillion subsidiary was fulfilled in 1970. In all, King recorded three albums for Shelter.

His first Shelter LP was “Getting Ready,” and to provide King the proper atmosphere for this release, Shelter booked him into the legendary Chess Studios at 2120 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Although King hadn’t had a charting single since 1961, Shelter continued to issue 45s in hopes that his new rock-tinged version of the blues would catch on with the record buying public. Unfortunately, they didn’t.

Photo on the outside of the Chess studios in 2006

King’s first single for Shelter was “Going Down,” which was written by label mate Don Nix. Nix and Russell produced the recording. As you will discover (if you haven’t already), “Going Down” rocks.

Shelter Records: Crazy Mama

A little over a month ago, the world lost a unique and talented musician, J.J. Cale. Although he had recorded at least six singles between 1958 and 1966, he hadn’t had any major musical success until Eric Clapton recorded one of his compositions, “After Midnight,” in 1970. At the urging of a friend, he recorded his first album “Naturally” in 1970 and 1971 to capitalize on his new found fame.

Released on Shelter Records in 1972, the album featured three singles “Magnolia,” “Crazy Mama” and his second recording of “After Midnight.” Several of the LP’s cuts would later be covered by other artists and included “Call Me the Breeze” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Clyde” by both Dr. Hook and Waylon Jennings, and “Bringing it Back” by Kansas.

“Crazy Mama” was released twice – first as the flip side of “Magnolia” in September 1971; neither side charted at that time. This particular single listed the yet unreleased album under its working title of “The J.J. Cale Album” and identifies Cale’s songwriting credits under his legal name of John W. Cale. “Crazy Mama” was later re-released as an “A” side in January 1972. The second time around it peaked at #22 and remains Cale’s only Top 40 single. The second release listed his songwriter credits under his stage name of John J. Cale.

“Crazy Mama” was recorded in September 1970 and features Cale on guitar and vocals, Mac Graydon on the wah-wah slide guitar, Carl Radle on bass, Karl Himmel on drums, and Diane Davidson on background vocals.

Shelter Records: Poetry Man

Day four of our Fourth Week Label Special highlighting Shelter Records takes us back to 1974 and Phoebe Snow’s debut single “Poetry Man.” Released late in the year, the single would eventually place at #5 on the Hot 100 in April 1975. It simultaneously topped the Adult Contemporary chart.

Following the song’s release, a rumor persisted that Snow wrote the song about Jackson Browne, but this was unfounded and was probably connected with Snow touring for Browne while the song was still popular. Although Snow had several other charting singles, none measured up to the popularity of her first.

Shelter Records: Duppy Conquerer

Day three of our look at Shelter Records takes us to the island of Jamaica where Shelter picked up the rights to release Bob Marley and the Wailers’ first American single release. The single was released in October 1971 and was given the wrong title on the singles. “Duppy Conqueror” was inadvertently released in the US as “Doppy Conquer.” It was Marley’s only release on Shelter and the incorrect title may have deterred Marley from further distribution of his records by the label.

The term “duppy” is found throughout the Caribbean and it refers to a legend that if precautions in burial are not taken, a spirit of the recently departed haunts the earth for three days and then ascends to heaven. When one has power over a “duppy,” he becomes a “duppy conqueror.” It is said this tradition entered the Caribbean from West Africa.

Not only was the single the first American release by Marley, it may be one of the few or even the only single that was not an original Shelter production.

Shelter Records: Breakdown

Our second day of looking at Shelter Records features “Breakdown” – the first single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Released from their 1976 self-titled debut album, “Breakdown” just sneaked into the Top 40 by charting at the #40 position in 1977. It also appeared in the film “FM” making it an additional choice as a Media Monday selection.

There are several aspects that make this song a classic – the electric guitars of Mike Campbell and Jeff Jourard, and Benmont Tench’s liberal use of a Wurlitzer electric piano. I used to have one – they were great little instruments.

In addition, the back-up vocals were handled by Dwight Twilley and Phil Seymour of the Dwight Twilley Band – who were also signed to Shelter. “Breakdown” was composed solely by Tom Petty. Nice stuff from a heretofore unknown band from Gainesville, Florida. A good start to a stellar career.

Shelter Records: Roll Away The Stone

Active from 1969 to 1981, Shelter Records was the brainchild of Leon Russell and Denny Cordell. While featuring a number of artists from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, Shelter Records was not limited to that geographic region. The label was originally distributed by Blue Thumb Records. In 1970, both Blue Thumb and Shelter switched distribution to Capitol Records and Shelter came out from the Blue Thumb umbrella.

During 1974 and 1975, MCA took over distribution until the label was picked up by ABC from 1975-1977. It was during this period that Russell and Cordell became estranged and Russell left the label. From 1978 until the label’s demise in 1981, Arista distributed the majority of Shelter’s product.

Leon Russell’s “Can a Blue Man Sing the Whites?” was the working title for Shelter’s first album and was advertised as such in a full page ad in Circus Magazine during early 1970. I have never seen a copy of this album with this title, as they all were simply called “Leon Russell.” Sometimes called the “blue album,” Leon’s first solo album and his third project overall is a real gem.

The cast of characters that participated in the recording of this album were a veritable who’s who of the 1970 music scene and include, but are not limited to, the following: Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, Joe Cocker, and many others.

“Roll Away the Stone” draws from gospel influences, but it is far from being a gospel song. It is the official last track of the album; however, an uncredited version of Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” appears at the end of the album prior to the run out on side two. It was an early vinyl “Easter egg” that is relegated to a bonus track on the CD even though it appeared on the original album.

In addition to appearing on the album, “Roll Away the Stone” was Leon and Shelter’s first single release. A live version of the recording would resurface as the flip side of “Queen of the Roller Derby” single. Both songs were from “Leon Live” in 1973. The original studio recording failed to break into the Hot 100 and charted at #109.

1970 Studio Version

1973 Live Version