Lost Nashville acts?

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 3 Oct 2002 4:50 pm

Well, here's a mystery for any Nashville veterans or fellow music hunters.

I'm trying totrack down some info on the Cuca label whuich seems to have had strong involvement from Pee Wee King, who recorded for the label, but may have had an A&R role as well.
This would be in the 1960s.

Artists include:
Jack Leonard (who recorded for Cuca, Royce, Dura-Bac 59-65: Pee Wee King involvement
Joan Malone on Cuca in '65 Pee Wee King involvement
Collins Sisters on Cuca '64 with Pee Wee King. I also believe they guested on Pee Wee's Cuca LP in the 1960s.
Joan Whitney on Cuca '66 with Pee Wee King.

And on another note I'm looking for a Nashville performer/songwriter named Maurice
White, this is not the guy from Earth, Wind & Fire.

Thanks all

Jason

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 Oct 2002 5:31 pm

Jason, have you checked here...
http://xirs.library.wisc.edu/databases/music/cuca/abtcuca.htm

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 3 Oct 2002 6:25 pm

I know very little about CUCA, accordion s and polkas are synonomous, But i do recall Pee Wee King quite well in the country scene. One of his long time band members was Redd Stewart, Redd wrote some good songs and sang quite well ,Tenneesee Waltz, Soldier s Last Letter ; etc.

R.L.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 3 Oct 2002 9:20 pm

Yipes, polka, polka, polka!

I know a Wisconsin music writer, he actually asked the author of Pee Wee's biography about those folks I mentioned and came up with nothing.

Donny, that's a pretty cool resource.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 11 Oct 2002 6:24 am

Jason If anyone has any of those cutbe Smiley. Tell him to dig into his pilishit he has spread al over te place. He was also one of the last people to communicate with Pee Wee.

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CJC

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 11 October 2002 at 07:26 AM.]</p></FONT>

Chad Karnitz · Post by **Chad Karnitz** » 15 Oct 2002 4:21 am

Cuca Records was located in the Sauk City/Prairie du Sac area in the 50s-60s and early 1970s, I believe. I have a book at home about Wisconsin rock bands and there is a pretty good discography in it. They recorded mostly polka and local bands. If I remember right, the Fendermen reorded "Muleskinner Blues" there in 1959 or 1960. Blues slide player Earl Hooker also recorded there as did hundreds of bar bands, local surf/rock bands and, of course, polka bands. The studio is closed now, but should probably be turned into a museum since it is to Wisconsin's musical heritage what Sun Records is to rock and roll.

Also, here in the dairy state, we can also claim some famous sons: Bunny Berigan, Les Paul, Woody Herman and shudder, Liberace.

Jason--If I can supply any other information, email me at cjkarnitz@hotmail.com

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 15 Oct 2002 3:49 pm

Chad, I appreciate the offer, but I suspect that the book you have is the one authored by the guy I'm trying to help on this one, the Cuca webpage also draws from his research, so I guess the mystery remains.

He's also communicated with Jim Vest who was Pee Wee's steel ma during the 1960s, no luck there either apparently. These artists remain obscure.

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 17 Oct 2002 7:13 pm

Always read your remarks with interest, Jason.
I've always been a Pee Wee King fan,well, since 1947. The author of "Hell Bent for Music", did a very poor job when it came to facts, I can't believe that he was a fan of Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys featuring Redd Stewart. Bear Family put out a great box set of King and Band. Saw the group 3 different times, very live. A real show Band. Good luck on your search. The Golden West Cowboys did some fine Western Swing. Al

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 17 Oct 2002 9:43 pm

Hi Al, thanks for the kind words.
I haven't been able to locate a copy of that bio, what was it that was so wrong with the facts, too many generalisations, wrong timelines, etc?