Tom Carlile & The Craftsmen: Original Sounds
Posted on October 14, 2008 by Patrick the Lama
Tom Carlile would later see some success as a country artist, but this early LP is previously undocumented. Dating from circa 1968, it's a vanity pressing with a certain amount of money poured into it, as indicated by the prestigious studios where it was recorded. I guess they didn't have any dough left for a proper artist to design the front cover, which is as strikingly crude as anything I've seen from the era. The music is an odd mix of Tom Jones blue-eyed soul croon, lounge drama, gospel, and 60s pop. The opening "I Believe In Miracles" collects all these elements into one highly energetic piece of music. About half the album (originals all through) is of no special merit, but the moody "Just The Same" is a rather appealing flirt with British beat. Side 2 opens with "I Saw The Light", an infectious gospel-pop number with enough hit potential to get picked up by CBS — there's even a British release of it. Tom Carlile and his merry men save the most interesting track for the last, and "The Man With No Name" is probably the main reason to check this LP out. An unexpected, early tribute to the anti-hero of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, this tune even utilizes sampled Morricone coyote howls while the appropriate western drama unfolds. The back cover is vague on details, but indicates a South Florida origin.
Filed under: Incredibly Strange, Lounge / Exotica
5 Comments to “Tom Carlile & The Craftsmen: Original Sounds”
YOU HAVE AN ARTICLE POSTED ABOUT TOM CARLILE AND THE CRAFTSMEN–FEATURING AN LP OF THIERS..WHERE CAN I GET A CD AND SOME CONTACT INFO ON TOM CARLILE..I SAW HIM IN MIAMI IN 1969 AND SORT OF FOLLOWED HIS CAREER FOR AWHILE THEN LOST CONTACT WITH THEM..MANY THANKS; JOHN VITCH
This album was recorded in Miami, Florida and was written by Tom Carlile in 1968. They were appearring at Newport Hotel in Miami Beach at the time. There were four members in the band Tom Carlile, Ray Carlile, Don Parmalee and Jerry Parmalee. The album was never released it was only sold in the nightclubs. The cover was reproduced and featured Tom Carlile in the blue suit. The original cover is very rare as it was discontinued. In 1981 Tom recorded as a solo artist his originals in Nashville and had 9 chart records including Green Eyes, Back in Debbies Arms, Hurtin for your love and Catch me if you Can. All four were top forty records. From 1981-1983. Tom is still performing to this day!
By the way, if you were wondering if this accurate..it is. How do I know this? Tom is my Dad.
Kim, thanks for this interesting background info! I wrote the review above. At this point, only 2 copies of this LP with the original cover are known to exist, but I’m sure many more linger with ex-band members and senior Florida music-lovers.
This is a long shot, especially 40 years later, but could you possibly check with Tom if he remembers how many copies were pressed of the “Original Sounds” LP in its earliest version?
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Yes, it’s a Miami artist’s record. Seems our tracklisting is the same but mine has a picture of dude in a blue velvet suit on the cover and variety of bonerific poses on the back.