The Benz Record Company of Champaign, Illinois released primarily square dance singles (78s & 45s) starting in the late 1950's and into the early 1960's. The label was owned in part by caller Ben Baldwin Jr. and appears to have been a subsidiary of the Marex-Benz Co., a mail-order square dance / western supply store based in Champaign (506½ W. Columbia). Another address associated with both the label and the supply store: Box 371, Champaign, Illinois.
CAT / MX #
ARTIST
TITLE
DATE
1201
Farmer Stultz And The Mountaineers
Lucky Me (Instr.) / Lucky Me (caller: Ben Baldwin Jr.)
1958
1202
Farmer Stultz And His Mountaineers
Squarehoma (caller: Ben Baldwin Jr.) / Squarehoma (Instr.)
This is my Uncle Ben he was from what I remember part owner of the record company and the western wear store. I have quite a few of the records where he was the caller. Summers spent visiting he taught me to square dance when I was probably 3-4 years old. I remember he had a small studio in his basement and would press new records there and record new ones also. Clbaldwin1966@gmail
My father was Ben Baldwin Jr. He was partners with Rex and Mary Hall in the Marex-Benz company in Champaign, Illinois. They sold western wear and square dance clothing and square dance records. My fathers Benz label featured many of his recordings. He was an excellent artist and created the graphics on the record label.
This is my Uncle Ben he was from what I remember part owner of the record company and the western wear store. I have quite a few of the records where he was the caller. Summers spent visiting he taught me to square dance when I was probably 3-4 years old. I remember he had a small studio in his basement and would press new records there and record new ones also. Clbaldwin1966@gmail
ReplyDeleteMy father was Ben Baldwin Jr. He was partners with Rex and Mary Hall in the Marex-Benz company in Champaign, Illinois. They sold western wear and square dance clothing and square dance records. My fathers Benz label featured many of his recordings. He was an excellent artist and created the graphics on the record label.
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