June 1954, exactly 18. A newcomer with his first recording. DOUG POINDEXTER came from Vendale, Arkansas. Several months ago, as he had went to Memphis, he had been noticed by a guitar player, Scotty Moore – surely the name rings a bell – and hired as front guitar man of his group, the Starlight Wranglers. His voice was very nasal, without doubt as imitation of his idol Hank Williams. On this day, he cut two sides, whose I retain « Now She Cares No More» under the producer Sam Phillips, hence Sun 202.
The record, albeit reviewed by the famous Cash Box magazine, went nowhere, and Poindexter earned his life later as a successful insurance man. « Now She Cares… » is pure hillbilly bop heaven. Fiddle and steel to the fore, and heavy bass (Bill Black). Less than 2 weeks later Black and Moore backed young Elvis. The rest is history.
Bobby Wayne
From the Washington State in 1963, here’s the very Johnny Cash styled BOBBY WAYNE. « Big Train » first on Jerden 709. During the flipside, « The Valley », the guitarist even adopts Luther Perkins (Cash’ guitarist) licks. Good vocal on both sides, and discrete chorus.
In the December 2016 fortnight I came with Californian Western swing artist EDDIE DEAN and his « Rock’n’Roll Cowboy » on Sage from 1957. Here is a quieter thing (Sage 188) : « Impatient Blues » as its name doesn’t imply is a bluesy thing, nice steel and a bit of crooning.
« The Louisiana Ramblers », EDDIE AND CHUCK came in 1954 with a bouncing thing, « Boogie The Blues » on the Chicago Chance label (# 3012). Weird and savage steel, great vocal and solid bass. How they were acquainted with an otherwise Blues/jazz label (1100 serie with already known artists like Wllie Nix – ex- Sun Records, or J.B. Hutto) is open to conjecture.
These sides were not unknown to Stan Lewis, owner of KWKH in Shreveport, La., who also acted as talent scout for Northern companies : Dale Hawkins and Sonny Boy Williamson came from his stable of artists and were recruited by Chess/Checker.Chance had apparently a 3000-C&W serie, but I never ever heard of any more record than this in this serie.
A real male/female duet now with DOTTIE JONES & WINSTON O’NEAL. A fast bopper , « I’ll Be Yours » has a prominent guitar – the solo comes a la Carl Perkins ! To be found on TNT 134 (San Antonio, Texas).
From unknown source, I picked up on YouTube a nice slice of fast Hillbilly bop wih « Me And My Fiddle » by BENNY MARTIN, apparently in 1954-55. Martin cut records on Pioneer, Mercury and M-G-M. One one side he was backed with »Hilllous Butrum & his Tennessee Partners », ex-bass player for Hank Williams, and was of rural Tennessee extraction. Nevertheless a very fine Hillbilly bopper.
Cliff Waldon & his Westernaires
Not owning Boppin’ Hillbilly vol. 15, I can’t say nothing about CLIFF WALDON & His Westernaires. His « My Baby Doll », issued on Mark 107, has an agile fiddle (+ solo), a great steel, even a bass solo. Vocal is OK for this fast Bopper.
Is there any need of presenting the MADDOX BROS. & ROSE ? I chose two tracks from their mostly creative period (Columbia, 1952 onwards). « No More Time » is a fast opus, which is still near to their Four Star product. « I’ve Got Four Big Brothers (To Look After Me ) » has Rose on lead vocal, with funny lyrics, in a true Rockabilly : Columbia 21405 from June 1955.
Sources : YouTube for Benny Martin ; W. Agenant’s Columbia 20000 serie » for the Maddox tracks ; Eddie & Chuck from various good compilations ; Bobby Wayne from 45cat. Starlite Wranglers image from “706 Union Avenue” site. My own archives.S
Very different things this time, from 1947 to 1961.
Ray Whitley & his Six Bar Cowboys
First, from June ’47, RAY WHITLEY & His Bar X Cowboss for « Wiihin This Broken Heart » on Cowboy 307. Fiddle, accordion, guitar – a lovely swinging uptempo, and typical of the ’40s. Location unknown, very probablbly East coast. Whitley also released the first (?) version of « Juke Box Cannonball » (Cowboy 301), also done by Bill Haley in 1952, (Holiday) « Cousin » Ford Lewis in 1947 (Four Star) and Charlie Stone (Arcade) in 1954. Whitley was an actor in Westerns too, as well as recording (1934 onwards) on Decca, Perfect, Conqueror. What a rich career !
Change completely for Louisiana. ALDUS ROGER saw this record « Lifetime Waltz » issued by San Antonio, Texas T.N.T. label (# 106, 1956). Vivid Cajun vocal and marvelous accordian : earlier he was recorded by Jay D. Miller on his Feature label with the nice « Mardi Gras Dance » (Feature 2004):an aggressive steel and a good accordion, of course, from 1954.
Let’s stay in San Antonio on T.N.T. # 141 with a carbon copy (lyrics) of « Blue Suede Shoes » in « Pink Bow Tie ». JERRY DOVE was the leader (which instrument?) and Bill Massey the singer. Cool vocal, a really great and raucous, wild steel, an heavy bass. The flipside (« Foolish Heart » is similar, although less fast, a moderate swinging ballad, well done anyway. Value (B.J.’s) : $ 200-250.
Next cut on the Marlinda label (no clues on the label) # 1626. JIM RUSE delivers his « What Are You Tryin’ To Do » , mid-paced tempo, a good rhythm guitar (uninventive for the solo), a gay vocal very melodic. For Goodness’ sake, I don’t where I picked this one from..
Another small Texas label was Skippy. I chose both sides of # 224 (1961) by JACK FINCHER & Collins Couny Four. « When I’m Stepping Out » is a good melodic hillbilly bop ballad. Nice steel, hillbilly vocal. The flipside, « Nickels Worth Of Pennies » do follow the same pattern : great steel and heavy ehythm guitar.
In a recent Fortnight, I’d publish EDDIE HAZELWOOD version of « Hound Dog » . Here is another goodie, « I’ve Gotta Lose My Blues » (Intro 6068), 1953. Written by Danny Dedmond, actually Danny Dedmon – see his story elsewhere in the site.
Sources : 45 cat for labels, 78worlds (Ray Whitley). Internet for more thn one tune. My own archives. Ronald Keppner for some records (Ray Whitley). Viele Danke, Ronald!
Hello everyone ! In those times of confinement, it’s good to hear fresh bopping music. Because my hard-disk is out of service and that the repair shop is still closed, I chose ancient items, previously released in old Fortnight’s favorites selections. So they won’t ring too familiar.
T. Texas Tyler
The first selection is done by T. TEXAS TYLER : a fast « Sratch and Itch » done in 1953 on 4Star, leased to Decca. 28760. Obviously there is not much growls from Tyler in this one. The backing is suoperb.
The veteran TEX RITTER (1906-1974) did also some Hillbilly bop songs. Here he releaes « Boogie Woogie Cowboy » on Capitol 928 (from early 1950). The backing provided is excellent too : the Capitol nucleus band, Eddie Kirk and Merle Travis on guitars, Speedy West on steel, Cliffie Stone on bass, Billy Liebert on piano and Harold Hensley on fiddle.
Tex Ritter
Chuck Wells
CHUCK WELLS (1922-1997) was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He found his musical success in Texas, working at several night spots throughout the Fort Worth area. He was also appearing over radio stations KCNC and KCUL in Fort Worth, too. Here he sings (1953) the great shuffler « The Marryin’ Preacher Man » on Columbia 23212.
From Texas comes TONY FARR. He had two discs on Enterprise, among them the second is the better. : « There’s No Sense In Marrying Me ». This artist, billed “And His Swinging Guitar”, based in Beaumont, Texas. “What’s The Use” has a nice guitar, but the fiddle is prominent (# 1208) on this 1958 issue, while “There’s No else In Marrying Me” (# 1211) is a jumping tune with a similar instrumentation.
Then in Louisiana’s West Monroe. Jiffy was a short-lived affair, however important by the quality of its issues, and the celebrity of some names, Jimmy Pickard, Tommy Spurlin or Jimmy Simpson. Here is the least known ED RAYBORN & his Southern Hillbillies, and the good medium paced « I’ll go on hurting » (# 208). Nice fiddle/steel and sincere vocal.
A couple of years later or so, a man led a typical Hillbilly combo : JERRY DOVE (instrument unknown). He had already put a minor rockabilly classic in 1956, « Pink bow tie » on T.N.T. Label (# 144), but he was more a producer and musician than a singer. Here he gathers the duet (male/female) of Ray Stone and Dove’s wife, Peggy. The side is bluesy, and very atmospheric : « Losin’ the blues » (# 173)
On Dixie 1068 (1961) by GUY GARDNER & his Country Four, here’s «High Society», an uptempo ballad : jumping vocal and instrumentation (piano and steel). Madison, TN label (sublabel to Starday).
With « All by myself » by DOUG DAVIS on the Texan Nite star label (# 007, from ca. 1963), we touch the real thing ! Already posted in 2010, this time with a nice label scan. It has haunting steel, perfect ballad vocal and confident backing (steel, rhythm only). My prefered all-time ballad. Davis had another record on Malinda 113 (untraced)
Sources: mainly from past Fortnight’s issues. See through “Artists” for details given before.
As an add and to continue with my homage to the late
LITTLE RICHARD
, here are some more tracks from his long career.
First, a short instrumental, “Cavalcade” cut at the very last session for Specialty (October 1957) which gave éShe Knows How To Rock”, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Hound Dog”.
From his Gospel days, I chose the loud, brassy, rollicking “He Got What He Wanted”, cut in 1962 for Mercury records.
From July 1964 and his real comeback album on Vee-Jay, here’s a real blues – so rare in his entire career. « Going Home Tomorrow» is sung with a lot of spirit. Richard is backed by an old friend on electric fiddle, Don « Sugarcane » Harris – who was also there for « Bama Lama Bama Lou » in April of the same year (last Specialty cut). The guitar player may also be Dewey Terry.
From 1965, a small hit (climbing in the lower parts of the R&B charts), “I Don’t Know What You’ve Got, But It’s Got Me”, released by Vee-Jay. The organ is played by a young Billy Preston) and the guitar player is a certain Maurice James, who was about to change his name at his arrival on the British shoreJimi Hendrix, after having been fired by Richard.I
In 1969, during a T.V. show, here’s a frenetic live version of “True Fine Mama”.
From 1971, as a backing piano player for Delaney Bramlett (of Delaney & Bonnie duet), Richard pounds the piano on “Miss Ann”, released by Atco Records.
Finally, from unknown sources, a berserk wildie version of “Good Golly Mss Molly”, maybe cut for a film, while Richard is duetting in 1992 with Tanya Tucker for a great interpretation of the classic Eddie Cochran’s song “Something Else”.
Howdy folks! Here we go again for a new selection (rather a short ne) of bopping favorites. They range from late ’40s (Cousin Deems Sanders) to late ’50s (Ray Stone). With the odd issue from Detroit (Peter De Bree) or California (Gene Crabb), they are all Texas records.
Cousin Deems Sanders and his Goat Herders with Walt McCoy
On the then big concern Crystal (# 246), let’s enjoy to the first selection’s choice, “Goatburger Boogie”: a bouncing instrumental. A boogie pattern guitar, a swooping piano and a demented fiddle. McCoy also released “Cowboy Boogie” and “I’m Gonna Get A Honky Tonk Angel”, reviewed in March 2019’s fortnight.
From February 1946, on the Urban label (# 111), Jill Turner offer a fast (bit on the novelty side) “I’m Going Down To The Mountain”. A good fiddle, and a fine interplay between accordion and steel. She also had “Yodeling Cow Girl” on Urban 117.
This artist, billed “And His Swinging Guitar”, comes next with two records on the Enterprise label based in Beaumont, Texas. “What’s The Use” has a nice guitar, but the fiddle is prominent (# 1208) on this 1958 issue, while “There’s No else In Marrying Me” (# 1211) is a jumping tune with a similar instrumentation.
In 1957 and Detroit, MI. Peter De Bree cut for Fortune Record (# 193) a rocked up version of the Hank Williams’ classic, “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It”. A solid piano takes the lead all through, while the guitar is largely overshadowed. Vocal of Bernie Sanders is OK. Nevertheless a good rocker.
On the small label of Klub # 3108, located in South Carolina, here’s Leonard Clark for the Rockabilly “Come To Your Tommy Now”; assured vocal, good guitar and piano for a 1962 record.
Rural Rhythm in California was owned by the songwriter Johnny O’Neal, and issued important records by Johnny Tyler, Kenny Smith or Johnny Skiles between 1955 and 1960. Here is Gene Crabb (actually a drummer) and his “Blues Won’t Bother Me” (# 506): bass chords guitar, very effective steel and the good vocal of one Eddie Willis. Crabb had done in ’53 on the Richtone label (# 353, location: Dallas) the very nice “Truck Stop Lucy”, and co-worked with Eddie Miller on 4 *. He released also “Gotta Have A Woman/I’ve tried” on Rural Rhythm 529.
On T.N.T. 169 (1959) we finally found Ray Stone and “China Doll”, a fine rocker – a clicking guitar. The whole is a complete change with the previous records. He also sang fronting Jerry Dove’s band on # 173 (“Why Don’t You Love Me”).
Sources : my own archives ; HBR for Rural Rhythm; Ultra Rare Rockabilly’s for Leonard Clark; YouTube (Tony Farr, Peter De Bree). Jill Turner picture from “Hop Bop’n’Hop”
As you without doubt noticed, I was writing this feature with a lack of inspiration. Be sure however the music comes first. Thanks for forthcoming comments.
Howdy folks, I am back from Corsica isle (“l’île de Beauté”) where I visited my girl friend and did help her to set up her fairytales’ exhibition in front of children. While I was there I couldn’t get access to my files, thus not allowing to myself to set up early June fortnight’s favorites.
Glenn Reeves
Let’s begin in Texas with GLENN REEVES, born 1932 in Shamrock, TX. He had his first two records on the T.N.T. Label (owned by Bob Tanner, who billed proudly his labels records as « Tanner’n’Texas »!). « I’m Johnny on the spot » (TNT 120) is already a proto-rockabilly classic. But its reverse, the plaintive hillbilly « The blues are out tonight », is not so well known, although a very good ballad. Listen to the real hillbilly pronunciation of Reeves, over a nice fiddle and steel. I love such a record like this. Cash Box March 19, 1955
The third compere was TOMMY DURDEN. He had a long story as steel player for Tex Ritter, and later for Johnny Cash, and composer (e.g. « Honey bop » for Wanda Jackson). In 1951 on the Sahul Kahal’s Freedom label out of Houston, Texas, he cut the great « Hula boogie » (# 5025). Later on, he had his own version of « Heartbreak hotel » (« Moods » LP, religious songs), before relocating in Michigan. He retired in the early ’90s.
On the next artist, GEORGE HEFFINGTON, I know litterally nothing, except he was one of the first to record on the growing Toppa label (owned by Jack Morris, out of Covina, Ca.), and is backed for the fast « Ghost of love » (# 1007, 1958) by, among others, Ralph Mooney on steel. Good piano too.
Real name to next artist was Wilcoxson, but he’s known now as JIMMIE DALE. And there were in the ’50s two different men with the same name. The first to jump on my mind is an Indiana artist, who cut two Starday custom records in 1958. First on Jeffersonville, IN Saber label (# 707), he cut the fabulous two-sider « Baby doll » (great slap bass, energetic drums and lead guitar) and « Darlin’ » (very nice piano, à la Teddy Reddell over a mambo rhythm). In Louisville, KY, he had in 1958 too on the Farrall label (# 687) « Man made moon », more of a country record. Nice vocal, and again a rinky-dink piano and good steel. I couldn’t locate the flipside « For a day ».
The second JIMMIE DALE was a Nashvillian, who cut « Tennessee ghost train » in 1953 on the Original label # 501. The credits don’t give any clue. Lot of echo on the steel, a train song of course.
arkansas 45s