Howdy folks, this is the fourth portion of Country boogie or rockers for this 2020 year, and will contain no less than ten songs. I hope you will find something of interest here.
Lawson Rudd
A famous blogger and writer, Some Local Loser, posted in YouTube both sides of Starday 711. Originally released April 1958, this was the record debut for LAWON RUDD (born Salyersville, Ky in 1929 – deceased December 2011) backed by the Tippecanoe Valley Boys for two great sides. A-side was named « Country Town Girl », a superior uptempo mid-paced, great hillbilly vocal and rhythm guitar, fine steel all through the song (a short solo). B-side, « Blues On The Run » has a rhumba-beat (maraccas) and reminds one of Louisiana Lannis in « Much To Much » issued the year before (Starday 268){see Louisiana Lannis’ story elsewhere in this blog}.
But LAWSON RUDD’s best known side is to be found two years later (1960) on Kingsford Heights, Indiana based Harvest label (# 709) : « Shake This Town » has a lazy vocal, unobstrusive chorus and good backing for a late period Rockabilly : fine guitar and a trembling steel solo. The guitar player sounds as in Bill Bowen’s « Don’t Shoot Me Baby » (Meteor 5033) cut in April 1956, four years before ! Incidentally the flipside « No One Will Ever Know » couldn’t be traced, a pity..This disc is valued $ 100 to 150.
The veteran PAUL HOWARD and his Arkansas Cotton Pickers do come next with « Texas Boogie » released in April 1949 on the King label 779. Actually a showcase, instrumental for the most part (steel, fiddle, guitar and of course a great piano) only adorrned by the vocal of RED PERKINS {see elsewhere in this blog his story}.
Then CAROLINA COTTON for a lazy vocal tune from May 1950 on M-G-M 10798B, « Lovin’ Ducky Daddy » has a ‘sugar’ voice, even some yodel and a good piano, but sparse backing (bass and drums).
Clay Allen & His Cimarron Playboys
More in 1950, on another major label (Decca 46324) the recording debut of CLAY ALLEN and his Cimarron Boys with « Evalina ». A good, although forgettable, uptempo ballad, the steel and the piano getting the better part behind the vocal.
CHUCK HARDING was born in 1914 (Marion Cty, Ky.), the son of a minister who taught him the fiddle. With his Colorado Cowhands he released in March 1948 a fabulous « Talking The Blues » : really great bass, awesome vocal, mandolin, steel solo, great fiddle too. It was first released on Texas Blue Bonnet 135A, before being switched to a greater exposure on California’s Modern 581 in May of the same year. Personnel is wholly given on the back of Boppin’ Hillbilly # 19, issued a mere twenty years ago.
Harding was to have in March 1954 on the Des Moines, Ill. (a Northern suburb to Chicago) Replica label # 101 the fine double-sided « Stop Crying On My Shoulder » and « I’m Living In A Lonely World » : accordion well present to the fore (it has its solo), sparse backing and no fiddle but steel solo.
As a matter of comparison I add the original version of « Talking The Blues » (written by Harding and Pyle) by PETE PYLE on Bullet 602 released June 1946. Good guitar, fiddle solo, and a trembling steel over an extrovert vocal – a good disc, but not to the standard of Chuck Harding’s version.
And that’s it for this fortnight ! Pheewww, as usual, a lot of work (research and making-up) and a lot of fun too (listening to dozens songs before choosing the selection I prefer).
Sources: YouTube (Some Local Loser); 45cat and 78rpm worlds; Ohio River; HBR serie; my own archives
King Records was a very important label run by Syd Nathan in Cincinnati, Oh. It had a C&W serie (500-1500), a Federal serie (10000) and a Deluxe serie (2000 or 5000).
First artist is Cowboy Jack Derrick, whose story is on the site. « Truck drivin’ man » is a very early trucker gay song.(King 633)
Paul Howard from Arkansas (1908-1994) was leading his Cotton Pickers on a long string of releases on Columbia and King. He was a resident at WSM in Nashville. « The boogie’s fine tonight » and « Texas boogie » are two of his best sides.
Clyde Moody is also well represented with a personal entry in bopping.org. Here is presented one of his best platters, « The blues came pouring down », with very strong rhythm guitar. (# 943)
Ocie Stockard is the most Western swing styled artist of the selection. The instrumental »Cow town boogie » evokes Texas and Oklahoma (King 634) Ocie Stockard “Cow town boogie”
download Jimmie Thomason was a West coast D.J. and had a string of releases on King of the same high standard. « I’ll drown in my tears » is a true Country blues, that is not often heard.(King 1132) Jimmy Thomason “I’ll down in my tears”
For this early Spring favorites selection, I’ve chosen mostly – that is unusual – major labels recordings!
The first three on King probably all cut in Cincinnati between 1949 and 1950. The earliest track is by RED PERKINS (born in 1890), who had begun his career before WWII and was later the featured vocalist of PAUL HOWARD Arkansas Cotton Pickers (see below). Here it is his “Hoe-Down Boogie” (King 792), a fine call-and-response fast bopper. He also had “Crocodile tears” the next year. His first issue on King (# 773) was “Texas Boogie“, and the personnel was then Jabbo Arrington [gt], Billy Bowman [steel], Bob Moore [bass], Roddy Bristol [fiddle], Fiddlin’ Red Herron [fiddle], Joe Rea [drums], poss. Harold Horner [piano]. The backing is probably similar.
Second selection is of course by PAUL HOWARD: “The boogie’s fine tonight“. Fine piano bopper (# 871), and the next is by the famous REDD STEWART, featured vocalist of Pee Wee King‘s Golden West Cowboys. Actually, except accordion (inaudible) the GWC are the backing band of Stewart for this great “Brother drop dead” (# 843). Fine piano, aggressive steel punctuating the beat.
One step away to West coast on the Capitol label for GENE O’QUIN and “I specialize in love” (# 2715). Fast bopper from 1954. Gene O’Quin “I specialize in love”
Back to early days. Dallas, Texas, Jim Beck’s studio, April 1951. The MERCER Brothers (Wallace and Charlie), an old-time male duet do a very energetic “Wish bone” on Columbia 20978. They sound like the Delmore Brothers, and even have WAYNE RANEY on harmonica for a great solo! Thanks to Jack Dumery to have led me to them (and for the CD!)
The link with the former is the Delmore and a version of their all-time great “Blues stay away from me“, a cityfied rendition (Cincinnat, August 1949) by EDDIE CROSBY. Nice guitar (could be Zeke Turner).
Finally back in Dallas with DANNY DEDMON, former vocalist of Bill Nettles. Actually his Rhythm Ramblers are Nettles’ Dixie Blues boys. Here he does in 1947 the amusing “Hula hula boogie” on Imperial 8019.
Sources: my own collection and the net for artists pictures.
arkansas 45s