NEWSLETTER #138
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
eLTON bRITT ->
Various Artists
ELTON BRITT |
Jasmine 3565 |
Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner,
Volume One |
● CD $11.98 |
Varied 28 track collection of this popular performer
including solo tracks with guitar, tracks with various small groups, duets
with Rosalie Allen, cuts with The Skytoppers, The Beaver Valley Seethearts
and others. No information is provided on the dates of these recordings
but as far as I can tell they range from the late 30s to the early 50s. It
includes his big hit There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
plus I Hung My Head And Cried/ Why Did You Leave Me Alone/ Just Because
You're In Deep Elem/ Thanks For The Heartache/ One For The Wonder/ Maybe
I'll Cry Over You/ She Taught Me To Yodel/ Weep No More My Darlin'/ Too
Many Tears, etc. Excellent sound, informative notes by Paul Hazell and
very little duplication with other Britt reissues.
ELTON BRITT: Acres Of Diamonds (mountains Of Gold)/
Broken Wings/ Buddy Boy/ Close Your Eyes And Dream/ Cowpoke/ Darling I've
Loved Much Too Much/ Gotta Get Together With My Gal/ I Get The Blues When
It Rains/ I Hung My Head And Cried/ I'm All That's Left Of That Old
Quartett/ Just Because You're In Deep Elem/ Maybe I'll Cry Over You/ Merry
Maiden Polka/ One For The Wonder/ Put My Little Shoes Away/ Quicksilver/
She Taught Me To Yodel/ Thanks For The Heartache/ There's A Star Spangled
Banner Waving Somewhere/ They're Positively Wrong/ Too Many Tears/ Too
Tired To Care/ Weep No More My Darlin'/ Where Are You Now?/ Why Did You
Leave Me Alone?/ Will You Wait For Me Little Darlin'?/ You'll Be Sorry For
Now On
|
THE CARLISLES |
Bear Family BCD 15980 |
Busy Body Boogie |
● CD $21.98 |
34 tracks, 76 minutes, highly recommended
For nearly a
half-century, Bill Carlisle jolted Grand Ole Opry audiences with his
aggressive, high-energy novelties. Though his recording career stretched
back to the early '30s, Carlisle wouldn't discover his true metier until
1951 when he formed "The Carlisles" with Martha Carson and his older
brother Cliff. Sounding like the Delmore Brothers on steroids, the
Knoxville-based trio was signed by Mercury and quickly notched its first
hit, Too Old to Cut the Mustard. Heart problems soon forced Cliff
Carlisle's departure, but Carson remained on deck for the Carlisles'
second hit, No Help Wanted, before departing for a solo gospel
career. The vocalists that followed were all subservient to the
hyperkinetic Carlisle, and more hits followed in the same mold, including
Knot Hole and Is Zat You, Myrtle?. This collection gathers
twenty-two of the Carlisles' barn-burning early Mercurys from 1951-56 (all
with hot Chet Atkins guitar leads), plus twelve RCA Victor, Mercury and
Columbia tracks from 1957-61, mostly with Hank Garland or Grady Martin.
Carlisle pulled songs from some unexpected sources; John Came Home
is actually Dave McCarn's Everyday Dirt, while Honey Love
closely parallels Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters' original R&B hit.
Sitting firmly between country boogies and nascent rockabilly, this is
relentless, rhythmic music that some listeners may be unable to absorb in
one sitting. The sound is first-rate with first-time stereo mixes on the
Columbias. Michael Gray's notes detail the Carlisles' glory years. (DS)
THE CARLISLES: A Mouse Been Messing Around/ Air Brakes/
Bessie Lou/ Busy Body Boogie/ Doggie Joe/ Down Boy/ Dumb Bunny/ Feet Don't
Fail Me (this Time/ Female Hercules/ Honey Love/ How Will I Know/ I Don't
Want To Run/ I Need A Little Help/ I'm Rough Stuff/ If You Don't Want It/
Is Zat You, Myrtle?/ John Came Home/ Knot Hole/ Ladder Of Love/ Love,
Love, Love (that's What It Is/ Money Tree/ Monkey Business/ New Liza Jane/
No Help Wanted/ Old Fashioned Love/ Rattlesnake Daddy/ Shake A Leg/
Something Different/ T'ain't Nice/ Tiny Space Man/ Too Old To Cut The
Mustard/ Uncle Bud/ Who's A-gonna Stop Me?/ Woman Driver
|
THE CARTER SISTERS |
Country Routes 35 |
And Mother Maybelle With Chet Atkins |
● CD $16.98 |
39 tracks, 75 minutes, essential
Finally - a first-rate
collection of eight RadiOzark shows by one of the premier show bands from
country music radio's golden age! The Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle
with Chet Atkins recorded more than three dozen, fifteen-minute open-ended
transcriptions about 1949 or 1950 that were sold to small Southern radio
stations. Spunky June Carter was the band's focal figure, singing many
leads and bantering with veteran announcer Joe Slattery. Younger sisters
Helen (playing accordion) and the angelic Anita (playing bass) also had
solo turns, while matriarch Maybelle was often spotlighted on a Carter
Family classic. Atkins delivers a dazzling guitar or fiddle solo on each
show plus an occasional vocal. The group's blend and range is impressive,
shifting from gospel and pop standards to contemporary country and western
hits and novelties. Its joyous, spontaneous music couldn't be further
removed from that of the original Carter Family, the comparatively few
commercial records the group did about this time or the lackluster sides
Maybelle and her daughters (not to mention Atkins) made through the 1960s.
Transfers were sourced from pristine 16" discs recorded late in the
series' run; the brief, uncredited liner notes offer little of value or
insight. (Slattery's participation confirms that these ETs were cut in
Springfield, Missouri - not Nashville as stated here.) Some themes and
superfluous chatter were deleted to create a more listenable disc. Truly a
wonderful, welcome release. (DS)
|
FREDDIE HART |
Bear Family BCD 16727 |
Juke Joint Boogie |
● CD $21.98 |
Fine selection of 33 tracks recorded between 1953 and 1962
by this excellent singer and songwriter who is best known for his 1971 smooth
chart topper Easy Lovin and subsequent songs in a similar vein. A
selection of honky tonk, hillbilly boogie and a couple of rockabilly
numbers - many of them written by Freddie himself including his original
recording of Loose Talk subsequently a hit for Carl Smith. This set
includes half a dozen previously unissued cuts including the hillbilly
boogie title tune. Includes 36 page illustrated booklet with detailed
notes by Deke Dickerson, rare vintage photos and full discography of his
Columbi and Capitol recordings.
|
THE HILL BILLIES |
B.A.C.M. 113 |
Volume 2 - It's Heaven To Me |
● CD $14.98 |
The second volume from this popular British quartet who
performed western flavored songs in the 30s with vocals, guitar, fiddle,
harmonica, banjo and accordion. In addition to American favorites this set
includes some originals plus Waltzing Matilda.
THE HILL BILLIES: Big Rock Candy Mountains/ Dying
Cowboy's Prayer/ Goodbye Bronco Bill, Goodbye/ Headin' Home/ Hobo's Spring
Song/ I'm Spending Christmas With The Old Folks/ It Makes No Difference
Now/ It's Heaven To Me/ Old Shep/ Pants My Pappy Gave To Me/ Pop Eyed
Pete/ Prairie Schooner, Ramble On/ Red River Valley/ Roll Along Covered
Wagon/ Rollin' Down The Hilly Billy Trail/ She'll Be Comin' Round The
Mountain/ Sundown In Peaceful Valley/ Take Ma Boots Off When Ah Die/
There's A Hole In The Old Oaken Bucket/ There's Gold In Them Thar Hills/
Under The Old Pine Tree/ Waltzing Matilda/ When The Moon Hangs High/
You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven
|
THE HILL BILLIES |
B.A.C.M. 114 |
Volume 3 - Ole Faithful |
● CD $14.98 |
The third volume includes the title song which was their
most popular number selling over 80,000 copies.
THE HILL BILLIES: Carry Me Back To Old Virginny/ Covered
Wagon Lullaby/ Cross Eyed Sue/ Daddy's Old Guitar/ Down In Old Santa Fe/
Give Me A Ride On Your Horse, Buddy/ Granny's Old Arm Chair/ Hillbilly
Love Song/ I'm Gonna Yodel My Way To Heaven/ Lay Me Down/ Memories Of The
Old Homestead Pt. 1/ Memories Of The Old Homestead Pt. 2/ Nobody's Darling
But Mine/ Ole Faithful/ Roll Along Prairie Moon/ That Silver Haired Daddy
Of Mine/ Twilight Yodeling Song/ Wheel Of The Wagon Is Broken/ When Mother
Nature Sings Her Lullaby/ When That Harvest Moon Is Shining/ When You Bury
Me Six Feet Deep/ With A Banjo On My Knee/ Yip Neddy/ Yodeling Cowboy
|
WANDA JACKSON |
CMH 8708 |
Heart Trouble |
● CD $17.98 |
16 tracks, 48 min., good
For the Queen of Rockabilly, who
earned her crown with wildness and a certain lack of adherence to musical
orthodoxy, Jackson comes off here as a bit tame, despite the company of
Rosie Flores, Elvis Costello, The Cramps, The Cadillac Angels, Dave Alvin,
and others. That's not to say Jackson doesn't still have some orneriness
in her voice (e.g., Riot In Cellblock #9 or Hard Headed Woman),
or that she can't deliver the wistfulness necessary to bring off
Anytime You Wanna Fool Around convincingly. And certainly Heart
Trouble is a good album, but it's no use pretending that the sexagenarian
is 17 years old, as the song selection might indicate. Perhaps more
straight ahead country material and less rockabilly (where Jackson sounds
forced and wildness is not exuded) would have played to her strengths
better. (JC)
|
JERRY LEE LEWIS |
BGO BGOCD 658 |
Country Songs For City Folk/ Memphis Beat |
● CD $17.98 |
Two mid 60s Smash LPs. The first LP is Jerry Lee's
interpretations of country hits like Green Green Grass Of Home/ Funny
How Time Slips Away/ The Wild Side Of Life/ Ring Of Fire/ King Of The Road,
etc. and the other is rock 'n' roll and rhythm & blues - Memphis Beat/
Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee/ Just Beacuse/ Lincoln Limousine/ Big Boss Man,
etc.
|
THE LILLY
BROTHERS & DON STOVER |
Smithsonian Folkways 40158 |
Bluegrass At The Roots |
● CD $15.98 |
Reissue of Folkways 2433 with two previously unissued
tracks. Wonderful old time singing and traditional bluegrass from this
superb duo. The first eight tracks features just the duo accompanying
themselves on guitar and mandolin in the style of earlier brother teams
like The Blue Sky Boys and The Monroe Brothers. On the remaining tracks
they are joined by Don Stover on banjo, Herb Hooven on fiddle or bass annd
occasionally Mike Seeger on bass on a wonderful selection of traditional
bluegrass.
|
MAC AND BOB |
B.A.C.M. 116 |
Songs For Country Home Folks, Vol. 2 |
● CD $13.98 |
22 tracks, 64 minutes, highly recommended
A beloved,
highly successful close-harmony duet of the '20s and '30s, Lester
McFarland and Robert Gardner recorded dozens of sides for Brunswick and
ARC that have long eluded reissue. Accompanying themselves on guitar,
mandolin and sometimes harmonica, this Knoxville (later Chicago-based) duo
favored sentimental, sacred and morality tales of yesteryear, appealing to
older listeners who had little tolerance for the hotcha music of the Jazz
Age. Mac and Bob weren't reluctant to take on novelties like Women's
Suffrage, and their takes on familiar songs like The Girl I Loved
in Sunny Tennessee are often startlingly different. Their most
immediate disciples were Karl & Harty, Doc Hopkins, Gene Autry & Jimmie
Long, and the Blue Sky Boys. Mac Wiseman later drew upon their repertoire
for his early Dot sessions. Listening from a modern perspective, the duo
opens a window to country music's genesis in popular 19th century parlor
music. A worthy successor to B.A.C.M's first Mac and Bob set, ("Songs for
Country Home Folks, Vol. 1," B.A.C.M. 067, $13.98). Generally excellent
sound; brief notes by Brian Golbey. (DS)
MAC & BOB: A Picture No Artist Can Paint/ Birmingham
Jail/ Bright Sherman Valley/ Go And Leave Me If You Wish To/ I Heard My
Mother Call My Name In Prayer/ I Love You Best Of All/ I Wish I Had Died
In My Cradle/ I've Nothing To Live For Now/ Just A Kerosene Lamp/ Keep A
Light In Your Window Tonight/ Out In This Cold World/ Paint A Rose On The
Garden Wall/ Please Let Me Broadcast To Heaven/ Rocky Mountain Rose/ Songs
My Mother Used To Sing/ Sunny Tennessee/ Take Up Thy Cross And Follow Me/
The Orphan Boy/ Under The Old Sierra Moon/ Under The Old Umbrella/ When
The Candle Lights Are Gleaming/ Woman Suffrage
|
THE MADDOX
BROTHERS AND ROSE |
King 0126 |
A Collection Of Standard Sacred Songs |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks, 31 mins, highly recommended
Previously on King
669. From an album first released in 1956, probably from 4-Star material,
the Maddox Bros. and Rose give these mostly traditional shout-style gospel
numbers their inimitible treatment. Their rawness and exuberance is toned
down very little here. Steel guitar and country harmonica are joined by
Fred Maddox's slap bass and wild mandolin to make some of the most raucous
gospel music you're ever likely to hear. Great stuff if this is what you
like- I love it. Songs include Tramp On The Street/ Farther Along/ I'll
Fly Away/ Dust On The Bible/ I'll Be No Stranger There, a.o. (RP)
|
JIMMY MARTIN |
Music Mill 70053 |
This World Is Not My Home |
● CD $11.98 |
12 tracks, 32 tracks, essential
Reissue of Decca 73460
from 1963 featuring bluegrass gospel at it's very best. Jimmy (who
recently passed away) was one of the greatest of all bluegrass singer with
his beautiful and expressive high tenor voice. Like most of his Decca
recordings he is accompanied by superb musicians like Paul Williams/
mandolin, Bill Emerson or Paul Craft/ banjo, Joe Zinkan, Junior Huskey or
Lightnin' Chance/ bass and others who also provide tight vocal harmonies.
Although most of the composer credits are to Martin & Williams, many of
the songs are traditional or old favorites. Among the highlights are a
spellbinding version of one of my favorite songs Lord, I'm Coming Home,
the exquisite voice Of My Savior and the always topical God
Guide Our Leader's Hand but there's not a track here that's less than
superb. (FS)
|
JIMMY MARTIN
& RALPH STANLEY |
Gusto 3002 |
First Time Together |
● CD $6.98 |
10 tracks, recommended
Previously on Hollywood 175. A
meeting of two great bluegrass musicians which could have been a classic
except that the twerps at King emphasized or added a metronome like rhythm
track that tends to overwhelm the rest of the music. If you can tune that
out (not easy) there is some fine singing and playing on songs like I'm
Going Down The Road/ Stone Walls & Steel Bars/ Footprints/ Darling Brown
Eyes and others including a terrific version of Don't Let Your
Sweet Love Die which is obviously from a different session with Ralph
absent. In addition to Ralph's fine banjo work there's also some excellent
fiddle playing (who?) and, of course, the glorious vocals of two great
bluegrass singers. (FS)
|
GEORGE MORGAN |
ASV CDAJA 5496 |
Candy Kisses |
● CD $11.98 |
28 sides recorded between 1948 and 1952 by this smooth
voiced country singer whose style was much like that of Eddy Arnold though
he never went pop. Includes all his early hits like his 1949 #1 Candy
Kisses plus Rainbow In Heart/ Room Full Of Roses/ I Love Everything
About You/ Lover's Quarrel and others as well as no hits like All I
Need Is Some More Lovin'/ Why, In Heaven's Name?/ Somebody Robbed My
Beehive/ Tennessee Hillbilly Ghost/ Stranger In the Night/ Whistle My Love
and more.
|
JOHNNY PAYCHECK |
Koch 9849 |
The Gospel Truth - The Complete Gospel
Sessions |
● CD $12.98 |
The first 15 tracks features the original "Gospeltime" LP
issued in 1966 featuring some fine honky tonk gospel with the outlaw doing
a mix of traditional and contemporary gospel songs accompanied by Lloyd
Green, Pete Wade, Buddy Spicher and other Little Darlin' house musicians.
The remaining eight tracks features eight of the same songs with strings
added plus vocals by The Jordanaires that were issued in 1978. Includes
I'm On My Way Home/ Every Minute I Want Jesus/ Almost Persuaded/ Just A
Closer Walk With Thee/ Old Time Religion/ The Old Rugged Cross, etc.
|
JACKIE
PHELPS & JIMMIE RIDDLE |
Gusto 0556 |
Stars Of Hee Haw & The Grand Ole Opry |
● CD $7.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended
A most enjoyable collection
featuring two fine musicians who first worked together in Roy Acuff's band
and worked again together on the TV Show "Hee Haw". Phelps is an
outstanding electric guitarist in the Merle Travis mould - he does six
numbers including a couple of pleasing vocals and is joined by harmonica
wizard Riddle on a couple of them along with a fine group including an
excellent steel guitarist. Riddle does some fine harmonica instrumentals
as well as a couple of vocals including the talking blues Huntin' Blues
which also features him doing some "eefing."
Most entertaining. (FS)
|
RILEY PUCKETT |
B.A.C.M. 115 |
Gonna Raise A Ruckus Tonight |
● CD $13.98 |
22 tracks, 64 minutes, completists only
One of prewar
country music's most prolific recording artists, Riley Puckett was
featured on a half-dozen superb LP compilations during the '60s and '70s.
Outside of his work with the Skillet Lickers and sideman efforts with
various Atlanta-based fiddlers, Puckett's music has largely eluded reissue
on compact disc. As with B.A.C.M's first Puckett anthology, this set
largely avoids duplication with the tracks on those now highly collectable
LPs. For collectors, this is a plus. But it's disadvantageous to anyone
seeking a decent sampler of this blind singer/guitarist's finest moments
on record. Many tracks here amplify the guitarist's sporadic weaknesses,
breaking meter and playing wrong chords. Not surprisingly, this
compilation's best cuts have been reissued before; the magnificent
Rodgeresque Waiting for the Evening Mail
was the title track for
County's Puckett LP. Other previously reissued tracks feature Puckett
backing Skillet Lickers fiddlers Clayton McMichen and Lowe Stokes.
Puckett's vocal duets with McMichen are absolutely painful; Stan and Ollie
have nothing to fear from their The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. When Maple
Leaves Are Falling with its McMichen lead vocal could well be the worst
record in Columbia's 15000-D series. Sound is generally good, though B.A.C.M. failed to correct dragging speeds on the earliest sessions. Brian
Golbey provides a brief appreciation. (DS)
RILEY PUCKETT: Billy In The Low Ground/ Black Eyed
Susie/ Burglar Man/ Gonna Raise A Ruckus Tonight/ I Wish I Was A Single
Girl Again/ I Wish I Was Single Again/ I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland/ Ida
Red/ It's Simple To Flirt/ Jesse James/ Long Tongued Woman/ Sally Gooden/
Sleep Baby Sleep/ Somebody's Waiting For You/ Swanee River/ Tell Me/ The
Trail Of The Lonesome Pine/ Waiting For The Evening Mail/ We'll Sow
Righteous Seed For The Reaper/ When The Maple Leaves Are Falling/ Won't
You Come Over To My House/ You'll Never Miss Your Mother Til She's Gone
|
JEANNIE C. RILEY |
Koch 9830 |
The Songs Of Jeannie C. Riley |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 30 min., recommended
Jeannie C. Riley, for
better or worse, is best remembered for her massive 1968 hit Harper
Valley P.T.A., but shortly before she cut that song, she was recording
for Aubrey Mayhew at Little Darlin' Records. After Riley's split with LD
and her hit with PTA, Mayhew leased the master tapes to Capitol Records.
Producer Kelso Herston filled out the sound with strings and dobro, and
this CD is a reissue of that Capital release. (Why not issue the original
recordings unadorned?) For all that, Riley's performances are generally
noteworthy and deserving of reissue, especially since these recordings
pre-date her commercial success. Riley sings a pair she penned (I'll Be
A Woman Of The World and How Can Anything So Right be So Wrong)
and a pair composed by Johnny Paycheck (before he wanted his job to be
shoved): You've Got Me Singing Nursery Rhymes and The Heart He
Kicks Around, among others. So what we've got here is another
Nashville album that clocks in at just under half an hour. But this one's
pretty good. (JC)
|
ROY ROGERS |
Collector's Choice 1069 |
King Of The Singing Cowboys |
● CD $9.98 |
15 tracks from 40s radio transcriptions - Cowboy
Wedding/ Spell Of The Indian Magic/ I'm An Old Cowhand/ My Little
Buckaroo/ Cool Waters/ Yippi, Ki, Yi, Ya Buy A Bond Today, etc.
|
RED SOVINE |
Ace CDCHD 1052 |
Honky Tonks, Truckers & Tears |
● CD $18.98 |
A collection of 24 songs recorded between 1961 and 1980 by
this popular performer - 21 of them hitting the country cahrts. Includes
honky tonk country, trucker songs and maudlin recitations - I Didn't
Jump The Fence/ Class of '49/ Little Rosa/ Phantom 309/ Giddy-Up Go/
Daddy/ The Days Of Me And You/ It'll Come Bear/ Teddy Bear, etc.
|
THE STANLEY BROTHERS |
Rounder 1110 |
Earliest Recordings: The Complete
Rich-R-Tone 78s |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 35 minutes, highly recommended
If you're a
major fan of Carter and Ralph Stanley, chances are you have Revenant's
1997 CD reissue of the brothers' Rich-R-Tone sides. So do you need this
new Rounder edition? If that earlier issue is something you play often or
if the Revenant's fatiguing, overprocessed sound leaves you dissatisfied,
the answer is yes. Christopher King, who oversees County's superb old-time
reissue series, newly remastered these rare bluegrass landmarks from the
best available 78s. Sure, the sound remains somewhat thin, signal-to-noise
levels are high and sharp ears will detect a few slightly off-center
tracks. But King's transfers mark a significant improvement over all
previous issues. We'll probably never hear this music sound as clear and
true to the source material as it does here. Ten songs date from the
brothers' 1947-48 sessions; two showcase tenor singer/mandolinist Pee Wee
Lambert. After three years on Columbia, the Stanleys returned to
Rich-R-Tone in 1952, recording four songs that anticipated the classic
Mercury sides to follow. Like the Revenant issue, this release shuffles
songs from both Rich-R-Tone periods. Gary Reid's original notes reappear
here. New to the Stanleys? Try the Mercs, Columbias and earliest Kings and
Stardays first, then discover where it all began. (DS)
Also available and
essential Mercury 53402 The Complete Mercury Recordings (1953-58) (2-CD)
$21.98
Columbia CK 53798 The Complete Columbia Stanley Brothers (1949-52)
$11.98
King 615 The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys (1958)
$10.98
THE STANLEY BROTHERS: Are You Waiting Just for Me?/
Death Is Only a Dream/ I Can Tell You the Time/ Little Birdie/ Little
Maggie/ Molly and Tenbrook/ Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home/ Our
Darling's Gone/ The Girl Behind the Bar/ The Jealous Lover/ The Little
Girl and the Dreadful Snake/ The Little Glass of Wine (1947)/ The Little
Glass of Wine (1952)/ The Rambler's Blues
|
CARL
STORY & HIS RAMBLING MOUNTAINEERS |
Starday 580 |
Mighty Close To Heaven |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
Reissue of Starday 219. Carl Story
is one of the giants of bluegrass gospel and this is a splendid collection
of 12 songs from the early 60s on which Carl's distinctive vocals are
joined by William Brewster/ 5 string banjo, Franklin Brewster/ mandolin,
Tommy Jackson/ fiddle, Claude Boone/ bass & harmony vocals and Jack Linneman on dobro. Songs include Amazing Grace/ Row Us Over the Tide/
Rank Stranger/ Follow Him/ I'll Need The Prayers Of Those I Love/ Mighty
Close To Heaven, etc. (FS)
|
MEL STREET |
TeeVee 0728 |
20 Greatest Hits |
● CD $11.98 |
20 tracks, 58 minutes, essential
The late Mel Street never
seemed to hit the big time even though he scored a number of top 20 hits.
Maybe he didn't fit in with the rhinestone cowboys and countrypolitan
crooners in the 70's. If you aren't too familiar with Street let me tell
you, the West Virginia boy could really sing! His style is firmly in the
honky tonkin' style of George Jones and early Conway Twitty and there are
at least a dozen tunes here that stand right up there with the best of 'em.
The passion and conviction he brought to songs of cheating and lost love
seemed to reflect an inner turmoil that may have led to his early death by
suicide on his 45th birthday in 1978. This set includes classic songs like
Borrowed Angel/ Lovin' On Back Streets/ I met A Friend Of Yours Today/
Lovin' On Borrowed Time/ Looking Out My Window Through The Pain/ Even If I
Have To Steal/ Town Where You Live/ Lust Affair and others including
the powerful Forbidden Angel whose subject is not often covered in
country songs. There are also great covers of country standards like Am
I That Easy To Forget and Don't Be Angry. Mel deserves the
deluxe Bear Family treatment but in the meantime this great no frills
package delivers the goods. (AE/ FS)
|
HANK
THOMPSON & HIS BRAZOS VALLEY BOYS |
Acrobat 4032 |
Swing Wide Your Gate Of Love |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, 63 minutes, essential In the years following
World War II, Hank Thompson was one of country and western music's biggest
hitmakers. Thompson's records delivered a distinctively Texan honky-tonk
style with more than a passing debt to western swing. His warm, engaging
baritone and sharply crafted arrangements grabbed as many nickels in
Southeastern juke joints as they did in his home state, not to mention
Louisiana, Oklahoma, California and points in-between. Thompson cut more
than 300 sides for Capitol between 1947 and 1964, maintaining his
signature sound until almost the end. While most vintage Thompson
collections span his entire Capitol period, this collection strictly
focuses on his fresh, youthful 1947-54 sides. Among the hits: Humpty
Dumpty Heart/ Whoa Sailor/ The Wild Side of Life/ Wake Up Irene/
Rub-a-Dub-Dub, and Waiting in the Lobby of Your Heart. Though
hit-driven Thompson anthologies arguably sound a little "samey" - after
all, these songs were intended to be absorbed in two- to three-minute
doses - this set offers considerable variety. Another plus: exceptional
sound quality. Acrobat - a British company that could have made
copyright-free needle drops like those bottom-feeders Proper and JSP do -
actually licensed Thompson's master recordings from Capitol/EMI. Dave
Penny penned a brief liner, crediting his debt to Rich Kienzle's notes for
Bear Family's comprehensive 12-CD Thompson box (Bear Family BCD 15904,
$259.98). Some gaffes appear: Thompson didn't write every song he's
credited with here, and some release years are wrong. Nevertheless, the
music is great. This disc makes a superb launching point for anyone
interested in exploring Thompson's seminal work. (DS)
HANK THOMPSON: A Broken Heart and a Glass of Beer/
California Women/ Don't Flirt with Me/ Give a Little, Take a Little/
Humpty Dumpty Heart/ I Find You Cheatin' on Me/ My Front Door Is Open/ My
Heart Is a Jigsaw Puzzle/ New Roving Gambler/ No Help Wanted/ Rock in the
Ocean/ Rub-a-Dub-Dub/ Soft Lips/ Swing Wide Your Gate of Love/ Take a Look
at This Broken Heart/ The Grass Looks Greener Over Yonder/ The New Wears
Off Too Fast/ The Wild Side of Life/ Today/ Tomorrow Night/ Waiting in the
Lobby of Your Heart/ Wake Up Irene/ Whoa Sailor/ You Broke My Heart (In
Little Bitty Pieces)/ You're Walking on My Heart
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Castle Pulse 597 |
Live From The Grand Ole Opry |
● CD $13.98 |
Two CD set with 32 performances recorded live at the Grand
Ole Opry in the 40s and 50s. Although sound quality is a bit dodgy there
are some great performances from Marty Robbins (2 songs), Hank Snow (3),
Ernest Tubb (3), Hank Williams (3), Porter Wagoner (2), Roy Acuff (1),
Jean Shepard (1), Red Foley (2), Faron Young (3), Ray Price (2), Little
Jimmy Dickens (1), Hawkshaw Hawkins (3), Flatt & Scruggs (1), Tex Ritter
(1), Cowboy Copas (1), Tex Williams (1), Justin Tubb (1) and Margie Bowes
(1). No notes of any consequence.
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 307 |
The Goden Age Of Country Music 1 |
● CD $18.98 |
The first of four compilations, this volume features 12
tracks by hillbilly singer and fiddler Shorty Long from Pennsylvania, four
songs by the fine duo The Webster Brothers and 10 tracks from West
Virginia singer Buddy Starcher - the latter mostly with just his own
guitar accompaniment.
SHORTY LONG: After All These Years/ Air Mail Special On
The Fly/ Blinding Tears/ Calm, Cool And Collected/ Foolish Pride/ Good
Night Cincinnati, Good Morning Tennessee/ I Got Nine Little Kisses/ I Love
You So Much It Hurts/ Just Like A Few Drops Of Water/ Mama/ Sweeter Than
The Flowers/ Who Said That I Said That/ BUDDY STARCHER: Are You Facing The
World All Alone?/ Beyond The Sunset/ I Planted A Rose (in The Garden Of
Prayer)/ I'll Forgive, Dear, But Never Forget/ Isn't He Wonderful?/ My Old
Pal Of Yesterday/ New Wildwood Flower/ Oh Leave One Token Of Your Love/
The Colored Child's Funeral/ Walk Lightly, You're Steppin' On My Heart/
THE WEBSTER BROTHERS: Glory Mountain/ It's All Left Up To You/ The Great
Eternal Singing/ Till The End Of The World Rolls 'round
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 308 |
The Goden Age Of Country Music 2 |
● CD $18.98 |
This volume includes 12 tracks from 1952/53 by western
swing group Curley Daulton with Johnny Daulton's Western Swing Kings, 8
tracks from blind hillbilly singer and songwriter Leroy Jenkins and four
tracks bye Joe & Rose Lee Maphis from 1953 and '54.
CURLY DAULTON: A Crushed Red Rose (and A Faded Blue
Ribbon)/ A Little At A Time/ All My Life I've Dreamed/ Between Midnight
And Dawn/ Blue Hearts And Broken Vows/ Cryin' Again/ I Didn't Mean To Be
Mean/ I Traded An Angel For A Devil/ I'm Steppin' Out With A Broken Heart/
Just Another Nickel Wasted/ Please Leave Me Alone/ Please Set Me Free/
LEROY JENKINS: Don't Be A Home Breaker/ Hard Time Hard Luck Blues/ I Just
Don't Know/ I'm Crying But Nobody Cares/ Please Don't Tell Me That You
Love Me/ Tennessee Sunshine/ Time Passes By/ You're Talking To A Broken
Heart/ JOE & ROSE LEE MAPHIS: Black Mountain Rag/ Dim Lights, Thick Smoke/
Quicksand/ ROSE LEE MAPHIS: Honky Tonk Love Affair
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 309 |
The Goden Age Of Country Music 3 |
● CD $18.98 |
This volume features 12 tracks from the early 50s by
Louisiana performer Lou Millet, 8 tracks by Zeke Williams with The
Rambling Cowboys from 1937 and four from 1936 by Cody Fox.
CODY FOX: I Only Want A Buddy, Not A Sweetheart/ I'm
Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover/ Kansas City Kitty./ Yellow Jacket Blues/
LOU MILLET: Bayou Pigeon/ Get A Grip On Your Heart/ God Only Knows/ Hearts
Of Stone/ Just Me, My Heart And You/ Memories From Your Cedar Chest/ Since
The Devil Moved In/ That's How I Need You/ That's Me Without You/ Weary,
Worried And Blue/ Worried, Lonesome And In Love/ Your Own Heart You Must
Mend/ ZEKE WILLIAMS: Breeze (blow My Baby Back To Me)/ Don't Forget Me
Little Darling/ I Would If I Could/ I've Got The Blues For Mammy/ The
Cowboy's Dream/ The Starlit Trail/ Westward Ho/ What A Friend We Have In
Jesus
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Cattle 310 |
The Goden Age Of Country Music 4 |
● CD $18.98 |
This set includes four more sides from 1936 by Cody Fox, 8
tracks by Willye Walker & Gene Sullivan, four solo sides by Sullivana nd
10 by obscure early 50s performer Rocky Porter.
ROCKY PORTER: Don't Forget To Remember. Cody Fox: (let
Me Sing In) Echo Valley/ I Knew It All Along/ I Talked To The Man In The
Moon/ I'm In Love With No One (but I'm Looking For Someone To Love)/ I've
Fallen In Love With An Angel/ In The Chapel In The Moonlight/ Keep On
Keeping On/ Oh! She's Crazy/ Please Say A Prayer (for The Boys Over
There)/ Suppose/ The All-seeing Eye/ The World Is A Monster/ Tiger Rag
(inst.)/ GENE SULLIVAN: Good Gosh Almighty How I Love You/ Inflated Love/
Walkin' And A Talkin'/ Would You Forgive Me?/ WILEY WALKER & GENE
SULLIVAN: All Over Nothing At All/ Don't Be Jealous Of My Yesterdays/ It's
All Over Now (i Won't Worry)/ Somebody Stole My Little Darlin'/ Stolen
Kisses/ There's Always Somebody Else/ You Don't Love My Anymore (little
Darling)/ You've Got To Pay The Fiddler
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Compadre 63122 |
A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver - Live |
● CD $15.98 |
A tribute to the music of one of country's finest singers
and songwriters recorded live in August 2004 at the Paramount Theatre in
Austib, Texas on the occasion of Billy Joe's 65th birthday. In addition to
Billy Joe himself it features some of the artists he inspired and
influenced doing his songs or their own. Includes Guy Clark, Jimmie Dale
Gilmore, Todd Snider, Dale Watson, Cory Morrow, The Geezinslaws and
others. This is an enhanced CD and when played in a computer it features a
video of Todd Snider doing waco Moon. A portion of the proceeds
from the sale of this album will benefit the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Copper Creek 7004 |
The Sun Keeps Shining |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks of honky tonk country recorded for Columbia in
the late 40s and early 50s by The Maddox Brothers & Rose, Carl Smith,
George Morgan, Floyd Tillman, Marty Robbins, Little Jimmy Dickens and
others.
AL DEXTER: Down at the Roadside Inn/ LITTLE JIMMY
DICKENS: We Could/ FLATT & SCRUGGS: I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open/
LEFTY FRIZZELL: Always Late (With Your Kisses)/ ROSE LEE: Dim Lights,
Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: I've Got
Four Big Brothers (To Look After Me)/ GEORGE MORGAN: Candy Kisses/ RAY
PRICE AND THE CHEROKEE COWBOYS: Crazy Arms/ MARTY ROBBINS: I'll Go on
Alone/ CARL SMITH: Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way/ CARL STORY: Love Me
Like You Used to Do/ FLOYD TILLMAN: Slipping Around
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7751 |
Sounds Like Jimmie Rodgers - Stars That
Followed The Master |
● CD $28.98 |
This four CD set with 100 tracks shows the influence of
the great Jimmie Rodgers featuring some of the many artists whose music
was influenced to a greater or lesser degree by Rodgers. Includes one
whole CD devoted to Gene Autry plus sides by W. Lee O'Daniel & His
Hillbilly Boys, Fleming & Townsend, Bill Carlisle, Riley Puckett, Buddy
Jones, The Texas Drifter (Goebel Reeves), Stuart Hamblen, Ramblin' Red
Lowery, Ernest Tubb and others.
GENE AUTRY: Any Old Time/ Bear Cat Papa Blues/ Blue
Yodel #4 (california Blues)/ Blue Yodel #5/ Dallas County Jail Blues/
Frankie And Johnny/ Gangster's Warning/ He's In The Jailhouse Now No .2/
High Powered Mama/ High Steppin' Mama Blues/ Hobo Bill's Last Ride/ I'll
Always Be A Rambler/ I'm Atlanta Bound/ Jailhouse Blues/ Jimmie The Kid/
Life Of Jimmie Rodgers/ Methodist Pie/ No One To Call Me Darling/ Pistol
Packin' Papa/ T.b. Blues/ That's How I Got My Start/ The Yodeling Hobo/
Travellin' Blues/ Waiting For A Train/ Whisper Your Mother's Name/ BILL
BOYD & HIS COWBOY RAMBLERS: Wind Swept Desert (desert Blues)/ BILL
CARLISLE: Rattlin' Daddy/ CLIFF CARLISLE: The Cowboy's Dying Dream/ WILF
CARTER (MONTANA SLIM): It's A Cowboy's Night To Howl/ Rootin' Tootin'
Cowboy/ The Old Barn Dance/ Yodeling Hillbilly/ LEON CHAPPELEAR: Trifling
Mama Blues/ BILL COX: A High Silk Hat And A Gold Top Walking Cane/ Jackson
County/ Lay My Head Beneath The Rose/ My Rough And Rowdy Ways/ When We
Meet On The Beautiful Shore/ Where The Red, Red Roses Grow/ FLEMING &
TOWNSEND: Gonna Quit Drinkin' When I Die/ STUART HAMBLEN: Wrong Keyhole/
BUDDY JONES: Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea/ Mean Old Lonesome Blues/
Shreveport County Jail Blues/ The Women ('bout To Make A Wreck Out Of Me)/
W. LEE O’DANIEL & HIS HILLBILLY BOYS: Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues/
Yodeling Ranger/ DADDY JOHN LOVE: Cotton Mill Blues/ My Little Red Ford/
RAMBLIN’ RED LOWERY: Bum On The Bum/ Ramblin' Red's Memphis Yodel – No. 1/
FRANKIE MARVIN: I'm Gonna Yodel My Way To Heaven/ I'm In The Jailhouse
Now/ RILEY PUCKETT: 'way Out There/ Away Out On The Mountain/ Back On The
Texas Plains/ Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia/ Sleep Baby Sleep/ The
Moonshiner's Dream/ THE RHYTHM WRECKERS: Blue Yodel # 2 (my Lovin' Gal
Lucille)/ Never No Mo' Blues/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Jimmie Rodgers Medley – Part
1/ Jimmie Rodgers Medley – Part 2/ In The Jailhouse Now No. 2/ Peach
Pickin' Time Down In Georgia/ BILL SIMMONS: Rocky Mountain Blues/ Rocky
Mountain Sweetheart/ HANK SNOW: Polka Dot Blues/ The Hobo's Last Ride/
Wandering On/ THE TEXAS DRIFTER: At The End Of The Hobo's Trail/ Cowboy's
Lullabye/ Fortunes Galore/ I Learned About Women From Her/ John Law And
The Hobo/ Little Joe The Wrangler/ Miss Jackson Tennessee/ Mother-in-law
Blues/ Railroad Boomer/ Reckless Tex/ Station H.o.b.o./ The Drifter – Part
1/ The Drifter – Part 2/ The Hobo's Last Letter/ The Oklahoma Kid/ The
Prisoner's Song/ The Tramp's Mother/ The Wayward Son/ The Yodelin'
Teacher/ ERNEST TUBB: Married Man Blues/ Mean Old Bed Bug Blues/ My Mother
Is Lonely/ Since That Black Cat Crossed My Path/ The Last Thoughts Of
Jimmie Rodgers/ The Passing Of Jimmie Rodgers/ The Right Train To Heaven/
The T.b. Is Whipping Me/ VAL & PETE: Yodel Blues – Part 1/ Yodel Blues –
Part 2/ BOB WILLS & HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS: Never No More Hard Times Blues
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Proper BOX 83 |
Stompin' Singers & Western Swingers |
● CD $24.98 |
100 tracks, 4 hours 29 min., essential
Jazz, country, hill billy, blues, pop, even little bits of klezmer -- it's all in this box of
western swing artists recorded between 1934-53. As a kind of sequel to
Proper Records popular "Doughboys, Playboys And Cowboys" (Proper BOX 6)
comes this equally delightful 4 CD set also boasting a low price, clean
sound, and 100 songs. The intelligently-written 52 page booklet contains a
wealth of rare photos, historical and biographical information on each
artist, and recording session info, including dates, personnel, and record
label numbers. And the catch is there is no catch. Artists include Bill
Boyd, Bob Wills, Light Crust Doughboys, Sweet Violet Boys, Sons Of The
West, Tune Wranglers, Hi-Flyers, Sunshine Boys, Dick Reinhart, Buddy
Jones, Al Dexter, Ted Daffan's Texans, Charles Mitchell, Walt McCoy &
Western Wonderers, Tommy Duncan, Hank Penny, Roy Newman, Wade Ray, Curley
Williams, Leon Rusk, Jimmy Widener, Tex Russell, Johnny Tyler, Hoyle Nix,
Billy Briggs XIT Boys, Boots Woodall, and many more. (JC)
SHELLY LEE ALLEY: Try It Once Again/ BAR X COWBOYS:
Underneath The Sun/ BILL BOYD: Drink The Barrell Dry/ Mama Don't Like No
Music/ She's Doggin' Me/ JIM BOYD: Mule Boogie/ BILLY BRIGGS: Amarillo
Rose/ Dip Snuff Stomp/ Panhandle Shuffle/ CLIFF BRUNER & THE TEXAS
WANDERERS: I Was A Gambler In Texas/ LEON CHAPPELEAR: I'm A Do Right Papa/
White River Stomp/ AL CLAUSER & HIS OKLAHOMANS: My Sweet Papa/ TED
DAFFAN'S TEXANS: Because/ Deep Down Inside/ Worried Mind/ AL DEXTER:
Darling It's All Over Now/ Hi-de-ho Boogie On A Saturday Night/ Hot Foot
Shuffle/ There'll Come A Time/ Who's Gonna Love You When I'm Gone/ TOMMY
DUNCAN: Nancy Jane/ Tomato Can/ THE HI-FLYERS: Reno Street Blues/ BUD
HOBBS: Honey There Ain't No Pleasin' You/ ADOLPH HOFNER: It's Best To
Behave/ JERRY IRBY & HIS TEXAS RANGERS: Great Long Pistol/ JESSE JAMES &
ALL THE BOYS: Joaquin Special/ BUDDY JONES: Honey Don't Turn Me Down/ I'm
Going Back To Sadie/ Red Wagon/ BENNY LEADERS: Clean Town Blues/ THE LIGHT
CRUST DOUGHBOYS: Alice Blue Gown/ Bear Creek Hop/ Little Hillbilly Heart
Throb/ Oh Susannah/ LEON MCAULIFFE: Blue Guitar Stomp/ This Side Of Town/
DICKIE MCBRIDE & THE VILLAGE BOYS: Tulsa Twist/ WALT MCCOY & THE WESTERN
WONDERS: I'm A Lover Not A Fighter/ RUSTY MCDONALD: You Got The Right
Number/ CHARLES MITCHELL: Mean Mama Blues/ MODERN MOUNTAINEERS: Getting
That Lowdown Swing/ NETTLES BROTHERS STRING BAND: Dan The Banana Man/ ROY
NEWMAN: I Can't Dance (i've Got Ants In My Pants)/ Mary Lou/ HOYLE NIX:
Comin' Down The Pecos/ Darling Why Are You So Mean To Me/ HANK PENNY: You
Can't Pull The Wool Over My Eyes/ That's My Weakness Now/ PORT ARTHUR
JUBILEERS: Jeep's Blues/ PRAIRIE RAMBLERS: The Lady In Red/ WADE RAY: It's
All Your Fault/ DICK REINHART: Hey Toots/ Rooky Toody/ Wooly Booger/
JIMMIE REVARD: Crafton Blues/ Triflin' Gal/ SMOKEY ROGERS: Catch Me
Cheatin'/ Drinkin' And A-thinkin'/ I Can't Help The Way You Feel/ LEON
RUSK: Air Mail Special On The Fly/ TEX RUSSELL: What It Means To Be Blue/
SONS OF THE WEST: Oh Monah/ There's Evil In You Chillun/ OCIE STOCKARD:
There'll Be Some Changes Made/ THE SUNSHINE BOYS: She's A Rounder/ THE
SWEET VIOLET BOYS: Round And Round (yas Yas Yas)/ THE TEXAS WANDERERS:
Rackin' It Back/ Sundown Blues/ JIMMY THOMASON: The Spider And The Fly/
THE TUNE WRANGLERS: Up Jumped The Devil/ JOHNNY TYLER: Behind The Eight
Ball/ It Ain't Far To The Bar/ THE UNIVERSAL COWBOYS: Hot Mama Stomp/ THE
WANDERERS: Tiger Rag/ JIMMIE WIDENER: That's My Linda Lou/ JIMMY WIDENER:
I'm All Through Trusting You/ CURLEY WILLIAMS: Georgia Boogie/ Saturday
Night Rag/ TEX WILLIAMS: Never Trust A Woman/ That's What I Like About The
West/ Wild Card/ BILLY JACK WILLS: Roped And Tied/ BOB WILLS: B. Bowman
Hop/ Bob Wills Boogie/ Hubbin' It/ Mean Mama Blues/ Mississippi Delta
Blues/ Rosetta/ Silver Dew On The Bluegrass/ Snatchin' And Grabbin'/ The
Devil Ain't Lazy/ JOHNNIE LEE WILLS: I Wonder What I'm Going To Do/ Milk
Cow Blues/ What'cha Know Joe/ LUKE WILLS RHYTHM BUSTERS: High Voltage Gal/
Shut Up And Drink Your Beer/ SMOKEY WOOD & THE WOOD CHIPS: Woodchip Blue/
BOOTS WOODALL: Rattle Snakin' Daddy
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40137 |
Classic Southern Gospel From Smithsonian
Folkways |
● CD $11.98 |
22 tracks, 61 min., essential
For reasons unknown, the
Folkways label, as run by Moe Asch, avoided the Southern gospel quartets,
so this collection "focuses on bluegrass-gospel and country-gospel by
family groups, in a genre often categorized as country-gospel music." So
says compiler, annotator, and producer Kip Lornell, an ethnomusicologist
well known for his research in the field of black gospel quartet singing
and blues. His booklet notes make this already excellent collection of
southern gospel indispensable. Most of the tracks were, unsurprisingly,
recorded in the 1950s and 1960s, but the older traditions find admirable
representation in the likes of The Old Harp Singers Of Eastern Tennessee
performing Wonderous Love (from 1951, the earliest recording here),
Red Allen's reading of the 19th century Are You Washed In The Blood Of
The Lamb, Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys' version of the Carter
Family's I'm Working On A Building, and The Indian Bottom
Association of Old Regular Baptists' 1993 performance of I'm Going To A
City, which is "lined out" by Brother Mike Halcomb and has its musical
roots in 16th century England. Other performances include Hazel And Alice,
Doc Watson, Jean Richie, The Poplin Family, Ernest Stoneman, The A. L.
Phipps Family, Kilby Snow, and others. (JC)
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