December 1959, Fire 1009, “Much Too Late” b/w “Lock Me In Your Heart” by Tarheel Slim and Little Ann. Slim and Ann also had one of the last 78 releases in the USA in June 1960.
Note the label variations here – one with two horizontal lines and one without.
March 1960, Fire 1011, Elmore James and his Broomdusters, “Make My Dreams Come True” b/w “Bobby’s Rock.”
And now here’s a late 78 record that was issued in April 1960. “Can’t Stay Away – Part 1” b/w “Can’t Stay Away – Part 2” by Tarheel Slim and Little Ann on Fire 1017.
Buster Brown was the artist on one of the most famous late 78s: “Fannie Mae.” In April 1960 his “The Madison Shuffle” b/w “John Henry (The Steel Driving Man)” was issued as Fire 1020. Billboard’s “Reviews Of This Week’s Singles” from April 25, 1960 describes this record as, “Brown could click again via either one of these powerful sides. ‘John Henry,’ the old folk song gets a shoutin’ approach over a rhythmic and danceable ork setting. ‘The Madison Shuffle’ is an instrumental side that features harmonica over a snappy ork assist. Both are dual-market sides.”
Fire 1016 was issued in April 1960. This was “The Sky Is Crying” b/w “Held My Baby Last Night” by Elmore James, show on the label as Elmo James.
A June 1960 release, Fire 1021, “Forever I’ll Be Yours” b/w “Anything For You” by Tarheel Slim and Little Ann. There can’t be many of these left. Maybe this is the only one? Slim recorded some good R&B songs in the 50s as Allen Bunn, which is his real name.
“There Is Something On Your Mind, Part 1” backed with “There Is Something On Your Mind, Part 2” by Bobby Marchan was probably the final commercially issued 78 record in the USA I now believe that Duke 326 and Excello 2181 were even later. Fire 1022 was released in June 1960. “There Is Something On Your Mind” was originally written and recorded in 1959 by Big Jay McNeely. Bobby Marchan’s cover version a year later added a strange monologue that pushed his rendition to both sides of the record. It made #1 on the R&B charts and even cracked the pop Top 40.
American 78s - The Last Year 