When you work at a record shop, you always keep a good eye on all the vinyl that we wheel and deal with, in hopes that you somehow get one the holy grails of early recorded music. Something like a Robert Johnson, an Uncle Dave Macon or a Blind Willie Johnson 78, one that would not only feel real good in your relatively young hands, but also might garner some sizable coin. And in spite of the big ones that everyone wants, you will every once in a while come across some find that you treasure more than you would ever expect (and which most other folks could care less about). Mostly unheard-of songs and artists, but wonderful melodies none the less -- some of which could be plundered for sampling and remixing projects.

One particular record I came across was a 78 called "Honolulu Is Waiting for You, Firestone" -- with no listing of who the artist was. It just said it was produced by Owen Murphy Productions, in the Reeves Sound Studios, for the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. Listening to the lyrics, you figure that it was jingle encouraging employees to rack up points, possibly to win a trip to Hawaii, and I'm guessing the date of recording was somewhere 'tween the late 40's and early 50's.

Whatever its intention or origin, the track is a jumpin' swing boogie and something that ya gotta figure that whoever the writers, musicians and singers were, they put their all into it, in spite of it prolly not being the type of vehicle they had envisioned for their artistry.... Nothin' against recording tunes that only tire salesmen are gonna hear, but it ain't the same as being in Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys band.

So I figured that I'd at least take a stab at getting it to a few more ears that are still alive, and so started to remix it. Because it was coming off a beat-up 78 record, I had a tough time trying to get the thing to a proper, consistent beat, and I got so frustrated that after a couple weeks I decided to give it a break. Six months down the road, I'd kinda forgot about it until I was talking to Cowboy Anton - a Vanderbilt University DJ and American country enthusiast (from Spain, no less) - and he asked in all my days at the record store, had I stumbled upon any rare gems? And then I relayed the story above, and he asked to hear the original recording. I let him hear it, and from his enthusiasm for the steel guitar solo alone, I got inspired to dig out the unfinished remix and finish it.

Anton said he was going to start playing it on his show, and that prompted me to contact the Bridgestone-Firestone company about possibly finding some documentation of the song's history, particularly who was responsible for that "Have a happy happy happy time" song. Everybody I talked to was very approachable, including the folks at the corporate headquarters in Nashville and archivist in Akron, Ohio; alas, nobody could find anything for us. Everyone kept asking if it was the crooner Christmas album the company sponsored, probably around the same decade. It wasn't, I assured them.

So we may never know. But for the time being, you can give the track a listen here, and shake your hips a bit to the unknown musicians who were "celebrating Firestone"... and a good tune. And if you're even slightly impressed, let it be an inspiration to start picking up the old brittle pieces of vinyl by people you've never heard of, laying lonely in the discount section of The Great Escape and other shops. Someone's sweat and dream will surely be on it -- and if you're lucky, it might be a good dream.

(if you somehow know or can help us find anything out on this matter, holler at me)

Meantime, a bunch of Jerry's earlier records have been reissued as CD two-fers -- well worth seeking out. His moniker of "Guitar Man" (a decade before he was the "Snowman") was no lie, and all the Nashville insiders knew it. And if somehow you've never heard "Amos Moses"... well, save that first listen for a dark and ominous midnight. Or maybe Halloween -- that'd be fine too, mighty fine. Rest in peace, Jerry.