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Top Downloads
(as of 2023-06-02)
NOTE: RIV 1062 - Silent Night does not appear in its proper location in this listing because it had to be split up into several smaller downloads. It is currently by far the top download for the year 2019!
Now Available
Lois Elling's book, Teaching Clogging is now in its second edition. Buy a downloadable PDF copy here for $25Breaking News!
May Releases
Posted on Thursday May 11, 2023
The month of May brings eight releases, one of which is from the classic Red Boot library, and one from Riverboat's pre-Internet days. There are three new patters in the batch, as well:
- RIV 1281 - Please Mr. Please (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson, formerly RIV 193)
- RIV 1280 - One For The Road (Vocal by Dan Nordbye)
- RIV 1279 - Minnie The Moocher (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1278 - Livin' In A House of Love (Vocal by Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1277 - I'm Getting High On Love (Vocal by Elmer Sheffield, formerly RBS 1247)
- RIV 1276 - Angel Wings (Patter)
- RIV 1275 - Time To Relax (Patter)
- RIV 1274 - Rock Climber (Patter)
Please Mr. Please, if you don't recognize it, is an Olivia Newton-John Top Ten hit from 1975. The Elmer Sheffield vocal on I'm Getting High On Love is the original from the Red Boot Star release, but is recognizably and utterly Elmer. And Minnie The Moocher includes a split track with the "hi dee hi dee hi dee hi" echos of the lyrics included on the right stereo channel, just as the band echoed them back in the original Cab Calloway recording, and you can use your L-R fade control to mix as much of them in as you want.
The National Square Dance Convention is coming up next month...are you registered? Some of us are planning to be there, so say hi! (dee hi dee hi dee hi...)
April Releases
Posted on Friday March 31, 2023
It's no April Fool -- we're bringing out our April releases a day early! Four singing calls and three patters for your enjoyment:
- RIV 1273 - Scarborough Fair (Vocal by Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1272 - Stop In The Name Of Love (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1271 - Nickel For The Fiddler, A (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson; formerly RIV 221)
- RIV 1270 - Together Wherever We Go (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley, Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1269 - New Amsterdam Patter
- RIV 1268 - Tropical Fun (Patter)
- RIV 1267 - Smooth Santanna Patter
"Scarborough Fair" includes an instrumental in the male key range, as well as the female range that Heather used. "Stop In The Name Of Love" is a well-known hit by the Supremes, while "Together Wherever We Go" is a great song from the musical "Gypsy," sung on Broadway by Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman, or in the movie by Lisa Kirk (dubbing Rosalind Russell) and Karl Malden. (Unlike Jack and Karl, however, Brent is a GREAT singer, and he and Heather do a great job on the duet!)
March Releases
Posted on Wednesday March 15, 2023
We have six new titles for you this month, including three patters...plus a new release of a long-ago Riverboat title:
- RIV 1266 - Beach Ball (Patter)
- RIV 1265 - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley, Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1264 - Traveling Shoes (Vocal by Steve Edlund)
- RIV 1263 - I Feel Love (Benji's Theme) (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson)
- RIV 1262 - Where Do You Go (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1261 - Trombone Song (Patter)
- RIV 1260 - Hand Clapping (Patter)
The long-ago title is I Feel Love, which was the theme music from the 1974 motion picture "Benji" (remember that?). It was originally released as Riverboat 106, and Mel Wilkerson has put a nice new vocal to the Charlie Rich tune.
Brent and Heather have a great live-recorded vocal for Ain't No Mountain High Enough -- be sure to give it a listen. Also check out Jason's touching Where Do You Go?
Speaking of Jason, he's added a new alternate vocal to RIV 254 - Rocking Over. Elmer's original vocal remains, but now you can get Jason's take on it as well. And, as always, if you've already purchased the title, contact Bob Elling directly to get the new vocal track.
Hope you have a great Saint Patrick's Day -- and thank you for putting RIV 1252 - An Irish Lullaby into our Top 10 downloads for the past 12 months!
February Releases
Posted on Wednesday February 15, 2023
We've got eight new releases for the month of February, including a song that's absolutely perfect for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday:
- RIV 1259 - Get Up And Go (Patter)
- RIV 1258 - Jingo (Santanna Patter)
- RIV 1257 - Barrels Of Fun (Patter)
- RIV 1256 - Will Ya Dance (Vocal by Mitchell Osawa of Elite Records)
- RIV 1255 - Friday At The Dance (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1254 - Old Hickory Lake (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1253 - I Don't Think Love Ought To Be That Way (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson, formerly RIV 127)
- RIV 1252 - An Irish Lullaby (Vocal by Jack O'Leary)
"An Irish Lullaby" is, of course, the song made famous by Bing Crosby in the movie "Going My Way," which he also released on Decca Records. Check out Jack's vocal, and grab a copy for next month!
Also, give our new patters a listen — we think you'll like them!
January Releases
Posted on Tuesday January 24, 2023
With St. Patrick's Day coming up, we have several new releases to fit in with that theme...not to mention one that could be good for St. Valentine's day as well:
- RIV 1251 - Say It With Love (Vocal by Lawrence Johnstone)
- RIV 1250 - Take Me Home Johnny (Irish) (Vocal by Jack O'Leary of Silver Sounds Music)
- RIV 1249 - Hot Cocca (Patter)
- RIV 1248 - Malibu (Patter)
- RIV 1247 - Roadie (Patter)
- RIV 1246 - Who Cares? (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson; formerly RIV 119)
- RIV 1245 - My Old Home In Mayo (Vocal by Jack O'Leary of Silver Sounds Music)
- RIV 1244 - You All Come (Vocal by Mitchell Osawa of Elite Records and Max Masao Ringe)
Our Irish tunes are My Old Home In Mayo, Take Me Home Johnny (both with vocals by Silver Sounds' Jack O'Leary) and Roadie (a patter based on "My Old Home In Mayo"). Check them out for the upcoming occasion!
Say It With Love was originally from an obscure 1944 movie called Swing Hostess, which contained several songs written by the team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. The picture starred "Liltin'" Martha Tilton, probably most famous for recording "And The Angels Sing" and "Loch Lomond" with the Benny Goodman orchestra. It's right up Lawrence Johnstone's alley!
You All Come might be more familiar with the shortened title "Y'all Come," recorded by a variety of artists from Bing Crosby in 1953 to Gillian Welch & David Rawlings in 2020. Mitchell and Max do their own bang-up job on our version.
Note that three of these titles are patters -- check them all out!
About Riverboat Records
Riverboat Records was purchased in the 1980s by Bob Elling in the San Francisco Bay Area. His love of both square dancing and good music has driven his dedication to create the finest square dance music available. The early years produced several square dance records using top-notch musicians, including Phil Aaberg and Norton Buffalo.
Due to the priorities of raising a family, there was no new music produced for almost 20 years. Around 2005 Bob began to teach and call square dancing to local 3rd and 4th graders once a week. He loves teaching the kids and has a desire to use music that they could relate to.
A good friend and caller, Ken Bower, encouraged Bob to start recording square dance music again, and so he did. Ken then recorded the vocal for the first "new" recording on Riverboat, Misty.
Bob enjoys producing many types of songs and especially ones appropriate for grade schoolers. Some of his more popular songs for all ages include: Mickey Mouse, Oh Johnny Oh, Y.M.C.A., Heigh Ho, Funky Town, Best Years of Our Lives, Big Pig Jig, American Land, and On With the Show. Most of these recordings include alternate choreography that can be taught in just a few minutes to kids or adults. The kids have responded with amazing enthusiasm.
In addition, there has been a great deal of support from some of the best talent in the country to bring variety and more life to the music. These fun square dance tunes are fun for both kids and adults. Bob's dream is to have this music used in the classroom by school teachers all over the world.
Riverboat Records also has modern patter music with a great dance beat. The variety of music ranges from bluegrass to funky, so there's something for everyone.
In 2010, Riverboat introduced its Gold subscription series. For just $100, a package of 20 new hoedowns and singing calls is made available exclusively to subscribers. At the end of the year those titles enter the regular Riverboat catalog and a new package is made available to Gold subscribers.
Bob would like to acknowledge the help and support that he has received from Elmer Sheffield (ESP Records), Jack O'Leary (Silver Sounds), Michael Salacuse (Circle Left Recording), Bobby Kennedy, Carl Kaye, Tracy Brown, Rich Reel, and Lawrence Johnstone. He also wants to thank his wife, Lois, for her support in this endeavour that he loves so much.
Contact Us
Riverboat Recordsc/o Bob Elling
16000 Marcella St.
San Leandro, CA 94578
510-278-8621
bob.elling@gmail.com
This page address is: www.riverboat.com/records/index.html
Last modified/updated on: Thursday 2017-10-26 09:15 MST
(other pages on this website will have different dates)
(music listings are generated dynamically and do not affect the page dates)
This website is owned and copyright © 2012-2023 by Bob Elling, owner of Riverboat Records.
Webmaster: Lawrence Johnstone