NEWSLETTER #147
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Roy Acuff ->
Skeeter Hubbert & His Cowboys + Books & DVDS
| LOUISIANA HAYRIDE
Radio & Roots Music Along The Red River
by Tracey E.W. Laird |
● BOOK $39.95 |
Hardbound, 208 pages, counts as 5 CDs for shipping
The
Louisiana Hayride--a country music variety show like the Grand Ole
Opry--broadcast from Shreveport, Louisiana on local station KWKH, the
50,000-watt signal of which reached listeners in more than 28 states and
lured them to packed performances of the Hayride's road shows. By tracing
the dynamic history of the Hayride and its sponsoring station, Tracey
Laird reveals the critical role that this part of northwestern Louisiana
played in the development of both country music and rock and roll. Delving
into the past of this Red River city, she probes the vibrant historical,
cultural, and social backdrop for its dynamic music scene. Against the
backdrop of the colorful history of Shreveport, the unique contribution of
this "radio barn dance" is revealed. Radio shaped musical tastes, and the
Hayride's frontier-spirit producers took risks with artists whose
reputations may have been shaky or whose styles did not neatly fit musical
categories--for example, both Hank Williams and Elvis Presley were
rejected by the Opry before they came to Shreveport. The Hayride also
served as a training ground for a generation of studio sidemen and
producers who steered popular music for decades after the Hayride's final
broadcast. Though the Hayride is often overshadowed by the Grand Ole Opry
in country music scholarship, Laird balances the record and reveals how
this remarkable show both documented and contributed to a powerful
transformation in American popular music.
|
| TELLING
STORIES, WRITING SONGS
An Album Of Texas Songwriters
by Kathleen Hudson |
● BOOK $19.95 |
Paper, 318 pages, counts as 5 CDs for shipping
Willie
Nelson, Joe Ely, Marcia Ball, Tish Hinojosa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lyle
Lovett - the list of popular songwriters from Texas just goes on and on. In
this collection of thirty-four interviews with these and other
songwriters, Kathleen Hudson pursues the stories behind the songs, letting
the singers' own words describe where their songs come from and how the
diverse, eclectic cultures, landscapes, and musical traditions of Texas
inspire the creative process. Conducted in dance halls, dressing rooms,
parking lots, clubs--wherever the musicians could take the time to tell
their stories--the interviews are refreshingly spontaneous and vivid.
Hudson draws out the songwriters on such topics as the sources of their
songs, the influence of other musicians on their work, the progress of
their careers, and the nature of Texas music. She also includes a brief
biography and discography of each songwriter. These interviews form part
of a larger collection archived at the Texas Heritage Music Foundation in
Kerrville, which Hudson founded and directs. She is also a Professor of
English at Schreiner University, where she writes and teaches about the
creative process, mythology, rhetoric, drama, and the power of
storytelling.
|
| 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. |
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family DVD 20111 |
Country Style U.S.A. - Season 1 |
● DVD $31.98 |
First of four amazing DVDs featuring television army
recruiting shows broadcast between 1957 and 1961 featuring some of the top
country artists of the day along with some lesser known names. The shows
are presented here complete with army recruiting spots . This volume
presents the first 13 shows featuring appearances by Jim Reeves, Little
Jimmy Dickens, Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, Webb Pierce, Jean Shepard, Ray
Price, Marty Robbins, George Morgan, Carl Smith, Red Sovine, Ferlin Husky,
Roy Acuff and others. Video and sound quality is superb thanks to
extensive restoration. Because of the amount of work involved and to
deter bootleggers the DVD has a faint outline of the Bear Family logo in
the bottom right hand corner. It's not distracting but it's worth pointing
out for those who might be concerned. Includes 28 page booklet with
extensive notes and photos.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family DVD 20112 |
Country Style U.S.A. - Season 2 |
● DVD $31.98 |
From the second season of 13 shows we have Ray Price,
Lonzo & Oscar, hank Snow, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Hylo Brown, Johnny
Cash, Faron Young, Skeeter Davis, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Benny Martin, Pee Wee
King & Redd Stewart, Minnie Pearl, Bobby Lord, Grady Martin, Justin Tubb,
Jim Reeves, Roy Acuff and more.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family DVD 20113 |
Country Style U.S.A. - Season 3 |
● DVD $31.98 |
The third season brings us Eddy Arnold, Chet Atkins,
Ferlin Husky, The Wilburn Brothers, Ray Price, Skeeter Davis, Mac Wiseman,
George Morgan, Don Gibson, Carl Smith, Carl Butler, Marty Robbins, Faron
Young, The Browns, Floyd Tillman, The Carter Sisters & Mother Maybelle,
Benny Martin, Hank Snow and others.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family DVD 20114 |
Country Style U.S.A. - Season 4 |
● DVD $31.98 |
The fourth and final season was hosted by Faron Youngs who
sings on every shows and sometimes duets with the guests which include
Darrell McCall, The Jordanaires, Billy Walker, Billy Grammer, Patsy Cline,
Skeeter Davis, Roy Drusky, Jimmy Newman, Hank Garland and others.
|
| CLARENCE WHITE |
Sierra DVD 2005 |
Guitar Workshop |
● DVD $15.98 |
DVD - Running Time: 40 minutes
The filmed legacy of
legendary Byrds guitarist Clarence White is presented on this DVD in the
form of rare film and TV clips with his band the Kentucky Colonels, and a
1973 appearance on Public Television show "Bob Baxter's Guitar Workshop".
These clips showcase White's skills as a bluegrass musician, and pose the
question of what might have been had he not died at age 29.
|
| ROY ACUFF |
JSP JSPCD 7799 |
King Of The Hillbillies |
● CD $28.98 |
First in a series of box set documenting the
career of this great country music pioneer in chronological order. This
first volume features 100 tracks recorded between 1936 and 1944. It
includes the first recording of what was to become his trademark song -
the Carter Family's Wabash Cannonball with vocals by the mysterious
Sam "Dynamite" Hatcher who also played harmonica with the group. Acuff's
group was one that helped popularize the sound of the Dobro and these
sides feature two of the best - Clell Sumney and Beecher "Pete" Kirby.
Sumney (later known as Cousin Jody) appears on the earlier sessions
(1936-1938) and Kirby who appears on the sessions from 1939 on also turns
in some fine work. Roy's material included traditional songs, Carter
Family songs honky tonk, pop songs and gospel and includes many songs that
have become country standards like Great Speckle Bird/ Freight Train
Blues/ You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven/ Beautiful Brown Eyes/
Drifting Too Far From The Shore/ Streamlined Cannonball/ Fire Ball Mail/
Night Train To Memphis and others. A number of tracks are making their
first appearance on CD here and there are brief notes and full
discographical info.
ROY ACUFF: All Night Long/ Answer To Sparkling Blue
Eyes/ Are You Thinking Of Me Darling?/ Automobile Of Life, The/ Be Honest
With Me/ Beautiful Brown Eyes/ Beneath That Lonely Mound Of Clay/ Blue
Eyed Darling/ Blue Ridge Sweetheart/ Blues In My Mind/ Bonnie Blue Eyes/
Branded Wherever I Go/ Broken Heart, The/ Brother Take Warning/ Charmin'
Baby/ Come Back Little Pal/ Do You Wonder Why/ Doin' It the Old Fashioned
Way/ Don't Make Me Go To Bed And I'll Be Good/ Drifting Too Far From the
Shore/ Eyes Are Watching You/ Farther Along/ Fire Ball Mail/ Fly, Birdie,
Fly/ Freight Train Clues/ Gonna Have a Big Time Tonight/ Gonna Raise a
Ruckus Tonight/ Good-Bye Brownie/ Great Judgement Morning, The/ Great
Shining Light, The/ Great Speckle Bird/ Great Speckle Bird No.2/ Haven Of
Dreams/ Honky Tonk Mammas/ I Called And Nobody Answered/ I Know We're
Saying Goodbye/ I'll Forgive You But I Can't Forget/ I'll Reap My Harvest
In Heaven/ I'm Building a Home/ Ida Red/ It Won't Be Long (Till I'll Be
Leaving)/ Just Inside the Pearly Gates/ Just To Ease My Worried Mind/
Living On the Mountain, Baby Mine/ Lonesome Old River Blues/ Lonesome
Valley/ Low And Lonely/ Lying Woman Blues/ Mother's Prayers Guide Me/ Mule
Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel #8)/ My Gal Sal/ My Mountain Home Sweet Home/
New Greenback Dollar/ Night Train To Memphis/ No Letter In the Mail/ Not a
Word From Home/ Old Age Pension Check/ Old Fashioned Love/ Old Three Room
Shack, An/ One Old Shirt/ Precious Jewel, The/ Prodigal Son, The/ Red Lips
- Kiss My Blues Away/ Rising Sun, The/ Sad Memories/ Sailing Along/ She No
Longer Belongs To Me/ Shout, Oh Lulu/ Singing My Way To Glory/ Smoky
Mountain Moon/ Smoky Mountain Rag/ Steamboat Whistle Blues/ Steel Guitar
Blues/ Steel Guitar Chimes/ Streamlined Cannon Ball, The/ Stuck Up Blues/
Tell Mother I'll Be There/ That Beautiful Picture/ They Can Only Fill One
Grave/ Things That Might Have Been/ Trouble, Trouble/ Vagabond's Dream, A/
Wabash Blues/ Wabash Cannon Ball/ Walkin' In My Sleep/ Weary River/ What
Good Will It Do/ What Would You Do With Gabriel's Trumpet/ When I Lay My
Burden Down/ When Lulu's Gone/ Will the Circle Be Unbroken/ Worried Mind/
Would You Care/ Wreck On the Highway/ Write Me Sweetheart/ Yes Sir, That's
My Baby/ You Are My Love/ You're My Darling/ You're the Only Star (In My
Blue Heaven)/ You've Got To See Mama Every Night (Or You Can't See Mama At
All)
|
| REX ALLEN |
B.A.C.M. 217 |
The Arizona Cowboy - Sky Boss |
● CD $13.98 |
B.A.C.M's fourth volume of recordings by this popular
singing cowboy features 24 songs recorded between 1953 and 1957 many with
orchestral and vocal chorus accompaniment. Includes Wringle Wrangle/
Westward Ho The Wagons/ Blue Dream/ Sky Boss/ Hawaiian Cowboy/ Flower Of
San Antone/ Bringing Home The Bacon/ Lonely Little Robin, etc.
REX ALLEN: Blue Dream/ Blue Light Waltz/ Bringing Home
The Bacon/ Chapel Of Memories/ Crying In The Chapel/ Drango/ Flower Of San
Antone/ Hawaiian Cowboy/ I'm Lonely My Darlin' (Green Grow The Lilacs)/ In
The Chapel In The Moonlight/ Little White Horse/ Lonely Little Robin/
Money Marbles And Chalk/ Put Your Arms Around Me/ Sky Boss/ Softly And
Tenderly/ The Ballad Of John Colter/ The Last Carouse/ The Last Frontier/
The Roving Kind/ Tomorrow Is Another Day To Cry/ True Blue Lue Lu Lu/
Westward Ho The Wagons/ Wringle Wrangle
|
| BOBBY BARE |
Raven 267 |
Drunk & Crazy ... Plus |
● CD $19.98 |
24 tracks, 75 min., highly recommended
It's good, but I
wouldn't call this one of the greatest country albums ever, though some
have. Shel Silverstein wrote 8 of the 15 songs on the original LP issued
on Columbia in 1980, and 3 of the "Plus" tracks, but his undeniable
cleverness can wear, as can his relentless glorification of drug use and
his occasional misogynistic impulse. Outlaw country with a sense of humor
-- I get it. But still. Must have seemed cooler at the dawn of the Reagan
administration. The best cut here is the lone Robert Lee McDill-penned
Song Of The South, which, with an economy of language, comes off as
thoughtful without calling attention to its own cleverness. Count covers
of Ray Willis' I Can Almost See Houston From Here and Guy Clark's
Desperados Waiting For The Train as among the finest tracks. A
winning reissue of a long out-of-print semi-classic, with 9 bonus songs
from roughly the same period. (JC)
|
| BENNY BARNES |
Bear Family BCD 16517 |
Poor Man's Riches - The Complete 1950s
Recordings |
● CD $21.98 |
33 tracks, very highly recommended
Fabulous collection of
sides by thi superb honky tonk singer from Texas. Barnes had a 25 year
recording career from 1956 to 1981 (he died in '86). He notched up one top
ten country hit - the terrific Poor Man's Riches (1956) and one
minor hit in the 60s and one in the 70s. This set includes all his
recordings in the 50s for Starday, Dixie, Mercury and Faith including two
previously unissued songs and two solo demos from 1956 including a great
version of the Little Walter blues hit My Babe. Barnes had a hand
in writing many of the songs here including Poor Old Me/ A Nickel's
Worth Of Dreams/ King For A Day/ Gold Records In The Snow (a tribute
to Buddy Holly, Big Bopper & Ritchie Valens)/ Nickel's Worth Of Dreams
and others. There are also a couple of George Jones composition - Jones
and Barnes were good friends and Jones introduced Barnes to Starday owner
Pappy Dailey. There are also some almost note-for-note covers of three
Johnny Cash hits - a common practice from Barnes's producer Dailey. Sound
quality is, as usual for Bear Family, outstanding and the 48 page booklet
has extensive notes by Andrew Brown plus rare photos and full
discographical information. (FS)
|
| STEVIE BARR WITH
FRIENDS |
Arhoolie 531 |
Along The Crooked Road |
● CD $12.98 |
21 tracks, 65 min., very highly recommended The
multi-instrumentalist Stevie Barr is the amazing banjo player of No Speed
Limit (Arhoolie 521) and, true to the album's title, plays here with his
neighbors and friends around the Fries area of Grayson County, Virginia.
Recorded informally at various locations (such as people's houses) and
with a single microphone by Chris Strachwitz, this album is a full-blooded
bluegrass marvel. It helps that Barr's friends include Martha Spencer of
the Whitetop Mountain Band and mandolin ace Spencer Strickland, but in
general the "friends" are people in his area who grew up with bluegrass
and old timey music and play it out of a true love of the form. The
results are an incredibly joyous outpouring of life-affirming bluegrass.
There's nothing amateurish sounding about these recordings, despite their
humble origins. The songs are largely drawn from the public domain,
including Lonesome Road Blues, Sally Ann, It's Sinful To
Flirt, At Calvary, Old Jimmy Sutton and others, while
originals such as Viagra Blues by guitarist Jessie Lovell remind
listeners what century it is. A real pleasure from start to finish. (JC)
|
| RAY CAMPI |
Bear Family BCD 16746 |
The Memory Lingers On - Remembering Jesse
James |
● CD $21.98 |
17 tracks, 46 mins, highly recommended
Rockabilly great
Ray Campi spent his formative years in Austin Texas, years when Jesse
James and His Boys were the biggest local Western Swing band. Campi got to
hang around the band a lot at performances and recordings and all of these
years later, the memories are strong and Ray Campi wants to make a tribute
record to this great old group. So gathering up a whole parcel of great
current players and getting Bear Family on board, he created this fine
collection of 17 Western Swing classics that were written and/ or
preformed by William Harold "Jesse" James and His band. Campi takes the
lead in front of players like D.J. Bonebreak on drums, Jeremy Wakefield on
steel guitar, Brantly Kearns on fiddle, Rick Rossi on clarinet and many
more. This makes for a fine record that at times makes you forget that you
are listening to a modern recording. (JM)
|
| GUY CLARK |
Raven 265 |
Hindsight 21/20 - The Anthology 1975-1995 |
● CD $19.98 |
21 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended
Guy Clark is an
excellent artist, truly one of the greats, but if you read the liner notes
of this, you would think he was nothing short of the second coming. Best
to skip over the notes and get straight to the music. For those who dont
know, Guy Clark is a country singer in the vein of Towns Van Zandt and
Kris Kristofferson and, like those two, he is a great songwriter whose
songs are biggest hits for someone else. Also like them, the real beauty
of the song comes out when you hear the original. This collects 21 of his
best tracks from the years 75 through 95. Honestly it should be Best of
Part #1 since there is plenty of good stuff from this period and beyond.
20 tracks are written or co-written by Clark, the other song is No Deal
by Van Zandt. All in all an essential artist done up in an o.k. fashion.
(JM)
GUY CLARK: Baton Rouge/ Boats To Build/ Broken Hearted
People/ Comfort And Crazy/ Desperados Waiting For the Train/ Dublin Blues/
Heartbroke/ Homegrown Tomatoes/ L.A. Freeway/ New Cut Road/ No deal/ Rita
Ballou/ She Ain't Goin' Nowhere/ She's Crazy For Leaving/ South Coast Of
Texas/ Texas 1947/ Texas Cookin'/ The Cape/ The Houston Kid/ The Last
Gunfighter Ballad/ The Randall Knife
|
| THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN |
Smithsonian Folkways 40175 |
Going Back To The Blue Ridge Mountains |
● CD $14.98 |
16 tracks, 47 min., highly recommended
Originally released
on the Folkways label in 1973, this live album is drawn from tapes
recorded in the early 1960s and thus features the classic Gents line up of
Charlie Waller, John Duffey, Eddie Adcock, and Tom Gray. The exact source
of the tapes remains unknown, but one of the guys mentions the Beatles in
his between-song patter, which would make 1964 a likely date for at least
some cuts. Others were almost certainly recorded early. Whatever the case,
this album finds the frequently tradition-expanding Gentlemen sticking to
an uncharacteristically traditional song set, including a cover the the
Delmore Bothers' title tune, Merle Travis' Dark As A Dungeon, Jimmy
Rodgers' Muleeskinner Blues, Hank Williams' I Saw The Light,
and others. The addition of a 28-page booklet filled with a detailed
history of the group, biographical sketches and song notes, makes this
reissue irresistible. (JC)
|
| HUGH CROSS |
B.A.C.M. 211 |
Old Time Music From The Smoky Mountains |
● CD $13.98 |
20 tracks recorded between 1927 and 1930 by singer/
guitarist Hugh Cross who worked and recorded with Gid Tanner & His Skillet
Lickers and other groups as well as recordings under his own name. There
are solo sides, duets with his his wife Mary, with Riley Puckett and with
Clayton McMichen. The latter includes the original recording of When
It's Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia which was later recorded by Jimmie
Rodgers. The emphasis of the material is on sentimental songs including
Don Where The Cotton Blossoms Grow/ If Only I Had My Home Sweet Home/ Tuck
Me To Sleep In My Old Kentucky Home/ Clover Blossoms, etc.
HUGH CROSS: A Mother's Plea/ Clover Blossoms/ Dearest
Sweetest Mother/ Down Where The Cotton Blossoms Grow/ Down Where The
Swanee River Flows/ Go Feather Your Nest/ I'll Climb The Blue Ridge
Mountains Back To You/ If I Only Had A Home Sweet Home/ In My Little Home
In Tennessee/ Left My Gal In The Mountains/ Mansion Of Achin' Hearts/ My
Old Cabin Home/ Never No More Blues/ Pretty Little Blue Eyed Sally/
Smiles/ Tuck Me To Sleep In My Old Kentucky Home/ Wabash Cannonball/ When
I Lived In Arkansas/ When It's Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia/ When The
Flowers Bloom In The Ozarks
|
| VERNON DALHART |
Document DOCD 1105 |
Puttin' On The Style |
● CD $15.98 |
18 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
Although Dalhart is
often shunned by country music collectors because of his somewhat trained
voice and precise diction he is certainly an important performer as well as
possibly the most prolific. Among the more than 1,800 songs he recorded
between 1916 and 1939 are many fine performances including the first
recordings of a number songs that have become country standards. Dalhart
started his career singing light opera, coon songs and popular ditties and
the first three tracks here recorded between 1916 and 1923 find him
performing in this mould. In May 1924 he recorded a cover of Henry
Whitter's Wreck Of The Old Southern 97 and it's success led to
devote most of the rest of his career to country music which comprises the
rest of this CD including The Prisoner's Song (one of his most
popular songs that he recorded for 50 different labels!) plus Little
Rosewood Casket/ The Boston Burglar/ Better Get Out OF My Way!/ Floyd
Collins Waltz/ The Mississippi Flood/ My Blue Ridge Mountain Home/ The
Alabama Flood, etc. Arrangements feature guitar, banjo, harmonica and
occasional Jews harp and piano. Sound is fine and there are extensive
notes but no discographical info. (FS)
VERNON DALHART: Better Get Out Of My Way!/ Can't Yo'
Hear Me Callin' Caroline?/ Dardanella/ Floyd Collins Waltz/ Get Away Old
Man, Get Away!/ Little Rosewood Casket/ My Blue Ridge Mountain Home/ Old
Folks At Home/ Puttin' On the Style/ Razors In De Air/ She'll Be Comin'
Round the Mountain/ The Alabama Flood/ The Boston Burgler/ The Mississippi
Flood/ The Prisoners Song/ The Wreck Of the Number Nine/ The Wreck Of the
Shenandoah/ Way Out West In Kansas
|
| JIMMIE DAVIS |
Acrobat 4220 |
Midnight Blues, 1929-1933 |
● CD $13.98 |
26 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended
Old-timey country
singer, steeped in the blues. You could say that he is part Jimmie Rodgers
and part Jimmy Rogers, with comparisons to the "Singing Brakeman" being
closer to the mark. Acrobat rounds up a few years worth of old Jimmie
Davis in his prime when he was one of the most beloved and respected
pre-WW2 Hillbilly singers. A religious man who would later run for--and
win--local public office; nonetheless, his early tracks are bawdy and
wild, full of double entendre. Davis would cement his name in music annuls
with his 1940 composition You Are My Sunshine, certainly a great
song, but not near as fun as much of the material herein. Shes a Hum
Dum Dinger/ Bear Cat Mama From Horners Corner/ Midnight Blues/ Pea Pickin
Papa/ Red Nightgown Blues/ Tom Cat and Pussy Blues and many,
many more fine tracks to enjoy! (JM)
|
| BUD DECKLEMAN |
Cattle 336 |
Hillbilly Love Songs |
● CD $18.98 |
Fine 50s singers who had a minor hit in 1954 with
Daydreamin' (included here). This 18 tracks collection also features
let's Not Pretend/ What's The Use To take You Back Again/ I'd Only Be
Acting A Fool/ Fallin' Fallin' Fallin'/ I Love You So, etc.
BUD DECKLEMAN: As Long As I Can Dream/ Darling, I'll
Keep Trying/ Daydreamin'/ Fallin', Fallin', Fallin'/ For So Long/ I Done
Fell Too Fer/ I Gotta Find A Way/ I Love You So/ I Love You Still/ I'd
Only Be Acting A Fool/ It's Great To Be Living/ Let's Do It Up Brown/
Let's Not Pretend/ No One, Dear, But You/ Waitin'/ What Is It, Darling?/
What's The Use To Take You Back Again/ Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
|
| ROY DRUSKY |
Collector's Choice 764 |
Greatest Hits Vols 1 & 2 |
● CD $18.98 |
Two Mercury LPs from 1965 and '68 on one CD featuring 23
of the most popular songs recorded by this fine vocalist in the 60s -
White Lightnin' Express/ All For The Love Of A Girl/ Peel Me A 'nanner/
Anymore/ Weakness In A Man/ Unless You Make Him Set You Free/ Too Much Of
You/ I've Got A Right To The Blues, etc.
|
| TIBBY EDWARDS |
Bear Family BCD 16557 |
Play It Cool Man, Play It Cool |
● CD $21.98 |
34 tracks, highly recommended
Listening to these superb
Dot, Mercury & Todd sides recorded between 1953 & 1961 by Louisiana singer Tibby Edwards it's hard to understand why he never had a hit. An
outstanding singer from Louisiana with a powerful honky tonk flavor to his
style, he wrote some excellent songs and on some of these recordings, is
accompanied by one of the greatest country bands, Hank William's Drifting
Cowboys. A diverse mixture of material from slow country weepers to
uptempo rockabilly flavored items including a great cover of the Big Joe
Turner R&B hit Flip, Flop & Fly with fiddle! Tibby was born a Cajun
and a number of songs have a Cajun flavor and Come On Chere (Let's Have
Fun) includes a couple of verses in French. (FS)
|
|
JIMMIE DALE GILMORE & THE FLATLANDERS |
Sun 7011 |
Unplugged |
● CD $8.98 |
12 tracks, 33 perfect mins, essential This is currently
the only edition of this beautiful record that seems to be in print. This
is truly a very special record and it was pretty much done on a fluke:
three up and coming musicians -- Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch
Hancock--were kicking around Lubbock Texas in the wee early hours of the
1970's when they joined forces for about 6 months, 1 amazing single, and
enough material in the can for a posthumously released Country-Folk
masterpiece of a CD. The last issue of this on Rounder was more complete,
with 2 tracks that aren't featured on this CD, but that one is now long
out of print, rendering this essential despite those missing tracks. All
country fans, especially those of the Alt. Country variation, should own
this disk. (JM)
|
| MERLE HAGGARD |
McCoury Music 008 |
The Bluegrass Sessions |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 44 mins, highly recommended
Not really a
bluegrass album this new album finds one of the greatest living country
singers in an all acoustic setting and he sounds wonderful. He is joined
by Marty Stuart (who produced) on mandolin & guitar, Rob Ickes on Dobro
and slide guitar, Charlie Cushman on banjo and guitar and others and they
provide a beautiful backdrop for Merle's soulful vocals - his voice has
lost very little of its edge over the years. There are five fine new songs
from Merle including the gospel song Pray and the topical What
Happened, versions of five of his all time classic songs (Mama's
HUngry Eyes/ Holding Things Together/ Big City) sounding fresh in this
different setting and rounding out the set is a medley of Jimmie Rodgers
songs and a stunning version of the Delmore Brothers classic Blues Stay
Away From Me. To be honest, when I first saw this disc I wasn't
expecting much - boy, was I wrong, it's a knockout. (FS)
|
| LEVON HELM |
Vanguard 79844 |
Dirt Farmer |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended
As a member of The
Band, Levon Helm was certainly one of that esteemed ensemble's lynch-pins
with his supple drumming and richly robust singing voice. When The Band
called it quits in 1976, Levon went solo with middling results; several
Band reunions, a critically acclaimed acting career, a couple of deaths
(Richard Manuel and Rick Danko), and a battle with throat cancer later,
Levon is back doing what he does best. His voice has lost some nuance, but
after what he's been through it's a miracle he can sing at all, and this
album is his hey-I'm-glad-to-be-alive album. And what better way to
celebrate life than by singing traditional folk songs his parents taught
him; when Levon wraps his tonsils around False Hearted Lover Blues/
Poor Old Dirt Farmer and The Girl I Left Behind, the good vibes
exuded are positively infectious. He also gets contemporary by covering
Steve Earle's The Mountain and Buddy and Julie Miller's Wide
River To Cross (the Millers also contribute harmony vocals on the
former), but whatever he sings, Levon Helm re-affirms why he's one of our
national treasures and "Dirt Farmer" is one hell of a comeback. (GMC)
|
| EARL HEYWOOD |
B.A.C.M. 212 |
Canada's No. 1 Singing Cowboy |
● CD $13.98 |
26 tracks, many of them original compositions, by this
popular performer recorded between 1950 and 1957
EARL HEYWOOD: A Bad Penny Always Returns/ Alberta Waltz/
Algonquin Waltz/ Broken Down Merry-Go-Round/ Counterfeit Kisses/ Foolish
Heart/ Give Me Wings/ I Want A Roof Over My Head and Bread On The Table/
I'll Tell The World I Love You/ Isle Of Campobello/ Let’s Dilly Dally Down
In Lily Valley/ Nellie Ray/ Old Brunswick Moon/ Picking Flowers/ Smile,
Smile Again/ Tears Of St. Anne/ Tellin' My Troubles To My Old Guitar/
There's A New Love True Love In My Heart/ There's An Angel That's Waiting
For Mother/ Those Beautiful Big Brown Eyes/ Three Roses And An Orchid/
When The Snowbirds Cross The Rockies/ While The Wagon Wheels Of Texas Roll
Along/ Why In Heaven's Name/ Why Must I Wonder/ Your Only Ray Of Sunshine
|
| EDDIE HILL |
Bear Family BCD 16860 |
The Hot Guitar - Gonna Shake This Shack
Tonight |
● CD $21.98 |
34 tracks, 82 mins, highly recommended
The more I listened
to this collection, the more I grew to love it. Eddie Hill has a lot to
like, but I can break it down into the three main things about him--and
this CD--that is most endearing. He always had bands that featured and
showcased white-hot guitar pickers as noted on cuts: The Hot Guitar/
Mountain Jam/ Cold, Cold Woman (The Hot Guitar)/ Buckshot/ Wild Cat,
and many more. Secondly, Hill had a fine sense of humor as shown on such
great novelty tracks as the tongue-twisting Educated Fool/ Bless You
Little Thumpin Gizzard/ The Darndest Thing You Ever Saw, and even a
great take (better than the hit version) of Black Denim Trousers and
Motorcycle Boots which also has plenty of rippin lead guitar. Thirdly,
Eddie Hill uses the term "Sugar Booger" in his songs more than even Carl
Perkins including the fabulous track My Sugar Booger. Despite all
of the fine music he produced, Eddie Hill was also (possibly more) famous
for being a disk jockey on the Grand Ole Oprys home station WSM for many
years. Fans of hot guitar, western swing and classic country will
certainly enjoy. (JM)
|
| THE HILL BILLIES |
B.A.C.M. 223 |
Volume 4 - Hilly Billy Band |
● CD $13.98 |
The fourth volume from this popular British quartet who
performed western flavored songs in the 30s with vocals, guitar, fiddle,
harmonica, banjo and accordion. Charming renditions of American Western
favorites along with several originals. 24 tracks including Strawberry
Roan/ Yodeling Hobo/ A Shanty In A One Horse Town/ Hilly Billy Wedding At
The Old Town Hall/ Hilly Billy Band/ Me And The Old Folks At Home/ The
Last Of The Texas Rangers/ The Prairie Is A Lonely Place At Night/ Lil
Lucy Lane, etc.
|
| DOC
HOPKINS & HIS COUNTRY BOYS |
Cattle 335 |
In The 1940s |
● CD $18.98 |
30 tracks drawn from radio transcriptions of this fine and
popular performer who recorded a handful of studio recordings but was a
regular on the radio in the 1930s and 1940s and this is a selection drawn
from radio transcriptions made for M.M. Cole Transcriptions.
DOC HOPKINS AND HIS COUNTRY BOYS: 't Was Midnight On The
Stormy Deep/ 'tis Sweet To Be Remembered/ A Girl In Tennessee/ Cabin Just
Over The Hill/ Curly Joe/ From A Cabin In Kentucky/ Get Out Of Here Joe/
Goodbye My Lover Goodbye/ Hold Fast To The Right/ Homecoming In Heaven/
I'll Be Thinking Of You Little Gal/ It's Time To Say Aloha/ Katy Brown And
Charley Frye/ Let's Go Up On The Ferris Wheel/ Mary Wore Three Links Of
Chain/ My Old Hound/ No Place To Pillow My Head/ Poor Old Hard Luck Joe/
Sally Git Your Hoe Cake Done/ Some Of These Days And It Won't Be Long/
Sourwood Mountain/ The Code Of The Mountains/ The Ship That Never
Returned/ There's No Other Love For Me/ Way Down Yonder Where I Come From
|
| JOHNNY HORTON |
EFR 800 |
Live At The Louisiana Hayride |
● CD $9.98 |
10 tracks, 30 mins, recommended
This CD is an abbreviated
version of a similar collection of the same material released by Scena
Records in 2004; i.e., this version has six fewer tracks. Having said
that, though, this material--even in truncated form--is still worth
owning. These tracks were recorded by Horton on the legendary radio
program during the last five years of his life before his untimely death
in 1960. All the hits are here: Honky Tonk Man/ One Woman Man/ Battle
of New Orleans, and Sink the Bismark to name a few; for
transcriptions from the '50s, the sound quality is quite good, and the
host introductions are interesting, but have the potential to become
annoying with repeated listening. Still, this is mandatory stuff for
Country fans; Horton's charm and personality come through in spades and
he's in fine voice. This is a no frills package: minimal artwork, and no
liner notes, but the content is no less great for that. Definitely worth
it for the music alone. (GMC)
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| SKEETER
HUBBERT & HIS COWBOYS |
B.A.C.M. 218 |
Give Me A Horse And A Saddle |
● CD $13.98 |
Pleasing, if not particularly distinguished, collection of
western songs draw from radio transcriptions made around 1941/42 by
singer/ guitarist Skeeter Hubbert with his group which included singer/
bass player Ezra Paulette, who took most of the lead vocals and singer/
guitarist Charlie Quirk along with a fiddler and accordion player who are
thought to be Billy Hill and Johnny Kiddo respectively. Hubbert is an
obscure figure who never recorded under his own name and worked in the
late 30s in Stuart Hamblen's band. Nothing is know about him after 1942.
Songs include Give Me A Horse And Saddle/ Corinna/ Open Country/ I'll
Follow The Trail That I Love/ Over The Garden Wall/ Singe Me A Cowboy
Song/ Golden Portals/ I'm Ridin' Saddle For A Dollar A Day/ Let Me Ride
The Range and more. Includes notes by Kevin Coffey. (FS)
SKEETER HUBBERT & HIS COWBOYS: Arizona Home/ Buffalo
Days/ Come On My Pony/ Corinna/ Give Me A Horse And A Saddle/ Golden
Portals/ How I Love Those Saddle Songs/ I'll Follow The Trail That I Love/
I'm Ridin' Saddle For A Dollar A Day/ In The Year Of Jubilo/ Is It True/
Let Me Ride On The Range/ Nancy Till/ Oh For The Life Of A Cowboy/ Open
Country/ Over The Garden Wall/ Rhythm Of The Range/ Sing Me A Cowboy Song/
Sing Me A Song Of The Saddle/ Song Of The Moving Herd/ Stars Of The
Western Sky/ Susan Jane/ The Strawberry Roan/ Uncle Noah's Ark/ Wagon
Train
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