Jun 17, 2022
Milton Brown and his Brownies- Down by the Ohio(1935) What an extraordinary voice Brown had. A pioneer of Western swing his career was tragically cut short when he died of injuries sustained in a car crash in 1936. Bob Skyles and the skyrockets- Swing it Mr drummer man(1938). Clifford kendrick on drums. Hoosiers Hot shots- Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia. Seemlessly moving into two tracks from the fabulously named Hell broke out in Georgia LP. First, more great names, Gid Tanner and his Skillet lickers- Don't you cry my honey(1930.) The Swamp rooters- Swamp cat rag(1936) They were led by fiddler Lowe Stokes, a member of the Skillet lickers. We stay with the fiddle but slow it down with The Leake County Revellers- Good night Waltz(1927.) East coast country blues is how the source LP describes the next two tracks. Lottie Kimsbrough and Winston Holmes- Lost Lover Blues(1928) A great track from lesser known artists. I've heard blues and yodelling before but never blues yodelling and birdsong. Fred McMullan and Ruth Mary Willis- Just can't stand it. Little known about these two. Both made a few recordings in the early 30s. McMullan died in the early 60s and was in prison at one point in his life. No further record of Willis's life. Just two examples of artists whose talents were recorded in the 1920s and 30s and then they just disappeared. Meade Lux Lewis- Honky Tonk Train Blues. Jimmy Yancy and Faber Smith- I received a letter. Pine Top Smith- Pine Tops's Boogie Woogie. The first time boogie woogie appears on a record label and is mentioned in a song. Pine Top Smith was a real pioneer who sadly died at the age of 25. A wee excerpt from a rather 'faded' 78rpm featuring a meeting between The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. The two pioneering acts of early country music. Then it's Jimmie solo, not yodelling, with I'm Lonesome too. Back to Britain. To listen to how the US influenced music here. Harry Torrani- Log Cabin Yodel (1932.) Slim Whitman rated Torrani as the best yodeller of all time. He certainly had a sweet spot voice. Incidentally yodelling was introduced in the US by a Swiss group who toured the whole country in the middle of the 19th century. Bob Mallin- Oh they're tough, mighty tough in the west. A very English delivered comic cowboy song from the late 30's. Lonnie Donegan is no stranger to Forgotten songs. Here he sings Don't let the sun go down on me. One of the many blues, folk and traditional songs from the US that he sang. He was a man who loved the very music we play here. We finish with Mugsy Spanier- Lonesome Road. A superb laid back, instrumental version of this popular song that was written in the style of an African American folk song by Nat Skillret and Gene Austin.