The Jemm record label from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was a small imprint operated by brothers Marlin (1926-2001) and James L. "Jim" Eubanks (1930-1988). Their father Albert McKinley Eubanks had been born in Madison County in the northwestern corner of Arkansas and apparently spent his life in the Arkansas-Oklahoma border region. At least three sons were born in Oklahoma: Everett McKinley in 1923 in Stilwell, Marlin 1926 in Rose, and Jim in 1930. There was also a fourth son, Robert.
During World War II, Marlin served in the US Navy and Jim in the US Army after the war. It was Jim who became involved in radio business, becoming an announcer in different states. He also worked for XEG in Monterrey, Mexico, and XERF in Del Rio, Texas. By the late 1950s, both brothers lived around Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
There, they met Montie Jones, a country & western singer who had started his career as a kid. By 1957, he was a DJ on the local Siloam Springs station KUOA and about two years later, Jones and the Eubanks brothers started their association. It seems that they set up the label primarily for Jones, who had not only the debut release ("The Girl with the Poney Tail" / "Your Just That Kind", Jemm #100) in early 1960 but also had a total of three releases on Jemm.
However, the brothers also recorded one record in their own right for the label (#104) and possibly had other discs issued as well. However, Jemm Records was a rather short-lived operation and had ceased activity by 1961. Jim Eubanks later owned Arkoma Music Pub. and a label called Big Sound. he was also a BMI and CMA member. Jim Eubanks passed away in 1988 in nearby Watts, Oklahoma, and Marlin died in 2001 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
If someone knows of more releases on the label, please feel free to share them with me!
100: Little Montie Jones - The Girl with the Poney Tail / Your Just That Kind (1960)
101: Montie Jones and the Revin Robbin's - Moonshine / Mary Sue (1960)
102:
103:
104: Marlin and Jim - Slipping Away / I've Lived a Lot Within My Time
105:
106:
107: Montie Jones - Walking Around in Circles / Black Cat's Chasin' Me (1961)
• Montie Jones Rockin' Country Style entry
• 45cat entry
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