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COUNTRY,
BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIMEY
Wagon -> The
Warrior River Boys
| WAGON |
Hightone HCD 8072 |
No Kinder Rom |
● CD $15.98 |
This is the debut album from this St. Louis based group
described as a "country influenced rock band". Delivered in a
constant mid tempo and three part vocals that quickly becomes monotonous,
the songs convey, in the words of the promotional material, a quiet and
poignant desperation. I would agree on the desperation part, but found
the lyrics to be totally enigmatic and frequently unintelligible. I
confess, I haven't a clue what these guys are singing about! Least you
think I'm exaggerating, what who you make of "In the end he'll lose
his head, and he'll always lose his keys, to a room twice as big as the
one he sees" (! ?). I'm glad Hightone Records is expanding their
artist roster, but I wish they'd exercise a bit more quality control. (DP)
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| PORTER WAGONER |
Bear Family BCD 15499 |
The Thin Man From West Plains: RCA Sessions
1952-62 |
● CD $94.98 |
4 CDs, 112 tracks, approx. 4 hr. 33 min. recommended Looking
objectively at Porter's first RCA recordings from 1952-1953, one can only
marvel at how derivative of Hank Williams he was. Songs like Trinidad
weren't even very good in 1953. Luckily, Porter found his own voice with Company's
Comin' and particularly A Satisfied Mind, which sound good even
today. From 1954 on, the musical proceedings took a dramatic upturn as he
created his own proudly hillbilly style, that even Chet Atkins' Nashville
Sound alterations couldn't overwhelm. The early hits are here, among them Eat,
Drink and Be Merry (Tomorrow You'll Cry), the immortal What Would
You Do (If Jesus Came to Your House), Uncle Pen/ Tryin' To Forget
the Blues/ Your Old Love Letters/ Misery Loves Company/ Cold Dark Waters
and I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand. The booklet is
loaded with old photos, ads and information from annotator Dale Vinicur,
whose research features occasional gaffes, but does the job. (RK)
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| PORTER WAGONER |
Jasmine 3507 |
A Rare Slice Of Country |
● CD $11.98 |
22 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended. A fine collection of
22 sides by this fine honky tonk SINGER. The first 10 tracks features some
of Porter's very earliest sides, presumably from the early 50s, finding
Porter strongly under the influence of Hank Williams and Left Frizzell but
also showing his originality on songs like River Of Love and I
Betcha My Heart, I Love You. The rest of the tracks are from mid 50s
radio shows, usually hosted by Red Foley. There are fine versions of some
of his hits like Satisfied Mind/ Eat, Drink, And Be Merry (Tomorrow
You'll Cry)/ I Thought I Heard You Call My Name and others as well as
fine non hits like Be Glad That You Ain't Me/ Love At First Sight,
two versions of If You Don't, Somebody Else Will - one a duet with
Foley and a fine gospel song Good Morning Neighbour with a trio
vocal. There are several comedy interludes which are more entertaining
than usual - lots of jokes at the expense of Porter's slender frame.
Excellent sound.
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| PORTER WAGONER |
Koch 7987 |
In Person |
● CD $11.98 |
One of the earliest and rarest live country recordings from
1964.
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| PORTER WAGONER |
Shell Point 1002 |
The Best I've Ever Been |
● CD $14.98 |
First new recordings in a while by this country music legend
finds him in good form on a selection of 11 new songs.
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| PORTER
WAGONER & THE BLACKWOOD BROTHERS |
King 5108 |
The Grand Old Gospel |
● CD $8.98 |
12 tracks, 33 mins, recommended Reissue of 1966 RCA album. A
fine collection of country gospel featuring the fine lead vocals of Porter
accompanied by the pleasing harmonies of The Blackwwod Brothers - When
I Reach That City/ The Family Who Prays (Never Shall Part)/ If We never
Meet Again/ Trouble In The Amen Corner/ I See A Bridge/ A House Of Gold+6.
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| PORTER
WAGONER & DOLLY PARTON |
RCA 66858 |
The Essential Porter & Dolly |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks, 51 min., recommended. Though they are
superficially dissimilar, the tall lanky and considerably older music
veteran from Missouri and the buxom little lady from Tennessee certainly
produced an exemplary share of solid country hits in the late 60's and
throughout the 70's. And those are the very tracks featured here,
including The Last Thing on My Mind, Holding on to Nothin', Just
Someone I Used to Know, Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man, Burning
the Midnight Oil, Please Don't Stop Loving Me, Is Forever
Longer Than Always, and Making Plans. Solid music from start to
finish, offered here with several photos and solid notes by Wade Jessen.
Their timing and their sympathetic vocal blend clearly put Porter and
Dolly in the front ranks of country male/female duos. Note, however, that
10 of the tracks here duplicate cuts on the budget set on Pair. (DH)
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| JIMMY WAKELY |
Bronco Buster 9032 |
Great Hillbilly & Western/ Swing
Rarities |
● CD $19.98 |
This album of 20 rare tunes will be a welcome addition to
any Western collection. Four feature "Fiddlin" Arthur Smith, who
appeared in numerous Wakely films. These fit the "hillbilly"
category suggested in the album's title. A fifth, I Miss You Since
You've Been Gone, was performed by Wakely on the screen but,
unfortunately, Smith does the vocal here. But the rest makes this a highly
desirable album. The Sunshine Gals, who also appeared in Wakely films, do
a couple of songs, and Wakely's smooth vocals are featured on the
remaining tracks. The supporting musicians are not identified, but the
sound is much like that of the groups that backed Jimmy in films. Titles
include I Hear You Talkin'/ Neath The Purple On The Hill/ Too Bad
Little Girl, Too Bad/ The Old Spinning Wheel/ There's An Empty Cot In the
Bunkhouse/ In A Little House On The Hill and When It's Night Time
In Nevada, among others. Fidelity is not perfect, but that doesn't
interfere with enjoyment of the music. Highly recommended. (OJS)
JIMMY WAKELY: 'neath the Purple on the Hill/ Cimarron (Roll On) (Voc.: the
Sunshine Girls)/ Crazy Blues (Vocal: Arthur Smith)/ Fort Worth Jail (Voc.:
Sunshine Girls)/ I Hear You Talkin'/ I Miss You since You've Been Gone
(Voc.: with Arthur Smith)/ I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (Voc. Sunshine
Girls)/ I'll Be Faithful/ Iin a Little House on the Hill/ Is this a Dream/
Orange Blossom Special (Vocal with Arthur Smith)/ Take Me Back to
Tennessee (Voc. With Arthur Smith)/ The Honey Song (Honey, I'm in Love
with You)/ The Old Spinning Wheel/ There's an Empty Cot in the Bunkhouse
Tonight./ Too Bad Little Girl Too Bad/ When It's Night Time in Nevada/ Why
Should I Wonder (Voc.: with Arthur Smith)/ You Still Belong to Me/ this
Night Is Mine
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| THE JIMMY WAKELY TRIO |
Bronco Buster 9042 |
The Legendary Jimmy Wakely Trio |
● CD $19.98 |
20 tracks from Thesaurus radio transcriptions from around
1942.
THE JIMMY WAKELY TRIO: Birmingham Jail/ Good-bye, Good Luck, My Darling/ I
Won't Stand in Your Way/ I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/ I'm Thinking
Tonight of My Blue Eyes/ I've Tried to Forget That I Love You/ If You Knew
What it Meant to Be Lonesome/ Little Tumbleweed/ Margarita/ Over The Santa
Fe Trail/ The Bells of San Juan/ The End of the Trail/ The Last Long
Trail/ The Sweet Prairie Rose/ The Unopened Letter/ There's a Roundup
Ahead (for the Cowboys)/ Too Late/ When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again/
Whoopee Ti Yi Yo/ out Where the Wind Blows
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| BILLY WALKER |
Bear Family BCD 15657 |
Cross The Brazos At Waco |
● CD $132.98 |
6 CD's, 157 songs, approximately 7 hrs. recommended Texan
Billy Walker had some good years on the charts but hasn't had much notice
on the reissue front. Walker oldies like Cross the Brazos At Waco and the
honkytonk number Charlie's Shoes remain minor favorites today. Hank
Thompson got him onto Capitol in 1949 and he signed with Columbia in '51.
Even then it took three years until Thank You For Calling propelled
him into the Top Ten. The focus here is the first 15 years of his career
from the first Capitol session until his last Columbia session in 1965.
Walker stuck to honkytonk and all these records. A falling-out out with
Capitol exec Dee Kilpatrick described in Colin Escott's notes ended that
association and Dallas studio owner Jim Beck brought him to Columbia's
attention. The material speaks for itself, but among the curiosities are a
1952 session backed by Leon McAuliffe's Western Swing Band and a 1957 date
at producer Norman Petty's New Mexico studios. Walker shared his session
time with Buddy Holly, and members of Holly's band the Crickets even
backed Billy. Along with Claude Gray, Walker was among the first to record
Willie Nelson songs, having covered Nelson's The Storm Within My Heart
in 1959. In 1961 Walker was the first to record Funny How Time Slips
Away, all part of this set. The booklet is typical Bear Family: Colin
Escott's notes were based on new interviews with Walker, and rare photos,
advertisements and posters covering all the same period as the music. Many
fans might not want this much Walker, but for those who do, it's
definitive. (RK)
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| BILLY WALKER |
Deluxe 7825 |
The Best Of Billy Walker |
● CD $8.98 |
Enjoyable collection of 20 sides recorded in the 70s or 80s
by this fine Texas singer. Billy has had a hitmaking career going back to
the mid 50s and this selection is mostly remakes of his hits like Charlie's
Shoes/ Matamoros/ When A Man Loves A Woman/ Cross The Brazos At Waco/ She
Goes Walking Through My Mind/ A Million And One/ Circumstances and
others.
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| CHARLIE WALKER |
Bear Family BCD 15852 |
Pick Me Up On Your Way |
● CD $113.98 |
5 CD box set with 40 page book documenting the career of
this fine and underrated artist starting with his earliest recordings cut
for Imperial in 1952 to his classic Columbia and Epic sides.
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| WILEY WALKER
& GENE SULLIVAN |
Old Homestead 4188 |
Radio Favorites |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 68 mins, recommended. Fine selection of sides by
this country duo from Alabam who were very popular in the late 30s and
early 40s. Singer and fiddler Walker and singer & guitarist Sullivan
were also prolific songwriters and originated the country standards When
My Blue Moon Turns To Gold and Live And Let Live. It's not
clear if these performances are all from radio shows - some certainly are.
They perform a mixture of old time country, Western flavored items,
sentimental songs, blues, novelty songs and more. On some tracks they are
joined by steel guitar, electric guitar, accordion and other instruments.
Songs include Make Room In Your Heart/ I Want To Live And Love/ Please
Pass The Biscuits/ Don't That Moon Look Lonesome/ How Does One Forget,
etc. Sound quality is decent and there are informative notes by Bill
Malone. (FS)
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| DOUG & JACK WALLIN |
Smithsonian Folkways 40013 |
Family Songs & Stories From The North
Carolina Mountain |
● CD $14.98 |
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| DON WALSER |
Texas Music Group 4007 |
Dare To Dream |
● CD $16.98 |
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| DON WALSER |
Texas Music Group 4502 |
Rolling Stone From Texas |
● CD $12.98 |
12 Tracks, 39 min., recommended. Originally on Watermelon.
Heart songs, cowboy songs, a couple of Western Swing tunes and a Tex-Mex
border song... Don Walser is doing his part to keep traditional country
music alive and vibrant with both his choice of music and his booming
voice, not to mention his yodeling. Walser wrote or co-wrote five songs
and the covers include Marty Robbins Don't Worry 'bout Me, Ernie
Ford's Shotgun Boogie. Jimmie Rodger's California Blues and
Willie Nelson's Three Days. Stellar musicians including Cindy
Cashdollar, Ray Benson, Johnny Gimble and Floyd Domino support Walser. My
only criticism is that some times the CD almost sounds too polished, I
wish it could have been a little more ragged. But it's pretty difficult
not to smile when you're listening to Walser belt these songs out. He's
got a great voice and his love of the music can be heard in his singing.
(RS)
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| DON WALSER |
Texas Music Group 4503 |
Texas Top Hand |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 41 min; essential Don's "Rolling Stone From
Texas" (Watermelon 1028) was one of my favorite recordings of 1995,
and this one will probably make my top ten list, too, containing as it
does 12 examples of Don's robust vocals and incredible yodeling on a mix
of western swing, honky tonk standards, cowboy ballads, and Don's original
songs, all backed up by cream of the crop Texas country and swing
musicians, including album producer Ray Benson and other Asleep At The
Wheel members. Songs include Tumbling Tumbleweeds/ Wine Me Up/ Signosts
Of Life/ Divorce Me COD/ Whispering Pines/ Big Blue Diamonds, and Danny
Boy. This portly, middle-aged west Texas singer is an unlikely country
star in 1996, but his recordings put most recent attempts to recreate the
styles he performs to shame. He's not recreating anything; he's obviously
been close to this stuff his whole life; it's strange that most of the
country music world is only now catching up with him. (RP)
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