NEWSLETTER #14 8
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Les Paul & Mary Ford ->
Mac Wiseman
| LES PAUL & MARY FORD |
Proper BOX 134 |
In Perfect Harmony |
● CD $26.98 |
4 CDs, 108 tracks, 290 mins, highly recommended
There are a lot of odd-ball Les Paul & Mary Ford collections out there,
but Proper has put all of the right tracks together in one big fabulous
package. Starting in 1936 with tracks featuring Les Paul accompanying
Georgia White or under his pseudonym Rhubarb Red; all the way up to the
peak of Les Paul & Mary Ford's popularity in the early '50s with tracks
like How High The Moon, Mockin' Bird Hill, etc; and ending
things with fantastic tracks from 1956 like Say The Words I Want To
Hear and San Antonio Rose. Along the way you get the best of
Mary Ford's sweet harmonizing and tons of Paul's experimental instrumental
greatness like Brazil, Sleep, and Goofus, just to
name a few. Sparkling clear audio that captures all of the dynamics and
sounds just beautiful. Accompanied by a nice booklet with informative
notes and extensive recording information. If you are going to pick up one
LP&MF collection, then this one is hands-down the one to get. Don't think
that 108 tracks by them is too many; the diversity and creativity of their
work throughout these two decades was outstanding and certainly never
boring. Also included is a fun four-song segment from The Les Paul Show
circa 1949-50. (JM)
THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS WITH LES PAUL TRIO: A One Sided
Affair/ LES PAUL: Alabamy Bound/ Amukiriki (The Lord Willing)/ Auctioneer
(I'll Buy That Dream)/ Avalon/ Baby, What You Do For Me/ Blues/ Brazil/
Caravan/ Cimmarron (Roll On)/ Cinco Robles (Five Oaks)/ Cindy/ Cryin'/
Deep Elem Blues/ Deep In The Blues/ Don'cha Hear Them Bells/ Drifting And
Dreaming (Sweet Paradise)/ Dry My Tears/ Farewell (For Just Awhile)/
Goofus/ Hawaiian Paradise/ Hawaiian War Chant (Leleichaku)/ Hip-Billy
Boogie/ Hummingbird/ I Wished I'd Never Seen Sunshine/ I'll Keep Sittin'
On It (If I Can't Sell It)/ I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)/ I'm Movin'
On/ It's Been A Long, Long, Time/ Jazz The Blues/ Jingle Bells/ Just
Because/ Just One Of Those Things/ King's Serenade/ Lies/ Lover/ Magic
Melody/ Mammy's Boogie/ Meet Mister Callaghan/ Moritat/ Mr. Sandman/ My
Future Just Passed/ New Dupree Blues/ No Letter Today/ Nola/ Nuevo Laredo/
On The Sunny Side Of The Street/ Rumors Are Flying/ San Antonio Rose/ Say
The Words I Love To Hear/ Send Me Some Money/ Sleep/ Some Of These Days/
Someday Sweetheart/ Song In Blue/ South/ St. Louis Blues/ Sweet Leilani/
Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me/ The Best Things In Life Are Free/ The
Carioca/ The Filipino Hombre/ The Les Paul Show (medley)/ The World Is
Waiting For The Sunshine/ Tiger Rag/ To You, Sweetheart, Aloha/ Trouble In
Mind/ Twelfth Street Rag/ Walkin' And Whistlin' Blues/ What Am I Gonna Do
About You ?/ What Are You Doing New Year's Eve ?/ What Is This Thing
Called Love/ What Would It Take?/ Where Or When/ LES PAUL & HIS TRIO:
Begin The Beguine/ Blue Skies/ Dark Eyes/ Dream Dust/ Guitar Boogie/ Song
Of The Islands/ Steel Guitar Rag/ LES PAUL & MARY FORD: Aloha Oe/ Black
Rider/ Bye Bye Blues/ Chicken Reel/ How High The Moon/ I Just Want Your
Stingaree/ I Really Don't Want To Know/ I'm A Fool To Care/ I'm Sitting On
Top Of The World/ In The Good Old SummerTime/ Johnny (Is The Boy For Me)/
Josephine/ Just One More Chance/ Lady Of Spain/ Little Rock Getaway/
Mandolino/ Mockingbird Hill/ My Baby's Coming Home/ Smoke Rings/ Tennessee
Waltz/ The Kangaroo/ Three Little Words/ Vaya Con Dios/ Whispering/
Whither Thou Goest/ Whose Dream Are You?/ THE LES PAUL TRIO: My Isle Of
Golden Dreams
|
| LEON PAYNE |
B.A.C.M. 225 |
Lost Highway |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of songs from this Texas born performer who is best known
as a songwriter - renowned for the album's title song Lost Highway,
I Love You Because and others. Though Payne's greatest strength is
his writing he is certainly an appealing singer as is heard on these songs
recorded between 1941 and 1957 - most of them making their first
appearance on CD. It includes three interesting tracks from his first
session in 1941 where he is accompanied by his own guitar only, there are
two tracks recorded for Bullet in 1948 including his original recording of
Lost Highway which became a big hit for Hank Williams a year later
and five tracks recorded for Capitol in 1950 and '51 including the
patriotic Great American Eagle with an overdubbed narration by Tex
Ritter. 11 tracks are from 1951 LangWorth radio transcriptions where he
mostly covers other artist's songs and returns the favor and does fine
versions of two Hank Williams songs - I'm Sorry For You MY Friend
and You Win Again and the set ends with three very fine tracks
recorded for Starday in 1956 and '57 including his original recording of
Lumberjack which became one of Willie Nelson's first recordings.
Fine sound and informative note by Kevin Coffey. (FS)
LEON PAYNE: A Prisoner's Diary/ Baby Boy/ Call Her Your
Sweetheart/ Don't Just Stand There/ Doorstep To Heaven/ Gentle Hands/
Great American Eagle/ He Is The Light Of The World/ I Need Your Love/ I'm
Gonna See My Baby Tonight/ I'm Sorry For You My Friend/ Let It End This
Way/ Little Girl In My Home Town/ Lost Highway/ Lumberjack/ My Daddy/
Neath The Old Pine Tree/ Please Please/ Relax And Take It Easy/ Silver And
Gold/ Streamlined Cannonball/ Ten Thousand Tomorrows/ That's Me Without
You/ You Win Again
|
| LUKE SIMMONS |
B.A.C.M. 230 |
I Like My Music Country Style |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, recommended
Nice set of recordings from this country singer from New Zealand who was
originally from Canada where he first started performing country music but
didn't start recording until he moved to New Zealand in 1953. Simmons is a
decent singer, very much in the Wilf Carter vein and his band provides
some solid accompaniments with some nice steel guitar and fiddle. Many of
his songs are covers of American hits originally recorded by the likes of
Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Johnny Horton, Don Gibson and others though Luke
does give them an individual touch. There are a number of originals which
are also quite good. Luke also ventures into rockabilly with a cover of
Buddy Knox's Party Doll and Elvis's treatment of Bill Monroe's
Blue Moon Of Kentucky. Most entertaining. (FS)
LUKE SIMMONS: Anniversary Of Our Last Goodbye/ Blue Moon
Of Kentucky/ Can't Win Can't Place Can't Show/ China Doll/ Everything's
OK/ Geisha Girl/ High Bird On A Totem Pole/ Honky Tonk Man/ Hummingbird
Special/ I Like My Music Country Style/ I Miss My Swiss/ Just Waitin'/
Lady's Man/ Little Buddy/ My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You/ Night Train
To Memphis/ Oh Lonesome Me/ Old Shep/ One Time Too Often/ Party Doll/ Take
These Chains From My Heart/ The Gold Rush Is Over/ Too Blind To See/
Wabash Cannonball/ Your Cheatin' Heart
|
|
LARRY SPARKS & THE LONESOME RAMBLERS |
Gusto 0694-02 |
Ramblin' Bluegrass |
● CD $7.98 |
12 tracks, 31 mins, highly recommended
Back in print with a new number. Larry Sparks is one of the great
bluegrass singers. He served his apprenticeship playing guitar with The
Stanley Brothers and subsequently singing with Ralph after Carter Stanley
died. The Stanley influence is strong both in the incredibly soulful
vocals and the choice of material. This was his first solo album with his
own band which includes such great musicians as Mike Lilly on banjo and
Wendy Miller on mandolin. Songs include Dark Hollow/ A Life Of Sorrow/
Just Lovin' You/ Memories & Dreams/ Long Journey Home and others plus
a couple of fine instrumentals (FS)
|
| THE STANLEY BROTHERS |
Gusto 0635 |
With George Shuffler - Hymns Of The Cross |
● CD $6.98 |
12 tracks, 32 mins, highly recommended
Here we have a short, simple batch of soul-saving music preformed by the
fabulous brothers Stanley and their frequent recording partner from their
Starday and King sessions George Shuffler, recorded in two sessions from
1964 shortly before brother Carter's untimely passing. Among the lovely
country gospel tracks presented here are fine versions of John, Three:
Sixteen/ Oh Death/ Will The Circle Be Unbroken/ No Burdens Pass Through,
and Building on That Rock. Magnificent, soaring vocal performances
as expected, with some fine Bluegrass pickin' and playing accompanying
featuring Shuffler's trademark cross-picked guitar style. (JM)
|
| THE STONEMANS |
Gusto 0697-2 |
28 Classics |
● CD $10.98 |
28 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended
The Stoneman name has been intertwined with Country music pretty much
since its beginning. Ernest "Pop" Stoneman started his recording career in
the early 1920's and had his first hit (a million seller, no less) with
The Sinking Of The Titanic in 1924. He assisted Ralph Peer in the
famous Bristol Sessions that discovered the Carter Family and Jimmie
Rodgers. By the mid '30s it was estimated that Stoneman had recorded over
200 songs. That wouldn't be all he produced, he also fathered 14 children
with his wife Hattie. Enough of these offspring would be good enough
performers in their own right that by the 1960's the Stoneman family band
would be a popular act. Featuring "Pop" as well as Patsy, Scotty, Donna,
Jimmy, Roni and Van. They would host their own popular syndicated TV show
which at it's peak would be carried by over 50 stations as well as
releasing many albums for the Starday record label in the early - mid
1960's. From those albums Gusto has assembled this fantastic collection,
featuring songs as old as their remake of The Sinking Of The Titanic,
all the way through current numbers written during the time. This is a CD
that gets better as it goes along, with some of my favorite numbers on
here like the two stellar instrumentals It's Rain and Girl From
Galax coming towards the end of the CD. There are plenty of fine
tracks throughout, featuring some white-hot playing by this multi-talented
family. (JM)
|
| THE STONEMANS |
Omni 109 |
In All Honesty |
● CD $16.98 |
28 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
"In All Honesty" is a rather ironic title considering how the Stoneman
crew are captured on the cover looking incredibly uncomfortable all dolled
up in Hippie fashions of the day; upon reading the liner notes you find
out that the younger Stonemans were responsible for the update in image,
trying to be hip like their rock contemparies. The Stoneman Family were
basically the second family of Country music, with Pop Stoneman's career
dating back to pre-bristol sessions country stardom with his big hit
The Sinking Of The Titanic. The group--The Stoneman's--evolved from
the family band and after Pop died they tried to widen their repertoire by
including covers of current hits, while keeping the old songs around as
well. This collects the three albums that they put out in 1970: "In All
Honesty," "California Blues," and "Dawn Of The Stonemans" on RCA/ Victor.
Fans of "Cowboy" Jack Clement will be happy to see his production credit
on all and that he was their manager; you can pick up his quirky sense of
making records on occasion. Besides the requisite cover of Me & Bobby
McGee and some Creedence Clearwater Revival hits, the covers tend to
be a bit more obscure for the time, with two covers of Towns Van Zant
songs I'll Be Here In The Morning, and Tecumseh Valley,
pretty damn hip for 1970, but then again there's that Jack Clement
connection. Among the new and old Stoneman compositions are covers of Rod
McKuen, Tom T. Hall, Mickey Newbury, Red Smiley, and--just to confuse the
casual listener--a rendition of Carter Family staple: Wildwood Flower.
A few clunkers over the course of the three albums, but mostly really
good, with some phenomenal playing, as to be expected, although the
amazing playing of Scotty Stoneman is not featured here since he left the
band after Pop died and was playing with other outfits at the time. (JM)
|
| CARL STORY |
Gusto 0615 |
The Complete Atteiram Collection |
● CD $7.98 |
18 tracks, highly recommended
Superb collection of bluegrass gospel by one of the great pioneers
recorded in 1971 for the Atteiram label and originally available on two
Atteiram LPs. Carl is in fine voice and is accompanied by a solid
unidentified group with fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and harmony vocals.
Songs are mostly new recordings of songs Carl had originally recorded in
the 50s and include Mighty Close To Heaven/ Precious Memories/ When He
Reaches Down His Hand For Me/ Don't You LOve Your Daddy, Children?/ Life's
Railway To Heaven/ Take Me In The Lifeboat/ Pass Me Not/ Why Do You Weep,
Dear Willow/ What A Wonderful Savior Is He and others including the
sublime Mother Is Old). If you like bluegrass gospel you won't go
wrong with this. (FS)
|
| TOM TALL & GINNY
WRIGHT |
Bear Family BCD 16741 |
Are You Mine |
● CD $21.98 |
31 tracks, 79 min., highly recommended
With Bear Family, the booklet notes, research, discography, and cool
photos almost seem at times to be worth the price even without the music.
Well, almost. True here, although the music is uniformly fine, featuring
Tall and Wright together and apart, recording mostly for Fabor with a
couple of Abbott sides and an unreleased cut thrown in for the nearly
obsessive attention to detail that one has come to expect and admire from
Bear. And yet, they've left off her first three Fabor releases, presumable
because they were duets with Jim Reeves, Tom Bearden, and Jerry Rowley,
instead of Mr. Tall. The material dates from 1953-56, and includes Are
You Mine/ I Want You Yes/ Boom Boom Boomerang/ How To Get Married, and
more. In 1955, with Are You Mine charting highly, Wright walked
away from the music business in favor of marriage, a surprise to Tall as
well as a speed bump for his career. But Tall's talent did not depend on
Wright, as his many solo sides (I Gave My Heart To Two People/ Give Me
A Chance) make clear. On If You Don't Care (Please Tell Me),
Tall turns in a strong performance with Bonnie Guitar, and his two sides
featuring The Creel Sisters (Whose Little Pidgeon Are You/ Hot Rod Is
Her Name) are also of interest. Solid music all around, great booklet.
(JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
4 Star 752 |
Hillbilly Jukebox - 26 Boppin' Country
Rarities |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks, 62 mins, recommended
Fine collection of upbeat country from the 50s/ early 60s by mostly very
obscure performers from the 50s and early 60s - most of it making it's
first appearance on CD. The most well known name here is western star
Johnny Bond who is featured on two sides including an update on the Hot
Rod Lincoln theme called X-15 with great hot steel guitar
(Speedy West?). There are two superb sides by the bluegrass flavored
Dixieland Drifters with superb Dobro work from a teenage Norman Blake.
Other artists incclude Glenn Morris, Smiley Burnette, Lawson Rudd (the
very fine and bluesy Shake This Town), Dick Miller, Stan Jr., Tommy
Hill (the western swing flavored I Wanta Show My Baby Off), Little
Dean & The Twilight Ramblers (the hot rocker Honey, Honey, Honey
with the great guitar quote from I Fought The Law), Bob Homan,
Benny Martin, Tom Wilson & The Silver Strings, Eddie Bentley (a country
flavored cover of the Sanford Clark hit The Fool), Gene Peterson &
His Silver Sage Riders, Al Runyan and others. Sound quality is generally
excellent. There are no notes but booklet some nice label shots. Most
worthwhile. (FS)
KIRBY ALLEN: Mother Don't 'llow Rock-n-roll/ HUBERT
BARNARD: Boy She Has Gone/ EDDIE BENTLEY: The Fool/ JOHNNY BOND: The Way A
Star Is Born/ X-15/ SMILEY BURNETTE: Chuggin' On Down "66"/ CHRIS CLAY &
HIS WEST VIRGINIA BUCKLE BUSTERS: Shot Rod Lincoln/ THE DIXIELAND
DRIFTERS: The Trot/ Walk Easy/ THE FOUR FLARES: Riders In The Sky/ TOMMY
HILL: I Wanta Show My Baby Off/ BOB HOMAN: Sweet Thing/ LITTLE DEAN &
TWILIGHT RAMBLERS: Honey, Honey, Honey/ BENNY MARTIN: Thinking About Love/
DICK MILLER: I'll Take Your Love/ Now I'm Gone/ GLENN MORRIS: I Got The
Blues/ RAYMOND PARISH: I'm Packin' Up And Moving Out/ GENE PETERSON & HIS
SILVER SAGE RIDERS: Going Nowhere/ LAWSON RUDD: Shake This Town/ AL
RUNYON: I'm Moving On/ STAN JR.: Whoops/ HOYT WEBB & RHYTHM RHYTHMAIRES:
Baby Won't You Slow It Down/ ANDY WILSON: Hillbilly Boogie/ Lonesome For
My Baby/ TOM WILSON & SILVER STRINGS: Lost Love
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1185 |
The Golden Age Of American Popular Music -
The Country |
● CD $18.98 |
28 track collection of big country hits from the mid 50s
through the early 60s that crossed over and also became pop hits though
often not very big pop hits.
BILL ANDERSON: Mama Sang A Song/ EDDY ARNOLD: Tennessee
Stud/ BOBBY BARE: Shame On Me/ JOHNNY CASH: Don't Take Your Guns To Town/
ROY CLARK: The Tip Of My Fingers/ PATSY CLINE: She's Got You/ FLOYD
CRAMER: San Antonio Rose/ SKEETER DAVIS: My Last Date (With You)/ ROY
DRUSKY: Three Hearts In A Tangle/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: Saginaw, Michigan/ DON
GIBSON: I Can't Stop Loving You/ CLAUDE GRAY: I'll Have Another Cup Of
Coffee (Then I'll Go)/ BOBBY HELMS: Fraulein/ JOHNNY HORTON: Honky Tonk
Man/ FERLIN HUSKY: Wings Of A Dove/ STONEWALL JACKSON: Why I'm Walkin'/
GEORGE JONES: Tender Years/ CLAUDE KING: The Comancheros/ HANK LOCKLIN:
Geisha Girl/ JIMMY NEWMAN: A Fallen Star/ PATTI PAGE: Mom And Dad's Waltz/
RAY PRICE: Invitation To The Blues/ JIM REEVES: Blue Boy/ MARTY ROBBINS:
Don't Worry/ HANK SNOW: I've Been Everywhere/ MITCHELL TOROK: Caribbean/
LEROY VAN DYKE: If A Woman Answers (Hang Up the Phone)/ FARON YOUNG: Alone
With You
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
B.A.C.M. 224 |
Sunset Valley Barndance |
● CD $13.98 |
Pleasant, if rather tame, selection of recordings drawn
from radio transcriptions made for the Sunset Valley Barn Dance broadcast
over Minneapolis radio station KSTP in the 1940s. The program used local
performers only - most of whom were unknowns outside the local area. The
artists featured here are western style singer Chuck Mulkern accompanying
himself on accordion with a small group, duo Frank & Esther who also
perform with a small group and, most interestingly, Al & Hank who do old
time songs accompanying themselves on guitar and mandolin. Most of these
artists repertoir are versions of songs made famous by other artists and
includes Sun Will Shine Again/ Ships From O'er The Blue/ Silver Haired
Daddy Of Mine/ Old Macdonald Had A Farm/ Answer To REd River Valley/ Song
Of The Blind, etc.
AL & HANK: A Prisoner's Dream/ Answer To Red River
Valley/ Bury Me Beneath The Willow/ Freight Train Blues/ Lonely Valley/
Old Macdonald Had A Farm/ Silver Threads Among The Gold/ We Sat Beneath
The Maple On The Hill/ Yellow Rose Of Texas/ FRANK & ESTHER: Close To My
Heart/ It Makes No Never Mind/ Little Old Rag Doll/ Mellow Mountain Moon/
My Daddy Was A Cowboy/ My Pretty Quadroon/ Ships From O'er The Blue/
Someday Somewhere Sweetheart/ Sun Will Shine Again/ Sunny San Antone/
You're No Longer Mine/ CHUCK MULKERN: Birmingham Jail/ Cowboy Jack/ Dear
Old Western Skies/ Keep A Light In Your Window Tonight/ Marcheta/ Range In
The Sky/ Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine/ Sing Me A Song Of The Saddle/ Song
Of The Blind
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
B.A.C.M. 231 |
Country Music On MGM |
● CD $13.98 |
27 tracks, recommended
A fine and varied selection of country music plus some rock 'n' roll
recorded for the MGM label between 1951 and 1957 - some of it very good,
some not so good. Includes sides by Jerry & Sky (a fine rendition of the
old favorite Sparkling Brown Eyes), Little Rita Faye (9 years old
and she sounds it - good band though), Bud & Betty Bryant (rather lame
novelty), George McCormick (superb honky tonker), Bob Riley (the hot
rocker Midnight Line), Ted West (nice western swing flavored tune),
Floyd Cramer, Randy Atcher (the goofy Indian Rock), Dickson Hall,
Billy Jack Wills, Jimmie Walker (fine honky tonk with what sounds like The
Drifting Cowboys accompanying), The Drifting Cowboys (the fine
instrumental Mud Hut), Jimmy Swan, Tom Anderson, Bood & Fileece
Bryant (sic), Charlie Carson (fine honky tonk, strongly influenced by Hank
Williams) and others. Sound is decent but notes by Brian Chalker are
pointless. (FS)
TOM ANDERSON: No More Blues From You/ THE ANDREWS
BROTHERS: Hot To Trot/ RANDY ATCHER: Indian Rock/ BUD & BETTY BRYANT:
Pepper Pickin'/ BOOD & FILEECE BRYANT [sic]: Overweight Blues/ CECIL
CAMPBELL: I'm On The Right Road Now/ CHARLIE CARSON: I'll Sure Come A
Runnin'/ SLIM CARTER: A Penny Post Card/ FLOYD CRAMER: Good Time Cake
Walk/ KEN CURTIS: Call Of The Faraway Hills (From The Film Shane)/ THE
DRIFTING COWBOYS: Mud Hut/ LITTLE RITA FAYE: Rock City Boogie/ DON GIBSON:
Ah Ha/ DICKSON HALL: Billy The Kid/ HANK HORNSBY: Cotton/ JERRY & SKY:
Sparkling Brown Eyes/ GEORGE MCCORMICK: Blues Moved In This Morning/ SAM
NICHOLS: You'll Live To Regret It/ BOB RILEY: Midnight Line/ AL ROGERS:
Blues Won't Ever Leave Me/ RED SOVINE: Okey Dokey/ JIMMY SWAN: Frost On My
Roof/ JACK VALENTINE: Song Of The Bandit/ JIMMIE WALKER: Look What
Followed Me Home Tonight/ TED WEST: Wrong Side Of The Road/ JIMMIE
WILLIAMS: Throwing My Life Away/ BILLY JACK WILLS: Hey Mr Mailman
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16863 |
Let Me Be Your Sidetrack |
● CD $129.98 |
6 CDs, 159 tracks, 457 mins, highly recommended
This is a mini-box set, CD shaped and deep--very deep--in more ways than
one. Of the 110 songs that Jimmie Rodgers recorded in his brief six year
professional career, 108 of them have been recorded by other artists many
times each (to say the least), which leads to the begging question: Why
the hell hasn't anybody recorded the other two songs? This set will help
shine a light on such questions. So how many artists can you think of that
could have a 6 CD set of their music, without any of the original artist's
versions, that can be totally compelling and entertaining throughout? You
could do it for Bob Dylan, you could maybe do it with Hank Williams. You
can ponder that one while you listen to this wonderful collection. Since
the tradition of covering Jimmie Rodgers songs started in the late 1920's
you get not a few years of versions, but a few generations worth. Early
gems by contemporaries and early fans: Gene Autry, Bill Boyd, Cliff
Carlisle, Bob Wills, Monroe Brothers, Brown's Musical Brownies etc, etc.
Then we go through the '40s and '50s country boom with versions by Webb
Pierce, Hank Snow, Lefty Frizzell, Patsy Montana, Red Foley, Pete Seeger
and pretty much anybody else from that era you can think of except Hank
Williams. There is of course a little Merle Haggard off of his Rodgers
tribute record, the hit rock 'n' roll version of Muleskinners Blues
(Blue Yodel #8) by the Fendermen, and it keeps on going, all the way
up to recent tracks by Bono, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, Aaron Neville, and so
many more. For the most part the material is so rich and the coverage so
diverse, that you can easily listen to several of these CDs in a row
without it seeming too repetitive at all. Being Bear Family, and Bear
Family being out of Germany, they showed us a hint of the broader
worldwide appeal of Rodgers in 4 tracks from German artists interpreting
his work in German, as well as versions from France and Australia.
Listening through this collection, I found myself especially enjoying some
of the more obscure tracks that you wouldn't expect to stand out but did,
one instance being Elton Britt from 1968(!) doing When It's Peach
Picking Time In Georgia. I don't know what it is about it, but it was
just kind of special and there are lots of little surprise moments on
here. I guess that Rodgers tends to bring the best out in people. This is
truly an exhaustive work and an impressive achievement. If all that
doesn't sell you, it also includes a massive 188-page booklet with rare
pics and detailed notes. (JM)
ROY ACUFF & HIS SMOKY MOUNTAIN BOYS: Mule Skinner Blues
(Blue Yodel #8)/ PETER ALEXANDER & BILL RAMSEY: Missouri Cowboy (Blue
Yodel No. 8 – Muleskinner Blues)/ GENE AUTRY: Blue Yodel No. 5/ High
Powered Mama/ Hobo Bill's Last Ride/ In The Jailhouse Now, No. 2/ Pistol
Packin' Papa/ DAVID BALL: Miss The Mississippi And You/ HARRY BELAFONTE:
Muleskinner (Blue Yodel No. 8 - Muleskinner Blues)/ DICKEY BETTS: Waiting
For A Train/ ROY BLEDSOE: She's In The Jailhouse Now (In The Jailhouse
Now)/ BONO: Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes/ BILL BOYD: The Wind Swept
Desert (Desert Blues)/ BRENDA BOYKIN & HOME COOKIN': Blue Yodel No. 1 (T
For Texas)/ ELTON BRITT: (When It's) Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia/
BROWN'S MUSICAL BROWNIES: The One Rose (That's Left In My Heart)/ DWIGHT
BUTCHER: Nobody Knows But Me/ Old Love Letters (Bring Memories Of You)/ No
Hard Times/ THE CALLAHAN BROTHERS: T. B. Blues No. 2 (T. B. Blues)/ RICK &
THEL CAREY: She Was Happy Till She Met You/ CLIFF CARLISLE: Blue Yodel No.
6/ Memphis Yodel/ MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Somewhere Below The Mason Dixon
Line/ WILF CARTER: Cowhand's Last Ride/ Whisper Your Mother's Name/ JOHNNY
CASH: The Mystery Of Number Five/ JESSIE CLIFTON: Long Tall Mama Blues/
BILL COX: California Blues (Blue Yodel No. 4)/ My Rough And Rowdy Ways/
DICK CURLESS: Waiting For A Train/ DARBY & TARLTON: Once I Had A
Sweetheart (Soldier's Sweetheart)/ GLENN DAVIS: Let Me Be Your Sidetrack/
JIMMIE DAVIS: Roll Along Kentucky Moon/ IRIS DEMENT: Hobo Bill's Last
Ride/ LONNIE DONEGAN: Blue Yodel #8 (Mule Skinner Blues)/ TOMMY DUNCAN:
Never No' Mo' Blues/ SLIM DUSTY: Any Old Time/ BOB DYLAN: My Blue Eyed
Jane/ STEVE EARLE: In The Jailhouse Now/ JACK ELLIOTT: Whippin' That Old
T. B./ THE FENDERMEN: Blue Yodel #8 (Mule Skinner Blues)/ HARMONICA FRANK
FLOYD: Blue Yodel No. 6/ RED FOLEY: I'm Sorry We Met/ CONNIE FRANCIS &
HANK WILLIAMS, JR.: Blue Yodel #8 (Mule Skinner Blues)/ LEFTY FRIZZELL:
Blue Yodel, #2 (My Lovin' Gal Lucille)/ I'm Lonely And Blue/ Sleep, Baby,
Sleep/ Why Should I Be Lonely/ JERRY GARCIA, DAVID GRISMAN & JOHN KAHN:
Blue Yodel #9/ ROY GONZALES: Anuiant et blue (Lonely And Blue)/ REX
GRIFFIN: Sweet Mama Hurry Home/ JACK GUTHRIE: Blue Yodel, #3 (Evening Sun
Yodel)/ When The Cactus Is In Bloom/ MERLE HAGGARD: Down The Old Road To
Home/ Train Whistle Blues/ GEORGE HALL: The One Rose (That's Left In My
Heart)/ HANK, THE YODELING RANGER: Polka Dot Blues (Gambling Polka Dot
Blues)/ THE HAWKING BROTHERS: Old Pal Of My Heart/ ROLAND HEINRICH: Und
jetzt ist er im Knast (In The Jailhouse Now)/ Das Land meines
Kindheitstraums (Land Of My Boyhood Dreams)/ Ich such mir eine neue Frau
(I'm Looking For A New Mama)/ TAL HENRY: My Little Old Home Down In New
Orleans/ HARRY HILLARD: Blue Yodel No. 9/ I'm Looking For A Brand New Mama
(Looking For A New Mama)/ JESS HILLARD: Blue Yodel No. 10 (Ground Hog
Rootin' In My Baxk Yard)/ JIMMY HINCHEE: Rock All The Babies To Sleep/ DOC
HOPKINS: Mother The Queen Of My Heart/ JACK & LESLIE: Mississippi River
Blues/ JOHN JACKSON: T.B. Blues/ BUDDY JONES: Any Old Time/ GRANDPA JONES:
Brakeman's Blues (Yodeling The Blues Away)/ Lullaby Yodel/ GENE KARDOS: In
The Jailhouse Now/ BUELL KAZEE: Gambling Blues (Those Gambler's Blues)/
HOWARD KEESEE: My Little Old Home Down In New Orleans/ HOWARD KEESSE & LOY
BODINE: A Sailor's Plea/ BOB KING: You And My Old Guitar/ CLAUDE KING:
Pistol Packing Papa/ ALISON KRAUS: Any Old Time/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Waiting
For A Train/ LUMMIE LEWIS & HIS MERRYMAKERS: Travelin' Blues/ THE LIGHT
CRUST DOUGHBOYS: Prairie Lullaby/ REG LINDSAY: Jimmie The Kid/ BEVERLY
LONG: The Soldier's Sweetheart/ FRANKIE MARVIN (FRANKIE WALLACE): Away Out
On the Mountain/ CLAYTON MCMICHEN: Prohibition Blues (Prohibition Has Done
Me Wrong)/ JOHN MELLENCAMP: Gambling Bar Room Blues/ THE MEMPHIS SHEIKS:
In The Jailhouse Now/ DEAN MITCHELL: Blue Yodel #11/ I'm Lonesome Too/
I've Only Loved Three Women/ Take Me Back Again/ That's Why I'm Blue/
What's It/ Yodeling My Way Back Home/ BILL MONROE: Blue Yodel No. 7/
Sailor's Plea/ THE MONROE BROTHERS: In My Dear Old Southern Home (Dear Old
Sunny South By The Sea)/ The Old Man's Story (Why There's A Tear In My
Eye)/ PATSY MONTANA: Treasures Untold/ VAN MORRISON: Mule Skinner Blues/
TEX MORTON: Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes/ RICK NELSON: Big Chief Buffalo
Nickel (The Desert Blues)/ WILLIE NELSON: Peach Picking Time In Georgia/
AARON NEVILLE: Why Should I Be Lonely/ THE NITE OWLS: Frankie And Johnny
(You'll Miss Me In The Days To Come)/ EDDIE NOACK: My Old Pal/ W. LEE
O'DANIEL & HIS HILLBILLY BOYS: Yodeling Ranger/ MOLLY O'DAY: (15) Years
Ago/ KING OLIVER: Everybody Does It In Hawaii/ DOLLY PARTON: Blue Yodel #8
(Mule Skinner Blues)/ PIE PLANT PETE (CLAUDE MOYE): Waiting for the
Railroad Train (Waiting for A Train)/ WEBB PIERCE: In The Jailhouse Now/
THE RAYNE-BO RAMBLERS: Dor, baby, dor (Sleep Baby Sleep)/ RED RIVER DAVE
(DAVE MCENERY): Daddy And Home/ JIM REEVES: Waiting For A Train/ SLIM
RHINEHART: For The Sake Of Days Gone By/ THE RHYTHM WRECKERS: Never No Mo'
Blues/ THE RICE BROTHERS GANG: My Carolina Sunshine Girl/ SLIM RINEHART:
Mississippi Moon/ MARTY ROBBINS: My Mother Was A Lady/ ROY ROGERS: Hadie
Brown (My Little Lady)/ ROSS' RHYTHM RASCALS: Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues/
PETE SEEGER: Blue Yodel #1 (T For Texas)/ JOHN SELLERS: Let Me Be Your
Sidetrack/ THE SHELTON BROTHERS: She Was Happy Till She Met You/ NAT
SHILKRET AND THE VICTOR ORCHESTRA: Away Out On The Mountain/ Blue Yodel
No. 1 (T For Texas)/ JIMMIE SKINNER: I Miss The Mississippi And You/
Jimmie Rodgers' Last Blue Yodel/ Moonlight And Skies/ Somewhere Down Below
The Mason Dixon Line/ HANK SNOW: Blue Yodel, #12 (Daybreak Blues)/
Everybody Does It In Hawaii/ Home Call/ I've Ranged, I've Roamed, I've
Traveled/ Land Of My Boyhood Dreams/ My Good Gal's Gone Blues/ Ninety Nine
Years Blues/ Southern Cannon Ball/ THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: The Yodeling
Cowboy/ JOE STEEN: Ben Dewberry's Final Run/ TEXAS RUBY: Blue Yodel No. 1
(T For Texas)/ MERLE TRAVIS: Blue Yodel #1 (T For Texas)/ ERNEST TUBB: I'm
Free (From The Chain Gang Now)/ The Drunkard's Child/ The Wonderful City/
Why Did You Give Me Your Love/ THE TUNE WRANGLERS: Sweetest Girl in the
World (My Blue Eyed Jane)/ BUDDY WILLIAMS: Dear Old Sunny South By The
Sea/ GARY WILLIAMS: Gambling Bar Room Blues/ Hobo's Meditation/ In The
Hills Of Tennessee/ Jimmie's Texas Blues/ My Time Ain't Long/ BOB WILLS:
Mississippi Delta Blues/ Never No More Hard Times Blues (No Hard Times)/
Mean Mama Blues (Jimmie' Mean Mama Blues)/ DWIGHT YOAKAM: T For Texas
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
EMI (Australia) 25287 |
The Best Ever Country Drinking Songs |
● CD $42.98 |
2 CDs, 42 tracks, 133 mins, recommended
Since about 1970 or so, I don't think a year has gone by that some kind of
"Country Drinking Songs" or "Dirty Blues" or "Dirty Country Songs" etc.
hasn't come out, with varying degrees of success. Since this is EMI
(Australia) they have access to a lot more material than a lot of the
people who put these out. Now this is chock full of songs, but not all of
them are "Drinking Songs" and on top of that I wouldn't even call Country
songs. It's almost like the people who were putting this together started
drinking at the beginning of the project and the further into this they
got, the more gassed they became and the more convoluted the theme gets.
CD one gets it right for the most part with such classics as A Six Pack
To Go by Hank Thompson and Pass The Booze by Ernest Tubb, as
well as better known tracks by George Jones, Tom T. Hall, David Allen Coe,
Merle Haggard etc, with songs spanning the 1940's to the 1990's. CD two
starts o.k. with Duncan from Aussie Country star Slim Dusty, but
then follows it up with The Devil Went Down To Georgia by the
Charlie Daniels band. Soon after you are getting tracks like Ramblin
Man by the Allman Brothers, King Of The Road by Roger Miller,
On The Road Again by Canned Heat, Mr. Bojangles - Nitty
Gritty Dirt Band, King Harvest by The Band and Rawhide by
Frankie Laine (!!?!?!!). Sure, all in all you have 2 CDs full of mostly
great songs that sound fantastic, but they certainly loses their focus a
bit along the way. (JM)
THE ALLMAN BROS BAND: Ramblin' Man/ THE BAND: King
Harvest (Has Surely Come)/ CANNED HEAT: On The Road Again/ TROY CASSAR-DALEY
& SLIM DUSTY: The Biggest Disappointment/ KASEY CHAMBERS: We're All Gonna
Die Someday/ DAVID ALAN COE: Jack Daniels, If You Please/ CHARLIE DANIELS
BAND: The Devil Went Down To Georgia/ BILLY DEAN: Misery And Gin/ SLIM
DUSTY: Duncan/ He's A Good Bloke When He's Sober/ STEVE EARLE: Copperhead
Road/ DAVID FRIZELL: I'm Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Out Home/ THE
GEORGIA SATELLITES: Keep Your Hands To Yourself/ MICKEY GILLEY: Don't All
The Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time/ KEITH GLASS: Victoria Bitter (She
Made Me That Way)/ MERLE HAGGARD: I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink/
TOM T. HALL & MCCORMACKS: Drowning My Blues/ EMMYLOU HARRIS: The Bottle
Let Me Down/ GEORGE JONES: Bartender Blues/ If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her
Memory Will)/ LEE KERNAGHAN: Boys From The Bush/ TANIA KERNAGHAN: Boys In
Boots/ FRANKIE LAINE: Rawhide/ CHRIS LEDOUX & GARTH BROOKS: Watcha Gonna
Do With A Cowboy/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: What Made Milwaukee Famours (Has Made A
Loser Out Of Me)/ LORETTA LYNN: Don't Come Home A ‘Drinkin' (With Lovin'
On Your Mind)/ THE MAVERICKS: What A Crying Shame/ ROGER MILLER:
Chug-A-Lug/ King Of The Road/ NEV NICHOLLS: I Like Beer/ THE NITTY GRITTY
DIRT BAND: Mr Bojangles/ GARY STEWART: She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinking
Doubles)/ HANK THOMPSON: A Six Pack To Go/ Hang over Tavern/ GEORGE
THOROGOOD: One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer/ ERNEST TUBB: Pass The Booze/
STEVE WARINER: A Six Pack Ago/ TONY JOE WHITE: Steamy Windows/ HANK
WILLIAMS JR.: There's A Tear In My Beer/ Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound/ JOHN
WILLIAMSON: Queensland Bungalow
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Hightone 8196 |
Wounded Heart Of America - Songs Of Tom
Russell |
● CD $16.98 |
18 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
If you are a fan of the singer/ songwriter Tom Russell than you will
definitely love this, but even if you have no idea who Tom Russell is, you
will probably want this for the incredible line up of performers
interpreting his songs: Johnny Cash doing Veteran's Day, Dave Alvin
Blue Wing, Doug Sahm St Olav's Gate and with the Texas
Tornadoes doing Haley's Comet. Also featured are Joe Ely, Iris
Dement, Dave Van Ronk, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ramblin Jack Elliott and many
more, even legendary Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti reciting Stealing
Electricity. Topping it all off you have Tom Russell himself adding
four bonus tracks. Fantastic! (JM)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Jasmine 3566 |
Chime Bells - The Best Of Country Yodel,
Vol. 3 |
● CD $12.98 |
27 tracks including several examples of European yodeling.
Includes sides by Elton Britt, Wilf Carter, Patsy Montana, Kenny Roberts,
Rosalie Allen, Les Wilson, Carolina Cotton, Alberta Slim, Skeeter Bonn,
"Texas Kitty" Prins, Harry Torrani, Leo "Little Slim" Celsie, Jimmy
Williams, Yodeling Slim Cark and more.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Jasmine 3583 |
Hillbilly Bop, Boogie & The Honky Tonk
Blues, Vol. 3 |
● CD $18.98 |
Two CDs, 48 tracks, very highly recommended
The third set in this great series (previous volumes are Jasmine 3560/61 -
1948->1950 and Jasmine 3562/3 - 1951->1953) covers the years 1954 and 1954
and mostly features Texas artists recording for Starday. Selected by
country expert Al Turner who also provides the informative notes in the
accompanying booklet. Most of the artists here are pretty obscure but all
are excellent and most of the tracks are making their first appearance on
CD. Includes sides by Fred Crawford, George Jones, Dick Stubbs (two hot
steel guitar instrumentals which also features great fiddle), Peck
Touchton, Earney Vandagriff (superb honky tonk with a real Hank Williams
feel), Al Petty (three hot steel guitar instrumentals including the steel
guitar duet Twin Steel Ride), Hoot & Curley, The Country Gentlemen
(not the bluegrass group but a hot instrumental group with tough electric
guitar and steel on the rockin' Country Style Boogie), Joe Price,
Cotton Henry, Pat Patterson, Biff Collie, The Western Melody Makers
(featuring rockabilly legend Sid King on a version of Who Put The
Turtle In Myrtle's Girdle), Les Chambers and others. Music is
consistently fine and frequently superb and sound quality is exceptional.
(FS)
SONNY BURNS: Another Woman Looking for a Man/ LES
CHAMBERS: Lonesome/ Too Much Pride/ LESTER CHAMBERS: Kiss Like That/
Everybody Else Does (Why Can't I)/ BIFF COLLIE: What This Old World Needs/
COTTON HENRY: Alibying Sweetie/ THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN: Country Style
Boogie/ FRED CRAWFORD: Each Passing Day/ First on Your List/ I Just Need
Some Lovin'/ Never Gonna Get Married Again/ You Gotta Wait/ ARLIE DUFF:
Back to the Country/ Courtin's Here to Stay/ Fifteen Cents a Sop/ Let Me
Be Your Salty Dog/ EDDIE EDDINGS: Smoochin'/ RED HAYES: Doggone Woman/ R.
D. HENDON: Steel Guitar Special/ R.D. HENDON: You Traveled Too Far/
DEWAYNE HIGDON: Take Your Time (Cause Every Minute Counts)/ HOOT & CURLEY:
Hurry, Hurry/ SMILING JERRY JERICHO: Lovin' Up a Storm/ BOB JONES: You'd
Beter Behave Baby/ GEORGE JONES: No Money in This Deal/ Play It Cool Man,
Play It Cool/ CHUCK MAYFIELD: Washing on the Line/ BILL NETTLES:
Gumbo-Mumbo (Papa Had to Go)/ Wine-O Boogie/ PAT PATTERSON: First You Buy
the Beer/ Mister Hillbilly/ AL PETTY: Steel Guitar Special/ Steeling the
Boogie/ Twin Steel Ride/ Country Saturday Night/ JOE PRICE: It Makes Me
Happy/ Keep the Wolves Away/ Pay Attention Please/ HOYT SCOGGINS: Trudy/
DICK STUBBS: Hillbilly Swing/ Wired for Sound/ PECK TOUCHTON: Let Me Catch
My Breath/ JACK TUCKER: I Was Only Fooling Me/ EARNEY VANDAGRIFF: Alabama
Blues/ Where You Been/ JIMMIE WALTON: High as a Georgia Pine/ WESTERN
MELODY MAKERS: Who Put the Turtle in Myrtle's Girdle
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 77100 |
Mountain Frolic |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CDs, 101 tracks, essential
Another wonderful collection of old time country music from JSP featuring
four CDs with 101 tracks recorded between 1924 and 1927. This set is based
around several collections of old timey reissues issued on 78s in the 40s
and early LPs from the 50s and early 60s. Star of the show here is the
superb Buell Kazee who is featured on 40 tracks recorded between 1927 and
1929 - his entire issued output. Kazee, who was a trained singer,
accompanied himself on banjo and recorded seminal versions of songs like
Butchers Boy/ East Virginia/ Lady Gay/ Wagoner's Lad/ The Moonshiner
and others. This set also features tracks with guitar and violin
accompaniment, some duets with Carson Robison and some gospel songs with
Frank & James McCravy as The Blue Ridge Gospel Singers. Most of these
tracks have been reissued on B.A.C.M. but it is great to have all these
together in chronological order. There are also 22 tracks recorded between
1927 and 1931 by the fabulous Carolina Tar Heels. The Carolina Tarheels
were a truly wonderful old time group active from around 1927 to 1932.
Though there was some change in personnel most of the tracks here feature
the trio of Dock Walsh/ banjo & vocal, Clarence Ashley/ guitar & vocal and
Garley Foster or Gwen Foster/ guitar, harmonica & vocal. They perform a
selection of traditional ballads, mountain songs, blues, religious,
ragtime songs and more. Their performances are incredibly melodic and
infectious and you'll find yourself singing along and tapping your toes
and you're sure to recognize some of the songs which have since become
country standards. Their tracks include Bring Me A Leaf From the Sea/
The Bulldog Down In Sunny Tennessee/ When The Good Lord Sets You Free/
There's A Man Goin' Around Takin' names/ Roll On Boys/ Peg And Awl,
etc. Although a number of these were previously reissued on Old Homestead
the sound quality here is vastly superior. There are also tracks by Tar
Heels members Garley Foster & Dock Walsh (as The Pine Mountain Boys) and
Dock Walsh. Other artists include Nelstone's Hawaiians (a fine duo from
Alabama featuring great steel guitar), Al Hopkins & His Buckle Busters (a
wonderfully energetic string band who were one of the first string bands
on record), the great pioneering ballad singer and collector Bascom Lamar
Lunsford and others. Sound quality is generally superb and there are
informative notes by Pat Harrison and full discographical data. If you
love old time country music this is a must. (FS)
DR. HUMPHREY BATE AND THE POSSUM HUNTERS: Billy in the
Low Ground/ Goin' Up Town/ Green Backed Dollar Bill/ THE CAROLINA NIGHT
HAWKS: Governor Smith for President/ THE CAROLINA TAR HEELS: Back to
Mexico/ Bring Me a Leaf from the Sea/ Bulldog Down in Sunny Tennessee/
Can't You Remember When Your Heart Was Mine?/ Good-Bye My Bonnie,
Good-Bye/ Got the Farm Land Blues/ Hand in Hand We Have Walked Along
Together/ Hen House Door Is Locked/ I Love My Mountain Home/ I'll Be
Washed/ Lay Down Baby, Take Your Rest/ Oh, How I Hate It/ Old Grey Goose/
Peg and Awl/ Roll on, Boys/ Rude and Rambling Man/ There's a Man Goin'
Around Takin' Names/ Train's Done Left Me/ Washing Mama's Dishes/ When the
Good Lord Sets You Free/ Who's Gonna Kiss Your Lips, Dear Darling/ You Are
a Little Too Small/ CHENOWETH'S CORNFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Hot Foot
Step and Fetch It/ Last Shot Got Him/ WALTER COUCH & THE WILKS RAMBLERS:
Chesapeake Bay/ DAD CROCKET: Sugar Hill/ THE CROCKETT FAMILY: Medley of
Old Time Dance Tunes: Sourwood Mountain/Sally in the Garden, etc./ HUGH
CROSS & RILEY PUCKETT: Gonna Raise Ruckus Tonight/ AL HOPKINS & HIS
BUCKLEBUSTERS: Black Eyed Susie/ Boatin' Up Sandy/ Cluck Old Hen/ Johnson
Boys/ BUELL KAZEE: Blind Man/ Butcher's Boy (The Railroad Boy)/ Cowboy
Trail/ Cowboy's Farewell/ Darling Cora/ Don't Forget Me Little Darling/
Dying Soldier (Brother Green)/ East Virginia/ Election Day in Kentucky,
Pt. 1/ Election Day in Kentucky, Pt. 2/ Faded Coat of Blue/ Gambling
Blues/ Hobo's Last Ride/ I'm Rolling Along/ If You Love Your Mother (Meet
Her in the Skies)/ In the Shadow of the Pines/ John Hardy/ Lady Gay/
Little Bessie/ Little Mohee/ Married Girl's Troubles/ Mountain Boy Makes
His First Record, Pt. 1/ Mountain Boy Makes His First Record, Pt. 2/ My
Mother/ Old Whisker Bill, The Moonshiner/ Orphan Girl/ Poor Boy Long Ways
from Home/ Poor Little Orphan Boy/ Red Wing/ Rock Island/ Roll on John/
Roving Cowboy/ Ship That's Sailing High/ Snow Deer/ Sporting Bachelors/
Steel a Goin' Down/ Toll the Bells/ Wagoner's Lad (Loving Nancy)/ You Are
False But I'll Forgive You/ You Taught Me How to Love You Now Teach Me to
Forget/ BRADLEY KINCAID: Cindy/ Old Joe Clark/ BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD:
Darby's Ram/ Fate of Santa Barbara/ Get Along Home Cindy/ Sherman Valley/
Speaking the Truth/ Stepstone/ Stump Speech in the 10th District/
NELSTONE'S HAWAIIANS: Adam and Eve/ Fatal Flower Garden/ Just Because/
Mobile County Blues/ North Bound Train/ Village School/ You'll Never Find
a Daddy Like Me/ CHARLIE PARKER: Rabbit Chase/ RED PATTERSON'S PIEDMONT
LOG ROLLERS: I'll Never Get Drunk Again/ THE PINE MOUNTAIN BOYS: Roll on,
Daddy Roll On/ She Wouldn't Be Still/ GEORGE ROARK: I Ain't a Drunk/ THE
SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS: No Business of Mine/ ERNEST THOMPSON: When You're
All in Down and Out/ Whistlin' Rufus/ DOCK WALSH: Bulldog Down in Sunny
Tennessee
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Proper American 06 |
Always Lift Him Up - A Tribute To Blind
Alfred Reed |
● CD $17.98 |
19 tracks, highly recommended
West Virginia singer and fiddler Blind Alfred Reed was one of the greatest
artists to record in the late 20s. Although he only recorded 19 songs they
were truly unique songs offering witty and meaningful social commentary -
many which are just as relevant today as they were 80 years ago. A couple
of years ago Reed entered the national consciousness when Bruce
Springsteen recorded Reed's masterpiece How Can A Poor Man Stand Such
Times And Live and now this album features contemporary
interpretations of all of Reed's songs as well as the one song recorded by
Reed's son Orville The Telephone Girl featuring artists from Reed's
home state of West Virginia. Ironically, most of the artists here were
unaware of Reed's music before participating in this project but turn in
fine and convincing renditions. Artists include Little Jimmy Dickens, Todd
Burge, The Michols Family, Larry Groce (a particularly fine folk-rock
rendition of You Must Unload, Connie Smith, The Carpenter Ants,
Dwight Diller & John Mooris, Bare Bones (a gorgeous acapella rendition of
Reed's profound There'll Be No Distinction There), Charlie McCoy,
Ray Benson & Asleep At The Wheel, Tim O'Brien and others. Fine
performances, much better than I expected but don't forget the originals
(Document 8022 Blind Alfred Reed - Complete Recorded Works - $15.98). (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
RCA (Japan) 38039~42 |
RCA Country & Western 100 |
● CD $45.98 |
Four CDs, 100 tracks, highly recommended
A four CD set with 100 great country tracks recorded for RCA between the
early 40s and early 70s. A nice mix of hits and lesser known sides
including many tracks hard to find on CD. The emphasis is on hard country
with little of the schmaltzy countrypolitan style. Includes sides by Eddy
Arnold, Jimmie Rodgers (the original early 30s recordings with tasteful
overdubs by Hank Snow's Rainbow Ranch Boys made in 1955), Hank Snow,
Grandpa Jones, Porter Wagoner, The Davis Sisters, Hank Locklin, Jim
Reeves, George Hamilton IV, Bobby Bare, Ronnie
Milsap, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and others. Superb sound and, if you
can read Japanese, extensive notes. (FS)
ROSALIE ALLEN: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels/
I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart/ Tennessee Yodel Polka/ EDDY ARNOLD:
Bouquet Of Roses/ I Really Don't Want To Know/ I Talk To Myself About You/
Just Call Me Lonesome/ Molly Darling/ The Cattle Call/ You Don't Know Me/
BOBBY BARE: Detroit City/ Ride Me Down Easy/ The Game Of Triangle/ The
Long Black Veil/ ELTON BRITT: Detour/ The Jimmie Rodgers Blues/
Quicksilver/ JIM ED BROWN: Pop A Top/ THE BROWNS: I Heard The Bluebirds
Sing/ I Take The Chance/ Looking Back To See/ Mansion On The Hill/ The
Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches)/ FLOYD CRAMER: Last Date/ SKEETER DAVIS:
Silver Threads And Golden Needles/ The End Of The World/ Under Your Spell
Again/ Your Cheatin' Heart/ Together Again/ THE DAVIS SISTERS: Fiddle
Diddle Boogie/ Foggy Mountain Top/ Gotta Git A-Goin'/ DON GIBSON: I Can't
Stop Loving You/ Oh Lone some Me/ Sweet Dreams/ Sweet Memories/ TOM T.
HALL: The Old Side Of Town/ GEORGE HAMILTON IV: Abilene/ Three Steps To
The Phone/ Truck Driving Man/ WAYLON JENNINGS: Anita, You're Dreaming/
JOHNNIE & JACK: Cryin' Heart Blues/ Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes/
Hamming Bird/ GRANDPA JONES: Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea/ Keep On The
Sunny Side/ You All Come/ PEE WEE KING: San Antonio Rose/ Tennessee
Central No. 9/ Tennessee Waltz/ HANK LOCKLIN: A Good Womans Love/ Blue
Eyes Cryin' In The Rain/ Geisha Girl/ Please Help Me I'm Falling/ Send Me
A Pillow That You Dream On/ The Country Hall Of Fame/ Why Baby Why/ HAL
LONE PINE & BETTY CODY: Columbus Stackade Blues/ RONNIE MILSAP: (I'd Be) A
Legend In My Time/ BILL MONROE: Mule Skinner Blues/ MONTANA SLIM: I'm
Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes/ There's A Bluebird On Your Windowsill/
NORMA JEAN: Go Cat Go/ Let's Go All The Way/ DOLLY PARTON: Games People
Play/ My Tennessee Mountain Home/ THE PINE RIDGE BOYS: You Are My
Sunshine/ CHARLEY PRIDE: Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger/ I Know One/ Is
Anybody Going To San Anton/ WADE RAY: Any Old Time/ JIM REEVES: Four
Walls/ Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/ He'll Have To Go/ I Love
You Because/ Oklahoma Hills/ Your Old Love Letter/ Love Is No Excuse/
JIMMIE RODGERS: Mother, Queen Of My Heart/ Peach Picking Time Down In
Georgia/ ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS: Happy Trails/ CONNIE SMITH: Once A Day/
HANK SNOW: (Now And Then) There's A Fool Such As I/ I Don't Hurt Anymore/
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/ I'm Movin On/ Sunny Side Of The Mountain/
The Prisoner's Song/ When Jimmie Rodgers Said Goodbye/ PORTER WAGONER: A
Good Time Was Had By All/ Eat, Drink And Be Merry (Tomorrow You'll Cry)/
Green, Green Grass Of Home/ I Guess I'm Crazy (For Loving You)/ I Thought
I Heard You Calling My Name/ I'll Go Down Swinging/ Misery Love Company/
Uncle Pen/ Just Someone I Used To Know/ BILLY WALKER: Don't Stop In My
World/ SLIM WHITMAN: I'm Casting My Lasso Towards The Sky
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rev-Ola 170 |
Country Goes Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 2 - The
New Breed |
● CD $15.98 |
32 tracks, 75 min., highly recommended
More 1950s rockabilly, rocked-up country or call it what you will. It's
the intersection of C&W and rock 'n' roll that Elvis himselvis originally
occupied at Sun Records. This compilation offers a wide variety of labels,
including RCA Victor, Columbia, Capitol, Mercury, Valley, Starday,
Fortune, Trumpet, Sun, Hickory, Decca, Chance, Emerald, Flair, Imperial,
Lin, Van, Coral, King, and Arcade. And while Mr. Presley's influence can
surely be heard on many cuts (Hayden Thompson's Act Like You Love Me,
for one), one wonders if he didn't do some borrowing himself at times.
Better tracks include Glenn Barber's Ice Water, the Davis Sisters'
Fiddle Diddle Boogie and Christmas Boogie, Gayle Griffith's
Rockin' AndA-Knockin', Rudy Gray's You'd Better Believe It,
and Frank "Andy" Starr's Dig Them Squeaky Shoes, among others.
Johnny Burnette's early Van Records version of You're Undecided is
here too, along with tracks by The Five Strings, Lucky Joe Almond, Carl
Perkins, Jimmy Ballard, Gene Henslee, Ray Campi, Jimmy Lee, Bobby Lord,
Elvis Presley, Jimmy Meyers, Ernie Chaffin, Red Smith, Wanda Jackson &
Billy Gray, and others. As might be expected, Texas is heavily
represented. (JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rev-Ola CRBAND 21 |
Country Goes Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 3 - Rural
Royalty |
● CD $15.98 |
33 Tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
The third volume in Rev-Ola's great "Country Goes Rock `N' Roll" series,
this one contains thirty-three bona fide Billboard Country & Western chart
hits in the 50's. The mix of talent ranges from
already-established-by-the-50's stars like Eddy Arnold (a brassy duet with
Jaye P. Morgan, Do You Love Me? ), Bob Wills, Webb Pierce, and Pee
Wee King to early work from folks who would go on to bigger things in the
60's and 70's: Buck Owens (using the nom de disc Corky Jones), George
Jones (as Thumper Jones), Brenda Lee, Wanda Jackson, and Jerry Reed to
name a few. In the mid 50's, rockabilly was the rage thanks to Elvis, and
everyone was getting a piece of the action with the end result of some
amazing singles being created. No one disappoints, the sound quality is
great, and the party rarely wanes; marvel to Pierce's Teenage Boogie
, Ernest Tubb's cover of Chuck Berry's Thrity Days , Hank
Thompson's politically incorrect Rockin' in the Congo , Ferlin
Huskey's road song Slow Down Brother , and a rare up tempo single
from Patsy Cline, Stop, Look and Listen . Put on your blue suede
shoes and dance! (GMC)
|
| TONY JOE WHITE |
Swamp/ Red 8343 |
Deep Cuts |
● CD $16.98 |
10 tracks, 51 mins, recommended
The king of Swamp Soul,
Tony Joe White is an under appreciated artist having written one of the
greatest songs ever ("Rainy Night in Georgia") and created some
outstanding music in his 40 years of recording. This follow-up to 2006's
"Uncovered," continues that album's gimmick of re-recording his old songs
with modern production provided by his son Jody. The earlier CD only had
four reworkings of old songs; this album has seven, with three
instrumentals rounding out the proceedings. While it's great that Tony Joe
is still making records, his voice is still in relatively good shape and
his guitar playing is as sharp as ever (especially on Run With the
Bulls and Homemade Ice Cream), the 00's production style can be
a little jarring (the loud, drums are particularly noticeable) and purists
might take exception to the whole enterprise. But Aspen, Colorado
is a heartfelt highlight, and Willie and Laura Mae Jones and
"Soul Francisco come off pretty well despite their over-length. It
would have been nice if Tony Joe had written some new material for the
occasion, but for a guy pushing 65 this is quite awesome. (GMC)
|
| BOBBY WILLIAMSON |
Bear Family 16843 |
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream) |
● CD $21.98 |
22 tracks recorded for RCA Victor between 1952 and 1954 by
this relatively undistinguished honky tonk singer from Texas. Includes his
underwhelming cover of the R&B hit Sh-Boom.
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| MAC WISEMAN |
Music Mill 70036 |
Bluegrass Favorites BY A Master Folk
Singer |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks, 33 mins, recommended
By 1962 Mac Wiseman had
been around for a number of years, was getting pretty well-known, and had
a bit of success recording for Dot records; consequently, his jump to
Capitol records was seen as a big step forward. His stay at Capitol would
last just shy of two years and would yield a grand total of 35 songs
recorded. There were a string of fine singles (see next review) and one
official record released; here we have a straight re-issue of that one LP.
Comprised of a handful of Wiseman originals and many covers, this made for
a fine Bluegrass album. Top notch players on hand, Chubby Wise - Fiddle,
Buck Trent - 5 String Banjo, Benny Williams - Mandolin and many more
deftly accompany Wiseman's soaring vocals. (JM)
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| MAC WISEMAN |
Music Mill 70037 |
The Singles |
● CD $9.98 |
11 tracks, 28 mins, recommended
Fine, albeit brief,
collection of singles--A & B sides--from Wiseman's short stay (1962-64) at
Capitol records. Good tracks like Footprints in the Snow/ Pistol Packin'
Preacher/ Wildfire/ The Scene Of The Crime, etc. Standout attention
should be given to 'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered, a lovely song
featuring Mother Maybelle Carter and members of The Jordanaires. (JM)
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