Texas bandleader Albert Dean Callaway aka Al Dean (1931-2016) is best known as "Mr. Cotton Eyed Joe," in honor of his 1967 recording of an old dance tune that had been kicking around in the western swing scene for decades, and which he made the biggest jukebox hit in Texas history. Al Dean started his professional career way back in 1952 when he formed his first group, The Texas Teenagers, which played gigs in his hometown of Freer, and all throughout the south end of the state. He plugged away for years, built a family, brought them into the act, and established Al Dean and The All Stars as a rock-solid, back-to-basics, pure twang, Lone Star country party band.
On a trip to Nashville he recorded the songs that made him a legend -- his version of "Cotton Eyed Joe" became a durable hit, a single that played in countless bars across the South. Dean started his own label, Kik-R Records -- recording, touring and winning awards for decades to come. Al Dean played his last show in June of 2016, just months before he passed away. Here's a quick look at his work...
Al Dean & The All Stars "From Texas To Nashville" (Kik-R Records, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Pete Drake)
Bandleader and fiddler Al Dean hailed from Freer, Texas, a tiny town in the South end of the state near Laredo... In the 'Sixties he recorded a popular version of the barndance classic, "Cotton Eyed Joe," and became a fixture on the Texas country scene for decades to come. Though the All Stars band became best known for its instrumental music, this album is packed with great honkytonk vocals -- bouncy, rugged stuff that's equal parts Buck Owens and Ray Price. They recorded part of this album in Nashville, though as time went by the group became more and more resolutely local... Along for the ride with Dean was his son, Galen and wife, Maxine Dean, whose two brothers were also original members of the band. Pretty darn good.
Al Dean & The All Stars "Down Our Way" (Kik-R Records, 1970-?) (LP)
Al Dean & Galen Dean "Country News" (Kik-R Records, 1973-?) (LP)
This was set up as a "split" LP, showcasing Galen Dean on Side One and Al Dean on Side Two. Presumably they're both backed by the All Stars band, though one distinction is that each singer is covering songs than he himself wrote. All-original material, obviously.
Al Dean & The All Stars "Kicker Country" (Kik-R Records, 19--?) (LP)
Al Dean & The All Stars "On The Bandstand" (Kik-R Records, 19--?) (LP)
Al Dean & The All Stars "Kick'n With..." (Kik-R Records, 19--?) (LP)
Al Dean & The All Stars "Mr. Cotton Eyed Joe: Al Dean Plays For Urban Cowboys" (Kik-R Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Al Dean)
The so-called "urban cowboy" era, defined by the John Travolta movie of the same name, proved a fertile opportunity for Al Dean and his band, who found plenty of work playing the now-trendy dancehalls of the Lone Star State. Although you'd imagine from the album's title that there'd be some new tunes by Mickey Gilley and whatnot, this all-instrumental set sticks to the oldies that the All Stars knew so well, jaunty versions of tunes like "San Antonio Rose," "Fraulein," "Together Again" and "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," with a healthy streak of cajun-style sawing in the mix. And of course there's a lively version of "Cotton Eyed Joe" to kick things off... It's not an innovative album by any means, but it sure sounds swell nonetheless -- cheerful, richly melodic and sure to get your toes a-tapping.
Al Dean & The All Stars "T For Texas" (Kik-R Records, 198--?) (LP)
Al Dean & The All Stars "Texico" (Kik-R Records, 198--?) (LP)
Al Dean "Texas Our Texas" (Kik-R Records, 1986) (LP)
An all instrumental album, made in celebration of the Texas sesquicentennial, 1836-1986.
