A Birth of Country 2

The enormously popular Carter Family are much as to the folk genre as Bill Monroe was to bluegrass: being central to the emergence of the category and setting its tone for years to come. Maybelle's career in particular would make her something of the matriarch of the folk genre. The original Carter Family (first configuration) consisted of Alvin (b 1891/1, 2, 3), Maybelle (b 1909 guitar/ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and Sara (b 1898 lead vocal married to Alvin/ 1, 2, 3) Carter, all three born in Virginia. By the time of their first recordings in 1927 such as Eck Robertson, John Carson, Uncle Dave Macon and the Skillet Lickers had already been recording eastern mountain music toward the eventual emergence of the bluegrass genre (Country 1). Vernon Dalhart and Carl Sprague had already recorded songs at the vanguard of country western (Country 3), that to emerge as a genre due largely to country swing (as compared to big band swing in jazz) in Hollywood. In classical, Béla Bartók had premiered 'Concerto #1' in Frankfurt in July of '27. In jazz, Duke Ellington made his first appearances at the Cotton Club in Harlem in December of '27. Rock, of course, didn't yet exist, but early R&B artist, Julia Lee, had issued 'Down Home Syncopated Blues' in 1927. Elsewise in the world 1927 saw Charles Lindbergh fly across the Atlantic and the publication of Herman Hesse's 'Steppenwolf'. Praguefrank's, using Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records 1921-1942' (CMR), shows the Carters putting down their first tracks in Bristol, Tennessee, on August 1 of '27: 'Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow'/'Little Log Cabin by the Sea' (Victor 21074), 'The Poor Orphan Child' (Victor 20877) and 'The Storms Are on the Ocean' (Victor 20937). A session the next day witnessed 'Single Girl, Married Girl' (Victor 20937) and 'The Wandering Boy' (Victor 20877). [See also 1, 2.] At that time the Carters were paid $50 per song plus a half cent royalty per copy sold. It was also 1927 when 'Barn Dance' at WSM radio (founded October 1925) in Nashville was renamed 'The Grand Ole Opry'. The original Carters that were the trio of Sara, Alvin and Maybelle, however, weren't associated with the Ole Opry, leaving that to Maybelle and the Carter Sisters in the latter forties: the second generation of the Carter family arose in the latter thirties as five stepsisters, eventually emerging in 1944 as Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters (Helen, June and Anita). Though the Carter Family was a folk affair, later association with the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville would find Maybelle and the Carter Sisters amidst bluegrass and country western compatriots as well. Recording extensively (@ 300 songs) at locations in the eastern portion of the States while working in radio as far west as Texas, the original Carter trio nigh singlehandedly created the folk genre with millions of records released via Victor, Montgomery Ward, Bluebird, ARC, Banner, Decca, Conqueror and Okeh. Another major name in the bloom of recorded country folk music was Jimmie Rodgers. Alvin Carter composed 'Why There's a Tear in My Eye'' for a duet by Rodgers and Sara Carter on June 10 of 1931 (Bluebird 6698). Other titles recorded with Rodgers were three unissued tracks on the 11th of 'Jimmie Rodgers Visits the Carter Family' and 'The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers in Texas'. Those were recorded again on the 12th to get issued per Victor 23574 and Bluebird 6762. The Carter Family trio dissolved above a decade later in 1943-44. Maybelle, to become known as Mother Maybelle, had already formed the Carter Sisters consisting of her daughters Helen, June and Anita. With young guitarist, Chet Atkins, as accompaniment, they joined the Opry in 1950. A reunion of the original Carter Family trio back in Bristol, TN, on April 20, 1956, came to 'Their Last Recording' ('56). Maybelle and Sara reunited as late as June 15 and 16 of 1966 in Nashville to record 'An Historic Reunion: Sara and Maybelle - The Original Carters'. The next year in July of 1967 they performed at the Newport Folk Festival together. As Alvin (A.P.) had died on November 7 of 1960 in Kingsport, TN, after which the Carter Sisters performed as the Carter Family, Maybelle and Sara accepted the election of the original Carter trio into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970. Maybelle died on October 23, 1978, in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Sara died on January 18, 1979, in Lodi, CA, buried in Hilsons, Virginia. The composer in the Carter Family trio was Alvin, writing a large number of original compositions for the group when not arranging traditionals. Among them were 'I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes' ('29), 'No Telephone in Heaven' ('29) and 'Hello Stranger' ('37). Other titles composed by Alvin. Other songwriting credits at allmusic, 45worlds and discogs. Sessionography. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Nice, full index of lyrics. Per the 2014 documentary, 'The Winding Stream': *.

   Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow Tree

     Composition: A.P. Carter

    Poor Orphan Child

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1929

   The Cannonball

     Composition: Traditional

   Engine 143

     Composition: A.P. Carter

   Wabash Cannonball

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1930

   When the World's On Fire

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1931

   My Old Cottage Home

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1932

   The Church in the Wildwood

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1933

   I Never Will Marry

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family   1935

   Keep On the Sunny Side

     Composition: A.P. Carter

   Wildwood Flower

     Composition: Traditional  

     Arrangement: A.P. Carter

      See Wikipedia

Carter Family   1936

   Are You Lonesome Tonight

     Composition:

     A.P. Carter/Maybelle Carter/Sara Carter

   Lonesome Valley

     A.P. Carter/Carlene Carter/Al Anderson

Carter Family   1937

   My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains

     Composition: A.P. Carter

Carter Family

Source: Radioactivee

Jimmie Rodgers

Born in 1897 in Meridian, Mississippi, yodeling Jimmie Rodgers assumes the avant-garde of country folk recording as a contemporary of the Carter Family with whom he would collaborate as well. He's not to be confused with Jimmie Rodgers of later 'Honeycomb' fame in '57. This Jimmie Rodgers is distinguished at the lead in country folk as a yodeler. Wikipedia has Rodgers organizing traveling shows by age 13. He nevertheless worked the railroad as young man, both in Mississippi and New Orleans, until organizing another tent show in 1924 to tour the southeastern States. A storm wrecked his tent, putting him back with the railroad, now in Florida, until 1927 when he headed back to Meridian. Come April that year he began performing at WWNC radio in Ashville, NC. He then formed a band for the weekly 'The Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers' show. Rodgers was paid $100 for his first recording, 'Soldier's Sweetheart' ('Sleep, Baby, Sleep' flip side on Victor 20864) on August 4, 1927, in Bristol, Tennessee. Going by Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR), his next session on November 30 that year yielded 'Ben Dewberry's Final Run' (Victor 21245), 'Mother Was a Lady' (Victor 21433) and 'Blue Yodel'/'Away Out on the Mountain' (Victor 21142). 'Blue Yodel' (also called 'T For Texas') sold nigh half a million copies, verily launching Rodgers' career. His first titles in 1928 went down on February 14 and 15 as the Three Southerners with Julian R. Ninde (guitar) and Ellswort C. Cozzens (banjo): 'Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea', 'Blue Yodel No. 3', et al. June and July of 1930 found Rodgers out west in Hollywood in another country atmosphere where country swing was about to become the force to launch the country western genre. While there to put down titles like 'My Blue Eyed Jane' (Victor 23549) and 'The Pullman Porters' (unissued). Alvin Carter composed 'Why There's a Tear in My Eye'' for a duet by Rodgers and Sara Carter on June 10 of 1931 in Louisville, KY (Bluebird 6698). Rodgers joined Mother Maybelle & the Carter Family for three unissued tracks on the 11th for 'Jimmie Rodgers Visits the Carter Family' and 'The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers in Texas'. Those were recorded again on the 12th to get issued per Victor 23574 and Bluebird 6762. Unfortunately Rodgers had long since struggled with tuberculosis. He made his final recordings May 17 through May 24 of 1933 in New York City. Sessions began with such as 'Blue Yodel No. 12'/'The Cow Hand's Last Ride' (Victor 24456) and finished on the 24th with 'Years Ago' (Bluebird 5281). Rodgers died two days later on May 26, 1933 [*]. He had composed extensively, from such as 'A Drunkard's Child' and 'Any Old Time' in 1930 to 'Somewhere Down Below the Mason Dixon Line' and 'Sweet Mama Hurry Home Or I'll Be Gone' in '1933. See Rodgers' numerous compositions listed at allmusic and secondhandsongs. See also 45worlds and discogs. References encyclopedic: 1, 2. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Tribute sites.

   Soldier's Sweetheart

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

   Blue Yodel (T for Texas)

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

     See Wikipedia

Jimmie Rodgers   1929  

   Waiting for a Train

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

Jimmie Rodgers   1930  

   Jimmie's Mean Mama Blues

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

   Mule Skinner Blues

     'Blue Yodel No. 8'

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

Born in 1895 in Bristol, Tennessee, guitarist Clarence Ashley [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] got moved to Shouns, TN, at age five. His grandfather bought him a banjo at age eight on which he learned traditional Appalachian folk songs. Growing up in an environment of lumberjacks and miners, as his grandfather ran a boarding house, he joined his first medicine show in 1911. Otherwise performing at places like factories, he was with banjo player, Dwight Bell, to record his first tracks as Thomas Ashley in Richmond, TN, on February 2, 1928. Two titles went unissued: 'Ohio Lovers' and 'Drunkard's Dream'. 'You're a Little Too Small'/'Four Night's Experience' saw release on Gennett 6404. He next joined the Carolina Tar Heels with Dock Walsh on banjo and Gwen Foster as Garley Foster on guitar and harmonica. Tracks from October 11 of '28 to April 4 of '29 witnessed such as 'There's a Man Goin' Around Takin' Names'/'I Don't Like the Blues No How' (Victor 40053) and 'Hand in Hand We Have Walked Along Together'/'The Old Grey Goose' (Victor 40177), et al. Ashley recorded banjo solos in his real name, Clarence, on October 23, 1929, in Johnson City, TN: 'Dark Holler Blues'/'The Coo-Coo Bird' (Columbia 15489-D) and 'little Sadie'/'Naomi Wise' (Columbia 15522-D). More solos followed on April 14 of 1930 in Atlanta, two of six tracks issued: 'The House Carpenter'/'Old John Handy' (Columbia 15654-D). Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has him next recording as Tom Ashley in a string of configurations lumped together for convenience as the Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers, from November 30, 1931, to December 2, 1931. Ashley's accompaniment is unknown for the first session of that grouping on November 30, 1931, resulting in 'There will Come a Time' unissued. Among titles released from that date were 'Penitentiary Bound' (Conqueror 8249) and 'Baby All Night Long' (Vocalion 02780). Those were with Clarence Greene at fiddle and Gwen Foster at harmonica. December 1 and 2 saw such as 'Cincinnati Breakdown'/'Honeysuckle Rag' (Banner 32432) and 'Corrina Corrina' (Banner 32427). Come titles with Gwen Foster at harmonica on September 6-8 of 1933 for such as 'Sideline Blues' (Vocalion 02611) and 'Frankie Silvers' (Vocalion 02647). Among those was the first known recording of 'The House Of the Rising Sun' as 'Rising Sun Blues' on September 6 (Vocalion 02576). (In 1928 blues musician, Texas Alexander, recorded a song, 'The Rising Sun', which some mistakenly associate with 'The House of the Rising Sun' even though it is an entirely different song. The confusion may arise of Roy Acuff's version of the song in 1938 being titled 'Rising Sun'. The title was changed altogether to 'Rounder's Luck' by the Callahan Brothers. Ashley himself claimed he learned the song from his maternal grandfather.) Ashley's final track of that period went down with Foster on the 8th unissued: 'My Mother Scolds Me for Flirting'. Ashley wouldn't record again for another 27 years as the Great Depression cast its pall. During those years Ashley worked various jobs including his own trucking business in Mountain City begun in 1937. He also worked as a comedian with the Stanley Brothers and ran a band called the Tennessee Merrymakers. Praguefrank's has him recording again circa September of 1960 for four tracks to be found on 'Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's' (Folkways FA 2355) in 1961. Those included his first titles with Doc Watson: 'Honey Babe Blues' and 'God's Gonna Ease My Troubling Mind'. Ashley and Watson would hold several sessions together with various collaborators to latter July of 1963 at the Newport Folk Festival. Praguefrank's gives him up at Newport, listing his final recording as 'Amazing Grace' with Jean Ritchie at vocals. Those last tracks were issued in '64 as 'Old Time Music at Newport' on Vanguard 9147 mono and 79147 stereo. Recordings by Ashley with Watson have otherwise been documented per 'Original Folkways Recordings: 1960-1962' issued in '94. Ashley spent the remaining years of his life touring during the folk revival in the sixties from Carnegie Hall in New York City to California to England ('66 and '67). Ashley died on June 2 of 1967 in Winston-Salem, NC, taking his place beside the Carter Family and yodeling Jimmie Rodgers at the avant-garde of country folk recording. Discography of issues w various credits. HMR Project. Per 1994 below, those tracks with Watson in the early sixties were issued on 'The Original Folkways Recordings of Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley 1960 Through 1962'.

   The House Carpenter

     Composition: Traditional

Clarence Ashley   1929

   Dark Holler

Clarence Ashley   1933

   Rising Sun Blues

     Harmonica: Gwen Foster

     Original 'House of the Rising Sun'

     Composition: Traditional   See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Clarence Ashley   1961

   God's Gonna Ease My Troublin' Mind

     With Doc Watson

     Composition: Traditional

     Album: 'Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's Vol 1'

Clarence Ashley   1962

   Shady Grove

     Banjo: Jack Burchett

      Composition: Traditional

     Album: 'Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's Vol 2'

Clarence Ashley   1994

Clarence Ashley   2012

Clarence Ashley

Source: Herb Museum

   Corn Licker Rag

   Gonna Quit My Rowdy Ways

   Rattlesnake Daddy

     Composition: Homer Callahan

   She's Killing Me

Callahan Brothers   1935

   Rounder's Luck (House of the Rising Sun)

     Composition: Traditional   See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Callahan Brothers   1936

   Gonna Quit Drinkin' When I Die

     Composition: Reece Fleming/Respers Townsend

Callahan Brothers   1946

   John Henry

     Composition: Traditional

   Turkey In the Straw

     Composition: Traditional

Callahan Brothers   1951

   Blue Letters

     Composition: Bill & Joe Callahan

Callahan Brothers

Source: Last FM

Roy Acuff

Source: CMT

Born in 1903 in Maynardville, Tennessee, fiddler Roy Acuff ("King of Country Music") began his music career in 1932 by joining a traveling medicine show. In 1934 he settled in Knoxville, formed a band called the Tennessee Crackerjacks with which he began performing on radio in Knoxville, later to become the Crazy Tennesseans, with whom he spread along his initial titles in Chicago on October 2o-23, 1936, his gang consisting of Jess Easterday (guitar), Clell Sumne (Dobro), Red Jones (bass) and Sam Hatcher (harmonica). First up came 'Singing My Way to Glory' ('39 w 'Lonesome Valley'), 'Charming Betsy' ('37 w 'You've Gotta See Mama Every Night'), 'Great Speckled Bird'/'My Mountain Home Sweet Home' (Conqueror 8740 '37) and 'Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight' ('37 w 'All Night Long'). Such as 'Freight Train Blues'/'Wabash Cannonball' ('38) went down the next the day. Acuff's first titles to issue went down on October 22: 'Steamboat Whistle Blues'/'New Greenback Dollar' (Vocalion 03255). [See waynecountry.] Later issues by Columbia would credit some of the titles gone down in October by the Tennesseans to the Smoky Mountain Boys although they didn't use that name yet. The Tennesseans held their next sessions on March 22 of 1937 in Birmingham, Alabama, with Hatcher out. Among numerous issued by Vocalion, Conqueror and ARC were 'An Old Three Room Shack' ('39) and 'Sad Memories ('39). Acuff took his Tennesseans to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1938 where they successfully auditioned after an initial audition failed. He there changed his group's name to the Smoky Mountain Boys. They recorded as such on November 3 of 1938 in Columbia, SC, with Bob Wright contributing on ''Shout, oh Lulu'. Among numerous other tracks issued were 'The Rising Sun'/'Goodbye Brownie (Vocalion 04909 '39) and 'What Would You Do with Gabriel's Trumpet'/'Blue Ridge Sweetheart' (Vocalion 04531 '39). Come the summer of 1939 all had vacated Acuff's band except Easterday, they replaced by Pete Oswald Kirby and Lonnie Wilson on guitars for tracks in Memphis on July 5-6 like 'Haven of Dreams'/'Old Age Pension Check (Vocalion 05244 '39) and 'Eyes Are Watching You'/'Drifting Too Far from the Shore' (Vocalion 05297 '40). In 1940 Acuff took his band to Hollywood. During the early forties Acuff was so popular that when he gave tent shows traffic would congest for miles [Wikipedia]. In 1942 he founded Acuff-Rose Music with Fred Rose, publishing such as Hank Williamss and later, Roy Orbison. Acuff ran for Governor of Tennessee in 1948 as a Republican, and lost with 33% of the vote. He died on November 23, 1992, 89 years of age. Among the numerous with whom he had performed were Dave Macon, Kitty Wells, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ('Will the Circle Be Unbroken') and George Jones. He had been a Freemason. Acuff composed such as 'Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay' and 'The Streamlined Cannon Ball' in 1940 to 'All the World Is Lonely Now' and 'No One Will Ever Know' in 1946. Songwriting credits to Acuff's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Acuff in visual media.

   Great Speckle Bird

   Rising Sun (House of the Rising Sun)

     Composition: Traditional   See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

   Wabash Cannonball

   Wreck on the Highway

     Composition:

     From Dorsey Dixon's 'I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray'

Roy Acuff   1943

   Smoke on the Water

     Composition: Zeke Clements/Earl Nunn

Roy Acuff   1947

   Freight Train Blues

     Composition: Traditional

Born in Darlington, South Carolina, in 1897, Dorsey Dixon quit school at age twelve to work at a textile mill with his father [Wikipedia]. He was playing violin and guitar by the time he was an adolescent. Brought up among the working poor with a large family of seven children, he stuck with making clothes like his siblings in various mills with the exception of World War I when he worked as a railroad signalman. In 1927 he married another mill worker named Beatrice. Not until 1929, he age 32, did he apply a poem to a melody to write his first composition, 'The School House Fire' (to the hymn 'Life's Railway to Heaven'). Upon starting to compose in earnest his brother, Howard, joined him on guitar (steel guitar on their first recordings). 1934 found them working for WBT radio in Charlotte. [1, 2, 3, 4] They first recorded in Charlotte on February 12 of 1936. Among other titles they documented Dixon's compositions, 'Sales Tax on the Women' b/w 'Intoxicated Rat' (Bluebird 6327) and 'Weave Room Blues' b/w 'Two Little Rosebuds' (Bluebird 6441). 'Weave Room Blues' addressed life at the mills, as did such as 'Spinning Room Blues' gone down on Jun 23 of 1936 and 'Weaver's Life' on February 18, 1937, both with several other issued tracks like vocals by Beatrice: 'Beautiful Stars' and 'I Will Meet My Precious Mother'. The 18th also saw Howard Dixon's first tracks with Frank Gerald on guitar as the Rambling Duet: 'At Twilight Old Pal of Yesterday'/'Call Me Pal of Min' (Montgomery Ward 7856)'. Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' has that duo recording on four more dates to as late as September 25, 1938, as a trio with Mutt Evans at vocals yielding 'Honey Baby Mine'/'New Trouble' (Bluebird 7895) and 'My Trundle Bed' (Bluebird 8055) [*]. Praguefrank's follows the first portion of Dorsey's career with Howard to as late as September 25, 1938, to lay down such as 'Time for Me to Go'/'After the Ball' (Montgomery Ward 7577) and 'The Story of George Collins'/'The Light of Homer Rogers' (Montgomery Ward 7580). The forties saw Dixon's career come to a grinding halt, he returning to the mills. In 1946 Dixon settled with Roy Acuff out of court concerning 'Wreck on the Highway' as a version of his own 'I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray'. He was granted ownership, one third of current sales (which had come to five thousand dollars) and a percentage of future royalties. He also changed the title of the song from his own to Acuff's, recording it as such on August 8 of 1962 (Testament 3301) and later at the Newport Folk Festival in July of 1963 upon the brief revival of his career per a string of home recordings on August 20, 1961 that would see issue per Bear Family 16817 in 2012. He and Beatrice had gone their separate ways in 1953 and Howard had died on an unknown date in 1960-61 at the mill where he worked. More compositions about factory work followed on August 8 of 1962: 'Babies in the Mill', 'Factory Girl' and 'Hard Times in Here'. Praguefrank's shows Dorsey's last titles going down in January of '64, a string of solos for the Library of Congress, such as 'Everybody Works But Papa' and 'Mommy Will My Doggie Understand' (AFC 1964/019). Several heart attacks that year, however, ended his career. Dixon died of heart failure on April 18, 1968, Plant City, Florida, seventy years of age. Dorsey Dixon at Discogs. Howard Dixon at Discogs. Dixon Brothers at Discogs. All titles below are Dixon's compositions.

   Intoxicated Rat

   Sales Tax on the Women

   Weave Room Blues

Dorsey Dixon   1938

   I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray

Dorsey Dixon   1962

   Babies in the Mill

Woody Guthrie

Source: Wikipedia

Born in 1912 in Oklahoma, Woody Guthrie, [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] best known for his songs concerning the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Per Wikipedia Guthrie was 14 years old when his mother was permanently hospitalized with Huntington's disease. Sometime afterward his father was called to Pampa, TX, on real estate business, Guthrie joining him in 1929. Guthrie busked as a teenager and married at age 19 without graduating from high school. Leaving his family behind, he joined the migration to California during the Dust Bowl years in 1937. He there found employment at radio station KFVD in Los Angeles. It was about this time that, though Guthrie wasn't a member of the Communist Party, he began writing for the Communist paper, 'People's World'. (Guthrie was less a communist than simply anti-fascist.) Guthrie left KFVD in 1939, after which he made his way to New York City where his first recordings were taped by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress (Department of Interior/Radio Broadcasting Division). Titles went down on March 21 of 1940 like 'The Train' ('Lost Train Blues') and 'Railroad Blues', et al [see Wikipedia]. Guthrie held several future sessions with Lomax to as late as July of 1941. His first commercial recordings went down on April 26 and May 3 of 1940 in Camden, New Jersey, toward his album, 'Dust Bowl Ballads' (Smithsonian Folkways '40). Guthrie is said to have composed 'Tom Joad' on that album the night he saw the film, 'The Grapes of Wrath' [*], that from John Steinbeck's novel published the prior year. 'Do Re Mi' is also associated with Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath'. Guthrie and Steinbeck, who knew each other [*], have been linked ever since as the two great story tellers of the Dust Bowl. Guthrie formed the Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Millard Lampell in 1940. Produced by Eric Bernay, the Almanac Singers spread their first tracks in NYC circa March/April of '41 for the May issue of 'Songs for John Doe' (Almanac 102). A May session witnessed 'Talking Union' (Keynote 106). June of '41 saw 'Song for Bridges'/'Babe o' Mine' (Keynote 304), 'Song for Bridges' a tribute to Harry Bridges, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). July 7 saw several titles go down for Alan Lomax per 'Deep Sea Chanteys and Whailing Ballads' and 'Sod-Buster Ballads'. Also gone down in '41 were 'Greenland Fishing' and 'The Weaver's Song', not released until 1996. Circa February of '42 saw the recording of 'Dear Mr. President' (Keynote 111) and 'Boomtown Bill'/'Keep That Oil A-Rollin'' (Keynote 5000). 'Anti-fascist Songs of the Almanac Singers' didn't see release until 1996. [See * per above.] To avoid the draft Guthrie joined the Merchant Marine in 1943, the same year he published his autobiography, 'Bound for Glory'. Howsoever, his association with Communism found him rejected from the Marine in 1945, to the result of getting drafted into the Army anyway (during which he saw less action than in the Merchant Marine). He was apparently on leave when in May of 1944 he contributed to 'The Martins and the Coys' alongside such as Sonny Terry, Burl Ives and Pete Seeger. In 1947 Guthrie wrote 'House of Earth', a novel not published until 2013. He had also recorded 'Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child' issued in 1956. About 1953 Guthrie lost the ability to play guitar during an explosion between a campfire and a gasoline container in Florida. Beginning in 1956 Guthrie was hospitalized for five years with Huntington's disease, of which he died on October 3, 1967, in New York City. Perhaps Guthrie's best-known composition was 'This Land Is Your Land' in 1940. In May of 1941 he wrote a string of songs about the Columbia River such as 'Roll On, Columbia, Roll On', 'Pastures of Plenty' and 'Grand Coulee Dam'. He also wrote such as '1913 Massacre' ('45) and 'Brown Eyes' ('62). Other of his compositions at secondhandsongs. Various credits at 45worlds and discogs. Lyrics. Per below, see Pete Seeger for recordings with the Almanacs.

   Jesus Christ

      Composition: Woody Guthrie   1940

   Talking Dust Bowl Blues

      Composition: Woody Guthrie   1940

   Do Re Mi

      Composition: Woody Guthrie   1940

   Hard Travelin'

      Composition: Woody Guthrie   1940

Woody Guthrie   1944

   This Land is Your Land

   Train Blues

   Worried Man Blues

Born in 1909 in Illinois, Burl Ives [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7], an occasional member of the Almanac Singers (Pete Seeger), first recorded in 1929: 'Behind the Clouds' for Gennett Records, a demo destroyed a few weeks later. Per Wikipedia it was 1927 when Ives both matriculated into Eastern Illinois State Teachers College and became a Freemason. Freemasonry he kept throughout his life. But college he quit in a couple years, to travel as a musician. He was arrested for vagrancy in Utah, said to be jailed for performing a bawdy version of 'Foggy Foggy Dew'. In 1931 he landed a gig at WBOW radio in Terre Haute, Indiana. Ives attempted college a couple more times before he recorded with Will Geer in 1938 at the Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., which songs were 'Ballad of Wives and Widows of the Presidents and Dictators', 'The Parson's Daughter', 'Cod Liver Ile' and 'Three Crows'. Praguefrank's begins Ive's commercial sessions circa 1939 possibly in NYC for such as 'The Fox' (Stinson 701 '47) and 'The Foggy Foggy Dew' ('The Wayfaring Stranger' Asch 345/Stinson 345 '44). Other titles from that session like 'Poor Wayfaring Stranger' saw issue on 345 and later in 1962 per 'Spotlight on Burl Ives and the Folk Singers Three' (Stereo Spectrum Records SDLP 156). In 1940 Ives started his own radio program, 'The Wayfaring Stranger'. His recording debut en force occurred with tracks gone down from January to March of 1941 resulting in the album, 'Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger'. It was about that time that Ives became associated with the Almanac Singers. In 1942 he was drafted into the Army, which is how he came to be cast in 1943 film, 'This Is the Army'. Discharged from the service for medical reasons, it is thought that Ives first recorded with Pete Seeger, ten years his younger, in 1943 for an LP titled 'Lonesome Train: A Musical Legend' ('44). The next year he recorded with Seeger and Alan Lomax as one of the Union Boys ('Martins and the Coys' etc.). His civilian acting debut was in 1946, landing a role in 'Smoky'. He published an autobiography, 'The Wayfaring Stranger', in 1948, the same year he recorded 'Blue Tail Fly', then issued his more successful 'Lavender Blue' in 1949 (used in the film, 'So Dear to My Heart'). 'Riders in the Sky' reached #8 on Billboard's Country chart in April. In 1950 Ives got blacklisted as an entertainer due to association with the Almanac Singers. That pressure ceased in 1952 when he cooperated with the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) and agreed to testify (as to Communism), at some cost to his popularity among other actors and musicians, especially those faced with jail for not testifying (such as Pete Seeger). The latter fifties nevertheless found him starring in several films from 'East of Eden' in '55 to 'Our Man in Havana' in '58. Continuing his movie career into the sixties, Ives placed 'A Little Bitty Tear' at Billboard's #1 spot in Adult Contemporary in December of 1961. 'Funny Way of Laughing' reached #3 in April of 1962. 'Call Me Mr. In-Between' came to #6 in July. His album, 'Burl Ives Chim Chim Cher-ee and Other Children's Choices', won a Grammy in 1964. Among others unmentioned with whom Ives recorded were Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Percy Faith and Grady Martin. He had also appeared in several Broadway productions from the thirties into the forties. Among his greater interests beyond music was the Boy Scouts of America, retaining a lifelong association ever since becoming a Lone Scout (founded 1915) which became the Boy Scouts in 1924. Ives died of oral cancer complications on April 14, 1995 in Anacortes, Washington. Many of Ives' recordings were arrangements of traditionals like 'The Riddle Song' and 'Tam Pierce'. Titles composed by himself include 'Foggy Foggy Dew' and 'Silver and Gold'. Other songs written by Ives at secondhand songs. Composers covered by Ives also at secondhandsongs. Other songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Ives in theatre (Broadway). In visual media. 'Burl Ives Collection 1940-1960'. Tribute site.

   The Cowboy's Lament

     Composition: Traditional

   Sweet Betsy From Pike

     Composition: Traditional   See Wikipedia

   The New Martins and the Coys

     Composition: Millard Lampell

   Tam Pierce

     Composition: Traditional

   Wayfaring Stranger

     Composition: Traditional

Burl Ives   1949

   Lavender Blue

     Composition: English traditional

   Ghost Riders In the Sky

     Composition: Stan Jones   1948

Burl Ives   1951

   On Top Of Old Smoky

   On Top Of Old Smoky

   The Bird Courting Song

     Composition: D.S. Moore

   The Monkey and the Elephant

     Composition: Shel Silverstein/Baxter Taylor

   True Love Goes On and On

     Composition: Richard Adler/Jerry Ross

Burl Ives   1964

   Blue Tail Fly (Jimmy Crack Corn)

     Composition: Traditional   See Wikipedia

Burl Ives

Photo: Redferns Music Picture Library

Source: Bing

Chet Atkins

Source: NoNaMe

Guitar player Chet Atkins [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] should have recorded 'I've Been Everywhere', as he defies category, playing everything from classical to folk to jazz to pop to what is that? Though largely associated with the Nashville hillbilly sound per the Grand Ole Opry, Atkins was as virtuosic a producer as he was with guitar (ranked as 21st greatest guitarist by 'Rolling Stone'), having promoted a long stream of country western stars from Hank Snow and Porter Wagoner to Skeeter Davis and Waylon Jennings. He also produced Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. Atkins was born in 1924 in Luttrell, Tennessee. It's said that Atkins had asthma which required him as a child to sleep sitting upright. Playing a bent guitar would put him to sleep, to become a lifetime habit. Atkins first professional work arrived upon quitting high school, playing fiddle and guitar at WNOX radio in Knoxville. While there he joined a band called the Dixieland Swingsters. Praguefrank's has Atkins making his first demos at WNOX sometime in 1945: 'Why Don't You Leave Me Alone' and 'Empty Slippers'. In 1946 Red Foley joined the Grand Ole Opry, hiring Atkins for support. Praguefrank's shows Atkins backing Foley in New York City on July 31, 1946: 'Till the End of Time' (Decca 46058), 'Atomic Power'/'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You (Decca 46014), 'Foggy River'/'Lay Down Your Soul' (Decca 46024) and 'Old Shep' (Decca‎ 46052). September of 1946 saw 'Guitar Blues' and 'Brown Eyes Cryin' in the Rain' recorded as Chester Atkins per Bullet 617. On August 11 of 1947 arrived Atkins' first session produced by Stephen Sholes of RCA, that coming to titles like 'Standing Room Only'/'Aint'cha Tired of Makin' Me Blue' (RCA Victor 20-2587) and 'Don't Hand Me That Line'/'The Nashville Jump' (RCA Victor 20-3294). Those went down in Chicago w with Atkins' Colorado Mountain Boys consisting of George Barnes (guitar), Harold Siegel (bass), Charles Hurta (fiddle) and August Klein (accordion). Atkins left WNOX in 1949 to join Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters at KWTO in Springfield, Missouri. Atkins accompanied them on their first tracks on February 2 of 1949. Per Discogs and 45Worlds: 'The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea' (Victor 21-0029), 'Why Do You Weep Dear Willow?'/'(This Is) Someone's Last Day' (Victor 48-0050) and 'Walk Closer to Me' (Victor 21-0102), all issued in '49. Another session that day saw 'My Darling's Home at Last' (Victor 21-0029) and 'A Picture, a Ring and a Cul' (Victor 21-0102). Come October 12 of '49 in Chicago for titles with Anita Carter, Helen Carter, Kenneth Burns and Henry Haynes (Burns and Haynes = Homer & Jethro): 'Under the Hickory Nut Tree' (RCA Victor 48-0329), 'I Was Bitten by the Same Bug Twice' (RCA Victor 48-0367) and 'The Old Buck Dance'/'One More Chance (RCA Victor 21-0165). On the same day Maybelle & the Carter Sisters strung along 'The Day of Wrath' ('RCA Victor 21-0149), 'Down on My Knees' (RCA Victor 48-0319) and 'Little Orphan Girl'/'God Sent My Little Girl' (RCA Victor 48-0372). The next day (Oct 13 '49) the same crew with Helen out put down 'Boogie Man Boogie' (RCA Victor 48-0367) and 'Main Street Breakdown' (RCA Victor 48-0329). Anita played bass on those as she had the day before. Most sources including NPR have Atkins joining the Grand Ole Opry as part of Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters' crew in 1950. Atkins issued his first album in 1953: 'Gallopin; Guitar'. He struck gold with his release of 'Mr. Sandman' reaching #13 on Billboard's Country chart in January 1955. Among examples of Atkins venturing beyond hillbilly music was his appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 ('Riot at Newport'). Wikipedia has him performing at the White House for every US President from John Kennedy to George H. W. Bush [*]. Musicvf has Atkins placing 'Yakety Axe' at #4 in July of '65. (The Coasters had issued 'Yakety Yak' in 1958 prior to Boots Randolph's 'Yakety Sax' the same year.) In 1968 Atkins assumed Stephen Sholes' position as Vice President of RCA's country operation in Nashville [1, 2, 3, 4]. Sholes died on April 22, 1968, having groomed Atkins for that position since '57. Wikipedia has Atkins leading or collaborating on nigh eighty albums. Examples of his solo work were issued posthumously in 2003 on 'Solo Sessions', a collection of 28 tracks Atkins had put together himself through his latter years. Atkins died on June 30, 2001, in Nashville, a major name across multiple genres, particularly hillbilly folk and country western recording. Regarded as one of the finest guitarists of the twentieth century, he was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Atkins composed titles like 'Country Gentleman' ('53), 'Centipede Boogie' ('61) and 'Bandera' ('67). Other songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3, 4. Composers he covered at secondhandsongs. Atkins in visual media.

   Guitar Blues

     Composition: Chet Atkins

   Mr. Sandman

      Live performance 1954

     Composition: Pat Ballard

   Yakety Axe

      Filmed live at the Grand Ole Opry

     Composition: Boots Randolph/James Rich:

     'Yakety Sax'   1958

     Inspiration: 'Yakety Yak' by the Coasters   1958

   Mrs. Robinson

     Composition: Paul Simon

Chet Atkins   1971

   Snowbird

      Live performance 1978

     Composition: Gene MacLellan

   Orange Blossom Special

     Live performance    Composition: Ervin Rouse   

   Stars and Stripes Forever

      Live performance

     Composition: John Philip Sousa

     Arrangement: Guy Van Duser

Carter Sisters with Maybelle Carter

Photo: Getty Images

Source: Getty Images

   Baby It's Cold Outside

      June Carter with With Homer & Jethro

     Composition: Frank Loesser   1944

   I Was Bitten By The Same Bug Twice

      Anita & Helen Carter with Chet Atkins

     Composition: Helen Carter

   Under the Hickory Tree

      Anita & Helen Carter with Chet Atkins

     Composition: Alvin Carter/Helen Carter

   Bluebird Island

      Anita Carter with Hank Snow

     Composition: Hank Snow

   Down The Trail Of Aching Hearts

      Anita Carter with Hank Snow

     Composition: Jimmy Kennedy/Nat Simon

   Amazing Grace

      Maybelle Carter & the Carter Sisters with Carl Smith

     Composition: John Newton   1779

   Foggy Mountain Top

      Maybelle Carter & the Carter Sisters

     Composition: Alvin Carter   1929

   I Like My Lovin' Overtime

      Helen Carter

   I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven

      Anita Carter

     Composition: Eddie Dean/Hal Southern

   Making Believe

      Anita Carter   Composition: Jimmy Work

   The Mask On Your Heart

      Anita Carter

   Blue Doll

      Anita Carter   Composition: Anita Carter

   A Few Short Years Ago

      Anita Carter   Composition: Harlan Howard

   Beautiful Isle O'er the Sea

      Anita & Helen Carter

     Composition: Alvin Carter

   I Never Will Marry

      Anita & Helen Carter

     Composition: Alvin Carter/Sara Carter

   (Stop) Being Mean to Your Baby

      Anita Carter

   Carmel By the Sea

      Anita Carter

     Composition: Mel Tillis/Marijohn Wilkin

   It's My Life (And I'll Live It)

      Anita Carter   Composition: Cy Coben

   Love Me Now (While I Am Living)

      Anita Carter   Composition: Harlan Howard

   Dear Mama

      Carter Sisters   Live

   Hello Stranger

      Helen Carter   Composition: Alvin Carter

   Medley

      Carter Sisters   Live

   Wildwood Flower

      Helen Carter   Composition: Traditional  

   I Never Will Marry

      June Carter   Live

     Composition: Alvin Carter/Sara Carter

   Wabash Cannonball

      Carter Sisters   Live

     Composition: Alvin Carter

   I Used to Be Somebody

      June Carter   Composition: June Carter

Tennessee Ernie Ford

Born Ernest Jennings Ford in 1919 in Bristol, Tennessee, Tennessee Ernie Ford began his career on radio in Bristol as an announcer at WOPI. A bass baritone, Ford studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1939. World War II saw him serving in the Air Force as a 1st lieutenant bombardier in the Pacific theater. After service Ford headed for San Bernardino, CA, to work in radio, soon getting hired at KXLA in Pasadena, contributing vocals on the 'Dinner Bell Roundup' program. Praguefrank's puts Ford in Hollywood for his initial country western sessions on January 21, 1949, with backing by Merle Travis (electric guitar), Eddie Kirk (guitar), Wesley West (steel), Cliffie Stone (bass), Billy Liebert (accordion) and Harold Hensley (fiddle): 'Milk 'Em in the Morning Blues'/'Tennessee Border' (Capitol 15400). Four of Ford's titles visited Billboard's Top Ten in Country in '49: 'Anticipation Blues' (#3), 'Smokey Mountain Boogie' (#8), 'Tennessee Border' (#8) and 'Mule Train' (#1). Ford had made his debut television appearance in 1949 on the 'Hometown Jamboree' show. 1951 saw Ford's 'Shot Gun Boogie' reach Country's #1 tier. He released his 10" album, 'Capitol Presents... Tennessee Ernie Ford', in the UK in 1952. Ford's LP, 'Lusty Land', appeared in '55, the same year 'Sixteen Tons' rose to Billboard's #1 in November. The major portion of Ford's catalog throughout the years was gospel, beginning in 1956 with the LP, 'Hymns', containing such as 'Rock of Ages', 'Sweet Hour of Prayer' and 'The Old Rugged Cross'. Ford began hosting his own television variety program in 1956 as well. Called the 'Ford Show' (named after the auto manufacturer, not Ernie), it broadcasted for a run of five years. In 1962 Ford began hosting the 'Tennessee Ernie Ford Show', which ran until 1965, the year of his last Top Ten title, 'Hickville', at #9. Ford's wife of 46 years, Betty, died in 1989, he marrying again four months later. In 1990 he was inducted into the Country Western Hall of Fame. Ford died the next year on October 17, 1991, in Reston, Virginia, having released above sixty albums. Ford had composed such as 'Milk 'Em in the Mornin' Blues' ('49), 'Shot Gun Boogie' ('50), 'Blackberry Boogie' ('52) and 'I'm Hog-Tied Over You' ('52). Songwriting credits for other of Ford's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Ford in visual media.

   Mule Train

     Composition:

     Johnny Lange/Hy Heath/Tommy Scott/Fred Glickman

Tennessee Ernie Ford   1955

   Sixteen Tons

     Composition: Merle Travis

Tennessee Ernie Ford   1956

   Ballad of Davy Crockett

     Composition: Tom Blackburn/George Bruns

   Farewell

     Composition:

     Tom Blackburn as Davy Crockett/George Bruns

Tennessee Ernie Ford   1964

   Great Gospel Songs

Johnny Horton See Johnny Horton.

Jimmy Dean

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Source: The Guardian

Born in Plainview, Texas, in 1928, singer, Jimmy Dean [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], had dropped out of high school, served in the Air Force and gotten married before beginning his professional career in 1950. Praguefrank's wants Dean's first session in Washington DC circa September 1952 with his Wildcats for 'Sweet Darling' (4 Star 1654 '54), 'Bumming Around'/Pickin' Sweethearts' (4 Star 1613 '53). Dean rose to national fame in 1961 upon his composition, 'Big Bad John', reaching Billboard's #1 spot in the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Country categories. Though a little more in the country western sphere, like Burl Ives and Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dean greatly popularized folk music, though more with contemporary than traditional songs. Five more of his titles breached Billboard's AC Top Ten in 1962: 'Dear Ivan', 'To a Sleeping Beauty', 'The Cajun Queen', 'PT 109' and 'Little Black Book'. From 1963 to '66 he hosted the television program, 'The Jimmy Dean Show'. 'The First Thing Every Morning' reached Billboard's #1 tier in Country in June of '65. 'Stand Beside Me' rose to #10 in '66. In 1969 Dean founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company. 'I.O.U.' visited Country's #9 spot in May of '76. Dean published his autobiography, '30 Years of Sausage, 50 Years of Ham', in 2004. He died on June 13 of 2010 [1, 2] about four months prior to posthumous induction into the Country Western Hall of Fame. Production and songwriting credits at 45cat, discogs and australiancharts. Dean in visual media.

   Bumming Around

     Composition: Pete Graves

Jimmy Dean   1962

   Big Bad John

     Composition: Jimmy Dean

   Cajun Queen

     Composition: Wayne Walker

   Little Black Book

     Composition: Don Law/Frank Jones

   P.T. 109

     Composition: Fred Burch/Marijohn Wilkin

   Steel Men

     Composition: David Martin(s)

Jimmy Dean   1965

   Once a Day

     Composition: Don Sebesky

Jimmy Dean   1976

   I.O.U.

     Composition: Jimmy Dean/Larry Markes

Born in Kingsland, Arkansas, in 1932, Johnny Cash [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] was the elder brother of country musician, Tommy Cash, by eight years. He would make his first folk recordings, 'Hey Porter' and 'Cry, Cry, Cry' in 1955. Cash began playing guitar and writing music as age twelve. He sang on the radio in high school, but oined the Air Force in 1950, during which he was stationed in Germany as a Morse Code intercept and radio operator. It was there that Cash put together his first band, the Landsberg Barbarians. He returned to Texas upon discharge in 1954, but soon found himself in Memphis selling appliances. Be as may, he auditioned for Sam Phillips of Sun Records the next year and won his first recording contract. Praguefrank's shows Cash putting down his first titles in September of 1954 [see also *]. Most of those along with later unissued tracks eventually saw later release, some on 'The Man in Black' by Bear Family per BCD 15517 in 1990 (those five CDs to become 9 in 2003 per Bear Family's release of 'Cash Unearthed'), others in 2011 on 'Bootleg Volume II: From Memphis to Hollywood'. Both feature common tracks like 'Wide Open Road' and 'You're My Baby'. It was March 22 of '55 when Cash laid down multiple takes of 'Hey Porter' and 'Folsom River Blues'. 'Hey Porter becme Cash's first record release with a later session in May for multiple takes of 'Cry, Cry, Cry' (Sun 221). Those three versions of 'Folsom Prison Blues' eventually saw release per Bear Family's 'The Man in Black' and 'The Outtakes' (BCD 16325 '07). A couple months later in July Cash recorded his debut Country Top Ten title, 'So Doggone Lonesome' (Sun 232), that reaching Billboard's #4 spot. Cash placed no less than 47 songs on Billboard's Top Ten to as late as '(Ghost) Riders in the Sky' reaching #2 (#1 in Canada). Cash carried folk music to super stardom, issuing 12 #1 titles (US):

   I Walk the Line   1956
   There You Go   1956
   Ballad of a Teenage Queen   1958
   Guess Things Happen That Way   1958
   Don't Take Your Guns to Town   1959
   Ring of Fire   1963
   Folsom Prison Blues   1968
   Daddy Sang Bass   1968
   A Boy Named Sue   1969
   Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down   1970
   Flesh and Blood   1970
   One Piece at a Time   1976

Cash had begun performing on radio at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. He first met June Carter there, both married to others at the time. Carter was working as a backup vocalist for Elvis Presley. Cash otherwise made his first prison performance on January 1, 1958, at San Quentin. He issued his first album on Sun Records in 1957: 'With His Hot and Blue Guitar'. Wikipedia has Cash leading no less than 77 albums, 11 of those gospel from the latter fifties into the new millennium. Thirteen more were collaborations with such as June Carter or the Highwaymen. His first issue to attain Gold status was 'Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash' in 1963. 'I Walk the Line' went Gold in '64. Following that was 'Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian' in '64 (Billboard #2 but not gold). Folk music ever associated with political activism of one sort or another, with examples abounding from such as Pete Seeger's interest in the welfare of the laboring man to Jackson Browne's antinuke and environmentalist concerns, the plights of the American Indian were what Cash was drawn to addressing. Other of Cash's Gold releases were 'Hello, I'm Johnny Cash' ('70) and 'The World of Johnny Cash' ('70). Counting collections and posthumous releases the Cash estate would see five more albums go Gold to 'The Legend' in 2005 (posthumous). His initial of ten Platinum albums was 'Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits' in '67 followed by 'Folsom Prison Blues' the next year and 'At San Quentin' in '69. The latest was 'The Legend of Johnny Cash' in 2005 (posthumous). Returning to the sixties, not only did Cash's records smoke off the press but he was a pretty hot potato himself. In 1965 the truck Cash was driving caught fire, burning down 508 acres of the Los Padres National Forest, resulting in a fine of $82,000 plus 1 dollar. Though Cash had been releasing gospel records since the fifties he didn't formally became a Christian, taking an altar call, until 1968, the same year he married June Carter. June would become the principal element of Cash's career and life thereafter. June, of course, was a member of the Carter Sisters, become the second edition in 1960 of Mother Maybelle's original Carter Family. The first of Maybelle's brood of three daughters to record with Cash were either Anita in Nashville on March 19, 1962, or June on an unknown date in '62 for 'Louisiana Hayride' in Shreveport, Louisiana. Anita is thought to have appeared with Cash on 'A Little at a Time' (Columbia 4-42425). June's title with Cash was 'It Ain't Me Babe' which Praguefrank's has issued per Scena 27078 on an unidentified date. Cash appears to have strung first tracks with Maybelle & all three Sisters (Carter Family) on June 7 of 1962. His next titles for June were in support of 'I Pitched My Tent on the Old Camp Ground'/'Sweeter Than the Flowers' (Columbia 4-42864) on June 27, 1963. Cash and June wedded on March 1, 1968, he having proposed to her during a performance at the London Ice House in London, Ontario. Theirs was one of the more blessed marriages in show business. Live performances by them (such as a 1968 compilation below) make their love for one another beamingly apparent. To go by Praguefrank's, their last titles together before getting married were on January 13 of '68 at Folsom Prison, taping 'Jackson'/'I Got a Woman'. Highwaymusic has that issued that year, otherwise on the 2008 compilation, 'At Folsom Prison'. Praguefrank's has Johnny and June's first session after getting married five days later on March 6 in Nashville for 'The Folk Singer' (Columbia 4-44513). Johnny and June remained lifelong partners until she died on May 15 of 2003 (Cash following in September). Their most popular titles per Billboard had been 'Jackson' in '67 and 'If I Were a Carpenter' in 1969. Speaking of '69, from that to 1971 Cash had his own television program, 'The Johnny Cash Show', featuring such as the Statler Brothers, the Carter Family ( Maybelle & the Sisters), Carl Perkins, Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. His first performance at the White House was for Nixon in 1970. In 1971 Cash released the LP, 'Man In Black'. In 1975 he published his autobiography, 'Man in Black', explaining why he always wore black, essentially a grievance against the unfair in general. Cash was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980. His first album with the Highwaymen (consisting of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson) was released in 1985, titled 'Highwaymen'. The next year he issued the LP, 'Class of '55', with Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. In 1988 he campaigned for Al Gore. Cash recorded 'American Recordings' in 1994 out of his living room. During his career he found time to write a Christian novel, in addition to two autobiographies, and produce an audio version of the King James New Testament. Cash gave his last public performance in Bristol, Virginia, on July 5, 2003. He later died of diabetes complications on September 12, having written more than a thousand songs. Among his earlier were 'There You Go' ('56), 'Train of Love' ('56), 'Get Rhythm' ('56) and 'Old Apache Squaw' ('57). A nice list of others Cash composed at secondhandsongs. Composers Cash covered also at secondhandsongs. Songwriting credits for a few of his recordings with June Carter. See also 45cat and discogs. Compilations: 'The Complete Columbia Album Collection' 1958-86 63X CD Set by CAC 2012. Cash in visual media.

   Cry, Cry, Cry

     Composition: Johnny Cash

   Hey Porter

     Composition: Johnny Cash

   Folsom Prison Blues

     Composition: Johnny Cash   1953

Johnny Cash   1956

   I Walk the Line

     Composition: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash   1965

   Orange Blossom Special

   Cocaine Blues

      Composition:  T.J. Red Arnall

      First recorded 1947   See Wikipedia

Johnny Cash   1970

   Sunday Morning Coming Down

      Composition:  Kris Kristofferson

Johnny Cash   1971

   Man In Black

      Live version

     Composition: Johnny Cash

    Man In Black

   Ghost Riders In the Sky

     Composition: Stan Jones

Johnny Cash   1987

   Sixteen Tons

     Composition: Merle Travis

Johnny Cash

Source: Wire to the Ear

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Source: I Dynamo

Born in Brooklyn in 1931, Rambling Jack Elliott [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] was born in Brooklyn in 1931. Wikipedia has him a Jew (Elliot Charles Adnopoz) whose father thought it would be fitting that he become a surgeon. Jack had different notions and ran away from home at age 14 to become a cowboy with a traveling rodeo. He was returned to his home a few months later, after which he honed at guitar and began busking. Like most musicians Elliott would make not a few more journeys during his lifetime, though he would pick up the name "Ramblin'" due not to his travels but his manner of speaking. He met Woody Guthrie in 1950, the latter to mentor Elliott as they toured to California and Florida. Along the way he would procure Odetta Holmes' first folk club booking in San Francisco. Going by American Music (Wirz), Elliott recorded his first four titles in late '52/early '53 in the apartment of Jac Nolzmann in Greenwich Village, those including Guthrie's composition, 'Pretty Boy Floyd'. They were issued on 'Bad Men and Heroes' (Elektra EKL 16) in 1955 (Electra's discography differing from Wirz'). In 1955 he married June Shelley, a musical partner for the next half decade. That same year both Jack and June got bugs in their pants, forcing them to move to Europe. Per Wikipedia, Elliott was in England to record 'Woody Guthrie's Blues' (Topic T 5) issued in the UK in '55 per Discogs and Wirz. Latter 1955 witnessed 'Talking Miner Blues'/'Pretty Boy Floyd' recorded in London for release in '56. Wife, June, contributed banjo to 'Rocky Mountain Belle' on Elliott's next album, 'Jack Elliot Sings' in '57. Elliott's first titles with Derroll Adams were produced in London for issue on 'Rambling Boys' in 1957 as well. Come Guthrie's assistance on 'New York Town' included on 'Jack Takes the Floor' in 1958. (That album contained Elliott's first version of 'Cocaine' composed by Reverend Gary Davis, easy to confuse with 'Cocaine Blues' by T.J. Red Arnall recorded by such as Johnny Cash on 'At Folsom Prison' in 1971. Arnall's version was an interpretation of the traditional, 'Little Sadie'.) Elliott's website has him returning to the States in 1961, there to meet Bob Dylan while visiting Guthrie in the hospital in New Jersey. In 1968 Elliott contributed to 'Joe Hill' on Phil Ochs' 'Tape from California'. In 1975 he joined such as Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn and Bob Neuwirth in the concert caravan of Dylan's 'Rolling Thunder Revue'. Elliott's 1995 release, 'South Coast', gained a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. Elliott is yet active in his latter seventies as this is written. Per his website he's issued forty albums, his most recent in 2009, 'A Stranger Here', reaching Billboard's #5 spot for Blues Albums. Elliott had composed such as 'Guabi Guabi' ('64), 'Sowing on the Mountain' ('64), 'Rocky Mountain Belle' ('65), 'Rusty Jigs and Sandy Sam' ('65) and 'Thank God for Rednecks, Cowboys, Freedom Lovin' People and the NRA' ('83). Catalog of issues w various credits at Discogs.

   Danville Girl

   Talking Blues

   1913 Massacre

     Composition: Woody Guthrie 1941

      Album: 'Jack Elliott Sings the Songs of Woody Guthrie'

   Pretty Boy Floyd

     Composition: Woody Guthrie

Ramblin' Jack Elliott   1969

   If I Were a Carpenter

      Live performance

     Composition: Tim Hardin

   Pretty Boy Floyd

   Cocaine Blues

      First version: 'Cocaine'   1958

     From 'Coco Blues' by Reverend Gary Davis   1957

Born in 1925 in Portland, Oregon, banjo player, Derroll Adams [1, 2], joined the Army at age 16 the year Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 and ended up a Navy diver [*]. Returning to Portland upon termination of active duty, Adams studied art at the Reed College Museum Art School. He kicked about the West Coast doing odd jobs like driving trucks for Max Factor when he wrote his first composition, 'Portland Town', in 1953. Adams' musical ability eventually found him in a circle gravitating about actor, Will Geer, in Los Angeles. It was at Geer's home that Adams met and first performed with Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Adams' website has him following Elliott and June Shelley (they married) to England in 1957, arriving in Southampton on February 14. If so, then Praguefrank's discography should read '57 rather than '56 for Adams' first tracks with Elliott gone down in London. Titles like 'Rich and Rambling Boys' saw issue in the UK per most sources excepting Discogs in 1957 on 'The Rambling Boys' (Topic 10 T 14). Tracks from that session would also end up on 'Roll On Buddy' (Topic 12 T 105) in 1964. Elliott had performed a couple solos like 'Buffalo Skinners'. Adams recorded the solo, 'Stern Old Bachelor'. Adams and Elliott next toured the Continent. Praguefrank's collects sessions from June to September of '57 into one in Milan yielding five plates (S137, S139, S142, S144, S149) for Signal issued in Italy on unknown dates. Titles also got issued in 1959 on 'Jack Elliot & Derrol Adams Sing the Western' per Hi-Fi Records EPM 10147 with their names spelled wrong on the cover, as well as 1966 on 'Folkland Songs' (Joker 3023). Upon Elliott's return to the United States in 1961 Adams remained in England, there to shuffle about with such as Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Donovan. 1967 saw the release of Adams' album, 'Portland Town', after which he married Danny Levy, they to move to Antwerp, Belgium. Touring about Europe, Adams revisited the States for the first and last time in 1976 on tour with Donovan. Adams performed at the Tender Folk Festival in Denmark for the first time that year as well. Several more appearances at Tender occurred over the years before his last public performance in August of 1999 at Tender. Adams died in Antwerp, Belgium, on February 6, 2000. Adams had interpreted numerous traditionals like '1814' and 'Wildwood Flower', and composed such as 'Love Song' and 'The Valley'. Songwriting credits for Adams' recordings. See also Discogs. Adams in visual media.

   Roll On Buddy

      Guitar: Ramblin' Jack Elliott

     Composition: Traditional

   Roll On Babe

     Composition: Derroll Adams

Derroll Adams   1976

   24 Hours a Day

     Composition: Derroll Adams

Derroll Adams   1977

   The Rock

     Composition: Derroll Adams

Derroll Adams   1978

   Oregon

     Composition: Tucker Zimmerman

Derroll Adams   1984

   The Sky

     Composition: Derroll Adams

Derroll Adams

Source: Discogs

Kingston Trio

Source: OK Music

Dave Guard (b 1934) was a member of the Kingston Trio [1, 2, 3] with Bob Shane (b 1934) and Nick Reynolds (b 1933). Per WayBackAttack and Wikipedia, Guard (banjo/guitar) and Shane (ukulele/guitar) had been classmates playing music together at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Graduating in 1952, they both traveled to California to matriculate into Mento College. The pair met Reynolds (guitar/percussion) at Mento in 1956 whence they formed their first trio, the Calypsonians. Upon graduation Guard, continued his education at Stanford, graduating in 1957 with a degree in economics. Shane had headed back to Hawaii to work with family and commence a musical career. Reynolds and Guard experimented with a quartet before Shane's return to the States in spring of '57, this time toward the formation of the Kingston Trio. Praguefrank's has them recording a rehearsal on an unknown date in 1957 at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, those to see release in 2010 on 'Above the Purple Onion'. Their first sessions to issue were held February 5 to 7 of 1958 toward their first album released that year titled 'The Kingston Trio'. That contained traditionals arranged by Guard [45cat] like 'Three Jolly Coachmen' and 'Tom Dooley', rising to Billboard's top tier Album category largely on the strength of 'Tom Dooley'. In 1959 they issued a couple of live albums, '...From the Hungry i' and 'Stereo Concert', the former of which rose to Billboard's #2 spot. Their next studio album ensued in 1959 called 'The Kingston Trio at Large', also ascending to Billboard's #1 tier. Wikipedia has fourteen of the Kingston Trio's LPs nesting in the Top Ten to as late as 'The Kingston Trio #16' (#4) and 'Sunny Side!' (#7) in 1963. Three of those had enough yeast to rise to Billboard's #1: 'Here We Go Again!' ('59), 'Sold Out' ('60) and 'String Along' ('60). 1961 saw Guard leaving the trio per a dispute over copyrights, replaced by John Stewart that year. Stewart (guitar/banjo) had previously composed for the Trio. Praguefrank's wants Guard's last titles with the Trio on April 21 of 1961 toward the 2010 issue of 'Live at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium' (Collector's Choice CCM 853). Stewart's first tracks with the Trio went down on August 15 toward the '61 issue of 'Close Up' (Capitol Records ‎EAP 3 1642). Praguefrank's has the Kingston Trio together to as late as a performance at the Hungry i in San Francisco on June 17 of 1967 for titles toward the 2007 issue of 'The Final Concert' (Collector's Choice CCM 807). That included such as 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone' and 'Scotch & Soda'. Guard had moved on to form the Whiskyhill Singers and moved to Sydney, Australia. He reunited with Shane and Reynolds in 1981 for a PBS performance. Later returning to the States, he died lymphoma in Rollinsford, New Hampshire on March 22, 1991. Shane went on to form the New Kingston Trio and acquired the Kingston Trio name in 1976. Reynolds moved to Portland, dropping away from the music industry. He died in his hometown of San Diego on October 1, 2008. Stewart moved forward to a successful career as a composer (such as 'Daydream Believer') and issued about forty albums including 'Gold' in 1979. He died in his hometown of San Diego on January 19, 2008. Other than 'Tom Dooley' visiting Billboard's #1 in '58, the Kingston Trio carried 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone' to #4 on Billboard's AC in January 1962. January of '63 saw 'Greenback Dollar' sit at #6. Their last Top Ten title had 'Reverend Mr. Black' in April of '63 at #8 on the Hot 100. Compositional credits to recordings by the Kingston Trio at 1, 2, 3. Later configurations of the Kingston Trio have continued to this day. including members of the New Kingston Trio, Bob Zorn and George Grove, Roger Gambill, Bob Haworth and Rick Dougherty. The Kingston Trio website presently has Reynold's son, Josh, with Mike Marvin and Tim Gorelangton. Compilations: 'The Best of the Kingston Trio' by Capitol 1962. Tracks below include two live performances with Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary.

   Tom Dooley

      Composition:

      Traditional arranged by Dave Guard

Kingston Trio   1959

   Greenback Dollar

      Composition: Hoyt Axton/Ken Ramsey

Kingston Trio   1963

   Reverend Mr. Black

      Composition:

      Billy Edd Wheeler/Mike Stoller/Jerry Leiber

Kingston Trio   1982

   Leaving On a Jet Plane

       Live with Mary Travers

       Composition: John Denver

   Where Have All the Flowers Gone

      Composition: Pete Seeger

Born in 1936 way down in Brownsville, Texas, actor, Kris Kristofferson [1, 2, 3], was a boxer at Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship when he began writing music. He also recorded his first compositions issued in 1958 while at Oxford in a duo with Tony Lynds: 'Ramblin' Man'/'Blue Melody' (Manor 1001)[1, 2]. That experiment petered out, Kristofferson to graduate with a degree in English literature. Come the U.S. Army in which was a captain, helicopter pilot and Ranger. He was in the Army when he formed his first band in 1965. After military service Kristofferson flew helicopters commercially, particularly a route from Louisiana to Nashville [1, 2]. He came upon difficulty keeping things together and ended up a custodian for Columbia Studios in Nashville while attempting to sell songs. While there he was too cautious of being fired to approach Bob Dylan. But he confronted no grief in later delivering some tapes to Johnny Cash's residence by helicopter. Cash not needing to be at home for that to gain his attention. Kristofferson next recorded in 1967 for Epic Records: 'Golden Idol' and 'Killing Time' (Epic 5-10225). His debut album, 'Kristofferson', was released in 1970. He was dating Janis Joplin at the time of her death in 1971. In 1973 he began his film career, appearing in such as 'Blume in Love' and 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' [1, 2]. He also married Rita Coolidge in 1973 (divorced 1980), they releasing 'Full Moon' together the same year. In '76 he and Barbra Streisand issued the soundtrack, 'A Star Is Born'. In 1982 he collaborated with Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton on 'The Winning Hnad'. He joined Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash to release 'The Highwayman' as the Highway Men in 1985. They released 'The Highwayman II' in 1992. A decade later in 2002 they let loose 'The Road Goes On Forever'. In 2004 Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wikipedia has Kristofferson issuing 18 studio and three live albums to as late as 'The Cedar Creek Sessions' in 2016. Kristofferson's best-known singles were his compositions 'Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)' in '71 and 'Why Me' in '73. Some of his compositions did considerably better performed by others than himself, one example being 'Me and Bobby McGhee' written with Fred Foster to appear on 'Kristofferson' in '69. Two years later Janis Joplin carried that to Billboard's #1 spot. Other of Kristofferson's compositions which performed well for those who covered them were:

   'For the Good Times'
      Ray Price   1970
   'Once More with Feeling'
      Jerry Lee Lewis   1970
      Written w Shel Silverstein
   'Sunday Morning Coming Down'
      Johnny Cash   1970
      First issued by Ray Price in 1969
   'Help Me Make It Through the Night'
      Sammy Smith   1971
   'I'd Rather Be Sorry'
      Ray Price   1971
      First issued by Romy Spain in 1967

In 1974 Ronnie Milsap issued Kristofferson's 'Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends'. Kristofferson's title, 'One Day at a Time', was interpreted by multiple artists to large success: Don Gibson in '74, Marilyn Sellars (UK) in '74, Lena Martell in '79 and Christy Lane in '81. [Musicvf.] Songwriting credits for Kristofferson's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4. Among Kristofferson's multiple awards were induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985. It was the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Kristofferson has eight children via three marriages. Living in Malibu, CA, as of this writing, he yet actively tours. Kristofferson in visual media. He wrote all titles below but as noted.

       With Tony Lynds

   Golden Idol/Killing Time

Kris Kristofferson   1970

   Casey's Last Ride

Kris Kristofferson   1972

   Whiskey, Whisky

   Why Me Lord

Kris Kristofferson

Source: Country Hound

Joan Baez

Photo: Baron Wolman

Source: Madame Pickwick

Born to Quakers in 1941 in Staten Island, Joan Baez got transferred to California to graduate from high school in Palo Alto in 1958. Come June that year she recorded a string of live demos in San Francisco with titles like 'Island in the Sun' and 'Water Boy'. Those would get issued in 1964 by Fantasy Records on 'In San Francisco' without her knowledge, she having them pulled, though would later consent to future releases. Baez followed her family to Belmont, Massachusetts, later that summer, her father acquiring a post at MIT. She there began her career singing folk songs in coffeehouses in Boston and Cambridge, performing regularly at Club 47. Meeting Bill Wood in 1959, she held her first interview on radio WHRB's 'Balladeers' program. Wood then joined her with Ted Alevizos to record 'Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square' in May of 1959. She joined Wood at the Newport Folk Festival that July, performing there solo in 1960. [*.] That same month she recorded 'Joan Baez' with Fred Hellerman in NYC. Baez' best known singles were 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' ('71), 'Let It Be' ('71) and her own composition, 'Diamonds and Rust' ('75). Simon & Schuster published her memoir, 'And a Voice to Sing With' in 1987. Baez had used her music to address a variety of political issues including civil rights, pacifism, human rights, gay rights and poverty. She'd made it apparent as a high school student that she was up to the responsibility of taking a lone stand per research versus authority with its facts wrong [*]. Baez performed at the White House for the Obamas in 2010 and gave a brief concert for Occupy Wall Street protestors in 2011. She celebrated her 75th birthday at the Beacon Theatre in NYC on January 27, 2016, that released on '75th Birthday Celebration' that year. She had issued 'Diamantes' in 2015. Jackson Browne nominated her into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame per April 2017. As this is written 'Whistle Down the Wind', recorded in Los Angeles, is planned for release in 2018 along with a world tour. Baez had composed titles like 'Sweet Sir Galahad' ('69) and 'A Song for David' '(70). Other songwriting credits at 45cat, discogs, wikipedia and secondhandsongs. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4. Musical: 1, 2. Discography. Baez in visual media. Internet presence: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: 1, 2.

      Composition: Harry Belafonte/Lord Burgess

   Joan Baez

   There But For Fortune

   There But For Fortune

   The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

      Composition: Robbie Robertson

Joan Baez   1994

   Where Have All the Flowers Gone

      Composition: Pete Seeger

Chad Mitchell Trio

The original Chad Mitchell Trio [1, 2] was formed at the Roman Catholic Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, in 1959 originally composed of Chadbourne Mitchell (b 1936), Mike Kobluk (b 1937) and Mike Pugh. That configuration made its first recordings on a trip to New York City in 1959 resulting in such as 'Pretty Saro'/'The Ballad of Herbie Spear' (Colpix 154 '63), 'Paddy West'/'The Devil Road' (Colpix 157 '63). Other titles would get released on 'In Concert - Everybody's Listening' (Colpix 463) in 1964, an album shared on side B with the Gatemen. Such as 'Tina' and 'Chevaliers' found their way onto 'The Chad Mitchell Trio' in 1964. The earliest plates issued from those sessions were 'Sally Ann'/'Vaya Con Dios' (Colpix 133) and 'Walkin' on the Green Grass'/'Up on the Mountain' (Colpix 136) in 1959. [Dates per 45cat and discogs.] During that period with Pugh The Mitchell Trio appeared on 'The Pat Boone Show' on Thanksgiving of '59. They were recorded at Carnegie Hall accompanied by Dennis Collins at guitar during a concert by Harry Belafonte in May of '60, 'Vaichazkem', 'I Do Adore Her' and 'The Ballad of Sigmund Freud' getting released that year on 'Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall'. Upon Pugh's return to college that summer Kubluk and Mitchell remained in New York City to replace him with Joe Frazier (b 1937) after an audition process of above 150 vocalists. [Wikipedia.] That new configuration was first recorded per Praguefrank's on August 21 of '61 at Brooklyn College accompanied by Jim McGuinn on guitar and banjo to result in the album, 'Mighty Day on Campus' in 1961, followed the next year with 'At the Bitter End'. After releasing eight albums Chad Mitchell was replaced by John Denver in 1965, though the group retained the Chad Mitchell Trio name. Mitchell's final session had been in December of '64 to result in 'Typical American Boys'. Denver appeared on their next album recorded in August of 1965, 'That's The Way It's Gonna Be'. Mitchell went on to a solo career begun in 1966 with the issue of the LP, 'Himself'. Praguefrank's wants the configuration of Kobluk, Frazier and Denver to the Mitchell Trio's last session in 1967 with Bob Hefferan (guitar), Paul Prestopino (guitar/banjo since 1962) and Bill Lee (bass since 1965), issued that year on 'Alive' (Reprise 6258). Other sources prefer that Trio to consist of Kobluk, Denver and David Boise (featured on 'Coal Tattoo') [1, 2, 3,]. With Boise replacing Frazier, William Johnson then replaced Kobluk. But Denver wanted to explore other territory and the Trio got parked in a field. Mitchell, Kobluk, Frazier and Denver held a reunion on November 14, 1987, for PBS resulting in 'Mighty Day - The Chad Mitchell Trio Reunion' per Folk Era FE-1422-CD in 1994. A reunion in 1995 in Alexandria, VA, resulted in the relatively obscure 'An Evening with The Chad Mitchell Trio and Friends - Live at The Birchmere' (Medium Rare Records MR002). Also performing on that were Carolyn Hester, the Limeliters and Christine Lavin. Denver died on October 12, 1997. There was another reunion in 2005 in Minneapolis. Paul Prestopino recorded 'The George Bush Society' in 2008 as the Chad Mitchell Trio with Bob Hefferan and Eugene Jablonsky. Frazier passed beyond on March 28, 2014. While with the Chad Mitchell Trio Mitchell had composed such as 'Green Grow the Lilacs' ('63), 'The Bonny Streets of Fyve-Io' ('64) and 'Tell Old Bill' ('64). Discos w composition and production credits at 1, 2, 3. Chad Mitchell Trio in visual media.

   Lizzie Borden

      Composition: Michael Brown

Chad Mitchell Trio   1962

   Blues Around My Head

      Composition: Bob Camp/Bob Gibson

   The John Birch Society

      Composition: Michael Brown

Chad Mitchell Trio   1987

   Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream

      Composition: Ed McCurdy

Born in Duncan, Oklahoma, in 1938, upon discharge from the Navy Hoyt Axton [1, 2, 3, 4] began singing folk tunes in San Francisco nightclubs. As his career progressed he took a strong lean toward country western, Axton equally documentable under that genre. Hoytsmusic and Praguefrank's begin their accounts of Axton with a session in 1961 in Nashville resulting in 'Drinking Gourd'/'Georgia Hoss Soldier' (Briar 100) issued in June of '61 per 45Cat. Praguefrank has Axton's next possible session in 1962 in Hollywood for 'Grizzly Bear' and 'Gypsy Woman' issued in '63 per Horizon Records H-2. Axton released his first album, 'The Balladeer', in 1962, performed live at the Troubadour in Hollywood. That was followed in 1963 by 'Greenback Dollar' and 'Thunder n Lightnin''. Axton also made the first of many television appearances in 1963, beginning with 'The Story of a Folksinger'. Axton placed two titles in the Country Top Ten in 1974: 'When the Morning Comes' and 'Boney Fingers'. He and his wife were arrested in 1997 for possession of more than a pound of marijuana, fined and given deferred sentences. Axton died of heart attack in Victor, Montana, on October 26, 1999. He had issued 'Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog' in 1995, about his 25th album. Axton's mother was Mae Boren Axton, a Nashville music promoter largely responsible for getting Elvis Presley signed to RCA. She'd co-written Presley's 1956 'Heartbreak Hotel' with Tommy Durbin. She also co-wrote Axton's 'Georgia Hoss Soldier' per above in '61. Axton himself had been a prolific songwriter, composing such as 'Speed Trap' ('66), 'Never Been to Spain' ('71), 'Less Than the Song' ('72), 'Lion in the Winter' ('75), 'Evangelina' ('76) and 'James Dean and the Junkman' ('82). Some of his compositions were recorded by rock bands including Steppenwolf ('The Pusher' '67, 'Snowblind Friend' '70) and Three Dog Night ('Joy to the World' '70). Composing credits for some of Axton's recordings at 45cat, discogs and allmusic. Axton in visual media.

   Darlin'

Hoyt Axton   1963

   Balladeer

   Greenback Dollar

      Composition: Hoyt Axton

   Thunder n Lightnin'

      Composition: Hoyt Axton

Hoyt Axton   1971

   Lightning Bar Blues

      Composition: Hoyt Axton

Hoyt Axton   1974

   Boney Fingers

      Composition: Allan McDougall/Hoyt Axton

   Geronimo's Cadillac

      Composition:

      Michael Martin Murphey/Charles John Quarto

Hoyt Axton   1975

   Roll Your Own

   Della and the Dealer

   Mountain Right

      Composition: Donna Roberts Axton/Al Johnson

Hoyt Axton   1990

   We Could Have Been Sweethearts

     Composition: Hoyt Axton

Hoyt Axton

Photo: Jeremiah Records

Source: Texas Escapes

Judy Collins

Judy Collins [1, 2, 3, 4], born in Seattle, grew up in Denver (Colorado often mentioned in her songs). Collins was a piano prodigy, playing classical music as a child, until she turned to guitar and folk music at about age sixteen. She released her first album, 'A Maid of Constant Sorrow', in 1961 at age twenty-two. She debuted at Carnegie Hall the following year. Wikipedia has Collins releasing 45 albums, including seven live, to as late as 'Everybody Knows' in 2017 with Stephen Stills. Stills had first recorded w Collins in 1968, backing her on the album, 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes'. So far as charts are concerned Collins maintained a fairly strong presence from 'Both Sides, Now' at #3 on Billboard's AC in 1968 to 'Send in the Clowns' at #8 in 1975. "Amazing Grace' had also planted itself in the Top Ten at #5 in 1970. Collins' composition, 'Since You've Asked' saw light in 1967. Her novel, 'Shameless' saw bookstore shelves in '87. She's also written two memoirs. Collins performed at the inauguration of President Clinton in 1993. She continues to perform internationally as this is written, maintaining a tour schedule at her website. She has most recently been performing in collaboration with Stills [1, 2, 3]. Among Collins' own compositions were such as 'Albatross' ('67) and 'The Life You Dream' ('81). See 45cat and discogs for production and songwriting credits. Lyrics. Collins in visual media. At Facebook and Twitter.

   I Know Where I'm Going/John Riley

   A Maid of Constant Sorrow

   O' Daddy Be Gay

   The Rising of the Moon

Judy Collins   1969

   Someday Soon

      Composition: Ian Tyson

Born in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1931, folk singer, Bob Dylan [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8/ Synopsis], was the major transitional figure between old folk music and new folk, the latter to merge with rock. He was a high school student in a band called the Golden Chords in 1958 when he thought to change his name from Robert Allen Zimmerman to Bob Dillon. He later changed it to Dylan in 1961 upon having read a book by Dylan Thomas, though due to no affinity with such [Wikipedia]. Dylan's group played tunes by such as Little Richard and Elvis Presley. Dylan was in college in 1961 when it occurred to go visit Woody Guthrie in New York City. So he dropped out of school (freshman year) and did. Then he started playing clubs in Greenwich Village and released his first record album in 1962: 'Bob Dylan'. That now famous record sold only 5,000 copies at the time, barely breaking even. The majority of Dylan's albums, forty some studio and live, went gold in America. Twelve alone went Platinum in the US from 'Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' in '63 to 'Modern Times' in 2006. Several of his compilations have also gone Platinum. Dylan first toured the United Kingdom in '62, where he made his first television appearance in 1963 for the BBC. Dylan was involved in the civil rights movement of the sixties. In 1963 he refused an appearance on the 'Ed Sullivan Show' because they censored his wish to play 'Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues'. He first performed with protestor, Joan Baez, in '63 at the Monterey Folk Festival ('With God on Our Side'). Dylan jumped aboard the #9 spot on the UK singles chart in 1963 for 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' (issued on the album, 'Bringing It All Back Home'). His first to breach the Top Ten in the US was 'Like a Rolling Stone' in 1965 at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100. 'Positively Fourth Street' placed at #7 the same year. 'Rainy Day Women ♯12 & 35' reached #2 in 1966. 'Lay Lady Lay' saw #2 in 1969. It had been 1965 when Dylan went electric with half of the LP, 'Bringing It All Back Home'. He encountered a little protest from folk purists displeased by Dylan's step away from traditional acoustic folk at the Newport Folk Festival that year, going electric there with the backing of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Two days of recording with Johnny Cash in February 1969 resulted in the album, 'Nashville Skyline'. 1971 saw him performing at the Madison Square Garden Concert for Bangladesh with George Harrison and Indian sitar player, Ravi Shankar. Dylan toured with The Band in early '74, resulting in the Platinum album, 'Before the Flood', issued on Asylum. He was a guest on their '78 release of the film, 'The Last Waltz'. Psychologist/theatre director, Jacques Levy, composed all but a couple of the songs on 'Desire' issued in 1976. Dylan's announced conversion to Christianity in 1979 created something of a stir. Yet, unlike Cat Stevens' announced devotion to Islam two years earlier, what little negative consequence Dylan suffered was short-lived, even upon releasing three albums concerning such: 'Slow Train Coming' in 1979, 'Saved' in 1980 and 'Shot of Love' in 1981. Come 1988 Dylan formed The Travelling Wilburys with Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. In 1998 Dylan garnered the Album of the Year Grammy Award for 'Time Out of Mind' ('97). Dylan's first record release in the new millennium was in 2001: 'Love and Theft'. His latest issues per this writing were 'Shadows in the Night' ('15), 'Fallen Angels' ('16) and 'Triplicate' ('17). Dylan remains an Eveready rabbit, performing an average of 100 tour dates a year for the last two decades. This condensed history of music must be especially abbreviated relative to Dylan's packed career, on top of which he's published six books of drawings and paintings [see also 1, 2, 3, 4.]. He was the recipient of a Pulitzer Special Award in 2008, then forced to eat among the plumpest of maraschino cherries when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in October of 2016 [1, 2, 3]. Unfortunately that prize was worth only about $900,000, pressing Dylan to launch Heaven's Gate Whiskey in April of 2018, the bottle designed by himself after one of his steel sculptures. Being largely known for his songwriting, it's no surprise that Dylan composed the greater portion of his recordings, to list but a few: 'Song to Woody' ('62), 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall' ('63), 'Masters of War' ('63), 'My Back Pages' ('64) 'Maggie's Farm' ('65), 'Watching the River Flow' ('71), 'George Jackson' ('71), 'Forever Young' ('74), 'Seven Days' ('91)', et al. He co-wrote such as 'I'd Have You Anytime' and 'If Not for You' with Harrison in 1970. A partial but nice list of the above 500 compositions credited to Dylan. Composers he's covered. Also see production and songwriting credits at 45cat, discogs and wikipedia. Bob Dylan in visual media. At Twitter. Further reading: 1, 2, 3. All titles below were written by Dylan except as noted.

   Blowing In the Wind

   Baby Please Don't Go

      Composition: Big Joe Williams

   Corrina, Corrina

      Composition: Bo Carter   1928

   Only a Hobo

   Roll On, John

      Composition: Obscure   See *

   You're Beautiful

      Composition: Bo Carter   1928

      James Blunt/Sacha Skarbek/Amanda Ghost

Bob Dylan   1963

   Don't Think Twice

   Man Of Constant Sorrow

   Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues

Bob Dylan   1965

   Like a Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan   1967

   All Along the Watchtower

Bob Dylan

Source: Cifra Club

Jerry Garcia

Source: Awaken

Born in San Francisco in 1942, banjo and guitar player Jerry Garcia [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] had been inspired by bluegrass music since a youth. Associated with acid rock, Garcia switched from art to pursue music professionally upon meeting future Grateful Dead [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] lyricist, John Hunter [*], in 1961. He released his first recordings with Phil Lesh [*], another future member of the Grateful Dead, in 1962, among such, 'Matty Groves' and 'Long Black Veil' [1, 2]. It was 1965 when Garcia formed the Grateful Dead with Phil Lesh (bass), Bill Kreutzmann (drums), Bob Weir (rhythm guitar) and Ron Pigpen McKernan (keyboards and harmonica). Other band members would include Mickey Hart on board in '67, Tom Constanten in '68 and Vince Welnick in '90. McKernan would die on March 8 of 1973 of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, his place at keyboards filled by Keith Godchaux who had joined the group in '71 when McKernan began to fall ill. The name, 'Grateful Dead', was perhaps a random occurrence. It is said that Garcia opened a dictionary to a page on which "grateful dead" was defined as "a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial" [Wikipedia]. In 1965 the Dead recorded the album, 'Birth of the Dead', to be issued in 1966 when they also released their first singles, among them 'Stealin'' with 'Don't Ease Me In' flip side. Their next album, 'Rare Cuts and Oddities' was released the same year. In 1967 they released the album, 'Grateful Dead', but not until 'Workingman's Dead', released in 1970, did the Dead arrive to solid national recognition, reinforced that same year with 'American Beauty'. The Grateful Dead toured for thirty years, from 1965 to Garcia's death in 1995, notable in that many Dead Heads (fans) made a lifestyle of traveling about the country like gypsies, following the Dead from one engagement to the next, Grateful Dead concerts their itinerary. Among the Dead's stronger titles were in their latter years as well with such as 'Touch of Grey' ('87), 'Hell in a Bucket' ('87) and 'Foolish Heart' ('89). Among Garcia's most important associates beyond the Dead was upright bassist, John Kahn, with whom he formed the bluegrass outfit, Old and In the Way, in 1973 with Peter Rowan (guitar), Vassar Clements (fiddle) and David Grisman (mandolin). The first of several albums, 'Old and in the Way', was released in 1975. Kahn made himself useful as a composer as well, writing titles for Garcia like 'Let It Rock' and 'Midnight Town' in 1974. Kahn was also an original member of the Jerry Garcia Band in 1975 to the group's abandonment upon Garcia's death in '95. He also performed in the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band of '87/'88. Deaddisc has Garcia performing above 60 concerts as a duo with Kahn between 1982 [see also *] and 1989. Kahn had worked a bit with the Grateful Dead as a concert sound engineer as well. Garcia is thought to have made his last recordings with guitarist Sanjay Mishra in 1995, prior to his death of heart attack on August 9 that year [*]. He was the major arranger/composer of his operations including the Grateful Dead. He'd early written such as 'The Golden Road' ('67). Per above, Robert Hunter was Garcia's lyricist with whom he raised numerous titles like 'Uncle John's Band' ('69), 'To Lay Me Down' ('70), 'Deal' ('72), 'Loser' ('72) and 'Sugaree' ('72). Other of the Dead's original members contributed to compositions as well. Lesh collaborated with Garcia and Hunter on 'Cumberland Blues' ('70). McKernan wrote 'Operator' ('70). Weir collaborated with Hunter on 'Sugar Magnolia' ('70) and 'Playing in the Band' ('71). He wrote 'Throwing Stones' ('87) with John Barlow. Kreutzmann assisted Garcia and Hunter on 'Bird Song' ('72) and 'The Wheel' ('72). Songwriting credits for Grateful Dead singles. For albums. See also 1, 2. Grateful Dead and Garcia at Discogs: 1, 2. In visual media: 1, 2. Reviews

   Man of Constant Sorrow

      Composition: Traditional   See Wikipedia

Jerry Garcia   1966

  Stealin'

  Don't Ease Me In

  Betty and Dupree

      Composition: Chuck Willis

      From Ma Rainey's 'See See Rider' 1924

    Hey Little One

  You See a Broken Heart

      Composition: Pigpen McKernan

   Morning Dew

      Composition: Bonnie Dobson/Tim Rose

  Smokestack Lightning

  Silver Threads and Golden Needles

  Workingman's Dead

  Box of Rain

  Friend of the Devil

      With the Grateful Dead

   Ripple

      With the Grateful Dead

  Truckin'

  Southside Strut

  Angel Band

  Sugaree

  Just Like Tom Thumb Blues

  Dear Prudence

  Tangled Up In Blue

  Dark Hollow

  Fire on the Mountain

  I Need a Miracle

  All Along the Watchtower

  Not Fade Away

  We Bid You Goodnight

  Long Black Veil

  Amazing Grace

  A Shenandoah Lullaby

  Peggy O

  Clouds

The Grateful Dead

Source: 21 Hours a Day

Tom Rush

Photo: Robert Corwin

Source: Robert Corwin

Born in 1941 in New Hampshire, Tom Rush [ 1, 2, 3, 4] had been a student of English literature at Harvard when he began performing. We've seen folk assume transitions on this page from country-based old school such as the Carter Family at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, having long since demurely gone country western, to such as the ballads of Pete Seeger in New York City. ("Demurely": the first couple decades of the Grand Ole Opry were folk purist, not eager to admit western swing of jazz influence into its fold.) Rush came along during the folk revival of the sixties, later to hub in such as Greenwich Village and grow more rock-oriented as expressed by such as Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Joni Mitchell. Rush released his first album, 'Tom Rush at the Unicorn', in 1962. He issued his second album, 'Got a Mind to Ramble', the next year. Come 'Blues, Songs & Ballads' in '64. Rush had written songs like 'On the Road Again' ('66), 'Rockport Sunday' ('68) and 'Mother Earth' ('72). Compositional credits at 45cat and australiancharts. As of this writing, Rush yet performs on tour and has issued at least 17 albums [per discogs] including 'Voices' in 2018. Rush in visual media. At Facebook and YouTube.

  Every Night When the Sun Goes Down

      Composition: Traditional

  Blues, Songs & Ballads

      Album

Tom Rush   1968

   The Circle Game

  No Regrets

      Composition: Tom Rush

Lovin Spoonful

Source: The 60s Official Site

   Do You Believe In Magic

      Composition: John Sebastian

   You Didn't Have to Be So Nice

   Younger Girl

      Composition: John Sebastian

John Sebastian   1966

   Daydream

      Composition: John Sebastian

   Jug Band Music

      Composition: John Sebastian

   Nashville Cats

      Composition: John Sebastian

   Rain On the Roof

   Summer In the City

   Darling Be Home Soon

   Younger Generation

   Darlin' Companion

   Daydream

   How Have You Been

      Composition: John Sebastian

John Sebastian   1974

   She's Funny

      Composition: John Sebastian

John Sebastian   1976

   Welcome Back

      Composition: John Sebastian

John Sebastian   2013

   Shady Grove

John Sebastian

Source: Go Retro

  Devil Got My Woman

      Composition: Skip James

  Chevrolet

     With Jim Kweskin   Composition: Billy Gibbons

  Lazybones

     With Maria Muldaur

     Composition: Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer

  Higher and Higher

    Composition:

     Carl Smith/Gary Jackson/Raynard Miner

     First recorded 1967 by Jackie Wilson

  Brazil

    Composition: Ary Barroso/S.K. Russell

  I Can't See Your Face Anymore

      Composition: Walter Davis

  Boll Weevil

      Composition: Vera Hall

Geoff Muldaur

Source: Passim

The Band

Photo: Elliott Landy

Though more famous in association with Bob Dylan, each member of The Band had earlier belonged to Ronnie Hawkins' the Hawks (Fifties Rock), Levon Helm since their inception in Arkansas in 1958. It was 1964 when that bunch left Hawkins in Toronto, Canada, to tour in the States as their own operation. In spring of 1965 they recorded 'Uh-Uh-Uh'/'Leave Me Alone' (Ware 6002/Apex 76964) as the Canadian Squires [1, 2], issued per 45cat and discogs in 1965. Those had been composed by Robbie Robertson. Two more of Robertson's compositions, 'He Don’t Love You'/'The Stones I Throw' (Atco 6383) were issued the same year in October as Levon and the Hawks. 'Go Go Liza Jane' didn't get issued until 1968 on Atco 6625 [1, 2]. By that time the Hawks had been invited to back Bob Dylan, which came to billing as Bob Dylan and the Band to conduct a world tour early in '66 [*]. The group ventured out on its own as The Band in 1967, issuing 'The Weight' and 'I Shall Be Released' in 1968, those also appearing on the group's debut album that year, 'Music from Big Pink' which went Gold. Members of The Band (earlier formed by Hawkins as the Hawks) were: Levon Helm (drums, guitar, mandolin/1, 2, 3), Rick Danko (bass, fiddle, trombone/1, 2, 3), Robbie Robertson (guitar/1, 2, 3), Garth Hudson (keyboards, saxophone, trumpet/1, 2, 3) and Richard Manuel (piano, baritone sax/1, 2, 3). All were born in Canada with the exception of Helms, popped from the oven in Arkansas in 1940. Among the more unique phenomena in folk/rock, The Band's next LP in 1969, 'The Band', would go Platinum. 'Stage Fright' in 1970 went Gold as did 'Rock of Ages' in 1972. In latter 1973 the group joined Dylan on 'Planet Waves', that to go Gold. The Band toured with Dylan again in early '74, that resulting in 'Before the Flood' issued in June to go Platinum. Another of Dylan's numerous collaborations with The Band was his appearance on the 'The Last Waltz' in 1978, a live concert given on Thanksgiving of 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco [*]. 'The Last Waltz', going Gold, was supposed to be a farewell performance but the band regrouped in 1983 without Robertson. Robertson (b 1943) had moved on to an acting, movie producing and solo career, publishing his voluminous autobiography (500 pages), 'Testimony', in 2016. Manuel (b 1943) committed suicide on March 4, 1986, in Winter Park, Florida [*]. He was briefly replaced by Stan Szelest followed by Richard Bell. The Band's last studio LP had been 'Islands' in 1977. They didn't issue another until 'Jericho' in 1992. They were with Dylan again on October 16, 1992, at Madison Square Garden for Dylan's 'The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration'. Come 'High on the Hog' in '96 and 'Jubilation' in '98. The Band's last recording was in 1999 with Dylan: 'One Too Many Mornings', found on Dylan's album, 'Tangled Up In Blues'. Rick Danko (b 1943) died in his sleep on December 10 of 1999 in Marbletown, New York, putting The Band to rest as well (interview three days before death). Helm went on to release such as 'Dirt Farmer' ('07) and 'Electric Dirt' ('09), passing onward from throat cancer on April 19, 2012, in New York City [*]. Hudson (b 1937) went on to a musical career including the issues of 'The Sea to the North' in 2001 and 'Live at the Wolf' n 2005. The main force in composition in The Band was Robertson, who wrote the majority of their titles including such as 'Tears of Rage' ('68), 'Across the Great Divide' ('69), 'King Harvest' ('69), 'The Shape I'm In' ('70) and 'Livin' in a Dream' ('77). References for The Band encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Members. Discography. Discographies w various credits: 1, 2, 3. See also discos of individual members at 45Worlds and Discogs. The Band in visual media.

Maria Muldaur

Source: Time Goes By

  The Even Dozen Jug Band

  Pottery Pie

  Maria Muldaur

  Midnight at the Oasis

  Sweetheart

      Composition: Ken Burgan

  The Work Song

  My Tennessee Mountain Home

      Composition: Dolly Parton

Maria Muldaur   1999

  It Ain't the Meat, It's the Motion

      Composition: Lois Mann/Henry Glover   1951

  Richland Woman Blues

      Composition: John Hurt

   Cod'ine

   The Incest Song

   It's My Way

   You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond

      Composition: Blind Willie Johnson   1930

Buffy Sainte-Marie   1968

   I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again

Buffy Sainte-Marie   1969

   Illuminations

      Album

Buffy Sainte-Marie   1975

   The Moon*

      'Sesame Street'

Buffy Sainte-Marie   1996

   Universal Soldier

Buffy Sainte-Marie   2011

   Starwalker

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Photo John Reeves

Source: SCAA

Guitarist, Ry Cooder, was born in 1947 in Los Angeles. Sometime in high school he had managed to audition unsuccessfully on banjo for Bill Monroe [Wikipedia]. Graduating from high school in 1964, his recording career commenced briefly afterward, though his first titles in 1965 with Jazz Folk are moot: 'Swamp Surfin''/'Around the Horn'. Finding nothing confirming the existence of Gulf Pacific Records either, we give him a first issue date of '65 as only not impossible. [See also 1, 2.] A little later Cooder recorded titles with the Risings Suns consisting of Taj Mahal (lead vocals/harmonica/guitar/piano), Lee Kincaid (guitar), Gary Marker (bass) and Ed Cassidy (drums), the last soon replaced by Kevin Kelly. He himself played 6 and 12 string, mandolin, slide and Dobro. The Rising Suns recorded 'Candy Man'/'The Devil's Got My Woman' in latter '65 for issue in February of 1966 per Columbia 4-43534. Working as a session musician, Cooder contributed bottleneck to Paul Revere & the Raiders' 'Get It On' per the album, 'Midnight Ride' (Columbia 9308 '66). Cooder signed on with Captain Beefheart in 1967, performing on 'Safe as Milk' and 'Drop Out Boogie'. But between Monroe and Beefheart there were realms of difference, Cooder soon leaving that outfit as one more interested in "the experience" than the music. Nigh bursting with talent and liking to get directly to work, Cooder had better luck with the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger's mindset closer to his own as a serious musician, he and Keith Richards managing even through "the experience" to lead a yet professional operation. Cooder contributed to four Stones albums: 'Beggars Banquet' ('68), 'Let It Bleed' ('69), 'Sticky Fingers' ('71) and 'Jamming with Edward' ('72). In the meantime he'd contributed compositions to the films, 'Candy' ('68) and 'Performance' ('70), also performing on 'Watermelon Man' ('70). He'd been recording with various such as Arlo Guthrie (their first session in '69) and had released his debut album, 'Ry Cooder', in 1970. Also working on soundtracks, Cooder's website has him contributing to 'Watermelon Man' ('70) in 1969. Exploring all variety of music, Cooder something defies category, though certainly bears mention as a top-tier musician in folk, rock and blues. Albeit not "exactly" a country musician, he can certainly take his place alongside country's finest instrumentalists such as Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Merle Haggard and the bluegrass hero of his youth, Bill Monroe. 'Rolling Stone' placed Cooder at #8 on its list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003. He's won six Grammy Awards, two honorary doctorates and a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award in Folk Music [Wikipedia]. Among his most notable contributions to blues were his collaborations with guitarist, John Lee Hooker, they issuing 'Mr. Lucky' in '91 and 'The Best of Friends' in '98. Exemplary of Cooder's like to venture in various realms, he produced 'Buena Vista Social Club' in 1997 by the Cuban band of the same name, that winning a Grammy in '98 for Best Tropical Latin. Yet active into the new millennium, other work as a producer saw such as Mavis Staples' 'We'll Never Turn Back' in 2007, also contributing to arrangements. Cooder published a collection of short stories in 2011 titled 'Los Angeles Stories'. 2015-16 saw him touring with major country talent, Ricky Skaggs (b '54) and the Whites. Cooder's website has him issuing twenty name albums to as late as 'Live' ('Live in San Francisco') with Corridos Famosos in 2013. Cooder did relatively little official composing in comparison to the high regard he's acquired as an interpreter and performer. He arranged traditionals like 'Billy the Kid' and 'Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All' on 'Into the Purple Valley' in 1972. He's written for film, such as 'The Long Riders' ('80), 'Paris, Texas' ('84), 'Blue City' ('86), 'Steel Magnolias' ('89), 'The End of Violence' ('97) and 'Primary Colors' ('98). His composition, 'Perforated Sleep', appeared on Leo Kottke's 1981 'Guitar Music'. 'Going Back to Okinawa' slipped into 'Get Rhythm' in 1987. Later compositions include such as 'It Just Works for Me' and 'In My Town' on 'Chávez Ravine' in 2005. Discographies w various credits at 1, 2. References encyclopedic: 1, 2. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Cooder in visual media. Internet presence. Further reading: 1, 2. The majority of samples below are live performances.

  Candy Man

       Composition: Reverend Gary Davis

  The Devil's Got My Woman

       Composition: Skip James

  Take a Giant Step

       Music: Carole King

       Lyrics: Gerry Goffin

Ry Cooder   1970

  Available Space

       Composition: Ry Cooder

  Get Away

  Goin' to Brownsville

       Composition: Sleepy John Estes

   igilante Man

       Composition: Woody Guthrie

Ry Cooder   1977

  Do Re Mi

  Jesus on the Mainline

  Gypsy Woman

       Composition: Curtis Mayfield

Ry Cooder   1987

  Down In Mississippi

  Jesus On the Mainline

  The Very Thing That Makes You Rich

  Crazy 'Bout an Automobile

       Composition: William Emerson

   Hobo Blues

  All Our Colors Benefit

  The Healer

       All Our Colors Benefit

  John Lee Hooker for President

       Composition: Ry Cooder

   No Banker Left Behind

       Composition: Ry Cooder

  Vigilante Man

       Composition: Woody Guthrie

Ry Cooder

Photo: Fin Costello

John Denver

Source: Find a Grave

Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. in 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico, John Denver [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] was born to a pilot in the Air Force, thus was moved from one location to another in the southern portion of the States to end up graduating from high school in Ft. Worth, TX, about 1961. Wikipedia has him receiving an acoustic guitar from his grandmother at age eleven. His first trip to California had been as a junior in high school. My guess is if he'd asked his father if he could borrow his car to drive to the coast his dad would have said no, so he just went. When it's time to head out it's time to head out, though his father retrieved him back to school. Moving to Lubbock, TX, he led the double life of an architecture student at Texas Tech University while performing with a folk enterprise called the Alpine Trio. He had changed his name from Deutschendorf to Denver because Colorado was his favorite state. So he went to California again in 1963/64 instead, favoring music more and leaving architecture to raise itself. Praguefrank's has him putting down four tracks at Capitol in Hollywood that same year on October 8 to make a 10" demo of 'The Road', 'Far Side of the Hill', 'Four Strong Winds' and 'Anything Love Can Buy' as American Gramophone 41120. It was in Los Angeles that Denver filled Chad Mitchell's spot in the Chad Mitchell Trio, the group to retain the name though Mitchell moved on to a solo career. Mitchell's final session had been in December of '64 in NYC to result in 'Typical American Boys'. Denver appeared on their next album recorded back in NYC in August of 1965, 'That's The Way It's Gonna Be'. Praguefrank's wants the configuration of Denver, Mike Kobluk and Joe Frazier to the Mitchell Trio's last session in 1967 with Bob Hefferan (guitar), Paul Prestopino (guitar/banjo since 1962) and Bill Lee (bass since 1965), issued that year on 'Alive' (Reprise 6258). Other sources prefer that Trio to consist of Kobluk, Denver and David Boise (featured on 'Coal Tattoo') [1, 2, 3,]. With Boise replacing Frazier, William Johnson then replaced Kobluk. But Denver wanted to explore other territory and the Trio evaporated. Mitchell, Kobluk, Frazier and Denver held a reunion on November 14, 1987, for PBS resulting in 'Mighty Day - The Chad Mitchell Trio Reunion' per Folk Era FE-1422-CD in 1994. A reunion in 1995 in Alexandria, VA, resulted in the relatively obscure 'An Evening with The Chad Mitchell Trio and Friends - Live at The Birchmere' (Medium Rare Records MR002). Also performing on that were Carolyn Hester, the Limeliters and Christine Lavin. Denver issued debut LP in 1969, 'Rhymes and Reasons', that containing his composition, 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'. While such as Bob Dylan had been taking folk electric Denver continued to play acoustic guitar and would spend the next decade making a superstar of himself. 'Take Me Home Country Roads' charted on Billboard's Hot 100 at #2 in 1971. Five of his plates topped the Hot 100 or Country charts from 1973 to '75: 'Sunshine on My Shoulders', 'Annie's Song', 'Back Home Again', 'Thank God I'm a Country Boy', 'I'm Sorry'/'Calypso'. Nine of Denver's studio or live albums went Platinum beginning with 'Poems, Prayers & Promises' in 1971 containing his composition by the same title. Add Gold albums and whatnot and Denver has sold above 33 million records [Wikipedia]. In 1976 Denver campaigned for Jimmy Carter and founded the Windstar Foundation, an environmental organization. In 1977 he cofounded the Hunger Project. He toured the Soviet Union in 1985 and the People's Republic of China in 1992. His autobiography, 'Take Me Home', was published in 1994. Denver's last known composition, 'Yellowstone, Coming Home', was featured on the 1997 television broadcast of 'Nature'. Denver was a collector of vintage airplanes and an experienced pilot. But he died on October 12, 1997, in a plane crash due to fuel problems, he the pilot and only occupant. In 2000 Colorado citizens voted to legalize medical marijuana. In 2007 Colorado made Denver's 'Rocky Mountain High' one of its two state songs ('Where the Columbines Grow' the other). In 2014 West Virginia adopted 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' as its state song. Denver had also written such as 'All My Memories' ('71), 'Starwood in Aspen' ('71) and 'Falling Leaves (The Refugees)' ('88). Other titles composed by Denver. Issues discographies w various credits at 1, 2, 3, 4. Denver in visual media.

   That's the Way It's Gonna Be

       Chad Mitchell Trio

       Composition: Bob Gibson/Phil Ochs

   Violets of Dawn

       Chad Mitchell Trio

       Composition: Bob Gibson/Phil Ochs

John Denver   1971

   Take Me Home Country Roads

       Composition: Bob Gibson/Phil Ochs

       Bill Danoff/Taffy Nivert/John Denver

John Denver   1972

   Rocky Mountain High

       Composition: John Denver/Mike Taylor

Born Joseph McDonald in 1942 in Washington D.C., Country Joe McDonald [1, 2, 3, 4] was raised in El Monte, CA. At age 17 or 18 he joined the Navy, stationed in Japan the next three years. Upon discharge from service he attended college for a year, then headed for Berkeley to busk. His first recording was a private session with Blair Hardman in 1964, 'The Goodbye Blues' [*]. Discogs wants titles recorded in the summer of 1965 with Hardman issued commercially in 1978 on 'The Early Years'. Only ten original copies of that had been pressed for private distribution. Two hundred more copies were pressed in 1967. McDonald was publishing a magazine called 'Rag Baby' when in later 1965 he thought to do a recorded edition resulting in the EP as Country Joe and the Fish, 'Rag Baby Talking Issue' (Rag Baby L 1001 '65 with titles by Pete Krug flip side.) Tracks on that were 'The I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag' and 'Superbird'. Come the '66 issue of the EP 'Country Joe and the Fish' bearing 'Bass Strings', 'Thing Called Love' and 'Section 43' (Rag Baby RB 3). McDonald's first album, 'Electric Music for the Mind and Body', was released in 1967. He and his Fish appeared at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. The seventies found him touring internationally in Chile and Europe as well as the States. Highlighting the eighties was his '85 double album issue of 'Vietnam Experience' by Rag Time. Having released well above thirty albums, McDonald yet tours the States as of this writing. His most recent release was the compilation, '50', in 2017 by Rag Baby. McDonald composed titles like 'Superbird' ('67), 'Quiet Days in Clichy' ('70), 'Hold on It's Coming' ('71), 'Save the Whales' ('76), 'Blood on the Ice' ('77), 'Coyote' ('79) and 'Sunshine' ('84). Songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3. McDonald in visual media. Country Joe and the Fish at Chrome Oxide. All titles below were composed by McDonald.

   The Acid Commercial

   Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die

Country Joe McDonald   1969

   Flying High

   She's a Bird

Country Joe McDonald   1971

   Mr. Big Pig

   Tricky Dicky

Country Joe McDonald

Source: Born Late

Buffalo Springfield

Source: Jeff Meshel

The original members of Buffalo Springfield were Dewey Martin (b '40), Richie Furay (b '44), Stephen Stills (b '45), Neil Young ('45) and Bruce Palmer (b '46). Martin was from Chesterville, Ontario, and had begun drumming at age 13. He'd played in a band called the Jive Rockets in high school, moved to the United States, joined the Army, then began performing country music in Nashville where he was stationed. He played with names like Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison before bouncing to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Seattle, the latter where he made his first recordings in 1964 as Sir (Walter) Raleigh & The Cupons [1, 2, 3]. Returning back to Los Angeles in 1965, he played with the Sons of Adam, the Standells, the Modern Folk Quartet and the Dillards, the latter with which he recorded a demo before being dismissed with a phone number to Buffalo Springfield [Wikipedia]. He was the last member to fill out band that year. Furay (guitar) hailed from Yellow Springs, Ohio. He'd performed w Stephen Stills at the Cafe Au Go Go in NYC before they formed Buffalo Springfield. 45cat has the Au Go Go Singers issuing 'San Francisco Bay Blues'/'Pink Polemoniums' in October 1964 on Roulette 4547. Those appeared on that group's only LP, that in 1964 per Goldmine: 'They Call Us the Au Go Go Singers' (Roulette 25280). As for Stills, the Au Go Go Singers had been his breaking in as a professional musician. Neil Young had been born in Toronto, Ontario. He had first recorded with a band called the Squires in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1963. After leaving the Squires, Young toured Canada, upon which he met Rick James in Toronto, Ontario, and joined his group, the Mynah Birds. Bassist, Bruce Palmer, was also a member of the Mynah Birds, upon which disbanding he and Young traveled to Los Angeles to form Buffalo Springfield. Palmer had been born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. He was already a successful musician before the Buffalo Springfield, being one of the founding members of Jack London and The Sparrows in 1964 [1, 2, 3, 4]. He left that group in January of '65 to join the Mynah Birds, switching places with Mynah Birds member, Nick St. Nicholas. He and Young then headed for Los Angeles where Wikipedia has them meeting Stills while stuck in traffic. Buffalo Springfield debuted at the Troubadour in Hollywood on April 11, 1966. Their first single, 'Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing' A side with 'Burned' B side was released the same year [sessions]. The group was good through three albums: 'Buffalo Springfield' ('66), 'Buffalo Springfield Again' ('67) and 'Last Time Around' ('68). The last had been with Palmer out, replaced by Jim Messina. Martin took the group forward as the New Buffalo Springfield with completely different personnel: Dave Price (guitar), Gary Rowles (guitar), Bob Apperson (bass), Don Poncher (drums) and Jim Price (horn). He later died on January 31, 2009, in Van Nuys, California. As for Palmer, he had absented the band in '68 due to a second drug charge getting him deported back to Canada a second time in a year. He issued his only name album, 'The Cycle Is Complete', in 1977. Performing a bit now and again, notably with Young in the early eighties, he died of heart attack on October 1, 2004, in Belleville, Ontario. Furay and Messina moved on to form Poco. Furay would also lead a successful solo career into the new millennium, issuing 'Hand in Hand' as recently as 2015. Messina would form Loggins & Messina with Kenny Loggins in 1970 while yet with Poco. As for Stephen Stills, he went on in '68 to perform with Al Kooper on 'Super Sessions'. He then formed Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1969. That became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young later in the year. Young went solo upon the dissolution of Buffalo Springfield with his band, Crazy Horse, to become one of the major figures in folk rock, he and Stills yet leading active careers to this date. They reunited with Furay in 2010 and 2011. Most of the composing for Buffalo Springfield was by done by either Stills or Young without collaboration, although Furay also wrote titles like 'A Child's Claim to Fame', 'Kind Woman' and 'MerryGo-Round'. Buffalo Springfield albums with songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3. See also various credits at 1, 2. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Chrome Oxide. Buffalo Springfield in visual media.

   Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing

      Composition: Neil Young

   Burned

      Composition: Neil Young

Buffalo Springfield   1967

   Buffalo Springfield Again

   For What It's Worth

      Composition: Stephen Stills

   Sit Down I Think I Love You

      Composition: Stephen Stills

Buffalo Springfield   1968

   On the Way Home

      Composition: Neil Young

Bobbie Gentry [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8], born in Mississippi in 1944, was a philosophy major before she shifted to a more practical study of music at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. She first recorded with singer, Jody Reynolds, perhaps as early as 1963. [See also Praguefrank.] 45cat doesn't have 'Stranger in the Mirror'/'Requiem for Love' issued until 1966 per Titan 1736. Gentry then worked nightclubs for a while before recording her compositions, 'Mississippi Delta' and 'Ode to Billie Joe', in February and March of 1967. 'Ode to Billie Joe' rose to Billboard's top seat that year, as would the album by the same title, that going Gold. The next year she partnered with country western musician, Glen Campbell, to release 'Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell', that going Gold as well. Also released in '68 were 'The Delta Sweete', 'Local Gentry' and 'Way Down South'. Praguefrank follows her to as late as December of 1977 for 'Steal Away'/'He Did Me Wrong But He Did It Right'. Other tracks would see issue in Austria in 1990 on 'Ode to Billie Joe' (Curb 471206). Gentry's last public performance was on May 10, 1981, on the television show, 'All-Star Salute to Mother's Day' [1, 2]. She afterward went into intentional hiding from the public view, remaining so to this day. Gentry had written songs like 'I Saw an Angel Die' ('67) and 'Another Place Another Time ('75). Production and songwriting credits variously at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Gentry in visual media. Further reading: 1, 2, 3.

   Stranger in the Mirror

   Ode to Billie Joe

   Gentle on My Mind

   Little Green Apples

   Son of a Preacher Man

      Composition: John Hurley/Ronnie Wilkins

Bobbie Gentry

Source: Armchair Actorvist

Pozo Seco Singers

Source: Discogs

   Changes

      Composition: Phil Ochs

   Come a Little Bit Closer

   Guantanamera

   House of the Rising Sun

     Composition: Traditional

   I Can Make It With You

      Composition: Chip Taylor

   If I Fell

      Composition: Lennon/McCartney

   I'll Be Gone

      Composition: Michael Marchant

   Johnny

   Ribbon Of Darkness

      Composition: Gordon Lightfoot

   She Understands Me

      Composition: Merle Kilgore/Margie Singleton

   Silver Threads and Golden Needles

      Composition: Jack Rhodes/Dick Reynolds

   Time

      Composition: Michael Marchant

   Tomorrow Is a Long Time

      Composition: Bob Dylan

   You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling

      Composition:

      Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil

Pozo Seco Singers   1967

   I Believed It All

      Composition:

      Alan Bergman/Marilyn Bergman/Al Ham

  Look What You've Done

      Composition: Bob Johnston/Wes Farrell

Pozo Seco Singers   1968

   You Ain't Going Nowhere

      Composition: Bob Dylan

Pozo Seco Singers   1969

   Spend Some Time With Me

      Composition: Jerry Hayes

      Composition: Browne/Glenn Frey

Arlo Guthrie

Source: Penn Live

Woody Guthrie's son, Arlo Guthrie, was born in 1947 in Coney Island, New York [1, 2, 3, 4]. He gave his first public performance at age 13. Graduating from the Stockbridge School in Massachusetts in '65, he ventured off to Montana to study forestry, but did an about face back to Massachusetts six weeks later. He might have had bugs in his pants when he paid $25 to make his debut as a litter bug that year. That event brought him a criminal record exempting him from military service, as well as the tale of 'Alice's Restaurant' [1, 2, 3], his first release in 1967 on LP because the song was eighteen minutes long [sessions]. Guthrie had already performed at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Folk Festival before that recording 'Alice's' in New York City. Not long afterward his father, Woody, died on October 3 of 1967. Most of the titles on his next album in 1968, 'Arlo', were composed by himself, but he would record Woody's 'Oklahoma Hills' for 'Running Down the Road' in '69. Compositions by Arlo's father would find their way into many subsequent albums. Guthrie was also among performers at the Woodstock Fest of '69, he on a rainy midnight. Guthrie's, however, wasn't to be the career of a superstar like some of the other entertainers at that festival. Though 'Alice's Restaurant' would go Platinum and 'The City of New Orleans' rose to #4 on Billboard's AC in '72 Arlo has otherwise led a relatively quiet niche career supported by diehard fans, issuing above thirty studio and live albums to as late as 'Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival', but none coming to near the fuss that had been 'Alice's Restaurant'. In 1975 Guthrie formed the band, Shenandoah (not to be confused with the country band formed in 1984 by Marty Raybon). In 1976 he released the LP, 'Amigo'. Shenandoah's 'One Night' followed in '78. Others with whom Guthrie has performed include Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Ronnie Gilbert, Judy Collins, Eric Andersen and Tom Rush. Much alike Country Joe McDonald, Guthrie was politically outspoken: anti-Nixon, anti-nuke and anti-war. Since then he's become a registered Republican with a strong Libertarian lean. Guthrie composed titles from 'The Motorcycle Song' and 'Now and Then' in '67 to 'Ballad of Tricky Fred' and 'Slow Boat' in '71 to 'Massachusetts' and 'My Love' in '77. Songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Guthrie in visual media. He composed all titles below except as noted.

   Alice's Restaurant

Arlo Guthrie   1969

   Coming Into Los Angeles

Arlo Guthrie   1972

   City of New Orleans

Arlo Guthrie   2008

   City of New Orleans

   Evangelina

      Composition: Browne/Glenn Frey

Linda Ronstadt

Source: Seattle PI

Born in 1946 in Tucson, popular singer Linda Ronstadt [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] was both country western and rock inclined. Round it all up in one corral and she comes out a folk salad. She released her first album, 'The Stoney Poneys', in 1967 [sessions/issues]. Ronstadt had begun performing in public at age fourteen, in a trio with her brother and sister that they called the Union City Ramblers. They even recorded at a Tuscon studio, though nothing came of it. She left college for Los Angeles in 1964 to join the Stoney Poneys. Her first solo LP, 'Hand Sown... Home Grown' was issued in 1969, followed by 'Silk Purse' in 1970. Ronstadt appeared on jazz pianist, Carla Bley's, slightly less than folk-oriented 'Escalator Over the Hill' in 1971. Ronstadt's eponymously titled, 'Linda Ronstadt', was let loose in 1972, 'Don't Cry Now' in 1973 and 'Heart Like a Wheel' in 1974. In 1987 she released 'Trio' with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. The early nineties witnessed her Latin albums, 'Mas Canciones' and 'Frenesí'. She joined Harris and Parton again to record 'Trio II' in '94, issued in '99. It was Harris and Ronstadt for 'Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions' in '99. 2006 saw Ronstadt collaborating with Ann Savoy on 'Adieu False Heart'. Silk purse indeed: Ronstadt's first eight albums became platinum sellers. 'Living In the USA', released in 1978, was a double platinum (two million copies). Anyone with a radio in the seventies and eighties knew who was Ronstadt, she placing 44 singles in the Top Forty of the Hot 100, AC and Country categories from 'Long Long Time' in 1970 to 'Blue Train' in 1995. Her first plunk in the bucket had been 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' which got heard quite a bit at #111 on the Hot 100 in 1970, that on her album, 'Silk Purse'. Among her 23 Top Ten titles were five that found No. 1: 'You're No Good' ('75), 'When Will I Be Loved' ('75), 'To Know Him Is to Love Him' w Harris and Parton ('87), 'Don't Know Much' ('89) and 'All My Life' ('89). Ronstadt's last of nigh thirty solo albums had been released in 2004, the jazz album, 'Hummin' to Myself'. Ronstadt had also performed in theatre during her early career in the eighties. She starred in the operetta, 'The Pirates of Penzance', both off and on Broadway from 1980 to 1982 [IBDB/Lortel]. It was 'La Boheme' in 1984 and the musical review, 'Canciones de mi Padre', in 1988. Ronstadt in other visual media. Ronstadt was largely an interpreter, doing little composing herself. She collaborated with Andrew Gold on 'Try Me Again' in '76. She wrote 'Winter Light' with Eric Kaz and Zbigniew Preisner in '93. Composers and other credits for her recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4. Lyrics w credits. Ronstadt's career was packed with concerts, she performing at the Newport Folk Festival as recently as 2007. She retired in 2011, Parkinson's Disease leaving her unable to perform. In 2014 Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Having performed as widely as with Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Toots and the Maytals, Nelson Riddle and Willie Nelson, she accepted her 13th Grammy Award in 2016 for Lifetime Achievement. Interviews: 1978, 2017, 2018. Ronstadt at Facebook.

   Different Drum

      Composition: Mike Nesmith

Linda Ronstadt   1970

   Are My Thoughts With You?

      Composition: Mickey Newbury

    I'm Leaving It All Up to You

      Composition: Don Sugarcane Harris/Dewey Terry

   Long Long Time

   Will You Love Me Tomorrow

   Long, Long Time

   Rock Me On the Water

   You're No Good

   Willin'

   Blue Bayou

   Desperado

   You Tell Me That I'm Falling Down

   I Can't Get Over You

       Composition: Crystal Holland/Anna McGarrigle

   Marie Mouri

       Composition: David Greely

James Taylor

Source: CBS News

Born in Boston in 1948 to a doctor, James Taylor [1, 2, 3, 4] had initially pursued a career as a pop singer. It was a painful stagger at first, then a swift carpet ride to the top of the folk realm. Taylor endured depression as a youth, such that he exchanged college prep school for the McLean Medical Center in Massachusetts in 1965 at age seventeen [Wikipedia]. Nine months later he moved to New York City and formed a band called the Flying Machine in 1966 with Zachary Wiesner (bass) and Joel O'Brien (drums). The Flying Machine released its first titles the next year in June of '67: 'Brighten Your Night With My Day' b/w 'Night Owl', both Taylor's compositions [45cat/discogs]. Those were also released on 'James Taylor and the Flying Machine' in 1971. While with the Flying Machine Taylor became addicted to heroin, necessitating rehabilitation. He also required a throat operation, as singing with the Machine had damaged his vocal cords. With that to encourage a budding singer, in 1967 Taylor left America for London where he made demos to give to Peter Asher of newly formed Apple Records. Asher relayed them to Paul McCartney, and Taylor was soon grooving his first album, 'James Taylor', at the same time the Beatles were recording their White album. Indeed, not only was Taylor the first non-British musician to record with Apple Records, but McCartney and George Harrison both made contributions on 'Carolina in My Mind'. Taylor was then saved by McCartney from a lawsuit for breach of contract, Taylor leaving Apple Records when Asher quit in order to keep the latter as his manager. Howsoever, Taylor fell to heroin addiction again and sought rehabilitation again. He recorded his second album, 'Sweet Baby James', in California the next year, meeting young pop singer, Carole King, who participated. That LP was an enormous success and done without heroin. It was followed by, 'Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon' in 1971, that to go Platinum as well. 'One Man Dog' in 1972 went Gold. At which point he married singer Carly Simon, she just starting her career (divorced in '83). Taylor's fifth album, 'Walking Man', was issued in 1974 featuring appearances by Paul and Linda McCartney. That was followed by 'Gorilla' in '75 and 'In the Pocket' in '76, both going Gold. He issued eight more Platinum albums from 'JT' in '77 to 'October Road' in '02 and 'James Taylor: A Christmas Album' in '04. Becoming a superstar in the early seventies, Taylor has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in the music business from Bonnie Raitt to Stevie Wonder to Graham Nash. As of this writing Taylor is as active as ever, yet touring the United States while maintaining pages at Facebook and Twitter. He issued 'Before This World' as recently as 2015. Taylor composed the greater portion of his material from 'Carolina on My Mind' and 'Something's Wrong' in '69 to 'Bartender's Blues' and 'Your Smiling Face' in '77. Songwriting credits for Taylor at 1, 2, 3, 4. Taylor in visual media. At YouTube. Further reading: *. He wrote all titles below except as noted.

   James Taylor and the Flying Machine

   Fire and Rain

   Highway Song

   Steamroller Blues

   Sweet Baby James

   How Sweet It Is

   Steamroller Blues

   Summertime Blues

   Shower the People

The band, Poco [1, 2, 3], was formed by Richie Furay [1, 2, 3, 4] and Jim Messina [1, 2, 3, 4] upon their leaving Buffalo Springfield in 1968. It's other original members were George Grantham [1, 2], Randy Meisner [1, 2, 3, 4] and Rusty Young [1, 2, 3, 4]. Poco's first album was 'Pickin' Up the Pieces' in 1969, followed by 'Poco' in 1970. Messina then left the band to form Logins and Messina w Kenny Loggins, he replaced by Paul Cotton. Furay departed after the group's fifth album, 'Crazy Eyes', in 1973 to form the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. It was yet several years before Poco's best-known tunes were issued on 'Legend' in 1979: 'Crazy Love' and 'Heart of the Night'. Both rose on Billboard's AC Top Ten that year to #1 and #5. 'Shoot for the Moon' rose to #10 in '83, 'Call It Love' to #2 in '89 and 'Nothin' to Hide' to #10 in '89. The band's most recent of above thirty albums, 'All Fired Up', was released in 2013, with Rusty Young the only original member yet in the group. Members through the years and tour schedule as of this writing. Much of the composing for Poco was done by Furay, Young and Cotton. Songwriting credits for Poco recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Poco in visual media. Poco at Facebook and Twitter.

   Pickin' Up the Pieces

      Composition: Richie Furay

      Album: 'Pickin' Up the Pieces'

Poco   1974

       From the album 'Cantamos':

   One Horse Blue

      Composition: Paul Cotton

   Sagebrush Serenade

      Composition: Rusty Young

   Angel

   Rose of Cimarron

      From the album 'Legend'

   Heart of the Night

      Composition: Paul Cotton

Poco   2004

   Magnolia

Poco

We pause this Birth of Country Folk at the latter cusp of the sixties with country folk rock CSNY.