A Birth of Country 3

Rex Allen Sr.    Rex Allen Jr.    Bill Anderson    Liz Anderson    Lynn Anderson    Eddy Arnold    Ernest Ashworth    Gene Autry

Born Marion Try Slaughter in Jefferson, Texas, in 1883, some believe it was vocalist, Vernon Dalhart [1, 2, 3, 4], who first recorded country music. Slaughter worked as a cattle puncher until moving to New York to study opera at night while working in a piano warehouse by day. He was rehearsing for Puccini's 'The Girl of the Golden West' in 1911 when he made an unknown cylinder for Edison Records. Touring east across the Atlantic to Europe with 'The Girl of the Golden West', Slaughter then took his name west, changing it to Vernon Dalhart after a couple of towns located in Texas. Wikipedia has him with parts in 'Madam Butterfy' and 'H.M.S. Pinafore' in 1913. DAHR has Dalhart putting down his first track for Victor on February 17, 1915, per matrix 39869 unissued. His first released title for Columbia was recorded September 17, 1916: 'Just a Word of Sympathy' in 1916, B side to 'I Know I Got More Than My Share' by Robert Lewis on side A (Columbia A2108) [1, 2]. Dalhart's first issue on Edison Records was 'Can't You Hear Me Calling Caroline?' in 1917 [Blue Amberol 3185, Edison Diamond Disc 80334]. Other of Dalhart's numerous issues for Edison Records. TSHA has Dalhart issuing above 400 recordings along the popular vein to the time he began making country records in 1924. Among them were such as 'Bye-Lo' (Victor ‎18635 '20) and 'Hey! Hey! And Hee! Hee!' with the International Novelty Orchestra (Victor 19509 '24). Dalhart's country career commenced per Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) with the recording of 'The Wreck on the Southern Old 97' on May 14 1924 in NYC. (Blue Amberol 4898 [cylinder] and Edison 51361 - A side to Ernest Hare's 'I Wasn't Scared' side B). That was with Frank Ferera backing on guitar, Dalhart at harmonica. That went down again on August 13 for Victor along with 'Prisoner's Song' and 'Way Out West in Kansas', the latter unissued. Released back to back per Victor 19427, that became the first plate in the United States to sell over a million copies [*]. CMR has 'The Wreck on the Southern Old 97' going down on another unknown date in August for issue on Banner 1531, released on other labels by various pseudonyms. Another unknown date in August has 'Go Long Mule' recorded for Banner 1416, also seeing releases on other labels per various pseudonyms. Dalhart recorded 'The Wreck on the Southern Old 97' and 'Go Long Mule' on another unknown date that August as Sid Turner for issue on Perfect 12147. The popularity of such as 'The Prisoner's Song' convinced Dalhart to continue recording country songs, such as 'She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain' in 1926 even as he used pseudonyms like Bob White, Dick Morse [1, 2], Fred King, Harry Raymond, Josephus Smith, Al Craver, Tobe Little, Jeff Fuller and Mack Allen. Carson Robison had contributed to 'The Wreck on the Southern Old 97' on August 13, 1924. That would lead to a lucrative partnership employing fiddler, Mullray Kellner, from spring of 1925 to summer of 1927. Adelyne Hood (aka Betsy White) may have first appeared on fiddle with Dalhart and Robison on July 12, 1927. It is possibly Hood supporting Robison on 'When the Work's All Done This Fall' from that session (below). William Carlino joined the bunch on banjo on April 23, 1928, on 'Steamboat' (Victor 21644) and 'Climbin' Up De Golden Stairs' (unissued). CMR dates Robison's last certain tracks with the gang to as late as June 11, 1928, for such as 'The Little Brown Jug'/'The Old Gray Mare' (Perfect 12421). CMR has Carlino with Dalhart and Hood to December 5, 1928, for such as 'Polly Wolly Doodle' (Victor 40132). That's listed as "possibly" like the previous session for Edison Records on November 19th which Discogs credits to John Cali. CMR has Dalhart and Hood partnering with various others to as late as a suite of duets on April 25, 1934, resulting in 'The Letter Edged in Black'/'The Prisoner's Song' (Brunswick 6799) and 'In the Valley of Yesterday'/'The Old Covered Bridge' (Brunswick 6901). Dalhart's next session was with his Big Cypress Boys on May 1, 1939 for 'You'll Never Take Away My Dreams'/'Johnnie Darling' (Bluebird 8170), '(Don't Forget Me) Dear Little Darling'/'Lavender Cowboy' (Bluebird 8229) and 'Don't Cry, Little Sweetheart, Don't Cry'/'My Mary Jane' (Bluebird 8191). Backing on that were Bert Hirsch (fiddle), Charles Magnante (accordion), Hank Stern (tuba/bass) and John Cali (guitar/possibly banjo). 'Lavender Cowboy' succeeded in getting banned from radio. Those were Dalhart's final tracks before retiring from music, taking employment as a security guard at a defense plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1943. He also worked as a baggage clerk at the Barnum Hotel. Dalhart died on September 14 of 1948 of heart attack. He had documented above 1000 titles during his career, including a number of railroad ballads following 'Wreck of the Old 97' like 'The Lightning Express' (Victor 19837 '25), 'The Runaway Train' (Brunswick ‎2900) and 'New River Train' (Columbia ‎1503-D '28). The disputed composition, 'The Prisoner's Song', was voted a posthumous Grammy in 1998. Discos of Dalhart w various credits at 1, 2.

   Just a Word of Sympathy

     Composition: Egbert Van Alstyne

Vernon Dalhart

Source: Don't Stay Up Too Late

Carson Robison

Source: Pittsburg State University

Born in 1890 in Oswego, Kansas, it was 1924 when Carson Robison [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] went to New York City to make his first recordings with Victor Records. Not much later he would join Vernon Dalhart, a Texan transplanted to NYC, as a progenitor of country western. (One is reminded of the funny Pace Picante commercials: "This stuff's made in New York City?!") Robison met Wendell Hall in 1924 at WEAF radio with whom he first recorded May 1 of 1924: 'Song Birds in Georgia'/'Whistling the Blues Away' (Victor 19338). The first had Hall on ukulele and Robison on guitar. The second had Hall whistling, of which Robison would make a few recordings himself. Robison's second session on the 5th saw 'Swanee River Dreams' unissued and 'Old Plantation Medley' (Victor 19392). The 10th of June witnessed 'Swanee River Dreams' go down for release in December on Victor 19479 with a later rendering of 'Lonely Lane'. The 5th of August saw Robison in the Dizzy Trio w Borrah Minevitch (harmonica) and Nathaniel Shilkret (piano) for 'Hayseed Rag' (Victor 19421). Eight days later on the 13th he laid his first track with Vernon Dalhart in NYC, the latter's second rendition of 'The Wreck of the Old 97' issued per Victor 19427. Dalhart had recorded that the previous month on cylinder for Edison with Frank Ferera at guitar (Blue Amberol 4898, Edison 51361), marking the beginning of Dalhart's country career and the budding of the country western genre (though Billboard wouldn't make that official until 1949 with the creation of the Country & Western category, dropping its Jukebox Folk and Hillbilly designations). Robison also put down 'The Prisoner's Song' with Dalhart on August 13 for Victor 19427. The following month they were joined by Lou Raderman (fiddle) and Jack Shilkret (piano) for 'The Clouds Are Gwine to Roll Away' (Victor 19486). Russell's 'Country Music Records' has Robison partnering with Dalhart into the summer of 1928. Their last certain tracks together would appear to have been on June 11, 1928, for such as 'The Little Brown Jug'/'The Old Gray Mare' (Perfect 12421) with Adelyne Hood at fiddle and William Carlino on banjo. During that period Robison was also in a duo with vocalist, Kelly Herrell. Praguefrank's shows their initial session on January 7, 1925, in NYC for such as 'New River Train'/'Rovin' Gambler' (Victor 19596). They held a session in Ashville in August and several more in June of '26 in NYC resulting in such as, per their last listed session on the 10th, 'The Cuckoo, She's A Fine Bird' (Victor 40047), 'Hand Me Down My Walking Cane' (Victor 20103) and 'Bye and Bye You Will Forget Me' (Victor 20535). Praguefrank's has Robison recording with Frank Luther as early as June 26 of 1926: 'The Hills of Kentucky' (unissued) and 'The Little Green Valley'/'Drifting Down the Trail of Dreams' (Melotone M12179, Polly P9062). Their later partnership commenced on recordings on June 8 of 1928 three days before his last session with Dalhart, putting down two unissued tracks: 'Steamboat (Keep Rockin')' and 'There's a Whippoorwill a Calling'. Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has Luther's next session circa June 15-16 "probably" accompanied by Murray Kellner on fiddle and Robison (harmonica/guitar) on 'The West Plains Explosion'/'The Hanging of Charles Birger' (Matrices: GEX 1439, GEX 1440; Issued Gennett 6530). Robison had recorded the same two songs with Dalhart earlier on April 26 for issue in July '28 on Domino 0241. Luther's next session on the 18th of August resulted in 'The Little Green Valley' (Edison 5572) and 'Six Feet of Earth' (Edison 5564). Luther was accompanied by unknowns on those, Robison listed in CMR as "probably" on 'The Little Green Valley'. Luther and Robison partnered to 1932, also performing as Bud & Joe Billings, the Black Brothers, the Jones Brothers, et al. Praguefrank's gives them up on April 4 that year for several tracks in NYC, three unissued. The other two were released with Luther as Bud Billings: 'When the Sun Goes Down in a Little Prairie Town'/'Ma and Pa' (Victor 22997) [DAHR. Rocky52]. Early during Robison's period with Luther he had also performed in a duo with Andrew Jenkins on June 19-20 of 1928 for titles like 'Only a Tear'/'The Little Flower Girl' (Okeh 45481) and 'In the Baggage Coach Ahead'/'The Mansion of Aching Hearts' (Okeh 45234) [*]. Robison's first titles with his Pioneers had gone down for Victor the same day as the above with Luther as Bud Billings on April 4, 1932: 'The Cowboy's Prayer' and 'Meet Me Tonight in the Valley', neither issued. An unidentified date circa that April has Robison's Pioneers recording Parts 1 and 2 of 'Old Familiar Tunes' (Columbia 15773). Late that April saw 'I Was Born in Old Wyoming'/'Going to the Barn Dance Tonight' (Zonophone 6136) and 'Way Out West in Kansas'/'Didn't He Ramble' (Zonophone 6143). The Pioneers consisted variously of Pearl Pickens (vocals), John Mitchell (guitar/banjo) and Bill Mitchell (guitar/banjo) for those. Robison renamed his Pioneers in 1933 to the Buckaroos. (Buck Owens also ran a band called the Buckaroos in the sixties.) Personnel was the same for that band's first session on October 18, 1934: 'Long Long Way From Home'/'Rambling Cowboy' (Conqueror 8396) and 'Hot Time in New Orleans Tonight'/'Going to the Barn Dance Tonight' (Banner 33278). Robison later went on to form the Pleasant Valley Boys in the latter forties. That gang documented the square dance on 'Square Dances' for RCA Victor in '49 and 'Square Dances' in '52 per MGM. (Titles are the same but tracks are not.) The square dance originated in Europe to find its way to New England and Appalachia where callers were employed in the 19th century to direct dancers' steps as they went. As Americans traveled west the square dance followed, eventually to merge with country western [1, 2, 3, 4]. Since that time country western dancing has come to be among the finest in the world, taking a place alongside flamenco for that, or tapdancing by such as Fred Astaire, or dancing on ice in skates for that matter. Praguefrank's follows Robison's career to as late as April 16 of 1956, raising some rockabilly with 'Rockin' and Rollin' with Grandmaw' backed with 'Hand Me Down My Walkin' Cane'. Robison died in Poughkeepsie, New York, on March 24, 1957. He was a prolific composer, writing such as 'Little Green Valley' ('28), 'Left My Gal in the Mountains' ('29), 'The Railroad Boomer' ('29), 'Carry Me Back to the Mountains' ('30), 'Oklahoma Charley' ('30), 'Hitler's Last Letter to Hirohito' ('45), 'Hirohito's Letter to Hitler' ('45), 'Settin' by the Fire' ('51) and 'Too Big for His Brtiches' ('51). Between he and Dalhart, Robison was the composer of what they didn't acquire elsewise [*]. Compositional credits for titles recorded with the Pioneers. Credits for titles recorded with the Pleasant Valley Boys at 1, 2. Credits for Robison also at DAHR, LOC, 45Worlds and Discogs. See allmusic for compositions by Robison covered by others. Robison in visual media. Alike Dalhart above, tracks below demonstrate the origins of country western music arising out of a relationship between early popular, jazz and folk music in New York City. Something in the spirit of a country-jazz fusion, 76 years of Johnny Mercer's 'I'm an Old Cowhand' is featured toward the bottom of this page, one of numerous versions by Robison.

   Way Down Home

      With Gene Austin

   Shine On Harvest Moon

      With Vernon Dalhart

     Composition:

     Vaudeville tune by Nora Bayes/Jack Norworth

   Oh Dem Golden Slippers

      With Vernon Dalhart

     Composition: James Bland

   By the Old Oak Tree

      With Frank Luther as Bud Billings

     Composition: Percy Wenrich

  Moonlight on Colorado

      With Frank Luther as Bud Billings

     Composition: Robert King/Billy Moll

Carson Robison   1933

   Settin' By the River

     Composition: Carson Robison

   1942 Turkey In the Straw

     Composition: Carson Robison

Carson Robison   1956

   Rockin' and Rollin' with Grandmaw

     Composition: Carson Robison

Carl Sprague [1, 2, 3, 4] is among country western's first singing cowboys. Born in 1896 on a farm near Houston, after World War I, during which he served in France, Sprague acquired a degree in animal husbandry in 1922 from Texas A&M. While working as an athletic trainer at A&M he formed a band called the Campus Cats. His first recordings per Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) went down on August 3, 1925, in Camden, NJ. 'Kisses' saw issue per Victor 19813. 'When the Work's All Done This Fall' went unissued. His next session the next day went toward 'Bad Companions' released on Victor 19747 with 'When the Work's All Done This Fall' recorded again on the 5th. Wikipedia has the latter selling 900,000 copies. Amidst other unissued titles that August, Sprague left behind 'Following the Cow Trail'/'Cowboy Love Song' (Victor 20067) and 'The Club Meeting' (Victor 19813). Praguefrank's follows his career to October 13, 1929, in Dallas for tracks including 'The Wayward Daughter'/'The Mormon Cowboy' (Victor 40246). Sprague pursued music as a hobby after that. He left employment at Texas A&M in 1937 to operate a gas station and grocery store. He joined the Army a second time during World War II, later achieving the rank of major, then became an insurance salesman before resurrecting his career during the folk revival of the sixties [*]. That included tracks gone down in early March of 1972 like 'Home on the Range'. Craig Davis joined on guitar on such as 'Roll on Little Doggies'. Session dates for following titles are uncertain but would see issue in 1988 on 'Classic Cowboy Songs' (Bear Family 15456). Sprague died on February 23, 1979, in Bryan, Texas, where he had lived for several decades. Sprague at DAHR and Discogs.

   When the Work's All Done This Fall

     Composition after a poem by D.J. O'Malley

     Published 1893 by D.J. White (O'Malley)

Carl Sprague   1926

   O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie

     Composition: See Wikipedia

Carl Sprague   1927  

   The Cowboy

      With the Pards

     Music: Carl Sprague

     Lyrics: John Lomax?

Carl Sprague

Source: Find a Grave

   Barbara Allen

      With the Pards

     Composition: Carson Robison

   The Bum Song

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Harry McClintock

   Steamboat

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Carson Robison

   The Wreck Of Number 9

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Carson Robison

   Old Dan Tucker

      With the Pards

   By the Old Oak Tree

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Percy Wenrich

   Moonlight On The Colorado

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Billy Moll

   When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver

      With Carson Robison

     Composition: Charles Tobias/Peter de Rose

   When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain

     With Carson Robison

      Composition:

      Howard Johnson/Harry Woods/Kate Smith

Frank Luther

Source: Hillybilly Hearthrobs

Jimmie Davis

Source: Time Goes By

   Home Town Blues

   She's A Hum Dum Dinger

   A Woman's Blues

Jimmie Davis   1931

   The Davis Limited

Jimmie Davis   1932

   Red Nightgown Blues

   Tom Cat and Pussy Blues

Jimmie Davis   1940

   You Are My Sunshine

     Composition: Jimmie Davis/Charles Mitchell

Jimmie Davis   1951

   Mansion Over the Hilltop

     Composition: Ira Stanphill

Jimmie Davis   2000

   You Are My Sunshine

     Composition: Jimmie Davis/Charles Mitchell

Gene Autry

Source: Online Sheet Music

Country became "country western" due largely to Gene Autry [1, 2] who had been recording such in duets with Jimmie Long back east in New York City, Richmond and Chicago a few years before arriving in Hollywood where the film industry would become largely responsible for the genre. It would require a couple of decades, though, for the folk-purist 'Grand Ole Opry' in Nashville to finally ease C&W performances onto its stage, deeming country western to be other than real country. Born Orvon Grover Autry in 1907, in Tioga, TX, Autry started working as a telegrapher for the railroad at age sixteen [Wikipedia]. He often sang and played guitar in the wee hours, which is said to have gotten him fired. But not before humorist, Will Rogers, purportedly heard him play and advised him to try breaking into radio [1, 2, 3, 4]. Whence he secured his first radio spot as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy" at a station in Tulsa in 1927. In 1929 he left for New York City to record his initial titles on October 9, 1929 ['Country Music Records' (CMR) Tony Russell]: 'My Dreaming of You'/'My Alabama Home' (Victor 40200). Those were vocal duets w Jimmie (Jimmy) Long. CMR also has Frank and Johnny Marvin contributing steel guitar to that session. Both Long and Frank Marvin would partner with Autry for several years, Marvin to as late as the 'Gene Autry Show' in the fifties. Shortly later that month Autry spread a string of titles like 'Stay Away from My Chicken House' (Grey Gull 4314) and 'Cowboy Yodel' (Grey Gull 4304). Frank Marvin backed him on 'My Oklahoma Home' (Grey Gull 4281) and 'I'll Be Thinking of You Little Gal' (QRS 1044). Autry also used pseudonyms like Johnny Dodds, Sam Hill, John Hardy, Tom Long, Hank Bennett and Overton Hatfield. He spread along 'She Wouldn't Do It' as Gene Johnson in March of '31, that issued on Timely Tunes C 1551 on the backside of Jimmie Rodgers' 'Jimmie the Kid'. Another alias he used was Jimmie Smith, recording such as 'Valley in the Hills'/'I’m Blue and Lonesome' in April of '31 with Frank Marvin (Timely Tunes C 1555). [1, 2.]. In June of 1932 he and Jimmie Long recorded 'The Ramshackle Shack' as Clayton & Green, that on Broadway 4093 with 'The Crime I Didn't Do' flip side, issued as Bob Clayton. Autry's country western was all recorded back East n New York City, Richmond, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois, before arriving in Hollywood to make his first films. Chicago was "western" only insofar as that had been a chief destination of a lot of cattle cars loaded by a lot of cowboys at points west like Abilene, where ended such as the Chisholm Trail routing cattle drives through Texas. Autry's first sessions in Chicago per CMR were on January 27, 1933, for such as 'Cowboy's Heaven'/'The Little Old Ranch House on the Old Circle' (Victor 23783). Come the release in 1934 of Autry's first two of 93 films, 'In Old Santa Fe' and 'Mystery Mountain' [Wikipedia, IMBd]. Five films ensued in 1935: 'The Phantom Empire', 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds', 'Melody Trail', 'The Sagebrush Troubadour' and 'The Singing Vagabond'. Autry was in Dallas in September of '35, again with Jimmie Long, to string along such as 'Vine Covered Cabin in the Valley'/'I'd Love a Home in the Mountains' (Conqueror 8582). Eight more films not intended as masterpieces followed in '36 from 'Red River Valley' to such as 'The Singing Cowboy' and 'The Old Corral'. CMR has Autry's first recording session in Los Angeles with Art Davis at fiddle on May 12, 1936, for such as 'The Answer to Nobody's Darling' (Conqueror 86850). Russell's CMR shows last duets with Long on November 24, 1937, for such as 'There's a Gold Mine in the Sky'/'Sail Along Silv'ry Moon' (Conqueror 8960). The pilot for Autry's CBS radio program sponsored by Doublemint Gum, 'Melody Ranch', aired on December 31, 1939 to August of '43. World War II saw Autry serving in the Air Force as a fighter pilot, after which 'Melody Ranch' aired from September of '45 to May of 1956. Autry had been the man of the hour after 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds' into fifties. Billboard began tabulating per its Jukebox Folk (Hot Country) category in 1944 and Autry was there from the start to begin hogging the list with 'I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes' at #3 in January. Other of Autry's well-known songs were such as 'At Mail Call Today' in '45 and 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' in '49 [1, 2]. Even Autry's horse had its own radio show in '49 and '50 called 'The Adventures of Champion'. In 1950 Autry premiered 'The Gene Autry Show', that to run 91 episodes through six seasons with numerous appearances by Frank Marvin. Autry retired as an entertainer in 1964 to become an investor in real estate, the entertainment industry and baseball. Beyond music, from 1942 onward Autry had gotten involved in the rodeo business, supplying rodeo stock, which would later become the World Championship Rodeo Company. During World War II he had served in the Air Force as a fighter pilot. He died on October 2, 1998, of blood cancer, having issued well above 600 recordings which would sell more than 100 million copies [Discogs]. As to trivia, a white cowboy hat autographed by Autry recently sold for $2500. Hats autographed by Roy Rogers draw similar prices. Autry had composed titles like 'Way Out West in Texas' in '33, 'Dear Old Western Skies' in '35 and 'You're the Only Star (In My Blue Heaven)' in '36. Discogs comments that he co-wrote more than 300 titles, among which were such as 'Here Comes Santa Claus' with Oakley Haldeman in 1947 and 'Cowboy Blues' w Cindy Walker the same year. Composing credits for Autry's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Auty in visual media. HMR Project.

   Waiting for a Train

     Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

Milton Brown

Source: Discogs

   Where You Been So Long, Corrina?

      Composition: See Wikipedia

Milton Brown   1935

   Darktown Strutters Ball

      Composition: Shelton Brooks

   Going Up Brushy Fork

      Composition: See Mattesonart

Milton Brown   1936

   Keep a Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)

      Composition: See Secondhandsongs

   Somebody's Been Using That Thing

      Composition: Al Miller   1929

Milton Brown   1937

   Right or Wrong

      Composition: Foxtrot ballad   1921

      Music: Arthur Sizemore/Paul Biese

      Lyrics: Haven Gillespie

   Hobo's Meditation

      With Jimmie Rodgers

      Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

   Roll Along, Kentucky Moon

      With Jimmie Rodgers

      Composition: Bill Halley

   Under the Double Eagle

      Composition: Josef Franz Wagner

Bill Boyd   1936

   Wah Hoo

      Composition: Cliff Friend

Bill Boyd   1938

   Jig

   New Spanish Two Step

      Composition: Tommy Duncan/Bob Wills

Bill Boyd   1947

   I'm Writing a Letter to Heaven

      Composition: Bill Boyd

   Monterrey Polka

      Composition: Bill Boyd/Fred Casares

   Palace in Dallas

   Pull Down the Shades and Lock the Door

      Composition: Jerry Irby

   Southern Steel Guitar

      Composition: Noel Boggs

Bill Boyd

Source: Discogs

   Nancy Jane

       As the Fort Worth Doughboys

      Composition: Milton Brown

   Sunbonnet Sue

       As the Fort Worth Doughboys

      Composition: Milton Brown

   Roll Up the Carpet

      Composition: Remick

Light Crust Doughboys   1936

   Five Foot Two

   Limehouse Blues

      Music: Philip Braham

      Lyrics: Douglas Furber

   Tiger Rag

      Composition:

      Original Dixieland Jass Band   1917

Light Crust Doughboys   1938

   Baby, Give Me Some of That

      Composition: Marvin Montgomery

Light Crust Doughboys   1939

   Beer Drinkin' Mama

      Composition: Marvin Montgomery

Born Ruby Rose Blevins on a farm near, Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1908, Patsy Montana [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] was the eleventh child and only daughter of the family. Wikipedia has her taking part of her stage name from the rope-trick silent film star, Monte Montana. Knowing music from church and yodeler, Jimmie Rodgers, on the radio, she left home for California in 1930 with her brother and his wife [*]. While studying music at UCLA a talent contest led to her own radio program called 'The Yodeling Cowgirl From San Antone' on KMIC in Los Angeles. In 1932 she headed back east where she obtained spots on radio KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana, there meeting Jimmie Davis who invited her even further east to record western songs in New Camden, NJ. Praguefrank's, using Russell's 'Country Music Records', finds her there on November 4 of 1932 yodeling on 'Bury Me in Old Kentucky'/'Home in Caroline' (Victor 23749). That same date Ed Davis accompanied her at guitar on 'Montana Plains' (unissued), 'Sailor's Sweetheart' (unissued) and 'I Love My Daddy Too'/'When the Flowers of Montana Were Blooming' (Victor 23760). Rocky52 has Victor 23749 issued in December of '32. Victor 23760 saw issue in February of '33 [1, 2]. She was at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933 when she fell in with the Prairie Ramblers, she to sing and yodel with them for radio WLS AM on the 'National Barn Dance' program. Montana didn't arrive to major stardom. 'I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart' brought her to the national spotlight in a big way in 1935 but that was a brief burst. She had a role in 'Colorado Sunset' in 1939 and the short, 'The Chime Bells Ring', in 1944. Discogs has uncovered nine of her albums on an incomplete list from 'At the Matador Room' in 1964 to 'The Cowboy's Sweetheart' in 1988. That doesn't include her 1964 album with Waylon Jennings at guitar, 'Early Country Favorites'. Praguefrank's gives her up circa '87 in Fairfax, Virginia, for tracks to her '88 album above. She had otherwise led a busy career in radio and toured nigh unto her death in San Jacinto, CA, on May 3, 1996. Montana had composed titles like 'Homesick for My Old Cabin' in 1933. Various credits to some of Montana's issues at 1, 2, 3, 4. Montana in visual media.

   I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart

      Composition: Patsy Montana

   Give Me a Home in Montana

      Composition: Patsy Montana

   Going Back to Old Montana

      Composition: Romaine Loudermilk

   The Wheel of the Wagon Is Broken

      Composition:

      Desmond Cox/Elton Box/Michael Carr

Patsy Montana   1937

   I Only Want a Buddy Not a Sweetheart

      Composition: Eddie Jones

Patsy Montana   1938

   Cowboy Rhythm

      Composition: Patsy Montana

   Rodeo Sweetheart

      Composition: Red Foley

   Shine On Rocky Mountain Moonlight

      Composition: Louis Herscher

Patsy Montana   1939

   Back on Montana Plains

      Composition: Patsy Montana/Stuart Hamblen

   Montana

   The Moon Hangs Low (On The Ohio)

      Composition: Patsy Montana

   That's Where the West Begins

Patsy Montana   1945

   A Soldier's Last Letter

Patsy Montana   1947

   If I Could Only Learn to Yodel

      Composition: Paul Roberts

   Slap 'Er Down Agin Paw

      Composition: Paul Roberts

      Polly Arnold/Alice Cornett/Eddie Asherman

Patsy Montana

Source: Find a Grave

Born in 1905 near Kosse, Texas, fiddler Bob Wills ("King of Western Swing") performed at his first dance at age ten [*]. He also played mandolin. His father, John Tompkin Wills, was an accomplished fiddler who won and lost contests with such as Eck Robertson [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Wills left home at age sixteen or seventeen on a freight train, changing his name from James Robert Wills to Jim Rob [Wikipedia]. Particularly fond of Bessie Smith, sometime around that period he rode horseback fifty miles to see her perform in Childress, TX. Wills' first title of his debut recording session was a blues by Clarence Williams, 'Gulf Coast Blues'. That went down November 1, 1929, in Dallas with 'Wills Breakdown'. Neither of those recorded with Herman Arnspiger at guitar for Brunswick/Vocalion were issued. Wikipedia explains Milton Brown joining them in 1930 with his brother, Derwood Brown (guitar), to form the Wills Fiddle Band. Touring the Dallas-Ft. Worth region, they found employment as the Aladdin Laddies for the Aladdin Lamp Company on WBAP radio. They became the Light Crust Doughboys at radio KFJZ, singing for Light Crust Flour. Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' has them recording as the Fort Worth Doughboys in Dallas on February 9, 1932, to lay out 'Nancy Jane'/'Sunbonnet Sue' (Victor 23653) [1, 2]. Arnspiger was out on that, his place filled by Sleepy Johnson at guitar. Those saw release in March of 1932 per 45worlds. Brown left the Doughboys in '32 to form the Musical Brownies, Wills in '33 to form the Playboys in Waco. Arnspiger was with Wills again as one of the original Texas Playboys in Tulsa, broadcasting on KVOO radio. Among Wills' major associates, Arnspiger would last record with the Playboys in 1940 [CMR] before leaving the music business to become a pilot [*]. Wills shaped the Texas Playboys into a full eleven-member band including sax, trombone and drums for their first session on September 23, 1935, in Dallas to result in such as 'Osage Stomp'/'Get With It' (Vocalion/Okeh 03096 ) and WC Handy's 'St. Louis Blues' (Vocalion/Okeh 03076). Seven of them also contributed to vocals. Backing Wills on that debut Playboys session was fiddler/guitarist, Sleepy Johnson, who stuck with Wills to 1938, joining the Playboys once again years later in 1964 toward the issue of 'The Living Legend' (Longhorn Record LP 001). Jesse Ashlock complimented Wills on fiddle to as late as 1946. Johnnie Lee Wills performed on banjo for the Playboys to 1940. He rejoined the Playboys in 1953 for a session resulting in such as 'A Broken Heart for a Souvenir'/'I Want to Go to Mexico' (MGM 11516). Leon McAuliffe (steel guitar) stuck with Wills to 1942, leaving to form his own band. He would join the Texas Playboys again years later for its last few sessions in '71 and '73. Al Stricklin (piano) recorded with the Playboys to 1941, leaving music to help build aircraft in 1942 per World War II [*]. He would join the Texas Playboys again years later in 1965 (: 'Faded Love') and for its last few sessions in '71 and '73. Tommy Duncan (vocals) stuck with Wills to 1947, leaving to form his own gang. He reunited with the Texas Playboys from 1960 to 1963. Smokey Dacus (drums) hung with Wills to 1940. He would join the Texas Playboys again years later for its last couple sessions in '73. Also in that session were Art Haynes on fiddle and trombone, Bob McNally on sax and Thomas Lansford on bass. Wills' film debut occurred in 1940, costarring with Tex Ritter in 'Take Me Back to Oklahoma'. During World War II Wills joined the Army, then revived the Playboys upon medical discharge in 1943. His appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in November of 1944 was a rare early occasion during which drums were allowed onstage, that because he declined to perform without his drummer, Monte Mountjoy [1, 2]. Billboard created it's Jukebox Folk category in 1944, Wills right there to begin dominating the Hot Country that year with 'New San Antonio Rose' at #3. Per Wikipedia he delivered 23 Top Ten titles to as late as 'Heart to Heart Talk' at #5 in 1960 with Tommy Duncan. He hatched golden eggs at #1 per 'Smoke on the Water' ('45), 'Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima' ('45), 'Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight' ('45), "White Cross on Okinawa" ('46), 'New Spanish Two Step' ('46) and 'Sugar Moon' ('47). From March of 1946 to December of '47 the Playboys recorded what would get issued as 150 titles on 'The Tiffany Transcriptions' in 2009 [1, 2, 3, 4], that including jazz standards as well like 'St. Louis Blues' and 'In the Mood'. The first volume had seen issue in 1982 on Kaleidoscope Records. Purchasing Kaleidoscope in 1992, Rhino Records then issued them on CD in 1993. Wills was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1968. As indicated, the Texas Playboys recorded to 1973, those two sessions on December 3 and 4. The last in which Wills participated was on the 3rd [Praguefrank's]. Most titles from those sessions were released in '74 on 'For the Last Time'. [1, 2, 3.]. Wills died too soon on May 13, 1975, in Fort Worth, Texas. Titles composed by him include 'Osage Stomp' ('35), 'Spanish Two Step' ('36), 'San Antonio Rose' ('39), 'Big Beaver' ('40) 'That Brownskin Gal' ('40) and 'My Confession' ('43). Various credits for the Texas Playboys at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. References for Wills encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3. Musical: 1, 2, 3. Chronology. Slide show. Wills and his Playboys in visual media: 1, 2.

   Nancy Jane

       With the Fort Worth Doughboys

       Lead vocal: Milton Brown

      Composition: Milton Brown

   Sunbonnet Sue

       With the Fort Worth Doughboys

       Lead vocal: Milton Brown

      Composition: Milton Brown

   Spanish Two Step

      Composition: Bob Wills

Bob Wills   1938

   Ida Red

      Later Hollywood version

      Composition: Traditional

   Silver Bells

      Composition: Mel Stark/Bob Wills

Bob Wills   1945

   San Antonio Rose

      Composition: Bob Wills

       Film

Bob Wills   1945

   Hang Your Head in Shame

      Composition:

      Ed Nelson/Fred Rose/Steve Nelson

   Texas Playboy Rag

      Composition: Bob Wills

Bob Wills   1946

   Roly Poly

      Composition: Fred Rose

Bob Wills

Source: News Channel 10

Elton Britt

Source: Discogs

Born in Marshall, Arkansas, in 1913, yodeler, Elton Britt [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], bought his first guitar at age ten for $5 from a Montgomery Ward catalogue [*], then trained himself to yodel after Jimmie Rodgers. In 1930 he changed his name from James Elton Baker to Britt upon successfully auditioning to replace Hugh Ashley in the Beverly Hill Billies [*]. Raymond MacMillan, owner of both MacMillan Petroleum Corporation and radio KMPC, had him flown to Hollywood to join that already popular group which performed on MacMillan's station. (One sees the similarity between that and the later comedy television series, 'The Beverly Hillbillies' [1962-71], concerning newly oil-rich, Jed Clampett, arriving to his glamorous California mansion in his rattletrap jalopy with Granny's rocking chair sitting atop his entire worth before oil.) Radio transcriptions were likely made while Britt was with the Hill Billies but none of certainty are surfaced. IMDb has him appearing uncredited with a later version of that group in the 1936 film, 'The Big Show'. That group separated in latter 1932, leading Britt to New York City where he made his first recordings with his brother, Vern Baker, and vocalist, (?) Gaylor, in various combinations as the Wenatchee Mountaineers. It was Elton at guitar and Vern on fiddle for their their first two tracks: 'Britt's Reel'/'Texas Rag' (Banner 32967). 'Rabbs Creek' went unissued. 'Listen to the Mocking Bird' came to Conqueror 8323 in '34. Gaylor contributed vocals to 'Dear Old Southern Moon' (Banner 32855). 'Little Rose Covered Shack in the South' (Banner 32980) was a duet with Gaylor, Vern out. Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) lists 'Just an Old Fashioned Locket' (Conqueror 8225) as a solo by Britt. Numerous tracks went down from August 8 to August 10, Britt performing variously with Gaylor and/or Vern as the Wenatchee Mountaineers. Waynecountry lists four plates issued on unspecified dates in 1933: 'Dear Old Southern Moon'/'I Like Mountain Music' (Melotone 12782), 'My Southland'/'Wait for the Wagon' (Melotone 12795), 'By the Sleepy Rio Grande'/'Blue Eyed Elaine' (Melotone 12833) and 'Dear Old Southern Moon'/'Just an Old Fashioned Locket' (Conqueror 8225) [see also *]. Come titles with Roy Smeck at steel guitar in November and December of 1933 like 'There's a Home in Wyomin''/'When It's Harvest Time in Old New England' (Banner 32929). Britt spread the solo, 'Good Night Little Girl of My Dreams', on December 15 of '33. Britt's first titles with Ezra Ford (fiddle) were on March 5 of '34 for 'Dear Old Daddy'/'The Answer to Ninety-Nine Years' (Banner 33003). CMR has Britt's initial track with pianist, Bob Miller, on June 20 of 1934 with Ford: 'Take Me Home Boys' for ARC unissued. Miller is listed as possible on other titles that day with Ford, et al, like 'Heart in the Heart of Texas'/'When I'm Four Times Twenty' (ARC 6-05-60). On January 28 and 30, 1935, Britt joined the quartet, Pappy, Zeke, Ezra & Elton to string along 'Isle of Capri'/'Open Up Them Pearly Gates' (Decca 5097), 'Alpine Milk Man' unissued. That quad of Ted Pappy Bellow, Zeke Manners, Charlie Heatherington and Britt held another session on July 23 for 'The Lady in Red'/'In a Little Gypsy Tea Room' (Decca 5126). It was a trio with Manners out on October 18 for 'Where the Rhododendron Grows'/'Red Sails in the Sunset' (Decca 5153). 1936 saw titles variously with Miller and Ford. Among tracks in 1937 were those with Manners' Swing Billies' in March: 'Mr. Ghost Goes to Town'/'Leave It Up to Uncle Jake' (Variety 536). Among titles in 1939 were those with Texas Jim Robertson on May 12: 'What Good Is the Sunshine?'/'I'm Gonna Throw My Lasso' (Bluebird 8207) and 'Things That Might Have Been'/'Bouncin' Along' (Bluebird 8186). Among Britt's best-known tunes was 'There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere' in 1942, which he performed that year at the White House for the Roosevelts. Other of his top-selling issues at musicvf, Britt's heydays in the latter forties. Praguefrank's has Britt first recording with his Skytoppers on October 16 of 1946, coming to such as 'I Get the Blues When It Rains'/'Too Tired to Care' (RCA Victor ‎20-2027). 1949 saw Britt in the film, 'Laramie', as the singing sergeant. Discogs has Britt's debut LP, 'Yodel Songs', released in 1955. Britt ran for President as a Democrat in 1960. The sixties later witnessed appearances on the 'Jimmy Dean Show'. Praguefrank's gives him up circa May 24-26, 1970, in Nashville to lay out such as 'My World of Memories', 'These Things I'm Not', 'Stardust' and 'You Gave Me a Mountain' issued on 'Elton Britt Sings Modern Country' (Certron 7010). He died on June 22, 1972, having recording more than 600 tracks and 60 albums [Wikipedia]. Songwriting credits to some Britt's titles at 1, 2. Britt in visual media.

   I Like Mountain Music

      Composition: Frank Weldon/James Cavanaugh

   I Was Born in the Mountains

Elton Britt   1942

   There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere

      Composition: Paul Roberts/Shelby Darnell

Elton Britt   1946

   Rogue River Valley

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael

   Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)

      Composition: Jimmie Hodges   1942

Elton Britt   1955

   Uranium Fever

      Composition: Penny Britt

Elton Britt   1959

   Chime Bells

      Composition: Elton Britt/Bob Miller

Born Clyde Julian Foley in Blue Lick, Kentucky, in 1910,  balladeer Red Foley [1, 2, 3] had a father with a general store where he performed on multiple instruments as a youth, eventually to settle with guitar and banjo. Upon graduating from high school he got a job as an usher and singer at a theatre in Covington, KY. In 1930 Foley quit college his freshman year to join the Cumberland Ridge Runners (CRR) in Chicago, singing on 'National Barn Dance' at radio WLS AM [1, 2]. Russell's 'Country Music Records' has that outfit stringing titles on April 11 and 12, 1933, for such as two takes of 'Sally's Not the Same Old Sally', one flip side to 'Ole Rattler' (Banner 32773) that rocky52 finds issued in May that year. Also issued that year were such as 'Goofus'/'Roundin' Up the Yearlings' (Banner 33032). That same date had the CRR backing Foley on 'The Lone Cowboy'/'Single Life Is Good Enough for Me' (Banner 32783) released in latter 1933 [1, 2]. Also on April 11 Foley played upright bass with the CRR for Linda Parker's 'Take Me Back to Renfro Valley' (Conqueror 8164). In 1941 he appeared with Tex Ritter in the film, 'The Pioneers'. Foley hogged the Top Ten of Billboard's new Country category for nearly a decade from 'There's a Blue Star Shining Bright' in 1944 at #5 to 'You and Me' in 1958 at #3. Seven of his tunes rose to Country's #1 tier alone: 'Smoke on the Water' ('44), 'New Jolie Blonde' ('47), 'Tennessee Saturday Night' ('49), 'Chattanoogie Shoe-Shine Boy' ('50), 'Birmingham Bounce' ('50), 'M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I' ('50) and 'Midnight' ('53), Foley's last title to place in the Top Forty was 'Travelin' Man' in 1959 at #29. Foley had issued his first vinyl LP in 1950 per 'Souvenir Album' (Decca 5303). His second and final appearance in film was in 1966: 'Sing a Song, for Heaven's Sake'. Praguefrank's follows Foley to as late as four sessions from February 27 to March 15 of 1967 at Bradley's Barn in Mount Juliet, TN, with Kitty Wells for the album, 'Together Again' (Decca 74906). Praguefrank's has Foley at a last session at Bradley's Barn on April 7 of '67 for unissued titles, 'Smoke on the Water' and 'Looking Out the Window'. Foley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1967, the year before his death on September 19, 1968, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The last song he performed per Wikipedia was Thomas Dorsey's 'Peace in the Valley' on September 10 of 1968 for Grand Ole Opry. Selling more than 25 million records during his career, due to Foley's fine talent country western gained stride as a musical genre that could be taken seriously. Others with whom he had recorded were such as Judy Martin, the Andrews Sisters, Ernest Tubb, Evelyn Knight and daughter, Betty Foley. Songwriting credits to some of Foley's recordings at 1, 2, 3. Foley in visual media.

   The Lone Cowboy

      Composition: John Lair

Red Foley   1944

   Smoke On the Water

      Composition: Earl Nunn/Zeke Clements

Red Foley   1947

   Never Trust a Woman

      Composition: Jenny Lou Carson

Red Foley   1950

   Cincinnati Dancing Pig

      Composition: Al Lewis/Guy Wood

   Just a Closer Walk With Thee

      Composition: Traditional Southern gospel

      First recorded by Selah Jubilee Singers   1941

   Steal Away

      Composition: Traditional Southern gospel

      Published by Fisk Jubilee Singers 1873

   Sugarfoot Rag

      With Hank Garland   Composition: Hank Garland

   Peace in the Valley

      Composition: Thomas Dorsey

Red Foley   1954

   One By One

       With Kitty Wells      Composition:

      Jack Anglin/Jim Anglin/Johnny Wright

Red Foley

Source: Heavens Gates

Tex Ritter was among the major of country musicians associated with Hollywood, recording his first issued tracks in 1933. Born Woodward Maurice Ritter in Murvaul, Texas, in 1905, Ritter began his professional career in 1928, singing for KPRC radio in Houston [Wikipedia]. He moved to New York City the same year and landed a chorus role in the Broadway production of 'The New Moon'. IBDB has him performing as Woodward Ritter at the Guild Theatre in 'Green Grow the Lilcas' in 1931. Come 'The Round Up' at the Majestic in March of '32 and 'Mother Lode' at the Cort in Dec '34. Ritter's initial recording sessions in September and October of 1932 went unissued. Titles on September 2 for Columbia eventually saw release in 1999 by Bear Family on 'Blood on the Saddle: Complete Recordings 1932-December 1947' (BCD 16260 DI). Those were 'A Ridin' Old Paint'/'Git Along Little Doggies' and 'Rye Whisky'. 'Cowboys Christmas Ball' went down on October 31 of '32 unreleased. March 15 of 1933 saw unissued titles for ARC also issued in 1999 on BCD 16260 DI: 'A Ridin' Old Paint', 'A Ridin' Old Paint', 'Goodbye Old Paint' and 'Rye Whisky'. 'Every Day in the Saddle' went unissued. Titles released from that session were Gene Autry's 'Goodbye Old Paint' and 'Rye Whiskey, Rye Whiskey' on Banner 32735. Rateyourmusic has those released in 1933 on Columbia 1075. In 1936 Ritter moved to Los Angeles to appear in his first film, 'Song of the Gringo'. Ritter maintained a strong presence for twenty years from the forties into the sixties. His first to chart at #1 in Billboard's new Country category was 'I'm Wastin' My Tears on You' in 1944. 'You Two Timed Me One Time Too Often' saw #1 in 1945, 'You Will Have to Pay' in 1946. His last Top Ten title was 'I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven' in 1961 at #5. Ritter's first album was 4 shellac discs of eight titles issued in 1945 on 'Children's Songs and Stories' (Capitol BD-14). Come the same 4-disc deal in 1946 for 'Cowboy Favorites'. In 1952 he made his first tour of Europe. Rateyourmusic has Ritter issuing two LPs in 1958: 'Songs from the Western Screen' and 'Psalms'. Come 'Blood on the Saddle' in 1960, 'The Lincoln Hymns' and 'Hillbilly Heaven' in 1961. Ritter's last Top Forty title was 'Growin' Up' in 1969 at #39. Ritter ran for office as a Republican Tennessee senator in 1970 but was defeated. His last recording was live on December 8 of 1973 at Grand Ole Opry, a rendition of Gordon Sinclair's radio editorial, 'The Americans', and Victor Jaskot's 'He Who Is Without Sin'. Those saw issue in '74 on Capitol 3814 the same month as Ritter's death on January 12 in Nashville. Songwriting credits for Ritter's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4. References for Ritter encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Biographical highlights. Ritter in visual media.

   Goodbye Old Paint

      Composition: Gene Autry

Tex Ritter   1935

   Get Along Little Dogies

      Composition: See Wikipedia

   Rye Whiskey

      Composition: Gene Autry

Tex Ritter   1936

   Rye Whiskey

      Composition: Gene Autry

       Film: 'Song of the Gringo'

   Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

      Composition: Joseph Lilley/Frank Loesser

Tex Ritter   1944

   I'm Wastin' My Tears on You

      Composition: Frank Harford/Tex Ritter

   There's a New Moon Over My Shoulder

      Composition:

      Jimmie Davis/Ekko Whelan/Lee Blastic

Tex Ritter   1945

   Jealous Heart

      Composition: Jenny Lou Carson

Tex Ritter   1948

   Deck of Cards

      Composition: T. Texas Tyler

Tex Ritter   1952

   Do Not Forsake Me (The Ballad of High Noon)

      Music: Dimitri Tiomkin

      Lyrics: Ned Washington

       Film: 'High Noon'

   Do Not Forsake Me (The Ballad of High Noon)

      Music: Dimitri Tiomkin

      Lyrics: Ned Washington

       'Dick Cavett Show'

   Froggy Went A-Courtin'

      Composition: Scottish traditional

Tex Ritter   1974

   The Americans

      Composition: Gordon Sinclair

Tex Ritter

Source: Berkman Blog

Cecil Brower

Source: Wikipedia

   Where You Been So Long, Corrina?

      With Milton Brown

      Composition: Traditional   See Wikipedia

   Be Sure There's No Mistake

   Beer Barrel Polka

      Composition: Jaromír Vejvoda   1927

   Bill Cheatham/Draggin' the Bow

   Draggin' the Bow/Dill Pickle Rag

   I'll Step Aside

   Talk of the Town

      Piano: Frank Reneau

Born one of nine children in Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, in 1904, Canadian yodeler, Wilf Carter [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7], got moved to Canning at age eight. He was known as Carter chiefly in Canada, getting issued largely as Montana Slim in the United States. He left home at age fifteen or sixteen to become a lumberjack. Wikipedia has him singing with vagabonds in boxcars before heading to Calgary, Alberta, there to work as a cowboy while performing guitar at dances in the region. He began performing on radio in 1930 with Calgary's CFCN. In 1933 he performed on the British cruise ship, S.S. Empress. One port of call was Montreal where he recorded his compositions, 'My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby'/'The Capture of Albert Johnson' (Bluebird 4966) on December 20, 1933. That is thought to have been issued at the time, highly unlikely before 1934 [*]. On January 11 and 12 of 1934 Carter spread tracks including 'Twilight on the Prairie'/'Little Silver Haired Sweetheart of Mine' (Bluebird Canada 4969) which 45worlds documents for issue in 1934. Among a string of titles unloaded on October 17 and 18 that year were ''The Yodeling Trail Rider'/'Prairie Blues' (Bluebird Canada 4985) which 45worlds has released in '34 as well. Carter released his LP, 'Montana Slim', in 1959. 'The Dynamic Trail' ensued in 1960. Touring and television appearances in Canada and the States saw Carter inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971. Highlighting the eighties was a tour with Hank Snow in 1981 and election into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984. 1985 saw induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Juno Awards Hall of Fame. Discogs dates above thirty Carter albums to as late as 1988: 'What Ever Happened to All Those Years'. 1991 witnessed Carter's last tour in Canada called 'The Last Round-up'. Loss of hearing prompted his retirement from the music business in 1992. He died on December 5, 1996, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Carter had composed songs like 'The Rescue from Moose River Gold Mine' ('36), 'Covered Wagon Headin' West' ('36), 'How My Yodelling Days Began' ('37) and 'Why Did We Ever Part' ('40). Songwriting credits for some of Carter's recordings at 1, 2. See also discos for Wilf Carter 1, 2 and Montana Slim 1, 2. He composed all tracks below.

   The Capture of Albert Johnson

   My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby

Wilf Carter   1934

   Cowboy Blues

   Hobos Song of the Mounties

Wilf Carter   1938

   Everybody's Been Some Mothers Darling

Wilf Carter

Source: Steven Kovacik

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans

Source: Jay Dean

Similar to contemporaries, Gene Autry and Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] enjoyed a huge Hollywood career. Born Leonard Franklin Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1911, part of his youth was spent in Lucasville, Ohio, north of Portsmouth where Rogers' father was a farmer who worked in a shoe factory as well. Wikipedia has Rogers learning to ride horses as a youth. As there was no radio, Saturday nights meant square dances with neighbors at which Rogers called, sang and played mandolin. He attended high school in McDermott, then Cincinnati where he dropped out to work with his father in another shoe factory. After a trial run to California in 1929 with his father, he returned in 1930, his father in 1931, they to find employment driving gravel trucks. That same year found Rogers picking peaches in a Del Monte labor camp. His sister, Mary, whom he and his father had followed to California, suggested he audition at KMCS in Inglewqood, thus beginning his career in radio. He joined the Rocky Mountaineers in August of 1931. The Pioneer Trio was formed in 1933 with former brief Rocky Mountaineer members, Bob Nolan (upright bass) and Tim Spencer (vocals) with Rogers on guitar. When Hugh Farr (bass voice/fiddle) was added in early 1934 the Sons of the Pioneers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] were born. Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has them in Los Angeles on their initial tracks on August 8 of '34 for 'Way Out There'/'Ridin' Home' (Decca 5013) and 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds'/'Moonlight on the Prairie' (Decca 5047) released in '34 [1, 2]. Rogers appeared in his first films with the Pioneers in 1935: 'Slightly Static' and 'The Old Homestead' [filmographies: 1, 2]. Appearing in well above a hundred films, Rogers would be awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Karl Farr joined the Pioneers in time for a session on October 9, 1935, to see such as 'Song of the Pioneers'/'Echoes from the Hills' (Decca 5168). Lloyd Perryman joined the Sons of the Pioneers on bass and vocals in time for titles on October 21 of 1937 [per CMR; Praguefrank's is typoed as "Perriman"] like 'My Saddle Pal and I'/'I Love You, Nelly' (Conqueror 8941). Perryman would also contribute guitar. Rogers had recorded as Leonard Slye with the Pioneers. He began holding name sessions as Roy Rogers backed by members of the Pioneers on October 28, 1937, in Los Angeles, resulting in 'Cowboy Night Herd Song' (unissued), 'That Pioneer Mother of Mine'/'When the Black Sheep Gets the Blues' (Melotone M8-04-51 '38) and 'Hadie Brown' (unissued) [1, 2]. Legal matters such as Rogers' career as an actor then required that the Roy Rogers and Sons of the Pioneers names become separate entities. Rogers quit the Pioneers although its members continued to back his solo ventures. IMDB has Rogers performing in the three-act comedy, 'Topaze', at the Morosco Theatre in NYC in Dec 1947. Continuing onward without Rogers, the Pioneers would eventually pick up Tommy Doss (guitar) in 1950, he to stay to as late as 1967. Bob Nolan's last session with the band was on November 27 of 1957 for 'High Ridin' Woman'/'God Has His Arms Around Me' (RCA 47-7079) and 'Enchanted Isle' issued on 'Westward Ho!' (RCA Victor PRM 108) in 1961. Moving onward to a life less in the public eye as a songwriter, he issued 'The Sound of a Pioneer' in 1979 before his death on June 16, 1980, in Newport Beach, CA. Dale Warren took over lead vocals on October 7, 1958, in Manhattan for 'A Fiddle, a Faddle, an Axe and a Bible'/'My Last Goodbye' (RCA Victor 47-7392). That was Hugh Farr's last session with the Pioneers, they not to see another fiddler until B. Bruce in 1976 and Dale Morris in '83. Farr died on April 17, 1980. Tom Spencer was the last original member of the New Pioneers to leave the band after a session on June 24, 1959, reaping such as 'Wagon Wheels' and 'Tumbling Tumbeweeds' to get released on 'Cool Water' (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2118) in 1960. He died on April 26, 1976. Karl Farr held his last session with the Pioneers 20 April 1961 for titles like 'Song of the Pioneers' to see release on 'Tumbleweed Trail' in '62 (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2456). 1972 saw a reunion of Rogers, Nolan, Spencer, et al, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Upon Perryman's death in 1976 Warren took over until his own passing in 2008. The Sons of the Pioneers are yet active since then with Tommy Nallie who joined the group in 1985 and Ken Lattimore who signed up in 1998 [*]. Members since the new millennium as of this writing are Mark Abbott, Randy Rudd and Justin Bowman. The Sons of the Pioneers had been a hot band quite apart from Rogers. 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds' in '34 put them on the map. But while Rogers was pursuing a film career they released nine Top Ten selling titles from 'Stars & Stripes on Iwo Jima' in '41 at #4 to 'Room Full of Roses' in '49 at #10. Rogers' own 'Hi-Yo Silver' ranked at #13 on the charts in 1938, three more to place in the Top Ten: 'A Little White Cross on the Hill' (#7 '46), 'My Chickashay Gal' (#4 '47) and 'Stampede' (#8 '50). Rogers had done the calling on an album of square dances in 1949 with Spade Cooley performing titled 'Skip to My Lou' (RCA Victor WP 259), that a set of 3 7" 45 RPMs. Four more albums were issued variously in '49: 'Love of the West', 'Pecos Bill', 'Souvenir Album' and 'Round-Up'. His first LP was with wife, Dale Evans, in 1961 with the Sandpipers and the Mitch Miller Orchestra for 'Peter Cottontail'. Rogers was twice inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, first in 1980 for his work with the Sons of the Pioneers, next in 1988 for his solo contributions. In 1991 Roy, Dale and son, Dusty, issued 'Tribute'. Praguefrank's finds Rogers in a last session in Ventura, CA, in 1995 for 'Cowboy's Prayer' and 'The Very Best Years of My Life', those getting released that year on 'Say Yes to Tomorrow' (Homeland 9514-2). Beyond music, Rogers had been a Freemason and a pilot, owning a Cessna Bobcat. He died in Apple Valley, CA, on July 6, 1998, of heart failure. His second wife, Dale Evans (b Frances Octavia Smith 1912), whom he had married in 1947, died on February 7, 2001, in Apple Valley. They had met in 1944 while making a film and purchased a large California ranch in 1955. They were one another's major partner in all, including the 'Roy Rogers Show' which aired in 1951 and which theme song, 'Happy Trails to You', had been authored by Dale. Another of Dale's titles was 'The Bible Tells Me So' in 1955. Well-known hymns they recorded were Charles Austin Mile's 'In the Garden' ('50), 'John Newton's 'Amazing Grace' ('62) and Thomas Dorsey's 'Peace in the Valley' ('62). Production and songwriting credits for recordings by the Sons of the Pioneers at 1, 2, 3, 4; Roy Rogers at 1, 2, 3; Dale Evans at 1, 2, 3. Sons of the Pioneers in visual media.

   Ridin' Home

      Composition: Bob Nolan

   Swiss Yodel

   Tumbling Tumbleweeds

      Composition: Bob Nolan

Sons of the Pioneers   1935

   Over the Sante Fe Trail

   Westward Ho

      Composition: Tim Spencer

   When I Leave This World Behind

   Ride, Ranger, Ride

      Composition: Vern Spencer

The Tennessee Ramblers [1, 2], based in North Carolina, had little to do with Tennessee. That was the bluegrass band by the same name. Among the first of the country swing bands, these Ramblers were formed in 1928 by mandolinist, Dick Hartman (b 1898). Original members of the group unidentified, they performed at radio stations like Pittsburg's KDKA. It's thought that Hartman had recruited Cecil Campbell (banjo/steel guitar) [*], Kenneth Pappy Wolfe (fiddle) and Harry Blair (guitar/vocals) in 1932-33. Per Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) the Ramblers first recorded on January 3, 1935, in New York City, putting down twenty titles like 'When I Take My Vacation in Heaven'/'Silver Threads' (Bluebird 5796) and 'From the Palms of Hawaii'/'March of the Roses' (Bluebird 5962). CMR also has Jack Gillette in that session as likely on fiddle/vocals. A couple sessions worth 22 titles followed in August, adding Fred Happy Morris (guitar/vocals) to the roster: 'Mountain Dew Blues'/'Back to Old Smoky Mountain' (Bluebird 6105) and 'Rambler's Rag'/'Leechburg Polka' (Bluebird 6274), et al. Along with numerous titles in '36, some including fiddler, Elmer Warren, the Ramblers appeared in the film, 'Ride Ranger Ride', with Gene Autry. They were with Autry again in '37 in 'The Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge'. Hartman left the band in 1938. The group's next recordings on February 2 of 1939 consisted of Jack Gillette (leader), Cecil Campbell, Harry Blair and Tex Martin (Martin Shope - guitar/vocals). That session yielded four titles: 'Sugar Blues' (Bluebird 8062), 'Trumpet Talking Blues' (Bluebird 8081) and 'There's a Beautiful Home/'The Hills of Home' (Bluebird 8176). A session ensued in August, then a few more in 1940. In 1941 the Ramblers performed with Tex Ritter in the films, 'Ridin' the Cherokee Trail' and 'The Pioneers'. Gillette is thought to have led the band to 1946, Campbell then to take over lead. Praguefrank's shows the Ramblers recording to as late as 1970: 'Steel Guitar Blues'/'Mt. Dew Blues' (Winston 1006). Various compilations of the Tennessee Ramblers have been issued, such as 'Tennessee Ramblers Vol 2 The Jack Gillette Years 1939-46' and 'Steel Guitar Classics' (Country Classics 701) on an unidentified dates. Campbell, whose steel guitar was largely the main feature throughout the Ramblers' existence, continued performing until his death at age 78 (b March 22, 1911) on June 18, 1989, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Among Campbell's numerous compositions were 'Beaty Steel Blues' ('45), 'Steel Guitar Swing' ('50), 'Catawba River Blues' ('50), 'Steel Guitar Wiggle' ('51), 'Tennessee Steel Guitar' ('51), 'Money Can't Bring Happiness' ('63) and 'Campbell Steel March' ('63). Discos for the Ramblers w various credits w Hartman at lead: 1, 2. Per Gillette at lead: *. Per Campbell at lead: 1, 2, 3. Campbell catalog of name issues. See also A Birth of Rock & Roll 7. HMR Project.

   Mountain Dew Blues

      Composition: Fred "Happy" Morris

   Untitled

      From the film 'Ridin' the Cherokee Trail'

   Ol' Arkansas For Me/Arkansas Rag

      From the film 'Ridin' the Cherokee Trail'

      With Slim Andrews and Tex Ritter

   Spookie Boogie

      Composition: Dale Parker

Tennessee Ramblers

Source: Hillbilly Music

Ernest Tubb

Source: Find a Grave

Originally a folk musician, Ernest Tubb [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]was born on a farm near Crisp, Texas, in 1914. Liking Jimmie Rodgers as a youth, he taught himself to yodel and play guitar until at age 19 he landed a singing spot radio KONO AM in San Antonio [Wikipedia]. Tubb first recorded as a result of visiting Jimmie Rodgers' widow, Carrie, for an autographed photo. (Jimmie had died of tuberculosis on May 23 of 1933, at but age 35.) A friendship developed and Carrie helped Tubb acquire a contract with RCA, handling Bluebird now [*]. Per Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' Tubb backed Carrie in San Antonio on October 26 of 1936 to record a tribute to Jimmie titled 'We Miss Him When the Evening Shadows Fall' (Bluebird 6698). Tubb and Merwyn Buffington would back Carrie on guitars later on March of 1937 for 'My Rainbow Trail Keeps Winding On' (Bluebird 7339). Meanwhile, the day after Tubb's first session with Carrie on October 26 he laid out a couple more tributes to Jimmie with other solo titles: 'The Passing of Jimmie Rodgers'/'The Last Thoughts of Jimmie Rodgers' (Bluebird 6693). Tubb recorded a couple more tracks with Buffington on March 2 of '37 ('The T B Is Whipping Me'/'Since That Black Cat Crossed My Path' Bluebird 7000) before switching to Decca in 1940 in Houston for songs with Jimmie Short on guitar like 'Blue Eyed Elaine'/'I'll Get Along Somehow' (5825). Tubb kept plugging at Decca for the next few years, in the meanwhile joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1943, forming his band, the Texas Troubadours, that year. Decca's patience began paying off with Tubb's issue of 'Walking the Floor Over You' exceeding 400,000 copies in 1941 (#23 on the Folk Juke Box). Decca, though, would wait yet a couple more years to enjoy Tubb's rise to #2 on Billboard's new Country chart in 1944 with 'Try Me One More Time'. A lot of folks did, such that 1944 also saw 'Soldier's Last Letter' peak at #1 and 'Yesterday's Tears' at #4. Decca had waited a long time for Tubb to eventually arrive to the right formula, and it paid off huge for years thereafter, Tubb continuously issuing Top Forty songs to as late as another version of 'Walking the Floor Over You' in 1979 with Merle Haggard at #31 (#18 Canada). Too many of those to count rose to the Top Ten to as late 'Thanks a Lot' in 1963 at #3. Highlighting Tubb's career in the fifties was a bit of wild west in 1957 when Tubb mistook the wrong man for producer, Jim Denny, at the National Life Building in Nashville and tried shooting him with a .357 magnum, missing. He was arrested for public drunkenness. Highlighting the sixties was the addition of guitarist, Leon Rhodes, to Tubbs band in 1960, Rhodes putting down his first tracks with Tubbs in Nashville on September 21 for titles to see release in 1960 on 'All Time Greatest Hits (Decca DL-74046). Tubb held on to Rhodes to as late as August 11, 1966, in Nashville for tracks with Loretta Lynn to issue on 'Singin' Again' (Decca DL-74872). Rhodes went on to a career with the Grand Ole Opry for above three decades, eventually to reunite with Tubb on July 26 of 1982 in Nashville for 'Tomorrow Never Comes'. Praguefrank's gives up Tubb the next month on the 5th with Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr. for 'Leave Them Boys Alone'. Tubb had hosted his own television program from '65 to '68, 'The Ernest Tubb Show'. He was elected into the Country music Hall of Fame the same year. 1970 saw his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Tubb died in Nashville on September 6, 1984. Among his numerous collaborators were such as the Andrews Sisters, Red Foley, Anita Kerr, the Wilburn Brothers, Conway Twitty and Johnny Paycheck. Tubb had composed such as 'I'll Get Along Somehow' issued in 1940, 'It's Been So Long, Darling' in '45 and 'I'm Free at Last' in '50. Songwriting credits to some of his recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Tubb in visual media.

   The Passing of Jimmie Rodgers

      Composition: Carrie Rodgers

Ernest Tubb   1940

   Blue-Eyed Elaine

      Composition: Ernest Tubb

Ernest Tubb   1946

   Drivin' Nails in my Coffin

      Composition: Jerry Irby

   Filipino Baby

      Composition: Billy Cox/Clarke Van Ness

Ernest Tubb   1954

   Two Glasses, Joe

      Composition: Cindy Walker

Ernest Tubb   1956

   Try Me One More Time

       Television performance

      Composition: Ernest Tubb

   Walking the Floor Over You

       Television performance

      Composition: Ernest Tubb

   So Doggone Lonesome

       Television performance

      Composition: Johnny Cash

   Half a Mind

      Composition: Roger Miller

Ernest Tubb   1960

   Who Will Buy the Wine?

      Composition: Billy Mize

Ernest Tubb   1961

   Drivin' Nails in my Coffin

       Television performance

      Composition: Jerry Irby

   I'm Walking the Floor Over You

       Television performance

      Composition: Ernest Tubb

   Put Me in Your Pocket

       Backing duet by Bill Boyd & William Perrin

      Composition: W. Lee O'Daniel

   Everybody's Truckin'

       Vocal w the Modern Mountaineers

      Composition: JR Chatwell

   Loud Mouth

       Vocal w the Modern Mountaineers

   Gettin That Low Down Swing

       Vocal w the Modern Mountaineers

   Keep on Truckin'

       With the Wood Chips

      Composition: JR Chatwell

Smokey Wood

Source: Keep Swinging

   Honky Tonk Blues

      Composition: Al Dexter

Al Dexter   1942

   So Long Pal

      Composition: Al Dexter

   Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry

      Composition: Al Dexter

Al Dexter   1943

   Pistol Packin' Mama

      Melody from 'Boil Them Cabbage Down'

      Lyrics: Al Dexter

Al Dexter   1944

   Rosalita

      Composition: Al Dexter

Al Dexter   1950

   Diddy Wah Boogie

      Composition: Robertson/Aubrey Gass

Al Dexter

Moon Mullican

Source: Joe's Beat

Pianist Moon Mullican worked in a variety of musical genres including blues, jazz and rock n roll [1, 2, 3, 4]. Born in 1909 in Polk County, Texas, of Scottish descent, he began working clubs as a teenager in 1926. Ten years later he recorded his first titles in San Antonio with Leon Selph's Blue Ridge Playboys. Russell's 'Country Music Records' has those dated on November 20, 1936, to result in such as 'Anything' (ARC 7-06-55; Vocalion 03526), 'Blue Monday (Vocalion 03589), 'Swing Baby Swing' (ARC 7-04-72; Vocalion 03460), 'Georgia Pines' (ARC 7-05-53; Vocalion 03481) and 'Ain't You Kinda Sorry Now' (ARC 7-05-53; Vocalion 03481). Mullican performed variously at piano and/or vocals [Mullican discography of vocal contributions only.] 45worlds has eight of those 12 tracks w the Blue Ridge Playboys issued in 1937: 'Can't Nobody Truck Like Me'/'Whose Honey Are You' (Perfect 7-03-66), 'Anything'/'Gimme My Dime Back' (Vocalion 03526), 'That Old Fashioned Way'/'Take Me Back To West Texas' (Vocalion 03558) and 'Blue Monday'/'You're as Pretty as a Picture' (Vocalion 03589). HMC later issued a Selph collection on an unknown date titled 'Swing Baby Swing' with some titles on it (BOUSS 0215). Bear Family issued a Floyd Tillman anthology in 2004 titled 'I Love You So Much It Hurts' (BCD 16415 FL) with all the titles from that first session included. Joining Selph on fiddle and Tillman on electric guitar were Herman Standlee (guitar/electric guitar, Gus Plant (banjo), Chuck Keeshan (guitar) and Hezzie Bryant (upright bass). Mullican would support Selph again on piano only on September 5 of 1939 in Houston for 'You're My Darling'/'Your'e My Precious Little Girl'. Come fiddler, Cliff Bruner, on September 13, 1938, in San Antonio for titles with Bryant, Bob Dunn at electric steel, Leo Raley on electric mandolin, Joe Thames at banjo and Dickie McBride on guitar. With Mullican again at piano and vocals variously, Bruner's outfit recorded such as 'Anne Laurie'/'Remember' (Decca 5647) and 'Ease My Worried Mind'/'Draggin' the Bow' (Decca 5610). The earliest issue dates identified for Mullican are from that session per 'It Makes No Difference Now' (Decca 5604) and 'Bring It On Home to Grandma' (Decca 5619) in October and November of '38 per 45worlds. A third session on August 26, 1939, witnessed 'such as 'Truck Driver Blues'/'I'm Tired of You' (Decca 5725). Mullican backed Bruner on several sessions to as late as April 15, 1941, for such as 'Jessie's Sister'/'My Time Will Come Some Day' (Decca 5974). Mullican had joined Bob Dunn's Vagabonds in Houston on September 5 of '39 for such as 'Basin Street Blues' (Decca 5733). Again, string bassist, Hezzie Bryant, was in on those among others. Mullican was next with Bryant, Bruner and Dunn on August 29 0f 1939 to support Tillman on the likes of 'I Didn't Know'/'Don't Be Blue' (Decca 5741). Joining them were Leo Raley on electric mandolin. The next day (August 30, 1939) Mullican, Bryant, Raley and Buster Jones (electric steel) supported vocalist, Buddy Jones, on 'Hold It a Little Longer'/'Rockin' Rollin' Mama' (Decca 5731), et al. Mullican would back Jones on several dates in 1940 and '41. Come the Modern Mountaineers on February 13, 1940, that configuration presenting Buddy Ray (fiddle), JD Standlee (electric steel), Johnny Thames (banjo), Aubrey Greenshaw (guitar) and Bill Mounce (string bass) on such as 'Rackin' It Bac'/'It's All Over Now' (Bluebird 8437). Mullican joined the Texas Wanderers in Houston in April of 1940 for a couple of sessions to result in such as 'Pipeliner's Blues'/'Rackin It Back (Decca 5831). The Texas Wanderers consisted at that time of Buddy Ray (fiddle), Cameron Hill (electric guitar), Johnny Thames (banjo), Red Greenshaw (guitar) and Bill Mounce (string Bass). May 4 of 1940 saw Mullican with the Sunshine Boys in Saginaw, TX, with Jimmy Thomason (fiddle), Billy Mack (electric steel), Merle Shelton (guitar) and Grundy Harbert (string bass) to string along 'Pipe Liner's Blues'/'Coo-Se-Coo' (Okeh 05669), etc.. In April of 1941 Mullican joined Charles Mitchell and his Orchestra with Bruner at fiddle for 'Jersey Side Jive'/'The Sun Has Gone Down on Our Love' (Bluebird 8716), et al. Bruner, Mullican, et al, joined Mitchell again on October 10 that year for 'Little Star of Heaven'/'I Dreamed of an Old Love Affair' (Bluebird 8935), etc.. On May of '41 Mullican had backed vocalist, Jimmie Davis, on such as 'I Hung My Head and Cried'/'Just Because (Of You Little Girl) (Decca 5978). Joining him on that session were Jim Hewlitt (trumpet), Charles Mitchel (electric steel), Cliff Bruner (electric guitar), Tex Swain (guitar) and possibly Hershel Woodal on string bass). It was Mitchell, Mullican and unknowns backing Davis on July 27, 1942, for the likes of 'What's the Matter with You Darling'/'What Happened' (Decca 46038). Mullican had joined Slim Harbert's Okeh Boys earlier that March for a string of unissued titles like 'Fruit Wagon Gal' and 'Lulu Lou'. One track, 'Brown Bottle Blues' eventually saw release in 1982 on the album by various, 'Okeh Western Swing' (Epic 37324). It was 1945 when Mullican formed his own band, the Showboys. He began recording name titles for King Records in 1946. 45worlds shows 'Lonesome Hearted Blues'/'It's a Sin to Love You Like I Do' released in October, 'New Pretty Blonde (New Jole Blon)'/'When a Soldier Knocks and Finds Nobody Home' issued in December. "New Pretty Blonde' rose to #2 on the Country chart. Mullican maintained a Top Twenty presence on the charts to 'Ragged But Right' in 1961 at #15. Among Top Ten titles was 'I'll Sail My Ship Alone' reaching #1 in 1950. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry the next year. in 1952 he cowrote 'Jambalaya (On the Bayou)' with Hank Williams. King issued the album, 'Sings His All-Time Hits' in 1955. Come 'Sings and Plays 16 of His Favorite Tunes' in '59, 'Instrumentals' in '62, 'Playin' and Singin'' in '63, 'Mr. Piano Man' in '64 and 'Good Times Gonna Roll Again' in '66. Dying on January 1, 1967, in Beaumont, Texas, Mullican's 'The Moon Mullican Showcase' was released in 1969. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame posthumously in 1976. Prodiction and songwriting credits for Mullican at 1, 2. Mullican in visual media. More Moon Mullican in A Birth of Rock n Roll.

   Gimme My Dime Back

      With Leon Selph's Blue Ridge Playboys

      Vocal: Floyd Tillman

      Composition: Leon Selph

   Pipeliner's Blues

      With the Modern Mountaineers

      Composition: Moon Mullican

Moon Mullican   1946

   New Jole Blon   (New Pretty Blonde)

      Composition: Traditional Cajun waltz

      First recorded as 'Ma Blonde Est Partie'

      Breaux Brothers   1929

Moon Mullican   1949

   I'll Sail My Ship Alone

      Composition:

      Henry Bernard/Morry Burns/Barry Mann/Henry Thurston

   Moon's Tune

      Composition:

      Henry Bernard/Morry Burns/Syd Nathan

Moon Mullican   1950

   Well, Oh Well

      Composition:

      Henry Bernard/Tiny Bradshaw/Sydney Mann

Born in Nova Scotia in 1914, Canadian yodeler, Hank Snow, made his first recordings in 1936, upon a brief period in radio. He went as the Yodeling Ranger early in his career, later as the Singing Ranger. Snow had left home at the age of twelve to work on a fishing schooner [1, 2, 3]. Returning home four years later, he purchased his first guitar out of an Eaton catalogue for thirteen dollars. His first professional gig was in 1933 for CHNS radio in Nova Scotia, a Saturday radio program that he performed for free, but which led to further gigs in clubs and theatres. Praguefrank's has Snow holding his initial sessions in Montreal, Quebec, on October 29, 1936, for 'Prisoned Cowboy'/'Lonely Blue Yodel' (Bluebird 4614). Hithistory and Rocky52 have those released in 1937. Johnny Beaudoin, his major partner on steel throughout his career in Canada to 1947, collaborated with him on his second session on November 6, 1937, for 'Blue For Old Hawaii' (Bluebird 4645), 'We Met Down In The Hills Of Wyoming' (Bluebird 4637) and 'My San Antonio Mama' (Bluebird 4640) released in '38 [*]. Snow forayed into the United States severally before moving to Nashville in 1949. Bearfamily has promoter, Jack Howard, arranging gigs for Snow in Philadelphia in 1944, also hooking him up with the first of multiple performances at the WWVA Jamboree. Charles Wolfe's 'Classic Country: Legends of Country Music' ('01) has Snow performing in Hollywood in 1946 with his trick pony, Shawnee. Snow's last session in Canada was in Montreal on December 2, 1947, for a string of titles including such as 'Within This Broken Heart of Mine'/'Night I Stole Old Sammy Morgan's Gin' (Bluebird 3244) and 'Somewhere Along Life's Highway'/'I Knew We'd Met Again' (Bluebird 3243). Snow was in Dallas in 1948 with KRLD's 'Big D Jamboree', also performing at the Silver Spur, when he met Ernest Tubb, that leading to Snow's move to Nashville in '49 and his first performance at the Grand Ole Opry on January 7, 1950 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Snow would perform at the Opry for above four decades, starting at $75 week. Snow's first recording sessions in the States were with his new organization, the Rainbow Ranch Boys, on March 8, 1949, in Chicago to result in such as 'Marriage Vow'/'Star Spangled Waltz' (RCA Victor 21-0062). The former lassoed Billboard's #10 spot, launching a prominent presence in country music into and throughout the sixties. His next three Top Ten titles peaked at #1: 'I'm Moving On' ('50), 'The Golden Rocket' ('51) and 'The Rhumba Boogie' ('51). "I Don't Hurt Anymore' saw #1 in '54 followed by 'Let Me Go, Lover!' the next year. Come 'I've Been Everywhere' at #1 in '62. Snow roped his last #1 title, also his last Top Ten, in 1974 per 'Hello Love'. Discogs has Snow releasing an album of three 45 RPMs titled 'Favorites' in 1950, also issued individually. Numerous shellac EPs followed to his first LPs in 1952, 'Country Classics' and 'Hank Snow Sings'. Of the above 40 albums Wikipedia has Snow leading both 'Railroad Man' in '63 and 'Hello Love' in '74 reached Country's Top Ten. His career was good for more than eighty million albums sold. He also collaborated on albums with Anita Carter, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Snow (son), Kelly Foxton and Willie Nelson. Praguefrank's uncovers Snow to as late as September of 1984 in Spicewood, Texas, for tracks that would see release on 'Brand on My Heart' (Columbia PC 39977) in 1985. Snow's autobiography, 'The Hank Snow Story', was published in 1994. He died on December 20, 1999 of heart failure in Madison, Tennessee. Also composing as Clarence Snow, Hank wrote titles like 'My Mother' and 'My Sweet Texas Blue Bonnet Queen' in '48 and 'My Filipino Rose' and 'The Law of Love' in '49. Songwriting credits to some of his recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4. Snow in visual media. More as to the Grand Ole Opry under DeFord Bailey in Blues 2.

   Lonesome Blue Yodel

      Composition: Hank Snow (Clarence Snow)

   Prisoned Cowboy

      Composition: Hank Snow

Hank Snow   1950

   I'm Movin' On

      Composition: Hank Snow

Hank Snow   1962

   I've Been Everywhere

      Television performance

      Composition: Geoff Mack

Hank Snow   1967

   I'm Movin' On

      Television performance

      Composition: Hank Snow

Hank Snow

Source: Bluegrass Cafe

Floyd Tillman

Source: Alchetron

   Gimme My Dime Back

      Composition: Leon Selph

   Don't Be Blue

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   What Difference Does It Make

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   They Took the Stars Out of Heaven

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   I Love You So Much, It Hurts

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   Just One More Time

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   Floyd's Song

   All I've Got To Lose Is Everything

      Composition: Mollie Ward/Ted Daffan

   I Reap What I Sow

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

Floyd Tillman   1981

   Half a House

       With Merle Haggard

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   I Am Music

       With Merle Haggard

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

Born in 1921 in Clinton, South Carolina, Arthur Guitar Boogie Smith [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] is easy to confuse with the bluegrass musician, Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. This Arthur Smith planted his feet both in boogie boogie and country western, also recording popular music (which Fiddlin' Arthur didn't). Boogie woogie was the southern equivalent of ragtime, important at the roots of R&B and rock (thus Smith is listed in Fifties Rock as a precursor). Smith played cornet as a youth, forming a Dixieland combo with his brothers, Ralph and Sonny, which eventually shifted over to country music as Smith picked up other instruments like guitar. In 1938 when Smith was seventeen the Carolina Crackerjacks took a trip to Rock Hill to record four tracks at the Andrew Jackson Hotel. Praguefrank's dates those per September 26, 1938: 'I'm Going Back to Old Carolina' (Bluebird 8304), 'Old Santa Claus Is Leavin' Just Because' (Bluebird 8104), 'There Are No Disappointments in Heaven' (Bluebird 8376) and 'Your Soul Never Dies' (Bluebird 8376). Smith played mandolin and fiddle on those, accompanied by Sonny (guitar), Ralph (banjo) and Luke Tucker (bass). Smith otherwise began his career in radio, hiring onto WSPA in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 1941. 1943 found Smith moving to Charlotte, NC, to work for WBT radio in its Briarhoppers band for the 'Carolina Barndance' program, likely with his Crackerjacks as well. He and his brothers joined the military per World War II, after which they returned to WBT where Smith hosted the 'Carolina Calling' program. Smith recorded his fist version of 'Guitar Boogie' (Super Disc 1004) circa September 1944 possibly in Washington DC. 45Worlds has that issued in September of '45 credited to the Rambler Trio featuring Arthur Smith. He also appeared on the flip, 'Beaty Steel Blues', by Cecil Campbell's Tennessee Ramblers. Also recorded by the Ramblers on that date were 'Each Night at Nine'/'Please Come Back to Me Daddy' (Super Disc 1005). Smith alighted at #9 on Billboard's Country chart in 1948 with 'Banjo Boogie'. That was followed in 1949 by 'Boomerang' and another version of 'Guitar Boogie' both reaching #8 [musicvf]. In 1951 WBT radio became WBTV television, the year Smith released his first LP on 10": 'Fingers on Fire'. In 1955 Smith partnered with banjo player, Don Reno, to record 'Feudin' Banjos', which tune was later used in the 1972 film, 'Deliverance'. Smith is otherwise best known as television host of 'The Arthur Smith Show' which ran for about thirty years. He also built a recording studio in Charlotte where he produced radio programs. Discogs has him leading or co-leading above twenty albums to 'Jumpin' Guitar' in 1985, several with the Cracker Jacks. Smith died in Charlotte on April 3, 2014, 2 days after his 93rd birthday. By which time he had copyrighted about 500 tunes. Among them were 'Mandolin Boogie' ('51), 'In Memory of Hank Williams' ('53), 'Guitar Boogie Twist' ('62), 'Philadelphia Guitar' ('63), 'Back to His Hole He Went' ('63), 'The Stuttering Song' ('63), 'I Like Lasses' ('64) and 'Flat Top Hari Kari' ('64). Discos w various credits at 1, 2. Smith in visual media. Smith wrote all titles below except as noted (* = undetermined).

   Boomerang

   Guitar Boogie

Arthur Smith   1955

   Feudin' Banjos

      Composition: Rolf Harris

Spade Cooley

Source: Planet Barberella

Donnell Clyde Cooley in 1910 in Grand, Oklahoma, swing fiddler Spade Cooley [*] is said to have become "Spade" upon winning a few hands of poker with spade flushes sometime as a young man. [1, 2, 3.] He married a girl named Ann at age 17 and had a son about the time he left for Venice, California, to become a ready to Roy Rogers. IMDb has him uncredited in the first of above fifty parts in films in 1938: "Land of Fighting Men'. Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has him holding his first recording session in Los Angeles on March 12, 1940, as second fiddle to Carl Cotner for Gene Autry. Titles gone down on that date were such as 'The Singing Hills' (Vocalion/Okeh 05513) and 'Goodbye Little Darling Goodbye' (Vocalion/Okeh 05463) issued that year per discogs and 45worlds. CMR has Cooley as possible second fiddle to possible Cotner again for Roy Rogers on August 29 of 1940 with Johnny Bond on string bass and Dick Reinhart at guitar for such as 'Chapel in the Valley'/'No Matter What Happens, My Darling' (Decca 5895). He may have joined the same cast on September 3, 1940, for such as 'Silent Night, Holy Night'/'O Come All Ye Faithful' (Decca 5883). CMR has the first of numerous certain sessions for Rogers on September 4, 1940, w Cooley's Buckle Busters for 'Round the Couple and Swing When You Meet'/'Chase That Rabbit - Chase That Squirrel', etc.. Cooley hung with Rogers into 1942, recording with him again in 1945-47. On November 8 of '40 Cooley was fiddler in Texas Jim Lewis' (string bass) Lone Star Cowboys for such as 'New San Antonio Rose'/'Worried Mind' (Decca 5901). On August 19 of '41 he was with Ray Whitley's Six Bar Cowboys for 'When You Took Your Love Away'/'How Was I Supposed to Know' (Okeh 06454; Conqueror 9853) and 'Please Don't Forget Me, Dear'/'Darlin Don't Cry Over Me' (Conqueror 9864). Cooley backed vocalist, Ella Sutton, on six tracks on August 22, 1941, two issued: 'Blue Bonnets'/'On the Banks of the Sunny San Juan' (Okeh 06481). Seven days later on the 29th he was second fiddle to Cotner for Autry again on 'If You Only Believed in Me' (Okeh 6725), et al. Cooley joined Johnny Bond's Red River Valley Boys in 1941-42, their first session on December 2 for the likes of 'You Brought Sorrow to My Heart'/'How Low Do the Blues Want to Go' (Okeh 06577), et al. CMR has Bond (guitar) w Cooley as lead fiddle for Judy Canova on December 15, 1941 for two of four tracks issued: 'Is It True'/'Some One' (Okeh 6683). CMR has him with Jimmy Wakely's Rough Riders on June 23 of 1942 for such as 'There's a Star Spangeled Banner Waving Somewhere'/'Standing Outside of Heaven' (Decca 6059) and 'Alone and Lonely'/'It's Too Late to Say You're Sorry' (Decca 6072). It was Texas Jim Lewis again on July 23, 1942, for 'Tweedle O'Twill' (Decca 6064), et al. Sometime in 1942? Cooley hire Ella Mae Evans to sing in his band. Praguefrank's places Cooley's first name session on December 4 of 1944 at radio KNX in Hollywood to result in 'Shame on You'/'A Pair of Broken Hearts' (Okeh 6731) and 'I've Taken All I'm Gonna Take From You'/'Forgive Me One More Time' (Okeh 6746). Tex Williams sang lead. It was 1945 that Cooley divorced Ann to marry Ella Mae in November. So far as the Country charts go, Spade played six winning hands inside Billboard's Top Ten: 'A Pair of Broken Hearts' (#8 '45), 'I've Taken All I'm Gonna Take from You' (#4 '45), 'Shame on You' (#1 '45), 'Detour' (#2 '46), 'You Can't Break My Heart' (#3 '46) and 'Crazy 'Cause I Love You' (#4 '47) [*]. In 1949 Cooley issued an album of three 45 RPMs called 'Square Dances' (RCA Victor WP 249). It was an album of three 78 RPMs in 1950 called 'Spade Cooley Plays Billy Hill For Dancing' (RCA Victor ‎P 275). Cooley had his own television program in 1957-58. It was easier to put multiple tracks on one disc per Cooley's first issue on LP in 1958: 'Western Swing in Hi-Fi', that shared with tracks by Bob Wills, Tex Williams and Billy Gray. Praguefrank's follows him to as late as an unidentified date in 1959 in Hollywood for tracks that saw issue on his LP, 'Fidoodlin' in 1959 on Ray Note (RN 5007) [Discogs]. A Hollywood Star appeared on the Boulevard in 1960. On April 3, 1961, when one might have thought Cooley had the moon on a string, he murdered his wife, Ella Mae, in an especially brutal manner, his 14 year-old daughter, Melody, witnessing part of it. He died eight years later of heart attack on November 23, 1969, after giving a concert on prison furlough, with one year left of prison time. [1, 2, 3.] Cooley had composed titles like 'Crazy 'Cause I Love You' ('46) and 'Spadella' ('47). Songwriting credits to other of his recordings: 1, 2, 3. Per 1946 below, 'Oklahoma Stomp' is variously credited: AllMusic: Cooley, Pedro DePaul and Jim Soldi; Discogs: Cooley, Pedro DePaul and Johnny Weiss. The scanned label at 45Cat shows Weiss and Cooley. Duke Ellington's Six Jolly Jesters issued the same title which sounds alike the same tune in 1929, credited at Discogs and RedHotJazz to Irving Berlin.

   El Rancho Grande

      With Gene Autry

      1st fiddle: Carl Cotner   2nd fiddle: Spade Cooley

      Composition: Bartley Costello/Emilio Uranga

   Shame on You

      Composition: Spade Cooley

   Oklahoma Stomp

      Composition: See above

   Steel Guitar Rag

      Composition: Leon McAuliffe

Spade Cooley   1947

   Three Way Boogie

      Composition:

      George Bamby/Joaquin Murphey/John Weis/Cooley

Born in 1914 in Howard County, Arkansas, guitarist Jimmy Wakely [1, 2, 3, 4] formed a group in 1937 called the Singing Cowboy Trio with Johnny Bond and Scotty Harrell in Oklahoma City. That became the Bell Boys to advertise Bell Clothing on radio WKY as well as KVOO in Tulsa. [1, 2.] Dick Reinhart (string bass) replaced Harrell to head to California as the Jimmy Wakely Trio in 1939 to seek out Gene Autry whom Wakely had earlier met, the latter suggesting that he head west. IMDb has Wakely in his first film in 1939 as an uncredited musician: 'Saga of Death Valley' starring Roy Rogers. His trio joined Autry's CBS radio program, 'Melody Ranch', in mid 1940 and stayed a couple of years. Excluding radio transcriptions in 1939 in Hollywood, Wakely made his first recordings to issue in Los Angeles on August 28, 1940, with Bond (guitar), they backing Reinhart's vocals on such as 'Hey Toots/'Wooly Booger' (Okeh 05917) and 'You're the Red Rose of My Heart'/'No One to Kiss Me Tonight' (Conqueror 9713). Also supporting Reinhart in that session were Carl Cotner (fiddle), Frank Marvin (electric steel) and Paul Sells (piano). [Tracks at Praguefrank's may not exactly jive with titles mentioned herein, as Praguefrank's sometimes lists only an artist's vocal contributions, absenting such as instrumental supporting roles from Russell's CMR.] The next day on August 29, 1940, Wakely held his initial name session with his Roughriders joined by Bond, Reinhart, Cotner and Marvin for 'Too Late'/'Poor Little Rose' (Decca 5909), 'Maria Elena'/'Cimarron (Roll On)' (Decca 5877), et al. The next month on September 3 of '40 his Roughriders backed Roy Rogers on 'Silent Night, Holy Night'/'O Come All Ye Faithful' (Decca 5883) and 'Wondering Why'/'(Without You Darling) Life Won't Be the Same'' (Decca 5916). On the 11th he backed Johnny Marvin w Reinhart, Paul Sells (accordion), Frank Marvin (electric steel) and Joe Kretchter (clarinet) for 'We Like It'/'Me and My Shadow' (Decca 5891) and 'No One to Kiss Me Goodnight'/'As Long as I Live' (Decca 5904). Come vocalist, Jimmie Davis, on May 15, 1941, with Bond for such as 'I've Got My Heart on My Sleeve'/'Live and Let Live' (Decca 6053). Also in that were Don Linder (trumpet), Dick Roberts (electric steel) and Al Mack (piano). Wakely played string bass in that session. It was time to support Bond on some tracks on August 12 of '41 w his Red River Valley Boys on such as 'I Won't Stand in our Way'/'I'm Poundin' the Rails Again' (Conqueror 9868). In the meantime Wakely was recording his own titles, 16 of them in 6 sessions in 1941. 'There's a Star Spangled Banner Wavin' Somewhere' rose #19 on the charts in '43. 'I'm Sending You Red Roses'' rose to #2 on Billboards new Country chart in '44 (at first tabulating only the discontinued Folk Juke Box chart). Musicvf has Wakely delivering 14 Top Ten titles from 'Signed, Sealed and Deliverd' #9 in 1948 to 'My Heart Cries for You' at #7 and 'Beautiful Brown Eyes' at #9 in 1951. Two others in '48 had helped themselves to #1: 'One Has No Name' and 'I Love You Much It Hurts'. Among Wakely's USO tours were those with Bob Hope in '49 and '50 [*]. Wakely's first album had been a set of 3 45 RPMs in 1954 titled 'Songs of the West' (Capitol 4008) [Discogs]. He issued the vinyl LP, 'Christmas on the Range', the same year, 'Santa Fe Trail' in '56 and 'Enter and Rest and Pray' in 1957. Wakely founded Shasta Records in the latter fifties. Rateyourmusic has that label issuing a promo disc by the Hi-Flyers as early as 1957: 'I Heard an Angel Cry'/'They Call You the Lover' (Shasta ‎SH 45 118). Wakely's LP, 'Country Million Sellers' (Shasta SH LP 501) is listed as 1958. Shasta would handle artists such as Tex Williams, Merle Travis, Eddie Dean, Tex Ritter and Rex Allen. Wakely's career included appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, 'National Barn Dance' and in Las Vegas. Praguefrank's follows Wakely to as late as 1977 or sooner for titles to see issue in 1977 on 'Precious Memories' (Shasta LP 532), 'An Old-Fashioned Christmas' (Shasta LP 533) and 'Moments to Remember' (Shasta LP 540) [rocky52]. Wakely died on September 23 of 1982 in Mission Hills of emphysema leading to heart failure. He had composed such as 'Too Late' ('40), 'I'll Never Let You Go' ('41) and 'Texas Tornado' ('42). Production and songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3. Wakely in visual media. Further reading: *.

Jimmy Wakely   1940

   You Are My Sunshine

      Composition: Jimmie Davis/Charles Mitchell   1939

Jimmy Wakely   1948

   One Has My Name

      Composition:

      Eddie Dean/Lorene Dearest Dean/Hal Blair

   When It's Nighttime in Nevada

      Composition:

      Richard Pascoe, Will Dulmage/H.O. Reilly Clint

Jimmy Wakely   1949

   I Love You So Much It Hurts Me

      With Margaret Whiting

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   Slipping Around

      With Margaret Whiting

      Composition: Floyd Tillman

   Beautiful Brown Eyes

      Composition: Alton Delmore/Arthur Smith

   My Heart Cries for You

      Composition: Carl Sigman/Peter Mars

Jimmy Wakely

Source: Find a Grave

Born in 1917 in Rosewood, Kentucky, Merle Travis [1, 2, 3], a highly accomplished guitarist, would be suitably listed in A Birth of Folk as well. Travis began to play professionally at age 18 in Evansville, Indiana, soon moving to Cincinnati to perform with the Drifting Pioneers, a gospel quartet, at radio WLW. [1, 2, 3.] Joining their 'Boone County Jamboree' program in 1938, he met Grandpa Jones with whom he, as Bob McCarthy, formed the Sheppard Brothers to spread along their first tracks in September of '43 in Dayton, OH: 'The Steppin' Out Kind'/'You'll Be Lonesome Too' (King 500) and 'When Mussolini Laid His Pistol Down'/'Two-Time Annie' (King 501), both released on November 15 of '43 [45worlds]. Come January of 1944 in Cincinnati for 'What Will I Do' to eventually see issue in 1963 on the album by various, 'Nashville Bandstand Vol 2' (King 847). That and 'So Long, Farewell, Goodbye' both saw release in 1994 on 'Guitar Rags and a Too Fast Past' (Bear Family 15637). Travis next spent a brief period in the Marines per World War II. Returning to Cincinnati upon release from duty, he soon traded that scene for California, his next session on October 6 of '44 in Hollywood w Wesley Tuttle and fiddler, Charles Linville, for 'God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds'/'It May Be Too Late' (Capitol 57-40233) and 'I Dreamed That My Dady Came Home' (Capitol 197). Tuttle, Travis and Linville recorded severally together into 1945 in various configurations. Travis and Grandpa Jones later formed the Brown Ferry Four with the Delmore Brothers, Alton and Ramon. Praguefrank's has them in Hollywood in February or March of 1946 for 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken'/'Just a Little Talk with Jesus' (King 530). MDb has Travis in his first film uncredited in 1944: 'I'm from Arkansas'. Wikipedia has Travis making his first soundie in 1944 with Jimmy Wakely: 'Night Train to Memphis'. 'Billboard' has that advertised in its Movie Machine Reviews in January of '45. IMDb doesn't list that, but does show 'Montana Plains' the same year. Soundies were the forties version of the music video made so popular since the launch of MTV in August of 1981. ('Too Much Sugar for a Dime', below, is a soundie.) From 'Cincinnati Lou' at #2 in '46 to 'Merle's Boogie Woogie' in '48 Travis set nine titles amidst Billboard's Country Top Ten. Reaching the apex at #1 were 'Divorce Me C.O.D.' in 1946 and 'So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed' in 1948. 1947 had seen the issue of the Travis album, 'Folk Songs of the Hills' (Capitol AD 50), consisting of four 10" shellacs. 1956 saw his LP, 'The Merle Travis Guitar'. In 1974 Travis released the album, 'The Atkins - Travis Traveling Show', featuring duets with another of country's most esteemed guitarists, Chet Atkins. Both Atkins and Doc Watson honored Travis for his guitar and his person by naming children after him. Travis was part of the Badlands outfit in 1980 for 'Badlands'. Praguefrank's gives him up on an unknown date which would have to have been prior to his death on October 23 of 1983 for tracks to be released in 1985 on 'Farm & Home Hour' (CMH Records 9032). Travis passed beyond in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, having composed titles like 'Sixteen Tons' for issue in 1947, 'Let's Settle Down' in 1951 and 'You're a Little Bit Cuter' in '67. Songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3, 4. Travis in visual media.

   It's Raining Here This Morning

      With Grandpa Jones

      Composition: Grandpa Jones

   Cincinnati Lou

      Composition: George Fisher/Travis

   No Vacancy

      Composition: Cliffie Stone/Travis

Merle Travis   1947

   Dark As a Dungeon

      Composition: Travis

   Divorce Me C.O.D.

      Composition: Cliffie Stone/Travis

   Nine Pound Hammer

      Composition: Cliffie Stone/Travis

Merle Travis   1951

   Lost John

      Composition: Travis

   Too Much Sugar For a Dime

      Soundie      Composition: Travis

   Bayou Baby

      Composition: Travis

Merle Travis   1956

   Blue Smoke

      Composition: Travis

   Goodbye My Bluebell

      Composition:

      Edward Madden/Theodore Morse   1904

Merle Travis   1959

   Re-Enlistment Blues

      Composition:

      Frederick Karger/James Jones/Robert Wells

Merle Travis   1968

   I'll See You in My Dreams

      Composition: 1924

      Music: Isham Jones

      Lyrics: Gus Kahn

Merle Travis

Source: Unique Guitar

Lloyd Cowboy Copas

Source: The Pogues

Born in 1913 in Blue Creek, Ohio, (Lloyd) Cowboy Copas [1, 2] was performing on radio at the age of fourteen [Wikipedia]. Come the thirties he was working in Cincinnati with WLW AM and WKRC AM. 1940 has him moving to Knoxville to work for WNOX with his Gold Star Rangers. He began performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1943 in the band of Pee Wee King. Praguefrank's begins its sessionography of Copas in Cincinnati on an unknown date in July of 1945 to lay out 'Tragic Romance'/'You Will Find Me Here' issued on King 537 in May 1946 per 45Worlds and Discogs. That was preceded, however, in 1944 by 'Filipino Baby'/'I Don't Blame You' (King 505) per 45Worlds and Discogs. Other tracks gone down in July of '45 were second versions of 'Filipino Baby' and 'I Don't Blame You' per 45Worlds (all such noted as "some sources" at Praguefrank's). Also gone down that July were 'You Live in a World All Your Own'/'There Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me' (King 511/issued '45) and 'Please Answer My Letter'/'Gun Totin' Mama' (King 516/issued Dec '45). Copas was guitar and vocals on those, probably backed by Roy Lanham (lead guitar), Billy Strickland (steel) and Roy Starkey (bass). April of '46 found Copas with Pee Wee King (accordion) for four tracks, two issued as 'That Cheap Look in Your Eye'/'You Were the Cause of It All' (Bullet 614). Joining them in that session were James Wilson (guitar), Henry Redd Stewart (guitar/fiddle), Shorty Boyd (fiddle), Donald Davis (steel) and Chuck Wiggins (bass). Circa August of '46 witnessed 'No More Roamin''/'Juke Box Blues' (King 566), 'Sundown and Sorrow'/'(I Can See That) You're Living a Lie' (King 533), 'Sweet Thing' (King 630) and 'Dolly Dear' (King 618). Copas placed numerous tracks on Billboard's Top Ten throughout his career from 'Filipino Baby' in '46 to 'Goodbye Kisses' in '63. 'Alabam' had risen to #1 in 1960. His first LP, 'Hymns and Sacred Songs', saw issue in 1959. Several ensued until he died on March 5, 1963, in a plane crash during severe weather over Tennessee. Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins lost their lives in the same accident. Copas had composed such as 'Midnight in Heaven' issued in 1960 and 'Sunny Tennessee' in 1961. Production and songwriting credits for some of his recordings at 45Worlds and Discogs. Copas in visual media. Other biographical profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Further reading: *. More Cowboy Copas in A Birth of Rock & Roll.

   Filipino Baby

      Composition: Bill Cox/Clarke Van Ness

Cowboy Copas   1947

   Three Strikes and You're Out

      Composition: Cowboy Copas

Cowboy Copas   1948

   Tennessee Waltz

      Music: Pee Wee King

      Lyrics: Redd Stewart

Cowboy Copas   1955

   Tragic Romance

      Composition: Grandpa Jones

Cowboy Copas   1961

   Alabam

      Composition: Cowboy Copas

Cowboy Copas   1962

   Dreaming

      With Kathy Copas (daughter)

      Live on 'Grand Ole Opry'

      Composition: Cowboy Copas

Eddy Arnold

Source: VK

Born in Henderson, Tennessee, in 1918, Eddy Arnold [1, 2] broadened the appeal of country western music, taking it into the popular genre. His mother gave him his first guitar when he was ten [*]. Wikipedia has him starting his professional career at age sixteen at radio WTJS AM in Jackson, TN, followed by nightclubs and various radio stations in the region. Come 1943 he was on the 'Grand Ole Opry' at WSM AM in Nashville. Praguefrank's begins its discography of Arnold with two sessions at WSM, the first on December 4 of '44 for 'Mother's Prayer'/'Mommy Please Stay Home With Me' (Bluebird 33-0520) and 'The Cattle Call'/'Each Minute Seems a Million Years' (Bluebird 33-0527). Bluebird was a division of RCA Victor created in 1932 to meet mass production and distribution demands. Arnold was backed on those by Herbert Paige (guitar), Little Roy Wiggins (steel), James McNatt (fiddle) and Gabe Tucker (bass/trumpet). Arnold proved a good bet for RCA when 'Each Minute Seems a Million Years' reached #5 on the Country chart in June of '45. July 9 of '45 witnessed Arnold's second session at WSM for 'Did You See My Daddy Over There'/'I Walk Alone' (Bluebird 33-0535) and 'Many Tears Ago'/'You Must Walk the Line' (Bluebird 33-0540). Contributing to that were Herbert Paige (guitar), Dempsey Thurman Watts (guitar), Roy Wiggins (steel), James McNatt (fiddle) and Golden Pringle Stewart (bass). Arnold's third session was held in studio in Chicago on November 21 of '45 for 'Live and Learn'/'I Talk to Myself About You' (RCA Victor ‎20-1801), 'Be Sure There's No Mistake' (RCA Victor 20-2058) and 'I Couldn't Believe It Was True' (RCA Victor 20-2241). Arnold's fourth session of six titles on March 20 of 1946 yielded three that rose to Top Ten positions that year: 'All Alone in This World Without You' (#7), 'That's How Much I Love You' (#2) and 'Chained to a Memory' (#3). Musicvf has a fourth title from that session reaching #1 in March of 1947: 'What Is Life Without Love'. From that point onward Arnold dominated the Country chart into the latter sixties. Twenty-four more of his recordings rose to #1 alone from 'It's a Sin' and 'I'll Hold You in My Heart' in '47 to 'Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye' in 1968. He spent 145 total weeks (3 years + 1 week) at #1 [Wikipedia]. Arnold saw the decline of his heydays as the seventies arrived though he maintained a strong presence, two of his titles yet rising to the Top Ten in 1980: 'Let's Get It While the Gettin's Good' (#6) and 'That's What I Get for Lovin' You' (#10). 'Don't Look Now' was good to #11 in '81. Arnold released several albums with RCA Victor as sets of 78 RPMs and 45 RPMs before his first LP. Rateyourmusic has Vol 1 of 'All Time Hits from the Hills' released on shellac in 1947 (P 195). Discogs has Vol 2 arriving in 1951 on 7" vinyl (WP 328) after a 1950 issue of 'To Mother' on triple sets of both 78s (P 239) and 45s (WP 239) and 'Eddy Arnold's Favorite Sacred Songs' on 45 (WP 261). 'All-Time Favorites' saw issue on LP in 1953 (LPM 3117). Discogs follows that with 'When It's Round-Up Time in Heaven' in '54. Coinciding with Arnold's flush days was his television career. In 1952 he began hosting 'The Eddy Arnold Show'. Appearing on 'Ozark Jubilee' from 1955-60 and 'Eddy Arnold Time' from 1955-57, he also hosted 'Today on the Farm' in 1960-61. Arnold was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966. By 1992 Arnold had sold more than 85 million records {Wikipedia]. Praguefrank's follows Arnold's sessions to as late as 2005 in Nashville for the album, 'After All These Years'. Arnold died on May 8 of 2008 in a nursing home in Nashville. He had composed numerous Top Ten titles from 'That's How Much I Love You' in '46 to 'You Don't Know Me' which put Ray Charles at #1 on the AC in 1962. Songwriting credits for some of Arnold's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Arnold in visual media

   Mommy Please Stay Home With Me

      Composition:

      Eddy Arnold/Wally Fowler/Graydon Hall

Eddy Arnold   1946

   That's How Much I Love You

      Composition: Eddy Arnold

Eddy Arnold   1966

  Make the World Go Away

      Composition: Hank Cochran

Eddy Arnold   1967

   Please Release Me and Let Me Go

      Composition:

      Eddie Miller/Dub Williams/Robert Yount

Eddy Arnold   1971

   Welcome to My World

      Composition: Ray Winkler/John Hathcock

Tex Williams

Photo: Jim Halsey Artist Management Agency

Source: PDX RETRO

   Shame On You

      Vocal w Spade Cooley

      Composition: Spade Cooley

   Texas In My Soul

      Composition: Ernest Tubb/Zeb Turner

   Milkman Polka

      Composition: Ossie Godson/Smokey Rogers

   Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)

      Composition: Merle Travis/Williams

Tex Williams   1948

   Talking Boogie

      Composition: Cliff Stone/Williams

Tex Williams   1954

   River of No Return

      Composition: Lionel Newman/Ken Darby

Tex Williams   1958

   Talking Boogie

      Television performance

      Composition: Cliff Stone/Williams

   Between Today and Tomorrow

   Black Jack County

      Composition: Red Lane

   It Ain't No Big Thing

      Composition: Red Lane

      Alice Merritt/Neal Merritt/Shorty Hall

   Everywhere I Go (He's Already Been There)

      Composition: Ray Pennington

   Queen of the Rodeo

      Composition: Rex Allen

   Afraid

      Composition: Fred Rose

   Cowpoke

      Composition: Stan Jones

   Sparrow In the Treetop

   Crying in the Chapel

      Composition: Artie Glenn

   Marines, Let's Go

      Composition: Mike Phillips

   Don't Go Near the Indians

      Composition: Mike Phillips

   Tear After Tear

      Composition: Fred Burch/Marijohn Wilkin

   Tiny Bubbles

      Composition: Léon Pober

   Can You Hear Those Pioneers

      With Rex Allen Jr.

      Album: 'The Singing Cowboys'

      Composition: Rex Allen Jr./Judy Maude

Rex Allen Sr.

Source: Owens Valley History

Born Raymond LeRoy Clark in 1917, in Springfield, Massachusetts, yodeler, Slim Clark [1, 2.], liked to listen to such as Charlie Blake, John White, Jimmie Rodgers and Bradley Kincaid on the Victrola as a teenager. (Victrola had been purchased by RCA in 1929: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.) Wikipedia has Clark performing at fairs and Grange community halls in 1930. He soon moved on to radio in New England such as WHAI and WKNE, eventually to perform as 'Wyoming Buck' in 1936, as 'Yodelin Slim Clark' a few months later. Praguefrank's commences its discography of Clark on an unknown date in 1946 in where else for western music but New York City for 'Rye Whiskey'/'I Was Dreaming Someone Else's Dream' (Continental 8012)issued in December of 1946 per 45worlds. Other titles saw issue in '47: 'Ding Dong Polka'/'Little Old Sod Shanty' (Continental 8013), 'After You Did What You Done'/'The Old Chisholm Trail (Continental 8015)' and 'My Lulu Gal' (Continental 8029). Discogs has Clark issuing the LP 'Western Songs' (Plymouth ‎POP-100-15) in 1952. Clark had won numerous awards during his career from the World Yodeling Championship in '47 to the Yodeler's Hall of Fame to the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2000. He was also elected into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame, the Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rhode Island Country Music Hall of Fame. By the time of his death on July 5, 2000, Clark had recorded above 50 78s, 40 45s and 50 albums [Wikipedia]. Later in his life Clark spent a great deal of time as a painter. Producion and songwriting credits for some of Clark's recordings at 45Worlds and Discogs.

   Ding Dong Polka

      Composition:

      Denver Darling/Louis Shelly/Mickey Stoner/Rosalie Allen

   Little Old Sod Shanty

      Composition: E. Cuff

Slim Clark   1950

   You're My Darling

      Composition: Jimmie Davis

Slim Clark   1951

   Wondering

Slim Clark   1953

   My Sweet Little Bluebird Girl

Slim Clark   1959

   My Little Lady

      Composition: Jimmie Rodgers/Elsie McWilliams

Slim Clark   1962

   Sweet Betsy from Pike

      Composition: Jimmie Driftwood

Slim Clark   1965

   Yodelin' Cowboy

      Composition: Jimmie Rodgers/Elsie McWilliams

Slim Clark

Source: ODI MUSIC

   Five Minutes More

      Music: Jule Styne

      Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

   Rye Whiskey

      Composition: Traditional

Homer & Jethro   1947

   Ground Hog

      Composition: Traditional

   I'll Close My Eyes

      Composition: Billy Reid/Buddy Kaye

   Over the Rainbow

      Composition: Harold Arlen/E.Y. Harburg

Homer & Jethro   1949

   Baby It's Cold Outside

      With June Carter

      Composition: Frank Loesser

   Huckle Buck

      With June Carter

      Composition: Roy Alfred

   I Feel That Old Age Creeping On

      Composition: Haynes & Burns (Homer  & Jethro)

   Tennessee Border No. 2

      Composition: Jimmy Work

   The Wedding of Hillbilly Lilli

      With June Carter

      Composition: Tommie Connor/Johnny Peine

   A Screwball's Love Song

      Composition: Boudleaux Bryant

   A Screwball's Love Song

      Titled by Haynes as 'I Miss My Wife's Cooking'

      Composition: Boudleaux Bryant

      'Old American Barn Dance Show'

Homer & Jethro   1956

   I'm My Own Grandpaw

      Composition: Dwight Latham/Moe Jaffe

Homer & Jethro   1960

   The Battle of Kookamonga

      Composition: JJ Reynolds/Jimmie Driftwood

   That's Good, That's Bad

      Composition: Archie Campbell/Chet Atkins

Homer & Jethro   1967

   Take the 'A' Train

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

Homer & Jethro   1968

   I Taught Her Everything She Knows

      Composition:

      Haynes/Burns/Arthur Kent/Sylvia Dee

Homer & Jethro   1971

   Nashville Cats

      'Johnny Cash Show'

      Composition: John Sebastian

Homer & Jethro

Photo: Jim Hilmar

Source: Public Library of Cincinnati

Hank Thompson

Source: Dave's Diary

Born in Waco, Texas, in 1925, Hank Thompson [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] began to play guitar at age ten and had his own local radio show, 'Hank the Hired Hand' in as a teenager. Graduating from high school in 1943, he also left radio to join the US Navy until '46. Upon discharge he studied electrical engineering while putting together his Brazos Valley Boys. Electrical engineering got put in the trunk upon the strength of his first issues in 1946: 'Swing Wide Your Gate Of Love/Whoa Sailor!' (Globe 124) and 'California Women'/'What Are You Gonna Do About the Moonlight' (Bluebonnet 123). [Session discographies: 1, 2. (Praguefrank's is in error the first couple sessions: Thompson didn't record with Tex Williams in California nor anywhere else.) See also early releases: 1, 2, 3.] Thompson was Hank Williams' major rival to the latter's early death in 1953, Thompson's heydays reaching into the sixties, he yet planting titles in the Top Forty into the latter seventies. His first three were in 1948 per 'Humpty Dumpty' (#2), 'Yesterday's Mail' (#12) and 'Green Light' (#7). Three of his titles peaked at No. 1 in the early fifties: 'The Wild Side of Life' ('52), 'Rub-a-Dub-Dub' ('53), 'Wake Up, Irene' ('53). Thompson's last of 29 songs to spend time in the Top Ten wasn't until 'Who Left the Door to Heaven Open' in 1974. Per the Hank Thompson website his first LP issues were in 1956 for Capitol: 'Songs of the Brazos Valley', 'North of the Rio Grande' and 'New Recordings of Hank Thompson’s All-time Hits'. Thompson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997. Praguefrank's follows Thompson to Broken Arrow, OK, for tracks recorded possibly as late as 2005 included that year on 'My Personal Favorites'. That CD also features a few titles recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry in 1952. Thompson's discography otherwise lists Thompson's last sessions on March 28-30 of 2000 for 'Seven Decades'. Selling more than 60 million records during his career, Thompson died on November 6, 2007, in Keller, TX, of lung cancer about three weeks after his last performance in Waco. Thompson had composed a great portion of his own material, including titles below with issue dates:

   A Lonely Heart Knows   1947
   Today   1947
   Yesterday's Mail   1948
   What Are We Gonna Do About the Moonlight   1948
   My Front Door Is Open   1949
   Tomorrow Night   1949
   Cryin' in the Deep Blue Sea   1952
   I'd Have Never Found Somebody New   1953
   Rub-a-Dub-Dub   1953
   I'd Like to Tell You   1954
   Don't Take It Out On Me   1955
   Most of All   1955
   Beaumont Rag   1958

Songwriting credits to Thompson's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Thompson in visual media. He composed all titles below except as noted.

  California Women

   Whoa Sailor

Hank Thompson   1947

   My Starry-Eyed Texas Gal

Hank Thompson   1948

   Humpty Dumpty Heart

   I Find You Cheatin' On Me

   Second Hand Gal

   Yesterday's Mail

Hank Thompson   1949

   A Cat Has Nine Lives

   All That Goes Up Must Come Down

   Soft Lips

      Composition: Walt McCoy

   Swing Wide Your Gate of Love

Hank Thompson   1950

   A Broken Heart and a Glass of Beer

      Composition: Alan Flatt

   Daddy Blues

Hank Thompson   1951

   I Ain't Cryin' Over You

      Composition: Vic McAlpin

   I'll Be Your Sweetheart

Hank Thompson   1952

   Glow Worm

      Composition: Lilla Cayley Robinson/Paul Lincke

   Waiting in the Lobby of Your Heart

      Composition: Thompson/Billy Gray

Hank Thompson   1953

  Breakin' the Rules

      Composition: Thompson/Billy Gray

   A Fooler a Faker

      Composition: Thompson/Billy Gray

   At the Rainbow's End

      Composition: Bob Nolan

   Go Cry Your Heart Out

      Composition: Thompson/Billy Gray

   I'll Sign My Heart Away

   No Help Wanted

      Composition: Bill Carlisle

   Where My Sweet Baby Used to Walk

   Wake Up Irene

      Composition: Weldon Allard/Johnny Hathcock

   When You're Lovin' You're Livin'

Hank Thompson   1954

   It Don't Hurt Anymore

      Composition: Don Robertson/Jack Rollins

   The New Green Light

Hank Thompson   1960

   A Six Pack to Go

   Those Oklahoma Hills

      Composition: Jack Guthrie

Hank Thompson   1964

   Wild Side of Life

      Composition: William Warren/Arlie Carter

Born in Alabama in 1923, honky tonk guitarist Hank Williams Sr. [Timeline/*] began working professionally in 1937, singing on WSFA radio in Montgomery for 15 dollars a week. While there he formed the earliest incarnations of his Drifting Cowboys in the latter thirties. Williams' first recordings were at Griffin's Radio Shop in Montgomery, AL. Mike Taylor begins his discography with 'Happy Roving Cowboy' possibly as early as 1939, that and other early nonissues eventually released in 1998 on 'The Complete Hank Williams'. Other sources put his first nonissues in the spring of '42 ('Hank Williams: The Biography' in 2009 and 'I Saw the Light' in 2015 by Colin Escott/George Merritt/William MacEwen; 'Family Tradition' by Sue Masino in 2011.) Other titles recorded the same day as 'Happy Roving Cowboy' were 'Rockin' Alone in an Old Rockin' Chair', 'Old Shep', 'Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay', 'I Ain't Gonna Love You Anymore', 'Jesus Walked That Lonely Valley' and 'The Last Letter'. Williams' whole band was drafted into the Army in '42, his next band didn't shake and Williams began drinking to the point of being fired from WFSA in 1942. That put him in Mobile, helping build ships for the war effort, until he was rehired in 1945. In 1946 he landed a six-song contract with Fred Rose and made his first issued recordings on December 11, 1946 with a crew called the Country Boys: 'Calling You'/'Never Again (Will I Knock at Your Door)' (Sterling 201)and 'Wealth Won't Save Your Soul'/'When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels' (Sterling 204). Other titles issued in '47 included 'I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)'/'My Love For You (Has Turned To Hate)' (Sterling 208), 'Honky Tonkin''/'Pan American' (Sterling 210) and 'Move It on Over'/'(Last Night). I Heard You Crying in Your Sleep'. The latter plate was his initial release for MGM with 'Move It On Over' alighting to Billboard's #4 spot in Country. Musicvf has Williams placing no less than 36 titles in the Country Top Ten to as late as 'Please Don't Let Me Love You' in 1955. Eleven of those visited the #1 tier:

   Lovesick Blues   1949
   Long Gone Lonesome Blues   1950
   Moanin' the Blues   1950
   Why Don't You Love Me   1950
   Cold, Cold Heart   1951
   Hey Good Lookin'   1951
   I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive   1952
   Jambalaya (On the Bayou)   1952
   Kaw-Liga   1953
   Take These Chains from My Heart   1953
   Your Cheatin' Heart   1953

Wiiliams' debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 1949 got him six encores. Joining WSM radio in Nashville, he became host of a show for Mother's Best Flour, acetates of which were made from January 10 of 1951 into spring of 1952 which surfaced in 2010 on Time Life's 'The Complete Mother's Best Recordings Plus!'. But stardom for Williams would pass in a flash. Taylor [discography above] has William's second to last session on September 23 of 1952, including such as 'Kaw-Liga', 'Your Cheatin' Heart' and 'Take These Chains from My Heart'. December 3 of 1952 witnessed 'The Log Train' gone unissued until 1981 on 'Country Western Classics' per Time Life TLCW-01/3. Later overdubbings of Williams' recordings were extensive, including by such as Chet Atkins as well as the Drifting Cowboys. Williams had released two albums, 'Hank Williams Sings' in '51 followed by 'Moanin' the Blues' in '52. The 'Memorial Album' was issued upon his death in '53. Of Williams' four television spots, his first was on 'The Perry Como Show' on 14 Nov 1951 which footage might yet exist though lost. Two appearances were made for 'The Kate Smith Evening Hour' on 26 March and 23 April of '52. Footage for WSM-TV sometime in the early fifties is lost. William's brief adventure on Earth ceased upon his sudden death of heart failure in the back seat of his powder blue Cadillac on the way to give a concert in Virginia on January 1, 1953, he only 29 years of age. Williams was a composer (winning a posthumous Pulitzer Special Award in 2010) and wrote most of his own material from such as 'Calling You' ('47) to 'I Ain't Got Nothin' but Time' ('54). Other titles he composed. Other composers he covered. Other authoring credits at 1, 2, 3, 4. References for Williams encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3 4 5, 6. Musical: 1 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessionographies: Aagaard; Taylor. See also 'Hank Williams, So Lonesome' by George and Bill Koon, University Press of Mississippi, 1983. Williams in visual media. Williams wrote all titles below except as noted.

   Calling You

   Honky Tonkin

   Wealth Won't Save Your Soul

Hank Williams Sr.   1947

   Move It On Over

Hank Williams Sr.   1951

   There's a Tear In My Beer

     Unissued demo recorded in '51

     Issued 1990 on Polydor 847 195-2

Hank Williams Sr.   1952

   Cold, Cold Heart

     'Kate Smith Evening Hour'

     '23 April 1952

       Composition: Ted West   1943

   Honky Tonk Blues

   I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love with You

     'Kate Smith Evening Hour'

     With Anita Carter   23 April 1952

   I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive

     Composition: Williams/Fred Rose

Hank Williams Sr.

Photo: The Tennessean

Source: MP3 XL

   I'll Be Listening

      As The King's Sacred Quartette

     Composition: See Hymnary

   Jole Blon

     Composition: Traditional Cajun waltz

     See Wikipedia

Johnnie & Jack

Source: Flickr/78 RPM

Minnie Pearl

Source: Famous Fix

Born Sarah Ophelia Colley in Tennessee in 1912, comedian Minnie Pearl recorded her first plate circa August of 1946 with Pee Wee King in Cincinnati, OH: 'In the Shadow of the Pine' A side, 'On Top of Old Smokey' B side, issued in January of '47 per 45worlds. Pearl was a graduate of Ward-Belmont College (now Belmont University), having studied theater and dance [Wikipedia]. Her first professional job in the music industry was as a producer and director for a traveling theater outfit, the Wayne P. Sewell Production Company. She first performed her hillbilly act on stage as Minnie Pearl, in her famous hat with dangling price tag of $1.98, in 1939 in Alken, South Carolina. Her first performance at the Grand Ole Opry followed in November the next year. Early compatriots there were such as Grandpa Jones, Hank Williams and Chet Atkins. She partnered with Pee Wee King on 'In the Shadow of the Pine'/'On Top of Old Smoky' (King 590) in 1947. She, Red Foley and Ernest Tubb recorded as the Sunshine Trio on October 13, 1950, spreading along 'The Love Bug Itch' (Decca 9-46278). That and 'Good Morning, Irene' from the same session saw release in 2006 on 'Old Shep: Red Foley Recordings 1933-1950 (Bear Family BCD 16759). Atkins supported Pearl on May 9, 1954, at the Robinson Memorial Auditorium in Little Rock, AR, for the monologue, 'How to Catch a Man' (RCA LPM 3220). That also saw issue in 1988 on the collection of various, 'Country & Western Caravan 1954' (Bear Family BFX 15276). Pearl did another version of 'How to Catch a Man' in the sixties to end up on 'Lookin' for a Feller' (Nashville NLP 2043) in 1967. Returning to 1954, Atkins supported Pearl and Grandpa Jones on 'Papa Loves Mambo'/'Gotta Marry Off Daughter' issued that year per rocky52 on RCA 20/47 5091. On March 2 of 1955 it was 'Kissin' Game' (RCA 20/47 6474) and 'Matrimony Ridge'/'Spring Fever' (RCA 20/47 6088). Between 'Minnie Pearl's Diary' in 1953 and 'Best Jokes Minnie Pearl Ever Told' in 1999 Pearl published six books. Pearl had issued the LP, 'Minnie Pearl', in 1960, 'Howdee!' in '63 and 'Laugh-A-Long With Minnie Pearl' in '64. She and Red Sovine released 'Nobody's Business'/'Alabam' (Starday 774) in 1966. Praguefrank's traces her discography to sometime in 1974 with Archie Campbell for 'As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone'/'Nobody's Business' (RCA Victor PB 10077). The double album shared with Grandpa Jones, 'Grand Ole Opry Stars', was issued the same year. The inspiration for Robbie Robertson's 'Ophelia' by The Band in 1975 was Pearl (her real name Ophelia). Pearl was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1975. A mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry for five decades, to say the one became nigh as to say the other. A stroke in 1991 put Pearl in a nursing home in Nashville where she died five years later on March 4, 1996. References for Pearl encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Various recording credits at 45Worlds and Discogs. Pearl in visual media.

   In the Shadow of the Pine

      With Pee Wee King

      Composition: 1902

      Music: G.O. Lang

      Lyrics: Hattie Lummis

   On Top of Old Smokey

      With Pee Wee King

      Composition: Traditional

Minnie Pearl   1954

   Papa Loves Mambo

      With Grandpa Jones

      Composition:

      Al Hoffman/Dick Manning/Bix Reichner

   Mother's Old Steel Thimble

   Jealous As I Can Be

      Live at the Grand Ole Opry

Hank Locklin

Photo: RCA

Source: Discogs

Born in McLelland, Florida, in 1918, Hank Locklin [1, 2, 3] was a honky tonk guitarist who is thought to have begun the instrument at age nine. He didn't graduate from high school, but performed at radio WCOA in Pensacola as a teenager. He worked building roads for the Works Progress Administration during the Depression. He later picked cotton with other farm work while performing in roadhouses. Unable to uncover any dates, we hazard that he may have been an early performer on the 'Big D Jamboree' radio program out of KRLD in Dallas as early as latter '48. 'The Big D Jamboree' first aired in October of '48 [1, 2, 3]. Locklin made multiple appearances on that program into the fifties. Come 1949 he joined the 'Louisiana Hayride' out of KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. Locklin had spread his first titles in Houston in the summer of 1948, his gang consisting of Clent Holmes (guitar), Felton Pruett (steel), Tiny Smith (bass) and Dobber Johnson (fiddle) with Bill Quinn producing for 'Rio Grande Waltz'/'Talking in Your Sleep' (Gold Star 1341) issued in '48 [rocky52]. Praguefrank's has Locklin late '48/early '49 in Dallas for 'I've Got a Feeling'/'Please Come Back and Stay' (Royalty 603), 'I Worship You'/'You've Been Talking in Your Sleep' (Gold Star 604). Circa March of '49 witnessed such as 'Same Sweet Girl'/'Last Look at Mother' (4 Star 1313). 'Same Sweet Girl' seduced the #8 spot on Billboard's Country. Locklin went another four years without charting at all, but when he did it was 'Let Me Be the One' at #1 in 1953. Locklin issued his debut LP in 1958: 'Foreign Love'. Come 'Please Help Me, I'm Falling' in 1960, the same year he joined the Grand Ole Opry [*]. Locklin planted several Top Ten titles in the fifties until 'Let Me Be the One' bloomed at #1 in 1960. His last Top Ten was 'The Country Hall of Fame' in 1967 at #8. He slipped inside the Top Forty the last couple of times with 'Love Song for You' at #40 in 1968 and 'Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day' at #35 in 1969. His popularity beginning to wane in the early seventies, he started to tour internationally, particularly Great Britain. He had already visited Japan in 1965 with Chet Atkins and Maxine Brown [*]. Highly popular throughout the world, Locklin sold more than fifteen million records during his career. Praguefrank's traces him to as late as 2005 in Nashville for the 2006 release of 'By the Grace of God: The Gospel Album'. Locklin was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry until his death in March 8, 2009, in Brewton, Alabama [1, 2] (replaced by Jimmy Dickens until the latter's death on January 2 of 2015). Among Locklin's compositions were 'The Same Sweet Girl' ('49) and 'No One's Sweeter Than You' ('51). Songwriting credits for Locklin's recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Locklin in visual media.

   I Worship You

   Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On

       Composition: Locklin

Hank Locklin   1957

   Geisha Girl

       Composition: Lawton Williams

Hank Locklin   1958

   Foreign Love

       Composition: Lawton Williams

   Fraulein

       Composition: Lawton Williams

   It's a Little More Like Heaven

       Composition: Hoyt & Jim Atkins

   Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On

       Composition: Locklin

Hank Locklin   1960

   Please Help Me I'm Falling

       Composition: Don Robertson/Hal Blair

Hank Locklin   1961

   From Here to There to You

       Composition: Pete McKinlay

   Happy Birthday to Me

       Composition: Bill Anderson

Hank Locklin   1962

   Happy Journey

       Composition: Don Robertson/Hal Blair

   Maple On the Hill

       Composition: Addison Cole

   Please Help Me I'm Falling

       Live performance

       Composition: Don Robertson/Hal Blair

   Welcome Home Mister Blues

       Composition: Charles Phipps

Hank Locklin   2007

   Please Help Me I'm Falling

       Live performance

       Composition: Don Robertson/Hal Blair

Born in Bolt, West Virginia, in 1920, guitarist Little Jimmy Dickens [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] began his career in radio in the thirties while a student at West Virginia University [wikipedia]. Such worked out well enough to quit school and tour radio stations as Jimmy the Kid. About a decade passed before Roy Acuff heard him singing on radio WKNX in Saginaw, Michigan, then got him hired into the Grand Ole Opry in August of 1948 along with a recording contract with Columbia the next month. Praguefrank's begins it's discography of Dickens on January 16 of 1949 at the Tulane Hotel Castle Studio in Nashville for 'Take an Old Cold Tater'/'Pennies for Papa' (Columbia 205-48). 'Crazy Worried Mind' and 'Golden Haired Darlin'' didn't see release until 1997 on 'Country Boy' (Bear Family BCD 15848). Backing Dickens was an orchestra consisting of Billy Byrd (electric guitar), Lonnie Wilson (rhythm), Brother Oswald (steel), Joseph Zinkan (bass), Tommy Magness (fiddle) and Jimmy Riddle (harmonica). 'Take an Old Cold Tater' charted at #7. Three others visited Country's Top Ten that year: 'Country Boy' (#7), 'My Heart's Bouquet' (#10) and 'A-Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed' (#6). 'Hillbilly Fever' came to #3 in 1950. 'Out Behind the Barn' saw #9 in '54, 'The Violet and the Rose' #10 in '62, 'May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose' #1 in '65. Dickens had issued the album, 'Old Country Church' in 1954 on 10" Columbia HL 9025S [rocky52]. His LP, 'Raisin' the Dickens' (1047) followed in 1957. The apex of Dickens' recording career was his 1965 release of the album, 'May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose'. He otherwise largely performed at the Grand Ole Opry into the new millennium. Dickens had been the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry since the death of Hank Locklin in March 2009 until his own passing on January 2 of 2015 in Nashville [1], 2], 3]. Various recording credits for Dickens at 45Worlds and Discogs. Dickens in visual media. Further reading: *.

   A-Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed

      Composition: Happy Wilson/Luther Patrick

   Take an Old Cold Tater and Wait

      Composition: Eugene Bartlett

Little Jimmy Dickens   1950

   Hillbilly Fever

      Composition: George Vaughn

Little Jimmy Dickens   1954

   Out Behind the Barn

      Composition: Boudleaux Bryant

Little Jimmy Dickens   1965

   May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose

      Composition: Neal Merritt

Little Jimmy Dickens

Source: Unique Guitar

Phenomenal jazz guitarist Hank Garland [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] was born in Cowpens, South Carolina, in 1930. He began playing guitar at age six, appearing on radio at age twelve. Garland started early and well in country music at age fifteen by joining Paul Howard's Georgia Cotton Pickers with whom he played at the Grand Ole Opry. Praguefrank's commences its discography of Garland on August 25 of 1949 for 'I'll Never Slip Around Again'/'This Cold War with You' (Decca 46183) and 'Sugarfoot Rag'/'Some Other World' (Decca 46204). Those were issued in '49 per 45worlds. All of those were Floyd Tillman compositions with the exception of 'Sugarfoot Rag' written by Garland and George Vaughn. Praguefrank's has Garland recording 'Sugarfoot Rag' again with Red Foley on November 11 of '49 for issue on Decca 46205 in 1950. Both versions produced by Paul Cohen, Garland's band on the first consisted of Jack Shook or Harold Bradley on guitar, Ernie Newton (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Farris Coursey (drums), Owen Bradley (piano) and an unknown at steel. Foley's band on the second employed only Shook, Newton and Jackson. Garland had first backed Foley a few days earlier on the 6th and 9th for 'When God Dips His Love in My Heart' (9-46255), 'Steal Away' (Decca 9-14505) and 'Tennessee Border No. 2'/'Don't Be Ashamed of Your Age (Decca 9-46200). Ernest Tubb was at vocals on 'Tennessee Border No. 2' Garland hung with Foley into late 1950, they holding multiple sessions with Tubb again in 1953. Garland performed with Elvis Presley from '57 to '61 [1, 2]. Another of Garland's important associates was Chet Atkins both as a fellow musician and producer. Atkins regarded Garland to be the best guitarist to ever arrive to Nashville. Praguefrank's lists Garland backing Atkins as early as June 10 of 1959 for titles toward Atkins' LP, 'Mister Guitar'. They held a couple more sessions in 1959 before recording 'After the Riot at Newport' on July 4, 1960, as a result of the cancellation of their scheduled appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival as the Nashville All Stars that day [1, 2]. In 1961 Garland released a couple of jazz albums: 'Jazz Winds from a New Direction' and 'Velvet Guitar'. It was also 1961 that Garland's car left the highway near Springfield, Tennessee. The result was brain damage and inability to play his instrument. Though Garland spent years in the endeavor he wasn't able to attain to his former ability. Praguefrank's lists him on only two sessions thereafter, once in '66 with the Nashville Cats, once again toward the 1979 issued of 'Jazz in New York' [rocky52]. Garland dropped away from the music industry, eventually settling in Orange Park, Florida. He there died on December 27 of 2004 of staph infection. As a session player Garland can be heard on titles by such as, in no particular order, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline ('I Fall to Pieces'), Moon Mullican, Dottie West, Brenda Lee and Patti Page ('Just Because'). Compositional credits to some of his recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Garland in visual media. See also Jazz: Garland.

   This Cold War With You

        Composition: Floyd Tillman

   I'm Movin' On

        Composition: Hank Snow

   Sugarfoot Rag

      With Red Foley

        Composition: Hank Garland/Vaughn Horton

   Seventh and Union

        Composition: Hank Garland

   Sugarfoot Rag

      Instrumental on 'Country Style'

        Composition: Hank Garland

   Slipping Around

      Television performance w Floyd Tillman

        Composition: Floyd Tillman

Hank Garland

Source: Jazz Wax

Don Gibson

Source: Photo Features International

Born to sharecroppers in Shelby, North Carolina, in 1928, Don Gibson [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] dropped out of school in second grade. He bought a guitar at age fourteen and formed the Sons of the Soil circa 1948 with Ned Costner (fiddle) and Curly Sisk (second guitar). He was sixteen in 1948 when he began performing in a duo with Sisk (age 14) at radio WOHS in Shelby. He then formed another band, himself at bass, at WOHS called the Hi-Lighters with Sisk, Jim Barber (fiddle) and Milton Scarborough (accordion). Praguefrank's starts its discography of Gibson at radio WBBO in Forest City, NC, in October of 1948 with that combo recording as the Sons of the Soil for 'Cloudy Skies'/'I Lost My Love' (Mercury 6158) and 'Automatic Mama'/'Why Am I So Lonely' Mercury (6178). Rocky52 has those released in 1949. Come October 17, 1950, at radio WSOC in Charlotte with his King Cotton Kinfolks consisting of himself at guitar, Summie Hendricks (steel), Hal Peeler (guitar), J.C. Davis (fiddle), H.F. Davis (banjo) and P.C. Destazio (bass) for 'Carolina Breakdown'/'I Love No One But You' (RCA Victor 48-0424) and 'Wigglewag'/'Roses Are Red' (RCA Victor 48-0460). October 10 of 1951 found Gibson with Chet Atkins (guitar), Seth Addis (guitar), Summie Hendricks (steel), Blackie Lunceford (fiddle) and Bill Kirby (bass) on 'A Blue Million Tears'/'Dark Future' (RCA Victor 20/47 4473) and 'Red Lips'/'Just Let Me Love You' (RCA Victor 20/47 4364). Working the 'Tennessee Barn Dance' radio show at WNOX in Knoxville, he remained with that program into future years, but his records for RCA weren't selling, terminating Gibson's relationship with them. Columbia took a swing with Gibson for a couple of years beginning with a session on July 7, 1952, in Nashville, for ''No Shoulder to Cry On'/'We're Stepping Out Tonight (20999) 'Sample Kisses'/'Let Me Stay in Your Arms' (21060). Backing him on those were Luke Brandon (guitar), Grady Martin (guitar), Howard White Jr. (steel), Ernest Newston (bass) and Marvin Hughes (piano) w Don Law producing. Columba couldn't sell Gibson either. Dropping him in '54, Gibson moved on to MGM for his first session with them on September 12, 1955, at the RCA Victor studio in Nashville for 'Run Boy'/'I Must Forget You' (MGM K 12109) and 'Sweet Dreams'/'Road of Life Alone' (MGM K 12194). 'Sweet Dreams' was the key that opened the lock, not only charting at all, but claiming Billboard's Country #9 spot in '56. Thusly beginning a career of chart domination into the seventies, RCA lifting Gibson from MGM in '57. The next year 'Oh Lonesome Me' and 'Blue Blue Day' saw #1. 'Woman (Sensuous Woman)' rose to #1 as late as 1972. 1969 had seen 'Rings of Gold' with Dottie West rise to #2. Gibson's last Top Ten titles arrived in '74: 'One Day at a Time' (#8) and 'Bring Back Your Love to Me' (#9). He was still brushing the Top Forty to as late as 1979 with 'Forever One Day at a Time' (#37) and 1980 with 'Sweet Sensuous Sensations' (#42). Rateyourmusic has Gibson releasing his first three albums in 1958: 'Songs of Don Gibson', 'Oh Lonesome Me' and 'No One Stands Alone'. 'Don Gibson with Spanish Guitars' was issued about eleven albums later in 1965 to reach Country's #4 spot. Gibson had featured in the film, 'From Nashville with Music', in 1969, his titles also appearing in numerous film and television soundtracks. Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He passed away of natural causes in Nashville on November 17, 2003. Gibson was a country crybaby, writing titles like 'Why Am I So Lonely' ('49) and 'Oh Lonesome Me' ('57). He had authored such as 'Sweet Dreams' ('56), 'I Can't Stop Loving You' ('57) and '(I’d Be) a Legend in My Time' ('60). Roy Orbison devoted a whole album to Gibson compositions on ' Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson' in 1967. Songwriting credits at 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5, 6. Well-known compositions by others that he covered. He authored all titles below but as noted (* = undetermined).

   I Lost My Love/Cloudy Skies*

   I Love No One But You/Carolina Breakdown*

   We're Steppin' Out Tonite

        Composition: Billy Wallace

   I Just Love the Way You Tell a Lie

        Composition: Louvin Brothers

   Ice Cold Heart

        Composition: Benny Martin

   Selfish With Your Kisses

        Composition: Frank Wilson

   The Road of Life Alone

        Composition: F. Rose/T. Covington

   Ah-Ha

        Composition: Rick Pier O'Neil

   I Ain't A-Studying You, Baby

   I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time

        Composition: Joseph Delton Miller

   Sweet Dreams

Don Gibson   1957

   Oh, Lonesome Me

Don Gibson   1958

   Blue Blue Day

   I Can't Stop Loving You

   Look Who's Blue/Give Myself A Party

   Satisfied

        Composition: Martha Carson

   Too Soon

Don Gibson   1959

   Don't Tell Me Your Troubles

Don Gibson   1960

   A Legend in My Time

Don Gibson   1961

   Lonesome Number One

   Sea of Heartbreak

        Composition: Hal David/Paul Hampton

Don Gibson   1963

   I Can't Stop Loving You

      Live with the Jordanaires

   Faded Love

        Composition: John Wills/Bob Wills

   Touch the Morning

        Composition: Eddy Raven

   I Can't Stop Loving You

      Live in Rotterdam

   Ozark Waltz

      As Terry Preston

   Heart of Stone

      As Terry Preston

      Composition:

      Ted Mossman/Florence Rosen/Bill Anson

   A Dear John Letter

      With Jean Shepard

      Composition:

      Lewis Talley/Fuzzy Owen/Billy Barton

   (The Answer) Forgive Me John

      With Jean Shepard

      Composition:

      Fuzzy Owen/Jean Shepard/Lewis Talley

   Hank's Song

      Composition: Tommy Collins

   Minni Ha Cha

      Composition: Hank Williams/Tommy Collins

Ferlin Husky   1954

   The Drunken Driver

      Composition: George Adams

   Eli the Camel

      Composition: Clyde Wilson

Ferlin Husky   1955

   Cuzz You're So Sweet

      As Simon Crum

      Composition: John Kane

   I Feel Better All Over

      Composition: Ken Rogers/Leon Smith

   I'll Baby Sit With You

      Composition: Clyde Wilson

Ferlin Husky   1956

   Bop Cat Bop

      As Simon Crum

      Composition: Ken Rogers

   Gone

      Composition: Smokey Rogers

   Stand Up, Sit Down, Shut Your Mouth

      As Simon Crum

      Composition: Mel Tillis

   Country Music Is Here to Stay

      As Simon Crum

      Composition: Ferlin Husky

   My Reason for Living

      Composition: Ferlin Husky/Gertrude Cox

Ferlin Husky   1960

   Enormity In Motion

      As Simon Crum

      Composition: John Reynolds

      From 'Poetry in Motion' by Paul Kaufman/Mike Anthony

   Wings of a Dove

      Composition: Bob Ferguson   1958

Ferlin Husky   1965

   For a Minute There

      Composition: Jerry Foster/Bill Rice

Ferlin Husky   1967

   Every Step of the Way

      Composition: Curly Putman

   Once

      Composition: Ted Harris

Ferlin Husky   1971

   Statue of a Fool

      Composition: David Ruffin

Ferlin Husky

Source: Taste of Country

   All I Need Is Some More Lovin'

        Composition: John Julias Daume

   A Room Full of Roses

        Composition: Tim Spencer

   Candy Kisses

        Composition: George Morgan

George Morgan   1952

   Almost

        Composition: Jack Toombs/Vic McAlpin

George Morgan   1957

   Can I Be Dreaming

        Composition: J.D. Miller

George Morgan   1961

   Candy Kisses

        Live performance

        Composition: George Morgan

George Morgan

Source: Hillbilly Music

Born in West Monroe, Louisiana, in 1921, honky tonk guitarist Webb Pierce [1, 2, 3] is said to have been raised in Jimmie Rodgers records. Allmusic and Wikipedia have him performing on his own radio show for KMLB as a teenager, 'Songs by Webb Pierce'. He spent some time in the Army and married Betty Jane Lewis in 1942. They moved to Shreveport where Pierce worked retail at a Sears Roebuck. In 1947 he and Betty appeared on KTBS AM, also doing other local gigs. Praguefrank's begins its disco of Pierce on August 9 of 1949 at radio KWKH in Shreveport for 'English Sweetheart'/'High Geared Daddy' (4 Star 1413) and 'Heebie Jeebie Blues'/'Sweetheart I Love You So' (4 Star 1357), 'I'm Happy You Hurt Me' (4 Star 1629) and 'The Darkest Hour' (4 Star 1600) [release dates]. Come December of '49 Webb and Betty recorded a couple duets with her Boy Friends likely consisting of Buddy Attaway (g), Shot Jackson (steel) and Tillman Franks (bass): 'Million Years From Now'/'I Heard Her Call My Name In Prayer' (4 Star 1401). Those were the only tracks Webb and Betty put down together before their divorce in 1950. Praguefrank's has Pierce with the same gang (Betty out) in January of 1950, again at KWKH, for 'Groovie Boogie Woogie Boy'/'New Panhandle Rag' (4 Star 1447). Pirce continued with 4 Star to latter 1950, moved over to Pacemaker for several titles into 1951, then was picked up by Decca whence his titles began reaching Billboard's Country chart the next year beginning with 'Back Street Affair' at #1 (recorded July 28, 1952). Two more titles saw #1 that year: 'That Heart Belongs to Me' and 'Wondering'. Pierce placed 49 more titles on the Top Ten to as late as 1967 with 'Fool Fool Fool' at #6. Those topping the chart at #1 were 'It's Been So Long' ('53), 'There Stands the Glass' ('53), 'Even Tho' ('53), 'More and More' ('54), 'Slowly' ('54), 'I Don't Care' ('55), 'Love Love Love' ('55), 'Your Good for Nothing Heart' ('55) and 'Honky Tonk Song' ('55). Pierce didn't drop off the Top Forty until 1971 with 'Tell Him That You Love Him' at #31. July of 1973 saw Pierce recording a couple tracks with his daughter, Debbie: 'Foreign Girl'/'The People Say' (MCA 40048). October of 1979 witnessed several more: 'I'm On My Way Out'/'I'm Coming Home Again' (Plantation 189), 'Reality of Life'/'My Memory Remembers' (Plantation 191) and 'Happy Birthday Jesus' (Plantation 196). Discogs and rocky52 have Pierce delivering his debut LP, 'The Wondering Boy', in 1954, followed by 'Webb Pierce' in '55. 'The Wondering Boy' was reissued with additional tracks in '56 before the release of 'Just Imagination' in 1958. Pierce's best-selling album was 'Memory No. 1' in 1965 rising to #6. June 8 and 9 of 1981 saw the recording of 'In the Jailhouse Now' (Columbia 38095) with Willie Nelson. Pierce died of pancreatic cancer on February 24, 1991, inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 [*]. Pierce had composed such as 'You Scared the Love Right Out of Me' ('50), 'That Heart Belongs to Me' ('52), 'Teenage Boogie' ('56) and 'Yes I Know Why' ('56). Other songwriting credits at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Pierce in visual media. More Webb Pierce at A Birth of Rock and Roll 2.

   I Heard Her Call My Name

      Duet with Betty Pierce

   I Don't Care

        Composition: Cindy Walker/Webb Pierce

   If You Were Me

        Composition: Webb Pierce/Frank Miller

   In the Jailhouse Now

        Composition: Jimmie Rodgers

Webb Pierce   1956

   'Cause I Love You

        Composition: Webb Pierce/Denny Hill

Webb Pierce   1957

   Missing You

        Composition: Red Sovine/Dale Noe

Webb Pierce   1958

   Lying Lips

   A New Love Affair

        Composition: Webb Pierce

   Holiday For Love

        Composition: Webb Pierce

   Poison Love

        Composition: Elmer Laird

   True Love Never Dies

        Composition: Webb Pierce

Webb Pierce   1961

   Sweet Lips

        Composition: Webb Pierce

Webb Pierce   1963

   Love Love Love

        Composition: Ted Jarrett

Webb Pierce   1964

   My Love For You

        Composition: Warner McPherson

Webb Pierce   1965

   I Don't Love you Anymore

        Composition: Bill Anderson

Webb Pierce   1970

   Miss You

Webb Pierce   1971

   Tell Him That You Love Him

        Composition: Pat Benson

Webb Pierce

Source: Martin Vintage Guitars

Jim Reeves

Photo: Abbott Record Company

Source: Daiji World

Born in Galloway, Texas, in 1923, Jim Reeves [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] expanded his country beginnings toward the popular genre much like Eddy Arnold. Reeves was briefly a frontman in Moon Mullican's band before first recordings in November of 1949 in Houston with Red Hays at fiddle and other unknowns: 'My Heart's Like a Welcome Mat'/'Teardrops of Regret' (Macy's 115) and 'Chicken Hearted'/'I've Never Been So Blue' (Macy's 132). Rocky52 has 115 released in 1949. Rocky52 has Reeves working with KSIG in Gladewater, TX, KGRI in Henderson and KWKH in Shreveport, LA, before his next session in Dallas for Abbott Records in November of 1952 to harvest such as 'Wagon Load of Love' (115). Reeves commenced 1953 at KWKH for 'Mexican Joe' (116) and 'Butterfly of Love' (137). Supporting him on those were Tommy Bishop (g), Jimmy Day (steel), Don Davis (bass), Big Red Hayes (fiddle) and Floyd Cramer (piano) w Fabor Robinson producing. 'Mexican Joe' reached Country's #1, followed the next year by 'Bimbo' at #1 and 'I Love You' at #3 (the latter not included at musicvf: 1, 2). Eleven more of Reeves' songs saw the top tier in Country at #1 on either Billboard or Cashbox in the US:

   Four Walls   1957
   Blue Boy   1958
   Billy Bayou   1958
   Home   1959
   He'll Have to Go   1960
   I Guess I'm Crazy   1964
   This Is It   1965
   Is It Really Over?   1965
   Distant Drums   1966
   Blue Side of Lonesome   1966
   I Won't Come In While He's There   1967

'I Guess I'm Crazy' had been issued the same month as Reeves' death on July 31, 1964. Numerous titles by Reeves continued to be issued posthumously into the eighties, he still charting in the Top Ten as late as 1982 with 'Have You Ever Been Lonely' at #5, that an overdubbed "duet" with Patsy Cline. That was included in the 1981 tribute album, 'Greatest Hits of Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline'. Cline herself had died like Reeves in a plane crash, on March 5, 1963, and had never recorded with Pierce. 'I Fall to Pieces' on the tribute album, 'Remembering Patsy Cline & Jim Reeves', was also later overdubbed in 1982 [1, 2]. Reeves had issued a few EPs before his debut LP, 'Jim Reeves', in 1957, followed by 'Girls I Have Known' in '58 and 'God Be With You' in '59. 'Songs to Warm the Heart' followed the same year. Popular in Africa, in 1963 Reeves released a couple albums in Afrikaans (spoken largely in Namibia and South Africa): 'In Suid Africa' (RCA Victor 31630). 'In Africa' (RCA Victor ‎008) is the same LP. Supporting Reeves on that were Leo Jackson (g), Velma Smith (gt), Joseph Zinkan (bass), William Ackerman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano) and William Pursell (vibes) with Chet Atkins producing. (Atkins had first worked as Reeves' producer at RCA back in January of '56.) Praguefrank's is missing recently uncovered tracks found on the 2009 issue of the CD album, 'I'm Hit Again'. Wikipedia mentions 'I'm Hit Again' to be Reeves' last known recording, having to have occurred sometime between July 2 and July 31 of 1964 [*]. Praguefrank's otherwise traces Reeves to July 2 of 1964 for titles to see 'The Jim Reeves Way' in '65. As commented, Reeves died the last day of July of 1964 when the plane he himself was flying during a thunderstorm took a nosedive into the woods near Brentwood, Tennessee. His manager, business partner and pianist, Dean Manuel, also died that day. Reeves had been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1967. It was the Texas Music Hall of Fame in 1998. Reeves had composed titles like 'Am I Losing You' ('56), 'I'm Gettin' Better' ('60) and 'You Kept Me Awake Last Night' ('63). Songwriting credits for other recordings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Reeves in visual media.

   My Heart's Like a Welcome Mat

        Composition: Al Courtney/Jim Reeves

Jim Reeves   1961

   The Blizzard

        Composition: Harlan Howard

Jim Reeves   1962

   Adios Amigos

        Composition: Jerry Livingston/Ralph Freed

   He'll Have to Go

        Composition: Joe & Audrey Allison

   Welcome to My World

        Composition: Ray Winkler/John Hathcock

Jim Reeves   1965

   Have I Told You Lately That I Love You

        Composition: Ray Winkler/John Hathcock

   I'll Worry You Out Of My Mind

        Composition: Red Sovine

Red Sovine   1951

   Billy Goat Boogie

        Composition: Curley Kinsey

Red Sovine   1955

   Are You Mine?

       With Goldie Hill     Composition:

        Don Grashey/Jim Amadeo/Myrna Petrunka

   Giddy Up Go

        Composition: Red Sovine/Tommy Hill

Red Sovine   1966

   Bringing Mary Home

        Composition:

        John Duffey/Joe Kingston/Chaw Mank

Red Sovine   1967

   Big Joe and Phantom 309

        Composition: Tommy Faile

Red Sovine   1976

   Teddy Bear

        Composition: Dale Royal/Red Sovine

        Billy Joe Burnette/Tommy Hil

Red Sovine

Source: Elvis - Original Artists

   I'm Gonna Take My Heart Away from You

        Composition: Billy Walker

   Beautiful Brown Eyes

        Composition:

        Fiddlin' Arthur Smith/Alton Delmore

   Anything Your Heart Desires

        Composition: Billy Walker

   Whirlpool

        Composition: Johns

   Funny (How Time Slips Away)

        Composition: Willie Nelson

   Cross the Brazos at Waco

        Television performance

        Composition: Kay Arnold

   How Do You Ask

        Composition: Fred Foster/Dale Ward

   It's Beginning to Hurt

        Composition: Cindy Walker

Billy Walker   1967

   I Gotta Get Me Feeling Better

        Composition: Billy Walker

Billy Walker   1975

   Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song

        Composition: BJ Thomas

Billy Walker   1976

   (Here I Am) Alone Again

        Composition: Ray Pennington

Billy Walker   1989

   Charlie's Shoes

       Live performance

        Composition: Roy Baham

   Tumblin' Tumbleweeds

        Live performance

        Composition: Bob Nolan

Billy Walker

Source: Nash Country Weekly

Born in 1919 in Nashville, Ellen Deason married Johnnie Wright at age eighteen (1937) and became one of the trio, Johnnie Wright and the Harmony Girls, together with Wright's sister, Louise. Louise had married Jack Anglin in 1933 when they were teenagers. In 1938 all parties formed the Tennessee Hillbillies, about which time Deason assumed the stage name, Kitty Wells upon her husband's suggestion from a folk song titled 'Sweet Kitty Wells'. Wells toured with the Hillbillies, most notably performing duets with Wright, for the next several years. Wells and Wright would remain married until Wright's death in 2011. Come the latter forties Wright and Anglin formed the duet, Johnnie & Jack, as Wells pursued a solo career. Wells is thought to have put down her first unissued tracks in latter 1948 at KWKH radio in Shreveport, Louisiana, with Anglin at guitar and Wright at bass with Ray Atkins (Dobro) and Paul Warren (fiddle). Numerous titles like 'White Dove' and 'Jesus Remembered Me' saw later issue variously by Bear Family ('94) and Golden Country ('78). Wells spread her first issued tracks on January 31 of 1949 in Atlanta with backing by Anglin and Wright (now guitar) and the rest of her Tennessee Mountain Boys consisting of Shot Jackson (steel), Clyde Beaum (mandolin), Charles Grean (bass) and Dorris Warren (fiddle) for 'Death at the Bar'/'Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet' (RCA Victor 21 0032 '49) and 'Love or Hate'/'Don't Wait for the Last Minute to Pray' (RCA Victor 21 0085 '49). Her next crew on March 27, 1950, in Nashville remained the same excepting Ray Atkins (steel), Emory Martin (banjo) and Ernie Newton (bass) for 'How Far Is Heaven'/'My Mother' (RCA Victor 48 0384) and 'Make Up Your Mind'/'All Smiles Tonight' (RCA Victor 48 0333). That same date she supported Johnnie & Jack on such as 'Shout'/'Too Far from God' (RCA Victor 48 0323). Come May 3 of 1952 Wells spread along four songs including 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels'. Being banned by numerous radio stations likely helped that rise to #1 on Billboard's Country and sell more than 800,000 copies. Wells dominated the charts with 28 Top Ten titles to as late as 'You Don't Hear' in 1965. One of these was 'Heartbreak USA' finding #1 in 1961. 45cat has Wells' first issue with Red Foley in 1954 per 'One By One'/'I'm a Stranger in My Home' (Decca 9 29065). Foley and Wells would record several duets together in the fifties. In 1956 Wells became the first female country singer to release an LP: 'Kitty Wells' Country Hit Parade', a compilation of previously released material. Her first studio album followed the next year with 'Winner of Your Heart'. 1967 saw the issue of 'Together Again', a string of duets with Foley. Her last Top 40 was in 1968 with 'My Big Truck Drivin' Man' reaching #35. She was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976. Upon announcing their retirement, Wells and husband, Johnnie Wright, gave their last performance in 2000 at the Nashville Nightlife Theater. Johnnie died on September 27, 2011. Wells followed on July 16 of 2012 by stroke in Madison, Tennessee [1, 2, 3, 4]. Various recording credits for titles by Wells at 1, 2. Lyrics at YouTube. Wells in other visual media. References for Wells encyclopedic: 1, 2. Musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

   Death at the Bar

   Don't Wait the Last Minute to Pray

Kitty Wells   1952

   It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels

     Composition: J.D. Miller

Kitty Wells   1955

   Make Believe

      With Red Foley

     Composition: Billy Walker/Jerry Hamilton

   Meanwhile, Down At Joe's

     Composition: Harlan Howard

Kitty Wells   1968

   My Big Truck Drivin' Man

     Composition: Hank Mills

Kitty Wells   1992

   How Far Is Heaven

     Composition: Jimmie Davis/Tillman Franks

Kitty Wells

Source: NPR

Slim Whitman

Source: Oz Hitztory Blog

Born in Tampa, Florida, in 1923, yodeling guitarist, Slim Whitman [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], lost a finger working at a meat plant after graduating from high school. He also married in 1941. He then worked at a shipyard until the US Navy assigned him to a troop transport in the South Pacific in 1943. Whitman first approached guitar during that period, boxing also requesting his time. Upon release from the military Whitman returned to the shipyard in Tampa, now baseball competing with guitar. He began singing for Florida radio in 1948, including WDAE, WHBO and WFLA. The demo, 'Way Down in Florida That's the Only Place to Be', went down in latter '48 with Whitman's Variety Rhythm Boys, 50 copies distributed to radio stations. Though pressed for commercial reasons, that didn't go to record shops, so his first issues weren't until 1949 with assistance from impresario, Colonel Thomas Parker, who, upon hearing Whitman on the radio got him signed to RCA. Praguefrank's shows Whitman holding a couple sessions on February 3 of 1949 to result in 'I'll Do As Much For You'/'I'm Casting My Lasso Toward the Sky' (RCA Victor 21-0038), 'Paint a Rose on the Garden Wall'/'Tears Can Never Drown the Flame' (RCA Victor 21-0073) and 'Birmingham Jail'/'I'll Never Pass This Way Again' (RCA Victor 21-0141). Rocky52 has 'Wabash Waltz'/'I'm Cryin' Over You' (RCA Victor 48-0358) issued in 1950. Whitman had gone to Atlanta for that date, joined by Chet Atkins sent to ramrod affairs from WNOX in Knoxville by RCA country division head in Nashville, Stephen Sholes [1, 2]. Others in that assembly were Homer Haynes (guitar), Jethro Burns (mandolin), Jerry Byrd (steel), Charles Grean (bass) and Bob Ross (piano). Praguefrank's shows Whitman's third session to issue on March 28, 1950, in Nashville for 'There's a Rainbow in Every Teardrop'/'Let's Go to Church' (RCA Victor 48-0313) with vocalist, Dolores Watson, on the latter title. With Sholes still producing, Whitman's support on those were Jack Shook (guitar), Don Helms (steel), Ernie Newton (bass) and Anita Kerr (piano/organ). Wikipedia has 'Birmingham Jail' reaching Billboard's #15 spot in 1949. It lists four titles rising to Top Ten in '52: 'Love Song of the Waterfall' (#10), 'Indian Love Call' (#2), 'Keep It a Secret' (#3) and 'My Heart Is Broken in Three' (#10). Sholes had made a good bet for RCA with Whitman, his last of multiple Top Ten titles not arriving until 1971: 'Guess Who' (#7) and 'Something Beautiful' (#6). He issued 'It's a Sin to Tell a Lie' (#21) the same year. Whitman tied his last pony to the US Top Forty in 1980 with 'When' at rail fifteen. Williams' first two LPs had been issued in 1954: 'Sings and Yodels' and 'Slim Whitman and His Singing Guitar'. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. Numerous albums were released to not a lot of fuss until 'Love Song of the Waterfall' in 1965. He maintained a fairly strong presence into the early eighties, touring thereafter to include Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Whitman issued his last album, 'Twilight On the Trail', in 2010 [*], three years before his death in Orange Park, FL, of heart failure on June 19 of 2013. Despite a major portion of Whitman's issues not charting at all, those that did amounted to about 80 million records sold. Songwriting credits for recordings by Whitman at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Whitman in visual media.

   I'm Casting My Lasso Toward the Sky

     Composition: Lasses White/Jimmy Wakely

     Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II/Otto Harbach

      Composition: Bob Nolan

      Composition: Paul Webster/Sammy Fain

      Composition: Claude Taylor/Jerry Crist