VARIOUS – THAT’LL FLAT GIT IT VOL.34 – BLUE MOON & BELLA RECORDS – BEAR FAMILY CD

• The first CD compilation ever with recordings from the vaults of the record companies Blue Moon and Bella Records from Santa Clara and San José in California respectively.

• The album includes the complete recordings of Johnny Amelio and Joe Gradie and presents many more rockers.

• More than ten tracks are released here for the first time on CD, and two numbers were completely unknown until now: rare demos by The downbeats with Johnny Amelio, which we dubbed from a rare acetate.

• The booklet provides never before seen photos and detailed information about the history of the labels Blue Moon and Bella.

• Carefully restored and remastered recordings.

• DeLuxe packaging with extensive liner notes and detailed discographical information.

The two record labels Blue Moon and Bella Records from California were both owned by John Pusateri, who originally came from Franklin, Louisiana, and moved to San José in the 1920s. There he first founded Bella Records and in 1957 Blue Moon Records in Santa Clara.

In keeping with the concept of the Bear Family’s ‘That’ll Flat Git It!’ series, only the most rocking titles from the Blue Moon & Bella catalogues were selected for this release. And these recordings can compete with the best of the genre!

Here we tell one of those stories that record collectors dream about! In addition to the more well-known musicians such as Johnny Amelio, the Savoys and Gradie O’Neal, you’ll find a large number of lesser-known colleagues such as Buddy Bennett, Chuck Royal, Joe Jaros and the Empala Six – to name but a few.

Since most of the original master tapes are lost forever, the majority of the masters have been transferred from rare and hard to find original single releases (45’s), carefully restored and remastered to meet Bear Family’s quality standards.

This is a promising and long-awaited project that we hope will be welcomed with open ears by fans of Rockabilly, by those who basically love the music of the fifties and by all those who are passionate about the music scenes and culture of California. We believe: you should not miss this album either!

01 Jugue  – The Downbeats feat Johnny Amelio
02 My Baby’s Gone – Chuck Royal & The Sharpsters
03 Travellin’ – The Empala Six
04 Baby “Oh” Baby – Gradie O’Neal & The Bella Tones
05 I’ve Got A Baby – Clyde Arnold & The Sharps
06 Rowena – Pat LaRocca
07 Empala Rock  – The Empala Six
08 Bom Du Wa  – Toby & Ray
10 Rockin’ Mary – Wes Griffith & The Treys
11 I’ll Forever Love You – The Downbeats feat. Johnny Amelio
12 Gonna Be Loved  – Linda & The Epics
13 Blue Moon Keep On Shining – Chuck Royal & The Sharpsters
14 Rockin’ Baby  – The Fretts
15 Double Time  – The Empala Six
16 Jugue (alt take)– The Downbeats feat Johnny Amelio
17 Mortal Monster Man – The Savoys
18 Baby Don’t Go  – Buddy Bennett & The Margilators
19 Scrounge  – Clyde Arnold & The Sharps
20 Turkey Neck Stretch  – Gradie O’Neal & The Bella Tones
21 You’re Like A Butterfly  – Chuck Royal & The Sharpsters
22 Downbeats  – The Downbeats feat Johnny Amelio
23 Jo Ann  – Johnny Amelio
24 Rock-A-Billie Music  – Gradie Joe & The Western Gents
25 Sweet And Sour  – The Empala Six
26 The Rocking Tree  – Marguerite Trina
27 Bon Bon Baby  – Joe Jaros
28 Record Hop Blues  – Sonny Stafford
29 Rockin’ Santa Claus  – The Martells with The Bella Tones
30 It’s Blue Monday  – Gradie Joe & The Western Gents
31 Bayou Ball – Shorty Joe & his Red Rock Canyon Cowboys
32 I’ll Forever Love You (Acetate)  – The Downbeats feat Johnny Amelio
33 Grab Me (Acetate)  – The Downbeats feat Johnny Amelio
09 Rock And Roll Cindy  – Gradie Joe & The Western Gents