Brittany Haas "Brittany Haas" (Ook Records, 2004)
An early solo album from fiddler Brittany Haas, of the band Crooked Still...

Carol Hall "Beads And Feathers" (Elektra Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Eichelberger, Marlin Greene, Tom Hummer & Russ Miller)
Best known as a songwriter, Carol Grisham Hall (1936-2018) was a Texas native though not necessarily a country gal... She recorded two albums for the post-folk Elektra Records and was considered an early 'Seventies singer-songwriter; her first album, 1971's If I Be Your Lady was more in the pop vocals came, with lots of brass and strings, though this one was more twangy, or at least more Nashville. An all-star cast backs her here, with Music City A-listers such as David Briggs on keyboards, Kenny Buttrey (drums), Eddie Hinton (guitar), Wayne Perkins (also guitar), Billy Sanford (more guitar), Norbert Putnam (bass) and Ms. Hall leading on piano and vocals. Also around this time she contributed three songs to the children's music classic, Free To Be... You And Me, including "Glad to Have a Friend Like You," "Parents Are People," and the immortal "It's All Right To Cry." Yes, that's impressive, but even moreso is that she wrote the music to the musical The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, as well as its less well-known sequel, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, which definitely gives her some country cred.

Connie Hall "Connie Hall" (Decca Records, 1962) (LP)

Connie Hall "Country Songs" (Decca/Vocalion Records, 1965) (LP)

Connie Hall "Country Style" (Decca/Vocalion Records, 1967) (LP)
This is a budget-line reissue of material from her self-titled 1962 album; several songs are missing from the original release...

Jim & Jennie (Hall) "I'm Free From Sin" (Jessup Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Kearney Barton)
Straight-up old-fashioned bluegrass gospel, featuring lead vocals by the husband-wife duo of Jim Hall and Jenny Hall, along with assorted friends and relations as The Dixie Mountain Ramblers... Their son, Lynn Hall, plays bass while Tommy T. Hunter chimes in on banjo; Mr. Ed Patrick saws a bit on the fiddle and sings lead on one track, as does the group's bass vocalist, Ernest Welch. Lastly, there's Mr. Welch's son, David Welch on mandolin. Jennie Hall also recorded an album under her own name a few years later, also on Jessup Records.

Jennie Hall "He Walks Beside Me" (Jessup Records, 1971) (LP)
A "solo" set by Jennie Hall, of the Jim & Jennie bluegrass-gospel duo. Pretty much every track on here -- other than versions of "Amazing Grace" and "Lonely Journey" -- was written by either Mrs. Hall, or her husband and duet partner, Jim Hall, or co-written by the two.

Loretta Hall "Precious Memories" (Sound Mill, 1980-?) (LP)
Nice, understated country gospel, recorded in Norman, Oklahoma with what looks like an all-local band: Tim Cossey on drums, Jody Dennis (banjo), Buddy Green (guitar), Norman Horner (steel guitar), Tommy Neighbors (bass), and Charlie Rail playing lead guitar. They're playing real country stuff, not forcefully twangy, but also definitely not syrupy southern gospel. Ms. Hall had a modest but pleasant voice, all the more appealing for its sincerity and distinct lack of showboating or flashiness -- she's really all about the songs, and it's nice. The repertoire draws on both traditional and contemporary sources, ranging from the Carter Family and Albert Brumley to Bill Gaither, Larry Gatlin and Dottie Rambo, as well as one of Jeannie C. Riley's gospel offerings, "Be Not Afraid." Certainly worth a spin.

Ted & Marge Hall "Can You Hear The Master's Voice?" (Master Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ted & Marge Hall "Songs That Tell A Story" (Master Records, 19--?) (LP)
An independently produced gospel album with several country covers, including Merle Haggard's "Daddy Frank," Dolly Parton's "Coat Of Many Colors," "Dust On The Bible" and "Suppertime," as well as Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind," and an equal number of originals written by the Halls. The Halls play acoustic guitar, pedal steel, banjo, bass and electric guitar, with some additional pickin' and drumming by other musicians on some of the tracks. Not sure where they were from: the Master label provides addresses in both Canada and Hollywood.

Conni Hancock & And The Supernatural Family Band "Split Personality" (Akashik Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Lonnie Mack & Joe Gracey)
There are indeed a whole slew of Hancocks on this album -- songwriter, singer and steel guitarist Conni, along with mother Charlene and sister Traci (all three who were later in the commercial country band Texana Dames) as well as Joaquin and Tommy X. Hancock, along with a little guitar ooomph from producer Lonnie Mack. This is a very unassuming album, very indie and yes, maybe a little bit clunky and amateurish. Can't really say I'm a huge fan of her vocals, but she did sound like true Texas, from tip to toe, with a little hint of the same laconic Southern drawl as Lucinda Williams. All the songs are Conni Hancock originals -- a mix of country, folk and blues -- the same sort of mix that her family's group, the Supernatural Family Band, made popular in the '70s.

Delores Hancock "Steels Into Your Heart" (1974) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Watkins)
Wow... a girl pedal steel player? What will they think of next?? This gal from Burlington, North Carolina was the daughter of George Hancock, a singer-guitarist who taught her how to pick and bought her a pedal steel when she decided the instrument was for her. Veteran Nashville session player Jack Watkins -- a longtime member of the Tex Ritter band -- was her inspiration and became her pedal steel mentor, and also helped produce her first album. Hancock led her own band in the early 1970s and opened shows for or backed visiting artists on tour, such as Carl Smith when he came to town. She self-released this album in '75, though gradually she and her husband, Randy Simmons, gravitated more exclusively towards gospel material and became part of the regional Southern Gospel scene.

Delores Hancock "Gospel Style" (Tri-State Recording Company, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by John Wheeler)

Jennifer Hanson "Jennifer Hanson" (Capitol Records, 2003)
Densely-produced, but fairly rootsy, rock-flavored Nashville country, with more than a nod or two towards roots-rock foremothers Rosanne Cash and Sheryl Crowe. Hanson's best on the upbeat numbers, and she's got several catchy tunes here that might get her into the Top Country stratosphere. I like "Half A Heart Tattoo," myself, though the ballads just don't fly. Her dad, by the way, played guitar in the Top Country supergroup, Alabama. Oh, and she was also voted Miss California, in 1994.... Who knew??

Jennifer Hanson "Thankful" (Universal South, 2008)

Arlene Harden - see artist discography

Robbie Harden - see artist discography

The Harden Trio - see artist discography

Gus Hardin - see artist discography

Linda Hargrove - see artist discography

The Harmontettes "Listen" (Perfection Sound Studios, 19--?) (LP)

The Harmontettes "Sing Special Requests" (Perfection Sound Studios, 19--?) (LP)

The Harmony Sisters "The Early Years" (HS Records, 1999)
This trio included folkies Alice Gerrard, Irene Herrmann and Jeanie McLerie, playing a variety of traditional music styles. This CD combines their two albums, 1981's Harmony Pie and Second Helping, from 1983.

Joni Harms - see artist discography

Lynn Harper "...Sings Country Favorites" (Alshire Records, 1972) (LP)
I picked this one up because of the groovy picture of a go-godelic gal in a fringed-leather buckskin mini-skirt (and matching cowgirl hat) singing onstage in front of an anonymous band... Of course, I fully realize that this being a knockoff album from the Alshire label, chances are the woman in the photo might not actually be Lynn Harper, but whatever: it's still a cool album cover. The album itself is worth a whirl because most of the songs are originals credited to Ms. Harper (whoever she was) and while the vocals are admittedly pretty clunky, there's plenty of early '70s-style twang in the band, and a rough, authentic feel overall. Two songs are credited to Lynn Gibson, and they are standouts, the biker-themed "Chrome Plated Harley" and the raunchy, carnal "In the Back of My '57 Chevy," which has surprisingly sex-positive lyrics for a "girl" singer of the time... This one's obscure, but intriguing.

Emmylou Harris - see artist discography

Joan Harris "Country Girl" (Custom Records, 1958-?) (LP)
Husky voiced and robustly rural, Ms. Joan Harris was a bit of a mystery gal -- although she was well-regarded enough to cut two entire albums under her own name, her online profile is pretty slim. She seems to have been in the orbit of singer/producer Gordon Calcote and the Crown/Custom cheapie labels where his music was also produced. In between her two albums, Harris also appeared on a Custom Records gospel set by the "Faith Inspiration Singers," along with Rue Barclay and (interestingly) Sharon Leighton of the husband-wife duo, The Leightons, who also worked with Gordon Calcote over a period of several years. Like many Custom albums, both of Harris's LPs are packed with what seems to be original material, though there are no musician or composer credits, so it's all fairly murky -- the only tangible clues I could find are from a pair of singles in the Sparta imprint which include three tracks from her second album, noted below. Most of the songs show Ms. Harris in full Patsy Cline mode, and some tracks come off as Patsy outtakes, while others sound very much like knockoffs, with strained lyrical concepts. She also tries her hand at sassy-gal honkytonk tunes, ala Loretta Lynn, and is often on shakier ground... One of these, though, turns out to be an album highlight: "Fire Proof Money Belt" is a bizarrely strained high-concept song, where the singer reprimands her selfish, miserly partner, and implies that they are going to Hell when they die but, planning to take it with them when they go, they have apparently invested in a nonflammable money belt... which is an awful lot of mental gymnastics for one little country song(!) If anyone has solid biographical info about Ms. Harris, I'm all ears.

Joan Harris "Harper Valley PTA" (Custom Records, 1970-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Calcote)
Pretty straightforward, no frills twang, with a cover of "Harper Valley PTA," which was also issued as a single on the Sparta label, as were a couple of other tracks, an oddly-titled Bob Elgin tune, "Whose Ox Is Being Gored" and "Facts Of Life," from the pen of Casey Anderson... though it's not clear if this was Casey Anderson, the father of country superstar Lynn Anderson, or Casey Anderson, the folk singer. Also unclear is whether the Curley Harris who was on the Faith Inspiration Singers album was a relative of hers... Any info is welcome!

Sherry Dell Harris "Dogs Unleashed" (A + R Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Abbott & Harvey Peyton)
A piano player/singer from Fort Worth, who recorded this album in Arlington, Texas. There's some religious material (her own song, "I See The Light") but also more secular "progressive country" such as "Down Home In Texas Again" and "Down Home Woman."

Bonnie Harry & Dave Harry "Welcome To My World" (A-Live Sound Records, 198--?) (LP)
A kooky-looking mix of country and lounge oldies, ranging from "Stardust" and "Chime Bells" to "She Taught Me To Yodel" and "Welcome To My World." And yes, not only does Dave Harry squinch down on the old accordion (while Bonnie Harry plays synthesizer and drums) he also yodels on a tune or two. This duo from Alderwood Manor, Washington are joined by a few other locals -- Becky Purdue on bass, Dave Purdue on lead guitar, Dick Gordon on banjo and fiddle, as well as a couple of saxophonists to round things out. As far as I know, this was their only album...

Dian Hart "A Girl For All Reasons" (Amaret Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Porter)
More of a '60s-style pop singer, Dian Hart hailed from Houston, Texas but did her time in Vegas and released a few indie-label singles before recording this album on the Hollywood-based Amaret label. As the title implies, it's meant to showcase her versatility and, yes, there is a little bit of country twang in the mix. The opening track, "To Love," shows great promise for country fans, though oddly enough it's on the following songs written by country-oriented composers such as Shelby Singleton, Johnny Russell and Ben Peters that the album tilts decisively towards pop music with an undercurrent of glossy white soul. The arrangements are, in the parlance of the era, a mixture of groovy and square, placing her roughly in the same band of the spectrum as Dusty Springfield or Petula Clark -- indeed she covers "Son Of A Preacher Man" as well as Bonnie Bramlett's "Told You For The Last Time," material that gives her a mildly funky feel. There's a palpable almost-but-not-quite feel to this record, and you can sense that getting her a spot on something like the Dean Martin Show was their highest aspiration at the time... But for twangfans, I guess this will serve as a warning only... You'll see this record listed as "country" from time to time, but there's really only one song that qualifies. Oh, well.

The Hart Family "...Featuring Mr. Sandman" (Associated Recording Artists, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Walker, Ailene Hart & Larry Hart)
Led by their mother, Ailene Hart, this Midwestern family band from Hopedale, Ohio recorded several albums toured regionally, while Hart's son Larry landed several appearances on Hee Haw and other TV shows. They mainly recorded gospel material, but went secular for this set, with support from some Nashville old-timers. Producer Billy Walker plays guitar on these sessions, while Eddy Arnold wrote the liner notes, and I believe he may have recorded some of their songs as well.

Tara Lyn Hart "Tara Lyn Hart" (Epic Records, 1999)
A Canadian Top-40er who left the music business before her second album was completed... She also had a few singles-only releases after this disc came out...

Tonya Harwell "Foxy Lady" (HOMA Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Mickey Sherman)
A pretty negligible album from a teenage Oklahoman who was, according to the liner notes, voted "The Best Female Vocalist Under the Age of Eighteen for 1975" by the Oklahoma Country Music Association, which kind of makes me wonder what Reba McEntire was up to that week. Tonya covers a few standards such as "Bobby McGee," "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," Merle Haggard's "That's The Way Love Goes" and even a mildly twangy version of the Beatles' "Yesterday." She also showcases some local (Oklahoma) songwriters -- herself included, writing the title track -- as well as "A Picker's Wife" by Bob Lendrum and "Shadows Of Love," written by Lee Hunter and Wait Wilder. I don't think any of these folks really did much after this, though fiddler Benny Kubiak also recorded a couple of albums on the Homa label, and was in a number of regional bands; Tonya Harwell apparently was in a rock band with her brother Paige in the early '80s, but I think this was about it for her country career.

Carol Hascall "Spotted Pony" (Cavern Custom Recording, 1975) (LP)
Traditional fiddling by a gal from Independence, Missouri, near Kansas City. According to the liner notes, Elizabeth Carolyn Hascall (1936-2019) grew up in Humansville -- which is a real place -- down in the southern end of the state, in the Ozarks. Her dad, Andy Beaty, was a well-regarded local fiddler, and she grew up to learn several instruments, and performed at numerous bluegrass festivals and old-timey events. Hascall cut this album for Cavern, a legendary regional label, with backing by a group called the Bluegrass Association: John Bennett on guitar, Jim McGreevy (banjo), Don Montgomery (bass), and Chuck Stearman on mandolin. She recorded elsewhere, including her participation in an authoritative 2-CD set dedicated to Missouri fiddling, Now That's A Good Time, and later in life, Ms. Hascall became interested in making fiddles, as well as playing them.

Carrie Hassler "...And Hard Rain" (Rural Rhythm Records, 2006)

Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain "CHHR2" (Rural Rhythm Records, 2008)
(Produced by Jim Van Cleve)
Nice modern, country/folk-tinged bluegrass, sort of in the same general area as Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent. Pretty solid picking, although not all the songs really caught my imagination... Steve Gulley sings harmony throughout, and producer Jim Van Cleve plays fiddle... Worth checking out if you like the style.

Cindy Hataway "Live At The Grapevine Opry" (Grapevine Opry Records, 1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phil York)
Singer Cindy Hataway was a cast member Johnny High's Grapevine Opry, a mom'n'pop operation near Dallas, Texas, and sang on several of their compilation records. Here on her solo album, she belts out a few gal-centric covers, such as Barbara Fairchild's hit, "Teddy Bear Song" and Lynn Anderson's "Ride, Ride, Ride," along with tunes from Moe Bandy, Hank Snow and Leroy Van Dyke. There's a bit of patriotic stuff and gospel, as well, though mostly what you'd expect to hear on a variety stage. I'm not sure how long Hataway was with the Grapevine Opry, or how long she stayed in the music business; it's possible she's the same Cindy Hataway who later worked the Texas oil industry.

Cindy Hataway "Cindy" (1981) (LP)
A mystery disc which seems to have come from her post-Grapevine career. There are a number of newspaper show notices from 1981 placing her at the Six Flags Texas amusement park, so perhaps she had already moved on before the Grapevine venue fell apart in '82.

Irene Hatfield "August Rain" (Rex Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Clinton J. Smith)
An independent country singer from Washington state... This includes the songs "Silly Little Fight" and "The Anniversary (Of The Day You Said Goodbye.)" All but one of the songs were written by J. Jones, who is also credited as the "A&R" man for the album.

Ginny Hawker & Kay Justice "Come All Ye Tenderhearted" (June Appal Records, 1995)

Ginny Hawker/Carol Elizabeth Jones/Hazel Dickens "Heart Of A Singer" (Rounder Records, 1998)

Ginny Hawker & Kay Justice "Bristol" (Rounder, 1999)
That's Bristol, as in, "the Bristol Sessions," the famous 1927 Ralph Peer recording trip which brought to the wide world both Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family, laying the foundation for the growth of commercial country over the next decade. This Carter Family tribute is about as rootsy and true to the original wellspring as you could imagine, especially with for New Lost City Ramblers members Mike Seeger and Tracy Schwartz pitching in on autoharp and guitar. Highly recommended!

Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwartz "Good Songs For Hard Times" (Copper Creek Records, 2000)
Beautiful! '50s/'60s folk scene veteran Tracy Schwartz has, of course, been one of the great champions of old-timey music ever since his days in the New Lost City Ramblers, and Ginny Hawker has been rising through the ranks in recent years... On this early album, they sing fifteen lovely, understated duets, presenting some of the finest, most heartfelt songs in the mountain music canon, including tunes of aching beauty such as "Your Lone Journey" and gospel tunes galore. Their approach to the material is just so right, and so wonderfully unpretentious and filled with sweet, simple harmonies that this disc is a real gem. In later years, Hawker started to exaggerate her twang a bit too much; here she sings in a much sweeter, less craggy style than you may have heard on subsequent releases. Anyway, this album's a keeper, as far as I'm concerned. Highly recommended!

Ginny Hawker "Letters From My Father" (Rounder Records, 2001)
With old-timey gospel numbers, bluegrass heart songs galore, and even a bit of Emmylou-ish country harmony, this disc's another real winner. Although Hawker's loyalty to the raspy old-timey melodic structure may make it hard for some folks to get into her work, these are recordings that will richly reward your time. Recommended!

Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwartz "Draw Closer" (Rounder Records, 2004)
As fine and understated a set of old-timey ballads as you're likely to hear... Really fine stuff! Tracy Schartz has, of course, been one of the great champions of old-timey music ever since his days in the New Lost City Ramblers, and Ginny Hawker has been rising through the ranks in recent years... Together they have made one of the prettiest, simplest, most emotionally direct records of the year... The accompaniment is a delight: straightforward and no-frills, but also very melodic and sweet, a perfect match for their plainspoken vocals. Dirk Powell pitches in playing mandolin on a couple of tunes, but fancy picking isn't the point of this new record, the songs are and that's the way it should be. Includes some standards such as "Poor Willie" and "Katie Dear," as well as a bunch of well-chosen obscurities, and some wonderful gospel tunes. Highly recommended!

Lisa Hayes "Sweet Forgiveness" (Gracye Records, 2005)
(Produced by David Kitay)
Independently produced country stuff, a mix of indie and Top 40 sensibilities. I don't care much for her vocals, but the music has some nice touches, especially the sometimes-spectral pedal steel... She's a too bit warbly and emotive, in a Faith Hill-ish way, for me, but if you're looking for an independent artist shooting in that same direction, this might be fun.

Sherri Hayes "Words Of Love" (Gule Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Harry Gordon)
I'm not sure where Ms. Hayes was from, though this album was recorded in Hollywood, California, with guitarist Al Bruno anchoring the studio band. The songs are all Sherri Hayes originals except for a cover of a Porter Wagoner/Dolly Parton duet. Her songs include a couple co-written with B. Vera, and others with M. Shoup. There's no fiddle, steel or banjo on here but, hey, you can't have everything!

Donna Hazard "My Turn" (Pickwick/Excelsior Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Ed Keeley)
Although the title track is actually about sexual reciprocity, it could also reflect on Hazard's career... One of Nashville's best-known backup singers, Donna Hazard sang on countless sessions throughout the 1970s and '80s... This was her first solo album, recorded after years of supporting other artists, and yielded a few modest hits, including "My Turn," which peaked at #45 on Billboard.. The album's a pretty strong effort for the times, the glossy post-disco era when country music edged even further towards a more synthetic-sounding production style. Hazard has a great voice, although here it's mostly used for come-hither, sexy-kitten effect, and many of the the songs wind up being of questionable quality. The opening track, "Love Never Hurt So Good," has a pleasantly rural feel, recalling Loretta Lynn while flaunting some surprisingly frank erotic lyrics. This sexual openness is echoed on the title track as well as on "A Lady Askin'," in which the protagonist says, hey I know a lot of guys don't like assertive women, but it's almost closing time and I was wondering if you wanna get lucky tonight. Unfortunately the record winds up being kind of uneven -- some tracks are vigorously produced, others sound a little thin, and Side Two veers into pretty terrible pop territory, with nods towards Olivia Newton-John and ABBA, ending things on a fairly flat note. Around this same time, Hazard also recorded some lead vocals for a prefab band (also produced by Ed Keeley) called the Concrete Cowboy Band, which had a similar vibe but less success on the charts.

Hazel & Alice -- see Hazel Dickens (and/or Alice Gerrard)

Hazel & Louise "...Sing I'll Put My Trust In Thee" (REM Records, 1965-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Mooney)
Country gospel by a duo previously known as the Horton Sisters... Hazel Trubee and Louise Wilson grew up in the backwoods of Scioto Country, Ohio, later living in Xenia with their families. The sisters performed live radio programs daily on several local stations, and also sang at their church. Hazel's husband was Pentecostal evangelist Bill Trubee, and their daughter Sharon plays piano on this album, as does their fellow country music evangelist, Reverend Ray Anderson who plays bass (as opposed to the lead guitar work on his own albums.) They are joined by a local band including Joe Adams playing steel guitar, his father Johnny Adams on rhythm guitar, Pete McKeehan on drums, and Denny Waggoner pickin' lead guitar. About half the album is original material credited to Mrs. Trubee, with an additional tune from Hisel Carpenter, who also recorded an album for the REM label. Actually, these local folks were in pretty good company: the label, which was located in Lexington, Kentucky, also recorded albums with established artists such as Cliff Carlisle, Tex Jenks Carman, Esco Hankins, Charlie Monroe and Molly O'Day. Great stuff: it's like if Kitty Wells and Skeeter Davis had formed a hillbilly duo with Merle Travis backing them up.

Hazel & Louise "He'll Never Fail" (Gospel Recording Service, 1966-?) (LP)

Bonnie Hearne & Bill Hearne "Smilin' " (B. F. Deal Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Brogden & Mike White)
Longtime stalwarts of the Kerrville Folk Festival, Bill and Bonnie Hearne were originally from Texas, and lean heavily on local Lone Star talents such as Dee Moeller and Shake Russell, as well as Michael Martin Murphey, recording no few than three of his songs on this album. The title track was written by Bonnie Hearne, but otherwise, these are other people's songs... Backing the Hearnes are folks such as guitarist Larry Nye, bassist Dave Magill and pedal steel player Charlie Holman, as well as album producer/label owner Mike Williams, who adds some harmonies on a tune or two. Later, around 1979, the Hearnes moved to New Mexico, with several other Texas indie types migrating with them...

Bonnie Hearne & Bill Hearne "New Mexico Rain" (Alpine Records, 1982-?) (LP)
(Produced by David Magill, Michael Hearne, Bill Hearne & Bonnie Hearne)

The Hemphills/Joel & Labreeska -- see artist profile

Terri Hendrix "The Spiritual Kind" (Wilory Records, 2007)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)
A sweet, goofy set of twangy/folkie tunes that ponder the questions of life and find comfort in the simpler things, such as planting a garden and kicking back on your porch on hot summer days. Ms. Hendrix has a lot in common with Victoria Williams, who also extolled the joys of simple, rural living, although Hendrix is more direct and way less daffy. But f you like that kind of unhurried, un-rock star vibe, this album may have a lot to offer you.

Audie Henry & Gord Henry "By Request" (Broadland Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Buck)
Well, Ms. Henry certainly has a colorful and surprisingly cosmopolitan life story for a country singer... Originally named Aria Lanka, she was born in Brazil, the daughter of Latvian refugees who fled to South America at the start of World War Two, but soon moved to Canada when she was still a baby. As a young woman, she started singing in clubs around Ontario, and formed a duo with singer Gord Henry, who she eventually married. They recorded this album as well as a few singles, with some modest success on the Canadian country charts. The Henrys eventually moved to Bedford, Texas, with Audie Henry recording a couple of albums with Lone Star producer Bart Barton, although most of her promotional push (and chart action) was up in Canada.

Audie Henry "Audie Henry" (Canyon Creek Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Bart Barton)
After a ten-year hiatus, Ms. Henry returned to the studio and made a stab at some would-be Top 40 material, with relatively glossy production... This includes the song, "You'll Never Find A Good Man Playing In A Country Band" -- apparently she had some success on the Canadian charts with this album and the one that followed, though on later recordings she pitched herself as a Texas artist...

Audie Henry "Heart Of The Country" (RCA-Canada, 1989) (LP)
(Produced by Bart Barton)

Casey Henry "Real Women Drive Trucks" (Arrandem Record, 2001)
A swell set of independently-released bluegrass instrumentals, with a compact family band led by banjoist Casey Henry, whose got a real snap and bounce to her style. Jason Carter fiddles and Missy Raines thumps the bass, while Lynn Morris and Marshall Wilborn guest on various tracks... it’s a high-caliber cast for a high-caliber album... Recommended!

Violet Hensley "Old Time Fiddle Tunes" (A & R Record Manufacturing, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Ketchum)
Nicknamed "Yellville's whittlin' fiddler," Violet Brumley Hensley was an Arkansas native who became nationally known in the early 1970s as an ambassador of Ozark musical culture, and as a celebrity fiddle maker. She started playing the violin when she was twelve, and started making them when she was fifteen. Over the years she handcrafted several dozen, and fixed countless others at her studio in Yellville, with perhaps her most famous client being former Senate majority leader Robert Byrd, who was a fine old-timey musician himself. Hensley worked with Ozark folklorist and country star Jimmie Driftwood, and made numerous television appearances, on The Beverly Hillbillies and the Regis and Kathy Lee show, to name a couple. This album was recorded with various family members backing her on banjo, guitar and jawbone in a pretty standard traditional repertoire, and seems to have gone through a few different pressings on various labels.

Violet Hensley "Old Time Hoedowns" (1976-?) (LP)

Violet Hensley "The Whittling Fiddler And Family" (1983) (LP)

Caroline Herring "Twilight" (Blue Corn Records, 2001)
A nice mix of Judy Collins-ish singer-songwriter folk, and more country-ish leanings. This Austin-area transplant has assembled plenty of high-powered pals to back her up, including pedal steel stalwart Lloyd Maines and bluegrass hippiebilly Peter Rowan. Nice understated album, gets a little drippy at times, but she definitely has a way with a melody, and a certain spark that gets your attention. Kate Wolf's fans should check this gal out; there's a similar feel that might be appealing.

Caroline Herring "Wellspring" (Blue Corn Records, 2003)
This Austin-by-way-of-Mississippi singer-songwriter gets growly and throaty enough to garner the inevitable simplistic comparisons to Lucinda Williams, but has a good, strong, listenable sound that will hold your attention through the length of the album. The first half of the disc is "tougher" and more country sounding; midway through a more overtly folkie sensibility takes hold, particularly on the topical political tune, "Mistress." Herring's vocals are a bit mumbly and her music seems rather familiar, but the tone and feel are quite nice. Her previous album had a ton of big-name guest stars; this time around it's Kelly Willis who sits in to add some glamour, throwing on some nice harmony on "Jewels," early in the album. Nice record -- definitely worth checking out!

Caroline Herring "Lantana" (Signature Sounds, 2007)
(Produced by Caroline Herring & Rich Brotherton)
A fine contemporary folk album from one of the rising stars of the scene... I didn't find this quite as striking as her last couple of records (which I really loved!), but it is a very solid set, perfect for the coffee-house folk fan faithful. One song really stands out, "Song For Fay," a song about faith and resignation that I had heard earlier on a compilation I reviewed a while ago -- that song is a real dazzler!

Caroline Herring "Camilla" (Signature Sounds, 2012)

Sue Hiatt "Pure Country" (MSR Records, 1986-?) (LP)
(Produced by Sue Hiatt & Harold Saunders)
Covers of classic country ballads by singer Sue Hiatt of Greensboro, North Carolina, with backing by Joe Carroll (fiddle), Mike Oakley (strings), and Harold Saunders on guitar. Ms. Hiatt was a protege of the Wilburn Brothers, with Doyle Wilburn producing some of her earlier recordings. She was also active in promoting the industry, helping co-found the North Carolina Country Music Awards Association. She also cut a number of singles, including a few duets, dating back to the early 1970s.

Susan Hickman "Susan Hickman" (Clover Entertainment, 2010)
(Produced by Doug DeForest)
Well, if people still shopped for music in physical stores, Susan Hickman would have an advantage because her records would be right next to Taylor Hicks, which, as a commercially-oriented country artist, might be kind of an plus. On her debut album, Hickman throws herself wholeheartedly into the Top Forty sound, albeit the Top Forty of a few years back, crossover power ballads in the style of Sara Evans, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood. It's a little too glossy and calculated for my tastes, but I can certainly imagine this Texas gal turning a few heads and making a big splash in Nashville. Let's watch and see what happens...

Hickory "Wahoo!" (Country Kitchen Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Eakin, Paul Mullins & Hickory)
A longhaired bar band from Houston, Texas, this group featured lead vocals by Peter Breaz and his wife, Marcia, who also played keyboards. A strong debut in terms of the diverse, adventurous repertoire, although in all honesty I gotta say the vocals are a little hard to take at times. Both Marcia and Peter had their weak spots as singers, although they also emanate great energy and enthusiasm, so it's kind of a mixed bag. The musicianship is otherwise rock-solid, with some swell banjo picking and pedal steel throughout, punching up a song selection that incorporates a nice mix of covers and new material... Hule Wyrick's mellotron keyboard riffs on the opening track are a real surprise as well, though the bands hews to a more traditional sound on the rest of the record. A noteworthy album from the heyday of the Texas outlaw scene... definitely worth a spin!

Hickory "Whiskey Woman" (Country Kitchen, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Jeff Wells & Paul Eakin)
On the western swing-oriented songs they are very much in the style of Asleep At The Wheel, though admittedly not as musically accomplished, or as well-produced. Their stylistic range is pretty broad, though, and on Side Two of the album they include are folksongs such as Ian Tyson's "Someday Soon," as well as bluegrass standards like "Ruby" and the outlaw-cosmic twang of "The Weight" by The Band. On this last song in particular, there's a weird tendency to ham things up, which may have been a reflection of their stage show at the time, but it doesn't hold up on record. The real sizzle here comes on Side One of the album, which showcases a half-dozen originals written by bandleader Peter Breaz... Marcia Breaz also sings lead on some songs, and Chris Breaz (who later left the band) is on pedal steel.

Hickory "Truck Stop Annie" (Country Kitchen, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Eakin)

Hickory "Alive And Kickin' " (Country Kitchen Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Eakin & Hickory)
On this concert album, Hickory are captured in their natural state. To be honest, this album's a little clunky -- poorly recorded, mostly, but also with some awkward musical passages. But I think this record probably paints an honest picture of what these guys were like, an earnest band, joyful in their musicmaking, but unevenly talented. Pickers Peter Breaz (bass and banjo) and John Haas (dobro and pedal steel) were the band's anchors, with vocalist Marcia Breaz being perhaps their weakest link, with her bluesy leads reflecting the Texas roadhouse sound, reminiscent of gals such as Marcia Ball and Lou Ann Barton, but at a more amateurish level. This album is all cover tunes, rock, soul and country-rock classics such as "Desperado," "Glendale Train," "Pretty Woman," "Not Fade Away" and "When A Man Loves A Woman," as well as extended tracks at the end of each album side -- a cover of Pure Prairie League's "Amie" and a rock-oriented medley of old Buffalo Springfield hits. This ain't the greatest Texas outlaw album ever, but it's charming in its own way -- an authentic record of its time, and a nice echo of earlier bands like Greezy Wheels, or Frida and The Firedogs. Worth a spin, if you can track it down.

The Hicks Family "Down Country Roads" (1970-?) (LP)
Looks like the dad, Olan Hicks, was a pedal steel player, and got all his kids interested in music as well, while handing the mic to his wife Barbara. Chuck, Clint and Jean Hicks round out the ensemble... Not sure where these folks were from since the album has even less info than usual for a custom-made record -- the back cover is blank, and the inner labels only have the band name and song titles. Chuck Hicks also recorded a single in 1971, "I Ain't Cryin,' Mister"/"The Happiest Way," which gives Dayton, Tennessee as the home of Olan Hicks Productions, so they may have been from around Chattanooga. (Sadly, neither of those songs are included on this album, which favors covers such as John Denver's "Country Roads" and Johnny Russell's "Making Plans.") Music was Mr. Hicks second occupation: he has been a prominent writer in the "Restoration Christianity" movement, and has written or co-written several religious tracts on a variety of topics. Although the album is undated, Olan Hicks wrote to say it was probably from 1970.

Laney Hicks "Matters Of The Heart" (2006)
(Produced by Russ Hicks)

The High Country Band "Getting Used To Not Lovin' You" (Alpha Audio, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Mitchell & The High Country Band)
This quintet from Victoria, Virginia may have been a family band -- the musicians are only identified by their first names on the back -- Lacy, Charlie, Lee, Jeanette and Bobby -- performing on steel guitar, bass, lead guitar, vocals and drums, respectively. They play some country covers, tunes like "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "Orange Blossom Special" but several songs might have been originals, including the title track, "Getting Used To Not Lovin' You." In the 2000's and 2010's there was a band called High Country in nearby-ish Staunton, VA led by singers Patricia Cantrell and Teresa Wheeling that might be a later incarnation of this group, but if so the lineup had completely changed over the years. Anyone know for sure?

The High Plains Drifters "Garden State Cowboy: Greatest Hits, Volume II" (Warped Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by The High Plains Drifters)
Amidst covers of iconic outlaw songs ("Desperado," "Glendale Train," "Nashville Skyline Rag"), trucker tunes and country classics by Hank Williams and Bob Wills are several originals written by this twang band from Pennington, New Jersey... They included Nancy Valyo (lead vocals), Merrell Noden (lead vocals, fiddle, guitar), Paul Magnin (lead guitar), Robert Golub (piano), Ted Russell (pedal steel) and Steve Orland on bass... About a decade later, Nancy Valyo was singing jazz at a hotel lounge in Cincinnati... Go figure!

Jewly Hight "Darlin' Understand" (Self-Released, 2007)
(Produced by Jewly Hight, Bob Nickerson & Chad Watson)
This disc was hyped as an "Americana" album, but I found it more on the "rock" end of the spectrum, and not in a way that really appealed to me...

Highway 101 "Highway 101" (Warner Brothers, 1987)

Highway 101 "Highway 101, Volume Two" (Warner Brothers, 1988)

Highway 101 "Greatest Hits" (Warner Brothers, 1990)
This too-brief, 10 song best-of may be stingily programmed, but other than being kinda on the short side, it sure is good! Singer Paulette Carlson is the real deal, a rural, heartfelt honkytonker who really gets into her lyrics and who writes and picks some mighty fine material. Her song, "The Bed You Made For Me" is an old-fashioned weeper in the first degree, and the rest of this disc meets the high standard set by that early hit. She's joined by Cliffie Stone's son Curtis, and an able band with a real feel for country twang... The band plays with crispness and conviction, and cheerfully revels in revisiting the bouncy formulae of the past, particularly the low, ringing trucker-ific bass lines and doubled guitar lines of the early '70s. This is what "poppy" country oughta sound like... and it's definitely a keeper as far as I'm concerned!

Highway 101 "Bing Bang Boom" (Warner Brothers, 1991)
This was the first post-Paulette album, and they thank her in the liner notes for "her contribution" to the band... Unfortunately, they weren't able to replace her with a singer of equal caliber... Oh sure, on the romping, upbeat title track, which kicks the album off, it seems like it might just work... The new gal, Nikki Nelson, sounds like a slightly rowdy version of Rosanne Cash, and she plows through the song with gusto, riding on top of the wall 'o' sound production like a pro... But it soon becomes clear that neither she nor the guys in the band are completely on top of their game. Nelson can belt it out, but her phrasing is weak, and often she lets songs fall flat. The by-rote songwriting and musicianship don't help her much, either... The Highway crew may still be playing with plenty of twang, but not with much inspiration. This is okay, but it's also a little sad. some songs stand out, like "River Of Tears" and "Bing Bang Boom," but others are duds.

Highway 101 & Paulette Carlson "Reunited" (Willow Tree Records, 1996)
The band's original singer, Paulette Carlson, left early on, and they started to coast off the charts after that... She rejoined them for this album, six years after they called it splits in 1990. It's a pretty good record, even if it didn't dent the charts. Carlson has an, um... odd voice, but she really carries most of these songs, and the band is right there behind her, playing a reasonably rootsy mix that recalls the Billy Sherrill countrypolitan formula at times, and at others just sounds like a plain old, pedal-steel happy country combo. It's definitely worth checking out, especially (but not only) if you were a fan of the band's original lineup.

Highway 101 "Big Sky" (Keytone Records, 2000)
Kinda rootsy, but also not entirely up to snuff. It's interesting to hear how once-big bands can slide sideways when the spotlight's no longer on them... Hwy101 got rootsier, but they didn't have a big budget, to the music sounds kinda thin. It's okay -- fans will want to check this out, but for non-fans, I'm not sure this would be a keeper. Lead singer Chrislynn Lee is okay; fans of Paulette Carson may find something to object about, but the formula hasn't really changed much...

Faith Hill -- see artist profile

Goldie Hill -- see artist profile

J. Starla Hill & Lonestarr "Live Ta'Nite" (1983) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Nogar)
This one sort of skirts along the edge of the modern-day "Americana" scene in that these are folks from Riverside, California during the fabled days of LA punk who seem to have an ambivalent attitude towards playing country and rock oldies... It's not a straightforwardly earnest group of country artists, but rather city folks who take on goofy stage names like "Tommy Teflon" (pedal steel) and Artkansa (bass) instead of just being themselves and letting their hick flags fly. But, whatever. Ms. Hill thanks Elvis Presley for inspiration, sings a couple of his songs and a couple of her own originals, and regardless of the mild self-image schizophrenia, they're still a fine example of SoCal country DIY.

Kim Hill "So Far So Good" (BNA Records, 1994)
(Produced by Wayne Kirkpatrick)
The country debut album of a singer who is better known for her work as a Christian pop singer... She has a very husky, unusual voice; she almost sounds like Lyle Lovett(!) This features ten songs written by producer Wayne Kirkpatrick; includes the song "Janie's Gone Fishin'," which hit #68 on the Country charts... The music is overproduced Nashville stuff, not really my cup of tea.

Tish Hinojosa- see artist discography

Becky Hobbs -- see artist profile

The Hobbs Sisters & Bob Goff, Jr. "Wanted! Best Bluegrass Sound Around" (Royal Records, 1977-?) (LP)
Straight-up bluegrass by a trio from Fairfax, Virginia. The group included sisters Connie and Pam Hobbs and baritone Bob Goff, Jr. who knew one another because their parents (Arnold Hobbs and Bob Goff, Sr.) co-owned a popular folk-country club called Partners II. The kids performed there from a very early age, and steadily worked their way into the DC and East Coast bluegrass scene. I came to this record backwards from their second album, which is packed with some interesting country covers... This one includes a version of "Mister Bojangles," but otherwise it's a pretty traditional truegrass set. The band is filled out by fiddler Aisuke Matsutoya and Keith Morris on mandolin.

The Hobbs Sisters & Bob Goff, Jr. "Barely Gettin' By" (Major Recording Company, 1979) (LP)
Nice unassuming progressive 'grass, in the style of the Country Gentlemen... There are a couple of mountain music chestnuts (nice version of "Rocky Top") though what really caught my eye were their covers of two songs from the Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris canon, "Sin City" and "Satan's Jeweled Crown." Other highlights include versions of Lefty Frizzell's "I'm Not That Good At Goodbye" and a high lonesome-ish, emotionally resonant take on John Conlee's hit, "Rose Colored Glasses." This edition of the band included Arnold Hobbs and a couple of guys only identified as "Ed" and "Wesley" -- not sure which instruments they played. Although the band was going strong in the late 'Seventies, the Hobbs gals eventually edged out of performing... In the early '80s Bob Goff sang with Dave Vernon & The Dixie Rebels, and played bass on a few other records, notably Larry Sparks' bluegrass classic, "John Deere Tractor." He also formed a group called the Mill Run Bluegrass Band, which was chugging away as recently as the 2010s.

Geneva Hodges & Dan Hodges "Spring, Summer, Fall, Xmas: Music For All Seasons" (Outlet Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Shiveley)
The Hodges were an old-timey/bluegrass gospel duo from Franklin County, Virginia who had a weekly radio show on WNIB, in Mount Vernon. They also performed as The Southlanders, with Dan Hodges on guitar and Geneva Hodges playing 5-string banjo. This album is all original material, with Side Two focussing on Christmas songs, while Side One was non-holiday specific, though packed with gospel material.

Louise Hoffsten "Knackebrod Blues" (Memphis International, 2002)
For decades, the blues have become so tame and tradition-bound that hearing a new artist come along and make the style sound rough and dirty again is almost like a divine revelation: Oh, so you mean modern blues don't have to be so goddamn boring?? Wow!! So let's welcome Louise Hoffsten, a slight, plain-featured blonde whose tiny voice expands to fill in the spaces left by her a remarkably muscular electric combo. Knackebrod Blues may be the most dynamic, energizing blues album of the last ten years. More remarkable still is that Hoffsten is actually from Sweden, and that her previous albums were more in a quiet, offkilter indierock-ish mode... Here she brings a sexy, slightly trashy, jagged-edged Joan Jett-like feel to these songs that is at once electrifying and alluring. Recommended!

Kelly Hogan "The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear" (Long Play Records, 1996)

Kelly Hogan & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts "Beneath The Country Underdog" (Bloodshot Records, 2000)

Kelly Hogan "Because It Feels Good" (Bloodshot Records, 2001)
This didn't blow me away... Hogan mellows down into a crooning mode. I think she's aiming for an alt-y Patsy Cline vibe, but winds up being a bit more Vonda Shepard. I suppose if I had a more intense interest in irony and postmodern, satirical blah-blah-blah, this would have more appeal, but I'm still just looking for a strong melody to sing along to... Just not country enough for me.

Wendy Holcombe "Memories Of Wendy" (Adonda Records, 2010)
A banjo and guitar prodigy, Birmingham, Alabama's Wendy Holcombe made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry in 1975, at the age of twelve(!) Both talented and telegenic, she went on to appear on Hee Haw and to tour with established bluegrass stars such as Bill Monroe and Mac Wiseman, and landed steady work as a television actor in the early '80s. Tragically, Holcombe died at age 23 as the result of cardiomyopathy. This posthumous album is an impressive collection of recordings with Holcombe delivering dazzling and precise banjo and electric guitar riffs... She was a real superpicker!

Wendy Holcombe "On Tour" (Adonda Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Don Fowler & Jack Logan)
All bluegrass standards, except for a couple of country songs by Dolly Parton ("Apple Jack") and Gail Davies ("It's No Wonder I Feel Blue") Her band included steel guitarist Mike Johnson and Bruce Osborn on dobro and guitar, as well as fiddler Tommy Rutlidge.

Gal Holiday "...The Honky Tonk Revue" (Honky Tonk Revue Music, 2006)
The debut album from an awesome retro-honkytonker from New Orleans...

Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue "Set Two" (HTRP Music, 2010)
Includes "Jones On The Jukebox," one to add to your list of George Jones tribute songs, as well as a version of "Sixpack To Go," which I always appreciate.

Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue "Last To Leave" (HTRP Music, 2014)
(Produced by Gal Holiday & Misha Kachkachishvili)

Jolie Holland "Catalpa" (Self-Released, 2003)
This is one of the most distinctive, defiantly genre-bending albums to come down the pike in quite some time... Generally speaking, it's in the "Americana" realm, but with odd, insistent jags of torchy jazz, blues and indefinable world music influences. It's not surprising since Holland, who has become a fixture on the Northern California/SF Bay Area scene, was a founding member of the equally eclectic Be Good Tanyas, and carries much of their searching moodiness with her. There's also an art-school diary aspect to this disc, with elusive impenetrable lyrics that are matched by the amorphousness of the music. This album certainly has a unique feel to it... whether she'll be able to sustain the mystique, or sharpen her focus, remains to be seen, but for now Holland has struck a remarkable balance between the pretentious and the sublime... If you're looking for something substantive and off the beaten track, this disc is certainly worth checking out.

Jolie Holland "Escondida" (Anti Records, 2004)
Less nebulous and more rooted in jazz and blues than her previous, self-released album... Holland seems to be staking out some turf in the same general neighborhood as Tom Waits and Norah Jones... Sounds pretty nice, with a few songs that sort of float about, and others that glisten like gems. It's pretentious, sure, alluring at times, irritating at others. On the whole, I'm sure folks will find her a refreshing new voice on the Americana/indie scene, although now I'm starting to feel more like I've got her number down -- seems like she could go either way, and push into more challenging terrain, or she could just keep wowing the rubes with odd, offbeat noodly ditties whose laid-back "weirdness" is their main selling point.

Jolie Holland "Springtime Can Kill You" (Anti Records, 2006)

Jolie Holland "The Living And The Dead" (Anti Records, 2008)

Jolie Holland "Pint Of Blood" (Signature Sounds, 2011)

Lindy Holland "Dallas Dreamin' " (Texas Tunes, 197--?)
(Produced by "Texas Tunes")
Ms. Holland was a singer from -- one would assume -- Dallas, Texas... I couldn't find any info about her online, and also couldn't find a release date for this one, although the album includes an Elvis Presley tribute song called "Legends Never Die," so maybe it was from 1976-77-ish?? It's also quite possible it was an early '80s recording, but late '70s is my best guess.

Claire Holley "Night Air" (1997)

Claire Holley "Sanctuary" (1999)

Claire Holley "Claire Holley" (Yep Roc Records, 2001)

Claire Holley "Dandelion" (Yep Roc Records, 2003)
(Produced by Steve Graham, Rob Seals & Claire Holley)
This album opens with a chunky roots-rock number ("Six Miles To McKenney") then settles into more of a singer/songwriter folkie mode, though with a bit of swampy twang that's never too far from the surface. She also has a blues-gal, Sheryl Crow vibe underneath much of the album, but with more of a relaxed feel overall -- nice to hear an artist who doesn't feel they need to hurry anywhere and can take their time.

Claire Holley "Live At St. Andrew's" (2005)

Claire Holley "Hush" (Olivia's Attic, 2008)

Claire Holley "The Christmas EP" (2010)

Margi Holliday & Chuck Holliday "This Road" (Joker Records, 19--?) (LP)
This couple from Cedar Falls, Iowa sang some country, but also some very lounge-y/pop standards stuff, with songs such as "Mr. Bojangles," "Me And Bobby McGee" and "Games People Play" and artists such as Credence Clearwater and Gordon Lightfoot. There's not release date, but clearly this was very early '70s...

Terri Hollowell "Just You And Me" (Con Brio Records, 1979) (LP)

Eileen And Wes Holly "Just Us" (Fredlo Records, 1970-?) (LP)
Hillbilly picker Wes Holly was born in Dixon, Illinois and recorded a handful of hard-country singles back in the 1950s, eventually landing a gig as the host of a TV show in Davenport, Iowa. He and his wife, Eileen Holly, also recorded a series of albums, with a mix of country and pop material. Here, as the album title implies, it's just the two of them in a stripped-down setting with Mr. Holly playing some sweet licks on his amplified guitar, and singing a few of the songs. She covered most of the vocals, though, and had a penchant for belting it out -- reminiscent in some ways of Lynn Anderson, perhaps by way of Kitty Wells or Loretta Lynn, though with a definite tilt towards a pop-vocals/showtunes style. To be honest, this mostly doesn't work for me, though there is a charm to the unpretentious, DIY presentation, including the minimal cover art and blank back cover.

Eileen And Wes Holly "The Sounds Of Holly" (1972-?) (LP)
On this record they cover some Top Forty stuff, like "Spinning Wheel," "Never Ending Song Of Love" and "Knock Three Times," as well as songs that were more officially "country," such as "Country Roads" and "Release Me," along with a real oldie like "Wreck Of The Old 97." Not a lot of info about these sessions -- there's no date on the record, and the back cover was blank. Around the time this early '70s album came out the "Sounds Of Holly" duo was doing gigs up in Tahoe -- and possibly touring elsewhere -- although I think the Midwest remained their main center of activity.

Eileen And Wes Holly "The Sounds Of Holly, Volume 3" (Lee-Myles Associates, 1973) (LP)
Other than a cover of "For The Good Times," this is a far less country-oriented album... They also include a version of "Proud Mary," in case you're keeping track...

Eileen Holly & Julie Goldstein "From The Heart" (Walnut Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Casolari)
For this one, Ms. Holly teams up with keyboard player Julie Goldstein, for a mix of show tunes, standards and country stuff. Wes Holly is still around in the background -- he co-produced the album and adds liner notes, but does not perform on the album. Both women sing lead on various tracks and Eileen Holly plays banjo and rhythm guitar, while the backing band is drawn from the country-gospel studio musicians directed by Bill Casolari, including Art Baker on steel guitar, percussionist Stan Dennis and Mr. Casolari playing a bunch of different instruments. Although they were working with the gospel-oriented Crusade Productions studio, this is fairly straightforward secular album.

Jan Holly "Country Girl" (Avenue Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Smith & Joe Brown)
An early-1970s offering from the ambitious but short-lived English label, Avenue Records... Ginger-haired Jan Holly had worked in a variety of bands prior to recording this album -- all with colorful, American-sounding names like the Moonshiners, the Southerns and the Virginians -- and was working in a duo with US expat Sherry Jackson, though I don't think Jackson appears on this album. In all honesty, this is a pretty lackluster album, with the Donna Fargo-esque Holly backed by a Brit band that couldn't quite seem able to figure out how to shed their rock roots and find a real country groove. They were technically proficient, but just not genuinely rootsy enough, so they clearly sound like folks who are going through the motions. Still, it's not a bad record, just not very exciting.

Jan Holly "Sitting On Top Of The World" (Horatio Nelson Records, 19--?) (LP)

Honeybee Ridge "Honeybee Ridge" (Beaver Creek Revolution, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by John O'Connell & Bill McElroy)
This band from Bakersfield, California mostly stuck to a folkie-stringband sound, with pretty bare-bones arrangements and production, framing low-key vocals by songwriters Tom Hunnicutt and Sandra Kline. They stray into slightly more countried-up territory on a tune or two, such as Hunnicutt's "Big Ol' City," where he sounds a little like Don Williams, and "Sadness Is Sundown," which reminded me more of Elmo & Patsy. The album includes a song called, "What's Gonna Happen To All Us Old Hippies?" a plaintive novelty-song paean to all things longhaired, sandal-wearing and earth-worshipping. A couple of songs were co-credited to George Beecham Jr., but he seems to have been mostly a friend of the band, limited to some light kazoo tootling on a tune or two; also notable are dobro picker Red Sawyers and a couple of guys playing banjo... But though this does seem to be a genuine West Coast hippie artifact, it's not that much of a country-rock record, and way more of a folkie thing.

The Honey Bees "Great American Country Hits" (Everest Records, 1960)
This all-female vocal trio came from a pop-vocals/big band background, but here run through a repertoire of country standards... Singer-pianist Bix Brent had been in a late '40s/early '50s group called the Heathertones, which cut a few records with bandleaders such as Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman and she later worked as a featured vocalist for Vaughn Monroe. Delores Brown and Bettye McCormick had both been backup singers for Ray Charles, as well as doing some work on Broadway. At the time this album was made the gals were working as backup singers for country crooner Eddy Arnold -- the band on this album was led by pop guitarist Billy Mure.

Dorothy Jo Hope & The Pell Brothers "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man" (Pell Brothers Records, 1972-?) (LP)
Here's a cool one. You might recognize the title track, which was a top ten hit for Dolly Parton in 1970... It was co-written by Dolly and her aunt, Dorothy Jo Hope (1929-2008) who also wrote "Daddy Come And Get Me," a gothic country novelty number that Dolly included on another album the same year, with many more to follow. Dorothy Jo was the daughter of Reverend Jake Owens, whose Pentecostal church was one of the first places where Parton performed in public, and she remained a big influence on her niece over the course of years, including a long stint as a performer at the Dollywood amusement park. She's backed here by the Pell Brothers, a bluegrass gospel group from Lafayette, Georgia, whose lead singer, Windell Pell, contributes three original songs, notably his "Working Like A Truck For The Lord." Six tracks were composed by Dorothy Jo Hope, including a new version of "Old Time Preacher Man," which had just been a big hit for Parton. I'm not sure how many other recordings Dorothy Jo made, though she worked as a composer under a variety of names, penning both secular and religious material. She also wrote an autobiographical book, Dolly's Hero about the family history, with lots of info about Dolly and her musical and spiritual roots.

Julianne Hough "Julianne Hough" (Mercury Nashville, 2008)
Actress and reality-show dance competitor Julianne Hough takes a stab at commercial country... Hey, why not? What harm could it do...? Oh, wait: you haven't actually heard this yet, have you? Typical cheesy, bombastic Nashville stuff. Nice voice, though.

Julianne Hough "Sounds Of The Season" (Mercury Nashville, 2008)

Ginger Houston "Country Just For Fun" (198--?) (LP)
I couldn't track any info down about this one... Ms. Houston looks like she was a middle-aged gal, possibly a lounge singer who decided to record a few country classics, stuff like "Release Me," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "You're Looking At Country." Her backing band included Timmy Avalon on steel guitar, and he seems to be a younger dude who played in various Mississippi bar bands, as well as fiddler Mickey Davis and bassist Jerry Puckett, both of the band Union Kun-Tree, which also had roots around Jackson, MS. So, I'm guessing Ms. Houston may have been from that neck of the woods as well. The album also looks like it was recorded in the 1980s, or possibly even in the '90s. Anyone know more about this gal?

Genevieve Hovde "...Sings Close To My Heart" (Ardelle Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rex Allen, Jr.)
Ms. Hovde was formerly a child star performing on the Chicago-based National Barn Dance radio show and KSTP-TV's Sunset Valley Barn Dance, and also apparently played live with the Sons Of The Pioneers... This album captures her much later (early 1970s??) as an adult living the quiet life in River Falls, Wisconsin. She went down to Nashville to record at Jack Clement's studio, with backing from Lloyd Green, Hargus Robbins, Johnny Gimble and other several high-powered studio pros. This album includes some oldies like "Release Me" and Hank Williams's "Mansion On The Hill" as well as several by songwriters she was friends with, such as Bud Auge and Billy Folger. Not sure of the exact date on this one, but I'm guessing early-to-mid '70s.

Diane Howard "High Rollin' Man" (Scott Music, 1984) (LP)

Jan Howard -- see artist profile

Rebecca Lynn Howard "Rocking The Country" (Addington Productions)
I'm not sure about the provenance, but this appears to be a CD demo from a gal who took a whirl at the Top Forty during a particularly iffy time in the industry (see below.) I haven't heard this disc, but I am very curious.

Rebecca Lynn Howard "Rebecca Lynn Howard" (MCA Records, 2000)
(Produced by Mark Wright & Greg Droman)
An impressive debut, particularly considering that all but two of these songs were written or co-written by Howard herself, and that one of these songs, "I Don't Paint Myself Into Corners," went on to be a big hit for Trisha Yearwood a couple of years later. Rebecca Lynn's got kind of a chirpy tone that takes you back to old Tanya Tucker or Tammy Wynette records... She hasn't really arrived as a singer, but considering that she came into the public eye during one of the most outlandishly overproduced eras in country music history, she seems to have kept things relatively low-key. Not entirely my cup of tea, but it's not as garish or out-of-control pop as many of her contemporaries. At least her voice has a lot of twang to it.

Rebecca Lynn Howard "Forgive" (MCA Records, 2002)
(Produced by Trey Bruce, Steve Fishell & Mark Wright)
Super popped-out modern Nashville silliness. It's cool that Howard writes so many of the songs herself (about half the album), and that she seems to have some real roots under all the fluff, but the glitzy drum machines and synthetic string arrangements really get in the way of the rest of the record. This disc is just too cluttered and high on hi-tech production, so much so that when she sings it simple country, it sounds like she's making fun of the style. I'll pass.

Rebecca Lynn Howard "No Rules" (Saguaro Road Records, 2008)
(Produced by Michael Curtis)
Ms. Howard has had an interesting career -- she hit Nashville with a big splash, scoring two Grammy awards right off the bat, but she never seemed to make much traction against other high-tech divas of the Y2K era. After that she... just kind of fell off the radar. Every once in a while she'd appear singing harmony on someone's album, or contributing a track here and there on tribute albums and the like. These tracks were often rootsier and more restrained than her own solo albums, which had been caught up in the super-overproduced pop leanings of the late 1990s/early 2000s era. Now she's part of the contemporary flood of chewed-up-and-spat-out former Nashville chart-toppers who have given up on the Music City machine and decided to record for an indie label instead. Presumably this album, her first in six years, is more of a personal statement than her major label offerings, and it certainly presents a different side of her work. This disc opens on a surprising note, with several old-school R&B roots-blues tunes, with Howard belting it out like she was Tracy Nelson or Lou Ann Barton. When she slows it down and goes into a contemporary soul-pop mode, the first slow song was a gospel-tinged cover of Dan Penn's "Do Right Woman," and she slowly starts to sound a bit like Tina Turner, in her '80s pop incarnation. I wasn't into how most of this album sounds -- her song about open mic singalongs, "Sing 'Cause I Love To," is the most interesting piece for me -- but I think this is the kind of for-my-real-fans kind of album that will sincerely be cherished when the right group of folks get ahold of it. And, hey, if you're going indie, what more could you want?

Howdy Moon "Howdy Moon" (A&M Records, 1974)
(Produced by Lowell George)
This airy folk-rock trio is worth noting here because of the presence of several members of the Los Angeles roots-music elite -- Lowell George, Bill Payne and bassist Roy Estrada from Little Feat; pedal steel player Sneaky Pete Kleinow, and ex-Lovin' Spoonful singer John Sebastian playing harmonica on the album's opening track, "Lovelight." There are also a slew of pop and jazz session players, such as Van Dyke Parks, guitarists Arthur Adams and Dennis Budimir, as well as percussion by Milt Holland and Bobbye Hall. The bad news is, this is a pretty dreadful album, at least from my point of view. Tons of gooey, spacey, amorphous soft-rock with fairly weak vocal harmony arrangements, and occasional whiffs of CSN-ishness. The guys in the band, Jon Lind and Richard Hovey, never really did much else than this album -- a few songs recorded by other artists -- though the gal, Valerie Carter, recorded two solo albums in the '70s and had a long career as a backup singer -- most notably for James Taylor -- and she sang on Little Feat's The Last Record Album right after this record came out. Despite the storied musical lineage, this album has very little to offer country-rock twangfans, and even soft-rock aficianados might find it hard to get too excited about its contents.

Susan Hudson "Put On Your Dancing Shoes!" (Graceland Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Pickering)
Originally from Gatesville, Texas, and later known as Susan Hudson Carman, this gal was a child performer and made several appearances on Hee Haw when she was young, and also did USO tours throughout Europe... She was also apparently a prolific songwriter, penning over half the tracks on this album, and she had good taste in cover tunes, including a version of "The Key Is In The Mailbox" and two by Delbert McClinton (which is always a good sign!) Backing musicians include Tommy Morrell plays steel and Johnny Gimble sitting in on fiddle... Also on this album is her version of Dave Dudley's "Six Days On The Road," a song she later re-recorded for Epic Records with Charlie Rich as producer. I guess that major-label windfall didn't gain much traction, though, and Hudson mostly wound up touring with older established artists such as Charlie Rich, Don Williams, and Conway Twitty. Years later, in 1988, she competed in a national talent competition and was dubbed Miss Country Music America; a few years later she permanently moved to Branson, Missouri and became part of the stable of artists managed by impresario Chisai Childs. As far as I know, this was her only album.

Donna Hughes "Same Old Me" (Running Dog Records, 2003)

Donna Hughes "Gaining Wisdom" (Rounder Records, 2007)

Lena Hughes "Queen Of The Guitar Pickers And Her Flat Top Guitar" (Power Records, 196-?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Raney)
A record you could really fall in love with. Multi-instrumentalist Lena Hughes (1904-1998) played fiddle, banjo and most notably the flat-top guitar... Her clean, elegant style had a profound influence on the regional music scene of the Ozarks, where the Ludlow, Missouri native played at barn dances and other events, dating back to her childhood and the post-WWI era. This was her only album, recorded in the 1960s by hillbilly boogie star Wayne Raney on his independent Rimrock label, and captures her remarkably clean, beautiful performances. Though she is said to have influenced the course of modern country music, Hughes embodied an earlier style, known as "parlour guitar," where popular songs of the Antebellum era and later decades were adapted by amateur, homegrown musicians playing melodies learned from the sheet music that was popular before recording technology existed. When I first saw this, I had expected something along the lines of Maybelle Carter's old mountain-music style of flatpicking, and while that foundation is heard in Hughes' work, a lot of this reminds me more of old-time picker Elizabeth Cotton, who added a layer of beauty and delicacy to the folk and blues styles -- Hughes has a similar sweetness that Cotton's fan may find appealing. A lovely album, reissued in the digital era on the Tompkins Square label as Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar..

Sierra Hull "Secrets" (Rounder Records, 2008)
(Produced by Ron Block & Sierra Hull)
The debut album of 16-year old mandolinist-vocalist Sierra Hull, who is sure to be remembered as one of the more exciting bluegrass prodigies to emerge in the closing years of this decade. While the picking on this album isn't as flashy as, say, that of Chris Thile's teenage debut, the performances and elegance of the production are rock solid -- tributes by Alison Krauss and production assist by Union Station's Ron Block point the way for Hull's future: several of these songs slide into the sweet, honeyed pop-grass balladry that has made Krauss a superstar, and with her own strong, confident voice, Hull may well follow. (Just think, if Krauss could find room for a second female voice in her band, what a potent combo that would be!) Fans of modern crossover-bluegrass will want to check this album... it's pretty impressive!

Sierra Hull "Daybreak" (Rounder Records, 2011)
(Produced by Barry Bales & Sierra Hull)
The second solo album by singer-mandolinist Sierra Hull, who hosts an all-star crew of contemporary bluegrass illuminati -- her band is anchored by fiddler Stuart Duncan, guitarist Bryan Sutton and bassist/producer Barry Bales, with an impressive lineup of guest artists drawn from Rounder's new "usual suspects" elite: Ron Block, Ronnie Bowman, Dan Tyminski, and Randy Kohrs. The crossovers with the Alison Krauss crew come through in the music, too: if you like the mellow, melodic approach of the Union Station band, you're gonna love this record, too. Hull, who recorded her previous album when she was fifteen, now has several years at Berklee Music College and considerable showbiz experience under her belt, and is finding her voice both literally and stylistically. As a singer, she's getting a huskier tone, with hefty hints of Dolly Parton in there as well, although the Krauss-ian approach is still pretty dominant. All in all a very strong album, with over half the songs written by Hull herself, including the fun, fling-ding instrumental, "Bombshell." Definitely worth a spin!

Hurricane Barb & The Country Squires "The Very Best Of..." (Jimbo Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Van Buskirk)
This was a later edition of the Country Squires, a band from Minneapolis led by songwriter and cordovox king Bob Richison, along with guitarist Lee Larsen and drummer Pudge Likes. However, the group's previous female vocalist Betty Lee has been replaced by a new gal named Barb Huber or, more colorfully, Hurricane Barb. At the time, they were playing gigs at a place called Archie's Bar And Lounge, located in Hopkins, Minnesota, which commissioned this album. The record features liner notes by Marvin Rainwater, who probably played a few gigs with them at some point. The album includes "The Interstate Is Coming Through My Outhouse" and a few medley tunes, including one called "Barb's Favorites." The song, "Love Is The Answer" which is included on this album was also released on one of the singles Barb Huber managed to record under her own name as well (though still featuring material written by Bob Richison.) The two singles I know of were "Rags Upon My Shoulders/Love Is The Answer To This World" and "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep"/"I'm Really Sorry," from 1978.

Cindy Hurt "Talk To Me" (Churchill Records, 1982) (LP)

Kenni Huskey "A Tribute To My Second Dad... Buck Owens" (Recall Records, 2006)
A heartfelt tribute to the late, great Buck Owens, from a gal who was a member of Buck's touring band from 1970-1975. Owens, who helped to sign Huskey as an artist on the Capitol and Warner Brothers labels - -she released a couple of singles, but mostly recorded for indie labels after retiring from the Nashville scene. While she was Owens' protege, he wrote material for her to record, much of which finds its way onto this CD. This album also opens with a demo recording of Buck teaching her one of his songs, which adds a sweet touch of history to the record. Her cousin, acoustic bass player Roy Huskey Jr., was one of the most prominent Nashville session players of the '80s and '90s...

Esther Hutsell & Len Hutsell "When I Met Him" (196--?) (LP)

Esther Hutsell & Len Hutsell "In The Valley" (Crusade Enterprises, 196--?) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Harris)
This married couple from Fremont, Nebraska were both clunky vocalists but the guitar pickin' is good and packed with rockabilly-influenced twang. The liner notes indicate that they performed shows throughout the South and upper Midwest, though I'm not sure if they were part of any particular ministry. Most of the songs were written by Len Hutsell, most notably his novelty number, "Guitar Pickin' Preacher Man." There are also a few standards such as "Palms Of Victory," as well originals such as "You Can't Run Away From God," by fellow evangelist, Jim Snyder and one called "Won't You Let Jesus In," which was composed by Esther's uncle Dan McGraw, a minister from Gillette, Wyoming. Her family band, the Grace Victors, with brothers Phil Grace and Steve Grace provided backing vocals as well. Given the twangy, uptempo feel, Hutsell may have started out playing in some local rock band or another before taking up his evangelical mission -- I'm not sure if he's playing lead on any of these tracks, though, as Crusade label staffers Bill Casolari and Pat Baker played on these sessions, and Hutsell is only mentioned as a rhythm guitarist. Anyway, this is a nice one for folks looking for Christian country with a little musical bite to it... Worth a spin, for sure!

Brenda Hyatt "Lovin' Country" (Steel Records, 1981) (LP)

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

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