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Audio Recorders of Arizona  built their state-of-the-art studio in the fall of 1963 and officially opened in June of 1964 at 3830 N. 7th Street.  The 10,000 sq. ft. building cost $300,000 to construct, financed by Niblack "Bill" Thorne and Floyd Ramsey.  Although they never achieved the national fame (Sanford Clark, Duane Eddy) of the original studio across the street, the recording business grew every year, and in the 70's the name was changed to Audio-Video Recorders.  Photographer Arthur Preslow took these great photos of the new facility and the equipment for the grand opening. [...]

More desert doo wops and soul for you on CD, this time from Leroy Fullylove & The Tads. Jam packed with 30 fantastic tracks, many unreleased, of wonderful group (for the most part) harmony, in a beautiful digipak format, with a 16 page full color booklet. In depth notes by John P. Dixon, surrounded by many pictures and label images of some very rare (1956-1962) Arizona recordings. Besides Fullylove's solo recordings, there are songs by The Tads, The Buffs and The Dots and both their records as background singers. The little known Leroy Fullylove was a very prolific artist and wrote most of the songs that he recorded, for [...]

TWO SIDES OF KILLER ARIZONA FUNK and SOUL by Al Reed and The Pipers titled "Funky, Funky Curfew" b/w The Soul Blenders and the "Funky Night Club" on Ramco #2021.  "Funky, Funky Curfew" is unreleased and produced at Audio Recorders by Hadley Murrell (The Servicemen, Freddi & Henchi) and Art Barrett (Dyke) in 1967.  Includes a shout out to "Yuma, Arizona," so you know that's cool!  "Funky Night Club" was produced by "Big" Mike Lenaburg in 1968 as by the Soulsations.  This dance track was not released at the time, but has been on the Big Mike Numero LP and CD from several years ago and featured on Ugly [...]

From the mind of Ritchie Hart (Charlie Gearheart), in late 1967, just as musical tastes were expanding on every hipster’s stereo on their milk crate shelf, we found The Wild Thymes and their mind-blowing music.  Incubated in late night hours of spec time in Studio A at Audio Recorders of Arizona, with engineer Tim Ramsey, and everyone bonded in a "Let's try this" frame of mind.  With creative inspiration from Mike Condello, Bill Spooner (Warren S. Richardson) and Steve Forman, who would all have their own albums months later, using the same interchangeable group of free-thinking studio musicians.  This was a short lived “studio creation band,” that rarely played together in clubs, creating these [...]

A most cool video of Emerald City Guitars trip to Phoenix to purchase the guitars and amp of the late P-Nut Butter bass player Bob Evans.  Includes a band reunion and the history of the band and Evans.  Professionally done.  Enjoy. […]

On December 18th, we gathered at The Dirty Drummer in Phoenix to celebrate Sanford’s life with his family and friends. His music and memories flowed that afternoon. I thought that you might enjoy the picture loop made especially for the gathering. RIP Sanford. […]

In the early ’80s, skate punk roared out of Phoenix, led by a group of teenagers called Jodie Foster’s Army. On JFA’s 1983 full-length debut, Valley of the Yakes, vocalist Brian Brannon rails against preps, gossipers, cops, and Reagan. But he saves some of his gnarliest lyrics for a local radio deejay, a guy named Johnny D. […]

As the fiddle drops...the newest release from Ramco Records; "Rare And Unissued Fiddle & String Band Music" '47-'50, featuring Eck Robertson, Curly Lewis, Carl Griswold, Everett Holman, Ardell Christopher, Clay Ramsey's Old Timers and others.  From the Ramsey Radio Studio, just off 7th Street at Weldon, next to the barber shop. Informative notes by Mr. Joe Baker make this a must have for you old school Arizona music fans out there.  Featuring 27 tracks, one hour of hoe down classics! Purchase on Ebay

In the late ‘50s and on through the 1960s, Phoenix, Arizona, was home to a thriving R&B scene. Though no other song catapulted onto the national charts like Dyke and the Blazer’s signature “Funky Broadway,” inspired by the South Phoenix road of the same name, regional soul and funk acts picked up steam in the Valley of the Sun as established artists passed through on the way to the West Coast and performers traveled along the bustling Southern California to Texas black corridor. Culled from the tape vault of Audio Recorders of Arizona by music archivist and legendary Arizona disc jockey John “Johnny D” Dixon and ZIA's Jason Woodbury, [...]

Arizona's PHIL and the FRANTICS finally get the deluxe treatment on this new "Frantically Yours" CD from Ramco Records. Packed with 26 tracks, this long overdue Digipak package includes a big 24 page booklet, with extensive liners by historian Dan Nowicki and lots of unseen pictures and vintage labels for your visual delight. The full story of Phil Kelsey's career as told by his band mates and family, including the group's complete story as the house band at JD's and The Fifth Estate and his latter solo years as Devin Payne. Kelsey died in 2003, never achieving the fame he longed for, but his music lives on as you'll [...]