Big Tree: Ain't That Pecuilar

If you were living in the Upper Ohio Valley or in the Rust Belt during the mid 1970s, chances are you heard our final selection from Big Tree Records. From Pittsburgh, the band Diamond REO (who is not to be confused with the country band Diamond Rio) released three albums and had a charting single in 1975 with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar.”

The single only peaked at #44, so it isn’t a song that is heard too often today. Their take on the Motown hit was slower and heavier – they really developed their own sound for this song. The single supported the band’s self titled debut album – their only recording with Big Tree Records. Two other singles were also released from the album and included “Rock and Roll Till I Die” and “Work Hard Labor.”

The song used a Talk Box effect that was previously featured on Joe Walsh's “Rocky Mountain Way.” This was well over a year before Peter Frampton made the device famous with his “Show Me the Way” and “Do You Feel like I Do” hit singles. The tune also has a killer slide guitar part.

Their unusual name came from a former truck manufacturer – Diamond REO Trucks – which was a merger of the Diamond T Motor Corporation and the REO Motor Car Company in 1967 to become a division of the White Motor Corporation.

The REO in the name was the initials of the company’s founder Ransom E. Olds who had also started Oldsmobile, but had sold the Olds Motor Works to General Motors Corporation. One of the REO models also inspired a Champaign, Illinois band to choose the name R.E.O. Speedwagon. It is said that Diamond Rio additionally took their name from the truck brand; however, it appears they used Rio instead of REO probably because of the existence of the former band Diamond REO.

“Ain’t That Peculiar” was released in December 1974, which is not the best time for an unknown artist’s single to chart. Diamond REO was only five months old when “Ain’t that Peculiar” was released. The band had been formed by their manager/producer Dave Shaffer at Red Fox Studios in Pittsburgh with four veterans of the Steel City’s music scene.

Pittsburgh music fans will be familiar with the names of the band’s members. Diamond REO included Bob “Bubs” McKeag on lead guitar and vocals, Norm Nardini on bass, Frank Cruzi on keyboards and vocals, and Robbie Johns on drums. Second guitarist Warren King, not on this recording, was added later.

By January 1975, the single was a breakout at a number of Billboard reporting stations including Pittsburgh’s KQV; WTAC in Flint, MI; and Cleveland’s WIXY. While it never placed within Billboard’s Top 40 ranking, it peaked at #36 in Cashbox. Their debut LP was their only recording for Big Tree; their second album, “Dirty Diamonds,” was on Kama Sutra and their final, “Ruff Cuts,” was released independently.

Although the band had some success by appearing on “American Bandstand” and having opened for Aerosmith, KISS, Frank Zappa, Kansas, Ian Hunter, Ted Nugent, Canned Heat, and Blue Öyster Cult. It's unfortunate that Diamond REO hadn’t been more successful, but it may be due the change in the mainstream public’s musical tastes during the mid to late 1970s – that alone may cause one to opine, “Ain’t that Peculiar”

Big Tree: Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancin')

In 1966, Johnny Rivers formed Soul City Records to release recordings by other artists he had signed. Rivers was under contract to Imperial Records at the time and later was moved to United Artists after Transamerica Corporation purchased Liberty and its subsidiaries including Imperial. Up through 1970, Soul City was distributed by Liberty.

In 1970, Rivers sold the label and its catalog to Bell; however, he reserved the right to the Soul City name and logo. In 1976, Rivers resurrected the Soul City logo, as it appeared on his Epic Records' release of “Outside Help,” Later that same year, he revived the label for a short run including his own single “Ashes and Sand.”

When he signed to Big Tree Records in 1977, his Soul City imprint was appeared his recordings with this label; however, the recording masters were the property of Atlantic, Big Tree’s parent company. I would imagine that the inclusion of the logo was a courtesy of the label.

Big Tree was Rivers fourth label since United Artists and it had not gone well for the popular singer of the 60s and early 70s. Although he had charted in the Top 40 with “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1973 (#38) and “Help Me Rhonda” in 1975 (#22), he had not had a Top Ten hit since his cover of the “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu,” which peaked at #6 in 1972. Prior to this, seven of his singles hit the Top 10 and four additional hits were in the Top 20.

His run with Big Tree produced two singles “Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')” and “Curious Mind (Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um).” While the latter nearly made it to the Top 40 charts by peaking at #41, his version of “Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')” peaked at #10 in 1977. From his album “Outside Help,” it was a shot in the arm for Rivers’ career, but sadly it could not sustain him as he had no further hit singles.

Besides “Rockin’ Pneumonia,” “Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')” was his only other certified gold single. In typical Rivers’ form, it was a cover of another artist’s tune. Written by Jack Tempchin as “Slow Dancing,” Rivers and Big Tree changed the name of the song to “Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')” because the Addrisi Brothers had just released “Slow Dancin’ Don’t Turn Me On.”

“Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')” ended up being Rivers’ swan song. It was his last stab at mainstream popularity and he would be relegated from here on out as an oldies artist. He revived the Soul City label for his own recordings in the late 80s and continues to record new material.

 

The Funky Kings Original Version

In 1976, Jack Tempchin’s band the Funky Kings released the original version of “Slow Dancing.” Their recording was an Adult Contemporary hit peaking at #13. It did crossover to the mainstream, but did not have enough strength to go beyond its #61 slot.

The original was slower than Johnny Rivers’ hit version of the song. In addition to Rivers recording, the song caught the attention of several other artists in 1977. It was also recorded by Olivia Newton-John, Unicorn, and Lorna Wright.

Big Tree: Emma

Although Hot Chocolate had released eight singles by 1975, but none had charted in the US until Big Tree was licensed the recording of “Emma” in 1975. This was a tune that I had forgotten about and you never hear it on oldies radio. I have two theories on why this occurred.

One is the confusion over the song’s title. Because the woman in the song is referred to both as Emma and Emmaline, most people thought the name of the song was either “Emma, Emmaline” or “Emmaline.”

Composed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson, the song was inspired by the sadness Brown experienced over the death of his mother. The second theory is that, because the song ends with a suicide, the subject matter is not politically correct to be remembered to this day.

That wasn’t the case in 1975, as “Emma” rose to number 8 and was the band’s third highest charting US hit. It was only eclipsed by 1978’s “Everyone’s a Winner” at #6 and 1975’s “You Sexy Thing” at #3.

Big Tree: The Blacksmith

In addition to our Fourth Week Label Special featuring Big Tree Records, today’s submission covers the Wooden Music Wednesday feature as well. Steeleye Span recorded their second LP, “Please to See the King,” with an adjusted lineup in 1971.

The original UK version of the album was released on the B&C label; however, without an American counterpart, “Please to See the King” was licensed to Big Tree Records for its original North American issue.  By its catalog number of BTS 2004, it appears to be  the fourth album release of the label.

It was the band’s only album to be issued on B&C and Big Tree and the first to be issued in the US. Their debut album, “Hark! The Village Wait,” which was issued by RCA in the UK in 1970 did not make it to the North American shores until 1975 when it was reissued by Chrysalis. “Please to See the King” was reissued by Chrysalis at the same time.

“The Blacksmith” is a traditional English folk song that has been recorded a number of times including two studio versions by Steeleye Span. It appears as #816 on Steve Roud’s Folk Song Index. The lead vocals are performed by Maddy Prior and she is joined by two other original members of the band, Tim Hart and Ashley Hutchings.

New to the band and this album are Peter Knight and Martin Carthy. Knight’s fiddle can be heard on this tune. Although not a member at the time, it was Carthy who suggested the name “Steeleye Span.” John “Steeleye” Span was a character in the song “Horkstow Grange.”

Steeleye Span’s Original Version

This is an up tempo version of “The Blacksmith” that was recorded for the band’s debut album “Hark! The Village Wait” in 1970. This particular version features drums that are missing from the band’s second album. In addition to Prior, Hart, and Hutchings, the band included the husband and wife team – Terry and Gay Woods.

For this album, the band utilized the talents of two drummers: Dave Mattacks of Fairport Convention and Gerry Conway of Fotheringay and later of Fairport Convention. Although we are featuring the version from the second album on Big Tree Records, I prefer this rendition of “The Blacksmith” by Steeleye Span.

Big Tree: You Could Have Been A Lady

Most Americans would not become familiar with this staple of Canadian rock until Big Tree Records released their second album in 1972. “You Could Have Been a Lady” was the band’s first US single.

While it was not a colossal hit, the single peaked in the US at #32. It was one two of the band’s three songs to peak at #5 in Canada – the highest position the band achieved in their native land. April Wine would not return to Billboard’s Hot 100 until 1979 with the release of the single “Roller.”

The Original Version by Hot Chocolate

The English band Hot Chocolate, who would later become Big Tree artists, released the original version of the song earlier in 1972. Although released as a single on RAK Records in the US, their version faced the same fate as another song they had written and released as a single – “Brother Louie.”

Both songs were covered by North American bands that had a better run with their releases. While Hot Chocolate’s label, RAK Records, was established in the UK, its American arm never delivered any hit records and only operated from 1971 to 1973. Later American releases by the band were licensed to Big Tree Records and later to Infinity and EMI America labels. Although a little funkier than April Wine’s version, the original is great in its own right.

Big Tree: Smokin' In The Boy's Room

It took six singles for Brownsville Station to break into the Hot 100 and eight to make it to the Top 40. Released in September 1973, “Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room” was their highest charting single peaking at #3 during the end of 1973 and the beginning of 1974. Only one other record, “Kings of the Party,” charted in the Top 40; it peaked at #31 in 1974. Both songs as well as three other singles to chart in the Hot 100 were released by Big Tree Records. Their final two Hot 100 hits were issued on the Private Stock label.

The song was composed the band’s guitarist Cub Koda and bassist Mike Lutz. Koda sang the lead parts and played harmonica. “Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room” appeared on the band’s third album, “Yeah!” It was Brownsville Station’s only certified gold single.

This song has special significance to me as I sang it and played harmonica on the tune while a member of three bands. The interesting thing is that I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life.  I was drawn to this number because of the harmonica parts.

Unfortunately, the man who is primarily associated with this song, Cub Koda, died of kidney disease at the age of 51 in 2000.

Live Version from Midnight Special (1974)

Big Tree: She Didn't Do Magic

I took a few days off from the blog due to a trip on Thursday that nearly wiped me out; however, we are back to begin the Fourth Week Label Special. This week, we pay tribute to Big Tree Records and its short ten-year life as a label.

In 1970, music executive Doug Morris created Big Tree as an independent record label. During its first two years of existence, Ampex Records distributed the label until it folded in 1972. With Ampex out of the picture, Big Tree switched its distribution to Bell Records. Morris sold the label to Atlantic Records in 1974. Atlantic discontinued the brand in 1980.

One of the more prolific artists with the label was Kent Lavoie – who was better known by the stage persona of “Lobo.” For Big Tree, he had three Top 10 hits and four additional Top 40 releases on Big Tree and one on MCA. Lobo’s prominence as a star was on Adult Contemporary radio where he had four number one records – three of which were released on Big Tree.

“She didn’t do Magic” was his second single for Big Tree. It always a favorite of mine and it nearly made it to the Top 40 – charting at #46 in 1971. It was the follow-up single to “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo” that charted at #5. Both songs appeared on the “Introducing Lobo” album. Unlike some of his other records that missed the Top 40, “She Didn’t Do Magic” didn’t crossover to AC radio. Rather, its flip side, “I’m the Only One” charted at #14 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.

Incidentally, Lavoie’s first band, The Rumors, also included Gram Parsons (The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers) and Jim Stafford who also had a successful solo career.