Fusion 45

Founded in Houston in 1948, ACA Recording Studios was first known for its R&B recordings, a place where Johnny Ace and Lightnin’ Hopkins cut a number of their sides along side lesser known artists who appeared on the Peacock and Duke labels.

Within 10 years, Ray Doggett, Royce Porter and assorted country and rockabilly artists began to cut their records on ACA’s Ampex mono recorder. The studio’s founder, Bill Holford, continued to work into his seventies, mastering records on a home four-track long after ACA closed.

Here’s a sampling of some of the artists who recorded at ACA (though many of these songs certainly weren’t laid down at ACA):

Lefty Frizzell - Saginaw, Michigan

Jimmy McCracklin - Everybody Rock

Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog

Bobby Bland - Farther Up The Road

Five Blind Boys of Alabama - Deep River

Johnny Ace - Pledging My Love

Junior Parker - Tomorrow Never Knows

Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown - Goin’ Back To Louisiana

The Dixie Hummingbirds - I’ll Never Forget

Rosco Gordon - Jelly, Jelly

Memphis Slim - Messin’ Around With The Blues

Recorded at the Buddha Barn, Monday night, June 25, 2007

• Elton John - Midnight Creeper (Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player, MCA, 1972)
• Van Morrison - If You Only Knew (A Sense of Wonder, Mercury, 1984)
• War - Home Dream (Love Is All Around, ABC, 1976)
• Sea Level - That’s Your Secret (Sea Level, Capricorn, 1977)
• Memphis Slim - For A Day (Real Folk Blues, Chess, 1966)
• Sons of the Pioneers - Cowboy’s Dream (Cool Water, RCA, 1959)
• NRBQ - She Got The House (God Bless US All, Rounder, 1987)
• Stephen Stills - Stateline Blues (Illegal Stills, Columbia, 1976)
• Bob Seger - Jesse James (Smokin’ O.P.S, Capital, 1972)
• Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice (Exile on Main Street, Rolling Stones, 1972)
• Charlie Pride - Kiss An Angel Good Morning (Charlie Pride Sings Heart Songs, RCA, 1971)
• Dave Mason - Every Woman (It’s Like You Never Left, Columbia, 1973)

Fusion 45, No. 31 - The Cat’s Away