Howdy, folks. After being one long month away [for a thermal cure – everyone has to coddle himself, no?], finally I got back home. And I hope you are waiting for this early November bopping (and Rocking) fortnight’s favorites selection. Let’s not deceive any of you.
Up in Michigan, CAL DAVIS & his Tennessee Kings on the full of good music label Fortune (# 185) gives us a lovely uptempo (nimble lead guitar which has 2 soli ; good steel which has its solo too) « Partnership love affair » from 1956. I’d like to hear more by him..
« Don’t go back again » is the next song, and a shuffler from 1959 by GEORGE KENT, cut in Dallas, TX. issued on Maverick 1001. The duet vocals are a bit poppish at times, but are backed by two solos of steel and fiddle + loud drums. Flipside « Move on » is a fine uptempo too (hear it on YouTube). Kent went later to do mainstream country on Mercury in the ’70’s.
Really early (1948) let’s take care of JACK HOLDEN & the Georgia Boys on the famous Red Barn (associated to White Church for the sacred sides) label from Kansas City, which had also in its roster Jimmie Skinner (his first sides), Byron Parker and the Blackwood Bros. Holden made a serie of records containing all « Mama ». Here we hear to « Mama quit teasin’ me » (# 1151) and « Mama I’m sick » (# 1152). Fine shufflers, containing choruses in unison. The fiddle well to the fore is played by Wayne Midkiff. After that Holden also cut 6 discs for RCA (1951-52) then disappeared completely. During those years (1948-52) Holden had radio shows on WEAS (Decatur, Georgia), WATL (Atlanta, Georgia too); he was also associated to the Renfro Valley Barn Dance (in Kentucky or Ohio), and was heard on two Kansas radio stations: WIBW (Kansas Roundup) and WIBW (Topeka).
A woman now, Mz. KITTY KAYE & the Cats from Cleveland, OH. on the Hawk label (# 72053) from 1953. « Fishtruck boogie » is a R&B belter with handclaps and a solid brass section, aided by a good piano.
Back to bopping music with a Roswell, New Mexico Mystic label (# 5828) : RICKY McKINNEY do offer a sort of happy bluesy uptempo with « Washday blues », which reminds me other domestic affairs like « Super market day » by Jimmy Key (Hi Lite). Anyway McKinney may have some sort of connexion with Norman Petty, as his record is registered by Nor-Va-Jak music.
The next two tracks were cut in 1962 and RCA custom recordings. Until that, nothing is really interesting. But wait a bit: both sides are hillbilly gospel. And another teasing detail: side A has a Columbus, OH. location, while side B is out of Delberton, W. Va. It’s the kind of details which bring more appeal to a record, moreover very nice sacred harmony vocals (spare instrumentation, only guitar). Oh yes, the artist is called LLOYD FARLEY & His Revelators, on The Revelators label, no #. « How long » is the faster of both, although the mid-paced tempo « The Lord will make a way » is equally good.
From Texas (Houston area, I guess) comes PAUL WILSON who performs «The blues you gave me » on Picture 1001. This record is typical, although having been issued in ’59, of ’60s Nashville Country : good vocal (but nothing exceptional), steel as the driving force of the track, then drums and piano. Wilson had another later on the Country Town label (# 105) and «Hippie invasion”.
Final cut by HOUSTON [Bob] MILLS: the moving ballad « They turned the lights out down at Joe’s » from 1966 on the Tom Big Bee label # 101 (I remember this label is from Pontotoc, North of Mississipi.). It released also Robert Mills (obviously the same artist) on # 101 (reverse by Deborah Aycock – wonder if she is related to Earl, whose ground was rather Houston area, if one excepts his Dixie recordings – cut in Gallatin, TN.?). Another interesting figure on Tom Big Bee (# 102) was the Sun wild man Jimmy Wages (& Tune Masters), who does anyway very average Country music here (# Tom Big Bee 102). Lastly James Mask (Tom Big Bee 111) does a good version of Rocky Bill Ford “Beer drinking blues“.
That’s it, folks. As usual, comments, additions, corrections are welcome. Bopping.org is en route for a re-organization within the very next months : it would give more fun for you visitors to run through the 300++ articles. More on that in a near future.
Sources : Hillbilly Researcher (Red Barn and Jack Holden) + Praguefrank huge discography ; many YouTube shots, too numerous to recommend any of the generous uploaders. 45Cat was very useful. Then, many, many researches, mostly out of my own archives, to build something of interest around each artist mentioned. I hope you like the feature. In the meantime, bye-bye..
Howdy folks, Hope you’re all well and ready to visit some more boppers and rockabillies. The name JAMES MASK isn’t that familiar (he had not big hits), although he appeared on Bandera (Illinois), Arbet (Tennessee, « I miss my teen angel », a teen rocker), and later (1972) on MGM-Sound of Memphis (the country rocker « Humpin’ to please »). Here we find him on the Pontotoc, MS (where he was born in 1932 – Tupelo area) Tom Big Bee label (# ) with a fine early ’60s version of the Rocky Bill Ford‘s classic, « Beer drinkin’ blues ». Honest country rocker. He had some tunes (unissued in the ’50s) on an old White label LP 2305 “Mississipi R’n’R”. The Dutchman wrote there that Mask was backed by his two brothers Charles and Willie.[March 24,2018. I add the reissue of Bandera 1319 “Hootchie Coochie Gal“, a good rocker from 1959 – unissued at the time]
Let’s stay in Mississipi with an otherwise very well known artist, at least in Europe (he drives, latest news, a taxi at Chicago Int’l Airport), Mr. HAYDEN THOMPSON. I offer his first record, on the Booneville, MS, label, Von [which issued Lloyd McCollough and Johnny Burnette’s first records,] “Act like you love me” b/w « I feel the blues coming on“. (original in 1951 by Elton Britt, although not credited on the label) Great slow Hillbillies, whispering vocal over confident backing. Same last tune was done (but it’s a different song) by Loy Clingman on the Arizona Elko label in 1956. Penned by Lee Hazlewood, it’s a soft Country-rock effort. The third Thompson track is taken from his sessions at Sun in Memphis, and he retains the same feeling with « Blues, blues, blues » (U.K. Charly 605B) – although more echo, as usual from Sam Phillips’ manner.
Let’s get up north in Lancaster, KY, and with HAROLD MONTGOMERY. His fine sides on Sun-Ray were documented in the site (see « Sun-Ray » label). Here he comes once more with a good side, similar style, on Wolf-Tex 103, « How much do you miss me », from the ’60s. Great mumbling vocal, similar to early Elvis!
Way north a little further. Muncie, Indiana on the Poor Boy label. A small one, but important artists, the best known being its owner Wayne Raney (« We need a whole lot more of Jesus (and a lot less of Rock’n’Roll »!) ; others are the Van Brothers (« Servant of love », to name only one) and Les & Helen Tussey (already recently posted in fortnight’s favorites). Harold Montgomery, “How much do you miss me“
The artist was named DANNY BROCKMAN & the Golden Hill Boys, on Poor Boy 107. First side is Hillbilly bop, « Stick around » from 1959, when Brockman was D.J. at WTMT in Louisville, KY. Great Starday sound, a powerful rhythm guitar, great interplay between lead guitar and steel during the solo, fabulous (altho’ too short) fiddle solo. A ‘must ‘ record for Starday sound lovers. The flipside is sung in unisson duet with a certain Carl Jones. Nothing exceptional with « Don’t you know it’s true », a real Everly Bros. -alike. With fine steel and fiddle solos. Brockman also appeared on Dixie 859 (« Big big man »), more on him in a future fortnight. Danny Brockman, “Stick around“
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Danny Brockman & Carl Jones, “Don’t you know it’s true”
Finally in Omaha, Nebraska (frontier to Canada). 1958, with the wild double-sider « The itch/Baby doll » by CARL CHERRY on the Tene label. « Baby doll » is a typical White doo-wop rocker, good although average. THE side is the garage Rockabilly « The itch » (Tene 1023), prettily sensual. Cherry has got the feel and itch, and the drummer and lead guitar player (RaB HOF says the guy was legally blind!) too ! Fantastic garage sound…They don’t play this way anymore, even with the wilder neo-rockabilly European bands.
sacred sides) label from Kansas City, which had also in its roster Jimmie Skinner (his first sides), Byron Parker and the Blackwood Bros. Holden made a serie of records containing all « Mama ». Here we hear to « Mama quit teasin’ me » (# 1151) and « Mama I’m sick » (# 1152). Fine shufflers, containing choruses in unison. The fiddle well to the fore is played by Wayne Midkiff. After that Holden also cut 6 discs for RCA (1951-52) then disappeared completely. During those years (1948-52) Holden had radio shows on WEAS (Decatur, Georgia), WATL (Atlanta, Georgia too); he was also associated to the Renfro Valley Barn Dance (in Kentucky or Ohio), and was heard on two Kansas radio stations: WIBW (Kansas Roundup) and WIBW (Topeka).
arkansas 45s