Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Dumb Dumb Bunny


Cal Starr

Dumb Dumb Bunny

Erman, Venetian Music, BMI
Arr. by A. Kavelin

Ermine 779
Ermine Record Co.
Chicago, Illinois
1960


The earliest copyright date for Dumb Dumb Bunny is from February 1955, words & music William Thomas Erman & Helen Saltiel Erman.  This Cal Starr recording predates the Steve Bledsoe and Johnny Cooper versions of the same song (on Witch Records and, again, Ermine Records)

Somewhat surprising is the presence here of Al Kavelin as arranger.  Does that mean that it was recorded in Los Angeles ? Probably.
Further association between songwriter and label owner Bill Erman and Cal Starr, singer resulted in two singles : 
  • Yes, I'm Robbin' the Craddle, on Sam Wigler and Henry Tobias' Rego label in October 1960 (with the backing of the Anita Kerr Singers and orchestra led by Chet Atkins).
  • Pain Of Love / Little Bride, on Thanx Records, a label located in Skokie, a Chicago suburban city.

CAL STARR was born in Chicago, IL but grew up on a small farm in Kentucky. He was taught a few chords on the guitar by his father and began to develop a love of music. This led to him entering and winning a talent contest with Bob Parsons, a highschool friend. His first performance was on a live radio show in Huntington, WVA.. During the early years that followed he worked as a disk jockey on KEBE radio in Jacksonville, TX and had his own program on KFLA TV in Shreveport, LA. He eventually moved back to the windy city of Chicago to pursue his love for music and the world of entertainment.  

2 comments:

  1. The link leads to a jpeg of the above label shot? No music today.

    ReplyDelete