04/22/2022
April 21, 2022.
The playlist is chock full of the usual swinging guitars and foot tapping ditties, and then along comes a tribute to someone who really qualifies as "unusual" , the composer and singer Willard Robison, who some have claimed is in fact the creator of the genre known as "Americana", way back in the 1930s!! I decided it was time to shine a light on a brilliant but neglected musician with some of his ancient recordings plus covers by Jack Teagarden and Matt Munisteri.
The songs....
Jerry Byrd - Sweet Corn
Bob Burton- Tired Of Rockin'
Red Foley - Midnight
Johnny Lee Wills - Slush
Chet Atkins & Lenny Breau - Somebody's Knockin'
Raietea Helm - Moonlight And Shadows
The Tony Rice Unit - Devlin
Tiny Moore & Jethro Burns - Groovin' High
Tex Williams - Shame On You
Tennessee Ernie Ford - Hicktown
Stan Jones - Buffalo
Barney Isaacs & George Kuo- Beautiful Kahana
Willie Nelson & Ray Price -Release Me
The Western Swing Authority - Stay All Night
Thumbs Carllile - There Will Never Be Another You (Recorded LIVE on Sagebrush Boogie in 1986!)
Tom Morrell & His Timewarp Tophands w/ Chris O'Connell - Baby Don't You Go Away Mad
Roy Lanham & The Whipoorwills - Section 8
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans - Song Wagon
The Sam Bernard Trio - Kuhio Beach
The Bonebrake Syncopators - Yardbird Suite
..and then along came Willard and his disciples!
Matt Munisteri - We'll Have A New Home In the Morning
Jack Teagarden - Old Folks
Willard Robison- Sharecropper's Blues
Willard Robison - Revolving Jones
Marco Di Maggio - King Creole
Billy Jack Wills - Rock City Boogie
George Barnes & Carl Kress - Sentimental Journey
Robert Wagoner - Doggone Cowboy
Mitch Miller & the Sandpipers - Ten Gallon Hat
Mike Neer - Ask Me Now
Buddy Emmons - Bottle Baby boogie
Christine Mims - Perfect For A Rainy day
Joey Miskulin & friends - Happy Trails
And one more thing, if you've made it this far....
My long time Thumbs Carllile project is making real progress. Thumbs was one of the most spectacular guitar players to ever come along, and I was lucky enough to have his company on "Sagebrush Boogie" for two years, playing amazing solo guitar and cracking truly bizarre jokes.
I recorded everything he did on the air, and those cassettes have gathered dust for 35 years until this week when I finally began digitizing the dizzying fretwork and quirky conversations.
I'll be playing the results every week for many, many weeks to come.
So, if you know of Thumbs, then you know what you've got in store, and if not, well, brace yourself!
Be good, Saddlepals, and remember-
"If You're A Good Neighbor, You'll Have...Good Neighbors!!"
