Memories from the Homestead: Produced by Neely Plumb

     Those of you out there who have collections of LP records dating back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, check this out. You may own a handful of recordings that in the corner on the back cover will feature a phrase in small print –"Produced by Neely Plumb."

"Well, Cowboy John, where might I find these?"  

Perhaps you have the soundtrack album to "The Sound of Music," or "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," "Bye Bye Birdie," "True Grit," or "In Cold Blood." I know many of you still have our best selling Sons of the Pioneers 1959 "Cool Water" album or the two recordings that followed it, "Lure of the West" or "Tumbleweed Trail." Neely Plumb was right there, involved in it all as RCA West Coast Producer.

Neely Plumb, a gifted musician, would go on to be a major player at RCA's Hollywood recording studio, producing multiple million-selling artists and bands. (Photo courtesy of University of Missouri-Kansas City)

Born in Augusta, Georgia on November 17, 1912, Neely's full name is Benjamin Neely Plumb. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Benjamin Neely. He was born to William and Hannah (Neely) Plumb and as a youngster, Neely attended Houghton Elementary School. He graduated high school at the Academy of Richmond County and after a short time at the Junior College of Augusta, was off to college at Georgia Tech. Taking interest in music at a young age, he would learn the saxophone during his school years and soon picked up the clarinet, playing both in the Georgia Tech Band. His brother William was in the band also.

Finding work at radio station WSB (Well Said, Brother), he performed in a number of Atlanta based bands and orchestras. In 1938, Plumb relocated to Los Angeles, working for bandleader Ray Noble. He married Oklahoma City native Flory Dobry, an actress and dancer the following year.  By 1940, Plumb was hired to play in Artie Shaw's band, the two collaborated and were hired for the Burns and Allen radio broadcasts, which led to an impressive amount of Big Band work. Plumb also worked in the Anson Weeks Orchestra; his saxophone and clarinet skills were a valuable part of the sounds of these groups. 

For a period of time, Plumb became involved with a number of recording companies, often conducting orchestras, doing free-lance arranging, and for three years, owned his own record label.

By 1959, Plumb was working exclusively for RCA Hollywood becoming the Auditions and Recordings Producer for RCA's West coast operations. This would connect him to some major names—Frankie Carl, the Limeliters, the Sons of the Pioneers, as well as Glen Yarbrough, Carol Burnett, and Julie Andrews.  He would be promoted to RCA West coast manager for their "popular" music division in 1963. 

In the mid-1960s, Plumb would be associated with the Monkees and Jefferson Airplane. He would also become acquainted with Richard and Karen Carpenter. 

Richard Carpenter recalled an interesting circumstance in June 1966. In a 2009 interview, Carpenter stated, "The musical competition was a big thing back then. Record labels would send out A & R men to keep their ears open for any new talent. So, we were walking out, and this fellow comes up, wanting to know if we would be interested in recording. His name was Neely Plumb. And I knew that name anyway, because I looked for credits—songwriter credits, producers, all that stuff on records that I would buy. I knew his name from his producer credits on the “Bye Bye Birdie” soundtrack and on the Sons of the Pioneers “Cool Water” album. Neely wanted to know if we were interested in recording. So, we were signed because he was the head of A & R at West coast RCA."

RCA signed them as the Richard Carpenter Trio, and at the same time, Plumb signed Jefferson Airplane with RCA. Carpenter recalled that their time at RCA was short, only three years. They soon became a household name when they signed with A & M Records in 1969.

Neely Plumb remained active, never really retiring. He was still involved in recording projects during the late 1970s and into the 1980s.  

Married to Flora Dobry for 56 years, the couple had four children. Their son Benjamin was followed by three daughters, Flora, Eve and Catherine.  

Eve without question would become the most popular member of the family! You saw her on such popular TV shows as “The Virginian,” “Big Valley,” “Lassie,” or from her most remembered series, the “Brady Bunch,” where at eleven years of age in 1969 she was cast as the middle sister Jan Brady.

Neely Plumb died at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, on October 4, 2000, just short of his 88th birthday. 

 I highly recommend any of the RCA projects that Neely Plumb was involved with. Lloyd Perryman and Tim Spencer of the Sons of the Pioneers greatly appreciated his talents, as he always knew how to capture the true sound of the group.  The group's "Cool Water" album is still their best seller today and has been reissued ten times since its 1960 release. 

It was our longtime Pioneers tenor vocalist Ken Lattimore who recently brought this to my attention about Eve Plumb's legendary Father. Happy trails, everyone!