Gerry Dean & Margaret McGee & The Lincoln County Boys "By Request" (Tank Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Norman Stagles & Bob Young)
A fine set of sentimental songs and oldies, this is one of the few Tank Records LPs that doesn't feature the house band backing an aspiring singer. The Lincoln Country Boys featured John Eyre on piano, Malcolm Hamilton (pedal steel), Pete Jackson (drums), Gordon Mumby (fiddle), Patrick O'Connor (bass) and Stuart Taylor on lead guitar, with Dean and McGee contributing vocals and some rhythm guitar.
Terry Dean & The Nashville Katz "The Studio Sessions" (2020-?)
(Produced by Phil Birkitt)
Nostalgic later recordings, focussing on 'Fifties rock and twang oldies, and on up to the 'Seventies countrypolitan scene, with a slight nod to Depression-era sentimental era with a version of "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again." Bassist/guitar player/raconteur Terry Dean's name pops up on a lot of UK country records, spanning back to the 1960s. He played in several bands, notably backing a slew of visiting American country stars, as well as British singers such as Jeannie Denver, Little Ginny, Stu Stevens, Frank Yonco, a group called The Mavericks, and many others. He is also a font of knowledge, having posted his own site, Terry Dean's World of Country Music, which, sadly, is one of very few online resources for historical info on UK twang. (Thank you, Mr. Dean!) This was apparently the last album by his group The Nashville Katz, whose core members included drummer/producer Phil Birkitt, steel player Malcolm Hamilton, and bassist Patrick O'Connor, with numerous other moving in and out of the lineup. The group disbanded sometime around 2020.
Jeannie Denver "Yorkshire Rose" (Westwood Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Dusty Gordon, David Whitely & Kelvin Henderson)
One of the most UK's popular country singers of the 1970s, Yorkshire-born Jeannie Denver was a pub singer who "went country" in 1973, joining Kelvin Henderson's band where she quickly stole the show and became a showcase performer. She went solo in '75, recruiting several members of Henderson's ensemble to form the JD Band, including her husband, hotshot guitarist Stewart Barnes. This was her first album, and it leaned heavily on cover songs and current hits such as "Delta Dawn," "Field Of Stone," "Jolene," and "For The Good Times," with obvious nods to American "girl" singers such as Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker.
Jeannie Denver/Various Artists "The Music Festival Show" (Westwood Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Davies & Mike Naylor)
Here, the up-and-coming Denver shares billing with several of her bandmembers and labelmates, British twangsters such as Nick Carter, Lee Williams and steel guitarist Slim Pickins, all packed by her own group, the JD Band.
Jeannie Denver "Queen Of The Silver Dollar" (Westwood Records, 1975) (LP)
Jeannie Denver & Slim Pickens "At The Spur And Saddle" (Westwood Records, 1976) (LP)
Recorded live at the Welsh country music venue, The Spur And Saddle.
Jeannie Denver "With Love" (Westwood Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Davies & Bob Whitely)
Ray Dexter "Alligator River" (Lucky Records, 19--?) (LP)
The first album by English country crooner Ray Dexter, a Hertfordshire lad who got into "cowboy" music and recorded a string of well-regarded albums, notably packed with original material. Like many Brits of his generation, Dexter started out playing in skiffle bands in the late 1950s, though unlike the other kids of that era, he didn't get swept up into Beatlemania and Merseybeat, but rather dug deeper into the American roots traditions of the folk-oriented music of the skiffle scene. Apparently he was backed on this album by a band called the Dynamoes, which included guitarist Albert Lee (who would later make his own mark in the country world, both as a member of the British band Heads Hands & Feet, and perhaps more significantly as a member of the Emmylou Harris Hot Band...)
Ray Dexter "Country Seasons" (Philips/Pine Ridge, 19--?) (LP)
Ray Dexter "Goin' Up Country" (Avenue Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Smith)
An odd, but also rather compelling release from this British country-folk artist. This was his third album and showcases fewer of his original songs, in favor of covers of classics such as "Four Walls," "Faded Love," a funky-cool version of "Solitary Man" a nice reading of "Before The Next Teardrop Falls," and a languid rendition of Neil Young's "Birds." Some songs feature spoken introductions -- with an English accent, immediately dropped when he starts to sing in a Merle Haggard-meets-Jim Reeves rural drawl. The album's three originals are all winners: "Nebraska Sunrise" was re-released as a single in the United States, and "Mississippi Messenger" has perhaps the album's most unique arrangements, and "Your Lovin' Man," while not as distinctive is still a nice solid country ballad. This album was apparently a big hit, selling several hundred thousand copies -- the biggest selling British country record of its time. Unfortunately, the liner notes don't include information about the backup band, but this was a pretty solid effort throughout. Worth tracking down!
Ray Dexter "From Midnight Through 3AM" (Decca/Emerald Gem, 1974) (LP)
Charley Dey "Country Days" (Ross Records, 19--?) (LP)
The Donnettes "Country Now" (Chevron Records, 1979) (LP)
The Down County Boys "About Time Too!" (Westwood Records, 1974) (LP)
The Down County Boys "Live" (Westwood Records, 1975) (LP)
The Down County Boys "Better Times A'Coming" (Tank Records, 197--?) (LP)
The Duffy Bros & Ron Ryan "Massington Flyer" (Buffalo Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Ryan & Bob Tomkins)
A Hank Williams tune and two Johnny Cash oldies are the extent of the cover songs on here -- the rest of the music was written by singer Ron Ryan, a fella who apparently wrote pop songs such as "Because," for The Dave Clark Five. He's backed here by Leo Duffy and Ray Duffy; not sure what their background was... This album was recorded at Beck Studios in Wellingborough, while the Buffal label was based in nearby Lincolnshire.
The Duffy Brothers "The Duffy Brothers" (Marina Records, 1982) (LP)
Carey Duncan "Carey Duncan" (WEA, 1981) (LP)
Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys "Back In Town" (Lucky Records, 197-) (LP)
