MERCEEDEES
Image from a Seattle banquet program, 1953
Home base: Seattle, WA.
Stats: (b. 1/8/1913 Chicago, IL - d. 3/22/2000 Seattle, WA)
Misc Notes: "Seattle was graced throughout the 1950s by the presence of an extremely elegant and popular local chanteuse who billed herself simply as "Merceedees." Born Mercedes Antoinette Welcker, she was a piano-playing Chicago teen who moved at a young age to New York City and went on to compose a song recorded by big-time artists like the Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey orchestras. Merceedees came to Seattle as a World War II veteran in 1949 and her citywide popularity as an African American performer soon played a significant role in narrowing the cultural chasm between various racial communities. Pretty, glamorous, smart, and musically talented, she quickly scored her own Music with Merceedees show on early television station KING-TV and then a weekly radio program on KING-AM. Her star rose further with a regular gig at the swanky Sorrento Hotel and a recording contract with Seattle's pioneering Linden Records. Ever ambitious, she also built and ran a recording studio and founded her own Gold Seal publishing company and record label. But life's challenges wore on her, and Merceedees Walton ended up living alone in squalor during her final years." [READ MORE...]
SEE ALSO:
1.) WELCKER, MERCEEDEES
MISC NOTES: "MERCEEDEES Playing and Singing Her Own Songs"
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL:
RECORDING STUDIO:
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10" / 7"
SPEED: 78 rpm / 45 rpm
DISC NOTES: Some 45 rpm discs pressed on clear red or translucent dark maroon vinyl.
A-SIDE MATRIX:
78) 3518-1
45) 45 X 138A 3518 -1
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
78) 138 A
45) 45X138A CM - 1 (etched)
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Merceedees Welcker
A-SIDE PUBLISHER: No Listing
B-SIDE MATRIX:
78) 3518-2
45) 45 X 138B 3518 - 2 (etched)
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
78) 138 B
45) 45X138B CM - 1 (etched)
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Merceedees Welcker
B-SIDE PUBLISHER: No Listing
MISC NOTES: Some 45s pressed on clear red vinyl,
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL:
RECORDING STUDIO:
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10" / 7"
SPEED: 78 rpm / 45 rpm
DISC NOTES: *45
A-SIDE MATRIX:
78)
45) 45 X 139A 3518 - 3
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
78) 139 A
45)
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Merceedees Welcker
B-SIDE MATRIX:
78)
45) 45 X 139B 3518 - 4
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
78) 139 B
45)
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Mercedees Welcker
MISC NOTES:
LOCATION: Seattle
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Merceedees (vocal & piano); Bob Marshall (string bass); Al Mitchell (guitar); “Junie Bradford (drums)
RECORDING STUDIO: Western
RECORDING ENGINEER: Jimmy Linden
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX:
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
A-SIDE COMPOSER:
A-SIDE PUBLISHER:
B-SIDE MATRIX:
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B-SIDE COMPOSER:
B-SIDE PUBLISHER:
MISC NOTES: A newspaper clipping from either January 25, 1952 or August 2, 1952 mentioned that this record was "soon to be released."
LOCATION: Seattle, WA.
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Merceedees (piano);
RECORDING STUDIO: Linden
RECORDING ENGINEER: Jimmy Linden (?)
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES: *
MISC NOTES:
LOCATION: Seattle
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Merceedees Walton (piano, vocals, backing vocals); The Individuals
RECORDING STUDIO: Merceedees Walton's home studio.
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 7"
SPEED: 45 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX: 7x 1000A
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE: 45 7x 1000- A ^29704 (etched)
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Merceedees - Walton
A-SIDE PUBLISHER: Gold Seal Music and Publishing Co.
B-SIDE MATRIX: 7x 1000B
B-SIDE STAMPER CODE: 45-7x -1000-B (etched)
B-SIDE COMPOSER: Merceedees - Walton
B-SIDE PUBLISHER: Gold Seal Music and Publishing Co.
MISC NOTES: No serial number listed on label. One-sided disc was released with a "Season's Greetings" graphic Linden sleeve.
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Wallace MacKay (narrator); Merceedees Welcker (piano soloist).
RECORDING STUDIO:
RECORDING ENGINEER:
FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 33 1/3 rpm
DISC NOTES: Issued with holiday holly-leaves graphics on white sleeve. Blank B-side.
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE: 3544-1 M