Jimmy Liggins decided in 1958 to set up his own label, Duplex Records, with a few partners. He had been with Specialty from 1947 to 1954, when he moved to Aladdin. Now he followed in the footsteps of performing artists such as Roy Milton, who had set up his own label in the mid-forties.
The new label moved around the USA, as Liggins relocated in various cities over the next twenty years or so. Fortunately, each single shows the company’s address, which makes it easier to track the West Coast releases.
The label issued a 9000 series, first from Tennessee, then from San Diego, with one single from elsewhere in amongst the San Diego set. The odd one out has an Orlando, Florida, address. That was followed by a 1000 series of four undated singles, issued from South Central Avenue in Los Angeles.
Later, in 1973, five singles in a 1300 series were issued, one from N. Carolina and the rest from Orlando, Florida, with a new label. The final releases, again undated, were three singles with another new label in a 1200 series from Arkansas.
The twelve West Coast R&B releases are by Ervin Rucker, Screaming Jack Wilks, Noel Hall & the Aladdins, Big Moose McDonell, Bobby Williams, and Jimmy Liggins himself.
In 2014, a compilation album of the Duplex tracks was issued by Bluebeat Records.
Ervin Rucker, backed by the Blue Night Hawks Orchestra, released “Searching For Love”/ “Done Done The Slop” in 1959. Rucker wrote the A-side and Liggins wrote the B-side. The follow-up single was “So Good”/ “No More Rivers To Cross”. Rucker then switched to playing with the Jimmy Liggins Orchestra for the next two singles: “Baby You Were Meant For Me”/ “If You Really love Me” and “Blues for Love/ “Ada from Decatur”. Rucker’s style is generally Pop-orientated. Most of his songs are slow Blues ballads.
Screaming Jack Wilks & His Orchestra released just one single “Come And Get Me”/ “I Still Love You”, in the same style as Ervin Rucker.
Noel Hall & the Aladdins released “Magic Carpet”/ “A Thousand Times Every Day”, which has a strong guitar lead.
Big Moose McDowell & His Tornados released “Cross Hands” Parts 1 and 2, a Blues instrumental on the A-side that has a vocal added by Jimmy Liggins on the B-side. It is not well sung.
Jimmy Liggins issued – “Ada from Decatur/ Knocked Out” “Working Man Blues/ Good Loving Baby” “Last Round/ Blues for love” “House Party/ Tell Me So”.
Bobby Williams & the Mar-Kings recorded the best of the West Coast Duplex singles. “It’s a Dilly/ All Around the World” combines an excellent funky dance track, written by Jimmy Liggins, with a pure orchestral Blues, written by Bobby Williams. It is part of the 1000 series, but the release date is unknown. It shows what a tiny “amateur” operation could achieve.
In addition to these secular artists, Liggins also attracted a small number of Gospel artists to Duplex. Their songs are very much in the same vein! The few singles that were released are: Rev. Marvin Hynes’ “My Prayer”/ “Give What You Have”, Rev. L. E. Cauley’s “A Greater Than Jonah Is Here” Parts 1 and 2, Sister Nellie Spattes’ “Since I Met You”/ “Nobody But You, Lord”, and two singles from Rev. C. E. Simmons, “Signs Of Judgement”/ “I Never Worry” and “It’s So Easy”/ “Mean Old World”. Four were issued as part of the 9000 series and one was a one-off 1420 code (the Sister Nellie Spattes’ issue).
