SIXTIES

Fred also picked up a singer called Rusty Day and did a very good song on him..'I Gotta Move'..It received some local play as I remember, but didn't really take off.

Even though the studio business had been improving money was still tight and it was at this time that I decided I couldn't afford to keep Fred as a producer. I'm sure I wasn't paying him all that much anyway, but every penny counted as I tried to keep the business afloat.

I wasn't taking anything for myself at the time either, and my wife was working and supporting us. I just felt that I needed every bit of money to improve the studio. Eventually I told Fred I had to let him go. It was one of the toughest things I ever had to do in my life .... after all Fred and I were like brothers.

It created some strained feelings between us for a while but eventually it all worked out and today, thirty five years on, Fred remains my closest, dearest friend and he always will be.

At this time there were a few odds and ends producers starting to come in. I remember a guy named Quentin Kimble. A very fast talking street dude who was always trying to beat me out of paying his bill.

Johnnie Mae Mathews came in a few times. I don't remember too much about her other than she was pretty wild. Loud and boisterous. I liked her but didn't quite know how to take her.

Then I started to get a couple of breaks. I don't remember who the producer was, but Eartha Kitt was in town for an appearance. She was brought into the studio to do some vocal over-dubs and a little piece about this appeared in the newspaper mentioning Tera Shirma.

Business was beginning to pick up. Chuck Jackson came in one night to do some vocals. Don't remember the details but I was excited to meet him. I was always such a fan. He was a hell of a nice guy and very gracious.

So things were starting to improve. No real big sessions, but definitely an improvement.

I remember I kept graphs depicting the income of the studio and every month the line on the graph climbed ever higher until it went over the $2000 mark. I was thrilled. This was enough money to cover expenses and have a little left over for improvements.

Continued