NITA EUBANKS – You Ain’t Woman Enough b/w That’s A No No (Purple Turtle, circa 1970)

NITA EUBANKS – You Ain’t Woman Enough (Purple Turtle, circa 1970)

NITA EUBANKS – That’s A No No (Purple Turtle, circa 1970)

File this one under “country music novelty records featuring children.” Here, precocious Nita Eubanks (Age 11) channels her inner “Lynn” to sing about relationship problems. Side A offers her rendition of Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough.” Flip over the record, and she’s singing Lynn Anderson’s “That’s A No No.”

The elusive Shreveport label responsible for releasing this 45 is Purple Turtle Records. Based on the catalog number -- PT 101 -- this might be their first release (or one hundred and first!).  Based on the fact that I have never found another record on this label, it might also be their only release.  Whoever ran the Purple Turtle headquarters did so out of the Lane Building, located downtown at the southwest intersection of Marshall and Milam Streets.  According to the 1969 city directory, the Shreveport Finance Corporation occupied the office at 618 Lane Building, the address printed on the record label.  By 1970, the office was listed as vacant.  As an aside, some locals may remember that one floor below served as the offices of KJOE radio station.

Regarding the identity of Nita Eubanks, it appears she lived 30 miles east of Shreveport in Minden, Louisiana. Performing “in her own sweet charming style,” she graced the stages of country music variety shows such as Monroe, Louisiana’s “Northeast Louisiana Hayride” and the “Grapevine Opry” in Grapevine, Texas. For more biographical details, check out this promotional sheet published around 1976 that accompanied one of her later records.

Nita Eubanks - Why Do I Wife b/w Habit of Loving You (JMB)
promotional sheet, circa 1976.

"Going up!  Sixth floor: Purple Turtle Records."
(Gidden's Lane Building postcard, undated.)