 Penniman recorded a total of eight sides for RCA Victor, including the blues ballad, "Every Hour," which became his first single and a hit in Georgia.The release of "Every Hour" improved his relationship with his father, who began regularly playing the song on his nightclub jukebox.Shortly after the release of "Every Hour", Penniman was hired to front Perry Welch and His Orchestra and played at clubs and army bases for $100 a week.Penniman left RCA Victor in February 1952 after his records there failed to chart; the records were marketed with virtually no promotion from the label.