In commercial terms, Vernon Oxford (1941-2023) was a marginal figure during the 1960s when he recorded for the RCA label, but to fans of real-deal honktonk music, he's a cherished secret, one of those guys -- like Ernest Tubb or Hank Locklin -- with a notably imperfect voice who sings with such conviction and simplicity that he brings each song alive. Born in Rogers, Arkansas but raised in Wichita, Oxford played regionally for several years before he was championed by legendary songwriter Harlan Howard, and landed a major label deal in 1965. Breaking through at a time when his brand of hard, unvarnished honkytonk twang was rapidly falling out of favor in Nashville, he failed to have any chart hits and looked to be dead in the water. But just as he was fading out in the States, his music was embraced by faraway country fans in the Ireland and the UK, giving him a second career path in the mid-1970s, and ironically found an audience back home during one of Nashville's infrequent waves of neotraditionalism. One of my personal honky-tonk heroes, Vernon Oxford is an artist you really should acquaint yourself with... Here's a quick look at his work.
Vernon Oxford "Famous Country Music Makers" (RCA, 1973) (LP)
This may well be the very record that saved Vernon Oxford's career, a generously-programmed 2-LP set that brought twenty-eight of his prime cuts into the orbit of British country fans, basically his RCA recordings to date. Great stuff. And it was even a gatefold!
Vernon Oxford "Let Me Sing You A Song" (Westside Records, 2000)
A generously programmed single-disc set collecting some of the best (and rarest!) material Oxford recorded for the RCA label, back in the 1960s... There are some wildly catchy, raspy hillbilly tunes and a few others that may be a little harder to get into... Overall, though, this disc of obscure, underrated material will be a real eye opener for country fans who are looking for cool new oldies to dig into. While some may lament the absence of his later RCA work from the 1970s (which was more commercially successful), these early honkytonk gems all fit together and are of a piece. Oxford's penchant for hard-hitting, soul-crushing cheating songs and barroom weepers makes this one fine little record... Recommended!
Vernon Oxford "Keeper Of The Flame" (Bear Family Records, 1995)
This stunning 5-CD set is probably a bit much for the casual country fan, but it certainly does justice to the legacy of this underrated hard-country crooner. This set spans 1965-82, gathering material from his RCA years right on through his tenure on the independent Rounder label, with plenty of other harder-to-find songs on there as well. To hear a more modest sampling of his RCA years, you could track down a copy of the single-disc best-of listed below, but the Rounder albums are still out of print and as for the other material... well, forget it: this is the only place you'll find it, outside of a long, exhaustive eBay binge. Oxford's vocals are an acquired taste, but once you get the bug, you'll be a fan.
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Vernon Oxford "Woman, Let Me Sing You A Song" (RCA Victor, 1966) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Ferguson)
Vernon Oxford "A Tribute To Hank Williams" (Meteor Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Tony Dirizziano & Fred Meijer)
This Irish-only release was made up of new recordings, cut at a session at Lombard Sound Studio, in Dublin. The musicians aren't listed, but the producers were well-established locals, and the studio had been home to Irish locals such as Philomena Begley, Margo, and others. Besides... Vernon covering Hank? I'm in!
Vernon Oxford "Nobody's Child" (Release Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Tony Dirizziano & Jerry Hughes)
Vernon Oxford "If I Had My Wife To Love Over" (Rounder Records, 1979) (LP)
Vernon Oxford "His And Hers" (Rounder Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Ferguson)
One of Oxford's later albums, cut for Rounder in the early 'Eighties, with a slew of Nashville studio cats (Pete Drake, Weldon Myrick, Pig Robbins, Buddy Spicher, et al.) signed on as backup musicians. Even with all the heavyweight hired guns on board, Oxford keeps it country, with a simple, understated set of pure, sweet honkytonk. It's not flashy or powerful, but it'll win you over with its understated approach, and Oxford's ability to really believe in what he's singing. Not a dazzler, but a gem nonetheless.
Vernon Oxford "I Love To Sing" (Bear Family Records, 1980) (LP)
Vernon Oxford "A Better Way Of Life" (Rounder Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Ferguson)
An outstanding country gospel album, with a hard, honkytonk edge that so precious few of these modern Christian country records are able to hold onto. Oxford sings from the heart, and the band plays with conviction and bite. The songs are mainly standards -- "Dust On The Bible," "An Unclouded Day," etc. -- but there are also several fine new songs as well, such as the title track (written by Oxford himself) and "Lord, I've Tried Everything But You," which starts the album off on a very high note. Whether you're a religious-minded or a secular country fan, this one is worth checking out.
Vernon Oxford "Keepin' It Country" (Rounder Records, 1982) (LP)
Vernon Oxford "The Oxford Touch" (Rutabaga Records, 1986) (LP)
This is a reissue of the 1980 album, I Love To Sing.
Vernon Oxford "The Shadows Of My Mind" (Classic Records, 1996)
Vernon Oxford "...Sings Gospel, Country & Bluegrass" (Oxford-Corbin Records, 2006)
