Constellation Records and Bunky Records

Constellation Records was formed by Ewart Abner and his partners when Vee-Jay Records ceased trading in 1963. The two partners who joined Abner in his new venture were Bill “Bunky” Sheppard, a Vee-Jay producer, and Art Sheridan. The latter had run Chance Records in the early fifties and had helped Vivian Carter and Jimmy Bracken set up Vee-Jay Records in 1953. The offices were located on Record Row at 1421, South Michigan Avenue.

Abner took two major artists from the Vee-Jay roster, Gene Chandler and Dee Clark, whom he had signed personally. New artists were also signed, including female vocalist Holly Maxwell. Two New Orleans artists, Lee Dorsey and Frankie Ford, also put out songs on the label.

Gene Chandler recorded one studio album at Constellation, “Just Be True” in 1964, plus one live album, “Live On Stage in ‘65” in 1965, produced by Bill Sheppard. The live album was released in the UK by Charly Records with a new title, “Live At The Regal” in 1986.

Constellation released nine Dee Clark singles between 1963 and 1966, one of which was the B-side “That’s My Girl” re-issued as an A-side, with a new pairing. The first was “Crossfire Time”, written and produced by Don Covey. It is a good dance track. The second was “Come Closer”, written by Bob Gaudio and produced by Gaudio and Frankie Valli, both members of the Four Seasons. This was definitely aimed at the Pop charts, like much of the output from Constellation.

Holly Maxwell is the stage name of Holle Thee Maxwell, who started singing professionally at the age of five! She studied music from the age of nine, concentrating on voice and piano. She has two music degrees, one from Roosevelt University and one from the Juilliard School. She sings Blues, Soul, Jazz and much more.

Bill Sheppard heard her sing in 1965 and invited her to join Constellation. The company released two singles that same year. The first was “(Happiness Will Cost You) One Thin Dime”, the second was “Only When You’re Lonely”, both produced by Bill Sheppard. Neither sold well, and Maxwell moved to Star Records. In 1969, she cut one single at Curtom Records. The songs are well put together, but Maxwell’s voice is not memorable.

Constellation put out around seventy singles during its three years of operation, mainly Soul and R&B, but with a Pop flavour.

When Constellation folded in 1966, Bill Sheppard formed a new company, which he called Bunky Records, inspired by his nickname. He signed a group, The Esquires, that had been formed in 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama, and took them into the studio to record “Get On Up” in 1967. The single sold extremely well, reaching number three on the Billboard R&B chart and number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the group a gold certification from the RIAA. The song was co-written by group members Gilbert Moorer and Shawn Taylor plus producer Bill Sheppard, with arrangements by Tom Washington. The disc was mastered at Universal Recording Studios.