Bulletin - May/ June
2009
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Sonny Burns
->
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
| SONNY BURNS |
Cactus SB 1 |
The Starday Recordings |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended
Sonny Burns, like fellow Starday artist, Eddie Noack was another superb
and underrated Texas honky tonk singer. BUrns started his career as a
guitarist in Noack's band before striking out on his own and recorded a
fine series of honky tonk tunes for Starday including a cover of Noack's
Too Hot To Handle. Burns was a close friend of George Jones and two
of the tracks here feature duets with George - Wrong About and
Heartbroken Me. Other songs include Powder & Paint/ A Place For
Girls Like You/ Waltzing With Sin/ Invitations (To Your Wedding)/ You''
Look A Long Time/ Satan's A-Waitin'/ If You See My Baby/ Bottom Of The
Bottle and more including the powerful Girl Of The Street and
his one attempt at rockabilly A Real Cool Cat. (FS)
SONNY BURNS: A Place for Girls Like You/ A Real Cool
Cat/ Another Woman Lookin' For a Man/ Blue Blue Rain/ Bottom of the
Bottle/ Frown On the Moon/ Girl of the Streets/ Heart Like a Dollar Sign/
Heartbroken Me/ I'm Not Long For This World/ If You See My Baby/
Invitations (To Your Wedding)/ It's Easier Said Than Done/ Leave the Door
Open/ Let's Change Sweethearts/ Powder & Paint/ Satan's A-Waitin'/ Six
Feet of Earth/ Tell Her/ Think Again/ Tho You're In My Arms/ Too Hot To
Handle/ Waltzing With Sin/ Wrong About You (Duet with George Jones)/
You'll Look a Long Time
|
| JUNE CARTER |
B.A.C.M. 262 |
Hillbilly Favourites |
● CD $13.98 |
Fine collection of 27 tracks recorded between 1949 and
1956 by this fine singer whose solo performances have tend to be
overshadowed by that of her sisters and her third husband Johnny Cash. Of
the three Carter Sisters, June was the most outgoing personality acting as
the group's lead personality, dancer and comedienne and so it is noy
suprising that quite a few of the songs here are of the novelty variety
but she also was adept at honky tonk weepers and pop songs. She is
accompanied by some of Nashville's to musicians including Homer & Jethro
who accompany her on five tracks here who also duet with her. On Time's
A Wastin' she duets with her first husband Carl Smith. Other songs
include Crocodil Tears/ For Cryin' Out Loud/ He Don't Love Me Anymore/
Honey, Look What You've Done/ Huckle Buck/ A Bucket Of Love/ Left Over
Lovin'/ Jukebox Blues, etc. Booklet has informative notes by Martin
Hawkins.
|
| THE FLATLANDERS |
New West 6161 |
Hills And Valleys |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 52 mins, highly recommended
The Flatlanders debut record from way, way back was a magical affair and a
watershed moment in the history of "Alt. Country." Thankfully over the
years they have delivered us a little more magic on some rare occasions,
the last time being about five years ago. Comprised of Jimmie Dale
Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely, and using some of the finest session
musician available, like Lloyd Maines and Bukka Allen plus many more, to
provide us a richly detailed album that truly lives up to the legend.
Mixing dreamy, ethereal Country and lively Tex-Mex, this record just
sounds fantastic and will surely please the old fans and hopefully get
some new heads to appreciate it. You get political cuts like Homeland
Refugee, and Cry For Freedom, with love songs, whether about a
relationship as in Borderless Love, or the travelin' lifestyle of
the life-long musician in Thank God For The Road. This album is
full of love throughout and I love it right back, easily one of the best
releases so far this year. (JM)
|
| JIM FORD |
Bear Family BCD 16786 |
Big Mouth USA - The Unissued Paramount
Album |
● CD $18.98 |
10 tracks, 34 mins, recommended
Jim Ford left Capitol records in 1970 amid all kinds of drama and settled
down soon with the Paramount label. Paramount released one single Big
Mouth U.S.A/ Rising Sign, and then promptly shelved the full-length
album amid all kinds of commotion, and there it would stay for the next 35
years or so. Jim Ford rode off into oblivion (or at least Northern
California) and instead of being a household name, he became one of the
most revered and sought after cult artists. (JM)
|
| JIM FORD |
Bear Family BCD 16978 |
The Unissued Capitol Album |
● CD $18.98 |
10 tracks, 36 mins, recommended
This is what should have been his follow up to the outstanding "Harlan
County" album. Due to personality clashes and label politics, this was
shelved for the last almost 40 years and is making its first legitimate
release thanks to the mighty Bear Family label. If you picked up Bear
Family's previous Jim Ford collection, you'll know what to expect and most
likely be chomping at the bit to get these two new CDs. If you haven't
checked the man out yet, he wrote and recorded a unique and powerful blend
of Country Soul, and Sly Stone referred to him as the "Funkiest white man
on the planet!" (JM)
|
| EMMYLOU
HARRIS & CARL JACKSON |
Eldorado 250110 |
I've Always Needed You |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 48 mins, recommended
Here we have a re-issue of an album of duets originally put out in 1985.
Carl Jackson was a long time member of Glen Campbell's band, providing
backing vocals, but especially some fine banjo playing. He lends both to
this album, but it's definitely Emmylou's affair, and her gorgeous vocals
are the focal point. Along with Jackson, other big names that lend their
talents are Ricky Skaggs and Melba Montgomery, along with some excellent
backing musicians. In general, I think the 1980's were a lousy time for
Country music, and this CD suffers mostly from a pronounced 1980's
production, which can get a little over-bearing. Harris and company's
talent tend to rise above the production job for the most part, but I
can't really recommend this too heartily, due to that omnipresent '80s
sound. (JM)
|
| AUTRY INMAN |
Cactus AICD 1 |
Star Of Decca Hillbilly |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, highly recommended
Fine selection of 32 tracks by this obscure but excellent honky tonk
singer from Alabama recorded between 1951 and 1957 - just about his entire
output from this period under his own name. He also recorded duets with
Floyd Robinson under the name of Jack & Daniel - those, along with about
half the tracks here, are available on Cattle 324 but most of the rest are
making their first appearance on CD. Inman was fine singer with a high
voice - a little like Webb Pierce and is accompanied by excellent bands
with fiddles and steel. A number of the songs show the influence of Hank
Williams in their instrumental arrangements. Tracks include Let's Take
The Long Way Home/ Just Smile As You Go By/ Stop Stallin'/ That's All
Right/ Brown Eyed Baby/ It HUrts Too Much To Cry/ Little One/ Finally, I'm
Free/ Tell Me Now and more. It also includes the two rockabilly sides
he cut Be-Bop Baby and It Would Be A Doggone Lie which might
have snet him in a new direction if they had been succesful. Although
Inman had little chart success as a performer he was a prolific songwriter
whose songs were recorded by the like of The Louvin Brothers, Johnny Cash,
Waylon Jennings, George Jones and others. Excellent stuff. (FS)
AUTRY INMAN: A Dear John Letter/ A Friend/ All Of A
Sudden/ Be-Bop Baby/ Blue Monday/ Brown Eyed Baby/ Does Your Sweetheart
Seem Different Lately/ Don't Put It Off/ Finally I'm Free/ Happy Go Lucky/
I Hope Tomorrow Never Comes/ I'll Miss My Heart/ It Hurts Too Much To Cry/
It Would Be A Doggone Lie/ It's A Shame/ Just Reminiscing/ Just Smile As
You Go By/ Let's Take The Long Way Home/ Little One/ Look Over Your
Shoulder/ Once More/ Pucker Up/ Reality/ Stop Stallin'/ Tell Me Now/
That's All Right/ That's When I Need You The Most/ Uh-Huh Honey/ Under The
Moon/ Who Do You Love/ You Said Goodbye/ Your New Love Song
|
| WAYLON
JENNINGS & THE KIMBERLYS |
Righteous PSALM 23.1 |
Country-Folk |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 34 mins, recommended
This is a re-issue of an album from 1969 on Columbia. You can see it in
his eyes, and hear it in his voice, but Waylon Jennings was still trapped
in the system on this record; he would soon break free and help
revolutionize Country music. Basically a typical Chet Atkins production of
the time, Waylon is paired with the mild mannered Kimberleys. That doesn't
mean Waylon fans won't enjoy this, for there is a lot to like here. Sure,
you get some cheesy cuts like MacArthur Park, and Games People
Play, but you also get a fine take on Harold Gay's Drivin' Nails in
the Wall, as well as an early Waylon composition, These New
Changing Times. Certainly big fans of Waylon Jennings will need this
in their collection and other fans of 1960's pop Country will dig it as
well. (JM)
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Bear Family BCD 16928 |
Walk Through This World With Me - The
Complete Musicor |
● CD $119.98 |
The first of two box sets
reissuing all of George's great recordings made
for the Musicor label between 1965 and 1971 except for his duets with gene
Pitney which are available on a single Bear Family CD. The first volume
features five CDs with 142 songs recorded between 1965 and 1967 and
includes two complete sessions from Houston complete with false starts and
alternate takes. It includes booklet with liner notes by Rich Kienzle and
complete discography.
|
| THE LEGARDE TWINS |
B.A.C.M. 266 |
One Little Letter |
● CD $13.98 |
29 tracks recorded between 1951 and 1956 by this popular
Australian duo who sang and yodelled accompanying themselves on guitar
though a number of tracks feature them with a small group. Their
repertoire was a mixture of Australian bush ballads, original songs and
covers of American country songs from the 20s through the 50s. Songs
include One Little Letter/ Pony Boy/ They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree/
Ting A Ling A Jingle/ Unfaithful One/ The Bad Brahma Bull/ Nobody's
Darlin' But Mine/ The Reunion In The Sky, etc. Interestingly the twins
moved to the USA in 1957 where they stayed for a number of years recording
for a number of U.S. labels and hosting their own TV show.
THE LEGARDE TWINS: As Long As I Live/ Before The Dawn/
Echo Yodel/ Gallop Along/ I Don't Hurt Anymore/ In The Jailhouse Now/ It
Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do/ Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way/
Nobody's Darlin' But Mine/ One Little Letter/ Please Don't Say Goodbye/
Pony Boy/ Slowly/ Sunset Yodel/ Tears On Her Bridal Bouquet/ The Bad
Brahma Bull/ The Cowboy Auctioneer/ The Friend/ The Last Waltz/ The
Mountain Railway Song/ The Reunion In The Sky/ The Sinner's Prayer/ There
Stands The Glass/ There's A Bridle Hanging On The Wall/ They Cut Down The
Old Pine Tree/ Ting A Ling A Jingle/ Unfaithful One/ Whisper Your Mother's
Name/ Yodelling Our Way Around The World
|
| BOB MILLER |
B.A.C.M. 263 |
'Leven Cent Cotton Forty Cent Meat |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks, highly recommended
24 tracks recorded between 1929 and 1935 by this fascinating performer
from Memphis who is best known as a songwriter having penned hundreds of
songs including the ever popular Twenty One Years (included here).
His repertoire included sentimental and nostalgic songs (Little Old
Sweet Lady/ Every Sunday Night Back Home, etc.), comic songs (Toodle
Lolly Day/ Missouri Mule, etc), two part sketches (Jeannie's
Strawberry Farm/ Practice Night At Chicken Bristle) and, most notably,
topical songs (Ohio Prison Fire/ Crash Of The Akron/ Farm RElief Blues/
Eleven cent Cotton Forty Cent Meat, etc.). Although not really a
country singer his singing is very engaging and he is accompanied by
various small groups including fiddle, banjo, accordion, jews harp, etc.
Excellent sound and informative notes by Tony Russell. (FS)
|
| BUDDY & JULIE MILLER |
New West 6158 |
Written In Chalk |
● CD $16.98 |
12 tracks, 51 min., essential
Most of the "country" music that comes out of Nashville these days is just
pop music with occasional steel guitar and pickup truck references, so
it's nice that someone there (albeit in a home studio) is still making
incredibly heartfelt, unpretentious country music (which is what the term
"alt. country" often means these days) that both the Carter Family and
George Jones would recognize as a relation. On their first album together
in 8 years, this wife and husband team tend toward spare production and
instrumentation, making every part more necessary and important. And while
Buddy (who plays guitar for Emmylou Harris as his day job) is a top flight
guitarist and formidable singer, the star of this particular show is
Julie's songwriting. She penned 8 of the 12 songs, including the
heartbreaking Don't Say Goodbye, the amazing tribute to June Carter
Cash (June), the title track, and the opener Ellis County
which yearns for the simplicity of the past and includes the lines "Take
me back when all we could afford was laughter / And two mules instead of a
tractor." Julie Miller steeps her lyrics in equal measures of sorrow and
hope, mining her own life (it seems) for some of the former and leaning
heavily on her religion for some of the latter. Emmylou Harris, Robert
Plant, Patty Griffin, and others make appearances, but it's all about
Buddy and Julie. Not to be missed. (JC)
|
| BUDDY MILLER |
Shout Factory/ Hightone 10973 |
The Best Of The Hightone Years |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
This statesman of Alternative County has been through a rough patch of bad
health lately, but word is he's getting better and will return to
performing soon. We here at Roots send him our very best for a full and
speedy recovery. That adds another reason to pick up this fantastic
collection now, for I'm sure some extra sales would be nice to get those
doctor bills paid. The first reason is that it is a superb collection,
full of some of Miller's best work. This is the best of his Hightone
recordings, so it features such great cuts as That's How I Got To
Memphis/ Midnight and Lonesome/ Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger, etc. As
well as great duets with his wife Julie Miller (a great singer in her own
right,) The River's Gonna Run/ Little Darlin and Rock Salt and
Nails. Steve Earle, never one to shy away from superlatives, calls
Miller "The greatest Country singer alive," pretty high praise considering
George Jones, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard are all still
around. However you rank him, Buddy Miller is a great Country artist who
continues to put out quality work and this collection is a great place to
start if you don't have much by him. (JM)
|
| EDDIE NOACK |
Cactus ENCD 1 |
The Starday & D Sessions, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
30 tracks, 69 mins, essential
Hallelujah, finally a CD of one of the unheralded giants of Texas honky
tonk. Today Noack is best known as a songwriter and for his 1968 novelty
song Psycho but he was an exceptional performer. He was originally
from Houston and had degrees in English and journalism. He made his first
recording for Gold Star in 1949 but this disc features his recordings made
for Starday and D in the mid 50s. Noack's vocals were pure honky tonk and
he sang some original great songs accompanied by an outstanding
instrumental group with sawing fiddles and soaring steel guitar. Eddie was
recording at the same time as George Jones and his songs have the same
feel as George's so if you like early George Jones you'll love this. Among
the highlights here are his only hit, the wonderful Have Blues Will
Travel with it's wonderful bass guitar riff, the rollicking Take It
Away Lucky, the whimsical Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby, the aching
For You I Weep and the clever A Thinking Man's Woman but
it's all great and long overdue. No notes but it's the music that counts
and that's superb. Excellent sound quality. (FS)
EDDIE NOACK: A Million Friends (But No Sweetheart)/ A
Thinking Man's Woman/ Can't Play Hookey (As By Tommy Wood)/ Don't Look
Behind/ Don't Trade/ Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby/ Dust On The River/ Fair
Today, Cold Tomorrow/ For You I Weep/ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes/ Have Blues
Will Travel/ If It Ain't On The Menu/ It Ain't Much But It's Home/ Left
Over Lovin'/ My Steady Dream (As By Tommy Wood)/ Relief Is Just A Swallow
Away/ Scarecrow/ Shake Hands With The Blues/ She Can't Stand The Light Of
Day/ Sunflower Song/ Take It Away Lucky/ The Man On The Wall/ The Price Of
Love/ The Worm Has Turned/ Think Of Her Now/ Walk 'Em Off/ What's The
Matter Joe?/ When The Bright Lights Grow Dim/ Wind Me Up/ You Done Got Me
|
| EDDIE NOACK |
Cactus ENCD 2 |
Volume 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
The second
collection of this superb Texas honky tonk is almost good as the first.
Most of it features his post Starday recordings along with some unissued
Starday titles and a couple of cuts pre-dating his Starday recordings. It
includes his cult favorite recorded in 1968 - the deranged Psycho
(a song that would do Norman Bates proud - "She Was With That Jackie
White, Mama/ I Killed Them Both And They're Buried Underneath Jenkins
Sycamore"!) and the almost as deranged Dolores. But most of it is
straight ahead songs of love, loss, drinking, cheating and the like
including the cleverly titled Sleeping Like A Baby (With A Bottle In My
Hand). There's a terrific home demo with Eddie accompanying himself on
acoustic guitar on Me & My New Baby, half a dozen covers of hits
recorded for the Dixie label including great versions of City Lights
and Oh Lonesome Me and three tracks from the superb Jimmie Rodgers
LP he recorded in the early 70s. This man was one of the best and why he
isn't better known is a real mystery. (FS)
EDDIE NOACK: (When The Band Played) The Paul Jones/ A
Million Friends But No Sweethearts (Unissued)/ Barbara Joy/ Beer Drinking
Blues/ Blue Yodel Medley/ City Lights/ Dolores/ Firewater Luke (D)/
Firewater Luke (Mercury -Remake)/ Gonna Have Myself A Party/ House On A
Mountain/ I Don't Live Here No More/ If Hearts Could Talk (Unissued)/
Invisible Stripes/ Invitation To The Blues/ Me & My New Baby (Home Demo)/
Oh Lonesome Me/ Psycho/ Shotgun House/ Sleeping Like A Baby (with A Bottle
In my Mouth)/ Squaws Along The Yukon/ Stolen Rose/ The Fall-Out (Keeps On
Hurtin')/ The Life You've Lived (Unissued)/ Think Of Her Now/ Too Hot To
Handle/ Too Weak To Go/ Train Whistle Medley/ Waiting For A Train/
Wanderin' Oakie (Unissued)/ When The Bright Lights Grow Dim/ You Can't
Keep A Good Man Down
|
| WEBB PIERCE |
B.A.C.M. 267 |
Tupelo County Jail |
● CD $13.98 |
26 tracks, 71 mins, very highly recommended
Considering
how popular Webbb Pierce was in the 50s and 60s it's a real disgrace that
he is so woefully underrepresented on CD reissues. Apart from the extensive
and expensive Bear Family box, the best the record company he made
millions of dollars for can come up with is a 12 track greatest hits
package. This is a superb collection of sides recorded between 1951 and
1958 - it includes several hits but mostly consists of non hit singles,
B-sides and LP tracks. Webb's singing is superb, his high lonesome voice
is somewhat like that of a bluegrass singer but the music is pure honky
tonk. Accompanied by his backing group The Wondering Boys with fine fiddle
and steel work he sings an excellent selection of songs - many written or
co-written by Webb himself. Songs include So used To Loving You/ The
Old Country Church/ Bugle Call From Heaven/ I'm Really Glad You Hurt Me/
How Long/ Tupelo County Jail/ Sittin' Alone/ I'm Gonna See My Baby Tonight
and others including the rockabilly flavored You'll Come Back.
Excellent. (FS)
WEBB PIERCE: A Thousand Miles Ago/ Bow Thy Head/ Bugle
Call From Heaven/ Cryin' Over You/ Don't Do It Darlin'/ Falling Back To
You/ How Long/ I Care No More/ I'll Always Take Care Of You/ I'm Gonna See
My Baby Tonight/ I'm Letting You Go/ I'm Really Glad You Hurt Me/ If
Crying Would Make You Care/ Mother Call My Name In Prayer/ Sittin' Alone/
So Used To Loving You/ Someday/ The Old Country Church/ Tupelo County
Jail/ We'll Find A Way/ What Goes On In Your Heart/ Who Wouldn't Love You/
You Just Can't Be True/ You Know I'm Still In Love With You/ You'll Come
Back/ You're Good For Nothing Heart
|
| BILLY STRANGE |
B.A.C.M. 264 |
Catsup And Honey |
● CD $13.98 |
23 tracks, highly recommended
Though Billy Strange is best
known as a versatile session guitarist having played with everyone from
Elvis to Speedy West to The Beach Boys to Wanda Jackson to Nancy Sinatra.
He was also a talented arranger and songwriter and has recorded a number
of instrumental album but this set features singles he recorded in the
50s. Billy was a fine stranger with a warm, appealing voice and is
featured on a wide range of material accompanied by musicians like Harold
Hensley, Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant. It includes his fine version of
Vaughn Horton's Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves plus A Lonesome
Lover's Lie/ Catsup And Honey/ Half A Photograph/ I'll Never Change My
Mind About You/ Let Me Be In There Baby/ The Alamanc Song/ Kiss, Kiss,
Kiss, etc. (FS)
|
| ERNEST TUBB |
JSP JSPCD 77107 |
The Early Years, 1936-1945 |
● CD $28.98 |
Just arrived. Four CD set with 103 tracks devoted to the
early years of this great country legend. It includes all his commercial
recordings from 1936 to 1945 including the original hit versions of
Walking The Floor Over You/ Blue Eyed Elaine/ Tomorrow Never Comes/ Try Me
One More Time/ Soldier's Last Letter and many more and also includes
all the World Transcriptions from 1944 and '45 which frequently duplicate
songs he recorded for Decca. One can trace the development of E.T's sound
from his first recordings where he emulated his idol Jimmie Rodgers with
just his own limited guitar accompaniment to tracks with second acoustic
guitar and the gradual addition of additional instruments like electric
guitar, steel guitar, fiddle and bass. Musicians joining him include
Jimmie Short, Fay "Smitty" Smith, Wesley Tuttle, Johnny Sapp, Melvin
"Leon" Short and others.
ERNEST TUBB: The Passing of Jimmie Rodgers/ The Last
Thoughts of Jimmie Rodgers/ Married Man Blues/ Mean Old Bed Bug Blues/ My
Mother Is Lonely/ The Right Train to Heaven/ The T.B. Is Whipping Me/
Since That Black Cat Crossed My Path/ Blue Eyed Elaine/ I'll Never Cry
Over You/ I'll Get Along Somehow/ You Broke a Heart/ I Ain't Gonna Love
You Anymore/ I'm Glad I Met You After All/ I Cared for You More Than I
Knew/ You'll Love Me Too Late/ I've Really Learned a Lot/ Swell San
Angelo/ I Know What It Means to Be Lonely/ Please Remember Me/ My Rainbow
Trail/ Last Night I Dreamed/ I'm Missing You/ My Baby and My Wife/ Walking
the Floor Over You/ When the World Has Turned You Down/ Our Baby's Book/
I'll Always Be Glad to Take You Back/ Mean Mama Blues/ I Wonder Why You
Said Goodbye/ I Ain't Goin' Honky Tonkin' Any More/ I Hate to See You Go/
Time After Time/ First Year Blues/ There's Nothing More to Say/ Wasting My
Life Away/ You May Have Your Picture/ That Same Old Story/ Try Me One More
Time/ You Nearly Lose Your Mind/ That's When It's Comin' Home to You/ I'm
Wondering How/ Tomorrow Never Comes/ Soldier's Last Letter/ Careless
Darlin'/ Yesterday's Tears/ Those Simple Things Are Worth a Million Now/
Answer to "Walking the Floor Over You"/ You Won't Ever Forget Me/ Keep My
Mem'ry in Your Heart/ I Lost My Ace of Hearts/ Though the Days Were Only
Seven/ With Tears in My Eyes/ Are You Waiting Just for Me/ I'll Get Along
Somehow/ Blue Eyed Elaine/ You'll Love Me Too Late/ I'll Never Lose You
Though You're Gone/ I'm Too Blue to Worry Over You/ There's Nothing More
to Say/ I Hate to See You Go/ I'll Always Be Glad to Have You Back/ Too
Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry/ I'm Wondering How/ Last Night I Dreamed/
This Time We're Really Through/ You May Have Your Picture/ I Ain't Goin'
Honky Tonkin' Anymore/ Walking the Floor Over You/ Have You Changed Your
Mind/ Just Rollin' On/ You Nearly Lose Your Mind/ I'll Never Cry Over You/
Our Baby's Book/ When the World Has Turned You Down/ Wonder Why You Said
Goodbye/ I'm Glad I Met You After All/ That's All She Wrote/ I Ain't Gonna
Love You Anymore/ I Don't Want You After All/ Just Crying to Myself/ Try
Me One More Time/ I've Lived a Lie/ Wondering If You're Wondering Too/
When Love Turns to Hate/ There's a New Moon Over My Shoulder/ Daisy May/ I
Hung My Head and Cried/ There's Nothin' on My Mind/ Too Late to Worry, Too
Blue to Cry/ Love Gone Cold/ You Brought Sorrow to My Heart/ Home in San
Antone/ Darling What More Can I Do?/ Blue Bonnet Lane/ I Believe I'm
Entitled to You/ You're Going to Be Sorry/ My Confession/ That's Why I'm
Crying Over You/ Gone and Left Me Blues/ When the Tumbleweeds Come
Tumbling Down Again/ I'll Be True While You're Gone/ The End of the World
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus DECCD 1 |
Decca Hillbilly, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, highly recommended
Previously on Official 5053.
Another great collection of up tempo hillbilly - this time featuring
recordings made in the 50s for Decca. There are some well known names like
Ernest Tubb, Webb Pierce, Justin Tubb & T. Texas Tyler and lots of lesser
known artists like Charlie Adams, Glenn Douglas, Gary Bryant, Al Coker,
etc. but all of it's excellent with fine honky tonk vocals, sawing fiddles
and soaring steel and electric guitars. Some of the tracks can be
considered borderline rockabilly. No notes but sound quality is superb.
(FS)
You/ GARY BRYANT: I'm Just Wild About You/ VERNON CLAUD:
Daylight Angel/ AL COKER: Let's Do it Again/ GLENN DOUGLAS: Let it Roll/
What Cha' Don't Do To Me/ ARLIE DUFF: Home Boy/ JIM EANES: In a Little
Spanish Restaurant/ Wiggle Worm Wiggle/ BILLY GRAY: Okie Blondie/ BILLY
JACK HALE: Your Eyes/ AUTRY INMAN: Brown Eyed Baby/ Uh-Huh Honey/ JIMMY &
JOHNNY: 'Till The End of The World/ Sweet Singing Daddy/ JIMMIE LOGSDON: I
Wanna Be Mama'd/ LONZO & OSCAR: See Saw Baby/ WEBB PIERCE: In the
Jailhouse Now/ WAYNE RANEY: 40th & Plum/ RICKY RIDDLE: Drivin' Down the
Wrong Side of the Road/ I'm a Whip Crackin' Daddy/ RED SOVINE: Juke Joint
Johnny/ ERNEST TUBB: Have You Seen (My Boogie Woogie Baby)/ Thirty Days/
JUSTIN TUBB: All Alone/ I'm a Big Boy Now/ Ooh La La/ T. TEXAS TYLER: Hot
Rod Rag/ Scratch & Itch/ Ten-Ten-Tennessee Line/ TEX WILLIAMS: Roses &
Revolvers
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus DECCD 2 |
Decca Hillbilly, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, highly recommended
More fine up-tempo hillbilly
from the 50s including Red Foley (the fine country boogie Giles County
Pulaski Post Office, The Howington Brothers (two fine tracks including
a boppin' hillbilly update of the old vaudeville song I Got Mine),
Lee Bonds, Jimmy Logsdon (his hot Hank Snow flavored I'm Going Back To
Tennessee is one of the highlights here), Autry Inman, Bob Eaton (two
excellent sides), Jimmy Skinner (always fine), Tabby West, Lonzo & oscar
(two novelty numbers), Arlie Duff, Gary Brtyant, Barbara Allen (a fine
singer with a bit of Wanda Jackson in her performance), and more. (FS)
CHARLIE ADAMS: Baby Let Me Kindle Your Flame/ BARBARA
ALLEN: Make Up Your Mind/ LEE BONDS: I'm Lookin' for Some Lovin'/ GARY
BRYANT: Lover's Moon/ JIMMIE DAVIS: Collinda/ Fifteen Miles from Dallas/
ARLIE DUFF: Courtin' in the Rain/ BOB EATON: My Dreamboat Struck a Snag/
Virginia on a Saturday Night/ RED FOLEY: Giles County Pulaski Post Office/
HANK GARLAND: Guitar Shuffle/ BILLY GRAY: Girls Girls Girls/ Mr.
Opportunity/ HARDROCK GUNTER: I Done Gone Hog Wild/ Perfect Woman/ THE
HOWINGTON BROTHERS: I Got Mine/ Should I Should, Should I Shouldn't/ AUTRY
INMAN: Let's Take the Long Way Home/ Pucker Up/ GRANDPA JONES: Eight More
Miles to Louisville/ JIMMY LOGSDON: I'm Going Back to Tennessee/ LONZO &
OSCAR: It Can't Be Done/ It Musta Been Something I Et/ BILLY MIZE: I Saw
Her First/ MERV SHINER: Ball & Chain Boogie/ JIMMIE SKINNER: I'm Allergic
to Your Kisses/ RED SOVINE: I Hope You Don't Care/ GENE STEWART: Empty
Seat in the Bar Room Booth/ JUSTIN TUBB: I'm Lookin' for a Date Tonight/
T. TEXAS TYLER: The Firemen & Engineers Ball/ TABBY WEST:
Chat-Chat-Chattanooga/ Texas Millionaire
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus DECCD 3 |
Decca Hillbilly, Vol. 3 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 more fine sides recorded for Decca in the early to mid
50s - The Howington Brothers, Charlie Monroe,Goldie Hill, Autry Inman, Salty
Holmes, Red Sovine and many more.
JACK BRADSHAW: My Heart, My Heart/ BUZ BUTLER: A Year Of
City Living/ JIMMIE DAVIS: Cherokee Boogie/ GLEN DOUGLAS: Used Up Love/
RED FOLEY: Tenneslee Hill-Billy Ghost/ BILLY GRAY: Farther On Down The
Road/ HARDROCK GUNTER: Hesitation Boogie/ Honky Tonk Baby/ GOLDIE HILL:
Sample My Kissln'/ TOMMY HILL: I Ain't Settln' Where I Was/ SALTY HOLMES:
The Ghost Song/ THE HOWINGTON BROTHERS: Tennessee Rooster Fight/ Two
Faced/ AUTRY INMAN: All Of A Sudden/ JACK & DANIEL: Knot Hole/ Throwing
Water On The Flame/ HANK LOCKLIN: Baby You Can Count Me In/ JIMMY LOGSDON:
My Sweet French Baby/ LONZO & OSCAR: Skunk Skin Britches/ BENNY MARTIN:
Untrue You/ CHARLIE MONROE: These Triflin' Women/ CLYDE MOODY: Whatta
Line/ REX PROPHET: Goodbye Katie, Bar The Door/ Travellln' Kind/ JIMMIE
SKINNER: Baby I Could Change My Ways/ RED SOVINE: Hold EverythIng/ Oulaw/
ERNEST TUBB: So Doggone Lonesome/ CHARLIE WALKER: Tell Her Lies & Feed Her
Candy/ You Don't Need No Other Daddy Like Me/ THE WILBURN BROTHERS: I
Close My Eyes/ I Wanna Wanna Wanna
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus MGMCD 1 |
MGM Hillbilly, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
33 tracks, highly recommended
Previously available as
Official 5054. A fine collection of mostly up-tempo honky-tonk country.
There are few familiar names alongside a lot of obscure but superb
performers. Includes Billy Jack Wills, Jesse Rogers, Joe "Cannonball"
Lewis (three exceptional sides), Sheb Wooley, Bud Hobbs (two great sides
with hot guitar from Buck Owens and fine fiddle), Bob Gallion, Paul Davis,
Don Gibson, Bill Flagg (a great cover of Jimmie Skinner's Doin' My Time),
Bob Wills, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith (the fine talking blues Just
Lookin' with Smith's distinctive guitar style), Red Sovine, George
McCormick (two tracks of superb honky tonk), Marvin Rainwater (two
typically offbeat but fine sides from this unique artist), Tommy Faile
(the fine bluegrassy Bye Bye Black Smoke Choo Choo, etc. Sound
quality is excellent but lack of notes is unfortuante. (FS)
ZEKE CLEMENTS: Blue Texas Blues/ Payday Saturday Night/
PAUL DAVIS: Big Money/ BUD DECKELMAN: I Done Fell Too Far/ TOMMY FAILE:
Bye Bye Black Smoke Choo Choo/ BILL FLAGG: Doin' My Time/ BOB GALLION: I
Want Her Blues/ DON GIBSON: Ah Ha/ I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time/ HARDROCK
GUNTER: Where Have You Been/ BUD HOBBS: Brimstone Beauty/ Mean, Mean,
Mean/ ERNIE LEE: I've Got My Heart On A Budget/ JOE (CANNONBALL) LEWIS:
I'm Mighty Hard To Beat/ Railroad Engineer/ Truck Driver's Night Run
Blues/ GEORGE MCCORMICK: Don't Fix Up The Doghouse/ I'll Keep Your Name On
File/ MARVIN RAINWATER: Get Off The StooI/ Tennessee Houn' Dog Yodel/
TEXAS JIM ROBERTSON: Automatic Woman/ JESSE ROGERS: Foldin' Money/ ARTHUR
(GUITAR BOOGIE) SMITH: Just Lookin'/ RED SOVINE: Okey Dokey/ You're
Barking Up The Wrong Tree/ TOBY STROUD: My P'roxide Blond/ JIMMY SWAN:
Frost On My Roof/ JIMMIE WALKER: Look What Followed Me Home Tonight/ BILLY
JACK WILLS: Hey, Mr. Mailman/ Troubles/ BOB WILLS: Hubbin' It/ SHEB
WOOLEY: I Flipped/ I Go Out or My Mind
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus MGMCD 2 |
MGM Hillbilly, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, highly recommended
Another terrific collection
of up tempo hillbilly - most of it making it's first appearance on CD.
Although most of the artists here are pretty obscure, practically none of
them making the charts, it wasn't for lack of talent. Lots of great sides
here from Paul Davis, Sam Nichols (his wetsrn swing flavored I Want My
Alimony has some hot steel guitar), Joe Cannonball Lewis, Bud Hobbs,
Jack Hart, Peewee Maddux (his Lover's Crime sounds
very much like a traditional ballad), Jerry Irby (the hot
Hillbilly Boogie), Billy Worth, Rusty Gabbard (the perennially valid
The High Cost Of Living), George McCormick, Skeets Yaney and more.
(FS)
RANDY ATCHER: You're A Living Doll/ Why Look For Sugar/
ZEKE CLEMENTS: I Want To Live A Little/ PAUL DAVIS: I Don't Need A Back
Seat Driver/ I'm On The Loose/ DAVE DENNY: Stop, You're Breaking My Heart/
RUSTY GABBARD: So Sorry Joe/ The High Cost Of Living/ BOB GALLION:
Trademark On What I Found/ HARDROCK GUNTER: Like The Lovers Do/ Naptown,
Ind./ JACK HART: Knock Out The Lights (& Call The Law)/ BUD HOBBS: Pick Up
Truck/ JERRY IRBY: HillbiIly Boogie/ MARY ANN JOHNSON: Keep The Change/
JOE CANNONBALL LEWIS: Train Whistle Nightmare/ PEEWEE MADDUX: Lover's
Crime/ GEORGE MCCORMICK: Doubt/ Fifty-Fifty Honky Tonkin'/ SAM NICHOLS: I
Want My Alimony/ Texas Lady/ RICKY RIDDLE: Steamboat Boogie/ JESSE ROGERS:
I Gotta Love Just Like I Live/ SALTY & MATTIE: Long Time Gone/ ARTHUR
SMITH: Indian Boogie/ FRED WAMBLE: Let's Don't Wait/ JIMMY WILLIAMS:
Without Me/ BILLY JACK WILLS: Cadillac In Model "A"/ BILLY WORTH: Then
You're Really Making Love/ There's Good In Everybody/ SKEETS YANEY: Apple
Of My Eye/ Hello Trouble
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus CASHCD 1 |
The House Of Cash Alikes, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
31 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended
Personally I think
"The House of Cash-ins" would have been a better title, but hey -- I
didn't put this CD out, and either way I think that you'll get the gist of
the situation. Johnny Cash was a big, big man, an artist as influential as
he was popular and here we have two CD compilations chock full of Cash wanna-bes, sound-alikes.and a few skunks that should have done got shot
for out-right robbery. There a few tracks here that are so close to
sounding like Johnny Cash it's downright spooky, my wife thought that we
were listening to a J.C. CD until I told her what the deal was. Of the
ones that do a dead-on take on the master, Johnny Doe's Devil Train,
Hal Smith's Makin' a Livin' With My Guitar, and Bud Landon's Six
Mile Climb, stand out as the most eerily similar. Mixed in are a
number of great Cash covers as well. You get two covers of Folsom
Prison Blues/ I Walk The Line, and even "Mean Eyed Cat!" The
multi-talented Sleepy La Beef makes an appearance with his Ridin'
Fence, but that's the closest you will get to a big name here. Which
is fine, the oddballs and also-rans make up a lot of the charm of this
collection. So if you are a Johnny Cash fan, this is pretty much
essential, but Country fans and fans of outsider artists will all enjoy.
If you are familiar with the Cactus label, you will know that they put out
no-frills CDs, with no notes etc, but with overall fantastic sound. (JM)
MERLIN ANDREWS: Cocaine Blues/ BENNY BARNES: I Walk The
Line/ Train Of Love/ BART BARTON: Ballad Of Earl K Long/ JERRY COX: Friday
You Said Goodbye/ DURWOOD DALY: That's The Way It Goes/ JOHNNY DOE: Cab
Drivin' Man/ Devil Train/ WEBB FOLEY: Makin' A Plan/ O.C. HOLT: Poor Boy/
This Train/ JEFF JOHNSON: Doin' My Time/ BENNY JOY: Dark Angel/ SLEEPY LA
BEEF: Ridin' Fence/ BUD LANDON: Running Man/ Six Mile Climb/ LONNIE
MULLINS: It Was You/ MELVIN NASH: True Lovin' Woman/ JIM NESBITT: Cry Me A
River/ CLAYTON LEE PHELPS: Muddy Road/ JOHNNY SKILES: Come Paddle Footin'
Down/ HAL SMITH: Makin' A Livin' With My Guitar/ LONNIE SMITHSON: Me & The
Blues/ DANE STINIT: Flip Top Flipper/ Mean Eyed Cat/ CURTIS STVENSON: Mr
Blues/ NORMAN SULLIVAN: Folsom Prison Blues/ HANK SWATLEY: Ways Of A Woman
In Love/ THE THREE RAMBLERS: If You Call That Love/ BILL TIDWELL: Folsom
Prison Blues/ CHUCK WELLS: Down & Out
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus CASHCD 2 |
The House Of Cash Alikes, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
31 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
Yet another beefy
collection of Johnny Cash take offs, covers etc. The wealth of great
oddball material available for these comps is just staggering and this
volume is even better than the previous. Some stand out tracks include;
Nail Parker's Tennessee Cat, Wayne Cross's Stranger in Black,
Johnny Price's Marijuana, The Devil Flower, Louis Williams's A
Girl Named Sam, Jeffery J. Jerrery's A Sioux Named Boy, and
Jane Morgan's A Girl Named Johnny Cash. I think that you get the
idea of what you are in store for. This is the kind of compilation that
College and online radio are made for. (JM)
RUSTY ADAMS: I Walk the Line/ HOUSTON BANKS: She's Gone/
BILL COMPTON: Iron Man/ HOWARD CROCKETT: I've Been a Long Time Leaving/
WAYNE CROSS: Hey Mr. Guitar Man/ Stranger in Black/ JOHNNY DOE: A Boy
Named Sue/ TOM EDWARDS: Cook County Jail/ STAN FARLOW: Hot Wheels/ TROOPER
JIM FOSTER: Four on the Floor/ JEFFERY J. JERRERY: A Sioux Named Boy/ THE
JESSE TRAVERS: Blues Express/ SAMMY JULIAN: Lead Guitar Man/ BUZZ MARTIN:
Cummins Prison/ JIMMY MINOR: So Doggone Lonesome/ JANE MORGAN: A Girl
Named Johnny Cash/ JOHNNY NELMS: Mr. Freight Train/ DICK NOLAN: All Over
Again/ NEIL PARKER: Tennessee Cat/ JOHNNY PRICE: Marijuana, The Devil
Flower/ BOBBY ROWAN: So Doggone Lonesome/ JOHNNY SEA: It Won't Be Easy to
Forget/ My Baby Walks All Over Me/ JOHNNY STARR: Lewisburg Prison/ CHARLIE
STEWART: Who'd Lie on Johnny Cash/ AL TERRY: My Baby Knows/ MITCHELL
TOROK: All Over Again & Again/ BOBBY WAYNE: Big Train/ TV Dream/ LOUIS
WILLIAMS: A Girl Named Sam/ BASHFUL BOBBY WOOTEN: Goin' Deer Huntin'
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus IMPCD 1 |
Imperial Hillbilly |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, very highly recommended
Although best known for
its blues, R&B and rock 'n' roll recordings Imperial also had an extensive
catalog of country recordings releasing more than 300 singles between 1949
and 1960. As far as I know the only artist in their catalog to hit the big
time was Slim Whitman but I would assume that their recordings had a local
following since they issued so many and based on the tracks here they
issued some outstandingly good sides. Many of the recordings were made in
the label's own studios in Los Angeles but others were recorded in Texas
and elsewhere. Only a handful of the tracks here have ever appeared on any
kind of reissue - LP or CD. The tracks here are all from the early/ mid
50s. Among the artists are Earl Songer, Billy Briggs (a singer and steel
guitarist who specialized in novelty songs and this set includes his
outrageously politically incorrect The Sissy Song and the bizarre
Christmas song North Pole Boogie), Red Romine, Charlie Adams (the
topical Korean war song I'm A Army Man), Bill Mack (the great blues
Big Bad Daddy), Van Howard, Billy Starr (a fine 1953 country cover
of Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog), Doyle Wright (the great
bluegrass flavored Someday You'll Return), Dub Dickerson, Ed Camp,
Harry Rodcay and more. Excellent sound but no notes. (FS)
CHARLIE ADAMS: I'm An Army Man/ BILLY BRIGGS: Coyote
Song/ North Pole Boogie/ The Sissy Song/ ED CAMP: I'm Gonna Put The Wammy
On You/ If I Catch You Flirtin' With My Baby/ Tie A String Around Your
Finger/ EDDIE DEAN: Okefenokee/ DUB DICKERSON: Ain't Got No Doggone Gal/
Owl Hoot Blues/ EDDIE HAZELWOOD: Back In Texas/ JIMMIE HEAP: When They
Operated On Papa/ GENE HENSLEE: Dig'n And Datin'/ I'm Like A Kid
A'Waitin'/ What Will I Do/ VAN HOWARD: I'm Not A Kid Anymore/ Let's Spend
Our Lives Together/ You Broke My Heart Again/ JIMMY KELLY: Dunce Cap/
MERLE KILGORE: Seeing Double, Feeling Single/ PETE LANE:
One-Two-Three-Skid-Doo/ BILL MACK: Big Bad Daddy/ That's The Way I Like
You/ HARRY RODCAY: If You Won't Say You Love Me/ My Heart Keeps On
Beatin'/ RED ROMINE: Money In The Bank/ CURLEY SANDERS: Too Much Lovin'/
EARL SONGER: I Want Your Love/ Whoopie Baby/ BILLY STARR: Hound Dog/
CHARLIE WALKER: Two Red Lips/ DOYLE WRIGHT: Someday You'll Return
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus STACD 1 |
Starday Hillbilly, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
More fabulous,
uptempo, honky tonk country music from the fifties - this time drawn from
the extensive catalog of Starday records which means that many of the
artists are from the great state of Texas. It opens with Cecil Bowman's
great rockabilly side Blues Around My Door and continues on with
Tommy Castle's incredibly rare and witty I've Done More Accidentally and
continues on with sides by Red Hays, Sonny Burns, Ruddy Gaddis (the
topical - for the 50s anyway - Uranium Fever), Frank Evans, Jack Cardwell
(the fabulous Hey, hey Baby), Gene Tabor (his
Real Gone Jesse
is a classic), Fred Crawford, Lucky Hill, Glenn Barber, Lee Ogietree and others. More than half the tracks are making their
first appearance on CD and just about all of them are really excellent.
Sound quality is fine - bare bones packaging. (FS)
GLENN BARBER: Livin' High & Wide/ Poor Man's Baby/ CECIL
BOWMAN: Blues Around My Door/ SONNY BURNS: Another Woman Lookin' For A
Man/ Blue Blue Rain/ JACK CARDWELL: Hey Hey Baby/ TOMMY CASTLE: I've Done
More Accidentally/ LES CHAMBERS: Bald Headed Daddy/ MARY JO CHELETTE: Son
Of Mexican Joe/ KEN CLARK: Ho Ho Love 'Em Joe/ ORVILLE COUCH: I Will If
You Will/ FRED CRAWFORD: Me & My New Baby/ Never Gonna Get Married Again/
FRANK EVANS: I'm Different/ Pull The Shades Down Ma'/ RUDY GADDIS: Uranium
Fever/ JOE GIBSON: Oh Brother/ JACK HAMMONS: Mr. Cupid/ RED HAYS: Doggone
Woman/ R.D. HENDON: Don't Push Me/ BOB HEPPER: I Don't Like It/ LUCKY
HILL: Fickle Baby/ RED MANSEL: I've Crossed You Off My List/ CHUCK
MAYFIELD: Lucky Me/ DARNELL MILLER: Back To You/ EDDIE NOACK: Take It Away
Lucky/ LEE OGIETREE: Crooked Dice/ DON PAYNE: Pogo The Hobo/ AL PETTY:
Steel Mill/ JACK RHODES with FREDDIE FRANKS: Gypsy Heart/ ROY ROBINSON:
Little Romeo/ GENE TABOR: I'm A Real Gone Jesse
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus STACD 2 |
Starday Hillbilly, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
33 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
The second volume
features more fine up tempo Texas honky tonk. It's not quite as strong as
volume one (a number of titles are forgettable novelties) but it's still
very worthwhile. Artists include Sonny Burns, R.D. Hendon, George Jones
(the great You Travelled Too Far which I don't think has been on CD
before), Leon Payne, Blackie Crawford (featuring the most rickety and out
of tune piano I've ever heard), Peggy Upton & Danny Buck, Jim eanes,
Margie Singleton, Orville Crouch, Chuck Mayfield, Link Davis (his Bayou
Buffalo is one of his lesser efforts), Ray Lunsford, Neal Merritt,
Frank Evans, James O'Gwynn (the wonderful Losing Game) and more.
(FS)
SONNY BURNS: Powder & Paint/ Too Hot To Handle/ BILL
CLIFTON: Take Back Your Heart/ BIFF COLLIE: Joy Joy Joy/ ORVILLE COUCH:
Five Cent Candy/ BLACKIE CRAWFORD: Stop Boogie Woogie/ LINK DAVIS: Bayou
Buffalo/ JACK DERRICK: Rainbow Of Love/ ARLIE DUFF: Fifteen Cents A Sop/
JIM EANES: Don't Stop Now/ FRANK EVANS: Barrel Of Heartaches/ LUKE GORDON:
Baby's Gone/ MAY HAWKS: Talk A Little Louder/ R.D. HENDON: You Travelled
To Far/ HOOT & CURLEY: Hurry Hurry/ You Get What You Pay For/ SMILIN'
JERRY JERICHO: Moanin' In The Mornin'/ GEORGE JONES: Hold Everything/ RAY
LUNSFORD: Carroll County Blues/ BILL MACK: Cheatin' On Your Mind/ CHUCK
MAYFIELD: Hog Sloppin' Time/ Washing On THe Line/ NEAL MERRITT: The
Funniest Feeling/ DARNELL MILLER: Cardboard Sweetheart/ BILL NETTLES:
Gumbo Mumbo/ JACK NEWMAN: Full Of Love/ JAMES O'GWYNN: Losing Game/ LEON
PAYNE: We're On The Main Line/ MELVIN PRICE: The Pace That Kills/ MARGIE
SINGLETON: My Picture Of You/ JOHNNY TOOLEY: Looking Glass Heart/ PEGGY
UPTON & DANNY BUCK: What'cha Gonna Do/ EARNEY VANDERGRIFF: I Know I'm
Falling In Love
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus CAPCD 2 |
Capitol Hillbilly, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
33 tracks, 79 mins, highly recommended
Another terrific
collection of mostly uptempo honky tonk country recorded in the 50s for
Capitol. There are several well known titles like You Gotta have A
License by Tommy Collins, A Six Pack To Go by Hank Thompson and
Oklahoma Hills by Jack Guthrie but the majority of the tracks are
by lesser known artists but are consistently fine including Jimmy Lee (the
fabulous Go Ahead And Go, Owen Perry, Joe Allison (His Domino
Gal is a goofy songs but has a hot guitar solo - possibly Merle
Travis?), Eddie Arkridge, Roy Hogsed, gene O'Quin (one of the great
underrated honky tonk singers), Jimmie Skinner (always fine - his I
Ain't Got The Time with tough mandolin solo is a gem), Bill Dudley,
TExas Bill Strength, Big Bill Lister (his R.C. Cola & A Moon Pie
has long been a favorite around here), Jerry Reed, Werley Fairburn and
others. (FS)
ROY ACUFF: Sweep Around Your Own Back Door/ EDDIE
AKRIDGE: Handcuff Our Hearts/ JOE ALLISON: Domino Gal/ MARTHA CARSON: Bye
& Bye/ TOMMY COLLINS: You Gotta Have a License/ RAMBLIN' JIMMIE DOLAN: The
Wheel That Does the Squeakin'/ BILL DUDLEY: Wailing Wall/ TOMMY FAILE:
Take Me Back Down South/ WERLY FAIRBURN: Nothin' But Lovin'/ THE FARMER
BOYS: Flash Crash & Thunder/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: Fatback Louisiana USA/
JACK GUTHRIE: Oklahoma Hills/ FREDDIE HART: Loose Talk/ ROY HOGSED: Roll
Em Dice/ Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians/ FERLIN HUSKY: Eli the
Camel/ Minni-Ha-Cha/ JIMMY LEE: Go Ahead & Go/ BIG BILL LISTER: R.C. Cola
and a Moon Pie/ THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: Red Hen Hop/ SKEETS MCDONALD: Big
Family Trouble/ I Can't Stand It Any Longer/ GENE O'QUIN: I'm Gonna Take
My Baby Dancin'/ No Parkin' Here/ OWEN PERRY: All Dressed Up (With No
Place to Go)/ JERRY REED: If the Good Lord's Willing/ JIMMIE SKINNER: I
Ain't Got Time/ BILLY STRANGE: Red/ TEXAS BILL STRENGTH: When Love Somes
Knockin'/ HANK THOMPSON: A Six Pack to Go/ MERLE TRAVIS: Gambler's Guitar/
JESS WILLARD: I'll Wear the Ball and Chain/ FARON YOUNG: I'm a Poor Boy
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cactus CAPCD 3 |
Capitol Hillbilly, Vol. 3 |
● CD $15.98 |
32 more fine sides including Lee Bonds, Jimmy Lee,
Skeets McDonald, Boots Woodall, Hank Thompson, Billy
Strange, The Louvin Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Bob Atcher, Eddie Kirk, etc.
ROY ACUFF: The Night Spots/ BOB ATCHER: Walk Chicken
Walk/ FRED BAKER: I Fish With A Wish/ LEE BONDS: A Double Life/
Okee-Fi-No-Ke/ BOOTS & IDAHO: l'm Sinkin' In A Hole/ HYLO BROWN: Get Lost
You Wolf/ JOE CARSON: Love Transfusion/ RAMBLIN' JIMMIE DOLAN: Playin'
Dominoes & Shootin' Dice/ TOMMY DUNCAN: Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy/ RUDY
GRAY: There's Gonna Be A Ball/ CARL HAYES: Has Been/ COUSIN HERB HENSON:
How Come Y'All Come?/ GLORIA HENSON: Rovin' Girl/ ROY HOGSED: The Snake
Dance Boogie/ JACK HUNT: All I Do Is Sit & Cry/ JIM & JESSE: A Memory Of
You/ EDDIE KIRK: A Year Of City Livin'/ JIMMY LEE: Open For Trade/ THE
LOUVIN BROTHERS: Satan & The Saint/ KEN MARVIN: I'm In Love Up To My Ears/
SKEETS MCDONALD: Your Love Is Like A Faucet/ ROD MORRIS: Free Wise & 21/
GENE O'QUIN: Let Me Change Your Name/ JEAN SHEPARD: You'll Come Crawlin'/
CHESTER SMITH: I'm Gonna Serve Him/ BILLY STRANGE: I Gotta Be Gettin'
Home/ HANK THOMPSON: Whoa Sailor/ MERLE TRAVIS: A Too Fast Past/ TEX
WILLIAMS: Wild Card/ BOOTS WOODALL: I'm Gonna Start At The Top/ JIMMY
WORK: Crazy Moon
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
El Toro CH 102 |
Collector's Choice, Vol. 2 - Campus Boogie |
● CD $16.98 |
20 tracks, 49 mins, highly recommended
Here's a fine
collection of obscure Rockabilly and Hillbilly Bop from the fabulous
fifties. thoroughly annotated and presented with the best sound possible.
Terry Fell and His Fellers' Smoking Cornsilks, T. Texas Tyler and
his Oklahoma Melody Boys' Black Jack David, Tiny Adams' Long
Gone Daddy plus a whole lot more hepped up country boys making a
joyful & rowdy noise. (JM)
TINY ADAMS: Long Gone Daddy (unissued acetate)/ AL
BRUMLEY AND THE BRUMLEY BROTHERS: You've Been Tellin' Lies On Me/ ED CAMP:
Tie A String Around Your Finger/ JIMMY COLLIE: I'm Not Giving Up That
Easy/ BETTY CORAL: Chili Dippin' Baby/ HANK CROWE: Love Love Love/ JACK
DERRICK: Rainbow Of Love/ FRANK EVANS AND HIS TOP NOTCHERS: Barrell Of
Heartaches/ TERRY FELL AND THE FELLERS: Smoking Cornsilks/ R.D. HENDON AND
HIS WESTERN JAMBOREE COWBOYS: Ain't Got A Lick Of Sense/ THE HOOPER TWINS:
You're Always The Last To Know/ DON JOHNSON AND THE MOUNTAIN WIZARDS:
Flying Low/ CHUCK KYLES WITH EXCEL COUNTRY MUSIC MAKERS: You'll Like
Country Music/ JOYCE LOWRANCE AND EARNEY VANDAGRIFF: Hush Money/ GENE
O'QUIN: You're Gonna Be Sorry/ AL RUNYON WITH THE GATEWAY ALL-STARS: My
Baby Left Me/ LEONARD SIPES AND THE RYTHMN OAKIES: Campus Boogie/ Smooth
Sailing/ T. TEXAS TYLER AND HIS OKLAHOMA MELODY BOYS: Black Jack David/
SLIM WILLIAMS: Out Running Around
|
| HANK WILLIAMS |
Bear Family BCD 16636 |
Rockin' Chair Money - Gonna Shake This
Shack Tonight |
● CD $21.98 |
33 tracks, 86 mins, essential
So if you have come down
from the high of Time Life's amazing "Unreleased Recordings" box set from
a few months back, this will get you right back up there. For someone with
such a classic catalog, Hank Williams is woefully under-represented in
quality CD collections. There are plenty of them out there, but most tend
to be a miss-mash, taken from shoddy source material and without much care
taken in presentation. Bear Family steps up to rectify that situation with
this fantastic collection. With this we have a more concise take on Hank's
MGM recordings, with recordings stripped back down to their original
single versions, before the label got in there and messed them up by
adding strings, etc; you get the classic tunes the way they sounded when
Hank was still alive. You also get rare Acuff-Rose demos overdubbed
posthumously by his Drifting Cowboys and Don Helms, as well as the Johnny
Fair Syrup radio transcriptions, restored back to their "natural state."
This is pure Hank, with the injustices that were found on his vinyl
catalog of the 1960's swept clean away. 33 classic tracks including 17 Top
10 country chart hits, as well as rarer cuts like Fool About You/
Rockin' Chair Money, and Pan American, every track is fired up
Honky-tonk or proto-Rockabilly. Remastered from best available source
material. Comes with extensive notes plus wonderful pics and
reproductions, which you will expect from the family of bears. (JM)
HANK WILLIAMS: Blues Come Around/ Fly Trouble/ Fool
About You/ Half as Much/ Hey, Good Lookin'/ Honky Tonk Blues/ Honky
Tonkin'/ I Ain't Got Nothin' But Time/ I Can't Get You Off of My Mind/ I
Saw the Light/ I'll Be a Bachelor 'Til I Die/ I'm Satisfied with You/ I'm
a Long Gone Daddy/ Jambalaya (On the Bayou)/ Kaw-Liga/ Long Gone Lonesome
Blues/ Lovesick Blues/ Mind Your Own Business/ Moanin' the Blues/ Move It
on Over/ My Bucket's Got a Hole in It/ Nobody's Lonesome for Me/ Pan
American/ Rockin' Chair Money/ Roly Poly/ Rootie Tootie/ Settin' the Woods
on Fire/ Swing Wide Your Gate of Love/ Ten Little Numbers/ Tennessee
Border/ Why Don't You Love Me/ You Better Keep It on Your Mind/ You're
Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)
|
| BOB WILLS
& HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS |
GVC 2022 |
So Let's Rock |
● CD $18.98 |
2 CDs, 56 tracks, 147 mins, highly recommended
It's 2009
and, last time that I checked, in Texas and beyond Bob Wills is still the
King! There are certainly a lot of extensive collections out there for Bob
Wills; what sets this one apart is the concise nature of the tracks
assembled. Full of up-tempo tracks from the years 1936-1957, a two-decade
plus run with a whole boatload of big hits and well-known classics:
Stay a Little Longer/ New Spanish Two-Step/ Home in San Antone/ Texas
Playboy Rag/ Roly Poly/ Sugar Moon/ Bubbles in My Beer/ Faded Love/ Bottle
Baby Boogie, and so many more. The sound is fantastic; the track list
can't be beat. Bob Wills career is so vast and deep, that you need at
least a double CD to be able to get an appreciation and this one is a
perfect example of where to start. Featuring great notes by the
always-reliable Dave Penny. (JM)
BOB WILLS & THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS: B Bowman Hop/ Billy's
Bounce/ Bob Wills' Boogie/ Boot Heel Drag/ Bottle Baby Boogie/ Brain
Cloudy Blues/ Brown-Skin Gal/ Bubbles In My Beer/ Cadillac In Model ìAî/
Doin' The Bunny Hop/ Faded Love/ Hang Your Head In Shame/ Home In San
Antone/ Hubbin' It/ I Can't Go On This Way/ I'm Gonna Be Boss From Now On/
I've Got A New Road Under My Wheels/ Ida Red Likes The Boogie/ Jolie Blon
Likes The Boogie/ Keeper Of My Heart/ My Shoes Keep Walkin' Back To You/
New San Antonio Rose/ New Spanish Two-Step/ New Worried Mind/ Oh Monah!/
Orange Blossom Special/ Pastime Blues/ Rock-A-Bye Baby Blues/ Roll Your
Own/ Roly Poly/ Sally Goodin'/ San Antonio Rose/ Silver Dew On The Blue
Grass Tonight/ Sincerely/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Smoke On The Water/
Snatchin' And Grabbin'/ So Let's Rock!/ St Louis Blues/ Stars ANd Stripes
On Iwo Jima/ Stay A Little Longer/ Steamboat Stomp/ Steel Guitar Rag/
Sugar Baby/ Sugar Moon/ Take Me Back To Tulsa/ Ten Years/ Texarkana Baby/
Texas Blues/ Texas Playboy Rag/ Thorn In My Heart/ Three Miles South Of
Cash In Arkansas/ We Might As Well Forget It/ White Cross On Okinawa/ You
Don't Care What Happens To Me/ You're From Texas
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