Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - March - 2003 Issue
Goldband Records Plays on in UNC Exhibition
Swampland Jewels album cover. Copyright by and courtesy of Goldband Records.
The second section, “Photographs,” contains 32 thumbnail images of various artists who have recorded for the label, including several of Shuler, who basically founded the company as a recording outlet for him and his band, Eddie Shuler’s Reveliers. Clicking on a thumbnail brings up a higher resolution version of the same image. These higher resolution images are not available in the “Artists” section and included here are various images not in that section, such as one of a slightly older Parton. Also found here are three shots of Jo-El Sonnier, known as the Cajun Valentino. In one of them, he is arrayed in a sheik’s headdress and looks every bit his nickname. Many of the images are formal publicity photographs, but several are candids, including shots of Boozoo Chavis, Iry LeJune, and Sonnier. All five shots of Shuler are candids.
The third section, “Recordings,” is in many ways the most complex part of the exhibition. It is divided into three sections—one featuring sixteen 45s; one, eleven LPs; and one, three CDs. Each record is illustrated with a thumbnail backed up by two higher resolution images; both the rectos and versos of the album covers are illustrated, although, sadly, the records themselves are not shown. (In a curious lapse, the CDs are not illustrated, either.) Over twenty songs from the records are available here, along with the artists’ biographies. Included, for example, is Gabe Dean with the Moonmen’s “Slop and Stroll Jolie Blonde,” recorded in 1961 and often called the Cajun National Anthem; and Phil Phillips with the Twilights’ classic, “Sea of Love,” present in a regrettably abbreviated version of only 45 seconds. Also included are Iry LeJune and his Lacassine Playboys’ “Cadcasieu Waltz” and Eddie Shuler’s “Reveliers”’ “Mes Cinquantes Sous,” Cajun songs versions of which one can still hear played on Bourbon Street. It is also here that one can see the woman riding a crayfish.
The fourth section is entitled “Genres” and contains important background explanations of various musical styles and movements, such as Cajun, Zydeco, Country, Rockabilly, and Rhythm and Blues. Here that one learns that Swamp Pop is not a drink. All these styles have at one time or another been recorded by Goldband, and these informative, authoritative explanations link the various styles with the Goldband artists who have recorded for the label using them.
The fifth section is “History of Goldband.” This brief company biography traces Goldband from its founding by transplanted Texas dragline operator Eddie Shuler to its present-day eminence. Among the interesting tidbits one learns about the founder is this one: “In addition to the recording studio and Eddie’s Music House, Eddie and his wife Elsie own and operate Quick Service TV Repair, which maintained a fleet of trucks, sold 45-100 TVs per day, and grossed $200,000 annually in the mid-1950s.” The company founder was obviously a man of vision who recognized the potentials of the new technology embodied in the cathode ray tube as well as the talent that crossed his studio threshold.
