Friday, December 05, 2025

Sweet Swisher

Kind of a stupid story with this next record. I found it in my collection a few years ago but the record was missing from the sleeve. I knew the cover looked familiar and it didn't take long to connect it this old share with the same cover, some of the same music, and a message from a different person. It looked to me like a company out of Charlotte, NC, was selling a package where they would press your company message up on some vinyl with a selection of music to which they owned the rights. Then you could give it away or sell it or whatever. They must not have done too many versions or sold a lot of copies because these are the only ones I've ever come across. Maybe not many of them made it out of North Carolina, but I feel like I'd have come across more if they were common. But getting back to the original story, all I had was a sleeve and I didn't remember if it was like that when I bought it or not. Fast forward to a couple years later and a record pops out of the collection with no sleeve, and it turns out to be the missing record! It must have slid out of the sleeve at some point when I was trying to pull the album from the stacks, and had just been sitting there all this time. Took a few more weeks before I was able to unite the vinyl with it's cover, but I eventually got the package put back together and recorded. So if you want to hear some wheezy old organ selections and an important message from the president of the Consolidated Credit Corporation, please download An Old Fashioned Christmas (Consolidated Credit Corporation/Arthur Smith Studios 6-7139/6-6954, Mono). Swisher's short message was spread out over an entire side of this LP and all the musical selections were on the flip side. At least with the other similar record I found, they added a few bonus musical selection to help fill up the space on side one. I suspect you had to pay extra to use more songs and these guys chose not to spend their money on that. (Look, there's a third version on Discogs! Now I need to find that one!)

1. A.T. Swisher-A Message From A.T. Swisher
2. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-Joy To The World
3. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-O Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-Hark The Herald Angels Sing
5. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-Away In A Manger
6. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
7. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
8. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
9. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-The First Noel
10. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-O Come All Ye Faithful
11. Ted Smith At The Piano And Organ-Silent Night

MEGA

14 comments:

  1. What was the message from A.T. Swisher? "Make sure you keep up with your payments or we'll send the repo man! Many happy returns of the day, if you get my drift."

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    Replies
    1. Exactly! (But in an old-timey way.)

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    2. A kindler, gentler old-timey way?

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    3. In checking out the messages from the two albums (haven't gotten to the music, yet) it appears that both are geared for the employees, thanking them for their hard work that year, for their respective companies, from said bosses. Their scripts appear to be standard copy, insert company name and some personal comments here and there. I do like piano and organ music and am sure I'll get around to the songs, just haven't, yet, as already stated. Thanks, Ernie, for posting these interesting keepsakes/slices of history, love and praying for y'all.

      Romans 11:33-36 KJB

      Josh

      Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
      Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
      TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net

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    4. I didn't compare the two messages, I should have done that. Are they similar?

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    5. Yeah, mostly the same copy, with inserted company names and personal commentary, looks like to me, anyway. 'Til next, love and praying for y'all.

      Romans 11:33-36 KJB

      Josh

      Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
      Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
      TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net

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  2. When you mentioned Charlotte, I kinda wondered if Arthur Smith Studios would come up and shawnuff, they did. They were a very prolific studio in their day, which spanned a good bit of time, from what I've seen. Got both of the albums shared and look forward to checking them out. FYI, I believe Jefferson Standard Life owned AM 1110, WBT, Charlotte, back in the day. I just saw recently, where their FM signal is getting a big boost, moving up the dial to 107.9. Of course, they're a powerhouse on AM, but I'm sure the FM signal will help those who don't click over to Ancient Modulation, or as I've heard recently, Angel Music. Thanks again, love and praying for y'all.

    Romans 11:33-36 KJB

    Josh

    Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
    Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
    TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net

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    Replies
    1. Charlotte was a much smaller place back then, but still a big town considering.

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    2. True, big, small southern town. I grew up in the Piedmont and traveled down that-a-way and a little past, to visit some kinfolk, over the years. Thanks, again, love and praying for y'all.

      Romans 11:33-36 KJB

      Josh

      Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
      Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
      TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net

      Delete
  3. Well Ernie, nice organ music on this one. But he is right, who wants to hear him babble on, regardless if he is the man behind the throne, just play side two...always. Anyway, I hear the word retirement in the air.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, the spoken word bit is only designed to be heard once.

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  4. Hey Ernie,
    I have downloaded both of your shares. This one sounds a little better :)
    Also, in my studies, I have learned (how I can't remember) that the pianist was Don Hustad.
    You are the best, Ernie :)

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    Replies
    1. That name sounds familiar, maybe it was mentioned on the sleeve...

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