Loyal Records (Birmingham, Al.)

No, No Satan!

The Story of Loyal Records

Loyal Records was a long-lasting record label in the field of country gospel music. Operated by bluegrass and gospel singer Walter Bailes of the famous Bailes Brothers, Loyal produced estimated 700 records throughout its active years from 1960 until around 1971. Based in various locations, the label released the bulk of material out of its Birmingham, Alabama, offices.

Owner Walter Bailes was born on January 17, 1920, in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Musical talent rooted in the Bailes family as Walter and his brothers John ("Johnnie"), Kyle, and Homer all played instruments and sang. Raised in poverty, the brothers grew up with traditional old-time folk music and sacred hymns. In the late 1930s, the brothers appeared on radio stations across the state of West Virginia in various combinations, including WSAZ in Huntington but also stations in Charleston, Bluefield, and Beckley.

The Bailes Brothers live on stage of the Grand Ole Opry, mid-1940s

At the recommendation of Roy Acuff, who had witnessed them perform, Johnnie and Walter Bailes moved to Nashville in the mid-1940s, where they gained a recording contract with Columbia Records and became regulars on the WSM Grand Ole Opry. They later also recorded for King Records. The duo relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1946 and found work with KWKH. Two years later, the Bailes Brothers became cast members of the station's newly started Louisiana Hayride and developed into early stars of the show. Walter Bailes became a minister with evangelical churches in 1947 and in 1949 the duo act broke up. Homer would become a reverend, too, in Louisiana. The Bailes Brothers continued to perform solo and in various combinations but seldomly all four of them stood on stage. 

From his Shreveport home base, Walter Bailes set out to attend revivals and church meetings across the country. From 1953 until 1957, he worked with his brother Johnnie again but this time as a pure gospel act. By 1957, Bailes could be found managing Carl Butler and was working with WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee, for a short time. 

By October 1960, Bailes had a country and gospel DJ show on KXAR in Hope, Southwest Arkansas, and around the same time, founded Loyal Records. Billboard reported that "Walter Bailes [...] has formed his own label, Loyal Records, to promote gospel songs and singers. Bailey also plans to launch his own publishing company, Wal-Fran, with headquarters for both firms at 1111 Rendall Street, Shreveport, La." Wal-Fran was likely an acronym for Walter and Frankie, his wife. From the same address, which was likely his home, he also sold "religious supplies" through newspaper ads, including bibles, sheet music, record players, and sacred records. 

Birmingham Post Herald 
October 26, 1962

Among the first acts Bailes recorded were Jimmie and Lillian Hall, the Sullivan Family (a South Alabama based group), Bill Franklin, and Rabe Perkins (another Alabama artist). The Alabama connection was already evident here, and soon, Walter would move his operations to this state. This might have been influenced by the fact that his brother Kyle was already living there.

However, before Bailes relocated to the deep south, he made a stop in another town. In 1961, he moved the label to Edwardsville, Illinois, a city located in the west of the state a few miles away from St. Louis, Missouri. However, this lasted only a short time as Bailes moved once more in early 1962, this time to Birmingham, Alabama, where Loyal Records had its headquarters until its closure in the early 1970s. 

By May 1962, he had begun working with WIXI, a local station, and the Birmingham News reported in December 1962 that Bailes had a weekday radio show known as "Gospel Request Time". He worked as the station's "religious director" eventually. It is possible that at least some of the Loyal releases were cut at this station. In addition, he taped his DJ shows for KXEN in Fort Worth, Texas, and XEG in Monterrey, Mexico, for broadcasting. It was especially the latter with its 100,000 watts that provided Bailes with a wide coverage and he probably sold a good batch of his Loyal releases through this channel.

Many of the Loyal recording artists were local bluegrass and country gospel artist. It is probable that many of the releases were custom pressings for those unknown singers and bands. This assumption is underlined by the fact that some Loyal releases from the 1969-1970 time period feature a Tylertown, Mississippi, address. Among the better known artists on the labels were Johnny Rion (from the St. Louis area), Jimmy Murphy, Walter Dixon (also known as "Tex" or "Mason" Dixon), Rabe Perkins, and the recordings of the Bailes Brothers.

Walter Bailes closed down Loyal Records around 1971 after more than 10 years of activity and several hundred singles, EPs, and LPs for local country gospel artists. For him, it might have been a business or a way to spread the Gospel (or perhaps both) but for record collectors and musicologists, he preserved unique and unfiltered documents of American music. While the Bailes Brothers' recordings have been reissued by labels like Cattle Records, Bear Family Records, and Old Homestead Records, the Loyal recordings still need to be reissued in an adequate way.

Bailes eventually moved to Tennessee, where he operated White Dove Records out of Gallatin. This label released a few records by the Bailes Brothers and a few more LPs by other bluegrass groups but never reached the extent of his Loyal operation. He also continued to play gospel meetings and a few bluegrass festivals with Kyle. Walter Bailes passed away on November 17, 2000, in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Sources
• Gospel Jubilee Discography listings: Shreveport - Edwardsville - Birmingham - Tylertown
• Discogs (also entry for White Dove)
• Walter Bailes Find a Grave entry
• West Virginia Music Hall of Fame