|
NEWSLETTER #130
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Rex Allen
-> Various Artists
| THE CROOKED JADES |
Copper Creek 2005 |
The Unfortunate Rake, Vol. 2 - Yellow
Mercury |
● CD $13.98 |
23 tracks, 67 mins., recommended.Twenty-three tracks? Well,
this rollicking California quintet rips through old-time and ragtime tunes
like their lives depended on it. Determinedly deadpan retro à la Gillian
Welch but rougher around the edges, there's a self-conscious sparkle to the
performances. Guitarist Jeff Kazor's original mournful songs blend perfectly
with the genuine oldies, from Shady Grove to False Hearted Lover
Blues. Arrangements include Dobro, guitar, various banjos, fiddles,
bass, and vocals with other weird stuff like mortar and pestle thrown in.
(DC)
|
| BILL HALEY & FRIENDS |
Hydra 27120 |
Vol. 2 - The Cowboy Recordings |
● CD $21.98 |
29 tracks, 80 mins, highly recommended. Fine and invaluable
collection featuring tracks recorded for Philadelphia country label Cowboy
Records between 1946 and 1950. The label was run by local entrepreneur Jack
Howard and Jack E. Myers. Myers was also a songwriter and musician using the
name Jimmy DeKnight and was co-composer of Rock Around The Clock. The
Cowboy label is best known for releasing some of the first recordings of
Bill Haley and this collection features all ten recordings made for the
label by him (four of them originally unreleased). Haley explored several
styles in country including straight ahead country, cowboy songs and western
swing and was a decent if not exceptional performer but he always had that
distinctive voice and a few years later was to find the sound that he was
looking for. There were other fine artists featured on the label including
veteran western performer Ray Whitley and old time performers Whitey &
Hogan. Most of the other performers were very obscure but all are worthwhile
and I particularly like the old time gospel of Willis Meyers on You Can't
Be A Millionaire. This is a high quality production with excellent sound
and a wonderful 36 page booklet with extensive notes, discographical info
and loads of great vintage photos and other memorabilia. (FS)
|
| DICKSON HALL |
And More Bears 25006 |
Outlaws Of The Old West |
● CD $21.98 |
Reissue of 1956 MGM album featuring songs about famous
outlaws including Jesse James, The Dalton Brothers, Billy The Kid, John
Wesley Hardin and others.
|
| THE HODGES BROTHERS |
Arhoolie 9037 |
Bogue Chitto Flingding - Old Time
Mississippi Country M |
● CD $9.98 |
21 tracks, 50 mins, recommended Delightful collection of old
time country music recorded in the 60s by these three brothers from Bogue
Chitto, Mississippi. This is a reissue of Arhoolie 5001 from 1971 with six
bonus tracks - five previously unissued performances and one side of one of
their Trumpet Records from 1951. The group consisted of Felix on fiddle and
vocals, Ralph on guitar, mandolin and vocals and James on rhythm guitar with
John White providing string bass and occasional vocals. The perform and mix
of popular traditional songs and tunes (Bile Dem Cabbage Down/ Banks Of
The Ohio/ Ida Red, etc as well as less familiar local songs and tunes (Mississippi
Baby/ Bogue Chitto Waltz, etc). The performances are not particularly
polished but do have a lot of charm and are well worth a listen. (FS)
|
| DOYLE HOLLY |
OMS 25140 |
Together Again |
● CD $15.98 |
A collection of 15 songs that were hits for Buck Owens
performed by Buck's former bass player Doyle Holly. Buck contributes a
couple of vocals and Buck's former steel guitarist is also on these sessions
which also includes Barry Bales on lead guitar, Bobby Osborne on mandolin
and others. Arrangements are pretty close to the originals - Act
Naturally/ Excuse Me (I Think I've Got A Heartache)/ Mental Cruelty
(with Jeannie Seely)/I've Got A Tiger By the Tail/ Cryin' Time, etc.
|
| HOMER & JETHRO |
B.A.C.M. 043 |
Ground Hog |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, 71 tracks, highly recommended Great collection
featuring all but one of the tracks recorded by this fine comedic duo for
King in 1947. Featuring vocal and guitar from Henry "Homer" Haynes and vocal
and stunning mandolin playing from Kenneth "Jethro" Burns they perform
traditional songs (Boll Weevil/ Poor Little Liza Poor Girl/ Ground Hog,
etc), twisted version of Tin Pan Alley Songs (Margie/ Five Minutes More/
Night And Day/ I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now/ Glow Worm, etc) and a few
originals (I Brusied Her Somewhat/ Goodbye Old Booze/ All Night Long,
etc. Sound is generally excellent and there are brief notes by Brian Golbey.
(FS)
HOMER & JETHRO: All Night Long/ Always/ Bill Bailey Won‘t You Please Come
Home/ Blue Tailed Fly/ Boll Weevil/ Cielito Lindo/ Donkey Serenade/ Don‘t
Let Your Sweet Love Die/ Don‘t Telephone, Don‘t Telegraph/ Five Minutes
More/ Fly Birdie Fly/ Glow Worm/ Goodbye Old Booze/ Ground Hog/ I Feel Old
Age Creeping On/ I Wonder Who‘s Kissing Her Now/ It Bruised Her Somewhat/
I‘ll Close My Eyes/ I‘m Glad I Waited For You/ Margie/ Night And Day/ Poor
Little Liza Poor Girl/ Rye Whiskey/ Sympathy-symphony/ When It‘s Long Handle
Time In Tennessee
|
| THE HOOSIER HOT SHOTS |
Proper BOX 63 |
Everybody Stomp |
● CD $26.98 |
4 discs,100 tracks, essential
Are you ready Hezzie? This
quartet spent decades combining Dixieland jazz, stomp, country & pure hokum,
mainly for the radio audience where they were huge, but they also managed to
put out quite a lot of recordings which, though never huge sellers were very
influential - Spike Jones's City Slickers started years later & included
many tunes from the Hoosier's repertory. Started by brothers Paul "Hezzie"
Trietsch on washboard & slide whistle, & Ken Triesch - guitar, joined by
Gabe Ward on clarinet & Frank Kettering on bass. With weekly exposure on The
National Barn Dance, the boys had no problems getting recording contracts -
here we have tunes from Banner/Conqueror/Vocalion & later on Okeh & Decca, +
a rare V-disc. Also a 36 page booklet. Meet Me By The Ice House Lizzie/ I
Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones/ The Girl Friend Of The Whirlin'
Dervish/ From The Indies To The Andes In His Undies/ Connie's Got
Connections In Connecticut/ When There's A Tear In The Eyes Of A Potato
as well as more "normal" fare like Down In The Valley/ You're Driving Me
Crazy/ I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate/ Wabash Blues/ Swanee/ St.
Louis Blues/Divorce Me C.O.D., etc. (GM)
|
| JIM & JESSE |
Starday KSCD 120 |
Dixie Hoedown - Their Complete Starday
Recordings |
● CD $9.98 |
14 cuts, 32 min, recommended. Most welcome reissue featuring
all 14 sides recorded by Jim & Jesse for Starday in 1958 and 1959. The
brothers are in top form vocally, and the instrumental work is quite
impressive, with lots of Jesse's patented mandolin crosspicking style and
accompaniments featuring two of the finest instrumentalists in the history
of bluegrass in addition to Jesse in banjo player Bobby Thompson and fiddler
Vassar Clements. Songs and tunes include pardon Me/ Border Ride/ Hard
Hearted/ I'm Changing The Words To My Love Song/ I'll LOve Nobody But You/
Kneel By The Altar/ Let The Spirit Descend and more. Includes 8 page
booklet with excellent notes by Gary Reid and full discographical info.
(RP/FS)
|
| JOHNNIE & JACK |
Bear Family BCD 16663 |
For Old Times Sake |
● CD $21.98 |
|
32 tracks, 76 mins, essential. Brother-in-law duo Johnny
Wright and Jack Anglin recorded some of the greatest country duets of all
time. Back in 1992, Bear Family issued a six CD box set featuring all their
recordings. That set has been out of print for several years so this
collection featuring some of the highlights of that set is particularly
welcome. 30 of the tracks were recorded for RCA between 1949 and 1959 and
there is one of their Decca cuts from 1962 - their last hit Slow Poison.
It includes many of their best known songs and biggest hits like Oh Baby
Mine/ Ashes of Love/ I Can't Tell My Heart That/ Poison Love/ Cryin' Heart
Blues, and others. Though the early RCA tracks featured accompaniment
from their own band, featuring legendary fiddlers Paul Warren and Benny
Martin and dobroist Shot Jackson, over time they augmented the group in the
studio with Nashville session pickers. The 36 page booklet has informative
notes by Colin Escott, photos and discographical information. If you missed
the box set, this is a must. (FS)
JOHNNIE & JACK: (oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely/ Ashes Of Love/ Beware Of It/
Cryin' Heart Blues/ Don't Say Goodbye If You Love Me/ For Old Times Sake/
Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight/ Heart Trouble/ Honey, I Need You/ I Can't
Tell My Heart That/ I Don't Mean To Cry/ I Loved You Better Than Ever You
Knew/ I Never Can Come Back To You/ I Want To Be Loved/ I'm Gonna Love You
One More Time/ Kiss Crazy Baby/ Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide/ Lonely
Island Pearl/ No One Dear But You/ Poison Love/ S. O. S./ Sailor Man/ Slow
Poison/ South In New Orleans/ Stop The World (and Let Me Off)/ Take My Ring
From Your Finger/ The Only One I Ever Loved I Lost/ Three Ways Of Knowing/
We Live In Two Different Worlds/ What About You?/ Why Not Confess/ You Tried
To Ruin My Name
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Acrobat ACRCD 105 |
Some Of The Best Live! |
● CD $10.98 |
10 tracks, 26 mins, very good. The greatest living honky tonk
singer recorded live on the T.V. show "Church Street Station" in the late
80s. George is in fine form, accompanied by his road band, doing soulful
versions of some of his Epic hits plus his early hit The Race Is On.
Includes Bartender's Blues/ He Stopped Loving Her Today/ No Show Jones/
The One I Loved Back Then/Who's Gonna Fill their Shoes and others. 10
tracks in all including an instrumental from his band.+
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Proper Pairs 135 |
Jones, By George |
● CD $12.98 |
Two CD, 40 track compilation of George's United Artists and
Musicor recordings from the 60s. Includes hits, album tracks, covers, etc. -
White Lightning/ Back In My Baby's Arms Again/ Once A Day/ Least Of All/
My Favorite Lies. Just A Girl I used To Know/ I Can't Change Over Night/ She
Thinks I Still Care/ A Good Year For The Roses/ Tender Years/ Tarnished
Angel/ Things Have Gone To Pieces/ The Selfishness In Man/ On The Banks Of
The Pontchartrain, etc.
|
| BILL MONROE |
And More Bears 25001 |
Two Days At Newport |
● CD $21.98 |
Recordings of Bill Monroe's first appearance at the Newport
Folk Festival in July, 1953 with his band which at the time included Del
McCoury, Bill Keith, Bessie Lee Mauldin, Billy Baker & Ralph Rinzler -
a group that never recorded together in the studio.
|
| BILL MONROE |
JSP JSPCD 7712 |
All The Classic Releases, 1937-1949 |
● CD $28.98 |
This is essentially a condensed version of Bear Family 16399
leaving out the alternate takes and the stupendous book and much cheaper.
The first two CDs feature all 60 duets recorded for Bluebird between 1936
and 1938 by Bill and his brother Charlie. The other two CDs feature all 16
of his seminal recordings from 1940 and '41 with his first band called The
Bluegrass boys plus all his classic Columbia sessions from 1945-49 with
sidemen like Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise and other great
musicians.
|
| WILLIE NELSON |
Bear Family BCD 16664 |
It's Been Rough & Rocky Travelin' |
● CD $87.98 |
Three CD set featuring Willie's earliest recordings
including his first recording for Sarg in 1954, his 1957 recordings for his
own label, his "D" recordings, the rare first version of Nite Life
recorded for Rx and all his Liberty recordings. 79 tracks in all recorded
between 1954 and 1963 including several alternate takes and some duets with
Shirley Collie. Includes 68 page hard cover book with notes by Rich Kienzle,
rare photos and complete discographical info.
|
| HANK PENNY |
Proper Pairs 134 |
King Of Hillbilly Bebop |
● CD $12.98 |
Two CD, 50 track compilation by this fine and important
hillbilly boogie and western swing performer recorded between 1938 and 1952.
Penny is accompanied by the likes of Noel Boggs, Boudleaux Bryant, Roy
Lanham, Merle Travis, Harold Hensley, Jimmy Widener, Red Foley and others.
Includes Back Up A Little Bit/ Hesitation Blues/ It Ain't Gonna Rain No
More/ Peach Tree Shuffle/ Tobacco State Swing/ Talkin' About You/ Two Timin'
Mama/ penny Blwos His Top/ Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon/ Bloodshot
Eyes/ REmington Ride/ Hold The Phone/ I Want My Rib/ Hadacillin Boogie
and lots more. With 16 page booklet.
|
| THE PRAIRIE RAMBLERS |
B.A.C.M. 048 |
The Oregon Trail |
● CD $13.98 |
21 tracks, recommended. Fine collection of sides recorded
between 1935 and 1952 by this fine, long lived and versatile string band
which usually featured Tex Atchison or Alan Crockett/ fiddle, Chick Hurt/
mandolin & tenor banjo, Salty Holmes or Bernie Smith/ lead guitar, Jack
Taylor/ bass and others with vocals by various of the band members. The
material is a mixture of swinging tunes, sentimental tunes, risque songs
(issued under the name of The Sweet Violet Boys), western swing and novelty
pieces with some hot instrumental work. (FS)
THE PRAIRIE RAMBLERS: All I Ever Do Is Wait/ Answer To I’ll Be Back In A
Year/ Darling Do You Love Another/ Deed We Do/ Easy On The Eye/ Ghost In The
Graveyard/ Have A Heart Taft-Hartley/ I Love My Fruit/ I’ll Be Back In A
Year Little Darling/ I’ll Love You Till I Die/ I’m A Married Man/ I’m
Looking For The Bully Of The Town/ Nellie’s Not The Same Nell Now/ Old
Mississippi Moon/ The Girl At The End Of The Bar/ The Oregon Trail/ There’s
A Man That Comes To Our House/ Will I Ride The Range In Heaven/ Yip Yip
Yowie, I’m An Eagle/ You Were Right And I Was Wrong/ You’re The Fly In My
Ointment
|
| CHARLEY PRIDE |
RCA 53227-2 |
Anthology |
● CD $23.98 |
Two CD set featuring 40 tracks recorded between 1966 and
1982 by this fine singer including many big hits - includes Just Between
You And Me/ The Easy Part's Over/ Kaw-Liga/ All I have To Offer You Is Me/
Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone/ I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving
Me/ Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'/ She's Too Good To Be True/ Amazing Love/
Then Who Am I/ She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory/ Someone Loves You
Honey/ You Win Again, etc. Includes 16 page illustrated booklet with
informative notes by Rich Kienzle.
|
| JIM REEVES |
And More Bears 25002 |
The Jim Reeves Radio Show, February 24, 1958 |
● CD $21.98 |
Previously unreleased live show.
|
| ROY ROGERS |
B.A.C.M. 047 |
Hazy Mountains |
● CD $13.98 |
A varied collection of sides by this popular singing cowboy
from the 40s including tracks with his wife Dale Evans and with Foy
Willing's Riders Of The Purple Sage.
ROY ROGERS: A Four Legged Friend/ Ah Ha San Antone/ Buffalo Billy/ Down By
The Old Alamo/ Egbert The Easter Egg/ Hazy Mountains/ I Met A Miss In Texas/
In The Garden/ Kiwi Bird (Kee Wee Bird)/ Lucky Leather Breeches/ Me And My
Teddy Bear/ Oh Dem Golden Slippers/ Peter Cottontail/ Pliney Jane/ Punky
Punkin/ The Kid With The Rip In His Pants/ The Old Rugged Cross/ The Story
Of Bucky And Dan/ There’s A Cloud In My Valley Of Sunshine/ Think Of Me/
Wonderful Christmas Night/ You’ve Got A Rope Around My Heart
|
|
DAVID GRISMAN,
PETER ROWAN, CLARENCE WHITE & RICHARD GREENE |
DBK Works 503 |
Muleskinner |
● CD $15.98 |
Finally on CD. Originally released on Warner Bros. in '74
"Muleskinner" documents some of Clarence White's (Byrds, Kentucky Colonels)
last session work. Subtitled "A Potpourri Of Bluegrass Jam," this collection
of talented musicians blows the bluegrass tag to smithereens. There's
Grisman's Opus 57 In G Minor, some chilling lead electric guitar by
maestro White on the opening Mule Skinner Blues as well as Richard
Greene's jazzy left-of-center violin excursions. Peter Rowan can play it &
sing it either way, the traditional - Blue & Lonesome, Dark Hollow,
Footprints In The Snow or the cosmic cowboy - Runways Of The Moon
, at which he's very adept. The four part harmony, stellar musicianship,
infectious brotherly spirit, and Rowan's vocal chops combine to make this
album one joyous, swinging affair from the get-go. (SG)
|
| HANK SNOW |
Bear Family BCD 16661 |
Wanderin' On - The Best Of The Wandering
Ranger |
● CD $21.98 |
25 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended Hank Snow was a star
in his native Canada before anyone in the Lower 48 knew about him recording
prolifically for RCA there between 1936 and 1947. In 1993 Bear Family issued
a five CD box set featuring all of those recordings and have now issued a 25
track condensation of that set for those that can't afford or don't need a
box set worth. The earliest sides feature him solo or accompanied by Euegne
Beaudoin on steel guitar and show the strong influence of Jimmie Rodgers
though he eventually found his own voice. Later recordings add Teddy Miller
on bass. Most of the songs are Snow originals including such fine sides as
Blue Velvet Band/ Lonesome Blue Yodel/ The Hobo's Last Ride/ Wanderin' On
and others. There are also a few covers like Wiley and Gene's When My
Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again. His 1944 recording of Blue Ranger
remained a favorite for many years. Sound quality is superb and the 20 page
booklet includes notes by Charles Wolfe, a bunch of rare photos and
discographical details. (FS)
|
| THE STANLEY BROTHERS |
King KG 0950 |
The KIng Years, 1961-1965 |
● CD $56.98 |
The long awaited second volume of The Stanley
Brothers great Starday/ King recordings. This one is another four CD box set
featuring 111 songs complete with 28 page color booklet. More details next
time but it should be a must have.
|
| THE STANLEY BROTHERS |
Mercury 53402 |
The Complete Mercury Recordings |
● CD $23.98 |
2 CDs, 48 tracks; 1 hr, 58 min; essential. Finally available
as a domestic release this wonderful two CD set feature all the Stanley
Brothers recordings from Mercury made between 1953 and 1958. It is
particularly welcome because it features a large percentage of their classic
numbers, including Carter Stanley-composed songs such as This Weary Heart
You Stole Away/ Our Last Goodbye/ Poison Lies/ I Long To See The Old Folks/
Nobody's Love Is Like Mine, and A Lonesome Night, all now staples
of the bluegrass repertoire. The bands here are more in the traditional
vein, featuring less guitar than on the later King recordings; among the
musicians featured here are fiddlers Art Stamper, Joe Meadows, Ralph Mayo,
and Chubby Anthony. Mandolinists include Peewee Lambert, Bill Napier, and
Jim Williams. This collection also features classic recordings of the gospel
number Cry From The Cross, which has become a staple of Ralph
Stanley's bands, and a haunting version of the traditional Angel Band,
along with a significant number of Bill Monroe compositions, including A
Voice From On High/ Blue Moon Of Kentucky/ I Hear My Savior Calling, and
Close By. As always, the mournful and intense lead vocals of Carter
Stanley, the chilling tenor voice of Ralph, and his ringing banjo stamp
these recordings with The Stanley Brothers' inimitable sound.(RP/ FS)
|
| MERLE TRAVIS |
Vestapol DVD 13034 |
The Songs & Guitar Of Merle Travis, Vol. 2 |
● CD $23.98 |
Now on DVD.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 893 |
Swingbillies |
● CD $16.98 |
28 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended. Though best known for
its recordings of blues and R&B, the Modern group of labels also recorded
some excellent hillbilly and western swing as this superb collection. 28
tracks recorded between 1947 and 1952 for Modern, Colonial and Flair
including several unissued tracks. This is the first time most of this
material has been reissued. This set includes recordings made in California
and in the South and features the first recordings of country guitar legend
Jimmy Bryant plus Jimmie Dolan, Homer Clemons & His Texas Swingbillies,
Rocky Morgan and His Triple R Boys, Tommy Little & The Sunrise Rangers, Bill
Woods & His Orange Blossom PLayboys, Chuck Guillory & His Rhythm Boys (Cajun
flavored hillbilly featuring a young Jimmie C. newman in the band), Louie
Hooks & His Rhythm Five, Cliff Bruner & His Texas Wanderers (with a great
vocal by Link Davis on San Antonio Blues). Excellent sound and 12
page booklet has extensive notes by country expert Kevin Coffey. (FS)
JOE BEAN AND HIS SAN ANTONIANS: Those Wonderful Days With You/
CLIFF BRUNER AND HIS TEXAS WANDERERS: San Antonio Blues/ JIMMY
BRYANT AND THE SONS OF THE SADDLE (VOCAL: Boogie Barn Dance/ JIMMY BRYANT
AND THE SONS OF THE SADDLE: Holiday For Guitar/ PAPA CAIRO AND HIS BOYS: Big
Texas #2/ Kooche Kooche/ HOMER CLEMONS AND HIS TEXAS SWINGBILLIES: Little
Beaver Aka Big Beaver/ HOMER CLEMONS AND HIS TEXAS SWING BILLIES: Operation
Blues/ JIMMIE DOLAN AND HIS TEXAS RAMBLERS: Baby Did You Lie To Me/ Blue
Yodel (t For Texas)/ I Knew That You Were Foolin' All Along/ If You Care
Again/ One Million Railroad Ties From Home/ Tennessee Baby/ Walkin' The
Floor Over You/ CHUCK GUILLORY AND HIS RHYTHM BOYS : You Just
Wait And See/ LOUIE HOOKS AND HIS RHYTHM FIVE: Pine Club Boogie/ TOMMY
LITTLE AND THE SUNRISE RANGERS: High Geared Daddy/ ROCKY MORGAN AND HIS
TRIPLE R BOYS: Life's A Funny Proposition (after All)/ Turn That Gun Around/
You Can't Rope A Steer In A Taxi/ TED SHELTON AND HIS BRYAN COUNTY BOYS:
Lover Boy/ My Heart Lied To Me/ JACK TUCKER AND DUSTY RHODES: Dusty Road
Boogie/ Mind Your Own Business/ JODY WEBB AND HIS ROUND UP BOYS: The Honey
Jump (part 1)/ BILL WOODS AND HIS ORANGE BLOSSOM PLAYBOYS : Have I Got A
Chance With You/ Trusting You
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat ACRD 158 |
Country Swingtime |
● CD $10.98 |
Fine 18 track collection of western swing - quite a few of
these tracks have been out on CD before but a number are making their first
CD appearance. Excellent sound, brief notes and ful discographical info included.
AL BERNARD & THE GOOFUS FIVE: Hesitation Blues/ THE BLUE RIDGE PLAYBOYS:
Give Me My Money/ SPADE COOLEY & HIS ORCHESTRA: Three Way Boogie/ THE
CRYSTAL SPRINGS RAMBLERS: Fort Worth Stomp/ SLIM HARBERT & HIS BOYS: Brown
Bottle Blues/ THE HI-FLYERS: Reno Street Blues/ THE HI-NEIGHBOR BOYS: Zeke
Terney's Stomp/ W.LEE O'DANIELS & HIS HILLBILLY BOYS: There'll Be Some
Changes Made/ HANK PENNY & HIS RADIO COWBOYS: Chill Tonic/ THE RANGE RIDERS:
Range Riders Stomp/ THE SADDLE TRAMPS: Hot As I Am/ THE SONS OF THE
PIONEERS: One More River To Cross/ THE SONS OF THE WEST: Panhandle Shuffle/
OCIE STOCKARD & HIS WANDERERS: Bass Man Jive/ BOB WILLS & HIS TEXAS
PLAYBOYS: Get Along Home Cindy/ My Brown Eyed Texas Rose/ San Antonio Rose/
Take Me Back To Tulsa
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat ACRCD 242 |
Country Slide |
● CD $10.98 |
25 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended. Wonderful collection
of country music from the 30s and 40s featuring the sound of the slide
guitar. Quite a few tracks have been out before but there are a number
making their first CD appearance and there are some unusual cuts like two
tracks by J.D. Farley who is a cowboy singer accompanied by slide guitar, a
rare cut by The Carter Family with slide and Riley Puckett's beautiful
instrumental A Darkie's Wail. There are also tracks by Jimmie Davis
(with great accompaniments from black guitarists Oscar Woods & Ed
Schaffer), Darby & Tarlton, The Dixon Brothers, Cliff Carlisle and Dock
Walsh. A few cuts are from rough 78s but sound is generally excellent and
there are informative notes by Keith Briggs. (FS)
CLIFF CARLISLE: Memories That Haunt Me/ Red Velvet Slippers/ Ride 'em Til I
Die/ Round Up Time In Texas/ Two Eyes In Tennessee/ THE CARTER FAMILY: Don't
Forget This Song/ DARBY AND TARLTON: All Bound Down In Texas/ Careless Love/
Lonesome Frisco Line/ Ooze It Up To Me/ Slow Wicked Blues/ JIMMIE DAVIS:
Arabella Blues/ Red Nightgown/ Saturday Night Stroll/ Sewing Machine Blues/
She's A Hum Ding Dingers/ THE DIXON BROTHERS: Beautiful Stars/ Beyond Black
Smoke/ Dark Eyes/ Jimmie And Sallie/ More Pretty Girls Than One/ J.D.
FARLEY: Bill Was A Texas Lad/ I'm A Lone Star Cowboy/ RILEY PUCKETT: A
Darkie's Wail/ DOCK WALSH: Come Bathe In That Beautiful Pool
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
B.A.C.M. 050 |
The Okeh Label Classic Old Time Music |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended. Fine collection of
old time country recorded for the Okeh label between 1924 and 1930 - most of
it making its first appearance on any kind of reissue. Includes a few
relatively familiar names like The Scottdale String Band and Narmour & Smith
but most of the artists are pretty obscure like Blind Andy Jenkins, Bill
Chitwood's Georgia Mountaineers (the delightful When Married Folks Run
Out Of Cash - also known as I'm S-A-V-E-D), Bela Lam's Greene
County Singers (some lovely old time gospel singing), Ralph Richardson (the
very strange Little Dog Yodel), J.D. McFarland & Daughter, Fiddlin;
Bob Larkin's Music Makers (the nonsense song Women Wear No Clothes At All),
Phil Pavey (fine bluesy yodeling with banjo and piano accompaniment), Roba
Stanley (one of the first women country singers to record with a fine
version of All Night Long from 1924). A few tracks are from pretty
rough 78s but sound quality is generally fine and there are brief notes.
(FS)
BILL CHITWOOD'S GEORGIA MOUNTAINEERS: When Married Folks Are Out Of Cash/
THE FOUR VIRGINIANS: New Coon In Town/ ANDREW JENKINS & CARSON ROBISON:
Sidewalks Of New York/ BLIND ANDY JENKINS WITH MARY LEE: Alabama Flood/ BELA
LAM'S GREENE COUNTY SINGERS: Little Maud/ Sweet Bye And Bye/ Tell It Again/
The Sweet Story Of Old/ FIDDLIN' BOB LARKIN'S MUSIC MAKERS: Women Wear No
Clothes At All/ J.D. MCFARLAND & DAUGHTER: Devil In The Woodpile/ NARMOUR &
SMITH: Dry Gin Rag/ Tequila Hop Blues/ Texas Breakdown/ Texas Shuffle/ NORTH
CAROLINA COOPER BOYS: Daniel In The Lion‘s Den/ PHIL PAVEY (AKA ROY EVANS):
Bronco Bustin‘ Blues/ RALPH RICHARDSON: Little Dog Yodel/ HUGH RODEN & ROY
RODGERS: Hogs In The Tater Patch/ SCOTTDALE STRING BAND: Carolina Glide/
Chinese Breakdown/ My Own Iona/ Old Folks Better Go To Bed/ Scottdale Stomp/
ROBA STANLEY & BILL PATTERSON: All Night Long/ GEORGE WALBURN & EMMETT
HETHCOX: Lee County Blues
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
County 3528 |
Old Time Mountain Blues, Rural Classics:
1927-1939 |
● CD $14.98 |
19 tracks 58 mins, recommended. Some wonderful music here
though this could have been thought out a bit better. Back in the 70s County
put out an LP called "Mountain Blues" which featured many of the tracks here
- this was a true revelation to blues and country fans giving us a rare
opportunity to hear for the first time rare recordings of old time country
performers putting their own spin on the blues. Now some 30 years later with
a glut of reissues out there this is less of a unique release with more than
half the titles available on other reissues including some with the same
theme - one track is even duplicated on another County reissue! That coupled
with County's stinginess in number of tracks make this less appealing to the
diehard fan. However this is still a superb collection featuring some truly
wonderful performances from artists like Sam McGee, "Dock" Boggs, Frank
Hutchison, Narmour & Smith, Cliff Carlisle, Lester McFarland, Byrd Moore &
Jess Johnston, Jimmie Tarlton, Burnett & Rutherford, Clarence Green and
others. Sound quality is superb and there are informative notes from Kerry
Blech. If you don't have too many old time country reissues then this is
indispensable - otherwise you might want to think about it. (FS)
DOCK BOGGS: Down South Blues/ BURNETT & RUTHERFORD: Curly Head Woman/ CLIFF
CARLISLE: Trouble Minded Blues/ GWEN FOSTER: Side Line Blues/ CLARENCE
GREEN: Johnson City Blues/ LARRY HENSLEY: Match Box Blues/ FRANK HUTCHISON:
Cannonball Blues/ DICK JUSTICE: Brown Skin Blues/ LEAKE COUNTY REVELERS:
Leake County Blues/ LESTER MCFARLAND: K.c. Whistle Blues/ SAM MCGEE: Easy
Rider/ Railroad Blues/ DAVID MILLER: Cannon Ball Rag/ BYRD MOORE & JESS
JOHNSTON: My Trouble Blues/ NARMOUR & SMITH: New Carroll County Blues No. 1/
FIDDLING DOC ROBERTS TRIO: Cumberland Blues/ SOUTH GEORGIA HIGHBALLERS: Bibb
County Grind/ LOWE STOKES & HIS NORTH GEORGIANS: Left All Alone Agin Blues/
JIMMIE TARLTON: Careless Love
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Crossroads 4242 |
Close Harmony - A History Of Southern Gospel
Quartet |
● CD $16.98 |
Interesting compilation of 13 white gospel quartets plus The
Golden Gate Quartets recorded between 1920 and 1955 compiled by James R.
Goff based around his book "Close Harmony, A History Of Southern Gospel
Music". Besides the Golden gates it includes tracks by The Lefevres,
Homeland Harmony Quartet, The Rebels Quartet featuring Big Jim Waits, Chuck
Wagon Gang, Vaughan Sand Mountain Qt., Stamps-Baxter Quartet, The Speer
Family, etc. Sound on some tracks shows overuse of digital noise reduction
but is generally good. Includes detailed notes by Goff.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
El Toro H 100 |
Gravy Train - Hillbilly Meets R&B Before
Elvis |
● CD $15.98 |
27 tracks, highly recommended. Great collection of 27 tracks
featuring country artists covering black R&B tracks - mostly from the late
40s and early 50s including Link Davis' cover of Roy Brown's Good Rockin'
Tonight (retitled Have You Heard The News?), The York Brothers
cover Tiny Bradshaw's Gravy Train, Hardrock Gunter & Roberta Lee do a
graet cover of The Dominoes' Sixty Minute Man, Zeb Turner does
Peppermint Harris's I Got Loaded and there's more from Hank Penny,
Bill Haley, Homer & Jethro, T Texas Tyler and others. Excellent sound and 8
page booklet with informative notes by dave Penny and some photos. (FS)
TINY COLBERTS & HIS ENTERTAINERS: Outskirts Of Town/ LINK DAVIS: Have You
Heard The News?/ TOMMY DUNCAN: Who Drank My Beer/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: I
Don't Know/ HARDROCK GUNTER: Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Night/ Sixty Minute
Man/ BILL HALEY & THE SADDLEMEN: Rock The Joint/ Rocket 88/ HANK THE
COWHAND: Fan It/ JACK HARDY & THE RANCH BOYS: Oh Babe!/ HOMER & JETHRO: I
Feel That Old Age Creepin' On/ RED KIRK: Teardrops From My Eyes/ MERRILL
MOORE: Corrine Corrina/ MOON MULLICAN: Grandpa Stole My Baby/ Well Oh Well/
CHUCK MURPHY: Nosey Joe/ HANK PENNY: Catch'em Young, Treat'em Rough, Tell'em
Nothin'/ MELVIN PRICE & HIS SANTA FE RANGERS: For You My Love/ KENNY
ROBERTS: Choo Choo Ch'boogie/ BILLY STARR: Hound Dog/ COTTON THOMPSON: How
Long?/ ZEB TURNER: I Got Loaded/ T. TEXAS TYLER: Red Light/ THE YORK
BROTHERS: Chicken Blues/ Gravy Train/ Tremblin'
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Hop -- |
Hillbilly Hop, Vol. 3 |
● CD $17.98 |
Great collection of up-tempo hillbilly music. 28 tracks
featuring a few familiar names (Rusty & Doug, Johnnie & Jack, Webb Pierce,
Hank Snow, etc) and lots of obscurities (Billy Prager, Tommy Spurlin, Curley
Langley, Fred Sherwood, etc) but it's all good and it all rocks. About half
the tracks have been out on CD before but this is a fine collection from
beginning to end and some of the unreissued tracks like Jimmy & Johnny's
Buddy Holly flavored Knock On Wood and Cliff Davis's Rocky Road
Blues are killers.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Krazy Kat KKCD 26 |
Tarheel Swing |
● CD $16.98 |
Terrific collection of hillbilly and Western Swing recorded
by artists from the Carolinas in the late 40s and early 50s. Apart from
Cecil Campbell and Clyde Moody most of the artists are obscure but fine
including Glen Thompson & His Dixie Playboys, Preston Miller, Tommy Little,
Gene Ray, Jim Hall and others.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Lenox 1014 |
Hillbilly Rock, Vol. 2 |
● CD $16.98 |
Available again. 16 track collection of rockin' country and
hillbilly boogie. Some fine stuff - only a few tracks available elsewhere.
Includes Don Windle, Carl Utah, Homer Zeke Clemons, Salty Homes (fine
country harmonica with vocal by Mattie O'Neal), The Turner Brothers (fine
duo with hot guitar), Uncle Hrny, Paul Howard and others.
HOMER ZEKE CLEMONS: Dallas Limited/ Oklahoma Bound/ JOHNNY HICKS: Hey Now
Honey/ EDDIE HILL: Cold, Cold Woman (And The Hot Guitar)/ Steamboat Stomp/
SALTY HOLMES: Harmonica Boogie/ PAUL HOWARD: Boogie's Fine Tonight/ EARL
SONGER: Whoopie Baby/ BILLY STARR: Hound Dog/ THE TURNER BROTHERS:
Boog-Boog-Boogie/ Honky-Tonk Mama/ T. TEXAS TYLER: My Bucket's Got A Hole In
It/ UNCLE HENRY: Red Headed Woman/ UTAH CARL: Sometimes/ EARNEY VANDAGRIFF:
Hush Money/ DON WINDLE: When My Baby Gets Home
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