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    Just one of inkFrog's Creations

Description

LITTLE WILLIE JOHN

"SURE THINGS"

1961 US ORIGINAL

DEEP GROOVE PRESS

SUPER THICK VINYL

BLACK & SILVER LABEL

CROWNLESS

KING

739

• RARE ORIGINAL SUPER THICK VINYL MONO 1961 US ORIGINAL PRESSING on the black "silver letter" deep groove crownless KING stock label (see photo). This copy has really clean vinyl, looks and sounds great.
• The LP is pressed on very thick DEEP GROOVE non flexible KING vinyl (see photos).
• The MONO ORIGINAL ANALOG mixes are full bodied with incredible fidelity and are much more desirable than any later pressings.
• This early KING glossy cover is manufactured from thick American style cardboard stock with a pasted on back paper slick (see photos).
• Do not be fooled by inferior digital re-mastering, re-mixes or compilation CD's. This is an original mono ANALOG recording; the real thing.

He's never received the accolades given to the likes of Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, and James Brown, but Little Willie John ranks as one of R&B's most influential performers. His muscular high timbre and enormous technical and emotional range belied his young age (his first hit came when he was 18), but his mid-'50s work for Syd Nathan's King label would play a great part in the way soul music would sound. Everyone from Cooke, McPhatter, and Brown to Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, and Al Green has acknowledged his debt to this most overlooked of rock and soul pioneers. His debut recording, a smoking version of Titus Turner's "All around the World" from 1955, set the pattern for a remarkable string of hits: "Need Your Love So Bad," "Suffering with the Blues," "Fever," "Let Them Talk," and his last, "Sleep," from 1961. His version of "Fever" was copied note for note by Peggy Lee and Elvis Presley, both of whom had bigger hits with it; John's version, however, remains definitive. His second hit, "Need Your Love So Bad," contains one of the most intimate, tear-jerking vocals ever caught on tape.

John had a volatile temper, fueled by a taste for liquor and an insecurity regarding his slight height (5 ft 4 in). He was known to pack a gun and knife; in 1964, he stabbed a man and was sent to the Washington State penitentiary, where he died of pneumonia in 1968. James Brown recorded a tribute album to John that year, and his material has been recorded by scores of artists from the Beatles to Fleetwood Mac to the Blasters. Nevertheless, Little Willie John remains a stranger to most listeners and has never received the respect his talent deserves. (AMG)

This LP has an incredible track line up and does not come up often with this beautiful cover and ABSOLUTE 1ST US PRESS black DEEP GROOVE KING labels. This copy is from my personal collection. I'll let the market decide what this one is worth. Please bid accordingly. Please see the other KING LP's I have up for Auction.

Record Condition: Side 1 & 2: Very Good++/Very Good+ ...the SUPER THICK non flexible DEEP GROOVE vinyl (polystryrene) has only very light surface/sleeve slide marks. There is one small hairline surface mark on the end of the 5th track of side one that cannot be felt but productes a faint click for a few revolutions lowering the grade for that one song to VG. The beautiful black KING labels are clean with a single spindle mark on each side around the spindle holes (See photos). I doubt this copy was played much. The matrix numbers in the dead wax are K-12-739-A-2 on side one and K-12-739-B-2 on side two. CD's and later vinyl pressings can't even come close to the incredible fidelity of this ORIGINAL deep groove KING LP. I played parts of this while listing, and it plays quietly with clear vocals and crisp highs. You will not be disappointed with how this vinyl looks or sounds.

Cover/Jacket Condition: Very Good+ ... the BEAUTIFUL front cover is white and glossy with only the beginning of age yellowing at the edges (see photo). The back cover is nice also with light ring wear (see photo). King stamped an orange "S" on the labels of many of their releases from this period. This copy has a little bit of residue in the center at the opening edge on the back and front (see photo). The top and bottom seams are intact but do show wear and appears to have been repaired from the inside with glue in spots. It's a quality job as no glue is showing and The LP slides easily into the cover. The spine is intact and sharp. No cut out holes, drill holes, writing, cut corners, indents, saw marks, razor marks, stickers, stamps, warping, bar codes, stains, water damage, tears, or peel off marks. Please see the photos in the listing.

Thanks for looking!!!

WHY BID ON THIS ITEM?

HERE'S WHY!

ALL MY LISTINGS INCLUDE:

Vinyl Grading Policy:

• All records and jackets are visually graded unless noted otherwise. CAUTION: Please be aware that the play grade may differ from the visual grade. If you want me to play a particular song and give you an assessment of background noise, etc. Please email me. We all have records that look worn but play great and vice versa. It is not possible to play as well as visually grade each LP listed. I TRY TO GRADE CONSERVATIVELY under the guidelines on this page, which generally follow the GOLDMINE standards. Although I try to be conscientious as a grader, there is the possibility that something could slip by me. In the event an item is not as described, REST ASSURED I will always offer a money back guarantee for purchase price of the item if returned safe and secure and requested within five days of receipt.
• Mint = A mint item must be absolutely perfect. Certainly never been played if not still sealed. This would be an item where it was opened but not played maybe just to check the label variation.
• Near Mint = The record shows no obvious signs of wear. The vinyl should show no wear from playing only the slightest of paper scuffs are acceptable. The jacket should look as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink-wrap.
• Near Mint-/Very Good++ = The record or cover is clearly better than VG+ but not Near Mint. There should be some signs that the vinyl was played infrequently and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took excellent care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have light scuffs and or very minor light scratches that do not affect the listening experience at all. The label and spindle hole will be without flaws other than the lightest of spindle trails from being played only a few times if at all. The cover should be bright and sharp and will have only the very first evidence of discoloration or ring wear or creased corners. Although there may be some evidence of seam/spine wear, seam splits are not permitted for this grade. The jacket may be marked as a cut out by a drill hole, saw mark, cut corner or punch hole. I will try to list any cover flaws of significance.
• Very Good+ = This is equivalent of the VG+ grade in Goldmine. The record will show signs that the vinyl was played but taken care of. Record surfaces will show signs of wear including some light scratches/scuffs that do not significantly affect the listener experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Spindle holes will have some wear but not be enlarged or damaged in any way. The cover will have general wear/ring wear but not to the extent that it materially impairs enjoyment of the picture cover. Slight seam splits are OK for this grade. Again I will try to list any cover flaws of significance.
• Very Good = Unless it is a rare collectible, I usually will not sell records where both the cover and vinyl are below a VG+ grade PERIOD. This grade is included since some times there may be either a cover or record that the flaws in VG+ grade above are more pronounced but the other part of the package is of a higher grade. If it is the vinyl I will play grade it to be sure that the listener can still enjoy the music.
• BID WITH CONFIDENCE! All items are FULLY GUARANTEED. If requested within five days of receipt, I will refund your full purchase price (excluding refund of shipping costs) upon return of the item if you are not satisfied, period. If you want protection related to lost or damaged shipments you must insure your winnings. I pack all records removed from the jacket, sandwiched between corrugated cardboard before insertion into the mailer box. Many times I will also use bubble wrap or a box inside a box packing method to further protect your item.
• I do not grade inner sleeves but will let you know if there are any inserts, posters, stickers or other items included with the RECORD or TAPE.
• Items that do not sell are usually not re-listed. Please contact me if interested and provide sufficient information to identify the item.

Payment and Shipping

Payment & Shipping Terms:

• All payments in US dollars only, Money orders, Cashiers Checks, Bank Checks, I NOW ACCEPT PAYPAL TOO. According to ebay policy, I can no longer accept cash by mail as a form of payment even if the buyer is using registered mail and is willing to accept the risk of loss. All non personal check acceptable payment methods get shipping within 1 business day of receipt. I TAKE PRIDE IN OUTSTANDING COMMUNICATION AND ULTRA FAST LOW COST SHIPPING (Please check my feedback). Personal checks are accepted if drawn on a US bank and buyer is willing to wait for me to ship until your check clears. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding acceptable payment methods.
• Winning Bidder must contact me in 3 days (72 hours) from receipt of my auction closing notification email to arrange payment and mailing.
• I follow the ebay non payment rules so if you have not made payment do not be surprised if you get a eBay non paying bidder notice after 10 days. I agressively work to get my final value ebay fees back if the item is not paid for within the auction terms.
• IF YOU CANNOT PAY WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIME FRAMES PLEASE DO NOT BID!
• All winners will receive the following: Winning confirmation (within 1 day after auction end), Payment confirmation (upon its arrival), and shipping confirmation (upon its departure).



• I make best efforts to ship within 24 hours of receiving cleared payment. THOSE THAT PAY PROMPTLY AFTER AUCTION END GET EVEN FASTER SHIPPING TURNAROUND. Shipping is actual postage cost (plus $2.00 for proper packaging materials) for either priority or media mail including delivery confirmation within the United States. Insurance is optional at the buyer discretion.
• International shipping is for PRIORITY MAIL INTERNATIONAL with tracking. Shipping costs are calculated based upon actual postage (plus $2 for bubble wrap, a box and proper packing materials) to keep weight and postage costs as low as possible while properly protecting your item.
• I only ship priority airmail for international destinations and will require registered mail or global express for high dollar international shipments. I will ship FIRST CLASS INTERNATIONAL mail to save $$$ for low value items based upon the buyers feedback record if the buyer expressly accepts any risk of non delivery or loss as there is no shipment tracking or delivery confirm with that method. Please inquire before bidding if that is the shipping mode you desire.
• Save on shipping cost per record when I mail two or more records in one package. I do consolidate international and domestic shipments to help save postage. Please inquire for cost information.
• I DO assume that you have no problem waiting weeks for delivery if you choose DOMESTIC MEDIA MAIL. As we all know, there is no definitive delivery time frame with media mail.