Eddie Crandall
A manager to several well-known performers over the years, Eddie Crandall also released one 45 under his own name for the Scarlet Records label, owned by DJ and producer Noel Ball.
History[edit | edit source]
Eddie Crandall first came to Nashville from the Washington DC area as the road manager for country western performer Marvin Rainwater in 1955, according to the trade publications of the day Billboard and Cash Box. By the end of 1955, he had become the agent for George Morgan and the exclusive manager for Marty Robbins. In his role as a talent scout, Crandall first encountered Buddy Holly, opening for Elvis and Bill Haley and first helped Buddy Holly to get a contract with Decca Records: "In October, Stone booked Bill Haley & His Comets and placed Holley as the opening act to be seen by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall. Impressed, Crandall persuaded Grand Ole Opry manager Jim Denny to seek a recording contract for Holley. Stone sent a demo tape, which Denny forwarded to Paul Cohen, who signed the band to Decca Records in February 1956."
As the manager for Marty Robbins, Crandall once wrote to Buddy Holly regarding a possible order for 300-500 leather wallets. Holly applied his leathercrafting to making wallets for people who had helped him out in the music industry. As far as his role in movies and the small screen, Crandall carries several credits to his name mostly as a result of filming being done by Marty Robbins, whom he managed from the mid-50s into the 1970s.
Aside from Marty Robbins. Cowboy Copas, Webb Pierce and George Morgan, Crandall also formed a business relationship with the widow of Hank Williams. Founded in 1958, the Williams-Crandall Agency put together package tours for her and the Williams children, including son Hank Jr and daughter Lycretia. Around this time Crandall had also organized a traveling tour for Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis through Texas.
The 45 release in 1959 includes two songs written by Lee Emerson who wrote extensively with Marty Robbins, who Crandall was representing. Scarlet Records, owned by local DJ and producer Noel Ball, also included several releases for other industry professionals making this particular release not so out of character. The publishing company Cranball was set up Crandall and Ball seemingly just for this release.
Reviews for the release were favorable with it getting some decent airplay in Florida as well as in Nashville on Noel Ball's radio show.
Release[edit | edit source]
1959: Lover's Leap / Silver Slippers (7", Single), on Scarlet Records, cat# SC 4001-45-V
External References[edit | edit source]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Holly
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0186258/