After a hectic 1968, during which Austin-based Sonobeat Records released 11 singles and three albums, owners Bill Josey Sr. and Bill Josey Jr. (Rim Kelley) scaled back the label's release schedule to focus on new group development, beginning their work with Plymouth Rock, New Atlantis, Vince Mariani, and Eric Johnson. Rim left Sonobeat in September 1970 to attend law school in Houston, turning over Sonobeat's day-to-day operations to Bill Sr. In mid-1971, Bill Sr. moved Sonobeat's studios to rented space in the KVET building on North Lamar in Austin. Two years later, he relocated the studios to an old stone church near Liberty Hill, about 35 miles northwest of Austin. From 1971 until Bill Sr.'s death in September 1976, Sonobeat issued less than a handful of releases on its own label. Beginning with the studio relocation to the KVET building, Bill Sr. took on custom recording work while continuing to seek out artists for Sonobeat's own releases. Sonobeat released at least one single by each of the following artists.

The Royal Lights Singers

On June 25, 1971, Bill Josey Sr. recorded gospel group the Royal Lights Singers at the then-new Sonobeat Studios in the KVET Building on North Lamar in Austin. The sessions resulted in two singles, Will You Be Ready backed with My Rock (G-s119), that was commercially released, and Creation backed with I Know My Jesus Is Watching, that was scheduled as G-s120 but that, for reasons not documented in the Sonobeat archives, appears to have never been commercially released and instead may have been a custom pressing for the group. Although James Polk's 1969 Sonobeat single, Stick-To-It-Ive-Ness, had a gospel feel, the Royal Lights Singers were the only true gospel artists Sonobeat recorded, adding another distinctive musical genre to the label's diverse output.

Folk singer, composer, and Round Rock, Texas, native Arma Harper recorded at Sonobeat's Blue Hole Sounds studio outside Liberty Hill, Texas, during 1974 and 1975. He performed his compositions Just One Too Many Times and Plea For Freedom for Sonobeat single PF-121, produced by Sonobeat owner Bill Josey Sr. Although recorded in '74, the single wasn't released until '75. This was Arma's only release on the label and Sonobeat's only release in 1975. And, Arma's single was Sonobeat's only commercial folk release, although Sonobeat had recorded many other folk artists, including Allen Damron, over its 9 year existence. Arma's is one of two Sonobeat releases in which the artist is listed only by first name; the other was Jeannine, who you can read about below.

Arma recorded enough material in his Sonobeat sessions with Bill Sr. for an album, including Why She Left Me Only God Knows, All I Guess I'm Trying to Say, Queen Jade, Love Fades, She Didn't Say, Saturday Afternoon Ditty Song, The Hard Way Down, I'll Be a Leaving in the Morning, Intellectual Spiders, Road to Nowhere, When Comes Tomorrow, and I Feel for You, Brother of Mine. There's no indication in the Sonobeat archives why the album was never released, although Bill Sr.'s failing health, which had stretched him out financially, was probably the reason.

In a candid 1974 snapshot from the Sonobeat archives (above), Arma practices with his Martin acoustic guitar outside the Blue Hole Sounds studio. Take a listen to clips from Sonobeat's next to last commercial release and from Arma's unreleased Saturday Afternoon Ditty Song.

Jeannine

Country singer Jeannine Hoke recorded Sonobeat's 24th and final release in spring 1976. the A side (incorrectly listed on the label as PS-122 B) is Your Touch Is Like a Whisper, a catchy country-folk tune featuring guitars, dobro, harmonica, and double-tracked lead vocal. The true B side, Let's Get to Houston Today (also listed on the label as PS-122B), is an urgent but hopeful country ballad, featuring similar instrumentation as the A side, but adding a recorder in harmony with Jeannine's vocal. Both songs are Jeannine's compositions.

The sessions were recorded at Bill Josey Sr.'s "Blue Hole Sounds" studios outside Liberty Hill, Texas. Jeannine's is the second of only two Sonobeat releases in which the artist is listed only by first name; the other is Arma's (see entry above).

The Sonobeat archives hold no additional information about Jeannine or her backup musicians. And, with this single, we come, quite literally, to the end of the Sonobeat label's story.