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NEWSLETTER #133
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
 Roy Acuff -> Uncle Dave Macon
 

  

 
ROY ACUFF Ace CDCHD 999 Sings American Folk Songs/ Hand-Clapping Gospel Songs ● CD $18.98
Ace's second collection of Roy Acuff's recordings for his own Hickory label. This one features his fifth and sixth albums issued in 1963. Most of these recordings have never appeared on CD before.

 
ROY ACUFF Proper BOX 70 King Of Country Music ● CD $26.98
4 CDS, 101 tracks, highly recommended
Invaluable collection devoted to the early recordings of this great country pioneer featuring all of the important recordings he made between 1936 and 1950 including all his early hits and the many songs that have been covered by numerous other artists. Includes four from his first recording sessions in 1936 including the first recording of what was to become his trademark song - the Carter Family's Wabash Cannonball with vocals by the mysterious Sam "Dynamite" Hatcher who also played harmonica with the group - a later recording of this song from 1947 with Acuff doing the vocals is also included. Acuff's group was one that helped popularise the sound of the Dobro and these sides feature two of the best - Clell Sumney and Beecher "Pete" Kirby. Sumney (later known as Cousin Jody) appears on the earlier sessions (1936-1938) and turns in some impressive playing particularly on the instrumental Smokey Mountain Rag and the hot honky tonk numbers like Shout Oh Lulu/ Honky Tonk Mamas and Steel Guitar Blues and also contributes the chime like fills heard on the ballads. Kirby who appears on the sessions from 1939 on also turns in some fine work. Some of the later sessions feature Jimmy Riddle on accordion or harmonica and Tommy Magness takes over the fiddle chores from Acuff. Roy's material included traditional songs, Carter Family songs honky tonk, pop songs and gospel and includes many songs that have become country standards like Great Speckle Bird/ Freight Train Blues/ Beautiful Brown Eyes/ You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven/ Streamlined Cannonball/ Be Honest With Me/ Drifting Too Far From The Shore/ Will The Circle Be Unbroken/ Be Honest With Me/ Fireball Mail/ We Live In Two Different Worlds/ Prodigal Son/ Waltz Of The Wind and many others. Sound quality is decent though a little too much of the high end has been cut off and the set includes a 40 page illustrated booklet with biographical and discographical details. (FS)

 
RED ALLEN Rebel 1127 Keep On Going - The Rebel & Melodeon Recordings ● CD $15.98
23 tracks, 61 minutes, essential
Since most of the great bluegrass music from the '40s and '50s has migrated to compact disc, bluegrass labels are finally rescuing and digitizing lost classics from the '60s. Most newcomers to traditional bluegrass probably never heard of Harley "Red" Allen from southeastern Kentucky, but longtime enthusiasts have always considered him one of the music's finest lead tenors, easily comparable with Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury, Paul Williams and Bobby Osborne. Although some of Allen's music migrated to compact disc, the bulk of it doesn't represent what he was all about, such as his 1955-58 M-G-M records with the Osborne Brothers. A celebrated 1964 Folkways album, currently available on Smithsonian-Folkways, de-emphasizes Allen's vocals to better showcase his then-partner, the brilliant, unorthodox mandolinist Frank Wakefield. Now, at last, Allen's finest moments on record are once again available on two long-promised Rebel collections. The first, "Keep On Going: The Rebel and Melodeon Sessions" gathers all of Allen's recordings from April 1963 to fall 1965, excluding the Folkways sessions. Four tracks from an Allen-Wakefield demo session (three previously unreleased) kick off the set, followed by the duo's only Rebel single, Little Birdie b/w Faded Memory. When Wakefield joined the Greenbriar Boys, Allen recruited an existing trio, Bill and Wayne Yates and banjo player Bill Emerson as his new "Kentuckians." Their sole Melodeon album was a certified classic and its songs became a resource for amateur pickers: Hello City Limits/ Sad and Lonesome Day/ Down Where the River Bends/ Worry My Life Away/ I Don't Know Why and Journey's End, among others. This set recovers one unissued song from those sessions: Ralph and Peggy Stanley's If That's the Way You Feel. This album concludes with Allen's final Rebel session featuring the Yates Brothers, banjo player Porter Church and the astounding, volatile fiddler Scotty Stoneman. Their cover of Bill Monroe's Close By is worth the price of the disc. Jon Hartley Fox provides a deft overview of Allen's life and musical career during this period. (DS)

 
RED ALLEN Rebel 1128 Lonesome And Blues - The Complete County Recordings ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 71 minutes, essential
The second in Rebel's two-disc survey of bluegrass great Red Allen's '60s output combines two albums originally on David Freeman's County label. "Bluegrass Country", recorded in December 1965 and produced by David Grisman, finds Allen working with his Kentuckians of the era: Wayne Yates on mandolin, his brother Bill on bass, and Porter Church on banjo. Fiddler Richard Greene, soon to electrify Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, augmented the session. Allen primarily covered older bluegrass and lesser-known country songs: Are You Waiting Just for Me/ Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On/ Heaven/ Summertime Is Past and Gone/ That's How I Can Count on You/ Purple Heart, and I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home, among others. This reissue includes an unreleased track, the Louvin Brothers' Seven Year Blues. All but one of these tracks make stereo debuts here. Nine months later Allen returned to New York for his second County album, "Red Allen and the Kentuckians", with Church, Dobro player Craig Wingfield, and bassist Jerry McCoury. Producer David Grisman played mandolin. Again, Allen's choices were little-known bluegrass and country songs, including We Live in Two Different Worlds/ Love Gone Cold/ Have You Come to Say Goodbye/ No Mother or Dad, and Send Me Your Address from Heaven. Allen even cut Kokomo Arnold's Milk Cow Blues, which he probably lifted from Bob Wills. A Roy Acuff song, Branded Wherever I Go, makes it first appearance here. Allen lived until 1993, but outside of an album and two singles with J.D. Crowe and a one-shot single for Robert Trout's King Bluegrass label, he never made music this good again. Jon Hartley Fox's notes detail how both County albums came together. By the way, the title of this CD is misleading. Allen cut a third County LP accompanied by old pros like Frank Wakefield and Don Stover and newcomers like Kenny Kosek. Allen was in top form and the music is quite good, but the results were probably a little too 'over the top' for David Freeman's conservative tastes. The sessions were shelved, but eventually surfaced on a Japanese LP. (DS)

 
BOB ATCHER B.A.C.M. 068 Hunters Of Kentucky ● CD $13.98
22 tracks recorded between 1946 and 1948 in variety of styles - includes some duets with his wife Bonnie Blue Eyes, Randy Atcher and The Dinning Sisters.
BOB ATCHER: Ain‘t You Ashamed/ Chain Around My Heart/ Christmas Island/ De Ladies Man/ Don‘t Give Your Heart To Someone Else/ Down With The Feminine Gender/ Hunters Of Kentucky/ In My Heart/ I‘m Reading Your Letter Again Dear/ Let‘s Start Life All Over/ Long Gone Baby/ Methodist Pie/ My Pillow Knows/ Never Trust A Woman/ On Account Of You/ One Kind Word/ Peek A Boo/ Smoke Comes Out My Chimney/ The Old Chisholm Trail/ Time Will Tell/ Walking The Floor Over You/ Wasted Tears

 
THE BLUE SKY BOYS Bear Family BCD 15951 The Sunny Side Of Life ● CD $139.98
5 CD box set, 123 tracks, essential
Of all the 'brother' acts that emerged during the mid-'30s, none sang as beautifully as Bill and Earl Bolick of Hickory, North Carolina. Still teenagers when they signed a Bluebird contract in 1936, the Bolicks gently sang tales of morality, spirituality and life's dark and sunny sides, accompanied by Bill's mandolin and Earl's guitar. They avoided the stilted, archaic phrasing that firmly placed their parlor predecessors like Lester McFarland & Bob Gardner and Karl & Harty in the 19th century. Their music was smooth, seamless and captivating, with flawless harmonies that inspired such later brother duets as the Baileses, the Louvins, the Stanleys and the Everlys. The brothers even influenced Homer & Jethro, who launched their comedic act in the '30s by singing Cole Porter and Irving Berlin standards in a deadpan Bolick style! Many songs the Bolicks recorded still resonate in the 21st century: The Banks of the Ohio/ I'm Troubled/ The Knoxville Girl/ The Prisoner's Dream/ Katie Dear/ The Lightning Express/ Are You from Dixie/ I'm Just Here to Get Mt Baby Out of Jail/ Mary of the Wild Moor/ Short Life of Trouble/ Turn Your Radio On/ The Butcher's Boy/ Kentucky/ Beautiful Brown Eyes, and many others. Most tracks feature the brothers by themselves; postwar sessions add a fiddler and bassist. During the past forty years the Blue Sky Boys' Bluebird and RCA Victor sides have been anthologized piecemeal; attempts by Japanese RCA and several domestic labels to issue their complete works proved futile. Not surprisingly, Bear Family accomplished what others could not. Working in cooperation with Bill Bolick, this set gathers all surviving RCA masters from 1936 to 1950. A 76-page hardcover book collects all known photos of the brothers from this period, a biography by pioneering country music historian Bill C. Malone, a sessionography, and song lyrics and sources. This is wonderful, timeless music - an essential purchase for fans of country harmony. (DS)

 
BILL BOYD'S COWBOY RAMBLERS Acrobat ACRCD 132 Volume 1 : Saturday Night Rag, 1934-1936 ● CD $9.98
16 early sides by this fine Western Swing band featuring the vocals of Bill or his brother Jim with excellent instrumental work from the likes of Art Davis, Jesse Ashlock or Cecil Brower/ fiddle, Walter Kirkes/ banjo, "Lefty" Perkins/ steel and others. Excellent sound and booklet has brief notes and full discographical info. About half a dozen tracks duplicate BACM 49.

 
HARRY C. BROWNE B.A.C.M. 076 Early Minstrel Songs, 1916-1923 ● CD $13.98
24 track collection of minstrel songs recorded between 1916 and 1920 by singer and banjo player Harry C. Brownse with occasional accompaniment from various vocal quartets. Not really country music but certainly one of the elements that was to become part of country music. The titles and lyrics that parody African-American speech can be pretty offensive but were normal for the time.
HARRY C. BROWNE: Angel Gabriel/ Balm Of Gilead/ Carve Dat Possum/ Climb Up Ye Chillun, Climb/ Climbing Up The Golden Stairs/ Dars A Lock On De Chicken Coop Door/ De Gospel Train Am Coming/ Gwine To Run All Night (Camptown Races)/ Hear Dem Bells/ Hi Jenny, Ho Jenny Johnson/ Jordan Am A Hard Road To Travel/ Keemo Kimo/ Keep In De Middle Ob De Road/ Keep Those Golden Gates Wide Open/ Kingdom Come/ Kiss Me Honey, Do/ Li’l Liza Jane/ Marsa’ Joe/ Oh Boys, Carry Me ‘Long/ Oh Susanna/ Roll On, Heave Dat Cotton/ Rosy/ Skeeter And The June Bug/ Uncle Ned

 
JERRY BYRD Cattle 296 Early Country & Hawaiian Steel Guitar Classics ● CD $18.98
28 tracks featuring Jerry's work as a country steel guitarist as well as Hawaiian music.
JERRY BYRD: At Sundown/ Bandera Waltz/ Be Mine, Sweetheart, Be Mine/ Byrd Boogie/ Cocoanut Grove/ Drowsy Waters/ Elmer's Tune/ Gold Coast March (gold Coast Blues)/ Hilo March/ I Regret To Say Aloha/ Kaimana Hila (diamond Head Hula)/ Kalana O Hilo Hanakahi (the Proud City Of Hilo)/ Kohalo March/ Limehouse Blues/ Little Lani Jo/ Makalapua (lei O Kamakaeha)/ Maui Chimes/ Moonland/ Over The Waves/ Panhandle Rag/ South/ Steel Guitar Rag/ Steelin' Is His Business/ Steelin' The Blues/ Steelin' The Chimes/ This 'n That/ Three String Swing/ Wabash Wah-wah Blues

 
JENKS "TEX" CARMAN Bear Family BCD 16652 The Old Guitar And Me ● CD $21.98
The first of two CDs featuring the complete recordings made between 1955 and 1966 for the Sage And Sand labels by this unique country performer from Kentucky. Supposedly part Cherokee, Jenks sometime appeared on stage in full Indian headdress accompanying his unsual voice with his playing of the Hawaiian steel guitar. He is accompanied by various groups on these recordings which are thought to include guitarists Roy Lanham and Joe Maphis. The 31 songs on this volume includes a remake of his most famous song Hillbilly Hula plus They had To Say Goodbye/ Walking And Crying For You/ Silver Rails Leading Westward/ Spanish Dancer/ Little May/ Fire In The Teepee/ My Darling La Roue/ Maggie's Twist/ Somehwere In This World/ Custer's Massacre, etc. Includes booklet with notes by Deke Dickerson who considers Carman to be the first "hillbilly punk".

 
JENKS "TEX" CARMAN Bear Family BCD 16668 Cow Punk ● CD $21.98
The rest of Carman's Sage and Sand recordings including Hilo March/ The Wild And Wooly West/ Wildwood/ My Baby, I'll Be There/ I'm Going Crazy/ Prairie Fire/ Lonesome Train/ You Didn't Stay/ Possum Twist/ I'll Never Go On Without You/ My Darling Silverbell, etc. His earlier (and better) Capitol recordings are available on Bear Family 15574 ("Hillbilly Hula" - $21.98)

 
ANITA CARTER Bear Family BCD 16414 Appalachian Angel ● CD $219.98
7 CD box set with hardcover book, 173 tracks, very good Of the entire extended Carter Family, no one was more gifted vocally than E.J. and Maybelle Carter's youngest daughter, Anita. She had a lilting voice and beauty to match; she broke hearts the world over. Her 1963 Mercury set, "Anita Carter Sings Folk Songs Old and New" has been a staple of the Bear Family catalog for two decades, first on LP, then as one of the label's first compact discs. Minimally produced with an eye to the urban folk audience, the album introduced sister June's and Merle Kilgore's song Ring of Fire. Carter's interpretation couldn't have been more different - or lovelier - than Johnny Cash's later hit. Every other song on that album was at least as good or better. As other bits and pieces of Carter's recorded work resurfaced on CD - especially the early duets with Hank Snow - many fans hoped Bear Family would devote a box set to her music. And now, five years after her death at age 66, here's 173 tracks covering her complete solo and credited duet recordings from 1950 to 1972, plus her final 1996 sessions for a never-completed album. In an accompanying 76-page hardcover book, Hank Davis speculates on why Carter never became a star. Unfortunately, the answer mostly lies within the seven compact discs of this box. As she bounced from label to label, producers handed her second- and third-rate country and pop material that was likely rejected by more established and aggressive performers. Besides the Mercurys and the Snow duets, some high points emerge, such her 1957 Cadence single of Blue Doll; Jim Reeves lifted the arrangement and recut it as Blue Boy. The 1955-57 'Nita, Rita and Ruby RCA sides appear intact on Disc Seven. Recorded with Rita Robbins and Ruby Wells (daughter of Johnny Wright and Kitty Wells), these records range from high-spirited Coon Creek Girls-like country to respectable teen pop. In what must be a first for Bear Family, the label recruited session guitarist Richard Bennett to strip the overblown Nashville backing from Carter's nine 1970-71 Capitol sides and overlay new, simple rhythm tracks onto her vocals. Both versions appear here, but Bennett's efforts on Disc Six work miracles. (Ah, if Bennett could do the same to Melba Montgomery!) Disc Six also contains Carter's final sessions, a bare-bones set cut in Bristol with her sister Helen and Jerry Hensley, a pleasant Gene Clark-soundalike. In the end, "Appalachian Angel" documents a brilliant singer with a tragically flawed career and personal life. Completists may welcome this box, but others would be much better served by Bear Family's single-disc distillation of Carter's significant Mercurys ("Ring of Fire", Bear Family BCD 15434; $19.98). (AK)

 
COWBOY COPAS Proper Intro 2033 A Proper Introduction To Cowboy Copas ● CD $9.98
28 track collection of sides by this fine country performer recorded for King between 1945 and 1953 including many of his hits from this period. Includes Tragic Romance/ There Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me/ Sweet Thing/ Breeze/ Signed Sealed And Delivered/ Believe It Or Not/ I'm Waltzing With Tears In My Eyes/ Feudin' Boogie/ Tennessee Flat Top Guitar/ Feelin' Low. If you already have ASV 5434 by Copas then you already have 20 of the tracks here but if not then this is better deal with more songs for a cheaper price and more attractive packaging in fold out digipack with 12 page booklet with notes and discographical data.

 
EDDIE DEAN B.A.C.M. 069 Dusty Old Saddle ● CD $13.98
27 tracks from this popular cowboy singer recorded for Standard Radio Transcriptions in the mid 40s.
EDDIE DEAN: An Old Enchanted Mesa/ Blue Eyed Bonnie/ Cowboy‘s Heaven/ Dusty And Dry/ Dusty Old Saddle/ Goodnight Little Cowboy/ Green Pastures/ Grieving Wind/ I Only Want A Buddy Not A Sweetheart/ I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/ I‘ll Be Back In A Year Little Darling/ I‘ll Take You Home Again Kathleen/ I‘ve Got A Cowboy‘s Song For Sale/ Molly Mcgee/ Moonlight On The Painted Desert/ Moonlit Hours/ My Old Herding Song/ Old Chuck Wagon/ Palomino Pal Of Mine/ Prairie Moonbeams/ Restin‘ Beside The Trail/ Road To Santa Fe/ So Long Old Pal/ Twilight O‘er My Cabin/ We‘re Brandin‘ Today/ When I Move To That New Range/ Whispering Sands

 
THE DELMORE BROTHERS JSP JSPCD 7727 Classic Cuts, 1933-1941 ● CD $28.98
4 CDs, 87 tracks, essential
It's no wonder that the Delmore Brothers are so revered by country music fans - the music they made was just so appealing with Alton and Rabon's wonderful close and distinctive harmonies and their terrific intertwining guitar work featuring Alton on lead and and Rabon on tenor guitar. Although their late 40s and early 50s King sides are featured on a number of releases this is the first in depth look at their earliest recordings with many tracks making their first appearance on CD. Unlike many other brother groups that relied on traditional and old popular songs for their repertoire most of the Delmores songs were originals - mostly composed by Alton and includes a mix of ballads, blues, gospel, novelty songs and more. Most of the tracks are just the duo and their guitars and Alton lets loose with some hot guitar solos on some of them. A few tracks feature the great fiddler Arthur Smith, a few are with a small group and there are three tracks feature a fine and unknown steel guitar - his playing on Scatterbrain Mama is particularly fine. Among the songs here are such timeless classics as Blue Railroad Train/ Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar/ Don't You See That Train, and Brown's Ferry Blues. The Delmores were very popular and influential and many of their songs frequently recorded by bluegrass and traditional country acts today. Sound quality is generally excellent - notes by Pat Harrison gives us the basic facts on the duos career but not much more. (FS)

 
AL DEXTER Jasmine 3546 Honky Tonk Blues, 1936-1940 ● CD $11.98
24 tracks by this fine Texas country vocalist who is best known for his composition Pistol Packing Mama which he first recorded in 1942 and has since become a country standard. In spite of the title, the last session here is actually from 1941. The first 11 tracks are from 1936 with a small group featuring some nice electric guitar from Bob Symons. The next eight tracks are from 1939 with a larger and the last five are from March, 1941 with a group including Ted Daffan on steel guitar. A fine collection of blues, western swing and honky tonk including Honky Tonk Blues (a Dexter original - not the song Hank Williams recorded)/ Whisper Again That You Love Me/ Broken Hearted Hearted Blues/ I'm Leaving My Troubles Behind/ I'm Happy When You're Happy/ Answer To "Honky Tonk Blues"/ Jelly Roll Special/ Why Do I Think Of Someone/ When We Go Honky Tonkin'/ You May Be Sorry/ Alimony Blues/ All I Want Is You, etc.

 
THE DIXON BROTHERS Acrobat 4022 How Can A Broke Man Be Happy? ● CD $12.98
23 tracks, highly recommended Fine selection of sides from the early 30s by this superb brother duo who strongly modelled themselves on the great Darby & Tarlton (see Acrobat 4016) accompanying themselves on slide guitar (Howard Dixon) and regular guitar (Dorsey). Their material was a mix of traditional songs, gospel songs as well as some great originals penned by Dorsey - several reflecting their life as workers at the cotton mills as well as some whimsical ditties like the great Intoxicated Rat and Sales Tax On The Women. Also includes Weave Room Blues/ Grenback Dollar/ My Girl In Sunny Tennessee/ Bonnie Blue Eyes/ Easter Day/ Heaven's Life/ Little Bessie/ How Can A Brpke Man Be Happy/ Call Me Pal Of Mine/ The Girl I Left In Danville/ Down With Old Canoe (their song about the sinking of the Titanic) and more. Sound quality is generally good though some tracks are from somewhat noisy 78s. Brief interesting notes from Keith Briggs. (FS)
THE DIXON BROTHERS: After The Ball/ Always Waiting For You/ Are You Sure?/ Beautiful Stars/ Beyond Black Smoke/ Bonnie Blue Eyes/ Call Me Pal Of Mine/ Dark Eyes/ Darling Do You Miss Me?/ Down With The Old Canoe/ Easter Day/ Fisherman's Luck/ Greenback Dollar/ How Can A Broke Man Be Happy?/ Intoxicated Rat/ Little Bessie/ My Girl In Sunny Tennessee/ Sales Tax On The Women/ Spinning Room Blues/ The Girl I Left In Danville/ Weave Room Blues/ What Can I Give In Exchange

 
MILTON ESTES Cattle 293 And His Musical Millers ● CD $18.98
Tennessean Estes was an early star of the Grand Ole Opry where he started back in 1937 as a member of Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys. This set features all the recordings he made between 1946 and 1950 for Bullet.
MILTON ESTES: Answer To Drivin' Nails In My Coffin/ Calling You/ E-a-s-t-e-r/ Happy Birthday Polka/ House Of Gold/ Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name/ I'm On The Battlefield For My Lord/ Keep A-talkin' Baby/ New Filipino Baby/ New Wabash Cannon Ball/ Out In Pioneer Town/ Red Rosy Cheeks And Big Brown Eyes/ Say You'll Be Mine/ Seems Like Yesterday/ Swing Wide Your Gate Of Love/ That's Why I Worry/ The Almighty Dollar/ The Man At The Table Asleep/ The Waltz I Waltzed With You/ Thirty Pieces Of Silver/ Too Many Women/ Wealth Won't Save Your Soul/ When The Fire Comes Down/ Whoa Sailor

 
THE FLATLANDERS New West 6049 Wheels Of Fortune ● CD $17.98
Second album from this talented trio (Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore) since they reunited a couple of years ago. All new songs by members of the group given tasteful arrangements - Baby Do You LOve Me Still?/ Midnight Train/ Eggs Of Your Chickens/ I'm Gonna Strangle You Shorty/ Deep Eddy Blues/ Once Followed By The Wind/ Indian Cowboy/ See The Way

 
LESTER FLATT & EARL SCRUGGS/ STANLEY JSP JSPCD 7724 BROTHERS: Selected Sides, 1947-1953 ● CD $28.98
Four CD set with 94 tracks in all featuring some of the earliest recordings by two of the greatest pioneer bluegrass groups. It includes 42 tracks recorded by the Stanleys between 1947 and 1953 and 52 by Flatt & Scruggs recorded between 1948 and 1952.
FLATT & SCRUGGS: Baby Blue Eyes/ Back to the Cross/ Bouquet in Heaven/ Brother, I'm Getting Ready to Go/ Come Back Darling/ Cora Is Gone/ Doin' My Time/ Don't Get Above Your Raising/ Down the Road/ Earl's Breakdown [Instrumental]/ Farewell Blues/ Flint Hill Special [Instrumental]/ Foggy Mountain Breakdown/ Get in Line Brothers/ God Loves His Children/ He Took Your Place/ I'll Be Going to Heaven Sometime/ I'll Just Pretend/ I'll Never Love Another/ I'll Never Shed Another Tear/ I'll Stay Around/ I'm Going to Make Heaven My Home/ I'm Gonna Settle Down/ I'm Head Over Heels in Love/ I'm Lonesome and Blue/ I'm Waiting to Hear You Call Me Darling/ I'm Working on a Road/ I've Lost You/ If I Should Wander Back to You/ Is It Too Late Now?/ Jimmie Brown the Newsboy/ My Cabin in Caroline/ My Darling's Last Goodbye/ My Little Girl in Tennessee/ No Mother or Dad/ Old Home Town/ Old Salty Dog Blues/ Over the Hills to the Poorhouse/ Pain in My Heart/ Pike County Breakdown/ Preachin', Prayin', Singin'/ Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms/ So Happy I'll Be/ Somehow Tonight/ Take Me in a Lifeboat/ Thinking About You/ Tis Sweet to Be Remembered/ We Can't Be Darlings Anymore/ We'll Meet Again Sweetheart/ Why Did You Wander?/ Why Don't You Tell Me So?/ Will the Roses Bloom (Where She Lies Sleeping)/ THE STANLEY BROTHERS: (Say) Won't You Be Mine/ Angels Are Singing (In Heaven Tonight)/ Are You Just Waiting for Me/ Death Is Only a Dream/ Dickson Country Breakdown/ Drunkard's Hell/ Fields Have Turned Brown/ Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet/ Girl Behind the Bar/ Have You Someone (In Heaven Awaiting)/ Hey! Hey! Hey!/ I Can Tell You the Time/ I Long to See the Old Folks/ I Love No One But You/ I'm Lonesome Without You/ I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow/ It's Never Too Late/ Jealous Lover/ Let Me Be Your Friend/ Little Birdie/ Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake/ Little Glass of Wine/ Little Glass of Wine/ Little Glass of Wine/ Little Maggie/ Lonesome River/ Molly and Tenbrooks/ Mother No Longer Awaits for Me at Home/ Old Home/ Our Darling's Gone/ Our Last Goodbye/ Poison Lies/ Pretty Polly/ Rambler's Blues/ Sweetest Love/ This Weary Heart You Stole Away (Wake Up Sweetheart)/ Too Late to Cry/ Vision of Mother/ Wandering Boy/ We'll Be Sweethearts in Heaven/ White Dove

 
PORKY FREEMAN Cattle 294 The Boogie Woogie Boy ● CD $18.98
27 tracks, highly recommended This CD reissues Cattle LP 101, newly remastered and with six bonus tracks featuring Freeman accompanying vocalist Hal Hart. A footnote to the 1940's L.A. country scene, electric guitarist Porky Freeman was far more important than most give him credit for. His 1943 Boogie Woogie On The Strings on the Morris Lee label was the first real instrumental guitar boogie, predating Arthur Smith's Guitar Boogie by a couple years. A remake, cut a year later for ARA is included here, along with 20 (!) other instrumentals that appeared on ARA & 4-Star. Freeman, an excellent guitarist (who played on many of Jack Guthrie's outstanding Capitol sides,) used some equally outstanding sidemen on his records, including Red Murrell, Merle Travis and Jesse Ashlock, and this collection is sure to be the definitive one. (RK)
PORKY FREEMAN: Boogie Woogie Boy/ Boogie Woogie On Strings/ Electric Guitar Blues/ Electric Guitar Rag/ Everybody Loves That Boogie/ Fat Gal Blues/ I Had Little Wife/ I Left My Heart In Mississippi/ Indian Love Call/ Okie Dokie Okie/ Pecos Polka/ Pickin' 8 To The Bar/ Rollin' South/ Slick Chick Boogie (# 1)/ Slick Chick Boogie (# 2)/ Slow Train Boogie/ Spanish Bells/ Strumming Up A Boogie/ That Baby's Changed/ The New Look/ Tiger Rag/ HAL HART: Did I Ever Tell You (how Much I Love You)/ I Miss Your Lovin'/ Oklahoma/ Something Old, New; Borrowed And Blue/ Than Suffer Jealousy/ Tie A Little String Around Your Finger

 
BOBBIE GENTRY Shout Factory 32278 Chickasaw Country Child ● CD $18.98
23 tracks, 70 min, essential Wonderful compilation of someone who, though often thought of as a 1-hit wonder for Ode To Billie Joe, actually had 8 Capital LPs as well as duet LPs with Glen Campbell that included a couple hit duets, & even a #1 UK hit with I'll Never Fall In Love Again. That song is not here, nor are the Campbell duets. However what is here is excellent, including the "Ode" B-side that I used to love Mississippi Delta, another hit that's forgotten today that I still love - Okolona River Bottom Band, & a happy sounding tune about a different kind of shopping called Casket Incident. As a bonus, there's Another Place, Another Time, a Brunswick recording from '74 that she wrote for the film "Macon County Line." (GM)

 
THE GEORGIA YELLOW HAMMERS B.A.C.M. 073 Johnson's Old Grey Mule ● CD $13.98
24 tracks, 72 mins, essential Simply wonderful and truly infectious string band music by one of the very best groups. Founded by singer & banjo player Bud Landress and singer and fiddler Bill Chitwood in 1927 the group also usually featured Phil Reeve on guitar and vocal and Ernest Moody on guitar, ukulele and vocal though various other musicians drifted in and out of the group. The vocals, usually featuring the lead of Landress was particularly strong and the vocal harmonies are truly wonderful. This exceptional disc features three tracks from 1924 featuring just Landress & Chitwood before they formed they group which was originally called Bill Chitwood's Georgia Mountaineers. It also includes a couple of offshoots of the group like The Clyde Evans Band and The Turkey Mountain Singers. Among the many fine performances here are Raise A Rough House Tonight/ Johnson's Old Grey Mule/ Hen cackle/ Going To Ride That Midnight Train/ I Am Bound For The Promised (a quartet vocal with only harmonium accompaniment)/ I'm S-A-V-E-D (a real favorite)/ The Picture On The Wall/ All Old Bachelors Are Hard To Please/ Moonshine Hollow Band/ Keep Marching All The Time/ Big Ball In Memphis/ Kiss Me Quick/ beyond The Clouds Is Light and others. Sound quality is generally excellent. This is the first in depth look at this group since Rounder issued an LP some 25 years ago - that provided inspiration and material for many of the young string bands of the day - maybe this reissue will do the same for a new generation. (FS)
THE GEORGIA YELLOW HAMMERS: All Gone Now/ All Old Bachelors Are Hard To Please/ Beyond The Clouds Is Light/ Big Ball In Memphis/ Come Over And See Me Sometime/ Going To Ride That Midnight Train/ Hen Cackle/ How I Got My Gal/ Howdy Bill/ I Am Bound For The Promised Land/ I‘m S-a-v-e-d/ Johnson‘s Old Grey Mule/ Keep Marching All The Time/ Kiss Me Quick/ Mary Don‘t You Weep/ Moonshine Hollow Band/ My Carolina Girl/ Raise Rough House Tonight/ Rubber Dolly Rag/ Song Of The Doddle Bug/ Tennessee Coon/ The Old Rock Jail Behind The Old Iron Gate/ The Picture On The Wall/ Whoa Mule

 
THE GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN WEST B.A.C.M. 074 Roll Along Prairie Moon ● CD $13.98
Complementing B.A.C.M. 009 this is another fine collection of songs by this popular and immensely appealing sister duo (Millie & Dolly Good) who harmonize on Western songs with guitar accompaniment from Dolly. This set includes 21 songs recorded between 1933 and 1935.
GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN WEST: Baby’s Lullaby (Lullaby Yodel)/ Barn Dance Of Long Ago/ Carry Me Back To The Mountains/ Colorado Blues (Take Me Back To Colorado)/ Cowboy Jack/ Cowboy Love Call/ Darling You’re Breaking My Heart/ I Love You Just The Same/ I’m Lonesome For You Caroline/ Lonely Cowgirl/ My Little Old Nevada Home/ Ride Ride Ride/ Roll Along Prairie Moon/ Round Up In Cheyenne/ Sing Me A Song Of The Mountains/ Started Out From Texas (Going Back To Texas)/ Texas Moon/ That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine/ The Roamer’s Memories/ There’s An Empty Cot In The Bunkhouse Tonight/ Whoopie Ti Yi Yo

 
MONTE HALE B.A.C.M. 070 The Full Monte - Complete Recordings ● CD $13.98
Recordings featuring this singing cowboy who is better known for his western movie appearances than his commercial recordings. This set features all 17 of his commercial recordings plus a song from one of his movies, a song from a radio transcription and a complete 20 minute radio transcription play from "All Star Western Theatre" in 1947 featuring Monte and Foy Willing & The Riders Of The Purple Sage.
MONTE HALE: After All We Have Meant To Each Other/ Cool Water/ Dead Letter File/ Dig Dig Diggin‘/ Dream Cowboy/ Heart Breaks/ Honey I Was Right/ I Learned To Love You Too Late My Darling/ In My Stable (there‘s An Empty Stall)/ Is It Wrong/ I‘m Ridin‘ The Rails/ I‘m Roundin‘ Up My Love For You/ Jet Plane Blues/ Key To My Door/ My Last Will And Testament/ Oklahoma Hills/ Radio Transcription Play From "all Star Western Theatre" April 8 1947./ Rose Of Old Santa Fe/ Statue In The Bay/ You Broke My Heart Little Darling

 
HAWKSHAW HAWKINS Federal 0506 Best Of The Best ● CD $8.98
10 track collection of this fine Wst Virginia featuring all his country hits for King. Includes Lonesome 7-7203/ Slow Poke/ I Love You A Thousand Ways/ I Wasted A Nickel/ Life Story Of Hank Williams/ Sunny Side Of The Mountain, etc.

 
JOHNNY HORTON Scena 271901 Live Recordings From The Louisiana Hayride ● CD $15.98
15 songs recorded live by this fine an influential performer at the Louisiana Hayride between 1956 and 1960. Mostly live versions of his hits along with a few tasty covers. Includes Honky Tonk Man/ One Woman Man/ John henry/ My Bucket's Got A Hole In It/ All For The Love Of A Girl/ Same Old Tale The Crow Told Me/ When It's Springtime In Alaska/ Sing The Bismarck and more. As a bonus it includes a 1960 commercial by Johnny for Wray Ford.

 
WAYLON JENNINGS RCA 57267 Ultimate Waylon Jennings ● CD $17.98
22 track collection - all of them that made the country top ten and drawing from the RCA, Columbia and MCA labels. Includes Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line/ This Time/ Rainy Day Woman/ Good Hearted Woman (with Willie Nelson)/ Luckenbach, Texas/ I've Always Been Crazy/ Amanda/ I Ain't Living Long Like This/ Just To Satisfy You/ I May Be Used (But Baby I Ain't Used Up/ Highwayman (as by The Highwaymen with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash & Kris Kristofferson) and others. Includes booklets with notes by Waylon biographer Lenny Kaye and rare photos.

 
GEORGE JONES Scena 271900 Live Recordings From The Louisiana Hayride ● CD $12.98
16 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended Another fine selection of live recordings from the famed Louisiana Hayride which broadcast over KWKH in Shreveport for many years. This volume is devoted to one of the greatest of all honky tonk singers - the great George Jones recorded live at the Hayride between 1956 and 1969. George is in consistently great form featuring some of his most popular songs including You Gotta Be My Baby/ Nothing Can Stop My Lovin' You/ I'm Ragged But I'm Right/ Accidentally On Purpose/ Don't Stop The Music/ Things Have Gone To Pieces/ The Race Is On/ She Thinks I Still Care/ Walk Through This World With Me and more. Sound quality isn't perfect but George's heartbreaking voice comes through loud and clear. 12 page booklet has notes, photos and a reproduction of a poster for one of George's appearances on the Hayride - George is top billed with second billed artists being Elvis Presley, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Newman and others. (FS)

 
UNCLE DAVE MACON Bear Family BCD 15978 Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy ● CD $279.98
Due end of June. This will be the definitive reissue of this great old time singer and banjo player from Tennessee. It includes 9 CDs featuring all of his recordings plus a DVD and an LP sized 176 page hard cover book. Uncle Dave was the first star of the Grand Ole Opry and one of the first members elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. This lavish box set has 248 tracks and will feature all his commercial recordings, several test pressings, rare home recordings and recently discovered Opry airchecks from 1939 and '40 that have never been issued before. The DVD contains the 1940 film "Grand Ole Opry" which includes two songs by Uncle Dave with his son Dorris plus Roy Acuff and others. The book contains newly discovered photos and illustrations, song lyrics, a newly researched biography by Charles Wolfe and a revised discography.

 
UNCLE DAVE MACON JSP JSPCD 7729 Classic Sides, 1924-1938 ● CD $28.98
4 CD box, 100 tracks, essential ... but
A wonderful retrospective of recordings from the unlikely first star of the Grand Old Opry, Uncle Dave Macon. Born in 1870 in Tennessee, he was a wagoner until until age 50, when his prowess with banjo and his earthy humour and showmanship led him first to vaudeville and then to radio success. Uncle Dave had a vast repertoire including traditional ballads, string band numbers, minstrel songs, gsopel songs and some wonderful topical numbers all of it suffused with Uncle Dave's irrepressible good humor and enthusiam featuring spoken asides and chuckles that are a delight. About half the tracks are just Dave and his banjo or with Sam McGhee/ guitar and the rest feature various accompaniments including some truly wonderful sides with vocal and instrumental accompaniments from Sam & Kirk McGhee and Mazy Todd that were issued as by Uncle Dave Macon & His Fruit Jar Drinkers or (for the gospel songs) as The Dixie Sacred Singers. There are also tracks with fiddle Sid Harkreader and with The Delmore Brothers. Sound is generally excellent though the earliest acoustically recorded sides which are particularly hard to master sound a bit thin. Each CD comes with a four page booklet with notes by Pat Harrison and discographical information. The reason for the "but" at the beginning of this review is that at the end of June Bear Family will be releasing a box set of Uncle Dave that will be the definitive reissue and will include ALL of Uncle Dave's recording, is sure to have better sound, will include a 176 page hard cover book and will include a DVD which we don't have details on yet. It will be a lot more expensive than this set but will be the one to get if you can afford it - otherwise this set will give you a superb cross section of his music. (FS)

   

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