Sunday, September 05, 2010

Eddie Smith and the Hornets - "Upturn" (Rel)



What we have here is a rather smokin' guitar instrumental from Eddie Smith and the Hornets. I don't know much about Smith and couldn't find anything on him on the web (as usual), but I did find a listing that says this is from 1959. But whatever the year, you'll find this instro chugs along at a breakneck pace with lots of stingin' guitar twangin' and thumpin'. So put the car in cruise control and go full throttle with this one.


9 comments:

ana-b said...

Nice!

No insult meant to anyone, but I think that may be the best record to ever come out of Connecticut.

ana..

Dr. Maurice Godwin said...

Eddie Smith was a friend my mine and my father, Halford Godwin, who help produce this 45. Eddie was from the small Eastern North Carolina town of Coats, NC. This single was later released on a small label name CAD from Coats but that was in the late 60s. Eddie lived most of his adult life in VA Beach, VA.

Thanks,

Maurice Godwin
empressmusic@aol.com

Brian Marshall said...

Thank you, Maurice, for your information on Eddie Smith. We always welcome information on the records we feature, so keep it comin'!

Dennis Noakes said...

I bought Upturn in 1960 from a friend who was short of cash. It has remained one of my favourite guitar instrumentals ever since.I have never heard it played on the radio and only recently did I find it on the net on http://www.musicpophits.com/MainPages/Instrumentals.htm .Although it does not have good sound quality there are no clicks/scratches.The same web site has the B-side to listen to Border Beat. Why did he not produce any more records. Does anyone know where I can get 45's by an american guitar group called the Fireballs.

MN said...

There's also a 45 on Brent label by Bill Collins with these two songs on it. Bill Collins record was reviewed in Billboard magazine issue 23 November 1959.

Joann Smith Harmon said...

This post is in reply to old ones, but here's hoping you guys will see it. I can give you any information you want to know about Eddie Smith with the Hornets......he's my dad. For those who want to know why he didn't pursue a bigger career I can tell you. I asked him the same question a few years ago. He replied because he had mama and his two babies at home. His choice was to raise a family instead of hit the road. He had numerous bands throughout the years and mentored many musicians in the Tidewater area over a 50 year period. He passed away on April 18th, 2015 from pneumonia due to stroke. He indeed wrote and recorded both Upturn and Border Beat in 1959. Any recordings of these pieces by other musicians have the name (Smith) labeled beneath the title of the song. I have seen them. He was a great talent, and the way I see it.....April 18, 2015, is the REAL day the music died.

Unknown said...

Joann:

Great to read your post. My father, Halford Godwin from Coats too grew up with Eddie. My dad died in 2002. I would love to talk with you. Please e-mail me at:

empressmusic@aol.com

Thanks,

Maurice Godwin

Mike said...

Came from NC

Anonymous said...

This song was written and recorded by Eddie Smith from Coats, NC. I know because he was my dad. Joann “Penny” Smith Harmon