From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Fri May 6, 2005 2:27am Subject: This Is My Story : Murray Nash MURRAY NASH : ROCK 'N' ROLL PIONEER (By Bo Berglind) Born Robert Murray Nash, 5 March 1918, Campbell, Nebraska Died 17 April 2000, Ocala, Florida There are many 'back room boys' whose part in the development of rock 'n' roll and country music is unjustifiably neglected and as a result overlooked. Murray Nash is one such individual, a guy who was there at the beginning and whose efforts to spearhead r 'n' r and country music [that is true country music] are of considerable importance but who is hardly a household name. Sadly Murray is no longer with us and so there is even more reason to provide him with a token of the respect that he richly deserves. That is the purpose of this article and for sure it is a fascinating story, read on .. Robert Murray Nash came on this planet on March 5, 1918 in Campbell, Nebraska, the son of Sivyer Iram and Helen Dorothy Nash. His dad had emigrated from Australia in 1912 and was ordained as a minister after studying at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Upon gaining his religious orders, Sivyer became the minister for a church in Campbell, met Helen and married on March 9, 1916. Four sons came from this union, namely Murray, Dwight, Clyde and Wilbur. In 1920, the family moved to Seneca, Kansas, and shortly thereafter they moved on Gallatin, Tennessee. However come 1925, the six Nash's returned to Australia for three years but then Sivyer decided that perhaps it was best for the family to return to the new world of America. Come 1928, they returned to Tennessee but Sivyer came down with a serious illness which incapacitated him for around four years. During this period Murray helped support the family by selling and delivering newspapers, magazines and milk. Thankfully by 1932, Nash senior was able to resume his preaching duties and became the minister for the Presbyterian churches in Dechard and Wartrace, Tennessee. Sadly another tragedy was to hit the family in 1935 when Helen died from a brain tumour. However his dad remarried the next year and so family life was maintained. After graduating in June 1936, Murray elected to enroll in the University of Tennessee (U.T.). Classes began on September 30, 1936. Two days after commencing his studies at the end of September, he met Martha Elizabeth Harris at U.T. and six weeks later they were engaged. Naturally the couple wanted to marry and so instead of returning to college in 1937, Murray took a full time job at C.M. McClung Company, the then largest wholesale hardware warehouse in the southeast. Shortly after Martha had graduated from U.T. and had become a teacher of music and history at Farragut, McClung's adopted the RCA Victor franchise and offered Murray the job of managing the RCA record distributorship which he accepted. As part of his duties, he developed a filing system together with a salesman's training programme that were eventually adopted by RCA as their model throughout the USA. On June 22, 1940 Murray and Martha were married at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The wedding gift from RCA Victor was a recording of the ceremonies - quite likely a first. The couple then honeymooned in Washington D.C. and at the New York's World Fair. After America's entry into World War II, Murray enlisted into the Army Air Force on January 20, 1943 and had an illustrious military career eventually ending up as a fully fledged pilot and was honorably discharged on November 18, 1945. On October 3 1943 Murray's and Martha's first son, Larry Sieven, was born. After exiting the USA armed forces, Murray returned to McClung's but also began to spend weekends back stage at the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, getting to know country music stars and executives. In addition, both Billboard and Cashbox magazines included articles and news items that Nash submitted. Murray was also responsible for getting several artists signed to RCA Victor Records at this time, especially Wee King & Redd Stewart, Charlie Monroe and Cliff Carlisle. It was Nash who recorded King and Stewart on "Tennessee Waltz" after RCA producer Steve Sholes had rejected the song. RCA released the song in February 1948 as a B-side. As the saying goes, the rest is history although Patti Page went onto achieve the pop charts version. Later Nash was offered Steve Sholes' job but turned it down. Had Murray accepted the offer, one wonders whether he would have signed Elvis Presley? Be that as it may, Murray did direct the sessions on Eddy Arnold that produced the hits 'Texarkana Baby' and 'Bouquet Of Roses. Nash also persuaded Sholes to sign Hank Snow to RCA Victor. Another first for Murray was the instigation of a distribution service of new RCA releases to top disc jockeys and radio stations, i.e. he created the still used concept of record promotion in the USA. He was also instrumental in establishing America's first 'one-stop', a location where juke box operators could visit come and choose their record needs at the same time. If that was not enough, he was also one of the prime movers in getting the large department store chains to create record selling departments. Nash was also of help to Randy Wood when the latter started Dot Records. It was at the "Suppertime Frolics" music convention in Chicago in March 1948 that Randy Blake, an influential Disc Jockey at radio station WJJDS, arranged for Murray to meet Irv Green, president of the then newly formed Mercury Records. The outcome was that the next day, Nash was taken on by Mercury to establish and develop a 'Folk Music' division. Mercury made the following announcement in Billboard on August 14, 1948: Hilliard Leaves Mercury; Laine, Damone Renew "CHICAGO, Aug 7 - Mercury Records this week got a vote of confidence from two of its major artists and lost its artist and repertoire chief, Jimmy Hilliard. Frankie Laine and Vic Damone both returned signed contracts, extending their time with Mercury another three years. Contracts called for a revision of sides per year and royalties, but details could not be learned. Jimmy Hilliard, a. And r. Exec since the firm moved into high gear two-and-a-half years ago, parted company with the firm when he found it impossible to move his family to New York, where waxery execs have decided to centralize job pop a. and r. Activities. Lou Douglas, musical director under Hilliard, also ankled the operation, Hilliard said he is mulling several offers. Replacing Hilliard is Mitchell Miller, who previously cut some albums and singles for Keynote, now in the Mercury catalog, as featured oboist and did some pop supervision for Mercury before the ban. Remainder of Mercury supervisory staff will be: John Hammond, race and David Hall, longhair, both to be located in New York, and Murray Nash, folk music, with offices in Knoxville." During his years with Mercury, Nash established Mercury in the country music field and gained distributorships for the label in locations such as places like Atlanta, Georgia and Dallas. This was a significant part of making Mercury one of the leading labels in the USA.. Murray signed up many now legendary acts such as Rex Allen, Jerry Byrd, Archie Campbell, Bill Carlisle and Don Gibson. He was also responsible for the launch of Flatt & Scruggs after they had quit Bill Monroe. Nash worked hard at getting them established but is quoted as recalling: "They eventually became dissatisfied with me and I figured there was someone else in the picture. I had them on a three-year contract and there was a year to go. It was Earl and his wife in particular who were dissatisfied, but I didn't want someone on the label if they were dissatisfied. I made a deal with them that if they'd record the sides they owed me for the last year, I'd give them their release. I came down to Tampa with a Magnecord because it was hard to find a station with tape then. I got into Tampa and they wanted to leave town because they'd heard a hurricane was coming. I suggested that they bring all their families into the station because it was a brick structure, sp they did and we cut the sessions, and the hurricane actually hit where they were fixing to go. That was country music A&R circa 1950." In 1949, Nash was responsible for the original chart making version of 'Hadacol Boogie' by Bill Nettles. He also recommended 'Tennessee Waltz' to Mitch Miller, the pop A&R person for Mercury, for either Patti Page or Eddy Howard to record. Page of course was the lucky artist selected and created a monster hit and career as a result. In an expansionist mood, Nash also sought out southern R&B, blues and gospel acts. Amongst those he acquired for Mercury were Professor Longhair, Roy Gaines, and The Silvertone Singers. Nash also worked with Dinah Washington around this time. According to expert Rick Coleman, it was most likely that the first sessions for Mercury in New Orleans took place in February 1950, when the label sent Murray Nash on a field trip. Seven artists were recorded over two nights at National Recorders studio in the Goodchaux Building on Canal Street. It was early 1951, Mercury asked Murray and his family to move to New Orleans or Los Angeles but he declined. Fred Rose at Acuff Rose also wanted Murray to join their Nashville based set up, an offer which was far more to Nash's liking. By coincidence, Murray had been in the Acuff Rose offices when Hank Williams has come calling looking for a publishing deal. Nash joined Acuff Rose in April 1951 but continued to produce sessions for Mercury until November that year when Walter 'Dee' Kilpatrick was taken on as his successor. Murray also knew Ernie Young the founder of the Nashboro - Excello group of labels. Nash is quoted as saying: "Ernie was a very religious and humble man, a behind the scenes kind of guy. He didn't put his name up front on all the record productions that he did, like maybe an Owen Bradley. He let others take the credit. But you had to treat him right too. When I was heading distribution for RCA out of Knoxville in the later Forties, I would let the main dealer have advance copies of our releases. And I always had to bear in mind the intense rivalry between Ernie Young and Randy Wood. If I let Randy have the new Eddy Arnold record before Ernie then, hell, Ernie sure let me know about it! " By accounts, Murray was also responsible for connecting legendary Louisiana producer Jay Miller with Ernie Young in 1955. This is something that we have all to be eternally grateful for. It was Fred Rose and Murray who were responsible for renaming hillbilly music country music with the 'and western' being added by Billboard magazine's Johnny Sipple. Nash also created the first publisher's recording studio in Fred's back yard at 3621 Rainbow Trail which ultimately led to the musician's union initiating the musician's scale for demo recordings. Murray had a quick and innovative brain and came up with many ground breaking thoughts. An example is the Grand Ol' Opry shows on Friday nights which Nash titled "The Friday Night Frolics" after the Chicago convention in 1948. Murray was also responsible for starting the programme 'Mr. D.J. U.S.A' on station WSM after the 'Friday Frolics'. This was compered by Grant Turner and featured a visiting DJ each week. Another example of Murray's innovative thinking was the conception of an annual DJ convention in Nashville. However Tillman Franks in his book 'I Was There When It Happened' credits Webb Pierce with coming up with this suggestion. Whatever, it is beyond doubt that these and other ideas were all instrumental in establishing Nashville as the premier location for country music. On 1st July 1953, Murray's second son, Darryll Aron was born. Due to his extensive traveling involved in the promotion work with Acuff Rose, Murray had to forsake his weekly Cashbox column which was handed over Charlie Lamb who started the 'Music Reporter' a few years later. Nash also provided invaluable assistance to Thurston Moore when the latter started his 'Who's Who In Country Music'. Part of Murray's work at Acuff Rose was to heavily promote the song book of Hank Williams. This included the recording of demos by Hank on his own without the aid of backing musicians. When Hank tragically died, MGM Records discovered that they only had four completed mastered recordings that had not been released. Murray took the demo tapes that he had recorded and dubbed on backing tracks by The Drifting Cowboys without the knowledge of the MGM executives. It has to be noted that the then head of MGM, Frank Walker, still regarded the tape recorder as a gimmick. MGM called one of their regular meetings in New York and Murray was in attendance. Getting in the room before the meeting commenced, Nash set up a tape recorder complete with the overdubbed Williams tapes ready to play. When the meeting came to discuss the best strategy for marketing the four masters songs MGM had left by Hank, Murray advised Frank Walker that there were a considerable number of further titles available by Hank. With a marked degree of incredulity, Walker has been quoted as telling Nash to "play his new fangled toy". The assembled gathering apparently was pleasantly shocked to hear the Hank Williams recordings 'created' by Murray. By accounts this lead to Frank Walker instructing all divisions of MGM Records to install tape recorders. For sure, it is thanks to Murray's efforts that MGM possess a much larger catalogue of Hank Williams recordings than they had previously assumed. Concerning the music and ability of Hank Williams, Murray is quoted as saying: "When he was on stage, that was it! When he sang a song, you felt it, just like he felt it when he was up there singing it. That was the impression you got - that this was part of his life, and this was the first time he sung it. And it fitted many people. "Your Cheatin' Heart" - look at all the people that sat there and listened to that, and that was their experience too." Early in 1953, Fred formed Hickory Records which became a source of friction. In an interview with Martin Hawkins, Murray takes up the story: "When Fred Rose hired me it was with understanding that I would be a partner, but Acuff-Rose was set up so no-one else could buy in. I was there over two years when Fred came into my office one night and said he'd talked to Roy Acuff and he'd found a way to bring me in. He said he would organize Hickory Records because that way we could produce things that we couldn't get recorded by other labels, and when it had gotten to its feet it was to be handed to me. Despite Fred's promise to me, Wesley Rose decided to keep me out of Hickory, Wes Rose and I had a problem. I wanted Acuff-Rose to stay country, but he wanted to diversify. So I had recorded some things that were for Hickory, including Jimmy C. Newman on "Cry, Cry Darling" but Fred and Wesley Rose went ahead on issuing other things. They were keen on Al Terry. I was trying to help out Randy Wood at the time, so I sent Jimmy Newman's master up to Dot." The outcome was that Fred Rose requested Murray to leave the company in mid 1954. Fred was, by this time, in failing health and he died on 1st December 1954. Nash was a pallbearer at his funeral. Upon leaving Acuff Rose, Nash contacted Ray Scrivener, who the previous year had made attempts to get Nash to form a new publishing company along with Charles Bingham. Early 1955 saw the creation of Murray Nash Associates by the three partners and they rented office space in the Cumberland Lodge Building located adjacent to the National Life and WSM premises. The Murray Nash Associates facilities also included the 'Recording Of Nashville' recording studio which had been constructed by Nash. Shortly thereafter, the three partners acquired the Republic Record Company, which had been failing, and relocated to a large two story house on Division Street which they transformed into an office building. Probably this was the beginning of what is known the world over as Music Row. In the book that accompanies Bear Family Records box set "A Shot In The Dark" Martin Hawkins wrote: "Nash recalls that attorney Jordan Stokes was handling the sale of Republic from Reynold Bubis to Murray Nash & Associates. The Bubises were out of Republic by the end of 1953, so it's possible that Murray Nash & Associates held a significant interest from that point. Nash engineered most of the later country Republic recordings while Ted Jarrett was increasingly involved as arranger of the blues session." In early 1955 Nash was requested to take charge of the southern division of a new magazine called "Country & Western Jamboree". Murray held that position until May 1956 when Charles Lamb took over his duties. Glenn Reeves from Jacksonville, Florida came to Nashville in 1955 at the behest of Nash and Scrivener to record for Republic. Reeves went onto record the demo version of "Heartbreak Hotel" which Mae Boren Axton, who composed the song along with Tommy Durden, had submitted to the company but who had departed after a disagreement with Ray Scrivener. She took the song to Tree Publishing who of course went on to reap the rewards when Elvis Presley made the song his own in 1956. In early 1956 Murray recorded Opal Jean, who had previously recorded for Hickory, and "Welcome To The Club" was leased to Sun Records of Memphis. Jean went onto having releases on RCA Victor and Challenge Records. However not all was well with Republic Records. Murray Nash is reported as recalling: "Bill Beasley was terrific on sessions but you just couldn't get along with him. Bill went on the road promoting discs towards the end but we started getting a string of calls where he had been handing out $1500 worth of hot cheques". The end of Republic Records came in autumn 1956. Their final release was the cult rockabilly release "Slip, Slip Slippin' In" by country singer Lou Millet. What a way to bow out. The Republic name and logo was purchased by Ray Scrivener in 1957. Some R&B and blues masters, together with artists contracts were sold to Vee-Jay Records, whilst some country masters were bought by Murray Nash & Associates. There were numerous masters that were not claimed. When Jim Denny had to leave the Grand Ol' Opry as the result of forming Cedarwood Music Publishing, Jack DeWitt offered Murray the job as Director of the Grand Ol' Opry. This was a position that he dearly wanted but apparently both of his partners in Murray Nash Associates refused to let him take it. As a consequence Nash recommended Dee Kilpatrick for the job. The Nash's third son, Roger Phillips, was born on December 14, 1956. Nash now developed independent productions, i.e. producing individual recordings and then either leasing or selling the finished product to record companies. This was coming along nicely and Murray Nash Associates had signed a contract with London Records to record fifty sides a year at a guaranteed $1 million. There was an identical arrangement with Atlantic Records plus Mercury Records also virtually promised to release anything that was sent to them. In addition, BMI agreed to advance the company $250.000. There was still more than one string to Murray's bow as, in 1957, Nash produced the first Country And Western segment for NBC's Today Show which was a coming out party for singers Steve Schulte (from Waco) and Jean Chapel. The program was transmitted from the Shamrock Hotel in Houston. However, Murray's partners in Murray Nash Associates carried out a boardroom coup and ousted Nash from the company leaving him only with his "Most Outstanding Personality In Country Music" plaque presented to him by Disc Jockeys. Billboard magazine in their issued dated 17th March 1958 reported that: Nash Firm Now Abco "NASHVILLE -- Effective March 15, Murray Nash Associates, Inc., together with its affiliates, Atna Music Corporation, Buna Music Corporation and Cana Music Publishers, Inc., will operate under the name of Abco Music Company. The firm will continue to operate from its present location, 1707 Division Street, Nashville. The Murray Nash firm recently underwent a reshuffling, with Murray Nash bowing out of the company, with Ray Scrivener taking over as vice-president and general manager. Abco Music will operate basically as a music publishing firm, handling all types of material Scrivener says. The company will also strive to develop promising song writing and recording talent Scrivener reports. Roger Miller, composer of "Tall Tall Trees" and other c and w tunes has joined Abco Music as A & R man." Nash's ex partners, Ray Scrivener and Charles Bingham - now both deceased, failed to reap any rewards as the three aforementioned record companies canceled their contracts and BMI recalled the advance. This situation left Nash wounded both personally and professionally. People in the music industry who Murray considered to be friends cold shouldered him. As a result, he and his wife had to sell their house and relocate to west Nashville in February 1958. However Murray attempted to bound back pretty quickly as he linked up with Floyd Whited who owned Spangle Records. Whited asked Murray to handle the promotion and publishing aspects of the company whilst Brien Fisher was bought in to handle the artist and recording duties. Billboard magazine in their issue on 10th March 1958 reported: "Nash to Head Spangle Subsidiary SPRINGFIELD, O. -- Murray Nash, who recently ankled the Nashville publishing and production firm bearing his name is joining Spangle Records, with headquarters here, to head up the firm's newly formed publishing arm, Audio Music Company, Floyd Whited, Spangle chief, announced Wednesday (5). Nash was here to confer with Whited early last week. Whited says that his Audio Music subsidiary is opening Nashville offices immediately. It is likely that Nash will make his offices there. Nash has worked closely with Whited in the past, both in an A & R and producer capacity." After a while it became evident that there were financial problems and this lead to a confrontation between Whited and Fisher, allegedly over unaccounted monies. Whited fired Fisher and then suffered a nervous breakdown. The end result was that Spangle Records was dissolved and Floyd left the music business. Nash made contact with Whited some years later but the disillusionment was still evident as apparently Floyd declined to discuss anything to do with the music industry. For a while thereafter Nash worked with noted Nashville disc jockey John Richburg as a record distributor for his Southern Records. Martha went to work as a clerk for the Post Office located in a drug store only three block from the home they had stayed in for 22 years. However the dreams that had kept him going for the past years resurfaced and it was reported in Billboard magazine on 25th April 1960 that: "Murray Nash has purchased Reavis Recording Studios in Nashville from Joe Reavis, and will operate under the name of Recording of Nashville." The Reavis Recording Studio had been in operation since at least the end of 1955 as it was listed on the 1956 city directory and was, at that time, located on 2014 Beech Avenue. Murray then started another company, 'By Nash of Nashville' employing handicapped assistants. His secretary was blind and took down messages in Braille whilst her partially sighted husband acted as a gofer. It was around this time that Nash assisted in the developing the talents of a guy who went on to become one of Nashville's top session musicians, namely the blind piano player Hargus "Pig" Robbins. Rock 'n' roll fans will of course know him as Mel Robbins of 'Save It' fame. . Murray also established Ashna Publishing which was the parent company for his Do-Ra-Me Records and it's numerous subsidiaries such as Musicenter, Topic and Round -Up. This set up was active for the next ten years until circa 1970. The output from these labels was prolific and Murray was responsible for recording the talents of many rock 'n' roll and country acts who enjoy cult status today. Four examples are Chuck Wiley, Curtis Hoback, Cliffie Nash and The Imps, However when Murray decided to call it a day and retire his labels, it was because 'it was not fun anymore'. But in 1964, Murray also made another career swerve and, after 25 years in the music business, he took alternative employment at the main post office in Nashville. He was 48 years old. Again he succeeded and gained many awards, including one for his film titled "How Mail Moves Through The Post Office - The Operation Of A Post Office". However in 1980 Murray relocated to the post office in Cupertino, California so that he and his wife Martha could look after his step mother whose health was poor.. He retired from the postal service in 1983 but continued to be active in various charitable works and serving as a volunteer at local hospitals. When his adopted mother unfortunately died in 1986, Murray and his wife moved to Florida so that they could be near some of their sons and their respective families. It is fortunate for us that one son decided to stay in Nashville thus causing Murray to make occasional visits to that city. It was here in 1990 that Stomper Time Records president Dave Travis met Murray whilst in the company of John Denny of the Denny Music Corporation. The first meeting took place funnily enough in the Nashville post office but on this occasion, Nash was there to post a letter. Dave and Murray quickly became friends and based on this mutual understanding, Travis became Nash's representative. Ultimately, Dave purchased the Do Ra Me group of record labels from Murray in November 1999 and so another slice of American musical heritage passed into the hands of understanding European owners. Dave recalls that after the signing, the pair were driven to a party hosted by Curtis Gordon and that a real celebratory fun time was had by all. Sadly Murray died from lung cancer on around 17th April 2000, another seminal figure of American music had gone to the great cotton field in the sky. Fortunately for all of us, Murray left behind a considerable recorded legacy and so in May 2000, the cream of this output will be issued on two CDs by Stomper Time Records. The CDs are titled 'Nashville Rockabilly' [STCD 12] and 'Nashville Rock 'n' Roll' [STCD 13]. Each CD will contain 35 tracks and to quote label president Dave Travis, "these two releases confirm the talent and spirit that was Murray Nash and are a fitting tribute to the man I am proud to call a friend. They are exciting both in content and feel. I am glad to be able to issue these two discs and am confident that the world wide rock 'n' roll fraternity will enjoy the music." This then brings us to the end of the Murray Nash story, there is no doubt that our musical enjoyment would have been considerably lessened without his remarkable talents. Indeed he was a true pioneer. Thanks Murray. © Tony Wilkinson March 2001 Sources: Article in August 1989 issue of 'Country Music Parade' magazine (author not stated) Martin Hawkins liner notes to the 'Shot In The Dark CD box set of independent Nashville recordings on Bear Family Records. Billboard magazine Dave Travis