Bob Geddins
Encyclopedia
Robert L. "Bob" Geddins (February 6, 1913 – February 16, 1991) was an American
San Francisco Bay Area
blues
and rhythm and blues
musician and record producer
.
Geddins was born in Highbank, Texas
, United States
, a town ten miles south of Marlin
, who came to Oakland, California
during World War II
, and worked there until his death in 1991.
From 1948 onwards he founded and owned numerous small independent record label
s, such as Art-Tone, Big Town, Cavatone, Down Town, Irma
, Plaid, Rhythm, and Veltone. He also leased his recordings to Los Angeles
labels such as Swing Time
, Aladdin
, Modern
, Imperial
, Fantasy
, and also to the Chicago
operated Checker label
.
Many tunes often mistakenly attributed to other artists were either written or co-written by Geddins, e.g. "Tin Pan Alley", "Mercury Blues
", and "My Time After A While".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
musician and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Geddins was born in Highbank, Texas
Highbank, Texas
Highbank is an unincorporated community in southern Falls County, Texas, United States. it lies located along Farm to Market Road 413, just east of the Brazos River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a town ten miles south of Marlin
Marlin, Texas
Marlin is a city in Falls County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,628 at the 2000 census, but decreased to 5,967 by 2010. It is also the county seat of Falls County, and has been so since 1851...
, who came to Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and worked there until his death in 1991.
From 1948 onwards he founded and owned numerous small independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
s, such as Art-Tone, Big Town, Cavatone, Down Town, Irma
Irma Records
-Artists:*Sarah Jane Morris*Modulo 5*The PIano Room*Danny Losito*Agnesse Manganaro*Jacare'*Musetta*The Shiffers*Maler*2 Men 4 Soul*Steve Rogers Band*Belladonna*Black Mighty Orchestra*DJ Rodriguez*Don Carlos*Gazzara*Jestofunk*Greenlab*Zone...
, Plaid, Rhythm, and Veltone. He also leased his recordings to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
labels such as Swing Time
Swing Time Records
Swing Time Records was a United States based record label, active in the 1940s. The label was founded by Jack Lauderdale in 1947 and was headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Swing Time went bankrupt in 1953....
, Aladdin
Aladdin Records
Aladdin Records was a post-World War II United States record label, with headquarters in Hollywood, California. The label was founded in 1945 by brothers Eddie, Leo, and Ira Mesner and was originally called Philo Records, before changing to its better-known name in April 1946.Aladdin Records...
, Modern
Modern Records
Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. In the 1960s, Modern Records went bankrupt and ceased operations, but the catalogue went with the management into what became Kent Records. This back catalogue was eventually licensed to the UK label...
, Imperial
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
, Fantasy
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
, and also to the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
operated Checker label
Checker Records
Checker Records is an inactive record label that was started in 1952 as a subsidiary to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. The label was founded by the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who ran the label until they sold it to General Recorded Tape in 1969, shortly before Leonard's death.The label...
.
Many tunes often mistakenly attributed to other artists were either written or co-written by Geddins, e.g. "Tin Pan Alley", "Mercury Blues
Mercury Blues
"Mercury Blues" is the title of song written by K. C. Douglas and Robert Geddins in 1949. The song, originally titled "Mercury Boogie," pays homage to the American automobile, which ended production in 2010....
", and "My Time After A While".