Ricky Page "Harper Valley PTA" (Spar Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Beasley)
Pop/rock singer June Evelyn Kuykendall (aka Ricky Page) became a backup singer in Nashville after years in show biz singing and recording both solo and as a member of the Georgettes girl group, working on the edges of the Brill Building and Phil Spector scenes. She got her shot at the bigtime -- sort of -- on this private/indie session, which mixed late '60s country-pop and pop standards, ranging from twangtunes such as "Angel Of The Morning," "Harper Valley PTA" and "Ode To Billy Joe" to more mainstream fare such as "Do You Know The Way To San Jose," "To Sir With Love" and "Georgy Girl." The debts to Bobbie Gentry and Jeannie C. Reilly are obvious, as well as Dusty Springfield and the girl-group gals... She even tries her hand at singing Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata," a gogo-delic rendition which isn't an artistic success, but a potential kitsch classic. Page had a pretty nice voice and a strong, solid presence, although this album may not have fully realized her talent. The backing band is competent but lacks inspiration, and though the country tracks (in particular) are good, one really senses a missed opportunity here. Certainly worth a spin, especially for fans of late '60s country gals. Around the time this album came out, Page was recruited to work in the studio session vocal group, Nashville Edition, and while working with that group was a performer on Hee Haw for a number of years.

Allison Paige "End Of The World" (Lofton Creek Records, 2004)

Rissi Palmer "Rissi Palmer" (Mighty Loud Records, 2008)
A nice set of pop-country, 2000's-style, with traces of soul and perky pop woven into prefab Nashville themes. Pretty cool for an indie release, and pretty surprising that Ms. Palmer didn't go a lot further on the strength of this record. She has a very nice voice and a feel for the style -- fits right in with stuff by other gals like Martina McBride and Sara Evans... Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy that style.

Pam & Carolyn "By Special Request" (Heartland Productions, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Edna Holland)
When singers Pam Reynolds and Carolyn Donovan titled this album, they spoke from experience: this is a souvenir album from their lounge gig at a Holiday Inn in Hammond, Louisiana, and when they say these were the songs most requested by their audience, there's no reason not to believe 'em. The album is a mix of pop (mainly on Side One) and country hits (Side Two) with most songs of early 'Seventies vintage. The set list included gems such as Jonathan Edwards' "Sunshine," Freddy Hart's "Easy Lovin'," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," a couple by Kris Kristofferson, a little Neil Diamond, some Gordon Lightfoot, etc., and one original by Carolyn Donovan, "Lately I've Been Thinking." They were particularly fond of Mac Davis, covering three of his songs, including "I Believe In Music," which ties in with the gals both being music students at the University Of Southern Mississippi, in nearby Hattiesburg. According to the liner notes, the gals met in 1969 and formed a band with several guys which they called "The Sesame Street Singers" (though I don't think they had any connection to the TV show...) The group cut a record in 1970, and was later whittled it down to a trio, and eventually a duo; as far as I know this was the only Pam & Carolyn album.

Caryl Mack (Parker) "Caryl Mack" (EP) (Parkworth Records, 1988)
A rock-oriented demo EP...

Caryl Mack (Parker) "Smoke And Mirrors" (Cascot/Rancho Divine Records, 1993)

Caryl Mack Parker "Caryl Mack Parker" (Magnatone Records, 1996)

Caryl Mack Parker "Rancho Divine" (Rancho Divine Records, 2008)

Lori Parker "Just Stepping Out" (GMV Records, 2007)
A nice digital-only reissue of some classic 1970s (and maybe '80s?) sunshine country. Parker was a true minor-leaguer, with a couple of singles 'way back in the back of the Back Forty, around 1977, but they were fun songs. This include all the tracks from her three singles on the short-lived Con Brio label, as well as material from other sources (anybody know where?) If you like the simpler, more innocent side of the '70s sunshine sound, this might be a real find!

Patty Parker & Frank Fara "Frank Fara/Patty Parker" (Comstock Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Rooney & Paul Solomon)
A split LP by the founders of the independent Comstock label, which was located in Shawnee, Kansas, outside of Kansas City. Mr. Fara was a former teen idol from Arizona who relocated to Midwest, and co-founded Comstock in the 'Seventies, providing a new venue for many of the region's off-the-radar country artists. Almost all the songs are Frank Fara originals, with the exceptions being a couple of cover songs sung by Ms. Parker, versions of Elvis Presley's old hit, "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and Ernest Tubb's "Walking The Floor Over You." This may have been the first full LP on their label, though they'd already put out a bunch of singles, starting in 1976.

Terry Parker "Canada's Yodelling Sweetheart: Miss Terry Parker" (Banff/Rodeo Records, 196--?) (LP)
A throwback to the yodeling cowgirls of the 1930s, Canada's Terry Parker started her career in the mid-1950s and released at least two albums on the Banff label... Though perhaps not as dynamic or fluid a vocalist as Patsy Montana, she was very much in that same mold, covering Montana's "Cowboy's Sweetheart," as well as other classics such as "If I Could Only Learn To Yodel" and "He Taught Me How To Yodel." The musicianship is strong, brisk, and twangy, though the tonal quality changes from track to track, leading me to suspect these songs might have been drawn from singles which were issued over a span of several years. At any rate, it's good stuff, particularly for fans of the good, old yodel-ay-ti-hoo.

Terry Parker "The Yodeling Sweetheart" (Rodeo Records, 196--?) (LP)
This reissue on a US label -- an imprint of the Conversa-Phone Institute, in New York City -- is the same album as above, curiously repackaged so to omit any reference to Parker's Canadian background. The back cover includes listings for about a dozen Rodeo albums, with several other artists from up North.

Terry Parker "The Yodeling Sweetheart" (Banff/Rodeo Records, 196--?) (LP)
Just to make things even more confusing, this disc has the same title as the American edition of the album above, but totally different tracks... Go figure.

Parsons Green "Birds Of A Feather" (Sierra Briar Records, 1988) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Parsons)
The twangy folk-rock duo of erstwhile Byrds drummer Gene Parsons and Meridian Green, the daughter of 'Sixties folk star Bob Gibson... This is mostly original material, with covers of Donovan, Richard Farina, Steve Goodman, Jimmie Rodgers and others. Ms. Green (nee Barbara Gibson) grew up in New York City but had moved out to Mendocino, California where she formed an acoustic group called the Gypsy Gulch International String Band before meeting Mr. Parsons and forming this long-running duo. They also co-owned a music shop and instrument repair company which specialized in retrofitting guitars with their version of the note-changing "B-bar" popular among many country pickers.

Parsons Green "Live From Caspar" (String Bender Records, 1999)
(Produced by Bill Bottrell)
Among her many activities, Meridian Green was a community activist and rural preservationist in her home town of Caspar, California, a tiny unincorporated village on the Mendocino coastline. This live set includes covers of classic country and country-rock material from the likes of Steve Goodman, Gram Parsons, Jimmie Rodgers and The Stanley Brothers, as well as a bunch of originals by Parsons and Green.

Dolly Parton - see artist discography

Stella Parton - see artist discography

Pat & Barb "You And Me Against The World" (Renee Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Bud Comte & Bob Palensky)
The Phillips sisters, Pat and Barb were born in Wisner, Nebraska, a tiny little place on the eastern end of the state, and played local shows together from 1971-77, including the years Pat went to college in Lincoln, studying for a degree in music education. They recorded this album on the feisty local indie, Renee Records, located in David City, about twenty miles south of where they grew up. The gals had lovely voices, great pitch and were solidly in the Skeeter Davis/Connie Francis post-girl group pop mould, with just enough country in the mix to merit mention here. Apparently they were musical prodigies, and label owner Bud Comte offered to donate his studio time to help them make a record. They cut commercials, did local concerts and opened for some national acts; at one point someone said they were going to give a tape of them to the Carpenters, who were their idols. On the album they cover "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," and "Different Drum," the title track which was a hit for Helen Reddy, and each of the sibs offers an original composition of their own, Barb Phillips wrote "Wait For Me," while Pat Phillips penned "Should The Heavens Above." No info on the musicians backing them, though some of the arrangements are, it must be admitted, a little nondescript. Barb Phillips died young, in 1979, and Pat kept singing locally, including a jingle for the local Chamber of Commerce in Beatrice, Nebraska though this LP was their only record together. (Thanks to the Beatrice Daily Sun for its 1981 profile of Pat Phillips, which provided much of the background information about this album, including the release date)

Pat & Tami "...At Riverland" (Custom Fidelity Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Pat & Tami Williams)
A classic vanity-press album. From the Great Central Valley come Kingsburg, California's Pat and Tami Williams, a husband-wife duo who are just about as lounge-a-delic as you can get. This one's really only marginally "country," although they do cover a lot of early 1970s Nashville hits, including country material like "Funny Face," "Let Me Be There," "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Country Roads," as well as Pop and pop-vocals tunes like "Joy To The World," "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." Mr. Williams was kind of a poor man's Charlie Rich -- he really gets into his version of "The Most Beautiful Girl" -- though he was probably the better singer of the two. They manage to make all the songs sound basically the same, Pat adding a plodding, indistinct organ alongside Tami's modest snare set percussion. He croons, she coos -- her best number is a cover of "Killing Me Softly" which closes the album, her worst is an inert rendition of "Respect" which would've made the mighty Aretha hang her head in sorrow. Still, though many out there would relish the chance to mock this and label it trashy, I prefer to look upon it as "authentic." Here are the Williamses, regaling a sedate, gray-haired audience at the Riverland dinner club, on the banks of the Kings River, circa 1974, singing their hearts out and dreaming their dreams. Not all that twangy, but definitely of its time.

Patchwork "Patchwork" (RCA Victor, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by David Kershenbaum, Brian Christian & Don Holden)
A country-rock group from San Antonio, Texas formed in the early 'Seventies by the husband-wife duo of Shane and Kitty Appling, along with guitarists Richard Silen and Ed Shook. Also on the sessions are Willie Nelson's harmonica player Mickey Raphael and fiddler John Frigo, who made a name for himself as a jazz player, but also had a background in down-home country, including a long stint on the "National Barn Dance" show. Most of the musicians in this group also worked with Lone Star pop/country star B. W. Stevenson on his first album. The repertoire is almost all originals, including three songs written by Texas folkie Mike Williams.

Patchwork "This Is Patchwork" (Renee Records, 1976-?) (LP)
This was an entirely different band from the San Antonio, Texas group listed above... This Patchwork was a band from Kansas City, Missouri which originally had an all-male lineup (heard on their first album, which is not included here...) The band underwent a big change in lineup and stylistic direction, notably adding singer Patty Dupree, a more jazz standard-oriented gal from New Orleans who also pitched in on percussion. Previously more country-oriented, on this album they went out of their way to telegraph their hire-us-for-your-wedding versatility, with less than half the album explicitly country, and a big tilt towards contemporary rock (Eagles, Peter Frampton, The Band) along with an ambitious mashup of Elvin Bishop's "Holler And Shout" and Graham Central Station's funk-pop single, "Entrow," which helps date this disc to at least late 1976 or 'early 77. The album closes with a big band medley, so you know these guys were serious about landing gigs wherever they could.

Brenda Patterson -- see artist profile

Patty And Lyle "New And Old Country Favorites" (Studio City Records, 1967-?) (LP)
Old-school country music from Minnesotans Patty and Lyle Warner and their band the Westerners, which included lead guitarist Sonny Miller, with Lyle Warner playing acoustic and Patty Warner on electric bass. It's twangy, though pleasantly rough around the edges... She sounded very Kitty Wells-ish, while he's a bit Red Foley-esque... and other than that, this duo firmly remains a bit of a mystery. A couple of tracks may be originals, but most are covers of hits from the 'Fifties and early 'Sixties, stuff like "Poison Love," "Release Me," and -- more modern -- "Once A Day."

Joyce Paul "Heartaches, Laughter & Tears" (United Artists, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Montgomery & Kelson Herston)
Looks generic, but I like it!

Paula & Carolyn "Gettin' Ready Today" (Benson Sound Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Glenn Couch & Jim Ford)
Two gals from different states -- Paula Ray, from Paden Oklahoma and Carolyn Von Allmen of West Plains, Missouri -- backed by the Benson Sound Studio's in-house band in Oklahoma City. The musicians included Charlie Archer (lead guitar), Stan Bonham (bass), Doug Campbell (steel guitar), James Clark (piano), Eric Lemmons (rhythm guitar), and Rex Stafford on drums. It's possible these young women were twin sisters: in her obituary, the maiden name of Carolyn Von Allmen (1938-2017) is given as "Rye," and they look a lot alike on the album cover. At any rate, this late 'Sixties album is remarkably country-flavored, much moreso than many other Benson records, with clear-cut, uptempo country arrangements on many tracks, paired with relentlessly rural vocals -- rough-hewn, almost shape-note styled singing, a bit like Loretta Lynn, but far less polished. Pretty groovy.

The Paulson Sisters "The Paulson Sisters" (Jomar Records, 197--?) (LP)
Six sisters -- DeAnn, Jean, Julie, Laura, Lisa, Peggy Paulson -- with backing from the Tibor Brothers family band, who owned and operated the Jomar label in Hebron, North Dakota. Presumably the Paulsons were from North Dakota well? There's some pop material on here, but a bit more country, including songs by John Denver, Linda Hargrove, and Glenn Sutton, as well as that 'Seventies sunshine country nugget, "Let Me Be There." Always a favorite.

Paulette Paulson & Sonja Paulson "Paulson" (Jomar Records, 19--?) (LP)
This time it's just two of the Paulson gals, backed by the Tibor Brothers on a pretty solidly country set, including classics like "Beneath Still Waters," "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain," and "It's Such A Pretty World Today," along with some pop standards and gospel songs. Sonja Paulson sings solo on a regional pride some, "Dakota Boy," which is credited to Brenda George. Not sure when this came out, though it looks like it might have been somewhere in the early '80s.

The Payne Family "Out West" (Moon Records, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Calvin Wills)
A white gospel family band from Abilene, Texas, going country on this album, which includes steel guitar from session player Junior Knight. The Payne Family included parents David Payne (bass) and Dorothy Payne (piano), along with their son Kenny and daughter Judy -- they recorded several albums, though I'm not sure if they were all as "country" as this one. The album art features the band posing at Broken Arrow Camp, a Christian-themed ranch near Sunsites, Arizona, though it gives their home address in Texas.

The Payne Family "A Song In The Midnight Hours" (Trail Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Charles Novell & Ric Probst)

Sharon Kay Peabody "...With The Tibor Brothers" (Tomar Records, 1978) (LP)
A North Dakota gal, with backup from one of the state's best-known and longest-running country bands.

Lynda Peace "50/50s" (Redondo Pacific Studio, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Thurlow & Janet Krick)
Bridging country and rock, singer Lynda Peace recorded this set in Redondo Beach, California, drawing on some diverse SoCal talent. Rockabilly old-timer Johnny Meeks plays guitar on one track, "Say Mama," while Paul Halel plays pedal steel, with Peter Schless on piano, Mark Guerrero on bass, and a few others pitching in. They cover twangtunes such as "Rocky Top," "Great Balls Of Fire," and Rusty Wier's "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance," along with some originals... Peace later moved to Utah, and became Lynda Davidson... As far as I know this was her only album.

Jim & Jody (Pearson) "We Have This Moment Today" (Sword & Shield Records, 1982) (LP)
A charming country gospel set by an evangelical husband-wife duo who were also owners of the Double J Ranch in Stamford, Nebraska. They went to Texas to record this at the Sword & Shield studio in Arlington, with a very country-sounding backing band, including Junior Knight on steel guitar and banjo. There are two originals on this album, Jim Curry's "Jesus Feet, and Janet Potter's "You And Me And The Lord," though most of the material comes from established gospel artists such as the Gaithers and the Stamphills, as well as a version of Hank Williams's "I Saw The Light." Plenty of twang (yay!) and although neither one of them can stay in tune, they're so enthusiastic it's pretty hard not to like 'em.

Danielle Peck "Danielle Peck" (Big Machine Records, 2007)

Kelly Pedersen & The Mesa Band "Rodeo Queen" (Maske Records, 1986) (LP)

Peggy Sue "Dynamite!" (Decca Records, 1969) (LP)
With a strong vocal likeness to her well-known older sister, Loretta Lynn, 22-year old Peggy Sue Wells had both a leg up and a mark against her when it came to making it big in Music City. Comparisons were inevitable, and Loretta sure is a hard act to follow... Nevertheless, this is a fine album, and Peggy Sue should hardly be seen as having ridden in on her sister's coattails -- she had plenty of talent on her own. She wrote many of the songs on here, including winners such as "You Can't Pull The Wool Over My Eyes," along with several others co-written with Big Sister. One way they tried to make he sound distinctive was with the liberal use of fuzzed-out electric guitar and other mildly psychedelic instrumentation... Works for me! Of course, who could have suspected that it would be their other sister, Crystal Gayle, who would be the other big star in the family? Anyway, track this disc down if you can; if you're a fan of Loretta, then this spunky set will make your toes tap as well!

Peggy Sue "All-American Husband" (Decca Records, 1970) (LP)
Another cool album by this now-neglected hick music heroine... This disc has a feisty feminist bent to it, and includes Peggy Sue's version of "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'," which she co-wrote with Loretta, along with plenty of other top-notch tunes, by brand-name songsmiths such as Hank Cochran and Joe South, as well as lesser known writers like Maxine Kelton ("Apron Strings") and Julie Ann Beisbier, who wrote the catchy, sassy title tune. Recommended -- and overdue for a digital era re-release!

Peggy Sue & Sonny Wright "One Side" (CR Records, 1974) (LP)

Peggy Sue "I Just Came In Here" (Doorknob Records, 1977)

Peggy Sue & Sonny Wright "Gently Hold Me" (Big R Records, 1981) (LP)

Peggy Sue & Sonny Wright "One Side Of Peggy Sue" (Circle Records, 1982)

Nancy Peppers "Life's A Bitch" (Aspirion Records, 2008)

The Peptones "Rimrock Country" (B-Lee Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Blaine Allen)
A mostly-country set from a trio that played the Rimrock Lounge in Portland, Oregon for several years before cutting this album at the fabled Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington. The group included Judy B., Mike Gangroth and Micki Lee, with help from a few musicians in the studio.

Laura Lee Perkins "Don't Wait Up" (Bear Family Records, 2012)
One of the shortest Bear Family CDs ever, this collects rare '50s singles from piano-plunkin' rockabilly siren Laura Lee Perkins, who was billed as a "female Jerry Lee Lewis." Her professional output totaled a mere two fiery 45s for the Imperial label, accompanied here by demo sessions and some live recordings -- 14 tracks in all. Of special note is the guitar playing of the great Joe Maphis on her studio sessions.

Brenda Kaye Perry "Deeper Water" (MRC/Major Recording Company, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Pennington)

The Perry County Music Makers "Sunset Memories: New Recordings By A Classic Tennessee String Band" (Davis Unlimited Records, 1974) (LP)
This old-timey trio from Linden, Tennessee was comprised by siblings Nonnie Presson on zither and Bulow Smith playing guitar, with their niece, Virginia Clayborne adding vocal harmonies. Way back when, during the 1920s, they played on WTNT radio station, in Nashville, which gained the attention of the Vocalion label. They cut two singles for Vocalion in 1930, songs that pop up on various old-timey collections. Nevertheless, their professional music years were brief, and it was the inspiration of label owner Steve Davis which got them to (literally) dust off their old instruments and return to their old repertoire. For those of you who appreciate "real people" records, prepare to be charmed by these heartfelt old-timers.

The Perry County Music Makers "Going Back To Tennessee" (Davis Unlimited Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Davis, Charles K. Wolfe & The Perry County Music Makers)

The Perry Sisters "Feelin' Country" (SV Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Winn)
Siblings Mona and Sally Perry made their first recordings as the Perry Sisters 'way back in the late 'Fifties, with their goofball, girl-group novelty song, "Fabian," coming out on Decca Records in 1959. This disc is a much later effort, a nice, mellow, sorta low-rent DIY set of '70s sunshine country-pop, recorded with help from pickers Kenny Morris and Terry Sutton. The Perry gals also did some session work, playing rhythm guitar and bass for several New England artists, notably backing Lucky Look on one of his LPs. Bassist/lead singer Sally Perry sang in an emotive, Lynn Anderson-esque style -- she also wrote the album's two original songs, the syrupy, slightly unfocussed "Delta Baby's Tears" and the perkier, more memorable "Mary Ellen Jensen," a catchy story-song about an innocent young girl and a cheating married man, very much in the style of "Harper Valley PTA" or "Ode To Billie Joe." Longtime collaborator Terry Sutton was a stellar pedal steel wizard, playing at a level of sophistication a notch or two above this enthusiastic though sometimes rough-edged album. Sutton had worked with the Perrys since the early '70s, producing a couple of singles on the Sacramento-based Raven Records label, and he adds some really sweet licks throughout this album. Not earthshaking, but charming and authentic. (By the way, these gals are not to be confused with the Southern Gospel band of the same name, which formed in the 1970s, but are no relation...)

Andrea Peterman "Miles To Go" (Highway W Records, 2007)
(Produced by John Abella)
A self-released Americana outing, from a songwriter living in LA... I'd say her voice might be better suited to introspective folkie stuff, but the uptempo country-rock arrangements she prefers are pretty solid. I'm not familiar with the guys backing her up, but they seem like good representatives of the indie-billy pickers in LA at the time...

Gretchen Peters "The Secret Of Life" (Imprint Records, 1996)

Gretchen Peters "Gretchen Peters" (Scarlet Letter Records, 2001)

Gretchen Peters "Halcyon" (Scarlet Letter Records, 2004)

Gretchen Peters "Trio: Recorded Live" (Scarlet Letter Records, 2006)

Gretchen Peters "Burnt Toast And Offerings" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2007)

Gretchen Peters "Northern Lights" (Scarlet Letter Records, 2008)

Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell "One To The Heart, One To The Head" (Scarlet Letter Records, 2009)

Gretchen Peters "Circus Girl" (101 Distribution, 2009)

Colleen Peterson - see artist discography

Sam Phillips "Fan Dance" (Nonesuch Records, 2001)
Not alt.country, per se, but still such a great album it'd be a shame to pass it by. For many a month, this was one of my favorite albums, full of captivating tunes and odd, evocative lyrics. Phillips has long been something of and indie in-betweener, too rootsy for a mainstream breakthrough, and too mainstream to be fully embraced by the indie hipoisie... The production on this mainly-acoustic album -- steered, as ever, by her hubby, T-Bone Burnett -- is slick and mellow, but inviting. Orchestral pop pioneer Van Dyke Parks pitches in, as well as Tom Waits' erstwhile guitarist, Marc Ribot, who lends a recognizably Kurt Weill-ish twist to several tunes. This is Phillips' first album in five years, and while she seems to have missed the "Alice" style of femme-centric Top 40 programming, she certainly has my attention. This is an album packed with songs you could fall in love with. Mature, mysterious, enchanting rootsy modern music.

Kellie Pickler "Small Town Girl" (BNA Records, 2006)

Kellie Pickler "Kellie Pickler" (BNA Records, 2008)
The second album by former American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler. The opening tracks, including the hit, "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" are pure, '90s-style pop -- calling them "country" seems kind of silly, but hey, nobody asked me. Pickler puts some twang in her voice and brings in a bit of fiddle'n'steel for the next few tunes, and projects an amiable presence. Not a lot here that I'd go wild over -- mostly prefab country-pop, with laboratory-tested melodic hooks, grandiose key changes galore and goofy, synthy filigrees that make it all seem so sterile. Still, Pickler is comfortable with the setting, much more so than on bluesy, thumpy "bad girl" anthems like "Lucky Girl," territory that's better left to folks like Gretchen Wilson or Carlene Carter. If you're a Pickler fan, you won't be disappointed; if you prefer Waylon, Loretta or Hank, you might wanna give this a pass.

Kellie Pickler "100 Proof" (BNA/19 Recordings, 2012)

Earlene Pike "Singing From The Heart" (Zap Records, 1973-?) (LP)
A posthumous homage to singer Earlene Pike (1953-1972) a dynamic artist who passed away just before her nineteenth birthday after a battle with bone cancer. Hailing from Connecticut, the diminutive Ms. Pike was a lifelong performer -- from the age of four she worked as part of her father's family bluegrass band, the Pike Brothers, and she sang on the band's two albums, circa 1968. For this record she tears into a bunch of country stuff, including covers of hits such as "I Still Miss Someone," "I Fall To Pieces," "Crazy Arms," "Go Cat Go" and "Snowbird," with backing by the Pine Hill Ranchers, which was the same group that appeared on the Pike Family recordings. Sadly, the back cover of this album features a picture of her gravestone, bordered by photos taken at various live shows performed with a variety of country and bluegrass artists.

Pine Mountain Jamboree "Live On Stage" (1981) (LP)
Dave and Deanna Drennon founded this Ozark music show in 1975, with Eureka Springs, Arkansas as their base of operations. The liner notes for this album promise a program of "good, clean country music and comedy for the entire family" and the songs range from pop oldies like "Mister Sandman" and gospel standards such as "Have A Little Talk With Jesus" and "Let's All Go Down To The River" to a variety of country hits, old and new, including "Rocky Top," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "9 To 5" and Ronnie Reno's "Boogie Grass Band." And, as a family-friendly venue in a former Confederate state, they split the difference on the Civil War's still-simmering legacy by closing things out with a medley of "Dixie" and "Battle Hymn Of The Republic." Unfortunately, the liner notes don't mention who any of the musicians were, so while this may actually be a "various artists" album, it's hard to tell who played what. Alas!

Pine Mountain Jamboree "Live On Stage" (1982) (LP)
Same album title, different record; go figure. Anyway, this is another early 'Eighties offering from Dave and Deanna Drennon's mini-opry located in Eureka Springs. As on the album above, the other musicians aren't listed and there's no date given, but looking at it forensically, I'd guess early 1982. The set includes the usual Branson-esque mix of country and gospel chestnuts, with a few contemporary hits thrown in for good measure. This time around they played "Elvira," (a big hit for the Oak Ridge Boys in 1981), along with Anne Murray's "Could I Have This Dance" and -- whoo-hoo!-- "Pac Man Fever," which was also hitting the high score in '81. Plus "Rocky Top," and all that kinda stuff.

Pine Mountain Jamboree "Thirty And Counting" (2003)

Celinda Pink "Victimized" (Step One Records, 1993)

Celinda Pink "Unchained" (Step One Records, 1995)

Pistol Annies "Hell On Heels" (Columbia Records, 2011)
(Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke & Glenn Worf)
A twangy, bouncy, boisterous set from country superstar Miranda Lambert and a couple of her pals, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, two singers who have been kicking around in the Nashville studios for the past few years. The trio has a nice sound, with plenty of sweet harmonies woven into their sassy, bad-girl vibe... I imagine this side-project is a big relief for Ms. Lambert, who's always peppered her albums with rowdy songs, but must be under a lot of pressure to make her own records more salable and formula-driven: you'd never hear this much cussing on a Top 40 station, but here she can cut loose and have a little fun. We can, too, singing along to songs like "Takin' Pills," "Lemon Drop" and "Trailer For Rent." Pretty fun stuff! A nice surprise from Nashville, for sure.

Pistol Annies "Annie Up" (Sony Nashville, 2013)
Hell, yeah! Bad girls make good country... I have to admit, Miranda Lambert kind of lost me on her most recent, rock-tinged album, but her Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe just came out with one of the sweetest, traditional-sounding (Dolly Parton-esque) country albums of the years, so I am all on board with Annies album #2. Bring it on!

The Pittmans "Country Gospel" (Life-Line Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Graham Williamson)
Twangy Christian tunes from a family band out of Christiana, Tennessee, just south of Murfreesboro... Bud and Ellen Pittman form the core of the group, backed by Dwight Bullard on guitar, Nancy Evans (piano), Rusty Gannon (steel guitar), Matthew Graham (fiddle), Rickey Rigney (dobro), with David Kivniemi and Mark Woodman on drums... The repertoire is a mix of old from the likes of Roy Acuff to newer (but still twangy!) tunes by the Hemphills and others... Pretty much the real deal.

Mary Kay Place "The Ahern Sessions: 1976-1977" (Raven Records, 2001)
A welcome twofer reissue combining two albums recorded by actress Mary Kay Place during her tenure as the TV character Loretta Haggers, on the fabled Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman soap comedy, 1976's Tonite! At the Capri Lounge Loretta Haggers and Aimin' to Please from 1977. Ms. Place -- or should I say Ms. Haggers? -- had an A-list studio crew backing her up, including members of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band and numerous Nashville heavyweights, with sonic sculpting by Emmylou's best producer, Brian Ahern. The overall sound will be pretty familiar to Emmylou's fans: spacious, round-toned harmonies, rock-friendly twang, traditional honkytonk instruments in a well-defined soundscape, and plenty of sweet picking from the likes of James Burton, Albert Lee and Rodney Crowell, and guest singers that include Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Some of the songs are better than others: I think they really hit their rhythm on the second album, taking things a little more seriously in some ways than on the first... Highlights include "Vitamin L" (a staple on the Mary Hartman show), a funky cover of Bobby Braddock's "Something To Brag About" and a sublime version of "You Can't Go to Heaven (If You Don't Have a Good Time)," which is probably the best and most sincere song of the set. If you like that whole Hot Band/Happy Sack production style, you'll want to check this one out!

Mary Kay Place "Tonite! At The Capri Lounge/Aimin' To Please" (Wounded Bird Records, 2011)
An equally welcome re-re-reissue of the same two albums... Ride 'em cowgirl!

Mary Kay Place "Almost Grown" (Wounded Bird Records, 2011)
There's also an unreleased third album... Haven't heard this one, but I'm eager to check it out! I'll letcha know when I track it down.

The Plainfolk "Touch The Earth" (Major Recording Company, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by John Major)
Hailing from upstate New York, singers Tom and Joanne Yacovella worked together as a pop-folk duo for many years, including a couple of albums as The Plainfolk... This album includes country standards such as "Cowboy's Sweetheart" and "Green, Green Grass of Home" as well as more contemporary material like "Snowbird," Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me." Backing musicians includes lead guitar Calvin Gochenour, steel player Ronnie Eyler, Roy Ingram on fiddle and Charlie Swank on piano.

The Plainfolk "Loving Arms" (Pyramid Sound, 1980-?) (LP)
(Produced by Alex Perialis & Tony Volante)
Although the album art looks a little cheesy and rinky-dink, this is actually a pretty good record. The Yacovellas were both pretty good singers -- he, in the rumbly velvet baritone popular in the countrypolitan era and she with a clear, crystalline voice well suited to country-rock AOR covers such as Olivia Newton-John's "Let Me Be There," or her almost too-perfect replication of Linda Ronstadt's version of "Blue Bayou." Other covers include "Silver Wings," "Behind Closed Doors" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night." They aren't terribly original, but the performances are solid and easy on the ears -- indeed, the only track that's really iffy is their version of Roger Whittaker's "The Last Farewell," where the keyboards get just a little too tinkly for me. Otherwise, this ain't bad! There's no date on the album, so it's hard to know exactly when it came out -- Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou" was a hit in '77 and the matrix number on this LP is #8062N4, so I'm gonna float a guess that this is from 1980. Tom...? Joanne...? You out there? Can you confirm or deny?

The Plummer Family - see artist discography

Garnetta Pollock "A Country Girl With A Country Song" (Jewel Records, 1973-?)
(Produced by Rusty York)
According to the liner notes by hillbilly legend Jimmie Skinner, Mrs. Garnetta Pollock (1941-2011) was an Ohio gal who sang with her father as part of an amateur musical act in the late 1940s and early '50s. She quit performing publicly after getting married at age fifteen(!) to Dixieland jazz bassist John Pollack, but eventually she persuaded him to switch from hot jazz to hillbilly country, and he backs her on this album. She had a super-rural, backwoods-y voice with Kentucky tonalities that Loretta Lynn fans will recognize in an instant; she might not have been the most robust singer ever, but she was definitely authentic. The Pollocks played some local gigs in the early 1970s with a band called the Country-Aires, though it's not clear who played on this album. It's possible producer Rusty York backed them, as he often fronted the Cincinnati-based Jewel label's house band. Anyway, this album has some standard-issue stuff like "Rocky Top" and some Hank Williams, as well as more unique numbers such as "I Don't Always Cry," "Journey To Mars," "Lamb's Book Of Life" and "Our Great Nation." Like many local country artists, music was mostly a side-note in Mrs. Pollock's life story: her obituary mentions her waitressing at the historic Golden Lamb restaurant, but not the fact that she recorded this album. At least one single was broken off this album, and others credited to Garnetta and Johnnie were released as well, including a cover of Dottie Rambo's "Tears Will Never Stain The Streets."

Garnetta Pollock & Johnnie Pollock "Mama's Bible" (Melody Records, 1978)
(Produced by William M. Jones)
An all-gospel set with decidedly rural song selection, including tunes by Ray Baker, J. D. Jarvis, Loretta Lynn and Dottie Rambo. Recorded at the Melody Sound Studio, in Hamilton, Ohio, this is a local affair with backing by pianist Jack Arwood (an Ohio bandleader who was probably the "special guest" mentioned on the cover), Andy Eckman on pedal steel, Darell Jeffries (drums), Danny O'Boyle (harmonica), Johnnie Pollock (bass) and guitar picker David Sayler.

Polly And The Playmates "Southern Comfort" (Millwood Records, 19--?) (LP)
A lively lounge act from Lenoir, North Carolina led by singers Polly Millwood and Ernie Penley... They cover Clapton's "Lay Down Sally," Dolly Parton, Creedence, the Everly Brothers, Mickey Newbury's "American Trilogy," even a little Skynyrd. Depending on your frame of reference, their energetic, electrified performances could seem either hopelessly kitschy or improbably funky... The fortunate, flexible-minded few among us can encompass both ideas at once. I guess I'd call this one a fun record, though if the neighbors caught me listening to it, I might be a little embarrassed.

Cheryl Poole "Cheryl" (Paula Records, 1969)
(Produced by Buddy Killen & Don Logan)
I hadn't really thought of the pop-oriented Paula label as being a haven for country music, but it turns out they had quite a nifty roster in the late '60s, including artists such as Mickey Gilley, Nat Stuckey, and this gal from Tyler, Texas. This proved to be her only album, but it sure was a doozy! Fllowing a stint as a teen singer on the Louisiana Hayride, Ms. Poole released a handful of singles dating back to 1966, and with the success of "Three Playing Love," a minor hit that eked its way into the Top 40, she was given the chance to record this groovy, upbeat little album. Musically, it's a nice mix of punchy, Loretta Lynn-style honkytonk and slightly more gogo-delic pop-country, along the same lines as some of Jeannie C. Riley's more rock-oriented material; there's even a mild foreshadowing of Tanya Tucker's sassy-soulful sound in her vocals... all in all, a pretty alluring combination for folks digging into hillbilly fillies history. Poole wrote about half the songs on here (with several of her tunes being selected as singles) and also covers a few classics, tunes like "Kansas City" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Also worth noting is "The Skin's Getting Closer To The Bone," a rare composition credited to steel guitarist Weldon Myrick, one of Nashville's most prolific session players -- there aren't any musician credits on here, but I'm guessing that also meant he was on this album. I dunno if Cheryl Poole's career really merits a best-of collection, although I sure would love to hear one, especially if it included all her non-album singles... Anyway, if you get a chance to check this one out, you should definitely go for it.

Donna Pope "Fair Game" (Lamon Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Carlton Moody & David Moody)
An obscure singer who was featured on the Raleigh, North Carolina "Homer Briarhopper" television show during the 1970s, Donna Pope didn't have what I would consider the greatest voice, although I can hear echoes of the '60s teenpop/girl group style in her work, so maybe she just wasn't that well suited for country stuff. Anyway, even though she doesn't quite resonate for me, there's some nice stuff on here, with rich musical accompaniment by the Moody Brothers band, particularly Jeff Surratt's complex, silky pedal steel. Also notable are several original songs credited to the Laymond Publishing company, which I assume was run by the Moodys. There's one song by Carlton Moody, two by William R. Murray (including the title track) and a pair of standout numbers by Helen Moore, "Left Over Kisses" and "I'll Be Your Woman," with a funny chorus that inadvertently(?) lends itself to interpretation as a lesbian country anthem: ("I'll be your woman/woman loving woman...") Wilma Burgess would be proud!

Porter Hall, Tennessee "Welcome To..." (Slewfoot Records, 2002)
Although these fellow traffic in the sort of white trash stereotypes that normally drive me buggy (songs about one drinkin,' druggin,' drawlin' foul-up after another...) I have to admit they have the instrumental ooompf to pull it off... mostly, that is. Singer Molly Conley has a major Lucinda Williams jones, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a bit overplayed... She trades off and occasionally duets with the band's other singer-songwriter, Gary Roadarmel, and overall, this is pretty darn good, at least for the Bloodshot-ish "insurgent country" style. Worth checking out if you like them sassy, rockers-go-urban hick types.

Porter Hall, Tennessee "All Sinners Welcome Here" (Big Bender Records, 2007)

Posse "Posse" (AMC, 1980)
(Produced by Jeff Young)
Apparently this was a mellow-sounding country-rock band from Provo, Utah, recording in Menlo Park, California and in Provo... I'm fairly sure that the Jeff Young who produced this set (and wrote some of the songs) is the same Jeff Young from the Pacific Northwest who recorded an album of his own (and recorded on the AMC label as well) Young, who worked on several other albums in the late '70s and early '80s, was a talent to be reckoned with -- his vocals here were pretty rugged even though this band was aiming for a sweet, harmony-oriented sound. He sings most of the lead, although Kay Frances Young (his wife?) sings harmony and lead as well... She's a little too warbly for my tastes, and her showcase number, a cover of "Talking In Your Sleep" ends the album on a low note. The rest of it's pretty good, though: an unassuming, just-plain-folks band playing some pretty solid songs. Young contributes four originals, with two more coming from a guy named Chris Blake (who was not in the band) and some tasty covers of "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Margaritaville," and Willie Nelson's "Night Life." All in all, a solid indiebilly set. Anyone know more about these folks, and about Young's career, in particular?

Possum Hunters "Death On Lee Highway... And Other Southern Lullabies" (Takoma Records, 1966) (LP)
(Produced by Charles Hall)
An exemplary old-timey album from some folks in John Fahey's orbit... Banjoist Dave Polacheck, guitarist Graham Wickham and his wife, Ginnie Wickham on fiddle and brother Gordon Wickham on harmonica and spoons. The band originally formed in 1963 while they were students at UCLA... This is a really solid album, oozing sardonic wit and musical excellence -- the fiddling, in particular, is quite arresting, and often-Gothic repertoire is a gas. Dunno if these folks recorded anything else, but this old album is a doozy. I guess this was their only record, though the Possum Hunters remained active for at least a few more years after this, appearing at folk festivals throughout California, and Ginnie Wickham was performing in the early '70s; Graham Wickham opened a violin shop in Chico, CA, while Dave Polacheck seems to have moved to Austin and become involved in the traditional music scene there... Well done!

Possum Hunters "In The Pines" (Takoma Records, 1968) (LP)

Joanne Post "It's A Lovely, Lovely World" (Marathon Records, 1972) (LP)
A featured vocalist from Canada's popular "Singing Post Family," who recorded several albums of both secular and gospel material. Joanne Post was in her teens when the family band was first formed and started to record, and was prominent on many of their records.

Patti Powell "...Sings Bob Gallion" (Wise Records, 1971-?) (LP)
Originally from Georgia, singer Patti Powell landed a spot on the "WWVA Jamboree" program in Wheeling, West Virginia, arriving as the protege of honkytonk songwriter Bob Gallion, who met her while working as a deejay in Atlanta, back in 1968. She started on the show around 1970 or '71 and the two performed on the Jamboree both as solo artists and as a duo, and they toured together at least up through the mid-1980s. Though she cut several singles, starting back in '68, this was her first album and possibly her only solo set, a showcase for a slew of original songs penned by Bob Gallion. Typically, on their albums she only sang in duet numbers, while Gallion headlined with several solo tracks, so it's a treat to hear her singing on her own for this session.

Patti Powell & Bob Gallion "Together And Alone" (B&P Records, 1975-?) (LP)

Patti Powell & Bob Gallion "Greatest Hits" (Gusto Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Hill & Mike Stone)
Though the songs overlap with earlier releases on singles and LPs, I think these are re-recorded versions, since the liner notes provide the names of a particular Nashville studio crew -- Jim Baker on steel guitar, Hayward Bishop (drums), Jack Eubanks (lead guitar), Tommy Hill (rhythm guitar), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Bunky Keels (piano) and Hank Strzelecki on bass. Bob Gallion sings solo on over half the album, while Patti Powell accompanies him on four duet tracks.

Prairie Biscuit "Prairie Biscuit" (1979) (LP)
This longhaired Northern California band had a heavy Grateful Dead influence, but they also did some decent hippiebilly country, including the novelty song, "Disco Sucks," which amazingly enough is not a cover of the Chuck Wagon & The Wheels classic. The record is poorly produced, though, with very thin sound quality, and maybe not the greatest performances in the world. I imagine this might be of interest to hardcore "jam-band" archivists, with the Dead-like vocals and longer groove tunes, but there's stuff on here for twangfans as well, including some sweet pedal steel by a guy named Gary Lapado and Tracy Nelson-esque vocals from Lori Wells.

Prescott-Brown "Already Restless" (Sony Records, 1994)
A country trio featuring singer Tracey Brown and her brother Barry Brown (both originally from the popular Canadian family band, The Family Brown, whose popularity peaked in the 1970s and '80s) and Tracey Brown's husband Randall Prescott. Tracey Brown also recorded a couple of solo albums after this group broke up.

Patsy Prescott "In Her Western Gospel Round-Up Time" (Loyal Recording Company, 19--?) (LP)
A yodeling country gospel gal from East Saint Louis, Illinois, Patsy Prescott's career stretched back to the late 1940s when she was singing western material on the radio at least as early as 1945, when she was performing on station KVOA in Tucson, Arizona. In the early 'Fifties she cut a few singles on the Lariat label, recording with hillbilly guitarist Red Murrell as well as fronting a band called the Lariettes, covering stuff like "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart" and "Pot Of Gold." Later on Ms.Prescott moved away from secular music into country gospel, and was operating in the same industry demimonde as other old-timers like Jimmy Murphy, who also made an album for the Loyal label, listed on the back cover. I'm not sure when this album came out, but it seems to be of 1960s vintage.

Patsy Prescott "Songs From God" (19--?) (LP)
This album seems to have been self-released and features a lot of original material penned by Ms. Prescott. Indeed, the liner notes claim she wrote all the songs on here, although some may be covers or re-workings of older tunes; included are gems such as "Will They Yodel Up In Heaven" "Yodeling Christian Cowgirl." Alas, there are no musician or producer credits; Prescott gives a home address in Bellville, Illinois, so this may have been an entirely local project. Discogs says this one came out in 1963, though I'm a little skeptical about that early date.

Amil Presson & The Presstones "Held Over" (Haap Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Amil Presson)
Laid-back, robust, rootsy twang -- gritty modern honkytonk with a greasy, Delbert McClinton-style roadhouse boogie feel in the margins. Though the liner notes inform us about The Press Tones being in the middle of a three-year engagement at a place called the Shiloh Lounge, in Panama City, Florida, Amil Presson was actually from the West Coast. According to a big 1965 profile in the Long Beach Independent, he was born in Thorndale, Texas in the mid 1930s though his family lived in Missouri for a many years before moving out to California, where he went to high school in the tiny town of Porterville, deep in the Great Central Valley near Bakersfield. Presson led his own band starting in the early 1960s, and found steady work at clubs around Los Angeles, then apparently hit the highway at some point and started working gigs back east. Backing him on this album (and presumably on the road) are bass player Larry Farley, Jerry Odell (steel guitar), Hallie Presson (drums and vocals) and A. J. Puckett on piano. The album kicks off with Presson's signature number, an instrumental called "Choice," which dates back to Presson's LA days, then eases into a strong set of cover songs such as Kris Kristofferson's "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends," "Statue Of A Fool" and "Family Bible." Presson sings lead on about half the tracks, sharing the spotlight with bass player Larry Farley, who sings "Holding Things Together," and with gal singer Hallie Presson, who tackles standards such as "Satin Sheets" and "Walking After Midnight," and sings a duet on a Wynn Stewart oldie called "Yankee Go Home." All in all, a great legacy for a little-known West Coast twangster. Mr. Presson also seems to have recorded some stuff much later in life, posting a single on CD Baby (and YouTube) as recently as 2017.

Dee Dee Prestige "Sings Country With Love" (Look Records, 1979-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dee Dee Prestige)
A child prodigy from Duluth, Minnesota, Dolores Bacon sang in bars with her guitar-pickin' dad when she was little, and began performing on local radio after graduating from high school and getting married, and having kids. (She also shortened her married name, Prestidge, into a snappier-sounding stage name...) Local deejays encouraged her to make a record in Nashville, and her first trip in 1967 yielded a single on the Gold Standard label; later sessions included her song, "Sing The Blues To Mama," which she recorded in 1973. She created some buzz in Music City and toured up North with a band called The Travelers, but found it difficult to balance family life and a musical career. Eventually, she moved to Nashville and recorded her first album there, with backing by a later edition of Hank Williams' old band, the Drifting Cowboys, including steel player Don Helms, fiddler Jerry Rivers, and guitarist Bob McNett. The repertoire is pretty mixed, with a new version of "Sing The Blues," real-deal country oldies by Jimmie Rodgers, the Delmore Brothers and Webb Pierce, as well as some more modern stuff by Dallas Frazier and Kris Kristofferson. Prestige stayed in Nashville for over twenty years, where she was befriended by bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe, who got her onto the Grand Ole Opry and asked her to tour with him. She moved into gospel music and charity work, changing her name once again, to Diana Christian, and did production and studio work, although I think these two discs were her only full albums. (Thanks to The Duluth News-Tribune for Mike Creger's informative profile of Ms. Bacon/Prestige/Christian.)

Dee Dee Prestige "Colors Of Love" (Universal Arts Records, 1981-?) (LP)

Maryann Price "Etched In Swing" (Watermelon Records, 1993)
A former vocalist with the Dan Hicks backup band, The Hot Licks, in a solo album with Hicks sitting in on one song.

Maryann Price "Hot 'N' Cole" (BAM Records, 1997)
A live show, recorded at the Cactus Cafe, in Austin, TX.

Maryann Price "Jazzland" (Catfish Jazz, 2000)

Princess Pale Moon "Come On And Live!" (Praise Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dr. Paul Weaver & Jim Conklin)
A Canadian gospel singer with a first-peoples background... Not entirely sure how "country" we should consider this, though it is clear that she was not a great singer. If you're looking for Christian music to make fun of, this Mrs. Miller-ish outing is a real doozy. Mostly, though, I just wanted to include this one here (along with Princess Ramona below) to ask the question: why were so many female Native American entertainers nicknamed "princess"? Is there some kind of hidden monarchy that no one told us about? Or is it just plain old goofy exoticization? Anyway, this a terrible record. Just so you know ahead of time. She had several other records, but let's not go there.

Princess Ramona "On The Wings Of A Dove" (Award Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Biff Collie)
This is the first LP from singer Ramona Kemp, the daughter of a Cherokee tribal leader from Oklahoma, and a darn good yodeler. Flamboyantly decked out in buckskin, feathers and beads, she played up her Native American heritage and was best known by her stage name, Princess Ramona, and made her recording debut in the early 1960s, releasing a couple of singles produced by her husband, Buddy Kemp. While she started out singing straight country and pop vocals, she shifted decisively into an all-gospel mode later in her career. Although this is considered her secular album, there's gospel material on here as well -- the secular tracks include Elton Britt's "Chime Bells" and (of course) "Indian Love Call." There are a couple of songs written by Buddy Kemp, "Let's Go Back" and "The Mountain" -- he also claims arranger credits on several other tracks. Unfortunately, Princess Ramona's career is often viewed through the irony-tinted lens of hipster record collectors to whom the catnippy combination of gospel music, yodeling and her exaggerated Native American image prove too great to resist. But she was a pretty good singer, and fans of yodeling music, in particular, might want to check her out.

Princess Ramona "Wait A Little Longer Please, Jesus" (Award Records, 19--?) (LP)

Princess Ramona & Buddy Kemp "Talk About Jesus" (Award Records, 197--?) (LP)
The liner notes on this early-Seventies album describe how Mrs. Kemp had a born-again religious conversion while working gigs in Southern California, and how Buddy Kemp sold his camping supply business, customized the large mobile home pictured on the cover, and how the couple set out to proselytize across the country and abroad. The album has a mailing address in Trail, Oregon, but apparently during this period, the Kemps were living out of their RV so they could engage in a musical ministry. Sure sounds hard!

Princess Ramona "Yodeling Praises Unto the Lord" (Award Records, 197--?) (LP)
Speaking of their mobile home, the Gospel Express, the Kemp's literally sing its praises in "This Motor Home Is In God's Hands," which is the album's closing number... Also featured are "God Put A Yodel In My Heart," "Jesus Put A Yodel In My Soul," and "Then I Started To Yodel," as well as "My Lord, My God, My King," which features a backing chorus by the Jordanaires... Also appearing on this album is harmony vocalist Laverna Moore, one of Nashville's more notable professional backup singers.

The Procks "At Lake Of The Ozarks" (1974-?) (LP)
A surprisingly satisfying, rootsy set from one of the many mom'n'pop bands playing in one of Missouri's once-numerous country variety shows... Although the husband-wife team of Gerald and Elnora Prock were both Missouri natives, they met and married in Fresno, California, where she grew up and he was visiting in the late '50s, when she was singing in her brother's band. The Procks formed a duo and played shows up and down the West Coast before moving back to Missouri in 1969. They landed a regular gig at Gold Nugget Junction, one of the many Lake Of The Ozarks theme parks, and brought several Fresnans along with them as their band. Old-timey fiddler/banjo picker Bill Hunter was born in Oklahoma but grew up in Fresno, co-founding the Music Farmers stringband, while guitarist John Blair and Jim Ward were also from Fresburg, although the group's drummer, Gary Alexander (Gerald and Elnora's son) is the only bandmember who was born there. They sound great together, and though they cover a few early '70s songs, like "Satin Sheets" and "Country Roads," it's the old-timey music that stands out... Fans of golden age duos such as Curley Fox & Texas Ruby, or Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, might find a lot to enjoy on this album.

Rachel Proctor "Where I Belong" (BMG-BNA, 2004)
(Produced by Chris Lindsey)
Her first album was a long time in coming -- a couple of poorly-performing singles were floated the year before, and then she finally struck gold with "Me And Emily," a divorced-mommy tableau that I found a little depressing, but which pulled Proctor up into the Top 20. So, the record finally came out, and the good news is that there are some pretty nice songs on here, sandwiched in between the glossy would-be Martina McBride type numbers. I liked the more traditional-sounding, upbeat tunes, songs like "Shame On Me" and "I'm Gonna Get You Back," which have a Tanya Tucker-ish sassiness. The ballads, packed with tinkly pianos and smothering schmaltziness, are pretty insufferable... I mean, really, a song like "If That Chair Could Talk" is just so absurdly belabored and contrived... But y'know... no one asks me about stuff like that before they put it on their album... Anyway, this is a mixed bag -- Proctor's not a great singer, by any measure, but she does have an appealing quality that may do her in good stead over the years to come. Nice, too, that she wrote about half the songs on here... I wish her all the best!

Rachel Proctor "Where I Belong" (Self-Released, 2007)

Rachel Proctor "What Didn't Kill Me" (Self-Released, 2009)

Jeanne Pruett - see artist discography

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Hillbilly Fillies - Letter "Q"

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

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