Virtue Recording Studios, by Various Artists

Virtue Recording Studios

by Various Artists

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Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

€8 EUR or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
EXCLUSIVE BANDCAMP EDITION:
2LP-gatefold + 7" by NEW WORLD - The World To-Day b/w To Be A Man. LIMITED TO 116(!) hand-numbered copies!

Includes unlimited streaming of Virtue Recording Studios via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

Purchasable with gift card

€35 EUR or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
The double-vinyl gatefold cover contains detailed liner notes by Philly soul historian Dave Brown as well as phenomenal, unseen photographs. Brandnew and factory sealed!

Includes unlimited streaming of Virtue Recording Studios via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

Purchasable with gift card

€20 EUR or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
The 12-page CD booklet contains detailed liner notes by Philly soul historian Dave Brown as well as phenomenal, unseen photographs. Brandnew and factory sealed!

Includes unlimited streaming of Virtue Recording Studios via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

Purchasable with gift card

€15 EUR or more
Full Digital Discography

128

releases

Get all 128 Tramp Rec. releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Can You Feel It? Vol.3 Modern Soul, Disco & Boogie 1976-85, Single Collection Vol.14, Some Kinda Blues, Inner Feelings, Jessica, Right On Track, Peace Chant - Raw, Deep and Spiritual Jazz Vol.4, Peace Chant - Raw, Deep and Spiritual Jazz Vol.3&4, and 120 more. , and , .

Purchasable with gift card

€627.55 EUR (25% OFF)

	1.	Love Of A Woman Soul Of A Man 02:24
	2.	Big Ladies Man 02:31
	3.	Funky Fox 02:26
	4.	How Can I Get In Touch With You 02:41
	5.	When My Ship Comes In 02:37
	6.	I Fell In Love With An Angel 03:02
	7.	Give Up 02:56
	8.	No Trespassing 02:49
	9.	If You Don't Love Me 02:35
	10.	Take These Memories 02:24
	11.	Family Man 02:39
	12.	Tequila 02:23
	13.	Ghost A Go Go 02:13
	14.	My Baby's Missing 02:49
	15.	Meditation Of The Soul 02:14
	16.	Butter That Popcorn 02:10
	17.	This Man Is Rated X 03:07
	18.	Doin' It 02:53
	19.	The World To-Day 02:58
	20.	To Be A Man 02:44
	21.	High Horse (Part 1) 03:15
	22.	High Horse (Part 3) 03:20
	23.	Hot Fun In The Summertime (Part 1) 03:12
	24.	Hot Fun In The Summertime (Part 2) 03:11

about

Born January 21st, 1923, Frank Virtue was a Philadelphia musician, record producer and record label owner whose career stretched from the big bands of the 1940s to the hip-hop and rap of the 1990s. As a 15-year-old living in South Philadelphia he began to play the guitar and upright bass. He studied classical bass and upon high school graduation Frank entered Temple University and studied electrical engineering and musical arranging.

After he was discharged from the service in 1947 he formed the Virtuoso Trio who later became the Virtues. In 1958, the Virtues recorded "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" which became a major hit in the U.S., reaching No. 3 on the Billboard chart and No. 1 in sales of sheet music. The song sold more than two million copies worldwide. Frank Virtue disbanded the group in 1962 when he went full time into the recording studio business.

Frank Virtue built his first studio, Virtue Recording Lab, in the basement of his house at 8500 Fayette Street. "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" was recorded there. The revenue from "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" helped finance the Virtue Recording Studio in late 1962 at 1618 North Broad Street. During the 1960s many hit records were recorded at Virtue, e.g. "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles & Co. and "Boogaloo Down Broadway" by Fantastic Johnny C. to name just two. Virtue Studios had a package deal where a group could pay a flat fee of $300-$500, record two songs, and have them pressed as a 45 on their own label, or on the Virtue house label. This package deal resulted in some of the most unusual sounding, low-fidelity soul and garage 45s that are highly sought after today.

Contrary to popular belief, Virtue Studios did not close in the early 80s. During the 1980s through the early 1990s, Virtue Studios was the home of a number of rap groups. A few months after Frank Virtue passed away Saturday, June 11th, 1994 at age 71, the studio was sold to another party who ran a recording studio at that same location for a few years before going out of business. The owner of the building sold the historic 1618 North Broad Street property to Temple University who then knocked the building down around the year 2001. Today, there is no trace or historical marker that Virtue Recording Studios ever existed, except for the music, records and acetates that have survived the ravages of time.

Key selling points:
- most of the songs appear legitimately licensed for the very first time on CD/digital
- the vinyl LP comes with a full album download code
- 12-page CD-booklet and double gatefold vinyl LP contain detailed liner notes and unseen photographs

credits

released May 5, 2017

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Tramp Rec. Germany

Tramp Records is one of Germany's tiniest but funkiest record labels. We release new bands, but also re-issue quality (not necessarily rare) funk, soul, jazz, folk and afro beat too.