The Bcllloncs of Chapel Hill made Ihc first recording of “Way Up." I.cft lo right. Jimmy Capps, «ho introduced the song
over WPTF, Milton Bliss. Helen Cotten. I.anier Davis.
Каску
Blue, Carl Yippcrman, Hank Beebe, Belltones director,
and co-writer of the song.
Yankeeland Hears “It”
And now “Way Up in North Carolina”
promises lo make money for Chapel Hill
lunesmilhs.
A fellow from up in Yankeeland
wrote The State the other day:
"I was passing a 42nd Street music
shop and its loud-speaker was blaring
out some sort of song called ‘Up in
North Carolina.* Thought if you hadn't
heard the song, you might want to
check into it.”
Heard it? the man said!
But that’s the way "Way Up in
North Carolina" is spreading. Dreamed
up by Orville Campbell and Hank
Beebe, who also wrote "All the Way
Choo-Choo." the tunc had just about
knocked North Carolina out before it
caught the attention of Dave Dreyer,
described as a very knowing song
promoter.
Things have happened since then.
The Billboard music popularity chart,
which each week names four songs
most likely to get somewhere, listed
the Campbell-Bcebe piece in its Au¬
gust 1 1th selection, and described it as
a "dynamic novelty which could belt
thru as a sleeper. It’s typical vaude¬
ville hit done by a couple of boys and
gals with rare freshness and enthusi¬
asm." The rare and fresh boys and
gals arc the Belltones. of Chapel Hill.
On August 2th, Billboard gave the
Belltones’ record a rating of 87 for
over-all, 88 for disc-jockey appeal. 76
for retailer possibilities, and 88 for
operators. This was the best score of
that day, and 80 to 89 is called "ex¬
cellent.”
By PAUL PLEASANTS
■
^ S' ^ "
Dreyer is spending several thousand
dollars plugging the song, and Messrs.
Campbell and Beebe arc in the happy
position of just waiting until lightning
strikes them. On Oct. 9, Fred tar¬
ing’s TV show will feature "Way Up."
The pair have written some other
songs which have been locally popular.
The Choo-Choo song sold very well,
but expenses ate up the profit.
"Way Up" got its first start when it
was aired over WPTF in Raleigh by
Jimmy Capps. Jimmy, and Fred Fletch¬
er who has a zany catch-all program
on Raleigh’s WRAL. have been play¬
ing it ever since, as have hundreds of
others. Some 1.500 records were sold
in the state alone, making it the No. 1
seller in North Carolina this summer.
Campbell. UNC graduate, was on
the faculty of WCUNC after a stretch
in the Navy, returning to Chapel Hill
to organize the Colonial Press. He
liked to dabble in song-writing but
had no musical training, so he teamed
up with Bccbc. also a UNC graduate,
and the two collaborate closely on
both words and music. Beebe now is
(Continued on pave 21)
Charlie Justice, subject of Orville Campbell’s (right) first popular
song, “All the Way Choo-Choo." Charlie owned a piece of that song,
but it didn’t make money. (Morton Photo)
THE STATE. SEPTEMBER 15. 1951
