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NEWSLETTER
#123
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Roy Acuff -> Bob Wills
| JOHNNY CASH | Varese Vintage 66214 | Roads Less Travelled | ● CD $13.98 |
| Fine collection of 18 tracks recorded for Sun concentrating
on album tracks, B-sides and sides not originally issued. Includes New
Mexico/ I Couldn't Keep From Crying/ Don't Make Me Go/ Ways Of A Woman In
Love/ Leave That Junk Alone/ My Two Timin' Woman/ I Was There When It
Happened/ If The Good Lord's Willing/ Wreck Of The Old '97
, etc. Includes booklet with notes by Sun Records expert Colin Escott. |
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| RED FOLEY | Edsel 638 | Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy: The Best Of Red, 1944-1958 | ● CD $17.98 |
| Fine 25 track collection with a strong emphasis on his up-tempo
and boogie numbers. RED FOLEY: Birmingham Bounce/ Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy/ Crazy Little Guitar Man/ Hearts Of Stone/ Hot Rod Race/ Hot Toddy/ Love Bug Itch/ Midnight/ Milk Bucket Boogie/ My Window Faces The South/ New Jolie Blonde/ Old Kentucky Fox Chase/ Old Shep/ Pinball Boogie/ Plantation Boogie/ Playin' Dominoes And Shootin' Dice/ Rockin' And Reelin'/ Satisfied Mind/ Skinny Minnie (fishtail)/ Smoke On The Water/ Sugarfoot Rag/ Tennessee Border/ Tennessee Saturday Night/ There'll Be Peace In The Valley (for Me)/ When God Dips His Love In My Heart |
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| TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD | Jasmine 3553 | His Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 | ● CD $11.98 |
| 25 tracks, highly recommended Great collection of early
sides by this distinctive performer featuring 25 tracks recorded between
1949 and 1951. Although less than half were actualy chart hits just about
every track is a winner. The set includes three fine duets with Kay Starr
as well as a fine version of Blues Stay Away From Me
with additional vocals from merle Travis and Eddie Kirk. Lots of stellar
studio musicians on these sessions like Speedy West, Billy Liebert, Harold
hensley, Merle Travis, Jimmy Bryant and others. Includes Shot Gun Boogie/
Tailor Made Woman/ I Got The Milk 'Em In The Mornin', Feed 'Em In The
Evenin' Blues/ Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own/ I Ain't Gonna Let It
Happen No More/ Mister And Mississippi/ The Cry Of The Wild Goose/
Tennessee Border/ Stack-O-Lee/ Smoky Mountain Boogie
and more. Excellent sound and better than usual notes from Paul Pelletier.
(FS) |
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| GINNY HAWKER | Rounder 0491 | Letters From My Father | ● CD $15.98 |
| 16 tracks, recommended Fine set of (mostly) acoustic country
music blending traditional songs, old timey, bluegrass and honky tonk.
Hawker from Virginia is not the most soulful of singers but does a fine
job on a selection of traditional songs and songs from the repertoire of
Emma Smith, The Stanley Brothers, Ola Belle Reed, Merle Haggard and
others. The excellent arrangements range from solo acapella singing to a
small country group with steel guitar and features such top notch
musicians as Tim O'Brien (vocals, guitar & mandolin), Ron Stewart (guitar,fiddle,
mandolin & banjo), Dirk Powell (guitar & fiddle) and others. |
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| JERRY LEE LEWIS | Spectrum (UK) 554 379-2 | The Country Collection | ● CD $11.98 |
| 20 Smash/ Mercury country cuts recorded by Jerry Lee between
the mid 60s and mid 70s. Includes a couple of his own hits (What's Made
Milwaukee Famous/ She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye
) along with a bunch of Killerized covers of country hits (Heartaches By
The Number/ Help Me Make It Through The Night/ King Of The Road/ Break My
Mind/ Reuben James/ before The Next Teardrop Falls/ Louisiana Man/ I'm A
Lonesome Fugitive/ Today I Started Loving You Again/ There Stands The
Glass, etc. |
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| TOM MORRELL & THE TIME WARP TOPHAN | Wr Records 014 | Jugglin' Cats | ● CD $15.98 |
| The 11th album by this fine western swing group from Texas
led by guitarist Tom "Wolf" Morrell. This volume features 12
vocals and three instrumentals. The vocals all by women singers including
Chris O'Connell (from Asleep At The Wheel), Maryann Price (Asleep At The
Wheel, Dan Hicks) and others. Includes San Angelo/ Lady From 29 Palms/
What Makes Bob Holler/ Guess Who's In Town/ If You Ain't Lovin' Then You
Ain't Livin'/ Tears Flowed Like Wine
, etc. |
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| BILL NEELY | Arhoolie 496 | Texas Law & Justice | ● CD $12.98 |
| Reissue of 1974 album by folk/ country singer and guitarist
from Austin, Texas - with guitar, violin & harmonica on some cuts.
With 8 bonus previously unissued tracks. |
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| RICE, RICE, HILLMAN & PEDERSON | Rounder 0483 | Running Wild | ● CD $14.98 |
| 12 tracks, 35 mins, recommended Fine set of mostly acoustic
country featuring the talented quartet of Chris Hillman/ vocals &
mandolin, Herb Pederson/ vocal, guitar & banjo, Tony Rice/ guitar and
his brother Larry on vocals and mandolin. They are joined by various other
musicians on fiddle, Dobro and bass and a few tracks have a full electric
country band. Each of the vocalists has his turn on leads and each is very
fine. The material is a mixture of original songs and old and newer
favorites. Among highlights are the intro San Antone
written by Hillmen, their fine cover of the Louvin Brothers You're Running
Wild
, the Larry Rice original The Mystery That Won't Go Away
and a tasteful version of the Beatles' Things We Said Today
but it's all good. (FS) |
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| THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS | Bloodshot 808 | Symphonies Of The Stage | ● CD $14.98 |
| The latest in Bloodshot's reissue of rare and unissued radio
transcriptions features 25 tracks recorded in Chicago in 1941 by the most
popular Western group of them all. |
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| RALPH STANLEY & THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS | King KSCD 5144 | Live At The Smithsonian | ● CD $10.98 |
| 13 songs and tunes recorded live at The Smithsonian in 1974
with Ralph and the boys featuring Ricky Lee, Roy Lee Centers, Curly Ray
Cline & Jack Cooke. Includes Orange Blossom Special/ Bill Cheatham/
Maple On the Hill/ Tennessee Stud/ Rank Strangers/ Dark Hollow/ Ridin'
That Midnight Train
and others. |
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| RALPH STANLEY & THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS | Rebel 1571 | Clinch Mountain Gospel | ● CD $14.98 |
| 12 tracks, 36 mins, essential Well there's no shortage of
Ralph Stanley reissues these days,, but when they're as good as this, I'm
not complaining. This album, originally issued in 1977 features the
spellbinding lead vocals of Keith Whitley whose singing epitomizes true
"country soul". Ralph provides occasional lead or spine chilling
tenor harmonies and we also hear the vocal talents of bassist Jack Cooke
on baritone and guest vocalist Chester "Pop" Marshall on bass.
Filling out the instrumental sides are Troy Profitt on lead guitar and
Curly Ray Cline on fiddle. The performances are magnificent and varied
including a wonderful call and response version of Oh Death
with Ralph and Keith and an acapella rendering of Amazing Grace
with Ralph "lining out" the lyrics as well as superb renditions
of Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem/ There'll Be None On The Other Side/ Jesus
Savior Pilot Me/ I've Just Seen The Rock Of Ages/ What A Price |
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| GARY STEWART | Koch 8249 | Out Of Hand/ Your Place Or Mine | ● CD $16.98 |
| 21 tracks, 65 mins, essential This fabulous CD reissues
Gary's first and third albums for RCA from 1975 and 1977. Gary was one of
the greatest honky tonk singers to emerge in the 70s though he had been
active, primarily as a songwriter, since the mid 60s. His powerful high
vibrato laden tenor is perfectly suited for the intense material that he
chooses to sing and his performances also seamlessly integrate elements of
blues and rock in their approach. Gary is at his very best on drinking and
cheating songs and there are some killers here including Out Of Hand/
Drinking Thing/ Backslider's Wine/ Drinking Again
and the almost painfully intense She's Acting Single (I'm Drinking
Doubles)
about a man trying to come to terms with his wife's infidelity. The
ferocious Ten Years Of This
is another scathing tale of infidelity and self loathing. Somewhat of a
contrast is the remarkable Williamson Country
- a honky tonk murder ballad that is lyrically related to traditional
ballads though completely contemporary. Production by Gary's long time
producer Roy Dea is immaculate and this reissue has been beautifully
remastered with excellent sound. "Out Of hand" was reissued some
years ago on Hightone but if you missed, don't make the same mistake
again, and if you have it this is still essential for the "Your Place
Or Mine" album. (FS) |
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| CARL STORY & THE RAMBLING MOUNTAINE | Sims 136 | Songs For Our Saviour | ● CD $14.98 |
| 12 songs recorded in 1966 by this top bluegrass gospel group
- Just One Rose/ I Wouldn't Miss It, Would You/ From The Cross To A
Lonely Dark Grave/ What A Wonderful Savior Is He/ Hallelujah To His Name/
I Drink From The Fountain
, etc. |
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| DICK THOMAS & HIS NASHVILLE RAMBLER | Cattle 256 | Dick Thomas & His Nashville Ramblers | ● CD $18.98 |
| 25 tracks, 74 mins, recommended Dick Thomas is pretty much
unknown these days though he had a #1 country hit in 1945 with the song he
co-wrote which has become a country standard - Sioux City Sue
and several of his subsequent recordings were moderately successful. Though
this collection doesn't include his hits it does feature a nice selection
of sides recorded between 1944 and 1949, some with a Western flavor -
Tennessee Local/ The Beaut From Butte/ Memories Of France/ Roses Have
Thorns (So They Tell Me)/ Chalotte Belle/ Sleepy Old Town/ The Sister Of
Sioux City Sue/ Moanin' In The Mornin', Grievin In the Evenin' Blues, etc. Thomas is a warm and engaging singer and indulges in some fine
yodeling from time to time. The members of his band The Nashville Ramblers
are unknown but are fine including an excellent steel guitarist. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Audium 8127 | The Hickory Records Story, Vol. 1 | ● CD $15.98 |
| The first in a series of albums presenting recordings made
in the 50s, 60s and 70s for the Hickory Records label. Roy Acuff and
Wesley Rose founded Hickory Records in 1954 as a spin-off of their
successful Acuff-Rose song publishing company. The label had a number of
hits in both the country and pop fields and this release mostly
concentrates on those hits and includes sides by Kris Jensen, Gene &
Debbie, Don Gibson, Sue Thompson, Rusty & Doug, Bill Carlisle, Don
Gibson, Leona Williams, Bob Gallion and others. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Audium 8146 | Caught In The Webb - A Tribute To The Legendary Webb P | ● CD $16.98 |
| 21 track collection featuring top country artist performing
songs associated with great honky tonk country singer Webb Pierce. It
includes Dale Watson & The Jordanaires, Charlie Pride, George Jones,
Emmylou Harris, Allison Moorer, Crystal Gaye, The Del McCoury Band, Guy
Clark & The Jordanaires, Willie Nelson, Kevin Welch & Deborah
Pierce, Billy Walker & The Carol Lee Singers and more. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collector's Choice 219 | Park Avenue Hillbillies & West End Cowboys | ● CD $16.98 |
| 25 track collection of country novelty from the 30s and 40s
- mostly from non-country artists and heavily featuring Dorothy Shay. Also
includes The Hoosier Hot Shots, The Four Lads, Zeke Manners & His
Swing Billies, Dinah Shore with Spade Cooley & His Orchestra, Tiny
Hill & His Orchestra and others. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collector 2867 | Movin' On | ● CD $16.98 |
| Great collection of hillbilly boogie, uptempo country and
bluesy country by some fine but obscure artists from the 40s and early 50s
including Ford Lewis with Joe Bean & His San Antonians, Enez Blenek
& The Texas Tornados, Harmie Smith, Texas Slim Owenby, Henry Ford,
Tiny Adams & His Western Serenaders, Deon Lay, Ray Smith, Art Gunn
& His Arizona Playboys, Wally Fowler, Drifting Johnny Smith with Bill
Moses & The Rhythm Rangers, Cousin Wilbur & Blindie Brooks (a
great version of the Delmores' Blues Stay Away From Me
), Lee & Terry Edmond with The Country Folks and more. Excellent sound
and informative booklet with notes and photos. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | County 3523 | Old-Time Music Of South-West Virginia | ● CD $14.98 |
| More great old time music from the 20s and early 30s from
County - this time concentrating on the music of South-West Virginia featuring APPALACHIAN VAGABOND: Hard For To Love/ The Peddler And His Wife/ EMRY ARTHUR: Careless Love/ Reuben Oh Reuben/ She Lied To Me/ Short Life Of Trouble/ DOCK BOGGS: Country Blues/ Danville Girl/ Down South Blues/ Old Rub Alcohol Blues/ Pretty Polly/ DYKES' MAGIC CITY TRIO: Callahan's Reel/ Free Little Bird/ Hook And Line/ Huckleberry Blues/ Shortening Bread/ BYRD MOORE: Bed Bugs Makin' Their Last Go-round/ Careless Lover/ FIDDLIN' POWERS & FAMILY: Callahan's Reel/ Old Virginia Reel Pt. 2/ Patty On The Turnpike/ ROBINETTE & MOORE: Favorite Two-step/ Last Days In Georgia/ Mama Don't Allow No Low Down Hangin' Around/ That Old Tiger Rag |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Dragon Street 70102 | The Guys Of The Big "D" Jamboree | ● CD $14.98 |
| Another fine collection from this enterprising label - this
time featuring some of the performers who appeared on the famed Big
"D" Jamboree in Dallas, Texas in the 50s and early 60s. A few
tracks are live but the majority are studio recordings including a number
of demos including two by Lefty Frizzell, one of which has never been
issued before in any form and the other is only on the Bear Family box
set. Other fine artists featured include Riley Crabtree, Frankie Miller,
Tony Douglas, Sid King & The Five Strings, Gene O'Quinn and others.
Excellent sound quality and informative 36 page booklet with extensive notes, rare photos and discographical details. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Rounder 11661 | O Sister! The Women's Bluegrass Collection | ● CD $15.98 |
| I wonder what inspired that title - and wait until you see
the cover art! 19 tracks drawn from the Rounder catalog by Claire Lynch,
Delia Bell, Rhonda Vincent, Hazel Dickens & Ginny Hawker, Kathy
Kallick, Alison Kraus, The Stevns Sisters, Laurie Lewis, Phyllis Boyens
and others. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Yazoo DVD 512 | Times Ain't Like They Used To Be | ● CD $21.98 |
| DVD Black & White, 70 mins., recommended Now on DVD. This
amazing 22-selection video, compiled by Sherwin Dunner, covers nearly all
aspects of pre-World War II American vernacular music, from jug band and
oldtime hillbilly music, to black gospel, jazz, western swing, fiddling
and cowboy music. Many of the performances are taken from newsreels
featuring obscure amateur performers as well as bigger stars. There's no
real blues her, but there is a 1930 number by Whistler's Jug Band, the
superb gospel of Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux and his congregation from
1935 and the amazing banjoist Uncle John Scruggs. Scruggs, a sort of black
Uncle Dave Macon, affirms that black-white musical interaction by singing Little
Old Log Cabin in the Lane
in 1928, surrounded by dancing grandchildren and chickens. A jazz band led
by boxing legend Jack Johnson is shown doing four takes of Tiger Rag
. Eddie Thomas and Carl Scott, obscure Richmond, Virginia musicians, play
jug band style music that includes one of the more clever musical uses of
a coffee pot (and great music as well). A 1929 group of Georgia field
hands sing Mary Don't You Weep,
followed by 1930 edition of Ted Weems' orchestra complete with dancers,
showing the jazz flavor creeping into non-jazz orchestras. The Cumberland
Ridge Runners (Red Foley, Karl and Harty and Slim Miller) are shown
entertaining at a Chicago children's hospital in 1935, swapping
instruments as they play and having a big time. Otto Gray's Oklahoma
Cowboys are shown in a 13 minute clip. The Bob Wills numbers are taken
from his 1951 Snader Telescriptions and make one hunger to see the other
Wills Snaders and other Snader country films released someday. The
showcase, however, is the complete eight and a half minute, three-song
1931 Jimmie Rodgers film short The Singing Brakeman, in the best possible
reproduction from 35 mm film with far superior sound to anything heard so
far. This alone is worth the price of the video. Bear in mind that not
that much film was ever shot of oldtimey performers in their prime.
There's reportedly not much more than what's here, making it that much
more of a American music treasure for Roots & Rhythm customers (RK) |
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| REDD VOLKAERT | Hightone 8129 | No Stranger To A Tele | ● CD $15.98 |
| New album from current lead guitarist with Merle Haggard's
band is another fine blend of top notch instrumentals (mostly originals)
and songs (mostly covers of songs from Wynn Stewart, Merle Haggard and
others). With Norman Hamlet/ steel guitar, Floyd Domino/ piano and others. |
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| KITTY WELLS | Junction 1301 | Forever Young | ● CD $16.98 |
| 10 tracks, 32 mins, recommended Reissue of 1974 album that
was withdrawn shortly after issue since company wasn't sure how to market
it. Here he we have one of great voices in traditional country music with
a group that includes Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers, Toy Caldwell of
Marshall Tucker Band and Chuck Leavell of Sea Level among others. However
the arrangements are pretty much straight ahead country though with an
occasional tendency to get a little too busy and drown out Kitty's voice.
Miss Kitty sounds just fine on a selection of songs one might not expect
hear from her including the title song from Bob Dylan, Otis Redding's I've
Been Loving You Too Long
(a very fine treatment) and Aretha Franklin's Do Right Woman, Do Right Man. Highlights are probably the bluesy Toy Caldwell composition
Too Stubborn
and the Johnny & Jack song My Love Never Changes. I put this disc on with great trepidation but I was pleasantly surprised
- too bad it didn't get more exposure when it originally came out. (FS) |
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| TEX WILLIAMS & HIS WESTERN CARAVAN | ASV CDAJA 5413 | That's What I Like About The West | ● CD $11.98 |
| 25 track collection of sides by this performer recorded
between 1944 and 1950 including sides with his Western Caravan and with
Spade Cooley & His Orchestra. Includes many of his early hits
including the title song, the classic Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That
Cigarette)
plus California Polka/ Never Trust A Woman/ Don't Telephone, Don't
Telegraph, Tell A Woman/ Suspicion
and more. |
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