Barbara Fairchild - see artist discography

Shelly Fairchild "Ride" (Sony-Columbia, 2005)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon & Kenny Greenberg)
Blechh. In the wake of Gretchen Wilson's redneckin' breakthrough debut, Ms. Fairchild was hailed as another back-to-basics bad girl, part of a "new generation" of kickass country gals... Yeah, right. She just sounds like another warbling, overwrought wannabee soul singer to me, with bad, loud, clunky, overly-obvious, power chord-heavy musical backup. This is just bad music, and her vocals are really mannered and really irritating. Sorry, folks, but listening to this record is like having my teeth pulled by a blind tree sloth. I'm sure she'll be fabulously successful, but for an old-school country fan like me, this disc doesn't offer much that's worth revisiting.

Ruby Falls "Sweet Country Lady" (Fifty States Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Charlie Fields & Johnny Howard)
Bertha Bearden Dorsey -- aka Ruby Falls (1946-1986) -- was a country gal from Jackson, Tennessee who worked for several years in the Midwest, most notably as a featured singer in the late 'Sixites Milwaukee soul band, Harvey Scales and The Seven Sounds. In 1974 she headed back to Nashville to devoter herself to a country music career, enjoying a fair amount of success in the late 1970s, cutting a string of twangy singles and one full LP. Along with Linda Martell she was one of the first African-American female singers to break into the national market, albeit with limited commercial success. This album collects several singles recorded between 1975-80, including 1977's "You’ve Got To Mend This Heartache," which was her only song to break into the country Top Forty. Unfortunately the liner notes don't list any of the musicians involved, though they were doubtless guys who were in the orbit of producer Charlie Fields, or possibly members of Justin Tubb's road band, as she sang backup with his group.

Family Lotus "Rendezvous" (Full Circle Records, 1979) (LP)
Founded in 1968, this puckish, eclectic, hippie-grass twangband was a mainstay of Santa Fe, New Mexico's 'Seventies music scene. The main drivers of the band were multi-instrumentalist songwriters Jim Bowie and Jerry Faires, who are pictured together on the back, although they had a huge supporting cast behind them, which ebbed and flowed in various permutations over the years, including a series of reunion gigs. Among the folks on this album is future folk-scene superstar Eliza Gilkyson, playing a minor role in the backup chorus. All the songs on here are originals, three of them written by Jerry Faires, and all the rest by Jim Bowie, including two co-written with pianist Dennis Culver.

Donna Fargo - see artist discography

Amy Farris "Anyway" (Yep Roc, 2004)
(Produced by Dave Alvin)
Fair-to-middlin' indiebilly/indie rock... There are several swell, catchy songs that start this album off, with Austin scenester Amy Farris riding a fine line between rock and twang tendencies. The country-ish stuff is the best, and while some of the more rock-oriented songs reveal some of her vocal limitations, on the whole this is a nice little record, with a cute DIY feel built around her off-kilter, mousy vocals, which bring Victoria Williams to mind, albeit with a more focussed musical vision. I've enjoyed hearing Farris in the background of many Kelly Willis records; it's a treat to hear her taking center stage at last. Sometimes producer Dave Alvin's guitar-heavy approach threatens to leave her high and dry, but for the most part this is quite nice. Definitely worth checking out.

Berde Farris & Dan Farris "Honky Tonk Mother And Dad" (Far-Dell Records, 197-?)
Literally a mom'n'pop record, this disc spotlights the West Coast husband-wife duo of Dan and Berde Farris, who sing fun latter-day heartsongs and honkytonk tunes, in much the same style as other country couples such as Rose Lee & Joe Maphis, or Johnny and Jonie Mosby. It's nice stuff -- a style I really like and they do it pretty well... plus a lot of the songs are Farris originals. The Farrises were both from California -- she was born in Merced but grew up in Washington state -- and they were living in Rialto, CA (near Riverside) when they made this album -- later they moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, where they settled down for good. They seem to have started out in the orbit of Starday Records, although their singles and LPs were released under their own imprint. This disc was released at least twice, once with a hand-glued cover, and the second time with more professional artwork (and two extra songs.) The catalog number (FRLP-102) indicated that this was the second album they put out... I'd love to hear the first one, too!

Fat City "Reincarnation" (ABC Records, 1969) (LP)
An early album from Bill and Taffy Danoff, Washington, DC folkies who championed Emmylou Harris back in her folksinger days, and who later formed the unctuous, chart-topping Starland Vocal Band, best known for the 'Seventies smash "Afternoon Delight." Bill and Taffy were also tight with John Denver and co-wrote "Take Me Home, Country Roads," one of the most widely-recorded country-pop songs of the decade. These Fat City albums date back to their DC coffeehouse days and are appropriately eclectic and idiosyncratic... definitely worth a spin if you're on the hunt for oddball twang.

Fat City "Welcome To Fat City" (Paramount Records, 1971) (LP)

Dawnett Faucett "Taking My Time" (Step One, 1988)

Boots Faye & Idaho Call "You Tried To Ruin My Name" (Binge Disc/Cattle Records)

Heidi Feek "The Only" (Western Pin-Up Records, 2013)
(Produced by Heidi Feek & Rory Feek)
This is the debut album from singer Heidi Feek, daughter of the roots-country duo of Joey & Rory Feek... and while her parents pursue a harmony-rich, Dolly Parton-esque neotrad sound, the younger Feek is a rocker, albeit in the mellower adult-alt style, with a faint, Chris Isaak-y rockabilly tinge. The album opens with the bluesy grunge of "I Like The Way," which brings the roots-rock of Buddy Miller to mind, while echoes of Lone Justice's Maria McKee, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Neko Case and other moody alt-country gals are in their as well, particularly the legacy of the windswept, shimmering Cowboy Junkies sound. It's not really my cup of tea, but it's an impressive debut, and one that I'm sure will quickly find a loyal audience for this young new artist.

Elaine Fender & Missouri Rain "Come On Home" (History Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Brad Edwards)
A singer and keyboardist, Elaine Fender played in a series of local Missouri bands, including a stint in Stan Hitchcock's short-lived opry, and later collaborations with other veterans of the Hitchcock show, notably multi-instrumentalist Larry Smith, who she later married. This solo album was made with bandleader Eddie Pangborn, who also worked in a variety of Ozark "opry" venues and formed his own band, Missouri Rain, in the mid-1970s. The group made two albums of its own before teaming up with Fender for this last hurrah, with Elaine Fender on keyboards and lead vocals, drummer Jerry Dooley, Jerry Ingle (also on drums), Eddie Pangborn (bass), and multi-instrumentalist Larry Smith on banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin. This album is self-consciously commercially-oriented, with Fender showing her vocal chops on covers of contemporary pop/country hits, and the boys in the band trying to craft rural power ballads. It's an uneven effort, though, as the male lead vocals (and the original songs) are a bit strained. Still, it's local as all get-out and fills in a few gaps in the Ozarks indie-twang scene. Ms. Fender also recorded with the group Jimmy Carter & Dallas County Green, on their 1977 album, Summer Brings The Sunshine, and on Stan Hitchcock's 1979 opry album, along with Larry Smith and others.

Bonnie Ferguson "I'll Be There" (Ovation Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Schory)
Singer Cheryl ("Bonnie") Ferguson grew up in the Chicago surburb of Markham, Illinois as part of a musically-inclined family. She started performing in public as part of a family band that included seven(!) of her siblings, but broke out as a solo performer after winning a talent contest sponsored by the Coca-Cola company. By the time she graduated from high school in 1969, Bonnie Ferguson was a seasoned artist, touring regionally to Wisconsin, Indiana and throughout Illinois. She also landed slots on the local WGN Barn Dance TV show and later, around 1974, on the Porter Brothers TV Show. In Chicago she was perhaps best known for her industrial work, recording commercials for Schlitz beer and the Chicago Tribune newspaper. She may have recorded a single or two in her teens, as well as a string of singles for the Metro Country label, circa 1971-72, eventually leading to this album for the insurgent indie Ovation Records. Ms. Ferguson was pitched as a dual-genre country and AOR artist, and the ornate arrangements on this disc are notably short of twangy instruments such as fiddles or pedal steel. As with many other early signings to the Ovation label, her career may have been overshadowed by the runaway success of the Kendalls, who ate up most Ovation's promotional power. This appears to have been her only full album, and I'm not sure where she went from here, though she may have done some work in the film industry as well.

The Ferguson Family "Fair And Tender Ladies, And Gentlemen" (American Artists, 19--?) (LP)
Ozarks fiddler Woodrow Ferguson and his daughters -- Ann, Celia and Sandra - form the core of this old-timey stringband, which was based in their hometown of Warsaw, Missouri. Several other local and regional pickers pitch in, perhaps most notably Arkansas fiddler Donald "Cotton" Combs, who recorded an album of his own, along with guitarists Loy and Euna Sisemore, who also play on this album. Many of these musicians performed regularly at the Silver Dollar City amusement park near Branson City. Not sure when this disc came out; it looks like it might have been an early 'Eighties release.

Judy Fields "Halfway To Paradise" (Victory Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Ken Mansfield, Judy Fields & Larry Cumings)
An independently released album by Northern California artist Judy Fields, who moved to Nashville and worked as a songwriter, successfully pitching songs to artists such as Lee Greenwood and Reba McEntire. She was briefly signed to MCA Records, but only released a single or two, with no chart action... Her earlier work can be heard on an uber-indie album called CONTRA COSTA COUNTRY, which was recorded with several other NorCal artists. Unfortunately, this solo debut is fairly dreadful -- she "went pop" in a big way, drenching her songs in tinkly keyboards and glossy early-'80s production. Also, she had a penchant for anthemic romantic refrains which she would repeat and repeat and repeat, unwilling to let any crescendo die a natural death. I guess if you're into that particular era of Nashville "chick" music, this could be of interest... The Reba connection certainly makes sense once you've heard this album.

Judy Fields "Eyes Of Love" (Dreamwest Records, 1992)

Judy Fields "Cloudless Sky" (2001)

Shirley Field "Two Sides Of Shirley Field" (Banff Records, 1963) (LP)
A Canadian cowgal from Armstrong, British Columbia whose career dates back to the 1940s -- in her early teens Ms. Field was a regional star, playing at rodeos and hosting her own radio show. She landed a gig playing with Evan Kemp's band, then started her own group, the Country Casuals, which she led through the 'Fifties. Later on she and her sister led an all-gal band called the Dartells, while Shirley formed several several long-term duets partnerships over the years. This was her first album, recorded in Ontario after she'd sojourned to Nashville, where she cut a few singles and even played at the Opry the year before. This album featured heartsongs on one side and yodeling on the other... [Many thanks to 45cat.com for their awesome Shirley Field biography, in addition to info about her singles.]

Shirley Field "Yours Sincerely" (Banff Records, 1969-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dougal Trineer & George Taylor)

Shirley Field & Billy G. French "Together" (Vintage Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Art Snider & Glenn Clarke)

Jan Files "What More Can I Say" (1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Schrimpf, Jerry Shook & Colin Walker)
Crowned as Miss Jefferson City in 1975, Missouri teenager Jan Files made a serious bid to crack into Nashville -- or maybe move out to LA? -- truckin' down to Nashville to cut this shiny, well-produced countrypolitan/AOR album right after graduating from high school. It's a pretty impressive set, even if the songs and arrangements get to be a bit much... A fine singer, Ms. Files evokes comparison to '70s sirens such as Olivia Newton-John and Karen Carpenter (and even Loretta Haggers, on the twangier tunes) while the musical backing is pretty solid, too, smoothly shifting from disco-tinged pop to generic pop-country. She's backed by the house band at Mike Schrimpf's independent studio, which at the time still included future star Steve Wariner, who plays bass, acoustic and electric guitars, and sings backup. There's also an early song of his on here, "Will You Still Love Me In The Morning," a hookup ballad that's not to be confused with Carole King's similarly-titled girl-group hit... Wariner was already under contract to RCA Records at the time, although hadn't yet released his own first single, and as far as I know, never released this song under his own name. Anyway, this slick-sounding custom-pressed album really coulda-shoulda-woulda made Jan Files a star, if the planets had lined up the right way... As it was, I imagine it mostly made the rounds at county fairs and Christmas parties, though fans of 'Seventies soft-pop (and Steve Wariner devotees) might enjoy tracking it down.

Fire Mountain Militia "Edge Of The Night" (Thunder Lizard, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Leep, John Altman & Dave Weil)
A swell set of hippiebilly indie-twang from Carmichael, California (near San Jose...) This quartet showcased all original material, songs penned by singers Dean Agee or Bob Leep, with Leep's material being perhaps more decisively "country" and and uptempo, while Agee was fond of sagas of wasted nights and low-rent barroom flings. The sound is mostly plunky bar-band country, ala Chuck Wagon & The Wheels, though there's a trace of bluesy, Dead-like jam-band rock hinted at in a few of the performances. The group also had mixed male-female vocals, with bassist Sharon George mostly sticking to harmony, but also taking the lead on the appropriately-named "Torch Song," which reveals a slightly jazzy undertone. You could pick these guys apart for their amateurism if you wanted to, or you could choose to be charmed by it, in which case you'd find this to be a pretty strong entry for the genre. Northern California strikes again!

Juni Fisher "Tumbleweed Letters" (Red Geetar Records, 1999)

Juni Fisher "Sideshow Romance" (Red Geetar Records, 2004)

Juni Fisher "Cowgirlography" (Red Geetar Records, 2006)

Juni Fisher "Gone For Colorado" (Red Geetar Records, 2008)

Juni Fisher "Let 'Er Go, Let 'Er Buck, Let 'Er Fly" (Red Geetar Records, 2010)

Juni Fisher "Secret Chord" (Red Geetar Records, 2012)

Juni Fisher "Listen... To The Horse" (Red Geetar Records, 2013)

Flinthill "Live At The Boot" (Brothers Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Thievin, Fran Thievin & Jim Thievin)
A mix of old and new country on this live album, recorded at the Boot cabaret, in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Lead singer and pianist Betty-Anne North is given almost-solo status on the album's cover, but a more democratic inclination won out, and thus we file this one under "F." Only two other members were considered officially part of the band, bassist-songwriter Larry Christensen and drummer Peter Rosk, though several other musicians joined them on the concert, including lead guitarist Don Alden, steel player Randy Pokeda, and Dennis Thieven on keyboards. Along with covers of ABBA and Morris Albert (yikes) this disc is packed with originals -- four songs cowritten by Christensen and North, and three more credited to Ms. North alone. So, maybe we'll forgive them for the covers of "Feelings" and "Fernando..." Or maybe not.

Rosie Flores - see artist discography

Rosie Flores "Rosie Flores" (Reprise Records, 1987)
After kicking around LA's nascent alt.country, neo-traditionalist hick scene for several years, Texas-born Rosie Flores got her big break on this major-label album, which has a several excellent tunes on it. Produced by Dwight Yoakam's right-hand man, guitarist Pete Anderson, this has all the sharp clarity of Anderson's production style, along with typically punchy hard country arrangements... "God May Forgive You (But I Won't)" is one of my favorite Flores tunes; other strong performances include "Crying Over You" and "I Gotta Know..." You have to admit, Flores has never had the world's greatest voice, but she sings with feeling, and has a lot of rough-edged charm. (Note: Rounder Records re-released this album on CD -- with several extra tracks! -- as Honky Tonk Reprise...) Worth checking out!

Rosie Flores "After The Farm" (Hightone Records, 1992)

Rosie Flores "Once More With Feeling" (Hightone Records, 1993)

Rosie Flores "Rockabilly Filly" (Hightone Records, 1995)
Includes duets with rockabilly foremothers Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin.... Rrrrrrowwlll...!!

Rosie Flores "Dance Hall Dreams" (Rounder Records, 1999)
Although the album art shows Rosie striking a classic rockabilly pose, this is actually one of her more introspective and personal albums, less rooted in classic country or 'billy stylings, and more of a contemplative, folkie album. Maybe not what her rockabilly-inclined fans might have expected, but it does have some gems. "Who's Gonna Fix It Now," an ode to a father who's passed on, is a highlight... The second half of the album gets a bit bluesier and more uptempo, but the songwriting is still relatively dense... Nice record, though!

Rosie Flores "Speed Of Sound" (Eminent Records, 2001)
Alternating pretty evenly between upbeat, rockabilly-ish numbers and softer torch songs, this is one of Flores' most consistent, most confident albums. Flores has long been an Americana indie darling in part -- let's face it -- because her vocal talents have always been a bit modest. She doesn't have a great range, and her phrasing can be stiff, but she's never let that slow her down, and I think that accounts for much of her charm. It's kind of like hearing your neighbor or roommate at open mic night, except that Flores has made a successful career of it... Her albums have been uneven, though, and this disc marks a bit of a turning point in that, for once, she sounds more... relaxed, as if she's not worrying about the production or whether she's coming across strongly enough. She sounds more masterful... more professional, if you will. Instead of a rugged sprinkling of gems in an unevenly paced setting (like many of her other albums), this is an evenly satisfying set -- nice from beginning to end. Over the years, I've been a quiet skeptic as far as Flores has has been concerned, but I'm pretty taken with this record. Check it out!

Rosie Flores "Single Rose" (Durango Rose Records, 2004)
Fans will be delighted by this stripped-down live set which features Rosie at her most buoyant and upbeat...She doesn't have the most perfect voice, or always stay in tune, but she sure knows how to have fun and the gal sings and writes a lot of great songs, including several here that she's never recorded before. She starts out with an off-the-cuff recollection of when she broke into the maverick LA alt-country scene of the 1980s ("Palamino Days") and delves even deeper into her past with a particularly nice version of "Bandera Highway," which she dedicates to her father; in between is a brace of other fine songs and lively interaction between Flores and her audience. It's a really nice portrait of one of indiebilly's stalwart performers at her most charming. Worth checking out!

Rosie Flores "Christmasville" (Emergent/Thirty Tigers Records, 2005)

Rosie Flores "Bandera Highway" (Hightone Records, 2004)
For any latecomers, this disc is a swell selection of tunes taken from Flores' three Hightone albums -- After The Farm, Once More With Feeling, and Rockabilly Filly -- and it's as compact a reading of her early '90s ouvre as you're likely to find... Fun stuff!

Rosie Flores "Girl Of The Century" (Bloodshot Records, 2009)
New stuff from everybody's favorite hillbilly filly... now one of the grand dames of the alt-country scene... Keep up the good work, Rosie!

Bob Flower (& Dody Lynn) "...And His Star Dusters" (Do-Re-Me Records, 1966) (LP)
Country bandleader Bob Flower had a day job as police chief of Cuba, New York, but he kept busy at nights, taking his band on the road to play gigs and even made the trek to Nashville a few times to cut singles, as well as this LP, which was his only full-length album. Flower described himself as "the poor man's Ernie Ford," and is firmly anchored in mainstream, old-school country. This album is almost all cover tunes, standards like "Cold, Cold Heart," "Four Walls," "Lonesome 7-7203" and the like. Flower sings half the songs solo, as well as a couple of duets with "girl" singer Dody Lynn who was a Cuba, NY native... Ms. Lynn also sings lead on a couple of tracks, including a version of "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels." Apparently Flower retired from the police force in 1966, and moved to Florida in the early '70s to retire -- Dody Lynn established herself as a solo performer, playing gigs around Cuba with a band called the Guitarmen, and released her own solo album around 1973.

The Flowers Family "Showtime With The Flowers Family" (Jewel Records, 1967-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Solomon & Bill Starret)
A family band from Columbus, Ohio, the group was led by parents Pauline Flowers (drums) and Ralph Flowers (steel guitar and mandolin) with backing by siblings Christine, Garland (bass), Lorraine (accordion), and Ralph Junior on guitar. They were more of a pop and gospel band, covering standards such as "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Tea For Two" as well as "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" and whatnot, although with a definite country flavor. I don't think they had much of a professional footprint, though they did perform for various community groups and local events.

Vancie Flowers "Birds And Bees" (Pampa Records, 1963-?) (LP)
Born in Oklahoma, moved to Bakersfield, singer Vancie Flowers (1924-2008) was about as hardcore and unreconstructed a West Coast hard-country singer as you're ever likely to find. Ms. Flowers was a prolific songwriter and penned most of her own material, including many of the tracks on this album. Included here is "Six Days Awaiting" an answer to Dave Dudley's "Six Days On The Road," sung from the perspective of the loyal gal waiting at home for her trucker sweetie to head back to her loving arms. Also of note is the latin-flavored closing track, "Wet Back," which obviously has an offensive ring in modern times, but is actually a surprisingly progressive song, portraying an undocumented immigrant as a hard-working family man who aspires to become a US citizen, even in the face of racist discrimination. Don't condemn it out of hand. Vancie Flowers also wrote several songs recorded by others, including fellow Bakersfield belle Kay Adams. Unfortunately this record, and others, don't tell us who the backing musicians were, but it's pretty solid stuff from the Southern California scene... Often the arrangements feature a hip, uptempo pop/rock feel, doubtless showing some overlap with the major-label studios in LA. Cool stuff.

Vancie Flowers "Soft Rain" (Pike Records, 19--?)

Foggy Bottom "Old Flames" (Real Earth, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Freeland & Norm Bowland)
A progressive bluegrass band from Clinton, Maryland, with a jaunty mix of originals and covers that show a definite affinity for Emmylou Harris and her crowd. They cover a couple of tunes that Emmylou did on her bluegrass album, "The Darkest Hour" and "Green Rolling Hills Of West Virginia," as well as Herb Pedersen's "Hey Boys" and Hugh Moffat's "Old Flames," which was a hit for Dolly Parton. Other covers include "I Could Sure Use The Feeling" (an actual Top Forty country hit for Earl Scruggs in 1979) along with tunes by by Loggins & Messina and The Louvin Brothers. Foggy Bottom lead singer Karen Belanger contributes one called "Louisiana Morn," while the band's guitarist Ray Schmidt penned "Baby It's Blue" -- probably the most interesting track on the album is banjo picker Ray Hesson's, "Nineteen Sixty-One," while ponders all the changes in the world since the comparatively innocent days of Kennedy's Camelot, and may tangentially reflect Hesson's biographical arc since the days when his guitar licks nearly topped the pop charts. Notable for fans of '80s and '90s bluegrass are the contributions of freshman flatpicker David Grier, who apparently wasn't an official member of the band (and gets a special "thank you" in the liner notes) but nonetheless plays lead guitar on about half the album.

Sue Foley "Ten Days In November" (Shanachie Records, 1998)
A swell album, well worth checking out. The blues have been so miserably bad for so many years that a relatively straightforward record like this is a real breath of fresh air... This Austinite has some rough edges, which work much to her credit, but also an appealing individuality and distinctive air about her, even when paying homage to others, as on the Dylan-y, (Blonde on Blonde- era) "Highwayside," which opens the album. Mostly what makes this album great is her ability to pump up the volume and delve into electric blues, without falling into the morass of generically aggressive, muscular power chords and shrill guitar solos that have plagued the blues scene for the last few decades... Foley's still able to tap into the sensuality and reflective side of the style, combining it with a scruffy alt.country sensibility... Her other albums are also appealing, but this seems to be her best, and most fresh-sounding. Give it a shot!

Footloose "The Day Begins In The Evening" (Mudhen Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Will Spencer)
A bluegrassy string-swing band from Ann Arbor, Michigan... This Footloose (not to be confused with the boogie band from Georgia) was a longhaired acoustic ensemble, mixing old-time mountain music with twanged-up oldies rock tunes, American songbook standards and even a whirl at Louis Jordan's "Barnyard Boogie." They also add a bunch of their own original material, which makes up over half the album. The shaggy-looking group included John Foster, Patti O'Connor, Bill Barton and Myron Grant, who each played multiple instruments. This may have been their first album.

Footloose "Country In The City" (Mudhen Records, 1981) (LP)

Erma J. Ford "...Is Really More Than Half A Woman" (Princess, 1971) (LP)
Pretty twangy, Loretta Lynn-like honkytonk country, from Roanoke, Virginia. This disc was a mix of covers and originals... The super-weird album title comes from her version of a song called "Half A Woman," which still doesn't make it any less weird. Go figure.

Frazey Ford "Obidiah" (Nettwerk Records, 2010)
A solo album from one of the Be Good Tanyas gals...

Joy Ford "The First Of Joy Ford" (Country International Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Sherman Ford, Jr. & Fred Christie)
The young Ms. Ford was born in Alabama but grew up near Poplar Bluffs, Missouri... Although there are some cover tunes on here -- "Til The End Of The World," "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," "Release Me" -- most of the songs were written by various composers signed to the Rest A While Music Company... Folks like Don Canton, Eddie Fontaine, Janice Torre and Bee Walker who remain as mysterious today as they were back then, though presumably they were all Missouri locals. Sadly, there's no info on the musicians backing her, but this was certainly a very private/indie type of album.

Joy Ford "Keep On Truckin'... Keep On Lovin' " (Country International Records, 1977) (LP)

Joy Ford "From The Heart Of Joy" (Country International Records, 1974) (LP)

Sandy Ford & Mack Ford "The Mack And Sandy Way" (Cuca Record Company, 196-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mack Lunsford)
The Wisconsin duo of Mack Lunsford (1898-1977) and Bernice ("Sandy") Lunsford (1918-2011) played at rodeos and radio shows, and released at least two singles for the Sauk City-based Cuca Record Company, in addition to this album. About half the tracks on this album were written by the Lunsfords and published by Great Northern Song Publishing; most of the songs were unique to this LP, although one track, "The Squeak In The Old Rocking Chair," also came out on a single. Mr. Mack played harmonica, steel guitar and ukulele, while Ms. Mack played bass and rhythm guitar... They are accompanied here by a young gal named Pam Rescheske, on the organ.

The Forester Sisters - see artist discography

Peggy Forman "Presenting Peggy Forman" (Dimension Records, 1981) (LP)

Peggy Forman "Honky Tonkin' Housewife" (Goldrhyme Records, 2005)
Later recordings... and pretty good, too!

Sylvia Forrest "The Nights Are Never Long Enough With You" (Door Knob Records, 1989) (LP)

Hank Fort/Various Artists "My Favorite Friend: Original Songs" (Gemini Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Crutchfield & Chuck Seitz)
Born in Nashville, songwriter Hank Fort (nee Eleanor Hankins, 1914-1973) was a socialite in Washington, DC, where her husband, Bill McAuliffe was a successful stockbroker... Mr. McAuliffe actually sings on most of the tracks on this album, including one duet with Hank; she sings solo on two songs, while Dottie Dillard (of the Anita Kerr Singers) sings on one, and a vocal group called The Fortunes tackle the remaining track. All the songs were written or co-written by Fort, with backing provided by a Nashville crew helmed by producer Jerry Crutchfield. Fort had a fair amount of commercial success, penning humorous "hick" songs along the same lines as those sung by Judy Canova and Dorothy Shay... Honestly, though, this is a pretty dreadful record, owing more to the bland "pop vocals" sound of the 'Fifties than its Nashville counterparts, and while this isn't quite on a par with, say, the Mrs. Miller albums, there's a similar vibe at work. The very epitome of a vanity pressing.

Hank Fort "...Sings Her Own Great Songs" (Epic Records, 19--?) (LP)

Elizabeth Foss "Sing For Us, Grandma" (Westmark Custom Records) (LP)
(Produced by Al Opland)
South Dakota native Elizabeth Foss and her husband Wilbur Foss (1921-2015) were devotees in the extreme to the "private label" phenomenon, recording literally dozens of albums, mostly of old-time fiddling music played by regular folks who came to their neck of the woods to take part in musical gatherings sponsored by the family. In the 1940s and 'Fifties the Fosses owned a hardware store, which Mr. Foss apparently gave up during a brief stint serving in South Dakota's state Senate; later in the decade he took a job at a local bank, where he worked for over two decades. In his mid-fifties, Mr. Foss turned to music, learning to play the fiddle at age fifty-five years old, even though he had lost three fingers while still a toddler during an accident on the family farm. The Fosses co-founded the South Dakota Fiddlers organization in 1976, and received numerous musical and civic awards over the years, including an induction into the South Dakota Country Music Hall Of Fame. They were also key members of the Old Time Fiddlers festival, based in Yankton, SD, and produced dozens of vinyl LPs commemorating the event. This album is one of many they recorded through the Westmark custom label network, and is perhaps a more personal record than most, with Mrs. Foss singing a mix of country oldies, gospel hymns and German leider, backed on guitar by Norma Borgheiinick, along with Charles Baker (fiddle and guitar), John McNeil (banjo and guitar), and Annie McNeil on piano.

Kelly Foxton & Hank Snow "Lovingly Yours" (RCA, 1980) (LP)
Not a lot of info about Florida-born singer Kelly Foxton, although her partnership with country legend Hank Snow was certainly a pretty high profile gig. They recorded two albums together, yielding one single that sneaked into the back forty, the lead track off this album, "Hasn't It Been Good Together." There wasn't a lot of chart action beyond that, though, and even though they recorded another album, Ms. Foxton doesn't seem to have recorded any solo stuff after the Snow duet dissolved. She made a few TV appearances around this time -- on Hee Haw and The Johnny Cash Show -- and also toured with Box Car Willie. She really made her mark entertaining American troops at home and abroad, and hosted her own Las Vegas revue for a while, before retiring in Boca Raton, Florida.

Kelly Foxton & Hank Snow "Win Some, Lose Some, Lonesome" (RCA, 1981) (LP)

Fragile "Fragile" (Renee Records, 1976-?) (LP)
An eclectic offering from a multi-directional band from the heartland... The poorly-named Fragile hailed from Kansas City, Missouri though they headed up to eastern Nebraska to record this album at the uber-indie Renee Records. The group seem to have been part of a stable of for-hire cover bands managed by local promoter Ken Summers and like their contemporaries such as the band Patchwork, they covered a lot of musical ground, playing country stuff (Bobby Bare's "Winners And Losers," "Welcome To My World," "The Auctioneer") alongside pop oldies ("Locomotion," "Let It Be," "Sunshine Of My Life") and more contemporary Top Forty material such as "Laughter In The Rain" and "Listen To The Music." Fragile was led by singer Terry Allen, with Niaomi Allen (his wife, I guess) as the female lead. The band was also notable for having an integrated lineup, including keyboard player Jim Carter, an African-American who stands out less for his skin color than for his lack of general dorkiness and scary 'Seventies hair. Maybe not the twangiest band on Renee Records, but still a good example of what working bands in the mid-'Seventies Midwest were like.

Mary Francis "A Little Bit Country" (Ozark Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Buddy Lane)
Not a lot of info on this Missouri gal or who was backing her on this album... Though she proclaims herself a country artist, the material's a bit odd, including tunes such as her own "TV Brainwash" or "Avenue Of My Mind," written by E. Goff, which were released together on the same 7" single. Mostly a mystery disc, though.

Paula Frazer "Indoor Universe" (Birdman Records, 2001)

Paula Frazer "A Place Where I Know -- 4-Track Songs: 1994-2002" (Birdman Records, 2003)

Paula Frazer "Leave The Sad Things Behind" (Birdman Records, 2005)

Paula Frazer "Live At The Ace Of Spades" (EP) (Birdman Records, 2006)

Paula Frazer & Tarnation "Now It's Time" (Birdman Records, 2007)

Freakwater "Freakwater" (Amoeba Records, 1991)
This Chicago-based outfit is definitely an acquired taste, perhaps not recommended for the casual listener, but required listening for the alt-country scholar. Raspy, ragged and difficult, Freakwater draws liberally on indie-rock and twangcore traditions -- one of the female singers, Janet Beveridge Bean, is also in the revered spacerock band, Eleventh Dream Day; later on, a guy from Uncle Tupelo joined the lineup. Underneath all their abrasiveness, Freakwater hits on some convincingly old-fashioned hillbilly vibes, like a sort of booze-fueled version of the Carter Family. Album reviews to follow.

Freakwater "Dancing Under Water" (Thrill Jockey Records, 1991)

Freakwater "Feels Like The Third Time" (Thrill Jockey Records, 1994)

Freakwater "Old Paint" (Thrill Jockey Records, 1995)

Freakwater "Springtime" (Thrill Jockey Records, 1998)

Freakwater "Endtime" (Thrill Jockey, 1999)

Freakwater "Thinking Of You" (Thrill Jockey, 2005)

Fred & Sue "I Don't Mind Old Jordan" (Pathway Records, 196--?) (LP)
(Produced by Red Ellis)
Earthy evangelical bluegrass gospel from the husband-wife duo of Fred & Sue Johns, who were originally from East Tennessee, but lived in Cleveland, Ohio for most of their career. Their musical ministry grew out of Mr. Johns' work as a pastor in a local church, and they performed quite a bit in the region... According to the liner notes, Mrs. Johns formerly sang rock'n'roll under the name Eva Sue Smith, but gave that up all that kooky kids stuff for her marriage and for the Lord. (I wasn't able to find any information about her secular career online, so perhaps she never recorded under that name...?) At any rate, Sue Johns was a driving creative force on these records, composing six songs on this album, along with many other spread out across their LPs. Here they are backed by a vocal group known as the Pilgrim Heirs, and a band called The Crossmen, who also recorded several albums on the Pathway label. The music is straight-up traditional bluegrass, with a strong hillbilly tang; Fred Johns had a pretty standard voice, though Sue Johns' tone is much harder and more unusual, hinting at the rugged rural gospel of country pioneers such as Alfred G. Karnes. Cool stuff!

Fred & Sue "Reunion In Heaven" (Circle B Records, 19--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "I Dreamed Of A Heaven" (REM Records, 196--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "The Old Home Place" (REM Records, 196--?) (LP)

Fred & Sue "Over The Sunset Hills" (Circle B Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Owens & Louis Owens)
Sue Johns wrote three songs for this album, and even more on earlier LPs. There are also a couple of songs here by their manager, Don Loving, who also contributed the liner notes. I believe the producer, Bill Owens, was a relative of Dolly Parton who recorded for the same label (REM Records) as Fred & Sue on their earlier releases. This was Fred & Sue's fifth album, with backing by the Bluegrass Mountain Boys: Carl Pack (banjo), Lynn Roberts (guitar), Larry Wright (bass) and Lenny Wright (mandolin), as well as piano player Jim Jewel.

Freda And The Firedogs "Freda And The Firedogs" (Plug Music, 2002)
(Produced by Jerry Wexler)
This beloved early '70s Austin band featured piano and vocals by Marcia Ball, a youngster from Louisiana who became a core member of the Texas indie scene, initially testing her chops in the hippie twang style, but eventually finding modern blues to be more her thing. This album was recorded in the early '70s as part of a tentative deal with Atlantic Records, but wound up getting shelved for over three decades. There are a lot of country and blues cover tunes, but also an original spark that would resurface in Ball's solo career, which wasn't long in coming. Sadly, this archival reissue album is, itself, many years out of print and not available in any other form. But what goes 'round, comes 'round. It'll be back.

Denise Freeman "A Shoulder To Cry On" (Columbia Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Leo Lagerwey & Robin Netcher)
Although she was born in England, singer Denise Freeman emigrated to South Africa in 1969 and made her name there as a country singer. This album was packed with covers of contemporary country hits, mostly associated with various "girl" singers, including "Harper Valley PTA," Dolly Parton's "Just Because I'm A Woman," Bonnie Bramlett's "Never Ending Song Of Love" and Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe," as well as some stuff by Carole King. There are also two songs written by producer-arranger Robin Netcher, "Mean What You Say" and "A Shoulder To Cry On," which hit #2 on the South African charts. Mr. Netcher was also an emigre from England; he'd been in a couple of pop bands and did arranging and session work for the major labels, moving to Johannesburg around the same time as Freeman... (Perhaps they emigrated together, or worked together in London?) Freeman and Netcher released at least one more record together, a pop-oriented single with another of Netcher's compositions, "It's All Over But The Shouting," also released in 1972.

Jan Freeman "You Made It Right" (Jan Mar Recordings, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Don Johnson)
Originally from Norman, Oklahoma, singer Jan Freeman was probably one of the hardest-working singers in the state when she cut this album... That summer she opened shows for the Oak Ridge Boys (who were struggling at the time to break out of the gospel scene) and later joined the road shows of older, established acts such as Johnny Paycheck, and Leroy Van Dyke's Auctioneers. She did Vegas gigs with both of these artists, accompanied by banjo player Skip DeVol, who had been part of the Vegas-based "Country Music USA: revue; DeVol and Freeman also toured together in '77, when they played shows in Houston, and possibly elsewhere. In September of '77, Freeman was headlining her own club shows in Reno, although she seems to have moved back to Oklahoma not long after that, and was still opening for larger acts in the early 1980s, and in the 1990s performed at the Oklahoma Opry under her married name, Jan Freeman McCaffrey. As far as I know, this was her only album, a pretty straightforward pop-country set heavy on covers such as "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)," "Love Will Keep Us Together," "So Wrong" and "Statue Of A Fool." A few tracks were released as singles: "I Don't Like To Sleep Alone," which was a Paul Anka song, came out in 1975, while "Any Port In A Storm" and "Who'll Turn Out The Lights (In Your World Tonight)" followed after the album was made. I assume that Jan-Mar was her own label.

Janie Fricke - see artist discography

Elaine Frizzell "A Tribute to Joe Maphis & Merle Travis" (Mosrite Records)

Frog & The Greenhorns "My Tennessee Girl" (Starr Records, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by James Stack & Marvin Jones)
A family-based bluegrass band from Radcliff, Ohio, organized by their dad, a regionally-known square dance caller named James "Frog" Stack. The group included siblings Jimmie Stack (lead singer, the oldest at age 18), Barbara (guitar), Alan (fiddle), along with bassist Bret Allman and Clint Richards on banjo. The band formed around 1975 and played a bunch of local gigs, including appearances on Columbus radio station WMNI's "Country Cavalcade," as well as appearing in concert with the Goins Brothers, whose song, "Sweet Face Girl" they cover on this album. There's also one original, "My Tennessee Girl," written by one of the Stacks... Anyone know if these kids played in other bands after this?

The Front Porch String Band "The Front Porch String Band" (Rebel Records, 1981)
An early album by vocalist Claire Lynch, playing here with her husband Larry Lynch and a couple of their pals, including Michael McClain of the McClain Family Band... Lynch went on to a long solo career, recording under her own name... The band had been together for several years before this disc was recorded, but this is their earliest album currently available in print...

The Front Porch String Band "Lines And Traces" (Rebel Records, 1991)
A fine reunion album, made after a ten year hiatus...

Edith Frost "Calling Over Time" (Drag City Records, 1997)
I'm not sure why the indie-altie crowd keeps insisting Edith Frost is an Americana artist... It's as if no previous rock musician had ever thrown an acoustic lick into their work before, and the Chicago scenesters are so baffled by her, they just don't know what to make of it. Well, anyway, even though I'd place her pretty firmly in the nebulous confines of the "lo-fi" indierock category, Frost's love of good, old-fashioned hillbilly music does give her some cred as an alt.hick, at least by proxy... So what the heck? I'll review her here as well! Sounding an awful lot like Barbara Manning, but with less of a pop-driven edge, Frost crafts a delicate set of odd, introspective, meandering lo-fi tunes, amid arty accompaniment from numerous Chicago-scene stalwarts. It's a bit rarified, but has its allure... This probably isn't as "alt-country" as you may have been lead to believe, but Frost certainly does know her way around the byways and backwoods of American hick music... (Check out her website, for insights into her wide-ranging musical tastes -- as well as her playful sense of cyber-community activism...)

Edith Frost "Telescopic" (Drag City Records, 1998)
Delving simultaneously, paradoxically, more into rock and more into Americana, Frost's similarities to Barbara Manning become more pronounced, as do her differences. She's generally slower, and -- if possible -- a bit mopier (although this album opens with an uptempo, fuzz-drenched psychedelic number that suggest an afternoon or two spent listening to Tall Dwarfs albums...) The album really starts to open up on "Pony Song" and "Too Happy," with oddly catchy refrains... This is probably too subdued and micro-cultural for most rock fans, but for the thoughtful, brainy crowd (...how I envy them!) it may hold some nice surprises.

Edith Frost "Wonder Wonder" (Drag City Records, 2001)
Her most ornate and richly realized album to date... I really don't get why some of the indie-critical elite persist in describing her as "country," when she's so clearly coming from an alt-rock / art-rock background, especially on this disc, which is packed with shimmering keyboards and theremin-alicious wooglie tones galore... Well, whatever. If I were to recommend one of her records to anyone, I think this would be it: it's got the most interesting ear candy and the most alluring lyrics of the lot. Check it out!

Micki Fuhrman "Holding Me" (MCA) (LP)

Micki Fuhrman "Angels Watching Over Me" (MCA) (LP)
Christian music...

Micki Fuhrman "I Bet You Never Thought I'd Go This Far" (MCA) (LP)

Micki Fuhrman "Look Again" (Dayspring Records? 1981?) (LP)

Edgar Fultz & Daughter "Way Below The Bottom" (Jewel Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis & Rusty York)
A very pleasant, very rootsy country gospel album, featuring Newport, Kentucky's Edgar Fultz and his daughter Patricia Warren, in a series of original songs that resonate with authenticity and emotion. Fultz brings a robust, truly rural sound to this work -- plenty of twang and a sense that when he's singing about redemption and sin, maybe this is a guy who is really speaking from the heart and working through some of his own, personal life choices. Indeed, Fultz had a hard life, complete with run-ins with the law and a long prison term, and talks plainly in the liner notes about how he found religion and was born again in 1979 after trying therapy and AA, and he also mentions running his own business as a tree cutter and stump removal man. The Ohio-based backing band includes Junior Bennett on fiddle, Chubby Howard on steel, and producer J. D. Jarvis on rhythm guitar -- Jarvis also contributes liner notes praising Fultz and thanking him for recording his patriotic song, "Thank God For Old Glory." On the opening track I was immediately reminded of Ricky Skaggs -- hearing that same level of sincerity and devotion to traditional music -- though as the album spun forward, it sounded progressively earthier and raw. A nice record if you like the genre, and also appreciate records that don't sound all smooth and super-slick.

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "I Ain't Lookin' Back" (Nation Wide Records, 19--?) (LP)
Another all-gospel father-daughter album, with one song, "I Ain't Lookin' Back," that also appeared on the album above. I'm not sure which record came first, although I think the Jewel LP was not his first album. This also includes a Christmas song called "A Message to Santa."

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "It's Too Late Now" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP) (Produced by J. D. Jarvis & Rusty York)
Highlights of album include Fultz originals such as "The Devil's Garbage Can" and "God Is Watching Through A Teardrop," with backing by a band once again anchored by fiddler Junior Bennett and Kenny Holycross on steel guitar.

Edgar Fultz & Patricia Warren "Mother's Old Washboard" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis)

Funky Country "Funky Country" (M&W Records, 1972-?)
Your guess is as good as mine, though I gotta say, this is a pretty fun record. On the cover, it just says "Funky Country," although on the inner label it reads "Woody Mills and Funky Country." Other than that, this one's pretty much a mystery record, with no credits or liner notes to speak of, other than the names of the band's solo vocalists written next to the song titles. In addition to Mills singing lead on three songs, there are Billy Long, Chuck Long, Jerry Patrick and the band's "girl" singer, Del-C-Duncan, who delivers nice earthy versions of "You Ain't Woman Enough To Steal My Man" and "Hurtin' All Over." While the country influence is real and convincing (their raggedy version of "I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name" is a real hoot) the band also has a strong current of rugged, whiteboy garage-R&B, as heard on their versions of "Sea Cruise," "Walk A Mile" and "It Came Outta The Sky." I'm guessing at the release date based on the matrix number inscribed on the deadwax -- 27035 -- and have a theory that the Long brothers may have been from northeastern Ohio, though again this is mostly guesswork. Anyone with more solid info about this band, I'm all ears.

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

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