Light In The Attic Records is about to release Sing It High, Sing It Low: Tumbleweed Records 1971-1973, a compilation of recordings originally released by a little-known label that was based in Denver, Colorado. Tumbleweed Records existed for just two short years in the early ‘70s, yet produced some incredible music that was well played and superbly packaged.

The label was founded by Larry Ray and Bill Szymczyk, former ABC-Dunhill label employees based in Los Angeles, who, after a devastating 1971 L.A. earthquake, fled to the relative calm of Denver, Colorado to start Tumbleweed Records. The pair managed to convince the Gulf + Western corporation to give them 5 million bucks, and they were off. Tumbleweed made their presence known by purchasing a full-page ad—of Ray and Szymczyk pictured with their families—in Billboard magazine.
 

 
Ray and Szymczyk conceived of Tumbleweed as a label friendly to artists. For them, it was about the music and creating a communal vibe. Drugs were omnipresent at Tumbleweed HQ, which was located inside a residential house in Denver. A lot of pot was smoked in that space. They were such fans that—believe it or not—Tumbleweed roach clips were handed out as promo items. 
 

Bill Szymczyk and Larry Ray inside the Tumbleweed house/office.

Canadian Arthur Gee’s debut LP was Tumbleweed’s inaugural release (he was also the only artist to have two albums come out via the label). Gee was a big fan of LSD, and his songs have a stoned, hazy quality to them.
 

‘Arthur Gee’ (1971).
 

Arthur Gee-Whizz Band - ‘City Cowboy’ (1973).

The Rudy Romero LP, To The World (1973), is an example of Tumbleweed’s cool, forward-thinking packaging. The Romero album was pressed on white vinyl, during an era when vinyl was rarely a color other than black. It’s rumored that none other than George Harrison appears on four of the tracks.
 
More after the jump…