Wam / United Audio / Peppermint

Wam (short for Words And Music) records was started in the early 1960s as a spinoff of the huge Dusi Music Center in Youngstown. Dusi partnered with a WHOT radio DJ to finance the operation, located in a single story wooden building in Youngstown's near south side. Wam was the ultimate in vanity labels, recording everything from garage rock, Polkas, church choirs, and pop. Wam started in 1962 and ran until late 1967, when the name was changed to United Audio. Gary Rhamy was hired (fresh from Ohio University) as an engineer. In 1971, Rhamy bought out the owners, built a new facility on the outskirts of town, and changed the name to Peppermint Productions. Records recorded during the Wam and United Audio eras were always issued with the house labels, but the Peppermint recordings often used custom label names.

There were attempts at cohesive catalog numbering (2000, 5000) but many records were issued that were not in a series. For the Peppermint recordings, a catalog numbering staring at 1000 was used, and is still in use. Unfortunately, all the old studio logs were destroyed and we'll probably never know all the records released, but estimates of 75 or more during the 1960s seems resonable. Wam used several pressing plants including QCA, RCA, and RI. All the United Audio (and most of the Peppermint) records were pressed at QCA.

2003 Johnny Butchko Orch What a Baby Polka, Little Eddie's Waltz / Rose Ann Polka, Patty Ann Polka (PS)
2003 the Generals Take It Easy / Lazy Latin
2004 Sister Cecelia Stuart (soloist) with Ursuline Sisters (chorus) Joey the Christmas Choir Boy / I Want Christ Back in Christmas (PS) 9/62
2005 the Offbeats Red Ants / Talking Crickets
no # Rip Roberts By These Things / Young and In Love
no # (RI 1440) Barney Bean with Sherwood For Kids For Fun (Pt. 1) / For Kids For Fun (Pt. 2) (PS)
441 Ronnie Lee Combo Thingamajig / High Stakes
4001 Johnny and the Uncalled Four Shortin' Bread / Day Dream
No # the Vikings I Need Your Lovin' / Such A Love 1965
1006 the Counts Night of Misery / If I Look Back Oct '65
5001 the Capers You'll Never Walk Alone / I'm Walking the Dog Dec '65
5002 the Capers Iced Tea / No Peace of Mind Dec '65
No # the Fortels She / Merry Go Round Dec '65
26601 Gary Kennedy with the Mahoning Valley Boys Pretty Carol / Mountain Of Love Feb '66
5948 the Pied Pipers Hey Joe / Hold On I'm Comin' late '66
5980 the Nomadz She Ain't Lovin' You No More / Wait Till the Midnight Hour Jul '67
5970 the Kare Takers Have You Seen My Baby? / My Jane Oct '67
5073 the Montours The World Can Pass You By / Going All the Way Dec '67
No # the Next Of Kin A Lovely Song / Mr. Soul Jan '68
5982 the Es Shades Anyday, Anywhere / Without My Love Jan '68
5986 the Daze Endz What Can I Do? / Knock On Wood Jan '68
5989 the Shaddows Together Again / Stormy Weather Feb '68
5993 the Crump Brothers On the Right Road Now / I'm Willing May '68
6001 the Blues Inc. I Can't Live With You / 7 and 7 Is Aug '68
6003 the Dimensions Hey Little Woman / Summertime Aug '68
6003 Seward's Ice Box Your Head Is Reeling / I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Aug '68
6006 East Farmington Faith Singers Mama's Teaching Angels ; Sometimes A Mountain / Inside the Gate ; There's Been a Change Aug '68
6008 the Shy Tones Dody / Summer's Gone Nov '68
6010 Regis Gismo / Autumn Fog Nov '68
6002 the Glass Harp Where Did My World Come From / She Told Me March '69
6014 the Insights That's All / Love is a Game March '69
6014 the Sound Barrier Greasy Heart / I Can't Explain (PS) Apr '69
6015 the Class of '69 Presents...the Groovy Sound of Fitch (side 1) / (side 2) (PS) the Back Pages play - uncredited on label May '69
6003 Mickey Kalis and the Bakersfield Blues Band 2:10 To Yuma / Got No Time Aug '69
7010 Gary Kennedy and the Mahoning Valley Boys It's Hurtin' Me / The Day I Told Mary Goodbye (PS) March '70
7054 (Soul Beat 1) the Hustlers 1970 You Can't Hide the Truth (Pt. 1) / You Can't Hide the Truth (Pt. 2) Sept '70
7064 (LP) Fred Harris and the N. G.'s Reach Out and Touch Feb '71
7067 Melvin Catley with Fred Harris and the N. G.'s Why Was America Born? / Still Waters Run Deep May '71
(Flush) 7068 Blue Amber Good Morning Tuesday / We Got Love May '71
7111 Guy Thomas I Should Be A Rainbow / Sunshine
PP1003 Old Friends and New Acquaintences Whiskey Man / Wanting To Be Free (PS) R-28761/2 (11-8-71)
PP1005 Gospel Flames of Warren, OH I Love the Lord / Never Grow Old R-29001/2
PP1007 Left End Sunshine Girl / Someday (I Will See) R-29539/40
(Apollo) PP1008 Gary Kennedy and the Mahoning Valley Boys Sing Me Back Home / White Lightnin' 1971
PP1015 Poobah Let Me Out (LP)
PP1021 Chris Michael Group The Soldier / Carousel R-31007/8
PP1022 Brimstone Paper Winged Dreams (LP) 1973
(Dapper) PP1025 No artist (Credited as Rangle) Get Out Of Bed / Visions of Mind
PP1028 Fred Koeberle Goodbye My Love / I'm Just a Dreamer
PP1035 Alias Funk and Soul (vocals - Shades of Soul) Bells / Well Good Aug '73
PP1036 New Affair Rama-Lama Ding Dong / Someone, Somewhere Oct '73
(Big Men) PP1053 Menagerie Ladies On Liberty Street / Ukiah with PS
PP1057 the Todd Mystifying Me / Be My Lover Tonight
(Ollie) PP1068 the Trick Free As A Bird / Ninety Nine Pounds
(T.O.L.) PP1074 Taste Of Love Love Meditation / Cindy 1975
(Parthenon) PP1078 Icarus King Pin / From The Start 1975
(PAP Productions) PP1103 Nothin' From Nothin' Love Music / Never Had It So Good 1976
PP1134 Arrie Mae Morton Trio Muddy Water / Land Of Dreams Aug 1977
PP1135 Arrie Mae Morton Trio I Can't Believe / Misty Aug 1977
PP1150 Dreamz You're A Special Girl / The Flame In My Eyes March 1978

From #5073 (Montours) label is United Audio. The duplicate label numbers are not misprints - records listed in order of QCA date code