# Macy's Recordings

Macy's Recordings (Queen of Hits) was a Houston-based record label that released recordings of popular musicians around the southern United States. In April 1949, they famously recorded the Lester Williams song "Winter Time Blues" on their R&B series which became a hit. They would go on to record country and Cajun music as well.

## History

The record label was started by husband and wife, Charles D. Henry and Macy Lela Henry, who worked alongside supervisor Steve Poncio. Poncio worked as general manager for Macy's in 1946 and then founded United Record Distributing Company in 1949. Macy ran a department store based in Houston, Texas (unrelated to the famous New York department store) and in 1948, they began distributing records for other labels, such as Modern Music, including their back catalog material. and even had an office in Dallas. In 1949, they decided to create their own label to sell and distribute from their store. They created the Macy's Record Distribution Company and they used Bill Holford's ACA Studios in Houston to record the music. The place was known for its high quality sound.
Their first recordings released were with Jim Reeves. However, they would make their mark on blues music in 1949 by recording Lester Williams' song "Winter Time Blues" and then in 1950, they would sign and record Clarence Garlow, releasing a version of his song "Bon Ton Rolla". The company would hire other dealers to distribute their music in Nashville, Atlanta and New Orleans.
These artists would go on to record other songs for Macy. Macy's didn't fare well in the marketplace despite the quality of their music. They were competing against other Houston brands such as Duke-Peacock, D Records, Starday, Freedom, Sittin' In With and Gold Star. By June 1951, many of their signature artists moved to Modern Records and Aladdin Records ending the Macy's label production. The catalog is currently owned by Fivepin Music based in Toronto.

## Artists

* Jim Reeves, 1949
* Clarence Garlow, 1949
* Smokey Hogg, 1950
* Hubert Robinson, 1950
* Lester Williams, 1949
* Harry Choates,

## Discography

Macys 78s :
| Catalog | Artist | A Side | B Side |
| 100 | Woody Carter And His Hoedown Boys | Slippin Around | Sittin On The Doorstep |
| 101 | Woody Carter And His Hoedown Boys | Only You | Who's Gonna Chop My Baby's Firewood |
| 102 | Claudie Ham And His Radio Playboys | Moonlight Texas Waltz | I'll Wait A Lifetime For You |
| 103 | Barney Vardeman And His Drifting Texans | Let's Call It Quits | I Love Someone |
| 104 | Claudie Ham And His Radio Playboys | We'll Say Goodbye Tomorrow | That’s All I'm Through |
| 105 | Tommy Dover And His Texas Rhythm Boys | I Love You Because | I'll Keep My Memory Of You |
| 106 | Art Gunn And His Arizona Playboys | Cornbread Boogie | St Augustine Waltz |
| 107 | Dusty Payton | The Chains Of Love Are Broken | No Room In My Heart |
| 108 | Tommy Dover And His Texas Rhythm Boys | Weeping Willow | Blue Over You |
| 109 | Smitty Smith And His Lone Star Rangers | Broken Memories | A Heart Full Of Blues |
| 110 | Raley Bros And Woody Carter | Hoedown Breakdown | Medley Of German Waltzes |
| 111 | Barney Vardeman And His Driftin Texans | Till We Meet Again Darling | I'm Finding Me A New Heart |
| 112 | Bar X Cowboys | Cold Shadows In My Heart | Fair Weather Friend |
| 113 | Dickie Jones And His Rhythm Rangers | I Wish I Knew Do You | Never Again For Me |
| 114 | Clint Small The Singing Bus Driver | Three Years | Someone Cares |
| 115 | Jim Reeves | My Hearts Like A Welcome Mat | Teardrops Of Regret |
| 116 | Ramblin Tommy Scott | Tennessee | Rosebuds And You |
| 117 | Laverl Carrico And The Angelina Pals | She Tore Up My Picture | Too Many Women Too Much Beer |
| 118 | Sonny Hall And His Moonshiners | I'll Keep My Eyes On Your Heart | Just A Little Bit More |
| 119 | Ray Welch | Louisiana Blues | Cross My Heart |
| 120 | Smitty Smith And His Lone Star Rangers | If Teardrops Were Diamonds | You Sent My Heart To Prison |
| 121 | Tommy Dover | Only You Hold The Key | I'll Be Moving Along |
| 122 | Art Gunn And His Arizona Playboys | Boogie Woogie Blues | Last Tear |
| 123 | Curley Rash And His So Texas Playboys | Was It Just A Year Ago | The Battleship Texas |
| 124 | Harry (Jole Blon) Choates | Gra Mamou | Catn' Around |
| 125 | Cousin Bob Rogers | Driftin | Blue Yodel No 1 |
| 126 | Biff Collie | I Want A Gal To Cook For Me | Ive Said It Before I'll Say It Again |
| 127 | Morris Mills And The Rithumakers | Id Like To Slip Around With You | Don’T Play This Record |
| 128 | Morris Mills And The Rithumakers | Calendar Girl | I Remember Do You |
| 129 | Bob Greene And His Filling Station Swing | Somebody Stole My Rag Mop | You Just Don’t Know |
| 130 | Ramblin Tommy Scott | Smoky Mountain Sunset | Aint What She Used To Be |
| 131 | Dolores And The Bluebonnet Boys | Dessau Schottische | One Woman Man |
| 132 | Jim Reeves | Chicken Hearted | Ive Never Been So Blue |
| 133 | Dub Poston And His Downtown Playboys | Cant You Believe | I Can't Use You Anymore |
| 134 | Harry Choates | Louisiana Boogie | What's The Use |
| 135 | Yodeling Bob Stotts | Out Along The Colorado Trail | I Guess I Learn A Lot Every Day |
| 136 | Bill Grady's Dixie Cowboys | Rambling Man | I'll Always Get Along |
| 137 | Ray Welch | You No Longer Carry My Name | No Use To Cry Over You |
| 138 | Sonny Hall | Ive Been Lost Without You | Texas Waltz |
| 139 | Paul Brown And His Bar X Cowboys | Where Texas Meets The Sea | Now You're Mine At Last |
| 140 | Laverl Carrico And The Angelina Pals | I Have Lost My Trust In You | My Life's Story |
| 141 | Harry Choates | Korea Here We Come | Do You Still Love Me |
| 142 | Morris Mills And The Rithumakers | Steppin On Feet For Fun | I Need Some Sunshine |
| 143 | Cousin Bob Rogers | Lonesome Freight Train Blues | Cloud Corral |
| 144 | Vance Bros | Draftboard Blues | Can't Get You Out Of My Dreams |
| 145 | Curley Rash And His South Texas Playboys | Humble Road Boogie | Have I Held You In My Arms Like This Before |
| 146 | Art Gunn And His Arizona Playboys | Barn Dance Boogie | Sleepy Time Out West |
| 147 | Harry Choates | Ive Quit My Cattin Around | Fiddle Polka |
| 148 | Ramblin Tommy Scott | When A Man Gets The Blues | Been Gone A Long Time |
| 149 | Clint Small With The Corral Wranglers | Texas Rag | Learn To Be Blue |
| 150 | Dolores And The Bluebonnet Boys | I Don’t Care | A Broken Heart |
| 151 | Morris Mills And The Rithumakers | Oh Baby Do | I Try So Hard |
| 152 | Cousin Bob Rodgers | Secret Love | Trail In The Sun |
| 153 | Vance Bros | Ill Always Call You Darling | You're Just An Angel |
| 155 | Tommy Dover And His Texas Rhythm Boys | I Can't Get You Out Of My Heart | Brakeman's Blues |
| 156 | Dolores And The Bluebonnet Boys | Fiesta Waltz | Pickin |
| 157 | Dean Smith | Sweetheart Hill | Sunset Valley |
| 158 | Harry Choates | Harry's Blues | She's Sweet Sweet |
| 159 | Harry Choates | My Pretty Brunette | Corpus Christe Waltz |
| 1000 | Buddy Ryland and Orchestra | Wild Cherry | I Ain't Mad At You |
| 1001 | Macy And Her Ole Time Bar Band | Shine On Harvest Moon | Dill Pickle Rag |
| 1002 | Macy And Her Ole Time Bar Band | Boogie Woogie Piano | Who's Sorry Now |
| 5000 | Lester Williams | I'm So Happy I Could Jump And Shout | Wintertime Blues |
| 5001 | Clarence Garlow | She's So Fine | Blues As You Like It |
| 5002 | Clarence Garlow | Bon Ton Roula | In A Boogie Mood |
| 5003 | Smoky Hogg | You Gotta Go | Leaving You Baby |
| 5004 | Lester Williams | All I Need Is You | I Know That Chick |
| 5005 | Hubert Robinson | Where Were You Pretty Baby | Boogie The Joint |
| 5006 | Lester Williams | Dowling Street Hop | Don't Treat Me So Low Down |
| 5007 | Hubert Robinson | Answer To Wintertime Blues | Old Woman Boogie |
| 5008 | Smoky Hogg | Baby Baby | Change Your Ways |
| 5009 | Lester Williams | Mary Lou | Texas Town |
| 5010 | Hubert Robinson | Room And Board Boogie | Bad Luck And Trouble |
| 5011 | Cab Mcmillan And His Fade Aways | I'm Young And Able | Three Woman Blues |
| 5012 | Clarence Garlow | Bound To Lose My Mind | Jumpin' For Joy |
| 5013 | Wilson-Watson Singers | Old Ship of Zion | Throw Out The Life Line |
| 5014 | Joe Houston | Cornbread And Cabbage Greens | Pretty Dad-Dee |
| 5015 | Hubert Robinson | I Love You Baby | High Class Woman |
| 5016 | Lester Williams | Hey Jack | The Folks Around The Corner |

### Compilations

* Cat N Around (#875512 KrazyKat/Interstate, 1997)
* Texas Hillbilly: The Best of Macy's Hillbilly Recordings (ACRCD125 Acrobat, 2006)
* Queen Of Hits: The Macy's Recordings Story (ACRCD228 Acrobat, 2011)