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 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)
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| 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)
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| 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)
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| 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.
|
| 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.
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| JIM REEVES |
And More Bears 25002 |
The Jim Reeves Radio Show, February 24, 1958 |
● CD $21.98 |
Previously unreleased live show.
|
|
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)
|
| 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.
|
| MERLE TRAVIS |
Vestapol DVD 13034 |
The Songs & Guitar Of Merle Travis, Vol. 2 |
● CD $23.98 |
Now on DVD.
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| 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 |
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 |
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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