Jim MacNab "Crystal Chandeliers" (Klub Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Harry Barry & Stuart Jeffrey)

The Maple Leaf Four "Home On The Range" (Embassy Records, 1961) (LP)

Margo "Country Lovin' " (EMI/One Up Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Barratt)

The Marshalls "Born In The Country" (EMI-Talisman Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Bryce Laing & Billy Lyall)
An odd, slightly ungainly album... not country, really, but one of those weird early 'Seventies folk amalgams that came out after the 'Sixties folk revival hit its saturation point, and artists who had previously prized purist "authenticity" started looking for new creative pathways. I'm not sure The Marshalls -- brothers Bill and Jack Marshall -- really fit into that model, since they claim in their liner notes that they were originally jazz musicians, but this record certainly sounds similar to contemporary albums by folks such as Eric Andersen, Keith Sykes, Mark Spoelstra, et.al. who were trying to incorporate more rock and country motifs into their work, while still not "selling out." A lot of it feels forced, sometimes clumsy, a bit tentative, and yet you can be fascinated by the efforts being made, even if the results aren't quite entrancing. Which isn't to say this is a "bad" record... It's pretty listenable and sincere, just, kind of, a little disjointed, stylistically speaking. In addition to the two brothers, the band included Charlie Cowie (fiddle), Billy Lyall (keyboards and flute), Allan Pratt (drums) and bassist Ian Warrack, players who mostly seem to have been from Scotland, or elsewhere in the North. These musicians had varying degrees of involvement in the UK's wider pop and folk scenes: notably, drummer Allan Pratt worked fairly extensively as a studio musician, while producer Billy Lyall later recorded his own solo album later in the decade, and Charlie Cowie cut an album of traditional dance music for the Lismor label in Glasgow. Not sure what became of the Marshall brothers, though: any info out there?

Mary & The Hollybrooks "The First Time" (1980) (LP)

Johnny Mason & The Tennessee Three "Jersey Island Of Dreams" (Spectrum Sound Studio, 1976-?) (LP)
(Produced by P. A. Bertram)

The Maxwells "Country Style, v.2" (SRT Records, 1979) (LP)

Frankie McBride "Ireland's Frankie McBride" (London Records, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Scott)
Blechh. One of those horrible, schmaltzy, lethargic orchestral pop albums of the Nashville Sound era -- country songs recorded without any hint of twang, bang, or soul. Baritone Frankie McBride hailed from the town of Omagh, in County Clare, though he sheds any hint of a brogue in his pursuit of the blandest American accent imaginable. This was his first album, sung very much in the style of contemporary Nashville crooners such as Eddy Arnold, Ernie Ford, or Ferlin Husky -- and I don't mean that as a compliment. The set list includes several songs by Bill Anderson, a couple of songs associated with Johnny Cash, and one by Gordon Lightfoot. A couple of tracks may have been introduced on this album, "Do You Mind (If I Leave You Sleeping)" and "Don't Make Me Go," which may have been written by producer Tommy Scott. Anyway, I get that this gooey, sleepy style was in vogue at the time, but it sure is boring. Oh, well. A couple of half-interesting tracks, but nothing to write home about.

Frankie McBride "Real Smooth Country" (Emerald Records, 1971) (LP)

Lyn McCarthy & Graham McCarthy "When I Consider" (Nashville International, 1972) (LP)

Johnny McEvoy "Goes Country" (Pickwick Records, 19--?) (LP)

Billy McFarland "Golden Guitar" (Outlet Records, 197-?) (LP)

Billy McFarland "Hobo Bill" (Outlet Records, 197-?) (LP)

Billy McFarland "Country And Irish" (Hawk Records, 1990) (LP)
(Produced by Mudd Wallace)

Wes McGhee - see artist discography

The Medicine Bow "Country Tonic From The Medicine Bow" (Lucky Records, 197-?) (LP)

Ray Merrill "Country Sunshine" (Line Records, 197-?) (LP)
Mr. Merrill was a lounge singer who worked mostly on cruise ships and in pubs... He favored slower songs, particularly by country crooners such as Ray Price, Jim Reeves and Charlie Rich... This disc includes soft-country covers of songs such as "Behind Closed Doors," "Snowbird," "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and "Wichita Lineman."

Ray Merrill "Disco Country Style" (President Records, 197-?) (LP)

Ray Merrill "Big Country" (President Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by John Edmed)
Once again, this is a set mostly covering various country crooners, and even recycles several songs from the Country Sunshine album, above, such as his Jim Reeves medley, a version of "Make The World Go Away", "Take Me Home, Country Roads." (I suspect these may even be the same recordings, though I'm not sure...) There are also a couple of original songs, Merrill's own "Movin' On Down To Nashville" and "Big John Wayne," which features lyrics written by his wife, Angela. Alas, none of the musicians backing Mr. Merrill are listed in the liner notes...

Miki & Griff "A Little Bitty Tear: The Pye Anthology" (Castle Records, 2007) (LP)
There are, unfortunately, quite a few records available spotlighting the career of this popular duo... Singers Barbara Macdonald and Emyr Morus Griffith (hailing from Scotland and Wales, respectively) were groundbreaking British country artists, helping popularize American twang during the 1950s and '60s. But, geez, they were a bit dull. Proteges of skiffle star Lonnie Donegan, they performed on variety programs and broke through as country singers in the late 'Fifties. She's okay, though he sounds a little too much like Burl Ives for me... I suppose, though, that if back stateside we had folks bland crooners like Tennessee Ernie Ford and Margaret Whiting smooshing together country and pop, the Brits could have these two. This 2-CD collection covers their work for the Pye label, spanning the 1950s, '60s and '70s and is about as good a representation of their work as you can find... Tons of cover songs, but some original material as well.

Miki & Griff "A Little Bitty Tear" (Hallmark Records, 19--?) (LP)
A modest collection of earlier material from 1959-62... I suppose this may have been their golden era, but I thought it was pretty snoozy.

John Miller "Popping Pills" (Shoeshine Records, 2002)
On his solo "debut," Scottish honkytonk singer John Miller of the Glasgow-based Radio Sweethearts band wrote all the songs and delivers them with a simplicity and conviction that infuses each tune with a compelling sweetness and honesty that makes this disc hard to resist. This is particularly true on high-class weepers such as "We Don't Care Anymore" and "Once Too Often Now," that reveal Miller as both a knowledgable devotee of American country, and as a master of the style. His understated delivery, thankfully shorn of the empty brazenness and rowdy affectations that plague the alt.country scene here in the States, may cause his music to fall under the radar of more trendy twang fans, but hey, that's their loss. If you're looking for a well-written, finely crafted, soulful country music album that helps bring the genre forward, then guess what? You should own this album. Miller has a gorgeous voice and golden pen, and wields them both with admirable skill and restraint.

John Miller & His Country Casuals "One Excuse Too Many" (Shoeshine Records, 2007)
(Produced by David Scott & John Miller)

The Miller Brothers "Louisville" (Westwood Recordings, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by David Whiteley)
Near as I can figure, there was only one actual Miller in this UK country band, lead singer Eddie Miller, who also played guitar and mandolin. He's accompanied by lead guitarist Eric Holden, and Jimmy Ryan on bass, and it seems to be just the three of them playing a stripped-down set of standard country fare. There are several Merle Haggard songs, a couple by Kris Kristofferson, a version of "Country Roads," and one by Harlan Howard. Two songs might be originals, the title track, "Louisville," and one called "She's Mine." Apparently they were from Liverpool and performed at a venue called the Whitchurch Country Music Club.

Mary Miller & Saratoga Freeway "On The Road" (Look Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Whitely)
Singer Mary Miller (whose real name was Christine Coupe) hailed from Yorkshire; this album was recorded in Huddlesfield. The band was something of a family affair: she was married to the band's guitarist, Bill Coupe, while the bassist was her brother, Michael Fischer, who was also in a rock band with Marty Wilde. Pedal steel was provided by John Brady, of the band Ho Down

Mississippi Delta "From The Delta To The Wash" (Sweet Folk And Country, 1977) (LP)

Les Mitchell & Country Pride "Whisky" (Tank Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Sheriff & Les Mitchell)

Steve Mitchell "Humberside Country Sound, Volume One" (SRT Productions, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bert Pickering, Ken Pickering & Jim Catchpole)

The Moat Brothers Country Band "Family Reunion" (Guardian Records 'N' Tapes, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Terry Gavaghan)

George Moody & The Country Squires "Country News" (Rifle Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by John Edmed & Ric Boland)

Mick Moon "For My Friends" (Tank Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Sheriff & Monty Bird)

Moonshine Steel "Raw Edges" (Look Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Nick Strutt & David Whiteley)
Not a lot of info about this longhaired country-rock band from Manchester, England... Formed in early 1974, Moonshine Steel included drummer Roger Draper, Vanessa Draper on vocals, Jeff Horne (bass), Brian Holness (guitar and banjo), John Jasnoch (lead guitar, dobro and pedal steel) and producer Nick Strutt adding some guitar and mandolin on a tune or two. Though they had backgrounds in blues, rock and bluegrass bands, the group claimed the recently-departed Gram Parsons as their "greatest inspiration," playing a version of Parsons' classic "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and giving him a shout-out on the back cover. They also covered some folkie stuff by Eric Anderson and Bob Dylan, though most of the songs are originals written by the band. As far as I know, this was their only album.

Van Morrison "Tupelo Honey" (Warner Brothers, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Van Morrison & Ted Templeman)
It's funny, but I think that looking back I got a lot of my love of country music from listening to my big sister play this hippie rock album (and others of the same era) over and over and over when I was a kid. Irish mystic rocker Van Morrison left his R&B band, Them, in the late '60s to pursue a solo career, scoring some big hits on American pop radio, including the manic single off this album, "Wild Night," which was one of a handful of his actual Top 40 songs. More alluring, and more durable perhaps, are the songs off the album's second side where he forged a canny, unprecedented mix of American country, rock and Celtic folk and soul. The title track, "Tupelo Honey," is a gorgeous recording, one of my favorite-ever songs, and is followed, perfectly, by the lilting "I Wanna Roo You," and the rest of this immortal, magical album. Morrison's music was a key building block in the growth of "free-form" FM radio in the '70s and, as I realized years later, an entry point into country twang for an untold number of rock fans. Great stuff.

Mountain Davey & The Cajun Kid "Anglo-American Country Music" (Jade Records, 1982) (LP)

Mountain Line "Mountain Line" (Xtra Records, 197-?) (LP)

Mountain Line "10,000 Horsepower" (Xtra Records, 1975) (LP)

Mountain Line "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke" (Red Rag Records, 1977) (LP)

Roger Mulvihill "Goin' Home" (Tara Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Hughes)
One of the earlier albums from the Dublin-based Tara label, which released classic trad-folk albums by groups such as Planxty, Oisin, Clannad and Stockton's Wing. This disc features a singer-songwriter from Kerry who also dabbled a bit in twang. It's not a strictly "country" album by a long shot -- really more of a mix of contemporary folk and a bit of trad -- but there are a few tracks that help it squeak into this survey, notably covers of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through The Night," and a version of "Take Me Home, Country Roads," though the other songs are Mulvihill's originals. His modest backing band, the delightfully-named Basic Pay, included Pat Moriarty on organ, P. J. Mulvihill on drums, and Pat Donegan on guitar. A bit marginal as far as Irish country stuff goes, but certainly worth a spin.

The Muskrats "The Progressive Country Sounds" (Lucky Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Gordon Smith)

The Muskrats "A Freaky Kind Of Country Rock And Roll Band" (Enterprise Records, 1972) (LP)
This British country-rock quartet was formed in 1969 by bassist Derek "Twiggy" Minton, and gigged around in the UK, Germany and elsewhere on the Continent. On this album, they played a couple of Merle Haggard tunes, along with the inevitable run-throughs of "Proud Mary" and "Me And Bobby McGee," and several other popular country covers. The album also includes three original songs, all co-written by guitarists Terry Allen and Pete Willsher, veterans of the UK's early '60s country scene who toured with the band (and may have played on this album.) These song include the title track, "A Freaky Kind Of Country Rock And Roll Band," as well as "Meanstreak" and "Pretty Girl Jane."

The Muskrats "Muskrats In Harmony" (Chandos Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Brian Couzens)

The Muskrats "The Muskrats" (SRT Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Dave Richardson)

The Muskrats "Insight" (Sweet Folk All Recordings, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Alan Green & Derek Minton)

Mustang "Where To From Here" (Look Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Whiteley & Mustang)

Hick Music Index