First selection, « Afraid to love again » on the Rhythm Kings label (location unknown) # 1207 by WAYNE CROSS with Porter Fender (on guitar?) is a jumping little thing with fine guitar throughout. A short and uninspired solo – as my current notes of course ! Cross cut another very Cash-styled effort on Rhythm Kings 1208 “Put another dime in the juke box“.
“Afraid to love again”
download BOBBY HODGE second. Born 1932 in N.C. He was active during the ’50s and ’60s in Wisconsin. Here he delivers « Gonna take my guitar » on Rebel 819, it’s difficult to give a date of issue. Urgent vocal, hard lead guitar (2 soli) and a steel solo. In a very different manner, in 1964, he had on Golden Ring 3040 a new version of Jimmy C. Newman‘s « Alligator man ». Same guitar as on previous record. Add Hodge re-cut “..guitar” as “Carolina bound” on Nashville 5014 (1960), perhaps in a next fortnight.
“Gonna take my guitar”
« I can’t (take the easy way out) » is a fine uptempo with good although too short steel solo, by JEANNE JOHNSON on the Maarc label # 1501 (Ohio origin). Sincere vocal.
From Lakeland, Florida comes LEFTY NICKS on the Nicktone label # 6019, « Always alone ». Steel and lead guitar interplay. Rite pressing from 1961.
LAWRENCE WALKER on the La Louisiane 6019 label with the Cajun classic « Allons Rock and roll » from 1961-62, which could well have been cut 10 years earlier.
Finally Red (vocal, guitar) & Lige (vocal and mandolin), the TURNER BROS. Sometimes called the Kentucky Boys as their other competitors of the same name (Zeb & Zeke, on Bullet). They do here « When harvest days are over » (Radio Artist 235) and « Honky tonk mama » (243), both from 1947. Delmore Bros . Or York Bros. style. They also appeared on Imperial 8071 (« Boog-boog-boogie », from Radio Artist 234) and a half a dozen of singles on Mercury in 1949-50.
Howdy folks! Here are my ‘new’ favourite tunes of early this month. As usual I try to give you oddities to illustrate the music, although lacking of inspiration and enthusiasm this time!
Red and Lige, The TURNER BROTHERS, were a duet group from Tennessee. I don’t know if they were related to the more famous brothers, Zeke and Zeb (King and Bullet labels). They offer here a strong Country-boogie with “Honky Tonk Mama” on the Radio Artist label (the one which issued Jimmie Skinner first sides). Circa 1950.
PECK TOUCHTON, a native of Texas, had a solitary release on Sarg (“You’ve Changed Your Tune“). He also recorded for Pappy Daily’s Starday label, without seeing any issue, following a mixing of label stickers during a car wreck! The whole story was told by Andrew Brown in his excellent site, Wired For Sound. See it here:
http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/search?q=peck+touchton
Touchton’s record, “Let Me Catch My Breath” was finally issued under the name of George Jones (Starday 160).
Out of Texas or West Louisiana, and at one time associated as a singer with Bill Nettles, DANNY DEDMON had records as early as 1947 on Imperial. Here is his “Hula Hula Woogie“, typical Texas Honky-tonk of the late Forties, with a touch of Western swing. The Rhythm Ramblers were actually Nettles’ band.
George McCormick (he had discs on M-G-M, for example, “Fifty-Fifty Honky Tonkin’ Tonight”) and Earl Aycock teamed as GEORGE & EARL in 1956, and had a string of Rockabilly releases on the Mercury label. I’ve chosen one of their most dynamic sides, “Done Gone“. Nashville musicians behind them. The duet folded shortly afterwards.
Out of Nashville came CLAY EAGER on the Republic label. Although he was a celebrity as D.J. in the St.Louis/St.Paul, MO, area, he had cut this fine “Bobbie Lou” in Nashville. We finish with the wild, rasping young ETTA JAMES on the West Coast. “Tough Lover” is backed by the ubiquitous Maxwell Davis.
arkansas 45s