Barn Dance review

If Charlie Poole or Fiddlin' Doc Roberts would have used recording equipment by today's standards, listen to this album and you know what it would have sounded like. "Barn Dance" by Little Black Train is an album full of authentic, traditional old-time music right from the mountains. In the same category as the Black Twig Pickers, Little Black Train covered a lot of old tunes by familiar rural mountain artists.

The album kicks off with a rendition of Dick Justice's "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" variation entitled "Old Black Dog," a lively and well-sounding track which surely let the listener expect more. "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down" is a rough and rural Southern gospel song, while the title track "Barn Dance" takes you into an old barn to enjoy the music of a string band playing on an old fashioned barn dance. The track list includes more gems. On "California Blues," Little Black Train replaces the jazzy accompanimen of the original Jimmie Rodgers recording with a more traditional Bluegrass arrangement. Another highlight is their version of the Carter Family's beautiful "Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow." Reading the track list will offer you versions of some of old-time music's most influential and successful artists' songs. It presents American music's roots.

"Barn Dance" is definitely an album with great titles. Listening to this album will take you into the deep South of the 1920s. A band to watch and an album to recommend.


Visit the official website

Coral Rock'n'Roll Party

Another bobsluckycat post presented by Mellow's Log Cabin!

In early 1956, this album was released by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft to many European countries. These was no comparable American album from Coral, released in the USA. 1956 was the year that many styles and small record labels converged with the big national labels fueled by payola to the d.j.'s and the distributors and some really good music coming out that was different and that was aimed squarely at the core audience which was the 12 to 22 years old demographic or so.

The Supreme Court of the USA struck down "separate but equal" in 1954, segregation was rampant in the land. The record business was in the forefront of change. Small independent labels had sprung up since World War II with fresh new ideas and artists and were taking a greater market share almost daily. New recording equipment, i.e. Hi-Fidelity recording and magnetic tape came into wide use as well. King Records had Blue and Red labels on their records for one thing. Blue was "race", Red was everything else, but mostly country music. King switched to an all blue label in 1954, and dropped most country recording artists as their contracts ended by the mid-50's. King also released a wide range of music on its subsidiaries Federal and DeLuxe. King then concentrated on Blues, R&B, and Jazz aimed at the target audience and Blacks as well.

Not wanting to look like the parents record label, RCA Victor had in house start-ups Groove, "X" and Vik for a while. Decca did as well with Coral and Brunswick to some degree, and on and on. Nobody in early 1956 really knew what Rock-n-Roll was for sure and they still don't, in my opinion. A lot of the music heard on this LP just went away or to adult middle of the road venues. Elvis had hit big as did many others by this time and everybody was just scrambling to make a dollar. Enjoy this LP for the time capsule it is.

Download

track list:
1. Steve Lawrence - The Chicken and the Hawk
2. Alan Freed - I Don't Need Lottsa Money
3. Lawrence Welk - Rock'n'Roll Ruby
4. Georgie Auld - Plantation Boogie
5. Don Cornell - Teenage Meeting
6. George Cates - High and Dry
7. The McGuire Sisters - Rhythm 'n' Blues
8. Freddie Mitchell - Freddie's Boogie
9. The Goofers - Flip, Flop and Fly
10. Sarah McLawler - Blues for Rex
11. Johnny Burnette - Tear It Up
12. Bill Carey - Goin' to Chicago Blues
13. George Williams - The Rompin' Stomper
14. The Lancers - Little Fool

01 - Steve Lawrence: A popular "Pop" music singer who starred as the featured male singer on the "Tonight Show" for four years along with future wife Eddy Gorme. Lawrence covered this R&B hit by Big Joe Turner on Coral 61563 in late 1955 with no success.

02 - Alan Freed was a very influential D.J. first in Cleveland and then at WNEW in New York City. He put this record out in 1956 on Coral 61660 with no chart action.

03 - Lawrence Welk & His Orch featuring Buddy Merrill, his band member on lead guitar and country style vocals usually, attempted Rockabilly on Coral 61649 in 1956 without any success. I have no idea why.

04 - Georgie Auld & His Orch. covered "Plantation Boogie" on Coral 61381, recorded April 04, 1955. Lenny Dee had the hit on Decca in January 1955 and it was also covered by Red Foley with a Country vocal, also on Decca, the main label of which Coral was a subsidiary.

05 - Don Cornell, a "Pop" music singer out of the big Band Era with Sammy Kaye's Orch, had several pop hits through the 50's by himself and also with Johnny Desmond, And Don Cherry as the "3D's" on Coral. This song from early 1956, Coral 61584 failed to chart.

06 - George Cates, born in 1911, was the musical director of Coral Records for a number of years and was closely associated with "movie" music. This unknown cut has to be from from some jazzy album, but I have no information otherwise.

07 - The McGuire Sisters, three sisters from Ohio signed with Coral in 1954 and were extremely popular and had a long string of hits and hit cover versions from then through 1961. This song, from early 1955 failed to chart, however.

08 - Freddie Mitchell was an R&B, Jazz piano man who cut this song on Brunwick 84023 in 1953 for that label which was the "race label" at the time for Decca.

09 - The Goofers were a "white" cover act on Coral who covered a lot of Black artists between 1954 and 1956 and sold a lot of records to a still very much segregated audience. This was one such record from 1955, Coral 61383. They borrowed heavily from the Bill Haley & The Comets sound, thanks to producer Paul Cohen. This sold a lot of records and got tons of air-play on radio stations where Big Joe Turner had no chance of being heard over the air.

10 - Sarah McLawler was a hammond organ player much in the style of Bill Doggett, her R&B and Jazz infused sides were released,on King Records, Brunswick and finally on Vee-Jay between 1952 and 1956. This cut was released on Brunwick in 1953.

11 - The Johnny Burnette Trio consisting of Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, and Paul Burlison were discovered while appearing as contestants on the Ted Mack Hour TV show (much like today's "American Idol" show) and signed to a contract by Coral Records. They were from Memphis, Tennessee, but not from the "Sun" stable. They had some moderate hits through 1959, when the brothers split and started separate singing careers in California to great success. This song, Coral 61651 is from early 1956.

12 - Bill Carey had several releases on Coral in the Mid-50's all in an R&B vein and maybe he was a singer with Count Basie's Band or Johnny Otis's Band, given the vibes on this recording. I have no other information. His style is somewhat in the Joe Williams vein.

13 - George Williams & His Orch. recorded this big band R&B instrumental "The Rompin' Stomper" in 1953 and it was released as Coral 61121. It was a popular theme song for many D.J.'s.

14 - The Lancers formerly on Trend Records where they had a 1953 hit entitled "Oh, Sweet Mama Tree-Top Tall", signed with Coral records in 1954 and like the Goofers had "white" covers of Black R&B artists between 1954 and 1956. This song, Coral 61616 charted in 1956 briefly.

Research and notes by bobsluckycat.

The Spitfires on Jaro Int.

The Spitfires - Catfish (Jaro Int. J-77004), 1959

The Spitfires - Fireball Mail (Jaro Int. J-77004), 1959

Another bobsluckycat post presented by Mellow's Log Cabin

Actually, the Spitfires were nothing else than a pseudonym used by Billy Lee Riley for one single release on the Jaro International label. It was Riley's first release after "One More Time" b/w "Got the Water Boiling," his last record on Sun Records (Sun 322, ca. June 1959). Riley was possibly still under contract with Sun when recording for Jaro but knew his contract wasn't renewed. Though, he had to use a pseudonym for releases on other record labels since he was tied to his Sun contract.

Newspaper article from 1957

Riley and his band at the Sun Studio, ca. 1957. From left to right:
Jimmy Van Eaton (drums), Martin Willis (sax), Pat O'Neill (bass),
Jimmy Wilson (piano), and Riley

"Fireball Mail" and "Catfish" were cut in 1959 in Memphis, Tennessee, likely in one of the many independent recording studios like Fernwood. Both sides were instrumentals and still had the "Little Green Men" sound, which suggests that they also recorded these sides with Riley. It's sure that Roland Janes played guitar with possibly Riley on guitar or bass, Jimmy Van Eaton on drums and Martin Willis on sax, leaving only an unknown piano player.

How these cuts ended up on Jaro is not quite clear. Riley started to produce his own records from 1959 onwards and used several pseudonyms on small labels in the following years. Jaro was a subsidiary of Top Rank Records from New York City. The Spitfires' single was one of the first to be released on the label. In August 3, 1959, Billboard gave "Fireball Mail" b/w "Catfish" a promising review but the single failed to chart.

"Very Strong Sales Potential" - Billboard pop review of Jaro 77004 on August 3, 1959

Sun Rhythm Section

Here's a nice LP ripped by bobsluckycat. "Old Time Rock 'N Roll" was the first album by the Sun Rhythm Section, a band of former Sun staff musicians and recording artists. Here's some info on the LP by bobsluckycat:

Front Cover Photo: Kneeling: Jerry Lee "Smootchy" Smith, piano Standing left to right: Marcus Van Story, up-right bass and guitar, Sonny Burgess, 1st lead guitar, D.J. Fontana, drums, Paul Burlison, 2nd lead guitar, Stan Kesler, electric bass (Not pictured J.M. Van Eaton, drums)

Drums by track number: J.M. Van Eaton tracks 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 10, 12 - D.J. Fontana tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16

Produced 1987 by Stan Kesler at the Sam Phillips Recording Studios in Memphis, TN. Released on vinyl by Flying Fish Records #FF445 in 1987. Ripped by bobsluckycat 2012.

Download

track list:
1. Old Time Rock'n'Roll
2. Red Hot
3. That's Alright Mama
4. Let It Roll
5. Still Rockin'
6. Don't Send Me No More Drinks
7. You're a Heartbreaker
8. Tutti Frutti
9. Love Me Baby
10. I Can't Help It
11. I Can't Get Her Started
12. Ubangi Stomp
13. Those Good Old Sun Records
14. Daddy Blues
15. Match Box
16. Rockin' Boppin' Baby

Larry Donn RIP

Arkansas rockabilly legend Larry Donn died May 1, 2012. This message is an especially sad one to me since I had steady conctact with him over the last time. He was a friendly person and always willing to help. He will be greatly missed.

Budget Covers Part I

Rockabilly and country from the famous Starday/Dixie labels. I have possibly enough material for a second one, which will pop up here perhaps in the near future. The Dixie EPs were produced by Starday for the Stewart Sales Company from Chicago, a mail order business that sold the records over Mexico border town radio stations. Most budget label companies would sign unknown local musicians to record the hits and issue them under various names, leasing them also often to other labels. In contrast, Starday used their singers whether they were famous or not (George Jones being one example).

Download

track list:
1. Leon Payne - Blue Suede Shoes
2. Thumper Jones - Heartbreak Hotel
3. Benny Barnes - I Walk the Line
4. Leon Payne - My Baby Left Me
5. George Jones - Singing the Blues
6. Sleepy LaBeef - You're So Easy to Love
7. George Jones - Eskimo Pie
8. Roger Miller - Who Shot Sam
9. Earl Aycock - I'm Comin' Home
10. Benny Barnes - There You Go

Classic review

An awesome album which is almost on the same level as the Rubber Knife Gang's "Drivin' On" and the Black Twig Pickers' "Ironto Special." In fact, I thought Larry Keel & Natural Bridge's new CD "Classic" is going into the same direction as the Pickers when I spotted such titles as "Fishin' Reel" and "Country Blues" in the track list but actually this is more in the vein of Cincinnati's Rubber Knife Gang or Steve Martin.

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge consist of Keel on guitar, Jenny Keel on bass, Mark Schimick on mandolin, and Will Lee on banjo. The absence of a fiddle does not stand out much. Instead, here and there the steely sound of a dobro is added to the line-up and fits really good into the band's style. A fiddle would have made a much more traditional oriented sound, which is not the case here. "Classic" sound fresh, new, and modern.

Vocal tracks as well as instrumentals are great. Listening to "Back Up on the Mountain" makes me wish to have a warm summer evening and being at a calm lake, just sitting and thinking. "Country Blues" goes more into the traditional direction and is a great rendition of Dock Boggs' old favorite. The rough vocals by Keel are great here. Another outstanding track is the instrumental "Fishin' Reel," presenting not only Keel's guitar playing but also his talented band. The band is joining all in to support the singer on "How Can It Be Wrong," a beautiful mid-tempo song. Another track worth mentioning here is Bob Marley's "Put It On," what an effort to turn a Reggae song into an equally good Bluegrass track.

To describe it best, this is high-class Bluegrass music with dreamy melodies. Fast guitar and mandolin solos showcase the great musicianship this band has. Mixing Appalachian music traditions with modern elements, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge recorded one of the best Bluegrass/Folk albums this year so far. A band to watch and a CD I can highly recommend.

Visit larrykeel.com here.

Rockabilly Rave #14

Doug Briney's new album release

 Doug Briney - It's All Country
Today's featured artist is not a guy from the 1950s or 1960s but an upcoming country music singer from the frozen north of Alaska. Doug Briney hast just released his debut album "It's All Country" in March 2012 and has recently been nominated for the "Most Promising New Artist" at the 2012 ICMA awards. Featured here is the title track of his album.


If you like Briney's music, go to dougbriney.com where you can purchase the complete album.

The Bo-Kay label

"Each Record a Bouquet of Music"

Bo-Kay was founded by business man Jesse Smith in 1956 in Lamesa, Texas, but later moved first to nearby Odessa and eventually to Fort Worth. Smith also owend Mary Kaye and Ector labels. Active from 1957 to around 1967, the label mostly released country material but is also famous for releasing Elroy Dietzel's rockabilly sides. Dietzel's "Rock-N-Bones" (composed by Don Carter) was later covered by Ronnie Dawson. Smith had discovered Dietzel and his band, the Rhythm Bandits, in late 1956 while they were playing a club in Lubbock, Texas, and signed them.

Other artists on the label included Billy Thompson and his band, who was the brother of famous western swing singer Hank Thompson. Another western swing band leader who recorded for Bo-Kay was Hoyle Nix, a very popular act in West Texas. Patsy Elshire also cut a single in 1963 for the label, released as by "Patsy Blane." She had been a regular on the Houston Hometown Jamboree (KNUZ, Houston) back in 1956 and had previously recorded for Capitol and Starday. Red Hayes, who was also part of Billy Thompson's band, had a release on Bo-Kay, too, as well as Cecil McCollough and Dee Mullins.

Many singles were cut in Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Songwriter Howard Hausey, also known as Howard Crockett, worked with the label as a producer and composer.

Promo picture for Billy Thompson and his Melody Ramblers (!). The Bo-Kay record acutally showed Melody Cowboys as backing group. Thompson played in the Midland/Odessa area and performed at the Golden Nuggetin Las Vegas during the late 1960s. His Bo-Kay release was recorded at Norman Petty's studio in 1957.

Discography
Singles
K-101: Elroy Dietzel / The Rhythm Bandits - Precious Desires / Teenage Ball (1956)
K-102: Johnny Lynn - Pancho Villa / Love Me Brown Eyes
K-103: Elroy Dietzel and the Rhythm Bandits - Rock-N-Bones / Shang-Hai Rock (1957)
K-104: Billy Thompson and the Melody Cowboys - Waltzing with Sin / Love Gone Blind (1957)
K-105: The Welch Brothers - Blue Eyes and Golden Curls / Thoughts of the Past
K-106: Doug Bowman - Dis-Conted / From My Lover to My Friend
K-107: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - The Kind of Love I Can't Forget / The Lady in Red (1959)
K-108: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - Ida Red / La Golondrina Waltz (1959)
K-109: Red Hayes - Away to Free Myself / Next to Jimmy
K-110: Hoyle Nix and his West Texas Cowboys - Please Don't Bother Me / I Don't Lov'a Nobody (1960)
K-111: Sunshine Travelers - Calling You / Kneel Down and Pray
K-112: Patsy Blane - Things Look Different Now / Feeling (1963)
K-113: Johnny Wood and the Rhythm Aces - Valley of Blue / That's the Way It Has to Be
K-114: Jay Lang - Crazy Kind of Love / Someone I Thought I Knew
K-115: Billy Thompson - Oh Lonesome Me / Worried Over You
K-116: The Lambert Brothers - Dig a Hole in the Meadow / Good Times are Past and Gone
K-117: Ray Chaney - You Wouldn't Cross the Street / Where's That Forever
K-118: Dee Mullins - Riverboat South / Prison Grey
K-119: Terry White - Arms of Memory / The Things That Count
K-120: Cecil McCollough - Pages Blue / Toys
K-121: Johnny Golf - Paradise / Paradise
No.#: Red & Betty Stewart - ? / Love's Gonna Live Here
45-991/2: Morine & the Zircones - Let a Woman Through / Show Me Where It's At

Note: The Bo-Kay single as by Morine and the Zircones is probably not on the same label. This release probably originated from the Gulf Coast.

Albums
LPM-101: Billy Thompson - Big Balls in Cowtown

Thanks to: DrunkenHobo, Westex