Here's a recent eBay find, brought to my attention by my great pal Stu. It's labeled "Octo-Pipers 1959", and a little bit of digging based on the text on the back cover reveals that it came from a school in Oxford, CT., whose most famous alum appears to be Katharine Hepburn.
The Octo-Pipers are a tradition at the Oxford School, which has in more recent years merged with the Kingswood boys school to form the Kingswood/Oxford School. It's not clear to me when the Octo-Pipers began, but in more recent years, they appear to have become quite the select organization, "world renowned" in the words of someone who edited a Wikipedia page. The Octopipers, as they now appear to be known, are made up of 8th Grade girls, and give many concerts each year.
This album dates to simpler times, when a few ukeleles, washboards and other instruments, along with nice voices, could entertain classmates, parents and friends, and be released on a 20 minute, 10 inch album. While not as good as the Phi Mu Washboard Band, I still find this record quite enjoyable, and hope you will, too.
1. Octo-Pipers - Sloop John B (MP3)
2. Octo-Pipers - An Affair to Remember (MP3)
3. Octo-Pipers - I Don't Wanna (MP3)
4. Octo-Pipers - Anywhere I Wander (MP3)
5. Octo-Pipers - Tom Dooley (MP3)
6. Octo-Pipers - Roaring Twenties Medley (MP3)
7. Octo-Pipers - It's Almost Like Being in Love (MP3)
8. Octo-Pipers - All I Have to Do is Dream (MP3)
9. Octo-Pipers - I Understand (MP3)
10. Octo-Pipers - Saro Jane (MP3)
Oxford (a/k/a Kingswood/Oxford) is in West Hartford, CT. One of my sisters went there (and we grew up two doors down from it). The old school grounds were mostly razed and Bristow Middle school (a public school) is on the same site.
Posted by: Webhamster Henry | January 12, 2009 at 04:00 PM
The Octopipers were started in 1956 by the Senior class of Oxford School, West Hartford, CT. The tradition continues today at Kingswood-Oxford School.
Posted by: Marcos Carreras | January 12, 2009 at 08:50 PM
Nice post. I like "I Don't Wanna" and "Dream" a lot.
Posted by: stu | January 13, 2009 at 05:21 PM
Jeez..I just threw that LP away a few years ago! Weird to have it come up on a search I was doing for Oxford Alums! Went there in the late 50's...the gals on the cover were "stars" to we younger ones!
Posted by: Jan McNeill | March 08, 2009 at 01:01 PM
My mother attended KO and I inherited the first Octo-Pipers record from her father (my grandfather). I wonder if the school has a copy.
Posted by: Jonathan | April 22, 2009 at 01:47 AM
im an octopiper right now... this is so cool to see! the group is amazing, i never my time in it to end :[
Posted by: Currant Octopiper | May 16, 2009 at 11:54 AM
My mom is on the cover!
Posted by: Sarah | June 18, 2009 at 07:22 PM