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.
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.
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..
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.
Howdy folks ! Eleven selections (yes, 11) this time of small labels and very minor artists, who made for the most part of them only one known record then vanished into obscurity or did something else than a career in music.
From California on the Pico Sundown label (# 113, very late ’50s, let’s hear at BOBBY AUSTIN‘s « Fool, fool, fool » : a jumping little tune, very expressive vocal – the singer knows what he’s talking about, of course. A prominent steel guitar, whose style must BE Ralph Mooney‘s.
A lively « It’s money » by MIKE CLAY follows on the National Sounds label (# 1501), mid ’60s. It’s an uptempo with a harsh guitar. The record itself is produced by « Jack Rhodes », famous producer and songwriter residing in Mineola, TX.
From Louisville, KY, here they are, back-to-back of the Hood label # 1031 by CARL DIXON. More ‘Country’ than hillbilly, however two fine medium-paced Country rockers : « Carry me back to Ark. » and « Hunting out of season ». Surely Dixon has to watch for gamekeepers.. A harmonica throughout is the main instrument.
DICK BILLS began seemingly his career in Arizona on the Vicki label in 1954-55 (an OP- custom issue, « Beggars can’t be choosers »)[see elsewhere in this site my feature on the Four Star OP-serie]. We find him later on the Morgan label (# 107) in California for two medium paced numbers (one is sung by Buzz Burnam – I can’t for Heaven’s sake remember him where/when, but his name rings familiar to my ears). Tracks are « Lost without you », an ordinary bopper, while « Old dusty sun » has a surprising hawaiian-style steel guitar.
Finally Bills reappears in 1961 on the Crest label for a solid « Rockin’ and a rollin’ » (# 1091), backed on the lead guitar by his nephew Glen Campbell.
JIMMY RINGO next artist offers a very nice bopper as late as 1958 on the big concern W.C. Dot (reputed for its pop orientation). « I like this kind of music » (# 15787) has everything Boppers’ addicts could wish for : a nice guitar (a short solo), an interesting vocal, a prominent fiddle, of course no drums and even a banjo solo.
The following artist had a long career as Red River Dave, mostly songwriter, he takes here his real name of DAVE McENERY for a solitary single on a subsidiary label to T.N.T., the aptly named Yodeling # 500. I wonder if they are more numbers in the serie. Both tracks are unusual. « Did the gypsy lie ? » is an intense ballad, while « Jailhouse blues » (backing is made of 2 guitars and a bass) is a sort of folkish hillbilly, very pleasant with its yodel efforts.
Note: Phil Watson, a visitor, had noted what follows: “I heard this was recorded when T Texas Tyler was jailed in 1958 for a drugs offence (he was found carrying weed) and, quick off the mark as always, Red River Dave wrote a song about it – Jailhouse Blues. The lyrics mention a couple of Tyler’s songs.”. Thanks Phil!
Last artist is a completely unknown from Kansas City, MO : ROY BEEMER comes with a shuffler, « Cheatin’ don’t count » has a guitar solo « a la Hank Garland », solos of steel and fiddle. A real good disc on the Artists label # 1459.
“Cheatin’ don’t count”
arkansas 45s