Bulletin - February
2009
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Jules
Allen
->
The Youngers + Book, DVDS
| PURE COUNTRY
THE LEON KAGARISE ARCHIVES, 1961
Introduction & Text by Eddie Dean |
● BOOK $34.95 |
192 pages, large format hardbound, counts as 10 CDs for
shipping Leon Kagarise was an audio engineer who managed to caputure--both
on tape and photograph--the great Country musicians of the 60's. Kagarise
was strictly an amatuer photographer, but he managed to capture highly
intimate and thoughtful images of everyone from Ernest Tubb, Skeeter Davis
and The Stonemans to The Louvin Brothers, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley and
Carl Smith - 140 color photos, all previously unpublished. It's obvious
that Kagarise wasn't a pro--there's a couple of shots of June Carter from
the side of the stage and one wherein her face is obscured by the mike
stand--but that's what gives these pictures their edge and "hominess".
With Eddie Dean providing background text, these images show us an entire
world that is long gone but never forgotten.
|
| JOHNNY CASH & GUESTS |
Shout Factory 10940 |
The Johnny Cash Christmas Specials,
1976-1979 |
● DVD $48.98 |
Four DVDs, 200 minutes, highly recommended
Johnny Cash's
late 60's/early 70's TV show was landmark music television before MTV was
a gleam in its creator's eye, and his late 70's Christmas specials were
mostly welcome extensions of the pattern established by the earlier shows.
That being said, the first special--from 1976--works more along the lines
of Andy Williams' then-popular Christmas specials, with taping taking
place at the Cash's farm in Bon Aqua, TN and their house in
Hendersonville, outside of Nashville. The setting is cozy and pretty, but
seems artificial -- as when Johnny, and guests Roy Clark and Tony Oralando
are singing a Stephen Foster medley outside with no mics or a band in
sight. The segments taped inside the house are much better, highlighted by
the Carter Family's In the Pines and Merle Travis' Cannonball
Rag. Things pick up with 1977 and 1978: these shows may have been
filmed for the Holiday Season, they don't have an overtly Christmas feel;
indeed, one would hardly know it's Christmas except for the decorations
and occasional carol. Musical highlights are many, from Johnny and June
Carter's duets on Darlin' Companion ('77) and You're a Part of
Me ('78) to the stellar cast of guest stars. There's nothing more
magical than watching Johnny, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee
Lewis pay tribute to the then-recently deceased Elvis P. by burning
through This Train is Bound For Glory, and Johnny and Roy salute to
Gene Autry with a spirited medley. The cracker jack prizes of the '78 show
are Steve Martin's witty comedy bits (not as out-of-place as one would
think), the duets between Kris Kristofferson and then-wife Rita Coolidge,
and the ensemble sing-a-longs with Johnny, June, Kris and Rita. There's
also a nice touch when Johnny brings out all six of their daughters
(including Rosanne Cash and Carlene Carter) to sing with him on Silent
Night. Fabulous stuff! The 1979 show is, for me, a bit of a let-down
after the previous two; guests Anne Murray and Tom T. Hall lack the oomph
of previous years' stars, and the overall feel harkens back to the slight
sentimentality of 1976's installment. And yet, if you're into that sort of
thing--and want to relish the weirdo comedy relief of Andy Kaufman in his
prime--this episode definitely has its moments. The package is well
presented, with liner notes detailing the production of each show, but
there's no interviews to put the shows into perspective, as with the
Johnny Cash TV show box set. Still, this is more TV gold from the Man in
Black and his family, working in their element, tugging heart strings and
providing musical and spiritual food for the world. (GMC)
|
| BILL MONROE |
MVD 4577 |
Father Of Bluegrass |
● DVD $17.98 |
DVD issue of video originally issued in the 1990s with
some additional footage. A 90 minute portrait of one of the great
innovators in 20th century music. It includes archival footage of Monroe &
The Bluegrass Boys plus performances from the 90s as well as performances
by people whose music Bill touched - Lester Flatt, Emmylou Harris, The
Osborne Brothers and others. It includes interviews with Monroe, footage
of him backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, on the road and at his farm
outside Nashville and also includes interviews with Jerry Garcia of The
Grateful Dead, Roy Acuff and others.
|
| JULES ALLEN |
B.A.C.M. 250 |
Complete Recordings |
● CD $13.98 |
22 tracks, highly recommended
Delightful collection of
recordings featuring one of the earliest western singers to record. Unlike
many of contemporaries Allen was actually a cowboy for a number of years
until he was injured when thrown by a horse and decided to turn his
attention to music. This collection features all his issued recordings
though apparently Allen was also a popular radio performer. Allen had an
appealing voice and most tracks feature him with his own guitar
accompaniment - a few feature added fiddle and/ or harmonica. Most of the
songs are familiar western favorites though Allen was one of the first, if
not the first to record many of them. Songs include Little Joe The
Wrangler/ Somebody But You Don't Mean Me/ The Texas Cowboy/ Zebra Dun/ The
Old Chisholm Trail/ LOng Side The Santa Fe Trail (one of the fiest
performances here)/ The Cowboy's Dream/ Little Old Sod Shanty/ The
Dying Cowboy and others. Sound quality is satisfactory and there are
excellent notes by Tony Russell. (FS)
JULES ALLEN: A Prisoner For Life/ Cow Trail To Mexico/
Cowboy's Love Song/ Home On The Range/ Jack O' Diamonds/ Little Joe The
Wrangler/ Little Old Sod Shanty/ Long Side The Santa Fe Trail/ Po'
Mourner/ Punchin' The Dough/ Somebody But You Don't Mean Me/ Sweetie Dear/
The Cowboy's Dream/ The Cowboy’s Lameny/ The Days Of Forty Nine/ The Dying
Cowboy/ The Gal I Left Behind Me/ The Old Chisholm Trail/ The Texas
Cowboy/ Two Fragments/ When The Work's All Done This Fall/ Zebra Dun
|
| THE BLUE SKY BOYS |
Gusto 0549 |
Are You From Dixie? |
● CD $9.98 |
28 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
The Blue Sky Boys
were among the greatest of the brother duos with their beautiful harmonies
and sensitive renditions of traditional, gospel and more recent songs.
Although their heyday was in the the 30s and 40s they continued performing
on and off through the 1970s. In 1963 they recorded two sessions for
Starday and two LPs were issued - one consisting mostly of remakes of some
of their classic recordings and the other featuring gospel songs - mostly
ones they hadn't recorded before. This CD features both those LPs plus all
the other songs recorded at the sessions - several previously unreleased.
The brother's style was pretty much intact with their superb singing and
guitar and mandolin self accompaniment but in a nod to the times these
were made they are joined by Tommy Vaden on fiddle and Billy Linnemann on
bass plus a couple of cuts with a full country band. Songs includes
Come To The Savior/ Why Should You Be Troubled & Sad?/ Precious Moments/
My God Why Have You Forsaken Me?/ Don't Trade/ Satisfied Mind (a
particularly nice version of this Porter Wagoner hit)/ Don't let Your
Sweet Love Die/ Little Paper Boy/ I Wish I Had Never Seen Sunshine.
Previous reissues of this material have had awful sound but this release
has superb sound - newly remastered from the original mastertapes and
includes 8 page booklet with notes by country/ bluegrass scholar Gary
Reid. (FS)
|
| JIMMY DEAN |
B.A.C.M. 252 |
Find 'em Fool 'em Leave 'em Alone |
● CD $13.98 |
26 tracks, highly recommended
Jimmy Dean's the kind of
singer that falls through the cracks of categorization, nobody claims him.
After Big Bad John hit so massively in 1961 and he got a TV show he
fell into bland MOR limbo and dull recitations. But this ol' pork sausage
eatin' boy has roots. He knocked around for years before any success,
charting only once before 1961, in '53 with a great cover of T Texas
Tyler's Just Bummin' Around on Four Star. That song is here along
with 25 other fine tunes recorded between 1952 and 1958 - most of it solid
Texas honky tonk with fine bands with sawing fiddles and soaring steel
guitar. His earliest songs find himn strongly influenced by Webb Pierce
and on his cover of Webb's hit There Stands The Glass he sounds
uncannily the man himself. Other songs include the gorgeous Queen Of
Hearts plus Big Blue Diamonds/ Glad Rags/ Do You Love Me/ Freight
Train Blues/ Losing Game/ Nothing Can Stop My Love (a great up-tempo
number covered a few years back by Buddy Miller)/ I'm Feeling For You/
Release/ I Know What It Means To be Lonesome and more. Great stuff!
(AE/ FS)
JIMMY DEAN: A Fool In Love/ Big Blue Diamonds/ Bumming
Around/ Do You Love Me/ Find 'em Fool 'em Leave 'em Alone/ Freight Train
Blues/ Glad Rags/ Happy Child/ Hello Mr Blues/ I Know What It Means To Be
Lonesome/ I Might Have Known/ I'm Feeling For You/ I've Found Out What
I've Been Thinking/ Look On The Good Side/ Losing Game/ My Heart Is An
Open Book/ My World Is You/ Nothing Can Stop My Love/ Paper Love Affair/
Picking Sweethearts/ Queen Of Hearts/ Release Me/ Sweet Darling/ There
Stands The Glass/ What This Old World Needs/ You Should See Tennessee
Mam'selle
|
| MERLE HAGGARD |
Time Life 19506 |
The Original Outlaw |
● CD $39.98 |
Three CDs, 60 tracks, very highly recommended
Career
retrospective of one of the greatest country music performers of the 20th
century. It opens with his first hit Sing A Sad Song recorded for
the small Bakersfield label Tally in 1963 and ending chronologically in
2005 with his duet with Toby Keith on Some Of Us Fly recorded for
his own Hag label. The bulk of the recordings are from the period 1963
through 1986 when Hag was at his best and having the most hits. With his
incredibly soulful and expressive voice and accompanied by his fabulous
band The Strangers there's one classic after another Swinging Doors/
Branded Man/ Mama Tried/ Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)/ It's Not Love (But
It's Not Bad)/ Everybody's Had The Blues/ Things Aren't Funny Anymore/
Ramblin' Fever/ I Think I'll Just Stay here And Drink/ Big City/
Yesterday's Wine (with George Jones)/ Pancho & Lefty (with
Willie Nelson)/ Are The Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still
Silver)/ A Place To Fall Apart (with Janie Fricke) and lots more including
a handful of non hits and album cuts to keep things interesting. As
another measure of Hag's genius 41 of the 60 songs here were written or
co-written by him - many of them becoming country standards and covered by
numerous later performers. If you don't have much by Merle I can't think
of a better place to start and if you wonder what all the fuss is about by
the time you reach the end of this set you'll be a convert. Sound quality
is stellar. Set is packaged in a an 1" x 5 1/2" book format with 36 pages
of notes and black and white and color photos. (FS)
MERLE HAGGARD: (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers/ A
Place to Fall Apart/ Always Wanting You/ America First/ Are the Good Times
Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)/ Big City/ Branded Man/
Carolyn/ Cherokee Maiden/ Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)/ Everybody's Had
the Blues/ Going Where the Lonely Go/ Grandma Harp/ Haggard (Like I've
Never Been Before)/ Hungry Eyes/ I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am/ I
Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink/ I Threw Away the Rose/ I Wonder If
They Ever Think of Me/ I'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall/ If We Make It
Through December/ If We're Not Back in Love by Monday/ It's All in the
Movies/ It's Been a Great Afternoon/ It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)/
Kentucky Gambler/ Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room/ Lonesome Day/
Mama Tried/ Misery and Gin/ Movin' On/ My Favorite Memory/ Natural High/
Okie from Muskogee/ Old Man from the Mountain/ Out Among the Stars/ Pancho
and Lefty/ Ramblin' Fever/ Sing Me Back Home/ Sing a Sad Song/ Some of Us
Fly/ Someday We'll Look Back/ Someday When Things Are Good/ Swinging
Doors/ That's the Way Love Goes/ The Bottle Let Me Down/ The Fightin' Side
of Me/ The Fugitive/ The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde/ The Roots of My
Raising/ The Way I Am/ Things Aren't Funny Anymore/ Today, I Started
Loving You Again/ Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star/ What Am I Gonna Do (With
the Rest of My Life)/ When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again/ Wishing All
These Old Things Were New/ Workin' Man Blues/ Yesterday's Wine/ You Take
Me for Granted
|
|
CHARLIE HERALD & HIS ROUNDUP RANGERS |
B.A.C.M. 255 |
Pioneering Canadian Cowboy Group |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended
Delightful collection of
sides recorded by this unique Canadian group between 1933 and '35. Active
mostly in Manitoba the group line up included, in various combinations -
guitar, fiddles, harmonica, accordion, trumpet, clarinet, tuba, bass and
drums. They perform a diverse range of music including western songs,
popular songs and instrumentals that reflect both American influences and
Canada's significant Scottish heritage. Several different vocalists are
featured including the excellent Helen Diller who does some fine yodeling.
An entertaining collection that is both unusual and also familiar. Kevin
Coffey's excellent notes helps put the music into perspective. (FS)
CHARLIE HERALD & HIS ROUNDUP RANGERS: Chicken Reel/
Circassian Circle-Rickett’s Hornpipe/ Cowboy’s Christmas Ball/ Cowboy’s
Heaven/ Crawdads/ Goofus/ Hi-Le Hi-Lo/ Hiawatha Two-Step/ Irish
Washerwoman-Garry Owen/ Kingdom Coming-Love Is But A Lassie/ Oh For The
Wild and Wooly West/ Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet/ Red River Valley/ Red
Wing/ Roundup Rangers Schottische/ Soldier’s Joy-Speed The Plough/ Swallow
Tail Jig-Haste To The Wedding/ The Dying Cowboy/ The Wind That Shakes The
Barley-Devil’s Dream/ There Is A Tavern In The Town/ There’s An Empty Cot/
Trouble For The Range Cook/ Turkey In The Straw-Chicken Reel/ White
Cockade-Rakes Of Mallow/ Yodelling My Troubles Away
|
| FIDDLIN' RED HERRON |
Gusto 0963-2 |
Fiddlin' Red Herron |
● CD $4.98 |
8 tracks recorded in the late 40s for King featuring
excellent fiddler Fiddlin' Red Herron performing a fine selection of
traditional tunes and old favorites accompanied by guitar & bass. Herron's
playing is fine and expressive and,at times, a bit jazzy. I don't know
anything about him but I believe he also acted as a session musician for
King. Includes Sally Goodin'/ Over The Waves/ Soldier's Joy/ Goodnight
Waltz, etc. Sound quality is excellent.
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Time Life 19330 |
40 Years Of Duets |
● CD $18.98 |
20 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended
George Jones has
had quite a long career at this point, and throughout it all, pretty much
since the start, Jones has had a lot of success performing duets. Sure you
are gonna know his famous duets with Tammy Wynette like Golden Ring/
Were Gonna Hold On, and Two Story House, but have you heard him
with James Taylor doing Bartender's Blues, or with Gene Pitney on
I've Got Five Dollars And It's Saturday Night? This career spanning
set show how wide reaching Jones' appeal and talents are and will be a
real delight for fans of George Jones, or of great Country music in
general. You get early cuts like Yearning from 1957 with Jeanette
Hicks, Milwaukee Here I Come with Brenda Carter, plus fine duets
with Melba Montgomery, Johnny Paycheck, Randy Travis and many more.
Probably my favorite is Jones and Merle Haggard's version of Willie
Nelson's Yesterday's Wine, from a duet LP with Haggard of the same
name that is worth hunting down. Fittingly this Duets collection ends with
the last duet Jones did with his soul mate Tammy Wynette on their 1995
hit, One. (JM)
|
| SPENCER MOORE |
Tompkins Square 1950 |
Spencer Moore |
● CD $14.98 |
14 tracks, 41 min., good
Long ago, Spencer and his brother
Joe formed the Moore Brothers, modeled after the Delmore Brothers, and
actually performed in a "tent show" with the Carter Family. Later, Alan
Lomax would record Spencer Moore as part of his Blue Ridge Mountain
project, recordings eventually released on Atlantic and Prestige. In the
1970s, he even performed for President Jimmy Carter. These days, he still
plays weekly gigs at a local store, where he offers up a few of the more
than 500 songs he has dedicated to memory. This CD finds Moore at his home
in Chilhowie, Virginia, in June of 2006, when he was a mere 88 years of
age. The recordings are no doubt an important living link to the musical
past of Virginia, but Moore's guitar work vocal powers are not what they
once were, and while the recordings are interesting folklorically and
historically, they are strong medicine for the casual listener and may not
be in high demand at parties. (JC)
|
| MOLLY O'DAY |
Gusto 0876-2 |
Living Legend Of Country Music |
● CD $7.98 |
12 tracks, 35 mins, highly recommended
Molly O'Day was one
of the greatest female country artists to ever record though her career
was far too short. She had a powerful heartfelt and raw vocal style and
most of her material was gospel or with a moral tone and she was one of
the first artist's to recognize the talents of hank Williams and
introduced four of his songs to the public. Between 1946 and 1951 together
with husband Lynn Davis and her group The Cumberland Mountain Folks she
recorded 36 classic sides for Columbia (reissued on Bear Family 15565 - 2
CD set - $41.98). In 1951 Lynn was ordained as a minister and Molly
retired from commercial performing. She was persuaded to briefly come out
of retirement in 1961 to record a couple of sessions for REM records which
were subsequently acquired by Starday who issued the tracks here on an LP
in 1966. Molly was still a powerful performer accompanying herself on
banjo with Lynn on guitar and harmony vocal (and occasional lead vocal)
plus occasional mandolin and Dobro. Although Molly's vocals are
occasionally unsure the performances here are mostly country gospel at its
finest including songs like Living The Right Life Now/ When the Angels
Rolled the Stone Away/ Coming Down FRom God/ He Has Called Me By My Name/
I'm Gonna Walk Right In/ I'm Going Home On The Morning Train, etc.
Wonderful music. (FS)
|
| CHUBBY PARKER |
B.A.C.M. 244 |
And His Old Time Banjo - Classic
Recordings, 1927-1931 |
● CD $13.98 |
21 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended
A truly delightful
collection of songs from Indiana born performer Frederick R. "Chubby"
Parker who was one of the first old time performers to become regionally
famous through the power of radio. Parker was a fine singer with a high,
clear voice and accompanied himself with deft tenor banjo playing to
which he sometimes added harp rack harmonica. Much of his material was
from an earlier era - some from the 19th century and included old-time
comic songs, minstrel songs and some that sound like they originated in
the British music hall. Apart from his version of Froggy Went A
Courtin' which he called King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O
which achieved legendary status through its appearance on Harry Smith's
"Anthology Of American Folk Music', very few of his other recordings have
been reissued so this release is particularly welcome and includes songs
like The Year Of Jubilo/ Bingo Was His name? Drill Ye Tarriers Drill/
The Old Wooden Rocker/ You'll Hear The Bells In The Morning/ Davey
Crockett (no relation to the song made famous by Fess Parker)/And
That Was Irish Too/ Oh Susanna, etc. Excellent sound and informative
notes by Tony Russell. (FS)
CHUBBY PARKER: A Rovin Little Darkey/ And That Was Irish
Too/ Bib A Lollie Boo/ Bingo Was His Name/ Davey Crockett/ Drill Ye
Tarriers Drill/ Get Away Old Maids Get Away/ Grandfather's Clock/ I'm A
Stern Old Bachelor/ In Kansas/ King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O/ Kissing
Song/ Nickerty Knackerty Now Now Now/ Oh Dem Golden Slippers/ Oh Susanna/
See The Black Clouds A Breakin' Over Yonder/ The Irish Christening/ The
Old Wooden Rocker/ The Year Of Jubilo/ Whoa Mule, Whoa/ You'll Hear The
Bells In The Morning
|
| ROY ROGERS |
B.A.C.M. 251 |
A Lonely Ranger Am I |
● CD $13.98 |
| A collection of 24 tracks by this popular artist featuring
sides appearing on CD for the first time. Recordings range from 1938
through 1952 and is mostly western songs along with some western swing,
novelty songs, gospel songs and even a Christmas carol. Includes sides
with Jimmy Wakely's Rough Riders, Spade Cooley and Mrs. Rogers (Dale
Evans). Sound quality on some of the rarer cuts leaves a bit to be
desired. Includes A Lonely Ranger Am I/ Nobody's Fault BUt My own/ O
Come All Ye Faithful/ I'm Trusting In You/ I'm A Rollin'/ With A Sweep Of
My Sombrero/ Little Hula Honey/ I Wish I WuzROY ROGERS: A Lonely Ranger Am I/ California Rose/ Church
Music/ Do Ya Or Don'tcha/ Don't Be Blue Little Pal Don't Be Blue/ Don't
Blame It All On Me/ Home Sweet Oklahoma/ I Wish I Wuz/ I'm A Rollin'/ I'm
Gonna Gallop, Gallop, To Gallop, New Mexico/ I'm Trusting In You/ It's
Just The Same/ Little Hula Honey/ May The Good Lord Take A Liken' To Ya/
Mommy Can I Take My Doll To Heaven/ Nobody's Fault But My Own/ O Come All
Ye Faithful/ Old Fashioned Cowboy/ Old Pioneer/ That Palomino Pal Of Mine/
The Man In The Moon Is A Cowhand/ With A Sweep Of My Sombrero/ Without You
Darling Life Won't Be The Same/ You Were Right And I Was Wrong
|
| JOE SOUTH |
Collectables 1067 |
Classic Masters |
● CD $7.98 |
12 tracks, 39 mins, recommended
Here we have a rather
Spartan outing to celebrate this great southern singer-songwriter.
Features 12 tracks and not much else, with a price that reflects as much.
With hits that he had for himself as well as songs that Elvis, Deep
Purple, Billy Joe Royal, and others would have hits of their own .
Games People Play, Hush/ Walk A Mile in My Shoes/ Down in the Boondocks,
etc. (JM)
|
| MERLE TRAVIS |
B.A.C.M. 253 |
Dapper Dan & Other Classics |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection of some
of Merle Travis's lesser known titles recorded between 1946 and 1956.
Outside of the comprehensive Bear Family box set (BCD 15637 - 5 CDs -
$129.98) this is the first time most of these tracks have appeared on CD.
Accompanied by some of the top West Coast session musicians he performs a
great selection of songs (many of them original Travis compositions) like
Alimony Bound/ A Fool At The Steering Wheel/ I Can't Afford The Coffee/
I'll Have Myself A Ball/ If You Want It I've Got It, etc. along with
mind bending guitar instrumentals like Walking The Strings/ Memphis
Blues and others. Sound quality is generally excellent and Brian
Chalker provides a brief biography in the notes. (FS)
MERLE TRAVIS: A Fool At The Steering Wheel/ Alimony
Bound/ Blue Smoke (instr.)/ Dapper Dan/ Devil To Pay/ Follow Through/
Gambler's Guitar/ Get Along Blues/ Green Cheese/ Hunky Dory/ I Can't
Afford The Coffee/ I'll Have Myself A Ball/ I'm Picking Up The Pieces Of
My Heart/ If You Want It I've Got It/ Information Please/ Jolie Fille/
Lazy River (instr.)/ Leave My Honey Bee Alone/ Memphis Blues (instr.)/
Petticoat Fever/ Shut Up And Drink Your Beer/ Tuck Me To Sleep In My Old
Kentucky Home (inst.)/ Turn My Picture Upside Down/ Walking The Strings
(instr.)
|
| ERNEST TUBB |
Golden Stars 5609 |
Classic Album Collection |
● CD $19.98 |
Three CDs featuring 44 tracks by the great Ernest Tubb
with his band The Texas Troubadours. The first CD features his first LP
recorded as an LP from 1956 "Daddy Of Them All" with 12 songs including
You're Breaking My Heart/ Mississippi Gal/ I've Got The Blues For Mammy/
You're The Only Good Thing (That's Happened To Me), etc. plus two
tracks from singles from around the same time. The second disc features
tracks from two 10" LPs originally issued in 1951 featuring tracks
previously on singles - "Jimmie Rodgers Songs Sung By Ernest Tubb" and
"The Old Rugged Cross (Favorite Sacred Songs)". The third CD features his
1956 duet album with Red Foley "Red And Ernie" which includes Tennessee
Border #2/ Don't Be Ashamed Of Your Age/ No Help Wanted #2/ I'm In Love
With Molly, etc. and ends with two duets with the Wilburn Brothers
from a single Leave Me and Mister Love.
ERNEST TUBB: (I Know My Baby Loves Me) In Her Own
Peculiar Way/ Any Old Time/ Daisy May/ Drunkard's Child/ Farther Along/
Hobo's Meditation/ I Dreamed of an Old Love Affair/ I Knew the Moment I
Lost You/ I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now/ I'm Lonely and Blue/ I've Got
the Blues for Mammy/ May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You/ Mississippi
Gal/ Mother the Queen of My Heart/ My Hillbilly Baby/ Old Rugged Cross/ So
Doggone Lonesome/ Stand by Me/ There's No Fool Like a Young Fool/ Thirty
Days/ This Troubled Mind O' Mine/ What a Friend We Have in Jesus/ When I
Take My Vacation in Heaven/ When a Soldier Knocks and Finds Nobody Home/
Why Did You Give Me Your Love?/ Why Should I Be Lonely?/ Wonderful City/
You're Breaking My Heart/ You're the Only Good Thing (That's Happened to
Me)/ ERNEST TUBB & RED FOLEY: Don't Be Ashamed of Your Age/ Double Datin'/
Goodnight Irene/ Hillbilly Fever #2/ I'm in Love with Molly/ It's the
Mileage That's Slowin' Us Down/ Kentucky Waltz/ No Help Wanted #2/ Strange
Little Girl/ Tennessee Border #2/ Too Old to Cut the Mustard/ When It's
Prayer Meeting Time in the Hollow/ You're a Real Good Friend/ERNEST TUBB &
THE WILBURN BROTHERS: Leave Me/ Mister Love
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Awake Productions 3 |
Awake My Soul/ Help Me To Sing |
● CD $21.98 |
2 CDs, 44 songs, 114 mins, recommended
This is the
soundtrack to the 2007 PBS documentary by Matt and Erica Hinton on Sacred
Harp singing, a style of Southern origin which consists of singing
acapella songs from a specific songbook. On the first disc, are the
songs-recorded at all-day singings in Georgia and Alabama-as heard in the
movie, in all their hauntingly beautiful glory. The second CD is given
over to various rock, folk, and country artists giving their
interpretation of songs from the original Sacred Harp songbook. For people
who feel that the authentic article is too esoteric or "weird", CD 2 might
make for more palatable listening since many of the artists employ
instruments for accompaniment, rather than simply relying only on their
voices. Of the remakes, Rayna Gellart & John Paul Jones (yes, THAT John
Paul Jones), The Innocence Mission, Jim Lauderdale, Mac Powell, John
Wesley Harding, Richard Buckner, Doc Watson, Woven Hand, and Murry Hammond
capture the spirit of the originals best, while Elvis Perkins and The Good
Players make the most accessible recordings. Some interpretations-by All
Things Bright & Beautiful and Tenement Hall, for example-are a bit too
rock and roll oriented and lose the essence of what makes these songs
tick. On the whole, though, these re-dos are sound spiritual listening for
the soul and a perfectly acceptable alternative to the real thing, which
is also on hand for those so inclined. Bottom line, this a necessary
companion to the DVD ("Awake, My Soul", Awake Productions 2 - $25.98).
(GMC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16954 |
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & Hillbilly Music,
1949 |
● CD $24.98 |
The fifth volume in this great series features 28 of the
most popular country songs of 1949 opening with pop singer Vaughn Monroe's
version of Riders In The Sky that was a hit in both the pop and
country charts and includes Hank Williams' first Number one hit
Lovesick Blues, The Delmore Brothers' classic Blues Stay Away From
Me plus sides by Leon McAuliffe, Bill Nettles, Ernest Tubb, Bill
Monroe, The Maddox Brothers & Rose, Bob Wills and more.
EDDY ARNOLD: I'm Throwing Rice Tennessee/ Then I Turned
And Walked Slowly Away/ THE DELMORE BROTHERS: Blues Stay Away From Me/
LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: Take An Old Cold Tater (and Wait)/ TENNESSEE ERNIE
FORD: Mule Train/ JOHNNIE & JACK: What About You/ PEE WEE KING:
Bonaparte's Retreat/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: Philadelphia Lawyer/ LEON
MCAULIFFE: Panhandle Rag/ BILL MONROE: The Old Cross Road/ VAUGHN MONROE:
Riders In The Sky/ GEORGE MORGAN: Candy Kisses/ BILL NETTLES: Hadacol
Boogie/ LEON PAYNE: I Love You Because/ WAYNE RANEY: Why Don't You Haul
Off And Love Me/ JIMMIE SKINNER: Will You Be Satisfied That Way/ THE SONS
OF THE PIONEERS: Room Full Of Roses/ THE STANLEY BROTHERS: The White Dove/
HANK THOMPSON: Whoa Sailor/ FLOYD TILLMAN: Slippin' Around/ This Cold War
With You/ ERNEST TUBB: Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello/ T. TEXAS
TYLER: My Bucket's Got A Hole In It/ JIMMY WAKELY: I Wish I Had A Nickel/
HANK WILLIAMS: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry/ Lovesick Blues/ BOB WILLS:
Don't Be Ashamed Of Your Age/ Warm Red Wine
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16955 |
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly
Music, 1950 |
● CD $24.98 |
The sixth and final volume (to date) in this series
features 28 country recordings from 1950 opening with Red Foley's
Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy which topped both the country and pop charts
and includes western swing performer Ole Rasmussen's original recording
of Sleepy Eyed John which became a hit 10 years later for Johnny
Horton, Hank Williams's immortal Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Bob
Wills's last hit for 10 years Faded Love plus tracks by Tennessee
Ernie Ford & Kay Starr, Hardrock Gunter, Johnnie Lee Wills, Ernest Tubb,
Bill Monroe, Hank Snow and many more. As always, sound quality and
packaging is exceptional.
GENE AUTRY: Blue Canadian Rockies/ TED DAFFAN: I've Got
Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: Hillbilly
Fever/ FLATT & SCRUGGS: Foggy Mountain Breakdown/ RED FOLEY: Chattanoogie
Shoe Shine Boy/ Sugarfoot Rag/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & KAY STARR: I'll
Never Be Free/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: I Love You a Thousand Ways/ If You've Got
the Money I've Got the Time/ HARDROCK GUNTER: Birmingham Bounce/ STUART
HAMBLEN: Remember Me (I'm the One Who Loves You)/ SKEETS MCDONALD:
Tattooed Lady, The/ BILL MONROE: I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome/ MOON MULLICAN:
I'll Sail My Ship Alone/ HANK PENNY: Bloodshot Eyes/ WEBB PIERCE: Drifting
Texas Sand/ OLE RASMUSSEN: Sleepy Eyed John/ ARKIE SHIBLEY: Hot Rod Race/
JIMMIE SKINNER: You Don't Know My Mind/ CARL SMITH: I Overlooked an Orchid
(While Searching For a Rose)/ HANK SNOW: I'm Movin' On/ THE STANLEY
BROTHERS: The Fields Have Turned Brown/ BILLY STARR: Steppin' Out/ FLOYD
TILLMAN: I've Got the Craziest Feeling/ ERNEST TUBB: Letters Have No Arms/
HANK WILLIAMS: Long Gone Lonesome Blues/ BOB WILLS: Faded Love/ JOHNNIE
LEE WILLS: Rag Mop
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 337 |
30 Steel Guitar Honky Tonk Favorites |
● CD $18.98 |
30 tracks, highly recommended
Great collection of 30 steel
guitar instrumentals from the 1940s and 50s - mostly drawn from radio
transcriptions. Much of the material is western swing oriented and almost
all of it is hot. There are a few familiar names to country fans - Don
Helms (doing an instrumental version of his late boss's Hey Good
Lookin'), Noel Boggs (with The Cass County Boys), Leon McAuliffe,
Alvino Rey (mostly known as a pop performer he here does Steel Guitar
Rag) and Cecil Campbell. Other lesser known but excellent artists
include Al Petty, Big Ben Keith (from faron Young's band), Sonny Burnette,
Mavin Carroll (from Jimmy Dean's band with four hot sides) and more. The
great western swing performer Hank Penny is featured here with Steel
Guitar Polka featuring an unknown steel guitarist. Except for a couple
of cuts, sound quality is excellent and booklet has brief notes on all the
artists. (FS)
LES ANDERSON: This Is Southland/ THE BAR X COWBOYS:
Jammin' On The Steel/ NOEL BOGGS: On The Alamo/ Speedin' West/ Stainless
Steel/ Steel Guitar Rag/ SONNY BURNETTE: Panhandle Rag/ CECIL CAMPBELL:
Steel Guitar Dig/ Steel Guitar Ramble/ Steel Guitar Wiggle/ MARVIN
CARROLL: Steel Guitar Stomp/ Sweet Bunch Of Daisies/ Sweet Leilani/ Texas
Playboy Rag/ CURLY COLDIRON: Remington Ride/ DICKIE HARRIS: Steel Guitar
Stomp/ DON HELMS: Hey, Good Lookin'/ THE HUSHPUPPIES: Texas Playboy Rag/
BIG BEN KEITH: Roadside Rag/ Steelin' Away/ MERL LINDSAY: Slidin' Steel/
DOC MARTIN: Jimmie's Jump/ Steeling The Blues/ LEON MCAULIFFE: Steel
Guitar Jubilee/ HANK PENNY: Steel Guitar Polka/ AL PETTY: Al's Steel
Guitar Wobble/ Steel Guitar Special/ ALVINO REY: Steel Guitar Rag/ JACK
THROCKMORTON: Steel Guitar Bounce/ THE UNIVERSAL COWBOYS: Steel Guitar
Honky Tonk
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 338 |
Country Girls Sing 30 Hillbilly & Western
Songs |
● CD $18.98 |
30 tracks, 73 mins, recommended
Fine collection of female
country vocalists from the early/ mid 50s - much of it from previously
unissued radio transcriptions. The set opens with 10 tracks recorded for
Columbia in 1954 and '55 by California based country singer Bonnie Sloan.
Undeservedly obscure she was an excellent honky tonk singer accompanied
here by the Town Hall Gang (Joe Maphis, Johnny Bond, Dick Stubbs, Fiddlin'
Kate, etc.). The great Wilma Lee Cooper is featured a spine chilling
version of Tramp On The Street from a radio transcription and June
Carter does an excellent version of Merle Travis's Sweet Temptation.
Other artists include a mix of well known and obscure performers including
Jeannie Ackers, The Little Country Girls, Goldie Hill, Cindy Walker, Judy
Hayden, Betty Foley, Dale Evans, Skeeter Davis and others. Fine sound and
booklet has brief notes on all the artists. (FS)
JEANNIE ACKERS OF THE COLORADO HILLBILLIES: I Lost You/
In My Adobe Hacienda/ THE BEAVER VALLEY SWEETHEARTS: You Get What You Pay
For/ MOLLY BEE: Too Young To Tango/ SALLY BRIGGS: I Couldn't Keep From
Crying/ JUNE CARTER: Sweet Temptation/ THE CARTER SISTERS: Poor Old
Heartsick Me/ WILMA LEE COOPER: Tramp On The Street/ SKEETER DAVIS: Set
Him Free/ DALE EVANS: Cowgirl Polka/ Ragtime Cowboy Joe/ Texas U.s.a./
BETTY FOLEY: Slowly/ JUDY HAYDEN: I'm Going Back To Whur I Come From/
GOLDIE HILL: A Wasted Love Affair/ THE LITTLE COUNTRY GIRLS: Pals Of The
Saddle/ RITA ROBBINS: I'm Walking The Floor Over You/ JEAN SHEPARD: He
Loved Me Once And He'll Love Me Again/ BONNIE SLOAN: After The Wedding/
Alone I Cry/ Don't Call Me A Tramp/ Hog Tied And Branded/ Honky Tonk
World/ Idle Hours/ Nobody But You/ Poor Paper Kite/ Silly Boy/ The Next
Waltz With You/ CINDY WALKER: I Love Everything About You/ Put Your Arms
Around Me
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 340 |
Hillbilly Songs & Western Swing By Various
Brother Team |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks mostly featuring some of the lesser known
brother teams from the 1950s - The Colwell Brothers, Andrews Brothers,
Britt Brothers, Willis Brothers, Lucky Brothers, Smith Brothers plus three
tracks on CD for the first time by the most well known act here - The
Wilburn Brothers.
THE ANDREWS BROTHERS: Blue Mississippi/ Hot To Trot/
Store Bought/ What Could I Do/ THE BRITT BROTHERS: Alpine Milkman Yodel/
Swiss Yodel/ THE COLWELL BROTHERS: A Spankin' New Day/ Come On Folks/ It's
All Over But The Shoutin'/ Let Me Know/ Morgan Poisoned The Water Hole/ No
Down Payment - Easy Terms/ THE LUCKY BROTHERS: I'll Dance At Your Wedding/
It Ain't Quit Hurtin' Yet/ THE MILLER BROTHERS: Alligator Rag (inst.)/
Broken Hearted Girl (voc. Bill Taylor)/ THE SMITH BROTHERS: Kneel At The
Cross/ Lost But Not Forgotten/ THE WILBURN BROTHERS: Mister Love/ No See,
No Talk, No Hear/ Temptation Go Away/ Till I'm The Only One/ THE WILLIS
BROTHERS: Hillbilly Gaucho/ Honey-bee
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Documents 223495 |
Country & Western #2 |
● CD $19.98 |
10 CDs,200 tracks clocking in at a astounding 8 hours and
change, essential
Available again. As always with these 10 CD boxes from
Documents, there aren't any frills or extras, just music, music and more
music. This collections starts off in the late 1920s with the likes of The
Allen Brothers, G.B. Grayson, Jimmie Rodgers, Dock bogs and Ernest Phipps
(to name just a few) and then progressively over the course of 10 CDs goes
all the way up to the early 1950s where we meet up with Bill Strength,
Jesse James, Jerry Irby, Dickie McBride and more. The later CDs have
tracks from Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell that most will know, but also
has more obscure tracks by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Flatt & Scruggs. In
between, you are taken for a ride down the dirt roads, through every Honky
Tonk, barn dance, rodeo and jamboree that graced rural America in these
pivotal years of Country music. Along the way you will see a lot of old
friends like Gene Autry, Light Crust Doughboys, Sons Of The Pioneers,
Ernest Tubb, Spade Cooley etc. and meet some that you might not have heard
of before, like Ocie Stockard, Molly O'Day, Walker's Corbin Ramblers,
Renfro Valley Boys and dozens more. As stated above, this is essential
stuff, I grabbed the first one out of the box when we got them and it
hasn't left my CD player since. (JM)
ROY ACUFF: Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain/ DUB ADAMS:
Income Tax/ THE ALLEN BORTHERS: Ain't That Skippin' & Flyin/ SHELLY LEE
ALLEY: The Big House Blues/ SHELLEY LEE ALLEY: Women, Women, Women/ JESSE
ASHLOCK: My Bank Account Is Gone/ GENE AUTRY: Blueberry/ Down Mexico Way/
El Rancho Grande/ Gaucho Serenade/ In Old Capistrano/ Melody Ranch/ Rhythm
Of The Range/ Ride Ranger Ride/ Ride Tenderfoot Ride/ DEFORD BAILEY: John
Henry'/ THE BAR X COWBOYS: When Mama Goes Out/ DR HUMPHREY BATE: Ham Beats
All Meat/ How Many Biscuits Can You Eat/ SHORTY BATES: You're There/ DOCK
BOGGS: Country Blues/ JOHNNY BOND: Heart And Soul/ Mexicali Rose/ Ridin'
Down To Santa Fe/ So Long To The Red River Valley/ Tomorrow Never Comes/
Tumbling Tumbleweeds/ Twilight On The Trail/ When The Work's All Done/
BILL BOYD: Jitterbug Jive/ BILLY BRIGGS: XIT Song/ WOODIE BROTHERS: Chased
Old Satan/ MILTON BROWN: Hesitation Blues/ CLIFF BRUNER: When You're
Smiling/ THE BUCHANAN BROTHERS: High Tempered Mama/ NOLAN BUSH: Until You
Went Away/ CLAUDE CASEY: Pine State Honky Tonk/ HARRY CHOATES: Louisiana
Boogie/ BEN CHRISTIAN: Texas Cowboy Rag/ ELMER CHRISTIAN: A Rainy Sunday
Night/ HOMER CLEMONS: Operation Blues/ SPADE COOLEY: Three Way Boogie/ THE
CROOK BROTHERS: My Wife Died Friday Night/ TED DAFFAN: Born To Lose/ DAVE
& HOWARD: My Bones Gonna Rise Again/ JIMMIE DAVIS: Honky Tonk Blues/ THE
DELMORE BROTHERS: Barnyard Boogie/ Boogie Woogie Baby/ Hillbilly Boogie/
AL DEXTER: New Broom Boogie/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: A-Sleeping At The Foot
Of The Bed/ Country Boy/ Take An Old Cold 'Tater/ LESTER FLATT & EARL
SCRUGGS: Don't Get Above Your Raisin'/ THE FLOYD COUNTY RAMBLERS: Aunt
Dinah's Quilting Party/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: Kissin' Bug Boogie/ Rock
City Boogie/ Taylor Made Woman/ Tennessee Border/ THE FORT WORTH DOUGH
BOYS: Nancy Jane/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: I Love You A Thousand Ways/ If You've
Got The Money/ My Baby's Just Like Money/ LONNIE GLOSSON: Lonnie's Fox/
G.B. GRAYSON: Omie Wise/ GRAYSON & WHITTER: Train 45/ REX GRIFFIN: The
Last Letter/ ART GUNN: Boogie Woogie Blues/ BILL HALEY: Behind The Eight
Ball/ SONNY HALL: Better Make Up Your Mind/ STUART HAMBLEN: Remember Me/
KELLY HARRELL: My Name Is John Jo Hannah/ JIMMY HART: Teeny Weeny/ JIMMY
HEAP: Dessau Waltz/ JOHNNY HICKS: Get Your Kicks On Route 66/ ALEX HOOD: L
And N Rag/ PAUL HOWARD: Cotton Picker's Special/ Rootie Tootie/ PEE WEE
HUGHES: Country Boy Blues/ LOUIS INNIS: Jug Band Boogie/ JERRY IRBY: Too
Many Women/ Trouble I Nmind/ JESSE JAMES: Rag Mop/ JOE'S ACADIANS: Ammend
La Nouville A Mamere/ ANN JONES: Give Me A Hundred Reasons/ THE JUBILEERS:
Boogie Woogie Johnson/ ALFRED KARNES: Called To The Foreign Field/ I Am
Bound For The Promised Land/ We Shall Be Reunited/ Where We'll Never Grow
Old/ THE KENTUCKY RAMBLERS: Do Not Wait/ The Unfortunate Brakeman/ With My
Mother/ PEE WEE KING: Ten Gallon Boogie/ THE LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS: Pussy
Pussy Pussy/ THE LONE STAR PLAYBOYS: Banjo Boogie/ KEITH LOYD: My Western
Union Baby/ BUSTER MARTIN: Herbie's Steel Guitar/ LOUISE MASSEY: Squeeze
Box Polka/ LEON MCAULIFFE: Blue Guitar Stomp/ Panhandle Rag/ Take It Away
Leon/ DICKIE MCBRIDE: I Don't Get No Lovin'/ Tulsa Twist/ DON MCCORD:
Can't Live Without You/ JOE MCCOY & MEMPHIS MINNIE: Let's Go To Town/
EDDIE MILLER: Release Me/ MODERN MOUNTAINEERS: Mary Jane/ BILL MONROE:
Mollie & Tenbrooks/ Rocky Road Blues/ THE MONROE BROTHERS: Sinner You
Better Get Ready/ GEORGE MORGAN: Room Full Of Roses/ BILL MOUNCE: Kickin'
It Off/ MOLLY O'DAY: Poor Ellen Smith/ The Tramp On The Street/ When God
Comes/ HANK PENNY: Big Fat Papa/ Get Yourself A Red Head/ Hillbilly Jump/
I'm Counting The Days/ I'm Singing The Blues/ Now Ain't You Glad Dear/
Steel Guitar Stomp/ Talkin' 'bout You/ Tearstains On Your Letter/ When You
Cry/ ERNEST PHIPPS: A Little Talk With Jesus/ I Want To Go/ DAN PICKETT:
Baby Don't You Want To Go/ THE RADIO COWBOYS: Mississippi Muddie/ WAYNE
RANEY: Pan American Boogie/ THE RENFRO VALLEY BOYS: Who's Gonna Shoe Your
Pretty Feet/ JIMMIE REVARD: Fox And Hounds/ Holdin' The Sack/ ANDY
REYNOLDS: Beer Bottle Mama/ THE RIVERSIDE RAMBLERS: Drifting Along/ BUCK
ROBERTS: Big Beaver/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Any Old Time/ Ben Dewberry's Final
Run/ Down On The Old Road To Home/ Let Me Be Your Side Track/ Mississippi
Delta/ My Good Gal's Gone/ B.F. SHELTON: Darling Cora/ Oh Molly Dear/
Pretty Polly/ THE SHELTON BROTHERS: Aura Lee/ CARL SMITH: Let Old Mother
Nature/ SONS OF THE PIONEERS: Song Of The Bandit/ THE SONS OF THE
PIONEERS: Cigareetes, Whusky & Wild, Wild Women/ Riders In The Sky/ W.M.
STEPP: Bonaparte's Retreat/ Callahan/ Silver Strand/ The Way Of The World/
The Old Hen/ Mud Fence/ OCIE STOCKARD: Nobody Cares/ O.P.A. Blues/ Twin
Guitar Polka/ CLIFFIE STONE: Peepin' Through The Keyhole/ Silver Stars/
BILL STRENGTH: Black Coffee Blues/ THE TEXAS TOP HANDS: You Can't Have
Your Cake/ COTTON THOMPSON: How Long/ HANK THOMPSON: Humpty Dumpty Heart/
The Wild Side Of Life/ FLOYD TILLMAN: Drivin' Nails In My Coffin/ I Love
You So Much It Hurts/ This Cold War With You/ ERNEST TUBB: I Ain't Honky
Tonkin' Anymore/ JOHNNY TYLER: Two Can Play Your Game/ T. TEXAS TYLER: My
Bucket's Got A Hole In It/ JIMMY WAKELY: Oklahoma Blues/ One Has My Name/
W. WALKER & G. SULLIVAN: When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again/ WALKER'S
CORBIN RAMBLERS: Ruffles And Bustles/ THE WALKER'S CORBIN RAMBLERS: Ned
Went-A-Fishin'/ SMILEY WHITLEY: West Wind/ JIMMIE WIDENER: I'll Be
Satisfied/ Shuffletown/ CURLEY WILLIAMS: Georgia Boogie/ CURLY WILLIAMS:
Southern Belle/ HANK WILLIAMS: (i Heard) That Lonesome Whistle/ Cold Cold
Heart/ The Blues Come Around/ Why Don't You Love Me/ TEX WILLIAMS:
Artistry In Western Swing/ THE WILLIAMSON BROTHERS: Gonna Die With My
Hammer/ FOY WILLING: Texas Blues/ BOB WILLS: Brain Cloudy Blues/ Cowboy
Stomp/ Take Me Back To Tulsa/ LUKE WILLS: The Texas Special/ BOOTS
WOODALL: Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ Since You've Been Gone/ THE WOODIE BROTHERS:
Like Likker Better Than Me/ RED WOODWARD: Cowboy Boogie/ JIMMY WYBLE:
Huntin' Business All The Time/ YELLOW JACKETS: Huskin' Bee
|
| THE YOUNGERS |
Obuck --- |
Heritage |
● CD $13.98 |
13 tracks, 57 mins, very highly recommended
A lot of what
is called alt.country or roots rock I find pretty uninteresting but these
guys are a real revelation. It opens with the great hurtin' love song
Heartbreaker which has one of those melodies that sticks in your head
after one listen and this is followed by the topical Heritage which
is like Merle Haggard's Working Man's Blues for the 21st century
and continues with more great songs about love, life and loss from a blue
collar point of view ranging from the hard rocking In The Middle Of The
Night to the great honky tonk ballad Right All Wrongs. Most of
the songs are written by main lead singer Todd Bartolo who is a terrific
singer with an intense soulful voice and the rest of the band is
outstanding featuring guitars, steel guitar, bass and percussion with
guest musicians featured on fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, etc. Two of the
songs are written and sung by bassist Randy Krater and though he's not as
compelling a singer as Bartolo his two songs are outstanding. The Youngers
sound a bit like a blend of Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen and Buddy
Miller so if you like those folks you should give this listen - I really
enjoyed it. The album was produced by John Carter Cash at the historic
Cash Cabin studio. (FS)
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