The Goldwax Record label was formed in 1964 by Quinton M. Claunch and Rudolph V. "Doc" Russell in Memphis, Tennessee. Goldwax recorded soul music.
Quinton Claunch was born in 1922 in Tishomingo, Mississippi, and in the 1940s played in a country band on radio station WLAY in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. When he got married in 1948, he moved to Memphis and got a job as a traveling salesman, selling hardware supplies. While a salesman, he still dabbled in the music business, and he was a friend of Sam Phillips (of Sun fame). Claunch played guitar and co-wrote some songs with Bill Cantrell that were recorded on the Sun label. In 1957 he, Cantrell, and others formed the Hi Record label, but Claunch sold his interest in the label in 1959. When Doc Russell, a Memphis pharmacist, expressed an interest in forming a record label, Russell and Claunch established Goldwax. Their first record was "Darlin'" by the Lyrics, which was a good-sized regional hit.
Claunch and Russell had their biggest success with two members from a gospel group called the Redemption Harmonizers. The two, along with a songwriter, showed up on Claunch's doorstep one midnight and told Claunch they had some tapes they'd like him to hear. The first singer was O.V. Wright, who had been a member of the Sunset Travelers that recorded on the Peacock Label. They recorded Wright on a tune the songwriter of the trio -- Roosevelt Jamison -- had written called "That's How Strong My Love Is." The record was a soul music classic -- later recorded by both Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. As the record was climbing the charts, they were notified by Don Robey of Peacock Records that O.V. Wright was under contract to Peacock as a member of the Sunset Travelers. Even though Claunch and Russell felt that Wright's contract with Peacock did not cover solo recordings, they eventually agreed to give up future rights to him in exchange for continued distribution of the single.
The other singer of the three that visited Claunch that night was James Carr. Carr began singing gospel at age eight in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, and he later spent time in several gospel groups including the Harmony Echoes (along with Wright). Carr had some great soul hits for Goldwax, including "You've Got My Mind Messed Up," "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man," and the Dan Penn/Chips Moman tune "At the Dark End of the Street." Unfortunately, Carr was unprepared for success and slipped into mental illness. It became more and more difficult for him to complete a recording session, and that, coupled with the dissolution of Goldwax in 1969, effectively ended his career in the charts, although he has performed occasionally even into the 1990s. There have been many reissues of the James Carr Goldwax records. Many regard these as some of the best soul music ever recorded.
Another group recorded by Goldwax was the Ovations, with lead singer Louis Williams. Claunch and Russell recorded them on the Sam-Cooke-soundalike song "It's Wonderful to Be In Love," which made the lower reaches of the Top 30 soul charts in 1965. The Ovations went on to more success on MGM records in 1972 and 1973.
Goldwax albums were distributed by Bell Records of New York. The only known albums released by Goldwax in the United States are by James Carr [Goldwax 3001 and 3002]. There was a Goldwax Ovations' album issued in Japan; the number was 3003. Whether this album was ever released in the United States during the 1960s is unknown. The label was dissolved in 1969 due to personal differences between Claunch and Russell.
trax:
1. The Dark End Of The Street - James Carr 2. That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me - James Carr 3. Pouring Water On A Drowning Man - James Carr 4. These Ain't Raindrops - James Carr 5. It's Wonderful To Be In Love - The Ovations 6. I'm Living Good - The Ovations 7. I Like Summertime - The Ovations 8. Take Me Just As I Am - Spencer Wiggins 9. Soul City U.S.A. - Spencer Wiggins 10. Let's Talk It Over - Spencer Wiggins 11. Love Attack - Spencer Wiggins 12. Crying Baby, Baby, Baby - Percy Milem 13. Call On Me - Percy Milem 14. So Hard To Get Along - The Lyrics 15. Good Times - George & Greer 16. You Didn't Know It But You Had Me - George & Greer 17. When You Look In The Mirror - Eddie Jefferson 18. From Warm To Cool - Wee Willie Walker 19. There Goes My Used To Be - Wee Willie Walker
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