Crate Digger's Gold

Dee Jay Art(uro) is diggin' for a livin'

November 29, 2010
by DJ Art(uro)
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45 RPM Audio Samples are Now iPad/iPhone/iPod-Friendly

I just upgraded all of my audio samples so that they will play on iOS devices as well as Macs, PCs and Android smartphones. Just click or touch the 45 RPM Records category on the right side menu to see all posts that contain audio samples and they should play on whatever device you’re viewing this website.  Right now the audio may automatically start playing on certain versions of iOS, so sorry about that. I’m working on a fix!

November 9, 2010
by DJ Art(uro)
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Dee Jay Art(uro) on KOOP Radio 11/15 & 11/17

KOOP Radio Community RunMark your calendars! I’ve got two radio spots coming up next week: Monday, Nov. 15 at noon (CT), I’ll be presenting a 1-hour installment of Crate Digger’s Gold on the Pilot Show featuring free-form 45 RPM vinyl from all walks of life. Then on Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 4:30 – 6pm (CT), I’ll be taking over Excavation Nation from Rick Daddy, playing some deep funk, soul and R&B–also all 45 rpm vinyl. Tune in to 91.7 FM or listen online at www.koop.org/listen

November 9, 2010
by DJ Art(uro)
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45 RPM Record Label Designs – Facebook album

This is a cross-post between Crate Digger’s Gold and NoRelevance.com, the original repository for my collection of scanned 45 RPM Record Label Designs, for now at least, residing on Facebook. There’s still plenty of work I need to get done to make the complete collection live on NoRelevance.com, so I thought I’d post these on FB since it was a fairly simple task. The labels were selected for their designs, not their music. Hope you enjoy them!

January 8, 2010
by DJ Art(uro)
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Willie Mitchell – Bum Daddy (1968)

enlarge imageThose of us who love the soulful music that came out of Memphis in the ’60 and ’70 will find it hard not to mourn the recent passing of the great Willie Mitchell (03/23/1928 – 01/05/2010). His achievements as a musician, band leader, record producer and label owner are almost unmatched when you consider how much his signature sound influenced the soul and R&B recordings from Memphis to Motown during those two decades. More popularly known for his production and arrangements of Al Green’s outstanding catalog, Mitchell himself released a string of moderate hits in the ’60s including our featured track, Bum Daddy.
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November 2, 2009
by DJ Art(uro)
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Clarence “Frogman” Henry – Troubles, Troubles (1956)

45_frogman-100x100So, you think you’ve got troubles? Just listen to the “Frogman” go on about “da rent man” and his wife and such and you will quickly shut yer mouth and start shakin’ yer rump. It was the A-side that quickly became the B-side after Ain’t Got A Home stole the spotlight via that darn, career-defining, novelty frog voice. Just as Gary Anderson forever carried his moniker after those early “U.S. Bonds” releases (a scheme cooked up by Legend Records label owner Frank Guida) Clarence Henry was never able–nor do I think he ever tried–to shake the “Frogman” nickname after the success of that single. I’ve got a small stack of 45s by Henry–all pre-Frogman era–that certainly demonstrate his capabilities and personality. But, a hit is a hit and, in the pre-web/iTunes/MySpace world of 1956, any way to make it onto the radio was a good bet. Well, that story has already been written a number of times, so let’s get back to the featured track, Troubles, Troubles.
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