The founder of White Label/Collector Records, Dutchman Cees Klop, has passed away this weekend. Klop, who began collecting rock'n'roll records in the 1960s, released countless LPs and CDs on his labels, travelled more than once to the US to track down forgotten artists, ad unearthed recordings that would have sunk without into obscurity otherwise.
Klop was a controversial figure in the collector scene. He often edited recordings to present them as "alternate takes," gave at times wrong info on his LP back covers. Much has been said about him but without him, the world surely would miss a lot of great music.
A platform to present my ever growing record collection and publish research results on artists, labels, and shows from the American roots music field
16 comments:
Sure, a controversial figure. But how many obscure recordings and artists were saved from the oblivion thanks to him and other music collectors from Europe. He will be forgiven for his [minor] sins. I fondly remember these wonderful albums with so many obscure artists I've never heard before...
He had a unique collection of records. Many were discovered on his many trips to the U.S.A. And many, many of these records in his collection are probably the ones still in existence. I hope the collection goes to someone who will research it to clear up what collectors have been wanting to know for decades.
I remember Cees Klop as one the greatest rock'n'roll/rockabilly collectors in the world.
It was a very hard worker. It's unbelievable what he has done. All his LP's & CD's are the heart of every R&R collection. His research & travellings in the USA. He was for me a sympathic person. I bought my first singles from him in Rotterdam. With many pleasure I play his very special records today. He came on many collector's festivals. I never forget him. (Hanst from Holland).
Hawdy Pardners
Regarding Lucky White and his Dude Ranch Playboys, "His Band" and his Ponderosa Playboys.
Mr. Klop is a very unscrupulous character in my opinion. He was not authorized to use Lucky White's sound recordings for use in any and all of his Bobbin Hillbilly Series... In fact Mr Klop illegally took both of Lucky White's compositions entitled: ONE OF YOUR LIES and YO YO HEART by "Lucky White and his band" with his family friend Bill Taylor on the vocals and hid them as Miller Brothers songs on three different Albums. The Miller Brothers Boppin Hillbilly Series, The Miller Brothers Alligator Rag, and the Boppin Hillbilly vol 13. albums.
These two recordings were Lucky's Pride and Joy. Lucky paid for the studio time to record them with his band the Dude Ranch Playboys. He sang them live on all of his tours in the 1950's and 1960's. His family has the sole authority to grant authorization for any and all use regarding licensing, manufacturing, reproduction and distribution both analog and digitally. Mr Klop never acquired the proper rights and permission to release Lucky White's "SOUND RECORDINGS" Lucky's entire catalog of 17 compilations have never been officially released... until now.
Lucky White, his family and his Publisher Sony Music/Acuff-Rose did not need, ask, or authorize Mr Klop to collect, save, reproduce, distribute and or hide Lucky's music under any other band names either...
Mr Klop has been illegally benefiting financially off of Lucky White's music catalog without permission, authorization, and without publishing rights from Sony/ATV/Acuff-Rose since 1989 as far as we can tell.
Right now it appears that Mr. Klop licensed his unauthorized compilations with Lucky's songs hidden in his unscrupulous releases to the Orchard Music group without a license or permission from the man himself, Lucky White or his family (owner of the sound recordings) or his publisher... (Owner of the lyrics)
This means that right now the songs by Lucky White from his music catalog; ONE OF YOUR LIES, PONDEROSA ROCKS, JACKSON STOMP, and DOWN AND OUT BLUES are all being monetized on music streaming platforms and the revenue is being distributed illegally to the Netherlands or someone in Mr Klops family. Lucky White and his family has not seen a dime.
In my opinion Mr. Klop was not a record collector. He was something much more sinister something that none of us could ever imagine.
--RAW
Cees Klop very bad,,,, No bueno. stealing other peoples music from the USA? Very bad no bueno
I forgot to mention Lucky White's very first song he wrote, recorded and performed in 1946, recorded live on his radio show at KWKW Radio 1430 kc in Pasadena, California. The name of that song is Flour, Lard, Coffee, Sugar. The recording was released in (1953) OP-281. Publisher 4Star Sales BMI. That song appears on the Boppin Hillbilly Vol. 11 Album. It was originally released by Lucky White on his very own "White Records" label OP-183. One thing is 100% certain if Lucky White were still alive today he would be very angry about the theft of his music catalog by Mr. Klop.
This track was also altered with filters and equalizers making it sound multi-layered adding an extra measure at the intro of the song. The original is much cleaner. So the original and true colorful sound of this recording has never been heard as it was intended by Lucky White.
--RAW
I can understand every perspective that has been spotlighted here in the comments. I never had contact to Cees Klop or met him but from a music fan/collector's point of view, I can understand the sympathy for him, as he surely was a big fan of the music in is own right and discovered hundreds (of not thousands) of otherwise unknown recordings and made them available for a wide public.
Klop was, however, also known for his dubious methods at times. I can fully understands artists or their relatives when Klop made music available without any permission or even edited tapes. It may be a minor fault in many fan's eyes but the music and the legacy mean a lot to their families and an inappropriate way of dealing with it hurt their feelings (not to mention the financial loss they experience when music is not proberly reissued).
From a historical point of view, which is often also my very own perspective, I have to say that Klop's research has often been blurry or even, let's say, imgainative. In some cases, unclear reissuing has led to wrong assumptions, as it was the case for example with the Thunderbirds recordings from two different bands.
Though, I never met him and I believe everyone who says he was a nice and friendly character and a true music lover.
Why the comments of july 13th and july 15th have been removed. To many critics on Cees Klop?
@Shummy: these particular two comments were removed by the person who originally posted them, not by me.
Cee's Klop was a thief, he wasn't saving music that would otherwise be lost forever. Those are the words of a Con-Man. He never contacted Lucky or his publisher Acuff-Rose LLC. Cees has been stealing food out of the mouths and off the dinner table from Lucky White, his band and his family. Klop's unauthorized Boppin Hillybilly releases have been illegally earning revenue on all digital platforms from Lucky's music. Collector Records uploaded Lucky's music April 25, 2012. Lucky's music has been officially released in 2021 by his immediate family. They were never told of Cees Klop and his unauthorzed releases with Lucky's music. Lucky passed away from cancer in 1997 at 73 years old. Lucky deserved much better. Cees Klop is a thief.....
Yes I removed them because of mis-spellings, there's no edit feature.
It is my understanding that Cees sold his entire record collection to Jan Karlin at House Of Oldies in Stockholm before he died. The truth about some of the controversial recordings he issued on his White Label-Collector series LPs and CDs can only be answered by researching the records he sold to Mr. Karlin. This would be an excellent research project for an MBA or PHD thesis.
Rocky Lane, Thank you for this information. If you know Jan let him know that Lucky White's first born Grandson and founder of Lucky III's Dude Ranch Outlaws is in search of any of the master acetates that Cees may have acquired here in the U.S.A. These would;d be the 78's and 45's that Cees flew over seas with and released without Lucky White's permission. His sound recording are registered with BMI-ASCAP and his publisher is Sony/Acuff-Rose.
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