Bulletin - January/
February
2010
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Roy Acuff ->
Justin Tubb + Books + DVD
MAN OF CONSTANT
SORROW My Life And
Times by Dr. Ralph Stanley with Eddie Dean |
● BOOK $27.50 |
Hardback, 454 pages, counts as six CDs for shipping
Anyone with a love for Country music, particularly bluegrass music,
knows the name Ralph Stanley, and, for the first time, the man is
telling his story in his own words: "I'm just an old an old
hillbilly, and proud of it, too. Plain as an old shoe, same as a lot
of mountain people. I think it's best to try to tell your own life.
What people want is to hear the words out of my own mouth, and I'm
going to do the best job I can, to tell you what I remember. I talk
natural the same way I sing, so I'm gonna give you my story like I
was talking to you across the table. I'm a man of few words, but I
try to make 'em count.so this here is the memoir of a man who don't
much like to talk unless he's got something to say. I've kept my
mouth shut more than most, but I've kept my eyes and ears open all
the while. I've been close attention." Once you read this
fascinating book, you will know that Stanley wasn't kidding.
|
THE OKLAHOMA
COWBOY BAND Images Of America by
Carla Chlouber |
● BOOK $19.95 |
Paper, 128 pages, counts as three CDs for shipping
Another of Arcadia Publishing's paperbacks celebrating the diverse
towns, cities, and neighborhoods of America, this volume takes a
slightly different tack in that the book salutes Payne County,
Oklahoma through telling the story of The Oklahoma Cowboy Band. The
OCB were the first western string band in the nation to broadcast
over the radio and appear in vaudeville, drawing crowds throughout
the Midwest and Northeast. Carla Chlouber, is a writer and member of
the board of the Washington Irving Trail and Museum (located between
Ripley - where the band began-and Stillwater), and by using
photographs from the collections of the museum and family of the
band members, she tells the story of America's first commercially
successful western band. Includes hundreds of photos including not
only the band but the locale and important local people and events.
|
LINTHEAD STOMP The
Creation Of Country Music In The Piedmont South
by Patrick Huber |
● BOOK $29.95 |
Hardback, 416 pages, counts as seven CDs for
shipping
Contrary to popular belief, American country music did not
have its roots solely on southern farms or in mountain hollows.
Rather, much of this music recorded before World War II emerged from
the bustling cities and towns of the Piedmont South. No group
contributed more to the commercialization of early country music
than southern factory workers. In Linthead Stomp, the first
book-length study of southern millhands' musical culture, Patrick
Huber explores the origins and development of this music in the
Piedmont's mill villages and chronicles the enduring contributions
that the region's millhands made to American popular music. Huber
offers vivid portraits of Piedmont textile worker musicians,
including Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, Dave McCarn, and the
Dixon Brothers, and considers the impact that urban living,
industrial work, modern technology, and mass culture had on their
lives and music. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including rare
78-rpm recordings and unpublished interviews, Huber reveals how the
country music recorded between 1922 and 1942 was just as modern as
the jazz music of the same era.
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Shout Factory 11461 |
Country's Greatest Stars Live, Vol.
1 |
● DVD $29.98 |
Two DVD set featuring almost three hours of musical
performances drawn from a series that aired on TV in 1978 including
performances by Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys, Glen Campbell,
Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Merle
Haggard with Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Loretta Lynn, The Oak Ridge
Boys, Minnie Pearl, Earl Scruggs Revue, Mel Tillis, Enest Tubb, etc.
|
ROY ACUFF |
Varese 66872 |
Hand-Clapping Gospel Songs |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 46 min., recommended
Reissues a 1963
Hickory LP and adds 6 extra tracks, but this album takes its title a
little too seriously. The mid-tempo, hand-clapping pre-figures the
continuous club mix concept in that every song is the same pace and
features the same hand-clapping, such that every song after the
first gives the feeling of aural deja vu. Presumably, it is intended
to recreate that church-rocking, Sunday morning house of worship
feeling, but taken all together, the album is a bit monotonous. That
said, it's still Roy Acuff, and the 2 Hank Williams songs (Jesus
Died For Me and I Saw The Light)are more than worthwhile.
Hardcore fans will also want to pick this up for the extra cuts,
which include The Great Speckled Bird (1962), The Precious
Jewel (1962), the Acuff original This World Can't Stand Long
(1973), Hallelujah Square (1977), Little Moses (1978),
and From Cradle To Crown (1978). (JC)
|
THE BROWNS |
Bear Family BCD 16533 |
A Country Music Odyssey |
● CD $21.98 |
36 tracks, highly recommended
The Browns are one of
those great groups that people just don't seem to appreciate much
anymore though they had a a whole mess of great songs in the 1950s -
early '60s and as of this writing, Jim Ed Brown is still going
strong with his sisters long retired. This collection, personally
selected by Maxine Brown, follows this fantastic Country harmony
family's work from their twangy roots through their huge Countrypoliton successes. Chet Atkins scored his first number one as
a producer with the Browns version of The Three Bells, a
hauntingly beautiful track that holds up well to this day. Most of
their stuff still holds up well and this has much of their best. You
get tracks like the lively Looking Back To See, the vocal
dynamics of I Heard The Bluebirds Sing, and a great cover of
The Louvin Brothers weeper I Take The Chance. When it comes
to their lush crossover hits, besides Bells there's fine
renditions of Scarlet Ribbons/ The Old Lamplighter, and
Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On. Usual superb Bear Family
sound and set comes as a small hard cover book with 80 pages of
notes. (JM/ FS)
|
THE COUNTRY
GENTLEMEN |
Gusto 0958-2 |
High Lonesome - Complete Starday
Recordings |
● CD $16.98 |
Previously available as Starday 3510. Two CD set
featuring 51 tracks recorded by this fine and influential bluegrass
group for Starday between 1957 and 1965 featuring the talents of
John Duffey, Charlie Waller, Eddie Adcock, Bill Emerson and others.
This set includes five previously unissued song and a previously
unissued alternate take of New Freedom Bell. Includes
Backwoods Blues/ It's The Blues/ The Church Back Home/ The Devil's
Own/ I'll Never Marry/ The Hills And Home/ Helen/ Red Rockin' Chair/
Willie Roy, The Cripple Boy/ These Men Of God/ Night Walk, etc.
Includes 20 page booklet with extensive notes by Gary Reid and full
discographical data.
|
FLATT & SCRUGGS/ THE STANLEY BROTHERS |
JSP JSPCD 77128 |
Selected Cuts, 1952-1959 |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CD set, 100 tracks, essential
Truly classic
bluegrass recorded between 1952 and 1959 by two of the greatest
traditional bluegrass groups. Flatt & Scruggs are featured on 50
tracks recorded between 1952 and 1959 including such classic
performances as Dim Lights, Thick Smoke/ I'll Go Steppin' Too/
Foggy Mountain Special/ I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open/ Who Will
Sing For Me/ Don't Let You Deal Go Down/ No Doubt About It/ Let
Those Brown Eyes Smile For Me and other gems with the duo joined
by such great musicians and vocalists as "Curly" Seckler, Benny
Martin, Paul Warren, Hylo Brown and others. The Stanleys are
featured on 50 tracks from between 1954 and 1959 including timeless
treasures like Memories Of Mother/ Blue Moon Of Kentucky/ I Hear
My Savior Calling/ Lonesome And Blue/ Angel Band/ Cry From The
CrossI'll Never Grow Tired Of You/ The Flood/ She's More To Be
Pitied and others including their 1959 version of I'm A Man
Of Constant Sorrow. This is bluegrass at it's finest with
excellent sound, informative notes by Pat Harrison and full
discographical details. (FS)
FLATT & SCRUGGS: Be Ready for Tomorrow May Never
Come/ Before I Met You/ Big Black Train/ Blue Ridge Cabin Home/
Bubbling in My Soul/ Building on Sand/ Crying Alone/ Crying My Heart
out Over You/ Dear Old Dixie/ Dim Lights, Thick Smoke/ Don't Let
Your Deal Go Down/ Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky/ Foggy
Mountain Chimes/ Foggy Mountain Special/ Give Me Flowers While I'm
Living/ Give Mother My Crown/ Gone Home/ Ground Speed/ Heaven/
Hundred Years from Now, A/ I Don't Care Any More/ I Won't Be Hanging
Around/ I'd Rather Be Alone/ I'll Go Steppin' Too/ I'm Gonna Sleep
with One Eye Open/ Is There Room for Me?/ It Won't Be Long/ Jesus
Savior Pilot Me/ Joy Bells/ Let Those Brown Eyes Smile at Me/ Mama
and Daddy's Little Girl/ Million Years in Glory, A/ Mother Prays
Loud in Her Sleep/ No Doubt About It/ Old Fashioned Preacher/ On My
Mind/ Pray for the Boys/ Randy Lynn Rag/ Reunion in Heaven/ Shuckin'
the Corn/ Six White Horses/ Some Old Day/ Someone Took My Place with
You/ That Old Book of Mine/ Till the End of the World Rolls Around/
What's Good for You/ Who Will Sing for Me/ You Can Feel It in Your
Soul/ You're Not a Drop in the Bucket/ Your Life Is Like a Flower/
THE STANLEY BROTHERS: Angel Band/ Baby Girl/ Big Tilda/ Blue Moon of
Kentucky/ Calling from Heaven/ Clinch Mountain Blues/ Close By/
Could You Love Me (One More Time)/ Cry from the Cross, The/ Daybreak
in Dixie/ Fling Ding/ Flood, The/ Gonna Paint the Town/ Harbor of
Love/ Hard Times/ Holiday Pickin'/ How Mountain Girls Can Love/ I
Hear My Savior Calling/ I Just Got Wise/ I Worship You/ I'd Rather
Be Forgotten/ I'll Never Grow Tired of You/ I'm Lost, I'll Never
Find the Way/ I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow/ If That's the Way You
Feel/ Just a Little Talk with Jesus/ Let Me Walk, Lord, By Your
Side/ Life of Sorrow, A/ Little Maggie/ Lonesome Night, A/ Lonesome
and Blue/ Love Me Darling Just Tonight/ Loving You Too Well/ Maple
on the Hill/ Memories of Mother/ Memory of Your Smile, The/ No
School Bus in Heaven/ Nobody's Love Is Like Mine/ Orange Blossom
Special/ Say You'll Take Me Back/ She's More to Be Pitied/ So Blue/
That Happy Night/ Tragic Love/ Train 45/ Trust Each Other/ Who Will
Call You Sweetheart/ Will He Wait a Little Longer/ You'd Better Get
Right/ You're Still on My Mind
|
ART GIBSON |
B.A.C.M. 289 |
Featuring The Mountain Melody Boys |
● CD $14.98 |
27 tracks, 74 mins, recommended
Fine collection of
sides recorded between 1946 and 1954 by this excellent but little
known honky tonk singer from Wisconsin. The majority of the sides
were recorded for Mercury in 1946 and 1947 along with two sides from
a rare single on the Replica label from 1954 and this CD represents
almost his entire recorded output. Gibson had a warm easy going
style and was usually accompanied by a small group dominated by
excellent steel guitar work - often Jerry Byrd. Most of the songs
are Gibson originals including titles like I'm Checking Out/ I'm
Ashamed Of You/ I'm A Truck Driving Man/ Gambling Blues/
Everybody's Sweetheart/ When I Leave Town Tonight/ Cold Heated
Blonde/ Sam Old Thing All The Time, etc. Excellent sound and
informative notes by Kevin Coffey. (FS)
ART GIBSON: A Little Love From You/ Anytime, Any
Place/ Cold Hearted Blonde/ Everybody's Sweetheart/ Gallivantin'
Woman/ Gambling Blues/ Honky Tonk Mama/ I'm A Cry Cry Baby/ I'm A
Truck Driving Man/ I'm A-Walkin' And Talking To Myself/ I'm Ashamed
Of You/ I'm Backin' Up/ I'm Checkin' In/ I'm Checking Out/ I'm Free
From You/ I'm Looking High And Low For My baby/ I'm Not Lookin' No
More For No Woman/ My Memories Of The Past/ No More Records/ One
More Waltz With You/ Road Of Regret/ Same Old Thing All The Time/
The Wages Of Sin/ When I Leave Town Tonight/ Who's That Blonde/
Worried About My Girl/ You Lied
|
AMBROSE HALEY |
B.A.C.M. 292 |
|
● CD $14.98 |
25 tracks, recommended
25 tracks from this St. Louis
based performer recorded between 1937 and the mid 50s. Haley was an
idiosyncratic singer with a style that owed a lot to older
vaudeville techniques and his approach is lively and infectious. His
earliest sides from 1937 feature him with a group that including the
earliest recordings of the great fiddler Wade Ray and the little
known but superb guitarist Mony Rhine. Ray also appears behind him
on an eight track session from 1947 with accompaniment by The
Prairie Ramblers which included some hot electric guitar from Bernie
Smith. The disc also includes nine previously unissued radio air
checks. Songs include I'm So Alone With The Crowd/ How's Your
Folks, How's My Folks/ Stars And Stripes On iwo Jima/ Old Timey
Christmas/ Jelly Roll Blues/ Mammy O'Mine/ Sweet Georgia Brown/
Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon/ Who's Sorry Now, etc. An
enjoyable and entertaining selection. (FS)
AMBROSE HALEY: I'm So Alone With The Crowd/ It
Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane/ I Wouldn't Trade The Silver
In Mother's Hair (1)/ How's Your Folks, How's My Folks/ Down The
Trail To San Antone/ Kansas City Kitty/ Stars And Stripes On Iwo
Jima/ Good Old Turnips Greens/ There'll Be Some Changes Made/ Old
Timey Christmas/ Anytime/ I Wouldn't Trade The Silver In Mother's
Hair (2)/ Jelly Roll Blues/ Whing Ding Daddy/ Its Time To Sing Sweet
Adeline/ Mammy O' Mine/ We've Come A Long Way Together-Put Your Arms
Around Me Honey/ Limehouse Blues/ Sweet Georgia Brown-Tweedle `O
Twill/ My Blue Heaven/ Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone/
Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon/ Leon's Guitar Boogie/ Who's
Sorry Now/ Kansas City Kitty-Down The Trail To San Antone
|
BILL HARRELL |
Gusto 2121 |
With Special Guest Don Reno - 20
Bluegrass Greats |
● CD $7.98 |
A fine collection of traditional style bluegrass
featuring the excellent singer/ guitarist/ songwriter Bill Harrell.
The first 8 tracks features Bill with his own band recorded for
Starday in the the late 50s. After Red Smiley retired from
performing in 1964, Harrell teamed up with the great banjo player
and vocalist Don Reno and they worked together through the 60s and
70s. The last 12 tracks features the team of Harrell and Reno
recorded for King in the late 1960s.
|
BOBBY HELMS |
B.A.C.M. 291 |
Borrowed Dreams |
● CD $14.98 |
28 tracks, recommended
Although Bobby Helms didn't
have a lot of hits the ones he did have were big ones including the
multi million selling crossover Christmas song Jingle Bell Rock
which has become a seasonal standard. This collection is a cross
section of sides recorded between 1955 and 1959 including his
earliest sides for the tiny Speed label which were hardcore honky
tonk. He first hit it big in 1957 with the fine honky-tonk ballad
Fraulein which crossed over into the pop charts and his next hit
was the much more pop flavored My Special Angel and many of
his subsequent releases were pop oriented with string and vocal
choruses though Helms's vocals were always excellent. This
collection also includes his hits Jingle Bell Rock/ Just A Little
Lonesome and Jacqueline along with other songs like
Living In The Shadow Of The Past/ New River Traiun/ No Other Baby
(one of the best of his later songs)/ Hurry Baby/ Most Of the
Time, etc. (FS)
BOBBY HELMS: A Hundred Hearts/ Borrowed Dreams/
Fraulein/ Freedom Lovin' Guy/ Got A Heartstick Feeling/ Hanging
Around/ Hurry Baby/ I Don't Owe You Nothing/ I Love My Lady/ I've
Never Seen Anyone (Like You)/ Jacqueline/ Jingle Bell Rock/ Just A
Little Lonesome/ Living In The Shadow Of The Past/ Miss Memory/ Most
Of The Time/ My Lucky Baby/ My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You/ My
Special Angel/ New River Train/ No Other Baby/ Now And Then There's
A Fool Such As I/ Soon It Can Be Told/ Standing At The End Of My
World/ Tennessee Rock And Roll/ The Fool And The Angel/ Yesterday's
Lovin'/ You're No Longer Mine
|
GOLDIE HILL |
B.A.C.M. 301 |
Vol. 2 - It's Only A Matter Of Time |
● CD $14.98 |
30 tracks, recommended
Complementing BACM 107 this
is another fine collection of 30 songs from this Texas born honky
tonk singer recorded between 1954 and 1960. Goldie had a number of
hits, most of them on the first volume, - the only hit here is the
maudlin Yankee Go Home with narration by Red Sovine. Most of
the other songs here are better than that hit including Second
Chance/ I'm beginning To Feel Mistreated/ Till I Said It To You/
What's Happend To Us/ Don't Just Stand There and others. Except
for the 1960 sessions which have pop arrangements with vocal
choruses the rest have straight ahead honky tonk accompaniments with
fine fiddle and steel guitar. (FS)
GOLDIE HILL: Second Chance/ Steel Guitar/ Sample
My Kissin'/ I'm Beginning To Feel Mistreated/ Footsteps/ New Names
New Faces/ Till I Said It To You/ A Wasted Love Affair/ It's Only A
Matter Of Time/ Yankee Go Home/ What's Happened To Us/ Honky Tonk
Music/ It's Here To Stay/ Don't Just Stand There/ Driftwood On The
River/ I Slipped Off My Wedding Ring/ It's A Lovely, Lovely World/
It's So Lonely On My Side Of The Sea/ Living Alone/ Missing Loving
Missing Livin' Missing You/ Twice As Blue/ You're Looking For An
Angel/ Cleaniin' House/ Waterloo/ Recklessly/ Another Man's Woman
|
TOMMY HILL |
B.A.C.M. 293 |
The Life That I'm Living |
● CD $14.98 |
Fine collection of 26 tracks by this excellent honky
tonk singer from Texas who had his greatest fame as a songwriter (he
wrote Slowly for Webb Pierce), producer and record company
owner but made some fine records under his own name. The recordings
here are from a number of different labels including Hickory - he
was the first artists to record for that label. Songs include
Until Heaven Come Along I'll Take Texas/ More I Give The More You
Take/ The Life That I'm Living/ Bright Lights Is Your Heaven/ The
Blues Are Back Again/ Honky Tonk Romance, etc.
TOMMY HILL: Until Heaven Comes Along I'll Take
Texas/ I'm Gonna Shoo The Blues Away/ I Ain't Settin' Where I Was/
More I Give The More You Take/ Love Me For A Lifetime/ The Last
Letter/ The Life That I'm Living (1)/ What Is It Darling/ The Life
That I'm Living (2)/ Bright Lights Is Your Heaven/ Love Me Baby/ Say
It Now/ The Blues Are Back Again/ I Must Leave You Now/ End Of The
Stairway/ In The Middle Of The Morning/ Honky Tonk Romance/ I Wanta
Show My Baby Off/ Collision With Love/ Although I'm Second Hand/ Six
Feet Of Earth/ Diddle Diddle Dumpling/ Mr Jukebox/ Sugar Nanner/
Walls Of Stone/ Oil On My Land
|
ADOLPH HOFNER |
B.A.C.M. 297 |
Swing With The Music |
● CD $14.98 |
A collection of 28 tracks recorded between 1938 and
1955 by this fine, popular and prolific group led by Czech-German
singer/ guitarist Adolph Hofner. This CD features both aspects of
his recording - fine jazzy western swing as well as polkas sung in
Czech. Includes The Tickle Toe Song/ South Texas Swing/ South Of
The Border In Laredo/ Night Time Down South/ I Guess You Forgot/
Cerveny Satacheck/ There's A Palace Down In Texas, etc.
ADOLPH HOFNER: Alamo Rag/ Baruska (Barbara) Polka/
Cerveny Satachek (Red Handkerchief)/ Country Fair Polka/ Dis Syme
Odpustik Prahu (Farewell To Prague)/ Happy Go Lucky Polka/ I Guess
You Forgot/ I'm Blue And Lonely/ Julida Polka/ Night Time Down
South/ Our Little Romance Is Through/ Please Don't Take That Bottle
From Me/ Someday Soon/ South Of The Border In Laredo/ South Texas
Swing/ Sveskova Alej (The Prune Song)/ Swing With The Music/ Texas
Is My Home/ The Blue Bonnet Polka/ The Tickle Toe Song/ There's A
Palace Down In Dallas/ Tickle Toe/ Training Camp Shuffle/ Twilight
Waltz/ U Studenky Sedela (At The Spring)/ Wabash Blues/ Westphalia
Waltz/ With You Still In My Heart
|
TOMMY JACKSON |
B.A.C.M. 294 |
The Legendary Session Fiddler |
● CD $14.98 |
A collection 26 tracks recorded for Dot in the early
1950s by this famed session fiddler who recorded and performed with
hundreds of country performers from the late 40s through early 70s.
The recordings were intended for square dancing and are performed
straight with very little ornamentation with Tommy accompanied by a
small group with mandolin, guitar and bass. Since the music was
intended purely for dancing it doesn't make for particularly
compelling listening though it is quite pleasant. Tunes include
East Tennessee Blues/ Ragtime Annie/ Rystraw/ Polk County Breakdown/
Flop eared Mule/ Arkansas Traveler/ Soldier's Joy/ Mississippi
Sawyer/ Rickett's Hornpipe, etc.
TOMMY JACKSON: East Tennessee Blues/ Uncle Joe/
Cripple Creek/ Ragtime Annie/ Leather Britches/ Twinkle Twinkle
Little Star/ Ricestrow (aka Ryestraw)/ I Don't Love Nobody/ The Girl
I Left Behind Me/ Polk County Breakdown/ Bill Cheatham/ Liberty/
Flop Eared Mule/ Sugar In The Gourd/ Golden Slippers/ Arkansas
Traveler/ Boil Them Cabbage Down/ Chinese Breakdown/ Soldier's Joy/
Fiddlin' Rag/ Katy Hill/ Mississippi Sawyer/ Here And There/ Sally
Goodin/ Rickett's Hornpipe/ Sally Ann
|
GEORGE JONES |
Time Life 25466 |
The Great "Lost" Hits |
● CD $19.98 |
Two CDs, 34 tracks, highly recommended First - the
"lost" part of the title is pure marketing bullshit. This two CD
includes 22 tracks from Musicor that reached the Billboard country
charts and have been reissued several times. The rest features some
LP tracks and non hit singles plus one side that was not originally
issued but appeared on one of the recently issued Bear Family box
sets. In spite of the deceptive title the music is consistently
superb featuring recordings made for Musicor between 1965 and 1971
including such great sides as Walk Through This World With Me/
Love Bug/ Take Me/ Say It's Not You/ As I Long As I Live/ A Good
Year For The Roses and others including his great duet with Melba
Montgomery on We Must Have Been Out Our Minds. The LP songs are
equally good including tracks like World Of Forgotten People/ Burn
Another Honky Tonk Down and Never Grow Cold. The originally
unissued song is a superb Dallas Frazier composition The Honky Tonk
Downstairs which is certainly as good as the issued material. Sound
is superb and the 16 page booklet has informative notes by compiler
Colin Escott. (FS)
|
JACK KINGSTON |
B.A.C.M. 296 |
The Canadian Playboy |
● CD $14.98 |
28 tracks recorded between 1951 and 1957 by this
fine singer, yodeler and square dance caller from St. Catherines,
Ontario. Joined by a small group he performs a selection of mostly
original songs including A Love That's True/ How Far Is She Now/
I'm Just A Fool When It Comes To Loving You/ Go Away And Leave Me/
The Road Of Broken Hearts/ C.N.R. Spacial and others. It also
includes fine covers of Tommy Collins' If You Ain't Lovin, You
Ain't Livin and The Everly Brothers' Bye Bye Love. There
are also a couple of topical songs including the Sprinhill Mine
Disaster about an explosion at a mine in Cumberland, Nova
Scotia.
JACK KINGSTON: A Dream Of A Miner's Child/ A Love
That's True/ A Pickin' And A Singin'/ Alabama Jubilee/ Bye Bye Love/
C N R Special/ Castle Of Cards/ Dear Mother/ Go Away And Leave Me/
Hey There Baby/ How Far Is She Now/ I Got The Blues/ I'm Just A Fool
When It Comes To Loving You/ If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin'/
In Daddy's Footsteps/ Letter Edged In Black/ Mama Don't Cry At My
Wedding/ Picture Of You/ Singing The Blues/ Snug As A Bug/
Springhill Mine Explosion/ Tell Me Darling/ The Road Of Broken
Hearts/ There's No Room In My Heart/ Two Hearts One Love/ Unwanted
And Unclaimed/ When The Bright Lights Grow Dim/ Yodeling Cowboy No.
2
|
THE LONESOME
PINE FIDDLERS |
Gusto 2130 |
Starday Collection |
● CD $7.98 |
14 tracks, recommended
CD issue of Starday 222 from
1963. The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers were one of the great pioneering
bluegrass group originally formed in 1938 by brother Ezra (vocal and
bass) and Curly Ray Cline (vocal and fiddle). Over the years the
group featuring numerous other musicians but Ezra and Curly remained
at the core. On these sides from the early 60s they are joined by Mevin Goins (vocal and guitar) and Ray Goins (banjo and vocal). On
some tracks they are joined by Dobroist Jack Lindemann and a few
tracks feature Mac Wiseman on guitar on harmony vocals. A fine
collection of traditional style bluegrass featuring traditional
songs like death Come Creeping In My Room and old Reuben,
bluegrass version of country favorites like Too Hot To Handle
and What Makes A man Wonder and more. The opening cut is the
moving Coal Dust Blues that tell the trials of a coal miner
complete with naration. Fine singing and playing and excellent
harmonies. (FS)
|
THE LONESOME
PINE FIDDLERS |
Gusto 2131 |
Bluegrass Collection |
● CD $6.98 |
Complementing Gusto 2130 this is another fine
collection of traditional style bluegrass from this long lived group
recorded in the early 60s. This is a reissue of Starday 155 and
includes songs like I'm All Alone/ Lost In The World/ Eatin' Out
Of Your Hand/ What Can I Tell My Heart/ He Showed Me The Way,
etc.
|
J.E. MAINER |
JSP JSPCD 77124 |
Classic Sides, 1937-1941 |
● CD $28.98 |
Just arrived - the second volume of seminal country
recordings from J.E. Mainer and his brother Wade is another four CD
set with 100 sides recorded between 1937 and 1941, often in the
company of guitarist Zeke Morris and fiddler Steve Ledford. In
addition to sides by Mainer's Mountaineers we have solo sides by
wade Mainer and tracks by The Sons Of The Mountaineers, The
Happy-Go-Lucky Boys and The Morris Brothers.
THE HAPPY-GO-LUCKY BOYS: Come Back, Sweetheart/
Darling I'm Still in Love with You/ Happy-Go-Lucky Breakdown/ I Hope
She's Satisfied/ No Letter in the Mail Today/ What-Cha Gonna Go with
the Baby?/ STEVE LEDFORD & THE MOUNTAINEERS: Bachelor Blues/ Happy
or Lonesome/ Only a Broken Heart/ Since I Met My Mother-in-Law/ WADE
MAINER & HIS LITTLE SMILIN' RANGERS: Companions Draw Nigh/ Don't
Forget Me Little Darling/ I Want to Be Loved/ Memory Lane/ Mountain
Sweetheart/ Ramshackle Shack/ What Are You Going to Do Brother?/
Wild Bill Jones/ WADE MAINER & THE SONS OF THE MOUNTAINEERS: A
Little Love/ All My Friends/ Another Alabama Camp Meetin'/ Anywhere
Is Home/ Can't Tell About These Women/ Crying Holy/ Dear Loving
Mother and Dad/ Don't Get Too Deep in Love/ Don't Leave Me Alone/
Drifting Through an Unfriendly World/ Farther Along/ He Gave His
Life/ Heaven Bells Are Ringing/ Home in the Sky/ I Can Tell You the
Time/ I Left My Home in the Mountains/ I Met Her at a Ball One
Night/ I Won't Be Worried/ If I Had Listened to Mother/ Life's
Ev'nin' Sun/ Lonely TombS/ Look on and Cry/ Mama Don't Make Me Go to
Bed/ Mansions in the Sky/ Mitchell Blues/ More Good Women Gone
Wrong/ Mother Still Prays for You Jack/ North Carolina Moon/ Not a
Word of That Be Said/ Old Reuben/ One Little Kiss/ Pale Moonlight/
Precious Memories/ Ramblin' Boy/ Shake My Mother's Hand for Me/ She
Is Spreading Her Wings for a Journey/ Sparkling Blue Eyes/ Sparkling
Blue Eyes No. 2/ That Kind/ The Gospel Cannonball/ The Great and
Final Judgement/ The Poor Drunkard's Dream/ The Precious Jewel/ The
Same Old You to Me/ We Will Miss Him/ Were You There?/ What a
Wonderful Saviour Is He/ Where Romance Calls/ Why Not Make Heaven
Your Home/ You May Forsake Me/ You're Awfully Mean to Me/ MAINER'S
MOUNTAINEERS: Garden of Prayer/ J.E. MAINER'S MOUNTAINEERS: Answer
to Greenback Dollar/ Back to Johnson City/ Carry Your Cross with a
Smile/ Concord Rag/ Country Blues/ Don't Get Trouble in Your Mind/
Don't Go Out/ Drunkard's Hiccoughs/ Floating Down the Stream of
Time/ Great Reaping Day/ I Once Loved a Young Man/ I'm Living the
Right Life Now/ I'm in the Gloryland Way/ If I Lose, Let Me Lose/
Just Over in the Glory Land/ Kiss Me Cindy/ Lamp Lighting Time in
Heaven/ Miss Me When I'm Gone/ Oh Why Did I Ever Get Married/
Somebody Cares/ Swing the Door of Your Heart Open Wide/ There's a
Green Hill Far Away/ When the Light's Gone Out in Your Soul/ Your
Best Friend Is Always Near/ THE MORRIS BROTHERS: Dream of the
Miner's Child/ Gabriel's Trumpet/ It's Blues/ Little Nellie/ One
Little Word/ Wabash Cannon Ball No. 2
|
BENNY MARTIN |
B.A.C.M. 298 |
Just Me & My Fiddle |
● CD $14.98 |
Benny Martin was one of the giants of bluegrass and
country fiddle who lent his expertise on his unique eight string
strings to hundreds of sessions by artists like Kitty Wells, Roy
Acuff, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Don Reno, Johnnie & Jack, The
Stanley Brothers and many others. This collection features 25 tracks
recorded under his own name as a vocalist in the 50s. Martin was a
pleasing, if unexceptional, vocalist and many of his recordings are
original compositions. Includes his theme song Just Me And My
Fiddle plus If I Can Stay Away Long Enough/ Yes It's True/
You're Guilty Darling/ The Thirteenth Of May/ I'm Chcekin' Out/ To
Cry The Blues Each Day, etc.
BENNY MARTIN: Border Baby/ By The Law Of My Heart/
Coming Attractions/ Do Me A Favour/ Girls, Girls/ Goin' Down The
Road/ Hoebe Snow/ I'm Checkin' Out/ I'm Right And You're Wrong/ If I
Can Stay Away Long Enough/ If I Didn't Have A Conscience/ Just Me
And My Fiddle/ Little Darlin' Give Me One More Chance/ My Fortune/
So Blue To Cry/ Take My Word/ That's What I'll Do To You/ The
Thirteenth Of May/ To Cry The Blues Each Day/ Top Gun/ Tryin' To
Chase These Blues Away/ Untrue You/ Who Put Those Tears In Your
Eyes/ Yes It's True/ You're Guilty Darlin'
|
LOU MILLET |
Cactus 102 |
Louisiana Hillbilly |
● CD $15.98 |
26 tracks, 65 min, highly recommended
Lefty Frizzell
gave Millet his big break in country music, although he was
recording before he signed to Columbia. This welcome release samples
Millet's early career across multiple labels, including Ace,
Feature, Ekko, Republic, Go, Trace, Columbia, and one on
Conservative Records as by Colonel Lou. Nothing here holds a candle
to the pair of hillbilly boogie sides (Slip Slip Slippin' In
and Shorty The Barber) cut for Republic, although the early
Ace sides are pretty spunky, certainly more so than the Feature
material. The 78 and 45 rpm sources make for less-than-audiophile
sound once in a while, but it's nothing serious. In fact, the
Columbia sides sound great and actually draw attention to what's
lacking in the others. The Columbia material is generally strong,
but That's How I Need You sure bears a striking resemblance
to the Feature side That's Me Without You. And Weary,
Worried & Blue makes me think of Worried, Lonesome & In Love.
Still, a treasure trove of hard-to-find sides from a neglected
talent. (JC)
LOU MILLET: A Broken Heart/ Accidents Can Happen/
Bayou Pigeon/ Chapel Of My Heart/ Get A Grip On Your Heart/ God Only
Knows/ Heart Of Stone/ Hummingbird/ I Was Only Teasing You/ Johnny
Reb/ Just Me, My Heart & You/ Just You & Me/ Memories From Your
Cedar Chest/ My In-laws Made An Outlaw Out Of Me/ Shorty The Barber/
Since The Devil Moved In/ Slip Slip Slippin’ In/ That’s How I Need
You/ That’s Me Without You/ Uncle Earl/ Weary, Worried & Blue/ When
I Harvest My Love/ When I’m Out Honky-Tonkin’ With You/ Whisper Of
Doubt/ Worried, Lonesome & In Love/ Your Own Heart You Must Mend
|
LEON PAYNE |
B.A.C.M. 295 |
The Lang-Worth Transcriptions |
● CD $14.98 |
Fine collection of 27 tracks by this excellent Texas
singer and songwriter from previously unreissued radio
transcriptions made in the late 40s and early 50s. Though most of
his commercial recordings feature him doing almost exclusively his
own songs these sides feature not only his own songs but his own
distinctive versions of hits by other artists like Moon Mullican (I'll
Sail My Ship Alone), Ernest Tubb (Letters Have No Arms),
Bill Monroe (Kentucky Waltz), Hank Williams (COld, Cold
Heart) and others as well as his own take on pop standards like
Let Me Call You Sweetheart and Ramona. Payne his
backed by his band of the time which included fine fiddle by Ernie
Hunter or Earl Carruthers and steel by Frankie Juracek. He recorded
around 80 sides for the Lang-Worth Transcription Co. and more
reissues are from these recordings are in the works.
LEON PAYNE: Afraid/ Because You Love Me/ Cold,
Cold Heart/ Down In The Little Green Valley/ Empty Saddles/ I
Couldn't Do A Thing Without You/ I Want To Be With You Always/ I'll
Sail My Ship Alone/ I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland/ If I Could Only
Live My Life Over/ If You Want Some Lovin'/ Kentucky Waltz/ Let Me
Call You Sweetheart/ Let's Live A Little/ Letters Have No Arms/
Mississippi/ My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean/ Poison Love/ Ramona/
Sick, Sober And Sorry/ Take Me In Your Arms/ The Waltz You Saved For
Me/ There's Been A Change In Me/ They'll Never Take Her Love From
Me/ Tie Me To Your Apron Strings Again/ Unfaithful One/ When It's
Lamp Lightin' Time In The Valley
|
RENO & SMILEY |
Gusto 0959-2 |
The Early Years, 1951-1959 :
Collector's Box Set |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CD's, 115 tracks, 4 hrs, 56 min, highly
recommended
Reissue of long out of print box set Starday 7001 but
this time in a more compact pacakage. Another exemplary reissue of
an important first generation bluegrass group from the King Records
archives, overseen by Gary Reid. Reno & Smiley were unlike the first
tier of founding bluegrass bands in several ways. Their vocal
approach was not so intense as that of Monroe, the Stanleys, or
Flatt & Scruggs, depending more on the easy-going baritone lead
vocals of Red Smiley, and less on tightly knit harmonies and soaring
tenors. Also, most of their material came from the pen of
banjo-guitarist Don Reno, whose unique, jazzy banjo style also set
the group's sound apart. They did excel on four-part gospel
harmonies, many of which are featured on the first two CD's here. By
1955 the classic band, featuring fiddler Mac Magaha and bassist John
Palmer recorded such classics as Country Boy Rock And Roll/ I
Know You're Married/ No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine/ Remington Ride
and many others included here. Also included are four cuts recorded
with Tommy Magness' band The Tennessee Buddies, for whom Reno &
Smiley worked before forming their partnership, and such classics
from their early studio career as I'm Using My Bible As A
Roadmap/ There's Another Baby Waiting For Me Down The Line/ Maybe
You Will Change Your Mind/ Drifting With The Tide. A 1959
session consists of 12 selections from the King catalog featuring
Reno's wonderful lead guitar - this date yielded several gems, among
them a reworking of the Delmore Bros.' Freight Train Boogie,
a wonderful East Bound Freight Train, classic versions of
8 More Miles To Louisville/ I'm Blue And Lonesome, and perhaps
their biggest hit, a version of Jim Eanes' Don't Let Your Sweet
Love Die. Includes a 32-page booklet with extensive notes by
Gary Reid, a detailed discography and an appreciation by Bill Vernon
of Don Reno. A very nice job. (RP)
|
CHARLIE RICH |
Bear Family BCD 16516 |
The Ballads Of Charlie Rich |
● CD $24.98 |
33 tracks, 85 mins, highly recommended
Many know
Charlie Rich as a rockabilly man, but this collection of early
ballads should come as no surprise to anyone who remembers his
early-70's "countrypolitan" hits cut with Billy Sherrill. Comprising
of recordings made for Charlie's first three labels-Sun, RCA, and
Smash-between 1958 and 1966, the revealing thing about this
collection is the fact that many of these sides were either never a
hit, unreleased, or had their original release tampered with. The
jazzed up piano style and piercingly soulful vocals that were the
hallmarks of those 70's recordings are present here in tracks like
My Heart Cries For You/ Time and Again, and Tomorrow Night,
meanwhile, he gets down and dirty on Now Everybody Knows and
There Won't Be Anymore, and even manages to make a song I've
never found palatable (Unchained Melody) likable. As usual,
Bear Family has done a bang up job on the packaging and notes; if
all you know of Charlie Rich is his Sun rockabilly or his 70's work,
do your self a favor and check this one out. (GMC)
CHARLIE RICH: Ain't It a Shame/ Apple Blossom
Time/ Best Years/ Cloud Nine/ Don't Put No Headstone on My Grave/
Every Day/ Field of Yellow Daisies/ How Blue Can You Be/ I Don't See
Me in Your Eyes Anymore/ I Need Your Love/ I Said Baby/ I'm Making
Plans/ It Hurt Me So/ It's Too Late (Undubbed)/ Juanita (Undubbed)/
Let Me Go My Merry Way/ Loneliest Days (vocal/piano only)/ My Heart
Cries for You (Undubbed)/ No Home/ Now Everybody Knows/ River, Stay
Away from My Door/ School Days (Undubbed)/ Share Your Love with Me/
Sittin' and Thinkin'/ Stay/ Stay/ There Won't Be Anymore/ Time and
Again/ Tomorrow Night/ Unchained Melody/ We Belong to Each Other/
Who Will the Next Fool Be/ Why, Oh Why
|
RUDY SOOTER |
B.A.C.M. 290 |
Won't You Be My Buckaroo |
● CD $14.98 |
29 tracks, 69 mins, recommended
Enjoyable selection
of western songs, western swing and novelty material featuring
singer/ songwriter/ guitarist/ fiddler and western film star Rudy Sooter who composed the 1948 hit Dear Okie. The tracks here
were recorded between 1936 and 1950 and are mostly drawn from radio
transcriptions. It includes his first recording from 1936 - the
risque Up The Alley With Sally with guitar and mandolin
accompaniment and originally issued as "party" record on the Racy
label. The remaining tracks find him various groups - mostly small
with guitar, fiddle, accordion and bass. The earliest cuts are
particularly nice with some exceptional fiddle work - a couple of
them featuring Spade Cooley though the fiddler on the rest is
unknown. They also feature some fine electric guitar work by Jack
"Curly" Hogg who was one of the first West Coast exponents of the
instruments. The later tracks feature more novelty material and are
somewhat less interesting. Many of the songs were written by Sooter
and songs include Happy Go Lucky/ The Desert Riders/ She'll Be
Comin' Round The Mountain (with basson!)/ Headin' For My Home
In Oklahoma/ I'm Through wastin' Time On You/ Trouble Keeps Hangin'
Round My Door/ Who Dug This Hole I'm In/ The Rooster And The
Osctrich, etc. Decent sound and informative notes by Kevin
Coffey. (FS)
RUDY SOOTER: A Million Daisies Told Me/ Back Home
In Indiana/ Cleanin’ My Rifle/ Don’t Count Your Chickens/ Fool That
I Am/ Get A Wiggle On/ Happy Go Lucky/ Headin’ For My Home In
Oklahoma/ Horseflesh And Candles/ I Can Tell By The Look On Your
Face/ I Cry Alone/ I Throw The Bull/ Ida Red/ I’m Thru Wastin Time
On You/ Let My Shake Your Old Cowhand/ Old Boy/ Old Joe Parker/
Panhandle Swing/ Please Don’t Leave Me Anymore/ She’ll Be Comin’
Round The Mountain/ The Desert Riders/ The Hills Of Idaho/ The
Rooster And The Ostrich/ Trouble Keeps Hangin’ Round My Door/ Up The
Alley With Sally/ Wa-Hoo Kiss Me Again/ Who Dug This Hole I’m In/
Whoa Baldy/ Won’t You Be My Buckaroo
|
CARL STORY |
Gusto 0548 |
Angel Band - Early Starday
Recordings |
● CD $7.98 |
Beautiful collection of traditional bluegrass gospel
singing and playing from Carl Story - "The Father Of Bluegrass
Gospel" featuring his earliest recordings made for Starday in 1958
and '59. 20 tracks presented in chronological order. Includes 12
page illustarted booklet with extensive notes from bluegrass scholar
Gary Reid. Includes Who Will Sing For Me?/ Angel Band/ A
Beautiful City/ Life's Evening Sun/ Life Boat/ Hide Me (Rock Of
Ages)/ Be Kind To Mother, etc.
|
MEL STREET |
Gusto 2101 |
Don't Let Me Cross Over |
● CD $7.98 |
10 more great honky tonk songs of heartache and
heartbreak from the late, great Mel Street. It includes a great
cover of the old favorite Don't Let Me Cross Over and two
songs Tonight Let's Sleep On It Baby and Slip Away
that were posthumous hits.
|
THE TENNESSEE
RAMBLERS |
B.A.C.M. 288 |
Vol. 2 - The Jack Gillette Years,
1939-1946 |
● CD $14.98 |
27 tracks, recommended
The first volume (BACM 259)
was issued under the name of Dick Hartman who founded the Tennessee
Ramblers. When Hartman left the band in 1938 it was taken over by
their manager Jack Gillette and this selection recorded between 1935
and 1946 is another fine selection of jazzy swing time numbers often
with a western flavor with vocals by Gillette (who also played
trumpet, fiddle and various novelty instruments), guitarist Harry
Blair, Tex Martin or Curley Collins. Many tracks feature the fine
steel guitar work of Cecil Campbell who had a lengthy career that
extended into the 1980s. Songs include Trumpet Talking Blues/
Four Or Five Time/ Doug Ain't Doing The Jitterbug/ Hard Hearted
Love/ Blue Eyed Baby/ Come Swing With Me/ Oh Mary, Don't You Weep/
Timber Trail/ I'll Pray You'll Be Mine Bye And Bye, etc. Good
sound and detailed notes by Kevin Coffey. (FS)
THE TENNESEE RAMBLERS: Blue Eyed Baby/ Can't Win,
Can't Place, Can't Show/ Carry Me Back To Carolina/ Come Swing With
Me/ Coquette/ Don't Put A Tax On The Beautiful Girls/ Doug Ain't
Doin' The Jitterbug/ Four Or Five Times/ Grab Your Saddle Horn And
Blow/ Hard Hearted Love/ Hoochie-Koochie-Koo/ I Love Hawaii/ I'd
Love To Be A Cowboy/ I'll Never Let You Cry/ I'll Pray You'll Be
Mine Bye And Bye/ I'm Through Wishing On Stars/ In The Same Old Way/
My Sweet Little Blue Eyed Baby/ Nothing To Lose/ Oh Mary, Don't You
Weep/ Steel Guitar Swing/ Sweet Mama Tree Top Tall/ The Washboard
Man/ Timber Trail (Opening Theme)/ Trouble In Mind/ Trumpet Talking
Blues/ Yum Yum Blues
|
HANK THOMPSON |
Raven 300 |
The Quintessential Hank Thompson,
1948-1979 |
● CD $19.98 |
30 tracks, 75 min., essential
Could knock this set
for including only one cut from the great out-of-print-again LP
Songs For Rounders from 1959, but that wouldn't be fair. Thompson
owned the country charts during the period represented here and one
listen will tell why. Hits everywhere: Humpty Dumpty Hart/ Wild
Side Of Life/ Honky Tonk Girl/ Don't Take It Out On Me/ Breakin' In
Another Heart/ Rockin' In The Congo/ A Six Pack To Go/ Hangover
Tavern/ Anybody's Girl and on and on. In fact, almost everything
here was at least in the Top 30 of the country charts, most in the
Top 10. Thompson's lyrics tend to be just a little grittier than
those of his contemporaries, and his favorite subjects are cheating
women and cheating on women, and drinking before. during and after,
but there's not the usual bragging or annoying posturing. He liked
to record with his touring band, the Brazos Valley Boys, instead of
the usual practice of hiring studio talent to make albums, and in
doing so, Thompson managed to avoid the sterility of technically
talented musicians who specialize in bloodless performances. So,
here it is, modern country music invented and perfected and
collected by Australians and waiting for your ears. Nice multi-label
(Dot, MCA, Capitol), career overview that should send all sensible
listeners scrambling for more. (JC)
HANK THOMPSON: Anybody's Girl/ Blackboard of My
Heart/ Breakin' in Another Heart/ Breakin' the Rules/ Cocaine Blues/
Don't Take It out on Me/ Fooler, A Faker/ Hangover Tavern/
Honky-Tonk Girl/ Humpty Dumpty Heart/ I Hear the South Callin' Me/
I've Come Awful Close/ I've Run out of Tomorrows/ Most of All/ New
Green Light/ Oaklahoma Hills/ Older the Violin, The Sweeter the
Music/ On Tap, In the Can, Or in the Bottle/ Rockin' in the Congo/
Rub-A-Dub-Dub/ Six Pack to Go/ Smoky the Bar/ Squaws Along the
Yukon/ Waiting in the Lobby of Your Heart/ Wake Up Irene/ We've Gone
Too Far/ Who Left the Door to Heaven Open/ Whoa Sailor/ Wild Side of
Life/ Wildwood Flower - Hank Thompson, Merle Travis
|
JUSTIN TUBB |
Bear Family BCD 16859 |
Pepper Hot Baby |
● CD $21.98 |
32 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Justin Tubb
had the mighty long shadow of his father to live under and
unfortunately doesn't get the credit he deserves as the fine
performer he was. With a sound that comes off as a cross between
Faron Young, Hank Williams and '50s era Conway Twitty and a good ear
for material, ole J.T. can easily fill up a 32-track collection that
will get a Highly Recommended rating from me. Fantastic takes on
Sugar Lips/ Looking Back To See/ Pepper Hot Baby/ Sure Fire Kisses
(with Goldie Hill) and many more. (JM)
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