[Vintage-Audio] Re Mysterious Guest Bearing Gifts

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All,

I need to thank someone, but I know not whom!

When I answered the knock on my back door on St. Patrick's Day Saturday 
March 17th the mail delivery person handed me a package along with my mail. 
I was not expecting any package, so my curiosity was instantly aroused.

Fortunately for me, a sighted friend stopped here about the same time. I 
opened the package and inside was a sealed copy of a vinyl record album. It 
turned out to be an album by Floyd Cramer that I had never heard of 
previously.

It is entitled: "Almost Persuaded" and is dated 1971. I remember that song 
well, as David Houston had quite a hit with it.

The return address has no name, no Ham call sign, nothing to identify the 
sender. Whomever he is, he lives in, or near, the small town of White Hall, 
MI on the far west side of the state.

A Ham searched the FCC database and found only one Ham in the town of White 
Hall, MI. But it is a female and I have never talked to her!

So if this mysterious vinyl album sender is one of you, Thank You very much! 
If not, well, maybe our paths will cross on the air again.

Do any of you amazing lovers of real audio happen to know how many albums 
Floyd Cramer released over his fantastic, but all too brief, career?

Floyd was still living in Louisiana in 1953 when he released several 
singles. Do any of you know their titles or what happened with them?

The first single I know of that hit the charts was released in 1957 and was 
titled: "That Honky-Tonk Piano". Where can I find a copy of it; single or on 
an album?

The one most of us remember is from 1958 when he released "Flip, Flop And 
Bop". This is on numerous albums.

The first album he released that I am aware of was in 1960 and was entitled 
"Hello Blues". Was there an earlier one?

This was at about the same time as his self-penned classic instrumental 
"Last Date" scored very well on both the Country and Pop charts. Then the 
follow up single, Floyd's version of the Bob Wills song, "San Antonio Rose", 
scored in the top ten of both the Country and Pop charts.

Did "Last Date" score higher than "San Antonio Rose" on the charts, or the 
converse?

If you would like to see a lovely family photo of Floyd Cramer, his wife and 
two daughters, check the cover on the "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" album 
circa 1967.



Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net