You Want Rare and Obscure -- Part 2

[Lah Ca]

The was a small Vancouver, BC, based record label, Aragon. It was founded in 1947 and then disappeared by corporate acquisition in 1971.

Their main focus seems to have been Country/Country&Western music, but they also recorded some Rockabilly and Rock and Roll. Aragon records are neither common nor uncommon in British Columbia. Most have no real monetary value, except for some of the Rockabilly and Rock and Roll releases.

Ref Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/label/685835-Aragon-Records-2

Here is a release featuring The Sons of the Saddle, who seem to have been a Scandinavian-flavoured Country group. It is in a nicely preserved sleeve. The sleeve is more of a rarity than the record.

Now we get to the rare and obscure part, two aluminium/lacquer acetates from the label's first year of existence. At present, I can find no evidence that these tracks were ever released.

Screenshot from 2023-05-30 19-04-55.png (416.91 KiB) Viewed 517 times

Screenshot from 2023-05-30 19-05-31.png (411.97 KiB) Viewed 517 times

I have made arrangements to hand them over to a local guy who collects the Aragon label.

[Lah Ca]

Here is the B side of the "released" 78 pictured above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTX07L_bkXk


Here are The Sons of the Saddle in a 1957 TV appearance:

https://youtu.be/o113aO-ifY0

[Hoodoo]

I was lucky enough to have lunch with Al Reusch, the owner of Aragon Records, about thirty years ago, maybe more, in North Vancouver.
He was a very nice fellow (he paid for lunch) and told me about some of the recording sessions he did with various artists (he didn’t just record for his own label at his studio). Some good and funny tales, for sure.
I too have a small stack of Aragon label records, as they are quite plentiful here in Saskatchewan, including some translucent red ones and green ones, mostly 78s, but some lps from the late 1950s as well.
My favourite Aragon artist is the singing cowboy, Buddy Reynolds.

[Lah Ca]

I was lucky enough to have lunch with Al Reusch, the owner of Aragon Records, about thirty years ago, maybe more, in North Vancouver.

He stated what was to become Mushroom Studios. He sold his share in things before it became a really hip and happening place--didn't like the idea of recording post-Beatles style Rock and Roll. Heart recorded their breakthough album there. Led Zeplin did some recording there. Lots of others, too.

[Lah Ca]

The Aragon acetates have gone on to a new home where I hope they will be cherished and preserved.

There is a collector here who has a special interest in the Aragon label as a whole. I have never met him, but I know of him through an intermediary contact. I have given the records to the intermediary to pass on to the Aragon collector.