Even though Eddy Giles released around half a dozen records, this is little info about him. What I do know is that he was based in or around Shreveport, LA and this was his debut record for tiny record entrepreneur known only as Mr DesMarais who owned a record store and recording studio, and released some of his talent scouting on the Murco label.
This is one of those magical records where song, performance and production all melt into one glorious gooey mass of deliciousness.
Eddy later recorded this same song in Memphis for STAX, but THIS is the version, in my humble opinion.
from 1966...
EDDY GILES - LOSIN' BOY
6 comments:
Eddie Giles (sometimes with the Jive Five) put out some great records before turning his talents to the lord. He's still an active Reverend in Shreveport, LA and can be seen around town from time to time. Here's a more recent pic -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert_trudeau/2447388921/
& The Jive Five -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hotdonuts/474593302/in/photostream
Dee Marais produced some great R&B and Country records out of the back of his Bayou records shop on 70th street in the Hollywood section of Shreveport. Dee's no longer with us, but here's a pic from the early 90s when he was shutting down his shop.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hotdonuts/371480062/
Two great Shreveport musical heroes. For anyone with a little more interest in Shreveport musical history as a crossroads between Hillbilly, Blues, Gospel & R&B, I'd recommend the excellent "Shreveport Sounds in Black & White"
http://www.amazon.com/Shreveport-Sounds-Black-White-American/dp/1934110426/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303747769&sr=1-1
A friend of mine and I have been talking about starting up a Shreveport music blog for a while. Maybe it's time to get it rolling. Thanks for the post Derek. Keep up the good work!
...oh yeah, I noticed that in your original post you state that Eddie also recorded a version of this song in Memphis for Stax. While a version of this song was released on Stax, I'm pretty sure it was recorded in another Shreveport studio, Sound City, by engineer George Clinton. No not that George Clinton, but that's a different story altogether....this second version of Losin' Boy has a backing track by Louis Villery's African Music Machine - the house band at Sound City. But now I'm probably getting into an area not too many care about. . at any rate...great track!
I keep running into info, such as Austin's, saying the Murco 45's were recorded in the back of the shop. I think that's probably a myth. I'd have to look it up again, but I'm sure they were recorded at a regular studio in Tyler Texas.
Actually, I see that Sir Shambling says the same when writing of a record by Banny Price:
"All his Jewel sides – like so many Shreveport releases of the time including tracks by Eddy Giles and Reuben Bell for Murco – were cut at the Robin Hood studios in Tyler, TX."
@Austin, you live in Shreveport? If so, I'd love to know which artists actually recorded there. It's a bit confusing given that Stan Lewis leased so many records out of the midwest and a good many on the Whit label [and Paula/Jewel/Ronn] came out of New Orleans or Baton Rouge.
Memphis along with Little Rock were very close at hand too, weren't they?
thanks for all the info, everyone!
Hey Anna! I love you're blog as well. I am originally from the Shreveport area, but I've been in San Francisco for over 10 years now.
I understand your confusion over which artists actually recorded in Shreveport. It's not an easy thing to sort out. There were a lot of great record folks in town though like Stan Lewis and Dee Marais.
Regarding Dee Marais, I do believe you're right that very few things were actually recorded in the back of his Bayou records shop. I can check with a friend of mine who did an interview with Dee right before he died, but I'm pretty sure that only the very early Country/Hillbilly stuff that Dee released on Murco was recorded in the back of his shop.
Some of the other early hillbilly stuff Dee did was done in conjunction with Mira Smith (Hip-Hill music) who owned Ram records and a small studio/record shop out on Lakeshore Drive in Shreveport.
Once Dee got a around to people like Eddie Giles he was definitely using a professional studio, most likely Robin Hood Brian's in Tyler, TX. That sounds right to me also. A lot of great groups recorded there. Including my home town favorites The Uniques from Springhill, LA. Their records were early Dale Hawkins productions. Such fertile ground!
I guess it's time for me to start up my Shreveport music blog so we have a space to suss out such issues.
Thanks everyone,
:)
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