Buchanan Brothers
The Buchanan Brothers were two brothers, Chester and Lester Buchanan, who recorded country music during the 1940s on the RCA Victor label. They had a top ten hit, "Atomic Power", released in August 1946; this song was also featured in the 1982 movie The Atomic Café. Another song, 1947's "(When You See) Those Flying Saucers", was used in the opening scene of the 2009 animated release Monsters vs. Aliens.
Their releases were under two different artist names: "The Buchanan Brothers (Chester and Lester) Singing with Orchestra" and "Buchanan Brothers and the Georgia Catamounts."
They are not to be confused with the pop-rock trio by that name from the late 1960s, which included Terry Cashman, Gene Pistilli, and Tommy West.
Discography
Catalog Number | Title | Date Recorded | Serial Number |
---|---|---|---|
20-2553B | The Heartsick Blues | August 22, 1944 | D7-VB-1294-1A |
20-3045A | Don’t Dog Me ‘Round! | August 22, 1944 | D7-VB-1295-1A |
20-2743A | High Tempered Mama | September 29, 1944 | D7-VB-1297-1A |
20-3191A | Hootin – Nanny Papa | September 29, 1944 | D7-VB-1296-1A |
20-2129A/33-0523A | Mama, I’m Sick | December 20, 1944 | D4-AB-492-1A |
20-2129B/33-0536B | Blow, Forty Seven, Blow | December 20, 1944 | D4-AB-494-1A |
33-0523B | I Got Worries | December 20, 1944 | D4-VB-493-1A |
33-0536A | Them Good Old Times are Comin’ Back Again | December 20, 1944 | D4-AB-491-1A |
33-0531A | Colin Kelly, Will You Tell the Boys Up Yonder | June 19, 1945 | D5-AB-419-1A |
33-0531B | Troubles in my Heart | June 19, 1945 | D5-AB-420-1A |
33-0541A | Hurry, Johnny, Hurry | June 19, 1945 | D5-AB-421-1A |
33-0541B | The Bottom Fell Out of the Sky | June 19, 1945 | D5-AB-418-1A |
20-1953B | (When I Put On My) Long White Robe | November 27, 1945 | D5-AB-965-1A |
20-2106A | Am I Still P-A-R-T of Your H-E-A-R-T | November 27, 1945 | D5-AB-964-1A |
20-2264B | My Little Boy Blue | November 27, 1945 | D5-AB-963-1A |
20-2891B | Would You Cry? | November 27, 1945 | D5-AB-962-1A |
20-1850A | Atomic Power | March 19, 1946 | D6-VB-1357-1A |
20-1850B | Singing an Old Hymn | March 19, 1946 | D6-VB-1358-1A |
20-2264A | (Don’t Cry) My Coney Island Baby | March 19, 1946 | D6-VB-1359-1A |
20-3191B | Then You’ll Be the One to Cry | March 19, 1946 | D6-VB-1356-1A |
20-1953A | Shut That Gate | August 7, 1946 | D6-VB-2623-1A |
20-2106B | Left by the Wayside | August 7, 1946 | D6-VB-2626-1A |
20-2743B | Just Hangin’ On | August 7, 1946 | D6-VB-2625-1A |
20-3045B | You’ll Never Take Away My Dreams | August 7, 1946 | D6-VB-2624-1A |
20-2385A | (When You See) Those Flying Saucers | July 16, 1947 | D7-VB-1290-1A |
20-2385B | The Silver Meteor | July 16, 1947 | D7-VB-1291-1A |
20-2553A | There is a Power Greater Than Atomic | July 16, 1947 | D7-VB-1292-1A |
20-2891A | The Steam That Blows the Whistle (Never Turns the Wheel) | July 16, 1947 | D7-VB-1293-1A |
Personnel
- August 22, 1944: Violin/Leader: Mac Ceppos; Guitar: Tony Gottuso & Lester Buchanan; Mandolin: Chester Buchanan; Accordion: Edwin Smith; Bass: Julie M. Bedra.
- September 29, 1944: Violin/Leader: Mac Ceppos; Guitar: Lester Buchanan & Tony Gottuso; Mandolin: Chester Buchanan; Accordion: Edwin Smith; Bass: Sol Braun; Piano: Bob Miller.
- December 20, 1944: New York Studio No. 1; Time: Orchestra (9:30 to 12:30), Studio (9:00 to 1:00), (EK-9:00 to 11:00), (JM-11:00 to 1:00); Miss Van Sciver and Mr. Bob Miller present. Leader & Violin: Mac Ceppos; Guitar: Tony Gatusso & Lester Buchanan; Mandolin: Chester Buchanan; Bass Violin: Lester Braun.
- June 19, 1945: New York Studio No. 2; Bob Miller present; Union Musicians Used; Time: 9:00 to 12:00; Violin/Leader: Mac Ceppos; Trumpet: William A. Graham; Bass Violin: Lester Braun; Steel Guitar: Samuel Persoff; Violin: Edward Asherman; Electric Guitar & Clarinet: Edwin H. Grosso.
- November 27, 1945: A & R Rep: Mr. S.H. Sholes; Studio: New York No. 1; Union Musicians Used; Time: 7:30 P.M. to 10:30 P.M.; Violin/Leader: Mac Ceppos; Violin: Val Olman; Bass: Lester Braun; Trumpet: George Erwin; Guitar: Anthony Gottuso; Guitar: Andy Sannella; Piano: Bob Miller.
- March 19, 1946: A & R Rep: Messers. Sholes and Case; Studio: New York No. 2; Union Musicians Used; Time: 9:30 to 12:30; Violin/Leader: Bertrand Hirsch; Violin: Samuel Raitz; Guitar: Arthur S. Ryerson Jr.; Clarinet: Sal Franzella; Bass: William Feinbloom; Steel Guitar: Ed. McMullen; Drums: Chauncey Morehouse.
- August 7, 1946: A & R Rep: Mr. S.H. Sholes; Studio: New York No. 1; Union Musicians Used; Time: 5:30 P.M. to 9:00 (plus 1 hr. set up); Leader/Violin: Bertrand Hirsch; Violin: Edward O. South; Sax: Sal Franzella; Bass: Lester Braun; Trumpet: Henry Lewis; Guitar: Anthony Gottuso & Vincent Maffei; Piano: Nick Tagg; Drums: Jack Saunders.
- July 16, 1947: A & R Rep: Messrs S. Sholes & C. Grean; Studio: New York No. 2; Union Musicians Used; Time: 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.; Guitar: Lester Buchanan; Mandolin: Chester Buchanan; Electric Guitar: Edwin Grosso; Guitar: Arthur Ryerson; Bass: Charles Grean.
References
All of the above information comes from the RCA Victor ledger/studio sheets, which are currently housed at the BMG Music Archives.