"MUSIC CITY" Vol. 2

One of the holy grails of 1950s American popular music has been rescued, dusted down and polished, for fans of blues both raunchy and smooth, street corner harmony, and bittersweet soul. The legendary Music City Records of Berkeley, California was one of the longest-lived, most fiercely independent black-owned record companies of the era.
Over the course of two decades, owner Ray Dobard's release schedule reflected the evolution of black popular music, from smooth blues in the early 1950s, through R&B, instrumentals, rock 'n' roll through to the end of the decade, proto-soul in the early 60s and into funk and modern soul in the 1970s. But it is the rich seam of Bay Area vocal groups that Music City mined, that collectors associate with the label. Dobard had only a couple of minor hits - the Four Deuces' popular W-P-L-J, Johnny Heartsman's raucous Johnny's House Party - but released over fifty 45 rpm singles and taped much, much more. (R&B Review)

trax:
1. WPLJ (White Port and Lemon Juice) - The Four Deuces 2. Your True Love Is Standing By - Wanda Burt & The Crescendos 3. Tell Me Darling - The Gaylarks 4. She Left Me - The Midnights 5. Why Oh - The Rovers 6. It's All Over - The Kliks 7. Church On The Hill - The Gaylarks 8. Heaven's Own Choir - The Five Crystels 9. Whole Lot Of Love - The Rovers 10. Take My Heart - The Crescendos 11. I'm Traveling Light - The Five Lyrics 12. Lil' Dream Girl - The Gaylarks 13. Hey Baby - The Five Campbells 14. Hear My Plea - The Midnights 15. Teenage Mambo - The Gaylarks 16. Lil' Girl Of My Dreams - The Five Swans 17. You're The One For Me - The Honey Drops 18. Change Your Mind - The Five Rovers 19. Somewhere In The World - The Gaylarks 20. Teenage Prayer - The Crescendos 21. Ivy League Clothes - The Gaylarks 22. This Is The End Of Love - The Kliks 23. Down It Went - The Four Deuces
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