MOON RECORDS
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MOON RECORDS3331 Scenic Highway, Memphis, Tennessee Moon records began in 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee. Owner Cordell Jackson had previously recorded demos with Sam Phillips at Memphis Recording Service and Sun Studios. She is credited as the first woman to record, promote, engineer and produce music on her own independent record label and is revered as an early rock-a-billy/roots pioneer. Nashville producer and recording artist Chet Atkins provided advice to Jackson concerning the formation of her new label, Moon Records. Moon Records early stable of artists included Barney Burcham, Johnny Tate, Joe Wallace, Alan Page and Earl Patterson. She was born Cordell Miller in Pontotoc, Mississippi on July 15, 1923. Cordell received encouragement from her father who played fiddle in a string band called the Pontotoc Ridge Runners. She learned piano, stand-up bass and guitar and by her twelfth birthday had performed with her father’s band on a Tupelo, Mississippi radio show. Jackson also played mandolin, harmonica and banjo but is best known as an electric guitar player. In 1943 she married William Jackson and moved to Memphis. In 1947 Cordell purchased recording equipment from Kabakoff Radio and Appliance in Memphis and began writing and taping songs as well as jamming with other musicians. Jackson began recording and releasing product in the late 70’s when she realized there was a demand for the early Moon singles. Her career received a boost from the rock-a-billy craze in Europe which brought her international attention. Tav Falco’s Panther Burns covered “She’s The One That’s Got It” and “Dateless Nights” and she began performing with the band between sets. An appearance in the movie “Great Balls of Fire”, Budweiser commercials, Late Night with David Letterman and Regis & Kathy Lee helped spread her image as the “rockin’ granny” twanging on her red Hagstrom electric guitar. Interviews with Billboard, Spin Magazines, MTV and Entertainment Tonight and others showcased her spitfire playing and personality. She marketed her own video singles through her label in the 1990’s, including Dan Roses’ production of “The Split”. Jackson is also featured in the film entitled Wayne County Ramblin’ by Dan Rose. Memorabilia and information concerning Cordell Jackson and Moon Records are included in the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. MOON RECORDS-SINGLES
9 Cordell Jackson Be-Bopper’s Christmas/Rock And Roll Christmas 1956 (This single was recorded in 1956 but probably wasn’t released until 1958) 37 The Crowns (Barney Burcham) I Fell/Chain Of Broken Hearts 1958 300 Johnny Tate with the Volunteer Quartet Kind And Gentle/Keeping Your Memories 1958 301 Allen Page & The Crowns with the Moonbeams Honeysuckle/High School Sweetheart 1958 302 Allen Page & The Deltones Dateless Night/I Wish You Were Wishing 303 Allen Page She’s The One That’s Got It/Sugar Tree 304 Joe Wallace & All Woody’s Owls Leopard Man/My Teenage Dream 1959 305 Earl Peterson with the Darts Nightmare Hop/Ready For Love 1959 306 The Big Four All Keyed Up/Outa Tune 1959 307 Allen Page and Sandy&Sue and the Big Four Oh! Baby/I Wish You Were Wishing 1959 308 Johnny Tate with the Volunteer Quartet - Bop With Me Baby/ 1959
MOON RECORDS PHASE II LP-MR 3010 THE 50’S ROCK ON THE MOON OF MEMPHIS +AN ODDITY (1979) EP-1001 MOON RECORDS OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE EP-309 RONNIE & VIRGINIA ARMSTRONG-STEP BY STEP Step By Step/Love Is Why/Not My Will/Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary EP-311 Cordell Jackson and her Guitar Football Widow/I’m At Home Again (In The Memories Of My Mind) 1983 EP-312 CORDELL JACKSON-KNOCKIN’ SIXTY Jazz Fried/Memphis Moon Rock/The Blues Chaser/Knockin’Sixty (Guitar Instrumentals) 1983 333 CORDELL JACKSON- THE SPLIT The Split/Tied Up/Beale Street/Love Your Rock And Roll (Guitar Instrumentals) CD-CORDELL JACKSON LIVE IN CHICAGO on Bughouse Records 1995 |
