Ernie B & The Night Shift "Try It On" (HCM Records, 1977-?) (LP)
Ernest B. Hamm was a farm kid from East Tennessee who formed his band, The Night Shift, while serving in the military during the Vietnam War. Drafted in 1962, he served three tours of duty, was wounded in action and spent some time in West Germany as well, where he played at NCO clubs and the like. He brought the band back home and played regional gigs in the 'Seventies and seems to have been working in Atlanta around the time this album came out - the liner notes mention a 1976 gig at Fort Benning, while the album was recorded at a studio in Columbus, GA. The only mentions I could find of Mr. Hamm in print were an old classified ad for the band hustling gigs in Atlanta, back in '77 (presumably around the time this album came out) and a much more depressing article about his re-arrest in 2016 at age 72 for drug dealing (oxy) which was also a parole violation due to a prior sex offense. This all came after after he had moved back to Tennessee and retired in Johnson City... Unfortunately, those are the only mentions of him I could find online. This album features almost all original material, along with three cover songs -- a couple of honkytonk oldies and a version of Hank Strzelecki's "Long Tall Texan." He's backed by a fairly compact band, with Gary Byers on drums, Eddie Carden (rhythm guitar), Robert Richardson (lead guitar and synthesizer), and Danny Wombles playing bass. He also seems to have released a few singles, recording under his full name.

Johnathan B "Pretty Words" (River City Studio, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by John Edward Boggs, Ken Brant & Tim Heldt)
A wildly uneven album of all-original material by an indie auteur from Grand Rapids, Michigan... John Edward Boggs seems to have had a fairly clear vision of what he wanted musically, and he wrote some pretty good songs, but he went a little nuts in the studio and spun off in some unfortunate directions, often with disastrous results. His best moments come on the more country-sounding songs, particularly the title track, "Pretty Words," which opens the album out on a pretty strong footing. Immediately after that, though, comes a truly horrendous, syrupy retro-pop ballad which seems to be reaching back to the '50s/'60s teenpop era and is just awful. Part of the problem is Mr. Boggs thin-sounding vocals, which bend towards a southern gospel-style alto, but the bigger problem may just be session-related: the arrangements are overwrought and needlessly flowery, and the sound mix is a bit awkward and diffuse. About two-fifths of the album drifts into these over-the-top pop arrangements, prompting me to get up and move the needle on several tracks... The excesses of these songs make the strengths of others even more surprising, though: just when you're ready to write this album off, one of the country songs comes on and you realize, "hey, that's actually a good song," even on tunes where Mr. Boggs let the production get a little overripe. One of these, the anthemic "Try A Little Harder," actually could have been a big early 'Eighties country hit, given the right circumstances. Not a very listenable record, though I could imagine future twangsters mining it for material.

Johnny B. & Phase II "Rowntowner Motor Inn Presents..." (QCA Records, 1971-?) (LP)
A super-cheesy and fairly amateurish lounge act, marked by schmaltzy, Tom Jones/Righteous Brothers-style vocals and thin-sounding horn arrangements, this disc was a souvenir of the Downtowner motel chain's suburban-oriented "Rowntowner" offshoot. Because this was a national chain, I'm not sure which particular branch Johnny B was working in at the time, but the album was pressed by the Cincinnati-based QCA plant, and locals newspaper ads show him playing at Rowtowners in nearby Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. No idea who Johnny B really was, though the other guys in the band are identified by name: Dave Laycock on drums, Tim Mullarkey (guitar), Bob Ridder (piano and organ) and Mike Wilshire on bass, and several of them played in previous and later bands, mostly on the Kentucky side of the river. Anyway, this early 'Seventies offering certainly is "of its time," as they say, and quite ripe for modern-day mockery... not that we would ever do such as thing. Though most of the songs are more pop-oriented, covers of Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell and others, the Phase II guys did touch on some rootsy material, including covers of "Help Me Make It Through The Night," "Polk Salad Annie" and Gary Puckett's "Woman, Woman" (which I always thought sounded like a Mac Davis song). Not totally country, but close. (Thanks to the Appearing In The Motel Lounge blog for bringing this one to our attention...)

Larry B "Sings His Greatest Hits" (Superjok Records, 1983-?) (LP)
This appears to be a comedy-oriented souvenir album by country DJ "Larry B," who cut this session with a guy named Jerry Bevis sometime (I think) in the early 1980s. Songs include "Planet Of The DJs," "We Still Love America" and "Red Neck And Rowdy." I'm not sure where Larry B was working at the time, but he seems to have continued his career through to the present day, and currently has a drivetime morning show at Classic Country 105.9 WNKR/106.7 WNKR, twin stations in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, which was probably his stomping grounds back in the day.

Willie B & The Drifter's Caravan "Blue Kentucky Boy" (Willie B Enterprises, 1973-?) (LP)
The Drifter's Caravan band was formed sometime around 1965 by a bunch of American servicemen and several likeminded German country pickers, including steel player Rex Saxton and drummer Rocky Wesle. Singer Willie B. Tyler came from Kentucky and did several USO tours with the band before returning to civilian life, where he played military NCO clubs and other regional gigs, eventually landing his own TV show on station WBKO, Bowling Green. First airing in 1972, The Willie B Show featured gal singer Becky Sue Bingham, with Tommy Davenport leading the band -- Davenport had also played piano and guitar in the original European group, and stuck with Tyler when he headed back home. After Davenport and Willie B went stateside, the German band chugged along under the leadership of bassist Jack Scudder, while Tyler kept the American group together straight through the late '80s, according to message boards out in the hillbilly blogosphere. Mr. Tyler apparently passed away in 2013. A nice, brisk set of back-to-basics country with thin, but charming vocals. (Note: though frequently listed as a 1972 release, this is likely a bit later, as the TV show debuted in September, '72, pretty late in the year.)

Don Bach "Yesterday & Today" (Network Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by W. R. Crighler & Leonard Shaw)
Singer Don Bach recorded the hit rock/rockabilly pop single of "Cheyenne" way back in 1961, a song he reprises here on the "Yesterday" side of this album, along with some other oldies, such as Carl Belew's "Three Cheers For The Loser." Side Two ("Today") showcases more contemporary material (though mostly pretty obscure stuff) presumably in a more mainstream country mode, although to the untrained ear there isn't that much difference in the still-pretty-stripped-down arrangements. Bach sounds more confident on the slower songs, reminding me of classic country baritones such as Ferlin Husky and Claude Gray, and struggles on the slightly more uptempo tunes. Nonetheless, the last song on the album is a real winner: Jack Barlow's "Rather Fight Than Switch" is a heartfelt anthem sung in honor of traditional, old-school country music, given a pleasantly goofy novelty-song feel with an arrangement that includes perky backing vocals by the Anita Kerr Singers. The Network label was from Des Moines, Iowa, though this album was recorded at Nashville's RCA studios, with both A-list and B-list pickers, including Buddy Emmons, Chips Moman, and Hargus Robbins. Overall, a pleasant, earthy album sung by a soulful old-timer who had a real feel for country soul.

The Bachelors IV "Sing Their Favorites" (1979-?) (LP)
A super-duper mystery disc -- no recording info, no names, no year or address, no composer credits, a plain white back cover -- but definitely some nice country stuff on here. The bachelors (whoever they were) are photographed in one of those fake old-timey studio set-ups, looking sorta wild west-y. But as to their identities? Your guess is as good as mine... maybe better. The set list includes "Bed Of Roses," "I'll Go To My Grave Loving You," and the Pointer Sisters hit, "Fire." I'm not sure how many (if any) of these songs were originals by guys in the band, but one song, "You Can Own A Little Ground In Texas," seems to be unique to this album. Anyway, this is a surprisingly good performance of secularized southern gospel-style harmony vocals, very much in the tradition of the Statler Brothers and the (pop era) Oak Ridge Boys. Though obviously amateurs just doin' it for fun, these guys could really sing... and harmonize! There's some minimal instrumental backing, including some just-adequate guitar picking, with a slight Chet Atkins feel. In technical terms, this is a little iffy, but the singing is pretty impressive; for my money the DIY aspects make this all the more interesting. Not sure about the release date, but I'd guess maybe 1979-80, based on some of the cover songs, especially their version of "Dig A Little Deeper In The Well," which was recorded by the Oak Ridge Boys in 1979.

Back Pocket "Buzzard Bait" (Joyce Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Pat Robinson & Pat Maroshek)
A one-off collaboration with various Southern California pickers, this band was led by songwriter Pat Robinson, who wrote all the material and sang lead in an amiable, lightly nasal twang that occasionally takes on a fragility that's suggestive of Neil Young. Also on board were the core members of the early '70s country-rock band, Swampwater -- guitarist John Beland, fiddler Gib Guilbeau and steel player Thad Maxwell -- as well as bluegrasser Larry McNeely picking banjo, and drummer Pat Maroshek, who I think was considered the band's co-leader with Robinson. The music is light, bouncy, bubblegummy country-rock material similar to some early Eagles recordings or the airier side of the Byrds -- kinda lightweight and lighthearted, but decent for the genre and a fine example of what the twangsters were up to at the time. This band never really went anywhere, but the album's worth checking out if you're a big fan of the late-vintage Burrito Brothers, or just SoCal country-rock in general. (And dig the so-very SoCal liner notes dedication to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard... groovy, man!!)

Back Porch Boogie Band "Crankin' Up!" (Southern Star Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Hunter, Joe Spivey & D. W. McKnight)
A down-home twang band from Shreveport, Louisiana, featuring Roland Hall and Jim Buckelew on vocals and guitar, along with bassist Rick Hagler and Kerry Hunter on drums Dunno exactly when this one came out, but it must have been some time before they (temporarily) broke up in 1982... The group reformed (several times) has been together for years, well into the 2010s, and has self-released a CD or two in their time.

Backalley Bandits "Back Alley Bandits" (London Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Chips Moman & Dan Penn)
One of those odd, only-in-the-'Seventies kinda albums, this is a mix of (some) twang along with amorphous AOR and echoes of Muscle Shoals soul... The band hailed from Atlanta, Georgia and got caught in the orbit of Southern soul auteur Dan Penn, who produced this album and provided two songs. with most of the others written by lead singers Larry Bowie and Thetis Sealey. The sounds are far-flung, though, and this doesn't really hold together that well as an album -- it veers from decently mellow alterna-twang ("Rainbow And A Pony") to fairly dreadful, loose-knit pop meanderings, including several numbers with female lead vocals that seems to take their cues from Linda Ronstadt or (to a lesser degree) Joan Baez. Larry Bowie I like as a lead singer -- Thetis Sealey and Penelope Webb, much less so. Regardless, there are a couple of songs on here that have a nice, legitimately country feel, though not so much that I'd say you gotta go run out and find this record right away. Might be of more interest to Dan Penn's fans than to us country folk. According to their Googlebook, the band broke up in 1979.

Backstreet Journal "Requests" (Robroy Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Gaston Nichols)
An odd little album from Birmingham, Alabama... This quartet, led by vocalist Wanda Lee has the feel of a southern gospel vocal group, though at least half the repertoire is secular material, including covers of pop songs and countrypolitan hits such as Ronnie Milsap's "It Was Almost Like A Song" and Paul Anka's "My Way." They cover a couple of Statler Brothers songs ("It Was Almost Like A Song," "Do You Remember These") and one by John Denver, as well as an earnest reading of Bill Spivery's "Operator" (which was a 'Seventies hit for the Manhattan Transfer). Ms. Lee also plows her way into a milky rendition of "Crazy," though the most country bar-band sounding song is their frantic version of Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother" (mistakenly credited to Jerry Jeff Walker) a so-bad-it's-good novelty number which is probably the only really memorable track on this album... To be honest, this is a fairly painful album, with iffy vocals and sparse arrangements. I'm sure these guys must have done some live gigs, but there's no info about where or when that may have been.

Gus Backus "Hillbilly Gasthaus" (Polydor, 1964) (LP)
Although a well-known star of German schlager (pop music), Donald Edgar Backus (1937-2019) was actually an American, born in Long Island, New York, and had started his musical career as a member of the East Coast doo-wop group called The Del-Vikings. Backus emigrated to Germany in the early 1960s during a stint in the US Air Force, following his deployment to an American military base in West Germany. Starting in 1959 he recorded numerous singles and LPs, and though not all of them were country-flavored, these two early releases were modest twangfests, and are actually quite nice. The albums are alternate versions of each other, this first one being German-language, and the second (Hillbilly Inn) sung in English. ("Gasthaus" is a German word for "inn," though the songs on the two albums are not identical.) Nashville's Bill Justis and his orchestra back Herr Backus on both albums, and though the arrangements are admittedly a bit kitschy, the overall vibe is pretty good. Definitely worth a spin.

Gus Backus "Hillbilly Inn" (Polydor, 1964) (LP)
This was an English-language country album, released at almost the same time as Hillbilly Gasthaus. The is some overlap of songs between the two album, but it's not complete... Both records feature arrangements by Nashville producer Bill Justis, as well as from Backus's German collaborator, Werner Scharfenberger. [For more about Backus and the German country scene, take a peek at my Euro-Twang section...

The Backwoods "The Best Of The Backwoods" (Starr Records, 1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Casey & Marvin Jones)
A ton of original material by this band from Columbus, Ohio which featured two songwriters, Glenn Price and Jim Snell (1946-2020), along with a third lead singer, Debbie Cathell, as well as bassist Jim Higgins and veteran bluegrass picker Danny Milhon adding some sweet licks on dobro. There are two cover songs -- the Motown oldie "Heat Wave" and Captain & Tennille's "Muskrat Love" -- but otherwise it's all new stuff, like Snell's "Take Me Back To Ohio" and "Truck Drivin's Drivin' Me Wild" by Jim Price. Mr. Snell, who also worked as a local police officer and in the Madison County sheriff's department, started out playing rock music in the mid-1960s, notably in the garage rock band the Rolling Ramsaxs, which recorded at least one single in 1966 featuring a pair of Snell's early songs. Like all smart teenage rockers, he later switched to country music, and worked in a series of bands, including a group called The Posse, reflection his work in law enforcement. As far as I know this was the Backwoods group's only album.

Michael Bacon "Bringing It Home" (Monument, 1973) (LP)
Wait - what? - seriously? This guy was Kevin Bacon's brother? His older brother, the soft-rock songwriter and film music composer? The other guy in the Bacon Brothers band?? No... seriously... That can't be right... That's like... no degrees of separation!! Or... is it one? I was never totally clear on how that worked... Anyway, the Bacon brothers were originally from Pennsylvania, and while Kevin pursued an acting career, Michael went into music, including an early partnership with Larry Gold that resulted in an earlier album back in 1970. Really, he's more of a "pop" guy, but since his later album (reviewed below) had so many cool roots music dudes on it, I had to check it out.

Michael Bacon "Love Song Believer" (Monument Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Michael Bacon, Rob Galbraith & Don Potter)
Okay, consider yourself warned: despite a promising array of twangsters listed in the liners -- Buzz Cason, Fred Foster, Larry Jon Wilson and Mac Gayden, and others -- this is a truly dreadful, overly-slick '70s pop album, evoking a summit meeting of Jimmy Buffett and James Taylor, slumming after hours in some Memphis studio. The songs and the arrangements and the entire general vibe are pretty bland and awful, overblown and underwhelming at the same time, and not much twang, even with songs such as "Texas Cowboy" and "Yodeling Sam." The only tune even halfway worth revisiting is the subtle, acoustic weeper, "A Simple Argument," but mostly this is a pretty skippable record. Really. Not of any real interest.

Bad Bob (Rohan) "Bad Bob" (1983) (LP)
(Produced by Buzzy Smith & Mike Taylor)
Though he's pictured on the cover holding a guitar, Houston local Bob Rohan became best known as a fiddler, with a solid grounding in Texas western swing... This was his first album as a solo artist, having spent a hefty chunk of the 'Seventies as a sideman in local acts such as the Sweatband and Dogtooth Violet, onstage in various local mini-"oprys," as well as backing buddies like Dale Watson and national artists on tour. Though Bad Bob showcases his own zippy version of "Orange Blossom Special," most of this album is original material, with most songs credited to Rohan, another by his patron Isaac P. Sweat, and a couple of oldies originally recorded by Jim Ed Brown and David Houston. All in all, a swell set of Lone Star indie twang!

Bad Bob (Rohan) "Bad Bob And His Good Friends" (Self-Released, 2001)
Good-timin' western swing and the local spirit of independent Texas music are alive and well, as heard in this fun album by fiddler and songwriter Bob Rohan. He pays dutiful homage to the spirit of Bob Wills in a rousing version of "Deep In The Heart of Texas," and on his original tune, "When You Play The Fiddle In Texas (You Better Know All The Tunes!)" It was the charm of his original material that caught my attention -- especially on great novelty tunes like "She Took A Blowtorch To My Workbench" and the similarly-themed "Daddy's Pad (When Momma's Mad)," which extols the virtues of sleeping in the cab of your truck when domestic tension looms. Fans of humble, obscuro alt.country greats such as Deadly Earnest, Alvin Crow, Chuck Wagon & The Wheels, or Cornell Hurd will find a lot to celebrate in this album -- this ain't super-slick Nashville pop, it's just a guy with a friendly-sounding voice and a bunch of pals who can pick some nice country music, and it's pretty cool. This is the kind of independently-produced album you used to hear a lot more often; nice to know someone out there still has the magic formula.

Bad Bob "Bad To The Bow" (Self-Released)

Bad Bob "Prairie Rose" (Self-Released, 2008)

Andy Badale & The Nashville Beer Garden Band "Nashville Beer Garden" (Ranwood Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Andy Badale & Frank Stanton)
This country-flavored, easy listening-schlager set is an odd, unlikely detour -- or perhaps prequel? -- to the career of composer Angelo Badalamenti, who just a few years later would compose the music for the film Blue Velvet and become director David Lynch's frequent collaborator, scoring Twin Peaks and other projects. He worked on innumerable films and TV shows, as well as with several rock artists, notably David Bowie, the metal band Anthrax, singer Marianne Faithfull, and the Pet Shop Boys. Not sure who the backing musicians were, though most of the original pieces were co-credited to Badale's published Frank Stanton, a music business old-timer who had recruited Badale into film work several years earlier. An odd little record, also one of the later releases before the Ranwood label got reorg-ed into the Welk Music combine.

Ed Badeaux "American Guitar" (Folkways Records, 1958) (LP)
Mostly a folkie set, from Texas twangster Ed Badeaux (1926-2015) a musician and photographer who later led a folk'n'country band called The Texian Boys, along with folklorist John Lomax, Jr. and other members of the Houston Folklore And Music Society. This album showcases Badeaux's skills as a guitarist, with a mix of folkloric and topical/humorous material, as well as some explicitly country stuff such as "Blood On The Saddle," "Steel Guitar Rag," a Carter Family medley, and something called "Saga Of A Guitar Picker (Ernest Tubb's Talking Blues)". Ed Badeaux made several albums for Folkways, including the ones listed here, as well as 1961's Songs Of Texas, with the Texian Boys.

Ed Badeaux "The Songs Of Camp: At Camp Killooleet, Hancock Vermont" (Folkways Records, 1959) (LP)
(Produced by Ed Badeaux)
Did you ever wonder when you were picking your kid up from daycare or kindergarten how the heck did all those old, goofy folk songs for kids survive? The same ones they sang to you in school? And, for some of us, at various summer camps and whatnot? "One Meatball," "Camptown Races," "This Land Is Your Land," etc. And, sure, your kids were learning the songs from their teachers... but how the heck did they learn all these canonical ditties from the 19th Century and beyond? The passing down of "children's songs" from teachers and camp counsellors to modern-day kids is one of the great examples of the transmission of folk culture, and the persistence of what outwardly seems like pretty outdated and irrelevant material... and is partially captured on this album of field recordings made at Camp Killooleet, in Hancock Vermont. Founded in 1927, Killooleet was famously owned and run by Eleanor and John Seeger (1914-2010), the older brother of folk legends Pete and Peggy Seeger, so obviously the camp had deep connections to the folk revival that started in the 1930s and '40s, and hosted some pretty high-level musical talent. Anyway, if you want hear (or learn) a few classics such as "Go Tell It To The Mountain," "Hole In The Ground," "Sippin' Cider," and "Wimoweh," this disc is a good primary source. It is also the companion disc to Badeaux's 1959 Sounds Of Camp album, which sought to capture the ambiance of various camp activities, including baseball games, social dances, swimming, theater classes and various meals. A couple of years later Ed Badeaux cut another set of folk tunes, Songs Of Texas, with his group The Texian Boys.

Badlands "Badlands" (Rite Records, 1979) (LP)
This short-lived Cincinnati twangband was led by singer-guitarist Chuck Foster, along with Bob Catron (lead guitar), John Meek, Sonny Moss, Danny Williamson, and Johnny Ellison. This group broke up when Foster moved to Nashville to back songwriter Bobby Borchers; after moving back to Ohio he and Catron formed a new group called Cheyenne, which became the house band at the Silver Saddle nightclub for several years in the early '80s. Lots of cover songs here, including "Every Which Way But Loose" and "Old Slew Foot," and the old country-rock standard, "Glendale Train."

Badlands "Badlands" (CMH Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by John Wagner)
A loud but fairly lackluster album with an interesting pedigree... The artless arrangements and blaring electric guitars are, perhaps, an odd match for the traditionally-oriented CMH bluegrass imprint, although picker-producer John Wagner and likeminded cohorts such as Mose McCormack were apparently trying to drag the label into the modern era, or something like that. This appears to have been an unsuccessful attempt by CMH to break into the world of commercial, Top 40 country. They seem to have been aiming for a sort of urban cowboy vibe, ala Johnny Lee, punctuated with some hot picking, but it never quite catches fire, and they never made it near the charts. The Badlands band included several talented musicians, including Zen Crook on banjo and fiddle, Jackson D. Kane (bass), Andrew Poling (drums), Jim Siegling (rhythm guitar) and Mark Siegmeister on drums... There's some hot picking on electrified instrumentals such as "Bad Axe Boogie," but lead singer Jackson D. Kane was kind of a dud, and the band had to slow things down to a sluggish tempo to accommodate his leaden phrasing. One track, a goofy novelty version of the oldie "Big Ball's In Cowtown," features guest appearances by Merle Travis and Joe and Rose Lee Maphis who were some of CMH's big stars at the time. This is worth a spin, I guess, but keep your expectations low.

Bill Bailey & Roy Parks "Featuring Dottie Smith" (1971-?) (LP)
A very stripped-down, low-budget, late vintage outing from two veteran country pickers, mandolin player Bill Bailey and guitarist Roy Parks, who were cast members of the WWVA Jamboree, circa 1946, in a group led by Toby Stroud called The Blue Mountain Boys. Bailey and Parks clearly worked as a duo, and moved together onto other radio jobs, notably a gig at WCHA, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where they became the backing band -- as the Skyline Boys -- for Bud Messner, along with fiddle player Slim Roberts, and a second guitarist, Dude Webb. They performed on WCHA from at least 1947-49, working with steel player Billy Ross and others. The duo also cut a few singles and transcription discs around this time, but mostly faded from sight sometime in the 1950s; I've seen reference to Roy Parks working for Tex Ritter, but have no idea about when that would have been. Meanwhile, this record is a real mystery disc, with little information other than the song titles, and a blank white back cover which provides no clues about where or when it was made, or who the other musicians may have been in their band, which is identified both as "The Skyline Trio" and "The Skyline Boys." It's clearly an early 1970's offering , as heard in covers of contemporary hits such as "Help Me Make It Through The Night" (first released by Kris Kristofferson in 1970) and the album's closing track, a little guitar boogie that was supposedly a cover of Harlow Wilcox's "Groovy Grubworm," which came out in '69. (Also of interest are covers of late 'Sixties" classics such as Merle Haggard's "Swinging Doors" and "Together Again" by Buck Owens.) Bailey and Parks were both clearly old geezers by the time they cut this album, and though they ooze authenticity, they sounded fairly low-energy. Likewise, their "girl" singer, Dottie Smith, is an underwhelming though charming vocalist -- big stylistic debt to Kitty Wells, though that not a powerful voice. Because of their relatively generic names, I wasn't able to find much biographical information about any of the three; it's possible this disc was a souvenir of some kind of mini-opry variety show, but if so, there's no information about it. A charming album, but mystifying.

Glen Bailey "First Edition" (Yatahey Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Bart Barton)
A little bit of a mystery disc, though some of the details are falling into focus... I'm not sure where Glen Bailey was from originally, but apparently by the time he cut this album he was living in Texas, and got drafted by Dallas-based producer Bart Barton (known locally as "The General") to record this novelty-heavy set of country-pop. The arrangements are a little prefab, and his vocals seem slightly insincere, but apparently that was good for the times, as this album notched up a couple of minor hits, "Stompin' On My Heart," which hit #87 on the Billboard country charts, and "Designer Jeans," which peaked at #85. (There's a mildly interesting backstory to "Designer Jeans": according to a Billboard column, it was written by a couple of guys in Australia who shopped it around Nashville and got a bunch of rejections, then repackaged it providing phony names and pretending they were American songwriters, upon which it was optioned by Barton...) I'm not sure if the is the same Glen Bailey who played East Coast gigs in New York and Maryland, circa 1976-78, as the disco/R&B act Glen Bailey & Circus... but I kinda think it might be. His country roots don't seem to have run all that deep.

Jerry Don Bailey & Allyx "One Little Cloud" (Dax Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Don Bailey)
Without doubt, this is a truly oddball indiebilly album. Bailey seems to have been from Russellville, Arkansas and recorded this album there, but released this album on the Houston-based Dax label. Apparently, he eventually moved to Texas (although it turns out there were an awful lot of guys named Jerry Bailey from Arkansas, so I'm not entirely 100% sure if I've got the right guy...) Anyway, this is a tinny, thinly-recorded set, a mix of Jerry Reed-ish raunch and spacey philosophizing, with a few really good honkytonk songs packed in the middle. Particularly noteworthy is a Willie-esque barroom weeper, "That Door" -- indeed, if you can overlook the weak-sounding production, there are actually some pretty good songs on here. By the way, you might be forgiven for assuming that "Allyx" was the name of some female backup singer -- it's not, though: actually that's the name of his band. Go figure. If you're into outsider art, country style, you might wanna check this one out. No date is given on the album -- anyone have more info about these session?

Jerry Don Bailey "Blacktop River" (Dax Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Don Bailey)

Razzy Bailey "What Little Bit That's Left" (Erastus Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Razzy Bailey & Bill Lowery)
Okay, so eventually Razzy Bailey did break into Nashville and become a chart-topping Top Forty artist... But that was still a couple of years away when this super-indie album came out on a label from Georgia. This disc was a transition from his earlier work in pop music, and even though he booked several top-flight session players (Buddy Emmons, Jeff Newman, Ron Oates, Bobby Thompson and others) he was kinda going for an outlaw vibe. But... wait a minute... Are there two guys wearing blackface on this album cover? And "afro" wigs? Uh.... guys? Hello?

Tim Bailey "Her Husband Says I Can't" (Sounds Of Country/Part 2 Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Shockley)
A honkytonker from Manhattan, Montana, Tim Bailey went to Nashville to record this album, with studio assist from pros like Jack Eubanks and Leo Jackson on guitar, Hoot Hester playing fiddle and Larry Sasser on steel... The material is all originals, presumably written by Bailey (although there are no songwriting credits on the album itself...) And it's really good. Some killer weepers and cryin' in your beer music, particularly the title track, which is a doozy. Recommended!

Al Bain & Kathy Bain "Together In All Kinds of Country" (Trackdown Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Alan W. Prince)
This husband-wife duo from Salem, New York started their recording career around 1970, cutting a couple of singles for the Nashville-based Chart label, although they stuck pretty resolutely to a regional base of operations in rural upstate New York. At the time they cut this album, the Bains had a weekly radio show on WWSC in Glen Falls, although they were also in the orbit of the WWVA "Jamboree USA" revue, down in Wheeling, Virginia. Fans of Bill and Delia Bell might appreciate their acoustic-based sound, which dips into country classics such as "I Fall To Pieces" and the Bob Wills oldie, "Roly Poly," along with songs by Johnny Bond, Roger Miller and Willie Nelson. Perhaps most telling are a couple of tunes from Merle Travis, including "Sweet Temptation," which was one of their signature songs. Al Bain played both banjo and guitar, while Kathy Bain wielded an upright bass; they are backed by drummer Bil Anderson and multi-instrumentalist Gary Blodgett, who led his own Blodgett Family bluegrass band and worked with the Bains for several decades.

Gidget Baird "Sweet Memories" (CCHB, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by John Macy)
I have almost zero info on this Colorado-based artist, except that her band included indiebilly Timothy P. Irvin of the group Rural Route 3, and based on the quality of his records, I'm guessing that this one's good and rootsy, too. Baird made it to Nashville by decade's end, singing backup on some albums and placing several songs with mainstream artists such as Janie Frickie and Charley Pride. She's relatively down-home on this early album, though, covering folks like Rodney Crowell ("Bluebird Wine") and Willie Nelson ("Crazy"), as well as Roger Miller, Bob Wills and even does a version of Jesse Winchester's "Rhumba."

Adam Baker "Adam" (Signature Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Doyle Grisham & Roger Holmes)
An indie artist apparently from Edmond, Oklahoma, singer Adam Baker cut this lone solo album in Nashville, with a studio crew that included Greg Galbraith (rhythm guitar), Dave Innes (keyboards), Gregg Jennings (lead guitar), Larry Paxton (bass), John Dittrich (drums), Gary Primm (keyboards), which was basically the prototype of the Top Forty band Restless Heart, who recored their own debut the following year, in 1985. Also in the mix is Restless Heart's lead singer Larry Stewart, who also went on to a successful solo career in the early 1990s. Adam Baker might not have grabbed the brass ring, but this album could be pretty tantalizing for fans of late '80s/early '90s commercial country.

Becky Baker "Becky" (Southern Heritage Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Boles)
Singer-fiddler Becky Baker was a protege of guitarist Jack Boles, who performed on the Grand Ole Opry, Hee Haw, and the Nashville Now TV show. Baker worked with him on all three shows, and toured with him throughout the late '70s, '80s and early '90s. She also starred in a series of commercials for Lone Star Beer, and released this lone(?) solo album early in her career. Includes "Happy Honkin', Honky Tonkin' Truck Drivin' Man." Anyone know what happened to this long-lost country gal? Or where she was from?

Baker DeCocq "...And Friends" (Mountain Music Company, 1982) (LP)
The Michigan-based duo of Bob DeCocq and Marshell Baker led this small band for about a few years i the early '80s, breaking up around 1984-85... DeCocq had previously been in rootsy groups such as the Houston, Texas's Shake Russell Band, the Country Line Band, and the TNS Blues Band, in the early '70s. Alas, this mostly rings false as "country" material, with more of a tepid, trying-to-sound-slick bar-band rock sound, too much blues, not enough twang, with fairly iffy vocals and lots of gratuitous, tinny electric guitar riffs swirling all over the place. A lot of the twang elements seems a bit forced or exaggerated to me... Worth a spin, I suppose, but not much here that wows me. Oh, well.

Freddy Baker "Sings Country" (Confederate Records, 1973-?) (LP)

Jim Baker "A Steel Guitar Christmas" (Power Pak Records, 1974) (LP)

Johnny Baker "Songs Of The Rodeo" (Audio Arts, 1964) (LP)
In the 1950s, over a decade before Moe Bandy, Chris LeDoux or Pake McEntire hung up their spurs, Missouri rodeo rider Johnny Baker became, as legend has it, the first professional cowpuncher to devote himself full-time to singing rodeo-related music. This was his first full-length LP, with a brace of songs so packed with with rodeo lingo that they had to include a glossary with the album. Keep loose, but hold on tight!

Johnny Baker "Let Her Buck" (1965) (LP)

Johnny Baker "Rodeoin' With Johnny Baker" (1966) (LP)

Johnny Baker "The Rodeo In The Sky" (FF&S Sound Recordings, 1974) (LP)
Clunky, sure, but it's the real deal. Johnny Baker wasn't the greatest singer... or lyricist... or guitar picker... or humorist... But I imagine he was a pretty good rodeo rider, and he was certainly committed to his music, as his multiple albums attest. Though musically static, these tracks ooze authenticity, with Mr. Baker ruminating about various aspects of rodeo life while strumming solo on his acoustic geetar. Perhaps the funniest number is "Microphone Bandit," in which a rodeo announcer razzes Baker by saying -- over the PA -- that if that's how he rides, maybe he should stick to playing guitar. So, yeah, Johnny Baker didn't take himself too seriously and he certainly was aware of his limitations as a musician, but he plugged away and had fun doing what he was doing, and that translates pretty well when you give him a spin. Not exactly the kind of record you'd listen to over and over, but it's got its charms.

Penny Baker "God's Country" (Award Records, 1978) (LP)
In the early 1960s, "Texas Penny" Inman was on her way up in the country music world, having cut a single called "Cry Baby Heart" for the California-based Emmy Records label, and touring with Buck Owens just as his star was rising. According to an article reprinted on the back of this album, however, she found life in the alcohol and drug-fueled world of the honkytonks too draining, and finally realized that her love of music wasn't enough to sustain her. She got religion, got married, and moved up north to Tacoma, Washington where she renewed her country music career, this time as an evangelical Christian songwriter. Penny Baker recorded numerous albums, usually tucking a few of her own originals into the repertoire, and several of her songs were recorded by other gospel artists, such as gospel yodeler Buzz Goertzen. I think this was her first album.

Penny Baker "Country Roots" (Award Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Biff Collie)
The liner notes on this album tell us that her father Franklin Inman was a yodeler, while her mother, Gladys, performed on the radio in Baytown, Texas, and that Penny joined them on the air while very young. Sadly, there's no info about the musicians backing her, though Biff Collie's name popping up as producer sure caught my eye!

Penny Baker "The Old Country Church" (Penny Baker Ministries, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Penny Baker & Gary Duckworth)
Baker sings and plays piano on a set once again rich in original gospel material. She's backed by a local band that includes Leroy Briggs (steel guitar), Charlie Lee (drums), Roy Martin (guitar), and Paul Richardson on bass and synthesizer.

The Bakersfield Five "Buckaroo" (Alshire Records, 1969-?) (LP)
One of the more blatant rip-off records in the "soundalike" genre... even by the Alshire label's somewhat fungible standards. I mean, Buck Owens and his band were really a brand name, and Alshire really went out of their way to make this look like a Buckaroos album. Granted many of the (sadly) unidentified musicians on this exploito-album may have played in Buck's band at one time or another, and doubtless they were recruited from the longhair country-rock scene of the Palomino Club which fostered pickers such as Dennis Payne and Jerry Inman, although no one is identified by name on the jacket. There are a handful of Owens covers -- "Act Naturally," "Buckaroo," "Crying Time," "Tiger By The Tail" and "Together Again" -- but as is often the case with these cheapo packages it's the original material that may be of more interest. This disc includes several tracks credited to Maverick Music-BMI, though, alas, no specific composer credits. This we get several tunes vaguely in the Don Rich style: "Buckshot," "Dodad," "Someone," "Tool Pusher" and "The Whizer." If you think the California Poppy Pickers were groovy, you might dig this disc, too.

Bob Bakert "Bob Bakert" (Shoppe Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Bakert & Dick Roberts)
Amateurish, uneven, but certainly authentic late-'Seventies DIY... A guitarist and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia, Bob Bakert proclaims on the back cover that "this album was made so these songs would not be forgotten," which sounds simultaneously naive and grandiose, but I understand the sentiment. He's backed by members of a local twang band called Mountain Fever, who recorded an album of their own the year before -- steel player Dick Roberts and bassist Frank Locklear anchor the sessions, and one of the album's better (and more country sounding) songs, "Cactus Woman," features backing vocals from their bandmate, Pete Guthrie. It's an odd mix of styles: there are a couple of decent country-rock tunes where Roberts shines as a steel player with tonal depth -- the songs are not quite radio-ready, but definitely in tune with the times. The album is dominated by a brace of singer-songwriter-ish numbers that recall Bakert's early years as a folk singer; Paul Siebel or Townes Van Zandt come to mind, though these songs make Bakert sound a somewhat fragile, if not nervous about being in front of the mic... a bit brittle, even. On the other hand, there's some pretty good guitar playing, with Bakert showing fluency in several styles -- later on he would explore jazz guitar and even started his own magazine, Jazz Guitar Today. His vocals were a little wobbly, but the fretwork was solid. There are also a couple of horrendously bad, awkward rock numbers, vaguely power-poppish, but manic, thinly arranged and poorly produced. The album ends on a slightly embarrassing note, with the pinched, sourpuss lyrics of "Bedroom Thing" where the singer morosely pouts about an errant girlfriend who's now going out with the "wrong" guy: oh sure, he's all hot and has a successful rock band, but can he offer you real love the way I can, and not just hot sex and cool parties? It's the kind of mopey poetry best left in your three-ring notebook at home, but somehow this one made onto wax. Anyway, as far as our indie-twang explorations go, this album does have its moments... Well, maybe I'm being a little too mean here... Some of the twangtunes are worth a spin, but you might have to poke around to find them.

The Baldknobbers - see artist profile

Luke Baldwin "The Tattoo On My Chest" (Flying Fish Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Luke Baldwin, Tom Mitchell, Tony Markellis & Michael Couture)
A classic 'Seventies hippiebilly/outlaw album from a guy who was pals with latter day hobo-poets Utah Phillips and Bodie Wagner, and had David Bromberg and Jay Ungar jamming with him on this disc... Luke Baldwin was originally a Michigander, and like many folks of his era, he wound up heading West and was part of the mid-'70s SF Bay Area's music scene. Before that he was a politico and poet, doing draft counseling for college-age kids and other political work. He worked odd jobs during the '70s but eventually returned to school, getting a doctorate from Harvard and becoming an expert on literacy and childhood development issues. Folk fans may recognize Baldwin for having written the liner notes to Utah Phillips' Good Though album, and Mr. Phillips returns the favor here, lauding Baldwin as a hippie-era renaissance man and kindred spirit. As far as I know, this was the only album he recorded... I have to confess, his country persona sounds a bit forced, but I'd still be pleased to hear about any other albums he played on.

Tracey Balin "Standin' On A Mountain Top" (Crazy Cajun Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Huey P. Meaux)
A studio second-stringer, backup singer Tracey Balin was born in Beeville, Texas and was thirty-one years old when he cut this solo album, his grab at the brass ring after years and years of singing behind stars such as Roy Head, Freddy Fender, Ronnie Milsap and others. It's mostly cover tunes, several by the Beatles, a couple from the Righteous Brothers, and a few that seem to have ben original to this album -- a couple by Earl and Earnest Cate (of The Cates Gang) and one called Take Your Time" by Weldon Dean Parks, a session picker originally from Fort Worth who worked with all kinds of rock and pop royalty. Balin recorded at least one other album for Crazy Cajun, with even more of a pop-rock feel, and later moved into the Contemporary Christian scene.

Tracey Balin "Love Me Tonight" (Crazy Cajun Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Huey P. Meaux)

Ace Ball "Ace Colorado Country" (JB Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Little Roy Wiggins & John Nicholson)
Born Arthur Chester Balch, honkytonker Ace Ball was an old-school West Texas singer who worked in various regional bands and had recorded several singles as a solo artist before moving to Colorado in the late '60s. He also worked as a country deejay, notably for stations KPUB and KIDN, in Pueblo. Subtitled "...Ace Ball Sings Gene Bloomfield And Some Of His Own," this was his only full-length album. One side of the record was written by Imogene Bloomfield, while Side Two is entirely composed by Ball, who looks to have been an old-timer when this album was made. (Thanks to the Pueblo City Limits blog for additional info about this artist...!)

Earl Ball "Love Of The Common People And Other Country And Western Favorites" (Custom Records, 1968-?) (LP)
A cheapo, budget-line album by piano player Earl Poole Ball, who was working in LA at the time, playing at the Palomino Club as well as performing on the Cal's Corral TV show. Originally from Mississippi, Mr. Ball is one of those artists who, even if you didn't know who he was, has nonetheless been on your radar for years, playing on a ton of cool albums over the years. He started his career as a teen in the late 1950s, then moved to LA in the early 'Sixties, where he did a lot of odd small gigs, some of which turned out to be historic. Earl Ball played in the original lineup of Gram Parson's short-lived International Submarine Band, as well as in some version(s) of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and on the fabled Sweethearts Of The Rodeo sessions. He backed Wanda Jackson on one of her lives albums, played on a bunch of Buck Owens sessions, turned down a gig in Elvis Presley's TCB Band, and made his way to Nashville where he worked throughout the 'Seventies as a producer and engineer during the countrypolitan era. His most high-profile and longest lasting gig was touring with Johnny Cash from 1977-97. Oh! And he also wrote "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line," Waylon Jennings' greatest-ever song, which in my book is enough to put up a statue to the man right there. Like a lot of the guys in the ever-changing Palomino house band, Earl Ball got roped into cutting one of these thankless, nondescript, semi-anonymous soundalike albums, in this case built around the 1967 hit, "Love Of The Common People," which had already been covered by a bunch of artists, including country star Waylon Jennings. The rest of the songs seem to be originals, and although there are no songwriter credits, I'd imagine a few if not all were written by Mr. Ball. In the late 1990s, with all that under his belt, he moved to Austin, Texas, where he snugly fit into the robust local scene, running his own band as well as the alterna-twang supergroup, Haybale, which also includes dudes like Dallas Wayne and Redd Volkaert. (Don't believe me? Check out his Wikipedia page, which blew my mind as well.)

Jim Ball & The Mountain Boys "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive" (ACA-Album Company Of America, 19--?) (LP)
A country old-timer who just kept plugging away for decades, Tennessee fiddler James Norman, aka "Jim" Ball (1916-1991) played in a number of hillbilly and mountain music stringbands, dating back to the pre-honkytonk era. On this album, which looks like it's from the early 1970s, be is backed by Roger Mullhollen and Roger Ball, and works his way through a delightful variety of styles, starting off with some Lefty Frizzell-ish vocals on "I'm So Afraid (Of Losing You Again)," moving on to western oldies such as "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" and squeaky fiddle tunes such as "Cacklin' Hen," gospel tunes and even a raspy, rough-cut rendition of Tony Joe White's "Poke Salad Annie." Alongside craggy old-timey tunes we hear loose, rock-flavored, bar-band electric guitars, all suggesting a relaxed, wide-armed approach to musicmaking, which embraces bluegrass, honkytonk and jam-band music alike. Ball apparently cut at least one other album, though I haven't tracked that one down yet...

Lenville Ball "The Lord Will Provide" (1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt & Dan Burton)
A country gospel artist from West Liberty, Kentucky, guitar picker Lenville Ball was connected to the Renfro Valley Jamboree, joining the cast in late 1976. Mr. Ball was real country, and included plenty of twang on his records. Although billed as a bicentennial album, this appears to have been pressed in 1975... guess he was just thinking ahead! Several of the musicians on this album were fellow locals who worked with Ball on his other albums; on this disc he's joined by Dan Burton on piano, Dennis Herrell (bass), Chuck Rich (steel guitar) and Jerry Wilhelm on percussion.

Lenville Ball "The Best Of Lenville Ball: Country Style Gospel" (1976) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt & Dan Burton)

Lenville Ball "Let's Have A Hallelujah Meeting" (1977) (LP)

Lenville Ball "I Feel So Good/I Saw The Light" (1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt & Dan Burton)
According to the liner notes, this was Mr. Ball's fourth album... Anyone out there know what the other one was called? The title track, "I Feel So Good," was composed by Lenville Ball, while other numbers were written by Andre Crouch, Bill Gaither, Tom T. Hall, and Kris Kristofferson -- a pretty hip gospel set for the times.

Lenville Ball "Travelin' The Highway Home" (Lenmar Records, 1982) (LP)

Marcia Ball "Circuit Queen" (Capitol Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Neil Wilborn)
Although later known as a blues player, early on pianist and singer Marcia Ball was singing country music in the Texas outlaw scene, notably with the band Freda & The Firedogs. Her solo debut was an interesting mix of Emmylou-ish country twang, countrypolitan, and a hint of the New Orleans-style blues she came to specialize in, further down the road. The hallmarks of Emmylou's "hot band" crew are easily heard, from the production style (and accompaniment by Emmylou cohorts such as Albert Lee, Buddy Emmons and Rodney Crowell) to some of the repertoire (including a version of Crowell's "Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight"). This album won't blow your mind, but it's an intriguing footnote to Ball's career, and dovetails nicely with other records of the era. Worth checking out.

Lander Ballard "High Time" (Free Wind Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Lander Ballard & Billy Sherrill)
An ambitious local from Wichita, Kansas... Ostensibly this is a "folk-rock" album, but in reality there is precious little twang to be heard here. I was anticipating something along the lines of regional heroes Brewer & Shipley, but instead this is really more of a straight-up AOR/perky soft-pop outing with echoes of Billy Joel or Leo Sayer, maybe even solo Paul McCartney. I was drawn to the presence of Billy Sherrill as the album's producer (as well as session pros like Larry Londin and Timmy Tappin) but I guess this falls more into the "twangfans beware" category, though it is an impressive example of independently produced regional 'Seventies pop from the heartland. It's conceivable this guy really coulda made it big, but for whatever reasons that never quite materialized. He self-released a few other records, spread out over the decades.

Larry Ballard - see artist profile

Michael Ballew - see artist profile

Tony Ballew & Free Flight "Let's Go Dancin' " (CPI Records, 198--?) (LP)
Not a lot of info about this (undated) mid/late '80s outing... A pretty slick-sounding, synthy set, aiming in the same direction as Top Forty stars like Gary Morris or Alabama. It's a little clunky, too, with iffy vocals and tinkly arrangements, though clearly he was into it. Tony Ballew was a stalwart of the local scene around Asheville, North Carolina, playing gigs at least as late as 2019, though he shifted gears away from slick-sounding modern country, transforming into more of a rock-pop oriented, for hire "party band." I'm not sure it's the same guy, but I think he may have passed away in 2021.

Bamboo "Bamboo" (Elektra, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Allan Emig)
An odd and intriguing footnote to the career of acoustic blues revivalist Dave "Snaker" Ray, who took a break from his gigs with Koerner, Ray & Glover to plug in and go electric, teaming up with a fella named with Will Donicht for a rock/folk/country outing that weaves through a variety of styles, including starry-eyed folk-rock and psychedelic blues, along with a smidge of country-rock twang. The Elektra house production sound(s) suffuse these tracks, bringing the work of cosmic balladeer Tom Rush to mind, as well as the Doors' zonked-out, indulgent rock... Twangfans will want to check out the tunes spotlighting pedal steel player Red Rhodes -- notably "The Virgin Albatross" and the spacier "Odyssey Of Thaddeus Baxter," which is one of the most musically rich, satisfying tracks on the album. This is definitely a super-duper, hippie-spacey set, with plenty of questionable moments, but some nice experimental stuff on it as well. Definitely worth a spin, though if you're looking specifically for country stuff, there's only a little bit on here.

Banana & The Bunch "Mid-Mountain Ranch" (Raccoon Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Stuart Kutchins)
A truly groovy solo album by keyboardist Lowell "Banana" Levinger, an original member of The Youngbloods... Here, he indulges a passion for old-time mountain music, ala The Carter Family, including a gorgeous version of "Ocean Of Diamonds." Levinger also cut an album under the name Noggins, but I haven't heard that one yet...

The Band -- see artist profile

The Band Of Outlaws "Loose Country" (Musicland Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Rogers)
An uber-indie set from some good ole fellas from West Michigan... The main band includes drummer Ron Chambers, Mike Cherwinski (bass), Norm McFarrin (vocals) and Mike Woodring on lead guitar, along with a slew of their local folks chipping in, most notably Frank Rogers, Jr. on steel guitar. (Although Frank Rogers wasn't officially billed as a member of the band, various members of his family were involved with the Band Of Outlaws including Dennis Rogers, who later became their lead guitarist; this album was recorded at the Rogers Musicland Studio, in Muskegon Michigan.) Here, circa 1975-76(?) they pledged allegiance to the outlaw scene surrounding Willie and Waylon and the boys, covering classics like "Ladies Love Outlaws," "Looking For Blue Eyes," and "T For Texas" (presumably picked up via Tompall Glaser) as well as country faves such as "Mental Revenge," Tony Booth's "The Key's In The Mailbox," Commander Cody's "Lost In The Ozone," and even "Ghost Riders In The Sky," because... why not? Not a ton of info about these guys, though they seem to have done shows around the Grand Rapids area at least up through the end of the ' Seventies; bass player Mike Cherwinski was later in a group called the Rick Chase & Friends Band, and there are doubtless plenty of other threads worth pulling...

The Band On The Barroom Floor "Recorded Live At The Gilded Garter" (Award Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Saalwaechter)
A very low-rent live album by a country/rock bar-band with strong bluegrass roots. This set was recorded at the Gilded Garter nightclub in Central City, Colorado, a faux-Gay '90s tourist trap that attained mild infamy for hosting a then-unknown Bob Dylan in the early 1960s. I dunno much about these guys -- their main instrumental ooompf seems to have come from fiddler Harvey Gossman and banjo picker Paul Bretz, adequate pickers who are showcased on the album's bluegrass-y first side, which opens with a torturously long run-through of "Orange Blossom Special." The second half of the record gets into a more rock'n'roll/outlaw country vibe, with clunky but sometimes charming covers of Waylon Jennings' "Are You Ready For The Country," Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," and yet another country-lounge cover of "Aime" (misspelled as "Amy" on the label...) None of these performances are really all that great, but the record oozes authenticity, particularly when you hear the singer try and cajole audience members onto the dance floor, or when you hear the applause echo out into what sounds like a rather cavernous space.

Bill Banden "Banjo Unique" (Duncan Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Duncan & Rick Duncan)
Not every banjo player comes at the instrument from a country angle: there's a long history of banjo renditions of popular tunes, stretching back to vaudeville, music halls and, of course, the 19th Century minstrel shows. For his part, Bill Banden -- a whiz on the four-string tenor banjo who hails from Schenectady, New York -- tackles classical melodies from Schumann, as well as pop tunes such as "La Paloma," "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," and "The Third Man Theme." He also touches on a few rural ditties, such as "Arkansas Traveler" and "Kain-Tuck" before veering back to "The Sound Of Music" and "Pop Goes The Weasel." So, I suppose the real issue with this record is just how much you like the instrument itself, as opposed to any particular style. Apparently Mr. Banden performed on radio and TV for over three decades before cutting this album; he backed by album producer Rick Duncan on bass and guitar, as well as Dick Duncan, who plays second banjo on one tune, "Back Home Again In Indiana."

Bandera "Knights" (MCA Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Leon Tsilis & Pat Higdon)
A little-known Southern rock band formed by California-born jack-of-all-trades Lawrence Shoberg (aka Lore Orion) (1949-2013) who started the band while struggling in late-'70s Nashville. These guys tried to go national but fell short, despite signing with MCA and recording their lone album, which is pretty much just a rock record. There isn't much country in their sound, which is mainly build around shrill vocals, a sludgy rhythm section and Allman-esque twin guitars that rarely show a glimmer of originality or a distinctive tone. Fans of .38 Special or Rossington/Collins, et. al., might enjoy this rather workmanlike album, but nothing here really moved me. One of the band's principal songwriters, Lore Orion, was also a visual artist who apparently designed album covers for the New Riders Of The Purple Sage (as well as the one for this album) and also wrote children's books before concentrating on music. He had modest success pitching songs in Nashville, initially with a Top Ten hit for Bill Anderson in 1976 ("That's What Made Me Love You") and again after Bandera broke up, when Chris Ledoux and Tim McGraw covered a few tunes (though nothing that wound up as a single...) One of these songs, "Illegal," is on this album in its original form as a sort of clunky redneck reggae. All in all, a pretty negligible disc, but the iceberg-tip of a remarkable career. Footnote: although Orion wasn't actually from Bandera, TX, he did wind up moving there, following the "outlaw" trail to Austin and putting down roots nearby. Orion passed away in 2013; he also released a solo album under his own name.

Los Bandidos "Live At The Velvet Coach" (Little Crow Records, 1972) (LP)
A family band from Edwardsburg, Michigan who mixed a fair amount of country material in with Top Forty pop hits and easy listening oldies. The group was led by father Beto Guzman along with his three sons, David, LaDair and their drummer, nine-year old Chayo Guzman, who also played marimba. According to the liner notes Beto Guzman first formed Los Bandidos as a trio during the Kennedy administration; later it expanded to become the "Bandido Family," as seen below. Country stuff on this album included tunes like "Ghost Riders In The Sky," Hoyt Axton's "Never Been To Spain," Jack Greene's "There Goes My Everything" and "Snowbird." But country fans should temper their expectations: these tracks are balanced with covers of stuff like "Come A Little Bit Closer," "Brand New Key," "Yakety Sax" and "Spanish Flea." Honestly? They were definitely talented, particularly the guitarists, although their arrangements were pretty over the top.

Los Bandidos "On The Road" (Bandi Productions, 1974-?) (LP)
This one's mostly pop music, with not much country stuff other than a cover of "Rocky Top," and a few vaguely rootsy tunes such as "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." Kitschy, maybe, but not much twang. And, unfortunately, it does not include their topical, energy crisis-era single, 1973's "Eat Beans America Needs The Gas," or its B-side, "Belly Button Bounce." Oh, well.

The Bandido Family "Playing 'Em Our Way" (Ozark Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Buddy Lane)
The Guzmans seem to have moved to Willmar, Minnesota by the time this album came out, though they trucked all the way down to Missouri to record at the Ozark Records studio in Mountain Grove. Once again they mix country tunes in with pop hits; the country covers include "Funny How Time Slips Away" and a reprise of "Ghost Riders In The Sky." The most noteworthy track, though, is an original by eldest son LaDair Guzman called "Fuzzy Guzzies Funky Fuzzy Wawa," a novelty number that presaged his later work as a jingle writer.

The Bandoleros "Johnny Bush Presents The Bandoleros" (Bandolero Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Bush)
A "solo" album by the backing band for Texas honkytonker, Johnny Bush. The set list includes a bunch of well-known dance numbers: "Cotton Eyed Joe," "The Westphalia Waltz," etc., along with yet another version of "Orange Blossom Special"(!) Among others, this edition of the band features Rick Price on pedal steel and Ron Knuth and Hank Singer playing the fiddles.

Denzil Bandy "...And The Country Rock" (Johnny Dollar Productions, 1975-?) (LP)
A middle-aged factory worker from the rust-belt manufacturing town of Mansfield, Ohio, Denzil Bandy (1930-2003) was also a founding member of the Ohio Country Western Music Association and led his band, The Country Rock, for several years. This album opens with Bandy singing his own tune, "Factory Worker," in which he philosophically describes life at the General Motors stamping plant known as the Mansfield-Ontario Metal Center, where he worked for over thirty years. He sings lead on three of the album's songs, and hands over vocal chores on a few tracks to his guitarist Brad Bogner, and to family members Jerry Bandy and Ernie Bandy on a few tunes. Nothing fancy here, just a nice, earnest set with traces of the country-pop sound of the '70s, a few cover songs and some nice originals -- modest musicianship and a solid, down-to-earth presentation overall.

Moe Bandy -- see artist profile

Banjo & Sullivan "The Ultimate Collection: 1972-1978" (Universal/Hip-O, 2005)
This "best-of" collection is a clever forgery, one of the most entertaining biographical hoaxes since the exhaustive profile of psychedelic barbershop bandleader Norm Wooster... It's also one of the best vulgar hillbilly porn-parody sets since Chinga Chavin and/or Billy C. Wirtz laid down some wax... In this case, the gimmick is that Adam Banjo and Roy Sullivan were (supposedly) a marginal country act from the mid-'70s that met with a grisly, unfortunate end when a killer cult did them in (a tie-in with some Rob Zombie slasher flick, which is where the mythical B&S really comes from...) Alt-country stalwart Jesse Dayton provides the musical talent, writing, producing and performing the bulk of the album... and it's a pretty good set, with song titles that mimic the overly-complicated, pun-laden novelty formulae of 'Seventies country ("I'm At Home Getting Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed)," "I Don't Give A Truck," "I'm Trying To Quit, But I Quit Trying," etc.) The actual music doesn't sound that '70s-ish, but some songs are pretty fun... The Universal mega-label gets credit for going along with the gag and releasing this disc with a straight face as one of their "Ultimate" titles... (If they'd also released it with the same ultra-generic artwork as, say, their "Millennium" series, that would have truly hilarious...) Anyway, if you like mildly raunchy alt-country novelty material, this is a good record to check out. Heck, I may even rent the movie someday...!

Banjo Express "Country Music - Old-Time - Bluegrass" (Disques Pierre Verany, 1980)
Ooh, lala! Despite the flashy stars & stripes cover art, this disque comes to us from our friends in France, and is a pretty straight-up set of bluegrass and old-timey instrumentals. The banjo(ist) in question is Yannick Huet, joined by Christian Bon and Philippe Bon on guitar(s), mandolin picker Luis-Jose Landa, and bassist Pascal Maucourant. Not sure what the trajectory of this band's career was, though they do seem to have put out a record or two other than this one. Some stylistic variety here -- they could pick pretty energetically and really fast, but also switched the tempo up and had a few creative arrangements, as on their stop-and-start version of Bill Monroe's "Cheyenne" and elsewhere. Definitely worth a spin.

The Banjokers "The Banjokers" (Kelly's Ranch Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Vic Clay)
An all-gal acoustic quartet from Cleveland, Ohio, although if truth be told, only one of them played banjo. The quartet included Lee Alflen (guitar and vocals), Helen Baker (banjo and guitar), Avnie Bedrosian (violin), and Marie Lenz on bass. They had a long-running gig at a Cleveland nightspot called Kelly's Ranch, playing novelty numbers from a variety of sources. This one's almost all country material, including versions of "Country Roads," "Dueling Banjos," "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and "For The Good Times."

The Banjokers "The Banjokers" (Kelly's Ranch Records, 19--?) (LP)
Same title, different album. There's not much country material on this one, outside of covers of "Orange Blossom Special" "Release Me," and "There's A Love Knot In My Lariat." Otherwise, it's all "Swanee" and "Have Nagila." Dunno how long this group was together, though as far as I know these two LPs and some singles were their sum of their recorded legacy. (This album may have come out before the other: anyone know for sure?)

Banks & Shane "Who Is It?" (Oblivion Records, 19--?) (LP)
An odd mix of bluegrass and jugband/Dixieland novelty songs, mixing spunky picking with goofy comedy routines, and an eclectic repertoire that ranges from Kenny O'Dell and Bob Dylan to bluegrass oldies such as Don Reno's "Dixie Breakdown," and the anti-billiards tongue-twister "Trouble In River City," from the film "The Music Man." These clean-cut longhairs became fixtures on the Atlanta, Georgia scene, playing at all kinds of venues (several tracks on this album were recorded live at a venue called Joe's Bar & Grill, in Atlanta...) and eventually starting up a restaurant of their own, and recording about a dozen albums over the years. The original group featured Paul Shane on vocals and guitar, Burgess Banks on banjo, Rick Waters on mandolin, along with a bunch of others... The humor's pretty strained, but they sound like they were having a lot of fun.

Banks & Shane "Volume Two: Still In Concert" (Oblivion Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Neil)

Banks & Shane "Live At Symphony Hall" (Oblivion Records, 19--?) (LP)

Bill Banks & Virginia Breeze "Happy... Sad... Good... &... Bad Collection" (ACM, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Nadine Rupert, Chuck Volpe & Jim Easter)
An odd project, spread out over several states... Bill Banks, pictured on the cover in bubba-esque glory with a sleeveless shirt and aviator glasses, sings lead and plays autoharp(!) for this Virginia-based band, which also included James Podgurski on lead guitar, pedal steel by Lyndon Strauff, Chris Strauff on drums, and Buzz Kenley on bass. They had a gig at the time playing at the Mountain House Restaurant in Meadows Of Dan, Virginia, a microscopic pit-stop on the border near Mt. Airy, North Carolina, where this was recorded. Banks is credited with the music, though the lyrics are by his cousin, Nadine Rupert, who lived in Kingsville, Maryland, and who may have bankrolled the album. Not a lot of info about these folks, though, alas.

R. C. Bannon "Have Some R.C." (Aura Cee Records, 1976-?) (LP)
A lesser light in the glossy early '80s Nashville scene, R. C. Bannon had a few minor hits and recorded a handful of major-label albums, but is perhaps best remembered as the guy who married Barbara Mandrell's sister, Louise, and recorded a few duets with her. When this indie album was released in the mid-1970s, Bannon still a struggling local, doing bar band gigs in the Pacific Northwest, mostly around Seattle. It was recorded at the legendary Ripcord Records studio, but released on Bannon's own one-off Aura Cee label. All of the songs but two were Bannon originals, with covers of "Proud Mary" and "Delta Dawn" being the exceptions. Two tracks were recorded in Bakersfield, at the Buck Owens Studios, with Owens protege Mayf Nutter producing the session, and there's a real see-what-sticks vibe to the whole show. Bannon gets a little twangy, a little countrypolitan-pop, tosses out some novelty numbers and even a little bit on raunch, as on "Lucy Jones," one of those an-older-woman-taught-me-about-the-ways-of-love fantasy songs, in which our hero does some chores for the local widow but doesn't get paid in cash... (Is it just me, or is it a little warm in here?) Other standouts include "Yellow Haired Woman" and "Out Of Tune Love," which both don't totally hold together musically, but still grab your attention. You can see why this ambitious album worked as a demo disc to get him noticed in Nashville.

Richard Banquer & Friends "The Original Papa Joe's Presents..." (Original Papa Joe's, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Tookie Banquer & B. J. Johnson)
I haven't totally got a bead on when this came out -- it looks late 1970s, possibly early '80s -- but it's definitely a product of New Orleans. This appears to be a souvenir of a twangband that had a gig at the Original Papa Joe's, a now-defunct restaurant-bar in the French Quarter. Lead singer Richard P. Banquer (1950-2017) had some deep local roots: his mother, Cleo Banquer, is said to have managed the career of regional star Clarence Frogman Henry, and numerous local musicians pitched in to raise money for medical bills when Mr. Banquer fell ill in the 2010s. A lot of country oldies on here, as well as two originals penned by Banquer, "Good Bye New Orleans" and "Sometimes." His band included Sam Alfano on bass, S. A. Allen (guitar), Rhonda Bolin (vocals), Rob Haines (steel guitar), Dick Hughes (guitar, bass, accordion), Don Kendrick (drums), and Randy Rea playing mandolin and dobro. This may have been at least partly a pickup band; in the liner notes Banquer thanks a couple of local groups, the Salt Creek Boys and the Lucky Star Band, for their help. Not a lot of other info though -- in 2012 Banquer was a member of a NOLA group called the Southern Groove Band. Lord knows what he did in between!

Bar D Wranglers - see artist discography

The Bar J Chuckwagon "Volume One" (Bar J Chuckwagon, 1978) (LP)
A pretty enjoyable set from a chuckwagon show from the Bar J Ranch located in Wilson, Wyoming, near Jackson Hole, just south of Yellowstone... Veteran cowboy singer Babe Humphrey founded this group in 1977, and as far as I know this was their first album. They sound very youthful, trending a little towards the callow side of the spectrum, and possibly a little unsure of themselves int he studio. But they also sound personable and appealing as they work their way through a set of western standards such as "Cool Water," "Dust On My Saddle," "Pecos Bill" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." Highlights include comedic numbers like "He's A Killer" and especially "Here I Come," a drawn out character profile of a lazy ne'er-do-well with zero work ethic, which has some pretty clever lyrics. Not the strongest album in the dude ranch subgenre, but it's still pretty fun. (By the way, the real name of the group on this first album seems to have been "The Bar J Chuckwagon Supper And Original Western Show," though they wisely streamlined in into the The Bar J Wranglers on subsequent releases...)

The Bar J Wranglers "The Bar J Chuckwagon Supper And Original Western Show: Volume Two" (Bar J Chuckwagon, 1980) (LP)
On their second album they share a little inside info, that the "Bar J" show was hosted on the Earl Hardeman Ranch, a cattle spread founded in 1911...

The Bar J Wranglers "The Bar J Chuckwagon Supper And Original Western Show: Volume Three" (Bar J Chuckwagon, 1982) (LP)
It does seem like they could have come up with shorter album titles for this series, but hey, it's the music that matters... Like many dude ranch bands, the Bar J crew seems to have recorded roughly one souvenir album per year... for many, many years, at least well into the 1990s. I'll keep adding to the list as they come across my path.

The Bar-X Chorus "...Sings An Evening Of Western Hits" (Valiant Records, 19--?) (LP)
An anonymous budget-label band playing western-themed oldies and medleys, cowboy music chestnuts such as "Home On The Range," "Ghost Riders In The Sky," etc. The Valiant label gives a business address in Brooklyn, though this was also released in Canada on the Dyna Disc, with all but one track the same. (The Canadian edition includes "Blue Tail Fly" in preference to a cover of "Cool Water." Interestingly, the Dyna Disc version credits two band names, the other being The Wranglers, who may be the same studio group that released a couple of early 'Sixties albums on the Viking label (each of which seem to include tracks lifted from this album...) No idea who played on these tracks, or where they were from: it's a real fly-by-night, East Coast-y kinda thing.

Ava Barber "Country As Grits" (Ranwood Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Dean Kay, Mac Curtis & Bill Rice)
In the early 1970s, Tennessee-born Ava Barber became a cast member of the Lawrence Welk TV show, adding a little country twang to Welk's more sedate pop offerings... This gave her a built-in audience when she began to record for Welk's Ranwood label, and she enjoyed modest chart success from 1977-81. (Although the reverse may also have been true: being part of Welk's easy listening scene may have held her back when it came to courting favor with the insular Nashville music business...) In keeping with the Welk tradition of wholesome, cornfed, all-American entertainment, this album includes sentimental oldies such as "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again," "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain," and "Remember Me (When Candlelights Are Gleaming)," along with some material of more recent vintage. The record was produced both in Hollywood and in Nashville, with Bill Rice producing the Nashville sessions; her next record was produced solely in California.

Ava Barber "You're Gonna Love Love" (Ranwood Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Dean Kay & Mac Curtis)
Her second album on Ranwood yielded Barber's biggest hit, a version of Gail Davies' "Bucket To The South," which peaked at #13 on the Billboard charts. Major commercial success eluded Barber, however, and following the cancellation of The Lawrence Welk Show, Barber embarked on a solo career, touring throughout the '80s, and gradually drifting towards the "mini-Oprys" that dotted the country music landscape. In the early 1990s, Barber co-owned a venue in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and eventually moved to Branson, Missouri to work in variety shows associated with the residual Lawrence Welk empire. She also apparently recorded a handful of indie albums, which I'll try to track down...

Ava Barber "All Time Gospel Favorites" (LP)

Glenn Barber "A New Star" (Hickory Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Don Gant)
A former rockabilly star from Oklahoma, singer Glenn Barber (1935-2008) "went country" in the early 'Sixties, scoring a few modest hits and eventually released a trio of LPs in the early 'Seventies. This disc includes one of his handful of Top 30 singles, ""Kissed By The Rain, Warmed By The Sun," which peaked at #24 on the country charts. The album is packed with original material by Glenn Barber, as well as couple by Gene Thomas, who wrote the liner notes. Barber never quite broke through, although he did continue to release singles through the rest of the decade, though always remained on the cusp of national fame.

Glenn Barber "The Best Of Glenn Barber" (Hickory Records, 1972) (LP)

Glenn Barber "Glenn Barber" (MGM/Hickory Records, 1974) (LP)

Glenn Barber "Bluegrass Western Swing Style" (Dominion Records, 1975) (LP)
Bluegrass + western swing? I'm in! Fiddler Burke Barbour and banjo plunker Troy Brammer were championship musicians from Virginia, backed here by Curley Garner and Garland Henegan on guitar and Robert Garner on bass. Apparently this was their fifth album album together, though I don't have any info on their other releases; Troy Brammer also released some solo work, and was in the gospel group of Jake & Fennie.

Glenn Barber "Saturday's Heros Are Gone" (Tudor Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Nelson Larkin)

Rue Barclay & Johnny Davis "The Wanderer" (Rural Rhythm Records, 1968-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jim O'Neal)

Rue Barclay "The Nashville Scene: Working Man Blues And Other Country and Western Favorites" (Crown Records, 1969) (LP)
This is kind of a weird and wonderful record, one of the unique byproducts of the fly-by-night ethos of cheapo labels such as Crown Records which issued innumerable knockoff albums alongside odd offerings by little-known artists like Rue Barclay. Unlike many such albums, this one doesn't highlight sketchy of covers of hits of the day: other than a cover of Merle Haggard's "Working Man Blues," the material seems to be mostly original, with kooky permutations of familiar country themes (boozing, losing, etc.) What makes this record really great, though, is its innate not-greatness: Barclay was best known as a bluegrass music producer, and was a dubious vocalist at best, his singing full of all kinds of tics and foibles. Consequently, the band behind him just kind of goes nuts, jamming and improving noodly rock'n'roll riffs like they scored this weird gig but they just didn't care how it turned out. Like many of these old LPs, the band was made up of unidentified, anonymous studio pickers and doubtless included some top country-rock talent - there's a definite hippie-rock undercurrent to a lot of their electrified twanging around. In short, this disc has a nice, so-bad-it's-good flavor to it, and it's definitely worth a spin, both for laughs and for genuine country twang. As seen below, Rue Barclay continued to perform and recorded at least one more album, although by that time he'd shifted to a less secular style.

Rue Barclay "Country And Folk Gospel Songs" (Christian Faith Records, 19--?) (LP)

The Bardeauxs "The Impossible Dream: Country Rock" (19--?) (LP)

Bobby Bare -- see artist profile

Barefoot Jerry -- see artist profile

Audrey Barger "Singing Songs Of My Childhood" (Sylvers Studios, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Common)
A bluegrass gal from Oxford, Ohio, Audrey Barger sings some great old tunes from The Bailes Brothers, Bill Carlisle, The Carter Family, Dolly Parton and others. Red Allen wrote the liner notes and says Ms. Barger is backed by "some of the finest Blue Grass musicians in Southwestern Ohio," though alas, they are not identified by name. Barger was apparently a full-time musician, and this was her first album; I'm not sure if she recorded anything else.

Tom Bark "Cosmopolitan Redskin" (Leprechaun Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Mike O'Neill & John Moseley)
Kansas City singer Tom Bark was a for-real Native American, so the album title isn't as weird as you might think... Over the years he moved through a series of local rock bands, although this solo album has a definite country flavor. Sure, there's scary stuff like conga drums and cowbells, but pedal steel player Roger Workman added some legit twang: he also played on the first album by the Jolly Brothers band, which is a KC alt-country classic. Most of the songs here were Tom Bark originals, including the title track, as well as "Mayes County Jail," and "Crooked Politician Blues" -- "Oklahoma Rodeo Queen" was penned by local folkie Dana Cooper a few years earlier.

Larry Barkemeyer "Looking Back" (LDB Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Barkemeyer & Michael Ailing)
According to his liner notes, Larry Barkemeyer got out of the US Army in 1971, and drifted around for a while, getting into music as a way to find solace... He says he started playing with some guys in Alabama, although he eventually headed home to Oregon, where he cut this album. It's country, for sure, although years later he cut a track called "Borderline," reflecting on his wartime experiences, a song that was anthologized in the massive Bear Family box set, Next Stop Is Vietnam. Here, it's all twang and drinkin' songs, tunes like "I Like To Drink Whiskey," "Wild Young Cowboys" and "Whiskey Lied," with backing from locals like Sue Blanton on fiddle, Stash Cook (harmonica), Greg Cornett (drums), Greg Estes (banjo and pedal steel), Willie Phillips (bass), Mick Silver (guitar), and John Sharkey on piano. One song, "Creswell To Nashville," pays homage to his Oregon roots, name-checking the tiny town of Creswell, which was just up the road from his home town of Cottage Grove, on the way up to Eugene, via I-5. Must be a nice place, because Barkemeyer returned there and continues making music locally, with his band the Huckleberrys...

The Barleen Family "Estes Park, Colorado" (The Barleen Family, 1980-?) (LP)
This family band started out singing in their Kansas hometown, but pursued music professionally after the family moved to Missouri and they became part of the Ozark Mountain country scene. Led by their father Lloyd Barleen and anchored by a trio of siblings -- Barbara, Brenda and Jeff -- the group moved from the proto-Branson world to their own venue in Colorado around 1979. This album commemorated their second season in Estes Park, with the Barleen Trio joined by Lloyd Barleen playing lead guitar, and Bob Barleen on bass, and Billy Bower chiming in on guitar. The repertoire is almost all covers, though one song, "Even Though," was an original written Brenda and Jeff Barleen, and various band members take solo numbers, including some guitar instrumentals. The album is dedicated to William Barleen (Lloyd's brother?) who passed away in 1979.

The Barleen Trio "Country Favorites With Curt Burrell" (Eye In The Sky Sound, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Randy Miotke)
The Barleen family's main trio of Barbara, Brenda and Jeff are bolstered here by the addition of singer-fiddler Curt Burrell, who married Barbara and emerged as a solo vocalist. By the time this album was recorded, they had been running their own venue in Estes Park, Colorado for over five years. Also on these sessions were steel player Donny Cook and lead guitar Gary Cook, who were in the live show as well. The Barleens recorded numerous other albums, though most came out as cassette-only releases.

Lorita Barlow "Cute And Country" (Justice Recording Company, 1966) (LP)
Teen singer Lorita Barlow was an ambitious gal from Lenoir, North Carolina who was only fifteen years old when she cut this album for a label in Winston-Salem, about forty miles away from where she grew up. It's packed with uptempo material, mostly hits of the day such as "Act Naturally," "Under Your Spell Again," and "These Boots Are Made For Walking," as well as the weeper "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," which was a breakthrough hit for Dolly Parton in 1966. There are also some older tunes, catchy classics such as "Crazy Arms," "Love Letters In The Sand" and Don Gibson's "Oh, Lonesome Me." After high school Lorita Barlow really went for it, initially doing some shows around Charlotte before hitting the road to try and break into the music business. Her biggest adventure may have been a stint with Tampa, Florida TV host Jim Foster, where she was on the cast of his Nite Hawks program circa 1971 while recording several tracks that were released on a compilation album as well a single or two. She also had gigs in Toledo and Detroit, where she was the subject of a pretty extensive profile in the Free Press in the summer of '72. Her last record seems to have been a single called "I Want You," produced by Jim Foster's pal Finlay Duncan, and released on Capitol Records in 1975. I'm not sure how long she kept at her music career, though she eventually moved back to Lenoir, married, and became a local business owner. As far as I know this was her only LP... Alas, no info on the musicians backing her, though they probably were the house band at the Justice studio.

Bryan Barnes & Phyllis Barnes "Just Us 2" (Lost Creek Records, 1976--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Wilcox, Clarke Wilcox, Bryan Barnes & Phyllis Barnes)
This one's pretty iffy. A lounge-a-delic hodge-podge of AOR, folkie soft-pop and country material, recorded in the Irving, Texas by the husband-wife team of Bryan and Phyllis Barnes. Includes songs written or recorded by artists as diverse as the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, Neil Diamond, Tom Jans, Jose Feliciano and Kenny Loggins, as well as two songs written by Mr. Barnes, "Road To Nowhere" and "Now You've Gone." On the country side of things there's a cover of the Ray Price oldie, "Crazy Arms," though really that's about it. The regionally famous Top 40 country band, The Shoppe, back the Barnes duo up on one track. Not 100% sure when this came out, though the most recent song on here that I could pin down is "Jive Talkin'," which came out in 1975... so maybe '76?

Bryan Barnes & Phyllis Barnes "Just Us 2: Live" (Lost Creek Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Bryan Barnes & Phyllis Barnes)
I think this was their second album, a live set cut at a couple of different venues, the La Pirogue Lounge in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the Steak & Ale restaurant in Houston, Texas... By the time they cut this disc, the Barnes duo seem to have settled on a more explicitly country sound, but also veering into cornball comedy, as heard on their "Johnny Trash" medley and a cover of Ray Stevens' "Ahab The Arab." They also tip their hats towards Waylon & Willie, Neil Diamond and Linda Ronstadt," covering her 1977 version of Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou." Not sure what happened to the duo after this, or if they recorded anything else...

Don Barnes & The Countrymen "And For Our Next Request..." (Strings Records, 1974) (LP)
Another one of those singing lawmen that we know and love... Don C. Barnes was the Sheriff of Frederick County, Maryland for nearly a decade, from 1974-1982. During the same period, he also led a twang band called The Countrymen, playing legion halls and county fair gigs, also cutting several albums, at least two of which featured his wife, Debbie Williams.

Don Barnes & The Countrymen "Country Cookin' " (J.R.B. Sound Studios, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by John Barr)

Don Barnes & Debbie Williams "Nashville 709" (Strings Records, 1982-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Solomon)
Don Barnes was the sheriff of Frederick, Maryland, and also apparently a decent country musician, moonlighting as the leader of the house band of the local Silver Dollar Lounge, with singer Debbie Williams fronting his band The Countrymen. One of my honky-tonk heroes, Melba Montgomery, championed this Maryland-based duo, and got her husband Jack Solomon to produce their album. The record was sponsored by radio station WWEB.

Kathy Barnes -- see artist profile

Tom Barnes "Don't Leave Me In The Springtime" (Barnes Stormer Productions, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Casolari)
An all-original set from Illinois, with a dozen tunes by songwriter Tom Barnes, with steel guitar from Bob Menard, lead guitar by Jack Poole Jr., and fiddle by George Portz... A lot of original material, though the best song title is "I Always Write What's Always Wrong."

Will Barnes "Texas Music In My Blood" (1975) (LP)
Originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, Will Barnes settled in Dallas and took up a years-long gig fronting the house band at a place called the Texas Tea House, which is where he was working when he cut these two albums (and a few singles to boot!) This first album is packed with original material, with all but two tracks penned by Barnes himself, and a tasty cover of the Mel Tillis oldie, "Tupelo County Jail" as one of the exceptions. Also included are regionally themed numbers like "I Always Die In Dallas" and the title track, "Texas Music In My Blood" and a whole raft of oddball, idiosyncratic tunes which -- as Barnes notes in the liners -- take some inspiration from the Lone Star gonzo troubadour Jerry Jeff Walker. A bunch of folk are pickin' and singing on this album, though only three other guys got their pictures taken: bass player Lee Harris, drummer Kent Horn and pedal steel player Mitchell Smithy, who I assume formed the core of his live band

Will Barnes "No Place But Texas" (Armadillo Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Phil York)
The party continues with another set of mostly-originals shaggy twang, with the album divided into one side called West Texas, the other East Texas. Highlights include "Grandpa Was A Farmer," "My Old Truck" and "She Ran Off With Buck" (which also came out as a single) and a ten-minute(!) cover of Guy Clark's classic, "Desperados Waiting For A Train," as well as an anti-cover song, "Don't Make Me Sing Redneck Mother," poking fun at Rusty Weir's outlaw classic, which was indeed one of the most heavily covered songs of the era. The band includes Will Barnes on vocals and guitar, Dave Ferguson playing fiddle, Sandy Gerondale (piano), Mike Hanna (piano), Michael Jeffery (lead guitar), Cass Moore (piano), Mitchell Smithy on pedal steel, more pedal steel by Larry White, and Gina Williams playing mandolin on one track... The overlapping musicians seems to indicate that this album was produced in a number of sessions over a long period of time and/or some turnover in his band... At any rate, it's more of that genuine Texas outlaw twang you've heard so much about... Not sure what happened to Barnes after the 'Seventies, though I believe he was still playing at the Tea House for several years in the early '80s.

Will Barnes "Texas In My Blood" (Bear Family Records, 1999)
This twenty-song compilation mainly draws on both of the LPs above while adding a few "new" novelty numbers that were on his singles: "Clap For Me (But Don't Give Me The Claps)," "Naked With The Girl Next Door," and "Marijuana Polka," while omitting about a half dozen songs from the old albums. Which I guess means all three items are priceless unique collectors items!

Alvis Barnett -- see artist profile

Bobby Barnett "...At The World Famous Crystal Palace" (Sims Records, 1964) (LP)
Great record, by Oklahoma-born Robert Glen Barnett (1933-2017) who was one of those guys who kicked around from label to label, recording random singles for several years before he finally got a chart hit with "She Looks Good To The Crowd," which is included here. This album builds on the momentum from that single, and also commemorates his longterm gig at a place called the Crystal Palace, in Tombstone, Arizona. This is basically a fine melody-friendly set of early 'Sixties honkytonk, made very much in the style of George Jones, with a tip of the hat towards Buck Owens and the West Coast scene. Solid singing and swell picking, though not a bunch of flashy showmanship from the musicians. Good songs, too, with a highlight being the novelty number "I Fall In Love With Every Pretty Girl I See," which includes topical references to short skirts and other scandalous fashions. Really the only problem with this record is the liner notes, which go on and on about the history of Tombstone and reads like a tourist brochure... I would have much more preferred to find out who was backing Bobby Barnett, heck, even find out the name of the record's producers and engineers. The liner notes make it sound like this was recorded live at the Crystal Palace, but I doubt it: sounds like studio recordings to me. At any rate, it's a very enjoyable record, definitely worth tracking down.

Bobby Barnett "Lyin', Lovin' And Leavin' " (Columbia Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by George Richey)
Hey, don't worry: I never heard of him, either. Oklahoma's Bobby Barnett had a few chart entries in the early part of the decade, though "Love Me, Love Me" off of this album was his last big hit, and it was all downhill from here. At any rate, he was a likeable if unremarkable singer, with an odd, uneven voice reminiscent of Bill Anderson or Hank Locklin... It was the preponderance of drinking songs on this disc that caught my attention, including a good version of "What Made Milwaukee Famous," and a few even more interesting novelty tunes, like "End Of The Lyin' " and "(I'm The) Finished Product Of The Brewer's Art." Nothing earthshaking, but I thought it was a keeper.

Bobby Barnett "Heroes, History And Heritage Of Oklahoma, Vol. 1" (Heritage Records, 1975) (LP)

Bobby Barnett "Heroes, History And Heritage, Vol. 2" (19--?) (LP)

Bobby Barnett "American Heroes & Western Legends" (Bear Family Records, 1997)
An intriguing curiosity -- a slew of "history" songs about western icons such as Pretty Boy Floyd, Wyatt Earp (and all the principal characters in the OK Corral saga) as well as many native American leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sequoyah and Geronimo. Why the record is such a curio is because it seems to have been made fairly late in the came, sometime during the 1970s, about a decade after the heyday of this kind of historical songs. It's pretty good, though, if you go for that sort of thing. The real gem here, though, is a local pride anthem, the robust and gleefully goofy "Oklahoma's OK," which I'm sure folks must still be singing to this very day, down around Tulsa and thereabouts.

Don Barnett & The Nu-Jays "Don Barnett & The Nu-Jays" (Brave Records, 19--?) (LP)
Bandleader Don Barnett was a regional performer from Illinois with a reputation as a hotshot guitarist... After recording several singles, he self-released a series of LPs with his group the Nu-Jays. These included a mix of country and surfy/garage-y rock, and a number of showcase instrumentals... I'm not sure, but I think this was his first album.

Don Barnett & The Nu-Jays "Just Another Good Time... At The Lake N' Park Inn" (Medallion Records, 19--?) (LP)
Home base for the Nu-Jays was a place called the Lake N' Park Inn, in Palos Hills, Illinois, where they apparently played for several years. I'm not sure when this album came out (no dates on any of his records) but from the fashions and choices of cover songs, I'd guess it was somewhere in the early-to-mid '70s.

Don Barnett & The Nu-Jays "Live At The Lake N' Park Inn, Volume Two" (Medallion Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Don Barnett)
This disc includes lots of country cover songs, with different band members singing lead, including Barnett, as well as Lois Kaye and a guy named Jim Lauderdale who was apparently NOT the Jim Lauderdale we know, since the liner notes say this guy passed away during the making of this album.

Don Barnett "The Magic Guitar Of Don Barnett" (Medallion Records, 19--?) (LP)

Don Barnett "They Call The Wind Maria" (Ovation Records, 1976) (LP)

Mark Barnett "Opryland USA" (Nashville Album Productions, 1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Porter Wagoner)
Banjo picker Mark Barnett was a cast member at the Opryland USA venue, and musical partners with fiddler Mack Magala, who was a longtime member of Porter Wagoner's band. Magala plays on here, as well as other Nashville regulars such as Stu Basore, and Fred Newell... There are a lot of showcase instrumentals, also an outlaw tune or two, like "Luckenbach, Texas" and some scary stuff, too, like a version of "The Gambler" and Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are." A good portrait of real working musicians plugging away in the heart of Music City. No date on the disc, but my best guess is it's from around 1978.

Mark Barnett "Mark Barnett" (MB Records, 1985-?) (LP)
A straight-ahead set of twangy, turbo-charged bluegrass, with banjo picker Mark Barnett whizzing away at top speed. Like I say, it's basic bluegrass with plenty of hotshot picking and a solid song selection, though nothing that really stands out apart from that. The vocals are nice, though things do seem a bit manic, if you ask me.

Mark Barnett "Treasury Of Golden Hits" (MB Records, 1985-?) (LP)
(Produced by Sonny Deaton)
On this souvenir album, Mark Barnett plays a lot of country stuff, tunes like "El Paso," "Cold, Cold Heart," "For The Good Times" and "You Were Always On My Mind," appropriately augmented by a top-flight Nashville crew, packed with pros like Phil Baugh, Buddy Emmons, Josh Graves, Roy Huskey Jr., Benny Martin, Tony Migliore and the like. This was still a souvenir of his Opryland Hotel days, where Barnett refers to himself as a "single" entertainer... This also includes a version of Mickey Newberry's "American Trilogy" medley, a dreary concatenation whose appeal has always escaped me, but clearly a crowd pleaser, as demonstrated by all its endless cover versions.

Mickey Barnett -- see artist profile

Joe Bob Barnhill "Joe Bob Barnhill" (Condor Records, 1977-?) (LP)
A native son from Turkey, Texas, Joe Bob Barnhill paid his dues in the 'Fifties rockabilly scene, knocking around with Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox and other contemporaries, playing guitar for sessions at the Norman Petty studios in Clovis, New Mexico before making his way to Nashville, where he became a notable songwriter, publisher and independent studio owner. Barnhill's biggest success may have been "Party Dolls And Wine," an early '70s hit for Red Steagall, though he's had several songs recorded by various artists over the years. Barnhill settled into the business end of Nashville, producing a bunch of mom'n'pop custom albums, as well as working with some middle-rung chart artists. He produced a string of albums for Canadian country star Dick Damron during Damron's mid-1970s outlaw years, wrote music with Steve Wariner, produced some late-vintage sessions with Hank Thompson, etc. etc., and even found time to record several singles and a couple of albums of his own, scoring a few mild chart hits along the way. His son, Joe Barnhill, took a swing at Nashville as well, recording a mainstream country album for Capitol Records in 1990, although his only chart success came with two middle-rung hits in the late '80s.

Joe Bob Barnhill "Stompin' The Standards" (RPA, 1977) (LP)
A change of pace here, with renditions of old swing/pop standards such as "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "In The Mood," "Sentimental Journey" and the like...

The Barons "Featuring Smith Center Kansas" (Exceptions Studio Productions, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Randy Wills & Exception Studio Productions)
A vanity album from a foursome in Smith Center Kansas, a tiny town about ten miles away from the geographic center of the continental United States, near the Nebraska border. For my money, this is about as good a "private pressing" country album as you'll ever hear -- it's got exactly what you want in this kind of record -- pure amateurism, a distinctive local flavor, sincerity and enthusiasm, and an original novelty song about hippies getting beaten up by war veterans. That last one would be the album's opener, "The Smith Center Kansas Moratorium Day Rock Festival Car Race And Barn Dance," a timeless tune ripely deserving of compilation or reissue. It in, all the locals (and maybe a few long-haired out-of-towners) get together for a big party and parade, but when one of the freaks starts getting all, "no more war!" a World War One veteran bops him over the head with his cane, and eventually life gets back to normal, albeit without those pesky hippie oddballs. Along the way, songwriter Jim Fetters also manages to take a few digs at lawyers and judges, expressing a bit of that good old Midwestern libertarian spirit. Fetters was the band's guitarist, and the liner notes inform us he "uses his music as his hobby," which was doubtless true of the rest of the guys. All the other songs are cover tunes, ranging from "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" and "City Of New Orleans" to "Good Hearted Woman" and "Please Mister Please," and all delivered with a clunky, see-the-gears-turn simplicity which I find very, very appealing.

Tim Barrett "I've Done Some Thinkin' " (Belmont Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by John Penny & Fred Mueller)
New England troubadour Tim Barrett was born in Maine, moved to Massachusetts, and performed regionally for many years, including gigs at the Lone Star Ranch in Reeds Ferry, New Hampshire. This was his first album, recorded with the help of Boston twangster John Penny, and is packed with originals, with three songs written by Tim Barrett and two by Richard E. Long. There are also some cover tunes, including versions of "Rocky Top" and "Me And Bobby McGee."

Tim Barrett "Dreaming Of You" (1986)

Tim Barrett "It's A Matter Of Time" (1992) (CD)

J. J. Barrie "Did I Forget To Say Thank You?" (Power Exchange Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Shel Talmy)

Lonnie Barron "In Memorial To Lonnie Barron: Country Music Star" (Crown Records, 1963) (LP)
Although sometimes referred to as the "Michigan Elvis," Lonnie Barron (1931-1957) actually grew up in Mississippi and while he definitely had a rock'n'roll flair, he was much more of an unreconstructed country boy, as heard on this budget-line collection. Barron hit the airwaves and the country charts in the mid 1950s, after he was discharged from the Air Force and settled down in Marine City, Michigan. He'd already built up a regional following in the Midwest and was a rising star on the national stage when he was shot to death in his home early in 1957, apparently by a jealous husband whose wife was a fan of the hillbilly star. This disc collects several of Barron's recordings for the Sage & Sand label, whose catalog was absorbed into the Crown Records cheapo empire. It's great stuff, though the sound quality is a little iffy -- some tracks have popped up on various compilations over the year, though this seems to be the most readily available source of Barron's work. It's not clear that all the tracks are by Barron, though: fiddler Casey Clark played on Barron's earliest singles and apparently licensed Barron's masters to Crown in the early 'Sixties, along with some of his own material. Singer Evelyn Harlene cut a few sides with Clark that were released on Sage Records after Barron's death, although I don't think she actually worked with him, and her tracks seem to be added to pad out the LP, as per usual with Crown's ever-sketchy productions.

Len Barrow "Hades Highway" (Yanden Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Harold Rushing, Jim Yancey & Rick Shea)
Not a ton of info about Len Barrow out there, although he seems to have been from Memphis and is often (and perhaps incorrectly) pegged as a rockabilly artist, which helps make his records that much more collectable. The title track on this album is a supernatural-themed trucker tune with a loping beat punctuated by the same guitar thwack that Dave Dudley used on "Six Days On The Road." The song was reissued on the novelty country compilation, Hillbillies In Hell, which also raised Barrow's profile. Like most of the tracks, "Hades Highway" is credited to songwriter Bob Moore, which may well have been Barrow's real name. Although he remained an obscure local artist, Len Barrow continued to cut singles well into the 1970s, including one for the Stop label, and one of his songs, "Knights Of The Road," was released as a single by both Len Barrow and by a guy named Stan Lewis.

The Jeff Barry Band "North To Carnarvon" (World Custom/JB Records, 1980) (LP)
Can't tell you much about this Canadian band, other than it's a self-released album, packed mostly with oldies like "Crazy Arms," "Blue Kentucky Girl" and "When The Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again," as well as a nod to Northern fiddle tunes and a version of Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville." One song, "Be My Lady," seems to be an original, written by Rick McLarnon.

Joe Barry "Joe Barry" (ABC-Dot, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Huey P. Meaux)
A veteran performer from the Louisiana music scene, Barry worked as a producer and session player alongside Mac ("Dr. John") Rebennac and performed with musicians such as Clarence Henry and Smiley Lewis, Bobby Bland and T-Bone Walker, and was one of the first artists to record for the Smash label in the early '60s. He had been retired for several years when Huey P. Meaux asked him to record this album, which is a mix of country and R&B songs and styles.

The Bars Ferry Band "Bars Ferry Band" (Kar Wood Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Maddox & The Bars Ferry Band)
Wasn't able to find out much info about these guys, a twangy bar band from Tupelo, Mississippi who were the house band at a place called the Niteliter Bar. The group included Johnny Wigginton (vocals and guitar), Jim Roby (vocals, steel), Tommy Horton (drums), Dean Koon (vocals, rhythm guitar), Jimmy Kreson (keyboards), and Gary Chandler (bass) with backup vocals by the Shoal Sisters (Muscle Shoals studio pros Ava Aldridge, and others) along with the Cates Sisters... Apparently Jim Roby was still playing gigs around Tupelo as late as 2000 or so...

Curt Bartmess & Faye Bartmess "In Honor Of You" (Benson Sound Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Chet Barnett)
Great, old-fashioned country gospel, with a style dating back to the Great Depression era, and lively, pure country backing by the fellers at Benson Sound... The Rev. and Mrs. Bartness were an evangelical duo with a recording career that spanned back to the early 1950s, and a pastorship in Ada, Oklahoma that lasted well into the 2000s. A few of their old 78 and 45rpm releases have been anthologized on top-flight reissue compilations, notably "The Downward Road," on Flyright's HILLBILLY GOSPEL disc, and "Set Your Watch" which was included on the "Caucasian-American" gospel compilation, WHERE THE SOUL OF MAN NEVER DIES, and is reprised here in this fine set of all-original material. Alas, there doesn't seem to be a collection of all their early work, though this later recording is an understated gem, sort of like a hypothetical collaboration between Alfred G. Karnes and Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers, with buoyant, steel-driven twang punctuated by Mr. Bartmess's antique-sounding mandolin riffs, and anchored by Mrs. Bartmess's steady strumming on rhythm guitar. Best of all are Rev. Bartmess's croaky vocals, a plain, no-nonsense presentation that oozes rural authenticity. The backing band are studio pros in the orbit of Oklahoma City's gospel powerhouse, Benson Sound, who decisively move away from the staid sound on many of their more sedate southern gospel albums, and give this album a cheerfully brisk, twangy feel. This is the kind of country gospel set I'm looking for in the "private press" word. Good stuff!

Debi Bass "Volume One" (Atteiram Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Dunnigan & Carl Queen)
Though she grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, singer Debi Bass was working in Atlanta in the late 1970s and early '80s when she landed a recording contract that spawned a string of singles, including many tracks that were collected on this album, a mix of bluesy pop and power-ballad country. There are some legit country tunes (or, well, country-pop) on here -- "The Rose," the ever-dreary "Lord, You Gave Me A Mountain," and the even-worse "American Trilogy" medley, but there are also some more rock-oriented tunes, like her cover of the Kim Carnes song, "You're Part Of Me," which hint at ambitions of becoming more of a Bonnie Tyler or, well, Kim Carnes-like rock-pop vocalist. Bass was best known as a country singer, and her Facebook page is filled with backstage snapshots with various country stars of the '70s and '80s. Most of her work was don't with producer/songwriter Joe Nelson, who wrote half the songs on this album, with others provided by Glen Martin and Diana Pfieffer; Ms. Pfieffer also sang backup on some of Bass' early records. The album's back cover also reprints a glowing review of her live show, a piece that ran in the Atlanta Journal in February, 1981, when she was playing at a venue called Gene & Gabe's, backed by her Almost Famous Band.

Debi Bass "A Married Man" (Southern Tracks Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Nelson & Steve Clark)
This second(?) album was also recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, with musicians including producer Joe Nelson, along with Mike Clark, Steve Clark, Danny Jones, Larry Lafferty, and Mike Stewart (though, unfortunately, the specific instruments were not identified...) Some backup singers are also credited: Danny Jones, Richard Law, Barbara South and Diana Pfieffer; Ms. Pfieffer had worked with Bass before, contributing one of her songs to the Volume One album above. Here all the songs were Joe Nelson originals; singer/songwriter Nelson worked together with Steve Clark as a production team at least though the mid-1980s, writing and producing for indie artists such as Debi Bass and Johnny Wilson, and doubtless many others who are as yet under our radar...

Jimmy Bass "In My Heart" (Tidings Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Pat Patrick & Jimmy Bass)
Christian crooning and spiritual musings with a definite country backing... nice steel guitar, etc., and a brightly produced early 'Seventies Nashville vibe. Overall, this one didn't do much for me, though it is a well-made record and pretty good for the style. Outside of some gospel standards, most of the tunes are Jimmy Bass originals, along with one song each by Larry Norman and James McGranaham -- no info on the backing band, alas, though this was recorded in Nashville.

Steve Bateman "Someday" (Amherst Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Vic Clay & Larry Ratliff)
A surprisingly strong set, with several memorable songs. Though originally from Louisiana and Texas, Bateman seems to have been living in upstate New York when he cut this album... It's a nice, self-assured set of gentle, reflective country-pop, all originals except for a couple of so-so Beatles covers ("I've Just Seen A Face" and a bluesy spin on "Drive My Car") with a good band providing down-to-earth backing. Bateman's vocals remind me of Dick Feller -- not a resonant singer, but appealing and good at conveying his lyrics. He seems to have used several different publishers, including a couple of songs credited to Crazy Cajun, so I'd guess he was in Huey P. Meaux's orbit for a while... Anyway, I like his songs. Bateman has a good sense of songcraft and his tunes are all catchy and intriguing, in an odd, slightly off-center way, with subtle but effective hooks. Some seem more commercially viable than others, notably "Full House" and "Stronger Than You Think," but really I like 'em all. Too bad the musicians aren't identified -- the steel player in particular provides some great accompaniment.

Skip Battin "Skip" (Signpost Records, 1972)
Bassist Clyde "Skip" Battin made his mark as a core member of several early-'70s lineups of the Byrds, and kept up his country-rock bona fides as a member of the equally fluid New Riders of the Purple Sage and Flying Burrito Brothers. This was Battin's solo debut, an oddball cosmic country-rock album, with contributions from guitarist Clarence White and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. The musical end I like, though I can't say I'm a fan of Battin's vocals, which make it hard to really enjoy the record as such. Battin worked frequently with LA scenester and rock uber-weirdo Kim Fowley, and Fowley helped shape this album in his own unique way.

Skip Battin "Topanga Skyline" (Floating World Records, 2012)
(Produced by Kim Fowley)
Originally recorded in 1973, this would turn out to be Battin's great "lost album," a session booked with the progressive bluegrass band Country Gazette, along with pedal steel player Al Perkins. The project was apparently ill-starred, as it was scheduled for just days after the tragic death of guitarist Clarence White, a friend and collaborator of Battin's as well as the brother of the Gazette's Roland White, who was injured in the same automobile accident that killed Clarence. Despite all the bad karma, they went ahead and recorded the album, but it stayed in the vaults for almost thirty years; the 2012 CD release also includes some bonus tracks from an album recorded years later with Kim Fowley...

The Battle Creek Boys "Battle Creek Breakdown" (1978) (LP)
(Produced by The Battle Creek Boys & Nick Melnick)
A band from Minneapolis, performing mostly covers, including some Hank Williams, Bob McDill's "Amanda," Paul Siebel's "She Made Me Lose My Blues" and a couple of old Sons Of The Pioneers tunes. Lead singer Robert Gaboury wrote a pair of originals, "Country Rockin' Night" and "Battle Creek Breakdown." Anyone have more info about these guys?

Darlene Battles "I Just Want To Love You" (Bejay Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Mickey Moody)
Born in Wynne, Arkansas, singer Darlene Battles sang backup gigs in Nashville throughout the late 60s and married country/R&B singer Jerry Jaye in the early '70s, working with him on numerous projects. She recorded this solo album with Jaye and his band backing her up, including steel guitar player (and label owner) Ben Jack, Darrell Price plunking piano, and Curly Lewis on fiddle. This was Darlene Battles only solo album as a secular artist -- she got religion in 2003 and has since recorded several gospel albums, both under her own name and with the band On Call...

Phil Baugh "Country Guitar" (Longhorn Records, 1965) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Baugh & Phil York)
Hotshot guitar picker Phil Baugh originally hailed from California, and was a key player in country scenes based in LA, Sacramento and the Great Central Valley... He frequently collaborated with hard-country singer Vern Stovall (who performs on this album) and together the pair eventually relocated to Texas, settling into the Dallas-Fort Worth music network... This was Baugh's first full album, a mix of instrumentals and vocal numbers, including his signature piece, "Country Guitar." (Note: The whole album was reissued by Sundazed Records in 2005 as Live Wire!, with an extra track, "One Man Band.")

Phil Baugh "California Guitar" (Happy Tiger Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Jesse Hodges & Herb Newman)

Phil Baugh "Country Guitar II" (NSD/Toro Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Baugh & Phil York)

Chuck Baxter "Chuck 'N' Country" (Kwik Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Mike St. Clair)
I go back and forth on this one... Overall, Nashville native Chuck Baxter is an appealing character with a good-natured presence, although it must be said that he does best on uptempo, novelty-oriented material -- when he croons on ballads, it can be pretty painful. The best numbers on here are the album's opener, "Harold's Super Service," a perky number about a guy stuck in a schlumpy job at a podunk gas station, and "Food Stamp Blues," which is kind of a nutty anti-welfare song where some guy keeps going to the county courthouse and giving false names without being asked for ID, and rakes in so much bogus welfare that he is able to buy an eleven-room mansion "with a TV in every room." Because that happens, right? (He sounds a little like Hoyt Axton on that song; elsewhere singers such as Dave Dudley, Ernie Ford and Jim Reeves come to mind...) On the flip side, though, are the slow songs, and his covers of "You Gave Me A Mountain" and "Statue Of A Fool" are truly catastrophic, with Baxter painfully searching for the high notes, and failing spectacularly. Nonetheless, I like this record, and not for sneery, make-fun-of-the-rube reasons -- these sessions had heart, and again, on the uptempo tracks he ain't bad. Unfortunately there's no information about the backing musicians, though the musicianship throughout is consistently good. Also no info on when or where this was made -- from the photos on the back, I'd guess late '70s, early '80s -- possibly 1984, based on the matrix number, NR-11284. The liner notes do say that Baxter was working "on the business side of country music," with a publishing company and record label, although they might have just been talking about this album. At any rate, I thought this was another nice example of a modestly talented, normal guy making a record of music for fun.

Huck Baxter "Six Days On The Road" (K-Ark Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by John Capps)
Harold "Huck" Baxter was a singer from Peekskill, New York, a working-class guy who started his own band in 1960, after he got out of the Army. He headed down to Nashville to record this set of country covers, presumably with a professional studio crew. Sadly, the musicians aren't listed, but it was a pretty solid group, albeit with a light touch -- half countrypolitan smooth, half, hey, we're all paid by the hour. But there's definitely plenty of twang, particularly on the Dave Dudley title track... For the most part, I like Baxter's vocals, although he gets a little wobbly on the high notes. What's most interesting, though, is how he sings with a distinctly Eastern accent, very smooth, generic "TV voice," with little or no trace of Southern affectations. Crooners like Hank Locklin or Jim Reeves come to mind, although Mr. Baxter does show some rough edges when he wants to. Most of the material is of mid-to-late '60s vintage, including versions of "Green, Green Grass Of Home," and Buck Owens' 1964 hit, "Hello Trouble," as well as Bobby Austin's "Apartment No. 9." However, this is definitely an early '70s album, since it also includes Merle Haggard's "The Fightin' Side Of Me," which climbed the charts in 1970. I think my favorite part of this whole LP, though, is the part in the liner notes where he is described as "red-haired, blue-eyed and single," and tells you about his favorite hobbies (cooking, etc.) Aw, shucks!

Rick Baxter "Cowboy's Dream" (Circle B Records, 19--?) (LP)
A western (cowboy) oriented souvenir album from the Circle B Ranch, near Rapid City, South Dakota, the same venue that hosted fiddler C. W. Anderson... The album sports remarkably barebones graphics, and sparse info as well, other than the song titles and address. The songs are pretty standard fare, covers of "Back In The Saddle," "Have I Told You Lately," "Wayward Wind," et. al. Not sure when this came out, though from the looks of it it could be anywhere from the mid-1960s to the early '70s.

The Baxters "The Baxters" (RMD Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Wild & The Baxters)
The Baxter brothers -- Duncan, Mark and Rick -- originally were child performers in a 1960s North Carolina gospel harmony group called the Baxter Family, which also included several of their sisters... In the late '70s the guys decided to try their hand at secular country, inspired by the success of harmony-oriented groups such as the Bellamy Brothers and the Oak Ridge Boys... This early '80s album is mainly cover tunes, including versions of contemporary hits such as John Anderson's "Swingin'," and David Frizzell's "I'm Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home," along with standards like "Rocky Top" and "Orange Blossom Special," as well as the hippie rock anthem, "Teach Your Children." I think they also worked as backup musicians for folks like Eddy Raven and Conway Twitty, who they thank in the liner notes, as well as Duane Allen on the Oak Ridge Boys, who contributed the liner notes. Two songs, "Headed Right (For The Wrong Kind Of Love)" and "Hurt" might have been originals, though there are no song credits on the album.

Baywood "Baywood" (Bison, 1981) (LP)
This 5-song EP showcased the early work of a short-lived but ambitious indiebilly band who I believe were from California.

Baywood "Live At The Palomino, '81" (Little Wheel Music, 2008) (CD & MP3)
Issued nearly 30 years after the fact, this fine live album captures an unusually accomplished indie-twang band playing their hearts out in one of LA's premier rock clubs. The band is pretty tight, executing some ambitious country-rock/AOR riffs and complex harmonies -- stuff that echoes the Southern California pop style of the mid-1970s, though perhaps a bit dated by '81. You could really almost imagine them making it big, except that, if the truth be told, the vocals hold them back. Their lead singer was clearly the driving force behind this band, but his gangly, unconventional vocal timbre makes this an un-commercial offering, even though it's also an excellent example of just how polished and skillful these local bands could become, while still hovering on the edge of success. Worth checking out, especially for the wealth of original material.

BC & Frenchy "Movin' On" (BC & Frenchy Productions, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Kenny Gray)
An outsider-art, kinda-country set from the Cheyenne, Wyoming duo of keyboardist/organist Bruce A. Cook and drummer/percussionist Carroll B. Frenzilli (aka "Frenchy"). They were both East Coast transplants -- Cook from New Jersey, Frenzilli from Maine -- but I'm told that if you spend more than five full winters in Wyoming you're granted official citizenship. All the songs are their own originals, tunes like "Dusty," "Tipple Fever" and "Nothing Ever Lasts Forever" -- maybe not nationwide chart toppers, but sincere offerings from these heartland amateurs. As far as I know, this was their only record.

Beacon City Band "Beacon City Band" (Potato Satellite Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by John Hill & Laurie Hill)
This scruffy acoustic twangband from Gruene, Texas featured Roland Denney (bass), Denice Franke (vocals, guitar), Douglas W. Hudson (mandolin, guitar), and David Wright (vocals, guitar, and harmonica). About half the songs were written by David Wright, with one more from Denice Franke, along with a cover of an old Nanci Griffith song, "West Texas Sun," just for good measure. Years later, Franke would perform on several of Griffith's best-known albums, as well as releasing several albums of her own. Like Griffith, these guys were coming at their music from a fairly folkie vantage point, with flowery-but-not-cloying guitar picking and achingly emotive vocals. Fans of Townes Van Zandt, perhaps, might really dig this one.

Beacon Street Union "Beacon City Band" (MGM Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Wes Farrell & Val Valentin)
A minor country-rock footnote: Beacon Street Union was a rock band from Boston's psychedelic ballroom scene, featuring singer John Lincoln Wright, who later established himself as a local alt-country pioneer. Mostly this is eclectic, frenetic, treble-icious, electrified hippie rock with kooky, super-stoned, drugged-up lyrics and nutty arrangements. Creative, but a little annoying... If you dig the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, this might wow you. There is only one song that really fits into the country continuum, and hints at Wright's future career in twang, an uncredited swipe of Willie Nelson's "Night Life," retitled "Sportin' Life," with copyright claimed by the band. Other than that. not a lot for twangfans here.

John Beams "South Of Nashville" (Motion Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Dickey Mayberry)
This one's a bit of a mystery... No one in the band is actually credited as "John Beams," and all the songs were written by Ken Smith... So I assume he's also the lead singer and also the fella pictured on the back cover with a big old "JB" belt buckle, signifying a John Beams pseudonym. I could be wrong, though, and the name could have referred to the band itself. Hard to tell, since there's so little info about this album online. Anyway, the rest of the band featured Wayne Bridges on dobro, lead guitar and steel guitar, Jerry Hunter (piano), Johnny Weathers (bass), T. R. Williams (drums), Ray Wix (lead guitar) and a few random locals, including backing vocals by Teresa Gaile, Kenny Mobbs and Beth Perry. As for the album title, the liner notes tell us this album was recorded at a studio in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, which is indeed about thirty, forty miles southwest of Nashville. Any info is welcome!

The Bean 'Oller Band "Knockin' On The Back Door" ('Oller Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Tim Carrabine, Marc Snider & Bean 'Oller)
Some clean-cut lads from Columbus, Ohio with a mix of cover songs and originals, including four songs written by lead singer Mike O'Brien: "Don't Wanna Hear It Breakin'," "Gone Tomorrow," "Singin' In The City" and "Whispering Winds." Interesting choices in cover material, too, ranging from "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" to "Rocky Raccoon," and Crystal Gayle's "Ready For The Times To Get Better." The band -- which included bassist Steve Kraus, Jim Leake (harmonica and vocals), Dan Miller (guitar and vocals), Mike O'Brien (guitar and vocals) and Kim Tranchita on drums -- seems to have been the house band at a place called the Back Door Lounge, which gets thanked in the liner notes.

The Bear Spot "At The Grist Mill Inn" (Century Records, 19--?) (LP)
A real mystery disc from Northern California. This seems to be a celebration of the Grist Mill Inn, a restaurant in the secluded Sonoma County hamlet of Glen Ellen. The Grist Mill site was host to a long string of restaurants and night spots; this album's remarkably uninformative liner notes mention that the musicians were celebrating the tenure of owners Craig Murry and Judy Murray, who seem to have given up management of the Inn by the time this album was made. Anyway, it's an odd record. There is some canonically "country" material on here, such as a version of "Mr. Bojangles," though also covers of pop tunes like "Piano Man" and "If I Were A Rich Man," giving this a more deliberately lounge-scene orientation. I'll keep you posted. This seems to have come out around 1974-75, or thereabouts... The musicians are not identified, alas, although I do wonder if "The Bear Spot" band was a permutation of local Sonoma County band, Beargrease, led by Michael Hansen (1948-2016). It's a theory, though one which has not yet been verified.

Cody Bearpaw "Cody Bearpaw" (Broadland Records, 1978) (LP)
Known as "the all-around Indian Cowboy," rodeo rider and stunt actor Cody Bearpaw was a full-blooded Canadian Cree who grew up around Alberta. Known for his work in various 'Seventies TV shows and movies, he also tried his hand at country music, as heard on this album, as well as a single he cut for Dot Records sometime in the early '70s. The album includes three originals by Bearpaw -- "All Around Indian Cowboy," Winter Love," and "Let It Shine" -- as well as a couple of tunes apiece written by Jerry Abbott and Bobby Ray Spears, along with a version of Henry Briggs' "Miss Pauline." As far as I know, this was his only full LP.

William Beasley "What's He Doing In My World" (Modern Sound, 1965-?) (LP)
(Produced by William Beasley)
A "solo" set by William D. Beasley, co-owner of the Nashville-based cheapie label, Hit Records, which also included the Modern Sound imprint. This disc was a soundalike album including covers of hits of the day such as "Girl On The Billboard" and Eddy Arnold's "What's He Doing In My World," though most of the other tracks seem to be originals. Alas, the musicians backing Beasley aren't identified, nor the songwriters, but like other Modern Sound releases this may have a wealth of unsuspected, anonymous Music City talent.

Beau Brummels "Bradley's Barn" (Warner Brothers, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Lenny Waronker)
A groovy country-tinged set from one of San Francisco's great garage-pop bands of the mid-1960s... This was the last album the group recorded in the '60s, as their hitmaking days faded and the group began drifting apart. Singer Sal Valentino guitarist Ron Elliott were essentially the only original members left, and they headed to Nashville to see if the Music City way of doing things would work for them. The duo booked sessions at Owen Bradley's studio, hiring a crew that included usual suspect superpickers such as Kenny Buttrey and Norbert Putnam, as well as hot-shot guitarist Jerry Reed, who adds some of his trademark chicken-pickin' licks. With the exception of a lone Randy Newman song at album's end, the songs are all originals, including several written along with longtime collaborator Bob Durand... This was the band's -Sixties swansong, with Sal Valentino going off to join the bluesier Stoneground, and Elliott doing session work in Los Angeles. A nice early milestone in the evolution of mainstream country-rock.

Beaver Creek "Live" (Impresario Productions, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Phil York)
An ambitious album by a teenage trio from Oak Cliff, Texas, led by two gals -- guitarist Marsha Britton and bassist Lisa Burgess -- with Keith Livers on drums. Britton and Burgess wrote all of the songs -- each composing solo -- and sang some nice, spunky duets on material that ranged from honkytonk to slightly rockabilly. The band was formed right after the girls graduated from high school, and they played regionally in North Texas for several years. Lisa Layne Burgess later shortened her name and joined the country novelty band, Vince Vance and the Valiants and was the lead singer on their most successful song, the Top Forty holiday classic, "All I Want For Christmas Is You," and was a member of the band (off and on) for many years. She finally moved into a career as a Patsy Cline imitator, playing Patsy onstage and various venues such as Branson Park. Though less high-profile, Marsha Britton went on to have some success as a songwriter and recorded three indiebilly albums in the 1990s. Whew!

Clyde Beavers/Jim Martin "Country And Western Hits" (Somerset Records, 1963) (LP)
A cheapo-label split LP of cover songs, with Clyde Beavers playing some tunes by Roy Acuff, and Jim Martin singing a few Hank Snow oldies. Beavers was a Georgia native who recorded numerous singles, including several in the late 1950s that are considered "hillbilly bop" or proto-rockabilly. He recorded for tiny indies as well as for major labels such as Decca and Mercury, Hickory and Dot, and later became known as a Southern Gospel artist. Jim Martin, who sings the Hank Snow tunes, is a bit more of a cypher.

Clyde Beavers "Hallelujah, Amen" (Songs Of Faith, 1964) (LP)
(Produced by Scottie Moore & Cecil Scaife)
A very twangy country-gospel offering, with thumpy backbeats and pedal steel, and solid, chunky hillbilly vocals... Later, in the '70s and '80s, Beavers specialized in gospel material, producing several albums (including one of his own) for the Jesus Christ Is Lord (JCL) label, which I suspect he may have owned as well. He's backed on this album by his band, the Eager Beavers, with steel player Jim Baker and singer Sudie Calloway called out by name.

Clyde Beavers "The Big Country Sound Of Clyde Beavers" (Spar Records, 1969) (LP)
Two albums, issued more or less at the same time on different imprints of the same label. There's significant overlap between the Spar and Kash editions, with a few songs that are different on each one. Bear Family, where are you??

Clyde Beavers "The Love And Hurting Side Of Clyde Beavers" (Kash Country, 1969) (LP)

Clyde Beavers "Southern Gospel Legends Series" (Songs Of Faith, 2007)
This digital-era reissue combines all the material from Beavers' Hallelujah, Amen album with a much later release, Mary Had A Little Lamb, which was released on the Jesus Christ Is Lord label (which I think he owned...)

Gary Beck "Gary Beck Group: Past And Present" (Lynn Record Company, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Beck)
An ambitious, though somewhat flawed set of funky country from Corpus Christi, Texas... Bandleader and songwriter Gary Beck wrote all but three of the tracks on this album, and the cover tunes themselves are kind of intriguing -- "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," "The Weight," and a version of Francis Lai's "Love Story." That last one gives you a sense of what might go wrong here, in that Beck's musical reach may have outpaced his grasp. He was a veteran club musician who previously cut a single or two with local roots/soul singer Billy Jack Collard and may well have been part of the Buddy Collard Band, sometime during the 'Seventies. Beck and Collard are joined here by a guy named Jack Hamilton and a gal singer identified only as Jamie. There's a clear debt to the eclectic roots sounds of the Muscle Shoals scene, with Beck shifting between semi-countrypolitan country and more groove-oriented material, while Jamie clearly wanted to be an Ava Aldridge or Dusty Springfield-type white soul gal. The results are a little iffy, though not outright terrible by any means -- if anything, they sound like they just needed more time to rehearse, or more time in the studio to smooth things out. A good portrait of a working bar band with big dreams in late-'Seventies Texas. [Note: Gary Beck also worked with singer Jada Vaughn on her album, Long Road Home To Texas.]

George Beck & His Jamboree Boys "George Beck's Jamboree" (Rodeo Records, 19--?) (LP)
An old-timer with roots in an earlier era of hillbilly musical variety shows, George Beck used to work with a blind singer named Freddie MacKenna and at one point tried aligning himself with the folk revival of the 1960s, though he seems like more of an old-school country artist. The liner notes to this album, which give a few details of his long career, also tout his juggling skills, so you get a sense of the vaudeville-style era that he came from.

Terry Beck "Live At Bogart's" (TRB Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Rick Woolsey, Jim Blasingame & Terry Beck)
A rough and rugged live album from a club in Long Beach, California where singer Terry Beck seems to have had a long-term residency. The set includes covers of "Aime," "Long Haired Country Boy," "Mr. Bojangles," "Two Horsemen" and "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald." Pretty darn Seventies, even if it was recorded a few years later!

Zane Beck "...Plays The New ZB Student Model" (John's Recording Studio, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by John Miller)
Steel player Zane Back (1937-1985) was a mainstay of the Arkansas recording scene, though he also did some time in Nashville, backing singers like Red Sovine and Billy Walker. Like a lot of pedal steel pickers, he was also a mechanical tinkerer and started his own musical instrument company, selling pedal steels of his own design. According to the liner notes, he sold the company in 1968 although he kept a hand in the development and marketing of new instruments, including the one featured on this album, the ZB Student Model. Apparently this was Beck's first session as a solo artist in about a decade; he was backed by drummer Rex Bell, Terrell Brashers (bass), Wes Cole (drums) and gal guitar picker/vocalist LaRue McAnulty, who sings on two tracks.

Zane Beck "...Meets Bobby Caldwell" (Mid-Land Records, 19--?) (LP)

Zane Beck & Julian Tharpe "12+14 = Country Jazz" (Zanbeck Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by A. D. Cummings)
I'm guessing that this duo from Scranton, Arkansas were more jazz than twang, but I'm always in favor of a bit of pedal steel, and Zane Beck has a bunch of albums to choose from. The additional pickin' from Julian Tharpe don't hurt much, either!

Johnny Bee "Yesterday's Promises" (Yesterday's Promises Records, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Scott Rivard)
John Ellis Bjelland, aka Johnny Bee (1940-2004) was a local performer and family man from Sauk Centre, Minnesota -- a salesman by day, country crooner by night. This early 'Seventies outing was recorded at the fabled Twin Cities production house, Studio 80, with backing by John Felling (lead guitar), Pat Lee (piano), Kentucky Bill Murray (drums) and Bill Peterson on bass. This amiable album might not knock your socks off, but it's confidently performed and produced, and the slightly middle-aged sounding Mr. Bee seems to have enjoyed himself. It's a pretty standard-issue set, with a lot of mega-standards that were big around '70, '71 or so... Though I'd guess this came out around 1972-73. Amid covers of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins and Kris Kristofferson are a couple of Johnny Bee originals, "I Wonder What She's Doing Now" and the title track, "Yesterday's Promises." From the looks of it, Johnny Bee played local venues as a "solo" artist for a while, and the "family" album below was a capstone of that career. Not sure if he also released any singles...

Johnny Bee & The Bee Family "Happiness And Teardrops" (Totall Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Gary T. Totall & Bill Barber)
As far as I can tell Johnny Bee wasn't a professional musician, although he did make reference to playing in nightclubs, so he must have at least done some local gigs around his hometown of Sauk Centre, out past Saint Cloud. Here he records with the family band, which included his wife, Luckie Jane Kuulei Ahuna (1941-2021), a Hawaiian gal he married in '61 before settling down in Minnesota, and their two kids, with son Erik singing on a few tracks, and daughter Melodie chiming in as well. This album includes some Bee originals such as "Break Down This Wall" and two by S. Emond (?) who provides "Paper Daddy" and "Tiny Teardrops." They also cover Marty Robbins and Buffy St. Marie, as well as "Puka Shells," a nod to Luckie's roots.

Kathy Bee "Stings" (Erika Records, 1988) (LP)
(Produced by James H. Benoit, Michael Coleman & Bob Dire)
Off-brand, indie twang from Southern California's Kathy Bee, originally an Ohio gal who headed out West to make it big, and who gives off kind of a Loretta Haggers vibe on this album... This seems the very epitome of a private press vanity album (terrible title and all) although she summoned some legitimate twang, particularly on the album's uptempo single, "Let's Go Party," which hit #100 on the Billboard charts in 1988. This set was recorded at some slick, modern, second-tier studio in Claremont, California, with what I assume was a studio crew of hired hands... The name that caught my eye was that of legendary bluegrass fiddler Byron Berline, who turns in a solid performance, along with Pete Cooper on guitar, Roy Durnal (bass), Jay Farnes (saxophone), Joel Ferguson (pedal steel), Bill Henrich (drums), and arranger Andre Mayeaux on synthesizer. This album was preceded by a 1985 single (a topical tune about child abuse, called "Momma Don't You Love Me" b/w "Growin' Up Alone") and though neither of those songs appear here, the single provides a clue to Ms. Bee's background, giving a songwriter credit to "K. Benoit," which may have been her real name. Kathy Bee didn't stick with her music career, but went on to a long string of entrepreneurial projects which seem to fall mainly in the inspirational/motivational category ("dream catching," etc.) and has had a persistent online presence right up through the 2020s.

The Bee Kays "Letter From Home" (Eagle Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by The Bee Kays, Lyndon Bartell & Steve Peterson)
A family band from Good Thunder, Minnesota whose repertoire includes a lot of original material, written by Robert (Bob) Kittleson, Billye Jane Kruse, and Cindy Bee Kittleson... See the pattern here?

Molly Bee -- see artist discography

William C. Beeley "Gallivantin' " (North Park Records, 1970) (LP)
Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, William Beely fell under the spell of outlaw poet Townes Van Zandt and followed in his footsteps, playing local clubs and self-releasing this album when he was just a kid. It became legendary, of course, eventually getting an official reissue in 2017. Beeley got signed and recorded a second album for Malaco Records, but it got shelved and sat in the can for years... Fans of the more arty, poetic side of the Texas twang scene might wanna check these out.

Will Beeley "Passing Dream" (Southern Biscuit Records, 1979) (LP)

Will Beeley "Highways And Heart Attacks" (Tompkins Square, 2019) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry David DeCicca)

Bill Beeny, Margaret Beeny & The Westerners "Sonny Boy" (Temple Records, 19--?) (LP)
The Beenys were, I believe, married couple from Saint Louis, Missouri who evangelized in the area as well as recording several albums of all gospel material, including both standards and songs they themselves wrote. I'm not sure about the time-frame for these uber-indie albums (some of which didn't even have cardboard jackets!) but I think they were made in the late 1960s or early '70s. Turns out Mr. Beeny was a more-than-colorful character, a rabid right-winger of the John Birch-ian variety: Beeny ran an "anticommunist ranch" near Wright City, and formed a group called CROSS (Counter-Revolutionary Organization on Salvation and Service) which sponsored classes to train its members to use guns, so they could mix it up withe the hippies and Black Panthers, in case the forces of godless anarchy ever tried to invade the Ozarks. A staunch segregationist, Beeny ran unsuccessfully for statewide office, and was a supporter of George Wallace's 1968 presidential run. He also had ongoing legal problems -- mostly on tax issues -- and was kicked out of several positions as a pastor in Southern Baptist churches. The best part comes years later, though, when Beeny mellowed a little and became an Elvis Presley conspiracy theorist, opening the "Elvis Is Alive Museum," which he ran until 2007, when he sold his Presley relics on eBay. Jinkies. What a nut! (Thanks to Wikipedia for filling in the blanks.)

Bill And Margaret Beeny & The Westerners "Heaven's Hall Of Fame" (Temple Records, 19--?) (LP)

Bill And Margaret Beeny & The Westerners "Circuit Ridin' Preacher" (Temple Records, 19--?) (LP)
This album includes a twenty-minute long sermon entitled "Are There Communists In Our Churches?" along with the title track and "Heaven's Hall Of Fame" (which appears on another Beeny album) and versions of oldies such as "Did You Think To Pray," "Supper Time," et. al. The sermon sounds pretty fun!

Philomena Begley - see artist profile

John Beland "John Edward Beland" (Scepter Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by John Beland)
A remarkably diverse, sometimes mystifying, ultimately rewarding solo set from multi-instrumentalist John Beland, who was one of the key figures in the LA country-rock scent of the late 1960s and '70s. Originally from Chicago, John Beland was at the heart of several influential West Coast bands, notably working with fiddler Gib Gilbeau and bass player Thad Maxwell in a series of projects, including the group Swampwater (Linda Ronstadt's band at the start of her solo career) and various on-again, off-again lineups of the Flying Burrito Brothers, a group that went through endless iterations, often with John Beland at the helm. Here he's surrounded by a familiar country-rock cohort: steel player Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Alex Del Zoppo (piano), Joe Lamano (bass), Thad Maxwell (steel guitar), John Ware (drums and piano), and various and sundry others. Beland himself plays several different instruments -- banjo, guitar, piano -- and wrote almost all the songs, clearly intending this album to be his magnum opus. Twangfans may find this record both tantalizing and insufficient -- in line with the times, there are a plenty of lush, amorphous pop-vocal string arrangements, though also strong threads of folk, twang and blues in there as well. Overall, this is an ambitious set, one would imagine it was exactly the record Beland wanted, a record that challenges its listeners and makes them consider the artist on his own terms. Burritos fans will definitely want to check this one out.

Paul Belanger "You're The One For Me" (White Mountain Music, 197--?) (LP)
An old-fashioned cowboy yodeler from New England, Paul Belanger was born in Canada back in 1922, but emigrated to New England as a child, growing up in Berlin, New Hampshire. After serving in World War Two, he returned home and landed his own radio show, which he hosted for over thirty years. He also performed live, touring nationally and internationally for over sixty years, well into the 2010's. Backing him on this album is East Coast country legend Dick Curless, on rhythm guitar with his son, Rick Curless on drums, Jeff Patterson and Chuck Parish (of the John Penny Band) playing pedal steel and lead guitar, respectively. The repertoire's mostly straight-up cowboy music and sentimental stuff, including a couple of Gene Autry tunes, one by Montana Slim and a couple by Wilf Carter, who was a friend of Belanger. There's also a wealth of original material on here, including a pair of Christmas-related songs, the title track and one called "Cash Box For A Heart." Not sure when this album was recorded, but Belanger looks relatively youthful here, and Rick Curless was playing with Chuck Parrish in the John Penny Band around 1978... So, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that this came out around then as well. Later in life, around 1990, Mr. Belanger moved to Gene Autry, Oklahoma and continued to perform well into his eighties -- in 2009, he even qualified as a finalist for the America's Got Talent TV show!

Paul Belanger "The Old Man Of The Mountain" (Allagash Records, 1969-?) (LP)
One of Mr. Belanger's most popular songs was his twangy tribute to the Old Man Of The Mountains, a curious rock formation near Franconia, New Hampshire than had a craggy profile not unlike that of Abraham Lincoln. The overhang was a popular tourist attraction and became New Hampshire's state emblem, drawing countless gawkers over the decades, until it collapsed from natural erosion in 2003. But we'll always have this song to remember it by!

Keith Belknap "My Destiny" (Champions Music, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by A. V. Mittelstedt)
A country-flavored set from southern gospel singer Keith L. Belknap (1936-2001) who grew up in rural southern Oklahoma... Mr. Belknap started performing locally in the late 1950s and early '60s, recording several albums on the Arrow label and singing at the Calvary Baptist Church in Lawton along with various family members. At some point he may have joined Howie Lister's southern gospel group the Statesmen; Lister recorded a song called "Lord Guide This Country," with lyrics written by Mr. Belknap. This set was recorded down in Houston, Texas -- what caught my eye was the presence of veteran producer A. V. Mittelstedt and guitarist Randy Cornor, with additional backing by Buzzy Smith on piano, steel work by Robbie Springfield, and vocals by Toni Jolene and Susan Smith. This may have been Mr. Belknap's last record, though he recorded at least five others back in the 'Sixties.

Bell "Do You Ever Get Lonely?" (Jester Sound, 1986-?) (LP)
The mononymic Ms. Bell was a young (teen?) singer from Billings, Montana who seems to have been a terribly sincere and well-meaning kid. The album includes the cautionary tale, "Don't Ever Let A Drunk Take You Home," which is dedicated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (aka MADD) and was also released as a single. Other originals on this album include tunes like "Victim Of My Heart" and "The Pools I've Cried," all copyrighted by the Hale Publishing company. Unfortunately, there are no producer or musician credits, but she does thank Gairrett Brothers, Shorty Spang and Mark Donahue -- Bob Hale is also thanked, and was perhaps her father, or at least manager/producer(?) Anyone with more info? I'm all ears!

Bob Bell & The Sundowners "After Sundown" (Polaris Records, 1966-?) (LP)
Not to be confused with the Sundowners from Chicago, these guys were a popular country group from Fitchburg, Massachusetts that had roots in a duo formed by Clovis (Tex) Girouard (1925-2013) and Hector J. Gaudet (1927-2014), guitar pickers who went by the nicknames Tex Stone and guitarist Shorty Strad. Both men served in World War Two, and following their enlistment, they renewed their interest in country music, adopting the postwar honkytonk style, and were joined by bassist Bob Bell (nee Robert Belliveau, d. 2011) who became the band's lead singer. They performed for several decades, touring widely in the northeastern US and Canada, and also worked as the house band at the Lone Star Ranch in Reeds Ferry, New Hampshire for several years. As far as I know, this was their only LP, and it's great. Plain, simple, lively twang, with stripped-down production and a rock-solid band. There are some cover tunes -- Faron Young's "If You Ain't Loving, You Ain't Living," "Orange Blossom Special," "Six Days On The Road" -- and several originals, including Bob Bell's "Country Rhumba," which some sources say was a regional hit. The band also included steel player Al Eyles, who did some session work in the 1970s, and mentored several musicians on the New England country scene. There was a 2003 documentary film made about the band, The Sundowners : 50 Years Of A Legendary Band, although I haven't seen it myself.

Delia Bell -- see artist discography

Mirl Bell & Young Country "Introducing..." (Guide Records, 1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Bell)
Indie country from Houston, Texas... This album was recorded at Ray Doggett's studio and includes no release date on the disc or record jacket. Alas. About half the songs are written by Bell, including the forlorn "I Keep Existing." I couldn't find much information about this guy online -- he got a several brief plugs in Billboard throughout 1974, including references to some rodeo shows he was doing, and he copywrited some of his music that same year; other than that he's kind of a cypher. Anyone know what happened to this guy?

The Bell Spur String Band "The Bell Spur String Band" (Heritage Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Elbert L. Marshall)
Bedrock old-timey music by a family band from Bell Spur, Virginia, made up of Johnny Jessup (autoharp), Joseph Edgar Jessup (banjo), Martin Marshall (banjo), and Ernest Stanley (who was also part of the Jessup family) on fiddle. The session was recorded informally back on August 12, 1963 by producer Elbert Marshall, who also contributes copious liner notes. These guys were already old-timers when they cut this session: they started playing together in the 1920s, though they never recorded anything before these tapes were made; the liner notes also inform us that fiddler Ernest Stanley was born back in 1893(!), so he was seventy when they cut this session. A lot of well-known tunes are included, although the arrangements were unusual, and in 1982 bluegrasser Bobby Patterson sat down with Martin Marshall -- the group's surviving member -- to work out the parts for a new recording of the Bell Spur band's material, a project that in turn led to Elbert Marshall finally issuing his old tapes on LP.

Tommy Bell "Tommy Bell" (Gold Sound Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy DeVito, Mark Harmon & Scott Spain)
An ambitious though terminally bland, Top Forty-oriented album by a guy from up around Las Vegas... There's a lot of original material on here, including several songs by Bob Morrison, a couple by Buddy Cannon and other by Ronnie David and Bill Shostak, who are credited as arrangers on the album. The album seems to have been backed by deejay Johnny Steele, the program director at Las Vegas radio station KVEG, and seems to have been well promoted -- lots of copies still floating around. Overall, I suppose it's a strong effort, although Bell's Kenny Rogers-meets-Joe Stampley vibe doesn't really appeal to my sensibilities. Folks with more mainstream tastes might wanna check this out, particularly if you're into the early '80s country sound.

Vivian Bell "Take Me, I'm A Woman" (Princess Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jeff Newman)

Ben, Dana & Home Cookin' "Sweet Country Lady" (197--?) (LP)
Jackson, Mississippi's Ben Marney and his wife Dana formed their duo in the early 'Seventies, and had a gig playing the Playboy nightclub circuit for several years, also releasing a single on the Playboy Records label, "Oh Mama," which cracked into the Top 100 in 1973... The Marneys must have learned the ropes during that stretch, since they opened their own club -- Marney's -- in 1977, settling in as regional entertainers on the Jackson scene. I think this was their first LP; other records were released under his name.

J. Ben-Isaac "Good Clean Fun" (Picc-A-Dilly Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Terr)
An odd album from a rather mystery-shrouded artist. Singer J. Ben-Isaac, about whom I could find literally zero biographical information, seems to have come from the desert-twang scene, recording his first single back in 1973 at John Wagner's studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico, though his label gave an address in Las Vegas, then later in Los Angeles, circa 1976... He had creative connections to several Texas-based Jewish country artists: his second single included a cover of a Kinky Friedman song, and a 1974 free press article about the Blue Canyon label informs us that guitarist Jay Wise had been recruited by Friedman's brother, Roger Friedman, to play on the single. That article hinted at Ben-Isaac's true identity being a rather quirky topic, and after some persistent poking around, I am now about 95% certain that "J. Ben-Isaac" was a pseudonym for producer Jim Terr, who based on his website seems to be a pretty kooky kind of guy. (A YouTube interview revealed Teal to be the same guy pictured on the front cover of the Good Clean Fun album below.) Anyway, regardless of the back story, both of these albums are pretty good -- not earth-shattering, but solid. This one's a decent set of lightly novelty-oriented, mostly-country material. It kicks off with a quick spoken-word intro by actor Slim Pickens (whose 1977 country album was also produced by Jim Terr) and moves into a consistently engaging set of cover songs. A few tracks include with live crowd noise from a concert at the Blue Lagune Saloon in Marina Del Rey, California, although as the liner notes inform us, the songs themselves were, ahem, re-recorded in the studio. The set is a mix of straight country songs -- "The Race Is On," Don Gibson's "Sea Of Heartbreak" -- and well-chosen novelty numbers, such as James Talley's superior "No Opener Needed" (an album highlight), Kinky Friedman's "Western Union Wire," a couple of Tom T. Hall tunes, and a duet rendition of "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," with accompaniment by Jane Quisenberry. In one of the spoken introductions, Ben-Isaac/Terr professes his admiration for Tom T. Hall, and while "May The Force Be With You Always" isn't the first Tom T. song I personally would have chosen to cover, I still say name-checking Hall is a pretty good call. This would appear to be some kind of a tax write-off album, with remaindered promo copies galore still to be found in the wild. It's sort of a shame Terr didn't take his country career all that seriously -- he wasn't like, super-great or anything, but he was pretty good.

J. Ben-Isaac "Only Human" (Blue Canyon Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Terr, Hal Hellerman, Sheridan Eldridge, Jim Mooney & H. Lee Wolen)
As noted above, Jim Terr was really into Tom T. Hall, and seems to have wanted to occupy the same comedic territory: that's praiseworthy in my book! This album includes a couple of Hall's old songs, "I Flew Over Our House Last Night," which was previously on Ben-Isaac's 1976 single, and one called "She Gave Her Heart To Jethro," which apparently features an up-and-coming Junior Brown on guitar. There's a wealth of other talent on here as well, making the most of two separate Los Angeles recording sessions: also on board are Jerry Cole, Jay Dee Manness, Alan Munde and other, more obscure musicians... I'm not sure if the "Jimmie Gilmore" listed as one fo the guitarists was actually Jimmie Dale Gilmore of Flatlanders fame, but given Terr's Texas connections, and that he recorded a Butch Hancock song way back in 1973, it's a possibility. All the songs on Side One were his own originals, by the way.

The Bend Fiddle Jammers "Jam" (Ashland Records, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by Rick Dugan)
A large community ensemble from the tiny agricultural hamlet of Bend, California, located on the Sacramento River, north of Chico. With about two dozen members performing on this album, the group was mostly made up of kids (though the age range was from seven to 70) with most musicians playing the fiddle, guided by folks on guitar, bass and mandolin, with a washboard for percussion. The repertoire is packed with old-timey/bluegrass standards ("Boil Them Cabbage Down," "Old Joe Clark," et. al.) and a smidge of western swing. By the end of the decade, the project had run its course, though in 1980 a new group came together, eventually coalescing into a smaller band called Loosely Strung, which performed locally in Shasta and Tehama counties. Pretty sure this was the only Jammers album, recorded sometime in the mid-to-late 'Seventies.

J. J. Bene & Darby Bene "Born To Pick, Pick To Live" (Sang It Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Scott Spain)
This duo was from North Las Vegas, Nevada, playing mostly original material, including "Willie's Down At Gilley's," a tribute to Willie Nelson that compliments covers of two Willie classics, "Goin' Home" and "Pretty Paper."

Jane Benger "Something For Everyone" (Stage Four Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Donny Kees & David Martin)
Jane Benger hailed from Ansted, West Virginia and sang in the local church before making a go of it as a professional singer. She fronted a band called the New River Canyon Band that toured regionally and up in Canada a few times.... Benger wrote two of the songs on here: "Billie Lou" and "Smiling Through A Tear," while producer/pianist Donny Kees wrote "I Will Love You Every Morning." She also covers Jessi Colter's "I'm Not Lisa," as well as songs by Kris Kristofferson, Ray Charles, Kenny Loggins, The Beatles, and Errol Garner's "Misty." It's not all twangtunes, for sure, although the overall tilt seems to have been towards countrypolitan pop.

Jane Benger "Why Me Lord" (E Records, 19--?) (LP)

Johnny Bennett "Two Cheeseburgers And A Chocolate Malt" (Sierra Pacific Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Carl Walden & Johnny Bennett)
This album's got one of those "hassled by the cops" covers (a popular theme in country musicians) showing California cowboy Johnny Bennett getting pulled over on the front cover... and handcuffed next to his truck on the back! Bennett was living in Pomona, CA when he cut this album, and soon moved to Chino, where he sang on weekends at a joint called Joey's Bar-B-Q -- a gig held for over thirty years(!) Along with a slew of original tunes, Bennett covers some big hits (and assorted cool tunes) from the early '80s, like Johnny Lee's "Looking For Love," Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again," and Guy Clark's "Heartbroke." The musicians seem to be SoCal locals, with major contributions from producer/multi-instrumentalist Carl Walden.

Johnny Bennett "Give Me Credit" (Sierra Pacific Records, 1986) (LP)
About half the songs on here are Bennett's own, framed by well-chosen, eclectic covers, with a tilt towards the croonier end of country -- Bob McDill's "Amanda," "Night Life," Ian Tyson's "Someday Soon," "Walk Through This World With Me." The originals include "Carolina Fever," "Give Me Credit," "The Same Dream" and one called "Cotton Eyed Joe." Bennett recorded several other albums and singles -- I'm still looking for the one that has his song, "If You've Got A Pickup, Then You've Got A Lot Of Friends," which seems like it'd be a classic.

Johnny Bennett "Face On The Barroom Floor" (Sierra Pacific Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Bennett, Morgan Cavett & Carl Walden)
One of those funny, hah-hah album titles that's even more amusing when you find out that the "face" in question was actually an old painting (pictured on the cover) that was left a bazillion years ago on an old barroom in California's gold country, up above Sacramento. Four songs are Johnny Bennett originals, including the title track and four others, "Ain't That Just Like A Memory," "Face On The Barroom Floor," "Secret To The Grave," and "Summer Of '41." Among the musicians backing Bennett on this album are fiddler Side Page and multi-instrumentalist Carl Walden. Not sure of the exact year of release, or if Bennett recorded other stuff after this came out.

Pinto Bennett & The Famous Motel Cowboys "Famous Motel Cowboy Songs" (Sheepeater Records, 1986) (LP)

Pinto Bennett & The Famous Motel Cowboys "Big In Winnemucca" (PT Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rob Matson & K. W. Turnbow)

Pinto Bennett & The Famous Motel Cowboys "Pure Quill" (PT Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rob Matson)

Benny & Curley "...Sing Nashville Picks" (B & C Records, 1981) (LP)
Late-life recordings from the old-time duo of fiddler Ruey ("Curley") Collins (1915-1986) and yodeler Benny Kissinger (1918-1987), hillbilly multi-instrumentalists who worked together for decades, notably as early cast members of the Old Dominion Barn Dance. Collins originally hailed from Kentucky, while Kissinger was a Pennsylvanian but it was on the stage in Richmond, Virginia that they reached their career peak -- one highlight was in 1949 when Collins and his girlfriend Kathleen Williams were married live on the radio during an Old Dominion broadcast. This album looks back fondly on their era of country musicmaking; the duo also participated in nostalgic recordings with other Barn Dance stars in the 1970s. It's a nice little record: nostalgic, confident, unassuming and steeped in decades of country lore, and with some very fine, well-honed vocal harmonies. The album art is pretty minimalist, with photos old and new, song titles and that's about it. I had despaired of finding out who the obviously capable backing musicians were, though on the first track of Side Two, "Ain't It Hard To Love," they give shout-outs to the soloists, who turn out to be real Nashville A-listers: Jimmy Capps on guitar, Lloyd Green (pedal steel), Hoot Hester (fiddle), and Hargus Robbins (piano). There may have been other pickers in the mix, but I guess we'll never know. At any rate, if you like the old, sentimental style of the 1930s and '40s, and if you dig late-life albums from old-timers (which I do) you might want to track this one down. It's not, like, earth-shaking, but it's very good, and very authentic. [Also worth noting: Curley Collins donated his personal archives to the University Of Virginia library, and some of it may be browsable online.]

Benny & The Amigos "Strictly Country" (Siesta Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bud Roedl)
Benny Burch and his band were from Effingham, Illinois and, as the title suggests, played a solid mix of straight-up country stuff, ranging from the Delmore Brothers and Bob Wills to Merle Haggard and Harlan Howard... classic material. They also recorded several original tunes, including two weepers written by bassist L. D. Lankford and an instrumental by fiddler Fay Walls. The band started in the 1960s -- not sure when this album came out.

Benny & The Boys "Benny And The Boys" (Jester Sound Studio, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
Fiddler Benny Milks rosins up the bow and plays some old-timey stuff and good-time country tunes with four of his pals from Malta, Montana -- bassist Bob Fleshe and the LaFond brothers: Craig LaFond on drums, Ed LaFond on steel guitar, and Maynard LaFond playing rhythm guitar. The repertoire includes chestnuts such "Uncle Pen," "Orange Blossom Special," and "Wabash Cannonball," along with some newer tunes from the Top Forty, like Doug Kershaw's "Louisiana Man," and the Kenny (Sauron) Rogers hit, "The Gambler." Seems to me like these fellas just wanted to have a little fun!

Wade Benson "For The First Time" (Studio One Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Al Lee & Tommy Strong)
Cajun/country fiddler Wade Benson (aka Wade Benson Landry) was already a two-time Louisiana Junior State Champion fiddler by the time he cut this album, winning the title in 1975 and 1977, at ages 13 and 15. He was just fifteen years old when he made this record. Other, later albums were recorded under his full name, and concentrated more exclusively on traditional cajun material. His younger brother, Chuck Landry (1968-2015) followed him into the music business and worked prolifically as a country music drummer, eventually moving to Branson, Missouri to play in various venues there.

Bent Creek Band "Treading High Water" (Little Beast, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Mark Gilbert & Bent Creek Band)
Country-rock from North Carolina. A perfect example of a rock band "going country" and getting it right: this opens with the wildly manic "Git Down Country Music" and similarly uptempo "School Daze," both quite twangy but with super-jangly rhythm guitar riffs worthy of the Feelies or numerous indiepop bands to come. There's also a chunky, riff-heavy Skynyrd/Marshall Tucker rock influence, but when they decide to play country, they do it well. A slight vocal similarity with the Dreadful Grate's Bob Wier (though it's not that pronounced, and these guys do not sound like the Dead...) and some dips into electric blues as well... They also remind me of the Cornell Hurd Band, though much more rock-oriented. For alt-country fans, there's good reason to check these guys out... they were definitely ahead of the curve on the whole twangcore thing... by about a decade or so!

Barbi Benton "Barbi Doll" (Playboy Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy, Tom Pick & Roy Shockley)
An actress and popular Playboy "bunny," Barbi Benton also was a regular on the Hee Haw TV show, and parlayed that gig into a moderately successful country career, which saw the release of several albums during the 1970s... On the Playboy record label, no less! Born in New York and raised in Sacramento, Benton began modeling as a teen and shed her birth name, Barbara Klein, for a less Jewish-sounding monicker chosen by Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner. On this country-oriented debut album she was partly saddled by the kind of bland, simpy material expected of countrypolitan gals, kicking the album off with a cover of "The Teddy Bear Song," also covering the more uptempo "Queen Of The Silver Dollar," which was also recorded by Emmylou Harris the following year, as well as some other Shel Silverstein material. The backing band included a predictable wealth of talent, such as fiddler Johnny Gimble, pickers Dave Kirby and Bobby Thompson, and pianist Ron Oates, giving this set a smooth, professional sound, if not a giant slew of chart-topping hits. As an actor, Benton moved from comedic work into more dramatic roles with appearances on various TV shows and B-movies, including over a half-dozen appearances on Fantasy Island, playing several "different" characters. Ah, disco-era show biz.

Barbi Benton "Barbi Benton" (Playboy Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy, Randy Kling, Tom Pick & Roy Shockley)
This album included her biggest hit, "Brass Buckles" which hit #5 on the charts... Outside of a duet with Mickey Gilley, this was her biggest commercial success. Not surprisingly, she's backed by an all-star Nashville studio band, with superpickers galore -- Stu Basore, Dave Kirby, Russ Hicks, Charlie McCoy, Bobby Thompson, Jerry Whitehurst, et.al.

Barbi Benton "Something New" (Playboy Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Robert Appere, John Arrias & Mark Howlett)

Barbi Benton "Ain't That Just The Way" (Playboy Records, 1978)

Barbi Benton "Kinetic Voyage" (Takoma Records, 1988) (LP)

Barbi Benton "Barbi Benton" (Max Cat Records, 2010)

Larry Benton "Lonely Again" (World Sound/Tribute Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Morton Plonchak)
One of many country-oriented releases from World Sound Incorporated, a famous "tax scam" label headquartered in Los Angeles. As with most records on the label, this doesn't list the backing musicians, or give composer credits for the songs, though they were probably originals. Alas, I was unable to find any details about Mr. Benton (assuming that's his real name) online.

Chuck Berger "New Country Sounds" (19--?) (LP)
Oh, dear. An entire album of cordovox country? And flugelhorn? I am skeptical, but if someone wanted to send me a copy, I'd be glad to check it out. Though great is my trepidation... This seems to be an early 'Sixties outing, with covers of hits such as Big Bouquet Of Roses," "Make The World Go Away," "Tip Of My Fingers," and possibly some originals as well. The back cover is blank, so the aura of mystery is enhanced.

Roy Berkeley & Tim Woodbridge "Folk And Country Songs Of The FDR Years" (Longview Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Don Wade)
This one's definitely more of a folk album (though it does use the word "country" on the cover!) but Roy Berkeley's bio is just too good to pass up, particularly the way this album fits into his overall story. Roy Berkeley (1935-2009) was born during the height of the Great Depression and, as mentioned in the liner notes, grew up in a world where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt loomed large and the New Deal provided anxious Americans a path to stability and prosperity... An East Coaster, Berkeley was a charter member of the Greenwich Village folk revival in the late 1950s, and formed the Old Reliable String Band with Tom Paley in the early 'Sixties. According to his online profile is (perhaps apocryphally) said to have been the first folksinger to perform in a coffeehouse. Not an orthodox leftie, Berkeley's early songs occasionally lampooned the socialist leanings of the "old left," although on this album his affection for FDR seems sincere. However, in later years Berkeley went full Reagan Democrat and literally became a gun-toting, card-carrying Republican, working in local law enforcement up in Vermont. He moved from FDR's NRA (the National Recovery Administration) to the assault rifle NRA, giving firearms training rather than guitar lessons. God bless America!

Ruth Berman "I'm Going Home" (Hilltop Production Company, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Lawson)

Rod Bernard - see artist profile

Ron Bernard "Friends And Lovers" (Bridgewire Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Hutcherson, DeWayne Orender & Ron Bernard)
'80s indiebilly from the Fresno suburb of Clovis, California... Includes the locally-themed "Raisin City Blues," as well as a bunch of weepers such as "Why Can't Old Lovers Be Friends," "Every Time I Fall In Love, It Falls Apart" and "Pickin' Up The Pieces Of Me." This album was partly recorded at the Fresno-based Trac Recordings studio -- a modest regional powerhouse that recorded a slew of Central Valley country and gospel artists. [Note: Ron Bernard's 1985 single, "Blues In My Mind," says its tracks are taken from an LP called Faded Love And Winter Roses ("a tribute to Fred Rose and Murray Nash") but so far I've never laid eyes on that album, and I'm not sure the project was actually completed... Anyone know for sure?]

Wade Bernard "Live At The Cajun Festival" (Dominion Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Mills & Benny Quinn)
Cajun country from Golden Meadow, Louisiana, an early private-press release from Wade Alan Bernard, who later moved to Nashville and pursued both a solo career and worked as a backing musician for mainstream country stars such as fellow cajun Jimmy C. Newman. The music here is a mix of classic country -- some Hank Williams tunes, etc., and several originals by Wade Bernard and also one by his dad, Dudley Bernard, mainly sticking to mainstream country, with a little bit of blues and swamp-pop in the mix. The set was recorded live at the sixth annual Louisiana Cajun Festival, in Galiano, Louisiana, sometime in the late 1970s, with Wade Bernard backed by a band called Country Comfort: Richard Brunet (bass), Wayne Faucheaux (drums), and Terry Toups (piano).

Bob Bernstein "Country Mobile Home Park" (Bob Bernstein Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Bernstein)
An all-original set from a Southern California indie twangster living in Vista, CA, near San Diego... Bernstein started playing in a duet with John Moore, who also sings lead on this album. It's a family affair throughout, with Bernstein's daughter, Jaqueline Carol Gordon, singing harmony, as well as Moore's sister Julie on a tune or two, and some steel guitar by Richard Craig and Tim Cook, and banjo by Dennis Caplinger, and picking and singing by various SoCal locals. All the songs are Bob Bernstein originals...

Slim Berry "Abilene And Other Western Hits" (Viking Records, 196--?) (LP)
East Coast cheapo-label cowboy music recordings. I'm not sure, but Slim Berry may have been one of many pseudonyms used to recycle this stuff endlessly among dozens of "different" records.

Slim Berry "A Tribute To Hank Williams" (Viking Records, 196--?) (LP)
I mean, wasn't this really, like, Curly Fields or some other hillbilly old-timer? Didn't I hear that somewhere...?

Wayne Berry "Home At Last" (RCA, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Norbert Putman)
I'm listing this one not so much because it really fits into the '70s country vibe I'm into, but because I keep seeing it mentioned as a lost country-rock gem, and I'm not so sure I agree. A Nashville native who first tried his luck in folk-era New York City, Berry eventually headed out west, where he co-founded a SoCal country-rock band called Timber and was pals with Tommy Talton, of the band Cowboy. Which all gives him country-rock cred, I guess, but a lot of this is disc just tepid, strained '70s soft rock. There are some pleasantly twangy tunes, though nothing I'd recommend you try too hard to track down: "Black Magic Gun," "Welcome Home" and "Gene's Tune (Blonde Guitar)" are about it for me. This was apparently a big studiofest, with heavy hitters such as Barry Beckett, Johnny Gimble and Pete Carr sitting in, as well as several guys from the Area Code 615 band, and some pedal steel on a few tracks, courtesy of Weldon Myrick. Worth checking out, but it didn't really float my boat.

Big Jeff Bess "Tennessee Home Brew" (Bear Family, 2010)
Scrappy, super-obscure hillbilly oldies from the era before Nashville became a slick show biz town... In the 1940s, singer Jeff Bess was a local radio personality and businessman, notably as the owner of several bars (one of which, the fabled Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, is still around...) He also sang country music and recorded several singles in the late '40s and early '50s... It's fun stuff, lively and raw, with obvious debts to Hank Williams, but also a gangly individuality where Bess's personality comes through clear as a bell. One of his songs, "Tennessee Home Brew," is a real drinking-song gem, but there are a bunch of great goofball novelty songs. Another fine bit of roots music archeology from the fine folks at Bear Family!

Steve Bess "The Two Sides Of Steve Bess" (MIC Records, 197--?) (LP)
A Tennessee native whose father was honkytonker Big Jeff Bess, who co-founded one of Nashville's most fabled bars, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, way back in 1960 with his then-wife, Hattie Louise Bess. Apparently around that time their son Steve Bess was in Ray Price's band, the Cherokee Cowboys, and took part in the first funky jam sessions held in the back of Tootsie's, giving birth to a decades-long tradition that helped put the club on the map. Steve Bess also worked as a producer, session musician and singles artist in the late 1960s for the Nashville indie Spar Records. This LP appears to have been Steve Bess's only album, and outside of a few singles, his main recorded legacy was his stint as part of the Spar label's cheapie-label soundalike band, Nashville Country Jamboree. Other than that, he remains a fairly mysterious figure, though he sure had one heck of a great backstory.

Beth & Cinde "Cross Country" (Rising Moon Productions, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Cinde Borup & Beth Pederson)
Folkie-jazzy stuff with a notable streak of country twang... The acoustic-electric duo of Beth Pederson and Cinde Borup were from Sandpoint, Idaho and are backed by a few shaggy-lookin' locals, notably bassist Pat Ball, whose jazzy, electric noodling stands out in the sparsely-arranged, primarily acoustic setting. There are some callbacks to pop vocal oldies and standards such as "Java Jive," "Sea Cruise" and "Route 66," as well as a cover of a Billy Joe Shaver song, "Sweet Daddy," and five songs penned by Cinde Borup, who I assume is also the main vocalist. There's kind of a bluesy throatiness to many of the songs with recalls 'Seventies sirens such as Phoebe Snow and Ellen McIlwane, with dips into torch song and dewy singer-songwriter folk... Not as country as some would say, but worth checking out, especially if you're looking for female artists of the era.

Karen Beth "The Joys Of Life" (Decca Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Milt Okun & Elvin Campbell)
Songwriter Karen Beth Rothfeld appears to have briefly been one of legendary producer John Hammond's so-called "follies," recording a fairly nondescript, Judy Collins-esque single with him back in 1967, after first penning a few unnoticed folk tunes a couple of years earlier. From Columbia Records, she went to Decca, where at the height of the American hippie scene she recorded a pair of remarkable baroque folk/country/pop albums packed with songs that quavered between the kooky and the sublime, with lyrics that were equal parts introspective and surreal. Her approach was distinctive, and sometimes even actively annoying in a manner that might recall the "novelty" folk approaches of Dory Previn or the Roches. Of perhaps greater interest are her dreamier, more craftsmanlike songs, which may bring to mind folk auteurs such as Mary McCaslin or Linda Thompson, as well as cosmic dreamers like Nick Drake. The appeal may vary from listener to listener, but all of her early songs are oddly captivating, and although she was an idiosyncratic, probably unmarketable artist, her melodies instantly burn themselves into your head. She was greatly advantaged by being paired up with top-flight musicians (unidentified on her Decca albums, though not on her equally delightful 1975 Buddah LP...) who consistently provided rich sonic textures for her to explore. Karen Beth exudes an unusual sense of self-possession, and was comfortable working with lush, baroque arrangements, even on tracks where the instrumental backing seems ill-formed or meandering -- she was an artist who was mining a unique musical strata, and sounds completely at ease with the process. This album has a slightly explosive, declarative feel, including forceful blues touches that may remind listeners of Karen Dalton or even JoAnn Kelly. Three of the songs were co-written with Alan Jarosz, though this is clearly Karen Beth's own show. Her subsequent albums may be more magnum-esque or opus-y, but you'll want to check this one out as well.

Karen Beth "Harvest" (Decca Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Joey Bell & Elvin Campbell)
If I had to guess, I'd say this Karen Beth album is most likely to be considered a lost masterpiece among the folk-freak revivalists... Like all of her early albums, it's challenging, though enchanting. If you're a fan of deliberately quirky artists such as the Roches, no problem: you're going to love this. Other folks further along the twangfan spectrum may find themselves mildly embarrassed by parts of this record, constantly glancing over their shoulders, fearful lest a less-tolerant family member walks in while the album is on. But that's just part of the equation. The disc also crosses over into more accessible and at times transcendent material, with Karen Beth restraining her more kooky inclinations while mining into deeply resonant post-folk, cosmic-introspective material... On a few songs she sounds quite a bit like Mary McCaslin, though with lyrics that suggest a Mary McCaslin tripping her brains out on acid, or whatever else was available at the time. Songs such as "Like Wine To Me" have clear country roots, and while the noodly electric guitar gets a little repetitive, many songs achieve a "vibe" that's got that special little something. One of the album's highlights, "I'm No Good For You" is a remarkable acoustic folk tune with self-deprecating lyrics wherein the protagonist warns off a potential lover, in one of the all-time greatest "it's not you, it's me" songs you're ever likely to encounter. Still long-haired and hanging out with massively shaggy hippie dudes (dig that back cover photo!) Karen Beth may have been working out some of her own gender-identity issues, later being claimed as an LGBTQ artist, though she managed to avoid being pigeonholed as a "women's music" artist, per se. On her next album, several years later, she'd ditched the long, straight, Joni Mitchell tresses in favor of a much shorter, pageboy-adjacent haircut, and she looks a lot more relaxed. At any rate, this is a record to look for, if you're into 'Seventies experimentalism.

Karen Beth "New Moon Rising" (Buddah Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by John Simon, George James & Adam Taylor)
One of those intensely only-in-the-'Seventies kind of albums, this is definitely a lost and/or neglected gem from an era of remarkable experimentation and stylistic innovation. This idiosyncratic folk-rock tour-de-force is an album that is both very much a hippie-era time capsule, and decades ahead of its time. Recorded at the fabled Bearsville Sound Studio in upstate New York, the set features backing from several of that scene's best session players, most notably pedal steel player Bill Keith, who creates a rich sonic environment and ably compliments Beth's own intriguing acoustic guitar style. Perhaps even more than on her Decca albums, she indulges in twee though not-quite cloying novelty vocals, reminiscent of or anticipating artists such as Dori Previn or the Roches. More intriguing, though, is how on the more "normal" tracks, she seems to anticipate the alt/indierock/lo-fi style of the 1990s and beyond: can a tribute album be that far off in the future? Also fascinating is an acoustic guitar style that edges into the same drone-tinged, open-tuned territory as Hawaiian slack-key, though not super-overtly... it takes a while to creep up on you. While there's clearly a big burst of top-tier country-folk talent behind her, Karen Beth rides confidently on top of the wave, projecting an auteur vibe that shows an unconventional singer-songwriter working at the top of her game. She self-released a bunch of records after this and hosts her own website where her later albums are also available.

Bethlehem "Bethlehem" (Maranatha Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Al Perkins & Tom Stipe)
An exemplary "Jesus freak" country-rock gospel album, one of the more musically convincing releases on the Southern California-based Maranatha label... Indeed, this slick, melodic set sounds like something that could have been released by superstar contemporaries such as Poco or America, just with a persistent religious message, lots of smooth vocal harmonies and smooth, super-professional musical arrangements, multi-tracked to a fare-thee-well by country-rock sideman Al Perkins and his earnest crew. The band was led by singer Danny Daniels, who was a pastor in the hippie-adjacent Vineyard movement, and apparently a founder of the Maranatha label (according to Discogs.) The shaggy-looking bros on the album cover also included drummer Dan McCleery, Dom Franco (dobro and steel guitar), John Falcone (bass), Randy Rigby on keyboards and lead guitar. All but two of the songs were originals credited to "Glenn Daniels" (apparently an alias for lead singer Danny Daniels) while steel player Dominic Franco sings the other two, which were both his own compositions. Various and sundry Maranatha-ites also chime in: Al Perkins strums some guitar, Richie Furay sings harmony, Furay's keyboard player Tom Stipe is one of the album's producers, etc. This album cuts both ways -- on one hand, the confident professionalism of the production makes this one of the better and more musically satisfying Jesus Movement country albums, though more secular-minded twangfans might find the evangelical messaging a bit cloying and narrowly focussed. Potato, patato, I guess.

Richard Betts "Highway Call" (Capricorn Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Richard Betts, Johnny Sandlin & Sam Whiteside)
The first solo set from southern rock pioneer Dickey Betts (1943-2024) a Florida native and founding member of the trailblazing Allman Brothers Band. Betts wrote (and sang) the group's biggest hit,"Ramblin' Man," and was a primary architect of the dynamic twin-guitar sound that defined the classic 1970's southern rock sound. This album was recorded during one of the many periods of turmoil and interpersonal conflict that marked the long history of the Allman Brothers Band, and was in part a declaration of independence for Dickey Betts, both literally and stylistically. Stepping back from the harder rock/blues vibe of Allman crew, he dips a little deeper into the melodic, country-friendly musical wellspring of his youth, when he got his start playing bluegrass with his dad. But with only six songs on a full-length LP, including the fourteen-minute long "Hand Picked," there's also plenty of the expansive jam-band rock ethos he helped construct in the late 'Sixties. Among the musicians backing him are bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements, steel player John Hughey, Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Allman Bros keyboardist Chuck Leavell, producer/guitarist Johnny Sandlin, and many others... even including the fabled southern gospel group, The Rambos, providing backing vocals, and of course Dickey Betts himself, playing dobro and guitar. Quite a lineup!

Russ Beverly "...And The Country Gold Band" (19--?) (LP)
A rather mysterious and hyper-generic looking country-covers set which I saw once (for way too much money!) at the Record Hut in my old home town, and had to pass on. No idea who these folks were, or where they were from, although it's possible they were from around Kansas City, despite the desert-y look of the album art... The group included Russ Beverly (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Fred Countryman (lead guitar), Lloyd Martin (drums) and David White on bass. The songs are all covers of country hits, old and new, though mostly older stuff like "The Auctioneer," "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down," "Release Me," "Welcome To My World," the Hank Williams classic, "You Win Again," and (ugh) yet another rendition of the Marty Robbins gospel weeper, "You Gave Me A Mountain." with newer material including "The Key s In The Mail Box" and, curiously, not one but two Lawton Williams songs. There's no date, address or producer information on the album cover, just the musician names and song titles. Any information is welcome.

Amy BeVille "Amy BeVille" (Pyramid's Eye Recording Studio) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Stabile & Lee Peterzell)
Though originally from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, songwriter Amy BeVille settled down in Georgia where she became a well-respected guitarist, as well as an ordained minister and a highly successful organic farmer, raising seedlings by the truckful for sale across the region. Along the way, she played gigs with some of the best roots musicians of the '70s and recorded this album which mixes original songs with some interesting cover tunes. This includes a cover of Ronee Blakley's "Tape Deck In His Tractor" and Bobby Charles' "Tennessee Blues" along with a slew of original material, although much of it looks pretty folkie. There's no pedal steel or fiddle, though Ed Cullis plunks the banjo and BeVille adds some sweet licks on guitar. Not sure when this came out, but it looks late '70s/early '80s...

The B. G. Ramblers "They're Cloggin' In The White House" (Orange Blossom, 197-?) (LP)
Safe to assume that "B. G." stands for "bluegrass," as the set list is pretty much straightforward 'grass standards -- "Cotton Eyed Joe," "Fox On The Run," et. al -- but it's that title track that makes this noteworthy for 'Seventies scholars -- a Jimmy Carter reference, no doubt. Not sure where these folks were from, though... Anyone out there know?

The Bibletones "The Mississippi Sound Of The Bibletones" (Morning Star Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Crook & Kevin McManus)
A long-running gospel group from Mississippi, the Bibletones were founded in 1957, and like many southern gospel bands they have gone through innumerable changes in their lineup. These mid-'Eighties albums caught my eye because of the participation of some heavyweight studio pickers from the country world, notably guitarist Bruce Watkins and pedal steel whiz Terry Crisp, as well as producer Eddie Crook on keyboards. Not sure who the vocalists were (they aren't identified) but this lineup seems to have

The Bibletones "A Southern Tradition" (Morning Star Records, 1985) (LP)
Another country-flavored set, this time with guitar by Greg Galbraith and pedal steel courtesy of Doug Jernigan... Of course the group cut a bazillion records over the years, and you'd have to trawl through a bunch of southern gospel websites to piece it all together... I'm mostly just interested in these discs because of the pickers who were backing them...

Sam Bidwell "Sam Bidwell" (Ricochet Records, 1988) (LP)
Independent neo-trad country by Wichita, Kansas songwriter Sam Bidwell, with songs such as "Small Town Country Boy," "Your Love Hit Me Like A Bullet," "What Excuse Will I Use Tonight" and "Honky Tonk Crazy." This session was recorded in Nashville.

Big Dave And The Tennessee Tailgaters "Hits For A Truck Driving Man" (Stereo Gold Award Records, 1970) (LP)
A mega-shady budget-label mystery disc from a completely unknown, anonymous band. This set of trucker tunes seems to have been first recorded for Damil USA, a short-lived cheapie label of mysterious provenance, and was relicensed and reissued numerous times throughout the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, including at least one anonymous CD edition, with no band name at all. The set list is a mix of cover songs of well-known trucker hits like "Giddy Up Go" and "Gimme Forty Acres," and a few tunes that seem to have been originals, such as "T-Town Tailgaitin'," which appears to have been unique to this "band." The album was added to and altered over the years, though, and it's doubtful that the same musicians played on all the various editions: the first album seems to have been recorded around 1970, and later editions added new material, such as C. W. McCall's 1975 hit, "Convoy," which makes this sort of an unusual, evolving album. The old Damil label also had an early 'Seventies pop/easy listening album credited to "The Gate Crashers," so that was sort of meant to be their brand, back in the day.

Big John & The Bad Men "Hoe Down Fiddle" (Oxboro Records, 19--?) (LP)
An old-timey "hoe down country" stringband from the Great Lakes, the Bad Men featured fiddler/guitarist "Big John" Johnny Voit, originally from Finlayson, Minnesota, who also worked in the house band of the Flame Cafe in Minneapolis. He's backed by a group identified as drummer Aloysious Sebastian Lloyd Jones III, Bobby Niven on bass and pianist Arnie St. Hillaire. (I suspect there may be a stage name or two among this group, but can't say with absolute certainty.) The repertoire is pretty standard fare -- "Bile That Cabbage Down," "Flop Eared Mule," "Old Joe Clark," etc. "Orange Blossom Special?" Yah, sure, you betcha. I'm not so sure about "Chinese Breakdown," but hey, those were different times.

Big Lost Rainbow "Big Lost Rainbow" (1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Igelhart & Big Lost Rainbow)
An early 'Seventies rock band with folk and country-rock influences, Big Lost Rainbow was originally from Pomfret, Connecticut, and performed regionally throughout New England. They self-released this album, and plugged away for a few more years before disbanding mid-decade. The group's main songwriter, Ridley Pearson and his brother Brad Pearson moved to Idaho, where they played in an indie-twang band called Stetson; Ridley Pearson later became a novelist and took part in the Rock Bottom Remainders band, along with horror writer Stephen King and others.

Big Mac And The Outlaws "The Outlaws" (Alvera Records, 19--?) (LP)
Back when everyone was talking about "outlaw country," these guys really meant it! This was a prison band from the state penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma, playing rock and country oldies, doubtless as part of a work rehabilitation program... I think may have recorded more than one album, though I'm not sure about that.

The Big Sky Singers "The Big Sky Singers" (Dot Records, 1964) (LP)
Years before forming the Canadian rock band The Original Caste, songwriter-guitarist Bruce Innes led this early-'Sixties folk group while attending the University of Montana, up in Butte. The group started in 1960, and legend has it that while back in Montana, Innes became pals with future gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who advised the group to try their fortunes out west, leading to the a record contract and a studio session in LA. Their career was cut short when singer David Stiles passed away unexpectedly. This was their only album, notable in part for liner notes by Hunter Thompson himself... Innes hung around LA for a while, writing music and doing studio work before heading back to Calgary, where he got into the regional rock scene. Though he dabbled a little in country-rock, this was probably his most rural-based material... Not really country, but still kinda cool.

John Biggs "The Roads We Travel" (Blue River Valley Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Weir & John Biggs)
A mostly-folkie set, with distinct flavors of bluegrass and country twang from this Manhattan, Kansas songwriter... There's a strong John Denver-ish feel to the gentler tunes, but also some wicked humor ala Larry Groce, as heard on the faux-gospel novelty number, "Send Me To Glory In A Glad Bag," which is probably the album's best-known song. Biggs also includes a couple of real gospel songs, notably a brief instrumental fling at "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" and "Talk About Your Suffering," though I'd hardly call this a religious record...) Electric guitarist Dan Kirkpatrick adds some hot licks on a couple of tracks, though most of the other players are true locals-only types... Admittedly, Biggs has a fairly thin voice and many of his songs are pretty goopy, but they are also compelling, in no small part due to his committed, passionate performances. This tilts a little farther into pure-folk terrain for me, but it's still a really nice record. And definitely very "of its time..."

Kenny Biggs "Loving You Is What I Do The Best" (Gateway Records, 1968-?) (LP)
A fun set of bright, crisp, old-fashioned honkytonk from regional singer Kenny Biggs. Originally from Sleepy Creek, West Virginia, Biggs carved out a niche for himself as a radio deejay on a string of stations in locales such as Gary, Indiana, Chicago and most notably several stations in Pennsylvania, which seems to have been his main stomping grounds. Around the time he made this album, Mr. Biggs was working on WPIT, Pittsburg while also pursuing an ambitious touring schedule that took him up into New York state and Canada. He also had a gig on the WWVA "Wheeling Jamboree," where he was backed by his band The Talismen, made up of bass player Wayne Barnes, Wayne Kincaid on steel guitar, and Bill Lynn on drums. They were apparently represented by Ohio country music entrepreneur Quentin Welty, who wrote the liner notes for both of these albums, and whose B-W label released one of Kenny Biggs' earliest singles 'way back in 1961. There's no release date on this disc, but it includes a version of the title track, which Biggs recorded for Chart Records in 1966, as well as a cover of "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon," which was a hit for Charlie Walker in 1967, so I'll take a swing at it and guess this came out around 1968. [Note: this came out in at least two different editions, each with different cover art, suggesting it may have been sold as a souvenir at his shows, and sold out at least once.]

Kenny Biggs "Chasing Rainbows" (Pinnacle Records, 1970-?) (LP)
An excellent album of would-be early-'70s Top Forty material from an Ohio artist who was a cast member of the WWVA Jamboree show at the time he recorded this album. Biggs attempts a few countrypolitan ballads, but the best stuff here is the more robust, loping honky-tonk material... He had a good feel for novelty material as well, and overall was a pretty polished, likeable performer. There's no date on the album, but again the liner notes are by country promoter Quentin Welty, who was now identified as the General Manager of WWVA, a job he held from 1969-71 -- I'm splitting the difference and calling it a 1970 album. Biggs seems to have been in Welty's general orbit as a demo singer as well as a bandleader: in addition to a three originals written by Biggs, there are several credited to B-W Music (Welty's publishing house) with songs penned by Gene Hood, Jim Owen, and even one by 'Fifties hillbilly singer Howdy Kempf. Biggs might have been a little out of step with the times -- a lot of this material sounds like it would have fit in better with the post-honky tonk vibe of early '60s Nashville, but it's a still swell record, definitely worth tracking down. I'll count Kenny Biggs in my list of old-school coulda-woulda-shoulda artists.

Kenny Biggs "On Stage" (B-W Records, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Glenn Reeves & Jim Sutton)
A fine live album recorded during the early 'Seventies era when the Wheeling Jamboree had transitioned into Jamboree USA, with Kenny Biggs still hanging in as a cast member. Biggs proves himself a solid, robust entertainer, with a strong country vocal tone and a commanding, amiable stage presence. He's partnered with a gal singer from Ravenna, Ohio named Jackie Smith, who sadly is a bit of a dud -- after Biggs plows through a few tunes, he puts her in the spotlight, and it really slows the show's momentum. Her vocals are comparatively drab, and she sounds unconfident and almost apologetic, adequate for an opry-style show, but not on the sam level as Biggs. The backing band was also pretty solid, including Jerry Brightman on steel guitar, Ray Couture (rhythm guitar), Rick Erickson (bass), Roger Hoard (lead guitar) and drummer Greg Steele. No date on the disc, but the liner notes say that this was the Jamboree's first live album, recorded in its "39th year" so I'd take that to mean 1972 or thereabouts. The sound production is a little muffled, but overall it's pretty good!

Bill & Don "...Sing Songs Of The Lonesome Road" (Mission Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Floyd)
Although this gospel record was recorded in Nashville, the bluegrass-country duo of Bill Keefer and Don Shaw were, I believe, from Georgia, probably somewhere near Savannah. This is strictly off-the-radar, amateur musicmaking, notable for the wealth of original material, about two-thirds of the songs credited to either Keefer or Shaw, with backing by fellow Georgians Junior Perry (lead guitar), Homer Tew (rhythm guitar) and Glenvis Tyre (fiddle and mandolin) a local musician from Wayne County, south of Savannah. This album looks late '60s, though it's possible it's from the early '70s -- hard to pin down exactly.

Bill & Taffy "Pass It On" (RCA, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Blume, Bill Danoff & Taffy Danoff)
Songwriter Bill Danoff has had one hell of a career: he directly influenced the success of country rock and wrote two huge smash hits that were an integral part of the 1970's soundscape. As part of the late '60s Washington, DC folk scene, Danoff and his then-wife Taffy Nivert formed an obscure band called Fat City, which released two odd and eclectic albums. They were also early supporters of Emmylou Harris, years before her fateful encounter with country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons. In 1971 Bill & Taffy co-wrote "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which became a huge hit for folk-rock icon John Denver and became frequent collaborators with the rising superstar. After releasing a couple of unsuccessful albums as "Bill & Taffy," they took stock of their own limited star potential, hired a couple of glamorous singers and relaunched themselves as The Starland Vocal Band, immediately scoring a chart-topping hit with "Afternoon Delight," which was such a huge success if earned them a short-lived prime-time variety show on CBS-TV. They never came close to matching that one, though, and the band broke up after a few albums, but recording that one song was enough to cement them in the holy firmament of 'Seventies cheese. Now, about this record. In all honesty, this is a pretty terrible album -- a super-duper self-indulgent, starry-eyed, spaced-out hippie philosophizing/navel-gazing folk-pop-psychedelic smorgasbord, with amiable warbling and poetic intoning. Folks who dig early '70s self-indulgence may find this to be pretty groovy, but it's more of an over-inflated LA studiofest than a groundbreaking country-rock outing, certainly there are no pop gems on a par with "Take Me Home, Country Roads," although to be fair, it does have its moments. Guitarist Larry Carlton is one of several notable studio musicians on here, adding some hot licks, particularly on the funky "She Won't Let Me Fly Away," one of the album's highlights. Other musicians include folkie Carolyn Hester on background vocals, jazz singer Al Jarreau doing something called "vocal flutes," sessionman Hal Blaine on drums, while for more country-oriented material, Byron Berline plays banjo and fiddle on one song, "Some Sweet Day."

Bill & Taffy "Aces" (RCA, 1974) (LP)

Bill Billington "Sex, Drugs And Country Music" (Nu-Sound, 1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Floyd)
Outlaw novelty twang from upstate New York... All but two of the songs were written by Billington; Gary Harrison provided the others, including one song co-written with Dean Dillon. This album includes tunes like "Sex, Drugs And Country Music," "Bartender Woman," "Always Agree With Your Mother" and "Big Bad 1200 CC Harley."

Bill Billington "All In Life's Game" (Nu-Sound Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Floyd)

Billy (Holcomb) & The Bordertown Boogie Band "Billy & The Bordertown Boogie Band" (Victory Records, 19--?) (LP)
A maniacal western movie fan and regional historian from Denison, Texas, Billy Holcomb was born around 1938 and grew up idolizing Gene Autry and all the other singing cowboys of the silver screen. He gobbled up every western film, novel, magazine, comic book and related goo-gaw he could find. Starting in his teens, he wrote several monographs including a biography of Gene Autry, and a book documenting the history of the local movie theaters in his hometown, entitled Theater Row: The Movie Palaces Of Denison, Texas. Another passion was his devotion to country and gospel music, which is seen in these albums, as well as in the hundreds of songs he wrote over the course of several decades. Mr. Holcomb founded the Texoma Music Association, a regional music booster group, and became president of the National Gospel Music Association, holding that title for over fifteen years. This band was originally a gospel group called Billy And The Border Town Gospel Band, though they changed the name after broadening their repertoire to include more secular material.

Billy (Holcomb) & The Bordertown Boogie Band "America: In God We Trust" (Victory Records, 19--?) (LP)
Patriotic and gospel songs were Billy Holcomb's bread and butter, as heard on this theme album, packed with original material from his own voluminous catalog of compositions...

Billy & The Bordertown Boogie Band "Boots, Bits, Bridles And Spurs" (Victory Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Holcomb & Mark Duvall)
The third album by this spunky Lone Star band... The musicians included Billy Holcomb on lead vocals, as well as Ben Holcomb, Bob Cagle, Bobby Connell, Johnny Means and Buddy Yockey. Most of the songs were their own original material, with five(?) songs credited to Billy Holcomb, and two to the band. They also covered standards such as "Buckaroo," "Johnny B Goode," Jimmie Rodgers' "T For Texas," and Ray Charles's "What'd I Say." In addition to these three albums, Mr. Holcomb also released a string of singles, and may have recorded other albums as well; these three were listed on the back cover of this third album, though I'm not sure when these first two came out. Billy Holcomb was still performing at western-themed music events at least as recently as 2019(!)

Jim Bing "This Is Jim Bing" (Universal Audio, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by John Michaelson)
Originally from Wisconsin, rockabilly/frat rock veteran Jim Bing had been living in Arizona for several years when he recorded this album of pop and country covers. The country stuff includes stuff like "Proud Mary," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "For The Good Times" and "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," placing this undated album somewhere around 1973 or thereabouts. His old band, The Valiants, are faves of the rockabilly/retro set, and recorded several sizzling tunes back in the '60s.

Jim Bing "Keep On Singing" (DB Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Bing & Fred Stevenson)
This appears to be mainly cover tunes -- the title track might be an original by co-composers Bobby Hart and Danny Janssen -- but it's mainly cover tunes, with songalong standards such as Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain," John Rostill's "Let Me Be There," "After The Lovin'," "Lucille," and other '60s/'70s faves. Jim Bing plays lead guitar, backed by Jay Mitchell on bass, Fred Stevenson (rhythm guitar), Susie Stevenson (synthesizer), and Mike Valentine on drums.

James Bingle "Solely James Bingle" (Bingle Records, 196-?) (LP)
(Produced by James Bingle)
Primitive, earthy and immediate, this rough-hewn bluesy acoustic country music shows a strong, undeniable Jimmie Rodgers influence. Details are pretty sparse, but according to the guy selling this unicorn on eBay, Mr. Bingle was a street musician who self-released only a few dozen copies of this oddly compelling album. There's no cover art, and the erratically-designed inner label credits him as sole author and composer of all the material. Tracking down his BMI entity, J-B Music Publishing, I believe his full name was James Freemont Bingle (1971-2013) and Arkansas native who later moved to Southern California and became known as "the Cabazon Cowboy." While some of these songs were registered as early as 1962, Mr. Bingle was still copywriting his music as late as 1971-72, so this album may be of a later vintage than it seems. The main thread seems to be his 1962 song, "At Our House," which is broken up on the album into three separate tracks, in perhaps sort of a song cycle, along with "Cottage For Two," "Bye For Now," "Our Yesterday" and others. Bingle also includes a few instrumentals, odd, chunky meanderings that take his country-blues style into interesting directions. He was no John Fahey, to be sure, but he did sound unique. (Note" the album's "title" was a judgement call: I took it from the handwritten script printed on both sides of the label; alternately, it could be titled "Words And Music by James Bingle," which is what appears in typeface.) Apparently Mr. Bingle was an accomplished self-taught luthier, and handmade several guitars modeled after the Martin company's style.

Arvel Bird "Draggin' The Bow" (Have Bird Will Fly Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Arvel Bird & Marty Bleifield)
Fiddle tunes and a little bit of singing from Mr. Arvel Bird, a younger, longhaired kid with a slightly outlaw vibe, hailing from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bird was originally from Utah but lived in the Midwest for several years, and played in bands in and around Fort Wayne, Indiana, including the group DJ & The DJ Band, which recorded an album a few years earlier, featuring Mr. Bird on fiddle and mandolin. According to his own website, Bird won four statewide Indiana fiddling championships and later joined Glen Campbell's tour band, then went on to work with stars such as Tom T. Hall and Loretta Lynn. He eventually moved to Nashville, where he opened an independent recording studio and self-released more albums during the digital era. This solo album is a largely-instrumental showcase with classic fiddle tunes such as "Diggy Liggy Lo," "Listen To The Mockingbird" and a mashup called "Orange Blossom Highway Blues," as well as several originals credited to Arvel Bird: "Breakfast Suite," "Indiana Woman," "Me And Doctor Jack," and "Sold To The Devil."

Arvel Bird "One Nation" (Singing Wolf Records, 2006) (LP)
(Produced by Arvel Bird)
Recorded many years later, this album explores themes relating to Mr. Bird's first nations heritage, with tunes like "Trail Of Tears," "Spirit Lake" and "Celtic Pow Wow."

Bobby Bird "T-Bird's Daddy" (T-Bird Records, 1974-?) (LP)
Canadian guitar picker Bobby Bird was originally from near Winnipeg -- a teen prodigy, he took part in national talent contests and played on TV and radio before making his move to the Nashville in mid-1960s. He was headed to Nashville in 1964 to take up a job offer with the Jim Reeves band, the Po' Boys, when he heard about the plane crash that ended Reeves' life, so instead he worked for about a year in Minneapolis with the Houle Brothers band, before finally making it to Music City in '65. He worked regularly, playing back-up in several bands, including for Pee Wee King, Marvin Rainwater, Tex Ritter and Texas Bill Strength... This album's title comes his nickname for his son, T-Bird, who was born in 1974. (Awwww...) About half the songs on this album were written by Bird, with most of the others composed by various artists signed to the Vanjo Publishing company, which probably sponsored this album

Bird Dog & The Road Kings "Momma Where Am I" (Hat Records, 1980-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bird Dog Wheeler)
Indie twang from Maryland's Eastern Shore... Lead singer and principal songwriter Henry Byrd Wheeler grew up in Easton, and started the group in 1974, meeting lead guitar player Billy West the following year, in '75, eventually leading to the lineup on this album. Along with Wheeler and West, the Road Kings included Rick Hester on bass and Gary Parker on drums. This was probably the apex of their career, though Wheeler headed for Nashville a few years later, and plugged away in Music City from 1984-88 while keeping some version of the band alive. He returned to Maryland and got a job as a sales manager for a regional beer distribution company, where he worked for over thirty years while also running the band for fun.

Jan Bird "...Sings Down Home Sounds, With Ernie Hagar's Swingin' Steel" (Meagher Electronics/High Hopes Incorporated, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Meagher & Paul Smith)
Singer-guitarist Jan Bird was originally from Weed, California and she'd moved to Monterey and was playing gigs at the Highlands Inn in Carmel at the time she cut this album. Local steel guitar whiz Ernie Hagar plays pedal steel and dobro on here, as well as arranging the album, with banjo by Bob Cameron and guitar and bass by Russ Allen. Bird balances a few pop and folk tracks like "Last Thing On My Mind" and "Fire And Rain" against a raft of true country tunes -- stuff "Heartaches By The Number," "Cold Cold Heart" and "It's Such A Pretty World Today." Interesting song selection, and a cool cast of characters from California's Central Coast.

Terry Bird "A Tribute To Hank Williams" (Stardust Records, 196-?) (LP)
I couldn't find any info about singer Terry Bird, or about this super-sketchy cheapo label LP, though apparently this is yet another repackaging of some budget-line recordings made by hillbilly old-timer Curley Williams, tracks which have been reissued on literally dozens of cheapo LPs, under a variety of names. (I've been putting together a list of Hank Williams tribute LPs, but this website has dug much deeper. It's also worth noting that most of the songs on this album weren't actually part of the Hank Williams repertoire...

The Birkby Family "Fiddlin' With The Birkbys" (1982) (LP)
(Produced by Vaughn Lofstead & Rick Malis)
A simple, straightforward set of old-timey/bluegrass instrumentals performed by the Birkby family, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Their dad, Alan Birkby, was a Maryland State championship fiddler, though various family members take turns playing lead on this set of fiddle tunes... About as "mom and pop" as these private-pressing albums get!

Becky Bishop "First Shot... Live" (Grass Roots Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Lee Magid)
A mix of roots blues and twang from this Southern Oregon folkie... This album includes several original songs, including "Truckstop Waitress" and "This Ol' Man Of Mine" written by Bishop, along with oldies from Gene Autry, Ella Mae Morse and Joe Turner. The album was recorded at a studio in Santa Monica, California and released on a label from Malibu, though I'm not sure if Bishop was living in California at the time, or just went to LA to record. The backing band includes dobro playing by Louis Golper and fiddle by Brantley Kearns.

Bob Bishop "Somewhere In The Country" (ABC Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Cohen & Jim Williamson)

Elvin Bishop -- see artist profile

Bittercreek "All The Good Times" (Meteor Sound, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Johnson)
This Ogden, Utah bluegrass band featured fiddler Jim Shupe and bassist Ted Shupe, members of the Shupe Family Fiddlers band, which later spawned the Top Forty career of Ted's son, Ryan. The Shupes are joined on this disc they are joined by Paul Cannon, Edward Cannon (mandolin), Curtis Cannon (banjo), and Don Baker on guitar. The Shupes came from a long line of traditionally-oriented musicians, and made sure they passed the torch to their kids... In the early '80s, Ted Shupe organized the Pee Wee Pickers band, which featured his then- ten-year old son Ryan on fiddle, along with a pre-teen Matt Flinner on banjo, and much later in life Mr. Shupe and his wife Sandy organized the Utah-based Wallsburg Music Festival, which they founded in 2014.

Bittersweet "Bittersweet" (Blue Ash Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ernie Bivens III "Musical Fix" (GBS Records/General Broadcasting Service, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Lynn Carver, Pat Holt, Ronnie Light & Col. Ernie Bivens)
Apparently originally from North Carolina, Ernie Bivens III was the son of Col. Ernie Bivens. an erstwhile record producer and the driving force behind the GBS record label, which released a couple dozen singles and a few LPs during the 1980s. Often recording as just plain Ernie Bivens, EB3 cut several singles in addition to this LP, recording for the American Artists and Nashville American labels, as well as for GBS. This disc gathers some of that earlier material, as well as new songs penned by Ted Harris, as well as Chance Jones, Mike Lantrip, Ann Williams and Linda Craig. There's a faint whiff of song-poem, pay-to-play in the air here, although Harris was an established Nashville songwriter, and the backing band was an a-list Music City studio crew. The pickers are mostly seasoned pros, folks such as Willie Ackerman, Kenny Buttrey, Lloyd Green, Hargus Robbins, Buddy Spicher and Hank Strezlecki. Ernie Bivens had worked as a studio musician himself, including a stint as the drummer and vocalist for the Sligo Studio Band, which cut two early '80s LPs and also went by the name The Country Allstars; an earlier edition of the group recorded an album under Wayne Casper's name, one of his Sligo Studio buds. After this album, the Bivens trail grows cold, although I think he did some session work for various regional artists.

Bob Black "Ladies On The Steamboat" (Ridge Runner Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Black, Slim Richey & Gordon Reed)
Yeah, sure, I know Ridge Runner was a bluegrass label, but I'm a sucker for steamboats, even if it's just in a song title. Plus, I really dig Norman Blake and Nancy Blake, who play on this album, as well as the White Family, who play on a tune or two, as well as fiddlers Kenny Baker and Blaine Sprouse... Given the lineup of talent, I'd say this is a disc worth having on your radar.

Black Canyon Express "Black Canyon Express" (1982) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Mahler, Rich Markowitz & Black Canyon Express)
A Colorado bar band led by songwriter Brad Fitch, Black Canyon Express played for several years at various resorts and venues across the Rocky Mountains... The group also included Charlie Clark, fiddler Jackie Clark, and Dan Downs, playing a mostly-original set including gems such as "Cowboys And Old Folks," "Life In A Tourist Town," and "Manure Scoopin' Man." Later on, in the persona of Cowboy Brad, Fitch recorded a bazillion self-released albums in the digital era. He also co-founded another regional band, The Elktones, which for a decade or so held down a regular gig at the Elk Meadow Lodge in Estes Park, CO.

The Black Canyon Gang "Ridin' High" (Viking Studios, 1974) (LP)
A Colorado hippie band, perhaps more folkadelic than country. According to Elk Bugles they were from the towns of Montrose and Olathe, in the western end of the state, near Grand Junction, adjacent to the Black Canyon National Park. The band was made up of brothers Bill Austin (on mandolin) and Russell Austin (lead guitar), along with Paul Hunter (banjo and bass), Robert Dale Mount (banjo and mandolin) and a fella identified only as Jasper on dobro and steel guitar; Like a lot of local bands, their lineup changed a lot over time, with Bart Lyons and various Austin family members joining in later years. They had a nice sound, blending folkie, progressive bluegrass with s subtle, Byrds-y country-rock vibe. They still sounded that way decades later when doing back-porch performances in the 'Nineties (thank you, YouTube!)

Black Mountain Express "Ride Through The Country" (Teru Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Ted Reinhart)
Formed in 1969, this group from Williamsburg, Pennsylvania was initially a country-oriented quartet, although they slipped in a rock oldie or two, as well as a little bit of polka. The band's first lineup included guitarists Herm Arnold and Barry Aungst, along with Roger Ginter on drums and Bill Wilson on bass. They took a few sharp turns almost immediately, changing their name to the Second Edition in 1970, not long after this album came out. They also recorded a couple of singles under that name, and there's mention of an LP, though I think that actually refers to this disc. The lineup changed, as well, with Barry Aungst dropping out in 1972 and going on to buy a used car dealership a few years later. His younger brother Lonnie Aungst took over as the band's lead guitar and continued on as a mostly-country band for a while, switching to rock in '74 and eventually became more of an oldies band. The Second Edition continued playing regionally for several decades and even did a fiftieth anniversary reunion gig in 2019, although by that time the lineup had changed completely.

Black Mountain Band "Black Mountain Band" (BMB Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Breeden, Jack Gilmer & John Long)
Bit of a mystery disc here. The band was lead by guitarist John Long and bassist Rick Long (his brother perhaps?) along with Dan Breeden on drums, Bill Gouge (piano), Dave Meadows (banjo and fiddle), and fiddler Ken Sears. They recorded at Gene Breeden's studio in Nashville, though there's no indication of where the band was from; North Carolina's a possibility, since I think Bill Gouge was from Charlotte. The other guys may have been hired by the studio: I'm not sure but I think Meadows was an Indianapolis folkie and Ken Sears is most likely the Nashville A-lister who later formed the Time Jumpers band. At any rate, most of the songs were written by John and Richard Long, with three others by Lee Morgan and one apiece by Ernie Rowell and William Gouge (a closing number called "No One Writes Better Than Jesus"). No date, either, though for some reason I'm getting an early 'Eighties vibe. Any further info is welcome!

Black River Express "Sweet Dreams" (Mountainside Recording Studio, 1979) (LP)
Great set list from this super-obscuro New England band -- stuff from Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis and others, even a version of the Oak Ridge Boys' "Y'All Come Back Saloon," for a more contemporary touch. Also a bunch of 'Seventies gal songs: Linda Ronstadt's "When Will I Be Loved," "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" and "C'est Le Vie" (both presumably copped off of Emmylou Harris), and "Sweet Dreams," of course. The band seems to have been from Northfield, Vermont, though other than that, they are a bit of a mystery... Anyone got any info?

Black Stallion "...Featuring Benny Mahan" (Black Stallion Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Belknap & Frank Westbrook)
A country-oriented album featuring Springfield, Missouri's Benny Mahan (1944-2009) a regionally popular vocalist who started his career back in the 'Sixties, singing blues and soul, and was a longtime member of the local R&B band Granny's Bathwater, which toured nationally. This twangy album marked a real shift in direction, though Mahan's bluesy roots are never far from the surface. Black Stallion included Benny Mahan on vocals, with Kenny Cox (bass and guitar), Randy Gipson (steel guitar),Rex Meredith (lead guitar), Stan Smith (drums), and Frank Westbrook on piano and keyboards... Not sure how long the group was together, though this seems to have been their only record. All but three songs were originals written or co-written by Benny Mahan, with the exceptions being "Cajun Keyboards" an instrumental by Westbrook, and covers of "Since You've Been Gone" and Wayne Carson's "Bugle Ann." Mahan's tunes include tracks such as "Black Satin Stallion," "Honky Tonk Blood" and "Swamper," a tune he re-recorded two decades later with the band Howie & The Hellcats.

The John Blackburn Trio "The John Blackburn Trio" (Willie Price Productions, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Willie Price)
A nice, modest set from some Amarillo, Texas locals... Mostly in a folkie/acoustic blues revival mode, but with some touches of twang. They open with a nice, breezy version of the Byrds "You Ain't Going Nowhere," and dip into folk scene cowboy nostalgia ("Ain't No More Cane On The Brazos") and some playful acoustic blues'n'jazz, such as a snippet of "Keep On Truckin'," as well as a bit of bluegrass on Side Two. Blackburn slips into flamenco-style guitar and closes the album with a Spanish-tinged version of Luiz Bonfa's "Manha Da Carnaval." For twangfans perhaps the most interesting track is a cover of an obscure early song by Rodney Crowell, "Home Sweet Home Revisited," which Jerry Reed and JD Crowe popularized, but Crowell left out of his own recorded canon... This is a nice version, too. Not an earthshaking album, but a good snapshot of some just-plain folks having fun making music together.

J. D. Blackfoot "The Song Of Crazy Horse" (Pye/Fantasy Records, 1974)
(Produced by Tony Baker & J.D. Blackfoot)
This guy was originally from Ohio, although this record was recorded in New Zealand, of all places... Anyway, the album kicks off with the title track, a dreadful, politically-themed fifteen-minute long folk-prog epic about Crazy Horse and the decimation and betrayal of the Native Americans... Blackfoot's heart was in the right place, and what with the occupation of Alcatraz and all, the issues were timely... But it's so painfully serious and so musically bombastic, it's hard to say anything nice about this track. Not my cup of tea. On Side Two of the album he plows into some leaden boogie-rock, and adds a smidge of sunshine rock, all of which accentuates Blackfoot's shortcomings as a singer. In theory this album has connections to hippie twang, but mostly it's just one song, the obscene, anti-country, faux-redneck novelty number, "Flushed You Down The Toilet Of My Heart," which is un-airable, but also painfully unfunny. Wouldn't say there's much to recommend this one, really. Certainly not enough to inspire me to check out his other records.

Blackhawk "Transitions/Traditions" (Blackhawk Records, 1981) (LP)
Not to be confused with the Top Forty Nashville band of the 1990s, this group came from Colorado where they had a sizeable local following. This record has -- by accident, I think -- two titles: the album cover says "Transitions," while the inside label reads "Traditions." Go figure. The original songs include "Blackhawk," "Jamie," "Louanne" and "You Were All I Ever Needed."

Blackwater "Blackwater" (19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Anthony J. Ward & Kevin Kelly)
This early '80s(?) twangband from Bayonne, New Jersey played mostly cover songs, but also recorded a couple of their own songs co-written by singer/guitarist Danny Infantino: "Say She's A Child" and "Lazy Sunday," as well as one called "Between The Movies," which wasn't written by anyone in the band, but seems to be original to this album. I'm a little dubious about the guy playing saxophone and flute, but the cowboy hats and fiddles tell me maybe I need to get over it... Nice, mellow, harmony-vocals oriented country-rock, with a gentle early-Eagles/Firefall kinda feel. The group included Andy Holland on guitar, Danny Infantino (guitar), Gary Kirmayer (fiddle, saxophone and flute), Ollie O'Shea (fiddle), Rick Palley (bass, piano), and Dave Sonneborn on drums.

Karon Blackwell "Live In Concert" (Blackland Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by James Garland)
Singer Karon Blackwell was from Ellisville, Mississippi, though she and her husband, comedian Marty Allen did extensive touring and lounge gigs in Vegas and elsewhere... This is a double LP, mainly with covers of '70s countrypolitan hits, a few honkytonk oldies ("Jambalaya") and a couple of Motown and pop standards, stuff like "Shop Around" and "Impossible Dream." The second disc is almost all gospel, including a longer gospel medley, although most of the other songs are secular... This album was recorded several years before she and Allen met and married... One song, "Blue Skies And Roses," scraped its way into the Country Top 100, but that was the extent of Blackwell's chart action on a national level.

Debi Blackwood "Soulful Sounds" (Vision Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Leon Harris)
An unusual offering from Vision Records, a fierce little indie label from Modesto, California that captured some of the twangier sounds of the Central Valley's country gospel scene. I was first drawn to this album wondering if Debi Blackwood was related to the southern gospel Blackwood Brothers (don't think so) but then delighted to find another Vision LP. My sense of triumph was slightly dimmed by the record itself, which is stylistically distant from other releases on the label -- no pedal steel or mandolin here, but rather a strong tilt towards contemporary black pop-gospel, with several covers of Andre Crouch songs, and the spirit of Aretha Franklin hovering not far over Ms. Blackwood's expansive though uneven vocals. She had a strong set of pipes and could hit some great notes, but her sense of phrasing could get a little slippery... Besides which, this isn't really the kind of gospel music I'm into. Hailing from Blythe, California, in the desert area bordering Arizona, Ms. Blackwood was backed by Harold Bell (lead guitar), Danny Burchett (piano), Jimmy Harris (drums) and Danny Well on bass -- not sure if these were Central Valley or desert musicians, though most likely they were recruited by producer Leon Harris for these sessions.

Ron W. Blackwood & Donna Blackwood "Country" (Rite Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Burton & Lan Ackley)
A secular set by "RW & Donna," aka the Nashville-based duo of Donna Blackwood and her husband, Ron Blackwood, who was best known as the youngest member of the fabled Blackwood Brothers southern gospel group. Although their careers were mostly devoted to religious material, here RW & Donna work their way through an all-covers set of early 'Seventies country hits, singalong favorites such as "Let Me Be There," "Please Mister Please," "The Top Of The World" and "Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song." Over the years R.W. moved between various incarnations of the Blackwood Brothers and his own Blackwood Singers band, eventually moving from Tennessee to the warm embrace of the Branson, Missouri/Ozark oldies opry scene. I'm not sure when this album came out, but I'd guess sometime around the mid-'Seventies.

Boots Blake "Keeping It Country" (Great Records, 1982-?) (LP)
I could not find out any info on this country gal of yesteryear... As far as I can tell, this was her only album, mostly packed with covers, though she also released a single on the same label, with two original tunes by Lola Jean Dillon, "Here Comes The Bride" b/w "Leave Your Love At Home." Shame they weren't included here. Who knows? Maybe there's another album floating around out there somewhere...

Ric Blake "Something For Everyone" (Fifth Lane Room Record Company, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Kunshier & John Anderson)
This one looks a little sketchy, perhaps, with Side One dominated by '70s soft pop covers, ranging from "More Than A Woman" and "You Light Up My Life" (yikes) to Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," although B. J. Thomas's "Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" is getting a little closer. But hey, flip the platter and Side Two is packed with honest-to-gosh country hits, stuff like "For The Good Times," "Luckenbach, Texas," and "Long Tall Texan," so I guess we can give this guy a pass. A lounge performer, obviously, who played all the instruments himself. Not sure where Blake played live, though this album was recorded in LA, at the Annex Studios, in Hollywood, California.

Ric Blake & Karen "Dancers" (Trac Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Stan Anderson)
I assume this is the same Ric Blake as above, this time accompanied by a gal simply called "Karen," no last name given. They appear to be from California's Central Valley, recording this album at the legendary Trac studio, based in Fresno, though I couldn't find any information about either of them online. All the songs are Ric Blake originals, with one song co-written with Ed Leverette. The backing musicians aren't identified, other than lead guitar and pedal steel player Terry Christoffersen, who gets a credit on the back cover. No date on this album, or on the single ("Overnight Sensation") though this definitely looks like a mid-1980s effort, particularly Karen's big, mega-permed hair, which has a very Reba McEntire vibe. Ric Blake seems to have been active on the San Joaquin Valley roots music scene, with a thank-you mention on Ron Bernard's album, which was also produced by Stan Anderson. Anyone who has more info to offer, I'm all ears!

Ronnie Blake "Country Class" (G.I.F.T., 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Kimble & Jerry Masters)
An enjoyable album from a Florida country-pop hopeful who sang a few cover tunes but also recorded several fine originals. Side One of the album opens with "Don't Marry For Money, Honey," an empty-pockets love ballad, and closes with Bob Adkinson's "Lure Of The Road," an cheerful novelty number about a guy who becomes a trucker instead of going to college (and dreads what happens when his dad finds out...) Side Two has some new tunes as well... Unfortunately, the liner notes don't include composer credits, so though I assume Blake wrote at least some of these songs, I can't say for sure. The cover songs are a mixed bag -- Blake wobbles a little bit on uptempo numbers like "Proud Mary" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," but sounds swell on ballads such as "Help Me Make It Through The Night." All in all, this is a nice one, a strong effort by a regular fella with an okay voice and some big, big dreams. Definitely worth a spin!

Ronnie Blake "Key Largo Blues" (RB Enterprises, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Wilma Tackett & Lola Wager)

Jewel Blanch & Arthur Blanch "The Lady And The Cowboy" (CBS Records-Australia, 1981) (LP)
Born in New South Wales, Australia, country singer Jewel Blanch was the daughter of Aussie troubadour Arthur Blanch and got her start in the family band back in the early 1960s. The family moved back and forth between Australia and the US for over two decades, making inroads in Nashville while also releasing records down under. Jewel emerged as a solo performer in the late 'Seventies and made a few waves after getting signed to RCA by Chet Atkins, but in what seems to have been a lifelong pattern, she went back to Australia in 1979 just as she was gaining traction in America, although her return also brought success back home. This disc came out right after a return to Australia, and won Album of the Year (in Australia) in 1982, with Jewel Blanch also winning an award as a vocalist at the same ceremony. And then, of course, she moved back to the States in '84, laying down roots in Nashville, still working in the music business, though apparently she quit working as a recording artist.

Jewel Blanch "Send All The Ghosts Away" (CBS Records-Australia, 1982) (LP)

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan "Birds Of A Feather" (Wayside Records, 1970)

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan "Two Sides Of Jack And Misty" (Mega Records, 1972) (LP)

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan "Life and Death (And Almost Everything Else)" (Omni Records, 2006) (CD)

Johnny Blankenship "Hard On The Heart" (OL Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Don Felts)
A multi-instrumentalist who has had a longtime gig playing at Knott's Berry Farm in Southern California, Johnny Blankenship was also part of Johnny and Sharon Leighton's 1960s/'70s band(s). He cut this album for Overton Lee's ultra-obscuro label, recording a set that was mostly songs written by producer Don Felts, along with two by Blankenship, published through Lee's publishing company. Couldn't find much info about Blankenship (or this album) online, though I gather he's still holding down his day job at the Knott's Berry amusement park...

Leroy Blankenship "Call Him A Song" (Gospel Heritage Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Walters)

Leroy Blankenship "Retirement Plan" (Gospel Heritage Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Walters)
A country gospel set recorded in Nashville, with some Music City heavyweights such as Hoot Hester, Willie Rainford and Bruce Watkins helping fill out the sound alongside West Coast pickers like Alvis Barnett, Leroy Blankenship, producer Wayne Walters and a few of his family members. A few of the songs are originals, including two by Mr. Blankenship and one from Wayne Walters.

Leroy Blankenship & Wayne Walters "Friendship: A Gift From God" (Southern Heritage Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Leroy Blankenship & Wayne Walters)

Leroy Blankenship "Love Is Free" (Southern Heritage Records, 19--?) (LP)

Leroy Blankenship "Double Exposure: Leroy Blankenship Sings What He Writes" (Charter Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by J. Andy Thompson)
Heartfelt vocals with stiff phrasing and a limited range, balanced by somewhat brisk, almost trite, cut-and-paste countrypolitan arrangements. It does qualify as country, but within the context of the pop-orchestral crossovers of the 'Seventies. What redeems this, I suppose, is Mr. Blankenship's intense sincerity, and to a lesser extent his plainspoken vocals, which may suggest an odd combination of Buck Owens and Roger Miller. But the songs all sound a bit similar, with uneasy, endless transitions from one line to the next: this isn't a very smooth-sounding album, despite the syrupy string arrangements. This album showcases an all-Blankenship song list, with backing by an unidentified studio crew at the Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington. There's a notable absence of pedal steel or other overt denominators of twang, but plenty of pert yet emotionally flat string arrangements. If you're not into Jesus music or the whole southern gospel/country crossover thing, this album probably won't do much to win you over, though it's still worth a nod from us twangfans.

Leroy Blankenship "To All Music Lovers All Over The World (Benson Sound, 1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Duggan & Gerald Tucker)

Billy Blanton "Me And Leroy Live At The Hanging Tree" (BAM Records, 1977) (LP)
Although he was born in Vandervoort, Arkansas, and appeared to have lived in the state for most of his life, country singer Billy Wayne Blanton (1934-2017) traveled throughout the South to build his career. He must have spent a considerable amount of time in the Southwest as well, since this album was recorded live in Yuma, Arizona, and his following LP came out on a label from New Mexico. Blanton's first record was a single from 1973, followed by one on an Arkansas label in '76. As far as I know, he didn't record anything after the late 1970s, though he does seem to have kept performing later in life. Blanton didn't have the deepest, most robust voice, but he was a solid and sincere honkytonker, at times with a hint of Ernest Tubb in his vocals. He seems particularly guileless and eager in the live banter on this concert album, recorded at a club that was named after one of Arizona's great western tall-tales.

Billy Blanton "Little Richie Records Presents Billy Blanton" (Little Richie Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Little Richie Johnson)
A fine album released on Richie Johnson's New Mexico-based label, though recorded in Nashville with a high power studio band (Lloyd Green, Buddy Harman, Dave Kirby, Hargus Robbins, Buddy Spicher, et.al.). The set list includes a couple of Leon Payne songs, a cover of the Kenny Rogers hit, "The Gambler," and Ed Bruce's "Texas When I Die." There are also three songs by Ray D. Willis: "Hell Ain't Half A Mile Away," "I Can Almost See Houston" and "I'm Here To Drink It All," which was a first-class novelty number that was later released as a single, as was Gene Crysler's "If I Ever Need A Lady." The liner notes give us a sense of how hard Blanton struggled to break through and how far he traveled for his career: he performed at concerts and TV shows in Georgia, Kansas, South Carolina and Texas, at the Louisiana Hayride, and at an event affiliated with the Grand Ole Opry, working with folks as disparate as Jim Nesbitt, Jimmy Gateley and Bill Mack. As far as I know, this was his last full album, though it sure sounded swell -- straight-up, steel-drenched honky-tonk with a good-natured, hard-partying vibe. Nice stuff.

Steve Bledsoe "The Many Sides Of Steve Bledsoe" (Superstar Records, 1972-?) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Bledsoe)
A country crooner on a label from Charles City, Iowa, Steve Bledsoe was a hillbilly bopper with a string of singles going back to the rockabilly era of the mid-1950s. It has to be admitted that Mr. Bledsoe's half-sleepy, half-chunky vocal style was better suited to rock-pop novelty numbers than to country ballads, but his immense sincerity makes up for it. At some point he started his own label, releasing numerous 45s and at least these two LPs. Looks like this one is all covers, stuff like "Never Ending Song Of Love," "Take Me Home Country Roads," "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" and "Me And Bobby McGee." Alas, the musicians backing him aren't identified, but it seems to be an all-local production...

Steve Bledsoe "You're The Greatest Woman I've Known" (Superstar Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Bledsoe & Dave Cottrell)
There's some original material on this one: Bledsoe wrote four original songs on the first side of this album: "You're The Greatest Woman," "Denver," "Walking In The Footsteps Of The Man" and "I See Lonesome" while Side Two features some interesting covers -- stuff from the Carter Family, Carl Butler and Gary S. Paxton, and a version of "City Of New Orleans," and "Crystal Chandeliers" a song by Ted Harris that was recorded by Carl Belew and Charley Pride... In the liner notes, Bledsoe pays allegiance to Nat King Cole, as well as Elvis and Marty Robbins, so he was in more of a mellow mode by the time the 'Seventies rolled around. There's no date on the album, but I'm guessing '75 based on a reference to an award somebody won in October, '74. Backing Bledsoe are several local pickers, including bassist David McPhail, Ivan Rosseau (lead guitar), Dwayne Stepanek (steel guitar) and Joyce Bledsoe on drums.

Blegen & Sayer "Classical Cartoon Music" (The Aardvark Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Wiese)
Gentle, oddball, eclectic hippie-folkie tunes from a Minneapolis duo who were active throughout the 'Seventies. Dan Blegen and Eric Sayer were talented multi-instrumentalists with a goofy sense of humor that was in a similar vein to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, the Holy Modal Rounders and other comedic neo-trad stringband types of the era, playing whimsical material that was way out in left field. Although not quite the Carl Stalling/Raymond Scott lovefest implied by the album title, this disc does have some nutty stuff on it that will appeal to fans of the style. They performed as the musical backup for the Michael Hennessey Mime & Music Theatre, composing their own music, which is performed here with Blegen on flute, clarinet and other instruments and Sayer playing banjo, guitar and accordion. They are joined by a slew of equally obscure local musicians, including piano player Art Resnick and Russ Pahl on pedal steel and electric guitar, along with various horn players, tuba-ers, drummists and bass-lings, as well as the ever-cheerful New Lost Thunderbunny Chorus, which chimes in on a couple of tunes, including "Hoskey Noches," a minute-long masterpiece of hispano-nordic doublespeak worthy of Sid Caesar. The album includes plenty of instrumentals and novelty ditties such as "Garden Girl" ("...my hybrid baby"), "Toys For Your Bathtub," "The Big One" and "Did You Ever Bite Your Toenails With A Friend."

Hal Block "On The Spirit Of Dubuque" (Lariam Associates Inc., 1978) (LP)
Pretty obscure. This appears to be a memento of a steamboat entertainer whose repertoire included some country stuff, as well as more folk- and blues-oriented material, along with pop oldies such as "Cab Driver" and "Mister Sandman." The country stuff includes "For The Good Times," "Make The World Go Away" and "Roomful Of Roses." First christened in 1977, the Spirit Of Dubuque was a 377-passenger paddlewheel tour boat that docked in Dubuque, Iowa and (obviously) featured musical entertainment as part of the experience. This was very much a long-term gig for Mr. Block: he was mentioned in a newspaper article in 1989(!), and still included "Mister Sandman" as part of his set list.

Dan Blocker & John Mitchum "Our Land Our Heritage" (RCA Victor, 1964) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Reisman)
A celebrity disc with a folkie/patriotic slant... The star of the show is Texas-born actor Dan Blocker, best known as "Hoss," from the TV western, Bonanza. Apparently Blocker wasn't much of a musician: he provides recitations, but it's fellow actor John Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's kid brother) who sings the songs. Pop producer Joe Reisman provided the arrangements.

Jenni Blocker & Neil Wayne "Two For The Road" (Safari Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Charles Fields & Johnny Howard)
A trip to Nashville resulted in this album by South Dakotans Jenni Blocker and Neil Bagaus (aka Neil Wayne) who had previously been in an amateur band called the Suns Of The West, which played several county fair-type events and talent contests but never really cracked into the professional country scene. The Suns recorded an album in 1974, though as far as I know, these were the only two records they made...

The Blue Boys "The Sounds Of Jim Reeves" (RCA Victor, 1966) (EP)
(Produced by Jim Malloy & Bill Vandevort)
Several years after Jim Reeves' death, his old band was still plugging away, giving the fans what they wanted. As "band albums" go, this is a pretty strong effort, with a careful though not antiseptic recreation of the smooth Reeves style... The arrangements are appropriately anodyne, while crooner Bug Logan sings lead on most tracks, paying tribute to Jim Reeves without slavishly replicating his vocal tone. Only a couple of tracks are semi-instrumentals, with a group of backup singers giving little, wordless "oooh-ooohs" alongside snoozy arrangements. Mostly though, this is a soft-country, Nashville Sound album that should be satisfying to Reeves fans who were looking for more.

Brenda Blue "Ten Times The World" (Sunwood Records, 1980) (EP)
(Produced by Angel South & Bob Werner)
A four-song EP by singer Brenda Blue, who was a cast member of the Reno, Nevada production of Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, working with guitarist Angel South, formerly of the rock band Chase, who produced this disc. This was recorded in Reno with Brenda Blue on bass and vocals; Tony Booth (the same one?) playing bass, Jimmy Powell (steel guitar), Angel South (guitar), Billy Armstrong (fiddle) and others. There are three originals written by Blue: "Dirt And Stains," "Ten Times The World," and "Can't Say No Tonight," along with an oldie (from the '60s) called "Hee Haw Haw," by Oregon's Sally Wells. I'm assuming Brenda Blue was a stage name, but so far I haven't found any other info about her career...

Blue Denim Farmers "Old Time Favorites" (1975) (LP)
I guess this one's more of a "fair warning" for country fans... Despite the rural promise of their band name, The Blue Denim Farmers were in fact a local polka band from Fillmore County in southern Minnesota, where back in the day "old time music" was what they called polka and other ethnic dance music. The group also included several actual old timers, led by Walter William Henry Bicknese (1912–1999) on the banjo, his son Wayne W. Bicknese (1937-2020) on drums, Larry Meeker playing bass, accordionist Kenneth Niemeyer (1925-2003), and Ray Zimmer on trumpet. The band had its origins playing at social events for the local Farmers Union, dating back to the 1950s and they recorded this souvenir album at a St. Patrick's Day dance in the Pla-More Ballroom. It proved to be the band's swan song: a few year later in 1978 they disbanded, though two decades later Wayne Bicknese put together a New Blue Denim Farmers band, which released a CD in 2001. Anyway, it's not a country record, but it sure is local!

Jeff Blue "Love Songs And Trail Dust" (CVS Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Don D. Sheets)
The opening notes have a slick sound that promises a synthy, Top Forty wannabee, but things roll along on a slow, even keel, with Jeff Blue revealing himself to be an unabashed sentimental balladeer, earnestly crooning florid renditions of standards such as "After The Lovin'," "My Way" and Kuiokalaini Lee's "I'll Remember You." He's not a particularly compelling or original singer, but his sincerity and conviction are quite charming, and may win you over, if you have a forgiving nature. I suppose Don Williams is a good comparison, although Mr. Blue didn't cover any of Williams's hits, alas. There's no info on the album about where he's from, but he seems to have been in the orbit of the Little Nashville Opry, in Nashville, Indiana -- several of the regulars from that Hoosier hootenanny are involved with this album, including singers Shirley Kreutzjans and Marti Mae, as well as producer Don D. Sheets, who also ran the opry show. Musicians include Joe Edwards (multiple instruments), Jim Allen (ditto), Marti Mae (vocals), Rick Ferguson (bass), Shirley Kreutzjans (backing vocals), Don Davis (steel), Roger Fish (piano), with Mae also helping to mix the album. A very professional-sounding, but deeply "private label" recording.

Blue Jug "Blue Jug" (Capricorn Records, 1975) (LP)
These funky Southern rockers sounded a LOT like The Band though maybe they stuck more to deep-groove Southern funk... Anyway, they were pretty darn good. Apparently the band's principal songwriters went on to write songs for Molly Hatchet, while lead singer Ed Raetzloff got into the Contemporary Christian scene... go figure! There's some differences of opinion (or maybe just some fuzzy facts) about where they were from -- the label originally said they were from Virginia, though other sources say they were a Nashville band, backed in the studio by fiddler Buddy Spicher.

Blue Jug "Blue Jug" (Ariola Records, 1978) (LP)
Same title, same band, different album, still good.

Blue Mountain Classics "Live In Concert" (Muddy Creek Productions, 1981) (LP)
A bluegrass-based band that performed in the cast of a Missouri-based "opry" venue called the Ozark Mountain Jamboree, Blue Mountain Classics started out as a bluegrass trio featuring brothers Ben and Paul Weatherford. In stepping up to the Jamboree's main stage, the group took a more country- and rock-flavored sound, delivering zippy (one might even say slightly frantic) versions of contemporary hits by harmony-oriented Top Forty groups such as the Statler Brothers and the Gatlins. This album was recorded live at the Jamboree, and there's something a little too rickety and unsure about these performances, though as always it's nice to have a snapshot of what these regional "opry" bands sounded like in concert. Didn't do much for me, but it's okay.

Blue Mule "Ridin' With The Wind" (Icicle Records, 1984)
(Produced by David Dennison)
Canadian bluegrassers from Kingston, Ontario, with a decidedly diverse, country-oriented repertoire. They borrow from Hoyt Axton ("Evangelina"), Bonnie & Delaney ("Never Ending Song Of Love"), Waylon & Willie ("Just Pretend I Never Happened") and Bob Wills, while also tapping into their grassroots, with sweet tunes from Buck White, The Stanley Brothers and another always-welcome rendition of J. D. Crowe's late '70s anthem, "My Home Ain't In The Hall Of Fame." Blue Mule included Pete Deachman on guitar, Bill Landsdell (bass), Mike Lodge (banjo), Geoff Somers (fiddle), and Chris Whittles on mandolin... This appears to have been their only album, though they also cut a single or two. At any rate, they sure had good taste in their source material!

Blue Ridge Country "Blue Ridge Country" (Mark IV Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rusty York)
This appears to be a different group than the one above... These guys were from Spartansburg, South Carolina, though they went to the Jewel/Queen City studios in Cincinnati to record this album. Unfortunately, the liner notes don't include any of the band member's names, so they are more of a mystery band than many others... The repertoire is all cover songs, late 'Sixties, early 'Seventies country hits, with a little dip into more pop territory, such as their version of James Taylor's "Fire And Rain." Anyone know more about these folks?

Blue Ridge Partners "Tribute To The Louvin Brothers" (Old Homestead Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by John Morris)
Yes, please. This Virginia-based bluegrass band included lead singer/mandolinist Al Elliott (who gets separate billing on the front cover) along with Jim Bullock (bass), J. R. Gibson (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jerry Keys (banjo), G. C. Matlock (lead guitar, baritone vocals) and fiddler Jim Miller. The Partners band was first formed in 1966 by Audine Lineberry and Wayne Hauser, of Galax, Virginia, and went through several changes of lineup, including several albums with Al Elliott billed as the frontman. (See my bluegrass section for more information: I'm adding this album here because to the Louvin connection.)

Blue Ridge Rangers "Blue Ridge Rangers" (Fantasy Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by John Fogerty)
Awesome!! After Creedence Clearwater Revival imploded, John Fogerty got so fed up with the fratricidal aspects of actually being in a band, that he promptly went off and recorded an album all by himself -- played all the instruments, picked all the tunes, multi-tracked the album, and totally rocked out. This is the result, a masterful set of country oldies, covering artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, Webb Pierce and Melvin Endsley, all with a jocular, rolling bounciness that can't help but win you over. He perfectly captures the wild tang and explosive bang of old-school, rock-meets-hillbilly blues of the 1950s and early '60s. This is a really fun record, the kind that makes you sing along every time you hear it. Fun stuff!!

Blue Smoke "Mississippi Maserati Breakdown" (Mansion Records, 1988)
This is pretty late in the game, but this indie album from Bill Turner and his band Blue Smoke seems so retro that I'd say it deserves mention here, rather than in the modern Americana genre. The band's slick-yet-amateurish sound reminds me a bit of Rockpile,

Tommy Blue "Nature Of A Man" (TWC Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Walter Balderson & Jerome Haggert)
Originally from Long Island, singer Tommy Blue was also in a New York-based band called The Northwest Passage, which released an album on the TWC label at basically the same time as this one. Blue recorded most of this "solo" set down in Nashville, booking time at Bradley's Barn with usual-suspects studio crew that included Harold Bradley, Lloyd Green, Pete Wade, and the Lea Jane Singers. About half the songs are credited to R. Sanders, circa 1974-77, with two other songs credited to R. Landis and one called "Life's One Big Rip-Off," written by John Carlten (aka John C. Chumbley), who shared the Saddle Song publishing company with Sanders... Carlten played piano on the Northwest Passage album, although he wasn't officially listed as a member of the band. In addition to the original numbers, there are also songs by Kris Kristofferson, and oldies such as "A Fool Such As I" and Leon Payne's "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me."

The Blue Velvet Band "Sweet Moments With The Blue Velvet Band" (Warner Brothers, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Erik Jacobsen)
A smooth but sweet major-label album made when the '70s newgrass scene was still just around the bend. There's certainly a power-packed lineup: Bill Keith and Jim Rooney join up with fiddler Richard Greene (who had just served his own apprenticeship with Bill Monroe) and guitarist Eric Weissberg in his pre-Deliverance days... people often cite this as a pioneering bluegrass record, but I just don't hear much high-lonesome here, rather, it seems like a tradition-oriented hippie country set, with most of the "rock" sensibility set aside in favor of old-fashioned twang and a little bit of Bakersfield bounce. The repertoire is a swell mix of Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, a Luke Wills western-swing oldie and a cover of Merle Haggard's "Somebody Else You've Known," with these guys scooping the Flying Burrito Brothers by a year or two. The also show deep folk scene roots with a reading of "The Knight Upon The Road," and version of the Appalachian murder ballad "Little Sadie." I think it's Jim Rooney singing lead, and I have to admit he's an acquired taste. For the first few tracks you might think there's a hint of parody in his voice -- after a while, though, you'll realize it's just the plain-spoked way that he sings, not some kind of nudge-nudge, wink-wink thing. There are only two original tracks on here, including one of the album's strongest songs, "Hitch-Hiker," a cheerful novelty number written by Weissberg that captures some of the feel of the times. I guess this has been reissued on CD, though the original LP is worth tracking down just to enjoy the hilarious "board game" drawing and text that Eric von Schmidt designed for the inside of the gatefold sleeve. A long out-of-print landmark album that is more of a quiet, iconoclastic nugget than an earthshaking stylistic game-changer.

Bluefield "Bluefield" (Mercury Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Pete Drake & Ronnie Light)
This band featured Lang Scruggs and Joe Scruggs (cousins of Earl) along with Linda Hargrove on piano, Hoot Hester on fiddle, and Paul Franklin playing dobro & steel. The set list includes a few pop covers ("A Taste Of Honey," "I Can See Clearly Now") along with Alan Munde's "Molly Bloom," and a couple of Linda Hargrove songs -- indeed it seems like this was an under-the-radar Hargrove outing, as much as anything else. The Scruggs brothers seem to have grown up in San Angelo, Texas, or at least they went to high school there...

The Bluegrass Band "The Bluegrass Band" (Smoggy Valley Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Coats)
Not to be confused with the Rounder Records powerhouse, The Bluegrass Album Band, this scruffy quartet from Spokane, Washington played a lot of bluegrass and country-rock/country-folk covers -- tunes by Bill Monroe, one by Gib Gilbeau, "Ramblin' Man" by the Allman Brothers, Steve Goodman's "City Of New Orleans" -- and also recorded a couple of original songs by banjo picker Dennis Coats, "Fiddlin' Round" and "Another Cowboy Song." It's an eclectic mix that certainly earns them a mention in the hippiebilly annals. Sadly, the copy of this album I saw was too thrashed to pick up, but I'm sure it'll float my way again sometime... Anyone have more info about these folks?

Bluegrass Brigade "Happy I'll Be" (Ozark Opry Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by R. N. Parker & Jim Phinney)
A straight-up bluegrass band from Kansas City, Missouri, who seem to have been connected to Lee Mace's Ozark Opry, and recorded this album at Mace's studio in Osage Beach. This was their first album, with the band made up of Jack Burlison on guitar, Mae Burlison (bass), Rusty Dutton (banjo and fiddle), Jim McGreevy (banjo and mandolin), and Don Montgomery on fiddle. Though on a couple of tunes they hit an overly-folkie tone, on most others, though, thee's an old-timey Appalachian feel that's quite compelling, particularly on the group harmonies which find Ms. Burlison's voice as their anchor. The Brigade went on to self-release a couple of albums of their own and appear to have played a lot of regional gigs throughout the 'Eighties.

The Bluegrass Experience "Live At The Pier" (Roundhole Records, 1976-?) (LP)
A lively, enthusiastic set from these North Carolinians... A little choppy, but with an interesting song selection that had enough grassed-up country and rock material that I figured it could fit in here as well. Apparently the band had its roots in the early '70s, when they won a national old-timey championship, and they were highly regarded in North Carolina. I don't recognize most of the pickers, other than fiddler Al McCanless, who also cut a Folkways album with the Red Clay Ramblers. Anyway, this is some nice stuff from some real locals. Recommended!

The Bluegrass Kats "Kattin' Around" (Playhouse Productions, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by Laura Smith)
Previously billed as the Bluegrass Cats (with a "C") this Carolinian bluegrass combo had a regular TV gig playing on Wilmington, North Carolina's WWAY for most of the 1970s, dating back six years before this album was made. They also seem to have played at the Pageland Theater in Pageland, South Carolina, which hosted the Sandhill Opry (the same venue that gave Randy Travis a leg-up when he was starting his career...) The group consisted of McCoy Gardner (banjo), Tommy Simmons (rhythm guitar), "Little Tommy" Simmons (mandolin), Roscoe Canady (bass), Danny Stanley (lead guitar) and Nashville studio player Joe Thomas sitting in on fiddle. Like many off-the-radar 'grass groups, these guys went on to play in innumerable other little bands: Roscoe Canady and the Simmonses formed a group called the East Coast Boys, while Danny Stanley was in Carolina Sonshine and later in the Gentlemen Of Bluegrass. Mostly just listing them here because of the connection to the Sandhill Opry venue...

Bluegrass Southern Style "Rosewater Mountain" (Telstar Recording Studios, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by David Anson & Rick Moulton)

Bluejohn "Boots And Bottles" (Black River Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Bryce Roberson, Jim Spillane & Brad Thrower)
A relatively country-oriented set by Michigan folk-rockers Jim Spillane and Brad Thrower, two buddies from Swartz Creek, who worked together in a series of late 'Sixties/early 'Seventies bands, including the folkie trio Thrower, Spillane & McFarland, as well as Thrower's "solo" band, Saloon Music. Granted, this tilts towards spacey, jam-band self-indulgence, but they do tip their hats towards a few legit twangtunes, including a version of the countrypolitan chart-topper "Satin Sheets" and the Lost Gonzo Band's "London Homesick Blues." What attracts collectors in the "acid folk" genre to these guys -- the freaky, stoned, disorganized ramblings -- don't do much for me, but I'm not king of the universe yet, so feel free to groove out on the YouTube vids if you please. Among the musicians backing them are steel player D. Hooker Arnold and fiddler O. J. Dunn, who may have been in other local bands, though I haven't found any trace of them elsewhere; bassist/guitar picker Brad Thrower also tried his hand at strummin' on the old banjo.

The Bluemont Singers "At The Castaway" (Brass Record Company, 1964) (LP)
(Produced by George W. Hodes, Jr.)
Real-deal, genuine 'Sixties folk revival material from a clean-cut Kansas City quintet that used to play at a venue called Castaways. This is less country-oriented than most of the records I'm reviewing here, but I just couldn't resist the Midwest connection. Plus, these folks were pretty good -- they play straight-up Kingston Trio/Backporch Majority-style coffeehouse folk, bluesy acoustic folk, prim spirituals and some decent bluegrass, too. Really, they were on a par with what bands were playing on the East Coast, with just a hint of the jugband scene as well. The group included founding members Larry Dimmit, Galen Slifer and Dave Warner, joined by bassist Byron Schlosser and a gal banjo player, Jackie Haines, who was a pretty good picker. A little-known but pretty sharp regional folk group, definitely worth a spin if you like the style.

Bluerock "Bluerock" (Fiddlesticks/Aleatoric, 198-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Mrozonski, Tom Dougherty & Bluerock)
Not to be confused with the later modern alt-twang band called Blue Rock, this was an indie twang band from Spooner, Wisconsin which featured fiddler Susan Pederson and her husband, drummer Ken Pederson, who was also owned a local nightclub called Fiddlesticks, where they often played. The songs are all covers, with well-known stuff by Ray Wylie Hubbard, Townes Van Zandt and good old Hank Williams, along with more obscure twang tunes such as George Frayne's "Got To Be One Of Those Nights" (from his Commander Cody days) and "Riding High," written by upstate New Yorker Dick Solberg, a song that Bluerock also released as a single... By the way, anyone know what year this came out? I'm guessing very early '80s, like around '81 or '82...(?)

Bluerock "Style" (Bluerock Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Miles Wilkinson)
A second album by this Shell Lake, Wisconsin twangband... The lineup includes Rick Marshall on guitar, Sue Pederson (fiddle), Ken Pederson (drums), Gary Nielsen (piano), and Jack White on bass, with producer Miles Wilkinson also chiming in on guitar. The album seems to be about half cover songs, including some old-timey oldies such as "May The Circle Be Unbroken," "Orange Blossom Special" and "Uncle Pen," as well as a cover of Keith Sykes' "Oh, What A Feelin'," which had recently been recorded by Rodney Crowell. Five of the tracks are credited to White Songs publishing, which I assume is the band's own imprint.

Johnnie Bluestone "I'm Johnnie Bluestone" (Big Chief Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Damron)
A self-proclaimed fan of Hank Williams, singer Johnnie Bluestone grew up on a farm in Canwood, Saskatchewan and came onto Dick Damron's radar in the late 'Sixties, leading to this debut album... It's a remarkably clumsy effort, on almost every level. The songs are weird, rambling, and poorly constructed, his vocals are oafish and his phrasing is off, even the band -- with the possible exception of the steel player -- also seem pretty random and amateurish. The backing musicians are not identified, alas, though the sessions were recorded at Korl Sound Studios in Edmonton, Alberta, possibly with some kind of studio house band. This album is packed with originals as well as a couple of Hank Williams covers, and though badly structured, his songs do have a curious sense of possibility, like some of the song ideas could have been polished up a bit, though in many cases, it's actually a little hard to understand what he was getting at. This appears to be Bluestone's only LP, although he subsequently released a couple of singles on the Big Chief label, material not included here, notably his patriotic anthem, "Building The Country That You're Tearing Down." I dunno the whole story on this guy, though it seems likely "Johnnie Bluestone" was a stage name, since there's practically nothing about him only, outside of a few music sites. It's possible to hear him as a Buck Owens-styled goofball, though probably more legitimate to view this as the kind of weird misfire that most folks think a private-press country record would sound like...

The Bluetones "Presenting The Bluetones" (Pass Time Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Beaman)
A genuinely down-home country-rock cover band from Wonderlake, Illinois. Bob Beaman, his brother Ben and a few of their pals -- Wayne Effler (lead guitar and dobro), Dan Noel-Joe Evans (bass), Steve Sosnowski (steel guitar) -- got together in a basement studio to record this set of (mostly country) cover songs -- with stuff by Waylon & Willie, Gordon Lightfoot, a couple of Bob McDill tunes, one by Michael Dinner(!) and two more by Allen Reynolds. An immensely appealing, aw-shucks, uber-DIY-just-for-family-and-friends-looking project, with minimal artwork and even less in the way of liner notes. I'm just guessing, but I'd say, um, maybe 1980-81 for this one? Maybe a little earlier? Anyway, I think this one's great. [Note: the group is also known as Bob & The Bluetones; that's how it's written on the inner label, though not on the album cover.]

Sterling Blythe "Sterling Blythe Sings" (Crown Records, 1960-?) (LP)
A fairly obscure figure with roots in the 1950s hillbilly scene, Robert Sterling Blythe (1923-2001) was an Elvis-era cast member on The Louisiana Hayride and cut several uptempo singles that are considered on the fringe of the rockabilly sound. According to the liner notes on this album, he wrote songs that were recorded by stars such as Eddy Arnold and Red Foley, and also acted in numerous western and war films, including a slew of Gene Autry films. (Documentation of these film roles is pretty slight, though -- no trace of them online as far as I can tell...) Blythe was born in Lexington, Kentucky and seems to have worked in some Cincinnati clubs, though he probably hit Hollywood too, since he recorded for the Sage & Sand label, a haven for singing cowboys such as Hal Southern and his crowd. This album has a curious blend of chunky, primitive songwriting with thick, Johnny Cash-like vocals and slick, poppy arrangements and zippy electric guitar. As wit many of these cheapo albums, the musicians are uncredited, though they may have included Crown regulars such as guitarist Jerry Cole. Who can remember? Anyway, it's kinda fun stuff.

Sterling Blythe "Night At The Showboat With Sterling Blythe" (Sage Records, 1961-?) (LP)

Sterling Blythe "Ring Of Fire, Wolverton Mountain And Other Country And Western Hits" (Crown Records, 1965-?) (LP)

Sterling Blythe "Sterling To Gold To Platinum" (Zeno Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Kennedy & Joe Mills)

Bo Conrad Spit Band "Bo Conrad Spit Band" (Artronics Records, 19--?) (LP)
An early '70s jug band from Saint Paul, Minnesota, the BCSB was founded in 1969 and played gigs throughout the Midwest before disbanding in '75. And, yes, there actually was a guy named Harold "Bo" Conrad in the band: he played guitar and -- true story -- won the National Soap Box Derby in 1963, when he was just twelve years old. A bunch of their repertoire was original material, too -- fun, good-natured stuff!

Jimmy Boatright "What's His Face" (Rea Records, 1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Faron Young & Doug McDowell)
A likeable presence, if not totally an A-list singer, Southern California's Jimmy Boatright had solid hard-country roots and a clear love of traditional honky-tonk country. For several decades, Boatright and his wife Rea owned a popular country bar in the Los Angeles suburb of Agoura Hills, near Simi Valley. They bought the Quarter Horse Inn in 1974, after Mr. Boatright had led the house band there for several years. They changed the bar's name to Casa Rea in 1976 for insurance purposes, after a drunken cop shot someone one night, running as a combination nightclub and Mexican restaurant. Somewhere along the way, he met country star Faron Young, who produced this album, with strong backing by an unidentified studio crew that I suspect may actually have included members of Faron Young's band, the Deputies. (The graphics on this LP cover resemble those of some of the Deputies' "solo" records...) Other than a cover of Harlan Howard's "Another Bridge To Burn," many of these songs are pretty obscure; a version of Billy Joe Shaver's "Black Rose" places this album sometime after 1973. The Boatrights sold their bar in 2001, and retired to Nevada.

Bob & Dean (McNett) "McNett Country" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP)
A legendary local duo from Pennsylvania, Bob and Dean McNett led their band from the early 1960s almost to the end of the '70s, later taking a gig as part of the Hank Williams homage band, the Drifting Cowboys. This was an early '70s album, featuring covers of hits such as Mel Tillis's "Commercial Affection" and "Green Green Grass Of Home," while also dipping deep into older country traditions. Sadly, there are no real liner notes, so I'm not sure if there are any original tunes on here or not, or who was backing them on these sessions... Also, it has to be said that they sounded a bit over-the-hill, or at least low-energy, on this album... Maybe that was just their style, I dunno. They sound tremendously authentic and sincere, but just in musical terms this record might be a little inaccessible to the average twangfan. I like it, though, mostly for their real-hicks vibe. A reconstituted version of the McNett Country band came together in Y2K, and has been held together ever since, with second-generation singer Shawn and Tim McNett as the front men.

Bob & Marie "Ten Years At The Duncan" (Green Valley Recording, 19--?) (LP)
The Pennsylvania duo of guitarist Bob Ramsey and piano player Marie Wilcox enjoyed a long residency as the house band at the Duncan Tavern in Antrim, PA, a tiny mining town southwest of Harrisburg. They were certainly conscious of their audience's roots in coal country, with cartoon silhouettes of miners on the album cover, and a set list that included songs such as "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal," "Coal Miner's Daughter" along with other country covers, like "Bloody Mary Morning," et. al. as well as a regional-pride song called "Antrim, PA."

Bobbi And Clyde "...And The Seaweed Cowboys" (BCS Records, 19--?) (LP)
Southern California's Bobbi McGavran and Clyde Lucas worked in a wide variety of venues, including a stint as the house band at Knott's Berry Farm, gigs with various country rockers and later, work in film and TV. This album was made with Bill Cunningham and J. Scott Hendrickson, who wrote about half the songs on the album. Not sure of the year on this one, but I think it's of late 1970s vintage.

Bobbi Jane "Bobbi Jane" (Pentagon Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Alan J. Dote)
Some Bay Area country, recorded at Alan J. Dote's Side A Productions studio, based in Millbrae, California, just south of San Francisco. As on other albums Dote produced, there's a profusion of material he wrote himself, although Ms. Jane is credited on two songs, "Looking For Mr. Right," and "I Guess It's Crying Time Again," both songs also published by Dote's own company. Singer Bobbi Jane was decidedly a back-bencher, really not a very good vocalist, although she threw herself into it with great gusto, and a few songs work as rudimentary country thumpers, albeit with a strong whiff of so-bad-it's-good kitschiness. The more straightforward country numbers are best, though a disco-era hangover is present throughout, in the persistent presence of a cheesy keyboard-synth. The keyboards are unleashed in a bombastic solo on "Gone Too Long," a straight disco pop song that's kind of jarring in comparison to the rest of the record. Overall, I have to admit there's not a lot to recommend this record, although obscuro-twang fans (like me) may enjoy it for its very DIY-ishness. The liner notes say she had her own band, and had done gigs in Reno and Vegas, so there may be more to this album than just he pay-to-play vanity pressing it seems to be.

Bob-O-Links "Country Born..." (American Artist Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Higgins)
This was the first souvenir album made for the Bob-O-Links Country Hoe-Down, a Branson, Missouri mom'n'pop opry show started in 1977 by Bob Mabe, one of several brothers who started the Baldknobbers Jamboree back in 1959. He and his wife Sue Mabe quit the Baldknobbers in 1976 and started this venue the following year, parking it near a motel and restaurant they also owned in the area. One thing leaps out at you right away: the wealth of country music talent that existed outside of Nashville. This was a very skilled and professional-sounding ensemble, with Bob Mabe as emcee, Byron Arnold on steel guitar, Steve Crouch (drums), Rick Friend (banjo and guitar), Linda Henry (vocals), Randy Newman (fiddle), and Johnny Patton on lead guitar. Singer-pianist Donna Hale solos on a couple of tracks (later she changed her name to Donna Dixon); also featured are comic Don Koonce (later billed as "Tom Thumbpickitt") and the Rex Burdette Family cloggers, aka "the Hoe-Downers." The repertoire is notably modern, mostly contemporary hits with a couple of faves from the 'Sixties, such as "Tippy Toein'," and "You Gave Me A Mountain," as well as a little outlaw stuff, like "Luckenbach, Texas." There are some oldies, but not the same proportion of bluegrass and gospel you'd normally see in these Ozark opry shows, so maybe when he started out Mabe wanted to set himself apart from his old venue. Whatever the plan was, the record sounds good... A bit manic, but still pretty solid.

Bob-O-Links "Country '83" (Aardvark Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Kenny Gott & Ralph Plank)
Fun stuff... I like this one! Many of the musicians are the same, with a few new faces... Bob Mabe is still emcee and leader of the band, picking, singing and cracking corny jokes, zipping through a jovial performance packed with contemporary hits such as John Anderson's "Swingin'," Guy Clark's "Heartbroke," "Come On In," and "Tennessee River," as well as some oldies ("Why Baby Why" and "Last Date"), a little dab of bluegrass and a bunch of gospel tunes to close things out. Sue Mabe plays piano, with Eddie Lane on lead guitar, Arnie Arnold (steel guitar), Donna Dalton (piano), Randy Newman on fiddle, Don McAlee (banjo), Steve Maples (bass), Linda Henry on vocals and Don Koonce providing comic relief as "Tom Thumbpickitt" and even some clogging by the Burdette Family Square Dancers. Honestly, I do enjoy this album... there's no original content, but the band is into it and projects an air of joyfulness that doesn't always come through on this kind of souvenir album. They also get surprisingly funky on some of the opening numbers, with some playful guitar licks and lively rhythm. Worth a spin!

Bob-O-Links "He Set Our Lives To Music" (Aardvark Records, 1983) (LP)

Bob-O-Links "Country '84" (1984) (LP)
(Produced by Kenny Gott & Ralph Plank)
The following year, covers included "Long Tall Texan," "Houston," "Y'All Come Back Saloon," and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," along with more oldies, less bluegrass, and another round of gospel tunes to finish things off... There are also dips into more pop/soul territory, with versions of "Slow Dance" and "Take Me To The River." I'm not sure if the band had the same lineup as on the previous record... I'm also not sure if this one came out on vinyl, or only on cassette, or if other records came out beside these two. The Bob-O-Links show, which was the fifth variety revue opened in Branson, had a large, 1800-seat amphitheater, and was run by Bob and Sue Mabe until the early 1990s, when they sold the venue to another group.

Bob-O-Links "Tuesday Night Live" (Aard-Vark Recording, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Kenny Gott & John Jacobson & Mark Roy)
A 2-LP set spanning bluegrass, gospel and contemporary country... The inclusion of a couple of Waylon & Willie tunes -- "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys," "On The Road Again" -- and a cover of "Elvira" leads me to think this probably came out around 1980, '81 or thereabouts.

Bob-O-Links "Country Hoe-Down Live" (American Artists, 19--?) (LP)

Bob-O-Links "Country Hoe-Down Live, Volume Two" (American Artists, 19--?) (LP)

Bob-O-Links "Sing Along The Old Time Religion" (American Artists, 19--?) (LP)

Bodine "Bodine" (MGM Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Cowsill Jr., Angel Balestier, Bob Porter & Val Valentin)
Longhaired rock with an element of twang, though despite the rural vibe, it's pretty heavy on loud, shrill, piercing electric guitars and hard-rock riffs. Lots of riffs. Lots and lots of riffs. The softer tunes, along with the underlying twang, might marginally earn this one a "country rock" tag, but there's too much bashing about and noisy clatter for my tastes. I couldn't really say I'd recommend this one. Some band members were originally from various Seattle garage bands, notably one called The Daily Flash, and they worked in the SF Bay Area psychedelic scene for a while, then moved down to LA, where all the action was; one of the guys played on a Doors album. Which is not a badge of honor, if you ask me. Anyway, this was their only album... If you're a twangfan, you were warned.

Dick Bodine "America" (Great American Records, 1983) (LP)
This is the kind of kitschy album cover that folks like to make fun of online... and in this case, I say, go for it! Posed in front of Old Glory with a rifle in hand and a pistol on the table, Mr. Bodine was a middle-aged Coloradan who included some overtly patriotic songs, like "The Pledge" "Why Are you Marching Son," and "Our Flag," along with more politically neutral folk tunes like "I Gave My Love A Cherry" and "City Of New Orleans," as well as country stuff like "Sixteen Tons." I'm not into the whole flashing firearms thing, but if you're looking for patriotic kitsch this disc's a doozy, packed with recitations and evocations of the nation's past and future glories, with Mr. Bodine gravely intoning at every turn. As a country album, this is fairly iffy: Mr. Bodine is accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Doc Hoffman and bassist Marty Hill, who seem reasonably talented but provide little spark... in their defense they're following Mr. Bodine's lead, and he's not exactly a musical dynamo. This is 100% the kind of stereotypical, self-indulgent cringefest that folks imagine most "private press" albums to be, and if that's what you're looking for, here it is. God bless America. I couldn't find any biographical info out about this guy, though as far as I know this was his only album. (Thanks to the North Of Pueblo blog for background info on this one...)

Eddie Boggs & Diane Scribner "Memories" (Popkorn Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Peterson)
Originally from Kentucky, acoustic troubadour Eddie Arnold Boggs (1945-2014) moved to Ohio to attend college, and wound up in Toledo, where he worked as a social studies teacher and high school guidance counselor, with a sideline as a folk-and-lounge singer, with a bit of country stuff in the mix. Mr. Boggs formed a musical partnership with fellow Todeloan, Diane Scribner (1962-2021) who was a college student herself around the time these two albums were recorded, and went on to become a local radio host, as well as an oncologist. They performed together for about a dozen years, playing regular gigs at a place called Hathaway House, as well as summer shows at Put-In-Bay, where their second album was recorded. All the songs on this album are Eddie Boggs originals, except for one co-written with Ms. Scribner ("Lost In Your Love") and by one Randy Shaffer ("She Starts Crying," which had previously been released as a single). Eddie Boggs retired from teaching in 2007 and threw himself into his music, landing a gig touring as part of The New Christy Minstrels. As far as I know, these two albums are the only records he released.

Eddie Boggs "A Live And Then Some" (Popkorn Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Peterson)
Half this album was cut live in concert, at the Colonial House in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, while the other half was recorded in a local studio. Overall it's maybe a bit more on the folkie/lounge-y side, though be does cover "Good Hearted Woman," as well as songs like "Norwegian Wood" and "Long Haired Country Girl." All of the studio tracks were Eddie Boggs originals. Not a lot of traditionally twangy instruments, though: the musicians include his partner from the previous album, Diane Scribner, as well as Mike Ferenci (guitar), Mark Kieswetter (piano and synthesizer), Karen Mickles (flute) and A. J. Tscherne (guitar).

Johnathan Boggs "Pretty Words" (Self-Released, 19--?) (LP)
A privately released album from Grand Rapid, Michigan... Not sure of the year, but it looks 1980s... And, yes, that's how he spelled his name...

Larry Boggs & The Country Round-Ups "That Look Of Leaving" (Redwood City Sound, 1976) (LP)
A charmingly flawed and ambitious album by a humble honkytonk band from Ashland, Kentucky. They sure played a bunch of drinkin' and cheatin' songs -- "Bottle And Bars," "Seagram Seven," "Secret Angel," etc. The quintet was led by singer Larry Boggs, along with Tom Dixon on bass, Dewey LeMaster playing rhythm guitar and Larry Boggs' sister, Denise Sweeney (aka Denise Gale Boggs Dowdy, 1954-2002) who was apparently married to drummer Mike Sweeney at the time. The general vibe seemed to be aiming for a Billy Sherrill-influenced countrypolitan/honkytonk ballads sound; Larry Boggs had a range of vocal styles, but returned most often to George Jones-ish crooning, while his sister echoes Loretta Lynn's backwoods twang. She struggled with diabetes her entire life, and is pictured on the back cover wearing shades, possibly due to visual impairment; the album opens with a song of hers that was also released as a single, the title track, "The Look Of Leaving," which sounds like a classic early-'Seventies countrypolitan duet. That track and many others were emblematic of the band's musical ambitions -- the album is not well-produced and sounds a bit thin, but the musicianship is fairly solid (other than one comedically "bad" novelty number, "Seagram Seven," with unidentified vocals by one of the boys in the band...) Definitely worth a spin if you're interested in what "real" local bands sounded like back then.

Suzy Bogguss "Suzy" (Shack Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Suzy Bogguss, Dennis Meixsell & Greg Oakley)
An early indie effort by a future Top Forty star. Although her "first" album, Somewhere Between, didn't come out until the decade's end, Suzy Bogguss had been plugging away playing smaller local gigs for years, since the late 'Seventies. She self-released this "private press" album at the QCA studios in Cincinnati, showcasing one of her own songs, "These Eyes Won't See The Same" along with some relatively hip country-folk material such as Suzannah Clark's "Easy From Now On" and tunes by Willis Allan Ramsey and John David Souther. Cool to see her early indie roots.

Debbie Bohanan "Just Look This Way" (Thunderhead Records, 1979) (LP)
Singer Debbie Bohanan (1963-2014) was a Knoxville native who started performing professionally as a teen back in the 1970s, working as a cast member of Bonnie Lou & Buster's Smoky Mountain Hayride show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She went on to perform in several other "opry"-style revues, including The Carolina Opry and the Down Home Dixie Review in Gatlinburg. Bohanan rounded out her career as part of the Comedy Barn Theater, back in Pigeon Forge, where she both sang and did comedic numbers... She recorded at least three albums including this debut disc which is mostly cover songs, though the title track is her own original.

Debbie Bohanan "Back Home In Tennessee" (Thunderhead Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Debbie Bohanan, Marcus Shirley & Charley Whaley)
This album includes two originals credited to Bohanan, "I Won't Be Second Place" and "Back Home In Tennessee," with a couple of others penned by Malcolm Link, who played bass in an 'Eighties edition of the Smoky Mountain Travelers bluegrass band, which also released an album on the Thunderhead label, and also contributed mandolin picker Rob Curtis to Bohanon's band. There are a slew of cover tunes as well, including the Carter Family's "Gold Watch And Chain," "Walking After Midnight," Carole King's "I Feel The Earth Move," and even one by CCM pioneer Dallas Holm. Pretty wide range, if you ask me! Not sure of the exact date on this one, but it looks like an early 'Eighties offering.

Debbie Bohanan "Always On My Mind" (Transworld Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Debbie Bohanan & Joe Deaton)

Calvin Boles "Favorites And Originals" (Yucca Records, 1960-?) (LP)
(Produced by Calvin Boles)
A true legend of New Mexico's music scene, Alamagordo entrepreneur Calvin Boles was an insurance agent by day and kooky country singer at night. He started his own label in 1958, Yucca Records, which became one of the Southwest's best-known indies, recording rockabilly singers such as Bobby Fuller and Jerry Bright, as well as numerous obscure country artists, the best known of which was probably Al Sims. In addition to releasing over two hundred singles on the Yucca label, Boles recorded eight albums under his own name, backed by his band, the Rocket City Playboys which included his wife Betty on bass. This first album was an even mix of cover tunes and originals -- though of modest talent both as a performer and composer, Boles was a prolific songwriter and sang with a jovial air, even if his voice was kind of thin. He sings classics by Al Dexter, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb, alongside his own heartsongs and novelty numbers. A couple of the tracks on this album are regional pride songs as well as topical tunes: on "From Arrows To Rockets" cheerfully outlines Alamagordo's history as the site where the first atomic bomb was developed and tested, while "Ballad Of John Prather" takes this patriotic fervor and turns it on its head, telling the story of how one local rancher defied the government's use of eminent domain and kept on his ranch even after Alamagordo became a full-time rocket testing site. The other songs are straight-up country and although Calvin Boles was not a powerful singer, this album resonates with authenticity and good cheer. Good, solid picking by Bill Chappel (bass), Junior Daugherty (fiddle), Elmo Davis (steel guitar), Jimmy Furlow (rhythm guitar), Jim Temple (lead guitar), Calvin Turbeville (steel), and Jim Cooper playing bass on one track, a Boles original called "From Rockets To Arrows." Definitely worth checking out.

Calvin Boles "This Is Calvin Boles" (Yucca Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Calvin Boles)
This was his second album, and features an all-original slate of songs, most of which are purely his, along with a couple co-written with friends. There's a lot of novelty material, including "Guitar Pickin' Man," "Finally Twenty-One" and "You Giggle Too Much," which he also released as a single. One track, "The Snake," features a long narration where Boles talks in an exaggerated, stereotype-laden, faux-Latino accent (weech I theenk ees a leetel painful to heeere now, een ouhr enlightened age of thee fewtoore...) but other than that one unintentional misfire, this is a good set of rugged, authentic desert-country honkytonk. Boles still wasn't that great a singer, but there is a certain naif-art purity to his songs which will resonate with fans of old-school twang. The liner notes are great, too, that kind of heart-on-the-sleeve, TMI sort of thing where amateur musicians talk in great detail about their lives -- how he was born in Seymour, Texas, where he went to school, how he worked as a shoe shine and a milk delivery boy as a kid, went into the Army, etc. Boles closes by saying his one great wish is to have a national hit, and while that never happened, he sure made some fun records along the way.

Calvin Boles "New Mexico: Ballads Of The Southwest" (Yucca Records, 1963-?) (LP)
(Produced by Calvin Boles)
A fairly goofy album of regionally themed songs, all Calvin Boles originals, ranging from western ballads and gunslinger songs to atomic age and UFO novelty numbers. Several tracks are reprised from earlier albums (though I think these are new recordings) including "From Rockets To Arrows," "Ballad Of John Prather" and (unfortunately) "The Snake Song." The musicians are familiar as well: Calvin Boles of harmonica and vocals, Jim Cooper (fiddle), Elmo Davis (steel guitar), Bill Gross Jr. (drums), Bob Prather (mandolin), Bill Talley (bass), and Jim Temple on lead guitar... The accompaniment is decent, though not as solid on his first album; the novelty factor seems to undercut Boles as a singer, though it is distinctive and unusual material. Worth a spin, for sure.

Calvin Boles "Nine Months To Live" (Yucca Records, 19--?) (LP)

Calvin Boles "Country Dozen" (Yucca Records, 19--?) (LP)

Calvin Boles "Walkin' Beside You" (Yucca Records, 19--?) (LP)

Jim Bolin "Songs For Squares" (Andrea Records, 1978) (LP)
An amiable baritone from Dallas, Texas, Jim Bolin sang sleepy renditions of country ballads and folkie epics like "The Blizzard," as well as Red Foley-esque renditions of gospel classics "How Great Thou Art" and "Just A Closer Walk." Bolin dedicated this album to his daughter Andrea, who was eleven years old at the time, and presumably the inspiration for the little girl who asks "What Is A Square?" a novelty recitation tune defending old-fashioned all-American values against the lazy hedonism of the hippie welfare bums... Other highlights include similar cornball patriotic songs, including "The Last Farewell" and Bobby Bare's "God Bless America Again." Unfortunately, there are no producer or musician credits included, though I can't help but wonder if Dallas local Smokey Montgomery might have led the backing back, who provide solid, if not particularly dynamic accompaniment: one of the songs Bolin covers is a version of Montgomery's mega-schmaltzy "My Friend, My Friend." This isn't really a very dynamic record, but there's plenty of kitsch value, as well as Bolin's palpable sincerity and dedication to the music.

Jay Bolotin "Jay Bolotin" (Commonwealth United, 1970) (LP)

The Bonanzas "A Night With The Bonanzas" (Copre Records, 19--?) (LP)
An Arizona-based band, with members Bobby Bower, Barney Carl and John Spaugh... They sang covers of mainstream country tunes, though they were definitely longhairs. Probably a bar-band somewhere, though I haven't dug up their history yet; Barney Carl was originally from Salinas, California, where he worked lots of local bars as well as some gigs up in Reno.

Betty Bond "Sings Country" (Tropical Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Quimby & Rick Balley)
This would appear to be a song-poem album, where aspiring composers send in their lyrics and a willing studio concocts arrangements, books a band and creates a souvenir album. The vocal talent was Ms. Betty Bond, a housewife from Daytona Beach, Florida who apparently had a background as a nightclub singer. The marks -- I mean, songwriters -- included Helen Chaney, Gladys Claus, Melba Flint, Sammy Gillican, John Hanson, Yvonne Hilton, Florence McAlister, Elwood Preston, Leona and Marilee Smith, Al Dee Solinger, Leni Taylor, Gordon Toyzan, and Phil & Mary Ann Lombardi, whose "You're My Sunshine" certainly seems to recycle an old theme... Alas, no info on the musicians, though producers Rick Balley and Bob Quimby seem to have recorded quite a few song-poem sets, dating back to the early 1960s up through at least the early '80s, including a second Betty Bond LP, Betty Bond Sings Pop, which came out around the same time as this one, and numerous earlier discs that feature her vocals. It's possible she may also have been the singer Betty Jayne, of the Betty Jayne & The Teenettes, who recorded numerous singles for Quimby back in the early '60s, though that's just random speculation on my part...

Bobby Bond "On The Country Side" (Time Records, 1964) (LP)
Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, songwriter Bobby Bond headed for Nashville in the early 1960s, after trying to make it as a rock/pop musician on the West Coast. Like many talented pickers, he found Music City pretty tough and worked odd jobs while trying to get his foot in the door. Also, like many others before him, he found work as a sound-alike artist, recording for the kind of cheapo labels that knocked off albums full of cover songs and hits of the day, the original artist's name emblazoned on the cover, while the actual performers (like Bond) were lucky if their names appeared in print anywhere. Bond was one of the lucky ones, getting his own name on the labels, and eventually after several years of this kind of work he came to the attention of country-folk crooner George Hamilton IV, who recorded several of Bond's original compositions, starting in 1968 with the song, "Back To Denver," followed by several others. His biggest success came with the song "Six White Horses," which several artists took into the charts, and though Bond got the chance to record for a few "real" record labels -- Warner Brothers and Hickory -- he never was able to make more than a few minor ripples on the charts. (In 1972, his cover version of "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" peaked at #66 in Billboard, and was his lone entry on the charts as a performer...)

Bobby Bond "...Sings Hits Made Famous By Roger Miller And Other Country Songs" (Somerset Records, 1965) (LP)
I have to confess, I have a strange fascination with the "sound-alike" artists who recorded entire albums of knockoff imitations of popular hits for shady labels such as Crown, Spin-O-Rama, Somerset and others. Bobby Bond was one of these sound-alike artists, who did, um "tribute" records to Roger Miller and Jim Reeves, but who also scored a minor hit with a 1972 cover of Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around With Jim." The sound-alike albums are a real historical curio: often they were packaged in such a way to make you think that the original artist and the real versions were included on the album, and there was an obvious attempt to bilk folks out of their hard-earned cash. Someday I'd love to research them (although I suspect someone already has...) Anyway, here are some of Mr. Bond's contributions to the genre... he does an adequate job mimicking Roger Miller (who I like, but admit may be an acquired taste...) The real wake-up moment comes, though, not in any of Bond's workmanlike covers of Miller's current hits, but in the quartet instrumental tracks that are gratuitously interspersed along with the soundalike numbers, kicking off with a brazenly bouncy surf tune, "Greenbeans," which proves to be the highlight of this set. (The instrumentals turn out to be mostly uninspired filler for an album already made up of filler material...) Funny stuff.

Bobby Bond/Earl Cupit "A Country Boy Looks Down That Lonesome Road" (Somerset Recrds, 1966) (LP)
A split LP with Cupit singing Side One, and Bond on the flip. All the songs are covers of popular country and folk-country songs of the era, including songs by Bobby Bare, George Hamilton IV, etc.

Bobby Bond "I Remember Jim Reeves" (Somerset Records, 1966) (LP)

Bobby Bond "On The Country Side" (Time Records, 196-?) (LP)

Eddie Bond - see artist profile

Jack Bond "...Sings Country Western All Time Greats" (Sterling Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by William Beasley)
Another cheapo/knockoff album from the Nashville-based Hit Records/Spar/Modern Sound empire... This album was, I think, all cover songs - country oldies and standards such as "A Satisfied Mind," "Candy Kisses," "Just Out Of Reach," "He'll Have To Go," etc., although a couple of tracks might have been originals: "My World's A Blue World" and "Best Years Of Your Life."

Jack Bond "...Sings Phantom 309" (Modern Sound Records, 1967) (LP)
More cover songs by Music City hired hand Jack Bond... This disc features several trucking songs, along with more general-purpose country weepers and barroom ballads, such as "The Bottle Let Me Down," "Sam's Place," "Skid Row Joe," "Unmitigated Gall," and others. I don't think there were any originals on this one...

Jonny & Sue Bondz "...Sing Original Country" (Bondz Records, 198--?) (LP)
Not to be confused with Texas honkytonker Johnny Bond, New York state native John Bondzinski was a multi-instrumentalist perhaps best known for his work as a steel guitar player, and for his song, "I've Played Second Fiddle (For The Last Time)," which he first recorded for Starday back in the mid-'60s. Bondzinski played gigs in and around his hometown of Glens Falls, NY as well as across the border in Vermont, and opened a music store called Bondz Music, which he ran for several years before moving down to Wildwood, Florida with his wife Susan. They were living in the Sunshine State when they recorded this album, which is filled with all-original material, including songs like "Second Fiddle," "Happy State Of Mind" and "In A Redneck Bar." I think they're the only two musicians on here -- they both sing and he played a variety of instruments, through the magic of multi-tracking, and they are "backed" by their pet drum machine, who they nicknamed "Winchester."

Joe Bonin "Blue Merry-Go-Round" (St. George International, 19--?) (LP)
Pretty obscure country-folk from New England... Although this album came out on the Boston-based Saint George label, singer Joe Bonin may actually have been from Rhode Island, as was his music partner, songwriter Fernand ("Fern") Kappelle (1940-2011). There's very little info about either of them online, and really nothing about this album that I could track down. It's all original material, with eight songs penned by Mr. Kappelle, and four by Mr. Bonin. Fern Kappelle seems to have been the driving force behind this album -- the liner notes describe how he urged Bonin to make a record, and seem to imply that Bonin had no aspirations to pursue music as a career; since I couldn't find any old show notices, it seems likely he didn't have his own band or play many gigs. Fern Kappelle was originally from Woonsocket, RI, although he later moved to Hawaii and passed away in Honolulu... He kept at songwriting for at least a few years, with a couple of songs copyrighted in 1970-71 that are not included on this album.

The Bonner Family "Finally" (Records & Productions, Inc., 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Russ Gary)
A family album by a country harmonizing family band from Rancho Cucamonga, California. Their father, Jim Bonner, was originally from Buffalo, NY where as a kid he worked playing piano in local groups such as Guy McAdams band, but he moved out West in the early '70s and settled down in San Bernardino County. He taught his kids how to play country music and they were eventually discovered by independent producer Overton Lee who got them gigs at Southern California venues such as the Mule Lip Saloon and the Palomino Club in Hollywood, as well as at county fairs and other events. The Bonners were kind of on a roll when they made this album, doing TV shows and recording at least one album... It looks like there's a lot of original material on this album, with several songs credited to "G. Davis."

Rob Bonner "Start All Over Again" (JVR Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Rob Bonner)
Songwriter Rob Bonner was part of the Sacramento, California folk/bluegrass/stringband scene, and has stalwarts such as Allan Hendricks and the South Loomis Quickstep band backing him, as well as Joe Craven playing mandolin on some songs. As far as I know this was his only album...

Cherie Bonney "Sincerely" (19--?) (LP)

Bonnie & Clyde "The Other Side Of Bonnie & Clyde" (Hillside Country Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Williams Earl & Jack Linneman)
I'm not much one on the judge-a-book approach to album art pop-mockery, though I gotta say, this is one scary looking record cover! In this case, Bonnie and Clyde were Bonnie and William Earl, a husband-wife duo from Deland, Florida who worked the Southern coastal resort circuit as well as a lot of gigs in Las Vegas and Reno. Side One of this album features all original material by Billy Earl, while Side Two is cover songs, ranging from "Wabash Cannonball" and "They Call The Wind Maria" to contemporary hits such as "Take Me Home Country Roads" and "Let Me Be There."

Bonnie Lou "Raining Down Happiness" (Wrayco Records, 1971-?) (LP)
A veteran musician whose roots date back to the hillbilly era of the 1940s, Mary Joan Okum (1924-2015) found national success as a pop-rockabilly artist, notably with her King singles "Daddy-O" and "Tennessee Wig Walk." Originally from Towanda, Illinois, Bonnie Lou moved through a series of regional radio and television programs, with high profile gigs as a cast member of the Kansas City-based Brush Creek Follies and later on Cincinnati's The Midwest Hayride, where she joined a latter-day edition of the Girls Of The Golden West. Highly successful in each point of her career, when larger fame beckoned she chose to stay in Ohio and headline the Hayride. In the 1950s, she partnered with TV pioneer Paul Dixon, co-hosting The Paul Dixon Show, a variety program that included both musical and comedic roles. Paul Dixon provides the liner notes for this album, and possibly the backing band as well (although there are no musician credits on the album...) Bonnie Lou starred on multiple local TV and radio programs, though she largely quit performing after Paul Dixon died in 1974, later working as a country deejay for several years while occasionally doing live concerts. This early 'Seventies album is notable for its wealth of material by up-and-coming songwriters such as Becki Bluefield, Rhett Davis, Canada's Don Devaney, Finley Duncan, and Susan Taylor of the Pozo-Seco Singers, and even one by her fellow 'Fifties rockabilly filly, Jean Chapel. [Note: Not to be confused with the North Carolina-born Margaret Bell-Moore (aka Bonnie Lou) listed below.]

Bonnie Lou & Buster "Hymn Time" (Waterfall Records, 1963) (LP)

Bonnie Lou & Buster "...Sing Country Bluegrass And Gospel" (Angel Records, 1977) (LP)
A husband-wife duo who were regulars on the Smokey Mountain Hayride, and whose careers stretched back to the 1940s. Hubert "Buster" Moore (1920-1995) was from rural Tennessee, and worked in various hillbilly and bluegrass bands before and after the war, including stints with Carl Story and Eddie Hill. After Moore met and married Margaret Bell-Moore (1927-2020), they formed their own band and changed her stage name to Bonnie Lou, moving from city to city for various jobs at radio stations and concert venues, including gigs in Bristol, Harrisburg, Knoxville, Salem, and her hometown of Ashville, North Carolina. They're best-known for their tenure at the Opry-esque Smokey Mountain Hayride variety show, a venue in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that opened in 1972. They worked with local musicians including bluegrasser Don McHan, who performs with them on this album, playing banjo, along with Darrell Henry on dobro, and Buster Moore playing fiddle and mandolin. [Note: Mrs. Moore is not to be confused with the nationally-famous singer known as Bonnie Lou (nee Mary Joan Kath) who came from the Midwest and became a pop-country crossover artist in the 1950s.]

Bonnie Lou & Buster "...Sing Gospel" (Masterco Records, 1982) (LP)

Bonnie Lou & Buster "Smoky Mountain Hayride Show" (Green Records, 1983) (LP)

Booger Hole Revival "Roll The Woodpile Down" (No Nukes, 1979)
Old-timey/bluegrassy/stringband stuff by a longhair band from Roane County, West Virginia... It's a nice album with fiddle tunes and backwoods oldies from artists like the Blue Sky Boys, et. al. as well as some good originals, too. They had just the right mix of twang and imperfection for me... Nice stuff!

The Boogie Band "Haulin' Ass Bluegrass" (ECV Records, 1988)
(Produced by Brian Hauck)
Though they billed themselves as bluegrassers, this Northern California band enjoyed a pretty diverse palette, covering cowboy tunes and oldies such as "Life Is Like A Mountain Railroad," "Rocky Top," and the Stanley Brothers' "How The Mountain Girls Can Love," along with country and outlaw classics like Chuck Wagon & The Wheel's "My Girl Passed Out In Her Food," Rodney Crowell's "California Earthquake," "Ya'll Come Back Saloon" by the Oak Ridge Boys, and "London Homesick Blues" (mislabeled "Armadillo" and credited to Jerry Jeff Walker, rather than Gary P. Nunn). Heck, they even played Loudon Wainwright's "Dead Skunk" -- so you can see why I had to pick this one up, right? The Boogie Band hung their Stetsons and straw hats just north of Sacramento, up around Chico, CA. Made up of Nick Becker on bass, Jim Brown (banjo), Kenny Falkenstrom (harmonica), Steve Hamm (mandolin), Jim Rutherford (guitar), Mack Whitley (guitar) and J. J. Yolton on guitar, the group first got together around 1974, and were playing together as recently as 2015(!) Several bandmembers lived in Paradise, the tiny mountain town that was razed by climate change-driven wildfires in 2018, which, if we're lucky, may lead to a good old-fashioned disaster ballad from these pickers someday. Or, as the Rodney Crowell song put it, "we'll build ourselves another town, so you can tear it down again."

Larry Boone "Larry Boone" (Eeee Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Sacco)
In 1988, Florida-born singer Larry Boone cracked his way into the Nashville scene and became a successful chart artist, recording first for Mercury, and then for Columbia. But several years earlier, he cut this album of all-original material with producer Paul Sacco playing about half the instruments. There's no fiddle or pedal steel or mandolin or banjo on here, but there's still some twang, and that's all that counts, really, isn't it? His brother, Tony Booth, was a successful chart artist and songwriter during the 1970s.

Boone's Farm "Boone's Farm" (Columbia Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Messina)
A mix of leaden boogie rock and more modulated country-rock, with some lighter 'Seventies touches that are in keeping with a project helmed by Jim Messina. Several songs have high group harmonies reminiscent of CSNY or Poco, though the lead vocals tend towards a hoarse-throated blues affectation that brings Dr. Hook to mind. Likewise, the hard rock riffs that lace through the album are relics of the era perhaps best left in the past... Still, you can see how this fits into the early major-label country-rock scene, if not into the pantheon itself. This band included drummer Fred Darling, Brad Palmer (bass), Kent Sprague (percussion) and Gary Stovall on guitar. Most of these guys had previously been together in a band called Big Mouth, which had been more of a thumpy, clompy funk-rock thing; Brad Palmer later joined the Top Forty/AOR band America, and stayed with them for a couple of decades.

Boot Hill Express Band "Let's Go For It!" (Boot Hill Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Tim Pick, Roy Shockley & Porter Wagoner)
This Florida-based outlaw band was led by brothers Robert Dale Clark and Roger Lee Clark, who was the group's lead singer and only songwriter, penning two tunes, "Lay Down Beside Me Tonight" and "When Ever," which were included on Side Two, amid various classic country and outlaw cover songs. The rest of the band included drummer Jay Combs, Danny Deibler (guitar), Jerry Dixon (banjo and dobro), Billy Easton (bass), and multi-instrumentalist Leticia Travis who sang, played piano and a slew of other parts. I'm not 100% sure where the band was from, though their contact address was in Palmetto, FL

Gene Booth "The Original Gene Booth" (Yucca Records, 1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Calvin Boles?)
Original material by a New Mexico artist, with Emmet Brooks and Jake Brooks on drums and lead guitar, Calvin Turbeville playing steel, Yucca Records label owner Calvin Boles adding a bit of drums, and some other local musicians on various instruments. There's no date on the album, but Booth mentions one song being recorded December 26, 1973, so this is at least from 1974...

Gene Booth "The Singing Mortician" (Gene Booth Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Emmit Brooks)
A double album, an oddball offering delving even deeper into Mr. Brook's musical fancies... He was living in Deming, New Mexico when this came out, and apparently had actually worked for a couple of years at a mortuary by the time he recorded these sessions. Once again, he's backed by the Goldust studio crew, including pianist Harry Beckett, Emmit Brooks (bass), Jake Brooks (lead guitar and drums), Junior Daugherty (fiddle), and Jim Tomlinson on steel guitar.

Johnny Booth "Country '67" (Uni Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Cliffie Stone & Hugh Davies)
West Coast country artist Tony Booth was still struggling to break through when he cut this album, mostly a set of cover tunes recorded semi-anonymously, although on a major label imprint. The set list is heavy on recent Bakersfield hits from the likes of Wynn Stewart and Bobby Austin, as well as pop tunes and country classics from the likes of George Jones Ned Miller, Ray Price and Wiley Walker. Perhaps most interesting is the involvement of arranger David Gates (later the leader of the '70s AOR juggernaut Bread) who also worked with Booth on some of his early recordings for Capitol Records. A pretty workmanlike album, but definitely worth a spin... Booth went on to be a significant chartmaker and a torchbearer for the Bakersfield Sound during the countrypolitan era of the early 'Seventies. (See below.)

Tony Booth - see artist profile

Bobby Borchers "Bobby Borchers" (Playboy Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy)
An outstanding album of sad, sad cheating songs and raw, erotic ballads. This record is very reflective of the '70s swingers scene, but where many Nashvillers of the era approached the newfound sexual openness of the era in kind of a leering, naughty-little-boy kind of way, songwriter Bobby Borchers crafted an impressive set of emotionally dense songs, focussed on the repercussions of impulsive love and the shifting balances of power in adult relationships. Every track on here is worthwhile, with standouts including "Cheap Perfume And Candlelights," "Lunchtime Lovers," and the scathing "Someone's With Your Wife Tonight, Mister." As complex as the lyrics themselves is the shifting point of view from song to song: some that revel in cheating and sexuality, others that explore the downsides, some repentant, others resigned, with glimmers of joy amid the seediness and sadness that runs throughout. Borchers is also a convincing stylist, with strong traces of Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, buoyed by sleek, sympathetic backing, notably the pedal steel of Russ Hicks. An excellent '70s country album... Highly recommended!

Bobby Borchers "Denim And Rhinestones" (Playboy Records, 1978) (LP)

(Bill Chapman &) The Border Wranglers "Death Of A Country Music Singer" (Border Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Chapman & Ralph Osborn)
This is one of those odd albums where the band couldn't quite decide what to call themselves. The front cover is emblazoned with the Border Wranglers band name, but on the back it's Bill Chapman who gets the top billing. He wrote the liner notes and refers to the Wranglers as his band; both names are used on the inner label... So if you ask me, this is an album by Bill Chapman And The Border Wranglers. Chapman had kicked around the Arizona country scene for years and cut a few singles under his own name sometime in the 'Sixties, including one with a band called the Rustlers, whose members are unknown. The musicians on this album include Mr. Chapman on vocals and guitar, Dennis Chipley (bass), Joe Ingram (drums), and triple-threat Dennis Martin on lead guitar, fiddle and mandolin. All but two songs were written or co-written by Bill Chapman, several with Bill Fraley. The only cover song is a version of Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down." There's also one other non-Chapman tune, "It's Up To You," penned by Dennis Chipley. Not quite sure when this came out, but it looks like an early-to-mid 1980s release.

Borderline "Sweet Dreams And Quiet Desires" (United Artist/Avalanche, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Jon Gershen, Nick Jameson, Bob Ludwig & Jim Rooney)
This short-lived country-rock band was assembled from the from the Woodstock, New York roots music scene, and in particular from the Bearsville Sound Studio, where the multi-talented Jim Rooney joined brothers Dave Gershen and Jon Gershen along with a countless cast of proto-Americana icons, including fiddlers Vassar Clements, Jim Colgrove and Ken Kosek, superpicker Ben Keith and a couple of dudes from The Band. Borderline released only one album, their second effort getting shelved for several decades... Both albums have since been re-released as a twofer CD (listed below). BTW: anyone know what the Gershens did after this?

Borderline "Sweet Dreams And Quiet Desires/The Second Album" (Real Gone Records, 2013)
A twofer reissue that includes both their first LP and the "lost" album that was only semi-released in the intervening years.

The Borderline Band "The Borderline Band" (B-Line Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Lanson & The Borderline Band)
Eight original twangtunes by a four-piece band out of Puyallup, Washington, led by guitarist Darrel Krueger, a guy who'd been part of the SeaTac music scene since the mid-1960s, playing in a string of rock or country bands, often with many of the same guys. On this album he's joined by Pat Bohle on drums, Tom McCollum (piano and vocals), and Jeff Samples (bass, mandolin and vocals). The Borderline Band was formed around 1982, though all four of these guys were also in a group called The Uptown Country Boys, along with guitarist Dave Harmonson, bassist Ken Parypa, and John Samples. This is the main cast of a dizzying string of groups, including a rock band called Sky Boys (who made an album) and a mid-'Seventies twangband called Road Apple, which I think did not. The odd part comes around 1979 when Seattle twangster Jim Finneran released a single that credits a group called the Uptown Country Boys as his backing band, though both tracks seem to be off an LP that includes none of the musicians in the 1982 group of the same name. Your guess is as good as mine. (Info about all these bands -- and more! -- courtesy of The Pacific Northwest Bands webpage, which also delves into Krueger's hippie-era rock bands. Thanks!)

The Borderline Country Band "Purveyors Of A Fine Blend Of Good Time Country Music" (Border Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Roy Neave)
Yet another boundary-obsessed Borderline group, this time from the UK. I dunno much about these guys; their producer Roy Neave was was in a few different English rock bands in the 'Seventies, and these Borderline chaps may have been from Yorkshire as well. I think the tracks are all cover songs, accurately described as "good time country music" in the title, tunes such as "Fire On The Mountain," "Leavin' Louisiana In The Broad Daylight," "Midnight Flyer" and "Texas (When I Die)."

The Bordermen "In Concert" (C. E. O. Records, 1966-?) (LP)
A 'Sixties folk trio notable not just because it included future Wheel Of Fortune host Chuck Woolery, but also the highly underrated Bubba Fowler, along with the otherwise obscure guitar picker, Mike Tackett. This is straight-up a bunch of folk tunes, although with a few tunes that tilted more towards country, like Billy Edd Wheeler's "Coal Tattoo." The set is mostly secular, though the album looks like it was sponsored by a church group -- the label's name, CEO, stood for "Christus Est Ominus" (from Philippians) and the band bios all stress their religious bona fides: Fowler and Tackett went to Bob Jones University together, while Woolery was an ad man who professed to being born again in 1965, and then naturally took up playing bass in a folk band. Immediately after this album came out, Fowler and Woolery contracted into a psychedelic folk duo called The Avant Garde, which also released an album on CEO, along with a string of overwrought major label pop singles which went nowhere. Nonetheless, Fowler went on to a gig backing Dylan, and recorded his own (quite good) proto - country-rock roots solo album on Capitol, in 1970. Chuck Woolery of course became Chuck Woolery, recording a slow, steady string of singles -- many country -- that lasted through the 1970s, both before and after Wheel Of Fortune hit the air in '75. Anyway, this disc has a few interesting threads to pull on, including for us twangfans.

Fred Bornstedt & The Bunch Grass Band "Take Me Back To The Wallowa's" (Enterprise Distributors, 1980) (LP)
This album of cowboy music was recorded at the Enterprise High School band room, in Enterprise, Oregon, and features a bunch of local musicians, all Wallowa County locals, including Bornstedt's daughter, Dora Mae Bornstedt, playing bass.

Both Barrels Band "Ain't About To Change" (Orttel Brothers Publishing, 1981) (LP)
An all original bar-band offering by siblings Danny and Steven Orttel, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are joined by lead guitarist Gary Caron, Bob Boucher on bass, and drummer Bryan Helmbrechy.

Bottle Hill "A Rumor In Their Own Time" (Biograph Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Arnold A. Caplin)
An old-timey band with a modern sensibility, this ensemble from New York State had a repertoire that included covers of Paul Siebel's "Any Day Woman," Gram Parson's "Christine's Tune" and the Rolling Stone's "Honky Tonk Woman." And plenty of weird, craggy stringband stuff as well!

Bottle Hill "Light Our Way Along The Highway" (Biograph Records, 1976) (LP)

Leon Boulanger "Requested Favorites, Volume One" (Twin Town Records, 1969-?) (LP)
Although he worked with some of the biggest names in old-school honkytonk, fiddler Leon Boulanger also had solid regional roots, leading the house band at the Flame Theater Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota throughout the 1960s. Boulanger was in Johnnie Lee Wills western swing band before shipping off to serve in the Korean War -- back stateside, he joined guitarist Billy Gray's band in the 1950s, then settled into the Twin Cities scene for most of the 'Sixties, starting his residency at the Flame in 1962. He signed up with various headliners after the Flame Cafe band broke up around 1970-71, working for Mel Tillis, then in Ernest Tubb's Troubadours, and finally Faron Young's band, the Deputies, which he joined around 1976-77. Boulanger recorded a few singles under his own name as well as this LP, which I think was his only full-length album. Not sure when it was recorded -- sometime after 1968, according to the liner notes, though early '70s seems likely as well, possibly as late as 1971. The material's all oldies, mainly honkytonk cover songs, along with some popular instrumentals such as "Yakety Sax," though there are no originals from the band. The edition of the Leon Boulanger Show included steel player Terry Bethel, bassist Dick Van Hale, multi-instrumentalist Dave Poe, and drummer John Peck, who each had strong backgrounds playing for various stars such as Dave Dudley, Claude Gray, Ferlin Husky, et.al.

The Boulder Brothers "A Period Of Time" (Sheepeater Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Arnie Goodman & Spook Flanagan)
If you're keeping score in the whole "can't judge a book by its cover" department, feel free to add this one. I was drawn in by the Idaho mailing address, then realized this trio included guitarist Michael Wendling, who I'd come across before. I figured, maybe some twang, more likely bluegrass, let's check it out. By, oh jeez, was I unprepared by the truly horrible '70s folkie-ness of this album. Wendling plays all kind of fancy licks -- banjo, 12-string, slide guitar -- along with bassist Paul Smith and singer William Smith, who was the driving force behind this album. But, oh, lord, is this torturous. Smith was into some sort of spaced-out, cosmic crooning, profound folk-poet vibe, similar to late '60s icons like Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, or Tom Rush... But while all of those acoustic pioneers had their magical moments, I can honestly say there isn't a single track on here I'd want to hear again. It's just too self-involved and goopy for me -- I dunno what they were smoking or toking back then in Hailey, Idaho, but I guess it was potent. So, yeah, folk-freak fans might want to track this one down, though most alt-country types can steer clear.

Boulderdash "Boulderdash" (Shivaree Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Daryl McQuinn)
A country rock/honkytonk band from Collinsville, Illinois, with solid musicianship and a full brace of original material... These guys made the most of modest means -- the studio production was pretty barebones and they are definitely "real folks" locals, not hotshot country music rockstars. That said, this is a fun record with an amiable feel, covering a wide variety of styles -- cosmic cowboy/outlaw stuff, old-school honky tonk, harmony-laced country-rock, cowboy yodeling, and a goofy novelty song about having fantasies of winning the lottery. The set list includes a version of McGuinness Flint's "Two Hangmen," although most of the tracks were written by the band: drummer Paul Jarvis three songs, with pickers George Kershaw and Harry Garber adding a few more... All in all, a pretty solid set, though not necessarily a flashy or electrifying band. Definitely worth a spin!

Ted Boursaw "City Lights" (American Sound Records, 1971-?) (LP)
(Produced by Cliff Ayers)
A singer from Portland, Oregon who traveled to Nashville to record this set... It's all cover songs, generally straight-up oldies honkytonk hits... "City Lights," "Whiskey River," "Slowly," "Saginaw Michigan," etc. Although this album was entirely made up of covers, Ted Boursaw also released an excellent, Bakersfield-flavored single on Vanco Records, where both songs were his own originals... Not sure if he recorded anything else, though... The guy had a nice robust voice, similar to someone like John Anderson, though frequently he sounds a little stiff and unsure of himself in the studio. Overall, this album seems like a missed opportunity, since the guy obviously had the raw talent to knock one out of the park, given the right situation. Pity he didn't record more originals!

Uncle Ish Bowen "Something Got Hold Of Me" (Master Records, 19--?) (LP)
A simple, haunting country gospel set from a former honkytonker who got religion and switched to gospel music... Ishel Femus Bowen (1917-1989) was born in Shelby, North Carolina, but had moved to Newport News, Virginia by the time he recorded this album. I don't have much info about his musical career; Mr. Bowen worked as a welder in the Virginia shipyards and possibly was strictly an amateur musician. The record includes two songs sung by bassist David Jones, as well as one written by Ann Allman who sings on the album, along with Ms. Lola Begg also play on the album. It's a nice, simple set -- sparsely recorded with Bowen strumming an acoustic guitar, singing in an old-fashioned style reminiscent of Roy Acuff and the Depression-era country scene, with Allman and Begg adding Carter Family-esque harmonies. Also charming are their clumsy attempts and counterpoint recitation on tracks like "I Wasn't There." This is deep, authentic rural stuff -- heartfelt, unpretentious and sincerely moving. The tracks with Jones singing lead are slicker and more upbeat, though also quite nice.

Ken Bower "So In Love With You" (Chaparral Records, 1975) (LP)

Ken Bower "Chaparral Favorites" (Chaparral Records, 1975) (LP)

Jimmy Bowers, Al Noyd & Del Bailey "Long Time Comin' " (TapeMasters, 1974) (LP)
Country rockin' stuff by three pals from (I think) Indianapolis, Indiana -- Jimmy Bowers (lead guitar), Del Bailey (bass), Al Noyd (drums) and a couple of other guys who weren't able to convince them to come up with a band name: Joe Tippie on steel guitar and Willie Jones plunkin' piano. The trio (or quintet?) seems to have been led by Bowers, and while there's no info on the album about where they were from, I found a few show notices in the Indianapolis papers, circa 1974-76. Their repertoire includes nods to the Dead, Eagles, and some older country artists, with songs including "Jim Dandy," "Midnight Rider," "Honky Tonk Angel," and "Honky Tonk Wine," as well as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Turn On Your Love Light." A few songs may have been originals, though there aren't any song credits...

The Bowery Crew/Loose Change Band "The Bowery Presents Loose Change" (Image Brothers Records, 1984) (LP) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Harbin)
A split LP featuring two southern rock/roadhouse bands from Charleston, South Carolina. The album is a souvenir of the Bowery honkytonk, a Myrtle Beach landmark founded back in 1944 as a country music venue, and best known as the place where the group Alabama cut their teeth as the house band back in the mid-1970s. As near as I can figure "The Bowery Crew," which performs on Side One was an informal agglomeration of the bar's employees (and possibly some patrons?) while the group on the flipside, Loose Change, aspired to more official stature as a working band. Loose Chage was a showcase for gal vocalist Kerry Smith, backed by guitarist George Davis, Richard Rosenblum (drums) Mike Stephens (bass), and Jerry Vann on keyboards and lead vocals. It's worth noting that the Bowery finally ditched their Confederate flag logo (seen on this album's cover) though only in the late 2010s -- and even then they still incorporated the stars-'n'-bars into a new logo featuring a bald eagle with one wing sporting the American flag and the other the Confederate design. I guess that's South Carolina for you... As far as I know this was Loose Change's only record, although all the guys in the band also backed North Carolina folk singer Sally Spring on an album in 1983, and Jerry Vann had some limited success as a country songwriter in the late 'Seventies, with one of his songs, "Reachin' High For Rainbows," making it onto one of Mel McDaniel's early albums.

Roz Bowie "Dixie" (Bluestem Records, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Don Johnson & Grover Miskovsky)
An African American female artist... singing Dixie? With the "stars and bars" Confederate flag superimposed over her own picture? Huh. Well, apparently this sort-of country set was an attempt by the conservative-oriented Ms. Bowie to thread the needle between "respectable" Southern pride groups like the CSA/UDC (aka the United Daughters Of The Confederacy) and the more malicious, violent aspects of Confederate symbols and Civil War nostalgia. The inspiration for this album came from the unearthing of a Confederate soldier's long-forgotten corpse at an old battle site in Virginia, and the controversial proposal to erect a Confederate-oriented "tomb of the unknown soldier" monument in South Carolina where the man's remains would be interred. I suppose you could argue this reconciliation was a worthy goal, but I doubt the music has aged well -- the politics certainly haven't. There's not a lot of info out there about Ms. Bowie's career; about half the songs on this album were written by producer Grover Miskovsky and Lyle ("Slats") McPheeters, a novelty artist who recorded a few topically-oriented singles back in the 1970s, including "The Ballad Of Bobby Riggs," a clunky, bizarre defense of the notoriously anti-feminist tennis pro, who got his butt handed to him by Billie Jean King. So there's that, too.

Bowley & Wilson "Bowley & Wilson" (Harvest Productions, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by John Bowley, John Wilson & George M. Jones)
This Texas-based comedy duo, John Bowley and John Wilson, tore up stages for several decades and recorded several albums, including this one, which includes that blast from the past, "The Fart Song." Plenty of crude but clever material, as well as a decent amount of twang. Maybe not as rough around the edges as Chinga Chavin or Montezuma's Revenge, but sure to appeal to many of the same fans.

Bowley & Wilson "The Wildest Show In Texas" (Bowley & Wilson) (LP)
Hey man, if you think you can handle it, this one's a full-on double LP.

Bowley & Wilson "A Date With Bowley & Wilson" (Bowley & Wilson, 19--?) (LP)

Bowley, Wilson & Kendrick "Eat It!" (Bowley & Wilson, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by John Wilson)
And then there were three! At some point they officially expanded into a trio, with James Kendrick chiming in... Not sure when this came out, but, well, everybody's a little fuzzy on the details. Anyway, these fellas go out of their way to project an air of independence and amateurism on this partly-live album, with false starts and goofy chatter between songs, and a ragged musical sensibility that pairs nicely with their salty sense of humor. There is, of course, "The Fart Song," a purely puerile classic which kicks the album off. This bit of unvarnished potty humor soon gives way to a defiant counter-culturalism, where our longhaired Lone Star troubadours skewer their goat-roper antagonists in "Mister Redneck," and lament their fate as pot-smoking weirdos exiled deep in the heart of Texas ("Two Years In Fort Worth Is Worth Ten Years In Leavenworth," balanced on Side Two by Michael Martin Murphey's "Fort Worth I Love You.") The album also includes couple of curious covers from the world of 'Seventies pop radio: from the Doobie Brothers catalog comes their bastardized version of "Jesus Is Just Alright With Me," while the album ends with a notably ragged bongos'n'guitar rendition of Don McLean's already-interminable "American Pie." No date on this disc, but he mentions it being "almost 1973" during the "American Pie" singalong...

Bowley & Wilson "Greatest Tits (Up Yours)" (Bowley & Wilson, 1995-?) (LP)
Dunno if these are original recordings or what, but this collection would probably satisfy your curiosity about B&W and BWK. If not, there's also an official website that can give you all the deets about their incredibly long career.

Roger Bowling "Then I'll Stop Loving You" (NSD Records, 1983) (LP)
The lone solo album by songwriter Roger Bowling, a Harlan, Kentucky native who broke into Nashville in the 1970s after plugging away for years, and became one of the decade's most successful composers, penning two huge late-'Seventies hits for Kenny Rogers, "Lucille" and "Coward Of The County." Mr. Bowling (1944-1982) first moved to Nashville in 1970 but left after he decided he wasn't quite good enough to break into the highly-insular Music City scene of the countrypolitan era; he came back in '74 and placed song after song with stars such as Billie Jo Spears, Freddy Hart, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, finally striking gold with the 1977 crossover smash, "Lucille." Sadly, this album was released posthumously: Roger Bowling committed suicide by overdose the day after Christmas, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer a year before. The album includes his own version of "Lucille," as well as his own hit single, "The Yellow Pages," and some other songs that were recorded by various Nashville stars, such as "While The Feeling's Good" and "The Diplomat," an album track that Johnny Cash recorded in 1978.

Dewayne Bowman "Dewayne Bowman" (Antique Records, 1984) (LP)
Good ol' boy Dewayne Bowman was a local star in Southwestern Missouri, near the Oklahoma border, playing main in his own bar, the Paint Stallion, located in Joplin, Missouri. This album was recorded in nearby Pittsburg, Kansas, and is pretty much straight-up honkytonk country, with slightly slick early '80s production. He's a little stiff as a singer, but it's the thought that counts. Fans of Moe Bandy might dig this guy, too. The back cover mentions him performing with the IRS, though it's not clear if this was his band's name, or just a rueful complaint about the taxes he paid as a bar owner... The band musicians are only mentioned by their first names, Denny and Stanley.

Dewayne Bowman "Dewayne Bowman" (Antique Records, 2001) (CD)
A reissue CD that includes all the tracks off of his 1984 album, along with some more recent recordings.

Don Bowman - see artist profile

Margie Bowman "From The Heart Of Margie Bowman" (Ranger Records, 19--?)
(Produced by Forrest Green)
This gal from the town of Ozark, Arkansas wrote most of the songs on this album, adding a few cover tunes from the likes of Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Loretta Lynn. Bowman was a rough, rural vocalist -- although she pays homage to Loretta, her roots run a little deeper, back to foremothers such as Kitty Wells and more particularly to Jean Shepard, whose proto-feminist anthems are echoed in Bowman's own lyrics. This is best borne out on the album's second track, "Lord, Did You Think Of Lonely Women," in which she directly confronts God (yes, that God!) about the religious double standards that make it okay for men to seek comfort in sex, but don't allow women to do the same. That's probably the most striking song on here, but there are several that are quite good. Bowman is backed by producer Forrest Green and his band, the Rangers, a veteran of the 1950's country scene and former Arkansan himself, who moved to Michigan and settled into a second act as an indie record producer... His band adds a lively, melodic, steel-driven twang, reminiscent of Lynn's best work from the '60s; the album isn't that well-produced, and Bowman's phrasing sounds a little stiff -- nerves, maybe? -- but it's still a cool record. Not entirely sure when this was made, but I'm guessing it was around 1974-75, based on the album art and on the cover tunes: "Me And Bobby McGee" was from the late '60s, but Haggard's "Holding Things Together" came out in '74. Anyone out there know for sure?

Paul Bowman & The Country Showmen "San Francisco's KUDO-TV Presents..." (1972) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Bowman Don Humphrey & Roy Bell)
A Northern California native, born in Lodi, Paul Bowman moved up north to Redding, and then to Oregon where he became a country music radio broadcaster and later was recruited by hillbilly legend Rose Maddox to tour with her mid-'Sixties band. After a few years on the road with Maddox and other musicians, Bowman came back to the Golden State and scored a gig on KUDO-TV in San Francisco. The station gave him a weekly show, which is where he was working when he made this album. Alas, there's no info about the recording sessions, other than that it was at the Skinner Studios, in SF. It's an okay record, kind of low-key and workmanlike, but basically solid, with a nice selection of tunes, though it's all cover material and not originals.

Paul Bowman "The Drifter" (Mark Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Bowman, Don Humphrey & Roy Bell)
A Northern California indie-label twangfest, recorded in San Mateo, CA on a private label from Stockton... This album is packed with original material penned either by Paul Bowman or Don Humphrey... Some of it's kind of densely written, but backed with plenty of Merle Haggard-influenced West Coast twang -- at first I had a hard time getting into it, but Bowman and his crew slowly won me over. The band includes Howard Riley on guitar, with Ron Riley playing pedal steel (as well as Commander Cody's steel player Bobby Black on a tune or two...) Ron Riley also led his own band, Goldrush, and released a live album a couple of years after this one came out. Bowman's TV show was still going strong when this was recorded, and is mentioned in the liner notes, though I don't know when it ended...

Paul Bowman "The 20/20 Album: 20 Great Years, 20 Great Songs" (Mark Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Bowman, Jack Daniels & Russ Gary)

Paul Bowman & H. C. Langford "Memory Time" (Breeze Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Lonnie Holt & Jerry Sells)
This is a different Paul Bowman from the guy above... Bowman and Langford were two old-timers who had a radio show on WLIV, in rural Livingston, Tennessee... They focussed on the pre-honky tonk, sentimental styles of the Depression era, hummable ballads and gospel songs, reminiscent of duos such as the Blue Sky Boys, et. al. They both play acoustic guitar and song a little, and are joined by a few other locals, including Eldon Davis on dobro. This set of acoustic tunes is named after their "Memory Time" show, and as far as I know was their only recording.

Donnie Bowser "Donnie Bowser Sings" (Top Tenn Records, 1965) (LP)
An old-school Ohio country singer who started his professional career in 1950 at age thirteen, Donnie Bowshier (1937-2002) was first and last a country singer, although he was also one of Ohio's pioneering rockabilly artists, cutting several tracks in 1956 that are rock'n'roll cult favorites. Also known as Little Donnie Bowser, he was originally from the small town of Madison Mills, Ohio, and played gigs around Dayton and Cincinnati, leading several bands and performing on regional local hayride/opry shows; he even briefly hosted his own TV show and radio programs. This was Bowshier's first full album, though his first recording sessions date back to 1953, when his group the JR Melody Boys cut a string of singles for the fabled King Records label in Cincinnati. In 1956 Bowshier's new group, The Radio Ranch Boys, leapt into the rockabilly world with the plangent, Elvis-y "Rock And Roll Joys" and "Stone Heart," an agonized teen ballad that gained national distribution and became Bowshier's signature song. Those same sessions also produced the novelty number "Grandma Rock And Roll," which was released under the name of Gene Sisco, who was the band's fiddle player, later becoming a solo performer and recording artist. Donnie Bowshier contracted polio when he was only three, and spent his life confined to a wheelchair, although it barely held him back as a performer -- he played onstage at numerous venues, including an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry much later in his career. Most of his records were singles, spread out over several decades, right through the late 1980s; I'm not sure if this was his only full album, though many of his songs have been compiled in reissue records. (Thanks to hillbilly-music.com for their extensive profile of Bowshier's career, which filled in more than a few blanks.)

Danny Boy "...Sings With North Of Nashville" (Jeree Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Reed, Betty Schwartz & John Schwartz)
An amiable, entirely competent country covers band from Pennsylvania. Yeah,, maybe you're tired of hearing most of these songs -- "Rocky Top," "Mama Don't 'Low," " Green, Green Grass Of Home," "Wild Side Of Life," "Orange Blossom Special," etc., but if truth be told, this is a pretty listenable little record. Good band, decent vocals, nice attitude, no big fuss about anything, just solid, heartfelt performances of a bunch of country chestnuts. They might win you over, just as they they did for me. Best of all, Danny Boy isn't some joke name based on the old song, "Boy" is his real surname, shared with his brother Bill Boy, who plays the bass.

Boyce & Kramer "Voyage" (Frog Records, 1978) (LP)
David Boyce and Rex Kramer cut this set in Houston, Texas, mixing decidedly pop material with a few eclectic country choices, like "Mr. Bojangles," "Luckenbach, Texas" as well as, um, Kenny Loggins' "Danny's Song" and a Paul Anka oldie. Rex Kramer probably had the longer musical backstory: he'd been in the 'Sixties surf-garage band The Coastliners, whose range spanned bubblegummy pop and thudding, thumping '60s punk, with a discernible Kinks influence. Like all the best people, he "went country" in the 'Seventies, producing some interesting results -- their countrypolitan cover of Don Gibson's "All Wrapped Up In You" has such a believably breezy, slightly manic feel that you could almost imagine it being a country radio hit in 1974 or thereabouts. The album also includes a couple of Kramer originals, "Ring In My Pocket" and "You Oughta Be Against The Law." Not sure where either of these guys wound up after this...

Jim Boyd "Country Favorites, Texas Style" (Fanfare Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Marvin Montgomery, Andy Bradley & Bob Sullivan)
A latter-day solo set by Texas-born western swing guitarist Jim Boyd (1914-1990), who was the brother of bandleader Bill Boyd and a member of numerous regional bands, including stints with his brother 'way back in the 1930s, as well as with Roy Newman's band and in a late lineup of the fabled Light Crust Doughboys. Fellow Doughboy Marvin Montgomery arranged these sessions, which include several musicians from his stable of Dallas studio pros -- included are Montgomery on rhythm guitar, Maurice Anderson (pedal steel), Dale Cook (drums), Mark Jaco (bass), Dave Tanner on piano and some fancy fiddlin' from Jimmy Belkins, who was in Merle Haggard's band at the time. Jim Boyd plays guitar and sings lead throughout, except on one track, "I'm Getting Better," which features guest vocalist Ace Diamond, a rockabilly revivalist from New England.

Kenny Boyd & Strawboss "Tommy Collins Is Back, Introducing..." (1983) (LP)
Over the years, singing sheriff Kenny Boyd (1946-2012) worked as a railroad detective, a federal marshal, and as deputy -- and later Sheriff -- of Sumner County, Kansas, where he served for over twenty years. I'm not sure when he formed the Strawboss band, but I think this was their only album, and the title's a little confusing. Were they backing country star Tommy Collins, or was he just being their buddy and lending his name to their debut? Inquiring minds want to know.

Slim Boyd & The Rangehands "Christmas Country Style" (Premier Records, 19--?) (LP)
One of those odd artifacts of the cheapo-label scene... "Slim Boyd" was apparently an alias for hillbilly singer Curley Williams, who is said to have recorded under about a dozen different names, for reasons that have long been lost to the seasons of time. Of course there's some controversy as to whether all of the tracks credited to Slim Boyd (or the other aliases) are attributable to Mr. Williams, or if the Boyd persona was used as a way for the label(s) to repackage all sorts of stuff from their vaults, and may have been a catch-all for various performer's work. It's all quite murky, and I am hardly the world's expert on the matter. So, we'll just accept that this is a "Slim Boyd" album, and leave it at that. Anyway, if you dig holiday music, this disc's got some fun tunes, with some lesser-known material like "Wagon On Christmas" and the jaunty "On December 5 And 20," as well as chestnuts like "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," et. al.

Slim Boyd "Hits Made Famous By Jim Reeves" (Spin-O-Rama Records, 196-?) (LP)

Dave Boyer "Country Girl" (Boot Records, 1976) (LP)
A native of Alberta, Canada, singer Dave Boyer (ne David J. Boire) was a secular artist, and not to be confused with the Christian singer Dave Boyer, who worked with Ralph Carmichael... He penned the 1974 single, "Country Girl," which was a Top Forty country hit in Canada, eventually leading to this full album being released a couple of years later. The material is mostly originals, with Boyer's original compositions supplemented by a version of the George Jones hit, "The Race Is On." As far as I know, this was his only album, though he also released several singles with material not heard here. [Note: this album was later re-released under his birth name, Dave Boire.]

Johnny Boyle "Johnny Boyle Sings" (JBS Records, 19--?) (LP)
Cowboy and western stuff, of completely unknown provenance, though apparently put out by Johnny Boyle's family, possibly as a memorial album. The cover art looks late 1950s, possibly early '60s. The repertoire is mostly western music, along with some gospel, Hawaiian, and some novelty material such as "The Irish Were Egyptians," a song Boyle previously recorded as a 78, some years earlier, a tune that was originally a hit for Irish music hall singer Billy Murray.

Kent Harrison Boyles "Kent Harrison Boyles" (Sheffield Recordings, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by John Ariosa)
A genuine folk-freak gem, showcasing starry-eyed hippie multi-instrumentalist Kent Harrison Boyles, who seems to have been from Baltimore, Maryland. He wrote all the songs, plays guitar, piano and percussion, with backing by Leslie Griffin on flute and backing vocals. A lot going on here. A groovy, spacey, unmediated melange, reminiscent of a lot of different artists, though Big Star and Alex Chilton top my list, also with echoes of Jonathan Edwards and anticipatory futuristic ripples towards the legions of power-poppers and '90s lo-fi auteurs to come, though also with a rural, folk-rock twang in there as well. Perhaps what I enjoy most is not simply the eclectic cosmic content, but the unpolished, uneven qualities of the performances and production -- one of them thar "real people" albums folks get worked up about. This is justifiably an overpriced collector-nerd holy grail, though it really should get reissued on disc sometime, too. Maybe with some liner notes that tell us more about this guy. Surprisingly little to be found about him on the interwebs, although I think he later moved to Georgetown, Georgia, just south of Columbus.

The Boys "Kickin' Around" (Rome Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Casey)
The "boys" in this case were the lads of the Adams family of Greenfield, Ohio -- Darrell, Don, Farrell and Gary Adams - who are joined by pedal steel great Doug Jernigan, along with Dave Gray (trumpet), Paul Justice (fiddle), and Steve Marple on drums. Johnny Paycheck was also from Greenfield, and hired these guys as his touring group in the 1970s, so even though they don't mention him on this album, it's also one of those "backup band" albums. This was a pretty ambitious custom album -- a 2-LP set! -- including a bunch of 1960s, '70s pop and country covers, as well as original material from the folks around Columbus, Ohio, tunes credited to the New Rome and Shetac Music publishing companies, which copyrighted a bunch of their stuff, circa 1974. I don't know how much these guys played live independent of the Paycheck gig, but they certainly seemed to be making a real go of things with this record.

The Boys In The Bunkhouse "The Boys In The Bunkhouse" (United Artists, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Snuff Garrett & Jerry Barnes)
A convention of all-star studio pickers, with Al Casey, J. D. Maness and others jamming on some western swinging country stuff, while also covering tunes like Ary Barroso's "Brazil." Maybe not very indie, but certainly very '70s. I guess they were trying for an Asleep At The Wheel type vibe, what with covers of the Amos Milburn R&B classic, "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" and some other oldies... But the production style is a little atrocious, super-slick and super-cheesy. Still, there are also a few originals, including "Sleepin' On The Sofa," co-written by John Durrill and Sandy Pinkard (later of the comedy duo Pinkard & Bowden) and a couple from singer Cliff Crofford, who I guess had a career spanning back to the late 1950s, when he cut a bunch of rockabilly-tinged stuff on the Bakersfield-based Tally Records label. I'd like to say that Crofford's novelty number, "Willie, Write Me A Song" (presumably an homage to Mr. Nelson) was tons of fun, but the tune is taken at a painfully lethargic pace, with an overly ornate 'Seventies-style pop-vocals arrangement... Maybe it would stand up better in a more sincere sounding rendition, but this version just sounds way too schmaltzy. I guess these guys were the kind of slick studio pros who just couldn't help themselves -- they'd gotten so far from their roots they couldn't see the forest for the trees. A few okay twangtunes, but there is better stuff to be found. And the lesser stuff on here is definitely pretty torturous.

John Braden "John Braden" (A&M, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Henry Lewy)
Sort of a folk-country outing, with backing on a few tracks from California-based hippiebilly luminaries such as Ry Cooder, Chris Ethridge, Sneaky Pete Kleinow and various acid rock musicians, as well as jazz musician Paul Horn. John Braden later went on to carve a very successful career as a children's music producer, recording numerous albums for the Kids Stuff label, notably working on game-related albums for Atari, as well as the Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony albums. Talk about a long, strange trip!

Junior Bradford "...And The Country Knights" (Big Rock Recording, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by John Montgomery)

Jerry Bradley "Once More For The Good Times" (El Dorado Gold, 19--?)
(Produced by Ed Glass)
A country singer from Medford, Oregon, recording at Gene Breeden Studios in Nashville, with Gene Breeden on lead guitar and Terry Crisp playing steel, and Phil Hurley on drums... The repertoire includes covers of Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams, as well as what looks like three originals: "Oregon, I'm Coming Home" by Jerry Bradley, along with "We Never Ran Out Of Love" and "Whatever We Had" by Ken Wesley.

Paul Bradley & The Wagon Wheelers "Wagon Wheel" (Stop Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Ed Glass)
Some obscure East Coast country... The Wagon Wheel was a club located in Ayer, Massachusetts, near Boston, while singer Paul Bradley was apparently from Lewiston, Maine. I wasn't able to find out much about this guy's career, but I welcome any info!

Terry Ray Bradley "It Just Keeps Getting Better" (J.E.K. Records/Kennett Sound Studios, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Keene)
A nice, mellow set of rockabilly-tinged indie twang from a Missouri crooner who sounds quite a bit Elvis-y, with a velvety baritone and generally relaxed vibe. Mostly these are soft ballads, with a gentle rock backbeat... Some tracks are more country than others, such as producer Joe Keene's "I've Got A Lot To Get Over," which has a pure early '60s Nashville Sound feel. Another album highlight is his version of Bill Rice's "Hand Of Hurt," which is a solid country weeper. Ex-rockabilly-gone-country-star Narvel Felts contributes laudatory liner notes, and that gives you a pretty good sense of where Bradley was coming from... Fans of retrobilly crooners such as Crash Craddock, Narvel Felts and Orion might dig this as well. It's not electrifying, but it's heartfelt and musically solid.

Bill Bradway & Jean Bradway "Gospel Hawaiianaires" (Christian Faith Records, 1965-?) (LP)
According to the liner notes, steel guitar player Bill Bradway was a farm kid from rural New Jersey who had a flair for repairing musical instruments as well as a knack with electronics. He tinkered around and built his own electric guitars, and eventually designed his own line of double-necked pedal steels. He formed his own band in Atlantic City, a Pacific-themed trio called the Hawaiianaires, which played gigs at Hunt's Ocean Pier amusement park, as well as performing daily on the radio, and with big band/pop bandleader Horace Heidt. The Bradways were "born again" in 1955 and devoted themselves entirely to gospel music and evangelizing at church events. The tunes on this instrumental album are mainly gospel classics, such as "Onward Christian Soldiers," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and "The Old Rugged Cross," but they sure sound like old-school Hawaiian guitar tunes rather than fusty old hymns. Certainly worth a spin!

Doyle Brady "Saturday Night At The Memories" (Nu-Sound Records, 1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Floyd)
Another mystery disc from Nashville, on a custom imprint that was apparently a pay-to-pay "song-poem" label. Aside from a couple of country standards, this seems to have been a songwriter's demo set, with the title track by Dean Dillon, as well as three obscure Tom T. Hall songs, two by Jerry Lane, and one by Lou Weston -- "Texas Wind" -- which appears to be unique to this album. The session musicians are not listed, alas, although DJ Fontana was involved, and wrote some vague liner notes. There's also no date on the album, but it looks like an early 'Eighties kinda thing, maybe late 'Seventies. This appears to be Mr. Brady's only album, though there was a single as well, featuring two of the Tom T. Hall tunes. Not a lot of info on Mr. Brady, though.

Jim Brady "Get Along" (JB Records, 1979-?) (LP)
I'm not sure if this it the same guy as Diamond Jim Brady (below) though he sure looks like it in the album photos -- wolfish, dark-haired, etc. The liner notes tell us this was Brady's first album, and provide an address in Denver, though ex-rocker Diamond Jim was an Arizona native. (The liners also mention him playing gigs in Arizona, so perhaps he'd moved to Colorado for a while in the 'Seventies?) Anyway, a bunch of cover tunes here, including stuff by Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Bob Wills and others -- even one by Billy Joel! yikes! -- as well as a couple of originals by Mr. Brady, "Evil Woman" and "Honey, It's Raining In Utah," which kick off the album. No musician credits, alas, though Brady gives thanks to several guys who may have been backing him(?) including Ken Long, whose tune "Get Along" appears to be the album's third original.

Jim Brady "Brady" (Roc-co Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Otis Blackwell)
Although Arizona rocker "Diamond" Jim Brady had been a professional musician since the late '50s, he worked mostly as a sideman, notably for Roy Clark in the early '60s and several years touring with B. J. Thomas. This disc, from the mid-1980s, was his solo debut, and it has a 'Fifties rock feel, though there is a bit of twang in there as well. The album was produced by R&B legend Otis Blackwell, the guy who wrote seminal rock classics such as "All Shook Up," "Don't Be Cruel," "Fever," "Great Balls Of Fire," and "Return To Sender." Half the songs on this album were Blackwell compositions, but newer tunes, like "Paralize" and "Just Keep It Up." Also of interest (and more off the beaten track) is a song by Jack Quist ("Her Love's On Hold") and one by a guy named O. D. Fulks... (Any relation to Robbie? Lord only knows... but wouldn't that be cool?)

Pete Brady "Murder Ballads" (ABC Paramount, 1960) (LP)
(Produced by Creed Taylor)
A pop crooner born in Canada, Pete Brady (1929-2018) grew up in the American midwest and worked as an actor as much as a musician. Here, he's making a play for the western market, as cowboy movies and TV shows such as Gunsmoke, etc. were all the rage at the time. Lots of well-known ballads and a few obscurities in the set list, though if I had my 'druthers, I'd rather listen to Marty Robbins or the Louvin Brothers sing this kind of stuff.

Pete Brady "How The West Was Swung" (RCA Victor, 1962) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Pierce & Al Schmitt)
Latter-day big band/orchestral pop renditions of singing-cowboy western oldies such as "Don't Fence Me In," "I'm An Old Cowhand," and "Yellow Rose Of Texas," et.al., mostly Tin Pan Alley, faux-hick Hollywood material, though he also covers Hank Snow's early honkytonk classic, "I Don't Hurt Anymore." Includes orchestrations by jazz/pop pianist Bob Florence.

Pete Brady "Sing Me A Smile" (Moonraker Records, 1984) (LP)
Oh, I had high hopes for this one, but alas, not all indie albums from the '70s with old guys wearing hats turn out to be country records. Mr. Brady was more of a wannabee pop-vocals crooner - a not-quite Jack Jones/Mac Davis kinda guy. There is one track that could plausibly be called countrypolitan, but for the most part, this review is just a warning flag for twangfans: This is okay for what it is, but it ain't country.

Bramble "Bramble" (Creative Arts Studios, 1983) (LP)

Loretta Brank "This Is Loretta, Volume One" (1975) (LP)
(Produced by Allen P. Giles)
A championship fiddler from Winlock, Washington, Loretta Brank started playing music at age nine, and had already won or placed in numerous state and national championships from 1970 to 1975. She learned the fiddle from her dad, as well as the mentorship of the legendary Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson, who taught her much of his repertoire. Ms. Brank had just turned fourteen years old when this album was recorded, having already earned thirty-five trophies in less than five year's time, including a junior-juniors division victory over a neophyte Mark O'Connor at the 1973 competition in Weiser, Idaho. Brank later moved to Nashville where she played with old-timers like Charlie McCoy, and spent several years touring with Deana Carter. This album is mostly full of standards such as "Jole Blon," "Leather Britches" and "Sally Goodin," with a couple of more obscure tunes in there as well. Of interest to bluegrass and old-timey fans is Washington state native Molly Mason on guitar, along with bassist Larry Edwards and Roger Maddy on mandolin; I believe Ms. Mason is the same old-timey artist who teamed up with Jay Ungar, while Mr. Maddy went on to record a couple of albums of his own a few years later.

Patty Brannen "From Alaska With Love" (Arctic Records, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by Frank Tonnema & Dwight Finger)
I'm not sure what the whole story is with Patty Brannen, a singer from Alaska who cut this album with help from arranger Berk Rauk (pronounced "rock") a lounge performer who billed himself as a "famous showman pianist and singer" in a career that spanned back at least as far as 1960, when he was playing gigs in Reno. How he met Brannen, who was originally from Florida, is anyone's guess, but they were headlining at the Switzerland Supper Club, an Alpine-themed Italian restaurant in Fairbanks, at the time this album was made. They were backed both in the club and on this album by the wonderfully-named drummer Brian Hitt, along with guitarist Glen Fish who was a truck driver in his day job. (Also worth noting is the participation of Anchorage radio deejay Frank Tonnema, who helped produce some other records around this time, notably Roy Day's North Country, also on the Arctic label.) Online mentions of this disc are pretty slight -- it was profiled on the Homoerratic Radio Show, leading me to wonder if Brannen was a drag act. If so, there's no mention of it in a November, 1975 profile in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner which mentions the group cutting its first single, a cover of the Johnny Ray pop hit, "Cry" backed by "When I Fall in Love," which are both included on this album. Although she dips into pop vocals territory, including versions of "Al Of Me" and "Love For Sale," this album is definitely weighted towards legitimately country material, stuff like "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Me And Bobby McGee," "Rocky Top" and "Top Of The World." Nice voice, though not a ton of twang... Certainly worth a spin!

Branson "When We Sing For Him" (Ramblin' Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by John Salem)
A southern gospel performance, recorded live on August 30, 1986 at a venue called Country Music World, in lovely downtown Branson, Missouri. This creatively-named vocal quartet is backed by a group called the NightWay Band, with pedal steel (Obie Jones), banjo (Danney Yancey), bass, drums and keyboards. Not sure if they made any other records...

The Brassfield Trio "God's Countdown" (Bejay Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Ben Jack and Glenn Smith)
A pleasantly country-flavored gospel set from a family trio from Hartford, Arkansas, made up of Leon and Myra Brassfield and their daughter Wanda. I was drawn to this album by the wealth of original material, as well as covers of songs by a couple of Hemphill family songs, and one by Dottie Rambo, but mostly because of the musical backing by studio owner Ben Jack and his studio crew, who also did a lot of country and R&B recordings, most notably working with Jerry Jaye and Darlene Battles. The studio band included Terry Anderson (lead guitar), Ben Jack (steel guitar), Wanda Johnson (piano) and Bill Jones (drums), a compact group than provides some surprisingly rich country textures throughout the album... The vocals are a little variable, but overall I'd call this one a keeper.

Braswell Brothers "Mile One" (19--) (LP)
An amiable family band, featuring Dave, Mike and Ronnie Braswell, brothers who started playing together as kids. They racked up a lot of experience traveling far and wide with their dad, an air traffic controller whose work took him to several states as well as to the Panama Canal Zone, where they entertained American troops who were stationed there. Apparently the Braswells were from Florida, and recorded this album in Tampa, with their band rounded out by steel player Tommy Crawford, Barry Jeffrey on keyboards, and Leroy Mercer on harmonica. Marvin ("Mike") Braswell (1947-2007) was the lead singer and one of the band's songwriters, along with brother Ronnie. Though most of the set is cover material -- including Neil Young's "Are You Ready For The Country" and classics like "Ghost Riders In The Sky," "Jambalaya" and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," -- there are also several originals by the Braswells, "Kathy's Song," "Lady At The Window, "Mile One," and "Bluest Guitar In Town," which may also have been released as a single. This record is a nice set of straight-up country crooning with a smooth finish but a honkytonk core -- George Jones, Vern Gosdin and Jim Ed Brown come to mind. Good stuff. Some swell pedal steel, as well. Recommended!

Sam Braswell "Lookin' Back With Sam Braswell" (Jester Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
An entirely satisfying set of country covers from a longtime Montana local. Louis "Sam" Braswell (1933-2014) was born in Mississippi but made his way up North working as an itinerant "shot hole" oil driller, eventually settling down in Montana in the early 1950s... He was a self-taught musician who led a local bar-band called the Tavern Travelers, and started his own business in Billings -- Midland Tool And Supply, which he ran for over thirty years before retiring in 2000. As far as I know this was his only record, but it's a nice one. Braswell was a slightly clunky singer, but he's heartfelt and sincere, and his love of the music radiates though each song. The backing band was modest and minimal, with an accomplished steel player named Allen Meade backed by a less-dynamic rhythm section, including Chuck Bell on lead guitar, Red Austin on bass, Rex Rieke plunking piano and Mr. Braswell playing rhythm guitar. He mainly covers standards, stuff by Johnny Horton, Jimmie Rodgers, Porter Wagoner and Lefty Frizzell, with a few newer tunes such as "Catfish John," "Amanda" and Johnny Russell's "Red Necks, White Socks And Blue Ribbon Beer," three of four songs on here written by Bob McDill, who Braswell seems to have admired quite a bit. Real-deal, locally generated old-school country.

The Braun Brothers "Old Cowboy Blues" (Idaho Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by The Braun Brothers)
Likable locals from Boise, Idaho, Muzzie and Gary Braun fronted a long-lived hippie/cowboy country/folk band which specialized -- particularly on this album -- in songs with local twists. Lots of songs with Idaho, Boise and wide, open spaces in the lyrics... Nice, un-flashy musicianship with just the right amount of twang to 'em. Nothing mindblowing, but a nice souvenir of an authentic regional band of hometown heroes.

The Braun Brothers "Heart Of Idaho" (Idaho Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Braun & Glenn Nelson, Jr.)
Another modest DIY effort from brothers Gary and Muzzie Braun, who took the Rocky Mountain folk-country style of John Denver and gave it a rural Idaho twist, singing songs about loggers, miners, cowboys and long, cold winters without your best girl around to make you a cup of coffee. Muzzie Braun was the driving force here -- he wrote and sang all the songs, while brother Gary thumped on the drums -- and while Muzzie had his limitations as a singer, this is a charming set of for-locals regional twang. The opening track, "Heart Of Idaho," is a nice upbeat song that hearkens back to the days of regionally-themed country songs, and there are some other songs that were good as well, mostly the uptempo numbers, as Muzzie can show some weakness as a ballad singer. "Weekend Logger Blues" is a standout novelty number, though the whole record has a nice amateurish charm, underscored by the liner notes that describe how various songs were composed throughout the '70s: this album was a long time coming and was obviously a labor of love. Might not be a classic, but it's got its charms.

The Braun Brothers "Born 100 Years Too Late" (Idaho Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by The Braun Brothers)
A thoroughly charming set of low-key, good-natured twang tunes, with a definite tilt towards novelty numbers like the Willie Nelson tribute song, "Willie's Old Guitar" and the straight-faced barroom ballad, "Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame." Several songs make reference to life in rural Idaho, notably "High Mountain Home" and "I'm Missin' You," which also are heartfelt reflections on life as a parent and talk about "the boys," presumably the second generation of Braun Brothers, who all became musicians themselves (see below...) There's also one topical, political song, "Save It For The Babies," which is about stopping land grabbers and big corporations from despoiling Idaho's pristine natural beauty. These are nice, good-natured tunes, totally unpretentious, all originals, with an all-local cast backing the singers. A great set of locals-only, DIY twang.

The Braun Brothers "Vintage Braun Brothers" (Idaho Records, 2011)
This CD best-of gathers almost two-dozen tracks from various Braun Brothers albums, including of course, "Heart Of Idaho" and most of the rest of their first album. After this band, Muzzie formed another family act with four of his sons, called Muzzie & The Boys -- it's probably worth noting here that they went on to form bands of their own: Willy and Cody Braun started the Americana/indie-rock band Reckless Kelly, while Micky Braun is in the red-dirt band, Micky and the Motorcars... Talk about a family tradition!

Arne Brav "Ready To Go" (Tour Directions, 1983-?) (LP)
(Produced by Arne Brav, Junior Bennett & Bob Kearney)
A veteran performer with deep roots in the Midwestern folk scene, Arnold Z. Brav (1946-2005) was a true troubadour. Starting out in Cincinnati, he made a determined march across countless college campuses in several states, both headlining and supporting other artists on guitar throughout the 1970s and early '80s. This was his lone solo album, which featured a slew of Queen City locals as well as Ohio-born Harley Allen singing harmony on a tune or two. Although mostly a folkie affair, it includes covers of "Sixteen Tons," Gary P. Nunn's "Couldn't Do Nothing Right," and a few other twangy tunes. The album came out when Brav was pushing forty and proved to be his own creative swan song: starting in 1983 Brav cashed in a decade-plus of showbiz connections and set up shop as a talent agent and promoter, notably representing singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards, and helping 'Seventies pop star Dan Seals make the leap into a highly successful career as a Top Forty country star. For a while, Brav even served as the opening act for Seals while he was finding his footing in the twang scene. Although he made inroads in Nashville and for a while moved to Tennessee, Brav's company zeroed in on more familiar territories, specializing in booking musicians and comedians for college campus tours, the same scene he'd started out in decades earlier.

The Bravado Brass "This Is Hit Country" (Diplomat Records, 1968-?) (LP)
In the wake of the success of Herb Albert's Tijuana Brass, there were plenty of copycat easy-listening brass band albums, including numerous country-themed records. Like many of its cousins, Bravado Brass was an anonymous studio group; neither edition of this album gives us any information about the musicians, their producer, or the studio they worked in, and I'm pretty sure that mystery will persist. At any rate, this set is pretty heavy on oldies -- "Candy Kisses," "Yellow Rose Of Texas," "Tennessee Saturday Night," "I'm Movin' On" -- so don't get too excited about the groovy, faux-hippie, Peter Max-inspired psychedelic cover art. (Which they even recycled on the Mountain Dew label reissue!)

Brave Belt "Brave Belt" (Reprise Records, 1971)
From our neighbors up North came this kinda-sorta-country rock band, a semi-solo project from Canadian rocker Randy Bachman, who had just left the band Guess Who after they scored a chart-topping hit with the song "American Woman." Apparently the breakup wasn't very friendly, and Bachman had a tough time getting his career started. The little-remembered Brave Belt albums are often mostly seen as warm-ups to the tighter sounding, vastly more successful Bachman-Turner Overdrive. I guess there's a legitimate argument to be made that these albums have a place in the early history of country-rock, though they are also kind of proggy and poppy, with a heavy boogie-rock undercurrent, as would be expected from the time... The band didn't do well south of the border, and its third album was rejected by the label, which prompted Bachman to change the band's lineup, name and musical direction, eventually leading to the BTO whose hits "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" became integral parts of the oppressively prefab radio landscape of the 'Seventies. Twangfans may find modest rewards on the first Brave Belt album; the second album has more of a heavy-rock sound, and neither one really does that much for me...

Brave Belt "Brave Belt II" (Reprise Records, 1972)

Dick Bray "Talk With The Man" (Hyland Records, 1972-?) (LP)
This is a major mystery record, with no where, when, who or how about it... The liner notes include the song titles and composer credits, and that's about it. I couldn't find anything out about this guy or who was backing him up online: there are a few Dick Brays to choose from but none of them seemed like a good match. Anyway, it's also an odd record, clearly a mega-private vanity release, though Bray seems to have had a confidence borne of some success singing in coffeehouses or somewhere like that. It kicks off with the title track, a folk-ish gospel song that makes you think, uh-oh, it's gonna be one of those albums, but soon shifts into an otherwise exclusively secular mode. Bray's vocal persona quickly gels into a strong similarity to Hoyt Axton and much like Axton, he straddles country, folk and a tiny bit of mildly psychedelic pop-rock... On the surface, this seems to be the kind of record that could easily be mocked by the uber-hip, but after a couple of listens, it grew on me, particularly a couple of the odder, more personal-sounding songs. Side Two features the strongest of these, the evocative "Goin' Goin' Gone" and the weird, rambling "He Packed His Guitar," a cluttered narrative about some guy who tries to make it in show business, moving to San Francisco in '69 and then down to LA, where he leads a "comfortable" life... It's a strange, naifish song, one of several credited to Mick Lloyd, and seems to have an axe or two to grind about the music business: if anyone's looking for songs so include on "private press" anthologies, this one's a great candidate. The record is filled with originals, but none were credited to Bray -- was he writing and recording under different names? Was this a song-poem album? Who can tell? But even though my rational mind screams against it, my heart has to accept this untraceable album as a guilty pleasure. Anyone with more info out there? I'm all ears.

Dick Bray "Touch Of The West" (Hyland Records, 19--?) (LP)
An odd, somewhat forlorn album, with a smidge of "western" material, such as "Ghost Riders I The Sky" and the Marty Robbins chestnut, "Big Iron," and an abundance of pop-folk stuff, tunes like "Greenfields" and "It Was A Very Good Year." The album seems forlorn for a couple of reasons, first because of the barebones presentation -- just Dick Bray and one acoustic guitar -- mildly marred by flawed though not catastrophic recording quality, including a light background hum that's more noticeable on some tracks than on others. It's also forlorn, or perhaps a bit glum, given the unwavering solemnity of Bray's performance, which does not vary from track to track -- he's very serious about the project, but it's a bit downbeat, even on comedic numbers like "The Persian Kitty." I'm not sure exactly when this album was made -- Bray was clearly trying to make a go of it in the coffeehouse folk scene, though he may have been a little late on the draw. He's pictured on the back cover looking half-beatnik/half-hippie with beard and mid-length hair... I'd guess early 'Seventies, but it's more likely it's a late 'Sixties set, maybe from '68 or thereabouts. One thing that falls into focus, though, is that the Hyland label was Bray's own imprint: he also released at least one 45 single on it as well these two albums. The label address on this album is for a place on Hyland Avenue, in Rapid City, South Dakota, which gives us one big clue about Bray's background...

Brazil Country "...Plays Something For Everyone!" (Crown City Recording And Publishing Company, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Szabo)
Oh, I had very high hopes for this one. I mean, just look at it: Brazil...? Country...? Oh baby! This was made for me! A closer inspection, though, revealed no twanged-up bossa nova songs, no samba renditions of Hank Williams oldies... Alas, the band was named for guitarist Tony Brazil, a Central California native whose band paired up country instruments such as pedal steel with trumpet and sax, a combination they applied to songs by Merle Haggard, Buddy Holly, and Bert Kaempfert, along with pop hits of the day such as "Put Your Hand In The Hand" and "Tiny Bubbles," with the most recent song being Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue," which was a hit in '72. According to the liner notes, the group won some kind of battle of the bands sponsored by radio station KLAC, Hollywood, and played gigs at venues such as the Squaw Valley ski resort... Anyway, this may not be the world-music twangfest I'd hoped for, but it's still an interesting souvenir of a Southern California county-fair covers band of yesteryear.

Breakheart Pass Band "Borderline Thrill" (Breakheart Pass Enterprises, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Scott Fronsoe & Steve Fjeland)
A country-oriented bar band from Minneapolis, Minnesota with a wealth of freshly-written material... The album's producer, bassist Scott Fronsoe, wrote or co-wrote all but three of the songs while the remainder were originals as well, including a couple written by guitarist Joe Campbell. Includes songs such as "Burned Out Feelins," "In A Bar Room, On A Bar Stool," and "Minnesota Woman." Pretty solid stuff, in the classic hippiebilly country-rock style. Recommended!

Gene Breeden "Country Guitar Favorites, Volume 7" (GRT Records, 1973-?)
(Produced by Gene Breeden)
One of the towering figures in the world of private press/custom recording country music, producer/guitarist Gene Breeden was originally from Bakersfield, California and seems to have played a bit on the SoCal club scene, although he started his career as an engineer and studio picker at the Ripcord Records in Vancouver, Washington. He purchased the studio (and label) from his boss Bob Gibson sometime in the late 1960s, and working with a handful of musical cohorts -- most notably producer/engineers Blaine Allen and Ellis Miller -- Breeden produced hundreds of albums and singles by a far-flung pool of regional amateurs, semi-professionals and professional musicians, mostly from Washington state, Oregon, and Idaho. He eventually moved to Nashville and continued along in the same vein throughout the 1980s, producing innumerable country and gospel records from artists all along the music-making continuum. Though a talented and well-regarded session guitarist and steel player, Breeden never broke out as a solo artist -- perhaps he was just smart enough to not want to play the fame game, or maybe he just never got the breaks he deserved. Although he released a sprinkling of singles and pursued a few projects as a marquee artist, this exploito-record is the only full album of his that I know of, and it may have actually only come out as an 8-track tape. Not sure who else plays on here, though Breeden did have a well-established set of musicians he worked with, and it's possible that his son, drummer Danny Breeden, at least, sat in on this session, although it may also be that this came out a little before Danny's time. Anyway, it's a cheapo budget-line set, and even the album title is a little misleading: these tunes are mostly instrumental versions of country (and pop) hits spanning back a few years ("I Ain't Never" and "White Silver Sands," for example) and a brace of more recent cart-toppers such as "Baby, Don't Get Hooked On Me" and "Funny Face," but not exactly a set of country classics such as "Wildwood Flower," or whatever. (Also, although this was "Volume Seven" in this GRT series, it seems to have been the only one under Breeden's name, and it's also possible no other volumes exist...) There's no date on the tape, but based on the song selection (and the catalog number) I think this came out in 1973. [Note: Gene Breeden seems to have passed away sometime around 2023, perhaps, though outside of a cryptic post on some random chat group about a wake held in LA, I couldn't find any information or obituary online.. Anyone who knows more, I would love to hear from you.]

Brent & Harry "Country Special With Brent And Harry" (Banff Records, 196-?) (LP)
French-Canadian cajuns, the Nova Scotian duo of Brent Williams and Harry Cromwell were childhood friends who started their musical careers in a bluegrass band called the Birch Mountain Boys, later forming their own act and joining the cast of "Don Messner's Jubilee," a popular CBC-TV variety show in the 1960s. They are considered cultural pioneers -- both as Afro-Canadian country artists and as members of what may have been the first Canadian bluegrass band to make a record. Brent Williams went on to his own highly-successful solo career in the early 1970s. On this debut disc, they tip their hats towards classic honkyonkers like Carl Smith and Ray Price, and especially towards the Louvin Brothers, who they modeled their style after. The set includes covers of standards such as "Crazy Arms," "Wasted Words," "My Shoes Keep Walking Back," "I'll Go Steppin' Too," and "Must You Throw Dirt In My Face" -- all good stuff!

Brent & Harry "More Country With Brent And Harry" (Banff Records, 196-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ken Ayoub & Paul Mongeau)
The liner notes on this album mention the duo's idolization of the Louvin Brothers -- which is also obvious from their covers of classics like "Don't Laugh," "How's The World Treating You" and "I'm Just Here To Take My Baby Out Of Jail." Brent Williams is credited as writing three original songs for this album: "It Hurts Me To Say Goodbye," "Oh, So Lonely" and "Should Our Love Be Unfair." Alas, as was often the case, no information about the other musicians backing them on these sessions. I'm not sure what became of Harry Cromwell, but Mr. Williams cut numerous albums in the 'Seventies and beyond, including several records showcasing his fiddling prowess; he also helped found the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) in the early 1970s.

Frankie Brent "The King" (Cutty Records, 19--?) (LP)
Lounge singer and Elvis imitator Adolph Gambino (aka Frankie Brent, 1934-2002) was born in Philadelphia, and later moved to New Orleans where grew his sideburns and shook his hips along with the best of them. Not completely country, but close enough. No info on the band backing him, though. Alas.

Brethren "Brethren" (Tiffany Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Jay Senter & Doc Siegel)
A hippie-era rural rock band with kind of a rootsy, country-adjacent vibe. The band included guitarist Tom Cosgrove, Mike Garson (organ and piano), Rick Marotta (drums) and Stu Woods on bass, with additional help from Dr. John on keyboards, and Rusty Young playing pedal steel, as well as The Blossoms chiming in on backup vocals. The songs were mostly originals, as well as one from their producer, Jay Senter, and a couple of cover tunes, including one by James Taylor called "Don't Talk Now," which Taylor has previously recorded on his 1968 debut. Although Brethren was one of countless here-today, gone-tomorrow bands of the early 1970s, the bandmembers went on to do a lot of studio work: Tom Cosgrove was a prolific 'Seventies session player; Mike Garson made a successful leap into jazz music, both on his own albums and as a frequent collaborator with Stan Getz, and also worked with numerous pop stars, as did drummer Rick Morotta and bass player Stu Woods. Google 'em sometime -- they played on some pretty groovy albums! It looks like these guys were originally from New York City, though their careers drew them to LA later on...

Brethren "Moment Of Truth" (Tiffany Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Don Casale, Eddie Kramer & Dave Palmer)
Their elusive second album featured the same founding lineup of Cosgrove, Garson, Marotta and Woods, though the band had moved on to a heavier, more funk-oriented, party-down sound, with hints of the Meters and other contemporary rock-funk pioneers. In place of the rootsy, pedal steel sound, they brought in a small horn section and a conga drummer, so this may have limited appeal to twangfans... Although they did cover Doctor John's "Loop Garoo," so there's still a rootsy vibe in the mix.

Brethren "Whistlin' With The Wind" (Moonsound Records, 1979) (LP)
Not to be confused with the early 'Seventies rock group (above). As you might imagine from the name, this Brethren band was indeed a gospel group, more specifically Lutherans. This Minneapolis, Minnesota band was founded in 1974 and played a mix of Christian and secular country. The main members are the trio of Bob Hoch (lead vocals), Doug Larson (bass, led vocals) and John Williams (guitar, banjo, lead vocals) with backing by a band called Wildwood, which included Jim Plattes on fiddle and pedal steel/banjo player Jeff Dayton... The covers include "Mr. Bojangles," Carole King's "You've Got A Friend," Jimmie Driftwood's "Battle Of New Orleans," as well as some original material, most of it written by Williams.

Brewer & Shipley -- see artist profile

Bud Brewer "Big Bertha, The Truck Driving Queen" (RCA Victor, 1972) (LP)
I don't know much about this jovial, truckin' song singin' good ole boy, but I was drawn to his album because he covers a couple of tunes that were later recorded a couple of years later by Gary Stewart on his first album for MCA... (What was up with that? Did some song plugger know them both?) At any rate, this is a mighty fine, mighty fun album, full of unrepentantly good-timin', cheatin', chasin', drinkin' losin' songs, many of which were plucked from old records, some of which seem to have been new to this record. Brewer was sort of a mix between Red Sovine and Charlie Walker, ideal for fans of old-fashioned hard country novelty songs. Wonder if he made any other records...(?)

Clyde Brewer & Bob White "The Twin Fiddles Of..." (Stoneway Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by R. M. Stone)

Clyde Brewer & Bob White "Seven Come Eleven" (Stoneway Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by R. M. Stone)

Clyde Brewer & Bob White "The Texas Touch" (Longhorn Records, 1983-?) (LP)
(Produced by Clyde Brewer & Dusty Dickerson)
Twin fiddles, Texas style, backed by a sharp band of old-timers with steel, bass, guitars and the like... Fiddler-pianist Clyde Brewer (1930-2011) was a western swing pioneer -- he started out in Shelly Lee Alley's Depression-era band, the Alley Cats and went on to play with a bunch of western swing legends, notably with Cliff Bruner, Laura Lee McBride, and Moon Mullican. He stayed in the Houston area, and along with fellow fiddler Bob White and bandleader Dick Allen, Brewer helped anchor the (Original) River Road Boys. The group recorded prolifically over a span of decades, with various lineups over the years. This disc is packed with local talent, including steel guitar by Dusty Stewart, and vocals by Jim Johnson.

Clyde Brewer & Bob White "Country Music High" (Longhorn Records, 1985) (LP)

Con Brewer "The Country Sound Of Con Brewer" (Blake Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by John Cook)
An extremely likeable, unpretentious album from a guy with modest vocal talents but deep country roots... Brewer plays some great, bouncy bordello-style piano riffs, strums the guitar and kinda croaks his way through a nice set of all-original material, with several excellent tunes. There are also a few instrumental tracks on Side Two where he jams with the band, with the piano and pedal steel being standouts. I'm not sure where he was from -- this album was recorded in Memphis, though in the liner notes he thanks some friends in Leesburg, Florida who helped him out. I like this record a lot: Mr. Brewer might not have had the greatest voice, but he sure knew about true-country twang.

David Brewer "David Brewer" (Zeta Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Morris & Dee Keener)
Not a lot of info about singer David Brewer, per se although his backing band included the husband-wife duo of Bob Morris and Faye (Hardin) Morris, fellow Arkansans who were closely associated with Buck Owens and the early 1960's Bakersfield Sound. They recorded for the West Coast label, Challenge Records, and co-wrote a number of successful songs, including "Made In Japan," which was a #1 hit for Buck Owens in 1972. Mr. Morris also worked prolifically as a studio musician, playing bass (and other instruments) on sessions for Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and the couple was given a spotlight on Owen's pre-Hee-Haw TV show. Eventually the Morrises headed back to Arkansas where they helped produce records for local musicians, including this album. All the songs are originals co-written by David Brewer and Bob Morris, with Morris playing guitar, fiddle and keyboards, Faye Morris singing backup, with Gene Morris on bass and Robbie Morris playing drums. (Note: when Bob Morris died in 1981 after a struggle with cancer, David Brewer was one of his pallbearers.)

Michael Brewer "Beauty Lies" (Warner Brothers, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Fogelberg)
This solo album from Michael Brewer sports a ton of LA-scene talent, ranging from veteran country-rockers to diehard soft-pop studio-crew regulars. Although it almost painfully reflects the gooey, ornate sound of mid-to-late-'70s AOR, it still has its charms. Producer Dan Fogelberg leaves a strong mark on the sound (including a few of his own songs in the set list) and there is a certain formulaic feel that may be distracting or, depending on your point of view, a welcome throwback to the pop music of several years earlier. Either way, it's nice to hear Brewer sing, with that immediately identifiable, reedy tone that is still distinctive and strong, a decade or so after his salad days. Worth a spin, if you're already a fan.

Briar Patch "Briar Patch" (Delmarti Records, 19--?) (LP)
Dunno much about these guys... The group was from Cloquet, Minnesota and though it looks like more of a folkie record, they were signed to a publishing deal with Acuff-Rose, and had some pedal steel on the album. Anyone out there know more about this band?

Beverly Brice "Red Roses And Wild Violets Of Blue" (Great Record Factory, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Howard White)
A fan of Hank Snow's music, Beverly Brice was partial to old-fashioned sentimental songs, and covers oldies such as "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" and "Jealous Heart" -- she also wrote about half the songs on this album, including the title track, "Red Roses And Wild Violets Of Blue," which fits into the same tradition. Hank Snow himself wrote the liner notes, mentioning that Brice was from New England somewhere, and that he'd shared the stage with Ms. Brice and her mother, who apparently had a duo act together. (As far as I know, she had no relation(?) to Top Forty star Lee Brice, whose career came decades later, and who grew up in South Carolina...)

Bobby Bridger "Merging Of Our Minds" (RCA Victor, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Bobby Bridger & Bob Kramer)
A multi-talented writer, performing artist and musician, Louisiana-born Bobby Bridger made a handful of singles for other labels before recording this lofty, folk-tinged album for RCA-Nashville. In 1970, he moved to Austin and was an early participant in the pre-outlaw independent Texas country-folk scene, eventually becoming involved with the Kerrville Folk Festival, serving on its board of directors for over a decade, and performing there annually for many years. Bridger steadily became more and more interested in Western American history, and Native American rights issues... On this debut, he mixes cosmic-Christian spirituality with mildly bombastic, Jimmy Webb-esque/Glen Campbell-ish folk-pop arrangements and searching, sometimes strained lyrical profundities... On Side Two, he branches out into spacier, gooier, Tim Hardin-style dreaminess, notably on the uber-hippiedelic "Sharing's Just Another Word For Love," and the truly horrific "Sea Chanty." By and large the studio crew was not made up of Nashville regulars, although Pete Drake plays steel and slide, and it's not every day you find a record which features session guitarist Fred Carter, Jr. sitting in on bongo drums(!) Not really my cup of tea, countrywise, but worth checking out if you're in a kitschy or historical frame of mind.

Bobby Bridger "And I Wanted To Sing For The People" (RCA Victor, 1973) (LP)

Bobby Bridger "Heal In The Wisdom" (Golden Egg Records, 1981) (LP)

Bobby Bridger "A Ballad Of The West" (Golden Egg Records, 2001)
This is Bridger's magnum opus, a concept album trilogy about American Indians, with lots of narration interspersed with songs...

Dick Bridges "Texas Love Affair" (Melody Records Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Bridges & Jerry Abbott)

David Briggs "Keyboard Sculpture" (Monument Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Fred Foster & Charlie Tallent)
A fairly funky set from Alabama-born keyboard whiz David Briggs, one of Nashville's most ubiquitous studio musicians of the late 1960s and '70s. There's a heavy Muscle Shoals vibe on here, and though there's an inevitable undercurrent of major label prefabishness, some tracks may make you sit up and take notice. Sure, his versions of "Lady Madonna" and "Heard It Through The Grapevine" sound kind of trite, and nobody ever has to hear "Light My Fire" ever again -- in any version -- but Briggs' freewheeling riffs on tunes like "Itchy Fingers" and "Moon Strut" are surprisingly soulful. Worth a spin. [Note: this album was repackaged a couple of years later as Son Of A Preacher Man, on the budget-line Harmony label.]

Henry Briggs "Henry Briggs Sings... Miss Pauline" (Chandelier Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Leon Malphrus & Henry Briggs)
The South Carolina duo of Henry Briggs and Leon F. Malphrus charged the ramparts of Nashville back in the late 'Sixties, leasing their song, "Miss Pauline" to Decca Records after recording it on an indie, Comet Records. An amiable, super-twangy tune with plenty of bounce, their version went nowhere, although a goofy-sounding cover version by Biff Collie (recording under the pseudonym of Billy Bob Bowman) hit the charts in '72, peaking out at #55. Turns out that was all she wrote, as they say, though Briggs and Malphrus kept at it, and a few years later they went private label to release this fine set of Southern twang. Of the dozen tracks on this album, eight were originals, with classics by Johnny Cash, Hank Cochran and Dallas Frazier filling in the gaps. Briggs was an appealing performer, with an unpolished vocal style reminiscent, perhaps of Roger Miller or Bobby Bare. Canadian rodeo rider Cody Bearpaw also recorded a version of "Miss Pauline" in 1978, and Mr. Maphrus (1931-2012) wrote some more songs in the '70s, but basically these guys headed back home to Ridgeland, SC after their fling with fame. (One interesting aside: Maphrus's previous claim to fame was getting busted by the feds in 1964 as part of a multi-state moonshine ring, centered in Pensacola, Florida... Now that's country!)

Leon Briggs "Dreamin' Again" (1987) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Roberts & David Gilmore)
Rough-hewn, stripped-down country story-songs with bare-bones arrangements and straightforward production... Kansas City singer-songwriter Leon Briggs was formerly in the band Midnight Flyer and had kind of a Merle Haggard vibe to him, both vocally and in his musical approach, and while this fine DIY album lacks pedal steel, there's fiddle, banjo and dobro adding the right amount of twang, and a loose, chunky sound that gives it a distinctive feel. Briggs has a few rough edges as well, as heard on "Nothin' In A Name," a novelty song about a guy who can't be bothered to remember (or learn) the name of whatever woman he's with at the moment, or "Old Whiskey And Young Girls," which has a similarly dude-centric point of view that almost drifts into Hank Jr./Toby Keith territory... A nice indie twang set from the heartland... These songs were all originals, written between 1980-87.

Leon Briggs & Peter Fisher "Hang And Rattle" (2008) (MP3)
I'm guessing this is the same guy, just twenty years later... Anyone know if he recorded anything else?

Jerry Bright "Be Mine" (Goldust Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Bright & Emmit Brooks)
Like a lot of early rockabilly artists, Las Cruces, New Mexico's Jerry Bright also recorded some more country-sounding material later in life... Bright is best known for his late '50s single, "Be Mine," which he originally recorded as a single, with his friend Bobby Fuller backing him up. A couple of decades later, he recorded this album, which includes a new version of his old song. It's basically a '50s-style oldies album, though there is a roadhouse/country twang undercurrent and some nice pedal steel on several songs, from local pickers Kenny Trantham and Calvin Turbeville. Nothing earth-shattering here, to be sure, but a nice example of the mellow roots music crossovers on the desert twang scene.

Briley & Branch "Briley & Branch" (Prodigy Records, 1978) (LP)
The lounge duo of composer Pat Briley and vocalist Judy Branch worked in Florida in the mid-1970s, playing largely in a pop-jazz standards mode, though with some country in the mix as well. Branch worked as a singer in the Harry James band for a while, and brought a scat-singing background to the duo's work. As far as I know, this was their only album.

Marc Bristol & The Okie Doke Band "This Feelin' " (King Noodle Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Marc Bristol & Steve Babcock)
Ah, the sounds of pre-grunge Seattle, back when flannel was just flannel, and hippies roamed wild in an irony-free landscape. This album is from a guy who lived in the Seattle suburb of Duvall, Washington (which was probably a lot more rural back then than it is now...) and it's a great example of pure, goofy, amateurish "private press" recordmaking... It's more folkie-oriented than the stuff I like, but there is a little bit of country twang in here, with some fairly unsophisticated lap steel and dobro from Marty Lepore, who went on to become a mainstay of the Seattle-area bluegrass scene. For his part, Bristol plays harmonica and guitar as well as some washboard, wood saw and even a bit of kazoo, which gives you a sense of the whimsical quality of a lot of this album... There's banjo and mandolin in here as well, and the bluegrass-y parts are probably the best. This has a strong feel of an album made by a bunch of friends, though maybe not the best pickers in the world... There's not much on here that really caught my imagination, but it's definitely an authentic DIY relic... Apparently Bristol wrote a column for the old hippie bible, The Whole Earth Catalog, some of which he, ahem, recycled into a book called Homegrown Music. Anyone know more about these folks?

Marsha Britton "Marsha Britton" (Grapevine Records, 1990) (LP)
(Produced by Hud Hanson & Mark Singletary)
A Texas native, singer Marsha Britton was a featured performer at Billy Bob's dancehall in Fort Worth and, presumably based on this disc, at the Grapevine Opry variety show. She recorded at least four albums in the early 1990s and at some point moved to Nashville to try her luck in Music City. All the songs on this album (her first?) were written by Ms. Britton; Texas blues guitarist Anson Funderburg plays on two songs, "Oak Cliff Blues" and "Walk On Me," with additional guitar and pedal steel by James Pennebaker and Gary Carpenter.

Marsha Britton "Good News And Hard Times" (Hawk Records, 1992)

Marsha Britton "Bad News Boy" (Hawk Records, 1993)

Marsha Britton "Hayride" (Hawk Records, 1995)

Tex Brochu "Texicanna Rose" (Fran Tex Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. 'Dink' Cameron & John Lacey)
A competitive horseback rider and rodeo competitor from the early 1970s, Tex Brochu grew up in Donnelly, Alberta, Canada and seems to have come from a ranching family -- several of her family members competed in various events during the same 1975 rodeo where she competed in the "steer undecorating" event (which is kind of like a rodeo equivalent of touch football...) The songs are apparently all Tex Brochu originals, with backing by a group dubbed the Prairie Fire Band, which included Rick Ament on drums, Charles Holley (banjo), Dick Kruger (steel guitar), Randy Fornier (bass), Brian Sklar (fiddle and piano) and perhaps most notably famed twangbanger Redd Volkaert on lead and rhythm guitar... Put that one in your discography!

Tex Brochu "Good Times, Good Friends" (Fran Tex Records, 19--?) (LP)

Dan Brock & Louise Brock "Kentucky Songbag" (Donerail Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Brock)
This is one of the earliest examples of bluegrasser J. D. Crowe working as a bandleader, with Bobby Sloane and Doyle Lawson backing him up as the Kentucky Mountain Boys, the nucleus of the band that would later be called The New South. It's a slightly odd album, with fairly staid folksong vocals by Dan and Louise Brock, who cite the esteemed John Jacob Niles as their main inspiration... Their singing is hardly bluegrass style, but the shared history of the music helps bridge the gap, although the Mountain Boys keep mostly in the background, with Crowe's (or Lawson's) banjo being the most prominent instrument in the mix. They get to stretch out instrumentally on a couple of tracks on Side Two, but for the most part this is kind of a work-for-hire album. Nice set of Kentucky-related folklore, though, with a mix of standards and oldies from popular song (Stephen Foster, et. al.), gospel, and a few contemporary tunes like "Coal Tattoo." Definitely worth a spin!

Ford Brock & The Thunderbirds "Just Plain Old Country" (Redbird Records, 1975-?) (LP)
A locals-only hard-country set by a guy from Redbird, Kentucky. Though there are plenty of cover tunes on here, singer Ford Brock wrote some originals as well, notably the song "The Day She Said Goodbye" which he released as a single around the same time this album came out... He might have recorded an earlier version as well, since it was first copyrighted in 1968. The Thunderbirds seem to have been a real working band, since country star LaWanda Lindsey contributed glowing liner notes where she says she'd used them as a pickup band while on tour. The group included Jim Conley on bass, Roger Hubbard (lead guitar), Wayne Jones (drums), and steel player Lloyd Kremer; Brock's hometown pickers were joined by some folks at the Birch Recording Studio in Secretary, Maryland -- JoAnna Birch on piano, John Johnstone (rhythm guitar), Ed Smith (fiddle) and Billy West on banjo. Among the cover songs are "The Auctioneer," "Crazy Arms," "The Key Is In The Mailbox," "Rainy Day Woman," and one version of "Rocky Top," just for good luck.

Jaime Brockett "Remember The Wind And The Rain" (Capitol Records, 1969)
A folksinger originally from Grafton, Massachusetts, Brockett scored an unlikely "hit" on the underground radio scene with his rambling, 13-minute long song, "The Legend Of The U.S.S. Titanic," which is included on this album...

Jaime Brockett "2" (Capitol Records, 1970) (LP)

Jaime Brockett "North Mountain Velvet" (Adelphi Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Heyrman & Scott Johnson)
Although his first album gave him some early '70s cred, if you ask me, this record is Brockett's masterpiece. An eclectic set packed with talent from various corners of the roots-music world... Bluegrassers such as Ricky Skaggs, John Starling, John Duffey, Mike Auldridge and various members of the late-'70s edition of the Seldom Scene crew add some sweet acoustic twang, while pedal steel player A. J. Rubino adds a dreamy vibe to a couple of spacey, Byrds-y cosmic country tunes, and there's even a touch of Celtic folk, as on his version of "The Ballad Of Darcy Farrow." Standout tracks include an appropriately laid-back version of Bryan Bowers' "Lost My Stash" and the album's true novelty-song classic, "Just Stopped By To Git A Cup Of Coffee," a cheerfully perky, hippie-trucker hybrid written by folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott, who duets with Brockett while the Seldom Scene boys gallop away -- great, hilarious lyrics lampooning the CB-trucker fad of the time, with an irresistibly catchy musical hook. They used to play that one ALL the time on KFAT, when I was a kid. This is a really fun record, definitely worth tracking down.

Broken Bow "Arrival" (Couderay Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Rick Murphey & Adrian Wiedmann)
An all-original set by this twangband from Madison, Wisconsin. A popular live act, Broken Bow featured Steve Barr on bass, Chip Duncan (guitar and vocals), Helt Oncale (banjo and guitar), Dan Showalter (pedal steel), and drummer Rick Tacey. The music is pretty straightforward country stuff, with more of a country-rock vibe on most tracks. All the tunes were written by members of the band, except "No Better Feelin'," by Sandy Sowell, who I assume was a friend of the band. Picker Helt Oncale may have originally been from Germany, as he later did studio work on some schlager albums, as well as his own solo set, Day To Day, which came out in 1996. Lead singer Chip Duncan was quite a polymath: he graduated from U-Mad with a communications degree, then went on to a highly successful career producing both feature films and documentaries, including numerous television projects; Duncan also worked in still photography and has written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. This was Broken Bow's only album, but it's a pretty good legacy!

James Brolin "...Sings" (Artco Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Hartman & Jim Spence)
Yeesh. California-born actor James Brolin, father of Josh Thanos Brolin, was just hitting his stride as a '70s celebrity when he cut this country-oriented album. Split thematically between a "City Side" and a supposedly more rugged "Country Side," this is, for the most part a pretty awful record. I mean, yeah, vocally he's vaguely in the same territory as Hoyt Axton, but his delivery is uniformly flat and monotonous, and a lot of the material sounds tired and uninvolving, despite contributions from writers such as Donnie Fritts, Red Lane, Troy Seals, and Tony Joe White. Side One -- the soft pop/countrypolitan side -- is just dreadful, although Side Two has some modest charms. There's a decent cover of Merle Haggard's "If We Make Through December," and a barroom ballad called "Bar Girl" that's okay. These are balanced, however, by a couple of unctuous aw-gee, kids-are-cute duets with five-year-old Thanos chirping alongside his avuncular papa -- on Shel Silverstein's nauseating "Daddy What If" (originally a hit for Conway Twitty and his daughter Joni) and "Let's Go Fishing" which, amazingly, is even worse. But if you ever want to embarrass Josh Brolin at a dinner party -- should the opportunity arise -- be sure to tuck a copy of this album under your arm and watch the look of horror spread across his face as you walk towards the stereo. Okay, okay... So, it was the countrypolitan era, and I suppose that given some of the real hits of the time, this album isn't really all that bad... but I wouldn't say you need to knock yourself out tracking a copy down.

David Bromberg -- see artist profile

Bronco "Country Home" (Island Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Jess Roden)
An early country-rock band from the UK, led by English guitarist Jess Roden. The group recorded three albums; the first two were reissued together on CD. There's definitely a "rural" vibe, though the lyrics meander into more of an introverted, obscurist, stoner-hippie direction. Also, it's a fairly down-tempo production, with a sludgey, almost lethargic feel on most of the songs, and a burst of louder, electrified blues-rock on Side Two. Not really my cup of tea, but interesting historically, I suppose.

Bronco "Ace Of Sunlight" (Island Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Richard Digby Smith)
In contrast to their first album, this has smoother, softer musicianship, though again the lyrics are sort of introverted and self-referential, with an unformed feel. Also less distinctly twangy... (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Bronco "Bronco" (Earthwood Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Chris Kermit)
Not to be confused with the earlier English rock band led by Jess Roden (above), this was a folkie/bluegrassy group from Franklin, Indiana featuring singers Mike Yates and Sally Yates, who play banjo and guitar, respectively, along with drummer Bill Hahn, Harold McKee playing bass, and some pedal steel (by Rex Thomas) thrown in for good measure. The sessions were recorded in Indianapolis, though the label address was in Denver -- the Yateses spent a year or so playing in the Denver area before moving back to Indiana, and released this album through the Colorado-based, cult-fave 700 West studio. There may also be some minor confusion about when this came out: some copies show a 1977 copyright on the inner label and '78 on the back cover, but a contemporary profile piece in the Franklin Daily Journal informs us that the album came out in '77 and had a second pressing the following year. So, mystery solved. Most of the songs were originals written by Mike Yates, along with other by Bill Yates and various friends of the band. It's kind of a sweet little record, more of a folk thing, I suppose, with a John Denver-ish feel on several songs.

Randy Brook "One More Highway" (Takoma-Devi Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Don Davis)
This one's a little more folkie than the type of country I'm into, but I wanted to keep it on the radar because Arizona alterna-twangster Shep Cooke is one of the backing musicians, playing bass and "harmonics" (harmonica?) and there's also a credit for "The Phantom Slide Dobro Player," which sure sounds mysterious. Plus, it's on Takoma... so that's major cool factor just to begin with!

Barbara Brooks "Long White Beach" (Memory Records, 1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Pete Drake & Tommy Hill)
A Nashville-produced album showcasing Barbara Brooks, a singer from Jacksonville, Florida whose main audience was made up of the sailors on shore leave and other military personnel who frequented the (unnamed) club where she'd enjoyed a six-year residency by the time she cut this album. She apparently toured a bit as well: the liner notes mention that sometimes she'd go up the coast and serenade many of the same guys when she did shows in Norfolk. (Sadly, details about her career are hard to come by, since she shares the same name as the wife of top forty star Kix Brooks, which really puts the whammy on any potential Google searches...) For this album, she booked a session at Pete Drake's studio, and is backed by a mix of Drake's in-house musicians and reunited members of the old Hank Williams band, the Drifting Cowboys, who apparently were in the studio at the same time. Players include Jack Drake, Pete Drake, D. J. Fontana, Jerry Rivers, Don Helms, Bob McNett, David Allan Coe(!) and others... Also worth noting: all but two of the songs on this album are originals, all credited to "E. Thorn," a figure who remains mysterious, but may have either been a collaborator of or pseudonym for Ms. Brooks. There's no date on the disc, but among the songs she covers is "Country Bumpkin," which was a hit for Cal Smith in 1974;

Bob Brooks & The Rustlers "Bad, Bad Memories Of A Good Time" (Memory Records, 1977-?) (LP)
A local band from Bristol, Connecticut that formed in the 'Seventies, the Rustlers featured lead singer Bob Brooks, guitarist Jim Ferrera, Jr. and bassist Al Laurendeau (an old-timer who also played traditional fiddle music on his own time. The band's drummer, Greg Borbas was a teenager when he joined the band, staying active in the local music scene for decades to come. Anyway, this late '70s album features a lot of good, straightforward cover songs -- classy stuff like John Conlee's "Rose Colored Glasses," Waylon's "Good Hearted Woman," Ronnie Milsap's "Daydreams About Night Things" and Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me Lord." The title track, "Bad, Bad Memories Of A Good Time," was written by Brooks (real name, Robert Brooke) back in 1972, and it's a cool song, although I guess it's the only original on here. Brooks is a modestly talented singer, not electrifying or overly charismatic, but competent and heartfelt, mainly sticking to mid-tempo crooning that makes good use of his slightly unusual voice. There's a hint of Hank Locklin in his tone (which might be a Florida thing?) and an un-macho feel that harkens back to the pre-hat act country sounds of the '40s and '50s where singers like Hank Snow and Webb Pierce who had kind of goofy voices nonetheless found success as emotive singers. A nice, decidedly local record made with no muss or fuss, just some solid old-school country played by guys who believed in what they were doing.

The Brooks Brothers & Their Almost Famous Band "...In Concert At The Grapevine Opry" (Yatahey Records, 1980) (LP)
There's obviously history here that I'm not totally aware of: led by Bill and Randy Brooks, the Brooks Brothers band started out in the early 1970s and stayed together though the rest of the '80s, playing local shows both large and small. But despite the longhair-rocker look, these Texas boys were actually a shamelessly cheesy lounge band, though admittedly with some genuine twang and bar-band licks in the mix. Their emotive pop ballads are super-painful, and sometimes seem to verge on self-parody: devotees of pure cheese will get a big kick out of this disc. Still, it is kind of fun to hear their gonzo, balls-out approach to working their audience, including a super-goofy routine where they dragged some dudes out of the audience to play cowbell and tambourine on a wild rendition of "Squaws Along The Yukon" -- maybe a funny part of their live show, but it sure was a weird choice to include on their record. They also deliver a lusty rendition of the Mac Davis hit, "It's Hard To Be Humble" -- another album highlight -- while the inclusion of a long version of "How Great Thou Art" foreshadowed Bill Brooks's later move into gospel music. I can't honestly "recommend" this record, but it is an authentic snapshot of these dudes and their live show. I know there are those of you out there who will get off on it for all the meanest reasons, but I think these guys were mostly just having fun and not taking things super-seriously. So laugh away... I don't think they'll mind.

The Brooks Brothers "Almost Famous Band" (Brooks & Blazier Publishing, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Phil York)
This one looks even more pop-oriented than their earlier album (or albums...?) But hey, in for a penny, in for a pound...

Jake Brooks "Rodeo Bum" (Goldust Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Emmit Brooks)
You can file this easygoing, slightly rough-hewn set of real-deal rodeo songs right next to your Chris Ledoux albums... Indeed, over the years, Ledoux himself has covered several songs by New Mexico rodeo rider Jake Brooks, and this record features a bunch of rodeo-themed songs by the lean, lanky Mr. Brooks, as well as the topical "Little Brother," about a friend who went off to fight in Vietnam, and "Rodeo Cowboy's Wife," about the women who cheer on their hubbies while the guys pursue that eight second ride. If you like rodeo songs, you'll definitely want to check this album out.

Mary Brooks & Steve Brooks "Country Love... With A Touch Of Nashville" (Windchime Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Slate & Ben Hall)
This one's about as off-the-radar as you can get, a super-generic custom-press album by a couple from Torrington, Wyoming, on the eastern edge of the state, by the Nebraska state line. I could find no trace of this disc online, no mention of them playing at a local bar or a county fair, or even any hint about what they did next in life. Amid all the country stuff, they also cover Randy Vanwarmer's 1979 pop hit, "Just When I Needed You Most," though that's not such a far stretch when you're "going Nashville" in the early '80s. Anyone know more about these folks?

Randy Brooks "Country Boy" (1979) (LP)
(Produced by Randy Brooks, Elmer Cole & Lee Peterzell)
Although this was definitely a secular country album -- with covers of Waylon, Hank, some '70s hits such as "Eastbound And Down" and "Somebody Done (Somebody Wrong Song)," and a weird 'Sixties pop medley kicking off Side Two -- singer-keyboardist Randy Brooks seems to have been a Contemporary Christian first, a country singer second. Brooks' previous album, from 1978, was a Christian set called Randy Brooks Sings More About Jesus, which was more in line with other albums produced by guitarist and arranger Elmer Cole. who worked prolifically on other Christian albums recorded at the Pyramid's Eye studio in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.

Brother Love "Brother Love" (Kennett Sound Studios, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Keene)
The trio of Gary Blanchard, Mike Glisson and Clyde Brown got a little assist from rocker Terry Bradley and some other folks in the orbit of the Kennett Sound Studios in Kennett, Missouri. They played all cover songs, including an Elvis Presley medley, KC & the Sunshine Band's "I Like To Do It," a tune by Jesse Winchester, one from Roy Orbison tune, and a rockabilly-era Charlie Rich song as well as a version of "The End Is Not In Sight," from the Amazing Rhythm Aces. Eclectic, to be sure!

The Brothers & The Sisters "The Brothers And The Sisters " (Soundspace, Inc., 1982) (LP)
I wanna call this "Brady Bunch bluegrass," but I don't think these kids from Dayton, Ohio were all technically related... "The Brothers" were the lads from the Bean family -- Greg, Matt and Steve -- while "The Sisters" are Eileen, Gena, Terri and Tina D'Epiro, altogether a wholesome gaggle of kids whose ages ranged from nine to seventeen years old. Their repertoire is pretty standard issue -- chestnuts like "Boil Them Cabbage Down," "Wildwood Flower" and "Orange Blossom Special" (of course!) along with gospel tunes such as Alfred E. Brumley's "I'll Fly Away" and Hank Williams' "I Saw The Light," and several well-chosen bluegrass standards from the McClain Family, The Osborne Brothers, et.al. Alas, no breakdown of who played which instruments, and no producer info, though the liner notes are by Bob Ferguson, host of the WYSO radio station's "Country Jamboree" show.

Carl Brouse "American Hotel" (DTI Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Craig Luckin & Carl Brouse)
This was the lone LP by songwriter Carl Brouse (1950-2002), a New Hampshire artist notable in part for his collaborations with alt-twang luminary Tom Russell, who co-wrote for songs on here, and later recorded his own version of the title track on one of his own albums. This record might appeal to fans of the younger Rodney Crowell, or early Marty Stuart -- Brouse had a similar rock-appreciative country style, pop-aware, but definitely twangy. Plus, his laconic Southern-inflected drawl sounds an awful lot like Rodney at various points in his career. Highlights include the honkytonk boozing anthem, "These Bars (Have Made A Prisoner Out Of Me)" and the title track, which is an homage to the great American composer Stephen Foster. Brouse moved to Austin at some point, San Francisco as well, and worked with a bunch of talented people. On this album alone, he's got folks like Shawn Colvin, Amos Garrett, Bonnie Hayes and Paul Davis (which explains some of the 'Seventies AOR vibe on a tune or two...) as well as Bobby Black on steel guitar... Brouse died young, apparently from complications of diabetes. This album is a fine legacy, though! As are the few singles he recorded as well...

Alfred Brown & Willard Brown "Roots Of My Raising" (19--?) (LP)
These brothers were from Pensacola, Florida where inventor/entrepreneur Willard Brown (1935-2008) founded several successful companies, including one called Instrument Control Service (ICS), where the brothers would play classic honky-tonk style country for the employees and their families at company dinners. I believe Willard Brown also played the dobro, while Alfred was the lead singer, and perhaps the driving force behind their music. Alfred continued to perform well into the 2000s, posting videos after his brother had passed away, including this great gospel number which was recorded with vocal backing by a harmony-rich chorus of gals from the Brown family. If you're a fan of old-school, sentimental country twang, this disc might be a real find.

Barbara Brown "Hits Made Famous By Patsy Cline" (Coronet Records, 1969-?) (LP)
Cheapo-label stuff. No idea where she was from, who was backing her, or if this was her real name. (She may have been the same singer as "Holly Lane," whose Patsy Cline tribute album featured the same track listing and a similarly shady provenance...) This was also issued under the title, Great Country Hits Made Famous By Patsy Cline, on Spin-O-Rama Records, another imprint of the same New York-based budget label.

Billy Brown "Live..." (Roma Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Brown)
A real mystery disc, with minimal info on the front cover and inner labels, and a plain white blank back, though it does mention that this was recorded in Nashville. Your guess is as good as mine.

Charlie Brown/Mack Banks "Rock-A-Billy And Country" (Collector Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by David Briggs & Steve Ham)
A split LP gathering the sparse recordings of two old-time honktonkers who had no connections to one another. Mister Brown was a farmer from Putnam, Texas who got a late start as a recording artist, cutting his first singles back in 1953 when he was forty years old(!) He released the tracks on his own "Rose Records" label, but recorded the sessions at Jim Beck's studio in Dallas. Meanwhile, Mack Elmore Banks was a Memphis local, born in Carova, Alabama back in 1934, though he grew up in Artesia, Mississippi and worked his way into the local rockabilly scene when he was a kid. He played regionally during the 1950s and '60s and at some point opened his own nightclub, though details are scant through the haze of the decades. Anyway, this is real rural twang -- and you gotta love the Dutch reissue label's condescending liner notes about "primitive music" and whatnot. Ouch.

Charlie Brown "Portrait Of A Glad Man" (Polydor Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by David Lucas & Bill Robertson)

Charlie Brown "Up From Georgia" (Polydor Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by David Lucas & Jay Messina)

The Brown County Band "The Brown County Band" (Programme Audio Gold, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Scott)
A country-rock crew from Nashville... Nashville, Indiana, that is! Almost entirely original material, though several songs were written by friends of the band, along with four that were written by bandmember Rick Wilson. The band seems to have been made up mostly from two families, with brothers Greg Wilson and Rick Wilson (bass and lead vocals, respectively) and Dan and Doug Harden (banjo and mandolin) joined by the man in the middle, dobro player Mark Small.

Don Brown & The Ozark Mountain Trio "Tall Pines" (db Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Ed Drone)

Eddie Brown "Has Anybody Here Seen Sweet Thang?" (DJB Records, 1981) (LP)
All country covers and rock oldies... The label was from Columbia, South Carolina, where I imagine Eddie Brown was a hopeful lounge singer... He's backed by the Rob Crosby group, which didn't include country instruments such as fiddle or steel guitar, but did list woodwinds and both "drums" and "percussion," none of which is a good sign for twangfans.

Gene Brown "China Girl" (Chart/Music Town Records, 1968-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Hill)
A truly excellent honkytonk album by a guy from Ohio whose vocal style lay somewhere between Hank Locklin and Webb Pierce, which is high praise in my book. Not 100% certain when this came out, but several of the tracks were issued as Starday singles in the late '60s; this custom disc was pressed by Chart Records on an imprint that seems to have been active between 1968-69... Anyway, this is a really great album with solid vocals, strong musical backing, and a consistently entertaining set of slightly off-kilter novelty lyrics, including tunes like "A Skeleton In Every Closet," "Force Of Habit" and "Watching Plaster Fall." Never heard of 'em? My point, exactly. Five songs are credited to Gene Brown, with three more penned by Shirl Milet -- Gene Brown seems to have been under contract to Milet's company, Tarheel Publishing, though as far as I know, his songs were never picked up in Nashville. No info on the backing musicians, but at least some of the tracks were recorded at Starday, with whoever was in the house band at the time. If you enjoy late '50s/early '60s shuffle classics from folks like Carl Smith or Webb, you oughta dig this disc, too. (Also: how much do we love that the gal on the cover has a tattoo on her arm that reads "Gary"? Now, that's country!)

Jim Brown & Vintage Wine "Jim Brown & Vintage Wine" (Telephone Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Don Caldwell)
One of several mid-1970s albums produced at Don Caldwell's studio in Lubbock, Texas, with backing by members of the nascent Maines Brothers Band, including steel player Lloyd Maines and Don Caldwell on saxophone. Alas, not a lot of info about Jim Brown and the Vintage Wine band, though any clues are welcome. The songs appear to be all covers, including a version of "Six Days On The Road," some folkie stuff like "Reuben James" and "Last Thing On My Mind," a medley of Merle Haggard songs, and another of Elvis Presley oldies. As far as I can tell, though, there's not original material.

Marti Brown "Ms. Marti Brown" (Atlantic Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by David Briggs & Steve Ham)
One of the most underrated -- and sadly neglected -- gal singers of the early 1970s, Martha Ann ("Marti") Brown (1941-2018) first found her niche in Nashville as a demo singer for Bill Denny's Cedarwood Publishing Company, cutting a few tracks in 1966 that resulted in two singles on his label, Dollie Records. Years later she got her real shot, recording this excellent album with backing by a rock-solid, A-list studio crew that included folks like Harold Bradley, David Briggs, Jimmy Covard, Grady Martin, Hargus Robbins, Jerry Shook, Buddy Spicher, et.al. It's a very rootsy effort by the standards of the times, and perhaps that explains it's poor showing in the charts -- released at the peak of the countrypolitan era, her single "Let My Love Shine" peaked at #78, forever consigning this disc to the dusty dollar bins of the world. Look for it: it's worth a spin. Ms. Brown cut a few more tracks for Atlantic, with only one single released after this album, and a bunch of stuff left in the can. She did a few USO tours before returning home to Chattanooga, Tennessee and though she gave up on show business and went into advertising, she moonlighted singing jazz at local nightclubs. Any recordings of those gigs? We can only hope so!

Marv Brown & The Country Steelers "It All Started With A Song" (QCA Recordings, 1981) (LP)
This band from Columbus, Indiana featured lead singer Marvin Brown and his brother, bass player Roger D. Brown (1955-2011), along with Gary Atchley (steel guitar), Tim Fields (lead guitar) and David Hudson on drums. Though most of the tracks are cover songs, this album kicks off with three originals, "Gary's Ride" by steel player Gary Atchley, "It All Started With A Song" (co-written by Atchley and Brown) and "Mama, Will I Have To Call Him Daddy," penned by Jimmy Hill, a local friend who contributes the liner notes. I'm not sure if these guys played many shows, though Roger Brown, at least, was in several bands over the years, including a gospel group called the Gospel Rhythm Airs, which apparently performed at the Grand Ole Opry.

Max Brown "Max Brown" (Belle Meade Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Scotty Moore & Al Gore)
A Top-40 hopeful, singer Max Brown dabbled in Charlie Rich-ish/Conway Twitty-esque "sunshine" country, along with more standard-issue ballads with a couple of good cheating songs thrown in for good measure. He covers Mac Davis's "I Believe In Music" and "I'm Gonna Paint You A Song" along with the perky "Beautiful Sunday," as well as three songs of his own: "Yes Indeed," "I Could Write A Book," and the schmaltzy but oddly compelling "1955 Was A Very Good Year." Brown had an okay voice, with sometimes-iffy phrasing, with strong backing from a studio crew that included D. J. Fontana on drums, Dale Sellers playing lead guitar and Jim Baker on steel... A nice example of an indie artist making a go of it in a mainstream format. Brown had the right sound and probably could have made it in Nashville, although these songs were maybe two or three years out of date by the time this album came out.

Milton L. Brown/Various Artists "Closed Session: The Soundtrack Album" (DoBro Enterprises, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Milton L. Brown)
Funded by an arts grant from the state of Alabama, this album was an adaptation of a stage play written by songwriter Milton L. Brown, and features several local musicians from Mobile singing original songs which Brown either wrote or co-wrote. One of the performers is early '80s country crooner Leon Raines, who recorded one major-label album and had a string of mildly successful singles charting in the country Back Forty; the other artists were more obscure: The Davis Kids, De De Grant, Tony Martin and Phaedra, as well as Brown himself on a tune or two. Several of the songs were co-written by Steve Dorff and a couple with Paul Overstreet, and the Nashville-based recording sessions included Larry Byrom on guitar, Lloyd Green playing dobro and steel, and Buzz Cason adding some vocals.

Phil Brown "The Country Sound" (Panorama Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by John Shiriam & Cliff Parman)
A bit of a mystery disc here... Recorded in Nashville, this undated album was co-produced by guitarist-arranger Cliff Parman, and certainly has a country flair, with songs such as "Fool Behind The Bar," "Cold Grey Light Of Gone," and a version of Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings." The originals on here include "Short Handle Hoe," which was credited to producer John Shiriam, and was also released as a single... Shiriam, however, is an enigma -- these records are the only trace of him online, so perhaps that was a pseudonym?

R. C. Brown "Until I Find Out Who I Am" (Cherish Records, 19--?) (LP)

Sue Brown "...Sings The Gospel" (Chapel Tone Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Stan Anderson & Herb Kallman)
Originally from Dixon, California, in the Great Central Valley, Sue Brown started her career as a secular country singer, performing at local venues in northern and central California, and even hosted a television show in Sacramento. When her friend, gospel singer Polly Johnson died in a plane crash on May 7, 1964, Brown was deeply shaken and converted to a career as a gospel singer. She retained her rural roots, though, as heard on this fine album, recorded with The Christian Troubadours, a twangy band from Stockton that had a more-country sound than most gospel groups of the era. The opening notes of this album feature pedal steel and electric guitar, hinting at the more robust sound of West Coast country, and although the twang is mostly subdued, it's there. Brown had a fine voice, with clear country roots -- there are strong hints of Kitty Wells in her delivery, tempered by more modern influences such as Skeeter Davis and Patsy Cline. Students of country-gospel and southern gospel will find a lot to enjoy about this album, in particular the wealth of original material, including five songs composed by Chapel Tone owner Herb Kallman, another influential figure in the Central Valley gospel scene. One of these songs, "Don't Turn Jesus Away," is also co-credited to Sue Brown. The repertoire also includes classics by Albert Brumley, Thomas A. Dorsey, Mylon LeFevre and Ira Stanphill's "Mansion Over The Hill." Sue Brown (later Sue Brown Osbourn) performed tirelessly throughout the Valley, living in Lodi and Fresno, where she worked with legendary studio engineer Stan Anderson; later she retired to live in Henryetta, Oklahoma, where she continues to perform well into the 21st Century.

Sue Brown "I've Been Changed" (Chapel Tone Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Sue Brown & Herb Kallman)
Another understated but solidly country set from Sue Brown, with calm, pleasantly twangy backing by unnamed members of the Stockton-based Countrymen. Sue Brown's country gal vocals hit a nice balance between Kitty Wells' Depression-era nasality and the smoother, pop-friendly style of Skeeter Davis and other contemporary Nashville gals. As on her previous album, there's a bunch of original material, notably four songs from producer Herb Kallman. In addition to the Countrymen, Brown thanks several Fresno-based musicians -- Tom Force, Chuck Mambrini, Jim Shaw and Cubbie Slayton -- for backing her on three tracks. (Unfortunately she doesn't specify which tracks these were, but they were probably those that featured Jim Shaw on piano, including album closers "He's Already Done What He Said He Would Do" and Kallman's "Jesus Is My Destiny.") A heavy lineup of talent from the Central Valley/Bakersfield scene, playing it sweet and simple on this laid-back but deeply rural country gospel album.

Sue Brown "Hold On To My Hand" (Sound Of Ministry Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dale Hooper & Roy Ward)
This set was produced at Roy Ward's studio in Richmond, CA, just north of Berkeley and Oakland... The musicians include pedal steel player Jim Grey, John Moyers (keyboards), Paul Perryman (lead guitar), Dave Raffanelli (percussion), and John Schoger on bass. Not sure of the date, but it looks like a mid- to late-'Seventies kinda thing.

Terry Brown "...And A Whole Lotta Country" (Travis Records, 198--?) (LP)
(Produced by Terry Brown & Ken Veenstra)
Hard country honkytonk from Tampa, Florida, recorded live at a place called The Country Junction... This includes covers of Jerry Reed's "East Bound And Down" and John Anderson's "1959," which places the show sometime in the early 'Eighties. It looks like Brown also released a few CDs, several years later.

Tommy Brown "With Guitar In Hand -- Tommy Brown Sings" (Brown Records, 19--?) (LP)
An obscuro-unknown from Lizella, Georgia singing country standards such as "Anytime," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "Gentle On My Mind," "Oh, Lonesome Me" and "Release Me," as well as his own song, "Wrong Side Of Her World." Hard to pin down the date on this one, but guessing from the early countrypolitan cover songs (and the typography) I'd say maybe early '70s, maybe 1970-ish. As always, additional info is always welcome!

Tommy Brown "The Best Of Tommy Brown" (Top Records, 19--?) (LP)
Once again, mostly cover tunes, along with a version of his song, "Wrong Side Of Her World."

Jackson Browne "Jackson Browne (Saturate Before Using)" (Asylum Records, 1972)
(Produced by Jackson Browne & Richard Sanford Orshoff)
Yeah, I know... It's long been fashionable to mock and deride Jackson Browne as a wimp, a cheeseball, one of the ultimate '70s dino-rockers... And I'll concede that his earlier albums are, by and large somewhat lugubrious and overinflated -- there are songs on them that I like, but many more that are, frankly, way overwritten and insufferable. Nonetheless, he's firmly in the SoCal country-rock pantheon -- a protege of David Geffen and an early buddy of The Eagles, Browne was key to the development of the singer-songwriter/adult pop genre, and dipped into true twang from time to time... This debut album has a bunch of his best-known songs, including a few faves like "Doctor My Eyes" (guilty pleasure, though I'm pretty much over it) and "Something Fine" (which still holds up) and a bunch of songs that have always struck me as a bit too precious. Still, it's canonical and all.

Jackson Browne "For Everyman" (Asylum Records, 1973)
(Produced by Jackson Browne)
Of his early albums, I'd recommend For Everyman the most, just 'cuz the songs are catchier and more overtly "pop." Winners include his version of "Take It Easy," "These Days," and the jaunty novelty number, "Red Neck Friend." And then there's the usual pretentious-poetic stuff. Musicians include Glenn Frey and Don Henley of the Eagles, Sneaky Pete on pedal steel, David Lindley on just about everything else, and a bunch of LA "usual suspects," in one big SoCal rock-star lovefest. Some folks dig it, some folks don't.

Jackson Browne "Late For The Sky" (Asylum Records, 1974)
(Produced by Jackson Browne & Al Schmitt)
Nothing on here I really care about... A lot of poetic would-be profundity, etc., etc. Not my cup of tea.

Jackson Browne "The Pretender" (Asylum Records, 1976) lipcuecom-20">
(Produced by Jackson Browne & Jon Landau)
Ditto with this one...

Jackson Browne "Running On Empty" (Elektra Records, 1977)
(Produced by Jackson Browne)
A not-so-guilty pleasure. This album remains one of the best country-rock records ever made, and when measured up against most of the alt.country acts of the '80s and '90s, this is indeed a superior product. A concept album about driving the long, lonesome highway and touring in a rock'n'roll band, this disc is packed with winning songs. It had several hits: the title track, "You Love The Thunder," his version of the doo-wop oldie, "Stay," given a modern, sardonic twist in the context of the weird, mutually parasitic relationship between rock stars and their fans. There are also a slew of great, non-hit country tunes, like "Nothin' But Time," "Shaky Town," and "The Road" that stack up quite well against anything the cowpunk and insurgent-altie crowd has come up with. Browne's road songs are as self-involved and navel-gazey as other songs of the genre, but he seems to have a self-awareness, and a willingness to explore the ickiness of situation that is lacking in many similar compositions. The sexism of the opening verse "Rosie" -- a song about a groupie -- is tempered by a deft humanization of the objectified girl, and by Browne's remarkable willingness to portray himself and his fame in an unfavorable light, either as honest autobiography, or as an Almost Famous-style character sketch. At any rate, I think this is a fine album, well worth checking out and listening to without the hipster blinders on: you might be surprised by how good it really is.

Severin Browne "Severin Browne" (Motown Records, 1973)
Well... While we're at it, might as well give a nod to Jackson's brother Severin, who cut a couple of albums in the early '70s in an unlikely matchup with the R&B powerhouse, Motown Records, which was trying to branch out at the time. You can kind of see it, though: there's a lightly funky undercurrent to many of Browne's songs, his soft-pop singer-songwriter tunes had a mild groove to them, ala Michael Franks. Although several country-rock stalwarts are on here backing him up -- Richard Bennett, Emory Gordy Jr. and Sneaky Pete Kleinow -- there are also cello and conga players to reckon with, and Browne's own gentle piano riffs. This disc is basically a straight-up soft-pop outing, not quite as slick as, say, Seals & Croft, but in that vicinity, so for most twangfans this might be a no-go. But soft-rock aficionados might really dig it.

Severin Browne "New, Improved" (Motown Records, 1974) (LP)

Bob Browning "Country Music And Western Swing" (Hilltop Records, 1982-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jeff Newman)
A belated best-of set from western swing singer Bob Browning, who worked with steel player Jeff Newman on various projects over the years. This sounds a lot like early Asleep At The Wheel, from both the arrangements and Mr. Browning's phrasing and his strong vocal similarity to Ray Benson: I'm not complaining, mind you, but it's pretty striking. Browning was the vocalist on a few of Jeff Newman's demonstration records in the early 'Seventies, including one from 1975 which is where many of the tracks on this album were drawn from. There are also some newer recordings, with backing by some Nashville pickers also in Newman's orbit, including guitarist Steve Chapman, Johnny Gimble (fiddle and mandolin), Bunky Keel (piano), Billy Linneman (bass), Larry London (drums) and producer Jeff Newman chiming in on pedal steel. The back cover describes Browning as a "featured artist at the Kentucky Lake Music Barn" in New Concord, KY -- I had thought this (undated) disc was a 'Seventies offering, but the only(!) online reference to the Kentucky Lake show was from a local newspaper 1982, so my guess is that the venue was short-lived, and that this disc came out around then. Also of interest are the glowing liner notes by country legend Ernest Tubb, who mentions that Browning "worked many shows with me and the Texas Troubadours," which at first I thought meant he'd opened for Tubb's band a time or two... But the tribute album below made me think that actually this guy was in the Troubadours in the late 'Seventies, and the Kentucky Lake outfit was Browning's attempt to go solo. Any additional info is welcome!

Bob Browning "Songs Ernest Sang: A Tribute" (Silverleaf Records, 19--?) (LP)
An homage to Texas honkytonk pioneer Ernest Tubb, who passed away in 1984... Bo Browning was apparently in one of the later editions of Tubb's band, the Texas Troubadours... Heck, maybe I even saw him play that time they came to my hometown!

Lee Browning "Country And Western Demo: Male Vocals" (Frederick Records, 197--?) (LP)
The very epitome of a low-rent, ultra-generic "song poem" release, this album touts itself as "a variety of songs written by Lee Browning," produced by the Sundance Productions studio in Dallas, Texas. Unfortunately, the actual musicians on the album remain unnamed -- there are two different male voices, though it's doubtful that Browning played as well. Anyone out there have more info about this record?

Dr. George Ray Bruce & The Quarterwinds "First Set" (Quarterwinds Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Howard)
An orthopedic surgeon from Seneca, South Carolina, Dr. George Ray Bruce led his band, The Quarterwinds, for several years, making at least one album in the early 'Eighties. It's not all country, though there's definitely some twang in the mix -- along with "Danny Boy" and whatnot, he plays country classics such as "Me And Bobby McGee" and "Welcome To My World," along with more contemporary hits such as Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again" and "The Rose." Dr. Bruce was a beach band musician and jazz trumpet player (uh-oh) and is joined here by other locals, including keyboardist and arranger John Allen, Linda Allen (tambourine), Bob Dennis (lead guitar), Tony Ledford (rhythm guitar), Roger Roach (drums) and Roger Stone on bass. The group was still holding down their residency at a place in Greeneville called Ye Olde Fireplace when they cut this disc; despite the hopeful album title, this seems to have been their only record.

Johnny Bruce "Carroll County Fiddler" (WW Sound Service, 197--?) (LP)
Missouri master musician Johnny Ray Bruce (1939-1992) came from a musical family and owned a 120-acre family farm near Bosworth, Missouri, a microscopic, hyper-rural crossroads about an hour or so east of Kansas City. Mr. Bruce was known as "the Carroll Country Fiddler," referring to his family home (and not to any of the twelve other US Carroll Counties, located in Arkansas, Georgia, et.al.) Though he was a show-me stater through and through, it's worth noting that this album was made with the help of several Nebraska bluegrassers, namely Steven O. Hansen and couple of guys in Hansen's band, Bluegrass Crusade -- Hansen was a local hero in Omaha, known in part for his gig backing country star C. W. McCall. The full lineup on this album includes Johnny Bruce on fiddle, fellow Missourian Dave Fowler on second fiddle, Oklahoman Elston Murphy guesting on harmonica, and Nebraska lads Steven O. Hansen (banjo and mandolin), Terry B. Schmitt (guitar), Ron Taylor on bass. (They also played on Hansen's own solo album, which was also released through WW Sound Service...) Johnny Bruce was deeply involved in preserving the state's traditional music, participating in countless folk festivals while mentoring younger musicians; he apparently died in an auto accident in 1992. The Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers Association digitally re-released this album along with tracks from a second album, Carroll County Fiddler #2 which I haven't been able to find mention of elsewhere...

Dennis Bruderer & The Tucker Family "The Tucker Family And Dennis Bruderer" (Charter Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Duncan)
Independent twang from Idaho... The Tucker Family band was a quartet made of parents Bob and Peggy Tucker, and their kids Danny and Shelly... They were joined by local picker and yodeler Dennis Bruderer, who worked for the Amalgamated Sugar company in Nampa, Idaho for many years before retiring in 2019. This album was recorded through the Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington and may have had some of their in-house musicians on board as well... The repertoire is mostly country oldies and classics, songs like "I'll Fly Away," "Mule Skinner Blues," "The Auctioneer," and Marty Robbins' "My Woman My Woman My Wife." There may have been some originals as well, though it's unclear since the liner notes don't provide any composer credits. This was Mr. Bruderer's first LP, although he also cut a solo album of his own (below) which was manufactured through another regional indie powerhouse, the Little Richie label, in New Mexico, a few states over. One interesting note: Dale Vest, a guy who worked for Top Forty star Tommy Overstreet, wrote the liner notes for this album, and Bruderer's next album featured a few of Overstreet's songs, so there may have been some sort of connection there...

Dennis Bruderer "Introducing: Dennis Bruderer" (Little Richie Records, 1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Little Richie Johnson)

Deacon Brumfield "Favorites On The Dobro Guitar" (DB Records, 19--?) (LP)
Although he was nicknamed "Deacon," dobro player Marion F. Brumfield (1919-1997) wasn't a gospel artist, but rather an accomplished sideman, leading his own band, the New River Boys, who recorded as a group and also backing country stars such as Archie Campbell and Ola Belle Reed. On this album of faves, he leans into pre- and post-WWII oldies such as "Red River Valley," "There's A Star Spangled Banner Flying Somewhere," and "When You And I Were Young, Maggie." Apparently, this album was made in part as a sales pitch for dobros that Mr. Brumfield himself was selling: he gives his home phone number in Rising Sun, Maryland on the back cover, in case you're interested.

Deacon Brumfield "Favorites On The Dobro Guitar, Album Number Two" (Ken-Del Records, 19--?) (LP)
A second set of oldies, recorded on a label from Wilmington, Delaware... Not sure when this came out, but it seems to date back to the era when the industry was transitioning into stereo: the label touts how the production was made in "Dynalyzed" sound. Guess that's what you advertise when you can't quite shell out the bucks for an extra channel.

Albert E. Brumley, Jr. "Legendary Gospel Favorites" (Memory Valley Records, 1986-?) (LP)
(Produced by Vic Clay & Jackson Brumley)
The son -- or rather, sons -- of country gospel pioneer Albert E. Brumley pay homage to their father's work. The senior Mr. Brumley (1905-1977) wrote ebullient spiritual classics such as "I'll Fly Away" and "Turn Your Radio On," along with hundreds of other songs that remain bedrocks of the American gospel canon. Albert E. Junior sings lead on these two albums, recorded at the same time with a crew that included producer Vic Clay on lead guitar, Bruce Watkins (banjo, fiddle, mandolin), Terry McMillan (drums, harmonica), and of course his brother, Tom Brumley, an influential steel guitarist known for his work with Buck Owens and country-rock pioneer Rick Nelson. Several pianists also sat in on the sessions, most intriguingly Tennessee's then-governor Lamar Alexander(!), who tickled the ivories on both albums. Although their father was born in Oklahoma, the Brumley family had relocated to Missouri by the time the boys were born, though of course Nashville beckoned when the time came to make these records...

Albert E. Brumley, Jr. "Sentimental Favorites" (Memory Valley Records, 1986-?) (LP)
(Produced by Vic Clay & Jackson Brumley)
This album includes the same backing band as above

Tom Brumley "Tom Cattin' " (Steel Guitar Record Club, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Bradshaw & Don Jewell)
One of several musically inclined siblings, steel guitar legend Tom Brumley (1935-2009) was the son of country gospel star Albert E. Brumley and grew up playing in a family band with his brother Albert Junior, who followed in their father's footsteps and became a gospel performer as well. It was while backing his brother at a recording session in California that Tom Brumley was spotted by West Coast honkyonker Buck Owens, who soon recruited Brumley for his band. Brumley joined the Buckaroos in 1964 and it was a perfect match for the bouncy, melodic style meticulously crafted by Buck Owens and his bandleader, guitarist Don Rich. You'll instantly recognize Brumley's crisp, clean, decisive phrasing and bright, assertive tone. If there are great, old classic country songs where you hear that one short, perfect steel lick and think, "oh, man!" and wish for more, then this disc is for you. Brumley digs deeper into his melodies than the sideman role would normally allow, building up some pretty groovy, playful riffs, but he doesn't get all artsy and lofty about it, sticking close to the concise, poppy approach of the back-to-basics Bakersfield scene. It's good. Really good. Fun stuff!

Cliff Bruner & The Texas Wanderers "Legends Of Western Swing Series" (Delta Records, 1981) (LP)
One of the legendary early architects of classic western swing, Texas fiddler Clifton L. Bruner (1915-2000) had his heyday in the 1930s and '40s, when he played in Milton Brown's band, then founded his own group, where he helped launch the career of piano pounder Moon Mullican. Although Bruner broke up his touring band in the 'Fifties, he still played locally in the Lone Star State and kept up his chops over the years, as heard on this indie album, which served as a last hurrah for his recording career. He revisits oldies such as "Faded Love" and "Maiden's Prayer," and gets a little playful on more modern tunes like "Cotton Eyed Disco." It's not as electrifying as his old stuff, sure, but it's always nice to hear old-timers give a mature twist to the music they love.

Dick Bruning "The Smooth Country Style Of Dick Bruning" (Stop Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Pete Drake)
Singer Dick Bruning (1939-2013) hailed from around Galesburg, Illinois, and worked in a band called the Mississippi Valley Boys with a fella named Dale Wenstrom (1925-2010) who wrote most of their material. This album includes covers of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Mickey Newbury, as well as one tune credited to Dick Bruning ("I'll Stop Loving You") and four that were penned by Mr. Wenstrom. A couple of those songs were previously released on a single in 1967, though I think these versions were new recordings. They both had days jobs, of course: Bruning was an ironworker, while Wenstrom was a World War Two vet who served in the Pacific theater, came home and farmed for over a decade in Illinois then re-upped in 1959 and wound up serving in Vietnam, later to become an Army drill sergeant until he retired in '82. So if you had something to say about his music, you probably wanted to choose your words well. In addition to this album, they also released a single in with a topical song called "Pakistan Disaster," about a 1970 hurricane that caused tens of thousands of deaths.

Tim Brunner "Alaskan Cowboy" (Kajac Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Harold Luick & Dennis Smith)
Although this album includes some regionally-themed tunes touching on Alaskan motifs such as the fishing industry and the oil pipelines, songwriter Tim Brunner was actually a dude from Clarksville, Iowa who seems to have been drawing his own life experience for some of his material. (My guess is he worked up in Alaska for a while, and possibly in North Dakota as well, since the album kicks off with a tune called "North Dakota Minstrel." Also included are "Pipeline Song," and the title track, "Alaskan Cowboy.") The all-locals band featured Timothy A. Brunner (vocals and guitar), Kevin Clemens (steel guitar), Lenny Hudson (lead guitar and banjo), Jim Klarenbeek (vocals), John Krantz (drums), bassist Jim Phinney, several fiddlers and sundry others. Not sure about all other guys on this record... as far as I can tell, this was Tim Brunner's only album though steel player Kevin Clemens became a successful sideman, moving down to Branson, Missouri where he held gigs in local mini-opries such as the Presley music show, as well as a stint working for fiddler Shoji Tabuchi. (I'm not sure if he's also the same Kevin Clemens who was in a childhood band with future session drummer John Robinson back around 1965... It's possible, I guess, though maybe I'm also drifting a little off topic...

Wayne Brunner "Songs Of Wisconsin" (Jen Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Brunner)
Though he'd been living in Tucson, Arizona since the early 1960s, singer Wayne Brunner was a native Wisconsonite and a badger boy, through and through. He also had a real appreciation for the Johnny Cash sound, and cheerfully thunka-thunka-ed his way through a bunch of his own original tunes, notably on "T. R. Special," a regional pride song packed with Badger State landmarks, including the Point Beach nuclear power plant, which opened in 1970 in Brunner's hometown of Two Creeks, Wisconsin. Brunner previously released the song as a single with his old band The Nite-Cappers, which also included Mike Burek and Bob Squire. It's possible Mr. Brunner recorded another album, or planned to: in 1970 he copyrighted a slew of non-Wisconcentric songs, including titles such as "A Better Man Of Me," "Common Every-Day Life," and "Super-Lover," although as far as I know, only a couple of these songs were recorded by the Nite-Cappers, probably in 1969.

Brush Arbor - see artist discography

The Brush Arbors "Old Brush Arbor" (M&M Gospel Studio, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Wade Mitchell)
Not to be confused with the pioneering country-rock gospel group, Brush Arbor, this amateur band features guys from two families in Jamestown, Tennessee, the Roysdens and the Winninghams, playing a set of straight-up gospel oldies. The musicians include a few country touches, with Perry Winningham on banjo, and lead guitar by Harold Hatfield. This privately released album also features a couple of original songs, "Are You Building A Temple In Heaven," by Perry Winningham, and "Patience From Above," by Patricia Roysden.

Brushwood Laurel "Build Me A Cabin" (Tyloa Records, 1978) (LP)
An eclectic bluegrass band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin whose set list includes a cover of Leroy Preston's "Somebody Stole His Body" a bunch of classic country gospel songs, bluegrass standards and two originals, "Another Man's Shoes" and "Goodbye Mr. Devil." The group included Diane Alexy on bass, Paul Brushwood (banjo), Bo Larson (fiddle), Mary O'Connor (vocals), Tom Siewert (drums), and Chris Stacey playing guitar.

Brushwood Laurel "South On 41" (1981) (LP)
Though still bluegrass-y with a bit of country twang, this album has a distinctly folk-pop tone, reminiscent of John Denver, as well as a strong undercurrent of Christian messaging. One gets the impression that bandleader Paul Brushwood really wanted to move in a contemporary Christian direction, but wasn't quite ready to decisively make the transition. At any rate, this will still be of interest to some bluegrass fans, and on the country side of things, perhaps interesting to fans of bands such as Brush Arbor, or the Christian country of Al Perkins and his posse. Also, the band's lineup changed, dropping down to a four-piece with just guys, no gals - with John Holtze joining on bass.

Rommie Bryan "Rommie's: The Place And The Man" (Vesco Records, 1966-?)
A bass player and guitarist, Ronbrous ("Rommie") William Bryan, Jr. (1931-2018) was born in Downsville, Louisiana but spent most of his professional life working in Texas where, among other pursuits, he opened a couple of different nightclub/restaurants. This album seems to be a mid-1960s souvenir of his Dallas club, filled mostly with covers of country ballads popular in the early 1960s, such as "Make The World Go Away" and "What's He Doing In My World," as well as the Buck Owens classic, "Together Again," and "King Of The Road," which was a hit for Roger Miller in 1965. Mr. Bryan also opened a place in Waco called Rommie's Our Town, in 1973 (though I don't think that's the venue pictured on this cover) and eventually moved back to Dallas where he played in the lounge of the Anatole Hotel for over twenty years, and also gave music lessons and taught in the local schools. He played jazz as well as country, and cut at least one single in the early 'Sixties with the Rommie Bryan Trio, recorded as a souvenir of his 1963 stint at the Bali Hai lounge, in Dallas.

Wes Bryan "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow" (U. S. International Records, 19--?) (LP)
A songwriter from Murphy, North Carolina, Wes Bryan was a teen rock-pop singer back in the late 1950s, and became a pretty successful songwriter, finding a slot in the Brill Building music factory. He's penned material recorded by Dorsey Burnette, Glen Campbell, David Houston, and others. This album was recorded in Los Angeles, though unfortunately there are no producer or musician credits.

Boudeleaux Bryant "Boudleaux's Bestsellers" (Monument Records, 1963) (LP)
(Produced by Fred Foster, Bill Porter & Tommy Strong)
A set of easy-listening instrumental versions of classic Bryant compositions (and a few less well-known numbers) with arrangements by Tupper Saussy and Bill McElhiney. The musicians aren't identified, though I'm sure they included a slew of Nashville studio pros...

Felice Bryant & Boudeleaux Bryant "A Touch Of Bryant" (CMH Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Singleton)
Two of the greatest pop and country songwriters ever, singing their own stuff in a super laid-back session... The Bryants did find themselves in the odd position of approaching their own material well after it had attained "oldies" status and particularly on classics such as "All I Have To Do Is Dream," "Bye Bye Love," and "Rocky Top," they ran the risk of sounding like cover artists when compared to the zippy hit recordings. To be honest, these Nashville sessions are really pretty goopy, and while I am generally a fan of hearing songwriters perform their own material, the Bryants both sounded pretty old on these tracks... It's not disastrous, by any means, but the arrangements are snoozy and lack the manic energy the Bryants showed on their early Hickory Records singles. The backing band includes several pros and a few lesser-knowns: Ray Edenton (rhythm guitar), Davide Humphreys (drums), Sam Jacobs (lead guitar), Rick Maness (bass). John Probst (keyboards), Larry Shell (rhythm guitar) also the Allen Moore Singers (Allen Moore, Sudie Baker & Rita Figlio) with superpickers Chet Atkins and Lenny Breau sitting in on "When I Stop Loving You." Mostly of academic interest, I suppose.

Jeannie Bryant "What Our Feelings Have To Say" (Column One Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Martin & Jim Vest)

Roger Bryant "The Roger Bryant Phonograph Record" (Carpenter's Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Carpenter & Michael Murphy)
A native of Logan County, West Virginia, Roger Bryant had real back-country roots, though he and dobro player Bill Carpenter didn't mind bringing the music into the (then)modern age on this twangy, acousticky set of all-original material. Songs include "Daytime Television," "Hillbilly In Florida" "Lock, Stock And Barrel," "I Walked Out On Baby's Love Tonight" and "Fair Weather Wife" along with a bunch of others, all written by Bryant. According to the liner notes, he got a college degree and started working as a teacher at his old, hometown high school, but decided to pursue a career in music instead... As far as I know, this was his first record.

Roger Bryant "Allegheny" (Americountry Records, 19--?)
A native West Virginian, country songwriter Roger Bryant was the grandson of folk musician "Aunt Jennie" Wilson, a local banjo player and traditional singer who was a big hit at Southern folk festivals during the late 1950s and '60s. Bryant carried the family banner on several albums, including this one which mixes novelty material (like "Stomp That Cube," an anti-Rubik's cube novelty song) as well as some well-crafted country stuff, with a strong Merle Haggard influence. This album has surprisingly strong production for an uber-indie album... and he's a soulful performer. Definitely worth a spin!

Sherry Bryce -- see artist profile

Wally Bryson "Country Fiddlin' With Wally Bryson" (Davis Unlimited, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Davis & Wally Bryson)
An old-timey fiddler who won the Alabama state championship in 1974, Wally Bryson also recorded on other folks' albums, notably with the Blaylock Brothers bluegrass group. This was one of several albums he recorded in the mid-1970s, though the only one I know of that was recorded without backing from the Blaylocks.

The Bryte Sisters "The Bryte Sisters" (Doorknob Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Kennedy & Bill Vorndyke)

The Bryte Show "The Bryte Show" (Doorknob Records/Bryte Records, 1980-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Kennedy & Bill Vorndyke)
Born in Georgia, singer Judy Gore (aka Judy Bryte) was one of those folks whose big break was always just around the corner. In Bryte's case, this lasted for well over a decade. First boosted in the late '60s by actress-singer Kaye Stevens, she toured for over a decade, ping-ponging between the Midwest, Vegas and Nashville, with long stints at clubs in Saint Louis and Detroit. Bryte made an appearance on the Mike Douglas show in 1970, performed on the Grand Ole Opry in '72, and cut her first single in 1974, the Jimmy Bowen-produced "Standing On The Promises (You Made)" on Opryland Records. Although she seems to have plugged away steadily and got some buzz going time after time, Bryte found few opportunities to record, cutting additional singles in 1978 and '80, and finally this album, which seems to have been cut circa 1980-82, when she was playing shows in Printer's Alley and at the Opryland Hotel. In the late 'Seventies, Judy Bryte recruited two "sisters" to sing harmony and beef up her act, working first in a duo with Kathy Bryte, then adding Sally Bryte to form the trio that sings on this album. The set includes a bunch of country stuff, though it's mostly remarkably old-fashioned country stuff, oldies and classics like "Crazy," "Me And Bobby McGee," "Mountain Dew," Rocky Top," "Stand By Your Man," along with a few also some pop and AOR covers such as Toni Tennille's "Do That To Me One More Time," Jim Croce's "Operator." The backing band included George Allen (guitar), Russ Hicks (pedal steel), Roger Morris (keyboards), Less Timm (drums), Baron Wolfe on bass. Ms. Bryte seems to have settled down around Panama City, Florida where as late as 2016, she was singing at Mickey Gilley's club; she also wrote a play based on the life of country pioneer Minnie Pearl, called "Beneath The Hat," which premiered in Panama City in 2016. As far as I know, this was her only full LP.

Bubba & Nicky "Back Porch Country" (Deanne Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dean Narramore)
This one is super-duper amateur hour stuff... The husband-wife duo of Elmer ("Bubba") and Nicky Charles were a couple from Deer Lodge, Montana who were possessed of big hearts but modest talents. Now, I'm not in this to make fun of people, but even I have to admit that this disc has limited appeal. It's authentic, low-profile country DIY, and the Charleses wrote several songs themselves, but the album is poorly recorded and their performances -- particularly the vocals -- aren't exactly top-flight. However, if like myself, you've gone down the rabbit-hole of appreciating the efforts and aspirations of little guys and unknowns, you might wanna check this out... There's definitely enthusiasm and energy here, just not much musically that actually swept me up and made me sing along. Notable among the studio musicians is guitarist Bob Buell, who later led the Idaho-based band Coltrain and may have done session work on other albums. I couldn't discover this album's release date anywhere online, though it looks most likely late-1970s, possibly early '80s.

Buck & Tiny "Buck And Tiny's Country" (LP) (1981-?) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Farmer & The Bondsmen)
The Bondsmen was a popular Memphis, Tennessee country band, anchored by the husband-wife duo of Mary Nell ("Tiny") Bonds Hutcheson (1943-1996) and her husband, guitarist James Albert ("Buck") Hutcheson, who is best known as a longtime on-again/off-again member of the Jerry Lee Lewis band. They met in the late 1960s when Bonds moved up from from Birmingham, Alabama to headline at a club called Hernando's Hideaway, where Hutcheson was working in the house band. Tiny Bonds soon formed her own group, which she led for over twenty years, touring regionally in the South, and opening her own nightclubs. The first was called Buck And Tiny's Country was a popular Memphis honkytonk, located out on Brooks Road, as was its successor, Tiny and Gary's Stake Out. Ms. Bonds also cut a few singles, starting in the early 'Seventies, as well as this album, a covers-heavy set recorded at their club with Bonds on vocals, along with Buck Hutcheson (guitar and vocals), Gary Adair (drums) and Billy Farmer (bass and guitar). The songs include contemporary hits such as "Hell Yes I Cheated," "The Rose," and "You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma," along with some rock and country oldies, and a version of "Tulsa Time." As far as I know this was her only full album, accompanied at the time by another single under her name. Tiny Bonds retired from the music business in the early 1990s, in part due to health problems. She moved to Mississippi where she worked in the trucking industry for several years before passing away from respiratory failure at age fifty-three. Mr. Hutcheson, who first started touring with Jerry Lee Lewis in 1961 went back to work for The Killer in the '80s and has been one of Lewis' principal bandmembers over the years.

Buck Owens' Bakersfield Brass "Standin' On A Mountain Top" (Capitol Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Ken Nelson, Hugh Davies & Ed Flaherty)
An oddball early 'Seventies offering, with pop-orchestral renditions of a bunch of Bakersfield Sound classics, tunes like "Act Naturally," "Okie From Muskogee," "My Heart Skips A Beat" and "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am." The musicians aren't named, but one point of interest is the album's arranger/conductor, David Gates, described here as "a son of Hollywood" -- I thought it was the same David Gates who did a bunch of studio work in LA before breaking out as a 'Seventies superstar as a solo artist and as the leader of the band Bread, though now I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, if you're looking for the intersection between West Coast neo-trad hard country and squaresville easy listening, this one might be for you.

Buckacre "Morning Comes" (MCA Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Glyn Johns)
Amiable, country-tinged '70s soft-rock by a popular regional band from Illinois. They sounded kind of like the band America, with a few added Southern rock guitar riffs. Lots of vocal harmonies, and pretty gooey, amorphous songs. Really it's the songwriting where they fall flat: none of these songs really see about anything much at all... But they're all pretty easy on the ears, and folks who like the goopier side of the country-rock genre will probably dig this as sort of a semi-lost gem. Or a semiprecious stone, at least... turquoise, no doubt... Anyway, they were a competent band and the production is classic, super-slick, hermetically sealed 'Seventies stuff, courtesy of Eagles cohort Glyn Johns. Worth checking out, though not much here stuck to my ribs. The country-tinged "Just Another Night" might be about the most memorable song on here, though that's not saying much.

Buckacre "Buckacre" (MCA Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Win Kutz)
The country vibe seems to be slowly leaking out in favor of a more rock-oriented sound. Hints of Styx or Kansas, maybe, though -- god, how embarrassing! -- not quite as rocking as those guys. Terrible attempt at reggae on "Fire, Wind And Water," and a mildly interesting look at show biz with "Same Old Song And Dance." A pair of pedal steel-flavored twangtunes -- "Here's A Stranger" and "Don't Be Blue" -- point back towards their last album, but they clearly wanted to score some pop hits, and it just wasn't gonna happen. The sound mix is still pretty slick, and '70s pop fans might dig it, but nothing really wowed me here.

Buckboard "Buckboard" (CIS Northwest, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Kraig Hutchens)
This slickly-produced (but super-indie) country band from Bend, Oregon seems to have had some pretty legitimate Top Forty aspirations, with a brace of commercial-sounding original material penned by lead singer Kraig Hutchens, and solid picking by guitarist/steel player Van Coffey. The album opens with a couple of flashy uptempo numbers that showcase their guitars, notably a zippy rendition of Rossini's "William Tell Overture" that has a Bill Kirchen-esque/bar band feel, suggesting an affinity with hippie twangsters like the New Riders Of The Purple Sage, et. al. They quickly shift into more consciously commercial mode, with Kraig Hutchens going the honkytonk novelty song route on tunes like "Should I Go Home With Her," "Never Been To Jail" and "Home Away From Home," while Sandra Kaye Hutchens delve into raspy-voiced Bonnie Tyler-esque on heartsongs such as "Where Does Love Go" and "I Hear It's Warm In Texas," which she co-wrote with Kraig. In the early 1980s, Buckboard was one of the leading country bands in Portland, Oregon, and also played gigs down in Nevada, recording this album at a studio in Reno. Kraig Hutchens wound up going full-Nashville, joining Collin Raye's band on the road and in the studio; later he worked as a guitarist in the house band at Gene Breeden's Nashville studio.

The Buckboard Boogie Boys "Lucky To Be Live" (Reed Records And Tapes, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Claude Morgan)
A self-trained musician, guitarist Claude "Butch" Morgan grew up in Hondo, Texas, on the outskirts of San Antonio. Morgan did military service in the Army during the Vietnam War, getting tracked into the USO where he played for American troops stationed in Germany. Morgan got home just in time to catch the first waves of the outlaw music scene, opening for Willie Nelson and others as the new genre took off, and formed the Buckboard Boogie Boys which soon included his pal, picker-singer Larry Patton. Patton already had considerable experience as a sideman in both Texas and Nashville, including session work as a studio guitarist in the mid-'70s, and numerous live shows backing old-school Nashvillers and newcomers alike. A full-time gig as the bass player in Hank Williams, Jr.'s band ended abruptly when Williams' had a near-death climbing accident in 1975. So, came the Boogie Boys. They were twangy, but with a rugged, bluesy, boogie-rock feel, not unlike the Commander Cody Band, and worked steadily to become one of San Antonio's most best-known country-rock bands of the 1970s. This live record mixes rowdy rock-flavored originals with classics like Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" as well as plenty of banter with the audience. The Boogie Boys broke up in 1979, with Morgan going into a series of local-only Texas bands, eventually gravitating towards the folkie-songwriter scene around the Kerrville Folk Festival. Larry Patton went out on the road and then back to Nashville, where he got work with a number of bands, notably with the Flying Burrito Brothers, an on-again, off-again, decade-plus stint that started in '87. By the early 1990s, he mostly moved out of the spotlight, starting a new career driving tour buses for other musicians, folks like Delbert McClinton, Ricky Skaggs and the Oak Ridge Boys. This album caught Morgan and Patton together towards the end of the Buckboard Boogie band's glory years, though they both recorded elsewhere after the group broke up. The Buckboard Boogie Boys reunited in 2016, with Patton and Morgan joined by bassist Roger Santos and drummer Jimmy Rose, the same lineup as on this album. [Thanks to the artists' own websites and to music writer Hector Saldana, whose column about the band's first reunion show added a lot of context and background info.]

Johnny Buckett "I'm Using My Bible For A Roadmap" (Fortune Records) (LP)
Tennessee native John Chisenhall moved up North in the postwar 1940s/'50s era, singing honkytonk and hard country on radio stations in Michigan and elsewhere, though by the time he cut this album for the Detroit-based Fortune label, he had switched to country gospel material and taken up the stage name Johnny Buckett. The setlist is mostly old standards -- "I'll Fly Away," etc. -- though there are s few originals in the mix as well, including a couple of cornball recitation numbers. Not sure of the exact release date, but I'd guess late '50s/early '60s, from the look of it.

Buckeye Biscuit Band "First Batch" (1975) (EP)
A 4-song EP self-released by this early country-rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. These guys stayed together until 1982, and worked in a variety of other local bands as well...

Buckeye Biscuit Band "Fresh Candy" (Peabody Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Cavanaugh)
A spunky but uneven album from one of Ohio's best-known 1970's country-rock bands... They seem to have been trying for a Firefall-style hit, as heard on the syrupy, Dan Fogleberg-esque AOR ballad that opens this album, but they also dip back into outlaw and outlaw-esque twang that owes equal debts to early Eagles and grittier, naughtier bar bands like Chuck Wagon & The Wheels. It's a pretty wide divide, and the more mainstream-leaning material might turn some twangfans off, particularly as singer Elbert Webb had a rather, um, unconventional voice, which was constantly straining and emotive in a way that might be distracting to fans of all the various styles the band took on. Still, this album documents a significant regional band and has a wealth of original material, with several strong songs. It may not hold up when listened to from end to end, but there are some fun tracks on here, definitely worth checking out.

Buckhorn "Buckhorn" (Bowman Records/Baby Grand Recording Co., 1977) (LP)
(Produced by C. Marmont & L. Wilson)
No info online about this band, which was led by singer/guitarist Steve Sherman and recorded this album in Hollywood, California... Sherman was rocking the cowboy hat, but the band didn't include pedal steel or fiddle, so the twang factor might not be as high as some might like.

Eldon Buckner "...Sings Some Of His Favorites" (Charter Records, 19--?) (LP)

Buckshot "Two Barrels Of Buckshot" (Square Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Pete Pamenter & Derek Tompkins)
Outlaw country, Hertfortshire-style... This English twangband had a rough-edged, unruly sound, due in part perhaps to their musical limitations, but also clearly because of the allegiance to the wilder side of country. They kick things off with an edgy, rock-inflected cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," then slide effortlessly into a long string of original songs, most of them written by lead singer Pete Pamenter, whose chunky, old-man vocals add to the band's neotrad/amateur mystique. Drummer Keith Brooker also contributes a couple of songs, "There's A Will, But No Way" and the uptempo "Kentucky Morning," which is an album highlight. Dunno much about these guys, where they played or how popular they were, but this is kind of a cool album... Not as accomplished as its American counterparts, but still pretty twangy and unusually earthy by the standards of the old UK country scene.

The Buckskins "Let's Go West!" (Coronet Records, 196--?) (LP)
A western-themed band founded by singers Joe Reagan and Frank Robinson in the 1955, The Buckskins gained national fame when they won the Arthur Godfrey show's talent competition in 1957, and later became regulars on the Lawrence Welk Show... They went through a few lineup changes before cutting this album, though Robinson and Reagan still made up the core of the group. The lineup on these recordings included lead singers Reagan and Robinson, along with Slim Vick, lead guitar Jimmy Groves, accordionist Dick Johnson, and Joe Reagan's wife, Holly Lane, who adds vocals on two tracks. The repertoire is all old cowboy songs and sentimental oldies, including "Nighttime In Nevada," "Riding Down The Canyon," Black Hills Of Dakota," "Mystery Of His Way" and "All Because Of My Jealous Heart." It's possible that the other two cheapo LPs listed below are just reissues of this album (or vice versa).

The Buckskins "Let's Go West Again" (MVM/Mount Vernon Music, 1962) (LP)

The Buddy's Combo "Menu Of Music" (Jaf-Tone Records, 1970-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jimmy Fowler)
Odd branding on this one... Originally billed as The Dixie Buddys, the Buddy's Combo musical group was a South Carolina honkytonk'n'swing band with roots that went back to the early 'Sixties, possibly even the late 'Fifties. This later lineup is comprised of Joe Byers (steel guitar), Wallace Dowdy (clarinet and saxophones), Bill Haney (bass), Al Johnson (drums) and Kenny Meggs (rhythm guitar and vocals). Though they also played some big band stuff, the band seemed primarily devoted to country material. Somehow, for some reason, on this album producer Jimmy Fowler managed to shoehorn his way into near-equal billing, inserting a couple of comedic tracks on the end of each album side; he's pictured on the back cover playing the part of a Gomer Pyle-like military-hillbilly character called Boner. (Don't ask. The liner notes claim the character was part of a TV series called Boner's Trip, though I can find no mention of the show anywhere online... maybe it was a feature on a local TV station?) Anyway, a fine example of an unassuming, down-home country dance band; some of these guys made other records, notably picker Joe Byers, who later led his own Southern gospel group, The Lamplighters, while bandleader Bill Haney headlined earlier Buddys releases, and also cut some records under his own name, including what looks like an Elvis Presley tribute album, backed by the group Something Special. Also worth noting: the Jaf-Tone label also released a string of singles, as well as an album by "The Lucas And Harmon Brothers," an album with an equally confusing lack of clarity about the band's name and whatnot.

Linda Buell "Linda Goes To Nashville" (Buffalo Chip's Records, 1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Logan & Jim Vest)
Singer Linda Buell hailed from Buffalo, Wyoming, just north of Casper and during the '70s she and her husband Chuck Buell fronted a band called the Fugitives which played regional gigs. She traveled to Nashville to cut this disc at the Music City Recorders studio, with Jack Logan on board as the producer, playing an all-covers set with some pretty nice selections. The packaging is unusually minimalist, with no pics of Buell on the cover and no info about the backing musicians. The thing is, though, she was pretty darn good. Buell's voice was a mix of Wanda Jackson, Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker -- a little thin, but soulful, and she really owns these songs, even with occasionally lackluster backing by the anonymous studio crew. Again, there's no information about the sessions, or a release date on the record, but I'm gonna guess 1978, based on the set list, which includes Ed Bruce's "Texas When I Die" and a version of "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" by the Kendalls, both of which were hits in 1977.

Linda Buell "Keeps It Country" (Vista International Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Vest, Dan Dunkleberger & Al McGuire)
On her second album, Buell worked again with producer Jim Vest, who also played steel guitar on these sessions. About half the album is original material, including one song credited to her, "Big Horn Mountain Breakdown," along with several others on same publishing company. A couple were written by Jodie Emerson (with co-credit to Wild Bill Emerson) and also sang a cover of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Never Do Nothing Right." In 1985, she and her husband moved to Nashville to try and make it as songwriters, apparently having some success getting demos placed with big stars like Alan Jackson, et. al. but for the most part she found her old-school traditional style out of synch with the increasingly glossy, pop-oriented sound of modern-day Nashville, and in the late 1990s they moved back to Wyoming. (Their son, Geoff Buell, is a steel guitar player still living in Nashville who has self-released a couple of albums of his own.) As far as I know, these two albums are the only records she made.

Buffalo "Stars Of The Bars" (Pixie Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Buffalo, Gary Lucas & Mike Kemp)
This British country trio seems to have only made one album (though I could be pleasantly surprised by more!) Not sure where they were from, though the tiny, independent Pixie label operated out of Stamford, Lincolnshire, north of London. This is a solidly honky-tonk inspired album, featuring covers of "Burning Bridges," "Rambling Man," "Rednecks White Socks & Blue Ribbon Beer," "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" and "That's The Way Love Goes." Any info about this band is welcome!

Buffalo & Brandy "I Love You" (KM Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Williamson & Cathy Potts)
A bit of a mystery album. Formed in 1977, the duo of Buffalo and Brandy are not identified by name, though they were definitely from North Tonawanda, New York, up by Niagra Falls. "Brandy" was local gal Mary Ann Ferree, while "Buffalo" mighta been Mike Stripling, who wrote or co-wrote all the songs on this album, and also plays rhythm guitar on this disc. However, the photo of Stripling on the back cover doesn't quite look like the guy on the front. I dunno. Anyway, this album seems to have been a pretty straightforward shot at contemporary (late 'Seventies-style) country heartsongs and ballads -- they went to Nashville and cut this set with backing by some seasoned pickers, with Mike Stripling on acoustic guitar, and Clyde Brooks (drums), Ralph Childs (bass), Lloyd Green (steel guitar), Tony Migliore (piano), Don Roth on lead guitar, and the Cates Sisters singing backup. They also released a string of singles on this label, for several years running, at least up until the mid-1980s, including a lot of material not included here. Ferree later formed a nonprofit 501-(C) around the group, turning her attention towards children and early intervention to prevent delinquency. I think they changed the focus of the act as well, playing primarily children's music at community events around North Tonawanda, right up through the 2020s(!)

The Buffalo Chipkickers "Cleaning Up Our Act" (Chedda Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Matthew Guntharp, Hugh Johnson & Bob Yesbek)
A freewheeling bluegrass/folk/twang band from Pennsylvania, the Chipkickers had previously released an album under lead singer Bob Doyle's name. This edition of the group included their recently-hired banjo player, Lee Ann Lenker, along with Bob Doyle on guitar, fiddler Matthew Guntharp and bassist Hugh Johnson, who had played on the earlier LP. Apparently Doyle left the band at some point; not sure when that was or how long they continued after his departure.

Buffalo Chips Band "Watch Your Step" (Guitar Cowboy Records, 19--?) (LP)
This band from Bozeman, Montana featured two main songwriters, Johnny Hale and Ric Steinke, here in more of an indiebilly/outlaw mode, though in subsequent bands Steinke got into a singing-cowboy "Western" music style.

Buffalo Country "Buffalo Country" (Universal Audio Recordings, 197--?) (LP)
This band featured piano player and lead singer Raymond "Bud" Mosley and his younger sibling Jerry, two brothers from Graham, Texas who moved to Nevada in the early 'Seventies and played in Reno and other local venues. Bud Mosely, who recorded an album of original material under his own name while still living in Texas, backed by a group he called the Whippoorwills. He founded Buffalo Country and played earlier gigs with a different lineup, but for this album he brought in his brother as well as bassist Jerry Akins and a singer named Becky Lynn (who might have later recorded a couple of albums as Rebecca Lynn, though I'm not sure if it's really the same gal...) The set list is mostly cover tunes, and as far as I know this was the group's only album.

Buffalo Gals "First Borne" (Renovah Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Gerry)
An all-gal bluegrass band from upstate New York, featuring Nancy Josephson on bass, Susie Monick (banjo), Carol Siegel (mandolin), Sue Raines Tice (violin), and guitarist Martha Trachtenberg. Various members either had been on the East Coast folk scene for a while, or went on to other musical projects after this album, though this seems to be the only album by the Buffalo Gals, per se. The set is a mix of older traditional tunes (like "Little Maggie," "Sittin' On Top Of The World," "Used To Be" and the great gospel oldie, "I'll Fly Away") alongside more whimsical material such as "Daybroke In Syracuse," "Hamster," and "Bluegrass And The Boys," which pokes fun at the gender imbalance in the genre. Plus they cover Pure Prairie League's "Amie," which is a longtime favorite song, also fun with a little gender role flipping. While musically proficient, this group shied away from blazing, drag-race instrumental flourishes, opting instead for a more laid-lack, concise stringband style, with hints of blues and jazz sensibilities in the mix. Nice!

Buffalo Nickel Jugband "Buffalo Nickel Jugband" (Happy Tiger Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Hartman & Dan Sciarotta)
It took me a few listens to warm to this one... It's a nice, standard-issue, retrodelic bluesy-jazzy jugband set with oldies such as "Alabamy Bound," "Separation Blues" and "Tain't What You Do" alongside about a half-album's worth of similar sounding material written by various members of the band. This group was an amalgamation of longhaired pickers and plunkers drawn mostly from Tacoma, Washington and the greater Los Angeles area, recording for a short-lived indie label out of Hollywood, CA. Among the musicians was Denny Hall, who had connections to the Lydia Pinkham Orchestra, a SeaTac area band that migrated to LA, as well as Bob and Lester Broersma, Ben King, Russ Lewark, and Joel Tepp. The difficulty I had with this album was its tidiness, the overall sense of being a little too controlled or trying to sound professional and precise -- there's little of the madcap, kooky abandon of, say, the Bonzo Dog Band or even Jim Kweskin and his crew... Still, they obviously had their hearts in the right place, and after two or three spins, I got into it. If you enjoy hippie-era jugband revivalists, these guys are worth checking out.

Norton Buffalo "Lovin' In The Valley Of The Moon" (Capitol Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Norton Buffalo, Mickey Hart & Steve Miller)
Roots/blues harmonica player Norton Buffalo (aka Phillip Jackson, 1951-2009) was born in Oakland, California, and moved through several of the Bay Area's top groups before starting his own solo career. He played live gigs with Huey Newton's old band, Clover, and toured with Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, and ultimately with The Steve Miller Band, when they were at the height of their "Fly Like An Eagle" fame. Though he continued on with the Steve Miller Band for over three decades, Buffalo also pursued a solo career, including these first two country-tinged albums, which were recorded with help from Steve Miller, along with a slew of top West Coast talent, notably co-producer Mickey Hart, from the Dreadful Grate, who also played percussion on both albums. Other notable musicians included bassist John Ciambotti and John McFee from Clover (with McFee doing triple duty on guitar, pedal steel... and sitar!) as well as gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins, and her sister Lynette Hawkins, and a whole slew of other folks, mostly from the Bay Area and Northern California music scene. This album includes a lot of Buffalo's own original material, most notably (for twangfans) his version of the amped-up trucker tune, "Eighteen Wheels," which had previously been recorded on Commander Cody's 1976 live album. As with his second album (below) this is an eclectic and ambitious album, laced with various strains of pop, folk and blues, and may not be what most country fans are looking for -- later on, Buffalo would focus primarily on blues music. For my money, this is the stronger of these two albums.

Norton Buffalo "Desert Horizon" (Capitol Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Norton Buffalo, Jim Gaines, Mickey Hart & Steve Miller)
As on his first album, Norton Buffalo surrounded himself with a ton of West Coast/Bay Area talent, including many of the same musicians as before: Mickey Hart on percussion, John McFee (guitar, sitar and pedal steel), augmented by steel players Bobby Black and Fred Jones, as well as drummer Gary Mallaber and synth keyboardist Byron Allred (both from the Steve Miller Band) and a slew of others. Notable as backup singers are pop star Nicolette Larson and Bay Area pop-soul singer Bill Champlin, who led the ultra-hippie white-funk jam-band The Sons Of Champlin, and later became the lead singer for Chicago. To be honest, there's not much on this album that ever really resonated with me (or that I remembered from hearing it on the radio...) More of a pop-oriented album, I suppose, although Buffalo's approach was remarkably eclectic and not really geared towards the Top Forty. Amazing, really, that these early major label albums made it off the ground. As noted above, in years to come Norton Buffalo became more tightly focussed as a blues artist, notably collaborating with electric guitarist Roy Rogers on several albums. He was also a highly in-demand session player, and lauded as a harmonica virtuoso, including solos on records by folks such as The Doobie Brothers and Bonnie Raitt.

Norton Buffalo "Lovin' In The Valley Of The Moon/Desert Horizon" (Edsel Records, 1995)
A digital-era reissue of two Norton Buffalo's first two albums. This handy little disc might still be floating around out there somewhere...

Norton Buffalo & George Kahumoku, Jr. "From Paradise" (Kealia Farms Records, 2012)
(Produced by Brett Allen, Lawrence Bryant & Norton Buffalo)
A posthumously-released album with Buffalo dipping into the ocean of Hawaiian popular music... He produces and plays harmonica, along with his wife, Lisa Flores-Buffalo on guitar and vocals, backing slack-key guitarists George Kahumoku, Jr., his son Keoki Kahumoku, Dennis Kamakahi and Jeff Peterson, as well as ukulele player Herb Ohta Jr. Not sure when this was recorded, though Norton Buffalo had passed away in 2009 following a short battle with a particularly aggressive form of cancer. The album title has a double meaning, encompassing both Hawaii (of course) and Buffalo's longtime home in Paradise, California, out in the gold country above Sacramento.

Jimmy Buffett - see artist discography

Marjorie Buffett "Take Me Easy" (Clover Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Stapleton)

Terry Bullard "Terry Bullard" (Bullet Records, 1980) (LP)
Originally from New Mexico, as a teenager Terry Bullard set out to conquer the world, moving first to LA and then to Texas, where he tried his hand at acting, country music and rodeo riding. Bullard had a regional hit with a version of Terry Stafford's "Amarillo By Morning" (a minor hit for Stafford in '73, and later a Top Five single for George Strait). He was taken under Stafford's wing for a while, and wrote a bunch of songs, but nothing ever quite clicked for him as a solo performer. This actually wasn't his first album -- he also recorded one called Pride when he was fifteen years old. Bullard apparently played in a few house bands in LA nightclubs and elsewhere, and has self-released a bunch of CDs in the digital era.

Deanna Bullock "Variety" (Jordan Recording Studios, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Hensley)
Heartfelt gospel from a country gal who first played the Renfro Valley Barn Dance back in 1961, a venue right next to where she grew up, in Mount Vernon, Kentucky. She was a regular performer at Renfro Valley for many years before she met and married a guitar player by the name of Bill Bullock. They later formed an evangelical ministry, and at some point settled down in Springdale, Ohio, a northern suburb of Cincinnati which is where they were living when they cut this disc. Bill Bullock plays lead guitar on several tracks, as does Junior Spivey, other musicians include pianist Dumpy Rice, who worked on a lot of gospel sessions, and Chris Lee playing piano on several other tracks. The song list includes a couple by Reba Rambo, an Easter Brothers tune, and two originals by Deanna Bullock, "Love Of God" and "Splittin' Up The Eastern Sky."

Deanna Bullock "Here I Am Jesus" (Jordan Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dennis Hensley)
Another set of earthy, rural gospel from this Kentucky gal. She's backed on this album by pianist Danny Burton, Dennis Herrill (bass), Chuck Rich (dobro and steel guitar), Tim Short (drums), and Junior Spivey on guitar, as well as fiddler Junior Bennett, who provides string arrangements.

Deanna Bullock "When Prayin' Turns To Praisin' " (Jordan Records, 19--?) (LP)

Deanna Bullock "One Of These Days It'll All Be Over" (Derby Town Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Kenny Sowder)
Although the music drifts into slightly by-the-numbers southern gospel-meets-countrypolitan territory, Bullock's voice is super-appealing, and really brings these songs to life. She has a pure rural tone strongly reminiscent of Loretta Lynn or Dottie Rambo that will make hard-country twangfans sit up and take notice. Also, what power and projection! Seems like she really could have made it as a commercial country singer -- which makes her devotion to religious music even more meaningful. The title track was written by Deanna Bullock, though the album also includes songs by modern country-gospel icons such as The Rambos, The Hemphills, Tim Spenser and Ronnie Hinson

John Bult "Julie's Sixteenth Birthday" (DSR, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Ted Broussard)
The title track is a "Phantom 309"-style recitation song with an over-the-top tragedy narrative in which a no-good drunk of a dad is speeding to make it to his daughter's birthday party on time -- to just do one thing right in his life! -- and manages instead to hit the car she and her boyfriend are driving in, killing not only Julie and her beau, but himself as well. This album made the rounds as a "worst album art ever!" candidate -- a snarky hipster fad that I find fairly irritating. But it's actually not a bad record... if you like country music, that is. Singer John Bult was from Louisiana and had played in rockabilly bands years earlier, and wrote half the songs on this album, including the title track... He had a distinctive, plaintive voice, similar to Don Bowman or Vernon Oxford, but overall, I'd say he sells the songs well. Good luck tracking this record down, though, since the Schadenfreude Patrol grabbed ahold of it and made it a pricey fetish item. But as indiebilly goes, this ain't bad!

Bumpy & Sawmill Run "Solid Silver" (Marjon International Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Krizancic)
Dunno too much about this New York state band, though they seem to have been big Gram Parsons fans, covering "Sin City" on this album, along with classics by Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Johnny & Jack, Terry Fell and others... Also, yet another rendition of "Red Neck Mother" for us to add to the list. The group included Skin Anderson on drums, Jeff Lewis, L. E. Leidecker (bass), Don "Bumpy" Peterson, Scott Seger, and Lance Schnur on pedal steel... Schnur also played on an album by another Krizancic-produced group called The Silver Spurs, who also released an album on Marjon International not long after this one.

Bumpy & Sawmill Run "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke" (Bollweevil Records, 19--?) (LP)

Tom Bunkley "Tom, Jr." (Award Records, 1982-?) (LP)
(Produced by Biff Collie)
A super-obscure set, recorded in Tennessee but (I think) from a Lone Star lad... This would appear to be the lone album by Thomas A. Bunkley, Jr., who had a pretty swell set of Nashville pickers behind him: Billy Adain on bass, Jim Baker (steel guitar), Randy Byrd (banjo and fiddler), Bob Dean (drums), Jack Eubanks (guitar), Doyle Grisham (dobro and steel guitar), Leo Jackson (acoustic guitar), Bunky Keels (piano), and Willie Rainsford on piano. It's not clear where Mr. Bunkley was from... The closest match I could find online is an Amarillo business lawyer who grew up in Abilene, Texas, though this fella on the record seems to have been living in Tampa Bay, Florida when this was made: the album's producer, Biff Collie, name-checked him in his Radio And Records "Inside Nashville" country music column, back in July and August, 1982. In August of that year he mentioned that Bunkley was in town to record an album, so that at least places the release date as being most likely in 1982 or '83. Other than that, though, this is a real mystery disc.

Larry Bunch "...And The Tansi Cherokees" (Tansi Records, 1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Gary McVay)
If it's the same guy, bandleader Larry Bunch was a Tennessee rocker with a career dating back to the 1950s Memphis rockabilly scene, where he jammed with guys in the same circles as Sonny Burgess and the Sun Records rowdies. This album was a souvenir of a gig he landed many years later, leading a country lounge band in Tansi Lake Village, a resort located in Crossville, Tennessee. The group included Bob Johnson on bass, Junior Sharp (lead guitar), Jerry Phillips (drums), Donnie Finley, and saxophonist Ed Frenchie Rachal, who had worked with Burke in several Memphis-area bands, back in the old days. They cover a few rock oldies, like "Wipeout" and "Whole Lot Of Shakin' Goin' On," but mostly the songs come from the country side of the tracks. There's no date on this album, although the liner notes mention Finley joining the band in 1973, and some of the cover tunes came out around then: "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "Behind Closed Doors," were from '73, while John Denver's "Good To Be Back Home Again") charted in '74. Overall, Larry Bunch remains a pretty elusive figure, and as far as I know, this was his only record.

Bob Burchill & The Perth County Apple Jack "Cabin Fever" (Will O' Wind Productions, 1977) (LP)
Fans of Jonathan Edwards might enjoy this one: Canadian folk-country, with heartfelt, emphatic lyrics and slightly strained vocals, and dreamy, delicate acoustic arrangements. All the songs are by Bob Burchill, with backing by Doug Biggs (pedal steel), Bob Burchill (guitar and mandolin), Ken Deschamps (dobro), Brian Lee Griffith (electric guitar), Jerome Jarvis (drums), and triple threat David Woodhead on bass, keyboards and guitar. It's worth noting that the group Perth County Conspiracy sprung out of a hippie commune in Ontario, and recorded several albums in the early 1970s. The lineup changed over the years, though this was apparently their last official recording as a band.

Kenny Burd & The Lawmen "Kenny Burd And The Lawmen" (Nash City Records, 1974) (LP)
These East Coasters hailed from High Bridge, New Jersey although they could get twangy along with the best of 'em...And, yep, they were real-deal lawmen, at least bandleader Burd. After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Kenneth Burd (d. 2017) moved back to New Jersey, where he joined the local police force, serving first in High Bridge, and then in Califon, NJ, where he eventually became chief of police. Backing him were the Lawmen -- Henry Queen, Steve Lezan, Joe Weber and Bernie Mudecer, some of whom may have been cops as well. The album was at Hilltop Studios, in Nashville, and features covers of standards such as "Green Green Grass Of Home," "Reflection Of A Fool," "She Thinks I Still Care," and "Your Cheating Heart," as well as "Don't Hide The Bottle," "The Day I Started Loving You," which may have been originals. There's no date on the album, but it was probably recorded in 1973, based on a mention in a newspaper ad that ran in January, 1974.

Bureman & O'Rourke "Strawberry Pickin's" (Pearce Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Stapleton)
The Kansas City-based duo of Bruce Bureman and Tim O'Rourke seem to have taken their cues from the more established Brewer & Shipley, mixing anthemic soft rock with country and folk. They recorded at least two albums in the '70s and have played together for decades since... Sweet, spacey, folkie, rock'n'country musings.

Bureman & O'Rourke "Somebody Give Me A Smile" (Happiness Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Allen Blasco)
A great record, though you wouldn't suspect from the goofy album art that this album would have such an expansive, polished pop sound... It opens with several soft-rock anthems, stuff that bigger bands such as Bread or America would be proud of... Their twangy side soon kicks in, sending them into pleasantly country-tinged tuned like "Tomorrow There's A New Sun," which features the steel guitar of Lynne Pillar. The Brewer & Shipley influence is still there, and in a very nice way... There are rough edges, sure but that's part of the DIY charm... Devotees of hippie rock will enjoy these melodic stoner pop songs...

Gary Burgess "Hillsides And Honkytonks" (Valtron Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ace Anderson, Bob Berkstresser & Les Liedel)
Country, folk'n'bluegrass by a guy from Helena, Montana... Songwriter Gary Burgess (1946-2020) is joined by Bruce Anfinson on guitar, bass player Tim O'Reilly, and singer Jerry Olson (1945-2021) who contributes some original material as well, notably "The Laundromat Song," which closes the album out. The rest of the record is packed with Burgess's own originals -- "Fifty Miles West Of Eugene," "I'll Be Home Before Too Long" and others, as well as traditional tunes and oldies ranging from "Shenandoah" to Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'." Anfinson, Burgess and Olson played together for many years as the Sand Coulee Band, and continued to collaborate after Olson moved to Iowa in the early 'Eighties, including shows at Anfinson's home venue, the Last Chance Ranch. Bruce Anfinson's first album, Huckleberry Hill, came out a few years after this one, with Gary Burgess sitting in on guitar, banjo and mandolin.

Frenchie Burke "Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke And The Outlaws" (20th Century Fox, 1974) (LP)
Louisiana-born fiddler Frenchie Burke (ne Leon Bourke, 1936-2016) became a stalwart on the Texas music scene and worked with honkytonker Johnny Bush, with Bush himself crediting Burke as being "the very first Bandolero," anchoring the band during its golden years. As a solo artist, Burke scored his first hit with a version of the cajun classic "Big Mamou," a single off this album which was a regional hit in '74, and was well-positioned as a regional star when the "urban cowboy" fad hit and made the Texas dancehall scene suddenly look cool on a national level. A prolific live performer and highly regarded showman, Burke also started his own music festival, held annually in Lytle, Texas, beginning in 2004. In later life he endured several health setbacks, including a series of strokes which left him unable to play, although he sure had a long run of success before then!

Frenchie Burke "Knock Knock Knock" (Cherry Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by A. V. Mittelstedt & Joel Johnson)

Frenchie Burke "Cajun Fiddle" ‎(Delta Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Frenchie Burke & Greg Hunt)

Frenchie Burke "Fiddlin' Man" ‎(Delta Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Frenchie Burke, A. V. Mittelstedt & David Stallings)

Frenchie Burke "Down In Louisiana" ‎(TNT Records, 1988) (LP)
(Produced by Jimmie Burton & Bob Tanner)

Helen Burke "Pride 'N' Country" (197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Stapleton)

Ernest Burleigh & The Country Squires "Freedom's Makin' A Prisoner Out Of Me" (Delta Records, 19--?) (LP)
A shipyard worker from Sanford, Maine, honkytonker Ernest E. Burleigh (1931-2016) led or was in several local country bands, including the Squires and the Saco Valley Countrymen, although he seems to have been strictly a local/regional performer. This may have been his only album, packed with original material including songs such as "Bottle Fatigue," "Telephone, Whiskey And Time," "The Tables Are Turned" and "I've Won At Last." The set was recorded in Boston, and unfortunately the musicians are not listed so it's unclear if it was his band backing him or some studio pickers; the song "Bottle Fatigue" and several others were copyrighted in 1964, with Loren W. Bickmore listed as co-composer, though I'm not sure if Mr. Bickford was part of Burleigh's band, or if he plays on this (undated) album. If Ernest Burleigh or the Squires cut any singles or other records, they aren't currently on the radar... The search will go on!

Jennifer Burnett "Jennifer Burnett" (National Foundation Records & Tapes, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Dollar, John D. Loudermilk Jr. & Bill VornDick)
This Nashville-produced album might have been some kind of composer's showcase, or maybe even a pay-to-play "song-poem" album -- the songs are by a bunch of different people, but I don't recognize any of the names or any of the tunes. This was recorded with a bunch of Music City pros -- studio musicians like Weldon Myrick and Hargus Robbins, though I'm not sure where Ms. Burnett was from originally. She seems to have been a protegee of country music second-stringer Johnny Dollar, and though this was a secular set, it looks like later on she started recording Christian music... Anyone got more info on this one?

Billy Joe Burnette "Welcome Home Elvis" (Gusto Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Hill & Mike Stone)
Not to be confused with Johnny Burnette's rockin' rockabilly nephew Billy, Virginia-born Billy Joe Burnette (1941-2016) was a former teen popster who "went country" back in 1969, though he wound up being kind of a one-hit wonder. He's best remembered as a co-composer of Red Sovine's super-sappy trucker hit, "Teddy Bear," which was a huge chart success around the time this Elvis tribute came out. This appears to be Burnette's only full album, recorded with Elvis's former drummer DJ Fontana as part of the Nashville studio crew -- Burnette also had a string of singles, recorded both before and after this disc came out. On of many Elvis tribute albums that came out in the late 'Seventies.

Dorsey Burnette "Here And Now" (Capitol Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Stone)
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Dorsey Burnette (1932-1979) and his brother Johnny (1934-1964) were in the first wave of 'Fifties rock'n'rollers. Forming the dynamic Rock And Roll Trio with their friend Paul Burlison, they rode the rockabilly wave all the way to New York City and national success touring and recording, although like many rockers, they had a hard time adapting to the abrupt shift towards bland teenpop that took over by the time the Kennedy era rolled around. The Burnette brothers moved out to California after the Rock'n'Roll Trio broke up, and they struggled in the pop marketplace and made more headway as songwriters than as stars. After his brother died in a freak boating accident, Dorsey recorded a few more singles for small independent labels but finally "went country" in the early 'Seventies, starting with this uncomplicated countrypolitan outing, which featured flowery though relatively down to earth arrangements by Larry Muhoberac, formerly of Elvis Presley's TCB Band. Dorsey Burnette enjoyed modest success on the country charts, frequently cracking the Top Forty but falling shy the Top 20 on a couple of occasions. After two major label LPs on Capitol, he drifted into indie territory though he continued to make chart entries for the rest of the decade; his last charting single, ""Here I Go Again," scored a minor hit just after Burnette died from a heart attack at age forty-six. This album includes his biggest country hit, "In the Spring (The Roses Always Turn Red)" which peaked at #21.

Dorsey Burnette "Dorsey Burnette" (Capitol Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Hugh Davies & Steve Stone)

Dorsey Burnette "Things I Treasure" (Calliope Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Dorsey Burnette)

Smiley Burnette "...And His Rodeo Songaree" (Pickwick/Cricketone Records, 1959) (LP)
A former sidekick of Gene Autry, Lester "Smiley" Burnette (1911-1967) was one of many talented singing cowboys whose musical careers foundered with the advent first of honky-tonk and cheatin' songs, and then when the rock revolution hit. A bunch of these western artists made ends meet with bit roles in westerns and occasionally by cutting a "folk" record for the kiddies. When this one came out, Burnette had a role on a TV series called The Durango Kid, and was still a few years away from what might be his best-known role as Charley Pratt, railroad engineer of the Hooterville Cannonball, on the classic 'Sixties comedy show, Petticoat Junction. Here, though, he's really just paying the bills, singing medleys of "Red River Valley," "Buffalo Gals," "Oh My Darling Clementine," and the like... No solid info about who was backing him: the "Cricketone Chorus and Orchestra and Playhour Players" could have been just about anyone.

Billy Don Burns "Ramblin Gypsy" (Gypsy Woman Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Porter Wagoner, Tom Pick & Roy Shockley)
Country singer Billy Don Burns headed out the gate looking pretty good... Moving to Nashville from Arkansas, he landed a staff songwriting job set up by Harlan Howard, later formed a business partnership with Hank Cochran, placed songs with Willie Nelson and other stars, an produced albums by Merle Haggard and Johnny Paycheck... A lot of doors lay open for him. Burns cut a few singles in the early 'Seventies, and finally made his first album in '82, with help from producer Porter Wagoner. Although he looked all baby-faced and earnest on the cover, Billy Don was a real-deal, leather-jacket country outlaw. In addition to a taste for motorcycles and Jack Daniels, he also had a long-running series of drug addictions, habits that held him back him professionally and much later in life led to an arrest for meth possession with a subsequent parole violation, earning a couple of years in a Kentucky prison. Willie Nelson wrote a letter to the state asking for leniency, but Burns still did hard time despite being an old dude in his sixties. This album is a fine memento of his youth, a rugged set of original material with about half the songs written by Burns, a couple more by some guys in his band, and a few Hank Williams tunes thrown in for good measure. Perhaps best of all are the back-cover liner notes, which guilelessly list his tour dates for 1981-82, a mix of local honkytonks and military bases, the kind of wear-it-on-your-sleeve sub-stardom stuff that I find totally charming. Burns went on to record several more albums over the decades, including at least one from after his parole.

Brent Burns "Brent Burns" (Wolfhound Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Williams)
A twangy solo set from ex-rocker Brent Burns, one of the founding members of the Phoenix, Arizona garage-psych band The Grapes Of Wrath, who were together from 1967-73. Burns previously cut a few early 'Seventies singles under his own name, including the topical oil crisis tune "No Crude, No Food," which is reprised on this album as "Cheaper Crude Or No More Food," with a more explicit title, in case the original message was too oblique. He pursues more rural themes on tracks like "Country Lady," "Boots Don't Make A Cowboy," "My Old Country Roads" and "Damned Good Thing (Momma Can't See Me Now)." This appears to have been his recording swan song, although the Grapes of Wrath staged annual reunions well into the late 1990s and eventually released a collection of their old recordings during the CD era. On this album Brent Burns is backed by Rick Gilbreath on piano, Mike McClain (bass and piano), Dave Messel (bass), and Billy Williams on guitar.

The Dave Burns Four "The Death Of Tanker 585" (Olympus Records, 1977-?) (LP)
This is an odd album... in terms of its provenance, more than its content. A "custom" album of the first degree, I suspect this may have also been a tax scam, originally used in Canada and then again in the US. This edition says it was recorded by Dave and Mary Burns at the International Record Service Co., in Hollywood California... But it appears to be a reissue or a bootleg of a Canadian country album of the same title credited to "The Jackie Lee Four," which may also be another fake band name... it's hard to tell. The Jackie Lee LP was first released in 1975 with two more tracks that weren't included in this version, "Wipeout" and "The Ice Man." I suppose it's possible that this is a song-for-song cover of the early album, but it seems more likely that there's some kind of weird tax-dodge story behind this one... Still, you gotta love an album with song titles such as "Put All Your Faith In The Pill" and "Canadian Alcoholic," as well as the title track, "The Death Of Tanker 585," which is a trucking song from Canada. Also, dig the goofy liner notes: "This album contains the best of their easy flowing country-folk sound. Dave's smooth style on the keyboards surrounds Mary's lazy vocals in the best tradition of bluegrass..." Say what? Well, anyway, even if Dave and Mary were fictitious, they sure sounded like groovy cats!

Randy Burns "I'm A Lover, Not A Fool" (Polydor Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Barry Seidel)
Songwriter Randy Burns was a Greenwich Village folk-scene refugee who got into trippier acid-rock territory on his early albums for the cult-fave ESP-Disk label, recording with a group called the Sky Dog Band... Cruising into the 'Seventies, Burns dipped a bit into the nascent country-rock sound, as heard on some of the tracks here. Mostly this album is filled with expansive, melodic, pop with airy, orchestral arrangements and spacy lyrics... But there's also the skanky, abrasive swamp-blues of "I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter," a few tracks that kind of sound like The Band, and a couple of tunes with some true twang in them. Bill Keith and Kenny Kosek help with the country stuff (listed as "Stray Dogs" in the liner notes) and Keith adds some sweet pedal steel licks... I wouldn't peg this as a "country-rock" record, per se, but the rural-sounding tracks are nice, as well as the purty-sounding rock songs.

Randy Burns "Still On Our Feet" (Polydor Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Mark Abramson & Jay Messina)
A remarkable album, which was for all intents and purposes, Randy Burns' swan song... Though there is some country-ish/jug band-y twang, mostly Burns delves deep into the contemplative/confessional mode of the era, evoking (in hindsight) comparisons to Harry Chapin, Nilsson, Nick Drake and the more rueful, late-edition folk-rock version of Phil Ochs. Each of the songs are compelling, in an odd way, Burns and his band had a distinctive feel, with an emotionally density and shading that feels unusual for the time. His songs have a troubling nuance, painting a picture of a habitual drinker with a poetic soul and a bit of a mean streak, a hip, rueful, self-absorbed guy who doesn't want to get hung up on or trapped by any of his girlfriends, but who crafts beautiful songs nonetheless. This unflattering self-portrait anticipates the non-idealized confessionalism of "Americana" artists decades down the road -- I'm thinking of folks like Mary Gautier, Tom Russell and Lucinda Williams, and places this album as a striking precursor to a darker, more honest style of song. Plus, some of the melodies are haunting and memorable... One of the strongest of these songs in the album's closer, "Seventeen Years On The River," which pairs a beautiful melodic hook to an arrogant, defiant selfishness, placing listeners in a conflicted state, humming the chorus to a troubling song. In addition to the originals by Burns and keyboard player David Tweedy, there's a nice, straightforward rendition of Steve Gillette's version of the folk ballad, "Darcy Farrow" and, in an equally jarring change of tone, the sarcastic jugband ditty, "Better Things." All in all, a nice record, and an unexpected gem. Recommended.

Shelley Burns "Be For Me" (Gold Country Music, 1985-?) (LP)
(Produced by Charlie Peacock)
Although she later evolved into a jazz singer, Sacramento, California's Shelley Burns cut this 6-song country EP back in the height of the big-hair '80s. All the songs were written or cowritten by pianist-producer Charlie Peacock, who went on to become a jazz musician himself, as well as a successful contemporary Christian songwriter and producer. Best of all, this is a pretty good little record, a little glossy and '80s-ish, but also rootsy enough to appeal to traditional country fans. Burns has a nice voice, the material is pretty strong, and the backing band plays with feeling and conviction... In addition to Peacock on piano, pedal steel player Marcus Welborn adds some sweet licks, as do Tom Phillips and Jim Beecker on guitar. Not classic, by any means, but surprisingly good. (Burns has also recorded a few albums of jazz-vocals material, which might be worth checking out as well...)

Gary Burr "Matters Of The Heart" (Lifesong Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Tim Geelan & Lee Yates)
Originally from Connecticut, singer Gary Burr joined the Top 40 country-rock band Pure Prairie League in the early '80s, taking over for Vince Gill, when Gill started his Nashville career. Burr also made it big in Nashville, becoming a very successful songwriter, with dozens of songs recorded by numerous artists... Before it all, though, came this poppy late '70s album, recorded in New York, before his hitmaking days.

Oscar Burr "Color Me Country" (Lamon Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Carlton Moody & David Moody)
A singer from Laredo, Texas, backed by the Moody Brothers. Burr's not a songwriter but this album seems to showcase some new material, including three songs by Hoot Gibson, with others by Quince White and Jim McCrary, plus a few cover tunes.

Curt Burrell & The Barleen Trio "Country Favorites" (Eve In The Sky Sound, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Randy Miotke)
The family band trio of siblings Barbara, Brenda and Jeff Barleen started out singing in their Kansas hometown, but pursued music professionally after the family moved to Missouri and they became park of the Ozark Mountain country scene. They were bolstered by the addition of singer-fiddler Curt Burrell, who married Barbara and emerged as a solo vocalist. By the time this album was recorded, they had moved to a gig in Estes Park, Colorado, and are joined on the recording sessions by steel player Donny Cook and lead guitar Gary Cook.

Russell Burriss "Just Happen To Have It Along" (Rustler Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Ray Peters & Ron Livingston)
A competitive fiddler who won the Arizona state championship in 1976, '77 and '78. He's joined by fellow musicians on bass, drums, guitar, piano and steel guitar, so I guess he wasn't that into keeping things hyper-traditional.

Burrito Brothers, The Flying - see artist discography

Burton & Honeyman "Two Of A Kind" (Condor Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Michael Melford)
The first album by the Canadian duo of Dave Burton and Gord Honeyman, who came out of the Toronto-area folk scene and made some waves on the northern Country charts. Their first single yielded their biggest hit, with "Christopher Mary" topping the charts at #1 in 1977... Subsequent singles charted lower and lower, though, with the group disbanding not long after recording their second album.

Burton & Honeyman "Burton & Honeyman" (Condor Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Bob Barnhill & Lonnie Salazar)
Their second album was produced in Nashville and gave them a sprinkling of back-fortyish singles on the Canadian Country charts. Most of the songs are originals by the duo -- they also cover a song by Kenny (Sauron) Rogers ("We Don't Make Love Anymore"), but we'll forgive them... it was the 'Seventies, after all.

Billy Luke Burton "The Search Is Over" (Outlaw Records, 1981)
(Produced by Gary Vandy)
This record has an odd, and probably apocryphal, back story: singer Billy Luke Burton was originally from Miami, Florida, but seems to have been living in Nashville when this album was made... He landed in the orbit of Chance Martin, a Nashville/outlaw scene insider who worked as Johnny Cash's roadie and as a professional cue-card holder to the stars. Trying his hand at management, Martin took Burton on as a client and got a deal to make an album. Supposedly, though, the record was bankrolled by gangsters and Martin tells the tale about how they sent a mob enforcer to pressure him into finishing the project (which probably was being used as a tax dodge or to launder some money...) I dunno if any of that is true or not, but that's the legend. Regardless, it's worth noting that the Chance Martin tracks are versions of songs that also appeared on his now-infamous avant-country album, In Search, which is alluded to in the title of this disc. The studio crew included Andy Eder on pedal steel and the Rhodes-Chalmers-Rhodes vocal trio singing backup -- of course, Burton never cracked into the bigtime, but like many others he sojourned to Music City to make his grab for the big brass ring.

Danny Burton "Danny Burton & The City Limits" (Rite Records, 1980) (LP)
A longtime session player and producer for the Cincinnati-based Rite Records custom label powerhouse, pianist Danny Burton had a performing career dating back to the early 'Sixties, including both secular material and extensive work with his family gospel band, The Burtons. He recorded sparingly as a solo artist but played piano and bass on countless private-label albums as part of the Rite Records house band. This album is a real potpourri of his stylistic versatility, showcasing pop, gospel, novelty numbers and contemporary AOR, as well as genuine country stuff, like "He Stopped Loving Her Today," "Statue Of A Fool" and "Till I Can Make It On My Own." Seventies kitsch aficionados may enjoy his version of "I Love The Nite Life," and may even want to track down the single that preceded this album, a 1979 version of "I've Got The Music In Me."

Gary Burton "Tennessee Firebird" (RCA Victor, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Chet Atkins, Jim Malloy & Brad McEuen)
Jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton hoofed it down to Nashville -- along with drummer Roy Haynes, saxophonist Steve Marcus and bass player Steve Swallow -- to cut this quasi-hip jazz-twang crossover set, with help from the Music City elite, starting with RCA grandmaster Chet Atkins, as well as Kenny Buttrey (drums), Jimmy Colvard (guitar), Ray Edenton (guitar), Buddy Emmons (steel guitar), Grady Martin (guitar), Charlie McCoy (harmonica), Buddy Spicher (fiddle), and Hank Strzelecki on bass, and bluegrass siblings Bobby Osborne on mandolin and Sonny Osborne pickin' banjo. The repertoire is heavy on country oldies, along with a couple of Dylan tunes and a few Gary Burton originals, "Beauty Contest," "Walter L," and the title track, "Tennessee Firebird." To be honest, even though I'm kind of a Gary Burton fan, I'm not sure most of this album really gels, and much of it has an unfocussed, disconnected feel. Several of the more cohesive tracks lapse into an easy listening vibe, and the Dylan tunes (particularly "I Want You") sound a bit trite. The only songs to really find a decent country feel are his version of the Bob Wills standard, "Faded Love" (mostly because Burton lays back and lets Buddy Spicher take the spotlight) and the banjo-driven title track, which is played as an uptempo pop-country novelty number. Burton's other compositions are a mixed bag: "Walter L" is the album's strongest track, a groovy, bluesy jam between the jazz guys and Charlie McCoy (presumably a tribute to bluesman Walter Horton) while "Beauty Contest" is a directionless nod towards the free jazz movement which never really gathers steam, and quickly fades away. Similarly, a spooky, sideways cover of Hank Williams' "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" starts out with great allure, but remains unfocussed and slowly peters out... I can imagine some of the session's innovative tonality being re-explored by more contemporary jazz players, but as for this actual album, Burton kinda dropped the ball.

Pat Burton "We've Been Waiting For This" (Flying Fish Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Michael Melford)
This was one of the earliest releases on the Flying Fish label, an eclectic, freewheeling doozy of a bluegrass-indiebilly album featuring Illinois-born singer-guitarist Pat Burton and a bunch of his pals. These included fiddler Vassar Clements, mandolinist Michael Melford, two of the surviving Bray Brothers -- Harley Bray on banjo and Francis Bray on bass -- and alt-twang ringleader John Hartford singing and playing a little bit of everything as well. Burton had been hanging around with and playing bands with these guys for years, since the mid-1950s, and is probably best remembered for his work with Hartford, particularly on the Slumberin' On The Cumberland album, and he shows a lot of the same self-effacing, good-natured sense of humor and genre-busting musical virtuosity. The album kicks off with the half-rueful "Hit Song," a novelty song that speaks for the legions of talented living room pickers who will never hit the bigtime, as well as "Ode To Country Music," which further elaborates Burton's love of good, old-fashioned twang. He wrote half the songs on here, including "Jane Russell No. 3" and "Jane Russell No.11," and on the rest of the record dips liberally into old-timey music and traditional country, with some sweet tunes by the likes of Bradley Kincaid, Hank Snow, Lester Flatt and Hank Thompson. Clements gets a chance to shine on a cover of Thompson's "The Older The Violin, The Sweeter The Music," and Burton ends the album with some truly fine gospel singing with a gospel that included Harley and Shela Bray, on a nice version of "Heaven's Light Is Shining." Apparently this was the only album Burton released under his own name, although he got equal billing with Hartford and Martin on the Cumberland album, and he jammed with a lot of artists over the years. If you see this one, pick it up -- it's pretty fun!

Bill Busby "Texas, Home Sweet Home" (1983-?) (LP)
Self-released early 'Eighties neotrad honkytonk from a fairly obscure artist out of Crosby, Texas, a small suburb just east of Houston... William Busby was active in local rodeo events dating back to his school days in the early 1970s, and eventually became the proprietor of the Crosby Fair And Rodeo, where he served as an emcee, auctioneer and entertainer. He also led a band called the Lone Star Express, though I'm not sure how intensively he pursued his musical career... There was a flurry of show announcements in the local papers around 1983-84, which is probably around the time he recorded this album. Mr. Busby wrote about half the songs on this album, and also covered pop and top country hits by the likes of Mel Tillis, Sam Cooke, and the Beatles. No info on the band backing him... though any clues are welcome!

Frankie Bush "I'd Rather Live In Dreams" (Bush Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Larry McCoy & Bernie Vaughn)
Originally from Minnesota, singer Frankie Bush (1955-2009) had a near-lifelong struggle with crippling scoliosis, which he developed in childhood, after doctors missed early warning signs. Surmounting his disabilities, Bush forged a career in music, first in secular country and then in gospel. He met the legendary Johnny Cash in 1975 when Cash invited him to perform with him at a show in the Twin Cities; the two hit it off, and Bush infrequently appeared with the Cash road show for several years thereafter. In the '80s, he devoted himself to religious music, and joined the Rev. Billy Graham's crusades. I believe this was his first album, recorded with top Nashville session players such as Greg Galbraith, Sonny Garrish, as well as the Cates Sisters as backup singers... Johnny Cash chimes in with a brief liner note testimonial.

Frankie Bush "Please Wait For Me" (Burning Bush Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Peterson)

Bustin' Loose "Bustin' Loose" (CIS International, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Messick)
A twangy, uptempo southern rock band from Spirit Lake, Idaho, near Spokane, Washington... The quartet featured principal songwriter Pat Coast on guitar and vocals, Ed Cann (drums), Larry Laws (bass), and Gene Repp on guitar and vocals. They had a twin-guitar sound derived from folks like Lynyrd Skynyrd or the Marshall Tucker Band, though these guys leap from a more controlled redneck rock sound into a more frantic, note-happy style at the drop of a hat, with manic guitar solos that sound kinda power-poppy and less country based. Mostly it's too manic for me, although a few tracks are slightly more subtle, like the wistful "I'm Missin' You," which I'd consider an album highlight. Pat Coast seems to have been the band's driving force, and later pursued a solo career, carving out a reputation as a blues guitarist, while also delving into country/folk/Americana material. This isn't a very subtle record, but it's worth a spin.

Bob Butler & The DJs "In Nashville" (Nashville North Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Hillous Buttrey)
An ambitious local group from Adrian, Michigan, in the southern end of the state, featuring a slew of original material mostly composed by lead singer Bob Butler, along with several tracks co-written with Elizabeth Smith, and only one cover song, Mack Vickery's "Baltimore," to round things out. The band included Bob Butler on organ and piano, Ellie Pipkins (lead guitar), and Danny Sell (bass and drums), though this set was recorded in Nashville with the Bobby Harden singers providing backing vocals and presumably a whole slew of Music City pros filling out the sound. There's no date on the disc, but the liner notes mention the band's fan club being founded in January, 1974, which is so specific I'd guess that this record came out sometime later that year.

The Butler Brothers "Country The Way We Like It" (Programme Audio, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by David Scott)
Country and country gospel covers by ultra-obscuro bluegrassin' brothers Homer and Jerry Butler, who sang stuff like Sonny Throckmorton's "Middle Age Crazy," Ronnie Milsap's "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends," and Dolly Parton's "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," as well as some Southern gospel like "Just For A Day" by the Rambos. This album was recorded at Programme Audio studios in Greenfield, Indiana, though Homer Butler's mailing address was in Proctor, West Virginia.

The Butler Brothers "Uncle Joe" (Programme Audio, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Tim Padrick & David Scott)

The Butler County Ramblers "An Old Love Affair" (Sunrise Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by William M. Jones)
This is one of the small handful of records I've come across that -- amazingly -- have no online history, nothing on Google, no local newspaper stories, no mentions of the band anywhere. So, not a ton of information about this one. The Ramblers were an amateur band from Hamilton, Ohio, led by twenty-eight year old vocalist Margie Ann Breedlove (d. 1948-2008) who the liner notes said had been singing publicly since she was nine. She's joined by her brother, James Breedlove on drums, along with Jack Bates (age 20) on bass, and brothers Bobby Thompson (lead guitar, 20) and Doug Thompson (rhythm guitar, 14). And, yes, this is one of those records where they give the ages of all the kids involved, which contributes to the album's considerable charm. Clearly the most accomplished member of the group, Ms. Breedlove brought more life experience and more confidence to her vocals, giving a slight hint of Wanda Jackson-style ruggedness; in contrast the male vocals are often callow and self-conscious, sounding very much like some skinny teenage boys. Personally, though, I find all the album's rough edges immensely appealing -- this is a "real people" record of the best kind. The guitar picking is competent though not overly flashy, dutifully working through the album's many cover songs, but with a sweet tone and palpable sincerity. If these guys played live gigs, I couldn't find any record of it; there was no mention of music in Margie Breedlove's brief obituary. Also worth noting, Sunrise Records was one of several labels owned by Hamilton's William M. Jones, who usually worked with bluegrass and gospel artists, but had a few straight country artists in his orbit as well...

Irene Butler "The Country Spirit Of Irene Butler" (Capilano Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jake Doell & Al Reusch)

Larry Butler "Searchin' For Gold" (Three "3" Star Productions, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Greenhill, Bobby Arnold & Bobby Whitten)
Not to be confused with the Top Forty producer who worked with Kenny (Sauron) Rogers, this native of Belton, Texas is hard-country, through and through. Butler is perhaps best known for the legendary tale of how he gave young, down-and-out Willie Nelson his first gig in the Lone Star state -- Willie was on his way to Nashville, but kind of a little broke, so he offered to sell Butler several of his songs for ten bucks apiece. Butler declined to rip the poor kid off, and instead loaned him some cash and offered him a job playing bass in his band. They were pretty tight ever since. Willie performs on this album, and they've made several records together over the years, including a Hank Williams tribute album. All but two of the songs on here are Larry Butler originals, and the band are all locals as well... and did I mention Willie Nelson is on here, too? Well, he is!

Butterfield Stage Line "Butterfield Stage Line" (Crimson Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Henry M. Quinn & Maynard Smith)
This trio from Downey, California played a mix of oldies and twang, including a hefty dose of original material credited to all three musicians, Buddy Banks (drums), Maynard Smith (lead guitar), and Coy Williams on bass. They took their name from a historic though short-lived stagecoach line that ran on a southern route from Saint Louis to San Francisco (with stops in Los Angeles, of course...) between 1858-61. The trio also released several singles, also on the Crimson label; other than this handful of records, I couldn't find anything else out about these guys...

The (Original) Buzzard Band "Treat You Mean" (Condor Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Chuck Reynolds)
Southern rock... from Canada? Sure... why not. Most of the country is south of something...

Rick Byars "Fallin' In Love Everyday" (Merrell Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Rick Byars, Eddie B. Barlow & Warren Dennis)
Archetypal Northern California/Bay Area folkie stuff, from a singer-guitarist who was in Kate Wolf's original backing band, Wildwood Flower, and performed on her second and third albums. An able accompanist, Byars also was a prolific songwriter, penning all but one of the songs on this disc, and also played in a Sonoma County trio called Lazy Bones, along with dobro player Eddie B. Barlow and guitarist Peter Brooks, who formed the core of the group on this album. Although there's a hint of Byars' twangier Texas country roots, the music quickly settles into the gentle, pastoral poetics known to Wolf's ardent fans. She sings harmony on four songs, including way in the background as a member of the "Stanislaus Chorus"; also noteworthy is the lead guitar and mandolin picking of Nina Gerber, another stalwart of the Wildwood Flower ensemble, who plays on several tracks. Overall, this is pretty gooey, dewy, touchie-feelie stuff: if you like the Kate Wolf sound, you ought to dig this as well.

Brenda Byers - see artist discography

Billy Byrd "I Love A Guitar" (Warner Brothers, 1959) (LP)
A veteran of the Grand Ole Opry and the Louisiana Hayride, guitarist Billy Byrd famously backed Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb, helping define the sound of 'Fifties honkytonk while playing on a bunch of hit records. Byrd worked as a Nashville session picker, though he also indulged a love of jazz guitar, and identified himself as a fan of Benny Goodman's sideman, electric guitar pioneer Charlie Christian. Byrd stretched out a bit on these solo recordings, though his boss, Mr. Tubb, adds a laudatory blurb on the back and the liner notes are mostly pitched towards country fans. No producer or musician credits, alas.

Billy Byrd "Lonesome Country Songs: Play It, Billy Byrd" (Reprise Records, 1961) (LP)
(Produced by Chuck Ingle)

Billy Byrd "Gospel Guitar" (Scripture Records, 19--?) (LP)

Buster Byrd & The Studio South Band "Panama City Nights" (Southwind Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Howard Lovett)
Despite the Panama City reference in the title, this group was from Georgia, with their album recorded in Dublin, GA... The band includes keyboardist/guitarist Steve Rogers, banjo plunker Trent Howard, steel player Gary DiBenedeto, and guitar picker George Miles... Their repertoire was mostly original material, with songs written by Byrd, Rogers, and others, with tunes including "Good Ol' Fashioned Cowgirl," "Hooked On Country Music," "Bury Me Face Down" and "Love Is Filled With Emotion." There were a few cover tunes, too, including Smokey Robinson's "My Girl" and Bobby Womack's "I Used To Love Her" (both probably by way of the Stones) and one by Stephen Bishop, along with not one -- but two -- songs about Panama City, both written by Steve Rogers.

Robert Byrd "U.S. Senator Robert Byrd: Mountain Fiddler" (Rebel Records, 1978/2010)
(Produced by Barry Poss)
A much-welcome reissue of Senator Robert Byrd's 1978 bluegrass album, a fine set of authentic West Virginia Americana... And, yes, it's that Robert Byrd, the eminent congressional leader who gradually shifted his politics from ardent segregationism to support of various civil rights measures, and who ended his career as the longest-serving member of the United States Senate. Byrd was an avid amateur fiddler, and liked to break out the bow at political rallies and social functions. This album was, admittedly, a bit of a vanity project, but it's still pretty fun. The Senator's style is pretty ragged, more old-timey than bluegrass, although he finds strong and sympathetic backing from guitarist Doyle Lawson and his cohort, James Bailey and Spider Gilliam. It's an engaging, vivacious performance, and certainly an interesting historical footnote. And way better than any of those novelty songs that Orrin Hatch wrote, that's for sure.

The Byrds "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" (Columbia Records, 1968)
(Produced by Gary Usher)

The Byrds "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" (Columbia Records, 1968)
(Produced by Gary Usher)
Often referred to as the first "official" country-rock album, though there are other claimants to the throne... Really, it was simply a masterful country album, recorded by a super-famous rock band. As the story goes, stonerbilly bad boy Gram Parsons more or less muscled his way into LA's then-ascendant folk-rock band, and swiftly remade them into Nudie suit-wearing space cowboy, hippie-billies... which is to say, into his band. Naturally, there was resentment within the group, and Parsons was eventually given the boot, but not before they made this wonderful, landmark album. Gram provided most of the arrangements and repertoire, including his own classic ballad, "Hickory Wind," as well as oldies such as the Louvin's "Christian Life." Because he was under contract to another label, though, the producers at Columbia stripped Parsons' vocal tracks off the album, and replaced them with lead vocals by Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman. Recent CD reissues have gone back and (partially) re-created the album as it was originally recorded.

The Byrds "Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde" (Columbia Records, 1969)
(Produced by Bob Johnson)

The Byrds "Ballad Of Easy Rider" (Columbia Records, 1969)
(Produced by Terry Melcher)

Hick Music Index