NUM035
Album cover

Boddie Recording Company

Cleveland, Ohio

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ephemera: two massive booklets brimming with detail on the Boddies and their artists; extensive notes and scores of unpublished photos; a complete detailed discography folio; reproduced fliers; and a Boddie greeting card—all rendered with the handcrafted charm that was the Boddie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.

  • 5xLP

    5 150g LPs
    5 brown envelope sleeves
    1 23-page booklet
    1 31-page booklet
    1 envelope containing Boddie extras

Track List

  1. Creations Unlimited Chrystal Illusion
  2. Ricky Hodges Don't Destroy Our Love
  3. Frankie Pighee & The Soulettes Soul Feeling
  4. The Chantells World Of Soul
  5. Jackie Russell If You Don't Want Me Let Me Be
  6. Angela Alexander & J.D. Saddler Spoilin' For A Fight
  7. Inter-Circle The Pusher
  8. Eddie & The Ant Hill Mob I'm A Number Runner
  9. Bo & The Metros Moving On
  10. Inter-Circle The Players
  11. Creations Unlimited Corruption Is The Thing
  12. King James Version He's Coming
  13. Angela Alexander & J.D. Saddler Don't Make Me Kill You
  14. The Chantells Why Won't You Say (What You Want)
  15. Frankie Pighee & The Soulettes If You Don't Think That I Love
  16. Jackie Russell Don't Trade Love For Money
  17. Bo & The Metros Buttered Out
  18. Ricky Hodges I Feel It (The Love You Have For Me)
  19. King James Version He's Forever (Amen)
  20. A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces Oh Baby (I Love You)
  21. Harvey & The Phenomenals Tell Me About It
  22. The Headlines He's Looking For A Love
  23. J.C. Akins & The Dukes I've Got To Find A Way
  24. Little Anthony & The Modern Detergents Monkey Hips & Yice
  25. A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces Give Me Your Love
  26. Harvey & The Phenomenals Darlene (Instrumental)
  27. Little Anthony & The Modern Detergents Don't Make Me Blue
  28. Penny North Satisfied
  29. J.C. Akins & The Dukes You Upset My Very Soul
  30. Harvey & The Phenomenals All In Your Eyes
  31. J.C. Akins & The Dukes I Love You
  32. A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces Hole In Your Soul
  33. Penny North Thought I Had A Good Thing
  34. Harvey & The Phenomenals Darlene (Vocal)
  35. The Headlines Baby
  36. A.C. Jones & The Atomic Aces Give Me Your Love (Instrumental)
  37. The Headlines He's Looking For A Love (Demo)
  38. Rev. R.L. Hubbard Child Of The King
  39. Brother Bill Wha's Happ'nin
  40. Guiding Lights Lost In Sin
  41. Wings Of Faith Juniors I Can't Thank Him Enough
  42. Seven Revelators Keep Holding On
  43. The Victory Five Have You Been To The Pool?
  44. Sounds Of Soul Gospel Train
  45. Corinthian Singers Why? (It's A Shame)
  46. The Fantastic Lightning Ares Jesus You Are My Shining Star
  47. The Golden Harmonizers Won't Be Back No More
  48. The Gospel Hebrews Jesus Is All Over Me
  49. The Gospel Fabulators Read It In The Bible
  50. Spiritual Believers Sweet To Know
  51. The Silver Kings Trouble In The Water
  52. The Cleveland Golden Echoes Used To Live On Broadway
  53. The Royal Kings Look Out For Jesus
  54. Swanee Nightingales I Know The Lord Will Make A Way
  55. The North Wind Of Cleveland, Ohio If I've Done Anything Wrong
  56. Gospel Ensemble What You Need
  57. Juanita Ellis Make A Joyful Noise