Columbus Records

Since the Hillbilly-Researcher posted some (wrong) info and sound files of the small Columbus label from Texas, I though it's a good opportunity to bring this small company's story to a wider audience. In fact, it was my fault becase the wrong info came from me. I messed up thins when I wrote the info from my memory. Here it is how things occurred.

Sonny Fisher

Columbus Records was founded by local Texas musicians Darrell Newsome and Sonny Fisher. Both had played in the Houston, Texas, area from 1951 onwards and also recorded four now legendary singles for the Starday label in 1955-1956. Fisher's band was called "The Rocking Boys" and included, apart from Fisher on vocals and rhythm guitar, Joey Long on electrig lead guitar, Leonard Curry on bass, and Newsome on drums. Long dropped out after the group's last single on Starday and was replaced by local singer-guitarist Eddie Eddings.

After his departure from Starday, Fisher co-founded Columbus Records with drummer Newsome and also set up Newfish publishing (an amalgam of Fisher and Newsome). The new firm's adress was 1701 Clinton in Galena Park, Texas, not far away from Houston. The first known record to be released was by Eddie Eddings and his Columbus Orchestra, featuring "The Same Old Situation" b/w "Just a Friend of Mine." The Columbus Orchestra was actually the Rocking Boys (without Long) with Fisher, Eddings, and Sonny Burns on guitar (Burns also had played rhythm guitar on Fisher's last Starday single), Hub Sutter on sax, Leonard Curry on bass, and Darrell Newsome on drums.

Sax player Hub Sutter had worked with Link Davis earlier on and saw a release under his own name on Columbus. Accompanied by "The Hub Cats" (possibly identical to the Columbus Orchestra), it comprised "I Don't Want My Baby Back" with "Gone Goslin" on the flip. It was rated by Billboard on October 28, 1957, but without any comment. After Sutter's disc Fisher lost interest in the venture and sold his share to Newsome. Sutter's single is believed to be the last disc on the Columbus label.

You can hear and see both singles at Hillbilly-Researcher.

Discography

Columbus 101:
Columbus 102: Eddie Eddings and the Columbus Orchestra - The Same Old Situation / Just a friend of Mine
Columbus 103: Hub Sutter and the Hub Cats - I Don't Want My Baby Back / Gone Goslin (1957)