PRE-WAR WESTERN SWING Vol. 2 – Rare Radio Broadcasts. BACM CD 619

The name will be unfamiliar to many but Curley was one of the star vocalists with the Ranch Boys, a western trio who achieved enormous popularity back in the 1930s, singing and acting their parts in the widely syndicated “Pinto Pete & his Ranch Boys” radio shows. (Veteran singer Wade Lane played the foreman and the Ranch Boys played his hands). BACM have already issued two CDs of Ranch Boys songs and this new collection showcases early (1933-34) Pinto Pete & his Ranch Boys excerpts focusing especially on ones where Curley sings solo. Quoting from Kevin Coffey's liner notes: “Although he was a consummate group singer, he had a beautiful solo voice, could yodel with the best, and also had a real feel for the blues." Includes a dozen superb renditions of classic Jimmie Rodgers songs.

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A second set of RUDY SOOTER recordings, mainly focussing on Sooter’s early recordings (1938-41). A nice variety of styles - western songs, humour/novelty numbers and swinging instrumentals. Musicians include fiddler Spade Cooley and electric guitar pioneer Curly Hoeg and several members of the Beverley Hillbillies including their lead singer Ezra Paulette and guitar-mandolinist Speed Hansen. Storybook Cowboy contains a playful jab at Sooter’s friend Bob Nolan, a former lifeguard “I’m a Storybook Cowboy from down on the beach. I write about cattle and such”). BACM’s 670th CD release.

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Best known for his songwriting skills (Tennessee Waltz, Bonaparte's Retreat and You Belong To Me) and his partnership with bandleader Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart was a talented musician (fiddle, banjo and piano) and versatile vocalist, pitch perfect and equally at home on country weepies and more upbeat numbers. Our collection focuses mainly on his 1949-51 recordings on the King label plus a few later RCA and Do-Re-Mi label recordings. On most tracks the backing is credited as Kentucky Colonels, apparently comprised of members of his long term backing group The Golden West Cowboys but not named for contractual reasons. An enjoyable hour of fine note-perfect early-50s country listening.

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Rex Griffin was one of the most talented singer/songwriter/guitarists of his era and a fine yodeller whose career was tragically cut short by ill health. Several of his compositions became country standards including Just Call Me Lonesome (Jim Reeves, Ernest Tubb,Elvis Presley), Everybody’s Tryin’ To Be My Baby (Carl Perkins, The Beatles both of who bizarrely gave Perkins the songwriting credit) and the extensively covered The Last Letter, recorded by everyone from Jimmie Davis to Willie Nelson. A few years back Bear Family put out a superb box set with all his studio recordings plus bonus tracks from son Buddy, also a fine musician. For our compilation we are focussing on his Decca recordings from the 1930s as we have them all here in the BACM archive on 78 rpm. They include a couple of tracks from his very first session (1935) as well as his original cut of The Last Letter and a fine version of Rodgers’ Sweet Mama Hurry Home. Ernest Tubb’s liner notes on his album of Griffin songs included these words: “Not only did Rex write many great songs but in my opinion his singing was second only to Jimmie Rodgers” – we agree!

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Another treat for hard core Western Swing fans. A collection of live recordings culled from various sections of radio and TV programmes broadcast during the early 1950s as well as some direct dance hall tapings. Thanks are due to musicologist Kevin Coffey for putting this together including the research and liner notes. Highlights include Hoyle Nix’s live version of Big Balls In Cowtown (his studio version was on BACM CD 453) and three TV recordings from Texas Jim Lewis. The sound quality is not up to that of commercial recordings but we do think it captures well the atmosphere of the dance halls & beer joints of the day.

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Following the 2016 release of Vol. 1, BACM delves again into radio broadcasts made by western swing, cowboy and country jazz line-ups of the pre-WWII era. The recordings range roughly from winter 1933-34 through 1942. Many of the performers featured are far from household names, some downright obscure. The best known is surely Pee Wee King, captured in telling early performances from the Grand Ole Opry, and there are performances from other notables like Rex Griffin, Wiley & Gene and The Ranch Boys.

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This third volume spans the 1940s, recordings for the Decca and Exclusive labels following Texas Jim's move from Texas to California. Collaborators on these recordings include a young Cindy Walker who went on to become a songwriter legend and Spade Cooley providing session fiddle prior to starting his own band in 1942. Nice mix of songs and styles including Western Swing and novelty tunes, the latter featuring Lewis playing the Hootinannie – a contraption that incorporated bells, percussion and horns!

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One of the most accomplished, talented cowboy groups of their era – here another 28 tracks, recordings from the mid 1930s – a mix of studio recordings and radio transcriptions including 10 rare tracks from the ‘Pinto Pete & His Ranch Boys shows. Thanks to Kevin Coffey for the research and liner notes (this and the Night Owls). A follow up to our popular Ranch Boys “Songs of the Plains” CD (BACM 12).

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