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| Picayune, Mississippi, in the 1970s |
Picayune, Mississippi - a 11.000 people city in Pearl River County, Mississippi, near the Mississippi/Louisiana state border. The city's legacy in music history is limited, very limited. But it has a few contributions to offer. Country comic and Picayune native Jerry Clower recorded his live LP "Live in Picayune" for MCA at a charity event of the city's Women's Club. Allegedly also a son of the city was rockabilly and country singer Vern Pullens - although others say he was born in nearby Bogalusa, Louisiana.
However, Picayune was once home to record labels and a recording studio. Yes, more than one label - including Penny Records. The label started in the early 1970s from a house on Chateau Cove road in the northeast of the city near Highway 59. Possibly also operating from that address was Precision Recording Studio, were at least some of the label's recordings were cut. I can't tell you who the owner was but I sense a connection to Hack Kennedy's Big Howdy label, which had been originally located in the Bogalusa area but had moved to Picayune as well by the late 1960s. Some of the Penny releases bear the Big Howdy publishing stamp. Picayune country DJ B.J. Johnson also penned some of the songs released on the label and could have had a hand in it, too.
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| 1406 Chateau Cove in Picayune, where Penny Records was located in the 1970s Source: Google Street View |
The label started around 1971 and was active at least until 1975 with thirteen known 45rpm releases. The Precision Recording Studio had its life of its own. While many of the Penny releases were recorded there, the studio served as an outlet for other local labels throughout the 1970s. The discs were mainly pressed by Atwell Record Pressing in Lafayette, Tennessee (including the Penny releases). B.J. Johnson, who appears as the songwriter on some Penny productions, also produced records at the Precision studio (e.g. Richard Banquer's LP "The Original Papa Joe's Presents Richard Banquer"), another hint to his involvement.
| Label No.# | Artist Credit | A / B side | Date |
| 103 | Wayne Morse | Don’t Hide Your Heart / Pull Down the Blind’s Momma | |
| 104 | |||
| 105 | Joe Brady | You’re the Reason I’m Leaving / You Were Only Fooling | |
| 106 | |||
| 107 | Harvey Mansfield | Keep That Country Music Playing / You Destroyed My Life | |
| 108 | |||
| 109 | |||
| 110 | |||
| 111 | Jerry Evans | Catch the Wind / I’m Walking the Dog | 1972 |
| 112 | |||
| 113 | |||
| 114 | |||
| 115 | E.J. Saucier | Mr. Warden / Little Girl | 1972 |
| 126 | Spectrum | Forever and Always / Made for Me | 1973 |
| 126 | Country Comfort feat. Bobby Boyles | Words / Got You On My Mind | 1974 |
| 127 | Johnnie Kirk | Wicked Women / Big Bad Stuff | 1974 |
| 128 | Gwen Bush | If You Got Leaving On Your Mind / I Don’t Want to Live (Without His Love) | 1974 |
| 129 | |||
| 130 | Billy Mulkey | Give Me Freedom / Let’s Fight | 1975 |
| 177 | Patty Mason and the Slade Gang | Constantly / Hickory Hollar’s Tramp | |
| 178 | Cleat Wooley | That’s Why I’m Walking / You Can’t Stop the Rain from Falling | 1971 |
| 201 | Jerry Evans | Green, Green Grass of Home / Rhythm of the Rain | 1975 |
See also
• Big Howdy Records
• Vern Pullens
• The Pearl River Valley Jamboree
Sources
• 45cat entry
• Discord entries for Penny Records and Precision Sound Studio
• Locals Only
