Jimmy Key & his Timber Trail Riders

Originating from Cullman, Tx, in 1927, he worked his way through Florida, Mississipi, Tennessee before relocating himself in Fort Worth, Tx. It is then surprising that his record label, HiLite was one out of Barre, Vermont. His “Super Market Day” (# 102) is cheerful: a muted trumpet, a fine walking bass and a fiddle solo; a cross between cityzed Hillbilly bop and Western swing. Key had another disc on Bayou.

Key had two other records. One from 1958 on the Tennessee Logan label (unheard), and another from 1954 on the Bayou label, in the “Country serie”; “I’ll Never Get Out Of Your Way” (# 3002, well worth the seek for) is a good bopper to be found on “High On The Hog”, vol. 2, Cactus bootleg label.

Cash Box, August 14, 1954

Cliff Waldon & the Westernaires

A steel, a fiddle, a string bass with solo, over a sympathetic vocal do combine for the fine bopper “My Baby Doll” on the small Mark label (# 107) located in Utica, NY. Waldon had another one, “Indian Woman/Get Off The Stool”.

Cash Nox, August 30, 1957

Jesse Rogers & his 49ers

He had a long and rich story during the ’30s and until the late ’50s. As a cousin of the late Jimmie Rodgers, he easily did yodel and sang those great ballads about West and trains. A first track from his ‘golden age’ is “Howlin’ And Prowlin'”, a medium-paced bopper from 1953 (M-G-M 11422). It’s a shuffler with piano, steel and a bluesy guitar solo over an ‘answer response’ by the band

Four years later, Rockabilly had passed its way through, and Rogers must adapt his style to new trends, hence “You Can’t Hang That Monkey On My Back”, half amusing, half threatening fast hillbilly rocker on the Arcade label (# 143) out of Philly, PA: steel (solo), accordion (solo), the now famous pattern of ‘answer/response’ by the band. Here it’s a perfect example of a Country & Western band trying to catch the public’s tastes.

Weldon Rogers

Rogers (apparently no relation Jesse above) released in July 1957 his version of Elvis’ Sun recording of “Trying To Get To You” on Imperial 5451, a nice ballad, lot of echo on guitar and sincere vocal. But it was actually Roy Orbison and his full band doing the tune, already cut for Je-Well (# 101) issued the year before.
Weldon Rogers had also interesting sides on Jewel (“Women Drivers”), Queen (Texas label) and Peach (early ’60s). The Imperial one was the B-side to a Rockabilly classic, “So long, Good Luck And Goodbye”.

Bill Guyton Tennessee Playboys

Bill Guyton was another ‘unknown’ artist who, despite a recording (although on a small label) never made it. He even never made a second record. “I’ve Got A Little Time For Loving” (Pride 3000) cut in Nashville during the mid-to-late Fifties is a shuffling Hillbilly bop: assured vocal, fiddle, steel and pinky-dink piano. Nothing spectacular or unique, a pleasant side to listen to.

Cash Box, October 22, 1956

Here’s a shuffler (once more; after all it’s the easier way to dancers) by a prolific artist. He doesn’t sound country pop yet. A fine example of his early offerings, with a blues touch. A very strong voice (some yodel and hiccups), backed by fiddle, bass and a guitar particularly uninventive

Marvin Rainwater

Jimmie Skinner

Here Jimmy Skinner does offer his usual style: electric mandolin (solo) and a bluesy tune. This “Muddy Water Blues” dates from June 1956.