Howdy, friends ! This is the last selection of fortnight’s favorites for September 2017. I didn’t post a fortnight selection early this month, I was away from my Macintosch and could not but release the story of Freddie Frank, a Texan Hillbilly bopper – I hope you visiting friends and followers have just noticed the article…and liked it! I will be out once more during October, and don’t know how I will manage the blog. In the meantime here I am and well, and ready for this late September 2017 selection, which will last from the early ’50s until 1965.
Here we go with the earliest track, « Why not » on the B&C label # 500 by PAPA CAIRO (misspellt Cario on the label). Indeed he was a 
Louisianian. Real name Julius Lamperez. He was a steel guitar player and band leader during the early fifties (records on Feature and Colonial among others) and was long associated with the Cajun Chuck Guillory (« Grand Texas » on Modern 612). Here he delivers a decent uptempo ballad, a bit crooning, piano-led with fiddle and steel solo.
“Why not“
“Be my Baby”
“Great Big Moon“
From Marshall, Missouri on the Jan label (# 6-58) two tracks by F. D. JOHNSON with the Missouri Valley Boys. First « Be my baby » is a well-tempered (as you would say for Bach’s harpsichord – rock on, J.-S. !) rockabilly with vocal hiccups and a nice guitar solo. The flipsde is « Great big moon », and a good hillbilly weeper : vocal, fiddle solo. One little record to watch, and one wonders if he did something else.
“Mop Bop Boogie”
“Ramblin’ Blues”
On the Black side (or the man is White??? vocally he sounds at last) with WILBUR STEINBERG on the Memphis, TN, Hut label (# 4401) for a fast side, « Mop bop boogie », a mover with sax and screams, then a bluesy uptempo « Ramblin’ blues », which goes for the same comment. Two good sides !
Then on to Del Rio, Texas on the Hacienda label. Here he comes, SKEET WILLIAMS for a pleasant ballad (with chrorus and steel), « Lonesome rain » (# 0001). He’s backed by Bob Haltern’s Swing Kings, moreover a band unknown to me. The side was released in 1965 and coupled with « Mary, Mary, Mary Jane », a fast Rockabilly belter with chorus and loud drums. Thanks bebopcapitol !The record had apparently an early release on Royal Scot 102.
“Lonesome rain“
download
“Mary, Mary, Mary Jane“
We are reaching the end with VON STEPHENS on the Karl label (London, OH) and « Huckleberry junction » : a decent Hillbilly bopper, steel is present, a short guitar solo. Clay Eager production : someday, I will search on the very interesting Clay Eager.
“Huckleberry Junction”
That’s all folks. Thanks for your comments, corrections or additions. Sources: as diverse as usual.
arkansas 45s
Just love your website. Your diligent and deep research is beyond comparison. A real treasure!
Many, many thanks, Ken. Your comments give me a lot of courage to pursue this blog this way. You’re always welcome.
Another amazing collection of small-label winners. I am assuming Wilbur Steinberg is related to Lewis Steinberg, the original bassist (before Duck Dunn) in Booker T. and the MG’s.
Thanks Bill, for the visit and the nice comment. You may be utterly right about Wlbur Steinberg being brother to Lewis of Booker T. & M.G.’s. You have a very precise notion of Soul music too!
I’m also happy to see a record on a label from Del Rio, Texas, which is just a few hours down Route 90 from me, on the border with Mexico. Also, I have done a lot of travelling and spent a lot of time in the South and the Midwest USA, so these local labels fascinate me because I have been in these cites and have clear memories of them. Some times if I’m going to a particular city, and I can find a record on a local label which has an address, I’ll look for the address just to see what is there today, and think about how 50+ years before someone operated a tiny country label out of that same building!
@ Bill S
Yes, whenever the small labels show an address I go on Street View to see what’s there now. Living in England I know I’ll never see them in person. It’s surprising how many are car parks now.
@ Xavier
I check your blog every week or so and your posts are always informative & fascinating. The muic is usually great, too !! Thanks for all your hard work.