Tina Adair "Just You Wait And See" (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)
(Produced by Jerry Douglas)
A nice mix of solid bluegrass picking and the mellow, romantic crossover material favored by fans of Alison Krauss, et al. The comparison is both inevitable, and warranted, as the teen age Adair is produced on her debut by Jerry Douglas, and backed up by slick newgrass "usual suspects" such as Douglas, Alan O'Bryant, Aubrey Haynie and Chris Thile... Yet despite the tilt towards the predictable, Adair has a certain flair and distinctive, charismatic aura to her. Plus, she chooses some interesting material... Sure, there's a limp version of Poco's '70s soft-rock oldie, "Crazy Love," but there's also a Sandy Denny cover (!) and a sizzler or two such as "My Time To Go," originally by Molly O'Day. Sometimes her vocals and the arrangements drag a bit, but overall, this is pretty good. Wonder whatever happened to this gal...!

Kay Adams -- see artist discography

Nancy Adams "...And The Deer Creek Fundamentalists" (Mega Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Nancy Adams)
A slightly odd album, wherein pop vocalist Nancy Adams "goes country" -- sort of. Adams sings standards such as "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," "Moon River" and "That Old Black Magic," but she's backed by an A-list Nashville studio band, including Buddy Harmon, Weldon Myrick, Jerry Shook and the Jordanaires. Her stylistic range is highlighted in liner note testimonials from folks as diverse as Johnny Mercer, Neil Hefti, Jerry Reed, Billy Sherrill and Bobbie Gentry. Adams also released a number of singles, dating back to the early '60s; as far as I know, though, this was her only album.

Rosie Adams "Woods Colt" (Adams Records, 19--?) (LP)
This album, which I purchased near Kansas City, was more of a mystery disc than most... There's no address, no geographical info, and nothing about the producer or backing musicians; there's also no release date, although it looks like it was from the mid-1970s or perhaps early '80s. Clad in her full cowgirl suit glory, Rosa Lee Adams was literally someone's grandma, making a custom press album that was probably intended just for family and friends: the liner notes say she wrote the song "Make Believe World" for her young granddaughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age two. Ms. Adams had an odd, slightly tremulous voice, almost Brenda Lee-ish, though she was probably in her late sixties when this was recorded, and may have been a stronger singer in her youth. I wondered if she had a musical career earlier in life, like on some Opry-style show in the '40s or '50s perhaps(?) though I could find no mention of her online, as hard as I might try. (Any info is welcome!) The title track has, as it turns out, a kind of a racy theme: a "woods colt" is an old euphemism for a child born out of wedlock, though it can also have a more innocent, less loaded meaning, i.e. that of a colt born out in the wild.

Mistress Mary (Afton) "Housewife" (Afton Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Mary Afton)
An ambitious, wonderfully flawed outsider-art album apparently self-released in 1969 by Southern California musical indie auteur Mary Afton. It's not all country, although the opening track, "And I Didn't Want You," is a great twangtune where a tremulous, angst-ridden Ms. Afton displays a striking vocal likeness to Lucinda Williams. Soon after, though, she starts to channel more pop-oriented contemporaries such as Nancy Sinatra and Margo Guryan, with maybe just a touch of the Shaggs in the mix as well. Admittedly, this album requires a bit of charity on the part of modern listeners, but I agree with others that Ms. Afton shouldn't be considered a joke artist -- more like she was few decades ahead of her time, but had limited resources when she DIY'd this highly unusual record. There's plenty of ear-bending accidental glory on here, notably on the second track, "Dance Little Girl," a wildly warped take on the Carole King/Brill Building sound where the shrill backing music anticipates a lot of the lo-fi experimentation of the 1990s and beyond. The backing band is said to include country-rock luminaries such as steel player Carl Walden and guitarist Clarence White, who graft a Byrds-y style onto her kooky meanderings, while the satirical back cover liners portray Ms. Afton as an indolent, lingerie-clad stereotypical "bored housewife" of the era. Afton pressed a few hundred copies of this album and sent many of them out to radio stations and press, though after it (not surprisingly) tanked, she shifted gears and pursued a few feminist-oriented career paths (including self-defense instructor and auto mechanic/teacher) before finding her most profitable niche as an aerobic disco-dance teacher. Naturally, this album was reissued in 2016 -- with bonus tracks and informative liner notes -- and while it seems too good to be real, it is an amazing, authentic relic of the hippie era. Not that easy to listen to, but really kind of brilliant.

Lauren Alaina "Wildflower" (Mercury Nashville, 2011)
(Produced by Byron Gallimore)
Absolutely dreadful, and completely phony. The debut album by (yet another) American Idol contestant... She's one of those dreadfully unsubtle Idol singers, wailing away inside some impenetrable fortress of studio-generated wall-of-sound production, a soulless mound of pop-hook cliches, with no margin of error or room for genuine feeling. Bleah. It's an approximation of better music -- Sheryl Crow, etc. -- but so perfectly crafted and unoriginal it's really rather disheartening. How many of these records can they make? And why?

Barbara Alan & Bill Reader "Together" (Hawk Records, 197--?) (LP)
Not a lot of info on this one... It's a decent, if low-key country/pop duets set featuring singers Barbara Alan and Bill Reader, modestly backed by an anonymous studio crew whose strongest member was the pedal steel player. Reader seems to be the onetime pop-rockabilly singer Bill Reeder (sic), who recorded a few singles in the early 'Sixties for labels such as Fernwood and Hi Records. (Which would explain why they cover pop oldies like "Playboy" and "Searching.") I honestly can't tell if this is the same Barbara Alan who recorded the 1978 In Nashville album, though I think it was... If so, this looks (and sounds) like an earlier album, possibly from around 1972-74: he sings a version of the Statler Brothers "Bed Of Rose's," which was a hit in '71, and the general countrypolitan vibe on several tracks has a definite early 'Seventies feel. Sadly, there are no composer credits -- although most of the tracks are cover tunes, there are a couple of uptempo numbers showcasing Alan in a vaguely Wanda Jackson-ish mode which are album highlights. The album opens with the mildly raunchy "A Kind Of A Woman" and closes on "Don't Leave Without Me," both of which I think are originals. Not an earthshaking album, but it has its charms.

Barbara Alan "In Nashville" (Mid Land Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by William Lee & Jack Logan)
A lounge singer from Saint Louis, Missouri, Barbara Alan was the runner-up in a talent contest sponsored by the Grand Ole Opry as part of its fiftieth anniversary celebrations. I guess that's kinda like playing horseshoes, though, 'cause a couple of years later, she was still playing the bar at the Best Western Inn. But, still, she was a working musician, and she got to cut a record in Nashville, with an A-list backing band, including Buddy Emmons playing steel with Phil Baugh on lead electric guitar. This is an appealing album, although it does have a rather static feel... Ms. Alan says that Patsy Cline was her hero, and you can definitely hear it in her singing -- filtered, perhaps, through the rougher tones of Kitty Wells. Alan is appealing, though you may have a problem with the studio crew -- they just don't seem that into it, and honestly, don't give her a lot. Certainly, there are many more going-through-the-motions albums to be found, but this one does suffer nonetheless. What's cool about it, though, is the odd song selection -- she sings some pop standards by Gershwin and Berlin, a few country oldies by folks like Eddie Miller and Bill Monroe, as well as one by Wayne P. Walker (who's always a personal favorite of mine) but there are some odd entries that I think are unique to this album... "Walking Midnight Road" is the least of these, an odd ripoff of Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight," while "Walk On The Wild Side" is a pretty good honkytonk novelty number, wherein the singer balances six days of fun against one day of repentance and concludes that's a straight ticket to Hell. Perhaps the best track is "I Don't Know," a song written by Bill Adams, that's a sort of sideways gospel tune, written by a person who questions their faith because of all the horrible things God lets happen. I also enjoyed their bar-band funk rendition of "Blue Moon Of Kentucky," which is solid private-record kitsch. On balance, I thought this was a very sincere record made by a gal who for whatever reasons maybe didn't get the best treatment when she made her trek to Nashville. Still, she made a record, and that's more than most of us have done.

Alana & The Nightriders "Dedication" (Ba-Ron Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Messina)
Mostly country covers from this family band out of Haverhill, Massachusetts. The group included lead singers Alana Ralph, backed by Mike Anderson on bass, Ron Anderson, Sr. (guitar and vocals), Ron Anderson Jr. (drums), Ralph Mazzotta (lead guitar) and Bump Porter on pedal steel. They cover some country oldies, chestnuts like "Jackson" and "Kawliga," as well as more 'Seventies-oriented hits "Blue Bayou," Cal Smith's "Country Bumpkin" and "For The Good Times," along with a pop vocals tune or two. Groovy live performances with a rough country edge, particularly from Mr. Anderson, who really sounds like the kinda guy who'd been in a bar fight or two during his lifetime. Alana, who was apparently a teenager at the time, was a powerful singer who nails the country vibe, though she also gets into some soul-singer wailing. Occasionally the rock'n'roll guitar licks are distracting, though the steel guitar is pretty solid. There's one original song "To Be Alone," written by Ron White, and their bar-band cover of Neil Diamond's "Forever In Blue Jeans" is not to be missed.

Ava Aldridge "Frustrated Housewife" (MGM Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by George Soule)
Like a lot of folks in the Muscle Shoals scene, Sheffield, Alabama's Ava Ekiss Aldridge (1946-2003) sat on the ledge, with country on one side, and soul on the other... Aldridge worked extensively as a backup singer for a wide range of artists -- including Greg Allman, Patti Austin, Jim Dickinson, Levon Helm and Hank Williams, Jr. -- and obviously had deep connections to both country and Southern rock. She was also a successful songwriter, with perhaps her best known song being "Sharing The Night Together," which was a Top Ten hit for Dr. Hook. This was her first and (I think) only solo album, packed with original material, soulful music with a twangy undercurrent, to be sure.

Daniele Alexander "First Move" (Mercury Records, 1989)

Daniele Alexander "I Dream In Color" (Mercury Records, 1991)
(Produced by Harold Shedd)

Sharon Alexander & Tom Pacheco "Pacheco & Alexander" (CBS Records, 1971)
(Produced by John Hall & Tim Geelan)
A far-flung, kinda messy, folk-psych/boogie rock/'70s pop panoply, with songs in a variety of styles, generally characterized by an ecstatic party-rock vibe riddled with would-be lyrical profundities... Pacheco and Alexander had previously been in an East Coast psych-rock band called Euphoria which made one album then dissolved, after which they continued on as a duo... Most of the songs seem like starry-eyed hippiedelic ramblings, without much in the way readily discernible themes, although on one topical folk-type tune, "White Buffalo," Tom Pacheco bluntly hammers away on the theme of Native American rights. That track seems to be the strongest indicator of his future shift into a more overt country-rock persona... For the most part, this album seems to focus on Sharon Alexander as lead vocalist, and I gotta say, I find her kind of irritating, with a second-string Baez/Collins vibe that just doesn't work for me. It's like if Judy Collins dropped acid and drank tequila at a Laurel Canyon party and started free-associating her lyrics while dancing on a table top... I'm sure there are some folk-freak archivists out there for whom this sounds thrilling, I'm just not that into it. Lots of talented pickers on these sessions, though, including steel guitar by Bill Keith and producer John Hall, as well as bassist Jim Colgrove and drummer N. D. Smart, from Ian & Sylvia's Great Speckled Bird band.

Mary Alice "Loving You Again" (Marty Bleifeld Productions, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Aschlemann & Marty Bleifeld)
This uber-Midwestern album was recorded in Fort Wayne, Indiana with an all-locals band. The repertoire is all cover songs, except for the title track, "Loving You Again," which was written by John Snyder, apparently a friend of the band. It seems doubtful that singer Mary Alice was even semi-professional, since in the liner notes she thanks Dick and Pat Oberly for letting her sit in with their group, the Country CBers Band, at a gig at the Four Aces club in Tillman, Indiana... My guess is that the musicians backing her here weren't her "regular" band, either, but rather a pickup group put together just for these recording sessions.

Susie Allanson -- see artist discography

Anna Jane (Allen) -- see artist profile

Dave Allen "Doing My Thing" (TAD Records, 1972)

Deborah Allen "Anthology" (Renaissance Records, 1998)
Her initial chart entries were cynically-produced "duets" with countrypolitan crooner Jim Reeves, whose death in 1964 didn't prevent the RCA label from releasing singles for decades to come. A trio of these tunes kicks off this disc, with Allen's Parton-esque vocals engulfed by a barrage of slightly piercing (and entirely egregious) string arrangements. She swiftly emerged as a solo singer, at her best fronting perky synth-abilly hits like "I've Been Wrong Before" and a whole host of drippier Flashdance-y followups. This is a pretty comprehensive retrospective of her work on RCA, Capitol, and the Giant imprint... Maybe not the greatest hick music ever, but her fans will be thrilled to track this disc down...

Deborah Allen "Anthology" (Curb Records, 2000)
(Produced by Deborah Allen & Bobby Braddock)
Re-recorded versions of some of her old ballads... If you want the originals, you'll need to look elsewhere, but if you want to hear what Allen sounded like a little later on, then check this one out.

Deborah Allen "Delta Dreamland" (Giant Records, 1993)

Deborah Allen "All That I Am" (1994)

Deborah Allen "The Best Of Deborah Allen" (Curb Records, 2000)

Judy Allen "Especially For You" (Stop Records, 1972) (LP)
One of the many lost, orphan albums of the early '70s... Though her career took off in Canada, singer Judy Allen -- an ex-wife of country star Rex Allen, Jr. -- was originally from California. Her chart hits came a little later, in 1978, with a brief mid-1970s stint on Polydor, but apparently those Back Forty singles weren't enough to persuade the label to put out a full album of her work... Perhaps someday she'll get a full retrospective set, combining these songs with the later stuff? Maybe... who knows?

Rosalie Allen -- see artist discography

P. J. Allman "Heart First" (Kansa Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Ronny Light)
A solo set by singer P.J. Allman, who was a founding member of an all-gal band called Chantilly, which also featured Debbie Pierce, daughter of honkytonk legend Webb Pierce. Most songs look like they were original to this album, including Allman's own "Touch Of A Man." These tracks feature an all-pro Nashville crew, with Pete Wade, Hargus Robbins, Lloyd Green and Weldon Myrick, as well as Judy Rodman on backup vocals. Alas, nothing charted from either album.

P. J. Allman "Genuine Love" (Playback Records, 1987) (LP)

Elizabeth Ames & The Countrypolitans "Anytime" (Ultrapolitan Records, 2007)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines & Elizabeth Ames)
This California-based artist brews up a mix of Neko Case-like twang, Bobbie Gentry-ish sunshine-countrypolitan and contemplative Rosanne Cash-y moping, anchored by some solid honkytonk picking. Didn't totally resonate for me -- a little too poetic for my tastes, and not enough clear melodic hooks. But it's solid stuff, certainly worth checking out.

Betty Amos "Yesterday's Sweetheart:" (BACM, 2009)

Alana Amram & The Rough Gems "Painted Lady" (Kingswood, 2010)

Alana Amram & The Rough Gems "Snow Shadows: Songs Of Vince Martin" (Kingswood Records, 2011)
(Produced by Mark Sebastian & Jesse Lauter)
A folkie/country set from the daughter of classical/jazz composer and Beat scenester David Amram... This album is a tribute to 1960s folkie Vince Martin, who was in the Tarriers band and also recorded with Fred Neil in the early '60s. Worth checking out if you're into introspective folk music and chamber folk/country crossovers. (For more info, here's a link to her website: alanaamram.com)

Connie Kis Andersen "Connie Kis" (Kismana Records, 2011)
(Produced by Doug Wayne)
Independently released mainstream-ish country from an Australian songwriter, with a mix of uptempo singalong songs ("Turn It Up") and several slower, poppy ballads, as well as a touch of inspirational music ("Angels All Around Us," "Pearls For The World"). A solid set, though with the perceptible lack of studio-perfect bombast that you sometimes hear in records by regular folks who try to emulate the Nashville sound. I'm not wild about her vocals, but she seems like a solid, craftsmanlike songwriter...

Anita Anderson "Busted Love" (Dusspri Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by J'Sue LaRue)
Independently produced would-be Top Forty, early '80s style. Slick but still low-rent enough to be appealing. I couldn't find any info about this bright-voiced gal online... This disc was released on a label from Hollywood, California, with backing by guitar picker Al Bonhormme, Brad Felton on pedal steel, drummer Clay Lowder and Arnold Mitchum on bass. Not a usual-suspects crew by any means, but they were all competent, professional musicians and the songs were similarly workmanlike and commercially-oriented. Anderson's voice seems a bit too girlish and thin -- she sounds like she may actually have been a teenager -- but still you could imagine that with more robust production, she coulda been a contender. This doesn't really wow me, but it ain't bad.

Liz Anderson -- see artist discography

Lynn Anderson -- see artist discography

Jessica Andrews "Heart Shaped World" (Dreamworks Records, 1999)
(Produced by Byron Gallimore)

Jessica Andrews "Who I Am" (Dreamworks Records, 2000)
(Produced by Byron Gallimore)

Jessica Andrews "Now" (Dreamworks Records, 2003)
(Produced by Byron Gallimore, James Stroud & Billy Mann)

Sheila Andrews "Love Me Like A Woman" (Ovation Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Brien Fisher)
Things never completely clicked for Sheila Andrews -- she had a handful of chart entries between 1978-80, but no hits big enough to break her into the big time. It might have just been because she was on an indie label that didn't have enough juice to promote all its artists, or maybe her throaty, soul-tinged vocals were a little too far ahead of the curve -- she sounds a lot like Ashley Judd, K. T. Oslin and Lacy J. Dalton, '80s gals who took over the Top 40 with a mix of slick production and rootsy singing, but several years after Andrews took her shot. Anyway, this debut disc includes her first three chart songs, including the mildly scandalous "Too Fast For Rapid City" and "What I Had With You," a nice duet with Joe Sun. This is probably too glossy for most traditionally-oriented twangfans, but worth checking out if you're into the early '80s country sound.

Sheila Andrews "Lovesick" (Ovation Records, 1980) (LP)

Sheila Andrews "Crystal Tears" (Brylen Records, 1982) (LP)

Angel Band "With Roots And Wings" (Appleseed Records, 2008)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)
A heartfelt, folkie effort from some gals who've recently been backing up the great acoustic bluesman, David Bromberg (who is also lead singer Nancy Josephson's happy hubby, and who plays in the backing band, along with producer Lloyd Maines.) These three-part, fine female harmonies are sung with gusto, and while I personally find the group too firmly anchored in the coffeehouse folk scene, people who are more tapped into that sound might really dig this.

Betty Angel "Golden Voice Gal" (Joey Records, 1978) (LP)
This one looks a little bit iffy, what with the the mix of piano and saxophone... Ms. Angel was a radio host from Adrian, Michigan who called her music "refined country," and it's the refined part that makes me a little concerned. Still, if she called it country, I guess it's country. Backing her are drummer Howie Schumann and saxophonist Lee Wallace... there's definitely a lot of cover material on here, though there may have been some originals as well.

Lisa Angelle "Lisa Angelle" (Dreamworks Records, 2000)
(Produced by Andrew Gold & Lisa Angelle)
Extremely pop-oriented material; Angelle's voice is the most interesting thing here, a husky, burnished rumble that reminds me of Rosanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter. But the songs are dreadful, ranging from made-for-Oprah emotional handwringing tunes to dramatically flat, would-be "rowdy" material such as the "Daddy's Gun" and "Kiss This." The bouncy, uptempo single, "I Wear Your Love," is okay in a "Passionate Kisses" kinda way, but there's nothing else on the album that I found of equal interest.

The Angle Sisters "Back Home Again" (Telephone Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Buddy Angle, Don Caldwell & Lloyd Maines)
One of the countless Lone Star locals in the orbit of the Maines Brothers Band and producer Don Caldwell, this is a full-on Lubbock-or-leave-it lovefest, with musical contributions by The Angle Sisters (Gwen and Stacy, of Knox City, Texas) along with Don Caldwell on saxophone, Rick Hewlitt (lead guitar), Wayne Hill (fiddle), Steve Keaton (drums), Curly Lawler (also on fiddle), Lloyd Maines multi-tasking on banjo, guitar and pedal steel, Hymie Smith (bass) and Monte Williams playing piano... The Telephone label was one of Caldwell's side projects, run out of his sound studio which documented a lot of local and regional musicians... Tone of cover tunes on this album, though one or two may have been originals, such as "If You Love Me Let Me Know."

The Angle Sisters "...A Little Bit Country" (Texas Soul Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Don Caldwell, Lloyd Maines & Syl Rice)
A similar set, largely cover tunes, with maybe a couple that might be original to this album, and a bunch of locals backing the Angle gals. Don Caldwell and Lloyd Maines anchor the band, along with fiddle player Richard Bowden, though the rest of the players are less familiar. I'm not sure what became of these two -- they also appeared on one of the Grapvine Opry compilation albums, circa 1978, so I assume they were in the show's cast for a while, but for the time being I don't know the full contours of their performing career... Any info is welcome!

Jerry Ann "Unmistakably" (A + R Records, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Huddleston, Larry McPhail & Jerry Ann McPhail)
A countrypolitan also-ran, gal singer Jerry Ann seems to have been a foil for songwriter David Patton, who returned to Texas after recording a couple of early 'Seventies albums, and settled into regional work. Patton composed all the songs on this album, which was recorded at the same time he was establishing his new band, the Dallas-based Side Of The Road Gang, a band that also backed Jerry Ann on at least one single (a duet with Dick Kasper.) The liner notes on this disc inform us that Jerry Ann had been performing for about a year on Dallas-area TV station Channel 11 before she cut this album. She had a soft, milky vocal style reminiscent of '70s stars such as Crystal Gayle and Anne Murray, doleful but not a lot of bite, and pretty standard-issue for the era. Backing her are keyboard player Stuart Lamb, Jimmy Lowrance (lead guitar), Larry McPhail (bass), David Patton (rhythm guitar), James Stanley (rhythm guitar), Dickie Lee Taylor (keyboards), and Wesley Taylor on lead guitar and steel. Not sure what Jerry Ann's real name was, although she may have also performed under the mononym JeriAn; as far as I know this was her only album.

Annajane (Allen) -- see artist profile

Susan Anton "One Night" (Varese Sarabande, 2001)
A late-career live album for singer-actress Susan Anton, who is perhaps best remembered for her 1980 pop/country hit. "Killin' Time," a duet with Fred Knoblock. Oh, and for being on Baywatch for a couple of years... and for dating Dudley Moore. (Wikipedia, I love you...!)

Any Old Time String Band "Any Old Time String Band" (Bay/Arhoolie Records, 1978, 1980)
This San Francisco Bay Area ensemble was one of the most charming -- and accomplished -- of the late -'70s string band revivalists. The 1996 CD reissue combines two LPs originally released in 1978 and 1980, and features their lovely version of the melodic oldie, "C-U-B-A," originally a hit for Billy Murray in 1920. The lineup changed between albums, but Kate Brislin and Sue Draheim were core members of the band, along with Genny Haley on guitar... and their sense of "old-time" music, including old-time jazz and Tin Pan Alley material, was right on the button. Very sweet and highly recommended.

Any Old Time "Ladies' Choice" (Bay Records, 1983) (LP)

Apache Spirit "Indian Cowboy" (Apache Spirit Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jose A. Chavez)
A nice set of mellow, mostly acoustic country tunes from a Native American band out of Whiteriver, Arizona, inside the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, near Phoenix. I really like the vibe on this disc -- it's totally laid back and chill, just some regular folks playing some of their favorite songs with a sense of good cheer all around. There are two originals credited to Evelyn J. Ethelbah, "Weekend Woman" and the title track, "Indian Cowboy." It seems likely she is also one of the band's lead singers, simply listed as Lee in the liner notes. The other musicians also use nicknames: Midnight plays lead guitar and pedal steel, Paschal plays bass, and Apache Boy is on drums. The other songs are cover tunes, a mix of country and pop hits, along with a few oldies such as "Bring It On Home" and "La Bamba." One of my favorite tracks is the strummy cover of Van Morrison's "Gloria," which really sounds like a guy sitting around at a house party banging away on an acoustic guitar, very simple but heartfelt and real. Other tracks include Bonnie Bramblett's "Never Ending Song," "Delta Dawn" and "Hello Trouble," from the Buck Owens catalog, as well as one track called "Apache Mexico," where they didn't know the composer, but credit the arrangement to guitarist Midnight. A nice, unpretentious album... definitely worth a spin!

Suzi Arden "The Suzi Arden Show Live At the Mint Hotel" (Mint, 1977) (LP)
Apparently originally from Colorado, fiddler-guitar picker Suzi Arden is best remembered as the leader of the longest-running show in Las Vegas history... She had a background in the golden era of hillbilly variety shows, notably performing on Red Foley's Ozark Jubilee in a duo called "the Arden Sisters." She hit Vegas in the early 'Sixties and became a fixture at the Merri-Mint Lounge, where she remained for most of the 'Sixties and 'Seventies. She also cut a couple of singles in Nashville and LA, but her vinyl clam to fame comes from this live LP, recorded in Vegas in the '70s... Arden is also a legendary figure among guitar buffs for having field-tested the first Rickenbacker 12-string guitar back in 1963... Take that, Roger McGuinn!

Arizona Outlaws "On The Road" (1979) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Monnett)
This long-lived band from Central Arizona was led by pedal steel player Jim Monnett, with Danny Monnett on lead guitar, Don Carson on piano, some fiddle and mandolin by Maverick Homes, and vocals by Jim Monnett, Kathy West and bassist Bob Lewis. The album includes covers of classics by Rodney Crowell, Whitey Schafer and Hank Thompson, as well as a wealth of original material. There are four songs written by Ken Patrick, a friend of the band who had apparently passed away before the was released, including "Can't Get You Out Of My Mind," "Listen Heart," "Outlaw Night Train" and "Running To The River." Jim Monnett contributed two songs, "Arizona Outlaw Theme" and "Spaced Out Cowboy" while Bob Lewis penned one called "Free Man Again." The lineup changed a few times, but Monnett kept the band together well into the 2010s, playing local festivals, county fairs and other community-oriented gigs, although I think this was the group's only album.

(Bill Zorn And) The Arizona Smoke Revue "Bill Zorn & The Arizona Smoke Revue" (Avada Records, 1980) (LP)
Banjo picker and guitarist Bill Zorn and his brother Pete were folk scene chameleons who started their own college band in Arizona, The Win'jammers, moving from there into several high-profile groups, notably an early 'Seventies lineup of the New Christy Minstrels, as well as The Kingston Trio, and many years later an oldies-show edition of The Limelighters. In between all that was the Arizona Smoke Revue, an eclectic, rootsy band founded by Bill Zorn that recorded three albums, and which later included his brother Pete. Both of the Zorns also found success in the UK and joined some of the established top bands in the British folk-rock world, Bill Zorn performing with the Albion Band, and Pete Zorn joining both Albion and Steeleye Span, as well as a long stint working with Richard Thompson.

The Arizona Smoke Revue "A Thundering On The Horizon" (Rola Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Knightley, Tom Leader, John Verity & Pete Zorn)
On the band's second album, Bill Zorn was joined by brother Pete on bass, along with several British folkies, including Phil Beer (bass, fiddle and guitar), Paul Downes (guitar and mandolin), Dave Mattacks (drums), and guitarist Gene Vogel.

The Arizona Smoke Revue "New Album" (Rola Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by John Acook)

Katie Armiger "Katie Armiger" (Cold River Records, 2007)

Jennie Arnau "Mt. Pleasant" (Self-Released, 2006)

Jennie Arnau "Chasing Giants" (Self-Released, 2009)
(Produced by Trina Shoemaker & Jennie Arnau)
Although there are definite elements of bluegrass and country twang, most of this album lies too far in the "folk" field for me... But some subtle banjo plucking by Noam Pikelny and gorgeous pedal steel riffs courtesy of Rich Hinman sneak in on several songs, and these are alluring moments. The songs are all originals, and there seems to be a Christian/religious subtext running through the album that it took me a while to pick up on... The song that really stuck out for me was "Safe Tonight," though others might find more material here to please them, particularly fans of Jolie Holland, Abigail Washburn, et. al.

Cheryl Arnold "Something Special" (Morgan Enterprises, 198-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bonnie Guitar)
A protege of pop/country star Bonnie Guitar, singer Cheryl Arnold was from Washington state, living on a ranch just north of Seattle, where she raised German shepherds, rode her Morgan horses and worked as an animal rights advocate. She apparently led a band called Blue Mariah, and was associated with Seattle school superintendent Donald Steele, who recorded an album of his own around this time, and who contributes liner notes for her LP. All but one of the songs on this album were written or co-written by Bonnie Guitar, including two that Arnold co-wrote, "Mason Dixon Line" and "When The Lights Go Down." A notable exception is her cover of Melvin Endsley's classic "Singin' The Blues," which was a hit for Marty Robbins back in '56. As far as I know, this was her only album.

Charline Arthur "Welcome To The Party" (Bear Family Records, 1998)
A stellar collection of ultra-rare oldies by one of hard country's most elusive figures. Brassy, loudmouthed and a snarly, dynamic singer, Arthur demolished the traditional role of the passive, ladylike country "girl" singer. Back in the early '50s, when all the other gals were demurely performing in Kitty Wells-style gingham dresses, Arthur was wearing slacks, smoking cigarettes, and cussing Chet Atkins out in the RCA recording booth. It was probably the last habit that had the most to do with her swift fall from grace -- Arthur was dumped from the label in 1956, after having plugged away for several years without much commercial success. Admittedly, Arthur's bluesy, occasionally raunchy style was at odds with the expectations of the times, but it's a tragedy she wasn't allowed to grow as an artist -- her vocals and approach certainly prefigured the work of bluesy country/pop stylists like Patsy Cline and Brenda Lee, and (of course...) the rockabilly bop of Wanda Jackson. Notably, the singer whose voice most resembles Arthur is Skeeter Davis, who Atkins did succeed in taming -- you can hear similar attempts to soften and Nashville-ize Arthur's vocals throughout this disc. But uptempo or slowed down, Charline Arthur was a force to be reckoned with, and this CD should send a quiver through the hard country community -- check it out!

Charline Arthur "Burn That Candle" (Bear Family Records, 2009) (LP)

Charline Arthur/Various Artists "THE GALS OF THE BIG "D" JAMBOREE" (Dragon Street Records, 2001)
Fans of Charline Arthur will be psyched to hear these lives tracks, recorded onstage at the legendary Big "D" Jamboree, one of the Grand Ole Opry's old competitors... Also included are songs by Sherry Davis, Doreen Freeman, Helen Hall, The Lovett Sisters (...any relation to Lyle...?), Abbie Neal, Pat Smith and rockabilly legends Janis Martin and Wanda Jackson. Whew!!

Susan Ashton "Closer" (Capitol Records, 1999)
Hmmm. A contemporary Christian singer's big bid for commercial country success, after a decade-long career as a star at the top of her original niche market. Her bright, poppy sound, courtesy of veteran producer Emory Gordy, Jr., has a pleasantly dated sound, but her evangelical Christian reputation may have held her back in the charts. Most of these songs are romantically themed and secular, although the single, "Faith Of The Heart," was a bit preachy. Not bad, but not strong enough to break away from her old scene, and not religious enough to please her old fans.

Darlene Austin "...And The Road Company" (Road Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Haynes & Bill Vandervort)
Originally from Salina, Kansas, singer Darlene Austin hit Nashville in the early 'Eighties and landed solid gigs performing on Nashville Now and The Ralph Emery Show. This was her first album, and it has lotsa cover songs, including contemporary country-pop hits like "Somebody's Knockin'," "Nine To Five" and "The Rose," as well as some more rootsy, outlaw-ish material from folks like Delbert McClinton and Rusty Weir, even a version of Al Green's "Take Me To The River." There's one song credited to Ms. Austin, "How Long Does It Last," as well as one by bass player Terry Dee (aka Terry D. Zimmerman), who splits some of the lead singer duties. Although this disc is heavy on cover songs, Austin later became known as a songwriter, after years of plugging away as a singer.

Darlene Austin "In And Out Of Love" (Music Masters, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Harry Shields & Dennis Ritchie)
A double LP from an aspiring Top 40 hopeful... Ms. Austin was originally a farm girl from Salina, Kansas who left home straight out of high school and headed for Nashville, where she made some ripples on radio and TV, and worked as a staff writer for some of Nashville's professional publishing companies, and was a regular on the Ralph Emery show. She eventually hit the charts in the early '80s, but her handful of singles were all strictly Back Forty material. This album was recorded in Nashville (with session players such as Jerry Shook on lead guitar, Sonny Garrish playing steel and the Cates Sisters singing backup) but was released on a label located in Charlotte, North Carolina, which may explain why it's not part of her chart success. Mostly this is an album of countrypolitan cover tunes, though Darlene Austin co-wrote one song, "Through Your Eyes," and producer Harry Shields contributed one called "Surround Yourself In Love," with a few other tracks that were probably originals as well. The repertoire is quite diverse, with hits like "Rose Garden," "Stand By Your Man" and "Loving Him Was Easier" alongside songs by writers as varied as Burt Bacharach, Leon Payne Tony Joe White, and even one from women's music icon Holly Near(!) An interesting glimpse at the '80s Nashville sound, just below the upper tiers.

Darlene Austin "Holding On" (South West Records, 2000)
Blech. I'm not sure but I think this is a collection of her mid-1980s singles (all minor ripples in the Back Forty...) but I suppose some of these songs could be re-recordings. Either way... bleh. Austin's more of a husky-voiced white soul sister than a true-blue country gal, a kindred spirit to Wynonna Judd and Anita Baker, with lots of bland keyboards and drum machines and very little twang. You're not missing much with this one.

Kay Austin "The Hit Kit" (Corral Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Kinsey & Bill Smith)
A country gal from Southern California, Kenne Jeanne Austin made a big splash in the early 'Seventies and worked with several pioneers of the West Coast country scene, notably Bakersfield-ians Fuzzy Owens and Red Simpson. She originally came from Long Beach and mostly worked the casinos in Nevada, making it onto the Opry stage in Nashville at least once (there's a picture on the back cover of her other album...) She led her own band for several years, touring mostly on the West Coast, but also nationally in the mid-1970s, after she hit the scene as a "promising new artist" in 1974. Here she's backed by a fairly elite country crew from LA: Archie Francis on drums, John Hobbs (piano), Don Lee (guitar), J. D. Maness (steel guitar), and Curtis Stone playing bass. In addition to these two LPs, Ms. Austin also released several singles, including the 1976 novelty song, "(This New) Woman's Lib," which doesn't appear on either of her albums. Austin also earned a footnote in the soul world as one of the handful of country and pop artists signed to Mike Curb's "MC" label, an ill-fated, country-oriented offshoot of Motown Records that seems to have pressed several records that were never actually released. She plugged away on the country scene for about a decade before switching gears to become a Southern Gospel artist in the early 'Eighties.

Kay Austin "Only A Woman" (EIO Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Boles, Ray Ruff & Don Lee)
Unlike her first album, this one is less reliant on cover songs, packed instead with newer material, including -- interestingly enough -- a couple of songs by Linda Hargrove. This includes two tracks from her short-lived MC Records contract, as well as four songs that came out as singles on EIO. Two of the songs that were released as singles made it into the Billboard Back Forty, "The Rest Of Your Life" (which hit #86) and "Two Hearts Beat (Better Than One)" (which peaked at #75.)

Sherrie Austin "Words" (Arista Records, 1997)
At first glance, the chirpy, vivacious Austin seems like a breath of fresh air, but the thrill doesn't last. Her debut album opens with a twisting, Tanya Tucker-ish rebel-rock snarl ("Lucky In Love"), a mood that's somewhat sustained on the next track... And then it all goes to pot when the overly-obvious, issue-y, femme-oriented ballads kick in. Too many of those, and too many useless, distracting production touches slathered atop the uptempo tunes, which is where Austin may be at her best. Of her albums, this is probably the best, but still there's nothing on here that I'd need to come back to.

Sherrie Austin "Love In The Real World" (Arista Records, 1999)
Austin has a reedy, thin voice, which I guess could pass for a young Tanya Tucker or Rachel Sweet, if it weren't for her lack of ooompf in the clinch, and the generic sexy/come-on quality of the lyrics. The phony virginal lure of "Never Been Kissed" is kinda icky (and the song is really just teenieboppish bubblegum pop, worthy of Debbie Gibson, Pebbles and their ilk... ) Even a song like "Little Bird," which starts off with a promising Texas shuffle backbeat, devolves into hackneyed, blaring rock guitar riffs. And then those damn power ballads kick in! (Including one recycled from the last album... yeesh.) Austin's marginally cute, but definitely a second stringer.

Sherrie Austin "Followin' A Feelin' " (Madacy Records, 2001)
This disc opens with a bland cover of Dolly Parton's classic, "Jolene," then slides sideways from there. When Austin just sings, it's okay, but as soon as the songs get high-concept or take on an overly-obvious "common touch" (playing up to the harried, late-for-the-bus, working class hero inside us all...) things get kinda yawnsville. For the most part, this album just seems overly intellectualized, overly calculated and tres formulaic. Songs like "In Our Own Sweet Time" and "Back Where I Belong" function okay as glitzy '80s-ish pop, but as country...? Nope. I can't think of a single song on here, really, that caught my sincere interest.

Sherrie Austin "Streets Of Heaven" (Broken Bow Records, 2003)
The title track -- a shameless weeper about a little girl dying and going to heaven -- is the album's highlight. The rest of this album is pretty vapid... Embarrassingly so, actually. It's like hearing the daily diary of some would-be poet in junior high put to music, with appallingly blunt, simplistic lyrics and lame turns of phrase that I'm sure she thought were the bee's knees when she first wrote 'em. And, yes, Austin (co)wrote all but one of the songs on here. So she's prolific... good for her. Too bad she's not also a little more skillful. Poppy, formulaic rock-drenched Nashville nothingness.

Axton Kincaid "Axton Kincaid" (EP) (Luster Music, 2006)
Nice, down-to-earth, twangy alt-country with a bluegrassy feel, sort of like Jim & Jennie or Freakwater -- a little more settled-down and conventional, but no less enthusiastic or lively. Nice set of original tunes, mostly written by San Francisco-based singer-guitarist Kate Howser, kicking off with a catchy honkytonk/old-timey ditty, "Who's Gonna Pour My Whiskey When You're Gone?" that sets a great pace for the rest of the record. Good, solid band with a nice grasp of country music's soulful, non-novelty side... I'm always in favor of folks who take it seriously and get things right. Lookin' forward to more from these folks! (For more info, check out the band's website at www.lustermusic.com )

Axton Kincaid "Songs From The Pine Room" (Free Dirt Records, 2006)
The first full-length release from this gritty San Francisco alt-grass outfit reprises some of the songs from their earlier EP, notably "Who's Gonna Pour My Whiskey When You're Gone?", a catchy mix of honkytonk and old-timey stringband stomp, and the evocative drinkin'-and-thinkin' tune, "Red Light." The group handily fits into the contemporary altbilly scene, with a particular affinity for all those folks from the Midwest who know what it's like to drink too much, too often and really not give a damn. Freakwater and Scrawl come to mind right off the bat, but maybe that's just because the main vocalists are gals, but also because the lyrics are very downer-iffic and express a distinctly female perspective, albeit one that's rather grungey, raw, urban and hip. The remnants of the band's rock'n'roll past are readily evident, both thematically and musically -- mandolin picker Jennifer Daunt takes several searching, improvvy solos that have that choppy, rockin' feel to 'em, but while she lacks the technical rigor and formalism of mainstream bluegrassers, she makes up for it by sounding like a real, live human being, rather than just another hotshot superpicker. Flaws are one of the things that help define this band -- songwriter Kate Howser paints portraits that are often desolate and unfulfilled, but also joyful and unrepentant, a mixture of moods that is reflected in the music. In true DIY spirit, the imperfections are there, but they help you notice the sparkle of the gem underneath. (For more info, see axtonkincaid.com )

Axton Kincaid "Silver Dollars" (Free Dirt Records, 2008)
(Produced by Axton Kincaid & Bart Thurber)
Scrappy alt-country from the San Francisco Bay Area... Led by singer-guitarist Kate Howser, this scruffy band gallops through lively original material, rollicking songs with a wry confessional edge and a sincere appreciation for old-school honkytonk country. Just how sincere is seen in the album's closer, "I Don't Need To Wear A Hat (To Prove I'm Country)," an ardent anthem for the urban indiebilly scene... On "The Saddest Story," the band lets its rock roots show, not in loud guitar solos, but in the confident embrace of a melodic power-pop undercurrent, and, as ever, there are some finely-observed verses about drinking and flirting, big city style, sung here with perhaps a slightly lighter heart tan on their earlier album. Pretty twangy.

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Hick Music Index
Sisters Who Swung: Women In Jazz & Blues

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