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Friends, after searching for decades, I have little hope of finding this obscure Grey Gull recording:

Grey Gull/Radiex 2527 (Van Dyke 82527) FRANK LUTHER Cryin' for the Carolines

A couple of our fellow vintage music enthusiasts in Australia posted the Bellbird 132 issue of this recording on YouTube some time ago, but I have never seen the Grey Gull/Radiex/Van Dyke/Sunrise issues - nor do I know of anyone who has ever owned a copy. Until recently, I was urgently seeking the matrix number, which a kind collector finally shared with me. '

Frank Luther was a family friend, performing on my grandmother's NBC radio series in the 1930s. I have a large collection of his recordings, but never came across this particular one until I saw the Bellbird issue posted on YouTube. How I would love to find a copy before leaving for that record shop in the sky --- whether it be Bellbird or any of the Grey Gull issues! Over the years, I have picked up many Grey Gulls at record shows, and the later ones are often difficult to locate - but "Cryin' for the Carolines" was a hit song (making the record's rarity all the more puzzling), and Frank's rendition is my favorite by far. Ironically, he also did a vocal chorus of the same song for Grey Gull, and it is rather common -- but is, in my view, among his less satisfactory vocal choruses.

We are told that many Van Dyke, Radiex, and Grey Gull 78s were shipped to the UK for sale at discount prices in the early '30s, and I am wondering whether anyone ever saw this particular record. Frank Luther's Grey Gulls were often issued as by "Jeff Calhoun," although the on-line Grey Gull numerical lists 2527 as by "John Calhoun." I have no verification of this. The Bellbird issue in Australia is credted to Frank.

I presume this master was also used on Sunrise, but to my knowledge there is no published numerical listing of Sunrise Records, which evidently had limited distribution and for a brief period. Perhaps Grey Gull distributed the label via a specific group of retail establishments. I do have one Sunrise record with a vocal chorus by Frank Luther. As the years pass, however, I am increasingly aware of the scarcity of his recording of "Cryin' for the Carolines" --- but thought I'd post this message in the unlikely event anyone has ever run across a copy.

Best wishes to everyone,

Jonathan

Many Gg stable records came into the UK repressed as white celluloid flexible Goodson records, if that helps...

Thank you so much, Inigo. I have a couple of Goodsons by Frank Luther, and wonder whether that label ever issued his "Cryin' for the Carolines." The vocal chorus version was issued on Piccadilly and seems fairly common, but I don't believe they issued his full vocal performance of the song. How I wish I could find a copy of the Bellbird flexible disc!

Many thanks, again.

Best wishes,
Jonathan

have you ever tried Kurt Nauck? By his auctions, or directly at www.78rpm.com
He could maybe have it... He's also in the forum as nauck.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Kurt's auctions over the years and have received several items on my small want-list through him. He is an excellent source - though he does not often have a lot of Grey Gulls. Being a cut-rate label, to say the least about it, I suspect that the original purchasers often did not view the discs as being important enough to save or preserve. Still, I have a pretty good stack of Grey Gull-related records, and yet I have never seen 2527 --- nor have I ever heard from anyone who has. I am tempted to think it was never actually in existence.

At record shows in recent years, I have spoken with many sellers - and several have told me that they only take an interest in dance band Grey Gulls, not vocal solos - and, of course, 2527 is in Grey Gull's vocal series. Had it not been for the folks in Australia posting the Bellbird record on YouTube, I'd never have heard the performance.

Many thanks - and all best wishes,

Jonathan