Late September 2016 bopping fortnight’s favorites
This is late September 2016 fortnight’s bopping favorites. As prettily usual, I selected a dozen songs which I feel interesting both for their obscurity and/or their appeal. The songs range from early-to-mid ’50s to very early ’60s. Let’s begin on the West coast with the very elusive TOM (Red) WILSON & His Country Music. He sings in the W.C. Western swing manner, added by a tight little combo of steel, piano and guitar, plus bass of course. First two selections combine both sides of his release on Crest 1007 (which was an outlet of Liberty). «Can you bop ?» (with female replica and jive-talk) tells everything. It’s a shuffler from 1955, with a strong Speedy West-styled steel, inked by Cal Veale, a name which crops from time to time on W. C. records.. The flip « Hillbilly parade » keeps the long established tradition of stringing some well-known Western songs. According to the songs cited, one can recognize T. Ernie, Webb Pierce and Ernest Tubb. Nice fiddle. There’s even a fat-bodied guitar picking solo which must be by Merle Travis himself ! Terry Fell had cut previously (1953) on Gilt-Edge 5084 his “Hillbilly impersonations“; but 12 artists were involved then in place of the half-a-dozen by Tom Wilson.
“Can you bop?”
“Hillbilly parade”
Terry Fell & The Fellers (Gilt-Edge 5084, 1953) “Hillbilly impersonations”
The second release is really disappointing, both « Lonesome seagull » and « It’s me again » (Crest 1020) are weepers.
“Lonesome seagull”
“It’s me again”
Next artist is a bit of a mystery. BOB TUCKER & His Sky Riders (vocal chorus by Virgil Hume) don’t give any clue of origin neither date of release. Tucker (neither Hume) never had another record, at least to my knowledge. They do a bopping tune « Quit draggin’ your feet » and a quieter side on « My tears are dry » released on State 4002 B/A. Both feature a really wild and inventive steel, and the singer does a really fine job on the supercharged « Quit » side. The record may date from the 1953/54 era.
“Quit draggin’ your feet”
“My tears are dry”
On to a well-known name, for a not so well-known good Country bop song. DALE HAWKINS was no longer in 1961 with Chess Records, and his days of fame were over, when he cut (with Roger Miller on guitar) the nice and, apparently, autobiographical, « Wish I hadn’t called home » for Tilt 783.
“Wish I hadn’t called home”
Two visitors are categoric: Hawkins plays guitar while it’s Miller singing. Thanks, chaps!
Then VIRGIL HUNT (a repost of as early as May 2012). « Can’t we try again » is a fast 1957 hillbilly bopper, with fiddle and guitar solos issued on Boot Heel 604 [did I write the label’s name right, Dean?], apparently a Tennessee label. Now you get a complete and nice label scan..
“Can’t we try again”
On the small Livingston, TN. Breeze label (# 401), on to female Rockabilly with SHARIET SEXTON for « Since baby put me down ». Great hick/hip vocal !
“Since baby put me down”
Finally another Rockabilly, although fiddle and steel present (solos) from Louisiana in 1959 : BOB PREDDY and « Hold what’cha got » on Buddy [not the Texas label] # 2002.
“Hold what’cha got”
Sources : as usual, a great percentage of YouTube ; my own researches (Google, 45rpm-cat) ; thanks to Allan Turner for Bob Tucker A-side.
arkansas 45s