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