Joe Stampley "If You Touch Me (You've Got To Love Me)" (Dot Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Norro Wilson)
Uh... Look, I know that the title track is supposed to make him sound all sensitive and stuff... But... Ew.
Joe Stampley "Soul Song" (Dot Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Norro Wilson & Charlie Tallent)
Joe Stampley "I'm Still Loving You" (Dot Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Norro Wilson & Charlie Tallent)
Joe Stampley "Take Me Home To Somewhere" (ABC/Dot Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Norro Wilson)
Joe Stampley "Joe Stampley" (Epic Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley & Norro Wilson)
It's one-hundred percent fair to think of Joe Stampley as distinctly a lesser light, even in the somewhat-diminished world of mid-'Seventies Top Forty country. That said, "Roll On Big Mama" was a truly badass country-pop song. It kicks off this otherwise lackluster album which was notable -- as were many of his records -- for the high proportion of pointless cover songs: "From A Jack To A King," "The Grand Tour," "The Letter," "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)," and the like. There are also a few new songs in the Stampley white-soul mode, but really, it's that one big single that makes this album worthwhile... and what a fun song it was!
Joe Stampley "Billy, Get Me A Woman" (Epic Records, 1975) (LP)
Haw! The album art has the indelible appearance of an inadvertent kitsch classic: the slightly sleazy, trucker-themed T-shirt clad Stampley gazing vacantly out with a couple day's worth of stubble on his face, looking expectantly for his buddy to produce a babe for him to go swinging with. Yi-i-i-kes! you may understandably exclaim. The thing is, with its canny mix of jaunty string arrangements and driving hard-country rhythm, the jovial good-ole boy sexism and uncomplicated approach to life, this actually ain't that bad an album. Stampley holds the torturous white soul crooning down to a minimum, and keeps things country on this LP... It's definitely worth checking out, and has plenty of good tunes on it not collected on his meagre best-of albums. And hey, with raunchy tunes like "I Was Keeping Her Warm For You" and "Down Home Girl" on it... well, how can ya go wrong?
Joe Stampley "Ten Songs About Her" (Epic Records, 1975) (LP)
Joe Stampley "All These Things" (ABC/Dot Records, 1976) (LP)
Joe Stampley "The Sheik Of Chicago" (Epic Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley & Norro Wilson)
Joe Stampley "Saturday Nite Dance" (Epic Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley & Norro Wilson)
Joe Stampley "Red Wine And Blue Memories" (Epic Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley & Billy Sherrill)
Joe Stampley "I Don't Lie" (Epic Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley & Billy Sherrill)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "Just Good Ol' Boys" (Columbia Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker, Ron Reynolds & Billy Sherrill)
Joe Stampley "After Hours" (Epic Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker, Les Ladd, Ron Reynolds & Billy Sherrill)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "Hey Joe! Hey Moe!" (Columbia Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker, Lou Bradley, Ron Reynolds & Billy Sherrill)
Once Bandy paired up with Joe Stampley and their "Good Old Boys" gimmick became a brand name, it was only a matter of time before the music started to suffer. Still, well into the early '80s his albums didn't completely suck... Uncomplicated, upbeat material with great arrangements and studio work -- well worth checking out, even with all the corny redneck schtick.
Joe Stampley "I'm Gonna Love You Back To Loving Me Again" (Epic Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker, Lou Bradley, Les Ladd, Ron Reynolds & Billy Sherrill)
At the peak of his Moe & Joe fame, this is what Stampley was doing with his fifteen minutes in the limelight?? A gushy set of hillbilly soul, as only Stampley could do it (or as only he would want to!) Not my cup of tea, but it must be said, he really seemed to be into it.
Joe Stampley "I'm Goin' Hurtin' " (Epic Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker)
Joe Stampley "Backslidin' " (Epic Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Baker)
Joe Stampley "Memory Lane" (Epic Records, 1983)
(Produced by Ray Baker & Joe Stampley)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "The Good Ole Boys: Alive And Well" (Columbia/Epic Records, 1984)
(Produced by Blake Mevis & Bill Harris)
Joe Stampley "I'll Still Be Loving You" (Epic Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Kennedy & Joe Stampley)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "Live From Bad Bob's, Memphis" (Columbia/Epic Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Reynolds & Johnny Rosen)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "The Best" (Intersound Records, 1999)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "Live At Billy Bob's Texas" (Smith Music Group, 2000)
(Produced by Charlie Calello)
Joe Stampley "Somewhere Under The Rainbow" (Critter Records, 2001)
(Produced by Joe Stampley)
Not great. The title track, which opens the album, is an adequate ode to the joys of being average and unglamorous, and just loving your partner for who they are. It's the album's highpoint, along with the closer, "If It Ain't One, It's Another," a thumpy novelty song that catalogs all the little things that can go wrong in life. In between, there's stuff that ranges from so-so to simply scary... The mediocre material includes a hamfisted cover of the rock'n'roll oldie, "Boney Maronie" and various ballads, the scariest song is a horrifying tune that makes light of domestic violence ("Knock Down, Drag Out") that's sort of like a musical adaptation of the Cops TV series. Joe... you can stop now... seriously!
Joe Stampley "Good Ol' Boy: His Greatest Hits" (Razor & Tie Records, 1995)
A strong collection, cherry-picking the hits from Stampley's long and sometimes iffy career... This Louisiana-born good old boy started out his career in the 'Fifties singing rock-pop tunes in teenbopper bands, then he settled on a country career in the early '70s. He had a lamentable penchant for singing blue-eyed soul, musical moments that often dragged down entire albums, but which are mostly, thankfully omitted from this collection. His best solo hit was 1975's "Roll On, Big Mama," which remains one of the best anthemic country tunes ever recorded... Stampley went on to specialize in sleaze-ish swinger songs, ballads for the '70s barfly crowd, such as "Do You Ever Fool Around," "Put Your Clothes Back On," and "If You've Got Five Minutes, Let's Fall In Love," with lyrics comprised almost entirely of lame, creepy pickup lines. Then, of course, he hooked up with honkytonker Moe Bandy, an indie artist who'd managed to liven things up in the 'Seventies with a series of hard country albums that gave Nashville a much needed shot in the arm. The two of them were a hot duet in the early '80s, with novelty numbers like, "Just Good Ol' Boys," "Hey Joe, Hey Moe," and "Tell Ole I Ain't Here He Better Get On Home." However, they also delved into lame homophobic numbers like "Honkytonk Queen" and "Where's The Dress" (where, having seen Boy George on MTV, Moe & Joe contemplate dragging up their act as a way of cashing in... Amusing in a lame, time capsule redneck-relic kind of way, but not actually that funny...) Anyway, a few missteps aside, this disc is probably the best Stampley best-of you're likely to come across on CD. Recommended.
Joe Stampley "Greatest Hits, v.1" (ABC/Dot Records, 1975) (LP)
Joe Stampley "Greatest Hits" (Epic Records, 1978) (LP)
Joe Stampley "Biggest Hits" (Epic Records, 1982) (LP)
Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy "Greatest Hits" (Columbia/Epic Records, 1982) (LP)
Joe Stampley & The Uniques "Golden Hits" (Paula Records, 1991)
His olden goldies from the 'Sixties... Lots of strings and softened backbeats, but you can definitely make Stampley's voice out in the mix. Kinda cute, clean-cut pop/rock/soul.
Joe Stampley was originally a rock musician, singing with a vocal group called The Uniques all through the 1960s; in 1970 he hit the new decade as a Nashviller, switching to country. He's probably best known for his late-'70s partnership with hard country honkytonker Moe Bandy, which made country "good ole boys" a household word during the disco era. On his own, Stampley's kind of a mixed bag -- he never shook his love of blue-eyed soul music, and depending on whether you want tremelo or twang, his early records are either a treat or a trial. His true-country hits include "Roll On, Big Mama," which remains an irresistible singalong '70s gem. Here's a quick look at his work...
