Brian's Music Musings

Pharaoh records of McAllen Texas appears to have released 50 or so discs from the early to late 60's. I am hardly an expert on the label and only have two of their issues. The first is perhaps an association with the name , as the group is also called the Pharaohs. If I Had The Power/Come To Me. I bought it because my former supervisor at work remembered listening to them when he was in Texas. They may have gone to his high school. That was from 1961. My other release is their first for 1962, and possibly the label's third release called My Twistin Mexicali Baby by Robert Burney. It just happens to be on red plastic and is a promotional release. As I started digging a little, I realized that Major Bill Smith was associated with the label. He had a boatload of labels that he was associated with in Texas, including the Le Cam label that had original issues by Bruce Channel, Jr Frank Wilson and more. You could also tie him to Charay, Viva, Shalimar and a lot more. There is a label that I would love to see a CD release of, with some really classic south Texas rock and ballads. A few sides have turned up on various compilations, including the best of Texas Doo Wop, V1 and 2.

Sometimes with as much research that you do as an avid record collector, you (I) run across stuff all the time that I never realized....and should have. No harm done of course, but you go away wondering what you really do know about records, and then tuck it away for future use. Such was the case with the record below. A record I remember hearing on the radio in Los Angeles during the late 60's early 70's oldies revival, the Sa Shays. The first press in on the Alfi label, but when it was first pressed on the Zen label, it was on a pink label, before they pressed it on the more familiar black label. One interesting note is that when the record was reviewed in Billboard, December 1961, they listed the Alfi label instead of Zen.