Hilltop / Prism

Started as Hilltop by Andy Apperson, originally based in Ashland. In 1964 Apperson partnered with Floyd Whited, who had started Prism records, and together they reactived the Prism label using the original Hilltop numbering sequence. Apperson sold his interest to Whited in early 1965 (roughly corresponding to the Paulette and Cupids 45), acquiring rights to the Spangle name that Whited had run back in the 50s. During the time the Apperson and Whited were co-owners, Apperson was also working with Don Talty, an producer from Chicago who managed soul singer Jan Bradley and was involved with several other labels. Paulette and the Cupids was Talty's group. Apperson and Talty also partnered with the Night Owl and Sound Spectrum labels.

Several subsidiary names were used, including Appro, Big Country, and Gospel Gems. The Gospel Gems label eventually split off into a different numbering system (59xx), which became the Praise label as a companion to Prism.

The original Hilltop operation included a recording studio. More details about the studio can be found in the Works section.

1866 (H) The Collegians Nodod / Fred's Boogie
1867 (H) The Collegians The Saints Pt. 1 / The Saints Pt. 2
1868 (H) The Collegians The Happy Parakeet / Cookin'
1869 (H) Little Dickie Chafin Crying Heart / Lost Love
1870 unknown
1871 (H) Ricky Vac and the Rockaways Colleen / How Do You Think I Feel
1872 unknown
1873 (H) The Tonettes Lullaby of Birdland / Mood Indigo
1874 (H) Gary Scott and the Country Boys Clock On the Wall / I've Never Dreamed
1875 unknown
1876 (H) Fred Mick with the Kingsmen Baby What You Want Me To Do / Daddy-O Goose and the Three Little Piggys
1877 (H) Shari Drake Why Did You Do This / Please Be Mine (PS)
1878 (H) Colleen Kaye Two Girls / Tell Me Why (PS)
1879 (H) Louie and the Ambassadors Talk That Talk / The Girl With the Raven Black Hair
1880 (H) Dottie Sardina In Seattle!! / Because You Love Me (PS)
1881 (BC) James Coleman and his Gospel Trio Lead Me Lord Anywhere / Peace In the Valley
1882 (BC) The Murdock Brothers Just an Old Time Church / It's Been a Long Time
1883 (BC) Fred and Sue / Sue I'll Triumph at Last / I've Been Looking for a Home
1884 (H) Dale Goudy and the Blue Sky Trio Frankie and Johnny Twist / Day Dreaming (vocal by Teak Board)
1885 (A) The Barberettes Makin' Love Ukulele Style ; Oh Now I Miss You Tonight / Bill Bailey ; A Good Man Is Hard To Find
1886 (BC) Earnest Stacy - Harlin Kazy Wrong Side Of Town / Brought About the Blues
1887 (BC) Wayne S. Barnes Teach Me to Forget / Once Again Baby
HT 1887 Here's The Pitch A 33 1/3 7" about why to press records
1888 (H) Gene Sisco and the Deacons Polka Dot Bikini #2 / Little Bit of Love
1889 unknown
1890 (A) The Roamers The Time of Man / Shady Grove
1891 (A) Paul Risener and the Happy Rhythm Boys It's Too Late / Blue Rhythm Stomp
1892 The Couplings Igor / Mighty Oak (PS and insert)
1893 Ivan and the Sabers Just Let Her Go / It's Not Like You 6/64
1894 unknown
1895 (GG) (LP) Cavalry Trio What A Saviour
1896 (A) The Rowland Brothers Baby Doll / I Found Someone Knew
1897 The Nesters Innocent Angel / Standing
1898 Tony Mac The Grind / Loves Hall of Fame
1898 The Monzels Sharkskin / Don't Be Mad
1899 Mona Lee Let's Make Up / Made Up My Mind c. Sept '64
1900 (GG) (LP) The Country Gospel Aires Way of the Cross /
1901 (A) Buddy Crawford Let's Take a Walk / Only As Far As the Door
1902 (GG) Lonesome Road Ramblers I Was a Sinner / God Gave His Son
1903 (GG) J. D. Jarvis Trying to Get Home / On My Way to Caanan's Land 1964
1904 (GG) (LP) Hazel and Louise I Saw that City of Gold
1905 (GG) (LP) The Riley Family S/T
1906 (GG) Southern-Aires Quartet Lord I Need Thee Every Day / Sheltered From the Storm Am I
1907 The Fink Muncx IX What's Right / Coffee, Tea, or Me
1908 Jack Conner Forever and a Day / Don't Be Afraid
1909 (LP) Don and Pat S/T
1910 unknown
1911 Ivan and the Sabers Listen To Me / I Want To Know
1912 unknown
1913 The Canadians You're My Baby / You Don't Love Me No More
1914 The Couplings Young Love / Dill Tickle
1915 C. T. and the Castaways My Young Dove's Calling
1916 Ivan and the Sabers Listen To Me / I Want To Know
1917 The Country Gospel Aires Keep Praying and Pushing / Ninety-Nine and a half won't do
1918 Doc Armstrong and Ray Lunsford A Little Bitty Tear / In a Mansion Stands My Love
1919 (LP) Country Gospel-Aires and Southern-Aires Quartet United We Sing
1920 Pepi Hypnotized / Don't Leave Me
1921 unknown
1922 Paulette and the Cupids Teenage Dropout / He'll Wait On Me
1923 Earls and Whiteheads Gospel Singers One Big River to Cross; When all God's Singers Get Home / Palms of Victory ; A Light at the River
1924 The Jades When You Love Me / Walking Along
1925 Pepi (Pam Voiles) He's Everywhere / Child Of the King 1965
1926 Blue Boy Let Me Near You Baby / Kisses
1927 The Travelers Why Don't You (Crazy Charms) / Libby
1928 unknown
1929 The Duprays You Make Me / The Frog (Froggy)
1930 The Noblemen Satisfied / She Still Thinks I Love Her 12/65
1931 The Chante's My Only Love / I've Got a New Love
1932 unknown
1933 The Mega-Tones Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo / Out Of Sight, Out of Mind
1934 Charlie Gore Son I've Been There Too / Day of Judgement
1935 The New Bangs Get Back In Your Tree / Go-Go Kitty
1936 unknown
1937 Millie Elking Hello Bartender / Come Over Let's Play Country
1938 unknown
1939 unknown
1940 The Forvms Bring It On Back / I Remember You
1941 The Decrescendos One Of the Crowd / Water Of Love
1942 The Pypes The Tunnel Of Love / Dee-Dee
1943 unknown
1944 The New Liberty Singers Kane / Mighty Mississippi
1945 The Buckinghams I Been Going Crazy / An Hour And Five
1946 Brewster's Five I Can't Help The Way I Feel About You / Little Heart Quit Crying
1947 Sue We'll Sing Another Song / Make New Friends
1948 The Soul Impromptu Something You Got / Ain't That Peculiar
1949 The New Bangs The First Time / She's Gone
1950 The King's English It Could Be Bad / Toys In Her Attic
1951 The Tribu-Terrys Leavin' To Stay / My Shadow Is You
1966 (LP) WONE - The Dayton Scene
2000 the Bronzemen How Many / Brush It
3000 the Incrowd Set Me Free / Keep It
3001 the Senators Shake A Tail Feather / Deloris
3002 the Warbucks I'm Gonna Tell On You / You Made Me
3910 (GG) Lonesome Road Ramblers You're Free To Go / Tear Stained Pillow
5911 (GG) (LP) Jan and Betty There Will Be a Bright Tomorrow
5912 (GG) (LP) Pilgrim Heirs Fathers Table Grace
5913 (GG) Jodie Welch It Surely Was The Angels / If You Were Me And I Was You
5914 (GG) (LP) Johnny and Lee This Little Light Of Mine
5915 (GG) (LP) J. D. Jarvis Take Your Shoes Of Moses recorded 12-12-64
5916 (GG) LP Dayton Harvesters I'll Meet You In The Morning
5917 (GG) Earl's and Whiteheads Gospel Singers I've Been To Calvery / The Old Fashioned Way
5918 (GG) The Master's Quartet I Am His and He is Mine ; Close To The Master / One Step Toward Jesus ; Until Then 1965
5919 (GG) Jay Vipperman Lord, I've Just Got To Make It / It's Real, It's Real, It's Real
5920 unknown
5921 The Sacred Melodies Quartet God Is Able / He Whispers Sweet Peace To Me
5922 unknown
5923 (GG) Riley Family How Big Is God / Get Thee Behind Me Satan
5924 (GG) LP Rev. Paul Mullins and the Bluegrass Gospel-Aires Old Country Church
5925 (GG) The Lamb Family Jesus Is Mine / I've Been To Calvary
5926 (GG) Mac and Jan Jesus Died On Calvary / Thanks Got I'm One Of His
5927 (GG) Rev, Paul Mullins and the Bluegrass Gospel-Aires Light At The River / Let The Church Roll On
5928 unknown
5929 (GG) Jan and Betty I saw That City Of Gold / Waddin Through Deep Water
5930 unknown
5931 (GG)Rev. Paul Mullins and the Bluegrass Gospel-AiresHappy On My Way / Jesus Answers My Prayers
5931 (PR) Dayton Harvesters God is So Good to Me / Looking For Me 1965
5932 unknown
5933 unknown
5934 The Southern Gospel Band The Death of John F. Kennedy / Father Hold My Hand
5935 (LP) Gospel Tones Trio Introducing
5936  Brewster's Five Plain Old Lonesome Life / Just Another Lonely Day
5937 unknown
5938 The Green Family House Of Gold ; Mansion Over The Hilltop / I've Been To Calvary ; Peace Like A River
5939 (PR) The Dailey Trio Walk Them Golden Stairs / Sings A Little
5940 The Dayton Harvesters I'm Not Able To Pay / Oh Lord I Need A Friend Like You
5941 (PR) Gospel Crusaders Choir Joybells / Swing Down Sweet Chariot
5942 (PR) The Gray Family I'm Looking For Jesus ; He Touched Me / Because of Him ; I Was Born to Serve the Lord
5944 (LP)The Hauld FamilyBorn To Serve The Lord (title on cover only, no title on LP)
6002 (GG) (LP) The Sacred Melodies I Firmly Promise You
1001/2 Jimmy Crain Kathy / Rock-A Sock-A Hop
1003/4 Lenny Davis and the Megatones My Only Girl (And One Night) / The Beginning (nad Not the End)

The 1001/2 and 1003/4 are the only releases on the original Prism records.

Labels used are noted as H-Hilltop, BC-Big Country, A-Appro, GG-Gospel Gems, PR-Praise. 1898 (Tony Mac) as NES, #1899 as HIO. Numbers 1898 and 1887 used twice as shown. All others as Prism. All numbers are assumed to released, but unfound.

#3000 , #3001, and #3002 are labelled 'package plan'.

#1867, Collegians - some copies exist without the 1867 number on the label and instead have only the pressing plant number (663/4).

#1911 and #1916, Ivan and the Sabers - The two songs are the same, but the recordings are different.

The Tribu-Terrys and the Noblemen are from Indiana, Paulette and the Cupids are from Chicago.