Finding aid for the Boddie Recording Company Photographs


Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: Boddie Recording Company
Title: Boddie Recording Company Photographs
Dates: 1955-1977
Extent: 0.20 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract: The Boddie Recording Company (f. 1950s) was the first recording studio in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by African-Americans. In order to hold down costs, Thomas Boddie created all his recording equipment by hand, rather than purchasing pre-made machines. He owned the company with his wife, Louise Boddie. Their clientele included musicians of various styles, including gospel, country, bluegrass, rock, soul, and rhythm and blues, earning the studio the nickname of "Little Nashville". Records were made for national distribution as well as for independent groups and artists who only wished to have their music recorded for personal use or local distribution, such as recordings of sermons for church groups, with Boddie creating small, independent record labels for the purpose. The collection consists of 28 negatives and 36 black and white photographs of artists and the recording studio.
PG Number PG 563
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

History of the Boddie Recording Company

The Boddie Recording Company (1958-1993) was the first recording studio in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by African-Americans. Thomas Boddie (d. 2006) created all his recording equipment by hand rather than purchasing pre-made machines, and he pressed his own vinyl records. This allowed him to hold down costs, thus attracting a wide range of clientele in need of demonstration records and small runs of 45 rpm records. His clientele included musicians of various styles, including gospel, country, bluegrass, rock, soul, and rhythm and blues, earning the studio the nickname of "Little Nashville". Records were made for national distribution as well as for independent groups and artists who only wished to have their music recorded for personal use or local distribution, such as recordings of sermons for church groups, with Boddie creating small, independent record labels for the purpose.

Thomas Boddie began his interest in sound systems and recordings as a teenager in his home on Kinsman Ave. in Cleveland in the 1940s. Though talented and educated in the fields of sound and electrical engineering, he had difficulty finding work due to his race. He first found employment as an organ repairman, then at Wright-Patterson Air Base. After serving in the army during World War II, Boddie returned to Cleveland and began building the pieces of what would eventually become a full-fledged recording studio, designing and modifying equipment while working as a repairman.

The studio survived through small business loans, Thomas's ability to save money through hard work and perseverance, and the consistent assistance of his wife Louise. He and his wife laid the concrete themselves for an addition to their house to form a record pressing plant, and he built an 8-track recording machine for about 15% of the cost of a new one. The Boddies traveled to various locations with their equipment to record groups and individuals on-site, quickly making multiple cassette recordings to sell after the event. When he discovered true potential talent, he would send recordings to Motown, where the artist had a better chance of becoming known, as the Boddie Recording Company did not have the sponsorship of large advertisers that Motown had.

Thomas Boddie died in 2006. In 2009, the Numero Group purchased the large number of recordings made at the Boddie Recording Company, with many of the recordings scheduled to be released in late 2011.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Boddie Recording Company


Scope and Content

Boddie Recording Company Photographs, 1955, 1971, 1977 and undated, consist of 28 negatives and 36 black and white photographs of artists and the recording studio.

This collection is of value to researchers seeking visual documentation of African-American history. Researchers interested in the history of entrepreneurship and small businesses in Cleveland, Ohio, particularly in the 1950s-1970s will find this collection useful. Music enthusiasts will also find connections to local talent within the collection. Most of the photographs show various artists, such as A.C. Jones and the Atomic Aces, The Bright Stars, Allen Games and Patricia Mayes, The Golden Harmonizers, The Gospel Tones Quartet, Bill Hawkins, Jubilee Specials, The King James Version, Little Anthony and the Soul Detergents, The Magnificent Soul Touchers, Natural Born Soul, Penny North, The Premiers, Smitty Al, Victory Five, as well as Louise Boddie and other unidentified artists. Other photographs depict the Boddie recording studio and one shows a car with a loudspeaker and advertisements for both Boddie Records and a Louis Stokes congressional campaign.


Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by media type, and then alphabetically by image content.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 5090 Boddie Recording Company Records.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

A.C. Jones and the Atomic Aces (Musical group) -- Photographs.
African American business enterprises -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
African Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Music -- Photographs.
Bluegrass music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Boddie Recording Co. (Cleveland, Ohio) -- Photographs.
Boddie, Louise -- Photographs.
Boddie, Thomas, d. 2006 -- Photographs.
Bright Stars (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Business enterprises -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Country music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Games, Allen -- Photographs.
Golden Harmonizers (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Gospel Tones Quartet (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Gospel music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Hawkins, Bill. -- Photographs.
Jubilee Specials (Musical group) -- Photographs.
King James Version (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Little Anthony and the Soul Detergents (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Magnificent Soul Touchers (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Mayes, Patricia -- Photographs.
Natural Born Soul (Musical group) -- Photographs.
North, Penny -- Photographs.
Premiers (Musical group) -- Photographs.
Rhythm and blues music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Rock music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Smitty Al -- Photographs.
Soul music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Sound recording industry -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Sound studios -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Victory Five (Musical group) -- Photographs.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 563 Boddie Recording Company Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Boddie Recording Company, 1997

Processing Information

Processed by David F. Balog in 2011

Detailed Description of The Collection

Boddie Recording Company Photographs 1955 1971 1977 undated

Box Folder
1 1 Negatives, portraits 1955 1977 undated
1 2 Negatives, views 1971 undated
1 3 Prints, portraits, 1955, 1977, and undated. 1955 1977 undated
1 4 Prints, subjects undated
1 5 Prints, views 1971 undated