Port Arthur Jubileers / Jimmy Hart & His Merrymakers

By request here are the Port Arthur Jubileers. The Port Arthur Jubileers had a short recording career but did manage to cut 16 great sides. Formed in about 1937 they were first known as the Sears Jubileers because Sears Roebuck was their original sponsor, not unlike Light Crust Flour sponsoring the Light Crust Doughboys. When they got the opportunity to record with Decca records in 1940 they changed their name to the Port Arthur Jubileers. The following year they were approached by Blue Bird records but since they were under contract with Decca with the name Port Arthur Jubileers they decided to record with the name Jimmy Hart & His Merrymakers. This was the time when western swing legend Billy "Tiny" Moore joined on electric mandolin. Tiny Moore's fame began when he later played with Bob Wills' Texas Playboys. Their 3rd and final recording session happened that same year but again with a different name "The Jubileers" after Jimmy Hart left the group and Tiny Moore took the role as leader. The band soon broke up after that session. Here are the 9 songs that I have out of the 16 sides they recorded. If anyone out there has any more or a better version of "Boogie Woogie Johnson" we'd love to get them from ya. Special thanks goes out to HillbillyWolf for helping with this collection.

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Recording Sessions info;

PORT ARTHUR JUBILEERS (1940); JIMMY HART & HIS MERRYMAKERS (April 1941); THE JUBILEERS (October 1941)
April 3, 1940; Rice Hotel, Houston, Texas.
Alton Bailey, tenor banjo; Earl Caruthers, fiddle/electric mandolin/lead vocal -1; Jimmy Hart, piano/accordion*; Dickie Jones, fiddle/harmony vocal -2; Toby Kelley, guitar/vocal -3; Barney Youngblood, bass.

Jones Stomp (Dick Jones) De5854-B
Jeep's Blues (Johnny Hodges-Duke Ellington) * De 5854-A
Roses In The Sunset (Lou Wayne) -1,2 De 5839-B
When You're Thinking Of The One That You Forgot (Cart Wilson) -3 De5822-A *NOT IN POST
Texas Star De5839-A
Pussywillow (Dick Jones) De5822-B

April 4,1941; Jefferson Hotel, Dallas, Texas.
Earl Caruthers, fiddle/vocal -1; Jimmy Hart, piano/vocal-2; Tiny Moore, electric mandolin/vocal -3; Kenny Taylor, guitar; Barney Youngblood, bass.

Teeny Weeny (Moore-Caruthers) Bb B-8793-A
It's Kinda Late To Be Sorry (Jimmy Hart) -2 Bb B-8719-B *NOT IN POST
Let's Start All Over Again (Tiny Moore) -3 Bb B-8751 -B *NOT IN POST
Cheatin' On Me (A. C. Peveto) -3 Bb B-8719-A
After Thinking It Over (Lou Wayne) -1 Bb B-8793-B *NOT IN POST
Little Hula Girl (A.C. Peveto) -1 Bb B-8751-A *NOT IN POST

October 7,1941; Jefferson Hotel, Dallas, Texas.
Tiny Moore, fiddle/electric mandolin/vocal -1; A. C. Peveto, steel guitar; Don Tyler, guitar; Jesse Tyler, piano; poss. Barney Youngblood, bass; Unidentified fiddle.

Boogie Woogie Johnson (Jesse Tyler) Bb B-8972-A
My Heart Makes A Monkey Out Of Me (Tiny Moore-Lou Wayne) Bb unissued
Start A Little Rainbow In My Heart (Lou Wayne) -1 Bb B-8874-B *NOT IN POST
San Antonio Moonlight (Tiny Moore) Bb B-8874-A *NOT IN POST
The Right String But The Wrong Yo-Yo (Tiny Moore) -1 Bb B-8972-B
Ain't You Sorry Now (Tiny Moore) Bb unissued