New Releases: March -> October, 2011
Country, Bluegrass & Old Timey
Various Artists

 

NEW COMPACT DISCS

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 340 Old Time Tunes & Songs ● CD $14.98
26 tracks, highly recommended
A terrific and varied collection of old time music recorded when the music was in its heyday - most of it appearing on CD. Most of the artists are very obscure and the material includes fiddle breakdowns, string band dance tunes, traditional songs, comic pieces, gospel and blues and the artist come from all over the country including fiddle player A.J. Boulay who was based in Quebec, Canada! One of the most well known groups here is the fabulous Red Fox Chasers featured on a beautiful, originally unissued, gospel song that's not included on the recent two CD set of the group's complete recordings. Other artists include The Tennessee Ramblers, The Tweedy Brothers, Asa Martin & James Roberts (the great bluesy Crawling & Creeping), The Gibson Trio, Ernest Thompson (two originally unissued songs that complements his fine CD - B.A.C.M. 031), AShley's Melody Makers, The Cauley Family, Dad & Mom Pickard (Sally Goodin played on the jews harp with piano accompaniment) and more. Sound is generally fine and there are informative notes by the ever reliable Tony Russell. (FS)
ASHLEY'S MELODY MAKERS: Rambling Woman/ Somewhere in Arkansas/ A.J. BOULAY: Snorer's Reel/ THE CAULEY FAMILY: Darling Nellie Gray-Little Brown Jug/ Grey Eagle/ THE GIBSON STRING TRIO: South Solon Quadrille/ GROSS & CAMPBELL: Waggoner/ THE HAPPY HAYSEEDS: Cottonwood Reel/ Home Sweet Home/ HARKREADER & MOORE: Gambler's Dying Words/ Old Joe/ THE KENTUCKY THOROBREDS: Shady Grove/ ASA MARTIN AND JAMES ROBERTS: Crawling & Creeping/ NARMOUR & SMITH: Little Star/ ODUS & WOODROW: Down In Baltimore/ PARKER & WOOLBRIGHT: Will The Weaver/ DAD & MOM PICKARD: Sally Goodin/ THE RED FOX CHASERS: When The Redeemed Are Gathering In/ SMITH'S SACRED SINGERS: Life's Railway To Heaven/ THE TENNESSEE RAMBLERS: Cackling Pullet/ Garbage Can Blues/ ERNEST THOMPSON: Bring Me A Leaf From the Sea/ Snow Deer Rainbow/ WELBY TOOMEY: Rovin' Gambler/ THE TWEEDY BROTHERS: Liberty/ Shortnin' Bread

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 352 Country Music On The Apollo Label ● CD $14.98
28 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
Though mostly known for its R&B recordings the Apollo recorded a wide range of American vernacular music including country and this is a fine collection of those recordings made in the mid/ late 1940s. It starts with four sides from the fine Smiley Wilson & The Crossroads including the western swing flavored Gotta Get To Oklahoma City and the honky tonk I'm Satisfied With Life backed by a fine band with excellent steel and fiddle. There are half a dozen sides by the singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Eddie Hill - a couple are forgettable novelty songs but the rest are fine honky tonk including his original recording of Someday You'll Call Me My Name, later recorded by Hank Williams. Hill is accompanied by musicians like Paul Buskirk, Johnny Wright, Jack Anglin and Ira and Charlie Louvin! Hill worked closely with Johnny and Jack and there are two fine sides here by "Johnny & Jack" only this is not Johnny Wright and Jack Anglin. Apollo was the first label to record Johnny & Jack and after they were snapped up by RCA Apollo decided to cash in the duo's sucess by issuing these sides by Johnny & Jack impersonators! Other artists include the fine honky tonk singer Tommy Sosebee, Curley Perrin & His Boys, Dolly Dimples and others. Generally fine sound and informative notes by Al Turner. (FS)
DOLLY DIMPLES: Keep A Twinkle In Your Eye/ Trouble In Mind/ Willie Roy The Cripple Boy/ HIRAM HIGSBY: Daisy Put On The Coffee Pot/ I'm Goin' Back To Where I Come From/ SMILIN' EDDIE HILL: (Shake That Little Foot) Sally Ann/ I Never See My Baby Alone/ Someday You'll Call My Name/ The Hem Lines Are Getting Longer/ The Little Shirt My Mommy Made For Me/ JOHNNY & JACK: That's Why I'm Crying Over You/ Unloved And Unclaimed/ TENNESSEE 'SLIM' KING: Just An Old Forgotten Letter/ Tomorrow Maybe Too Late/ What Do I Care/ You Call Everyone Darling/ PAUL KIRK: Raggin' On (Ragtime Anne)/ CURLEY PERRIN: Little Rag Doll/ My Cross-Eyed Gal/ TOMMY SOSEBEE: Change Your Way Of Livin'/ Cryin' In Vain/ I Didn't Have Time/ That Gospel Train Is Comin'/ RAY WHITLEY: I Wish That I'd Been Satisfied With Mary/ SMILEY WILSON: Gotta Get To Oklahoma City/ I'm Satisfied With Life/ My Rancho In California/ Red Silk Stockings And Green Perfume

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 357 4 Star Roundup, Volume 2 ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
Complementing B.A.C.M. 110 this is another fine collection of tracks recorded in the 40s and 50s for Bill McCall's 4 Star label - an important West Coast independent that launched the careers of such well known country artists as Ferlin Husky, Webb Pierce, Patsy Cline others. Most of the artists here are pretty obscure but McCall obviously had an ear for talent as many of the artists here are excellent performers. Artists include Don Whitney, Paul Westmoreland, Jimmy Short (Ernest Tubb's guitarist with a terrific rendition of Rex Griffin's Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby that probably provided the template for Carl Perkins' rockabilly version), Hal Hart, Alan Moore (splendid honky tonk singer), Merl Lindsay (lighweight but fine western swing), William Moore (fine hillbilly gospel), Paul Steen (a terrific rendition of Karl & Harty's Don't Monkey Around With My Widder with some hot and almost rockabilly styled guitar), Paul Thibodeaux (a fine Cajun French rendition of the country standard Just Because), Jack Tucker, Stuart Hamblen (probably the best known artist here), Morris MIlls and others. Sound is generally excellent and their are brief notes on most of the artists by Dave Penny. (FS)
THE 4 STAR COUNTRY BOYS: Drive Slowly Baby/ DOC DENNING & THE 4 STAR RANGERS: I Should Have Known/ GLENELL & JONELL (THE MCQUAIG TWINS): No Time/ CLAUDE HAM: Moonlight Over Blue Water/ STUART HAMBLEN & HIS LUCKY STARS: Bluebonnets For Her Golden Hair/ HAL HART: Than Suffer Jealousy/ R. D. HENDON & THE WESTERN JAMBOREE COWBOYS: I Can't Run Away/ WADE HOLMES & HIS BAND: You're Too Tired For Me/ BILLY HUGHES: Echoes Of The Trail/ COUSIN FORD LEWIS: I'll Paint Your Picture In My Memory/ MERL LINDSAY & OKLAHOMA NIGHT RIDERS: Gotta Little Red Wagon/ MORRIS MILLS & THE RITHUMAKERS: Don't Walk Upon My Broken Heart/ WILLIAM MOORE & THE COUNTRY COUSINS: Bugle Call From Heaven/ ALAN MOORE & THE MOUNTAINEERS: It's A Blue Monday/ JIMMY SHORT & SILVER SADDLE RANCH BOYS: Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby/ PAUL STEEN & THE CAROLINA DRIFTERS: Don't Monkey Around With My Widder/ BILL TAYLOR & LUCKY WHITE & THE BAND: Yo Yo Heart/ PAL THIBDODEAUX: Just Because/ FRED THORNTON & SONS OF THE GOLDEN WEST: I Know You're Trying To Hide A Boken Heart/ JACK TUCKER & THE OKLAHOMA PLAYBOYS: To Blue To Cry/ AL VAUGHAN: You Are The One/ HUB WAGONER & RHYTHM RANCH BOYS: Things Are Different Now/ PAUL WESTMORELAND: Howl And Prowl/ DON WHITNEY: Riverside Rag/ SLIM WILLIAMS: Dying Before My Time

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 360 Classic Country Music On The Dot Label ● CD $14.98
26 tracks, highly recommended
Excellent selection of sides recorded for the Dot label between 1950 and 1961. There's no duplication with the "Dot Hillbilly" CD on Cactus and very few of the tracks here have been reissued before, It opens with some great bluegrass from Don Reno & Red Smiley on Howdy, Neighbor, Howdy and there's ore bluegrass from Mac Wiseman, Jimmie John and Lonzo & Oscar. Most of the rest is fine honky tonk - occasionally with a pop flavor including Jimmy C. Newman, Whitley Knight, Jimmy Work (the great Diggin' My Own Grave), Leon McAuliffe (a rare and tasty vocal performance), Jimmy Ringo (the wonderful I Like This Kind Of Music), Burl Lynn, Jam Up And Honey, Gabe Tucker, Glenn Douglas & Ray Duke (great Hank Williams' influenced honky tonk), Wade Ray and others. Sound quality is excellent and there are informative notes by Martin Hawkins. (FS)
WALTER BRENNAN: Dutchman's Gold/ GLENN DOUGLAS & RAY DUKE: Standing At The End Of The World/ DINK EMBRY: Please Stay Out Of My Dreams/ JAM UP & HONEY: Slew Foot Mama/ BOB JENNINGS: Darling My Darling/ JIMMIE JOHN: Roses Gone Again/ WHITEY KNIGHT: The Blues Walked In/ BOB LAMM: That's When A Heartache Begins/ SHORTY LONG: Crying Steel Guitar Waltz/ LONZO & OSCAR: Got It On My Mind/ BONNIE LOU: Johnny Vagabond/ BURL LYNN: Tear Drops Fell Like Rain Drops/ LEON MCAULIFFE: What's The Use/ JIMMY C. NEWMAN: Honky Tonk Tears/ WADE RAY: Burning Desire/ DON RENO & RED SMILEY: Howdy Neighbour Howdy/ ALVINO REY: Steel Guitar Rag/ JIMMY RINGO: I Like This Kind Of Music/ DON ROBERTSON LOU DINNING: Longing To Hold You Again/ THE TENNESSEE DRIFTERS: Honest Heart/ GEORGE TOON: Old Mellow Moon/ GABE TUCKER: Streamlined Country Girl/ ANDY WILSON: Faded Love/ JIM WILSON: Big Fat Mama/ MAC WISEMAN: Kentuckian Song/ JIMMY WORK: Diggin' My Own Grave

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16094 The Bristol Sessions ● CD $144.98
One of the best and most important reissue of old time country music in many years. In July and August, 1927 RCA Victor held a series of sessions Bristol, Tennessee on the Tennessee/ Virginia border under the supervision of Victor talent scout Ralph Peer. These sessions featured the debut of two of the most important artists in early country music - Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family - artists whose music still resonates today. He returned in February 1928 to make more recordings. This series of sessions is often referred to as the "big bang of country music." Although the recordings of the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers are the most well known, more than a hundred other recordings were made at the Bristol sessions of 1927 and '28. There were ballad singers, street evangelists, string bands, gospel quartets, harmonica virtuosos, Holiness preachers, blues guitarists and rural storytellers. A snapshot of rural American music was caught in an era of rapid change: pictures of a past almost beyond recall, but preserved for ever in these magnificent recordings. -- The five CDs in this set gather every surviving recording from these sessions, including alternative takes. The accompanying 120-page, LP-sized hardcover book contains newly researched essays on the background to the sessions and on the individual artists, with many rare and unpublished photographs. Also included are complete song lyrics and a detailed discography, illustrated with reproductions of the original recording sheets. Among the many other artists featured were Ernest Stoneman (who had first recorded in 1925), Ernest Phipps & His Holiness Quartet (their complete recordings of superb gospel group), The Johnson Brothers, Blind Alfred Reed (the first recordings of this incredibly creative artist), El Watson (African-American harmonica player), Alfred G. Karnes (the complete recordings of this incredible gospel singer accompanying himself on the rare harp-guitar), Henry Whitter, The Shelor Family, The Tenneva Ramblers (a string band that Jimmie Rodgers had previously been a member of), Uncle Eck Dunford, Stamps Quartet, Tarter and Gay and many others.
THE ALCOA QUARTET: I'm Redeemed/ Remember Me, O Mighty One/ MR. & MRS. J.W. BAKER: On The Banks Of The Sunny Tennessee/ The Newmarket Wreck/ THE BLUE RIDGE CORN SHUCKERS: Old Time Corn Shuckin', Part 1/ Old Time Corn Shuckin', Part 2/ THE BULL MOUNTAIN MOONSHINERS: Johnny Goodwin/ THE CAROLINA TWINS: I Sat Upon The River Bank/ Mr. Brown, Here I Come/ New Orleans Is The Town I Like Best/ She Tells Me That I Am Sweet/ When You Go A'Courtin'/ Where Is My Mamma?/ THE CARTER FAMILY: Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow/ Little Log Cabin By The Sea/ Single Girl, Married Girl/ The Poor Orphan Child/ The Storms Are On The Ocean/ The Wandering Boy/ UNCLE ECK DUNFORD: Angeline, The Baker/ Old Shoes And Leggin's/ Skip To Ma Lou, My Darling/ The Whip-poor-will's Song/ Barney McCoy/ What Will I Do, For My Money's All Gone/ CLARENCE GREENE: Good-night Darling/ Little Bunch Of Roses/ HOWARD & PEAK (THE BLIND MUSICIANS): I Cannot Be Your Sweetheart/ Three Black Sheep/ THE JOHNSON BROTHERS: A Passing Policeman/ I Want To See My Mother (Ten Thousand Miles Away)/ Just A Message From Carolina/ The Jealous Sweetheart (take 1)/ The Jealous Sweetheart (take 2)/ The Soldier's Poor Little Boy/ Two Brothers Are We/ ALFRED G. KARNES: Called To The Foreign Field/ Do Not Wait 'Till I'm Laid 'Neath The Clay/ I Am Bound For The Promised Land/ The Days Of My Childhood Plays/ To The Work/ We Shall All Be Reunited/ When They Ring The Golden Bells/ Where We'll Never Grow Old/ J.P. NESTER: Black-Eyed Susie/ Train On The Island/ THE PALMER SISTERS: He'll Be With Me/ Help Me To Find The Way/ Singing The Story Of Grace/ We'll Sing On That Shore/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS SINGERS: A Little Talk With Jesus/ Bright Tomorrow/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS QUARTET: Do, Lord, Remember Me/ Don't Grieve After Me/ Happy In Prison/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS SINGERS: I Know That Jesus Set Me Free/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS QUARTET: I Want To Go Where Jesus Is/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS SINGERS: If The Light Has Gone Out In Your Soul/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS QUARTET: Jesus Getting Us Ready For That Great Day/ Old Ship Of Zion/ ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS SINGERS: Shine On Me/ Went Up In The Clouds Of Heaven/ BLIND ALFRED REED: I Mean To Live For Jesus/ The Wreck Of The Virginian (take 1)/ The Wreck Of The Virginian (take 2)/ Walking In The Way With Jesus (take 1)/ Walking In The Way With Jesus (take 2)/ You Must Unload/ SHORTBUCKLE ROARK & FAMILY: I Truly Understand, You Love Another Man/ My Mother's Hands/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Sleep Baby Sleep/ The Soldier's Sweetheart/ THE SHELOR FAMILY: Big Bend Gal/ Billy Grimes, The Rover/ Sandy River Belle (take 1)/ Sandy River Belle (take 2)/ Suzanna Gal/ B.F. SHELTON: Cold Penitentiary Blues/ Darling Cora/ Oh Molly Dear/ Pretty Polly/ THE SMITH BROTHERS: My Mother Is Waiting For Me In Heaven Above/ She Has Climbed The Golden Stair/ THE SMYTH COUNTY RAMBLERS: My Name Is Ticklish Reuben/ Way Down In Alabama/ THE STAMPS QUARTET: Because I Love Him/ Come To The Savior/ Do Your Best, Then Wear A Smile/ I'll Be Happy/ Like The Rainbow/ We Shall Reach Home/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN & E. KAHLE BREWER: Tell Mother I Will Meet Her/ The Dying Girl's Farewell/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN & HIS DIXIE MOUNTAINEERS: Are You Washed In The Blood?/ I Am Resolved (take 1)/ I Am Resolved (take 2)/ I Know My Name Is There/ No More Good-Byes/ Sweeping Through The Gates/ The Resurrection (take 1)/ The Resurrection (take 2)/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN & MISS IRMA FROST: Midnight On The Stormy Deep/ The Mountaineer's Courtship/ THE STONEMAN FAMILY: Going Up The Mountain After Liquor, Part 1/ Going Up The Mountain After Liquor, Part 2/ The Broken-Hearted Lover/ The Spanish Merchant's Daughter/ Too Late/ We Parted By The Riverside/ ERNEST STONEMAN'S DIXIE MOUNTAINEERS: Down To Jordan And Be Saved/ There's A Light Lit Up In Galilee/ TARTER & GAY: Brownie Blues/ Unknown Blues/ THE TENNESSEE MOUNTAINEERS: At The River/ Standing On The Promises/ THE TENNEVA RAMBLERS: Miss 'Liza, Poor Gal/ Sweet Heaven When I Die/ The Longest Train I Ever Saw/ EL WATSON: Narrow Gauge Blues/ Pot Licker Blues/ THE WEST VIRGINIA COON HUNTERS: Greasy String/ Your Blue Eyes Run Me Crazy/ HENRY WHITTER: Henry Whitter's Fox Chase/ Rain Crow Bill

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16397 Odd Couples - What Were They Thinking? ● CD $21.98
20 tracks, 57 mins, recommended
This collection is on par with the great "Celebrities At Their Worst" compilations that came out about 20 years ago. In other words, this is full of talented artists doing material that is out of their wheelhouse in a lot of cases with the artists matched up in the oddest of combinations. So, you get such odd and entertaining recordings like Eddy Arnold & Esquivel doing Someone To Watch Over Me, Perry Como & The Sons of The Pioneers doing Tumbling Tumbleweeds, and Red Foley & Cecil Gant doing Paging Mister Jackson. Red Foley is also paired with Roberta Lee and Evelyn Knight, Eddy Arnold is also paired off with Hugo Winterhalter, and then The Sons of The Pioneers also get paired with Ezio Penza and The Fontaine Sisters. This is all pretty heady stuff. Tennessee Ernie Ford is paired up with a few different artists, as are Los Indios Tabajaras! My favorites in the batch have to be Lotte Lenya & Louis Armstrong teaming up on Mack The Knife (two versions, one complete, one with studio starts and stops,) and then Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Red Foley on Have A Little Talk With Jesus. Bear Family include all the recording info as well as the stories behind these sessions, and what stories they are! (JM)
EDDY ARNOLD & ESQUIVEL: Someone To Watch Over Me/ EDDY ARNOLD & HUGO WINTERHALTER: Cattle Call/ ROSEMARY CLOONEY & GEORGE MORGAN: You're The Only One For Me/ PERRY COMO & THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: Tumbling Tumbleweeds/ RED FOLEY & CECIL GANT: Paging Mister Jackson/ RED FOLEY & EVELYN KNIGHT: Idle Rumors/ RED FOLEY & ROBERTA LEE: Night Train To Memphis/ THE FONTANE SISTERS & THE SONS OF THE PIONEE: The Handsome Stranger/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & DINNING SISTERS: Rock City Boogie/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & ELLA MAE MORSE: I'm Hog-Tied Over You/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & HELEN O'CONNELL: Hey Good Lookin'/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & KAY STARR: Oceans Of Tears/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD & MOLLY BEE: Don't Start Courtin' In A Hot Rod/ DON GIBSON & LOS INDIOS TABAJARAS: I Can't Tell My Heart That/ My Adobe Hacienda/ LOTTE LENYA & LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Mack The Knife/ Mack The Knife (session)/ EZIO PINZA & THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: The Little Ol' State Of Texas/ DINAH SHORE & GEORGE MORGAN: The Shoe Is On The Other Foot Tonight/ SISTER ROSETTA THARPE & RED FOLEY: Have A Little Talk With Jesus

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16532 You Oughtta See My Fanny Dance ● CD $24.98
1-CD Digipac with 52-page booklet, 31 tracks. Playing time approx. 84 minutes. Incredibly, after all these years, there's still some prime unissued Western Swing to be heard... this collection proves it! Spanning 1935-42, this exciting collection brings together thirty-one previously unissued recordings by the giants of Western Swing's golden age: Bob Wills, Adolph Hofner, Roy Newman, and others! Some of these titles were probably withheld because they were too risqué! These days, they sound like the most fun ever had on record! Sidemen include country legends like Leon McAuliffe and Moon Mullican!
AL DEXTER: She Can't Be Satisfied/ SLIM HARBERT: Around The Corner At Smokey Joe's/ Don't Check Out On Me/ Fruit Wagon Gal/ Honey This Time I'm Gone/ I've Got Enough Of Your Foolin'/ Look Who's Squawkin'/ Who Comes In At My Back Door/ THE HI FLYERS: I'm Doing It Too/ ADOLPH HOFNER: For The One I Love Is You/ Let's Count The Stars/ Rose Of The Alamo/ ROY NEWMAN: Nagasaki/ Out Of Place/ THE NITE OWLS: You Ought To See My Fanny Dance/ DICK REINHART: Hash House Hattie/ LEON SELPH: If You Should Go Away/ In My Dreams/ Now That You Have Gone/ She's Gone Away/ Some Day/ Tell Me If You Love Me/ When You Smile/ OCIE STOCKARD: Gee/ Hold Me Daddy/ I Don't Know Nothin' About Lovin'/ I'll Forget You Bye And Bye/ Lovin' Baby Blues/ You Turned Me Down/ BOB WILLS: La Paloma/ Sittin' On Top Of The World

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16638 Stickbuddy Jamboree ● CD $21.98
30 tracks, recommended
First of two discs documenting the recordings at the Delta Recording studio in Jackson, Mississippi under the guidance of studio engineer and music promoter Jimmie Ammons who set up his studio in a converted garage next to a cow pasture! This disc features 30 tracks of hillbilly, country boogie, rockabilly and mainstream country recorded between 1953 and the late '60s. Contains 14 incredibly rare 78 rpm discs from the '50s and two rare 45s from the '60s issued as custom pressings. Most of the performers are local obscure country bands from the Jackson area including the Mississippi Melody Boys, the Country Cowboys, the Home Towners, Kay Kellum's Dixie Ramblers, and Rick Richardson. There are some good performances here but much of the music is fairly pedestrian. The two most well known artists here are Warner Mack on his first (unissued) side - a fine rockabilly rendition of Baby Let's House based on the Elvis version and the last recording (also unissued - with good reason) by Jimmy Swan. There are four rather nondescript tracks by unidentified artists! The 52-page booklet by Martin Hawkins contains the first ever retrospective of the career of studio engineer and music promoter Jimmie Ammons, and the artists he issued on his Delta label and other labels. The booklet also contains many previously-unseen photographs. It's a shame that most of the music isn't up to the standard of production here. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16892 Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight - From The Vaults Of Sage & Sand ● CD $21.98
1-CD Digipac with 52-page booklet, 34 tracks. Playing time approx. 74 minutes. Long overdue retrospective of a forgotten West Coast label Sage & Sand Records. The label operated from an upstairs office on Hollywood Boulevard near Capitol Records, but only scored one hit in the fifteen years it was in existence. It recorded an eclectic mix of hillbilly, western, and rockabilly, and the best of the uptempo country recordings are featured here (the best of the rockabilly recordings are on the companion volume, 'That'll Flat Git It', Sage & Sand, BCD 16838 - $21.98). It includes alternative country stars like Whitey Pullen, Jenks Tex Carman, the Georgia Crackers, Lonnie Barron, and many more! Plus the guitar wizardry of Roy Lanham! Booklet has detailed notes and artist biographies by Colin Escott along with many previously unseen photos!
HI-WAYNE & HAL (THE FRONTIERSMEN) : Hi-Pardner/ WALLY & DON : Just Play The Jukebox/ TEX ATCHISON: Mailman/ LONNIE BARRON: Go On- It's OK/ STERLING BLYTHE: Everybody Knows/ It's Too Late For Crying/ Nothing But The Night/ BOBBY BOBO: Doggone Longgone Blues (sic)/ JENKS TEX CARMAN: Lonesome Train/ The Wild And Woolly West/ EDDIE DEAN: Impatient Blues/ Rock & Roll Cowboy/ GOLDIE FIELDS: Mr. Sun/ No Time For Love/ What Do You Do With A Memory/ THE GEORGIA CRACKERS: Hangover Boogie/ Sunday Down In Tennessee/ OSCAR HART WITH THE HART-TONES: Fender Bender/ ROME JOHNSON: Truck Driver Blues/ Wild Desire/ OKIE JONES: Could You-Would You/ WHITEY KNIGHT: Big Glass Of Wine/ BOBBY LILE: Don't You Believe It/ Too Many Secrets/ RED MARTIN: Keep A Movin'/ JACK MORRIS: Glad I'm Looking Back On You/ Stop Teasin' Me/ AL MUNIZ: Seven Come Eleven/ DOYE O'DELL: Everybody Likes A Little Lovin'/ WHITEY PULLEN: Crazy In Love/ I'm Beggin' Your Pardon/ BUD TITUS: Hocus Pocus/ CHARLIE WILLIAMS: House On A Hill/ LES YORK: I'll Cry Again Tomorrow

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16966 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music, 1961 ● CD $24.98
The fourth set of releases in this great series from Bear Family featuring some of country music's greatest recordings on a year by year basis starting with 1945 and ending in 1970. These five new volumes covering 1951 through 1955. Each volume has 31 or 32 tracks tracks - mostly chart hits but in a few cases the compilers have chosen the original version of a country favorite which may have become a hit for someone else or had a big influence. Being Bear Family the sound quality is as good as it gets - remastered from original tapes or masters wherever possible. Each CD is presented in a small hardbound book with 72 pages of biographical and discographical info, rare photos and label shots.
Picking up the story in 1961 this volume includes original versions of classic hits and also includes neglected classics and shoulda been hits like Claude Gray's I'll Just Have A Cup Of Coffee (covered by Bob Marley in 1962!), Wynn Stewart's Big Big Love (now a TV commercial song), Billy Walker's original recording of Wilie Nelson's 'Funny (How Time Slips Away) plus Marty Robbins' great Don't Worry which, due to amplifier problems, featured the first fuzz tone guitar solo on record and more from Bill Anderson, Buck Owens, Jim Reeves, CLaude King, Moon Mullican, Webb Pierce, Rusty & Doug Kershaw and many more. As a bonus it includes Gloria Lambert's Each Time I Hear which was sequel to Marty's Don't Worry.
BILL ANDERSON: Po' Folks/ JOHNNY CASH: Tennessee Flat Top Box/ PATSY CLINE: Crazy/ I Fall to Pieces/ JIMMY DEAN: Big Bad John/ BOBBY EDWARDS: You're the Reason/ DON GIBSON: Sea of Heartbreak/ CLAUDE GRAY: I'll Just Have a Cup of Coffee (Then I'll Go)/ My Ears Should Burn (When Fools Are Talked About)/ WANDA JACKSON: Right or Wrong/ GEORGE JONES: Tender Years/ RUSTY & DOUG KERSHAW: Diggy Liggy Lo/ Louisiana Man/ CLAUDE KING: Big River, Big Man/ GLORIA LAMBERT: Each Time I Hear (Don't Worry)/ ROGER MILLER: When Two Worlds Collide/ MOON MULLICAN: Ragged but Right/ BUCK OWENS: Foolin' Around/ Under the Influence of Love/ WEBB PIERCE: Sweet Lips/ RAY PRICE: Heart Over Mind/ JIM REEVES: Losing Your Love/ TEX RITTER: I Dreamed of a Hill/ MARTY ROBBINS: Don't Worry/ It's Your World/ WYNN STEWART: Big, Big Love/ LEROY VAN DYKE: Walk On By/ PORTER WAGONER: Your Old Love Letters/ BILLY WALKER: Funny (How Time Slips Away)/ KITTY WELLS: Heartbreak USA/ FARON YOUNG: Hello Walls

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16967 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music, 1962 ● CD $24.98
This volume kicks off with Hank Snow's tongue twisting hit I've Been Everywhere and ends the original Australian version of the songs (with Australian place names by Lucky Starr) and along the way we hear George Jones with She Thinks I Still Care, Lonesome Number One by Don Gibson, Mama Sang A Song by Bill Anderson, Anita Carter's original recordings of Ring Of Fire plus gems from James O'Gwynn, Ray Price, Bill Walker, Ned Miller, Buck Owens, Marty Robbins and more. It also includes Loretta Lynn's chart hit Success which was covered in 1992 by Sinead O'Connor.
REX ALLEN: Don't Go Near The Indians/ BILL ANDERSON: Mama Sang a Song/ CARL BUTLER: Don't Let Me Cross Over/ ANITA CARTER: (Love's) Ring of Fire/ PATSY CLINE: She's Got You/ So Wrong/ HANK COCHRAN: Sally Was a Good Old Girl/ JIMMY DEAN: PT 109/ FLATT & SCRUGGS: The Ballad of Jed Clampett/ DON GIBSON: Lonesome Number One/ STONEWALL JACKSON: A Wound Time Can't Erase/ GEORGE JONES: A Girl I Used to Know/ She Thinks I Still Care/ CLAUDE KING: Wolverton Mountain/ LORETTA LYNN: Success/ NED MILLER: From a Jack to a King/ WILLIE NELSON: Touch Me/ JAMES O'GWYNN: My Name Is Mud/ BUCK OWENS: Kickin' Our Hearts Around/ LITTLE ESTHER PHILLIPS: Release Me/ WEBB PIERCE: Crazy Wild Desire/ RAY PRICE: Pride/ JIM REEVES: Adios Amigo/ MARTY ROBBINS: Devil Woman/ Ruby Ann/ HANK SNOW: I've Been Everywhere/ LUCKY STARR: I've Been Everywhere (original Australian version)/ WYNN STEWART: Another Day, Another Dollar/ PORTER WAGONER: Misery Loves Company/ BILLY WALKER: Charlie's Shoes/ SHEB WOOLEY: That's My Pa

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16968 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music, 1963 ● CD $24.98
32 more country gems - this time from 1963 opening with Bobby Bare's Detroit City and closing with Billy Grammer's original recording of the song as I Wanna Go Home. There's also Leavin' On Your Mind by Patsy Cline, Talk Back Trembling Lips by Ernie AshworthAct Naturally by Buck Owens, the full length LP version of Ray Price's rendition of Night Life plus Johnny & Jonie Moseby, Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, Skeets McDonald, Johnny Cash and many more delights.
BILL ANDERSON: 8x10/ Still/ ERNEST ASHWORTH: Talk Back Trembling Lips/ BOBBY BARE: Detroit City/ Five Hundred Miles Away From Home/ JOE CARSON: I Gotta Get Drunk (And I Shore Do Dread It)/ JOHNNY CASH: Busted/ Ring Of Fire/ PATSY CLINE: Leavin' On Your Mind/ Sweet Dreams (Of You)/ SKEETER DAVIS: The End of the World/ DAVE DUDLEY: Six Days on the Road/ BILLY GRAMMER: I Wanna Go Home/ GEORGE HAMILTON IV: Abilene/ DAVID HOUSTON: Mountain Of Love/ STONEWALL JACKSON: B.J. The D.J./ GEORGE JONES: Not What I Had In Mind/ GRANDPA JONES: T For Texas/ GEORGE JONES & MELBA MONTGOMERY: Let's Invite Them Over/ We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds/ LORETTA LYNN: Before I'm Over You/ SKEETS MCDONALD: Call Me Mr. Brown/ JOHNNY & JONIE MOSBY: Don't Call Me from a Honky Tonk/ BUCK OWENS: Act Naturally/ Love's Gonna Live Here/ RAY PRICE: Night Life/ Walk Me to the Door/ MARTY ROBBINS: Begging To You/ HANK SNOW: Ninety Miles an Hour (Down A Dead End Street)/ ERNEST TUBB: Thanks a Lot/ FARON YOUNG: The Yellow Bandana

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16969 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music, 1964 ● CD $24.98
1964 brings us two versions of the powerful song about the treatment of Native Americans - The Ballad Of Ira Hayes - the original by Native American songwriter Peter LaFarge and Johnny Cash's #3 country hit of the song. There's also Saginaw, Michigan by Lefty Frizzell, My Heart Skips A Beat by Buck Owens, Sorrow On The Rocks by Porter Wagoner plus sides from JIm Reeves, Jimmy Martin (a rare bluegrass hit), Norma Jean, Billy Walker, Connie Smith and more.
BOBBY BARE: Four Strong Winds/ JOHNNY CASH: Ballad of Ira Hayes/ It Ain't Me Babe/ Understand Your Man/ PATSY CLINE: He Called Me Baby/ JIM EEVES: I Guess I'm Crazy/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: Saginaw, Michigan/ MERLE HAGGARD: Sing a Sad Song/ STONEWALL JACKSON: Don't Be Angry/ NORMA JEAN: Go Cat, Go/ GEORGE JONES: The Race Is On/ PETER LAFARGE: The Ballad of Ira Hayes/ LORETTA LYNN: Wine, Women and Song/ WARNER MACK: Sittin' in an All Night Cafe/ JIMMY MARTIN: Widow Maker/ ROGER MILLER: Chug-A-Lug/ Dang Me/ BUCK OWENS: I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)/ My Heart Skips a Beat/ Together Again/ WEBB PIERCE: Memory #1/ RAY PRICE: Burning Memories/ JIM REEVES: Welcome to My World/ CONNIE SMITH: Once a Day/ PORTER WAGONER: I'll Go Down Swinging/ Sorrow on the Rocks/ BILLY WALKER: Cross the Brazos at Waco/ CHARLIE WALKER: Close All the Honky Tonks/ DOTTIE WEST: Here Comes My Baby/ BILLY EDD WHEELER: Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back/ HANK WILLIAMS, JR: Long Gone Lonesome Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16970 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music, 1965 ● CD $24.98
This volume brings us to 1965 and includes the original recording of Things Have Gone To Pieces by Leon Payne along with George Jones's hit version. Jim Reeves is present with one of his many posthumous hits Is It Really Over and Johnny Wright topped the charts with his flag-waving Hello Vietnam written by Tom T. Hall. ROger Miller is here with King Of The Road, Porter Wagoner with Green, Green Grass Of Home, Marty Robbins with Ribbon Of Darkness plus Buck Owens, Lefty Frizzell, Johnny Bonds, The Statler Brothers, Merle Haggard, Dave Dudley and more.
EDDY ARNOLD: Make the World Go Away/ CHET ATKINS: Yakety Axe/ BOBBY BARE: It's Alright/ CARL BELEW: Crystal Chandelier/ JOHNNY BOND: Ten Little Bottles/ DICK CURLESS: A Tombstone Every Mile/ JIMMY DICKENS: May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose/ ROY DRUSKY & PRISCILLA MITCHELL: Yes Mr. Peters/ DAVE DUDLEY: Truck Drivin' Son of a Gun/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: She's Gone, Gone, Gone/ MERLE HAGGARD: (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers/ STONEWALL JACKSON: I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water/ NORMA JEAN: I Wouldn't Buy a Used Car from Him/ GEORGE JONES: Love Bug/ Things Have Gone to Pieces/ LORETTA LYNN: Blue Kentucky Girl/ WARNER MACK: the Bridge Washed Out/ ROGER MILLER: Kansas City Star/ King of the Road/ BUCK OWENS: Before You Go/ I've Got a Tiger by the Tail/ JOHNNY PAYCHECK: A-11/ LEON PAYNE: Things Have Gone to Pieces/ COUNTRY CHARLEY PRIDE: Snakes Crawl At Night/ DEL REEVES: Girl on the Billboard/ JIM REEVES: Is It Really Over/ MARTY ROBBINS: Ribbon of Darkness/ THE STATLER BROTHERS: Flowers on the Wall/ ERNEST TUBB: Waltz Across Texas/ PORTER WAGONER: Green, Green Grass of Home/ JOHNNY WRIGHT: Hello Vietnam

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus CAFS 1 Fire On The Strings - Blazing Hot Hillbilly Instros 1 ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended
If you like hot country electric guitar picking and soaring steel guitar then I have just the disc for you. The first in a new series from Cactus devoted to country instrumentals this volume features artists who recorded for major labels and features performers recording for major labels. There are great solo performers like Joe Maphis (three tracks including a duet with Larry Collins), Merle Travis, Arthur Smith, Jimmy Bryant, Hank Garland, etc; bands that are best known as backup bands for vocalists - The Country Boys (Jimmy Dickens), The Tunesmiths (Carl Smith) and The Drifting Cowboys (Hank Williams) and groups like Jerry Byrd & The String Dusters, The Country All Stars (an all star studio group featuring Chet Atkins, Jerry Byrd and Homer & Jethro!), Cecil Campbell's Tennessee Ramblers and others. Most of the tracks focus on electric and steel guitar but one track by Jimmie Skinner's band features some great electric mandolin work from Ray Lunsford. A great collection with superb sound and no notes. (FS)
JIMMY BRYANT: The Night Rider/ JERRY BYRD: Texas Play Boy Rag/ CECIL CAMPBELL: Carolina Steel Guitar/ Steel Guitar Jamboree/ SANDY COKER: Gitfiddle Rag/ SPADE COOLEY: Oklahoma Stomp/ THE COUNTRY ALL STARS: Sweet Georgia Brown/ Tennessee Rag/ THE COUNTRY BOYS: Buddy's Boogie/ Raisin' The Dickens/ THE DRIFTING COWBOYS: Mud Hut/ Swing Shift/ Swing Shift Boogie/ HANK GARLAND: Seventh & Union/ BUD ISAACS: Steelin' Away/ PEE WEE KING: Dragnet/ JOE MAPHIS: Fire On The Strings/ Flying Fingers/ Rockin' Gypsy/ LES PAUL: Guitar Boogie/ HERB REMINGTON: Julida Polka/ JIMMIE SKINNER FEAT RAY LUNSFORD: Carroll County Blues/ ARTHUR SMITH: Buzz-Saw/ THE TUNESMITHS: Outlaw/ Snowdeer

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus MERCD 4 Mercury Hillbilly, Volume 4 ● CD $15.98
32 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended
Another splendid collection of uptempo honky tonk recorded in the early and mid 50s for Mercury. It starts off in fine form with Louie Innis and his fine I've Got A Red Hot Love and ending with the hot guitar instrumental Curley's Boogie from Curley Allen. Along the way we hear from Bill Wimberly, Benny Barnes (fine and underrated Texas honky tonk singer), Jimmy Dean (the great Nothing Can Stop My Love), Jim Eanes, Lulu Belle & Scotty (the great old time flavored Tied Down), Benny Martin, The Carlisles (a couple of novelty numbers), Eddie Hill (two fine sides with hot guitar), Jimmy Minor (the intriguing Satan's Chauffeur), Chuck Reed and others. A good 'un. (FS)
CURLY ALLEN: Curly's Boogie/ BETTY AMOS: (My Baby Don't Love Me) No More/ I Will For You/ BENNY BARNES: Mine All Mine/ GARY BRYANT: My Kind Of Girl/ THE CARLISLES: It's Bedtime Bill/ Nine Have Tried/ JIMMY DEAN: Nothin' Can Stop My Lovin' You/ JIM EANES: Settle Down/ TIBBY EDWARDS: Long Time Gone/ GEORGE & EARL: Goin' Steady With The Blues/ Take A Look At My Darlin'/ EDDIE HILL: Educated Fool/ Fire- Ball Eight/ TINY HILL: Pick Up Truck/ JOHNNY HORTON: Hey, Sweet, Sweet Thing/ LOUIE INNIS: I Grabbed For The Engine (& Caught The Caboose)/ I've Got A Red Hot Love/ GEORGE JONES: Too Much Water/ ERNIE LEE: Don't Think It Ain't Been Fun, Dear ‘Cause It Ain't/ LULU BELLE & SCOTTY: Tied Down/ BENNY MARTIN: Who Put Those Tears In Your Eyes/ DUDE MARTIN: I've Turned A Gadabout/ JIMMY MINOR: Satan's Chauffeur/ EDDIE NOACK: Shotgun House/ PAUL & ROY: Wicked Love/ CHUCK REED: Ba-a-by/ I'm Gonna Get Some Sleep Tonight/ JIMMIE SKINNER: No Fault Of Mine/ Where My Sweet Baby Goes/ BILL WIMBERLY: At The Old Town Hall/ Ole Mister Cottontail

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus KINCD 5 King Hillbilly, Vol. 5 ● CD $15.98
30 tracks, highly recommended
Another great collection of uptempo hillbilly, bluegrass and country gospel drawn from the vast output of the King label. Except for a few dumb novelty numbers the standard is very high. The set opens up with Lattie Moore's terrific Latin flavored Under A Mexico Moon and ends with the hard driving instrumental Hot Strings by The Country Cats featuring the steel guitar of Jerry Byrd. Along the way we hear Ann Jones (the great Hi-Ballin' Daddy), Mac Odell (two fine songs including the terrific country gospel number Be On Time), Don Reno & Red Smiley, Wayne Raney (two superb performances), Moon Mullican (the original version of the classic Cherokee Boogie), Ramblin' Tommy Scottt, Grandpa Jones (two songs including a terrific version of the old minstrel song Chicken Don't Roost Too HIgh), Joe Wheeler (obscure but excellent honky tonk singer), Bill Franklin (the fascinating gospel song The Moon's No Stopping Place For Me) and more. (FS)
JACK CARDWELL: Diddle Diddle Dumpling/ CHICK & HIS HOT RODS: Jimmy Caught The Dickens/ COWBOY COPAS: Look What I Got/ THE COUNTRY CATS: Hot Strings/ THE DELMORE BROTHERS: That Old Train/ BILL FRANKLIN: That Moon's No Stopping Place For Me/ CHARLIE GORE: It's A Long Walk Back To Town/ LOUIE INNIS: She Rurn't It/ ANN JONES: Hi-Ballin' Daddy/ GRANDPA JONES: Chicken Don't Roost Too High/ Happy Little Home In Arkansas/ LUKE MCDANIEL: One More Heart/ LATTIE MOORE: Under A Mexico Moon/ MOON MULLICAN: Cherokee Boogie/ MAC ODELL: Be On Time/ Penicillin/ JIMMIE OSBORNE: Mama Don't Agree/ RED PERKINS: One At A Time/ WAYNE RANEY: Fallin'/ We Love To Live/ DON RENO & RED SMILEY: Barefoot Nellie/ RAMBLIN' TOMMY SCOTT: Come On Gimmie Some Lovin'/ What Do You Know, I Love Her/ THE SWANEE RIVER BOYS: Gloryland Boogie/ JIMMY THOMASON: I Oughta Bust Out & Love You/ ZEB TURNER: Jersey Rock/ WANDA WAYNE: Catch Your Lover/ Turn Your Fire Down/ JOE WHEELER: Out Of The Skillet & Into The Fire/ LES YORK: You Get Mad

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus KINCD 6 King Hillbilly, Vol. 6 ● CD $15.98
30 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
30 more gems from the King catalog recorded in the late 40s and early 50s. King's owner Syd Nathan was a great believer in recycling songs having his country artists do some of the more popular songs of its R&B artists and vice versa and there are a couple here - Charlie Gore's fine rendition of Champion Jack Dupree's Stumbling Block and a rather anaemic rendition of The Dominoes Sixty Minute Man. Gore's other track here All My Love Up And Died is a honky tonk gem. Other artists here include Wayne Raney, Red Perkins, Moon Mullican (two songs including a version of Memphis Minnie's What's The Matter With The Mill which was also recorded by Bob Wills), Mac Odell (a gorgeous uptempo rendition of Wildwood Flower), Ramblin' Tommy Scott, The Delmore Brothers, Ann Jones (an excellent Too Old To Cut The Mustard), Bob Newman and others. Great stuff! (FS)
BILLY BARTON: Do You Love Me, Do You Love Me/ JACK CARDWELL: I Can't Make Up My Mind/ I'm Gonna Write A Song About You/ THE DELMORE BROTHERS: Good Time Saturday Night/ Got No Way Of Knowing/ CHARLIE GORE: All My Love Up & Died/ Stumbling Block/ LOUIE INNIS: Sing Your Song Baby/ ANN JONES: Too Old To Cut The Mustard/ SHORTY LONG: Just Like Two Drops Of Water/ MOON MULLICAN: Rheumatism Boogie/ What's The Matter With The Mill/ BOB NEWMAN: Hangover Boogie/ Turtle Dovin'/ MAC ODELL: Wildwood Flower/ HANK PENNY: Save It For A Rainy Day/ RED PERKINS: A Long-Necked Bottle/ Hoe-Down Boogie/ WAYNE RANEY: Lost John Boogie (Overdubbed Version)/ Pardon My Whiskers/ DON RENO & RED SMILEY: Freight Train Boogie/ RAMBLIN' TOMMY SCOTT: Ain't Love Grand/ Free Again/ ZEB TURNER: You're My Cutie Pie/ JIMMY VERNON: Still Afraid Of Losing You/ WANDA WAYNE & BILLY BARTON: The Song You Just Played/ SKEETER WEBB: Your Secret's Not A Secret Anymore/ JOE WHEELER: Ain't That Just Like A Woman/ THE YORK BROTHERS: It Ain't No Good/ Sixty Minute Man

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus RCACD 7 RCA Hillbilly, Vol. 7 ● CD $15.98
32 up tempo hillbilly tracks from the RCA label. Like the later Capitol volumes this includes heavy dose of novelty numbers like Catch 'Em Young, Treat 'Em Rough, Tell 'Em Nothin' from feminist Hank Penny, Caffeine & Nicotine by Curtis Gordon, I Pulled A Boo Boo by Jimmy Martin and more. Other artists featured include JOhnny Lee Wills, Eddy Arnold, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Hank Snow, Homer & Jethro, Jimmy Murphy, Merv Shiner, Anita Carter, Eddie Marshall, Billy McGhee, etc.
EDDY ARNOLD: A Full Time Job/ CHARLINE ARTHUR: Soft Hearted Gal/ BILL BOYD: Come & Get It/ Mean Mean Mean/ ANITA CARTER: Right Way, Wrong Way/ THE COUNTRY PARDNERS: Ever-Ready Kisses/ THE DAVIS SISTERS: Gotta Git A-Goin'/ CURTIS GORDON: Caffeine & Nicotine/ HAWKSHAW HAWKINS: Car Hoppin' Mama/ EDDIE HILL: Slender Tender & Sweet/ Whittlin' On A Piece Of Wood/ HOMER & JETHRO: Alabama Jubilee/ JOHNNIE & JACK: So Lovely Baby/ GRANDPA JONES: Old Rattler's Son/ PEE WEE KING: Texas Toni Lee/ LONE PINE with BETTY CODY: Tom-Tom Yodel/ EDDIE MARSHALL: The Tom Cat Blues/ JIMMY MARTIN: I Pulled A Boo Boo/ KEN MARVIN: I Ain't Gonna Do Nothin'/ JIMMY MURPHY: Educated Fool/ BILLY McGHEE: Gamble Your Kisses With Somebody New/ HANK PENNY: Catch 'Em Young, Treat 'Em Rough, Tell 'Em Nothin'/ No Muss-No Fuss/ HAL "LONE" PINE: Don't Stop, I Like It/ From Paree To Tennessee/ MERV SHINER: Mister Sandman/ HANK SNOW: Ladies Man/ JIMMIE RODGERS SNOW: How Do You Think I Feel/ The Flame Of Love/ JACK TURNER: Gambler's Guitar/ BOBBY WILLIAMSON: My Gal Come From Heaven/ JOHNNIE LEE WILLS: Blackberry Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus CAPCD 8 Capitol Hillbilly, Vol. 8 ● CD $15.98
32 tracks, 79 mins, recommended
32 more fine uptempo sides from the Capitol catalog. This one doesn't have as many novelty songs as the past couple of volumes. It opens with the classic Oakie Boogie by Jack Guthrie plus more fine country boogie from Aubrey Gass, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Deuce Spriggins. Other artiusts include Rod Morris, Hylo Brown, Roy Hogsed, Skeets McDonald (the fine Baby, I'm Hurtin'), Joe Allison, Jimmie Dolan, Ferlin Huskey (two songs including Hank's Song - a song composed of Hank Williams song titles!), Jimmy Skinner (the splendid I Got A Lot Of Love Baby), Chester Smith (the great handclapping gospel song Bend Down), Tommy Collins, Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West (the dazzling Frettin' Fingers) and others.
ROY ACUFF: Night Train To Memphis/ Sunshine Special/ JOE ALLISON: A Brand New Broom/ What Happened To Our Summer Love/ FRED BAKER: I'll Make Up/ BOOTS & IDAHO: That's My Heart Talkin'/ HYLO BROWN: John Henry/ JIMMY BRYANT & SPEEDY WEST: Frettin' Fingers/ MARTHA CARSON: Singin' On The Other Side/ LEON CHAPPELL: I'm A Do-Rite Daddy/ TOMMY COLLINS: I'll Be Gone/ JIMMIE DOLAN: I Ain't Gonna Bring My Bacon Home To You/ Wine, Women & Pink Elephants/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: Catfish Boogie/ AUBREY GASS: Dear John/ K. C. Boogie/ JACK GUTHRIE: Oakie Boogie/ ROY HOGSED: Put Some Sugar In Your Shoes/ JACK HUNT: They Tell Me It's Wrong/ FERLIN HUSKEY: Hank's Song/ I Wouldn't Treat A Dog Like You're Treatin' Me/ THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: Childish Love/ SKEETS MCDONALD: Baby I'm Hurtin'/ ROD MORRIS: I'm Comin' Over Tonight/ OLE RASMUSSEN: Straighten Out Your Troubles (With The Lord)/ JERRY REED: Honey Chile/ JIMMIE SKINNER: I Got A Lot Of Love Baby/ CHESTER SMITH: Bend Down/ THE SMITH BROTHERS: I'm Gonna Shout/ DEUCE SPRIGGENS: Empty Hands, Empty Heart, Empty Pockets/ The Player Piano Boogie/ JESS WILLARD: Gonna Take That Fast Train

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus RCACD 8 RCA Hillbilly, Vol. 8 ● CD $15.98
32 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
This volume has a lot of great cuts starting off the set with Jack Turner's great country cover of Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog with hot accompaniment from Chet Atkins, Homer & Jethro and Jerry Byrd and the backing group appears as The Country All Stars on the fine Do Something. Porter Wagoner is here with two cuts including a great version of Hank's Settin' The Woods On Fire, Hank Snow's 1951 One More Ride was not a hit but should have been - a great songs with fine vocals, strong fiddle by Tommy Waden and some of Hank's acoustic guitar licks. Pee Wee King is here with two hard driving cuts with hot guitar and we have a couple of outstanding bluegrass cuts from The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and Jimmy Martin (his classic Chalk Up Another One). Other artists include Bobby Williamson, Hank Penny, Tommy Sands (fine uptempo honky tonk from future teen idol), Carson Robison (the fine Rotation Blues - a topical song about Korea), Jimmy Murphy (always excellent), Homer & Jethro, Grandpa Jones (two great sides), Johnny Lee Wills, Myrna Lorrie and others. Definitely one of the better ones in the series. (FS)
EDDY ARNOLD: I'm Gonna Lock My Heart/ ELTON BRITT: Rotation Blues/ COUNTRY ALL-STARS: Do Something/ CURTIS GORDON: Rocky Road Of Love/ HOMER & JETHRO: Child Psychology/ The West Virginny Hills/ GRANDPA JONES: T.V. Blues/ The Closer To The Bone/ PEE WEE KING: Going Back To A.L.A./ The Ghost & Honest Joe/ THE LONESOME PINE FIDDLERS: Honky Tonk Blues/ MYRNA LORRIE: That's What Sweethearts Do/ JIMMY MARTIN: Chalk Up Another One/ JOYCE MOORE: You Can't Kiss Me Too Soon/ JIMMY MURPHY: Ramblin' Heart/ NITA, RITA & RUBY: But I Love You Just The Same/ MINNIE PEARL: Me/ HANK PENNY: Taxes Taxes/ Fan It/ DAVE RICH: Ain't It Fine/ I'm Glad/ TEXAS JIM ROBERTSON: Jaw, Jaw, Yap, Yap, Yap!/ TOMMY SANDS: A Dime & A Dollar/ Love Pains/ HANK SNOW: One More Ride/ JACK TURNER: Hound Dog/ PORTER WAGONER: Hey Maw!/ Settin' The Woods On Fire/ TEX WILLIAMS: Sinful/ BOBBY WILLIAMSON: Steady Diet/ JOHNNIE LEE WILLS: Oo Oooh Daddy/ FLOYD WILSON: Baby, Baby Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Cactus RCACD 9 RCA Hillbilly, Vol. 9 ● CD $15.98
32 more uptempo honky tonkers from the RCA catalog with a heavy emphasis on novelty items including sides by Curtis Gordon, Jimmy Smith, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Pee Wee King, Anita Carter, Johnnie & Jack, The Sons Of The Pioneers, Hal "Lone" Pine, Jack Turner, Grandpa Jones, The Davis Sisters and others.
JIM BOYD: Truck Driver's Boogie/ THE BUCHANAN BROTHERS: Atomic Power/ ANITA CARTER: Freight Train Blues/ WILF CARTER: Wha Hoppen?/ BETTY CODY: Pale Moon/ THE DAVIS SISTERS: Baby Be Mine/ Rock-A-Bye Boogie/ THE GEORGIA CRACKERS: That's The Way It's Gotta Be/ CURTIS GORDON: Rompin' & Stompin'/ Tell 'Em No/ HAWKSHAW HAWKINS: It Would Be A Doggone Lie/ When You Say Yes/ HOMER & JETHRO: Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers Off Of Me/ JOHNNIE & JACK: You're Just What The Doctor Ordered/ GRANDPA JONES: The Trader/ PEE WEE KING: Quit Honkin' That Horn/ KEN MARVIN: Uh, Huh Honey/ DON MEEHAN: That Long, Long Road Of Love/ Triflin' Gal/ NITA, RITA & RUBY: At The Old Town Hall/ MINNIE PEARL: Jealous Hearted Me/ HANK PENNY: White Shotguns/ HAL 'LONE' PINE: Pretty As A Queen/ WADE RAY: Excuse Me/ I Need A Good Girl Bad/ JIMMY SMITH: Curb Service/ First Choice/ HANK SNOW: Honeymoon On A Rocket Ship/ Just Keep A-Movin'/ THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: Old Man Atom/ SUNSHINE RUBY: Datin'/ JACK TURNER: I'm Not Jealous (I'm Just Careful)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Columbia 9010 The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams ● CD $13.98
12 tracks, 37 mins, recommended
When Hank Williams died, he left behind a brown leather briefcase which he used to carry, among other things, bound notebooks. In these notebooks, he wrote down song ideas and lyrics; some were fully finished, some just started. From these four notebooks, an assortment of hand-picked artists-from the worlds of country, pop, and rock-selected lyrics to finish, put music to, and record. For anyone thinking that rock artists like Jack White, Jakob Dylan, and Sheryl Crow aren't capable of cutting country oriented material, well, I've got news for you: all the performers here toe the country line in the Hank tradition. Without any knowledge of what Williams had in mind for these songs, we only have what is put in front of us and the results range from Lucinda Williams' plaintive I'm So Happy I Found You to Bob Dylan's grizzly The Love That Faded. No song here is less than good, but only a few could be called great: the Vince Gill/Rodney Crowell duet, I Hope You Shed a Million Tears (so good that I could easily imagine Hank singing this himself); Levon Helm wrapping his still-golden voice around You'll Never Again Be Mine; and Merle Haggard at his gravelly best on The Sermon on the Mount - all three of these songs have the spirit of Hank running through every vocal inflection and every chord change. They are the real deal. Anyone who has purchased the Time Life Hank Williams box sets will very likely find this CD worth a listen. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 19 Never A Pal Like Mother ● CD $41.98
A tribute to mothers everywhere! 96-page hardback book featuring 65 antique photographs from such noted collectors as Sarah Bryan and Jim Linderman along with two CDs containing 40 vintage recordings from 1927-1956 - mostly country, blues and gospel along with a couple of ethnic recordings all on the subject of mothers. Artists include The Louvin Brothers, William McCoy, Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon', Wade Mainer, Robert Wilkins, The Carter Family, The Wright Brothers Quartet, Leo Soileau, Shortbuckle Roark & Family, Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies, The Virginia Possum Tamers, The Pilgrim Travelers, The McNulty Family and many more.
THE BLUE SKY BOYS: Mother Went Her Holiness Way/ MILTON BROWN & HIS MUSICAL BROWNIES: I've Got the Blues for Mammy/ LEON BUKASA: Masanga/ THE CAROLINA TWINS: Where Is My Momma?/ THE CARTER FAMILY: Hold Fast to the Right/ MIGHTY DESTROYER: Mother's Love/ THE DIAMOND FOUR: Sleep On, Mother/ THE DIXIELAND JUG BLOWERS: Only Mother Cares for Me/ REV. J. M. GATES: You Mother Heart Breakers/ THE GEORGIA YELLOW HAMMERS: The Picture on the Wall/ THE GOLDEN EAGLE GOSPEL SINGERS: Shake Mother's Hand for Me/ THE GOLDEN GATE JUBILEE QUARTET: Stand in the Test in Judgment/ MR. & MRS. HARMON E. HELMICK: Little Moses/ DOC HOPKINS: The Pal That s Always True/ FRANKIE HALF-PINT JAXON: Mama Don't Allow It/ REV. ANDERSON JOHNSON: If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again/ L. V. JONES & HIS VA SINGING CLASS: Will My Mother Know Me There?/ THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: God Bless Her, She's My Mother/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: Mama Says It's Naughty/ WADE MAINER: Mother Came to Get Her Boy from Jail/ LIL MCCLINTOCK: Mother Called Her Child to Her Dying Bed/ WILLIAM MCCOY: Mama Blues/ EARL MCDONALD'S ORIGINAL LOUISVILLE JUG BAND: Mama's Little Sunny Boy/ LONNIE MCINTORSH: Sleep On Mother, Sleep On/ THE MCNULTY FAMILY: Over the Hills and Far Away/ WASHINGTON PHILLIPS: A Mothers Last Word to Her Daughter/ Mother s Last Word to Her Son/ THE PILGRIM TRAVELERS: Mother Bowed/ SHORTBUCKLE ROARK & FAMILY: My Mother's Hands/ J. P. RYAN: Mother's Gone/ KID SMITH AND FAMILY: Whisper Softly, Mother's Dying/ LEO SOILEAU: Mama, Where You At?/ CECIL SURRATT & HIS W. VA RAMBLERS: The Bright Crystal Sea/ TAYLOR'S KENTUCKY BOYS: The Dixie Cowboy/ ELVIE THOMAS: Motherless Child Blues/ THE VIRGINIA POSSUM TAMERS: Tell Mother I'll Meet Her/ ROBERT WILKINS: That s No Way to Get Along/ BOB WILLS: Tie Me to Your Apron Strings Again/ THE WRIGHT BROTHERS QUARTET: Mother is with the Angels/ JAN WYSOWSKI: Kujawiak Babki-Grandmother's Dance

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 20 Listen To The Wind That Obliterates My Traces ● CD $45.98
Two CDs with 51 tracks with 184 page hardbound book., recommended
This gorgeous package brings together a collection of early photographs related to music, a group of 78rpm recordings, and short excerpts from various literary sources that are contemporary with the sound and images. The hard cover book is 184 pages with 150 great sepia toned photos of musicians and musical instruments. The two CDs are a mixed bag displaying a variety of recordings, including one-off amateur recordings, regular commercial releases, and early sound effects records. The commercial recordings are a mix of blues, old time country, spirituals and pop - some familiar and some making their first appearance on CD and range from fabulous (Alfred G. Karnes, Sylvester Weaver) to pretty mediocre ( John Jacob Niles, Roland Hayes). Other artists include Ernest Thompson, Nick Lucas, Bradley Kincaid, Ex-Governer Alf Taylor's Old Limber Quartet (very nice!), Kelly Harrell, Gabriel Brown, Frank Luther, Chubby Parker, Sol Hoopii's Novelty Trio, Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers and others. The anonymous home recordings are mostly mediocre and the sound effects are brief but not really relevant. The book also contains an essay by Steve Roden who culled his collection of photographs and recordings for this set. (FS)
Disc 1: 1. Wind - HMV WEATHER EFFECTS/ John Henry - JOHN JACOB NILES/ Untitled - ANONYMOUS/ Then We'll Need That True Religion - REVEREND EDWARD CLAYBORN/ In The Baggage Coach Ahead - ERNEST THOMPSON/ Blue Blazes Blues - EMERY GLEN/ Walking On Ice - GENNETT SOUND EFFECTS/ Kind Lovin' Blues - Clara Smith/ If You Hadn't Gone Away - NICK LUCAS/ Beautiful Mansion Of Gold - ANONYMOUS/ I See My Pretty Papa Standing On A Hill - EVA PARKER/ The Rosary - PALE K LUA/ Mocking Bird - GENNETT SOUND EFFECT/ Froggie Went A-Courting - BRADLEY KINKAID/ Damfino Stump - SYLVESTER WEAVER/ Montana Call - SEGER ELLIS/ When They Ring The Golden Bells - ALFRED G KARNES/ Mandolin Instrumental - ANONYMOUS/ The Stranger - ANONYMOUS/ Brother Noah Built An Ark - EX-GOVERNOR ALF TAYLOR'S OLD LIMBER QUARTET/ A Little Love A Little Kiss - ED LANG/ Canadian Geese - STANDARD RADIO SOUNDS EFFECT/ Reaching For The Moon - ROY SMECK'S TRIO/ I Want To Go Home - ROLAND HAYES/ The Old Grey Horse - OBED PICKARD OF STATION WSM, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Disc 2: Walking In Snow And Thin Underbrush - GENNETT SOUND EFFECT/ Rovin' Gambler - KELLY HARRELL/ I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy Behind - SARAH MARTIN & SYLVESTER WEAVER/ Pinin' Hawaii For You - FRANK FERERA'S HAWAIIANS/ Going My Way - GABRIEL BROWN AND HIS GUITAR/ Rainfall And Thunder - GENNETT SOUND EFFECT/ It Don't Do Nothing But Rain - LEW CHILDRE/ Graveyard Love - BERTHA IDAHO/ Pretty Polly - FRANK LUTHER/ Canary Birds: Several Hundred - GENNETT SOUND EFFECT/ Xango - ROLAND HAYES/ The Girl I Left Behind Me - DICK REINHERT/ Yes I Know - REV CALBERT & SISTER BILLIE HOLSTEIN/ Bib-A-Lollie-Boo - CHUBBIE PARKER/ Winnebago Love Song (Duet) - THURLOW LIEURANCE & CLEMENT BARONE/ My Good For Nuthin' Man - CLARA SMITH/ Stack O' Lee Blues - SOL HOOPII'S NOVELTY TRIO/ Losin' You - UKELELE IKE (CLIFF EDWARDS)/ William & Mary - MARC WILLIAMS/ Way Down Home - ANONYMOUS/ Night Noises - GENNETT SOUND EFFECT/ Ya Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Aroun' - GID TANNER & HIS SKILLET LICKERS WITH RILEY PUCKETT/ Cripple Creek & Sourwood Mountain - STOVEPIPE NO.1 (SAM JONES)/ Cowboy's Prayer - GOEBEL REEVES/ Precious Memorys (Sic) - BILL KEARNEY & EARL BUSH/ O Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie - CARL T SPRAGUE

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Early Country 26018 Early Country, Vol. 3 ● CD $8.98
22 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
On this collection you get some real old-timey Country, from back when there were fewer differences between Country music and the popular Jazz tunes of the time. Features early tracks by big names like Bob Wills -- Oozlin' Daddy Blues/ San Antonio Rose/ Time Changes Everything, and New San Antonio Rose - and Gene Autry -- South Of The Border/ You Are My Sunshine, and Deep In The Heart Of Texas. Then, many influential tracks by artists that aren't exactly household names, but most people certainly know their songs: Born To Lose by Ted Daffan, Milk Cow Blues by Johnny Lee Wills, and Pistol Packin Mama by Al Dexter. Then there are just some good old obscure tunes and artists, like Modern Mountaineers with Everybody's Truckin', Bill Nettles with Sugar Baby Blues, and The Texas Wanderers with Pipeliner Blues, All in all, a fine collection, chock full of tunes that are hard to find elsewhere. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 096 Western Swingin' ● CD $21.98
3 CDs, 85 tracks, 236 mins, highly recommended
This is one mother of a Western Swing collection, three CDs that are just packed with all the legends of the genre and many more who's names aren't as well known, but who still laid down some fantastic tracks. Bob Wills dominates the collection as he dominated the scene, with classics like Take Me Back To Tulsa/ Roly Poly/ New San Antonio Rose/ Stay A Little Longer, plus a dozen more. Spade, Pee Wee, Milton, are all here with their best, as are Al Dexter with Pistol Packin Mama, Hank Penny with Steel Guitar Stomp, The Light Crust Doughboys with Pussy, Pussy, Pussy (I'm certain that it is about a cat,) Hank Penny with Let Me Play With Your Poodle (not so sure that one is about a dog though.) Moon Mullican, Leon McAuliffe, Merle Travis, Ole Rasmussen, Bill Boyd, and so many more fine acts. This set is easily one of the best "Best Of" Western Swing collections that I have come across, three CDs just packed with nothing but great tunes. I consider this an essential purchase for those of you starting out listening to the genre, but highly recommended as well for those seasoned fans, for even though you will already have a lot of this, there are enough lesser compiled gems throughout that are sure to please. (JM)
LES 'CARROT TOP' ANDERSON & REDD HARPER: And I Shook/ JESSE ASHLOCK: My Bank Account Is Gone/ BILL BOYD & HIS COWBOY RAMBLERS: Mama Don't Like No Music/ MILTON BROWN & HIS BROWNIES: Down By The O-H-I-O/ Get Along, Cindy/ Some Of These Days/ St Louis Blues/ Taking Off/ The Hesitation Blues/ BROWN'S MUSICAL BROWNIES: Louise, Louise Blues/ CLIFF BRUNER'S TEXAS WANDERERS: Kangaroo Blues/ One Sweet Letter From You/ Sugar/ CECIL CAMPBELL & HIS TENNESSEE RAMBLERS: Rock And Roll Fever/ SPADE COOLEY & HIS ORCHESTRA: Crazy ‘Cause I Love You/ Detour/ Shame On You/ AL DEXTER & HIS TROOPERS: Pistol-Packin' Mama/ TOMMY DUNCAN & HIS WESTERN ALL STARS: Never No Mo' Blues/ TOMMY DUNCAN & THE MILLER BROTHERS: Hound Dog/ BOB DUNN & HIS VAGABONDS: Stompin' At The Honky Tonk/ BOB DUNN'S VAGABONDS: Mean Mistreater Blues/ HARTMAN'S HEART BREAKERS: Feels Good/ THE HI-FLYERS: Watcha Gonna Do?/ ADOLPH HOFNER & HIS TEXANS: Joe Turner Blues/ ROY HOGSED & HIS RAINBOW RIDERS: Cocaine Blues/ BUDDY JONES: She's A Hum-Dum Dinger/ ANN JONES & HER WESTERN SWEETHEARTS: Knockin' Blues/ THE JUBILEERS: The Right String But The Wrong Yo-Yo/ PEE WEE KING & HIS GOLDEN WEST COWBOYS: Rootie Tootie/ Slow Poke/ Tennessee Waltz/ BENNIE LEADERS: Hey, Miss Fannie/ THE LIGHT CRUST DOUGH BOYS: Pussy, Pussy, Pussy/ LEON MCAULIFFE: Take It Away, Leon/ Panhandle Rag/ MODERN MOUNTAINEERS: Everybody's Truckin'/ Pipe Liner's Blues/ BILL MOUNCE & THE SONS OF THE SOUTH: I've Found A New Baby/ MOON MULLICAN & THE SHOWBOYS: The Lonesome Hearted Blues/ HOYLE NIX: A Big Ball's In Cowtown/ W. LEE O'DANIEL & HIS LIGHTCRUST DOUGH BOYS: There'll Be Some Changes Made/ HANK PENNY: Let Me Play With Your Poodle/ Steel Guitar Stomp/ You Played On My Piano/ PORT ARTHUR JUBILEERS: Jeep's Blues/ OLE RASMUSSEN & HIS NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS: In The Mood/ WADE RAY & NOEL BOGGS: It's All Your Fault/ JIMMIE REVARD & HIS OKLAHOMA PLAYBOYS: It's A Long, Long Way To Tipperary/ BOB SKYLES & HIS SKYROCKETS: Rubber Dolly/ SONS OF THE WEST: Sally's Got A Wooden Leg/ OCIE STOCKARD & THE WANDERERS: Bass Man Jive/ THE SWIFT JEWEL COWBOYS: Fan It!/ You Gotta Ho-De-Ho (To Get Along With Me)/ HANK THOMPSON & HIS BRAZOS VALLEY BOYS: Good Rockin' Tonight/ FLOYD TILLMAN: Drivin' Nails In My Coffin/ MERLE TRAVIS: Divorce Me C.O.D./ THE TUNE WRANGLERS: She's Sweet (Ain't She Sweet)/ T. TEXAS TYLER & HIS OKLAHOMA MELODY BOYS: My Bucket's Got A Hole In It/ TEX WILLIAMS & HIS WESTERN CARAVAN: Artistry In Western Swing/ Never Trust A Woman/ Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)/ JOHNNIE LEE WILLS & HIS BOYS: Milk Cow Blues/ Rag Mop/ Too Long/ Whatcha Know, Joe?/ BOB WILLS & HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS: Big Beaver/ Brain Cloudy Blues/ Cherokee Maiden/ Corrine Corrina/ Faded Love/ New San Antonio Rose/ New Spanish Two-Step/ Roly Poly/ Rosetta/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Stay A Little Longer/ Steel Guitar Rag/ Sugar Moon/ Take Me Back To Tulsa/ Twin Guitar Special/ White Heat/ BILLY JACK WILLS & HIS WESTERN SWING BAND: I Don't Know/ SMOKY WOOD & HIS WOOD CHIPS: Keep On Truckin'/ SMOKY WOOD & THE WOODCHIPS: Woodchip Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 097 The Quiller Memorandum, Vol. 1 ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
This is a wonderful collection dedicated to the legendary songwriting team of Felice & Boudleaux Bryant. Although most famous for their songs performed by the Everly Brother--Wake Up Little Susie/ Love Hurts/ Bye, Bye, Love/ All I Have to Do Is Dream/ Bird Dog, etc.--many artists made great records with the Bryants' compositions. On this CD we get a lot of the early recordings done with their songs, so you get the Everly's doing .Susie, and Nashville Blues, Rusty & Doug (Kershaw) with "the rambunctious Hey Sheriff, Wanda Jackson doing the confusingly Calypso Don'a Wan'a, Sammy Salvo with Wolf Boy, Webb Pierce with Bye, Bye Love, Roy Orbison with Jolie, Buddy Holly's heartbreaking Raining In The Heart, and many more outstanding tracks from the likes of Porter Wagoner, Bob Luman, Billy Grammer, The Browns, etc. So essentially a whole lot of great songs, many that were big hits, others that were just about as great, but aren't as well known. All pretty essential stuff and the people who put this out did a great job with it, with thorough liner notes and fantastic sound. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 114 Honky Tonkin' - 87 Tracks From The Golden Years ● CD $21.98
Three CDs, 87 tracks, 3 hours 48 mins, very highly recommended
A honky tonk is essentially a rural bar where your average Joe (and Jane) gather to drown their sorrows with like minded folks and honky tonk music is the soundtrack with mournful aching vocals and stripped down accompaniments with sawing vocals and soaring steel guitars. This fabulous collection traces the history of the style featuring recordings made between 1937 and 1960. The first disc starts with Jimmie Davis's Honky Tonk Blues (not the Hank Williams song) - one of the first songs to use the word honky tonk in the title and continues with some of the originals of songs that have become honky tonk standards like Rex Griffin's gorgeous Last Letter, Ted Daffan with Born To Lose, Lost Highway by Leon Payne, Wild Side Of Life by Jimmy Heap as well as early honky tonk sides from Hank Williams (whose style defined honky tonk music for all time), George Morgan, The Maddox Brothers & Rose and the others. The other two discs feature 60 classic honky tonk sides recorded between 1953 and 1960 including big hits like There Stands The Glass by Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells with It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (the answer to Wild Side Of Life, City Lights by Ray Price, Second Fiddle by Buck Owens, Always Late by Lefty Frizzell and more along with lesser known gems like Joe "Cannonball" Lewis's fantastic You've Been Honky Tonkin, Too Hot To Handle by Eddie Noack, Juke Joint Johnny by Lattie Moore, Daydreamin' by Bud Deckleman and more. Other artists featured include Art Gibson, Bill Carlisle, Moon Mullican, Eddy Arnold (before he turned "pop"), Hank Thompson, Faron Young, Bob Gallion, Jimmy Newman, Patsy Cline and many others. There's not a single dud among the 87 tracks here. Sound quality is excellent and the 20 page booklet has informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
EDDY ARNOLD: I'm Throwing Rice (At The Girl That I Love)/ BENNY BARNES: Poor Man's Riches/ TOMMY BLAKE: Honky Tonk Mind (The Woman I Need)/ CLIFF BRUNER AND HIS BOYS: Truck Driver's Blues/ SONNY BURNS: Another Woman Looking For A Man/ BILL CARLISLE: Rockin' Chair Money/ PATSY CLINE: Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round/ TOMMY COLLINS: You Better Not Do That/ TED DAFFAN'S TEXANS: Born To Lose/ JIMMY DAVIS: Honky Tonk Blues/ THE DAVIS SISTERS: I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know/ BUD DECKELMAN WITH THE DAYDREAMERS: Daydreamin'/ AL DEXTER: Answer To "Honky Tonk Blues"/ Poor Little Honky Tonk Girl/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: Closing Time/ CHARLIE FEATHERS: Honky Tonk Kind/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: Always Late (With Your Kisses)/ If You've Got The Money (I've Got The Time)/ BOB GALLION: Out Of A Honky Tonk/ ART GIBSON & HIS MOUNTAIN MELODY BOYS: Honky Tonk Mama/ REX GRIFFIN: The Last Letter/ HARDROCK GUNTER: Honky Tonk Baby/ HAWKSHAW HAWKINS: Sunny Side Of The Mountain/ JIMMY HEAP & THE MELODY MASTERS: Wild Side Of Life/ TOMMY HILL: Honky Tonk Romance/ JOHNNY HORTON: Honky-Tonk Man/ BILLY HUGHES: Cocaine Blues/ SONNY JAMES: That's Me Without You/ GEORGE JONES: Just Little Boy Blue/ Out Of Control/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: You Win Again/ JOE "CANNONBALL" LEWIS: You've Been Honky Tonkin'/ LORETTA LYNN: I'm A Honky-Tonk Girl/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: George's Playhouse Boogie/ Honky Tonkin'/ GEORGE MCCORMICK: Fifty-Fifty Honky Tonkin'/ SKEETS MCDONALD: Make Room For The Blues/ EDDIE MILLER AND HIS OKLAHOMANS: Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)/ BILLY MONTANA: You're More At Home In A Honky Tonk/ LATTIE MOORE: Juke Joint Johnny/ GEORGE MORGAN: Candy Kisses/ MOON MULLICAN: I'll Sail My Ship Alone/ JIMMY NEWMAN: Cry Cry Darling/ Honky Tonk Tears/ EDDIE NOACK: Too Hot To Handle/ BUCK OWENS: Above And Beyond (The Call of Love)/ Second Fiddle/ DOLLY PARTON: Girl Left Alone/ JOHNNY PAYCHECK (AS DONNY YOUNG): Shakin' The Blues/ LEON PAYNE: Lost Highway/ CARL PERKINS: Let The Jukebox Keep On Playing/ WEBB PIERCE: In The Jailhouse Now/ There Stands The Glass/ DOUG POINDEXTER & THE STARLITE WRANGLERS: My Kind Of Carrying On/ RAY PRICE: City Lights/ Crazy Arms/ Invitation To The Blues/ JERRY REED: If The Good Lord's Willing (And The Creek Don't Rise)/ DICK REYNOLDS: Silver Threads And Golden Needles/ MARTY ROBBINS: Knee Deep In The Blues/ TOMMY SCOTT & HIS RAMBLERS: Juke Joint Girl/ JEAN SHEPARD: Girls In Disgrace/ JIMMIE SKINNER: Another Saturday Night/ CARL SMITH: Back Up, Buddy/ Loose Talk/ HANK SNOW & HIS RAINBOW RANCH BOYS: I'm Moving On/ RED SOVINE: Why Baby Why?/ WYNN STEWART: The Keeper Of The Keys/ HANK THOMPSON & HIS BRAZOS VALLEY BOYS: Honky-Tonk Girl/ Whoa Sailor/ HANK THOMPSON & THE BRAZOS VALLEY BOYS: A Six Pack To Go/ MEL TILLIS: Honky Tonk Song/ FLOYD TILLMAN: Slippin' Around/ ERNEST TUBB: I Ain't Going Honky Tonkin' Anymore/ Walkin' The Floor Over You/ CONWAY TWITTY (AS HAROLD JENKINS): Just In Time/ CHARLIE WALKER: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down/ Who Will Buy The Wine?/ KITTY WELLS: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels/ THE WILBURN BROTHERS: Somebody's Back In Town/ JESS WILLARD: Honky Tonkin' All The Time/ HANK WILLIAMS: Lovesick Blues/ Mind Your Own Business/ You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)/ JIMMY WORK: Making Believe/ FARON YOUNG: I've Got Five Dollars And It's Saturday Night/ Sweet Dreams

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77144 Wizards Of Country Guitar - Selected Sides, 1935-1955 ● CD $28.98
Four CDs, 100 tracks, essential
A fabulous collection devoted to the use of the guitar in country music - especially the electric steel guitar in Western Swing groups. The first disc is devoted to the work of the great pioneer in electric steel guitar Bob Dunn recorded between 1935 and 1939 featuring him with Milton Brown & His Brownies, Cliff Bruner & His Boys, Dickie McBride & The Village Boys and others including a couple of cuts with his own band The Vagabonds. There are only a couple of duplications with the great Bob Dunn two CD set issued recently (Origin Jazz Library 1004 - $33.98). The second disc is devoted to the less well known but also superb Wilson "Lefty" Perkins. He is featured on recordings made between 19036 and 1938 as a member of Durwood Brown & His Musical Brownies and Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers. The third disc features Billy Briggs who had a lengthy career - most of the disc features his early work with the Hi Flyers and The Sons Of The West between 1937 and 1941. In the 40s Briggs struck out on his own as a solo performer and the last two cuts are a couple of superb performances from 1949. The following year he would have a hit with the novelty song Chew Tobacco Rag. The final disc features two guitar wizards from California - Jimmy Bryant, the first master of the Fender Telecaster and Speedy West the first pedal steel guitarist in country music. These all instrumental cuts sides recorded between 1951 and 1955 showcase their amazing instrumental virtuosity. In spontaneous, and still fresh and futuristic fashion, they traded off breathtaking solos, with Bryant's dazzling cascades of country-jazz guitar on white lightning duelling with Speedy's flamboyant, swooping pedal steel. Great music throughout with excellent sound and informative notes from Pat Harrison. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Not Now 400 Hillbilly Hop ● CD $9.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, recommended
Excellent and entertaining budget priced two CD set devoted to up tempo hillbilly and country boogie - mostly from the early/ mid 50s. The first disc is up tempo hillbilly including from well known names like Red Foley, Hank Snow, Hank Williams and Bob Wills along with lesser known artists like Bob Eaton, Jesse Rogers (a fine cover of Hank's Mind You Own Business), Louis Innis and others. The second disc is all hillbilly boogie including Hillbilly Boogie from Jerry Irby, Peach Tree Street Boogie from The The Delmore Brothers, Freight Train Boogie by Johnny Tyler plus sides by Gene O'Quin, Johnny Bond, Al Dexter, Tennesseee Ernie Ford, Merle Travis and many more. Long time collectors probably have everything here but as beginner's set this can't be beat with fine sound and brief notes. (FS)
JOHNNY BOND & HIS RED RIVER VALLEY: Mean Mama Boogie/ MILTON BROWN: Easy Ridin' Papa/ SPADE COOLEY: Oklahoma Stomp/ The Rhumba Boogie/ THE DELMORE BROTHERS: Pan American Boogie/ Peach Tree Street Boogie/ AL DEXTER: Diddy Wah Boogie/ Saturday Night Boogie/ RAMBLIN’ JIMMIE DOLAN: Juke Box Boogie/ BOB EATON & HIS LONE STAR BOYS: Virginia On A Saturday Night/ TIBBY EDWARDS: Flip Flop And Fly/ RED FOLEY: Hillbilly Fever No. 2/ Tennessee Border/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: Blackberry Boogie/ Shot-Gun Boogie/ TILLMAN FRANKS & HIS RAINBOW BOYS: Hot Rod Shotgun Boogie/ ART GIBSON & HIS MOUNTAIN MELODY BOYS: Everybody's Sweetheart/ ARTHUR "HARDROCK" GUNTER: Honky Tonk Blues/ JACK GUTHRIE: I Told You Once/ Okie Boogie/ LOUIS INNIS & HIS STRING DUSTERS: My Dreamboat Struck A Snag/ JERRY IRBY & HIS TEXAS RANCHERS: Hillbilly Boogie/ MERLE KILGORE: Seein' Double Feelin' Single/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: I Gotta Go Get My Baby/ THE MILO TWINS: Baby Buggie Boogie/ Downtown Boogie/ JIMMY MURPHY: Here Kitty Kitty/ MUSTARD & GRAVY: Be Bop Boogie/ GENE O’QUINN: Boogie Woogie Fever/ Texas Boogie/ HANK PENNY: Bloodshot Eyes/ WAYNE RANEY: Catfish Baby/ JIMMIE REVARD & HIS OKLAHOMA PLAYBOYS: Oh Swing It/ JESSE ROGERS & HIS '49ERS: Mind Your Own Business/ LUKE SIMMONS: Blue Moon Of Kentucky/ Your Cheatin' Heart/ ARTHUR SMITH’S HOT QUINTET: Guitar Boogie/ HANK SNOW: I'm Movin' On/ MERLE TRAVIS: Louisiana Boogie/ Merle's Boogie Woogie/ So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed/ ERNEST TUBB: Walkin' The Floor Over You/ No Help Wanted No 2/ ZEB TURNER: Travellin' Boogie/ JOHNNY TYLER: Freight Train Boogie/ Old Macdonald Boogie/ JESS WILLARD: Truck Driver's Boogie/ HANK WILLIAMS: Howlin' At The Moon/ Settin' The Woods On Fire/ BOB WILLS & HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS: Cotton Eyed Joe

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS TeeVee 772 Nashville Steel Guitar - 20 Greatest ● CD $7.98
20 tracks, 51 min., recommended
World-class steel guitarists Roy Wiggins, Buddy Emmons, Leon McAuliff, Jimmy Day, Jim Baker, Shot Jackson, Ray Pennington, and the Nashville Rhythm Section make this budget release a worthwhile acquisition. Western swing fans will remember McAuliff from his days with Bob Wills And The Texas Playboys ("Take it away, Leon"), and his 5 tracks are easily the best performances here. Day played with Webb Pierce, T. Texas Tyler, Jim Reeves, and others. Shot Jackson worked with the Bailes Brothers, Kitty Wells, Jimmie Osborne, among others. You get the idea. These guys are good. Not sure about including Little Drummer Boy and Silver Bells by Wiggins and Baker, since Christmas music is usually best served up with its own kind sometime between Halloween and New Year's Eve, but perhaps it could be argued that it works along side the NRS's Amazing Grace and What A Friend We Have In Jesus. And then again, perhaps not. Solid if unspectacular. (JC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Trailer-Park 9 Twisted Tales From The Vinyl Wastelands, Vol. 9 ● CD $15.98
32 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
Another delightful collection of obscure country sides from the 50s and 60s with a thematic bent or are just plain weird! Subjects include truckers, unemployment, drugs (including the amazing The Slave by Buck Ritchey), topless bathing suits, murder, the Peace Corps, booze, prison (Prison Gray by Dee Mullins is a great honky tonk song) and more. On the weird side we have Jackie Powers' great but bizarre blues Lonesome Heebie Jeebies and Rocky Foster's version of Mule Skinner Blues which the cover describes as the "most primitive recording ever" which might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one - it sounds like it was performed in someone's bathroom with the microphone in another room! Too bad since it's a pretty good performance. Grandpa Jones does a delightfully improbable cover of Bill Parson's All American Boy and there are lots of other delights in store for you if you enjoy the unusual. (FS)
JOHNNY BOND: Hell's Angels/ SONNY COLE: Truck Drivers Hell/ CURLEY DAY: Sorrow City 1963/ MIKE DEBUSK: Lovesick Blues/ JIMMY DUNCAN: Capital Punishment/ ROCKY FOSTER: Mule Skinner Blues/ JOHNNY GUITAR: Twenty Years/ THE HAYSEEDERS: Alcatraz/ DELLA HICKS: When De Debbil Taps You On The Back/ HONEY BEE: Our Stars/ BOB HOOD: It's Nothin' To Me/ CAROL HUFF: Diesel Drivin' Devil/ KARL JAY: Unemployment Line/ BIG BILL JOHNSON: Beer Belly Blues/ GRANDPA JONES: The All-American Boy/ ROCKY JONES: Steel Men/ JIM KANDY: Cocaine Blues/ THE LONE X: Rubber Doll/ ED LOVE: The Killers/ JAY LUTTRULL: Country Boy/ GENE MCKOWN: Peace Corps/ JANETTE MONDAY: Johnny Cellars/ DEE MULLINS: Prison Grey/ JIMMY PATTON: Preacher & A Girl In The Night/ JACKIE POWERS: Lonesome Heebie Jeebies/ New River Train/ JOE PRATER: Highway 41/ BUCK RITCHEY: The Slave/ KELLY ROGERS: Topless Bathing Suit/ ELBERT SYKES: Prisoners Dream No. II/ ELVIN WALTERS: God's Talent Scout/ BOBBY WARD: The Ice Man

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Trikont 310 Flowers In The Wildwood - Women In Early Country Music ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
Available again at a lower price. Wonderful collection of country recordings made between 1923 and 1939. Most of these tracks are making their first appearance on CD. Among the artists featured a Lulu Belle & Scotty, The Dezurik Sisters (some of the most amazing yodelling you'll ever hear), The Aaron Sisters (a fascinating acapella trio recorded by Columbia in 1932), The Girls Of The Golden West, Moonshine Kate (fine Jimmie Rodgers style blues by Fiddlin' John Carson's daughter), Joe & Alma, Fred & Gertrude Gossett (a fine version of All The Good Times Are Past & Gone), The Leatherman Sisters (fine duet vocals and guitars on the gospel song Home-Coming Week), Mr. & Mrs J.W. Baker (fine group with guitar, fiddle, banjo & autoharp), The Carter Family ( a couple of their less familiar tracks), The Coon Creek Girls, The Wisdom Sisters and others. Sound quality is a bit rough on some cuts but is mostly excellent. Set comes with 28 page illustrated booklet with extensive notes in German and English including an interview with Carolyn Dezurik and biographical profiles of all the performers. (FS)
THE AARON SISTERS: She Came Rollin' Down the Mountain/ How'm I Doin'?/ MR. & MRS. J.W. BAKER: On the Banks of the Old Tennessee/ SAMANTHA BUMGARNER & EVA DAVIS: Big-Eyed Rabbit/ THE CARTER FAMILY: Just Another Broken Heart/ Walking in the King's Highway/ THE CHUCK WAGON GANG: We Are Climbing/ GRADY & HAZEL COLE: Brother, Be Ready for That Day/ THE COON CREEK GIRL: Flowers Blooming in the Wildwood/ Little Birdie/ THE DEZURIK SISTERS: Go to Sleep My Darling/ I Left Her Standing There/ THE GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN WEST: Round-Up Time in Texas/ FRED & GERTRUDE GOSSETT: All the Good Times Are Past and Gone/ AUNT MOLLY JACKSON: Kentucky Miner's Wife (Ragged Hungery Blues), Pt.1/ JOE & ALMA (THE KENTUCKY GIRLS): Lorena/ THE LEATHERMAN SISTERS: Home-Coming Week/ LOUISIANA LOU: With My Banjo on My Knee Blues/ LULU BELLE & SCOTT: Wish I Was a Single Girl Again/ PATSY MONTANA: My Poncho Pony/ MOONSHINE KATE: My Man's a Jolly Railroad Man/ WANDA & RUTH NEAL: Round Town Girls/ SOUTHLAND'S LADIES QUARTETTE: My Loved Ones Are Waiting for Me/ ROBA STANLEY: Single Life/ THE WISDOM SISTERS: Prayer

 

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