Back Beat Album Discography

Back Beat Album Discography
by David Edwards and Mike Callahan Last update: March 17, 2011

Back Beat (sometimes Backbeat) Records was a subsidiary of Duke/Peacock Records, run by Don Robey out of Houston, Texas. The early Back Beat labels gave the address as 2809 Erastus Street in Houston, while later the address was 5208 Wiley in Houston.

The label was sold to ABC on May 23, 1973. ABC issued albums and singles in 1973 and 1974 using a white drum head label. ABC had scheduled the album Back Beat BLP-73 for late 1974 [as listed in the Schwann-1 Catalog as a new release for December, 1974], but decided at the last minute to discontinue the label.

At that point, late 1974, only O.V. Wright and Carl Carlton remained as artists on the label, and Wright was temporarily incarcerated for drug use problems. Back Beat BLP-73, Everlasting Love by Carl Carlton, was issued instead on ABC ABCD-857.

The early Back Beat label (far left) was white, with a green and blue drum logo at the top, and the 2809 Erastus Street address around the bottom edge of the label. This was followed by a second, red label, showing a drum top with two gold drumsticks and "BACK BEAT" at the top. The drum frame was gold. The address was given on this label as 5208 Wylie in Houston.

The third label (far left), introduced in the early 1970s, used the same design as the second, but with a different color scheme, and a notation that the label was now part of ABC/Dunhill Records of Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. This label was white with gold drum sticks, but a red drum instead of gold as in the previous version. About 1974, the labels changed to a fourth label (near left), using a series of thin colored concentric circles starting with indigo around the center hole, changing gradually to blue and then green at the outer edge of the label. The logo at the top said "abc Back Beat".

The first Back Beat album label (far left) was red with black printing, BACKBEAT in black above the center hole. The second label (near left) had a white drum head with red rim, two yellow drum sticks, with BACK BEAT in red above the center hole. Reissues after 1974 used a green abc/Back Beat label like the one shown above for the singles.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. We would especially appreciate info on stereo content or numbers for which we have no information. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Backbeat, Duke, ABC, or Universal Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1997, 2011 by Mike Callahan.

BACK BEAT ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover	Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents
	Back Beat BLP-60 Series:
	BLP-60 - Funny (How The Time Slips Away) - Joe Hinton [1965] Original label was red and black. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-60. Pledging My Love/Funny (How The Time Slips Away)/If You Love Me/I'll Get Along Somehow/If It Ain't One Thing/So Close//Endlessly/Everything/True Love/A Thousand Clips Of Happiness/Darling Come Talk To Me/Guess Who
	BLP-61 - (If It Is) Only for Tonight - O.V. Wright [1965] Original label was red and black. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-61. If It's Only For Tonight/Why Don't You Believe Me/Can't Find True Love/Motherless Child/You've Been Crying/I Could Write a Book (About Heartaches)//You're Gonna Make Me Cry/Wish I Were That Boy/Monkey Dog/Don't Want To Sit Down/Everybody Knows (The River Song)/I Can't Believe (You've Got The Nerve To Cry)
	BLP-62
	BLP-63
	BLP-64
	BLP-65
	BLP-66 - 8 Men and 4 Women - O.V. Wright [1968] Original label was red and black. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-66. Eight Men And Four Women/Why Don't You Believe Me/Can't Find True Love/Don't Want To Sit Down/Everybody Knows/I Could Write A Book//Bachelor's Blues/You're Gonna Make Me Cry/Monkey Dog/You've Been Crying/I Can't Believe/Motherless Child
	BLP-67 - Nucleus of Soul - O.V. Wright [1969] First cover was orange with a large picture of O.V. Wright. Original label was red and black. Second cover was light blue with a big dark blue spot, no picture of O.V. Wright. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-67. Blowing In The Wind/Gonna Forget About You/I Have None/You're So Good To Me/Why Not Give Me A Chance//Pledging My Love/This Hurt Is Real/I'll Hate Myself Tomorrow/I'll Take Care Of You/I Want Everyone To Know
	BLP-68 - She's Back - Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton [1970] Original label was red and black. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-68. Cotton Picking Blues/Willie Mae's Blues/Big Change/Walking Blues/Just Can't Help Myself//Hound Dog/They Call Me Big Mama/Tarzan And The Signified Monkey/My Man Called Me/I Smell A Rat
	BLP-69 - Here's "Sunshine" - Larry "Sunshine" Rice [1969] Original label was red and black. Listen Sister/In Again, Out Again/That's Beautiful/A Sad Thought This Is/I Hear There's A Man//I Don't Know Nothing At All/Easter Bunny Time/Horny's All 'Tis/Love You Mother Earth/Margie In Midnight
	BLP-70 - A Nickel and a Nail and the Ace of Spades - O.V. Wright [1971] Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-70. Eight Men Four Women/Ace Of Spades/Afflicted/When You Took Your Love From Me/I Was Born All Over/A Nickel And A Nail/Don't Let My Baby Ride/He Made A Woman For Man/I Can't Take It/Don't Take It Away
	BLP-71 - Can't Stop a Man in Love - Carl Carlton [1973] Original label had the white drum head design. White label promos with the same design but no color were also issued. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-71. You Can't Stop A Man In Love/Drop By My Place/Competition Ain't Nothing/I Won't Let That Chump Break You Heart/Did You Mean It//Born Just In Time/Why Don't They Leave Us Alone/International Playboy/You Make Me Feel Like A Grown Up Man/You Times Me Plus Love
	BLP-72 - Memphis Unlimited - O.V. Wright [1973] Original label had the white drum head design. Reissued in 1974 as ABC/Back Beat BBLX-72. I've Been Searching/Nothing Comes To A Sleeper/The Only Thing That Saved Me/He's My Son (Just The Same)/You Must Believe In Yourself/Lost In The Shuffle//I'd Rather Be Blind, Cripple, And Crazy/Please Forgive Me/Are You Going Where I'm Coming From/Ghetto Child/Memory Blues/I'm Going Home (To Live With God)
	BLP-73 - Everlasting Love - Carl Carlton [scheduled 12/74, unissued] Issued as ABC ABCD-857. Everlasting Love/Morning, Noon And Nightime/I Wanna Be Your Main Squeeze/Our Day Will Come/La La Song/Signed, Sealed And Delivered/Hurt So Bad/Smokin' Room/Lonely Teardrops

Thanks to Phil Healy.

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		The early Back Beat label (far left) was white, with a green and blue drum logo at the top, and the 2809 Erastus Street address around the bottom edge of the label. This was followed by a second, red label, showing a drum top with two gold drumsticks and "BACK BEAT" at the top. The drum frame was gold. The address was given on this label as 5208 Wylie in Houston.
		The third label (far left), introduced in the early 1970s, used the same design as the second, but with a different color scheme, and a notation that the label was now part of ABC/Dunhill Records of Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. This label was white with gold drum sticks, but a red drum instead of gold as in the previous version. About 1974, the labels changed to a fourth label (near left), using a series of thin colored concentric circles starting with indigo around the center hole, changing gradually to blue and then green at the outer edge of the label. The logo at the top said "abc Back Beat".
		The first Back Beat album label (far left) was red with black printing, BACKBEAT in black above the center hole. The second label (near left) had a white drum head with red rim, two yellow drum sticks, with BACK BEAT in red above the center hole. Reissues after 1974 used a green abc/Back Beat label like the one shown above for the singles.