In the seventies, Danny built and opened a recording studio called “Crystal Sounds Recording Studio” There were many artist, groups and even church choirs that recorded albums there. Many of these were released on the Opal Records Label including one release of Danny’s own album titled “Crying Eyes” which was released on another label owned by Opal Records, A.R.P. Records.
In the eighties Opal Records continued releasing recordings, included “The Gospel Sounds” and “The New Life Singers” and various rock, country and blue grass groups.
In the nineties there was a controversy over a song recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus and released on the Mercury Records label, called “She’s Not Crying Anymore” which was Billy Ray’s second single released from his “Some Gave All” album. “Acky Breaky Heart” was his first single released from his album. “She’s Not Crying Anymore” was number six across the nation at that time and continued to number two, selling over a million copies as a single and several million copies on the “Some Gave All” album . “She’s Not Crying Anymore” seemed to be a copy of Danny’s “Crying Eyes” on the A.R.P. Records label. After three years of court litigations the law suit filed in federal court by Danny, was settled out of court between Danny and Mercury Records, Polygram Music, and Billy Ray Cyrus and others.
Now in the 21st century, Opal Records continues releasing recordings and is proud to have been operating for over forty five years now. Many of the songs released on the Opal Records label are published by Danny’s publishing company, Dog River Music, B.M.I., which has been in business since the early sixties.
OPAL RECORDS is thankful to all that have released recordings on this label and all who have worked on these recordings, singers, musicians, mixing and recording engineers, record distributors, and especially all who have purchased one of these recordings through out these wonderful years.
May God Bless You All
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About Danny Mote and Friends
In the late fifties, Dad (Bud Mote) and I played on shows at the East Point, Ga. City Auditorium. I remember meeting and being on shows with Grandpa Jones, Skeeter Davis, Jack Green, and Bill Monroe. About that same time we did a show in Madison, Ga. at the theater with Sleepy George Head, my uncle, Paul Bennett, and fiddling Gid Tanner (author of “Down Yonder). I had to help him on stage because of his age, but once he got there he started dancing all over the stage as he played his fiddle. I also had the pleasure of meeting Gov. Jimmy Davis author of “You Are My Sunshine” at a show we did at the Cartersville, Ga. City Auditorium. These were country shows but I was doing Rockabilly Songs most of the time.
In the mid sixties I played about two years at the Plantation Club in Atlanta with a Band Called the Down Beats, with Wayne Stowers - drums, Ken Johnson-guitar, Don Johnson-bass guitar, Glenn McCoy-tenor sax, Billy Land-fronting and doing most of the singing. I sang some and played tenor sax and piano. The Royals also played there. There were two stages. We played 45min and then the Royals would get on the other stage and join in on the break song and we would drop out for 45min. Then we would do the same.
On July 3,1973 I opened at The Maitai Club in Panama City, Fl. I had a band called Danny Mote and the “Quicksand Band”. Olin Ivy was on piano, Phil Hudson-drums, and Tom Ferrell on bass guitar. I played lead-rhythm guitar and did most of the singing. We played six nights a week and broke all records there for six months. Olin and I worked at Tombstone and also at Ghost Town doing stage shows and GUN FIGHTS for tourist coming in on trains every thirty minutes.
I played at the Ramada in Knoxville, Tenn six nights a week, in 1974, our band did gun fights in the lounge, Buck Taylor (was known a Newly on the TV show Gunsmoke) would come and help us and sing a song or two sometimes and played in the gunfight a time or two.
Some of the other places I performed in the seventies: Best Western, Opelika, Al., Morris House, Birmingham, Al., Holiday Inn, Knoxville, Tenn., Holiday Inn at Six Flags, Atlanta., Nashville Sound, Acworth, Ga. , and Franklin Music Hall where we opened for Conway Twitty. I also had the pleasure of opening for Ernest Tubb in Douglasville, Ga. We also played benefits for many CB Clubs especially the West Georgia Trouble Shooters.
Here are a few other musicians and people in the music business I had the pleasure of meeting or working with during my career. Randy Boone, Bill Lowery, Steve Clark, Mack Davis, Bill Phipps, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jack Key, Ted Truelove, Gene Lane, Martin Elrod, Ernie “Red” Herrell, Patty Wells, Ray McCaferty, Tap Penick, Dean Lendley, David Sweat, Al Cleghorn, Randy Watkins, Ronnie Goss, Larry Goss, and Steve Goss, “The Goss Brothers”, David Faulkner, Hoyt Pruitt, George Scott, Donnie Lefever, Jim Chris, Hank Payne, Waymon Rakestraw, Ken Sears, Dave Roberts, Jimmy Garmon, Jim Thomas, Jim Howell, Charles Meers, Jack Newberry,The Gospel Four, Chuck Atha, Mike Thompson,Wendell Patterson, Jerry Adams, Don Howard, Duey Howard, Jim Lowe, Vernon Kindricks, Vernon Manley, Phil Sanders, Joan Waddell, Nick Gilliam, Troy Crumpton and the honorable Aubry Duffy, Judge in Carroll County, Ga. and songwriter, among many others.
One of the musicians I grew up with during the fifties, was Clint “Red Holcomb” Jr. He plays piano like Jerry Lee Lewis and Floyd Cramer and sings very well. He played at the Church of God in Riverside, a community in northwest Atlanta where we grew up. He was either at my house or I was at his with both of us trying to play the same piano at the same time. While other teens were out playing ball or doing other things we were fighting over the piano. He inspired me and I learned much from him. I also grew up with Mary Kay James, real name Mary Ann Mulkey, whom Alan Reynolds produced in the seventies. Mary Ann’s Dad, Truman, had a family group, The Mulkey Family. They would come over to our house or we would go to theirs, and we’d play and sing for hours. Another piano player and arranger from Riverside was Larry Taylor. Larry, his wife, son and daughter did back up voices on many recordings including my “Crying Eyes” album. Another friend Duane Barfield from Riverside help me sell 45’s of “Done You Wrong” and “Lonesome” out of the back seat of my car in front of West Fulton High school before I was signed to Vee Jay records in 1961. People like Duane, Gwen Kessley, Mack Davis, Steve Clark and Bob McKee, a dee jay at WAKE radio station, were very helpful in my signing with Vee Jay, as well as all my school friends at West Fulton High and especially my Mother and Dad Opal and Bud Mote. Thanks to you all.
My sister Joan Garland plays and sings gospel very well. Her son Joey writes, sings and plays very well, and is very talented in recording. He is very involved in local music promotions. Another son Britt is also very talented. He plays a bass guitar very well and can play a little on anything he wants to. My cousins Gary Mote and Phillip Williams are also singers and musicians. They play very well. Phillip had done solo gigs in New York, California and the Atlanta area for many years.
I must mention my wife Alice does sing with me on some bookings and has a great voice. My son Alan writes, sings and plays several instruments very well. He also is very talented in recording, mixing and engineering. My daughter Lisa Marie, four years older than Elvis’s Daughter has just finished her first CD titled “Got Leaving On Your Mind” on the Opal Label. My daughter Julie Gruber sings very well and getting very interested in singing. My oldest son Robby is a great drummer and very talented. The Lord has really blessed me with a beautiful family. We have eight grandchildren, Josh, Jeffery, Adam, Emily, Ethan, Levi, Reagan, and Blake. I have much to be thankful for.