Country, Bluegrass & Old Timeyl - Newsletter 144

NEW BOOKS

I WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED My Life With Johnny Cash by Marshall Grant with Chris Zar

● BOOK $24.95

Hardbound, 367 pages, highly recommended
Counts as six CDs for shipping. Legendary country sideman steps into the spotlight to tell his story and what a story it is. Marshall Grant provided the pulse of some of the greatest of American music for close to 50 years and was definitely there when a lot of "it" happened. Whether being the rock solid Bass man and road manager for Johnny Cash & the Tennessee two (and Three) from year zero until 1980 or his later work managing the Statler Brothers, Marshal Grant has been witness to a lot of history, which he shares with great detail and flair in this superb book. Being a huge Country music and Cash fan I was thrilled when I heard about this and am now enthralled by the results. Also features a fantastic, thick picture section from Grant's own collection. This is simply a must for any Johnny Cash aficionado. (JM)

NEW DVDS

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted all DVDs offered are in NTSC format which means that they will not play on a European DVD players unless you have a multiple format player.

JOHNNY CASH	Columbia 85662	Man In Black - Live In Denmark, 1972	● DVD $14.98
19 tracks, 60 mins, essential I really loved this DVD. I know there is a steady stream of Johnny Cash material coming out now and we will try and select only the best of it to provide to our loyal customers. Originally recorded for broadcast on Denmark television, this features the best known and loved line up of the full Johnny Cash review. Not only is The Mighty Carl Perkins (my hero!) playing lead guitar in Johnny's band, he also steps up to perform a couple of his classics for the audience. You also get fine performances from the Statler Brothers and the Carter Family of that time - Mother Maybelle, Helen, Anita, and sometimes June. Cash himself is right on the money with all of his work on this show. His rich, booming voice and endless charm are a delight as usual. His material tends to be playing to his audience, with a lot of his more family-friendly tunes, but it is interesting that he manages to do three Kris Kristofferson tunes without doing Sunday Morning Coming Down. Some of my favorite parts of this show are the two Carl Perkins numbers. Not only is Carl fabulous, but Johnny Cash goes over to the side of the audience while Carl is performing and plays some solid acoustic rhythm guitar. What class! The show ends with a barnstorming religious tune that Cash wrote that gets the whole cast singing along. Excellent stuff, truly one of the most essential Johnny Cash DVDs that I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot.) (JM)

VARIOUS ARTISTS	New West 8025	Outlaw Country - Live From Austin, Texas	● DVD $17.98
14 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended Recorded live for Austin City Limits on September 22nd, 1996. The gang of outlaws rounded up for this session are: Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver and Kimmie Rhodes. It's not much of a surprise that with this line-up, it was a damn great show! This is a fantastic loose show full of great songs, storytelling and general screwing around. The set consists of each artist taking a lead on a song and some of the others joining in--or not--depending on the song and, seemingly, if anyone felt inclined. They take this idea around in a circle a few times and then all gang up for a rousing rendition of On The Road Again. Nicely, most of the set was filled out with lesser known songs, sung in the intimate style that Austin City Limits can bring out of an artist. I'm not as familiar with Kimmie Rhodes, she definitely held her own with this motley group of Country legends. All of the artists were in great voice and seemed to be having a great time, which was really nice to see. (JM)

NEW COMPACT DISCS

ROY ACUFF	Music Mill 70041	Gospel Favorites	● CD $11.98
A collection of popular gospel songs sung by Acuff drawn from recordings made for his own Hickry label in the 60s and 70s. Includes I Saw The Light/ Just A Closer Walk With Me/ Dust On The Bible/ Turn Your Radio On/ The Family Who Prays (Shall Never Part)/ Hold To God's Unchnaging Hand/ Lord Build Me A Cabin Of Glory/ When I Lay My Burdens Down/ Little Moses/ Somebody Touched Me, etc.

DELIA BELL	Wounded Bird 3838	Delia Bell	● CD $12.98
10 tracks 31 mins, recommended Reissue of 1983 album by superb bluegrass/ country singer from Oklahoma produced by and featuring Emmylou Harris. A collection of country, bluegrass and old timey standards with an all-star group of musicians including Carl Jackson, Byron Berline, Emory Gordy, Steve Fishell and others. Fine performances of Coyote Song/ I Forgot More (Than You'll Ever Know About Him)/ Wildwood Flower/ Flame In My Heart/ Lone Pilgrim, etc. (FS)

THE BLUE SKY BOYS	JSP JSPCD 7782	The Very Best Of Classic Country Remastered	● CD $28.98
Five CD box set, 121 tracks, highly recommended Five CD set featuring 121 sides by one of the greatest of country brother duos Bill & Earl Bollick aka The Blue Sky Boys. With their sweet haunting voices and exquisite harmonies they sang a wide variety of traditional and more recent compositions accompanied by Bill's mandolin and Earl's guitar. They were a big influence on latter duos like The Bailes Brothers, Louvin Brothers, Armstrong Twins, Stanley Brothers, Everly Brothers and others. Many songs the Bolicks recorded have become country and bluegrass standards and even though they weren't always the first to record them, their versions became the defining release including songs like 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 My Baby Out of Jail/ Mary of the Wild Moor/ Short Life of Trouble/ Turn Your Radio On/ I'm S-A-V-E-D/ The Butcher's Boy/ Kentucky/ Beautiful Brown Eyes, and many others. The first three discs and half of the fourth which features their recordings from 1936 through 1940 feature the brothers by themselves. When they returned to recording in 1946 after a period in miltary service they added a discreet fiddle and string bass to their recordings. Sound quality is generally excellent and their informative notes by Pat harrison and full discographical info. If you already have the more luxurious Bear Family box (BCD 15951 The Sunny Side Of Life - $129.98) then you already have everything here - otherwise this is a great and inexpensive way to get this great duos best recordings. (FS)

JOHNNY BOND	Bear Family BCD 16810	Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight - Put Me To Bed	● CD $19.98
30 of the more upbeat sides from this popular and prolific Western performer recorded for Columbia between 1941 and 1957 - four previously unissued. Includes The Little Rock Rock/ The Son Of Casey/ I'll Be Here (After You've Gone)/ Fast Women And Sloe Gin/ Keep You Cotton Pickin' Hands Off My Gal/ Somebody's Pushin'/ That's Just What I'll Do/ Don't Take It Away/ Broken Doll, etc. Johnny is accompanied by musicians like Dick Reinhardt, Jack Rivers, Joaquin Murphy, Jimmy Wyble, Speedy West, Jerry Adler, Jimmy Bryant, Tex Atchison, Fiddlin' Kate, Joe Maphis and others. 28 booklet has extensive notes, rare photos and fulldiscographical info.

CURT BOUTERSE	Eagle's Whistle 1002	Fretless Old-Time Music	● CD $15.98
18 tracks, 68 min., recommended Bouterse, who claims Sam Hinton as his musical mentor, plays a "notched goard banjer," a "Peace Medal goard banjer," a "small box banjer," a "William Sidney Mount-style banjer," a "Horsehead goard banjer," a "gut-strung cherry box banjer," a hawk four-string goard banjer," a "teardrop-shaped dulcimer," and a "singer four-string banjer," all of which he built. (A "banjer" is a fretless banjo.) So, the man takes his traditional string music pretty seriously, plays and sings Pretty Polly, Scoldin' Wife, Temperance Reel, I'm So Glad, Yankee Doodle, The Ways Of The World, and more, all by himself or with vocal accompaniment from his sister. His voice is nothing to write home about, but his playing is at least worth a postcard. (JC)

HOYT "SLIM" BRYANT	B.A.C.M. 178	And His Wildcats	● CD $13.98
31 tracks, 70 minutes, highly recommended A cowboy-flavored ensemble that evolved from Clayton McMichen's Louisville-based Georgia Wildcats, Slim Bryant and His Wildcats were staples on Pittsburgh radio and television during the '40s and early '50s. Taking its vocal cues from California's close-harmony Western trios, the Wildcats were particularly notable for their hot take-off guitar, fiddle and accordion solos. The group made precious few recordings, but a healthy sampling of its music survived via 16" NBC Radio Thesaurus transcriptions cut around 1946-47. Slim Bryant was - and at age 98, still is - one of the country and jazz guitar's unsung heroes. His leads are smart and dazzling; his fills are a primer in how to accompany a vocalist. Sharp-eared listeners will recognize some familiar licks; Les Paul was a Bryant fan. Of the two instrumentals on this disc, Walking the Pup best showcases Bryant's skill. Fiddler Ken Newton, accordionist Al Azzaro and bassist Loppy Bryant all could swing, as does an unidentified rhythm guitarist. The trio harmonies compare to early Sons of the Pioneers; Newton and Bryant's brother Loppy share vocal leads. Though recommended listening to anyone who appreciates Pee Wee King/ Whippoorwills-styled music, this disc is a must for serious country guitar aficionados. Sound is better than usual for B.A.C.M.; Bryan Chalker penned a brief appreciation. (DS) HOYT "SLIM" BRYANT & HIS WILDCATS: Answer To Rainbow At Midnight/ Back To Old Smokey Mountain/ Barnyard Band/ Deep Water/ First Rose/ Got A Gal In A Town Way Out West/ He Holds The Lantern/ I Ain't Gonna Worry No More/ I Hate To See You Go/ I'll Never Make The Same Mistake Again/ I'm A Lonely Little Petunia In An Onion Patch/ Lone Star Moon/ My Little Texas Gal/ My Saddle My Bronco And You/ Nag Oh Nag Oh Nag/ New San Antonio Rose/ Oklahoma City/ Penny Ante Polka (instr.)/ Sioux City Sue/ Slow Train Through Arkansas/ Someday You'll Want Me To Want You/ Ten To One/ That's How Much I Love You/ The Letter I Forgot To Mail/ Thunder Storm/ Train Whistle Boogie/ Tweedle O Twill/ Walking The Pup (Instr.)/ Where The Mountains Meet The Sky/ Whistle/ Winter Fell On The Range

CLIFF CARLISLE	JSP JSPCD 7768	Volume 2: When I Feel Froggie I'm Gonna Hop	● CD $28.98
Second collection of sides by this superb early singer and slide guitarist features 97 tracks recorded between 1930 and 1941 drawn from 78s in the collection of Joe Bussard. Includes many tracks making their first appearance on CD. CLIFF CARLISLE: A Little Bit Of Lovin� From You/ A Little White Rose/ Alone And Lonesome/ Alone And Lonesome/ Birmingham Jail/ Birmingham Jail No. 2/ Blue Dreams/ Blue Eyes/ Blue Yodel No. 6/ Box Car Yodel/ Casey County Jail/ Childhood Dreams/ Childhood Dreams/ Crazy Blues/ Deep Sea Blues/ Desert Blues/ Dollar�s All I Crave/ Don�t Marry The Wrong Woman/ Down In The Jailhouse On My Knees/ Dream A Little Dream Of Me/ End Of Memory Lane/ Flag That Train/ Fussin� Mama/ Georgia Moon/ Go And Leave Me If You Wish To/ Going Back To Alabama/ Hen Pecked Man/ Hobo Jack�s Last Ride/ Hobo Jack�s Last Ride/ I Believe I�m Entitled To You/ In A Box Car Around The World/ I�m Glad I�m A Hobo/ I�m Lonely And Blue/ Jesus My All/ Just A Lonely Hobo/ Just A Lonely Hobo/ Just A Wayward Boy/ Just A song At Childhood/ Lonely/ Longing For You/ Look Out I�m Shifting Gears/ Looking For Tomorrow/ Louisiana Blues/ Memories That Make Me Cry/ My Little Sadie/ My Lonely Boyhood Days/ My Old Saddle Horse Is Missing/ My Two Time Mama/ Never No Mo� Blues/ No Wedding Bells/ Nobody Wants Me/ On My Way To Lonesome Valley/ On The Lone Prairie/ Ramblin� Jack/ Ramshackled Shack On The Hill/ Ridin� That lonesome Train/ Ridin� The Blinds To The Call Of The Pines/ Rocky Road/ Roll On Blue Moon/ She Waits For Me There/ She�s Waiting For Me/ Shine On Harvest Moon/ Shufflin� Gal/ So Blue/ Sunshine And Daisies/ Sweet As The Roses Of Spring/ Sweet Nannie Lisle/ T For Texas/ That Good Old Utah Trail/ The Bunch Of Cactus On The Wall/ The Cowboy Song/ The Fatal Run/ The Flower Of The Valley/ The Gal I Left Behind/ The Little Dobie Shack/ The Plea Of A Mother/ The Poor Widow/ The Rustler�s Fate/ The Vacant Cabin Door/ The Written Letter/ There�s A Lamp In The Window Tonight/ They Say It Is The End Of The Trail Old Paint/ Traveling Life Alone/ Two Little Sweethearts/ Valley Of Peace/ Virginia Blues/ When I Feel Froggie I�m Gonna Hop/ When I�m Dead And Gone/ When The Cactus Is In Bloom/ When The Old Cow Went Dry/ When You Wore A Tulip/ Where Southern Roses Climb/ Will You Meet Me Just Inside/ Won�t Somebody Pal With Me/ Wreck Of No. 52/ Your Saddle Is Empty Tonight/ You�ll Never Know

THE CARTER SISTERS & MOTHER MAYBELLE	B.A.C.M. 176	Complete Original Recordings, 1949-1952	● CD $13.98
27 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended Country Routes have reissued three CDs of radio transcriptions by this fine group but this is the first of two CDs to feature all their commercial recordings featuring 27 tracks recorded between February 1949 and November 1952. The earlier sides feature the distinctive guitar work of Chet Atkins. The last seven tracks recorded in 1952 features the group performing fine versions of songs from the Carter Family repertoire with Mother Maybelle on autoharp and also providing some of her distinctive and highly influential guitar playing. Their renditions of He's Solid Gone and You Are My Flower are highlights here. (FS) THE CARTER SISTERS & MOTHER MAYBELLE: (This Is) Someone's Last Day/ A Picture A Ring And A Curl/ A Trinket Of Shiny Gold/ Blue Skies And Sunshine/ Columbus, GA/ Don't Wait/ Down On My Knees/ Fair And Tender Ladies/ Foggy Mountain Top/ God Sent My Little Girl/ Gotta Find Me Somebody To Love/ He's Solid Gone/ I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow/ I Never Will Marry/ I've Got A Home Up In Glory/ I've Got My Share Of Trouble/ Little Orphan Girl/ Sun's Gonna Shine In My Back Door/ The Day Of Wrath/ The Day They Laid Mary Away/ Walk A Little Closer/ Weep, Dear Willow?/ Wildwood Flower/ Willow, Will You Weep For Me/ You Are My Flower

JOHNNY CASH	Columbia-Legacy 75914	Johnny Cash At San Quentin (Legacy Edition)	● CD $39.98
31 tracks, 100 mins on two CDs, 52 mins on DVD, essential This collection is just about perfect. You get two CDs full of music and 1 DVD documentary taken from probably the most famous single show in Country music history, handsomely packaged with extensive booklet with lots of pictures and interview goodies. The CDs feature all original tracks from the classic LP issue from 1969, now fully expanded over 2 discs, adding some 13 previously unreleased tracks: 3 Carl Perkins tunes, 2 Statler Brothers tracks, 4 Carter Family tracks, and 4 tracks with Johnny Cash himself on lead, including a fantastic take on Jackson with June The Long Black Veil/ Give My Love To Rose, and Blistered. The DVD with this set is the U.K./ Grenada TV special filmed at the show, featuring great footage and interview material from Cash, members of the entourage and some intense interviews with some of the guards and prisoners. The Grenada documentary is notable/ notorious for two other items. 1. You get to see the performance that was used for the multi-million selling single of Boy Named Sue where Cash is sitting down doing the song, still reading it off of the paper on a stand in front of him. 2. One of the most famous pictures of Johnny Cash, the immortal "Johnny giving the bird!" shot happened here and was inspired by the Grenada film crew. Outstanding! Johnny Cash fans, it's Christmas again! Don't hesitate to pick this up, you will not be disappointed. (JM)

WILMA LEE & STONEY COOPER	TeeVee 752	24 Greatest All-Time Hits	● CD $11.98
24 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper were one of the greatest traditional country duos with Wilma Lee's spine chilling, powerful and soulful lead vocals with husband Stoney's accompaniment on fiddle and harmony vocals. These recordings from the late 60s and early 70s are some of their last and although a little of the fire had gone out of the vocals and the accompaniments were unexceptional with a metronomic bass and drums on most tracks it is still a superb collection of old time country gospel along with a number of secular songs from the repertoire of The Carter Family. It includes new recordings of some of their most famous songs from the 40s and early 50s like Walking My Lord Up Calvary Hill/ The Legend and the chilling Thirty Pieces Of Silver as well as other fine songs like great Speckled Bird/ Tramp On The Street/ God Gave Noah The Rainbow Sign/ Keep On The Firing Line/ I Dreamed About Mama Last Night/ This Old House/ Worried Man Blues/ Wreck On the Highway and others. (FS)

THE CROWE BROTHERS	King 0517-2	Jesus Is Coming - Bluegrass Gospel	● CD $8.98
10 tracks, 28 mins, recommended Fine collection of bluegrass gospel featuring the excellent harmonies of Josh and Wayne Crowe accompanied by a straight ahead group including banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and bass. No recording details are given but I would imagine these are from the 70s. Songs include Jesus Is Coming/ Canaan's Land (actually Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies)/ Oak Grove Church/ Blessed Jesus Hold My Hand/ He's Coming Back To Earth Again, etc. (FS)

JIMMIE DAVIS	B.A.C.M. 180	Where The Old River Flows	● CD $13.98
24 tracks recorded between 1929 and 1945 by this popular country performer and two term governor of Louisiana. His earliest recordings were modeled after Jimmie Rodgers with one or two guitar accompaniments with later recordings featuring him with various groups including Charles Mitchell's Texans, Milton Brown's Musical Brownies, Lani McIntyre's Hawaiians, Lawrence Welk's Orchestra(!) and others. Mostly popular and sentimental songs with the occasional blues or gospel song. Includes Baby's Lullaby/ Where The Old Red River Flows/ Pal Of Long Ago/ In the West Where Life Is Free/ Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland/ Two More Years And I'll Be Free/ I'm the One/ Walking My Blues Away, etc. JIMMIE DAVIS: Baby's Lullaby/ Honky Tonk Blues/ I Wonder Where You Are/ I'm The One/ If I Cry You'll Never Know/ In The West Where Life Is Free/ Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland/ My Louisiana Girl/ My Mother's Bible/ Never Break A Promise/ One Two Three Four/ Pal Of Long Ago/ Plant Some Flowers By My Grave/ She's A Hum Dum Dinger/ That's Why I'm Nobody's Darling/ The Love I Have For You/ Tired Of Crying Over You/ Two More Years And I'll Be Free/ Walking My Blues Away/ Wave To Me My Lady/ What's The Matter With You Darling/ When It's Round Up Time In Heaven/ Where The Old Red River Flows/ You Tell Me Your Dream And Tell You Mine

THE DELMORE BROTHERS	JSP JSPCD 7765	Volume 2 - The Later Years, 1933-1952	● CD $28.98
Four CD box set, 97 tracks, essential Complementing JSP 7727 this is another fabulous collection of singing and musicianship from this fabulous duo from Alabama. The first two dics, like JSP 7727, features recordings made between 1933 and 1941 and between the two sets cover most of, if not all, their recordings from this period. Most of these are new to CD. The second two discs features 48 of their classic King recordings cut between 1943 and 1952 and though many of these have been reissued before, it's great to have them together here along with the earlier sides. Many of 78s used here are from the collection of Joe Bussard and sound quality is generally excellent with brief, but informative, notes by Pat harrison. (FS) THE DELMORE BROTHERS: Ain�t It Hard To Love/ Alcatraz Island Blues/ Baby You�re Throwing Me Down/ Barnyard Boogie/ Be My Little Pet/ Blues Stay Away From Me/ Brother Take Warning/ Brown�s Ferry Blues/ Brown�s Ferry Blues No.3/ Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow/ By The Banks Of The Rio Grande/ Calling To That Other Shore/ Carry Me Back To Alabama/ Don�t Forget Me/ Don�t Forget Me Darling/ Don�t Let Me Be In The Way/ Down Home Boogie/ Everybody Loves Her/ Fast Express/ Fifty Miles To Travel/ Freight Train Boogie/ Gambler�s Yodel/ Gathering Flowers From The Hillside/ Goin� Back To Georgia/ Goin� Back To The Blue Ridge Mountains/ Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar No.2/ Good Time Saturday Night/ Harmonica Blues/ Heart Of Sorrow/ Hey, Hey I�m Memphis Bound/ Hillbilly Boogie/ Home On The River/ I Ain�t Gonna Stay Here Long/ I Believe It For My Mother Told Me So/ I Don�t Know Why I Love Her/ I Found An Angel/ I Guess I�ve Got To Be Going/ I Know I�ll Be Happy In Heaven/ I Let The Freight Train Carry Me On/ I Loved You Better Than You Know/ I Wonder Where My Darling Is Tonight/ I�ll Never Fall In Love Again/ I�m Alabama Bound/ I�m Going Back To Alabama/ I�m Leavin� You/ I�m Leavin� You/ I�m Lonesome Without You/ I�m Sorry I Caused You To Cry/ Just The Same Sweet Thing To Me/ Kentucky Mountain/ Last Night I Was Your Only Darling/ Leavin� On That Train/ Lonely Moon/ Lonesome Day/ Look Up, Look Down That Lonesome Road/ Memories Of My Carolina Girl/ Midnight Special/ Midnight Train/ Mississippi Shore/ Mobile Boogie/ My Home�s Across The Blue Ridge Mountains/ New False Hearted Girl/ Nothing But The Blues/ Now I�m Free/ Peach Tree Streeet Boogie/ Please Be My Sunshine/ Precious Jewel/ Prisoner�s Farewell/ Quit Treatin� Me Mean/ Ramblin� Minded Blues/ Remember I Feel Lonesome Too/ Rounder�s Blues/ Shame On Me/ She Left Me Standing On The Mountain/ She Won�t Be My Little Darling/ Some Of These Days You�re Gonna Be Sad/ Somebody Else�s Darling/ Stop That Boogie/ Sweet, Sweet Thing/ Tennessee Choo Choo/ That�s How I Feel So Goodbye/ The Farmer�s Girl/ The Fast Old Shovel/ The Girl By The River/ The Only Star/ The Storms Are On The Ocean/ The Trail Of Time/ The Wabash Cannonball Blues/ The Wrath Of God/ There�s A Lonesome Road/ There�s Sumpin� About Love/ Trouble Ain�t Nothin� But The Blues/ Used Car Blues/ Waitin� For That Train/ Who�s Gonna Be Lonesome For Me/ Why Did You Leave Me Dear/ Wonderful There

FLATT & SCRUGGS	Music MIll 71010	Father's Table Grace	● CD $9.98
10 tracks of classic bluegrass gospel drawn from Lester & Earl's Columbia recordings made between 1951 and 1966. Includes Brother, I'm Getting Ready To Go/ Take Me In The Lifeboat/ Father's table Grace/ Joy Bells/ Get On That Road To Glory, etc.

RED GARRETT	Cattle 331	Red Garrett's Complete Hillbilly Collection, 1953-1956	● CD $18.98
Obscure but fine honky tonk singer accompanied by musicians like Don Helms, Bud Isaacs, Chet Atkins, Tonny Jackson and others. RED GARRETT: Blame It On The Moonlight/ Bull's Eye/ Clear Sailing/ Don't Be Ashamed Of Your Past/ Don't Believe A Thing I Say/ Long Gone/ May You Never Be Alone-A Bed Of Roses/ Moon Tan/ My Search On Earth Is O'er/ Papa Joe's Place/ Please/ Smoke Screen/ Standing At The End Of The World/ Tell Me Again/ That's Why I'm Happy/ They Got Me Singing That Way/ Too Late To Plow Now/ You Played To My Heart (On Your Trumpet Of Love)

JOE GOLDMARK	Lo-Ball 9	Seducing The '60s	● CD $15.98
13 tracks, 41 min., recommended Pedal steel wizard Joe Goldmark used to be a member of the almost-legendary Twangbangers (that included guitar hero Redd Volkaert) and since leaving that ensemble has released five albums of pedal steel goodness, including the amusingly titled "Strong Like A Bull...But Sensitive Like A Squirrel." This time he sets his time machine for the 1960s and countrifies some classics, including The Who's The Kids Are Alright, the Beach Boys' Darlin', The Beatles' I Feel Fine, and The Tremeloes' (by way of the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens) Here Comes My Baby. The Gram Parson's penned Hickory Wind (a hit for The Byrds) seems like a natural and is, but the real gem of the album is Neil Young's Helpless (featuring guest vocals by Brandi Shearer), which melts in your heart and not in your ears--or something like that. Shearer also does respectably well on the Brenda Holloway classic Every Little Bit Hurts. Other hired help includes guitarist John McFee (ex-Clover--the band that backed Elvis Costello on his first album!-- ex-Doobie Bros., ex-Southern Pacific), and, on backing vocals, the talented Dave Gleason, whose Midnight, California album is required listening for all country music fans. Gary Claxton and Bart Davenport also share vocal duties. (JC)

MERLE HAGGARD	New West 6090	Live From Austin, Texas	● CD $16.98
15 tracks, Highly recommended Recorded live in 1996 with Merle and his full regular band. This is the CD companion to the fantastic DVD with all of the same cuts. Merle is in superb voice and so many of his great songs are represented here.

R.D. HENDON	Cattle 329	And His Western Jamboree Cowboys, 1951-1956	● CD $18.98
31 tracks featuring various groups led by Texas bandleader R.D. Hendon featuring musicians and vocalists like Charlie Harris, Eddie Noack, Harold Sharp, Gig Sparks, Jack Rodgers and others. R. D. HENDON & HIS WESTERN JAMBOREE COWBOYS: Blues Boogie (Inst.)/ Don't Push Me (Let Me Fall)/ Don't Say No/ For Now And Always/ Hit And Run Driver/ I Ain't Got A Lick Of Sense/ I Can't Run Away/ I'd Still Want You/ I'm Going To See My Baby/ Little White Cottage/ Lonely Nights/ Marking Time/ Music Making Mama From Memphis/ Nervous Breakdown (Inst.)/ No Shoes Boogie/ Oh Mr President/ Please Mr Postman/ Return My Broken Heart/ Spanish Fireball/ Step By Step/ Talking To Myself/ The Waltz Of Texas/ The Wandering Blues/ There's A Place In My Heart/ This Moon Won't Last Forever (# 1)/ This Moon Won't Last Forever (# 2)/ Those Tears In Your Eyes/ Trademark/ We Smiled/ You Crazy Mixed Up Kid/ You Traveled Too Far

JOHNNY HORTON & BILLY BARTON	Stampede 5001	Country Treasure Series, Vol. 1	● CD $19.98
Stampede is a new subsidiary of rock 'n' roll label Rockstar and is devoted to issuing early and rare country recordings - much of it drawn from a stash of acetates recorded for Sylvester Cross in the early 50s and most of them never issued before. This one is devoted to the well known Johnny Horton and the very fine and prolific but little known Billy Barton. This set features 14 solo sides each by Johnny and Billy, three duets, a solo by Billy's wife Wanda Wayne and two duets of Billy & Wanda. Since these were intended as demos the instrumental arrangements are fairly sparse - sometimes just a guitar but the performances are fine. Eight of the Horton tracks are on the Bear Family box "The Early Years" (BCD 16258 - $89.98) but all the other tracks here are unissued.

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD	Sustain 020-02	Snake Farm	● CD $14.98
11 tracks, 43 min., very highly recommended The latest album from the Texas song writing legend, whose career in country reaches to the 1970s, is also probably his finest effort. "Snake Farm" sounds like the aural equivalent of roadhouse whisky, with lyrics that never fail to surprise and amaze. Produced by Gurf Morlix (who has produced Lucinda Williams, among others), this album is stripped down and raw, owing more to the blues than country. Just about any couplet in any song begs to be quoted, as Hubbard sings of jesus, heartache, rock 'n' roll, mythology, and snake farm love.( Is it any wonder that he thanks underground author Charles Bowden on the booklet notes?) One song opens with, "Young pups they ask me what makes my kind/ Shameless women and pork rinds." Another with, "God smiles and light a cigarette/ Says there's some souls I ain't gonna get." An original. (JC)

ANN JONES	Cattle 330	And Her Western Sweethearts, 1949-1954	● CD $18.98
Possibly the first all female country group who joined on these sessions by musicians like Louis Innes, Speedy West, Billy Liebert, Smokey Rogers, Joe Maphis and others/ ANN JONES AND HER WESTERN SWEETHEARTS: A Big Fat Gal Like Me/ A Little Bit Of Nylon/ Baby Sitter's Blues/ Be Safe-Be Sure-Be Careful/ God Gave Me You/ Hi-Ballin' Daddy/ How Many Years/ I Carry Your Picture In My Heart/ I Love You More As Time Goes By/ I've Had It/ If I Could Buy You/ If I Was A Cat/ Knockin' Blues/ Let The Love Bug Bite/ Lonesome With You/ Love Bird/ Love Is A Losing Game/ Monkey Business/ Our Kind Of Love/ Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind/ Smart Aleck/ Steppin' Out With My Shadow/ This Secret Love/ Too Old To Cut The Mustard (& Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys)/ You Won't Find Me Singing The Blues For You/ You've Got The Right Of Way

GEORGE JONES	Country Stars 55538	The Legend Begins	● CD $9.98
23 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended Gathers up tracks from the earliest part of George Jones' career. All these tracks were recorded for the Starday record label from 1954 - 1957, starting when George is fresh out of the marines and looking to make a name for himself. Jones is great on these tracks, even though on a great many of them he is clearly trying to find his identity by going through phases of development that tend to sound like a who's who of Grand Ole Opry legends. One thing that George Jones is doing, quite impressively for this stage of his career, is developing his songwriting. A staggering 20 of these 23 songs are written by Jones--mostly solo, but occasionally with help--with great success when it comes to early hits like Why Baby Why/ What Am I Worth, and Just One More, which all hit the Country music top ten. Like many an aspiring Country singer of the 1950's working their way to stardom, Jones took a foray into the popular Rockabilly sound recording under the name "Thumper Jones," among others. We get three of those wild & wooly tracks here. Rock It and How Come It are a blast although his take on Heartbreak Hotel leaves a bit to be desired. All in all a great collection that chronicles one of the greatest Country music singers of all time as he hones his craft and becomes the legend that he is today. (JM)

GEORGE JONES & MERLE HAGGARD	Bandit 79816	Kickin' Out the Footlights Again	● CD $18.98
14 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended Two living legends and old friends get together for another (and last, according to the notes) session. Taking turns covering each other's hits, with duets on 4 numbers. For comparisons sake, I broke out my old vinyl copy of "A Taste Of Yesterdays wine," their last album together from 1982. This new one is every bit as good, if not better, than that outing from almost 25 years ago. That record was much more about newer music of the day, while this one leans much more towards nostalgia. Both men are in fine voice, with Merle sounding a bit better, but he is a few years younger. Again, I am thrilled about how much quality music both of these artists are still putting out. I know satellite radio is playing Sick, Sober and Sorry off of this, but it would love to hear mainstream Country radio pick this up. (JM)

FRED KIRBY	B.A.C.M. 179	That Good Old Utah Trail	● CD $13.98
25 tracks, 72 minutes, excellent Complementing Cattle's earlier Fred Kirby collection, this B.A.C.M anthology focuses on the North Carolina singer's earliest recordings. The six tracks from Kirby's first February 1936 session reveals a pleasant, if undistinguished Jimmie Rodgers clone. Four duets recorded with Bob Phillips the following day are more interesting; Roll On, Roll On could have inspired Woody Guthrie's enduring Columbia River song. A June 1936 yielded more Rodgersesque solos plus duets with Don White and Cliff Carlisle. Another session four months later shows that Kirby evolved into a pleasant, if undistinguished western crooner, backed by the requisite cowboy string band. The disc's most engaging interesting track is a 1937 duet with Cliff Carlisle, Cowboy's Dying Dream. By 1938 Kirby was recording hillbilly fare for Decca, which was pleasant, if . okay, you get the picture. The sound is generally good; Brian Chalker offers brief notes. (DS) ALSO AVAILABLE: Cattle CCD 252 The Original 'Atomic Power' CD $18.98 The best all-around survey of Fred Kirby's records, mixing his better prewar sides with postwar ballads and country boogies. This 26-track set includes Kirby's beloved Cold War classics Atomic Power and When the Hell Bomb Falls. No duplication with the B.A.C.M. set above. FRED KIRBY: Cathedral In The Pines/ Cottage By The Wayside/ Cowboy's Dying Dream/ Everyday Is Mother's Day To Me/ Find My Precious Home/ I Got A Red Hot Mama/ I'm A Gold Diggin' Papa/ I'm Lonesome Sad And Blue/ I'm The Roughest And Toughest/ In The Shade Of The Old Pine Tree/ Life's Railway To Heaven/ Lonesome Lullaby/ My Carolina Sweetheart/ My Darling Nell/ My Heavenly Sweetheart/ My Man/ My Old Fashioned Sweetheart/ My Old Saddle Horse Is Missing/ My Sweet Little Mother Of The Range/ Roll On, Roll On/ Round Up Time In Heaven/ Song Of The Golden West/ That Good Old Utah Trail/ Underneath The Texas Moonlight/ Wagon Train Keep Rolling Along

LAURIE LEWIS & THE RIGHT HANDSTHE	Hightone 8194	The Golden West	● CD $17.98
13 tracks, 53 min., essential Lewis and her four right hands (better than two left feet, no doubt) have recorded a gem of an album. Acoustic and old timey, "Golden West" includes covers from bluegrass pioneers (Bill Monroe, Jimmie Rodgers) and latter day wonders (Billy Joe Shaver, Jimmy Dale Gilmore) with equal aplomb. And the originals sit comfortably along side the covers, especially the Wendell Barry-Laurie Lewis charmer Burley Coulter's Song For Kate Helen Branch, which features guitarist Scott Huffman and his wonderfully world-weary voice. He also turns in tremendous performances on Life Forever and his own Hard Luck In Heaven. Two tracks (Rank Stranger, A Hand To Hold) sport harmony vocals from Linda Ronstadt, and as good as they sound, everything here is just as good. A real find. (JC)

THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE	Bear Family BCD 16796	Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight - Ugly & Slouchy	● CD $21.98
30 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended Part of Bear Family's fantastic (and my personal favorite so far) "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight" series. All selections plucked from their Columbia records output between 1952 - 1957, including I'll Make Love To You from their first session for the label. This disk is chock full of upbeat Hillbilly Boogie, Honky Tonk and proto-Rock-a-Billy. Pure entertainment whether they are delivering a mile-a-minute rendition of The Carlisles classic No Help Wanted, or their self penned classics Ugly And Slouchy/ Paul Bunyan Love/ Death Of Rock And Roll/ Dig A Hole (in The Cold, Cold Ground)/ Stop Whistlin' Wolf, etc. Also includes fine Rose Maddox solo outings I'm A Little Red Caboose/ You Won't Believe This/ Fountain of Youth, and I'll Go Steppin' Too. They were a fearless group that we get to follow off of the beaten Country path with their covers of LaVern Baker and Mickey and Sylvia among others. Maddox Bros and Rose were such a great outfit, totally influential to the birth of rock 'n' roll and this collection is pretty much a perfect sampling of their 1950's material. Comes with beautiful booklet with grand notes by Deke Dickerson, discography and great pictures. (JM)

WADE MAINER	Gusto 0957	I'm Not Looking Backward	● CD $10.98
2 CDs, 37 tracks, 103 mins, very highly recommended Wonderful collection of old time and bluegrass singing and playing featuring the excellent singer and banjo player Wade Mainer who started his recording career in the mid 30s along his with his brother Joseph Emmett (J.E.) Mainer. This set features all of Wade's recordings for King cut in 1947, 1951 and 1961 including five previously unissued tracks. The first two sessions from 1947 and March 1951 are very much in the old time style with fine vocal harmonies on a selection of mostly gospel songs. By the third session in November, 1951 the music had transitioned into bluegrass and the April 1961 sessions is traditional style bluegrass gospel that's as good as it gets with wonderful vocal harmonies from guitarist Owen Bloodworth and fiddle from Ed Bryant. Several of the tracks from this session feature the powerful solo vocals of Wade's wife Julia. This session is presented in true stereo for the first time and the sound throughout is superb and the 16 page illustarted booklet has informative notes by Dick Spottswood. (FS)

LOUISE MASSEY & THE WESTERNERS	B.A.C.M. 173	Ridin' High, 1933-1941	● CD $13.98
22 tracks recorded between 1933 and 1941 by this fine Western flavored family group. LOUISE MASSEY & THE WESTERNERS: Beautiful Texas/ Bunkhouse Jamboree/ Dixie Medley/ Going Down To Santa Fe Town/ Gol Darn Wheel/ If Jesse James Rode Again/ Mary Had A Little Lamb/ New River Train/ Out On Loco Range/ Play Me That Single Time Jazz/ Polly Wolly Doodle/ Pop Goes The Weasel/ Pretty Boy Floyd/ Raggin' The Blues At The Old Piano/ Ridin' High/ Rounded Up In Glory/ Sweet Mama Tree Top Tall/ The Santa Fe Trail/ There's An Empty Cot In The Bunkhouse Tonight/ Tug Boat & Piney Woods/ Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/ Whatcha Gonna Do When The Rent Comes ' Round

BILL MONROE	Bear BCD 16637	My Last Days On Earth	● CD $129.98
Four CD set with 89 tracks from the twilight years of the career of King Of Bluegrass. Includes collaborations with Waylon Jennings, John Hartford, The Oak Ridge Boys, Johnny Cash, Ralph Stanley, Jim & Jesse, Carl Story and others. Includes hardcover book.

PATSY MONTANA	B.A.C.M. 174	I'm Heading West To Texas	● CD $13.98
26 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended 26 fine sides by the original "cowboy's sweetheart" herself ranging from her 1933 recording Homesick For My Old Cabin from one of her first sessions when she was recording under her real name of Rubye Blevins to her 1948 recording of Slap 'Er Down Again, Paw. The material her features both commercial recordings and radio transcriptions - the former feature top notch accompaniments from The Pairie Ramblers, The Sons Of The Pioneers or The Light Crust Doughboys. Sidemen on the 1945 transcriptions are unknown but do a fine job. PATSY MONTANA: A Cowboy Honeymoon/ A Rip Snortin' Two Gun Gal/ Big Moon/ Blanket Me With Western Skies/ Blazin' The Trail/ Deep In The Heart Of Texas/ Dream On Little Cowboy/ Give Me A Home In Montana/ Goodbye Little Pinto/ Homesick For My Old Cabin/ I Don't Want Anyone But You/ I Found My Cowboy Sweetheart/ I'll Be Waiting For You Darlin'/ I'll Keep On Wishing For You/ I'll Wait For You/ I'm A Ridin' Up Old Kentucky Mountain/ I'm Goin' West To Texas/ I'm Gonna Have A Cowboy Wedding/ Old Black Mountain Trail/ Ridin' Old Paint/ Slap 'Er Down Again Paw/ Sunny San Antone/ That's Where The West Begins/ When I Found You In Montana/ Yellow Moon Keep Shining/ Your Own Sweet Darling Wife

NO SPEED LIMIT	Arhoolie 521	Sweet Virginia	● CD $12.98
15 tracks, 56 min., highly recommended High energy bluegrass from one of the most talented (individually and together) young groups around. This Virginia band has spent their lives soaking up traditional country and bluegrass music from their local environs and beyond. And while, as their name presumably indicates, they can keep pace with a chain saw, they can also slow down (as they do on New East Virginia Blues) and play a hauntingly beautiful traditional tune. Banjo ace Steve Bar contributes impressive originals that detail his admiration for his hometown and the people in it--a refreshing attitude, to be sure. Vocalist Amber Collins is apparently only a teenager, but it seems difficult to believe based on her incredible pipes (listen to Quecreek and Ruby for proof). Impressive. (JC)

DOYE O'DELL

B.A.C.M. 172