Sunday, January 26, 2014

Henry Whitter 78`s on the Victor and Montgomery Ward labels

 Here is the last of the Henry Whitter 78`s that I have. He recorded six sides for Victor, of which I have four. All of the sides for Victor were harmonica solos.After the beginning of the depression, Montgomery Ward got into the cut rate record business. Most of the discs they issued seem to be from Victor, though they did get material from other labels. Montgomery Ward didn`t actually record records. So, if you see a Montgomery Ward disc, you know it`s material that was released earlier on other labels, although I believe there may be a few sides issued on Montgomery Ward discs that were un-issued by the original label. Happy downloading!


Henry Whitter / Victor 20878
Henry Whitter`s Fox Chase / Rain Crow Bill
recorded August 2, 1927
Here we have two great harp solos that he had recorded earlier for OKeh



Henry Whitter / Montgomery Ward M-4475
Both sides of this disc are the same tracks as the disc above, Victor 20878


Henry Whitter / Montgomery Ward M-4909
Fox Chase-No. 2 / Poor Lost Boy
recorded October 1, 1929 / October 16, 1928
These two numbers are from two different Victor discs, V-40292 & V-40061

Click here to download Henry Whitter 78`s on Victor

Lonzo & Oscar - Country Comedy Time

 I`ve had several people ask if I have more Lonzo & Oscar stuff over the years, so in the next few weeks I`ll be posting what I have of their material----Enjoy!



Click here to download Lonzo & Oscar - County Comedy Time

Sunday, January 19, 2014

More Henry Whitter 78`s on OKeh

 Here is the rest of the Henry Whitter 78`s I have on the OKeh label. That only leaves fourteen sides on OKeh I don`t have. I`ll post his Victor recordings I have in the next week or so. Happy downloading!


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40229
The Kaiser And Uncle Sam / The Broken Engagement Blues
recorded December 10, 1923
The Kaiser And Uncle Sam is actually the old tune All Night Long, curious title change for sure, The Broken Engagement is a common old time tune


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40237
Travelling Man / Ellen Smith
recorded November 20, 1924
Travelling Man is an old "coon" song, Ellen Smith is a common old-time tune


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40269
Rabbit Race / Farewell To Thee
recorded November 20, 1925
Rabbit Race is a harp solo in the vein of The Fox Chase, Farewell To Thee is a harp and guitar solo, strangely enough, of the old Hawaiian song Aloha Oe


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40296
Watermelon Hanging On The Vine / Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy
recorded November 20, 1924
Watermelon Hanging On The Vine I believe is likely and old minstrel show number, Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy is likely a cover of Uncle Dave Macon`s record of the song, this is likely the first country cover of a hit record


Whitter`s Virginia Breakdowners / OKeh 40320
Black-Eyed Susan / `Round Town Girl
recorded July 16, 1924
Black-Eyed Susan is a common old fiddle tune, `Round Town Girls is what we now call Buffalo Gals


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40352
The Long Tounged Woman / The Dollar And The Devil
recorded November 10, 1924
The Long Tounged Woman is sort of a comedy song that was recorded later by Riley Puckett, The Dollar And The Devil is one I`ve never heard anywhere else but has a fine message in it


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40375
I Wish I Was A Single Girl Again / The Butcher Boy
recorded July 1, 1925 / April 23 or 24, 1925
I Wish I Was A Single Girl Again is a common old-time tune, I believe The Butcher Boy may go way back to England or Scotland


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40391
Lost John / Peek-A-Boo
Lost John isn`t the common harmonica solo tune, but is still a good number, Peek-A-Boo is the common waltz tune


 Henry Whitter / OKeh 45053
Goin` Down To Jordan To Be Baptized / Many Times With You I`ve Wandered
recorded April 22, 1926
Goin` Down To Jordan may have roots as a spiritual number, Many Times With You I`ve Wandered is sort of a unique tune that reminds me somewhat of the lyrics of I`m Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes


Henry Whitter / OKeh 45063
The Burglar Man / A Woman`s Tounge Has No End
recorded October 18, 1926
both tunes are old comedy numbers, unfortunately on The Burglar Man side, Henry`s guitar isn`t in tune with his harmonica


Henry Whitter / OKeh 45081
The Broken Engagement / George Collins
recorded October 18, 1926
Here he has recorded The Broken Engagement with the words, George Collins was a common tune from the area where Henry lived, George Collins may have been a person from that area

Click here to download Henry Whitter 78`s on OKeh #2


The Great Stonemans

 Here`s a pretty good LP. It`s good bluegrass, but my favorite part is that Ernest "Pop" Stoneman is on it. I believe these may be the last tracks he recorded before he passed away. Enjoy!



Click here to download The Great Stonemans

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Lonzo & Oscar!

 How about a little country comedy this morning? This LP was SO cheap there`s not even a song list on it. Happy listening!



Click here to download Lonzo & Oscar!

Henry Whitter - first eleven 78`s issued

 Here is something I`ve not done in a long time, post some 78`s.
What we have here is Henry Whitter`s first eleven issued 78`s. I realized while back I have almost all of his discs issued on the OKeh label and thought it would make a neat post.
Henry Whitter may be an "acquired" taste, but he is very important to the history of country music. He is either the second or third country artist to record. The only other vocalist recorded before him would be Fiddlin` John Carson. Eck Robertson was the very first country artist to record, in 1922 on Victor, but his records were fiddle solos and fiddle duets with Henry Gilliland. All those cuts were instrumentals and may possibly have not been issued until after Fiddlin` John Carson`s records proved successful for the OKeh label in 1923.
So, as I said, Henry Whitter is sort of an acquired taste. His voice if very nasal and his guitar picking isn`t anything to brag on on his vocal tunes, but his solo harmonica sides are very well played, especially the solos with no guitar. Also, the last disc is a string band record with Henry on guitar, James Sutphin on fiddle and John Rector on banjo. It is a great string band record. Henry was best on guitar in a band situation, as can be heard on the later records of him backing up the great old time fiddler, G.B. Grayson.
Just a word about sound quality here. These discs were all recorded acoustically (no microphone) and haven`t got very high volume. Also, they are very old, some very worn. I have done the best I could to clean up the sound. Many discs start out very rough and noisy for 10 or 20 seconds, then suddenly sound good. If any more noise is taken out, at least with the equipment I have, you start to lose treble sounds, which make the record sound muffled, which I hate. I`d rather hear some noise and static and still hear all the high end sounds. Anyhow--- Download and enjoy! And stay tuned, I will have two more Henry Whitter posts coming up in the next few weeks.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40015
Lonesome Road Blues / Wreck On The Southern Old 97
recorded December 10, 1923
Two war horse tunes in old-time music, the B side is what supposedly inspired Vernon Dalhart to try recording a country tune, which became the first million selling country record.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40029
The Old Time Fox Chase / Lost Train Blues (Lost John Blues)
recorded December 10, 1923
Two excellent harmonica solos, possibly the first Fox Chase record. The song was later made famous by DeFord Bailey.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40063
Little Brown Jug / She`s Coming Around The Mountain
recorded February 25 & 26, 1924
Two more famous hillbillie tunes. I love the price sticker on the label from some shop at some time. You can`t buy anything for a nickle now!


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40064
Tippy Two Step Blues / Hop Out Ladies & Shortenin` Bread
recorded February 26, 1924
Tippy Two Step Blues is pretty much a version of It`s A Long Way To Tipperary with some variations, the other side is an excellent harmonica solo side

 Henry Whitter / OKeh 40077
Western Country / Chicken, You Better Go Behind The Barn
recorded February 25 & 26, 1924
Western Country is the same as Oh Susanna, the B side is an old "coon" song


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40109
Sydney Allen / Where Have You Been So Long?
recorded February 25, 1924
I tried to look on the internet to find out some history of Sydney Allen, but had no luck. The other side is made of what I`d say are some "floating" verses, as in verses that get used in more than one song. They especially show up as words for fiddle tunes.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40120
Double Headed Train / The Weepin` Blues
recorded February 26, 1924
Two good harmonica solos. The Weepin` Blues was a common harp tune under other titles. Double Headed Train is of course a train imitation tune. A double headed train means a train pulled by two engines, which was fairly uncommon in steam locomotive days.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40143
The New River Train / The Stormy Wave Blues
recorded February 25, 1924 & December 10, 1923
Any old time music fan know New River Train. The Stormy Wave Blues is sort not familiar to me. Some phrases of it make me think of Over The Waves.


Henry Whitter / OKeh 40169
Goin` Down The Road Feelin` Bad / The Drunkard`s Child
recorded July 16, 1924
Goin` Down The Road Feelin` Bad is very common. The Drunkard`s Child is a classic old time tune with many different versions out there.
 

Henry Whitter / OKeh 40187
Rain Crow Bill Blues / The Weeping Willow Tree
recorded December 10, 1923
Rain Crow Bill Blues is a great harp solo, Weeping Willow Tree is a harp & guitar solo of this common tune.


Whitter`s Virginia Breakdowners / OKeh 40211
Jennie Lind Polka / Nellie Gray
recorded July 16, 1924
These two tunes are fairly common tunes, played very well here. This is possibly the first old time string band to record a record.

Click here to download Henry Whitter 78`s on OKeh #1

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Grand Ole Opry January 15, 1949

 Here`s an unusual find from ebay. These are two home recording discs with live clips from the Grand Ole Opry. This is what was used at home before we all had cassette tapes. The machine would have likely been a combination record player/disc cutter with a radio built in.
Anyhow---the sound quality here is pretty good for this type of disc. Of course there is AM radio static and interference here and there throughout the tracks. Download and enjoy this rare snapshot!



t

Track list---
1. I Believe I`m Entitled To You - Ernest Tubb
2. Uncle Noah`s Ark - Gene Morgan
3. Where Could I Go But To The Lord - Roy Acuff
4. I Love You So Much It Hurts Me - Cowboy Copas
5. Wait For The Light To Shine - Roy Acuff
6. Rocking Alone In An Old Rocking Chair - Bradley Kincaid
7.  I`m In A Crowd But Oh So Alone - Ernest Tubb

Click here to download Audiodisc Jan. 15, 1949