Gerry Ford "These Songs Are Just For You" (Decca/Emerald Records, 1977) (LP)
This is an 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 fair isles. But I'll 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 the Letter "F"
Cal Ford "Cal Ford And The Brakemen" (Cambrian Records, 1978) (LP)
Gerry Ford "These Songs Are Just For You" (Decca/Emerald Records, 1977) (LP)
Gerry Ford "Someone To Give My Love To" (Decca/Emerald Records, 1978) (LP)
The second album by Scottish country crooner Gerry Ford. Recorded at Hydepark Studios, in Belfast, this album features a mix of cover songs and originals, including three penned by Mr. Ford. The backing band includes John Anderson (piano), Denis Forbes (bass), Alan Macartney (guitar), Artie McGlynn (pedal steel), Brendan McGarritty (drums) and backing vocals by Margaret Green and Hilary Shields...
Gerry Ford "On The Road" (Killroy/Big R Records, 1981) (LP)
Jed Ford "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone" (SRT Productions, 1973-?) (LP)
An early '70s(?) English country crooner, from 1980 to 1985 Jed Ford organized the Peterborough Festival of Country Music, a big event which imported American country stars to British shores where they rubbed shoulders with local artists and thrilled their Stetson-sporting fans... I'm not sure how many albums Ford recorded, though this one seems to date from the late '60s and early '70s, with covers of "Mama Tried," "Blue Side Of Lonesome" and "D.I.V.O.R.C.E." and the title track, "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone," which was first a hit for Charley Pride in 1970... No info, though, on who the backing band was on this album... alas!
Jed Ford "I Saw The Light" (Pixie Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jed Ford, Keith Herd & Roy Neave)
An all-gospel set, made up mostly of American gospel standards, as well as some from the country canon, such as Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me Lord" and "I Saw The Light," from the Hank Williams hymnal.
Ken Ford & Billie Ford "With A Touch Of Country And Western" (Cambrian Records, 1970) (LP)
Ken Ford & Billie Ford "Remember The Alamo" (Silver Dollar Records, 19--?) (LP)
Ken Ford & Billie Ford "Stop And Think About Me" (Saddle Records 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Brian P. Cox)
This album includes several Ken Ford originals -- "Back To The Honky Tonk," "Billy Joe," "Stop And Think About Me" and "Time Has Come" -- along with covers of American artists such as Kris Kristofferson and Buck Owens, including recent popular tunes like "Me And Bobby McGee" and "Snowbird." The musicians included Ken Ford (guitar) Ian Aitkin (drums), Glyn Weeks (bass) and Billie Ford on vocals, of course.
Four Card Express "Somewhere Between" (Tank Records, 197--?) (LP)
This band also cut an album with Dave Sheriff, the main producer-arranger for the Tank Records label (see above)...
The Four Ramblers "Legendary Irish Quartet" (BACM, 2006) (LP)
A smooth, slick vocal group from Dublin, Ireland who were frequently showcased on the BBC's western-themed Riders Of The Range radio show, dating back to the early 1950s. Although they sing some distinctly "country" material, songs such as "Buffalo Jail" and "Five Hundred Cattle Gone Astray," most of their repertoire was Irish-themed folk and novelty material, including exaggeratedly ethnic material, modernized traditional ballads and a few really "out there" tracks, such as the "Tipperary Samba." The group's main influence seems to have been the Mills Brothers. The original Four Ramblers lineup was a quintet made up of Tommy Byrne, Dermott Buckley, Paddy Campbell, Jimmy Dolan, and Peter Schaurek; pop singer Val Doonican was also in the group for a while, though he set out on a solo career after actor Anthony Newley spotted him in the band when they backed him on a 'Fifties road show. Lots of tenor vocals and very fine harmonies, though not necessarily all that much twang.
Free Spirit "Morning After The Night Before" (Eagle/Free Spirit Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Stu Stevens)
A country-rock duo from "North England," Free Spirit centered around singer-guitarist Mike Mills and drummer-bassist C. J. Bradley, and later expanded to include more members. This was their debut disc, which tilts int he direction of American outlaw country, with covers of oldies by Waylon Jennings, Mickey Newbury and Steve Young, along with three(!) tunes written by David Allan Coe. Indeed, it's the more mainstream stuff that stands out, such as a curious cover of the early 'Seventies Tommy Cash hit, "Six White Horses"; also noteworthy is the title track, "Morning After The Night Before," which was penned by songwriter Oskar Solomon, who had a string tunes recorded by folks such as Wendel Adkins, Susie Allanson, Hank Williams Jr., as well as the British band, Poacher.
Free Spirit "Sayin' What's To Say" (MIJ Records, 1982) (LP)
Mostly country covers, with a definite tilt towards the outlaw end of the spectrum. I'm not entirely sure where the Free Spirit lads were from: there's a fan club address in the Manchester suburb of Worsley, Lancashire, while the album was recorded at Box Studios, in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, near Leeds. The musicians included lead singer Mike Mills, along with American steel player Terry Bethel (a veteran of Mel Tillis's band), C. J .Bradley (bass and mandolin), Bill Clarke (lead guitar and dobro), Stan Chase (guitar), John Firminger (drums), Pete Haywood (steel guitar), and Gill Young on harmony vocals. Several of these pickers played in other bands over the years, notably American-born steel player Terry Bethel (1938-2019) who was a longtime member of Mel Tillis' backing band, The Statesiders, and Pete Haywood, who previously had worked for UK country gal Jeannie Denver. Free Spirit bandleader Mike Mills contributes one original song, called "Break Up," while most of the album features covers of alt-ish American artists such as Jimmy Buffett, Guy Clark, Lee Clayton and Steve Young, as well as more mainstream country stars like David Allan Coe, Conway Twitty and Hank Williams, Jr.
Frisco "Live Country" (Country Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Des Dolan, Roger Wilkinson & Derek Chandler)
This shaggy-haired British twangband includes Slim Pickens on steel guitar, fiddle and vocals; Bob Newman (vocals and guitar), Tony Carr (drums) and Frank McCarthy (bass) along with some guest pickers on various tracks. Although the musicians look semi-hippie-ish, the repertoire is pretty old-school, with covers of hits and oldies such as "Peach Pickin Time In Georgia," "Slewfoot," and "I Won't Go Huntin' With You Jake," as well as a version of "Shelley's Winter Love."
Frisco "On The Road From Phoenix To Frisco" (GWR Records, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by C. R. C. Thomas, Peter King & Geoff Payne)
Apparently a completely different band than the group listed above, this was a Welsh band whose three official members -- John Elias (rhythm guitar), Clive Thomas (bass), and Frank Bloomfield (pedal steel) -- were all formerly in a band called Phoenix, which had broken up a decade earlier... They get some help on lead guitar, mandolin, banjo and fiddle from various and sundry friends, and two songs are credited to Clive Courtenay, who is not credited as a musician, although he did autograph the copy of the album I've laid eyes on...(?) The other songs are covers of well-known country classics, including a version of Dick Feller's "Some Days Are Diamonds," which is a big plus as far as I'm concerned (even if they did get his name wrong in the liner notes...)
Raymond Froggatt "Cold As A Landlord's Heart" (Castle, 2003)
Here's an odd one. In the mid-1970s, English rocker Raymond Froggatt was instructed by his label to "go country," presumably because his spacy psychedelic meanderings weren't selling well... As Froggatt confesses, he didn't have any innate interest in country music, or much experience playing it, but he did as he was told, and the results were quite nice. In 1978 he went to Nashville to record Southern Fried Frog, an album that has become a minor cult classic of British alt-country... I didn't have high expectations for this 2-CD set -- which includes copious examples of both his rock and 'billy sides -- but I picked it up on a lark, and now I am quite delighted at the discovery. To his credit, Froggatt took the work seriously, and discovered what many rockers fail to recognize: country is an exacting art form, one that demands real craftsmanship and feeling, both of which he was able to develop as he explored the format. While there are few outright "classics" on here, several songs snuck up on me, and are tunes that would work well in sets of either classic or alternative twang. The rock stuff is a little less enthralling, but if you wanted to give this guy a fair shake, this collection will really fill the bill. Worth checking out.
Raymond Froggatt "Stay With Me" (Mervyn Conn Presents, 1980) (LP)
Raymond Froggatt "Warm And Special Love" (Accord Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Butler)
Frog (Raymond Froggatt) "Sooner Or Later" (Toad Records, 1982)
(Produced by Robin George)
