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NEWSLETTER #147
BRITISH ARCHIVE OF COUNTRY MUSIC
Various Artists Collections

 

COMPACT DISCS

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 030 The Panachord Label - Early Country Music ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 72 mins, recommended
Excellent and varied collection of country sides issued on the British Panachord label in the 30s. These releases drew on the ARC, Decca, Brunswick and Gennett catalogs and this collection includes a Montana Slim cut recorded for Decca but only issued in the U.K. on Panachord. It also features one cut by the British group The Hill Billies under the pseudonym of The Prairie Serenaders. Among the artists featured here are Otto Gray & The Oklahoma Cowboys, Al Bernard with Carson Robison, Sons Of The Pioneers, Fileds & Hall, Gene Autry & Jimmy Long (with some fine steel guitar from Frankie Marvin), The Texas Drifter (aka Goebel Reeves - a riotous performance with some outrageous yodeling), The McCravy Brothers, Phil & Frank Luther, The Pickard Family, Floyd Turner & His Hometowners, Hank Keene & The Connecticutt Hillbillies, W.Lee O'Daniels's Light Crust Dough Boys and others. (FS)
GENE AUTRY & JIMMY LONG: Missouri I'm Calling/ AL BERNARD: The Preacher & The Bear/ WILF CARTER: How My Yodeling Days Began/ BILL COX: Lay My Head Beneath A Rose/ FIELDS & HALL: Funny Old World Rolls Along/ OTTO GRAY & OKLAHOMA COWBOYS: I Was Born Four Thousand Years Ago/ HANK KEENE & THE CONNECTICUT HILLBILLIES: Runaway Boy/ BRADLEY KINCAID: Red River Valley/ PHIL & FRANK LUTHER: Jacob's Ladder/ FRANK LUTHER & CARSON ROBISON TRIO: Ninety Nine Years/ FRANK LUTHER & CARSON ROBISON: Twenty One Years/ FRANKIE & JOHNNY MARVIN: I Want My Boots On When I Die/ THE MCCRAVY BROS.: Why Can't We Be Sweethearts/ MCFARLAND & GARDNER: When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain/ W. LEE O'DANIELS' LIGHT CRUST DOUGH BOYS: Please Come Back To Me/ THE PICKARD FAMILY: She Never Came Back/ THE PRAIRIE SERENADERS: Last Of The Texas Rangers/ GLEN RICE & HIS BEVERLY HILL BILLIES: Ragtime Cowboy Joe/ CARSON ROBISON & HIS PIONEERS: Hot Time In New Orleans Tonight/ THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: Our Old Age Pension Check/ TEXAS DRIFTER: Reckless Tex/ FLOYD TURNER & HIS HOMETOWNERS: Ida Red/ She Wore A Yeller Ribbon/ MARC WILLIAMS: Old Montana

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 041 Memories Of Renfro Valley ● CD $14.98
A fine collection of 20 sides featuring some of the artists who appeared on the radio show "Renfro Valley Barndance" broadcast from Renfro Valley, Kentucky. These are from commercial recordings not radio transcriptions and includes artists like Karl & Harty, Linda Parker, The Cumberland Ridge Runners, Ant' Idy Harper & The Coon Creek Girls, Doc Hopkins, Red Foley, Karl Davis, Hugh Cross and Lily May Ledford & The Coon Creek Girls.
HUGH CROSS: No Business Of Mine/ THE CUMBERLAND RIDGE RUNNERS: Goofus (instr.)/ Rounding Up The Yearlings (instr.)/ KARL DAVIS: My Blue Eyed Boy/ RED FOLEY: Echoes Of My Old Plantation Home/ Just One Little Kiss/ Going Out West This Fall/ ANT’ IDY HARPER & THE COON CREEK GIRLS: Lulu Walls/ Poor Naomi Wise/ The Old Apple Tree/ DOC HOPKINS: Wreck Between New Hope & Gethsemane/ Wreck Of Old 31/ JOSIE (CUMBERLAND RIDGE RUNNERS): The Old Maid/ KARL & HARTY: I Didn‘t Hear Anyone Pray/ Little Sweetheart I‘m In Prison/ LILY MAY LEDFORD & THE COON CREEK GIRLS: Pretty Polly/ LINDA PARKER: I‘ll Be All Smiles Tonight/ Lonesome Valley Sally/ My Ozark Mountain Home/ Take Me Back To Renfro Valley

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 050 The OKeh Label Classic Old Time Music ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
Fine collection of old time country recorded for the Okeh label between 1924 and 1930 - most of it making its first appearance on any kind of reissue. Includes a few relatively familiar names like The Scottdale String Band and Narmour & Smith but most of the artists are pretty obscure like Blind Andy Jenkins, Bill Chitwood's Georgia Mountaineers (the delightful When Married Folks Run Out Of Cash - also known as I'm S-A-V-E-D), Bela Lam's Greene County Singers (some lovely old time gospel singing), Ralph Richardson (the very strange Little Dog Yodel), J.D. McFarland & Daughter, Fiddlin; Bob Larkin's Music Makers (the nonsense song Women Wear No Clothes At All), Phil Pavey (fine bluesy yodeling with banjo and piano accompaniment), Roba Stanley (one of the first women country singers to record with a fine version of All Night Long from 1924). A few tracks are from pretty rough 78s but sound quality is generally fine and there are brief notes. (FS)
BILL CHITWOOD'S GEORGIA MOUNTAINEERS: When Married Folks Are Out Of Cash/ THE FOUR VIRGINIANS: New Coon In Town/ ANDREW JENKINS & CARSON ROBISON: Sidewalks Of New York/ BLIND ANDY JENKINS WITH MARY LEE: Alabama Flood/ BELA LAM'S GREENE COUNTY SINGERS: Little Maud/ Sweet Bye And Bye/ Tell It Again/ The Sweet Story Of Old/ FIDDLIN' BOB LARKIN'S MUSIC MAKERS: Women Wear No Clothes At All/ J.D. MCFARLAND & DAUGHTER: Devil In The Woodpile/ NARMOUR & SMITH: Dry Gin Rag/ Tequila Hop Blues/ Texas Breakdown/ Texas Shuffle/ NORTH CAROLINA COOPER BOYS: Daniel In The Lion‘s Den/ PHIL PAVEY (AKA ROY EVANS): Bronco Bustin‘ Blues/ RALPH RICHARDSON: Little Dog Yodel/ HUGH RODEN & ROY RODGERS: Hogs In The Tater Patch/ SCOTTDALE STRING BAND: Carolina Glide/ Chinese Breakdown/ My Own Iona/ Old Folks Better Go To Bed/ Scottdale Stomp/ ROBA STANLEY & BILL PATTERSON: All Night Long/ GEORGE WALBURN & EMMETT HETHCOX: Lee County Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 057 The Columbia Label - Classic Old Time Music ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Wonderful collection of old time country music recorded for the Columbia label between 1924 and 1931 - many cuts making their first appearance on CD. It opens with the remarkable novelty song My Little A-1 Brownie, the only recording of the mysterious Charles B. Smith whose accompanying musicians include King Benny Nawahii on steel guitar and Benny Goodman on clarinet! Other artists include Riley Puckett, Charlie Parker & Mack Woolbright (two delightful performances including the great The Man Who Wrote Home Sweet Home), Dan Hornsby (two fascinating topical songs with accompaniments by Clayton McMichen & Riley Puckett),  Obed Pickard (vocals and Jews harp!), Smith's Sacred Singers (beautiful old time gospel), Miner Hawkins, Arthur Tanner's Corn Shuckers, Chubby Parker and others. Sound quality is fine and their are brief notes by Brian Golbey. (FS)
AL CRAVER (VERNON DALHART): Kinnie Wagner/ VERNON DALHART: Frank Dupree/ THE DEAL FAMILY: Be A Daniel/ THE GRADY FAMILY: Carolina‘s Best/ MINER HAWKINS: Song Of The Sea/ DAN HORNSBY: The Shelby Disaster/ The Story Of C. S. Corres/ MCMICHEN’S MELODY MEN: House Of David Blues/ CHUBBY PARKER: Down On The Farm/ CHARLIE PARKER & MACK WOOLBRIGHT: The Man That Wrote Home Sweet Home/ Ticklish Reubin/ THE PELICAN WILDCATS: Walking Georgia Rose/ OBED PICKARD: The Old Grey Mare/ RILEY PUCKETT: Old Joe Clark/ THE SKILLET LICKERS: Cotton Baggin‘/ New Arkansas Traveller/ CHARLES B. SMITH: My Little A-1 Brownie/ SMITH’S SACRED SINGERS: Where We‘ll Never Grow Old/ GID TANNER & FATE NORRIS: Goodbye Old Booze/ Where Did You Get That Hat/ GID TANNER & HIS GEORGIA BOYS: Just Gimme The Leavings/ GID TANNER & RILEY PUCKETT: Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane/ ARTHUR TANNER’S CORN SHUCKERS: Dr. Ginger Blue/ DOCK WALSH: Bulldog Down In Sunny Tennessee/ Educated Man

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 077 Classic Country Music On The Decca 5000 Series ● CD $14.98
27 tracks, 79 mins, highly recommended
A varied collection of sides issued on the Decca 5000 series between 1934 and 1941 including one side by Bill Cox (the great In 1992) originally recorded for Champion in 1931. Includes sides by Homer Briarhopper, Clayton McMichen's Georgia Wildcats (a hot western swing flavored version of Bile Them Cabbage Down), The Carlisle Brothers (the wonderful Broken Heart),  Frank Luther & Buddy Ross, Cliff Bruner & The Texas Wanderers (hot western swing), The Louisiana Strollers (fine blues), Texas Ruby, Curly Fox with Joe Shelton, The Ross Rhythm Rascals and others. A heap of good music with excellent sound. (FS)
HOMER BRIARHOPPER: I Am Just What I Am/ CLIFF BRUNER & THE TEXAS WANDERERS: Jessie's Sister/ THE CARLISLE BROTHERS: Broken Heart/ THE CAROLINA BUDDYS: Mother The Queen Of My Heart/ EDITH & SHERMAN COLLINS: You're A Flower Blooming In The Wildwood/ BILL COX: In 1992/ RALPH HODGES THE DIXIE VAGABONDS: His Last Words/ DAVE EDWARDS & ALABAMA BOYS: Oh By Jingo, Oh By Gee/ THE FOUR ACES WITH LEO SOILEAU: When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain/ CURLY FOX WITH JOE SHELTON: Listen To The Mocking Bird/ STUART HAMBLEN'S COVERED WAGON JUBILEE: Sunshine Alley/ HUGH & SHUG'S RADIO PALS: Sugar Babe/ THE KELLY FAMILY (JERRY & RAMON): Out On The Desert/ LEON'S LONE STAR COWBOYS: Mistreated Blues/ THE LOG CABIN BOYS (FRANKIE MORE & FREDDIE O: New Crawdad Song/ THE LOUISIANA STROLLERS: Married Woman Blues/ THE MACK (MCCRAVY) BROTHERS: On The Good Old Santa Fe/ RED RIVER DAVE MCENERY: Down Del Rio Way/ CLAYTON MCMICHEN'S GEORGIA WILDCATS: Bile Dem Cabbage Down/ TEX OWENS & TEXAS RANGERS: Prairie Dream Boat/ RILEY PUCKETT: Take Me Back To My Carolina Home/ THE RICE BROTHERS GANG: My Carolina Sunshine Girl/ FRANK (LUTHER) & BUDDY ROSS: Pray For Me Mother/ ROSS RHYTHM RASCALS: Lulu's Back In Town/ LEON SCOTT & CLAUDE BOONE (ELK MOUNTAIN BOYS): Don't Dig Mother's Grave/ TEXAS RUBY: T. For Texas/ HAPPY JACK TURNER: Pretty Quadroon

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 093 A Taste Of King ● CD $14.98
An excellent selection of sides recorded for the King label between 1946 and 1954 - most of them making their first appearance on CD. Includes sides by Cliff Carlisle, The Carlisle Brothers (the goofy Maggie Get The Hammer), Jimmy Widener (hot Western Swing), Minnie Pearl, Bill Carlisle (the original 1946 recording of Rockin' Chair Money with Lonnie Glosson on harmonica that was later covered by Hank Williams), Fiddlin' Red Herron, Red Perkins, Howdy Kemp, Redd Stewart, Carolina Cotton and others.
BILL CARLISLE: Rockin' Chair Money/ CLIFF CARLISLE: Stay Away Don't Bother Me/ THE CARLISLE BROTHERS: Maggie Get The Hammer/ CAROLINA COTTON ACC. HANK PENNY ORCH.: Singing On The Trail/ THE COUNTRY CATS: Hot Strings (instr.)/ CURLY FOX: Black Mountain Rag (instr.)/ CHARLIE GORE: Who's Been Draggin' Your Little Red Wagon/ JOHNNY GRIMES: Who Will You Cry To Then/ HAWKSHAW HAWKINS: Blue Skies In Your Eyes/ HERB & KAY: This Ole House/ FIDDLIN’ RED HERRON: Sally Gooden (instr.)/ FAIRLEY HOLDEN: Sweet Mama Put Him In Low/ PAUL HOWARD ACC. RED PERKINS: Hora Sta Cotton Picker (instr.)/ BILLY HUGHES: My Adobe Hacienda/ ANN JONES: Love Is A Losing Game/ HOWDY KEMP: So Blue/ CHARLE LINDVILLE & THE FIDDLIN’ LINDVILLES: You're Gonna Be Sorry/ J.E. MAINER: John Henry/ BOB NEWMAN: Left Over Hash/ MINNIE PEARL: On Top Of Old Smokey/ HANK PENNY: Wouldn't It Be "Pun"/ RED PERKINS: Crocodile Tears/ WAYNE RANEY: I Love My Little Yo Yo/ REDD STEWART ACC. KENTUCKY COLONELS: Drop Dead Boogie/ JOE WHEELER: Do I Love Her Deed I Do/ JIMMIE WIDENER: What A Line/ BOOTS WOODALL'S RADIO WRANGLERS V. BOB STODDAR: Since You've Been Gone

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 110 4 Star Roundup ● CD $14.98
26 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended
Fine collection of 26 tracks recorded in the 40s and early 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 fairly obscure though it does include a 1953 recording of Roy Clark and a fine bluegrass gospel side side by the Wilburn Family Band featuring brothers Teddy & Doyle who later had a career as The Wilburn Brothers. Also includes Texas Bill Strength, Long Tom Kiiiah (instrumental country swing with hot electric and steel guitar), Big Jim DeNoone (fine electric guitar instrumental), The Stewart Family (superb country gospel), Cactus Pryor (an insane parody of Cry Of The Wild Goose called Cry Of A Dying Duck In A Thunderstorm), Kenny Hardy & Jimmy Wiseman, The Miller Brothers,Maddox Brothers & Rose and others. Excellent sound and a booklet with notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
THE ARMSTRONG TWINS (FLOYD & LLOYD): Beetle With The Boogie Beat/ BILL CARTER: A Story Book Affair/ ROY CLARK: Mysteries Of Life/ TINY COLBERT: Pretty Lady/ GENE CRABB: A Little Less/ GAIL DANIELS: Time Marches On/ DOC DENNING: Dusty Trail/ BIG JIM DENOONE: Wild Strings/ WALLY FOWLER & THE OAK RIDGE QUARTET: You Must Have That Pure Religion/ PETE GRAVES: Drowning My Sorrows/ KENNY HARDY & JIMMY WISEMAN: You Blacked My Blue Eyes Once Too Often/ LONG TOM KIZZIAH: Cotton Tail Stomp/ MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: Water Baby Blues/ THE MCQUAIG TWINS (GLENELL & JONELL): You Travel Your Way/ THE MILLER BROTHERS: Geronimo/ Tuning The Fiddle/ WILLIAM MOORE (VOCAL- JACK WHITE): I'll Leave All My Troubles This Side Of The Grave/ CACTUS PRYOR: Cry Of The Dying Duck In A Thunder Storm/ SMOKEY REASON: Hoot Owl Melody/ TOMMY SCOTT: Kiss And Run/ THE STEWART FAMILY: Little Community Church/ TEXAS BILL STRENGTH: I'm Doing A Peach Of A Job/ T. TEXAS TYLER: Hot Rod Roy/ THE WILBURN FAMILY: Forever Too Late/ SLIM WILLET: Shibuya/ WOODY WOODWARD: Blow Wind, Blow

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 129 The Victor Label - Classic Old Time Music ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended
Delightful and varied collection of old time music recorded for Victor between 1926 and 1930 focusing on mostly obscure but fine artists and mostly appearing on CD for the first time. Artists include Hiter Colvin, Judge Sturdy's Orchestra (dance music, complete with calls), The Carolina Twins (David Fletcher and fine harmonica player Gwen Foster), The Tennesee Mountaineers (their stunning Standing On The Promises which has been reissued a couple of times before), The Johnson Brothers (fine duo with two tunes including one with black harmonica player El Watson), Gwen Foster, Jilson Setters (brilliant fiddler), Mr. & Mrs J.W. Baker (fine duo with guitar, banjo and autoharp), Taylor-Griggs Louisiana Melody Makers and more. Sound quality is fine and there are very brief notes by Brian Golbey.
MR. & MRS. J. W. BAKER: On The Banks Of The Sunny Tennessee/ The Newmarket Wreck/ THE CAROLINA TWINS: Your Wagon Needs Greasing/ JACK CAWLEY'S OKLAHOMA RIDGE RUNNERS: The Dawn Waltz/ White River Stomp/ HITER COLVIN: Monroe Stomp/ MELLIE DUNHAM'S ORCHESTRA: Medley Of Reels/ Mountain Rangers/ GWEN FOSTER: Black Pine Waltz/ BILL HELMS & HIS UPSON COUNTY BAND: Roscotrillion/ THE JOHNSON BROTHERS (PAUL & CHARLES): Just A Message From Carolina/ The Soldier‘s Poor Little Boy/ DEMPSON & DENMON LEWIS: Caliope/ THE MOONSHINERS: Fulton County/ Shelby County/ RED PATTERSON'S PIEDMONT LOG ROLLERS: The White Rose/ POPE'S ARKANSAS MOUNTAINEERS: Birmingham/ JILSON SETTERS (AKA J.W. DAY): Black-eyed Susie/ Forked Deer/ JUDGE STURDY'S ORCHESTRA: Old Dan Tucker (country Dance)/ One Snowy Night (quadrille)/ TAYLOR-GRIGGS LOUISIANA MELODY MAKERS: Big Ball Uptown/ Where The Sweet Magnolias Bloom/ THE TENNESSEE MOUNTAINEERS: Standing On The Promises

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 140 The Vocalion Label - Classic Old Time Music ● CD $14.98
Another fine selection of old time music from B.A.C.M. - this time drawn from the Vocalion label. 23 tracks recorded between 1928 and 1934 including Reaves White County Ramblers, Perry County Music Makers (a delightful group in the vein of The Carter Family but using hammered dulcimer instead of autoharp), Alex Hood & His Railroad Boys, Bascom Lamar Lunsford (a wonderful and distinctive vocalist and banjo player),  Ridgels Fountain Citians, Walkers Corbin Ramblers and others.
ASHLEY & FOSTER: Go ’way And Let Me Sleep/ LOUIS BIRD: Nothing Goes Hard With Me/ THE CARROLL COUNTY REVELERS: Georgia Wobble Blues/ Rome, Georgia Bound/ CAL DAVENPORT & HIS GANG: Blue Ridge Mountain Blues/ Broken Hearted Lover/ FISHER HENDLEY & HIS CAROLINA TAR HEELS: Hook And Line/ ALEX HOOD & HIS RAILROAD BOYS: Corbin Slide/ BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD: Italy/ Lost John Dean/ MILNER & CURTIS MAGNOLIA RAMBLERS: North East Texas Breakdown/ THE MORRIS FAMILY: Blue Eyed Boy/ THE PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS: By The Cottage Door/ Got A Buddy I Must See/ REAVES WHITE COUNTY RAMBLERS: Arkansas Pullet/ Arkansas Wagner/ RIDGEL’S FOUNTAIN CITIANS: Gittin' Upstairs/ The Bald Headed End Of The Broom/ THE SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS: Buckin' Mule/ Lost John/ My Cabin Home/ FLOYD THOMPSON’S HOMETOWNERS: Mountains Of Virginia/ WALKER’S CORBIN RAMBLERS: My Baby Keep Stealin' On Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 141 Mirth, Music & Moonshine - Old Time Comedy ● CD $14.98
21 tracks, highly recommended Delightful collection of comedy skits and humorous songs by hillbilly performers from the late 20s and early 30s. Highlight is the six part The Okeh Medicine Show - a recreation of a medicine show with introductions by Martin Malloy and comedy and music from John & Kate Carson, Narmour & Smith, The Black Brothers, Frank Hutchison, Bud Blue (actually Fred Hall of Fields & Hall) and Emmett Miller! Other performers on this disc include The Hillbillies, The Blue Ridge Entertainers (which included Tom Ashley & Gwen Foster), Louis Bird, The Fruit Jar Guzzlers, George 'Shortbuckle' Roark (superb singer and banjo player) and others. Lots of songs and skits about moonshine and liquor in general. Sound quality is generally excellent. An invaluable release. (FS)
LOUIS BIRD: It's Funny What Whiskey Will Do/ THE BLUE RIDGE ENTERTAINERS: Over At Tom's House/ The Fiddlers Contest/ FIDDLIN' JOHN CARSON & MOONSHINE KATE: Since She Took My Licker From Me/ THE FRUIT JAR GUZZLERS(STEVENS & BOLAR): Kentucky Bootlegger/ THE HILLBILLIES: The Feller That Looks Like Me/ GEORGE 'SHORTBUCKLE' ROARK: I Ain't A Bit Drunk/ HUGH RODEN & ROY RODGERS: Chickens In The Garden/ THE SKILLET LICKERS: A Bee Hunt On Hell Fer Sartin Creek Pts. 1 & 2/ Day At The County Fair Pts. 1 & 2/ E.V. STONEMAN & THE BLUE RIDGE CORN SHUCKERS: A Serenade In The Mountains Pts. 1 & 2/ VARIOUS: The Okeh Medicine Show Acts I–vi/ CHARLIE WILSON & HIS HAY LOFT BOYS: The Beer Party

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 148 Another Taste Of King ● CD $14.98
B.A.C.M.'s second collection of material drawn from the extensive repertoire of recordings made for the King label features 24 tracks recorded between 1946 and 1954 - most of it making its first appearanec on CD. It includes sides by Shorty Long, Marvin Montgomery (a hot jazzy banjo instrumental), Cowboy Jack Derrick, Boots Woodall, Bob Newman, Louis Innes (the witty Suicide),  Red Egner,Howdy Kemp, etc.
HERB & KAY ADAMS: Coffee Blues/ COWBOY JACK DERRICK: Triflin' Baby/ AL DEXTER: Diddy Wah Boogie/ RED EGNER: Turn My Picture Upside Down/ FIDDLIN’ RED HERRON: Over The Waves Waltz (instr.)/ CURLY HOLIDAY: I'm The Devil Who Made Her That Way/ LOUIS INNES: Suicide/ HOWDY KEMP: Come To Me/ ART KIBBEE: You're So Good To Me/ BILL LONG: What A Waste Of Good Corn Likker/ SHORTY LONG: No Wars In Heaven/ WADE MAINER: Those Blue Eyes I Love/ MARVIN MONTGOMERY: Raggin' The Banjo/ MOON MULLICAN: What's The Matter With The Mill/ BOB NEWMAN: Around The Corner Behind The Berry Tree/ RED PERKINS: Big Blue Diamonds/ FLOYD ROBINSON: Oh What I'd Give/ ZEB TURNER: All Dressed Up/ JIMMY VERNON: Somewhere/ PRESTON WARD: It's A Shame The Way You Treated Me/ SKEETS WEBB: Was It A Bad Dream/ JOE WHEELER: A Country Boy Goes To Town/ JIMMIE WIDENER: I Can Tell Just As Plain/ BOOTS WOODALL: I Wonder

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 157 Country Music On Capitol ● CD $14.98
Excellent collection of 28 honky tonk country songs recorded for Capitol from the late 40s through mid 50s. Some of these have appeared on single artist CDs on Bear Family but quite a few tracks are new to CD.
JOE ALLISON: What Happened To Our Summer Love/ BOOTS (FAYE) & IDAHO (CALL): Shifting Sands/ FREDDIE CHAPMAN: My Life Is Not My Own/ LEON CHAPPEL: Double Up And Catch Up/ DUB DICKERSON: My Gal Gertie/ RAMBLIN’ JIMMIE DOLAN: Wine, Women And Pink Elephants/ BILL DUDLEY: If I Cry/ TOMMY DUNCAN & WESTERN ALL STARS: Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy/ TOMMY FAILE: I'll Never Have A Chance With You Again/ WERLY FAIRBURN: Nothin' But Lovin'/ THE FARMER BOYS: Charming Betsy/ JACK GUTHRIE & HIS OKLAHOMANS: Answer To Moonlight And Skies/ FREDDIE HART: Butterfly Love/ JOE "RED" HAYES: I'll Be So Good To You/ JIMMY HEAP’S MELODY MASTERS: Heartbreaker/ COUSIN HERB HENSON: Bouncing Heart/ JACK HUNT: I'll Fly Away Some Golden Day/ GENE O’QUIN: Boogie Woogie Fever/ LEON PAYNE: Mailman/ CARL SAUCEMAN & GREEN VALLEY BOYS: Down The Road To Love/ JEAN SHEPARD: I'd Rather Die Young/ JIMMIE SKINNER: Women Beware Of The Ramblin' Kind/ CHESTER SMITH: No Wonder/ TEXAS BILL STRENGTH: Cry, Cry, Cry/ BUCKY TIBBS: Just Like Two Drops Of Water/ MERLE TRAVIS: Re Enlistment Blues/ JESS WILLARD: Turn That Gun Around/ JIMMY WORK: If I Should Lose You

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 187 The Mercury Label ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 65 minutes, essential
If someone gave me an old Seeburg under the condition I fill it with postwar country singles from only one label, I'd pack every slot with Mercs. This B.A.C.M. compilation, which barely scratches the surface of this Chicago independent's varied and often adventurous 1946-1954 country output, validates my decision. With a more diverse country roster than other indie labels, Mercury 78s preserved the talents of regional acts beloved in the Midwest, mid-South, western Appalachians and Texas plains, including such radio vets as WLS's Sheriff Tom Owens and WSM's Lew Childre. Patti Page and Sue Thompson had the goods to break into pop music, while obese Chicago bandleader Tiny Hill, who married Jenny Lou Carson, went the other way, abandoning mainstream pop for hardcore honky-tonk and eventual obscurity. Records by Mac O'Dell and Carl Story remain treasured by bluegrass and country aficionados, while those by Paul & Roy and the Tennessee River Boys curiously and undeservedly languish in obscurity. Other acts captured on Merc 78s include harmonica whiz Lonnie Glosson, take-off lead guitarist Homer Briarhopper and the tragically short-lived singer Art Gibson. Tommy Jackson began his decade-long quest to record the great American fiddlers' repertoire at Mercury, eventually finishing at Dot. Memphis singer Eddie Hill's Foleyesque cover of Steamboat Stomp blindsides casual listeners by unexpectedly incorporating a bop instrumental break quoting Holiday for Strings and Laura. Wow! Note that That Little Old Country Church House, attributed here to Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, is actually by the Masters Family. They were great, too. Martin Hawkins contributes all-too-brief notes; sound quality is generally good though some tracks suffer from B.A.C.M.'s knack of rolling off too much high end. (Will they [B]ever[D] learn?) No, not every cut here is a gem, but none could be considered awful, either. On the whole, this is a fun disc that's perfect for road trips. (DS)
HOMER BRIARHOPPER: Briarhopper Boogie/ CLIFF BRUNER: Lucille From Old Mobile/ COTTON CALYON: The Golden Rocket/ LEW CHILDRE: Ridin' On The Elevated Railroad/ TOBY DOWDY: Rainbow/ JIMMIE FLETCHER: I'm Changing Business All Around/ ART GIBSON: Honky Tonk Mama/ LONNIE GLOSSON: I'll Make A Change In Business/ EDDIE HILL: Steamboat Stomp/ TINY HILL: Milk Bucket Boogie/ JIMMIE HINCHEE: I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail/ LOUIS INNIS: Better Back Up Mama/ TOMMY JACKSON: Black Mountain Rag/ ROY KING: Story Of Shelly Liles/ RED KIRK & JUDY PERKINS: I Wonder Who We Think We're Foolin'/ CHARLES LUNDY: Lover's Farewell/ KEN MARVIN: Rotation Blues/ THE MASTERS FAMILY: That Little Old Country Church House/ SHERIFF TOM OWENS: Freight Train Blues/ MAC O’DELL: Wild Rose Of The Mountain/ PATTI PAGE: I Wanna Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart/ PAUL & ROY: Every Dog Must Have Its Day/ CARL STORY: He Will Set Your Fields On Fire/ SUE THOMPSON: Last Night I Heard Somebody Cry/ JAKE WATTS: Too Late To Regret

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 199 Canadian Country - Lynn Russwurm's Selection ● CD $14.98
27 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
A delightful and varied collection of country music from north of the border compiled by Canadian singer/ songwriter and Canadian country expert Lynn Russwurm. No recording dates are provided but I would guess that most of these tracks are from the early 50s. The material is varied including straight ahead country, western songs, bluegrass, talking blues and more. The sound is a bit different than it's U.S. counterparts with generally sparser instrumental arrangements and a number of tracks show the influence of two of Canada's most popular country performers - Hank Snow and Wilf Carter. Artists includes Kidd Baker, The Calgary Kid, Guido D'Amico (the bizarre Italian flavored Oh Susie from this artist who has a couple of highly collectable rockabilly records from the mid 50s), Eric & Johnny (the delightful bluegrass flavored Niagara Moon), King Ganam (the western swing flavored instrumental King Ganam's Special with hot fiddle and accordion), The Hachey Brorthers & Mary Lou, Bobby Hill (a cover of Merle Travis's classic Dark As A Dungeon transplanted to the Cape Breton Mines), Henry La Riviere, Hank McDonald, Hank NOble, Keray Regan, Smilin' Dick and others. Includes brief notes on each of the artists by Russwurm.
KIDD BAKER: Wheeling Back To Wheeling West Virginia/ TEX BLOYE: Talkin' Blues/ THE CALGARY KID: The Tenderfoot's Warning/ GEORGE COOK: The Golden Bells Of San Anita/ SMILIN’ IVAN DOREY: You Bit Off More Than You Can Chew/ GUIDO D’AMICO WITH AL CHERNY: Oh Susie/ ERIC & JOHNNY: Niagara Moon/ GEORGE FAITH WITH JEAN & LES DOWELL (THE COLORA: Hard To Please/ KING GANAM: King Ganam's Special/ GABY HAAS: Red River Waltz/ THE HACHEY BROTHERS & MARY LOU: Button You Lip/ BOBBY HILL: Dark As A Dungeon (in Cape Breton Mines)/ THE HILLBILLY JEWELS: I Love My Rooster/ JACK JENSON & THE RHYTHM PALS: Bluebird On My Windowsill/ EVAN KEMP & SHIRLEY FIELD: Oh! Baby Doll/ HENRY LA RIVIERE (HANK RIVERS): Longing For Old Alberta/ ALONZO MARSH: Chained To A Memory/ HANK MCDONALD: The Bachelor's Train/ DON MESSER: White River Stomp/ HANK NOBLE: Little Log Cabin/ ORVAL PROPHET: I'm Going Back To Birmingham/ KERAY REGAN: Those Beautiful Big Brown Eyes/ BUDDY REYNOLDS: Spruce Bug/ DONN REYNOLDS: Blue Mountain Waltz/ LENNY SIEBERT: Song Of The Wild/ SMILIN’ DICK (THE SASKATCHEWAN ROAMER): I Long For The Old Home Again/ GEORGE WADE: The Devil's Dream

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 221 South Of The Border ● CD $14.98
25 country songs from the late 30s to mid 50s with a Mexican flavor including El Rancho Del Rio by Jim Reeves, Panamama by Hank Snow, Celito Lindo Huasteco by Los Rancheros, Goodbye To Old Mexico by Dwight Butcher & His Prairie Ramblers, Mexico Skies by Zeke Clements and more.
REX ALLEN: Ridin' Down To Mexico/ PANCHO BAIRD: Lady Of Spain/ JOHNNY BOND: Sunset Trail From Mexico/ CAROLYN BRADSHAW: Marriage Of Mexican Joe/ RUSS BROWN: We Met In Old Mexico/ LARRY BRYANT: Drinking Tequila & Mexican Beer/ DWIGHT BUTCHER: Goodbye To Old Mexico/ MARY JO CHELETTE: Son Of Mexican Joe/ ZEKE CLEMENTS: Mexico Skies/ THE COPPER KINGS: At The Fiesta/ T. TOMMY CUTRER: Mexico Gal/ WADE HOLMES: Rose Of Mexico/ EDDY HOWARD: In My Adobe Hacienda/ JOE MAIZE: El Rancho Grande/ ED MCNEELY: Mexican Joe/ MIGUEL ACEVES MEJIA: Penas Del Alma/ LOS RANCHEROS: Cielito Lindo Huasteco/ JIM REEVES: El Rancho Del Rio/ THE SHELTON BROTHERS: Aye Aye On Mexico's Beautiful Shores/ SHORTY, SUE & SALLY: A Gay Ranchero/ ROY SMECK: La Paloma/ HANK SNOW: Panamama/ HARRY TORRANI: Mexican Yodel/ BUDDY WALKER: Border Town Fiesta/ BOB WILLS: I Want To Go To Mexico

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 224 Sunset Valley Barndance ● CD $14.98

 

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