This is a resolutely incomplete, non-definitive guide to British (and Irish) country music, or at least the small sliver of it visible to me, here in the distant American colonies. There have been an awful lot of UK (and Irish) twangbands, dating back many decades, and many remain quite obscure, even on the isles. But I will keep banging away and tracking down as many artists as I can find. As always, any helpful comments, corrections and suggestions are welcome.
This page covers Compilation Albums
Various Artists "BRITISH COUNTRY HARVEST" (White Rabbit Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Steve White & Kevin Phillipson)
A set of early '80s indie twang, recorded at White Trax Studios, located in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and at Broom Studio, in nearby Watford. The artists include folks such as Blazing Saddles, Bromford Country, Buckboard, Chris Dale, Pete Harding, Maria O'Brien & Flicka, The Rendells, Lynne Turner, Van De Hooge Country Curative, and Dave Vernon ... Other than a stray single or two, most of these folks only seem to have recorded on this album, with Dave Vernon being the exception: he put out a full album of original material in 1985, though it's worth noting that the song he contributes here, "I'll Never Find Another You," was not also included on that LP.
Various Artists "BRITAIN'S THIRD COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL" (Allegro Records, 1968) (LP)
A late-'Sixties series showcasing a number of otherwise obscure British twangsters, as well as a few who had national profiles. I'm not sure if the country festival of the album's title was a real event, though I assume it was... This volume includes artists such as the duo of Pete Stanley and Brian Golbey, Billy Harris, The Morriss Boys String Band, The Muskrats, David Plane, The Rhythm Ranchers, steel guitarist Pete Willsher, and singer Houston Wells. Most of these were already (or soon became) established recording artists, and released numerous other albums under their own names.
Various Artists "FOURTH FOLK VOICE COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL" (Saga Records, 1969) (LP)
The liner notes proclaim this album to have been "recorded 'live' at Islington Town Hall," and it may have been a continuation of the compilation series on Allegro records, with some artists in common with the third volume (see above) and a similar mix of country and bluegrass performers. The set features tracks by Brian Chalker, The Cumberland Echoes, The Down County Boys, Little Ginny, Marty & Christine, the Morriss Boys String Band, Dave Plane, the duo of Jack Fletcher and Mike Bullin. Perhaps most noteworthy was The Pinewood Valley Boys, which notably included bassist Dave Pegg, who had recently departed from the Ian Campbell Folk Group, and was about to join the folk-rock powerhouse Fairport Convention. How's that for a little Brit-twang back story!?
Various Artists "IPSWICH COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC CLUB" (1986) (LP)
A real obscurity here, with music by various British twangsters associated with Suffolk, England's country auteur Jock "Slim" Albins, and his group the Sundowners, who are included on this album. A mix of heartsongs, honkytonk and would-be countrypolitan, from some earnest Brits who gave country music the same sort of sincere devotion as others would give to Morris dancing and folk-trad.
Various Artists "IRELAND'S COUNTRY QUEENS" (Homespun Records, 1983) (LP)
With Philomena Begley, Ann Breen, Margo, and others...
Various Artists "UK NEW COUNTRY, v.1" (Barge Records, 19--?) (LP)
A sampler with Ben Rees, Stroller Harvey, Iona & Andy and White Line Fever...
Various Artists "UP COUNTRY: FROM THE RADIO 2 BROADCASTS" (BBC Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Harding & Dennis O'Keeffe)
Country and folk material originally broadcast on the Beeb... The artists include The Down County Boys, The Lorne Gibson Trio, The Roger James Group, and a band called Redwood. This material was later repackaged on a double LP released in France, and oddly shoehorned in with an album's worth of music by The Glaser Brothers, who were from America. All of these artists released singes or LPs beyond these sessions... Both the Lorne Gibson and Roger James started as British Invasion-era pop bands and might have only cut a few singles; the Lorne Gibson band also included producer-guitarist Steve Vaughan, who played with a number of other country-friendly acts.
