Holiday Music | Other Country Styles

Barbara Fairchild - see artist discography

Eddie Fannon & The Calvary Singers "After Calvary" (Jewel Records, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Reggie Wallace)

Donna Fargo "Brotherly Love" (Songbird Records, 1981) (LP)
Includes some modern material such as "You Can't Be A Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine)" and the delightful novelty song, "I Knew Jesus (Before He Was A Star)," as well as some more traditional material, like "Amazing Grace."

Jim Fautheree "Heaven Is Only Knee High" (Lodema Records, 1979-?) (LP)
(Produced by John Wagner)
A swell set of straightforward country gospel by hotshot picker Jimmy Lee Fautheree, ex-partner of "Country" Johnny Mathis, who helped him record this album. In the 1950s they were known as the fiery hillbilly duo of Jimmy & Johnny, an almost-rock duo that was in the orbit of songwriter Wayne P. Walker, and his patron, country chart-topper Webb Pierce. After their act broke up, they each did some solo work, with Fautheree recording under the name "Jimmy Lee," and Mathis recording a series of excellent gospel records, with plenty of twang. Mathis contributes over half the songs on here, alongside classics by Fanny Crosby and Stuart Hamblen, and one by someone named Tracy Dartt. Fautheree was living in Farmington, New Mexico when he cut this set; twenty-five years later he was brought out of retirement again to record an album for super-picker Deke Dickerson's Ecco-Fonic label. Early recordings by Jimmy & Johnny have been gathered on an ace bunny killer Bear Family collection, as well as a CD's worth of Jimmy Lee's solo stuff.

Clint Felkner "Caravan Records Presents Clint Felkner" (Caravan Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Austin, Fritz Brading & Chuck Carson)
The first and I believe only album by a lanky, mutton-chopped Midwestern baritone named Clint Felkner... Side One is all gospel, while Side Two spotlights covers of secular country hits such as "BJ The DJ," "He'll Have To Go," and Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues." The album ends with a pair of originals, "She Loves Me When It Matters" and "House Husband's Lament," a feminist-era, battle-of-the-sexes novelty number co-written a guy named Dennis Standish. This set was recorded at a studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and while the backing seems fairly perfunctory, there's definitely a DIY charm... No info on the backing musicians, alas. Felkner's bio remains pretty obscure: a news story mentions him singing at a Minnesota funeral in 2013; around the same time he taped an interview with something called "Old Men Stories," which was apparently appended to a venue called the Kentucky Opry, in Draffenberg, KY, though I'm not sure where Felkner himself was from.

Narvel Felts "Season's Greetings" (Ram Records, 2003)

Narvel Felts "On The Wings Of Song" (USA Network, 2006)

Fred Field "...And Friends" (Maranatha Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Neal Rieffanaugh & Bill Schnee)
California Christian "Jesus-freak" hippie country-rock, with erstwhile Burrito Brother Al Perkins on steel guitar... Some of this is genuine Jesus-y twang, though many tracks have more of a sugary, folkie feel, and some even drift into subpar soft rock, saxophones and all. Fred Field had a pretty thin voice which may have been suited to the 'Seventies AOR sound, but he seems to have had a bluegrassy background, playing banjo, fiddle and mandolin, even though the arrangements are more of a glossy pop tint. This is an intriguing album for the genre, though most twangfans may want to avoid it; it's not all that country, after all. Field seems to have gotten into more jazzy stuff not long after this.

The First Nashville Jesus Band "Welcome To Nashville" (Lamb & Lion Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Linneman & Jack Linneman)
Man, what a great band name! This group, which may have had a shifting lineup, was formed primarily to back singer Pat Boone on some of his more country-flavored gospel outings, though they also backed Del Wood, and released some stuff "solo" under the band's name. Among the session players on this album are guitarist Jimmy Capps, Johnny Gimble, and steel player Jeff Newman. Although I think the sessions were cut in Nashville, Boone's Lamb & Lion label was headquartered in LA, and was associated with the budget-line Hilltop Records. A couple of the tunes were of newer origin, like their covers of "Daddy Sang Bass" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," as well as an original, "Why," which was composed by the group's pianist, David Reese.

The First Nashville Jesus Band "Peace In The Valley" (Lamb & Lion Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Linneman & Jack Linneman)
Another album of gospel standards, recorded in Nashville with a top-flight studio crew including Jimmy Capps, Paul Charron (drums), fiddler Johnny Gimble, bassist Billy Linneman (who also played in Marty Robbins' band), Jeff Newman (dobro and pedal steel) and pianists David Reese and Jerry Whitehurst -- basically the same lineup as the previous album.

Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs "Songs Of Glory" (Columbia Records, 1960) (LP)

Flatt & Scruggs "When The Saints Go Marching In" (Columbia Records, 1966) (LP)

Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs "Sacred Songs" (Columbia-Harmony Records, 1966) (LP)
A budget-line LP that includes some material from the albums above, as well as several songs that came from the Columbia vaults.

Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs "You Can Feel It In Your Soul" (County Records, 1981)

Lester Flatt "Flatt Gospel" (Canaan Records, 1975)

The Foggy River Boys "Songs To Remember" (International Artists, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Higgins)
A gospel quartet from Carthage, Missouri who recorded this album with one side of secular music -- Dallas Frazier's "There Goes My Everything," "Skip A Rope" and "Cool Water" from the Sons Of The Pioneers alongside pop oldies such as "Glow Worm." Side Two is straight gospel oldies... all standards in that department.

The Foggy River Boys "Ozark Mountain Jubilee" (International Artists, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by David Dombrowski & Winnie Swaim)
A mostly-secular (and pretty snoozy) set by a later edition of the band, who by this time had their own private theater in the Branson, Missouri ecosystem. This lineup featured the main vocal quartet of Bob Hubbard, Denzel Koontz, John Shepherd and Dale Sullens, backed by Bobby Hill on drums, Mike McCallister (guitar), Bob Moskop (piano) and Rick Taylor on bass. They deliver a heavy dose of chart-toppers by folks such as Alabama and The Oak Ridge Boys, with covers of "Play Me Some Mountain Music" and "Ozark Mountain Jubilee," as well as a "Dixie Trilogy" medley and a version of "Peace In The Valley," along with several other hits of the day. There's no date on the disc, but judging from the early 'Eighties repertoire, this seems to be from 1983 or possibly early '84. The arrangements are slick and poppy, the vocals a little too smooth for my tastes.

Red Foley - see artist discography

The Forbes Family "Best Of The Early Forbes Family" (Rebel Records, 1994)
A sweet bluegrass gospel set, with prominent, very 'grassy mandolin and lovely vocals by sister Lisa Forbes, who has a nice, Alison Krauss-ish, Rhonda Vincent-y tone, modern and smooth, but with roots and soul that fit the songs. A good mix of traditional and contemporary material, including songs by Alan O'Bryant, Cliff Waldron, and couple by Claire Lynch and several of the Stamps Quartet/Rambo Family vintage. If you like the style, this is a strong album.

The Forbes Family "I'll Look To Him" (Rebel Records, 1995)

The Forbes Family "In The Shadow Of Your Wings" (Rebel Records, 1996)
(Produced by Ron Block)

The Forbes Family "Classics" (Pure White Dove Records, 2006)

Tennessee Ernie Ford - see artist discography

Jed Ford "I Saw The Light" (Pixie Records, 19--?) (LP)
An all-gospel offering from this UK country cat. Not sure if any of the tracks are his own originals, though he does score hip points for covering Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me, Lord?"

The Jeff Ford Group "Here With You" (Tribute Records, 1977) (LP)

Kenny Foreman "He Touched Me" (Sunshine Records, 1971-?) (LP)
Evangelical pastor Kenny Foreman led the Faith Temple Church in San Jose, California at some time (it looks) during the late 1960s and early '70s. He billed this album as having "country-western style background and voices," and while there was some brisk pedal steel and twangy guitar, the predominant sound is a standard-issue church organ, blandly accompanying Foreman and his family... The main problem, though, is with the vocals, him specifically -- he's just a clumsy singer, though his sincerity can't be doubted. The pickers backing him do seem to have been legit country musicians, though not top flight by any means... Unfortunately they weren't identified by name, though I am quite curious who they were, and if they also played in any secular bands.

The Forester Sisters "Family Faith" (Heartland Records, 1988)

The Forester Sisters "A Christmas Card" (Warner Brothers, 1992)
(Produced by Jim Ed Norman)
Not bad... Their sweet family harmonies are bent towards a not-completely-predictable set of holiday tunes; most, like "White Christmas" and "Carol Of The Bells" are kind of the same-old same-old, more sugary, string-drenched, too-perfect Christmas tunes. Other tracks are quite lovely: the album's opener, Vaughn Horton's "An Old Christmas Card," is off the beaten track and the delivery is heartfelt; their version of "Silent Night" starts out really nice, as well. I mean, with a Jim Ed Norman album you sort of know what you're getting into, but this isn't as over-the-top and saccharine as his projects often are. It's not my kinda country, but if you're into holiday records, this is a pretty good choice. (For more Christmas records, see my Hillbilly Holiday section.)

The Forester Sisters "Sunday Meetin' " (JCI Records, 1994)

The Forester Sisters "Greatest Gospel Hits" (Warner Brothers, 1997)

The Forester Sisters "New Star Shining" (2002)

Elizabeth Foss "Sing For Us, Grandma" (Westmark Custom Records) (LP)
(Produced by Al Opland)
South Dakota native Elizabeth Foss and her husband Wilbur Foss (1921-2015) were devotees in the extreme to the "private label" phenomenon, recording literally dozens of albums, mostly of old-time fiddling music played by regular folks who came to their neck of the woods to take part in musical gatherings sponsored by the family. In the 1940s and 'Fifties the Fosses owned a hardware store, which Mr. Foss apparently gave up during a brief stint serving in South Dakota's state Senate; later in the decade he took a job at a local bank, where he worked for over two decades. In his mid-fifties, Mr. Foss turned to music, learning to play the fiddle at age fifty-five years old, even though he had lost three fingers while still a toddler during an accident on the family farm. The Fosses co-founded the South Dakota Fiddlers organization in 1976, and received numerous musical and civic awards over the years, including an induction into the South Dakota Country Music Hall Of Fame. They were also key members of the Old Time Fiddlers festival, based in Yankton, SD, and produced dozens of vinyl LPs commemorating the event. This album is one of many they recorded through the Westmark custom label network, and is perhaps a more personal record than most, with Mrs. Foss singing a mix of country oldies, gospel hymns and German leider, backed on guitar by Norma Borgheiinick, along with Charles Baker (fiddle and guitar), John McNeil (banjo and guitar), and Annie McNeil on piano.

The Foundations "Don't Weep For Me & Diesel Smoke" (Trail Records, 1976-?) (LP)
A treat for those of us looking for southern gospel that really sounds country. This album lives up to the promise of its album title (the diesel part) with an opening track filled with pedal steel and straight-up early-'Seventies commercial country arrangements which are echoed in later tracks. There are also songs that have a more conservative gospel sound, but the country is strong in this one. The Foundations were a solid harmony-vocal group from Pikeville, North Carolina, and like many southern gospel groups its membership was fluid and crossed over into several other groups, notably The Glorymen Quartet and the Harvesters Quartet. Alas, the liner notes don't tell us who was in this edition of group, or the Tennessee studio musicians who backed them. I'll go out on a limb and guess that this lineup including tenor Tommy Young (later of the Harvestmen) along with brothers Danny and Ivan Parker, who were all said to have been in an earlier version of the band. At any rate, this is definitely a more-country-than-usual gospel ensemble, and definitely worth a spin if that's what you seek. Fans of the Statler Brothers would probably dig this disc.

Wally Fowler/Various Artists "Wally Fowler And His Music City Jubilee" (Nashwood Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Breeden & Jack Smith)
One of the original movers and shakers in the Nashville music industry, Georgia-born Wally Fowler (1917-1994) wrote hundreds of songs, established his own record label, and, perhaps most significantly, founded the Oak Ridge Quartet southern gospel group way back in 1945, the group that would eventually evolve into The Oak Ridge Boys, one of the most popular country acts of the 1970s and '80s. Fowler performed on countless radio or TV shows over the years, was an Opry cast member and formed his own musical revues, including the gospel-oriented All Nite Singing concerts, which were held at the Ryman Auditorium in the 'Fifties and 'Sixties. He later created his own Music City Jubilee, which had earlier incarnations, but opened its doors as a bandstand venue in 1981. This 2-LP set commemorates the short-lived Jubilee, which seems to have lasted a couple of years and showcased a number of younger unknowns. The musicians on this album included vocalists Rick Baird, Chip Huffman, Mark McCauley, Jana Smith and Tim Smith, backed by a house band called the Tennessee Valley Boys, which was comprised of veteran producer-guitarist Gene Breeden, along with Ben Brogden (bass), Gary Smith (piano), Jack Smith (dobro and steel guitar), Steve Taylor (drums) and Phil Watson on guitar. To be honest, the album is a bit underwhelming. The material is fine but the production and the performances are resolutely generic, in keeping with the squeeky-clean production style of the times. Not surprisingly there are quite a few tracks that mimic the then-dominant harmony vocals sound of groups such as Alabama and The Oak Ridge Boys (a style that Fowler helped pioneer) while the Jana & Tim Smith duet delved more into ballads. Fowler sings as well, but he just sounds old and out of touch. I'm not sure how long exactly the Music City Jubilee persisted; there appears to have been a road show that staged concerts as far afield as Oklahoma, and the TVB band released a single in '84, an Oak Ridge-y, half-secular love song called "Lo And Behold" that got some traction on the charts. One of the Jubilee's later performers, Jimmy Ponder, recorded a solo album called Every Drop Of Water after moving to Branson, Missouri for a gig at Silver Dollar City.

The Fox Brothers "Jesus Was A Country Man" (LSI Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Babcock & Al McGuire)
Hailing from the tiny town of Bending Chestnut, Tennessee, The Fox Brothers -- Lynn, Randy, Roy and Tommy Fox -- were a Southern Gospel family band, and stalwarts of the Nashville country-gospel scene for several decades, dating back to the mid-1970s. They recorded several albums and performed regularly on Nashville-based TV shows such as Gospel Jubilee. On this early album their band also includes Jim Jones, Charlie Trent and Daryl Nelson, and the Nashville studio crew also included A-list pros such as Sonny Garrish, Lloyd Green, Charlie McCoy, and Bobby Thompson... A little slick sounding, but definitely country-flavored, with group vocals very much in the style of the Oak Ridge Boys and Alabama... This may have been their first album, with several more to follow.

Ron Fraser "I'm Gonna Sing My Song" (Granite Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Cliffie Stone)
I couldn't readily track down the story on this one, though I gather this was kind of a work-for-hire gig for country old-timer Cliffie Stone, who was touching base with the now and happening youth culture of the time... Stone's son Curtis plays several instruments, with hotshot LA picker Don Lee on guitar and J. B. Crabtree playing pedal steel. There's some pretty solid twang behind this one, though I think Ron Fraser was kind of a crypto-Christian singer; the title track has kind of a folk-pop "up with people" kinda feel. Later, recording in the early '80s as R. K. Fraser, he made a poppy Christian-patriotic album called Heroes, in which he tied the experience of Vietnam vets to the need for spiritual rebirth in American culture. Apparently Fraser was in the 173rd Airborne, serving in Vietnam between 1969-70, so that would have been a few years before he cut this album.

Fred & Sue "I Don't Mind Old Jordan" (Pathway Records, 196--?) (LP)
(Produced by Red Ellis)
Earthy evangelical bluegrass gospel from the husband-wife duo of Fred & Sue Johns, who were originally from East Tennessee, but lived in Cleveland, Ohio for most of their career. Their musical ministry grew out of Mr. Johns' work as a pastor in a local church, and they performed quite a bit in the region... According to the liner notes, Mrs. Johns formerly sang rock'n'roll under the name Eva Sue Smith, but gave that up all that kooky kids stuff for her marriage and for the Lord. (I wasn't able to find any information about her secular career online, so perhaps she never recorded under that name...?) At any rate, Sue Johns was a driving creative force on these records, composing six songs on this album, along with many other spread out across their LPs. Here they are backed by a vocal group known as the Pilgrim Heirs, and a band called The Crossmen, who also recorded several albums on the Pathway label. The music is straight-up traditional bluegrass, with a strong hillbilly tang; Fred Johns had a pretty standard voice, though Sue Johns' tone is much harder and more unusual, hinting at the rugged rural gospel of country pioneers such as Alfred G. Karnes. Cool stuff!

Fred & Sue "Reunion In Heaven/I'll Never Be Lonely" (REM Records, 196--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "I Dreamed Of A Heaven" (REM Records, 196--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "The Old Home Place" (REM Records, 196--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "Over The Sunset Hills" (Circle B Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Owens & Louis Owens)
Sue Johns wrote three songs for this album, and even more on earlier LPs. There are also a couple of songs here by their manager, Don Loving, who also contributed the liner notes. I believe the producer, Bill Owens, was a relative of Dolly Parton who recorded for the same label (REM Records) as Fred & Sue on their earlier releases. This was Fred & Sue's fifth album, with backing by the Bluegrass Mountain Boys: Carl Pack (banjo), Lynn Roberts (guitar), Larry Wright (bass) and Lenny Wright (mandolin), as well as piano player Jim Jewel.

Rev. Joe Freeman "Trusting In You Lord" (1968) (LP)
The son of a preacher himself, Joe Freeman became a pastor himself after serving in World War Two, and was the head of Pentecostal assembly in Esserville, Virginia, near his hometown of Wise, VA. The liner notes are from his wife June, who accompanied him on other albums (though possibly not this one) The album's other musicians included another husband-wife gospel team, Hubert and Jeanette Cooke -- aka The Cooke Duet -- as well as Barney Freeman on rhythm guitar and Ray Shuler playing lead. I haven't heard this one, but imagine it's quite good.

Joe Freeman & June Freeman "Thank You For The Valley I Walked Through Today" (Rite Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Carl J. Burkhardt)
Rootsy country gospel by a husband-wife team from Wise, Virginia... The Freemans are backed by members of the Cooke Family, aka The Cooke Duet: Jack Cooke on rhythm guitar, James Cooke (bass), Jeanette Cooke (guitar) and Hubert Cooke on tambourine, as well as lead guitarist Grady Burton, who did a lot of session work for gospel artists, most notably with the Weatherfords, though he also led his own family band.

Kay French "I Found The Way To Be Free" (QCA Recording Studios, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Charles Novell & Ric Probst)
An ambitious though not-quite-country-enough set by a gal from Saratoga, California, who wrote all of the songs on this album. The liner notes are compelling, telling how Mrs. French once sang in a trio along with her sisters, but drifted away from performing while still in high school, then entirely gave up music after she got married though "singing was my first love -- in fact, my secret desire was to be in show business." She credits her born-again conversion as the spark that got he back into music, inspiring her to compose some pretty solid religious songs, and (apparently) to travel to Cincinnati to record these sessions, where she was backed by drummer Denny Brooks, Eddie Drake on lead guitar, Mike Taulbee on bass, and a fair-sized brass-and-strings ensemble, conducted by Charles Novell. Novell also contributes some backing vocals, along with Judy Jennings, Ken Jennings and Barbara Novell. I confess, my initial reaction to Mrs. French's housewife-y vocals was a bit dismissive -- "oh, here's an album that's just what you'd imagine a private press album to sound like" -- but a few tracks in, I started to pick up on more of a Kitty Wells-ish vibe. Also, even though the music isn't quite my cup of tea, I do think it's impressive that she's the album's sole composer; anyone looking for "new" songs to add to the southern gospel canon could probably find a tune or two to work with here.

Bob Scott Frick "Everyday" (REF Records, 19--?) (LP)

Bob Scott (Frick) "Mr. Gospel Guitar: At Work" (REF Records, 19--?) (LP)
A nice, understated set of country gospel instrumentals by a Pennsylvania guitar picker working very much in the style of Chet Atkins. Billing himself either As "Bob Scott" or Robert Scott Frick, this fella self-released dozens of LPs and CDs over the years, and worked prolifically in the southern gospel scene... I've heard some of his stuff that was more overtly country in style, and presumably there are some cheesier, more "Contemporary Christian" material as well, but as far as this disc goes, it's pretty good. Basic, straightforward pleasant to the ears, with miraculously unfussy, uncluttered arrangements.

Dwayne Friend - see artist discography

Allen Frizzell "I'm Just A Nobody" (Self-Released, 2007)
Gospel songs from the younger brother of country singers David and Lefty Frizzell... Allen played secular country for a while, but decided instead to concentrate on the holier stuff...

Front Range "One Beautiful Day" (Sugar Hill Records, 1995)
A sweet, simple bluegrass gospel set, with an impressive set of all-new material written by lead vocalist Bob Amos. The material tilts towards the "judge-not-lest-ye-be-judged" brand of religious piety, which is fine by me. Nice harmonies, decent picking -- nothing dazzling, bur heartfelt and effective. Recommended!

Edgar Fultz & Daughter "Way Below The Bottom" (Jewel Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis & Rusty York)
A very pleasant, very rootsy country gospel album, featuring Newport, Kentucky's Edgar Fultz and his daughter Patricia Warren, in a series of original songs that resonate with authenticity and emotion. Fultz brings a robust, truly rural sound to this work -- plenty of twang and a sense that when he's singing about redemption and sin, maybe this is a guy who is really speaking from the heart and working through some of his own, personal life choices. Indeed, Fultz had a hard life, complete with run-ins with the law and a long prison term, and talks plainly in the liner notes about how he found religion and was born again in 1979 after trying therapy and AA, and he also mentions running his own business as a tree cutter and stump removal man. The Ohio-based backing band includes Junior Bennett on fiddle, Chubby Howard on steel, and producer J. D. Jarvis on rhythm guitar -- Jarvis also contributes liner notes praising Fultz and thanking him for recording his patriotic song, "Thank God For Old Glory." On the opening track I was immediately reminded of Ricky Skaggs -- hearing that same level of sincerity and devotion to traditional music -- though as the album spun forward, it sounded progressively earthier and raw. A nice record if you like the genre, and also appreciate records that don't sound all smooth and super-slick.

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "I Ain't Lookin' Back" (Nation Wide Records, 19--?) (LP)
Another all-gospel father-daughter album, with one song, "I Ain't Lookin' Back," that also appeared on the album above. I'm not sure which record came first, although I think the Jewel LP was not his first album. This also includes a Christmas song called "A Message to Santa."

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "It's Too Late Now" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP) (Produced by J. D. Jarvis & Rusty York)
Highlights of album include Fultz originals such as "The Devil's Garbage Can" and "God Is Watching Through A Teardrop," with backing by a band once again anchored by fiddler Junior Bennett and Kenny Holycross on steel guitar.

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "Mother's Old Washboard" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis)

Richie Furay - see artist discography

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