#691 (Week of 12/18/10 - 12/24/10)

---

"That's My Desire"/"I Want To Be Loved"
by Golden Arrow Quartet
on Continental C-6048-A/B
released in 1947

[Photos of Almond Butler provided by Zoraida Butler.]

Above Left: Clipping from The Billboard 4/12/47. Little is known about the Golden Arrow Quartet. The group included Johnny Smith who had been with The Alphabetical Four (a gospel group) and later would sing lead with The Rivals for one release on Apollo Records (1950).

Above Right: Almond Butler was a member of the Golden Arrow Quartet per information provided by his sons. In addition to their four released sides, they performed versions of "If I Didn't Care" and "Peg O' My Heart."

ALMOND FRANKLIN BUTLER (Sept. 27, 1925 - June 10, 1967) Almond Butler sang tenor and played the guitar. He was born in Clinton, North Carolina, and was self employed as an entertainer before enlisting in the United States Navy on January 13, 1944. He was discharged honorably on August 12, 1946. During his service he received the Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Upon separation from the Navy he joined the Golden Arrow Quartet from 1946 until 1950 when he decided to leave the group to raise his family. He began working for Russell Buick on Long Island, NY. Mr. Butler was married to Laura and had five children.... Almond (1947), Raymond (1948), Gregory (1950), Richard (1953) and Sharon (1959). Almond Butler and his wife died tragically in a single car accident in Virginia on June 10, 1967. (Above biography provided by his family)

THESE TWO CLIPPINGS ADDED ON 12/27/13:

Above Left: Cropped from "Dancing Under The Stars at Bennett's Field" advertisement in the Utica (NY) Observer Dispatch dated June 3, 1947.
Caption: "Four golden voices and a guitar with a new brand of sweet swing. You've heard them on records and the radio."

Above Right: Clipping from the Afro-American dated August 2, 1947 (provided by Marv Goldberg). "Allan Butler" is actually "Almond Butler."

Above: Golden Arrow Quartet column from The Billboard 4/19/47. For a "spiritual" group, their known repertoire was entirely secular. "I Want To Be Loved," composed by William "Pat" Best, was a big hit for Savanahh Churchill in 1946.

Above: Golden Arrow Quartet clipping from The Billboard 3/29/47.

Above: "That's My desire" clipping from The Billboard 5-31-47.

(The Cats And The Fiddle version can be heard HERE. Will open in a separate window.)

Above: Label image of Continental C-6048. The Golden Arrow Quartet's entire recording output consists of two records on Continental, both released in April 1947. Audio for all four sides (from one recording session) are provided below.

Listen to this week's selections by the Golden Arrow Quartet from 1947:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             1. That's My Desire - Continental C-6048           2. I Want To Be Loved - Continental C-6048           3. If I Had My Life To Live Over - Continental C-6049           4. Just A Few Little Miles From Home - Continental C-6049             ALL FOUR played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             1. That's My Desire - Continental C-6048           2. I Want To Be Loved - Continental C-6048           3. If I Had My Life To Live Over - Continental C-6049           4. Just A Few Little Miles From Home - Continental C-6049      C. Stream/Download Media Player...             1. That's My Desire - Continental C-6048           2. I Want To Be Loved - Continental C-6048           3. If I Had My Life To Live Over - Continental C-6049           4. Just A Few Little Miles From Home - Continental C-6049

     [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]

This site is non-commercial. All information displayed is provided to further the general public's knowledge of RnB vocal group harmony.