A Varsity 78 RPM Record Baker's Dozen Set

In the years following World War II, a warm musical journey began as soldiers returned home and America sought to embrace a sense of normalcy. Between 1949 and 1950, Elliott "Eli" Oberstein's Wright Record Corporation in Meriden, Connecticut, proudly released a wonderful mix of budget 78 rpm records under the Varsity label. This label wonderfully preserved the talents of well-known artists and hidden gems, showcasing various genres.

Eli Oberstein's journey in the record industry before launching the Wright Record Corporation and the Varsity label is fascinating. Varsity Records was initially born as a subsidiary of the United States Record Corporation in 1939, with a mission to offer affordable music to everyone. Although the original company faced bankruptcy in 1940, Oberstein's determined revival of the label in mid-1948 came at a perfect time, coinciding with a thriving postwar economy where entertainment demand soared.

The catalog of Varsity Records is vibrant and diverse. It features everything from big band jazz, R&B, folk songs, and Broadway show tunes to those delightful novelty numbers, capturing the wonderful essence of American music during this era. As the grand big-band age gracefully transitioned, the early sounds of what would blossom into rock 'n' roll started unfolding. A shining example of this delightful diversity is Cootie Williams' orchestra, led by the talented former Duke Ellington Orchestra trumpeter. Their memorable track "I Want To Be Loved" beautifully illustrates the lingering charm of big-band jazz even as its popularity was evolving.



Varsity Records also became a cherished platform for lesser-known artists and regional talents. These talented individuals, often overlooked by the major players in the industry, found a fantastic opportunity to reach a broader audience through Oberstein's budget-friendly label. Among these acts were Jimmie McKee & Orchestra and Hugh Ashley & Orchestra. While detailed information about these artists might be limited, their presence in the Varsity catalog highlights the label's commitment to showcasing a wide array of American music.



The catalog also features intriguing performers like Taylor Duo and Barbara Brown, who may have used fun pseudonyms or unique one-off names. These artists add to the incredible mystique of Varsity Records. The little information about their careers leaves much to the imagination, inviting lore and curiosity for music historians to explore. Regarding production quality, Varsity Records was modest due to budgetary constraints. However, the quick and affordable production methods resulted in a raw and unpolished charm, adding to the historical significance of these records, which captured performances that might have otherwise been lost to time.

Despite their humble origins, the recordings on Varsity Records are treasures of historical importance. They provide a delightful glimpse into the musical tapestry of late 1940s America, showcasing a variety of styles and performers. These records offered an excellent, affordable way for everyday listeners to enjoy contemporary popular music, serving as an authentic time capsule of a significant part of America's musical legacy.

The melodies crafted by Varsity Records often resonated deeply with the era's sentiments. For instance, Les Howard's orchestra, which performed the touching French classic "La Vie En Rose," recalled memories of U.S.-French solidarity during the war. At the same time, Jimmie Lunceford's swinging version of the traditional gospel blues "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" honored the enduring struggles and perseverance of the Black American experience. Broadway influences are also wonderfully present in the Varsity catalog, with songs from the hit 1948 Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me, Kate," like "My Love" and "True to You in My Fashion," capturing the domestic tensions and evolving gender roles of postwar life. These cultural touchstones offered listeners a comforting sense of continuity amid significant change.

Track List:

• Cry Of The Wild Goose (Frankie Laine Hit)- Hugh Ashley & Orchestra- Varsity Records 282 (LR69)- See the first video above in the main article.
• Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen - Jimmie Livingston Orchestra - Varsity Records 262 (LR16)- See above just below the main article.
• La Vie En Rose - Les Howard & Malcolm Lockyer Orchestra - Varsity Records 275 (E120)
• Sam's Song by Sam Browne (vocalist) & Malcolm Lockyer Orchestra- Varsity Records 575 (E117)
• True To You In My Fashion from "Kiss Me Kate" - Barbara Brown -Varsity Records 547 (V-1085)- See above in the main article.
• So In Love from "Kiss Me Kate" by Barbara Brown - Varsity Records 547 (V1079)- Ibid.
• I Still Get A Thrill - Johnny Frank & Orchestra - Varsity Records 119 (V 1198)
• Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes - Taylor Duo & Orchestra - Varsity Records 119 (V 1060)- See above in the main article.
• Tzena, Tzena, Tzena (Israeli Folk Tune) - Paul Paine Orchestra - Varsity Records 271 (LR116)
• I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell - Paul Paine Orchestra - Varsity Records 271 (LR114)
• I Want To Be Loved - Cootie Williams Orchestra - Varsity Records 268 (T1128)- See above in the main article.
• On The Outgoing Tide- Jimmie McKee & Orchestra- Varsity Records 268 (LR105)- Ibid.

Thanks for reading and listening!

Billy Ranger and the Deputies - "Country and Western Serenade" (Wyncote W-9201, ~1967)

For dedicated record collectors, few things are as exciting as unearthing obscure or little-known albums from a bygone era. Today, we'll shine a spotlight on just such a release: the 1967 LP "Country and Western Serenade" by the mysterious Billy Ranger and the Deputies, issued on the budget Wyncote label.

The Origins of Wyncote Records

Wyncote Records was a subsidiary of the Philadelphia-based Cameo-Parkway Records. This label enjoyed considerable success in the late 1950s and early 1960s with teen idols like Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, The Orlons, and The Dovells. However, by the mid-1960s, Cameo-Parkway struggled financially as American popular musical tastes shifted. The label increasingly turned to budget releases and cut-out bin sales to stay afloat.

Enter Wyncote, launched around when Cameo-Parkway's glory days were yesterday's memory, serving as its budget imprint. The label specialized in genre-themed compilation albums at a bargain price, generally sold in drug stores, supermarkets, and other non-traditional music retail outlets. Wyncote covered styles like country, folk, gospel, and polka, often using pseudonymous artists to avoid paying future royalties.

Who Was Billy Ranger?

Not much is known about Billy Ranger or his backing band, the Deputies. In fact, "Billy Ranger" may very well be a pseudonym concocted by Cameo-Parkway to provide a name to serve as a vocalist attribution for this rather non-descript country album. This article's writer can find no information about Ranger's identity, background, or other recordings. He remains a cipher—perhaps by design.

Released about 1967, "Country and Western Serenade" compiles 12 tracks of competent but unremarkable country and western tunes. Ranger's voice is pleasant enough, recalling at times a poor man's Marty Robbins or Faron Young, but he lacks the distinctive style or charisma of the top country stars of the day. The Deputies provide capable backing with standard country instrumentation of the era.

The Music on "Country and Western Serenade"

The song selections on the album include several "Amigos"—"Adios Amigo," "Second-Hand Love," and "Funny Way of Laughing." Ranger also turns in covers of the John D. Loudermilk-penned "That's Old Fashioned" and the folk standard "Old [Man] Rivers". The mood rarely strays from weepy country balladry, with titles like "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart," "Crazy, Wild Desire," and "Valley of Tears" telling you most of what you need to know.

Adios Amigo

Second-Hand Love

Funny Way of Laughing

That's Old Fashioned

Old [Man] Rivers

I Can Mend Your Broken Heart

Crazy, Wild Desire

Valley of Tears

The liner notes by one Mark Cohen strain to position Ranger as an up-and-coming star: "The country sound is perhaps one of the most traditional and durable of all American music forms. Combining the elements of country, folk, and western, country music has been a favorite from coast to coast and throughout the world... Here's your chance to hear a talented and engaging new artist, Billy Ranger, and his Deputies as they take you on a country and western serenade." One suspects Mr. Cohen may have been a Cameo-Parkway staffer using a pseudonym.

The Production and Packaging

Unsurprisingly, given its budget origins, the album was pressed in mono, as helpfully indicated on the cover. There are stereo copies; however, I just stumbled upon a mono copy while going through the bargain bins at one of the regional record stores I visit occasionally. The red Wyncote label lists a call to action for potential and repeat customers: "For Your Free Catalogue Write To: Wyncote Records" and gives an address of 309 S. Broad Street in Philadelphia—the headquarters of Cameo-Parkway. The matrix number etching in the dead wax provides evidence of the album's provenance, with a "MASTERING BY FRANKFORD/WAYNE PHILA. AUDIOMATRIX" inscription referencing a prominent Philadelphia recording studio.

Historical Context and Legacy

So, is "Country and Western Serenade" worth tracking down for country vinyl aficionados? As a listening experience, probably not. The performances are professional but generic; the song selection is uninspired. But as an artifact of a particular time, place, and business model in the record industry, it's an intriguing historical curio.

This is a 1966 release, with 1967 proving to be Cameo-Parkway's and Wyncote's last year of operation. Dragged down by debt, mismanagement, and the changing musical landscape, Cameo-Parkway was shut down by its parent company that December. Company head Kal Mann declared bankruptcy the following year. The Cameo-Parkway catalog and masters were eventually rescued from warehouses and sold to ABKCO Records in 1969.

The Enigma of Billy Ranger

As for Billy Ranger, he vanished from the music scene as mysteriously as he appeared, leaving behind only this obscure Wyncote release as one of the few items of evidence he ever existed- if at all. Perhaps he found more rewarding work outside the music business, or maybe "Billy Ranger" was just a fictional construct. For now, his true identity remains elusive. But thanks to the dedication of record collectors who seek out and preserve lost chapters of music history like "Country and Western Serenade," his music endures as a minor, eccentric footnote to the Cameo-Parkway story and the waning days of one of the many record labels who were staples of the industry before the British Invasion which changed American pop music forever.

The 1960s was a transformative decade for the music industry. The early years were dominated by pop and rock 'n' roll, with labels like Cameo-Parkway riding the wave of teen idols and dance crazes. However, as the decade progressed, the musical landscape became more diverse and competitive. The British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles, reshaped popular music, and new genres like folk rock, psychedelic rock, and soul gained prominence.

For labels like Cameo-Parkway, this shift presented significant challenges. Their roster of artists, once at the forefront of popular music, began to seem dated compared to the innovative sounds coming from both sides of the Atlantic. Financial difficulties ensued, leading to desperate measures such as launching budget labels like Wyncote to generate revenue.

Wyncote's Role in the Market

Wyncote Records represented a specific business strategy within the music industry: the budget label. These labels were designed to capitalize on music's mass market appeal by offering low-cost records to consumers. The albums were sold at retail outlets like drug stores and supermarkets. They were often compilations or featured lesser-known artists performing covers of popular songs.

Wyncote's approach was to provide genre-themed albums, often using pseudonymous artists. This allowed them to produce music without the financial burden of paying royalties to established artists. It also meant that the quality of the music could vary widely, depending on the session musicians and production resources available at the time.

Collecting Budget Records

Budget records like those released by Wyncote fascinate record collectors. They offer a window into a different era of the music industry, one where economic pressures and creative shortcuts produced a unique kind of artifact. These albums often feature generic artwork, sparse liner notes, and music that ranges from surprisingly good to barely listenable.

"Country and Western Serenade" falls in the middle of this spectrum. While it may not be a standout in terms of musical quality, it is a well-produced album for its type. The musicianship is solid, and the production values are respectable, given the constraints of a budget label.

Part of the appeal of collecting obscure records like "Country and Western Serenade" lies in the mystery and the thrill of discovery. Who was Billy Ranger? Why was this album made? What does it tell us about the music industry at the time? These questions add a layer of intrigue that enhances the collecting experience.

For some collectors, hunting for these obscure and forgotten albums is as important as the music itself. Finding a copy of "Country and Western Serenade" in a dusty corner of a record store or at a flea market can feel like uncovering a hidden gem, even if the music isn't groundbreaking.

The Legacy of Cameo-Parkway

Cameo-Parkway's story is a testament to the volatility of the music business. The label's rise and fall mirror the broader trends in the industry, from the dominance of teen idols to the impact of the British Invasion and the diversification of popular music. While the label eventually succumbed to financial pressures, its legacy lives on through the music it produced and the stories it left behind.

ABKCO Records' acquisition of the Cameo-Parkway catalog ensured that much of the label's music would be preserved and made available to future generations. For collectors and historians, this provides an invaluable resource for understanding the evolution of popular music in the 20th century.

"Country and Western Serenade" by Billy Ranger and the Deputies is more than just a record; it's a piece of music history. It represents a specific moment in time, a particular business strategy, and the enduring appeal of country music. While it may not be a must-have for every country music fan, it holds a special place for collectors and those interested in the music industry's history.

As we continue to explore and preserve past music, albums like "Country and Western Serenade" remind us of the diverse and often surprising ways that music can reflect the culture and economics of its time. Whether you are a dedicated record collector or a casual listener, there's always something new to discover in the world of vintage vinyl. Happy hunting!

Works Cited

• ABKCO Records. "History of Cameo-Parkway Records." ABKCO, www.abkco.com/cameo-parkway 

• Billy Ranger and the Deputies – Country And Western Serenade, Wyncote – W-9201, Discogs (https://www.discogs.com/release/24722897-Billy-Ranger-and-the-Deputies-Country-And-Western-Serenade)

Budget Shellac- The 1940 Music Appreciation Corporation Recording of Gounod's Faust

Opera enthusiasts should be buzzing about this 1940 recording of excerpts from Charles Gounod's opera Faust made by RCA Victor staff for the Music Appreciation Society, who arranged to supply the recording sessions with appropriate venues and musical talent for each work required. It features a stellar cast of Metropolitan Opera luminaries captured in remarkably high fidelity for the time. The three 12" 78rpm shellac records present key scenes and arias showcasing these great singers at the peak of their artistry.

Though not a complete recording of the full opera, these excerpts from the Metropolitan Opera's golden age offer an electrifying snapshot of Gounod's romantic masterpiece brought to life by an all-star ensemble including soprano Eleanor Steber, tenor Raoul Jobin, baritone Georges Cehanovsky, and bass-baritone Norman Cordon.

The Composer: Charles Gounod

To appreciate the significance of this 1940 Faust recording, one must first understand the profound impact of its composer, Charles-Francois Gounod (1818-1893). A titan of French Romantic opera, Gounod occupies a central place in 19th-century music alongside luminaries like Berlioz, Meyerbeer, Massenet, and Saint-Saëns.

Born in Paris to a family of artists and scholars, Gounod's prodigious musical talents were evident from a very young age. He won the prestigious Prix de Rome at just 20 years old, kicking off a six-decade career that would see him compose 12 operas, numerous oratorios, sacred works, and songs.

While early operas like Sapho and La nonne sanglante brought him modest success, it was Faust in 1859 that proved Gounod's breakout triumph. Based on Goethe's dramatic masterpiece, the opera's story of an aging scholar who trades his soul to the devil for renewed youth and romance struck a chord with audiences. More importantly, Gounod's richly melodic, emotionally direct music made Faust an instant classic of the French grand opera tradition.

Arias like Marguerite's celebrated "Jewel Song," Faust's tender "Salut, demeure chaste et pure," and Valentin's poignant "Avant de quitter ces lieux" became signature vehicles for great voices. The opera is replete with striking duets, trios, and choruses, seamlessly blending the Germanic penchant for orchestral richness with quintessential French lyricism and textual clarity. Faust would remain Gounod's most enduring success, though popular works like the opera Roméo et Juliette and his famous setting of the Ave Maria would follow.

After spending several years in England during the Franco-Prussian War, Gounod returned to Paris to cap off a decorated career. He was elected to the prestigious Institut de France and received the Légion d'Honneur. In his later years, the composer and teacher exerted a major influence through former students like Georges Bizet and theoretical writings on vocal training and orchestration.

While interest in Gounod's operas waned somewhat in the mid-20th century, recent decades have seen a resurgent appreciation for his melodic genius. Both Faust and Roméo et Juliette have been revived worldwide by major companies and recorded by a new generation of celebrated singers drawn to the vocal riches of Gounod's scores. This historic 1940 Faust recording reminds us why the composer's works were so beloved in his time.

The 1940 Recording Sessions

This recording was made in New York City and Philadelphia in the late spring of 1940 by RCA Victor with the Producer's Service Symphony Orchestra, a freelance ensemble of around 45 musicians under the baton of Wilfrid Pelletier. An esteemed conductor, Pelletier had led the Metropolitan Opera for over three decades at that point and made numerous recordings with their star soloists.

Producer Charles O'Connell supervised the sessions on May 30-31 in New York and June 17 in Philadelphia. They captured excerpts from Gounod's opera featuring a true 'dream cast' drawn from the upper echelons of the Met's French opera roster in 1940.

As the innocent, ill-fated heroine Marguerite, the bright-toned, incredibly agile 26-year-old Eleanor Steber was on the cusp of becoming one of the most beloved dramatic sopranos in Met history over the next two decades. Already renowned for her crystalline tone and impeccable phrasing, Steber would go on to make very few commercial recordings showcasing her French repertoire. So, these excerpts capture her in her youthful prime, assaying one of opera's most iconic roles.

The elegant, lyric-toned Raoul Jobin likely voiced the role of the world-weary philosopher Faust. However, documentation is unclear as to whether it was him or the more spinto-sized Armand Tokatyan. Textual evidence and comparisons to other recordings indicate
Jobin as the more likely interpreter. A noted exponent of French opera at the Met for many seasons, his nuanced, Gallic phrasing and ringing top notes make him an ideal Faust.

As Marguerite's protective brother Valentin, Russian-born George Cehanovsky deploys his virile, penetrating baritone to great effect. His heroic arias, like the haunting "Avant de quitter ces lieux," ring out thrillingly. In the devilish role of Mephistopheles, the charismatic Norman Cordon oozes sinister bravado, chillingly embodying the demonic orchestrator of Faust's damnation.

Under Pelletier's expert direction, the assembled orchestral players and Met opera chorus lend precision and dramatic flair befitting the high-stakes narrative. The sound quality is remarkably lifelike and immediate for 1940 recording technology. While the cramped 78rpm disc format relegates this to excerpts rather than a complete opera, the 27 minutes of music preserved gives us a thrilling approximation of what it must have been like to experience this Faust production onstage during this period.

An Energized, Historic Performance

From the rousing introduction of the Act II Kermesse festival scene to Marguerite's climactic confrontation with Faust and Mephistopheles in the shattering Act V prison sequence, this recording transports one to an era when French grand opera was routinely performed at the Met by casts of international vocal celebrities singing in the original language.

Steber spins shimmering, seemingly endless phrases highlighted by effortless trills and a laser-focused projection in the immortal Jewel Song. Jobin matches her plush, elegant vocalism in their rapturous Act III’s Garden duet "Il se fait tard, mais..." Their voices intertwine in creamy, transfixing harmonies words cannot describe.

By contrast, Cehanovsky's searing delivery of Valentin's "farewell" monologue before leaving for battle conveys virile, patriotic intensity. While Cordon's diabolical cackles and mocking asides as Mephistopheles cut through the texture with sinister impact. The opera's narrative drama comes through vividly in each passage.

Ultimately, any minor technical faults caused by the rushed nature of recording these pieces in just three working days, which also included any needed rehearsals done before committing two complete takes for any given selection as the preserved master for each issued side, are eclipsed by the singularly memorable vocalism on display. This is a cherished opportunity to experience elite Metropolitan Opera artists of the 1940s firm in their prime, captured for posterity in arguably the iconic roles they were most identified with. The recording represents a priceless souvenir of a vanished era and an aural window into enduring operatic greatness.

A Lasting Memento of Golden Voices

For opera aficionados and collectors, this 1940 recording of Faust excerpts is an irreplaceable treasure to be celebrated and preserved. We can be grateful these records survived to offer modern listeners such an evocative taste of the Metropolitan Opera's glory days just before World War II.

Here is an electrifying encapsulation of French grand opera's final exhilarating flowering on the American stage before evolving public tastes led to its gradual disappearance from the repertoire. These vintage performances' vitality and idiomatic authority make a compelling case for the timeless appeal and musical potency of Gounod's melodious, dramatically charged writing.

Most priceless of all is the chance to experience the young Eleanor Steber just before her long reign at the Metropolitan Opera as one of the most celebrated dramatic sopranos of the 1940s and 50s. Her vocally radiant, dramatically committed portrayal of the ill-fated Marguerite here gives but a tantalizing preview of the artistic heights she would scale in years to come on the Met stage.

Steber's fabled collaborations with legendary conductors like Arturo Toscanini and colleagues like Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill have been extensively documented. But this 1940 Faust excerpt represents a rarer opportunity to appreciate Steber's distinctively warm, focused sound and innate sense of French style in one of opera's most iconic roles.

Similarly, these recordings allow us to savor the vintage vocals of artists like Cehanovsky and Cordon, who were mainstays at the Met for many seasons but left relatively few commercial recordings behind as documentation of their artistry. To experience their unique talents preserved so vitally on these discs is an irreplaceable gift for opera devotees.

One can easily envision American households in 1940 picking up these sensationally priced record sets to take home and play on their phonographs to be treated to excerpts from the latest Metropolitan Opera production of Gounod's Faust, boasting some of the finest French-trained voices of the day. The searing intensity and dramatic commitment from this stellar cast likely had many listeners privileged to hear it.

Conclusion: An Indispensable Musical Document

While just excerpts from a complete performance, this invaluable 1940 recording represents a priceless document of a significant moment in American operatic history. At a level of vocal artistry and technical accomplishment we can only admire today, it showcases the crème de la crème of Metropolitan Opera talent, tackling one of the French grand opera tradition's most iconic scores.

As much as it illuminates the performers' considerable interpretive skills and musical versatility, the recording is also a powerful reminder of the rich perspective on operatic dramaturgy they brought to bear on this beloved classic. We are treated to operatic storytelling of the highest caliber that unlocks the emotional complexity and psychological nuance pulsing through Gounod's abundantly melodic score.

Yet, above all, it is the sheer luxury of itself that makes this recording an undeniable treasure for any serious collector of historical opera recordings or devotee of the French operatic tradition. Here is an elite ensemble of world-class vocalists pouring their artistry into this richly melodic and dramatically potent music at the peak of their interpretive powers.

From Steber's shimmering high notes and immaculate lyricism to Cordon's malevolent cackles and vocal charisma, the performances capture a bygone theatrical grandeur and musical eloquence we can only marvel at today. For the chance to experience these iconic roles inhabited with such panache and musical integrity, fans of Gounod's beloved Faust can be profoundly grateful this recording was made and preserved for modern audiences to appreciate anew.

While opera appreciation and tastes have evolved over the decades, landmark recordings like this ensure that the timeless glories of works like Gounod's Faust can continue inspiring audiences and showcasing the talents of generation after generation of great singing actors. This 1940 document represents a cherished souvenir of that eternal musical legacy that can still resonate with listeners today.

Further Reading:

• Corder, Frederick. "Charles François Gounod." The Musical Times, Dec. 1893, pp. 769–775.
• Flynn, Timothy. Charles Gounod: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge, 2005.
• Giroud, Vincent. The French Opera: A Short History. Yale University Press, 2010.
• Huebner, Steven. "Gounod, Charles." Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Metropolitan Opera Archives. https://archives.metoperafamily.org/
• Metropolitan Opera Database. https://www.metopera.org/history/
• Steber, Eleanor, and Marcia Davenport. Eleanor Steber: An Autobiography. Vanguard Press, 1953.
• Di Profio, Alessandro. "The Discography of Charles Gounod." The Opera Quarterly, vol. 17, no. 4, 2001, pp. 670–692.
• Fulcher, Jane F. The Nation's Image: French Grand Opera as Politics and Politicized Art. Cambridge University Press, 1987.
• Laciar, Isaura. "Faust and the French Tradition." Opera Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 2-3, 2007, pp. 117-136.
• Perry, Gresham. "The Operas of Charles Gounod." PhD dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, 1970.