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COUNTRY,
BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIMEY
Deke Dickerson ->
Tommy Duncan
| DEKE
DICKERSON & THE ECCO-FONICS |
Hightone 8110 |
More Million $ellers |
● CD $15.98 |
Recommended 2nd CD of fine rockabilly & rockin' country
from one of Burbank's best guitarist - not bad as a vocalist either! This
rockin' quartet as a guest star Joey D'ambrosio, original tenor blower of
Bill Haley & The Comets & later The Jodimars (when he was known as
Joe Ambrose). Nice mixture of originals & covers, with guests Hadda
Brooks, Carl Sonny Letland & Billy Zoom. With an intro by Billy Barty
& the closing theme done by Jerry Scoggins to the tune he's best known
for, The Beverly Hillbillies Theme! One great highlight is a cover
of the Joe Maphis/ Larry Collins classic Rockin' Gypsy, Also
includes Red Headed Woman/ The Hatchet Man/ My Name Is Deke (GM)
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| DEKE
DICKERSON & THE ECCO-FONICS |
HMG 3005 |
Number One Hit Record! |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 36 mins, recommended Rock 'n' roll, rockabilly
and upbeat country from singer/ guitarist Deke Dickerson - formerly half
of popular duo Dave & Deke. Deke is a decent singer and a superb
guitarist who is featured with his regular band plus various guest
musicians including piano wizard Carl "Sonny" Leyland and former
Bill Haley sax blower Joey D'Ambrosio. Larry Collins of Collins Kids fame
duets with Deke on the hot guitar instrumental Jumpin' Bean and
Claude Trenier does a spoken introduction to Deke's cover of the Treniers'
Poon-Tang. The songs are a mix of originals (Can't See The
Forest For The Trees/ Lady Killin' Papa/ Guitar In orbit Pt 27, etc)
and some not overly familiar covers (Mexicali Rose / Snatch It &
Grab It / Feelin' Low, etc). (FS)
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| JOHNNY
DILKS & HIS VISITACION BOYS |
HMG 3008 |
Acres Of Heartache |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 43 mins, recommended Here's a pleasing collection
of mostly original tunes by a newcomer on the alt. Country scene. Several
of the songs have that humorous and self mocking edge I associate with
Robbie Fulks (Comin' On Thru) but in general Dilks' material is of
a more traditional and mournful bent. At it's best, his singing is
reminiscent of Hank Williams' lonesome wail but unfortunately at other
times his voice is not quite up to the material. There are some real
nuggets here though, check out the hilarious Stalin Kicked the Bucket
and the heartfelt title song. The backing is pure honky tonk and that
doesn't hurt! All in all an enjoyable album that makes me want to see this
group perform live. (DP)
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| DOUG DILLARD |
Flying Fish 70477 |
Heartbreak Hotel / What's That |
● CD $15.98 |
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| THE DILLARDS |
Vanguard VCD 131/32 |
There Is A Time (1963-70) |
● CD $15.98 |
The Dillards hailed originally from the Ozarks, and though
they made much capital from their hillbilly image (they were the Darlin'
family on The Andy Griffith Show), they were shrewd fellows, and carved a
career out of being THE bluegrass band during the folk boom of the 60's.
They also cut 5 albums for Elektra, all represented here. Doug Dillard on
banjo, Rodney Dillard on guitar, Dean Webb on mandolin, and Mitch Jayne on
bass were the original band. Their first three albums were mostly
traditional bluegrass, and included spritely originals like Dooley
(the Darlin's signature number), the very traditional Old Home Place,
and others. Their third album, from which three tunes here are taken, was
a wonderful all-instrumental LP featuring a young Byron Berline on a
selection of fiddle tunes. Their last two Elektra albums featured Herb
Pederson in place of the departed Doug Dillard on banjo, and the material
veered increasingly toward contemporary folk and progressive country-rock
sounds. 29 cuts in all - a generous sampling from the Elektra years. RP)
|
| THE DILLARDS |
Vanguard VHD 79460 |
Let It Fly |
● CD $15.98 |
New recording by Rodney Dillard, Steve Cooley, Dean Webb and
Mitch Jayne, with Herb Pederson producing and playing guitar, and special
guests Byron Berline, Bill Bryson, Tom Brumley and more. 12 selections.
|
| JOHN DILLESHAW |
Document DOCD 8002 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, 1929-30 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks by versatile and talented performer.
|
| THE DIXON BROTHERS |
Document 8046 |
Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 - 1936 |
● CD $15.98 |
22 tracks, highly recommended The first of four volumes
featuring the complete recordings of this superb South Carolina duo.
Lifelong industrial millhands, The Dixon Brothers were also among the most
influential of the early country brother duets and were also successful
recording artists in the 30's. The brother's repertoire was an intriguing
blend of mountain ballads, parlor songs, self-penned country songs in the
style of the day, religious songs, country blues, and songs about the
hardships in the cotton mills drawn from personal experience. Dorsey does
most of the lead vocal and plays regular guitar, brother Howard provides
harmony vocals and steel guitar. This volume includes a couple of their
most enduring songs the topical Weave Room Blues and the humorous
delight Intoxicated Rat. Other fine original songs include Sales
Tax On The Women and Spinning Room Blues. There are
"answer" songs to such popular ditties as Maple On The Hill/
I'm Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail and Bonnie Blue Eyes,
religious songs like Not Turning Back/ A Wonderful Day and Are
You Sure? and more. Generally decent sound and good notes from Keith
Briggs. (FS)
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| THE DIXON BROTHERS |
Document 8047 |
Complete Recordings, Vol. 2 - 1937 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 more fine sides including two rare demos that were in the
possession of Wade Mainer - Answer To Maple On The Hill-Part 4/ I Will
Meet My Precious Mother/ Darling Do You Miss Me/ How Can A Broke Man Be
Happy/ She Tickles Me/ A twilight Old Pal Of Yesterday/ Bless His Promise/
I Won't Accept Anything For My Soul/ The Girl I Left In Danville/ The
Lonely Prisoner, etc.
|
| THE DIXON BROTHERS |
Document 8049 |
Complete Recordings, Vol. 4 - 1938 |
● CD $15.98 |
This volume completes the reissue of the Dixon Brothers and
fills out the CD with the complete recordings of The Dixie Reelers from
1936.
|
| JERRY DOUGLAS |
Rounder 11535 |
Everything Is Gonna Work Out Fine |
● CD $15.98 |
19-track sampler from various Rounder releases, with Darol
Anger, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs and more.
|
| JERRY DOUGLAS
& PETER ROWAN |
Sugar Hill 3847 |
Yonder |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 46 min; interesting. A conscious attempt by Peter
and Jerry to evoke the simplicity and warmth implicit in the mostly
traditional repertoire presented here. All songs and tunes feature only
Jerry, on dobro or Weissenborn guitar, and Peter on guitar or mandolin and
vocals. Traditional numbers include Cannonball Blues/ Tuck Away My
Lonesom Blues/ Tribulations/ Girl In The Blue Velvet Band and other
including four Rowan originals in the traditional style. The warm sound
quality and presence achieved soundwise may be because the songs and tunes
were recorded in various living rooms, using tube mics and tube mic
preamps. A nice, atmospheric recording, lovingly performed. (RP)
|
| JIMMIE DRIFTWOOD |
Bear Family BCD 15465 |
Americana |
● CD $65.98 |
3 CD set of all of Driftwood's RCA recordings. Includes 24
page booklet with notes and discography.
|
| DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD |
Rounder 0469 |
Memories That Bless & Burn |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, recommended Excellent collection of bluegrass
gospel from one of the best currently active groups led by singer/
mandolin player Ron Thomason. Nine of the tracks are recent recordings,
the rest are drawn from earlier albums by the group. The title song is an
original by Suzanne Thomas who has her only lead vocal here - it's a
stunning performance and I hope we'll hear more of her. Other songs
include Looking For The Stone/ Were You There?/ I'll Be No Stranger/ I
have Found A Way/ Dip Your Fingers In Some Water/ The God That never
fails/ When I Went In the Valley To Pray and others.
|
| STUART DUNCAN |
Rounder 0263 |
Stuart Duncan |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 33 min., recommended
This is the initial solo
effort by the Nashville Bluegrass Band's regular fiddler (and just about
everybody's favorite young fiddler). Accompanied on various cuts by bandmates and other instrumental hotshots as Sam Bush, David Grier, Bela
Fleck, and Jerry Douglas, Stuart tackles a varied repertoire including
traditional fiddle tunes and originals. He takes the lead vocal on Lonely
Moon, plays a little mandolin and guitar, and generally illustrates
why he's one of the most highly regarded acoustic music players. RP)
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| TOMMY
DUNCAN & THE WESTERN ALL-STARS |
Bear Family BCD 15907 |
Texas Moon |
● CD $21.98 |
26 songs, good
Tommy Duncan's solo material hasn't gotten to
the hands of reissuers, and now that it has, it's not always a plesant
surprise. You might have figured that after Bob Wills canned him in 1948,
since he formed a hot band of ex-Texas Playboys with his bass-playing
brother Glynn Duncan, that this is loaded with white-hot swing. Well, the
band hit the road and had one hit in 1949 with Gambling Polka Dot Blues
But the complete 1949-1950 Capitols, mostly Duncan vocal showcases, are
disappointingly tame, despite the presence of such hot players as Noel
Boggs and Joe Holley. They seemed to be playing restrained accompaniment
behind Tommy's singing, as he wanted. Two more songs, All Star Boogie
and High Country made up a mediocre single on Tommy's own Natural
label. Better are four songs that consist of Glynn Duncan's two Cormac
singles, with Tommy and the band backing him (Tommy showing that his vocal
talents didn't extend to playing bass fiddle). By late 1950, Tommy
disbanded the group to work solo. The strongest material comes from
Tommy's first two 1951 sessions for Intro Records teaming him with Ole
Rasmussen and the Nebraska Corn Huskers, a Wills-like band with power and
energy to energize Tommy. These are the best tracks on the album, without
question. Comes with great photos, complete discography and typically
factual and honest notes by Rich Kienzle, who doesn't mince words about
the musical problems, though one sometimes has to read between the lines a
bit. (AK)
|
| TOMMY
DUNCAN & THE WESTERN ALL-STARS |
Bear Family BCD 15957 |
Beneath A Neon Star In A Honky Tonk |
● CD $21.98 |
28 songs, fans only This one picks up the ball with his
1951-1953 sessions for Intro, a far cry from the first two sessions. Some
of this is unbelievably insipid, such as Who Drank My Beer (When I Was
In the Rear) and Tomato Can, the latter so bad that in the
notes, Glynn Duncan himself admits to hating it. The strongest Intro
material teamed Tommy with the Texas honky-tonk/swing unit The Miller
Brothers, with whom he recorded a 1953 version of Willie Mae Thornton's Hound
Dog, that's apparently the first known recording of that song by any
white singer. Inexplicably, Duncan's Coral recordings of the mid-1950s,
some of his best solo recordings, weren't included by Bear Family. His
lousy ultra-rare 1956 single Daddy Loves Mommyo and Crazy Mixed
Up Kid for Bakersfield-based Fire Records does appear, and even Buck
Owens on guitar can't save it. The music symbolizes Duncan's foundering
career, which didn't get beyond second string until he reunited briefly
with Wills in the late 1950s. After he returned to his solo career, the
obscurity returned. Still, it's sad to hear one of Western Swing's great
vocalists trying to gain a real foothold and failing, and inexcusably Bear
Family left off the Corals. (AK)
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