SAR RECORDS
SAR was a Los Angeles, California label formed and owned by legendary gospel and soul singer Sam Cooke, his friend gospel singer and producer, J.W. Alexander (James Woodie Alexander II), a member of legendary gospel group The Pilgrim Travelers and also Silas Roy Crain (Founder of The Soul Stirrers and Sam Cooke's road manager). Sam Cooke was born on January 22, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, moving to Chicago as a child, he joined the gospel group, The Soul Stirrers in 1950 and became one of their most beloved and successful lead singers, he was murdered on December 11, 1964, in Los Angeles, dying from a gunshot wound. J.W. Alexander was born on January, 21, 1916, in Hamilton, Mississippi, he moved to Oklahoma where he sang with local gospel groups, in the 1930's Alexander was also a semi pro baseball player within the all black, legendary Negro leagues, playing for both The New Orleans Crescent Stars and The Ethiopian Clowns (later known as The Indianapolis Clowns). J.W. eventually joined the quartet group The Pilgrim Travelers in 1945 in Los Angeles; J.W. died on July 8, 1996 of prostate cancer, In Hollywood, California. Silas known generally as S. R or Senior, was born in Augustine Texas on June 7, 1911, he joined a young gospel group named the Soul Stirrers and when he left them for Houston in 1932 he joined a quartet group there, he took the group name with him and formally founded the group The Soul Stirrers. Silas moved to Chicago and his group flourished. Silas passed away on September 14, 1996, in Vallejo, California.
The label operated from 1957-1964 (Cooke's death) operating from 3710 West 27th Street; by 1961 when the first Lp was issued the label had moved to 6425 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood. Although SAR produced both gospel and soul/r&b I wanted to include it on my site as it was one of the few black owned record labels in California and indeed anywhere in the USA operating from 1959 through to the 1960's. The label issued mostly 45's, (57 in total were released of which 18 are gospel); however, a handful of gospel lp's (5) were also produced. The most prolific gospel artist on the label were The Soul Stirrers. The first 45 was pressed on a plain yellow label; however, this soon gave way to the standard mostly white label with a joint green and yellow strip. SAR may have been deemed a soul label; however, it had a strong representation of gospel music which deserves to be recognised. I am only listing the gospel titles from SAR. Both Cooke and Alexander are listed as the producers on the 45's.
A point of interest- Womack Brothers (118) were actually comprised of Soul singer Bobby Womack, his brother Cecil and their three brothers, Harry, Friendly Jr and Curtis, before they renamed themselves The Valentinos on SAR and other labels, becoming successful secular artists. Cecil would eventually sing with his wife Linda who is actually Sam Cooke's daughter, as the duo Womack & Womack in the 1980's and 1990's, while Bobby Womack remained a successful solo soul singer after leaving The Valentinos.
A big thank you to Brother Darrell Luster of The Sensational Nightingales fame and also of Malaco Records for his kind information on Silas Roy Crain being a co-founder of SAR records and, also of SAR's label name coming from all three owners names.
45'S
101-: The Soul Stirrers- Stand By Me Father/ He's Been A Shelter For Me, 1959
103-: Soul Stirrers- Wade In The Water (Lead Paul Foster)/ He Cares (Lead Johnny Taylor), 1960
105-: Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers- Nearer To Thee Part 1/ Nearer To Thee Part 2, 1960
108-: Soul Stirrers- I'm A Pilgrim (Lead Paul Foster)/ Jesus Be A Fence Around Me (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1960
110-: The Soul Stirrers- Toiling On (Lead Paul Foster)/ Listen To The Angels, 1961
116-: The Soul Stirrers- I Love The Lord (Lead Paul Foster)/ I'm Thankful (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1961
118-: Womack Brothers- Yield Not To Temptation/ Somebody's Wrong, 1961
120-: The Soul Stirrers- Heaven Is My Home (Lead Paul Foster)/ Lead Me Jesus (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1961
123-: Womack Brothers- Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray/ Somewhere There Is A God, 1962
124-: Soul Stirrers- God Is Standing By/ Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone, 1962
127-: R.H. Harris and his Gospel Paraders- Troublin Mind/ Pass Me Not, 1962
135-: R.H. Harris and The Gospel Paraders- Sometimes/ Somebody, 1963
140-: Soul Stirrers- No Need To Worry/ Praying Ground, 1963
143-: The Meditation Singers- If He Holds Your Hand/ There Must Be Rest, 1963
145-: The Soul Stirrers- His Love/ Free At Last, 1963
146-: R.H. Harris and his Gospel Paraders- Even Me/ Oh Lord, Come And Ease, 1963
150-: Soul Stirrers- Oh Mary Don't You Weep (Lead Paul Foster)/ Looking Back (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1964 (On some copies, Jimmy Outler is listed as lead on Oh Mary Don't You Weep)
154-: The Soul Stirrers- Lead Me To Calvary/ Mother Don't Worry Bout Me, 1964
LP'S
501-: Soul Stirrers- Jesus Be A Fence Around Me, 1961
502-: The Soul Stirrers- Self Titled, 1961
502-: SAR Presents Laughs From The Pulpit Volume 1, With Bro. Thurman Ruth (this Lp and the Soul Stirrers Self Titled Lp are both numbered 502)
503-: Presenting... Gospel Pearls Sung By Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, R. H. Harris and His Gospel Paraders, 1962
504-: Soul Stirrers- Encore With The Soul Stirrers,1962
505-: Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers- Self Titled, 1963
EP 105-: The Soul Stirrers- Nearer To Thee
The label operated from 1957-1964 (Cooke's death) operating from 3710 West 27th Street; by 1961 when the first Lp was issued the label had moved to 6425 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood. Although SAR produced both gospel and soul/r&b I wanted to include it on my site as it was one of the few black owned record labels in California and indeed anywhere in the USA operating from 1959 through to the 1960's. The label issued mostly 45's, (57 in total were released of which 18 are gospel); however, a handful of gospel lp's (5) were also produced. The most prolific gospel artist on the label were The Soul Stirrers. The first 45 was pressed on a plain yellow label; however, this soon gave way to the standard mostly white label with a joint green and yellow strip. SAR may have been deemed a soul label; however, it had a strong representation of gospel music which deserves to be recognised. I am only listing the gospel titles from SAR. Both Cooke and Alexander are listed as the producers on the 45's.
A point of interest- Womack Brothers (118) were actually comprised of Soul singer Bobby Womack, his brother Cecil and their three brothers, Harry, Friendly Jr and Curtis, before they renamed themselves The Valentinos on SAR and other labels, becoming successful secular artists. Cecil would eventually sing with his wife Linda who is actually Sam Cooke's daughter, as the duo Womack & Womack in the 1980's and 1990's, while Bobby Womack remained a successful solo soul singer after leaving The Valentinos.
A big thank you to Brother Darrell Luster of The Sensational Nightingales fame and also of Malaco Records for his kind information on Silas Roy Crain being a co-founder of SAR records and, also of SAR's label name coming from all three owners names.
45'S
101-: The Soul Stirrers- Stand By Me Father/ He's Been A Shelter For Me, 1959
103-: Soul Stirrers- Wade In The Water (Lead Paul Foster)/ He Cares (Lead Johnny Taylor), 1960
105-: Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers- Nearer To Thee Part 1/ Nearer To Thee Part 2, 1960
108-: Soul Stirrers- I'm A Pilgrim (Lead Paul Foster)/ Jesus Be A Fence Around Me (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1960
110-: The Soul Stirrers- Toiling On (Lead Paul Foster)/ Listen To The Angels, 1961
116-: The Soul Stirrers- I Love The Lord (Lead Paul Foster)/ I'm Thankful (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1961
118-: Womack Brothers- Yield Not To Temptation/ Somebody's Wrong, 1961
120-: The Soul Stirrers- Heaven Is My Home (Lead Paul Foster)/ Lead Me Jesus (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1961
123-: Womack Brothers- Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray/ Somewhere There Is A God, 1962
124-: Soul Stirrers- God Is Standing By/ Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone, 1962
127-: R.H. Harris and his Gospel Paraders- Troublin Mind/ Pass Me Not, 1962
135-: R.H. Harris and The Gospel Paraders- Sometimes/ Somebody, 1963
140-: Soul Stirrers- No Need To Worry/ Praying Ground, 1963
143-: The Meditation Singers- If He Holds Your Hand/ There Must Be Rest, 1963
145-: The Soul Stirrers- His Love/ Free At Last, 1963
146-: R.H. Harris and his Gospel Paraders- Even Me/ Oh Lord, Come And Ease, 1963
150-: Soul Stirrers- Oh Mary Don't You Weep (Lead Paul Foster)/ Looking Back (Lead Jimmy Outler), 1964 (On some copies, Jimmy Outler is listed as lead on Oh Mary Don't You Weep)
154-: The Soul Stirrers- Lead Me To Calvary/ Mother Don't Worry Bout Me, 1964
LP'S
501-: Soul Stirrers- Jesus Be A Fence Around Me, 1961
502-: The Soul Stirrers- Self Titled, 1961
502-: SAR Presents Laughs From The Pulpit Volume 1, With Bro. Thurman Ruth (this Lp and the Soul Stirrers Self Titled Lp are both numbered 502)
503-: Presenting... Gospel Pearls Sung By Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, R. H. Harris and His Gospel Paraders, 1962
504-: Soul Stirrers- Encore With The Soul Stirrers,1962
505-: Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers- Self Titled, 1963
EP 105-: The Soul Stirrers- Nearer To Thee
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