Burdland Records

The Burdland Records Archive

Founded in 1964 by Allen “Smokey” Burd in Jefferson City, Missouri, Burdland Records operated as a true independent, mid-century private press. Driven by a passion for capturing raw, regional talent, the label was a completely in-house operation. From tracking sessions and engineering independent audio mixes to hand-separating graphic design layers, typography layout, and original cover photography—every release was built entirely by hand.

Today, the Burd family preserves the original historical catalog, production materials, and design artifacts—including the master stampings manufactured via the historic RCA Custom Records pressing system—keeping the spirit of mid-Missouri’s independent music legacy alive.

The Historic Catalog

While the Burdland discography is highly select, each pressing represents a distinct moment in regional music history. The archive holds a small, curated selection of notable commercial pressings alongside original, unreleased master tape reels currently being cataloged for preservation.

The following index represents the definitive, authorized pressings of Burdland Records.

The Bossmen – Gonna Lose My Mind / Soul Fine (1965)

Format: 7″ 45 RPM Single | Catalog: Burdland 695B-8396
A fantastic slice of mid-60s regional garage rock and primitive soul. Cut as a rare blank-sleeve promo press, this single captured the energy of the local independent music movement at its absolute peak.

J Ann C Trio – At Tan-Tar-A (1966)

Format: 12″ 33 1/3 RPM LP | Catalog: Burdland LP 3300 / 695-B-5926
Recorded live at the iconic Tan-Tar-A Resort at the Lake of the Ozarks, this landmark lounge-jazz and rockabilly session captures vocals and bass by Ann Delrene, guitar by Carl Russell, and drums by Jerry Dugan. The performance was originally pressed via the RCA Custom system and featured a vibrant, full-color front jacket paired with a clean, classic grayscale back cover.

JB And The I.N.I.T.I.A.L.S. – That’s The Girl I Once Loved (1967)

Format: 7″ 45 RPM Single | Catalog: Burdland 695B-4886
A rare and highly sought-after mid-60s pop-rock single. This pressing represents a crucial piece of the mid-Missouri independent studio ecosystem curated by the label in Jefferson City.

Harold Goad With The Shepherd Of The Hills Band – Little One / The One I Found (1967)

Format: 7″ 45 RPM Single | Catalog: Burdland 695B-8474
A beautiful piece of Ozark country and folk history. This release was particularly notable for its custom, full-color illustrated sleeve, which was conceptualized, designed, and printed entirely in-house.

Merle “Red” Scobee – Mr. Five String Banjo Goes To Town! (1969)

Format: 7″ 45 RPM EP | Catalog: Burdland 695B-9783
A phenomenal instrumental showcase of classic bluegrass banjo technique. The distinctive cover artwork is a masterclass in mid-century graphic design, featuring a striking grayscale profile built from intricate, hand-layered blue accent overlays and crisp typography.

Legal Notice & Rights Management:

Burdland Records is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. The Burd family retains, maintains, and actively manages 100% of all proprietary rights associated with the Burdland Records catalog (1964–Present).

This absolute ownership encompasses all master sound recordings, musical compositions, original photographic negatives, and original hand-drawn album artwork created in-house by Allen “Smokey” Burd. The physical, historical production artifacts and original artwork remain preserved within the family archive as primary proof of provenance.

No synchronization, mechanical, reproduction, distribution, or visual artwork rights have ever been assigned, transferred, or sold to any third-party entity. Unauthorized reproduction of these recordings or their unique visual packaging for modern physical or digital reissues constitutes direct copyright infringement.