
From 1958 to 1993, Thomas and Louise Boddie’s industrious Boddie Recording Company issued nearly 300 albums and 45s, recorded 10,000 hours of tape, and remained in operation longer than any other studio, pressing plant, or label group in the history of Cleveland. Long forgotten even by the standards of the chronically overlooked northeastern Ohio music scene, Boddie was a fusion of its owner’s engineering genius and his limited economic means, its DIY recording studio housed in a humble barn, churning night and day to capture the sounds emanating from Cleveland’s east side neighborhoods. The 58 tracks on these three CDs (or 65-track 5LP) represent the best of the Boddies’ in-house Soul Kitchen, Luau, and Bounty labels, which released an unspoiled treasure trove of kitchen-sink eccentric soul, fuzzbox funk, shoestring doo-wop, and haunted, eerily hook-laden spirituals. Enclosed inside is a mountain of office-styled ephemera: two massive booklets brimming with detail on the Boddies and their artists; extensive notes and scores of unpublished photos; a complete detailed discography folio; reproduced fliers; and a Boddie greeting card—all rendered with the handcrafted charm that was the Boddie hallmark. Call it a self-contained secret record industry crammed into one box.
- Creations Unlimited - Chrystal Illusion
- Ricky Hodges - Don't Destroy Our Love
- Frankie Pighee & The Soulettes - Soul Feeling
- The Chantells - World Of Soul
- Jackie Russell - If You Don't Want Me Let Me Be
- Angela Alexander & J.D. Saddler - Spoilin' For A Fight
- Inter-Circle - The Pusher
- Eddie & The Ant Hill Mob - I'm A Number Runner
- Bo & The Metros - Moving On
- Inter-Circle - The Players
- Creations Unlimited - Corruption Is The Thing
- King James Version - He's Coming
- Angela Alexander & J.D. Saddler - Don't Make Me Kill You
- The Chantells - Why Won't You Say (What You Want)
- Frankie Pighee & The Soulettes - If You Don't Think That I Love
- Jackie Russell - Don't Trade Love For Money
- Bo & The Metros - Buttered Out
- Ricky Hodges - I Feel It (The Love You Have For Me)
- King James Version - He's Forever (Amen)
- A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces - Oh Baby (I Love You)
- Harvey & The Phenomenals - Tell Me About It
- The Headlines - He's Looking For A Love
- J.C. Akins & The Dukes - I've Got To Find A Way
- Little Anthony & The Modern Detergents - Monkey Hips & Yice
- A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces - Give Me Your Love
- Harvey & The Phenomenals - Darlene (Instrumental)
- Little Anthony & The Modern Detergents - Don't Make Me Blue
- Penny North - Satisfied
- J.C. Akins & The Dukes - You Upset My Very Soul
- Harvey & The Phenomenals - All In Your Eyes
- J.C. Akins & The Dukes - I Love You
- A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces - Hole In Your Soul
- Penny North - Thought I Had A Good Thing
- Harvey & The Phenomenals - Darlene (Vocal)
- The Headlines - Baby
- A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces - Give Me Your Love (Instrumental)
- The Headlines - He's Looking For A Love (Demo)
- Rev. R.L. Hubbard - Child Of The King
- Brother Bill - Wha's Happ'nin
- Guiding Lights - Lost In Sin
- Wings Of Faith Juniors - I Can't Thank Him Enough
- Seven Revelators - Keep Holding On
- The Victory Five - Have You Been To The Pool?
- Sounds Of Soul - Gospel Train
- Corinthian Singers - Why? (It's A Shame)
- The Fantastic Lightning Ares - Jesus You Are My Shining Star
- The Golden Harmonizers - Won't Be Back No More
- The Gospel Hebrews - Jesus Is All Over Me
- The Gospel Fabulators - Read It In The Bible
- Spiritual Believers - Sweet To Know
- The Silver Kings - Trouble In The Water
- The Cleveland Golden Echoes - Used To Live On Broadway
- The Royal Kings - Look Out For Jesus
- Swanee Nightingales - I Know The Lord Will Make A Way
- The North Wind Of Cleveland, Ohio - If I've Done Anything Wrong
- Gospel Ensemble - What You Need
- Juanita Ellis - Make A Joyful Noise