#726 (Week of 9/24/11 - 9/30/11)

---

"Open The Door, Richard! - Part 1, - Part 2"
by "Dusty" Fletcher
Jimmy Jones And His Band
on National 4012 A/B
released in 1947

Above: Dusty Fletcher's "Open The Door Richard!" clipping from The Billboard 1/18/47. Note the ladder.

Above: (Left) The Billboard 1/25/47, (Right, Top - Bottom) The Billboard 1/11/47, 1/25/47, 3/1/47.

Jimmy Jones plays the "tinkling" piano and his band provides the vocal backing. Herb Abramson, later in 1947, would become president of a new label, Atlantic Records.

Above: Column describing legal wrangling regarding copyright (from the The Billboard 1/25/47). Jack McVea (not Hevea) And His All Stars were first to release a version of "Open The Door Richard!" (in 1946 on Black & White).

Others to release records of the song include The Three Flames (Columbia), Charioteers (Columbia), Bill Samuels And Cats 'N' Jammer Three (Mercury), Louis Jordan (Decca), Count Basie Orch. (Victor), Big Sid Catlett Orch. (Manor), "Hot Lips" Page Orch. (Apollo), Walter Brown-Tiny Grimes (Signature), Merry Macs (Majestic), Pied Pipers (Capitol), Hank Penny (King), and Tosh (One-String Willer) And His Jivesters (Empey).

Above: The "Open The Door, Richard!" craze is discussed in The Billboard 2/8/47.

Above: Clipping pushing Dusty's follow-up record from The Billboard 3/8/47.

Above: Label image of National 4012 released in January 1947.

Listen to this week's selections by "Dusty" Fletcher on National 4012 from 1947:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             1. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 1           2. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 2             BOTH played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             1. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 1           2. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 2      C. Stream/Download Media Player...             1. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 1           2. Open The Door, Richard! - Part 2

From The Billboard 4/5/47

     [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.