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NEWSLETTER #146
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Alberta Slim -> Bob Wills + Books & DVDS
 

 

 
 

NEW BOOKS

 
PROUD TO BE AN OKIE Cultural Politics, Country Music & Migration To Southern California by Peter LaChapelle ● BOOK $24.95
Paperbound, 350 pages, counts as 5 CDs for shipping. "Proud to Be an Okie" brings to life the influential country music scene that flourished in and around Los Angeles from the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930's to the early 1970's. The book, which is the first work to fully illuminate the political and cultural aspects of an intriguing story, takes the reader from Woody Guthrie's radical hillbilly show on Depression-era radio, to Spade Cooley's claims to Cherokee identity in the 1940's, to Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee" in the late 1960's. By exploring how these migrant musicians and their audiences came to gain a sense of identity through music and mass media--while embracing the New Deal, and celebrating African American and Mexican American musical influences before turning toward a more conservative outlook--the book gives us a clear picture of how important Southern California was to country music, and how this music helped shape the politics and culture of Southern California and the nation. (GMC)

 
FIRE IN THE WATER, EARTH IN THE AIR Legends Of West Texas Music by Christopher J. Oglesby ● BOOK $22.95
Paper, 288 pages, counts as five CDs for shipping. From Buddy Holly and the Crickets to the Flatlanders, Terry Allen and Natalie Maines, Lubbock, Texas has produced songwriters, musicians, and artists as prolifically as it has cotton, conservatives, and windstorms. While nobody questions where the conservatives come from in a city that a recent nonpartisan study ranked as America's second most conservative, many people wonder why Lubbock is such fertile ground for creative spirits who want to expand the boundaries of thought in music and art. Perhaps it is because "there's nothing else to do," as some have suggested, or is there something in the character of Lubbock that encourages creativity as much as conservatism? In "Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air", Christopher Oglesby interviews twenty-seven musicians and artists with ties to Lubbock to discover what it is about this community and West Texas in general that feeds the creative spirit. Their answers are revealing, but as a whole, the interviews create a portrait not only of Lubbock's musicians and artists, but also of the musical community that has sustained them, including venues such as the legendary Cotton Club and the original Stubb's Barbecue. This kaleidoscopic portrait of the West Texas music scene gets to the heart of what it takes to create art in an isolated, often inhospitable environment.

 
COUNTRY MUSIC ORIGINALS The Legends And The Lost by Tony Russell ● BOOK $29.95
This new book from old time country music expert Tony Russell is a collection of 110 essays on significant country performers from the 20s through the early 50s including well known performers like Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Charlie Poole, The Delmore Brothers and Ernest Tubb to obscure but fine artists like Eck Robertson, Fiddlin' Powers, Earl Johnson, Asa Martin, Hoyt Ming, Snuffy Jenkins and many more. The book is a 280 page hardback and includes over 200 illustrations including artist photos, record label shots, advertisements and more plus details of CDs where songs by these artists are available. Counts as four CDs for shipping.

 

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.
 
FLATT & SCRUGGS Shanachie DVD 613 Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 3 ● DVD $17.98
Two more shows from this early 60s TV show featuring the great Lester Flatt & Earl Scuggs with their group The Foggy Mountain Boys (Paul Warren/ fiddle, Josh Graves/ Dobro, Curly Seckler/ mandolin and Jake Tullock/ string bass). The two shows here are from NOvember or December of 1961 and January 1962 - the latter with Ricky Skaggs as guest star.

 
FLATT & SCRUGGS Shanachie DVD 614 Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 4 ● DVD $17.98
Two more shows - one from an unknown date and the other from March 1962 with Randy Lynn Scruggs as guest.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Time Life 19264 Bluegrass Country Soul ● DVD $18.98
DVD, 22 tracks, 86 min., highly recommended
Billed as the first feature film about bluegrass, "Country Soul" documents Carlton Haney's Seventh Annual Labor Day Weekend Blue Grass Festival in 1971 at Blue Grass Park, Camp Springs, North Carolina. Among the now legendary performances are Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys [which just happened to include a couple of teenagers named Ricky Skaggs (mandolin) and Keith Whitley (guitar)] who perform Man Of Constant Sorrow. Other standouts include a rare appearance by Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys, the superb Osborne Brothers, Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe & The Kentucky Mountain Boys, the Lilly Brothers, and Bluegrass 45, a group from Kobe, Japan, who take on the comedic trappings of The Country Gentlemen's earlier days, including playing their instruments behind their backs--even the upright bass! The documentary does a fine job of capturing the spirit of the festival, taking its cameras into night time performances in the parking lot where amateurs and professional musicians play together just for the fun of it. Even the rain cannot dampen the spirits of the festival goers, although it does get them to abandon their aluminum lawn chairs for a while. The outfits are an added bonus, especially Jimmy Martin's red and white checkerboard cowboy hat. Big bluegrass fun. (JC)

 
 

NEW COMPACT DISCS

 
ALBERTA SLIM B.A.C.M. 196 aka Eric C. Edwards ● CD $13.98
Though not achieving the international success of his fellow Canadian country singers Hank Snow and Wilf Carter, Alberta Slim (real name Eric Charles Edwards) was a fine singer, guitarist and yodeler who was very popular in his home land. Most of the tracks here are from radio transcriptions - no dates are given but I would assume they are from the 40s and feature Slim accompanied only by his own guitar. There are also six tracks from the early 50s from commercial recordings featuring with a small group with fiddle and steel guitar.

 
CHET ATKINS JSP JSPCD 7794 The Early Years, 1946-1957 ● CD $28.98
5 CDs, 159 tracks, 6 hours 31 min., highly recommended
Two things are certain: Chet Atkins was one hell of a guitar player, and his recordings grew less interesting after 1954, when he stopped writing material and started relying on songwriters such as Chopin and Bach, neither of whom could write a country song to save his life. But then RCA had that effect on everyone. And since it was none other than Atkins who oversaw Elvis Presley's initial RCA sessions, he owns part of that legacy. Sure, Elvis hit right away with the great Heartbreak Hotel, but he never recorded anything as wild and free as some of the sides he cut at Sun. But I digress. This excellent box set captures the absolutely incredible guitar playing of Chet Atkins as he moved from no one to one of the most sought after session men on the planet. His work from 1946-49 shows Atkins fondness for Django-like jazz guitar as well as straight ahead country music. He's accompanied by Jethro and Homer, Helen Carter, Buck Lambert, Anita Carter, Jack Shook, and others. The four tracks on disc 4 featuring guitar duets with Chet and Hank Snow rank with the finest cuts here. But often it is just Chet by himself that impressess the most. He is said to have been an early user of multi-tracking in part because it was difficult to find session players who could follow him. The sound here is uniforming wonderful, although the notes are nothing to scream about. A more easily affordable way to bury yourself in early Chet if the Bear box is more than too much. (JC)

 
BENNY BARNES Bear Family BCD 16517 Poor Man's Riches - The Complete 1950s Recordings ● CD $19.98
33 track compilation of this superb honky tonk singer from Texas including all his recordings for Starday, Dixie, Mercury and Faith. Includes the big hit titles song, his tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper Gold Records In The Snow, several highly collectable rockabilly tracks and more.

 
ELTON BRITT Jasmine 3581 Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner, Volume Two ● CD $11.98
Complementing Jasmine 3565 this is another fine collection of sides by this popular performer featuring 28 tracks from the 40s and early/ mid 50s. Includes I Almost Lost My Mind (the classi Ivory Joe Hunter R&B ballad which seemed to be very popular with country singers)/One Way Ticket/ Alpine Milkman Yodel/ Sweet Leilani/ Lorelei/ Blacksmith Blues/ A Red Red Rose, etc.

 
CAPTAIN STUBBY B.A.C.M. 201 & The Buccaneers ● CD $13.98
25 tracks, good
The best thing about Captain Stubby & The Buccaneers is their name. Captain Stubby (Tom Fauts) is best known for having recorded the original version of the Roto-Rooter jingle Away Go Troubles Down The Drain. Although the notes describe the group as country comedy the country content is minimal, for that matter so is the comedy. A more accurate description would be novelty pop and the performances are pleasant enough if you like that sort of thing but the Hoosier Hot-Shots they're not. (FS)
CAPTAIN STUBBY & THE BUCCANEERS: Beautiful Morning Glory/ Bogul To Boogie To Boone/ Brazen Little Raisin/ Buffalo Gals/ Come Whet Your Moustache With Me/ Country Boy/ Each Time You Leave/ Fair Fat And Forty/ Forever With You/ Helegged Hilegged/ I Was The Last One To Know/ I'll Never Tell/ If You Would Only Be Mine/ It's Hard To Love/ Knocking Song (true Love Is Knocking At My Door)/ Little Buffalo Bill/ Meet Me Tonight In The Cowshed/ Money Marbles And Chalk/ Noah Was The Man/ Old Macdonald Had A Farm/ Roses/ Tennessee Tears/ Wah Hoo/ Washboard Boogie/ Yearning Just For You

 
JENNY LOU CARSON B.A.C.M. 200 The "Chin-Up" Girl ● CD $13.98
Although not a particularly compelling performer in her own right Jenny Lou Carson (Virginia Lucille Overstake) was a fine songwriter who wrote in both the country and pop veins and is best known for the country classic Jealous Heart (included here) and the pop hit Let Me Go Lover. This set features her four earliest sides recorded in 1939 for OKeh where she is accompanied by the excellent Prairie Ramblers under the pseudonym of The Sweet Violet Boys - a couple of them somewhat risque. There are 8 tracks from 1944 radio transcriptions and the remaining sides are commercial recording cut between 1946 and 1948.
JENNY LOU CARSON: A Penny For Your Thoughts/ Boy Take Your Time/ Chislin' Daddy/ Dear God Watch Over Joe/ Go West Young Man Go West/ Gonna Give You Back To The Indians/ Honest Injun I Love You/ I Feel Like Crying Over You/ I L-o-v-e You/ I Married A Mouse Of A Man/ I'd Trade All Of My Tomorrows/ I'll Keep Smiling/ I'll Never Cry Again Over You/ I'll Never Trust You Again/ Jealous Heart/ Many Tears Ago/ Since I'm Learning Not To Yearn So Much For You/ Tell Him I'm Blue/ The Crossroad Where We Said Goodbye/ Too Good To Be True/ Troubled Heart/ What Do I Have To Do/ Widow's Lament/ You Gotta Quit Making Me Blue

 
MARTHA CARSON B.A.C.M. 204 I'll Shout And Shine ● CD $13.98
20 tracks from this country gospel pioneer recorded between 1951 and 1956, many written by herself, including her most famous song Satisfied. It also includes five sides in older style recorded between 1949 and 1951 by Martha with her then husband James Roberts.
MARTHA CARSON: All These Things/ Beyond The Shadows/ Bye And Bye/ Christmas Time Is Here/ Cryin' Holy Unto The Lord/ Dixieland Roll/ Fear Not/ Get That Golden Key/ He Was There/ Hide Me Rock Of Ages/ I'm Gonna Walk And Talk With The Lord/ I've Got A Better Place To Go/ It's All Right/ Just Whistle Or Call/ Music Drives Me Crazy/ Now Stop/ Peace On Earth At Christmas Time/ Satisfied/ Singing On The Other Side/ There's A Higher Power/ THE DIXIE SWEETHEARTS: Silver In My Mother's Hair/ JAMES ROBERTS & MARTHA CARSON: Filled With Glory Divine/ I'll Shout And Shine/ King Jesus Spoke To Me/ Looking For A City

 
THE CARTER FAMILY Proper BOX 127 Country Folk ● CD $24.98
Four CD set with 103 tracks providing a retrospective of this pioneering country group with the best and most popular of their recordings made between 1927 and 1941.

 
CLAUDE CASEY B.A.C.M. 197 The South's Favourite Yodeler ● CD $13.98
24 tracks, recommended
In spite of the title there is very little yodeling here. A collection of 24 tracks recorded between 1938 and 1953 by South Carolina singer and bandleader Claude Casey. The earlier sides from 1938 to 1946 are particularly nice western swing flavored items. There is a wide variety of material from this group whose personnel varied over the years - there are novelty songs like The Installment Song and I Took It, sacred songs like Keep Praying and Family Reunion In Heaven, a rollicking version of the Tin Pan Alley Favorite All I Do Is Dream Of You, the lively instrumental Little Girl Go Ask Your Mother featuring hot steel by Jimmie Colvard. The later sides from 1948 and '53 are more mainstream country but feature pleasing vocals and some were recorded in Nashville with sidemen like Tommy Jackson, Don Helms and Chet Atkins. Good sound and informative notes by Kevin Coffey. (FS)

 
GENE CLARK WITH CARLA OLSON Collector's Choice 839 In Concert ● CD $18.98
2 CDs, 16 tracks, 123 mins, highly recommended
Really nice set recorded over three dates during the last few years of Clark's life. CD 1 is all previously unreleased. The first set at the Mountain Stage, West Virginia 1988 features Gene solo and in great form, his plaintive songs sung with a haunting beauty that already makes this set highly recommended. Takes on Silver Raven/ My Marie/ Gypsy Ryder, and others start the set off brilliantly. Next up are three tracks done with Carla Olson in Gene's living room in 1989, that give you an intimate look at would could have been (and should have been) a major alternative country duo. Not hampered at all by the limitations of said living room, these are complete songs with a full, fantastic sound. Already an outstanding set, but wait--here's a full 16 song set of Gene & Carla live at legendary spot, McCabe's Guitar shop in Santa Monica, CA on February 3rd 1990! They didn't know that this show was being recorded and it wouldn't be until after Gene's death that it would be released on Demon records as the "Silhouetted in Light" album. The set is comprised of some classic Clark material, some songs off of their amazing "So Rebellious a Lover" album from 1986 and also some material that was intended for Clarks next studio record. Essential stuff for all Byrds and Alt. Country fans and very highly recommended for the rest of you. (JM)

 
COUSIN EMMY & HER KINFOLKS Bear Family BCD 16853 1939-1947 ● CD $23.98
38 tracks, highly recommended
Wonderful collection of commercial recordings and radio transcriptions from this superb singer and banjo player from Kentucky who is best known as the composer of the bluegrass standard Ruby which is featured here in her original 1946 recording for Decca. This CD features her 14 sides recorded for Decca - four of them previously unissued, 22 tracks come from audition transcriptions made for the Louisville station WHAS in 1939 and 1940 and there two private recordings made in the late 40s. Cousin Emmy (Cynthia May Carver) was strongly steeped in the mountain traditions and much of her material is traditional or drawn from old recordings and includes I Wish I Wsa In Bowling Green/ Pretty Little Miss Out In The Garden/ Chilly Scenes Of Winter/ Lost John (with Emmy playing harmonica)/ Nilk Cow Blues/ Turkey In The Straw/ Mother's Grave/ Ragtime Annie/ Groundhog/ Cacklin' Hen/ Arkansas Traveler, etc. Emmy's heyday was in the 40s but continued to perform into the 50s and was seen by Mike Seeger performing at Disneyland in 1961 and started performing for the new urban folk audience. This great set comes in a digipac with a 52 pahe booklet with extensive notes and rare photos and, of course, being Bear Family, the sound cannot be beat. (FS)

 
HOWARD CROCKETT Bear Family BCD 16794 Out Of Bounds - The Johnny Horton Connection ● CD $21.98
Fine Texas singer and songwriter who wrote several of Johnny Horton's biggest hits like Honky Tonk Man/ Ole Slewfoot and others. This CD includes all his Dot, Manco and Smash recordings. 36 tracks in all 13 of them previously unreleased.

 
TED DAFFAN B.A.C.M. 208 Gonna Get Tight Tonight, Previously Unreleased Recordin ● CD $13.98
24 previously unissued performances by songwriter, bandleader and steel guitarist Ted Daffan with his band The Texans. Daffan was an exceptional songwriter and a number of his songs have become country standards. Most of the tracks here are from three sessions held in 1941 and 1942 with a band that included the fine guitarist Buddy Buller and fiddler Leon Seago. Seago was also featured on vocals as was guitarist Chuck Keeshan. One of the 1942 sessions featured drummer Spike Jones who was soon to achieve stardom. Most of the songs are Daffan originals including I'm Losing My Mind Over You/ Just Fooling Around/ Gonna get Tight Tonight/ I'll Keep On Smiling and others.
TED DAFFAN: A Letter To A Soldier/ After You Left Me Alone/ Blues On My Mind/ Don't Be Blue For Me/ Gonna Get Tight Tonight/ I Think That I've Been Fair/ I'll Keep On Smiling/ I'm Losing My Mind Over You/ Just Drifting/ Just Fooling Around/ Just Thinking Of You/ Locket Of Gold/ Lonesome Steel Guitar/ Midnight Train/ Only You/ Poor Mistreated Me/ Rose Of Santa Fe/ Snow White Roses/ Sweetheart Rose/ Texas Steel Guitar/ Troubled Heart Of Mine/ West Wind Blues/ You Can't Make Me Worry Anymore/ You Didn't Mind Saying Goodbye

 
JIMMY DRIFTWOOD Omni 104 Voice Of The People ● CD $16.98
28 tracks, 80 min., highly recommended
Folklorist Jimmy Driftwood chronicled Arkansas life and American history in original songs, the most famous of which being The Battle Of New Orleans, a huge hit for Johnny Horton. His subjects include repositioning dismembered limbs (Straighten Out My Laig), apocalyptic primate romance (The Lonesome Ape), paternity issues (Mixed-Up Family), racial equality (What Is The Color Of The Soul Of A Man?), and more. Remastered from the original Monument Records tapes, these songs initially found their way to wax between 1963-1966. The first dozen songs come from the LP "Voice Of The People" (1963), the next 11 from the LP "Down In The Arkansas" (1964), the last 5 from the LP "The Best Of Jimmy Driftwood" (1966). While remaining a product of his own time, Driftwood somehow managed to be steeped in history and, occasionally, a little ahead of his time. A nice one disc alternative to the Bear Family box. (JC)

 
TIBBY EDWARDS Bear Family BCD 16557 Play It Cool Man, Play It Cool ● CD $21.98
36 tracks from this superb singer from Louisiana recorded for Mercury, 'D", Jin and Todd in the 50s. His material ranged from honky tonk weepers to rockabilly and several tracks feature him accompanied by Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys.

 
ROCKY BILL FORD B.A.C.M. 193 His Complete Recordings ● CD $13.98
27 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of sides recorded between 1951 and 1955 by this obscure but excellent Texas singer and songwriter. Accompanied by fine small groups he performs a mix of honky tonk ballads and up tempo number plus the occasional blues or novelty songs. It includes his original versions of Beer Drinking Blues and Blowing Suds Off My Beer subsequently covered by Big Bill Lister. Also includes Was I Dreaming/ I'll Try All My Life/ What Would You Do/ In All My Dreams/ There She Goes/ You Married For Money, etc. Excellent sound and informative notes from Dave Sax. (FS)

 
THE FOUR RAMBLERS B.A.C.M. 195 Legendary Irish Quartet ● CD $13.98
Here's something a little different from the folks at B.A.C.M. The Four Ramblers were an Irish quartet from the early 50s who mostly performed popular Irish songs. However they were not totally irrelevant to country music as they provided music for early 50s British radio series "Riders Of The Range" - a western series produced by Charles Chilton, best known as producer of the legendary British science fiction series "Journey Into Space" which kept me glued to the radio set when I was just a nipper. The group performed in a smooth harmony style influenced by The Sons Of The Pioneers and although only a few songs here are actual western songs (Buffalo Jail/ Great Grandad/ Five Hundred Cattle Gone Astray) they bring the same approach to many of Irish songs here which include Mountains Of Mourne/ Hannigan's Hooley/ Phil The Fluter's Ball/ Eileen Oge The Pride Of Petravor, etc.

 
LEFTY FRIZZELL Proper BOX 119 Give Me More, More, More ● CD $24.98
Four CD, 86 track retrospective featuring all the recordings made between 1950 and 1956 one of the greatest and most influential country singers of the era. Lefty was a great singer and songwriter and this set includes all his early groundbreaking hits - If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time/ I Love You A Thousand Ways/ I Want To Be With You Always/ Give Me , More, More (Of Your Kisses)/ Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold)/ I'm An Old, Old Man (Trying To Loive While I Can)/ Run 'Em Off and more. The set also includes 12 songs from radio transcriptions made for the Navy in the 50s and includes a 48 page booklet with extensive notes, photos and full discographical info.

 
FISHER HENDLEY B.A.C.M. 202 And His Aristocratic Pigs ● CD $13.98
22 tracks, highly recommended
How can you not love a group with a name like that? Fisher Hendley was a fine singer and superb banjo player from North Carolina who performed wearing and jacket and tie and was somewhat more educated than his hillbilly contemporaries. The first track from 1925 is a solo vocal and banjo piece Let Your Shack Burn Down - a variation of the ever popular Hesitation Blues. The next nine tracks recorded between 1930 and 1933 feature with Fisher with one or two other musicians on some fine string band music including a wonderful and clever Answer To Big Rock Candy Mountain. The rest of the recordings are from 1938 by which time Hendley had named his group The Aristocratic Pigs in honor of the meat packing company that sponsored their appearances on radio station WFBC. The majority of these performances are sentimental love songs or gospel songs including My Family Circle/ Brown Eyes/ She'll Be There/ Blue Eyes (featuring some outrageous sobbing)/ Hop Along Peter/ Raindrop Waltz, etc. (FS)
FISHER HENDLEY: A Pretty Girl's Love/ Another Man's Wife/ Answer To The Big Rock Candy Mountain/ Blind Child's Prayer/ Blue Eyes/ Brown Eyes/ Come Back To The Hills/ Hop Along Peter/ If It Wasn't For Mother And Dad/ Let Your Shack Burn Down/ My Angel Sweetheart/ My Family Circle/ Peek A Boo/ Raindrop Waltz/ She'll Be There/ Shuffle Feet Shuffle/ Tar And Feathers/ To Leave You Would Break My Heart/ Under The Double Eagle/ Won't Somebody Tell My Darling/ Work In 1930/ You Make My Heart Go Boom

 
HOMER & JETHRO Bear Family BCD 16857 Assault The Rock 'n' Roll Era ● CD $23.98
America's "song butchers" on a selection of 31 parodies and novelty songs from the period 1951 through 1968. They give their unique treatment to songs made famous by Elvis, Carl Perkins, Danny & The Juniors, Charlie Rich, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, The Beatles and others. In digipack with 64 page booklet with extensive notes by Dave Samuelson.
HOMER & JETHRO: At The Flop/ Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyeballs/ El Paso – Numero Dos/ Hart Brake Motel/ Hernando's Hideaway/ Hey, Good Lookin' No. 2/ Houn' Dawg (take 1)/ Houn' Dawg (take 2)/ I Guess Things Happen That Way/ I Want To Hold Your Hand/ I'm Movin' On No. 2/ Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini/ Jam-Bowl-Liar/ Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers Off Of Me/ Little Arrows/ Middle-Aged Teenager/ My Special Angel/ No Hair Sam/ Oh Lonesome Me/ Pore Ol' Koo-Liger/ Rock Boogie/ Screen Door/ Settin' The Woods On Fire No. 2/ She Loves You/ Sixteen Tons/ The Ballad Of Davy Crew-Cut/ The Battle Of Kookamonga/ The West Virginny Hills/ Two Tone Shoes/ Winchester Cathedral/ Yaller Rose Of Texas, You-All

 
GRANDPA JONES B.A.C.M. 206 You're Never Too Old For Love ● CD $13.98
29 tracks, highly recommended
Fine collection of 29 sides recorded between 1952 and 1955 by this excellent and distinctive performer from Kentucky with a voice that sounded 20 year older than his real age and a frailing banjo style that owed a lot to his influence Uncle Dave Macon. Accompaniments range from old timey to mainstream country with mandolin, steel guitar, electric guitar, fiddle, etc. Includes his cover of LuluBelle & Scotty's topical I'm No Communist plus Retreat Cries My Heart/ TV Blues/ Sassafras/ Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea (with some fine yodeling)/ You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet/ That New Vitamine/ Some More Mountain Dew/ Standing In The Depot/ Old Dan Tucker/ In The Future, etc. None of these songs were hits but Grandpa had a loyal following and his music is consistently entertaining. (FS)
GRANDPA JONES: Bread And Gravy/ Closer To The Bone/ Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea/ Gooseberry Pie/ Herd Of Turtles/ High Silk Hat And A Gold Top Walking Cane/ I'm No Communist/ In The Future/ Keep On The Sunny Side/ Looking Back To See/ Mountain Laurel/ My Heart Is Like A Train/ Old Blue/ Old Dan Tucker/ Old Rattler's Son/ Pap's Corn Likker Still/ Retreat Cries My Heart/ Sassafras/ Some More Mountain Dew/ Standing In The Depot/ Stop That Ticklin' Me/ TV Blues/ That New Vitamine/ The Champion/ The Trader/ What Has She Got/ Y'All Come/ You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet/ You're Never Too Old For Love

 
HANK KEENE B.A.C.M. 203 And His Gang ● CD $13.98
43 tracks, recommended
Entertaining collection of 43 (!) songs and tunes by Louisiana born multi instrumentalist and vocalist Hank Keene and his group. The group includes guitar, fiddle, banjo, clarinet, string bass, washboard, cowbell, Jews harp and more presented in various combinations. The group performs a wide variety of material with an emphasis on novelty numbers though also including waltzes, western songs, blues, gospel and some hot jazzy instrumentals. Most of the vocals are by Keene who is an appealing vocalist. Several numbers feature vocals and yodelling from Georgia Mae and there are several duets between Keene and Mae. (FS)
HANK KEENE: Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home/ Bully Song/ Change Your Sadness To A Smile/ Don't Ever Leave Me/ Down In Possum Hollow/ Durang's Hornpipe/ Easy Rider Come Back To Me/ Hillbilly Boogie/ Hold Me In Your Arms And Say You Love Me/ I Love Him/ I Love The Land Where The Pines Touch The Sky/ I Love To Yodel In The Mountains/ I Want Somebody To Love Me/ I Want To Ride The Trail/ I'll Meet You Way Up Yonder/ I'm So Happy When The Sun Is Shining/ Knock Kneed Lizzie Brown/ Let Me Sing In My Saddle/ Life Will Be Sad Without Home Sweet Home/ Love Flew Out The Window When My Mother In Law Flew In/ Lover's Farewell/ Money Musk/ My Darling Cora/ My Own Little Summer Tune/ Ned Kendall's Hornpipe/ Never Sock Your Father With A Hammer/ On The Party Line/ Place Your Hand Upon My Brow Dear/ Rickett's Hornpipe/ Ridin' And Bidin' My Time/ Shake My Mother's Hand For Me/ Take Me Back To My Shack In The Mountains/ Then On That Great Judgement Day/ There's A Little White Chuch On A Little Green Hill/ There's An Old Wishing Well/ Waltz Of The Hills/ When I Throw My Lariat Around My Sweet Harriet/ When It's Harvest Time In Old New Hampshire/ When Our Hillbilly Band Gets On The Air/ When Willie The Hillbilly Goes To Town/ Where's My Other Foot/ Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone/ Your Lonesome Daddy Loved You

 
THE LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS Krazy Kat 37 1936-1941 ● CD $16.98
26 tracks, very highly recommended
Terrific collection of sides from this superb Western Swing band recorded between 1936 and 1941 including eight previously unissued titles including an unexpected version of the "suicide song" Gloomy Sunday - has any other country group ever done this song? The rest is a more expected collection of hot jazzy titles with hot musicianship and bluesy vocals. The set also includes a fantastic version of Tiger Rag from a 1936 movie with Kenneth Pitts fiddling like a man possesed and Bert Dodson slapping the living daylights out of his string bass. Other tracks include I'm A Ding Dong Daddy/ Stay Our Of The South/ Sittin On Top Of The World (a fine rendition of the Mississippi Sheiks song with great bluesy electric guitar work from Zeke Campbell)/ Clarinet Marmalade/ Foot Warmer/ Mama Gets What She Wants/ Green Valley TRot/ Zip Zip Zipper/ Can't Ease My Evil Mind. Sound is excellent and 12 page booklet has notes from Western Swing expert Kevin Coffey based on original interviews with band members. (FS)

 
LONZO & OSCAR B.A.C.M. 198 There's A Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea ● CD $13.98
24 tracks from this popular novelty duo recorded between 1947 and 1954 including their big hit version of I'm My Own Granpaw which became their theme songs and has been covered by many other artists. Although the mood is lighthearted they are fine singers and musicians accompanying themselves on guitar and mandolin with excellent accompanying musicians. Also includes Charming Betsy/ Take Them Cold Feet Off My Back/ My Adobe Hacienda/ Girls Don't Nag Your Husbands/ Sheepskin Corn/ Crazy 'Bout You Baby/ Tell Me Was It Worth It/ Jezabel/ Mona LIsa, etc.

 
JOHN D. LOUDERMILK Omni 105 The Open Mind ● CD $16.98
27 tracks, 70 min., very highly recommended
Any music fan who checks song-writing credits has probably come across the name Loudermilk a few times. And it has been noted (by John D. himself and others) that Loudermilk was a better songwriter than a singer. But then the same can be said for Dylan. Loudermilk plays a fine guitar and his performances here and elsewhere need no apologies. This compilation's marketers have labeled the contents as "psychedlic Nashville pop," just the kind of commercially-driven lie that Loudermilk sings about on this very album. Call it Nashville pop, perhaps, or maybe pop-informed country, but definitely not psychedelic, not that the label matters. That aside, Loudermilk is one of the best songwriters popular music has ever known. His songs are as crafted musically as they are lyrically clever. They take on war, commercialism, poverty, racism, love, nuclear power, as well as some of life's more mundane moments, with admirable subtlety and wry humor. These songs, recorded between 1961-68 for RCA Victor, were taken from four original LPs and a 45 rpm and produced by Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson. Songs include The Little Bird, The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian (reworked for a hit by Paul Revere & The Raiders), It's My Time,Goin' To Hell OnA Sled, The Jones', Sidewalks, No Playing In The Snow Today, Brown Girl, Tobacco Road, The Little Grave, Poor Little Pretty Girl, To Hell WIth Love and more. (JC)

 
LEON MCAULIFFE Bear Family BCD 16854 Take Off And More ● CD $21.98
26 track collection featuring all the recordings made for Dot in 1957 by this legendary steel guitarist who was a mainstay of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys for many years. Leon is joined by fiddlers Cecil Brower and Keith Coleman, guitarist Billy Dozier and other great musicians on a selection of mostly instrumental tracks peppered with a few tasty vocals by Leon. Includes Take It Away, Leon/ Lone Star Rag/ Silver Bells/ Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star/ Hear Me Now/ Under The Double Eagle/ Steel Guitar Rag/ Panhandle Waltz/ Red Skin Rag/ There's That Smile Again and more.

 
BILL MONROE Castle PULSE 683 Country Music Legends ● CD $12.98
Two CD set, 40 tracks, highly recommended
A fine collection of sides recorded between the mid 40s and mid 50s by this great bluegrass pioneer. It includes the original versions of many of his trademark songs that have been covered by hundreds of bluegrass groups- Uncle Pen/ Blue Moon Of Kentucky/ Footprints In The Snow/ White House Blues/ Kentucky Waltz/ Rocky Road Blues and many more. No surprises here - just one classic performance after another by one of the greatest of all country artists. (FS)

 
CHARLIE MONROE Bear Family BCD 16808 I'm Old Kentucky Bound, His Recordings 1938-1956 ● CD $129.98
At last - a comprehensive reissue of Bill's underrated older brother Charlie with his great group the Kentucky Pardners. It includes all of his recordings made for Bluebird, RCA and Decca between 1938 and 1956 including seven previously unissued tracks. It also includes previously unissued live recordings made at New River Ranch in 1955 and 1956. It comes with 60 page hardcover book.

 
BILL MONROE & JIMMY MARTIN Music Mill 70048 The King & The Father ● CD $11.98
12 tracks, 33 mins, highly recommended
The high lonesome never sounded so low down and blue. This features twelve beautiful tracks from the father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe and the man who would be King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin. This is as great as you can imagine it would be from these legends. Haunting versions of The Little Girl and The Dreadful Snake/ In The Pines, and River of Death, to name a few; all tracks on this are wonderful, whether folk nuggets, Bluegrass standards or Gospel harmony. It isn't often that I get the chills from a CD, especially nice when it's from a simple little CD like this. (JM)

 
WADE RAY B.A.C.M. 209 Things I Might Have Been ● CD $13.98
26 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of sides recorded between 1951 and 1955 by this fine jazzy vocalist and brilliant fiddler whose fiddling showed the influence of the great jazz fiddler Joe Venuti. Ray's vocal style influenced Willie Nelson (Ray subsequently played bass in Willie's band). A number of the earlier sides feature the great western swing steel guitarist Noel Boggs and other fine musicians like Chet Atkins, Joaquin Murphey, Lee Gillette and Bob Morgan. Although Ray never had any hits his recordings were very popular particularly the title song and the great Idaho Red. There are two fine instrumental tracks that show Ray's considerable fiddle prowess. (FS)

 
DON RENO & RED SMILEY B.A.C.M. 205 Tree Of Life ● CD $13.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
Superb collection of sides recorded between 1951 and 1957 by this outstanding bluegrass duo featuring the magnificent banjo and high harmony vocals of Don Reno and the lead vocals and guitar of Red Smiley. The earlier sides feature them with studio musiciansbut by 1954 theyr were using their own group The Tennessee Cutups including fiddler Mack Magaha and bassist John Palmer. Their approach was not as intense as their contemporaries Bill Monroe, The Stanleys or Flatt & Scruggs depending more on the easy-going baritone lead vocals and and the jazz banjo style of Reno to set the group's sound apart. Reno was also responsible for much of the group's material. The group also excellent on four-part gospel harmonies which can be heard here on songs like Hear Jerusalem Moan/ The LOrd's Last Supper Springtime In Heaven and others. Their dazzling instrumental prowess can be heard on instrumentals like Tennessee Breakdown/ Dixie Breakdown/ Mack's Hoedown and others. If you mised out on Starday 7001 which included all the group's work from 1951 to 1959 and is now out of print this is an ideal introduction to this outstanding group. (FS)
DON RENO & RED SMILEY: Banjo Riff/ Cotton Eyed Joe/ Cumberland Gap/ Dixie Breakdown/ Family Alter/ Forgotten Men/ Hear Jerusalem Moan/ Hen Scratchin' Stomp/ How I Miss My Darling Mother/ I'm Building A Mansion In Heaven/ I'm So Happy/ Jesus Is Waiting/ Let In The Guiding Light/ Mack's Hoedown/ Mountain Church/ My Shepherd Is God/ Please Don't Feel Sorry For Me/ Remington Ride/ Reno Ride/ Springtime In Heaven/ Tennessee Breakdown/ The Lord's Last Supper/ There's A Highway To Heaven/ Tree Of Life/ Where Did Our Young Years Go

 
ROY ROGERS Castle PULSE 682 Country Music Legends ● CD $12.98
Budget two CD set with 20 titles from this popular singing cowboy. No dates are given but I presume that these are mostly from the 40s and early 50s - Don't Fence Me In/ Cowboy Night Herd Song/ Happy Trails/ Tumbling Tumbleweeds/ Yellow Rose Of Texas/ Ride Ranger Ride, etc.

 
MACK SELF Bear