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Earl R. Perrin, born in Minnesota in 1905, began his music career as a piano player in the Tap Room at the original Buena Vista Hotel in Safford, Arizona during 1925. Earl played with a variety of dance bands that traveled from Minnesota to Mexico. After marrying in 1930, he sought regular employment and found his way to Clifton, AZ, where he worked for Phelps Dodge as an electrician.
Sometime during the late 1940s, Earl was again invited to play in the Tap Room at the Buena Vista Hotel. He made the trip from Clifton several times a week until 1954, when he decided to move his family to Safford. During that era, Walt Disney visited the Buena Vista and often walked down Main Street toward the county courthouse building. It is said he got the idea of Main Street USA at Disneyland from those evening strolls.
Earl was very popular, and the Tap Room thrived as an upscale meeting room until a fire ravaged the Buena Vista Hotel in the late 1950s. The repairs were slow, and musical tastes were changing.
In 1959, a new musical era was introduced to the Valley of the Sun as a result of the efforts of a young man from Chicago. With plenty of money in his pocket and a desire to set the world on fire, Earl V. Perrin (the son of Earl R. Perrin) arrived in Downtown Phoenix in 1956. He attended college in Arizona and became sales and program manager of the Gila Radio Network with Arizona stations in Safford, Clifton, Globe, Coolidge and Winslow.
Later, after the broadcasting network was sold, Earl (the younger) spent five years as assistant production manager for Perrin & Associates, Inc. of Chicago, a nationally known general advertising agency. While there, he helped direct and produce the first live full color TV commercials showing food preparation with Sunbeam appliances.
Returning to Arizona, Earl purchased Long Enterprises, including KGLU Radio (Safford, AZ). He then focused his attention on the Buena Vista Hotel, which he purchased along with a bar on Hwy 70 called Blocky's Little Maverick. Perrin rebuilt the bar next to the Buena Vista and started booking some popular and soon-to-be famous Country and Western musicians.
A long string of entertainers, beginning with George Jones, became regular attractions at the Little Maverick. Hoyt Axton was making his transition from folk to Country Western and was often joined by his mother, Mae, who wrote the words for Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel while staying at the Buena Vista Hotel. One of the most popular regulars at Blocky's was Waylon Jennings. Buddy Holly also found his way to the money and venue Perrin provided. The list those to follow was quite impressive and included, among others: Patsy Kline, Marlene Garner, Mary Tayler, Billy Walker (it was Slim Whitman and Billy Walker who assisted Elvis Presley in getting his first shot at the Louisiana Hayride), Lefty Frizzell, Glen Campbell, Willy Nelson and Roy Clark.
An energy powerhouse, Earl also created Presta Records and produced an album featuring Patsy Montana released in 1963 on Presta (Reissued in 1964 by Sims Records). Patsy was well known as the Yodeling Sweetheart and included such numbers as I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart and He Taught Me to Yodel. The album credits read: "Patsy recorded this album on the stage of the Buena Vista Hotel's beautiful Matador Room in the modern and wealthy, uptown, little town of Safford, Arizona.”
Cowboy's Sweetheart
He Taught Me How To Yodel
(see more about Patsy Montana's LIVE At The Matador Room album)
At this point, Mr. Perrin was the owner and General Manager of the Buena Vista Hotel in Safford and in 1963 founded Buena Vista Productions (Phoenix) which specialized in talent management, entertainment counseling, radio and TV programming and promotions that included recordings issued on Presta Records and published by Prestalane Music, his associated companies with Buena Vista Productions. These recordings were made by prominent entertainers including Patsy Montana, Bobby Barnett, Floyd & Jerry and The Counterpoints, Blaine Warner, Herb Sims and others, and distributed throughout the world. (see our gallery page)
Earl V. Perrin passed away during October of 1968 and was survived by his father, Earl R. Perrin of Chicago and Phoenix and an aunt, Mrs. Oscar Robertson of Riviera Beach, Florida. At that time, Buena Vista Productions, Prestalane Music Publishing and Presta Records ceased operations. A short time later Earl R. Perrin and Mrs. Robertson also passed away. Since Earl (the younger) never married and therefore never had children or anyone else to inherit his businesses, Buena Vista Productions, Prestalane Music Publishing and Presta Records quietly entered the public domain.
On September 28, 2018 after an extensive search of the archives of The Library of Congress, BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.), ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers), Arizona Corporation Commission and the office of the Arizona Secretary of State by John Hesterman and Floyd Westfall (formerly an artist and songwriter with his brother Jerry for Prestalane Music Publishing and Presta Records); and finding the entities available, reactivated Prestalane Music Publishing Company, Presta Records and Buena Vista Productions. By doing this, in accordance with U. S. copyright law, previously copyrighted and published music written by Floyd and Jerry Westfall and other artists released on Presta Records are once again actively administered by the new Prestalane Music Publishing and Buena Vista Productions. It is our intention to grow the company in this new era by carrying out Earl V. Perrin's personal vision.
Applications were filed with and approved by the Internal Revenue Service, Arizona Secretary of State and ASCAP validating the rebirth of Prestalane Music Publishing, Presta Records and Buena Vista Productions under the General Partnership of John Hesterman and Floyd Westfall. All inquiries should be directed by email to John Hesterman at john@prestalanemusic.com.
Source materials:
Arizona Republic, 05 Oct 1968, Saturday Edition, Page 47
Hal Herbert, contributing writer, Eastern Arizona Courier
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