Saturday, December 25, 2010

An Edison Memorabilia Of Vernon Dalhart - The First Singing Cowboy On Records



This LP of Vernon Dalhart is made from Edison records. I`m not going to go into too much about Dalhart. It`s easy enough to find out about him on the internet.
I will say a few things. One fact was he had the first county record to sell 1,000,000 copies (Wreck Of The Old `97 / The Prisoner`s Song). He recorded for practically every label in existence in the 1920`s. He also used somewhere around 100 aliases to get around contract obligations between record companies.
Some Edison record company facts----Dalhart apparently auditioned at Edison to the man himself, Thomas Edison, who was practically deaf! Edison used a unique recording process where the sound was recorded on the disc (and cylinders) vertically (the sound waves on the records are up and down in the grooves, not side to side as most other companies). The vertical process (also called lateral or hill and dale by other companies that used this process) gives a little better sound quality usually than a horizontal groove to my ear. Edison pattended this process and defended it fiercely, forcing all other companies to use the horizontally recorded groove. This effectively drove Edison out of the record buissness because you had to have a special reproducer to play a vertically recorded record. Not a smart move for Edison. As far as I know, ALL records recorded since about 1930 (including LP`s to this day) are recorded with the horizontal groove system.
One little funny thing I find about this LP, it calls Dalhart "The First Singing Cowboy On Record", but, there is not one single cowboy song on the LP. He did record some cowboy material, so I don`t know why they didn`t find at least one for this LP.
Most of the songs are the old tear-jerker type. Also, there are a couple of bona-fide old-time songs mixed in with some topical songs of the times. Dalhart`s specialty seems to have been topical songs that were recorded as soon as written after some disaster of the day, such as a storm, mine cave-in, train or air-ship wrecks and murders.
I have another Dalhart record of Edison material I will post in a week or so-----hope you enjoy this one.




Click here to download An Edison Memorabilia Of Vernon Dalhart - The First Singing Cowboy On Record


Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Homer & Jethro Fracture Frank Loesser - 45 set



I am not a fan of 45`s! Just the size of them are un-handy to me. When you try to clean them it`s really hard to keep them from slipping around. Also, the quality of the sound is never up to par with an LP to my ears for some reason. It`s time consuming to get them copied off also. I`d rather use that time on 78`s myself. Anyhoo....
Here is Homer & Jethro. They were a team that started in the 4o`s sometime, they may have even got going some in the late 30`s. Homer Haynes played guitar and Jethro Burns played mandolin. They were influenced by jazz music and were EXCELLENT pickers. They also had pretty good harmony together singing also.
I always thought Homer seemed funniest, come to find out Jethro wrote most of their songs and jokes.
Most of their material consisted of novelty songs, especially what Lonzo & Oscar called "No.2 songs" (Homer & Jethro`s And Lonzo & Oscar`s material was very similar, they even recorded many of the same tunes). A No.2 song was a mainstream song, usually one that had been a No.1 hit, that was taken and made a parody of. A good example is Baby, It`s Cold Outside (with June Carter). Often, a No.2 song would actually use No.2 in the title. An example would be Hank Snow`s hit Movin` On, which was parodied and recorded by both Lonzo & Oscar and Homer & Jethro as Movin` On No.2
All the song parodies here was written by Frank Loesser, thus the title. I don`t know anything about Mr. Loesser. Apparently, Mr. Loesser was a fan of Homer & Jethro`s parodies and loved it when Homer & Jethro parodied a song he wrote. I seem to remember reading somewhere once that he requested Homer & Jethro to do this album. I guess Mr. Loesser was a believer in the old saying "There is no such thing as BAD publicity." I wonder if any of these parodies boosted the sale of the "legitimate" version of the songs.
In my opinion, this is not one of Homer & Jethro`s better albums. I posted it just to get the 45`s out of the way so I could put them on the shelf. This album also came out on an LP. I`d say the LP may have been a 10 inch LP due to the number of songs. If it came out as a 12 inch LP I`d say it may have a couple more songs on it than this 45 set. I just don`t know about the LP size (or sizes) issued of this album.
ENJOY!

The next two scans are from the inside of the album---





This last scan is from the back of the album---



Click here to download Homer & Jethro Fracture Frank Loesser

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

My 78`s #5



Obed Pickard / Columbia 15141-D
Bury Me Not On The Prairie/Kitty Wells / Recorded March 31, 1927
This is the first recording issued by Obed "Dad" Pickard. It`s neat the label says "of Station WSM, Nashvilee, Tenn" on it. Supposedly, Goerge D. Hay (who "invented" The Grand Ole Opry") set up this recording session for the Pickards, as they were artists on the Opry at this time.



Dan Hornsby Novelty Quartet / Columbia 15444-D
Take Me Out To The Ball Game/Hinky Dinky Dee / recorded April 14, 1929
Dan Hornsby worked for Columbia, apparently looking for hillbilly talent. He made several records on his own and was on many of the Skillet Licker skit records. It`s neat to hear a complete version of Take Me Out To The Ball Game, a great American tune.



Virginia Female Jubilee Singers / OKeh 4430
O Mary, Don`t You Weep, Don`t You Mourn/Lover Of The Lord / recording date unknown to me
Here`s a pretty neat record of a female quartet, likely recorded around 1926-ish. I know nothing about them. O Mary, Don`t You Weep, Don`t You Mourn is known as a tune mostly sung back then by black people and is a great old tune.



Vess L. Ossman / Victor 5056
Pretzel Pete March / recording date unknown to me
8 inch disc. Good classic style, finger picked banjo picking on this single sided disc.



Uncle Am Stuart / Vocalion 14841
Sally Gooden/Leather Breeches / recorded July 7, 1924
Good old-time fiddlin` Tennessee style. Apparently got a recording session for winning a fiddling contest. One of the earlier country records. Although many fiddlers recorded solo at this time, the record company, for some unknown reason, paired him with a studio musician on tenor banjo named Gene Austin, who went on to have a hit of his own a few years later in the pop field called My Blue Heaven, which was a HUGE hit.



Roy Acuff / un-issued test pressing
Coming From The Ball / recorded April 11, 1940
Great old-time tune featuring "Sister" Rachel Veach on 5-string banjo and harmony singing. Rachel Veach was a cousin of Sam & Kirk McGee, which one of them got Roy to audition her to join hi band. After she was with Roy awhile he started getting mail asking how a little single country girl could travel with a bunch of boys and keep her "respect". So, to please the fans she made his dobroist her partner as her brother. This is where Pete got the name of Bashful Brother Oswald, from Roy`s imagination.





Billy Golden & James Marlow / Par-O-Ket No. 78
The Liars/The Darkies Oration On "Woman" / likely recorded in the early teens
7 inch disc. Here is an old "Coon" record. So, BEWARE, if you are offended by this type of material, please do not listen to it. The Liars is sort of a contest to see who can tell the biggest lie. A fun record to hear on a very unusual, rare label. The record label is actually molded into the record. I included a picture of the sleeve also because it`s pretty neat.



Rev. J.M. Gates / Paramount 12416
Baptize Me/After A While - likely recorded about 1926 or 27
Pretty neat record with some preaching and acapella singing. There were many preaching records in the 20`s, but I have just recently discovered them myself and think they are fun to listen to.



Orchestra / Little Wonder 156
Kentucky Home / likely recorded in the teens
Neat record, a 5 inch disc.



Pappy "Gube" Beaver / Capitol 284
You Can Be A Millionaire With Me/Automobile Of Life / likely recorded about 1948-ish
I know nothing about Mr. Beaver. I don`t often get 78`s that are recorded after World War 2. I got this because Automobile of life is a Roy Acuff song, I believe written by Roy.



Billy Golden & James Marlowe / Pathe 29126
A Coon`s Attempted Suicide/The Curiosity Hunters / likely recorded in the teens
11 inch disc. BEWARE, this is a "coon"record. Pretty funny skits here, though.



Ed McConnell & Family / Columbia 15291-D
I Want To Be Like Jesus/My Loving Brother / recorded April 18, 1928
I know nothing about the McConnells. My Loving Brother is a fine gospel quartet side.



Len Spencer / Starr Record 3607
Musical Moke / likely recorded in the early teens
Single sided disc. BEWARE, this is a "coon" type side. Neat recording though.



Bob Ferguson & Charlotte Miller / Columbia 15657-D
Corn Pone And Pot Likker, Part 1&2 / recorded March 9, 1931
A comedy skit that`s pretty un-funny.



Charlie Oaks / Vocalion 15345
Home Of The Soul/Just Before The Battle, Mother / recorded August 4, 1926
I know nothing about him. Good solo record.



The Jenkins Family / OKeh 40249
Sail On/The Silver Lining / recorded August 28, 1924
The Jenkins family was led by the dad, "Blind' Andy Jenkins, who was a preacher in Atlanta, Georgia. He was well know for writing "event" songs, songs about stuff like storms, wrecks and murders. Likely his best know composition is The Death Of Floyd Collins, a song about a cave explorer who got stranded in a small passage by a rock that pinned his leg, he died before he could be rescued.



Riley Puckett / Columbia 15179-D
Twenty One Years/All Bound Down In Prison / recorded October 29, 1931
Both songs are jail tunes. Twenty One Years was a very popular tune.



Len Spencer & Gilbert Girard / Universal Zonophone Record No. C. 5478
Auction Sale Of Household Gods / likely recorded 1905-1910-ish
Old comedy skit, pretty neat to listen to.



Scottdale String Band / OKeh 45118
Stone Mountain Wobble/Carbolic Rag / recorded March 21, 1927
Good mandolin and guitar string band.





Billy Golden / American Record Company No. 67
Roll On De Ground / likley recorded 1910-ish
7 inch disc made of blue shellac. BEWARE, another old "coon" song. Fun record with a pretty label.

Click here to download My 78`s #5

Monday, December 6, 2010

3 good blogs

I just discovered 3 blogs I like.
Hillbilly Researcher is almost all 78`s on small labels of 40-s & 50`s country and western swing type stuff
Mr. Meadowlark is mostly un-common county LP`s.
The Rockin` Gipsy has a pretty big bunch of stuff ranging from some 40`s country swing to rock up into the 60`s.
I`m linking to their pages on in the list on the left side of the page. Go check them all out!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Kirk McGee & Grady Sartain - Jo-Mar 45 #J-111



WOW! Here`s a find if you are a Kirk McGee fan! I had no idea this even existed. I know nothing about this disc or the Jo-Mar label. It would be interesting to know when this was recorded.
I have no idea who Grady Sartain was (or is, he could still be living I suppose). Indiana Blues is a pretty good tune with some good old-time finger-picked guitar. No credit is given to the musicians on this side, but the other side says "Acc. By-Grady Sartain & Sam McGee", so by that and my ear it`s definately Sam playing guitar on this side.
On The Pig Ankle Rag, we have Kirk playing the 5-string banjo, old time finger pickin` style as only Kirk could. This is a new favorite recording for me! Sam on guitar and I assume Grady Sartain is playing bass.
ENJOY!



Click here to download Jo-Mar J-111

Monday, November 15, 2010

2 V Disc 78`s from World War 2



Here is something I don`t really know anything about, the V Disc. These were made only by the most popular, well known artists of the day. They were used as a morale booster for the troops. I would assume the artists performed these sides for free to help the war effort.



The Roy Acuff songs are unique recordings, meaning these are not just dubs from their records that were out at the time. Before I ever had a V Disc I just assumed that they were made from current records at the time. This is not the case apparently, at least with the Acuff recordings. I know nothing about the pop music side of disc No. 127.



The Carson Robison tracks are pretty interesting. Carson Robison was a pretty prolific song writer (as well as a hugely popular country recording artist in the 1920`s and early 1930`s, often partnering with Vernon Dalhart) and according to the label he wrote these tracks. They are good examples of things that were accepted as morale boosters to the troops and here at home. These tracks would likely be considered to have some racist type remarks in them by today`s "politically correct" standards. SO----listener, beware.



Click here to download V Disc 127 & 145

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Gene Martin - Country & Western Confidential - A Backstage Expose - Starday LP



Here is sort of a rare record. Gene Martin doing a comedy record. "Who is Gene Martin?" you may be saying right now. Gene was Benny Martin`s brother. He was a good guitar player and had what I`d call just a good plain country voice. I don`t really know any particulars on him except in the 1960`s and into the mid 1970`s he played rhythm guitar in Roy Acuff`s Smoky Mountain Boys (seems I have posted a lot of Smoky Mountain Boy related stuff lately). He also done some solo stuff with Roy on the shows. Also, he done a few comedy type numbers and sang duets with whatever girl singer Roy was using at the time, such as June Stearnes.
On this record, he does comedy almost entirely with impersonations of big country artists. Most of the tracks are pretty funny to me. He pretty much hits a bulls-eye with most of the impersonations too.



Click here to download Gene Martin - Country Music Confidential

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Good blog I just discovered

I just found another good blog page. It`s mostly traditional bluegrass stuff at ---

www.marines12.blogspot.com

I`m going to link to it where the other blog links are on the left side of the page.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Jackie Phelps Starday LP - Golden Guitar Classics



Here`s a good, country electric guitar record. Jackie got started as a professional musician in the late 40`s by my estimation. He could play about anything. I have heard recordings with him on 5-string banjo playing "sort of bluegrass" with what I believe to be 2 finger picking. He was also a good lap steel picker. I think I have saw a film clip of him playing lap steel with Lonzo & Oscar before. Probably the best place to look for Jackie early in his career is in the old Gannaway Country Show films from about 1952 -1955-ish where he plays electric lead guitar in some episodes on a pretty strangely shaped guitar. He wasn`t the very best electric guitarist, but in the 50`s was likely in the top 10 in country music. He also done studio session musician work in the 50`s and 60`s, so there`s no telling how many times we may have heard him and didn`t know it was him. He played in Roy Acuff`s Smoky Mountain Boys for most of the 60`s, possibly starting in the late 50`s.
What Jackie is most famous for though was his career on Hee Haw. He temed up with Jimmie Riddle to do the Eeephin` & Hambone act. Hambone is a technique of slapping various body parts with your hand (or hands) to make "music", mostly a rhythm technique. Jackie was the Hambone part of the act. There is some videos on You Tube of them from Hee Haw doing their act.
Enjoy this one!




Click here to download Jackie Phelps - Golden Guitar Classics

Monday, October 18, 2010

Jimmie Riddle - harmonica, accordion & piano picker & Eeepher



Here a nice LP by a great artist. Jimmie started professional music with the Swift Jewel Cowboys (which I`ve never heard or know anything about) In the late 30`s on accordion. Then, about 1940 or 41 Roy Acuff hired him. At first he played mostly accordion (for some reason accordion was popular in country music then, likely due to the popularity of Pee Wee King. Bill Monroe even used one for awhile.) As time went by through the 40`s he gradually switched to mostly harmonica. Listen to Roy Acuff recordings in the 40`s to really hear Jimmie.
Jimmie was a GREAT harmonica player. Besides playing and recording with Acuff, he was a session man on many records in the 60`s.
He was well known for making and imitating all sorts of sounds. One thing he was famous for was the great old harmonica standard, The Fox Chase, and was very good at making the sounds with his harp and voice.
Now friends----the thing he is best remembered for is his stint on Hee Haw with Jackie Phelps (Phelps had played electric guitar with Acuff in the 60`s and him and Riddle got together then) performing their act of Hambone and Eeephin`. If you ever saw it one single time you`ll remember it. I loved it when I was a kid.
Now a little about the LP. It`s a good harmonica record, but don`t really capture Jimmie somehow for me. Still a good download though.




Click here to download Jimmie Riddle - Country Harmonica





Here is where Jimmie really starts to get interesting (at least to my warped taste). I have included scans of both the promo copy and the public issue of the 45.



Click here to download Jimmie Riddle - Decca 45



Now we are gonna get just plumb ridiculous! I had found a few things of Jimmie on the internet about Eeephin`.
Track list----
1. Jimmie`s Eeephin` Lesson
2. Little Eeephin` Annie (an early 60`s release by a rock artist I can`t remember the name of, so sorry)
3. Last known recording of Jimmie Eeephin`

Click here to download Jimmie Riddle Eeephin`


I have heard a rumor that Jimmie recorded another LP, but have never been able to find one or any information about it. PLEASE contact me through the blog if you have any information about it.

Below is a picture of a cd that is available of Jimmie Riddle and Jackie Phelps. It was apparently recorded and never released by Starday on LP for some reason. If you like the downloads, you`ll really like the cd. Huntin` Blues is a great one!!