#925 (6/22/19)

SPOTLIGHT ON J.C. GINYARD -
PART TWO (THE DIXIAIRES)

"Keep Me With You"/
"Things Got Tuff Again"
The Dixiaires
on 20th Century 20-60 A/B
released in 1948

"Just A Closer Walk With Thee"/
"Handwriting On The Wall"
The Dixie-Aires
on Exclusive 37x
released in 1948

"Go Long"/
"Long, Lean And Lanky"
The Dixieaires
on Gotham G-163-A/B
released in 1948

"Joe Louis Is A Fightin' Man"/
"I'm Going To Shoulder My Cross"
The Dixiaires
on Sittin' in with 2012
released in 1949

"Joshua"/
"My Time Ain't Long"
The Dixiaires
on Lenox L-514-A/B
released in 1949

(Includes Audio For Twenty-One Songs)


Above: The Dixiaires were a spiritual and popular singing group. This picture is from The Tampa Bay Times newspaper dated August 14,1949... (Top) J.C. Ginyard, lead; (Left) Joe Floyd, tenor; (Right) Jimmy Smith, baritone; (Bottom) Johnny Hines, bass. J.C. Ginyard was also known as Caleb N. Ginyard Jr. or just Caleb Ginyard. The "J.C." in his name stands for Junior Caleb.

TAMPA BAY TIMES, August 14, 1948: [This blurb accompanied the above picture]
THE DIXIE-AIRES of New York City come to St. Petersburg today for a one night stand at the Manhattan Casino under promotion of Goldie Thompson, well known promoter of religious presentations.

The Dixie-Aires are composed of men formerly with the Jubiliaires [sic] of CBS fame. [J.C.] Ginyard, manager and second tenor for the group, is one of the best narrators in the singing world. Many critics insist his superiority to the great Willie Johnson of the Golden Gates. [J.C. Ginyard is the only member of The Dixiaires who had previously been with The Jubalaires.]

(NOTE: This group's name was spelled in three different manners.... The Dixiaires, The Dixieaires, and The Dixie-Aires. The spellings used herein are the ones associated with the record or record label being discussed. Otherwise, "The Dixiaires" form will be used.)





Above Left: Miracle-Sunrise Distributors Clipping from The Billboard dated 6/19/48. Miracle Records was a Chicago company, Sunrise was located in New York City. Miracle acquired the Sunrise catalog in 1948.

Above Right Top: Sunrise 2117 label. The record was recorded in December 1947 and released in March 1948. It was re-issued on Melojazz Records later in 1948. The Dixieaires had two other records on the Sunrise label. All three were recorded in the same session and released at the same time.

Above Right Bottom: Clipping from The Billboard dated 3/27/48.

THE BILLBOARD, November 27, 1948: ....Miracle Records will release platters from its catalog, recently taken over from Sunrise, New York label, on a new blue label series. Leonard Evans, former chief of Sunrise, is staging a series of one-nighters, featuring a Miracle package of Sonny Thompson and Memphis Slim, thru the Midwest....

THE BILLBOARD, April 30, 1949: ....Miracle Records has split with the Sunrise label, with future Sunrise sides to be released on a new Sunrise label. Lee Egalnick will continue to head Sunrise distribution and Lou Simpkins will be a. & r. chief, but Leonard Evans, who turned Sunrise over to Miracle, will return as prexy of the label....


EXTRA AUDIO #1 (Windows Media Player) — THE DIXIAIRES ON THE CONTINENTAL LABEL:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

ABOVE LEFT: Label image for Continental 1227-B, released in March 1948. This is the first of five records The Dixiaires had on the Continental label (all released in 1948 and 1949).

ABOVE RIGHT: Label image for Continental 6067-A, released in July 1948. This is their second record on Continental. It was re-issued on the Lenox label in 1949.


ABOVE LEFT: Donald H. Gabor, president and owner of Continental Records. [NOTE: In the picture, it looks like he's writing on a 78-rpm record!?]
THE CASH BOX dated 4/7/47 (accompanying text): NEW YORK—Donald Gabor, president of Continental Records, revealed this past week that he is planning several moves which are expected to be most significent to the entire recording industry. Well known as one of the leading manufacturers of international, race and folk recordings, Gabor is now in the process of expanding his distribution with an eye toward entering the "pop" market.

ABOVE LEFT MIDDLE: THE CASH BOX, March 31, 1947.

ABOVE RIGHT MIDDLE: THE BILLBOARD, September 11, 1948.
[NOTE: Remington was affiliated with Continental. Morty Shad would later form Harlem Records and release The Dixieaires on that label.]

ABOVE RIGHT: THE CASH BOX, July 9, 1949.
[NOTE: Continental C-1227 is shellac, but C-6067 is made of a plastic material.]

LISTEN:
1. "Your Red Wagon" - The Dixiaires - Continental C-1227-A - 1948.
2. "River Stay Away From My Door" - The Dixiaires - Continental C-1227-B - 1948.
3. "You Can't Cure The Blues" - The Dixiaires - Continental C-6067-A - 1948.
4. "Until You Say You Are Mine" - The Dixiaires - Continental C-6067-B - 1948.

ALL FOUR SIDES played in sequence.


EXTRA AUDIO #2 (Windows Media Player) — THE DIXIE-AIRES HAVE GOOD NEWS:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

THE BILLBOARD, August 13, 1949 TO ASK OPS IN FIGHTING VD.
New York, August 6—Jukebox operators throughout the country will be asked by local health departments to help check the spread of venereal disease by placing on their phonographs a tuneful record whose lyrics point out that syphilis can be cured if treated properly. The record is part of an ambitious program by the Communication Materials Center of Columbia University Press to disseminate accurate public health information.

One side of the disc carries a western-style ballad That Ignorant, Ignorant Cowboy featuring Tom Glazer. It is backed by I've Got Good News, sung by The Dixie-Aires. Both convey an outspoken health message while retaining a popular-song style.

Altho the plan for distribution of the record has not been completely worked out, Eric Barnouw, supervisor of the Center, said that health departments would be offered the record when anti-VD campaigns were to be conducted in their communities. The health departments would, in turn, distribute the disks to operators for placement in jukes as a public service. Disc jockeys, too, would be asked to co-operate. Barnouw predicted that the popular nature of the tunes, plus backing by local civic groups during The campaign, will promote play by juke patrons

LISTEN:
"I've Got Good News" - The Dixie-Aires - Columbia University Press VD 602 - 1949.


EXTRA AUDIO #3 (Windows Media Player) — THE DIXIEAIRES ON THE EXCLUSIVE LABEL:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]


At Left: Exclusive Records clipping from The Billboard dated 6/17/48.

Above: Exclusive 116x label. This record was recorded in July 1949 and released in August 1949.
It is the eighth of eleven records that The Dixie-Aires had on Exclusive (1948-50).

LISTEN (USING WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER):
1. "Casey Jones" - The Dixie-Aires - Exclusive 116x - 1949.
2. "Playing With Fire" - The Dixie-Aires - Exclusive 116x - 1949.
3. "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" - The Dixie-Aires - Exclusive 66x - 1948.
(The above extra #3 selection provided by Dave Saviet)

ALL THREE SIDES played in sequence.






EXTRA AUDIO #4 (Windows Media Player) — THE DIXIEAIRES ON THE HARLEM LABEL:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

Above Left: Harlem 2326 label image. The record was released in 1954. Harlem, a New York City label, was owned and operated by Morty Shad, who had been with Continental as Sales Manager.

Above Middle: The Dixieaires line-up for their only Harlem record is (L-R) Bob Kornegay, Joe Van Loan, J.C. Ginyard, and Willie Ray. This group is also The Bells on Rama, but with Willis Saunders replacing Ginyard. Kornegay, Ginyard, and Ray later became members of The Du Droppers.

Above Right: Joe Van Loan, who sings tenor lead on the "Traveling..." side. He was with The Ravens on Mercury at the time of this record.

NOTE: A "Dixieaires" group had a 1947 record on a different "Harlem" label, located in Chicago. However, they were actually The Jubalaires. The record was originally released as by The Jubalaires, but later re-issued as by The Dixieaires (after J.C. Ginyard had left the Jubalaires).

LISTEN:
1. "Traveling All Alone" - The Dixieaires - Harlem 2326 - 1954.
2. "I'm Not Like I Used To Be " - The Dixieaires - Harlem 2326 - 1954.

BOTH SIDES played in sequence.



Above Left: Label image of 20th Century 20-60 A released in June 1948. 20th Century was affiliated with the Gotham label. This is The Dixiaires' only record on the 20th Century label, although they did have two on Gotham, including a re-issue of this 20th Century record in November 1948.

Above Right: Label image of Exclusive 37x recorded on March 16, 1948 and released in June 1948. This is the first of twelve records The Dixie-Aires had on Exclusive (1948-50).



Above Left: Label image of Gotham G-163-A released in September 1948. It is The Dixiaires' first of two records on the Gotham label, both in 1948. The second is actually a re-issue of 20th Century 20-60. Gotham was affiliated with the 20th Century label.

Above Right: Clipping from The Billboard dated 11/27/48. "Go Long" went up to Number 13 the week of December 18, 1948. As inferred in the clipping, "Go Long" is actually "Go Along".

The Billboard Review (10/30/48):

THE DIXIEAIRES — Gotham G-163....
Go Long
(69) Rhythm stomp with jump spiritual flavor gets exuberant quartet vocal and small combo backing.
Long, Lean And Lanky (61) Novelty item done in same spirit.
(NOTE: A ratings range of 40-69 was considered "satisfactory".)


Above Left: Label image of Sittin' in with 2012 recorded in December 1947, but not released until 1949. Was the delay due to contractual requirements that The Dixiaires had with another record company, possibly Continental/Lenox or Sunrise Records? [Coincidently, Sunrise Records was located on Lenox Avenue in New York City, but there seems to be no connection between them and the Lenox label.]

More interesting details: (1) Sittin' in with was owned and operated by brothers, Bob and Morty Shad (Morty had been with Continental Records as Sales Manager); (2) In 1948, The Dixieaires had one release on the Castle label. Castle distributed the Sittin' in with label.

Above Right: Label image of Lenox L-514-A released in March 1949. Lenox was a subsidiary label of Remington, which was a sister label to Continental, both owned and operated by Donald Gabor.

The Dixiaires had records released on Castle (1948), Sunrise (1948), Gotham (1948), 20th Century (1948), Coleman (1948-49), Continental (1948-49), Exclusive (1948-50), Lenox (1948-49), Spirituals (1949), Sittin' in with (1949-50), and Prestige (1952). The Spirituals label was somehow connected with both Castle and Sittin' in with. There were two other labels with re-issue records, one on Melojazz (1948) and one on Dot (1951). Also, a J.C. Ginyard re-formed Dixeaires group had one release on the Harlem label (1954).

LISTEN USING WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER (NOTE: This audio provided by Dave Saviet) — "God Is The Greatest Creator" - The Dixiaires - Sittin' in with 2017 - 1949.

NOTE: Most discographical information provided at this website is from Ferdie Gonzalez' Disco-File.


Listen to this week's selections featuring The Dixiaires on Various Labels from 1948/1949 using Windows Media Player:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

          1. Keep Me With You
          2. Things Got Tuff Again
          3. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
          4. Handwriting On The Wall
          5. Go Long
          6. Long, Lean And Lanky
          7. Joe Louis Is A Fightin' Man
          8. I'm Going To Shoulder Up My Cross
          9. Joshua
        10. My Time Ain't Long
 
          ALL TEN FEATURED SONGS played in sequence.
 
          ALL TWENTY-ONE SONGS ON THIS PAGE
          played in sequence

           [To download audio files, right-click on song title link and then select "Save link (target) as..."]


Click HERE for SPOTLIGHT ON J.C. GINYARD - PART ONE (THE JUBALAIRES).
(Above link will open in a separate window)


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