From Wax of Stacks — David Bottoms‘ expansive history of Cincinnati’s record labels including, most prominently, King — we learn that recording engineerLee Hazen generously provided the author a copy of an audio recording of a meeting that had been convened at King Records‘ Cincinnati headquarters by its founder/owner, Syd Nathan, sometime between 1966 and 1967 [audio link – click here]. .King staff members who were present at this meeting included Louis Innis, Gene Redd, Johnny Miller, Chuck Loeffler, and Bud Hobgood.
Bottoms writes —
Nathan gestures toward Bud Hobgood (who he calls “Hosgood” for the entire meeting), and refers to him as one of James Brown‘s right-hand men. He then erupts with:
“Now, we have a publishing company with Gene Redd. We have a publishing company with James Brown. We have a publishing company with Bud Hosgood. He is one of the right-hand man of James Brown. I don’t know whether he realizes it, but he’s not only the right-hand man, he’s the left-hand man … he is the man, he is a short man, he is a tall man, he is no man whatsoever. From one minute to another you can’t tell how this man James Brown is going to act but we all love him, and we consider and respect the fact that he — has — made it. Now, we are hoping that he not only has made it, but he stays that way for many many years, the same as Bing Crosby, Sinatra, and others — Como — and others have made it.”
Future tour manager, Alan Leeds, recounts his first day on the job in 1969 as publicity director with James Brown Productions in his memoir, There Was A Time: James Brown, The Chitlin’ Circuit, And Me. Bud Hobgood, as Brown’s right-hand man, suitably enough, makes an early appearance:
Brown was on the road the first week I was there, but then he unexpectedly decided to spend three off-days in Cincinnati. That morning, the office burst with newfound energy. Bob [Patton], Buddy [Nolan], and Speedy [Brown] hurriedly sifted through papers strewn about the desks, putting away anything that might arouse their boss’ curiosity. I didn’t understand what bordered on paranoia. I would later.
An hour later, Brown stalked into what had turned into the most orderly office in show business. The only thing the neat facade failed to disguise was the tension that tied desk to desk, employee to employee. Everyone held their breath, trying to read the mood of their volatile boss — prepared to greet him but not until spoken to.
James strolled through without anything resembling an acknowledgement, turned toward Nolan and Patton and began questioning the advance ticket sales for upcoming concert dates. They were obviously accustomed to having such information on the tips of their tongues. Mid-sentence, Brown bolted towards office managerChristine Tate and asked for a copy of his latest record. Patton jumped up to turn on a stereo, but Brown waved him away.
“I don’t wanna hear it. Don’t you think I know what it sounds like? I wanna look at that mutha!” he all but shouted.
Turning back to Miss Tate, he growled, “Get Mr. Hobgood down here.”
As an afterthought, his voice took on a sugary drawl and he flirtingly added, “pleeeeze.”
Moments later, Hobgood, a gangly white Kentuckian with a high forehead and a bulbous W.C. Fields nose, whizzed into the office like Road Runner. James lashed right into him.
“Bud, all these damn records are pressed crooked, they’re off center. Everywhere I go, the disc jockeys complain. What the hell’s the matter up there? I put you upstairs to watch over those guys and you can’t even get them to make a round hole for the records!”
The records were slightly defective, and someone in the King Records pressing plant next door should have noticed, but quality control wasn’t really Bud Hobgood’s jurisdiction. Still, he fumbled for an excuse. Brown knew Bud wouldn’t rest until the problem was corrected.
Hall of Fame radio broadcaster and early rock ‘n’ roll musicologist, Jim LaBarbara, “The Music Professor” (who actually taught for a few years at the University of Cincinnati) was lured to WLW in 1969 from Cleveland’s “hot” AM station at the time, WIXY. LaBarbara’s memoir, The Music Professor – A Life Amplified Through Radio & Rock ‘n’ Roll includes this page-length remembrance of Bud Hobgood:
Bud Hobgood was one of my first Cincinnati friends. He was the big, tall, white guy who worked as James Brown’s executive producer and right-hand man. He wrote a number of songs with James.
Bud was with me with when I visited Morganna at a Newport club to set up an interview for my show. Morganna was a stripper who was later billed as “the Kissing Bandit” or “the Wild One.” She would go to the ballpark wearing a bulky jacket to somewhat conceal her identity. When it was time to get her target, off came the jacket, and she’d run onto the field wearing a t-shirt and gym shorts and plant a harmless kiss on a baseball player’s lips. Of course, the crowd would go crazy. She got Johnny Bench and Pete Rose. It all started when another girl bet her she wouldn’t do it, and she often joked later that her career started on a bet, and Pete’s ended with a bet. She was a voluptuous young lady whose measurements started off at 44-23-37 and later went to an unbelievable 60-24-39. At the club, Morganna invited me backstage. Here’s the picture: Bud and I are in this room with five or six naked ladies. Morganna is showing me her signature move, practicing her squats, and then while putting a little makeup on her huge breasts, she was asking my opinion, “Jimmy, how do these look?” Most guys would have done anything to be in my shoes, but I have to say it wasn’t sexual. Bud agreed with me — it smelled like a gym, and the ladies, although very pretty, just weren’t sensual in that setting. On stage it was a little different story. The next day, she stopped by the station to record an interview. She responded to the first question by saying, “Jesus Christ, Jim, I …” I stopped her and explained we couldn’t say “Jesus Christ” on the air. She apologized. I asked the question again, and she said, “Christ, Jim I …” I stopped her again and explained we couldn’t say “Christ” on the air either. The third time was a charm, and we nailed the interview.
Bud and I were laughing one day, having a good time, and the next day he wasn’t around any of the hangouts. Bud Hobgood died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was only thirty-four years old, and I found out about it after the funeral. James Brown took his death the hardest.
[L to R] Eddie Brackett, Bud Hobgood, Oliver Nelson, James Brown
Frustratingly few accounts of Bud Hobgood can be found in the music and periodical literature during his lifetime — which is what makes Dennis Wholey‘s heartfelt tribute, published in the wake of Hobgood’s sudden passing, such an invaluable historical artifact. Wholey, a radio personality and musical satirist as part of The Hardly Worthit Players (who recorded for Cameo-Parkway), would also host ABC’s 1969 television game show, The Generation Gap (in which three adults compete against three teens as they answer questions about the others’ generation), before landing his own syndicated show that was broadcast out of Cincinnati.
One of the nicest things about my two years in Cincinnati was Bud Hobgood. Maybe you didn’t know him. You missed someone special. Bud died on the 18th of July. He lived very, very fast. He died at 34. His life was music. His life was King Records. His life was James Brown.
“James is coming in tonight. I’ve got to meet him at the airport.”
He wore flashy clothes. He had two cars and knew every place within miles of Cincinnati where you could get a drink and listen to live music on a Sunday night. He drank like he was Irish, loved pretty women, looked like the Marlboro man…tall and lanky.
We played pool one night for $50 a shot and lost just enough to make sure everything came out even and I looked good. Neither of us had money to pay off anyway. He really cared about me. That’s a nice feeling to have.
“Wholey, get one of those girls in your office and let’s go out tonight.”
Bud loved my television show. If a guest cancelled at the last minute, he’d come through with somebody. He always showed up at the studio for rehearsal to make sure that everything was as good as it could be. He’d discover new acts for us … He worked for us … He was almost a member of the staff. When the show was cancelled it hurt him as much as it hurt all of us. I really always felt that he loved being around a television studio even more than he loved a recording studio … and recording studios were his life.
“I’ve got a session tonight at midnight, you wanna come over?”
He’d be sitting in the dark in the control room listening to some group run down a number. He’d get a balance on each instrument, walk into the studio, move things and people around, come back into the control room, light another cigarette and try a “take.” He loved to work late at night. He never started before midnight. Rehearsing numbers bored him.
“Did you ever see this place? Let’s look around.”
He took me on a tour of the King setup one night. The place must cover a city block. The halls, up ramps, down stairs; executive offices, art department, studios, mixing rooms, pressing plant and shipping department. Along the way, he’d pick up a handful of albums and give them to me.
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Main Recording Board at King Studios
Note the curved faders
(photo courtesy ofMike Welch)
Scully Lathe in Bob Greene’s “Clean Room“
King Studios
(photo courtesy ofMike Welch)
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“Let’s have a party at my place.”
At about two in the morning he wanted to go someplace, but he had loaned out both of his cars and couldn’t get where he wanted to go. We were still dancing at six in the morning. I decided to sleep over and he gave me his room. He slept on a couch in the den.
“Can you get James on the show tomorrow?”
Bud Hobgood really loved James Brown. They were almost like brothers. Bud would tell me about recording sessions with James. James would cut a 12-minute song and then Bud would get it all back together for a 3:30 record. They made a lot of hits together. Bud never went to sleep before five or six in the morning and was back at the studio at noon working on tapes he had cut the night before. I’m sure if you look at the back of a James Brown album, you’ll find Bud’s name somewhere.
“Do you think this is a hit?”
One night he played me a *song. The record had no label copy. The line I remember ended every chorus … “BUT HERE I AM.” Bud had written the song and had done the vocal himself *[streaming audio of this recording posted near the bottom of this piece]. He didn’t tell me until after it was all over and I had committed myself. It was really bad, and I loved it. I tried to talk him into releasing it as a County/Western number. He had a better idea. He wanted to get everybody he did a session with to record it. Then he was going to pick the best version and release it. Since Bud and I had been working on a project together, I was due to come to Cincinnati to do a session with him with an artist we were co-producing. As a non-singer, I had hopes of taking a shot at recording it at four in the morning and be the version to be released. Right now, I’d settle for a copy of Bud’s version, which is someplace.
“Wholey, you’re the star, you pick up the check.”
We really had good times together. I can’t think of many people I’d rather run an evening with. Everyplace we went people knew him. Last week, I talked to his 19-year-old brother, Rick, in Madisonville, Ky. Rick said it: “Everyone sure liked Bud.”
In the old days when the syndicated show was swinging, it was a running gag. Mindy Johnston, my secretary and assistant would holler … “Bud Hobgood on line 3.” Some days, I’d walk into the office and pass Mindy and say … “Coffee and get me Bud Hobgood.”
When I called Cincinnati after hearing about Bud’s death to find out what happened someone told me he had a bad heart. They were wrong. Bud had a good heart.
“Everyone sure liked Bud.”
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Nighttime Pursuits –
Dick Burress, Bud Hobgood, Jerry Lay & Beau Dollar
Whispers and then a hush … He steps out onto the stage and BANG!!! EXCITEMENT? YES! … SHEER PANDEMONIUM? YES!
This is Mr. Show Business himself … James Brown … Acclaimed by many was the world’s greatest entertainer, he goes straight to work, bringing out the raw soul of music. Music is his business, and he dons his business suit! James Brown sets trends with his songs and has developed many of the dances that sweep the country. His most recent dances are The Popcorn and The Chicken.
We have tried to capture the raw soul of James Brown on this album. Ain’t It Funky cannot be put into any class of music as it has been accepted by the soul music group, the hard rock and the underground and top forty radio station audiences. To complete side one of this album, James Brown is featured on the organ with “Fat Wood.”
Side two of this album contains Mr. Brown’s instrumental version of some of his latest hits such as “Cold Sweat,” “Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose” and new tunes such as “Nose Job,” “Use Your Mother” and “After You Done It.”
I would like to say sit back, relax and enjoy this album. But when James Brown plays for you, no one can sit still.
– Bud Hobgood
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The year before, Hobgood had been singled out as a person of interest in James Brown’s liner notes (below) for Dee Felice Trio‘s 1969 debut album In Heat on Bethlehem:
In Heat
-rear cover-
“Recorded at Starday-King Record Studios, Cincinnati”
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Let me start by saying that “The Dee Felice Trio” Album is about three years overdue. Between my concerts, one-nighters, and working with people in the poverty and “Stay in School” programs, I find time to fly into Cincinnati to record — and for three years now everybody’s been hippin me to dig the Dee Felice Trio. Last fall, my production manager Bud Hobgood put me in a car, between sessions and between sessions we ended up at the Living Room Supper Club where the Trio was playing. After listening to the first set, I knew I had to record an album of standards with this trio backing me up, and I wasted no time in signing them to a contract — on the spot. I was so “grooved” at the results of this session (King 1051) I told Dee to “Get It Together — And Do Your Own Thing.“
– James Brown
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Working the Phone –
Bud Hobgood in his office atKing Records
(photo courtesy ofMike Welch)
Hobgood appears on the songwriting credits for over fifty compositions by James Brown and affiliated artists, including Bobby Byrd, Vicki Anderson, Hank Ballard, Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis, Charles Spurling, Marva Whitney, James Crawford, The Dapps, The Brownettes, Leon Austin, William Patton, and Beau Dollar. While Hobgood’s name typically appears in tandem with James Brown’s, there are some noteworthy exceptions, such as Hank Ballard’s “Dance Till It Hurtcha” [written by Hank Ballard and Bud Hobgood] and William Patton’s “Don’t Be So Mean” [by Louis Innis and Bud Hobgood], both from 1967, as well as three songs on 1968’s A Soulful Christmas LP written by Bud Hobgood and Nat Jones [“Christmas Is Coming”; “Believers Shall Enjoy” & “Santa Claus Gave Me A Brand New Start”] plus an additional one [“You Know It”] by Alfred Ellis and Bud Hobgood. One of the more startling songwriting credits are those for funk instrumental classic “In The Middle” – attributed to Alfred Ellis and Bud Hobgood. Furthermore, there are a few recordings for which Hobgood is listed as sole author: .“Shades Of Brown (Pt. 2)”; “The Chase”; “The Man In The Glass.”
Bud Hobgood – Sales & Promotions Manager
James Brown’s letter to radio stations
(c. 1966)
Those with an eye for detail will notice the presence of “Golo” on a number of 45 and LP releases below – no doubt a publishing deal with Syd Nathan, with the “Lo” part a reference to Lois Music, as explained below by longtime 45Cat contributor, mickeyrat, :
For years I’ve wondered who was involved in Boblo Music [i.e., Bob = producer Bobby Smith]. I’ve always had it listed with that clutch of half a dozen imprints that Syd Nathan of King Records shared with his favourite producers (e.g. Men-Lo = Fred Mendelsohn & Syd Nathan and Son-Lo = Sonny Thompson & Syd Nathan, where the “Lo” bit was short for Nathan’s flagship publishing imprint Lois Music).
The big unanswered question for me — the identity behind Nathan’s partner, “Go.” A subsequent internet search, however, reveals the answer (thanks, yet again, to the diligence of mickeyrat): “Golo” is a Syd Nathan publishing arrangement “part-owned by James Brown and Bud Hobgood” in which “Go” stands for Hobgood, as affirmed by Discogs.
However, Bud Hobgood’s name listed as a songwriter is no assurance that the song in question ended up being published under the ‘Golo’ name. –Conversely, the presence of ‘Golo’ on a King 45 label does not necessarily mean you will see Bud Hobgood’s name anywhere on the record. –Zero to 180’s analysis of King single releases between the years 1967 and 1971, in fact, reveals some surprising publishing decisions as to which songs within the James Brown family of artists were awarded to Golo:
Note: .Much of James Brown’s music during the 1960s and 70s was published under the name Dynatone (BMI).
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Geoff Brown‘s 2007 biography of James Brown affirms these arrangements with King Records and furthermore reveals Nat Jones to be the one other staff member, besides the boss, who enjoyed a cut of the publishing:
Brown’s last five-year contract with King had been signed in 1966. At the time of signing, it guaranteed him $78,000 a year payable at $1,500 a week against a royalty of 5 per cent of suggested retail on 90 per cent of net; a bonus equal to 40 per cent of all royalties from record sales; 10,000 free records for promotion of every new single and 500 promotional albums, any extra at discounted prices. His publishing was through several outlets. Dynatone, he owned 50 per cent, King owned the other half; Golo, split into equal thirds between him, King and Bud Hobgood; CriTed, split in half between King and a trust set up for his son, Teddy Brown; and Tan Soul, split 45 per cent each to Brown and King with the remaining 10 per cent held by Nat Jones.
Hobgood and Brown at King Studios (c. 1968)
Note the curved faders
(image courtesy ofAlan Leeds)
In the tumultuous period following the passing of Syd Nathan, when Starday Records had purchased King Records and all of its assets, it is a measure of Hobgood’s importance to not only the James Brown organization but also King as a whole that Bud was retained to continue within the new Starday-King corporate arrangement. As reported in Cash Box‘s November 2, 1968 edition, “the [James] Brown office, under Bud Hobgood, will be active in the promotional field for the overall benefit of the King product line.”
Bud Hobgood’s daughter, Deborah Hart, who has performed her own research into the life and professional achievements of her father, proudly points to Hobgood’s credit as “A&R producer” on the legendary “Funky Drummer” session at Cincinnati’s King Studios on November 20, 1969, the night when James Brown graciously stepped aside and allowed Clyde Stubblefield the opportunity to demonstrate his considerable artistry. This Starday-King recording session report, Hart notes, accompanied Alan Leeds on a podcast with veteran percussionist, producer – and “Funky Drummer” historian – Dylan Wissing.
Dylan Wissing shared these thoughts with Deborah Hart about the pivotal events of January 20, 1969 —
Something I’ve wondered for a very long time – why does the “Funky Drummer” drum break sound so uniquely amazing?
The song was recorded by James Brown and his band before I was born, and long before an age where everything is documented with the video camera that we all now carry in our pockets. Almost everyone involved with the session on November 20, 1969 is gone, so there’s really nobody with firsthand knowledge to ask.
A big part of the equation, of course, is the legendary drummer Clyde Stubblefield. Clyde’s performance on “Funky Drummer” set a standard that drummers are still trying to attain – that beat is REALLY HARD to play. The duet in the song between Clyde and James Brown has become an absolute foundation of Hip Hop since it was rediscovered in the ‘80s and sampled thousands of times over the decades since. James even seems to name the song after Clyde while they’re in the middle of recording it (in one take!).
But there’s something more going on, which becomes obvious if you listen to the song before and after the drum break section at 5:21 – the drums have some sort of reverb/compression/audio magic to them that we don’t hear in the song when the rest of the band is playing.
Production on James Brown releases in the 1960s was fairly spartan, with minimal audio processing – the most important thing was the energy and vibe, and then getting the song pressed and out to radio as quickly as possible. In contrast, the “Funky Drummer” break really jumps out of the speakers in a unique way compared to other contemporary releases, due to that incredible combination of Clyde’s drumming, James’s singing, and the unique sonics of the drum sound (which clearly caught the ear of early Hip Hop producers, who turned it into one of the world’s most-sampled drum breaks).
So, my question is – who made the artistic decision to treat the drums on the break with studio effects, and what did they do to achieve it? Was it Brown? Producer Bud Hobgood? Engineer Dave Harrison? An assistant engineer, somebody in the band (Clyde, maybe), or another King A&R exec? Studio gear and techniques were changing rapidly in that period, so perhaps it was an experiment to try something new and create yet another hit song for Brown and King Records.
We may never know the answer. The song was released in 1970, it came and went as an underperforming 45 single, and was destined for the discount bins soon afterwards until it was rediscovered in the ‘80s by Hip Hop producers like Hank Shocklee and others.
But the legacy of one night in 1969 continues to amaze and captivate us, when James Brown and his band (featuring a uniquely groundbreaking drummer), along with the production and engineering team from a recording studio in Cincinnati, recorded eight incredible measures of music that helped birth the most popular musical genre in the world today.
[Dylan Wissing]
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Remembrances of Bud Hobgood
According to Deborah Hart, “The stories shared with me were that my Dad worked in sales at radio station WVJS in Owensboro, Kentucky. Then on a trip to Miami; he attended a James Brown concert, talked his way backstage leading to him working for James Brown.” .With regard to her father’s own musical background, Hart tells Zero to 180, “The story shared with me is that my Dad had early childhood rheumatic fever. His parents encouraged him toward music; and he took lessons, playing trumpet. He had a love for music starting early. He played trumpet in high school.”
Hart has been in touch with friends and associates of her father, and has kindly compiled her conversations for this piece, beginning with Sandy Lingardo, an upstairs neighbor of Hobgood’s at the same Cincinnati apartment complex from the late 1960s through his death in July of 1970, who had a ringside seat to music history by virtue of proximity (and vaguely remembered Bud having a trumpet in his apartment and playing):
“We were friends 1968 to 1970.” “A good friend of mine, love Bud.” “He was partly responsible for my first job at Capitol Records.” “He was professional and had a really great heart.” “He wrote some of his songs (referring to James Brown) and wrote under other names also.”
“We moved into a brand new apartment complex.” “Bud moves in downstairs.” “He started remodeling a brand new unit and a second also, tore out the brand new carpet and put in thick red plush 2 inch carpeting.” “He tore out closets and put in recording equipment.” “We had a big following; Bud being our main guy.” “A lot of famous people would come there.” “Redd Foxx would be at Bud’s when he was in town.” “Inner Circle” … we knew the owners, Greek brothers.” “We we’re always there, balcony upstairs, private.”
Bud — “I want you to hear.”
“I heard Mother Popcorn right after he brought the raw tape back to the apartment.” “He played it on his built in reel to reel tape player in the closet shelves of stereo equipment.” “He called me up 4 am, code word ‘coffee and donuts,’ ‘I’m going to the studio, James is going to lay down some tracks.”
“We would go down there.” “Bud would be behind the glass room with James.” “He had a 1968 Jaguar British racing green.” “I got promoted and bought a 1969 black Jaguar and I parked it out there.” “Bud, whose Jaguar is that.” “He calls (dealership) you got a Jaguar there, send it over.” “Parked it next to each other.” “He had a Cadillac before the Jaguar.” When he died, “everybody was in shock.”
In gratitude to Sandy Lingardo
[September 1940-September 2022]
Pete Georgeton — owner, Inner Circle
“Very active, very happy man.” “We were good friends.” “I got to hang with him almost every night.” “He was one of the hippest persons.” “He use to bring James Brown.” “Because of your Dad, he use to come up there pretty regularly.” “James Brown came up there all the time.” The Dapps were the house band; took from the Inner Circle.”
Judy Lamppu (formerly Judy Russell) — professional dancer and songwriter
“I have no photos and of course we didn’t have cell phones back then so we didn’t take a lot of pictures. Your dad helped me get the opportunity to write lyrics for the Ronnie Thompson album. He also flew me in a helicopter to a James Brown concert in Oakland and took me to the home of I thought was the mayor at the time where his daughter taught me a new dance which helped me a lot because I was a go-go dancer. It was called “the duck.” The songs that I wrote with those Nashville musicians for the album wound up getting recorded a few times by other other artists. It was an interesting time.”
Jerry Lay — close personal friend
“I thought the world of your Dad.” “He really had a kind heart.” “Bud knew everybody.” “I was in the studio a lot, hung out with a lot of band members, me, Bud, and Beau Dollar.” “He should have gotten some credit.” “[Bud] would be tickled to death that you’re doing this.”
Dennis Wholey — as shared with Deborah Hart
“A story, I don’t know if it is true … a great story.”
“I remember him calling like last night…you want me to come by and pick you up.”
“Bud was picking up James Brown at the airport…in his own car.” James, “what kind of car is this?” “Bud said, it’s a Buick.” “A long pause in the conversation.”
They “drive over and into the Cadillac dealership; buys the car on the spot.”
James told Bud, “Don’t ever pick me up in anything but a Cadillac again.”
“Happy to bring back memories and has taken me back to a couple of things about Bud I’d like to relate. Bud use to talk back and forth with office workers 20 feet away…jokes too.
“One time Dave Harrison was there with Bud and I told Dave that shipping wouldn’t give me a copy of the album I just pseudo-stereolized with out some order, note, something and Bud says ‘here I’ll get it’…bolted into shipping and came back with two like 30 seconds later. LOL They wouldn’t be asking for Bud to sign anything. .That was Bud.
“Yes, you can share that because it was indicative of the power he had…although the responsibilities were so numerous he was busy multitasking all the time (and joking with the staff across the room).
“It can be shared also that Bud would tell me sometimes when leaving late (like 7 pm or later) that if XY calls; tell them James is in Jacksonville but if WZ calls then James is in Miami. If AX calls then give him this number but don’t give this number to anyone else unless it’s AX or BY. I had to write it all down, I couldn’t remember all that. One time I remember he called me after leaving saying add WZ to the Jacksonville list (for example). I’m assuming this was all controlling access to James on the road for whatever reasons and Bud’s workday didn’t end with going out the door.”
[Edited highlights from “Dave Parkinson Remembers: My Association with James Brown, Bud Hobgood, And All the People at King Studios” – posted in 2020]
“It all started at a place called The Inner Circle in Clifton up by the University of Cincinnati. I was playing tenor sax with a band called the Cincinnati Kids led by Troy Seals and Jo Ann Campbell. Tim Drummond from Canton, IL near where I grew up was playing bass. Tim later joined James’ traveling group. He recorded on many of James’ hits, including “I Can’t Stand Myself When You Touch Me” and many more. James started frequenting the Inner Circle and sitting in with us. Most memorable was “Cold Sweat” and “There Was a Time.” James gradually wooed Tim, Les Asch, Tim Hedding, and “Fat Eddie” away from Troy and Jo Ann and we signed to James Brown Productions. We recorded behind Bobby Byrd, Marva Whitney, Hank Ballard and many others.”
“‘Good God! A Thousand Dollars’ was coined by James’ brilliant manager, Bud Hobgood.”
“This is the time we met and befriended Bud Hobgood. He always had a $1,000 bill in his wallet, which he would show us once in awhile. Bud was a long, tall shrewd country boy who advised James and kept him in line. I think to this day, that if Bud was still alive, James would be too. When we recorded with James or watched him set up tunes with his band, he would go to each member; horns, percussion, bass, guitar, conga and tell or sing to them their parts. It invariably came out perfect and amazingly funky.”
[After The Dapps backed James Brown at Madison Square Garden, appeared on The Merv Griffin Show, played on a recording session at NYC’s A&R Studio, and backed Hank Ballard on a date in Atlanta]
“Then we were off to L.A. to do the Donald O’Connor pilot show [1968], which flopped. Remember, Bud Hobgood was in the wings, keeping a lid on everybody.”
“I cannot stress enough the role Bud Hobgood played in James Brown Productions. He was the bedrock that kept James grounded. As I stated earlier, if Bud was still alive, so would James be.”
“Your Dad was in my first wedding.” “He was in the wedding party, 1966.” “We played at The Inner Circle.” “He would come in there where we were a household name there.”
Buddy J. Hobgood, 34, Owensboro, a former Madisonville resident, died at 12:45 a.m. today at the Owensboro-Daviess County Hospital in Owensboro. Cause of death was not known, although Hobgood had been in ill health for some time.
Hobgood was born in Evansville, Ind. October 13, 1935.
He worked as productions manager for James Brown Productions, and was also associated with Starday-King [Records] in Cincinnati. Hobgood did a lot of writing and arranging and occasionally played trumpet with James Brown’s band.
Funeral services will be here at 3 p.m. Monday at Harris Funeral Chapel. The service will be conducted by Rev. Archie Oliver, assisted by Rev. Wallace Parker. Interment will be in Odd Fellows Cemetary. Friends may call at Harris Funeral Home.
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Billboard
1 Aug 1970
Hobgood Dies
Bud Hobgood, executive producer of James Brown Productions, died Saturday (18) in [Daviess] County Hospital. Kentucky, of a brain hemorrhage. Hobgood, who was 34, had been with the Brown organization since 1964 and had done promotion prior to production. He was also a writer.
Hobgood, who is survived by two sons, was buried in Madisonville, Ky., his home town.
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Jet
13 Aug 1970
Record Exec [Hobgood] Dies of Cerebral Hemorrhage
(image editing courtesy Bryan Richardson)
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Parting Word:
Deborah Hart
So much here touches my heart; so many of his friends and loved ones have shared how much they loved and still love him. Some of these dear ones have shared their shock and grief; their respect for him. He was and is deeply loved. A lot was said about his good heart.
A touching story shared was when he had had the brain aneurysm (complications from childhood rheumatic fever) July of 1970 and was not going to recover; James Brown flew in to see him and say goodbye. I imagine how this must have been.
It was shared that [Bud] was to move to Nashville to work at Starday just weeks from his passing. I love a picture of James and my Dad, for me, that speaks clearly that their relationship was deeply connected and important to each of them.
On this journey to get to know my Dad; so many magical connections, and synchronicities of history, friendship, loves, and his life have come forth. And, here we are with the historical work of Chris Richardson, with Randy McNutt; people who worked with him, and loved him. My search included also finding that there are five children, two sons mentioned in history; and Tina, Stephen, and myself, Deborah.
1983’s update of “Sex Machine” by Janie Jones (produced by The Clash’s Joe Strummer) lists the writing credits as James Brown, Bud “Hopgood” & Alfred Ellis.
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Six Degrees of Starday-King:
Jaymee Swain
Jaymee Swain, who generously provided images for this piece, was the cover model for 1970 Starday-King LP release, The Nearness of You, a compilation of previous Bill Doggett recordings from the King vault:
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Jaymee Swain & Bud Hobgood –
At Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles
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History Bonus!
Reflections on Bud Hobgood & Technology at King Studios
“I didn’t know Bud. I was too young to know some of those guys who worked for James Brown, although when I was a kid a friend and I tried to follow James around Cincinnati for fun. It was a game. But I knew a lot of guys who did know Bud. I never heard one of them ever say anything negative about him. I got the impression that Bud was more than James Brown’s right-hand and left-hand man. He oversaw most of Brown’s recording empire. Brown trusted Bud for more than his “ear.” Bud often stayed in the studio during sessions. Also, Brown trusted Bud with money.
“I find it interesting that a number of white guys worked for Brown in key positions. They included Bob Patton, who I knew and interviewed several times. Great guy. He took me through the King plant before it was stripped clean of good stuff. Bob held different jobs with James Brown Productions, including promotion director at one point [see Cash Box‘s February 20, 1971 news item]. Bob was the first DJ to play a record that I produced with my partner, Wayne Perry. What a thrill to hear it on the radio. I was driving when Bob introduced it. Wayne bounced up and down and hugged me and I almost had a head-on collision.
“Bob was Bob ‘Mr. Movin’‘ Patton in those days at our hometown [Hamilton, Ohio] radio station, WMOH. Many people are unaware that Brown was also an independent record producer. Obviously, he focused on R&B. Bud and Bob worked for that firm, but Bud predated it. I don’t know if he was ever a musician. I seem to recall somebody telling me once that he had played bass years earlier, but I have no evidence to support this so I would have to say I don’t know. I don’t recall ever reading Bud’s name on any musician credits on Brown’s recordings. You’re right when you say he has writing credits on a number of Brown’s songs. I don’t know whether James gave these writer’s credits to Bud as a gift (he did this often for other people) or whether Bud actually contributed to the songs. I’d say both.
“Obviously, the guy was talented. You didn’t work for James Brown if you didn’t know what was going on. When I was making records in Cincinnati in the 1970s, Bud’s name came up all the time. He held a lot of power in the Brown organization, and he operated in a low-key manner. Some Dapps guys told me that he discovered them at the Inner Circle nightclub by UC, in the mid-1960s. In those days, they were still playing as The Cincinnati Kids with Troy Seals, a tremendously talented singer and writer. The Kids went on their own and formed the Dapps. Bud used to scout talent for James. The Dapps guys said he came in, listened to them, and the next time he came he brought James along. I used some of the Dapps on my early records including ‘Pain,’ which 45 years later became something of an underground dance hit in the UK. The Dapps were terrific. No wonder Bud liked them. Very tight group. When they broke up, Wayne and I descended on them like vultures!
(image courtesy of Mike Welch)
“Judging by the fader shapes and the look of it, I’d say it was something from the early to mid-’60s. The recorder that was connected to this board must have been a four-tracker. Syd Nathan never did have what you would call state-of-the-art recording equipment. However, what he did have was high-quality. It was just a little behind the times. Gene Lawson, Lonnie Mack‘s drummer and later a solid electronics guy, worked at King a lot. He used to tell me stories about the studio. A little of what I said here is what he mentioned to me. A lot of regional studios were like that. They were able to cut great-sounding records because the recorders were professional. A bit outdated, but the sound quality was good. You’ve heard this story, I’m sure, but against Henry Glover‘s wishes Nathan bought a three-track recorder in the early ’60s. That’s when the technology was leapfrogging. Glover [profiled extensively here] ended up quitting over it, and some other issues, and left for NYC. And, wouldn’t you know it, ole Henry was right. The three-trackers were outdated within months, when the four-track machines came out. A lot of people didn’t like the three-track machines, but I was always interested in them as historic artifacts. I never recorded with one, but Dan Penn, the incredible songwriter and singer, told me that he used an Ampex three-track machine to cut “The Letter” by the Box Tops at American Sound in Memphis. He loved the three-track machines. Anyhow, when it was apparent that King should upgrade, Nathan brought in Dave Harrison as a staff engineer and he revamped and rewired the whole studio, especially the board. Then Lee Hazen came in and finished up. By then Chuck Seitz had left for RCA.
“This gritty little beauty, I believe, is a custom-made console by Dave Harrison, who was getting known as a console designer from Nashville. At least this is how I understand it. He left King and went back to Nashville and acquired a dealership for MCI electronics, a console-maker firm [Harrison’s design innovations would produce MCI’s JH400 the world’s first commercially available in-line studio console in 1972, with Harrison Consoles established soon after]. He was a good one. Sadly, he died a few years later, but the company went on and, I read a few years ago, it is still operating. Some producers in Cincinnati just loved to work with Dave Harrison. Unfortunately, I believe—not sure on this—that he switched the studio over to the new electronic echo system like many of the studios were using in the ’60s. The original acoustic echo chamber [see below], located on top of the building, was left unused as far as recording went. I love that acoustic echo sound because every echo chamber sounded different. King’s staff producers were never big on using much echo anyway, because how much do you need on a Cowboy Copas record of records by those early folk-country guys?
“When the King plant closed, Starday took everything that was worth something, especially the recording equipment. It went into the Starday Studio in Hendersonville. I saw it down there when I interviewed Tommy Hill, the legendary producer for Starday who must have started there in the paleolithic era. Tommy, who was also a singer and engineer, told me and showed me how he rigged up some recorders somehow and had two of them together to make eight tracks. Maybe this board was used there for a while. I don’t know. I do know that when I saw the place it had more tracks and another board. A lot of information I have gotten came from engineers and producers who used the equipment in various studios. At King, it was Mike Stone, Lee Hazen, Ray Pennington, and other guys. They were a tremendous help when I did my other studio book and, since then, some other stories.”
Over the years, I’ve stopped at many old studios and looked at their equipment. Several were interesting for their echo chambers. The well-known King Records Studio employed a chamber, made of concrete blocks and perched above the ceiling of the studio. It had a fluorescent light inside that burned all the time, recalled Gene Lawson, a former Cincinnati recording engineer and creator of the Lawson microphone. He said that chamber helped give the King Studio its funky and distinctive sound.
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I am so excited. You have done an amazing, amazing tribute. Great “Easter eggs,” also.
Thank you also to Randy McNutt and everyone else who shared and brought a sense of being there in time and space.
Thank you Chris.
“Here I Am” was my lyrics alone and 50% of the music was mine. I never realized Bud liked it so much because he never contacted me to tell me that and he never told me that he recorded it. Perhaps he no longer knew how to reach me. He had me flown from Los Angeles to Nashville to write those lyrics and provide those songs for the mayor. Too bad there are no pictures from that time. I’m thankful that you contacted me and asked me for what I remembered about him. Bud was very good to me.
Hey Judy. So glad that your song and the history of it got to be shared here. Thank you. It would have been sweet to have pictures of the time yes; though definitely quite lovely to have talked and shared your story of the time and place.
Fascinating story on Mr. Hobgood. However…the “B” side of “Gimme Some More” by The J.B.’s (People PE602) features a cleaned-up remix of “The Rabbit Got The Gun”, which was originally featured under the artist “The Dapps featuring Alfred Ellis” (King 6169). I have another concern: Was the William Patton single “Don’t Be So Mean” (KIng 6116) a James Brown unofficial production? And what about any Charles Spurling King singles before “Let Me Be (A Steppin’ Zone)” (King 6195)…were they also unofficial JB productions? Thanks.
Those are all interesting questions – wish I had some answers for you! Ruppli’s recording notes about the Charles Spurling and William Patton sessions have no details beyond song titles and dates. Will be sure to get back to you when more information comes to light.
Charles Spurling was a producer in his own right, I don’t think James produced any of his records, King fell into the habit of putting James’ name on anything and everything.
Deborah, this was beautifully done, thank you for all the work and contacts you have worked with on this. I’m so glad you found your Father, who would have been so proud of you. I’m happy you found me and now we are friends.
We were engaged to be married and I was with him the night he had the Embolism, all through, until the end, I loved him so much that it broke my heart. You have brought so much of his life to the surface that I never knew, We had such a short time together. Thank you, for being you.
Hi Jaymee. Thank you lovie. We are sharing in a heartfelt and heart full journey for him and about him and his loves, including you. I get to know him in ways I could not were it not for you, your love for him, your kindness, your wisdom. So many contributed. I especially appreciate Les Asch and Maralah Asch who introduced me and us to Chris
Richardson.
I am so very grateful to you always and am so fortunate to have you in my life.
Much love lovie.
11 Responses
I am so excited. You have done an amazing, amazing tribute. Great “Easter eggs,” also.
Thank you also to Randy McNutt and everyone else who shared and brought a sense of being there in time and space.
Thank you Chris.
“Here I Am” was my lyrics alone and 50% of the music was mine. I never realized Bud liked it so much because he never contacted me to tell me that and he never told me that he recorded it. Perhaps he no longer knew how to reach me. He had me flown from Los Angeles to Nashville to write those lyrics and provide those songs for the mayor. Too bad there are no pictures from that time. I’m thankful that you contacted me and asked me for what I remembered about him. Bud was very good to me.
Hey Judy. So glad that your song and the history of it got to be shared here. Thank you. It would have been sweet to have pictures of the time yes; though definitely quite lovely to have talked and shared your story of the time and place.
Wow! Fantastic piece! Well researched & beautifully laid out. Love your writing, the pics & YouTube contributions.
A + old friend
This article is both fascinating & amazing, a wonderful read and kudos’ for the amount of research, it really felt like going back in time.
Fascinating story on Mr. Hobgood. However…the “B” side of “Gimme Some More” by The J.B.’s (People PE602) features a cleaned-up remix of “The Rabbit Got The Gun”, which was originally featured under the artist “The Dapps featuring Alfred Ellis” (King 6169). I have another concern: Was the William Patton single “Don’t Be So Mean” (KIng 6116) a James Brown unofficial production? And what about any Charles Spurling King singles before “Let Me Be (A Steppin’ Zone)” (King 6195)…were they also unofficial JB productions? Thanks.
Those are all interesting questions – wish I had some answers for you! Ruppli’s recording notes about the Charles Spurling and William Patton sessions have no details beyond song titles and dates. Will be sure to get back to you when more information comes to light.
Charles Spurling was a producer in his own right, I don’t think James produced any of his records, King fell into the habit of putting James’ name on anything and everything.
Deborah, this was beautifully done, thank you for all the work and contacts you have worked with on this. I’m so glad you found your Father, who would have been so proud of you. I’m happy you found me and now we are friends.
We were engaged to be married and I was with him the night he had the Embolism, all through, until the end, I loved him so much that it broke my heart. You have brought so much of his life to the surface that I never knew, We had such a short time together. Thank you, for being you.
Hi Jaymee. I wrote a reply though it came out as you new message. Love and hugs lovie.
Hi Jaymee. Thank you lovie. We are sharing in a heartfelt and heart full journey for him and about him and his loves, including you. I get to know him in ways I could not were it not for you, your love for him, your kindness, your wisdom. So many contributed. I especially appreciate Les Asch and Maralah Asch who introduced me and us to Chris
Richardson.
I am so very grateful to you always and am so fortunate to have you in my life.
Much love lovie.