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Violet May's Record Shop


Chris M

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Found two albums purchased at Violet May's, 'Naturally' featuring Nat Adderly, and 'Little Johny C,' featuring Johny Coles. They've been all over the place with me, not much good now though. I got them when she was in Duke St, must've been when she first opened. When was that?

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Violet May finished her life living in a flat on WIncobank Avenue about 100 metres from the Roman Ridge on the same side going towards Windmill, I did a little work for her I do not think she had much left to show for her years of work a pity really.

 

Just a litle bit of trivia for you all to share

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  • 3 months later...

Hello,

 

I am doing a book on the Record Shop, A Lifestyle. I would like to feature Violet May's shop . Any more memories or stories would be great. I especially need a photographs of the shop. Also any shop bags if they had a design or logo on them. You can send me a message here and we can exchange emails

 

Thanks

 

Leon.

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Hello,

 

I am doing a book on the Record Shop, A Lifestyle. I would like to feature Violet May's shop . Any more memories or stories would be great. I especially need a photographs of the shop. Also any shop bags if they had a design or logo on them. You can send me a message here and we can exchange emails

 

Thanks

 

Leon.

 

I came across an interview with VM recently. It was in a Sheff Univ Jazz Magazine dated feb 1967. It's in the form of a transcript. She talks abt the movement of her store from Duke St, to South St to Broad St, her very catholic taste in music, how old records are good for feeding our nostalgia , and lists some of the "famous names" who visited the store: Acker Bilk, George Lewis, the Black & White Minstrels, Wild Bill Davidson, and more. I'll send you a PM.

 

I used to go to that store a lot as I played in a university trad jazz band. incredible place. good luck with your bk.

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Hi Rog,

 

I didn't realise that you had been on the trad scene. I played bass with the Gloryland Jazz Band, firstly at the Lyceum, in Pond Street and then at The Mail Coach on West Street, in the latter half of the 50's.

 

I bought the first of my George Lewis collection from Violet.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

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I think I do remember the Gloryland band, Puffin. I played in a lesser known combo called the Addy Street Five. Three of us lived in a house near Addy St, Upperthorpe. The "Five" was unashamedly copied from the old Hot Five, as there were six of us. We were a university student band, playing mostly at dances (called "hops" back then). We played around a few pubs in town. A mixture of very good instrumentalists and ordinary ones (myself I'm afraid in the latter category), we did very well in the Inter University jazz competition, placing 2nd in the regional finals and 4th nationally. When we were on we swung, which made up for our imperfections. Good to hear from you, Mike.

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