Holiday Music | Other Country Styles

Ruby Kay "I Have Returned: Ruby Kay Sings Country Gospel" (Custom KNOF Records, 19--?) (LP)
Hardcore country gospel from a tiny label out of Saint Paul, Minnesota... KNOF was a Christian-oriented religious radio station founded in 1960 by Reverend Fred Adam and Grace Adam; apparently they also commissioned several records by local performers, including this LP and one by a group called The Vagabonds. Singer Ruby Kay is backed by a pretty twangy band, including Mangus Hansen on steel guitar, Faron Hanes (drums), Dick Thompson (bass) and Will Watson (rhythm guitar) and additional backing vocals by Julie Hanes and Marie Mader. Some of these musicians may have worked on other religious records; bass player Dick Thompson seems to have done other studio work, though I'm not sure about the others.

Kell Street Camp Meeting "Dinner And Joy On The Ground" (Paula Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Robin Hood Brians)
A folkie, Aquarian gospel-folk set, with lead vocals by someone mysteriously nicknamed "Uncle Snork," though perhaps more notably with pedal steel from Bob Tuttle, who also played in the country-rock band Rio Grande...

Bobbie Kellerhals & The Gospel Rhythm-Aires "My Mother's Bible" (Vision Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Leon Harris)
True, twangy gospel from Porterville, California, just north of Bakersfield... Bobbie Jean Kellerhals (1935-2013) was born in Alabama, but seems to have had deep California roots: she ran a seasonal family fruit stand in Porterville, and was a Pentecostal reverend in a local church, the Southside Assembly of God. Anyway, if you're lookin for real country gospel, this disc's a doozy, particularly since she had a great hillbilly voice, and a musical sensibility that seems rooted in the mid-1950s country style, reminiscent of Jean Shepard or Wanda Jackson. Of particular interest is the backing band -- in addition to her son Timmy banging on the drums, Mrs. Kellerhals is backed by the Gospel Rhythm-Aires, an excellent family band from Denair, led by Vision label owner Leon Harris, along with his wife Jean, daughter Karen, her husband Wayne Johnson, and finally Paul Harris, the family's eldest, who passed away not long after this album was recorded. (The Rhythm-Aires changed their name to the Singing Harris Family in 1973, which helps date this disc, apparently released around the same time as their last Gospel-Aires album.) As with other Harris Family records, this disc is packed with plenty of twangy guitar and steel, as well as a deliriously plunky piano... and did I mention I really dig Bobbie Kellerhals' vocals? This one's a gem. [By the way, I was all excited that I found a "new" Vision album, but when I got home, I discovered that (of course) I'd been scooped by the Valley-centric Porterville Music Society... If you future people are lucky, you may still be able to hear the whole album on YouTube courtesy of their research department.]

Evan Kemp "A Prayer With Evan Kemp" (Aragon Records, 1969) (LP)
A gospel set from Canadian country singer Evan Kemp, who normally recorded secular material...

The Kendalls "The Best Of Country Gospel" (Madacy Records, 2004)

Kentucky Faith "Fool's Gold" (Sonrise Music/Mark Recordings, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Twyla Morrison)
A mix of old bluegrass standards and religiously-oriented material... Maybe not the greatest pickers ever, but lively amateurs with a nice, spirited vibe. Despite the Appalachian band name, this was a Southern California band, led by singer-guitarist Ken Munds, who was later recruited to become the lead singer of the Christian country band, Brush Arbor. On this early outing, there was additional assistance from steel player J. D. Maness and bluegrass flatpicker Dennis Agajanian (who went on to record a few albums of his own in later years...) Footnote: on his website, Ken Munds details how the "rock star" aspects of the Brush Arbor band led him into the temptations of substance abuse, and after getting booted from the band, he bottomed out and then pulled himself together for a solo career as an evangelical folkie. But this is him at his most youthful and innocent... A nice slice of SoCal bluegrass-twang and Christian music history.

The Anita Kerr Singers "Sunday Serenade" (RCA Victor, 1965)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Spend This Holiday With Me" (Dot Records, 1970)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Hallelujah Guitars" (Word Records, 1975)

Anita Kerr & Kurt Kaiser "Hymns" (Word Records, 1975)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Walk A Little Slower" (Word Records, 1975)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Precious Memories" (Dot Records, 1977)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Thank You Lord" (Word Records, 1979)

The Anita Kerr Singers "Christmas Story" (Windmill Records, 1977)

Dick Kimmel "My Lord Keeps A Record" (Copper Creek Records, 2005)
An all-gospel bluegrass offering...

King Edward IV & The Knights "Deep In Christmas Country" (Ambush Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by King Edward & Harold Thompson)
A holiday offering from radio personality and country bandleader King Edward Smith IV (1929-1981) a veteran hillbilly and bluegrass performer whose uncle was well-known Virginia fiddler Hobart Smith. King Edward enlisted in the Air Force while still underage in order to serve in WWII; after demobilizing he moved through a series of bands and itinerant broadcasting jobs, including a stint as a staff musician at radio station WCYB, which was a hub of the 1950's bluegrass boom. His real calling seemed to be radio programmer, and in the early 1960s he became the music director at WSLC in Roanoke, Virginia and still had the position when he recorded this disc. The liner notes tell us that King Edward had recorded five albums and nearly three dozen singles dating back to 1957, though good luck tracking them down. Anyone out there who has more info or pictures, please feel free to share.

James King "Gardens In The Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel Of James King" (Rounder Records, 2008)
One of the finest, most assured vocalists in modern bluegrass, James King has worked with several fine ensembles, notably the all-star band, Longview, and with gospel-oriented bandleader Paul Williams. This generously programmed album gathers together some of the finest gospel performances in King's career, including collaborations with Williams, and several previously unreleased tracks, all of which have the heartfelt sincerity that fans of the gospel genre look for. The album opens with a pair of beautiful tunes taken from a Stanley Brothers tribute album originally out on the Doobie Shea label, with backing by Dan Tyminsky, Aubrie Haynie and other heavyweight pickers. Particularly sweet are some of the harmony vocal tunes, such as the quartet vocals on "It's Hot Down Here," one of a half-dozen songs that are new to this album. A real treat for religiously-oriented bluegrass fans; all those stray songs from various albums, gathered together in one nice, neat package. Recommended... hallelujah!

The King's Gospelaires "The King's Gospelaires" (19--?) (LP)
A hyper-local gospel group from Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, affiliated with the God's Tabernacle congregation, in nearby Limekiln, PA... The main group consisted of five members who are pictured on the front cover: Earl Thomas Osenbach on guitar, Sandy Moseley (mandolin), and Lloyd Gibson (lead guitar and bass), as well as two singers who are only identified by their first names, Joanne and Miriam (presumably Mrs. Miriam Osenbach). Additional musicians included mandolin picker Benny Greenwalt, guitarist William Reed and Bob Roberts on banjo. The liner notes mention Jesus sacrificing himself at Calvary two thousand years earlier, though it seems highly unlikely that this funky, down-home LP came out much later than the 1970s. (You never know, though...) Though only credited as playing guitar on this album, Mr. Osenbach (1931-2015) was also a highly-regarded dobro player, and performed for over a decade at the annual Kutztown Folk Festival

The King's Witnessses "The Glory Road" (Charter Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Breeden)
A country gospel group from Meridian, Idaho, recording on a sub-label of Ripcord Records. Unfortunately the band members are not listed, though they seem to have had some standing in the contemporary southern gospel scene: William Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys contributed glowing liner notes. (Even better still, his note included a date, giving us one of the few solid data points for when the various Charter and Ripcord titles came out...)

The Kingsmen "Kingsmen Kountry" (Heart Warming Records, 1968-?) (LP)
Also known as The Kingsmen Quartet, The Mighty Kingsmen, this was a long-running southern gospel group from North Carolina, originally formed in 1956. Not to be confused with the Pacific Northwest frat rockers of "Louie Louie" fame, The Kingsmen recorded several albums, some having more explicit nods towards country twang than others. This edition of the band included Eldridge Fox (baritone), Fred Cutshell (lead vocals), Kermit Jamerson (tenor), Dean Reese (bass vocals) and Ray Talley on piano; not sure who the other backing musicians might have been.

The Kingsmen "Kowboy Gospel" (Heavyweight Records, 1983) (LP)

Jim Klink & The Silver Spurs "...Sings Your Country And Gospel Favorites" (Process Record Company, 19--?) (LP)
This undated vanity release was pressed by a custom label in Franklin, Pennsylvania, with one side of the LP country, and the other side gospel, all of it resolutely old-fashioned. I'm not 100% sure, but I'd date this to around 1963... the Buck Owens/West Coast sound doesn't seem to have reached these guys yet, but their group photo has a Kennedy-era look to it. The back cover is blank - that's how cheapo and DIY this one was.

The Krater Brothers "Singin' For Fun" (Flight 7 Records, 1965-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Connelly)
Born in Hobart, Oklahoma, the Krater Brothers grew up in Oregon and formed a gospel trio as young men... Thurm (bass), Jess (mandolin and guitar) and Jack (guitar) recorded this set at Pacific Northwest Sound Productions in Salem, Oregon, picking their way through a set of standards such as "Jordan River," "Pastures Of Plenty" and "Swing Down Sweet Chariot." (sic.) They also play a few more secular tunes, such as Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." As far as I know, this was their only record.

Alison Krauss & The Cox Family "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" (Rounder Records, 1994)
An all-gospel album with Alison Krauss and The Cox family sounds like roots music manna from heaven... Still, I wish this had been a more traditional-sounding record... As it is, this is a bit over-orchestrated and Krauss-y. Guess they just couldn't help themselves. There are several very sweet numbers on here -- sublime, even -- but a lot of stuff that's pretty gooey and overripe as well. Hard to feel the Holy Spirit through all that molasses and corn syrup. Still, for those in the spirit, this could be mighty nice! (Also see my Alison Krauss discography.)

The Kroeze Brothers "The Wonder Of It All" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)

The Kroeze Brothers "Gathering Home" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)
The opening tracks confirm my suspicion that the Kroezes had rural roots, despite their later tilt towards churchier and poppier material... Several tracks on this album seem to come out of the chugga-chugga tradition of accordion-driven country music popular in the 1940s, particularly out on the West Coast. The vocals are also a little bit more rugged, or at least slightly unpolished, if not entirely rough-edged: for me, that's a plus. Unfortunately the influences of 'Fifties pop and more formulaic southern gospel are also at play, and would prove to be the band's musical ideals in years to come. This album is perhaps more rewarding for twangfans, but only a little bit. Worth checking out, but don't get your hopes too high.

The Kroeze Brothers "The Kroeze Family Sings" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)
The cover photo shows the Kroezes onstage at the Gospel Lighthouse Church, in Dallas, Texas, where they apparently appeared while recording this set at nearby Blue Bonnett Studios, in Fort Worth. Mostly it's a pretty sluggish, down-tempo, un-twangy set, though there are some more lively tracks, such as the banjo-based novelty number, "Crooked Street," which features male vocals. As with other Kroeze Family albums, you can hear hints of a Louvin Brothers-ish influence, but it barely breaks through amid all the mopey, overly-serious intoning, leaving you wishing -- perhaps -- that the brothers had recorded more stuff just by themselves. The back cover mentions their TV performances with the Clem Humbard family, though I'm not sure if they're actually on this album. Similarly, the younger generation, Debbie and Johnny Lee Kroeze, are mentioned, though they don't seem to have been part of the musical act yet.

The Kroeze Brothers "Kroeze Team On World Tour" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)

The Kroeze Brothers "Kroeze Family Musicale" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)
As with their other albums, this set alternates between slower, somewhat droning numbers centered around the organ, and mildly uptempo performances that may let a little twang out, but more often than not rely on a little bit of frisky piano playing, some banjo, or polka-based accordion. The liners mention the group at this point including Billy Kroeze and his wife Sandra and daughter Debbie, along with Johnny Kroeze and his wife Kowanda and their son, Johnny Lee Kroeze. The Kroeze Family Musicale was the name of the group's television show, which was presented in an irregular series of specially-scheduled broadcasts on KTNT-TV (Seattle-Tacoma, channel 11) starting in January, 1966.

The Kroeze Brothers "Especially For You" (The Kroeze Brothers Evangelistic Association, 196-?) (LP)
The four Kroezes are joined on this album by Clement and Priscilla Humbard, who play steel guitar and harp, respectively, and also contribute glowing liner notes. The performances are mostly pretty dreary, particularly those that showcase the gals as vocalists, although the uptempo numbers (which tend to be more stripped down and showcase the brothers) show a little more life. Mostly though, these folks seem pretty square, even given the parameters of the genre.

The Kroeze Brothers "I'll Fly Away" (Heart Warming Records, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Frank Kejmar)
Originally a brother duo from Everett, Washington, Bill and Johnny Kroeze formed their musical ministry in 1948, expanding to a quartet the following year when they married their wives, Kowanda (bass) and Sandra (accordion and piano). The result is a very perky sound, though only tangentially "country" -- they do incorporate some steel guitar on some tunes, but even they were thinking of it as "Hawaiian guitar," not as godly twangy. Though robust compared to the stuffier southern gospel vocal groups, the Kroezes are still pretty corny, like an act that might have appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show, rather than the Grand Ole Opry. Didn't work for me, though I'm sure there are those out there who would dig it. As noted in the liners, this was their first album for the Heart Warming label, though they self-released any others; the Kroezes were still performing well into the 2010s, adding some of their kids into the family band.

The Kroeze Brothers "Sweeter Gets The Journey" (Heart Warming Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Lee Hazen & Bob MacKenzie)
The liner notes inform us this was the band's second album on the Heart Warming label, and while they they maintain their same slightly manic mix of gospel and polka, this set has a more distinctly country feel, particularly with the participation of Nashville studio pro Weldon Myrick, who laces some sweet steel guitar licks throughout most of the songs. The songs are predominantly southern gospel standards by the likes of Mylon LeFevre, Bill Gaither, Happy Goodman and the like... I still find the Kroezes a bit too stuffy, and this disc has a surprisingly antique sound, given its mid-1970s release date, but perhaps that's part of the appeal. Doesn't do much for me, but the pedal steel and mandolin are a welcome addition.

Hick Music Index