“Gordy’s Groove (Mayberry Mix)” by Fresh Gordon

In 1981, independent trade magazine publisher Tom Silverman borrowed 5 thousand dollars from his father and started Tommy Boy Records. It would go on to become one of the greatest Hip Hop and Electronic record labels, helping to establish the careers of 808 State, Afrika Bambaataa, De La Soul, House of Pain, Information Society, Naughty By Nature, and Queen Latifah.

Fresh Gordon’s “Gordy’s Groove (Mayberry Mix)” is a prime example of Tommy Boy’s early promotion of Electro-Funk, Electro-Hip Hop and Dance. Recorded and released in early 1985, it was originally a B side to the Choice MC’s “Beat of the Street” and features the melody from The Andy Griffith Show opening theme song "The Fishin' Hole".

I adored this track back then, the Roland TR 808 or 909 beats were spacy, futuristic and would make the needle skip. The falsetto vocal sample also added some depth, and I found it much more interesting than the heavy-handed A side.
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Fresh Gordon would go on to produce the Fat Boys, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Chill and King Tre, and although he never found success as an artist, he is fondly remembered by some for this early Tommy Boy release.