Bob Mallin "Sings With His Guitar" (BACM, 2005)
A British country singer from the 1940s, with a western theme to much of his work.... (Available through the British Archive of Country Music website.)

Dude Martin's Nevada Night Herders "Cowboy's Nightmare" (BACM, 2007)
Early, Depression-era cowboy recordings by a California native who became one of the best-known western singers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Martin later explored more rugged material, but here he's solidly in the ridin'-the-rolling-prairie-under-a-lonely-moon mode. These recordings come from radio transcription discs that were sent out regionally... It's nice stuff, with soulful renditions of staples such as "The Strawberry Roan," etc., although it must be said the band takes everything at pretty much the same tempo, and there isn't much to distinguish one arrangement from the next. Overall, these recordings have a subdued feel, but taken song by song, they're generally all gems. A nice historical document, worth checking out.

Judy Martin "Straight Shootin' Cowgirl" (BACM, 2004)
Solo recordings from 1940s cowgirl Eva Overstake, who recorded under the stage name Judy Martin. Martin was a sprightly singer who had once been part of a family trio called "The Little Country Girls," along with her two sisters, one of whom grew up to be the famous songwriter, Jenny Lou Carson. Martin's story is tragic: as her own career took off, she met and married country star Red Foley, a marriage that ended horribly when Martin committed suicide after learning that he was having an affair. It's a pity, really, since she was such an appealing singer and could have gone on to make more great music, had the fates allowed.

Judy Martin "...And The Mountain Rangers" (BACM, 2005)
More transcription disc recordings from the M.M. Cole company... Martin didn't record much in the studio, so these radio shows were her prime legacy. Includes some recordings with Red Foley, and more of her sweet, soulful singing.

Judy Martin "...Presents Red Foley And The Mountain Rangers" (Binge Disc/Cattle Records)

Frankie Marvin "The Golden Age Of Frankie Marvin" (Binge Disc, 2000)
Outstanding "cowboy" material from one of Gene Autry's original running mates. Frankie Marvin and his brother, Johnny, backed Autry up on some of his first recording sessions in the late 1920s -- they went to Hollywood with him and were part of his ensemble throughout the next three decades. This disc collects a couple dozen of Frankie Marvin's best solo recordings, released on a variety of labels, large and small -- it's all very rare material, and all very good. Frankie shared the same Jazz Era, vaudvillean mix of styles as his boss -- jazz, blues, old-timey and cornball western tunes mix in Marvin's repertoire; it's not all just cowboy hokum. From his first, Depression-era 78s to his later post-war material, it's all a delight. Autry fans simply have to check this out -- the uninitiated should give it a try, too: this stuff is just too good to pass up.

Frankie Marvin "Early Recordings By Gene Autry's #1 Sideman" (BACM, 2002)
The Marvin Brothers, Frankie and Johnny, were early pals and benefactors of cowboy idol Gene Autry: when Autry moved from Oklahoma up to New York and into the limelight, the Marvins were already showbiz pros and showed him the ropes. They also helped Autry get work, and wound up playing guitar and steel on his first records, and Frankie Marvin eventually became a key player in Autry's band. Frankie was the steel player, and he developed a style that was both expressive and unobtrusive, with short, deft lines that flavored the music without overshadowing the vocalist. On these early solo recordings, from 1929-32, Marvin is in a bluesy mode, working in the template set down by white blues yodeler Jimmie Rodgers. He also sang sentimental weepers and rowdy novelty numbers, reflecting the broad range of material that was popular in the vaudevillian era that he came up in... It's a fun record, full of confidence, gusto and wit... Great stuff!

Johnny Marvin "I'm The Man Who's Been Forgotten" (BACM, 2005)

Louise Massey And Her Westerners "Swing West" (Binge Disc/Bronco Buster)
Corny cowboy tunes, polkas, and a smattering of western swing from this Depression-era family outfit. This disc has a strong Tin Pan Alley pop feel to it -- western music similar to Bing Crosby's version of "Don't Fence Me In", etc. Louise Massey is certainly one of the forgotten female country music pioneers, though if the truth be told, her vocals are a bit schmaltzy -- her brother Curt is more of a good time than she is. Each sibling solos on a handful of tunes, and there are several instrumental tunes on here as well.

Louise Massey & The Westerners "Ridin' Down That Old Texas Trail" (Binge Disc/Bronco Buster)

Louise Massey & The Westerners "Ridin' High: 1933-1941" (BACM, 2005)

Liz Masterson & Sean Blackburn "Swingtime Cowgirl And Tune Wranglin' " (Western Serenade, 1995)

Janet McBride "Still Loving The Ride" (Brookhurst, 2009) (Various Producers)
A yodeling cowgal who's been around for decades, Ms. McBride may be a bit elderly now but is still more full of life than a squad of college linebackers... On this new release she mixes classic ballads, country gospel and cowboy tunes... And she still can yodel up a storm! Those of us used to more youthful (or shall we say, less experienced?) performers might need to readjust our ears a little to appreciate this record. But country fans who have followed the careers of Wanda Jackson, Rose Maddox -- or heck, even Ernest Tubb -- will have learned the pleasures of letting an old-timer stretch out and work their way around a song. Speaking of songs, although this disc includes a bunch of golden oldies, some of the strongest numbers are originals penned by Ms. McBride, such as "I Hate To See A Grown Man Lie," "What's Missing" and "Mama (I Got Here As Fast As I Could)," a nice throwback to the sentimental songs of yore. There are several older recordings on here as well, including two bonus tracks from her first recordings session in 1959, where she was backed by none other than Bakersfield legend Wynn Stewart and his band, with steel player Jim Mooney adding some super-sweet licks. This is a nice introduction to a fascinating artist... I'm gonna have to try and track down some of her 'Sixties stuff as well! (Also check out Janet McBride's website for more information.)

Harry McClintock "The Great American Bum" (BACM, 2005)

Waddie Mitchell "That No Quit Attitude" (Dualtone/Western Jubilee, 2002)

Patsy Montana "The Best Of..." (Collector's Choice, 2001)
Was there ever another country performer as adorable as Patsy Montana? I doubt it. Montana was the greatest of the "cowgirl" singers, and now at last we get a chance to really check out Montana at her peak form -- perkily yodeling away on these delightfully antiquated, sentimental "western" tunes. This is a long-overdue American edition collecting her best work from the 1930s and '40s -- two dozen old tracks from Vocalion and several smaller labels that have been out of print for decades, available only on teeny specialty labels, and in dribs and drabs on various compilation albums. The songs are corny, but Montana's delivery is not, especially later on as her band put more and more swing into their sound -- and you can hear that progression as it actually happened, since these songs are presented in straight chronological order. A particular highlight is a tune Montana penned herself, "Cowboy Rhythm," which demonstrates how strange musical fads such as opera and jazz can't hold a candle to a coyote's howl and a lonesome guitar as the moon starts to rise... Fans of swing-string revivalists such as The Hot Club Of Cowtown are strongly urged not to let this one slip by -- records this fun don't come along that often.

Patsy Montana "I'm Going West To Texas" (BACM, 2005)

Patsy Montana "Rose Of Oklahoma" (Binge Discs, 2008)
Yummy Depression-era "western" tunes from singing cowgirl Patsy Montana, cheerfully evoking the open skies and rolling range and dreaming of a cowgirl's wedding. Montana sings most of the tunes on this generously programmed disc with her regular band, the Prairie Ramblers, but also with outfits such as the Light Crust Doughboys and the venerable Sons Of The Pioneers. It's great, goofy, sentimental cornball country, with shout-outs to Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky and just about every other rural area you can imagine. Montana fans will be thrilled to track this disc down, as well as any of the other CDs on this hard-to-find import label. (Available through the Binge Disc website)

Tex Morton "Across The Great Divide" (BACM, 2005)

Michael Martin Murphey - see artist discography

Jimmy Newill "Favourite Cowboy Songs" (BACM, 2005)

The Nickel Creek Band "Little Cowpoke" (Choo Choo Records, 1993)
The prepubescent origins of the pop-bluegrass phenomenon, Nickel Creek, featuring siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, along with mandolin whiz Chris Thile and his dad Scott Thile, singing cheerful versions of old "singing cowboy" standards from the songbooks of Rex Allen, Gene Autry, Patsy Montana, Roy Rogers and others. The record is both charming and historically fascinating, giving us a chance to hear these child prodigies galloping through cute versions of songs that were markedly different than their future repertoire of introspective, poetical pop songs. It's charming, too, because their voices were still developing, and their tone and harmonies were off -- awwww, they sound like little kids! -- in that adorable talent show way that child performers often embody. The technical end of the instrumental performances is of a much higher calibre, though: man, these kids sure could pick! And it works as entertainment: my kid loved this record, and it gave her interest in cowboy songs (which started with Marty Robbins) a new lease on life. For contrast, you could also pick up Chris Thile's solo debut, Leading Off, which was released around the same time, which concentrates on his bona fides as a bluegrass instrumentalist.

Glenn Ohrlin "Cowboy Songs" (Philo Records) (LP)

Glenn Ohrlin "Wild Buckaroo" (Rounder, 1983) (LP)

Glenn Ohrlin "A Cowboy's Life" (Rounder Select, 1998)

The Overstake Sisters "Volume One: I'm Riding On A Rainbow" (BACM, 2005)
One of the first major female country acts, the Overstake Sisters (who were also known as "The Little Country Girls") featured two future solo stars, cowgirl Judy Martin (nee Eva Overstake, whose marriage to Red Foley ended in Martin's tragic suicide) and Jenny Lou Carson (nee Virginia Lucille Overstake) who later became one of the most successful songwriters of the WWII era hillbilly scene. In the 1930s, along with their third sister, Evelyn, they sang cowgirl songs galore, in the fashion of the Girls Of The Golden West, though with a little less pep... Lots of great sentimental material, with simple, accordion-led arrangements. In general, their style seems pretty lethargic, although this could depend a lot on what kind of instrumental backup they got -- some of the tracks here are more uptempo, or feature a bigger, livelier band, and on these songs, the gals shine. Otherwise, with fairly morose backing, they can sound a bit monotonous. (It's interesting to compare these early recordings to the later solo work of Jenny Lou Carson and Judy Martin -- Martin's vocals are crisp, while Carson's are matronly, and Carson hews closely to the slow-tempoed style heard here. She was doubtless the band's guiding force; in addition to the tempo, you can also hear her trademark three-note decrescendo intros on a few of these tunes, a signature sound that quickly wears thin.) This disc is drawn from a long series of transcription recordings for the M.M. Cole company -- no recording dates are given, but it must be somewhere in the 1930s -- the performances are strong, if monochromatic. An important link in the history of women in country music, and the early origins of two significant solo artists.

The Overstake Sisters "Volume 2: End Of The Trail" (BACM, 2005)
More radio recordings made for the Cole transcription company, originally released under the stage name of "The Little Country Girls." Oh, by the way, I almost forgot that Judy Martin was also the grandmother of Debby Boone -- her daughter married Pat Boone in the 1950s. Talk about a small world!

Andy Parker & The Plainsmen "Texas Belle" (BACM, 2005)

Fiddling Jack Pierce "...And The Oklahoma Cowboys" (BACM, 2005)

The Prairie Ramblers "Swingin' Down The Orchard Lane" (Binge Disc/Bronco Buster)
Rollicking string band swing from Patsy Montana's back-up band. The Ramblers swung on everything they tackled, from corny cowboy compositions to mildly naughty hokum blues and cute Depression-era novelty songs. A catchy, upbeat outfit with some real hot pickers -- this disc is definitely worth tracking down.

The Prairie Ramblers "The Oregon Trail" (BACM, 2005)

The Prairie Ramblers "Back To My Mountain Home" (BACM, 2005)

The Prairie Ramblers "Volume 3: Huckleberry Picnic" (BACM, 2005)

The Ranch Boys "Cowboy Harmony" (Binge Disc, 1998)
A delightful set of cowboy tunes from a "western" trio that worked with Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette onstage and in a film or two. Curley Bradley, Ken Carson and Jack Ross met in the early 1930s as members of the popular Beverly Hill Billies, out in Los Angeles, then they formed their own act and left the West Coast for a gig in the Midwest. The Ranch Boys were popular throughout the 'Thirties, recording a couple of albums for Decca Records, and giving the Sons Of The Pioneers a run for their money. Indeed, after the Ranch Boys split up, Ken Carson was offered a spot in a wartime edition of the Sons, and became a fixture in the Roy Rogers crew, and continued recording as a solo artist after the War. This generously programmed disc includesalmost two dozen of their prime recordings, including an album of songs by Western artist Billy Hill, and a few radio transcription recordings. It kicks off with a swinging, jazzy version of "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," and swiftly settles into more standard Western fare, all of it marked by smooth, professional harmonies and sweet vocal phrasing. If you're a fan of singing cowboy music, you'll want to track this one down!

The Ranch Boys "Songs Of The Plains" (BACM, 2005)

Wade Ray "Things I Might Have Been" (BACM, 2005)

Wade Ray "A Ray Of Country Sun" (ABC, 1966)
(Produced by Fred Carter, Jr.)
The first solo album(!) by fiddler-vocalist Wade Ray, a decades-long veteran of the West Coast country scene who had been in Patsy Montana's band, and had regular spots on the variety shows of Rex Allen, Roy Rogers and Ernest Tubb. He's mostly coasting on this one, but there are some interesting moments amid all the too-cool crooning. Willie Nelson wrote the liner notes, and there are two of Willie's lesser-known early songs on here, "Within Your Crowd" and "Any Old Arms Will Do"... He also sings a Fred Carter original, "The Heart Inside Of You," amid the desultory covers of chestnuts such as "Bill Bailey" and "Old Shep." Sadly, none of the fiddling that Ray was famed for is in evidence on this "elegant" set... Oh, well.

Riders In The Sky "Saddle Pals" (Rounder, 1987)
Kiddie comedy versions of old cowboy ballads and original songs by this western music revivalists. I find it a little precious, but I bet a live version -- ie seen in person, live, and when you're six years old or under -- would have been a lot of fun.

Riders In The Sky "Public Cowboy #1: A Centennial Salute To The Music Of Gene Autry" (Rounder, 1996/2007)
(Produced by Joey Miskulin)
A fun, free-spirited tribute to genial Gene Autry, the king of the singing cowboys... Ranger Doug and his posse put this album out in 1996 (when Autry was still around, to celebrate his 100th birthday!) and it garnered plenty of well-deserved praise. The second time around it's just as sweet, packed with Autry-identified oldies such as "Back In The Saddle Again," and hits-of-the-day that Autry recorded such as "Sioux City Sue," "You Are My Sunshine" and "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You." There's plenty of nice pickin' and sweet yodeling, songs about sunsets and dusty old trails -- and there are four added bonus tracks that weren't on the original '96 edition. Fans of the style will want to check this one out... it's pretty dandy!

Riders In The Sky "A Great Big Western Howdy..." (Rounder, 1998)
Ranger Doug, Too Slim and Woody Paul are back, with a pretty snappy little album... Well produced and tuneful; the comedy angle only get in the way occasionally... Nice harmonizing, and a pleasantly stripped-down musical approach. Not bad!

Riders In The Sky "Land Beyond The Sun" (Riders Radio, 2011)
(Produced by Joey Miskulin)
A nice singing-cowboy gospel album, mining familiar veins of Bob Nolan and other classic western artists, along with a few new originals by Ranger Doug and his posse, with perky guitar, zippy accordion and plaintive harmonies galore. There's a big camp meeting in the sky, and these fellas are gonna be singing around the fire... Saddle up, folks!

Tex Ritter "Country Music Hall Of Fame Series" (MCA, 1991)
Here are about half the songs he recorded for Decca in the 1930s, when he was a Hollywood box-office star. Several tracks are traditional cowboy songs, though the bulk of them were churned out by Tin Pan Alley tunesmiths, specifically for the movies. Ritter's style is poppy and stiff, but sometimes he hits the mark-- much moreso here than on his later Capitol recordings, which tend towards out-and-out corn.

Tex Ritter "Collectors Series" (Capitol, 1992)
A notoriously unaccomplished vocalist, Ritter nonetheless had phenomenal success as a country-themed hitmaker, particularly on these tracks recorded for Capitol in the '40s, '50s and '60s. Ritter had a melodic flatness that almost made Ernest Tubb seem like a Caruso; indeed, he copied Tubb's barebones style on more than one occasion. But with the synergy of his acting and singing careers -- and the fact that he signed with the West Coast's maverick Capitol label right at its inception -- brought Ritter into the American mainstream in a way that few of his country brethren could hope to achieve. This collection has all his big hits -- including "Jingle Jangle Jingle," "Blood On The Saddle," "Deck Of Cards," "High Noon" and "Hillbilly Heaven" -- and exhaustively shows the langour and flatness... and the inevitable charm... of Ritter's limited musicality. Also included is his last chart hit, from 1973(!), Gordon Sinclair's patriotic recitation, "The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)," the text of which resurfaced as an Internet hoax posting in the wake of the September, 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center. This disc may not be for everyone, but it's a pretty definite look at Ritter's most famous material.

Tex Ritter "Vintage Collection" (Capitol, 1996)
This set is fairly comparable, with ten fewer tracks, and a few included that were not on the 25-song Collector's Series set... It doesn't have "Deck Of Cards," though, so it's far from a definitive best-of.

Tex Ritter "Blood On The Saddle" (Box set) (Bear Family, 1999)
Tex Ritter "High Noon" (Box set) (Bear Family, 2000)
Tex Ritter "Have I Stayed Away Too Long" (Box set) (Bear Family, 2003)
Then, for the Tex Ritter true believer, there's these massive, multi-disc box sets on the venerable Bear Family label... Probably more than enough Ritterology to satisfy even the most curious fan...!!

Tex Ritter "America's Most Beloved Cowboy" (BACM, 2005)

Tex Ritter "Pledge Of Allegiance" (BACM, 2005)

Tex Ritter "Froggy Went A-CourtinÕ & Other Children's Songs" (BACM, 2005)

Jack Rivers "There's A New Star In Heaven" (BACM, 2006)

Marty Robbins "Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs" (Columbia, 1959)

Marty Robbins "More Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs" (Columbia, 1960)

Marty Robbins "Return Of The Gunfighter" (Columbia, 1963) (LP)

Marty Robbins "The Drifter" (Columbia, 1966)
This set of western-themed ditties travels on some pretty familiar territory, hearkening back to Robbins' late-1950s sorta-song hits such as "El Paso" and "Big Iron..." Indeed, on this alum we even get the "origin" story of the temptress in "El Paso," heard here in the 1966 recording of "Feleena (From El Paso)." Mostly, these Spanish-guitar laced tunes seem like uninspired knockoffs, though a couple, like "Fastest Gun Around," have a surprising immediacy. (Note: this album originally came out in 1966, but some of the tracks date back as far as 1960)

Marty Robbins "Under Western Skies" (Bear Family, 1996)
This 4-CD box set gathers a wide swath of Robbins' western material -- it's all here: "El Paso," "Big Iron," and much, much more!

Marty Robbins - see artist profile

Texas Jim Robertson "Purple Night On The Prairie" (BACM, 2005)

Carson Robison "Home, Sweet Home On The Prairie: 25 Cowboy Classics" (ASV, 1996)

Carson Robison "Blue River Train & Other Cowboy And Country Songs" (Jasmine, 2007)

Carson Robison "Goin Back To Texas" (BACM, 2005)

Carson Robison "Old Kentucky Cabin" (BACM, 2005)

Carson Robison "Transatlantic Traveller" (BACM, 2005)

Carson Robison "The Later Years" (BACM, 2005)

Roy Rogers - see artist profile

The Rough Riders "Moon Over The Trail" (BACM, 2005)

Jack Savage & His Cowboys "Little Sweetheart Of The Prairie" (BACM, 2005)

John Smith "Classics Of The Purple Sage" (Binge Disc/Bronco Buster)

Hank Snow "Snow Under Western Skies" (Bear Family, 2008)
Country legend Hank Snow indulges his love of cowboy music on this western-themed set that gathers oldies from his pre-Nashville days, radio recordings and songs from his 1965 album, Heartbreak Trail, a tribute to the Sons Of The Pioneers. Ride 'em, cowboy!

The Sons Of The Pioneers - see artist discography

The Sons Of The San Joaquin "From Whence Came The Cowboy" (Dualtone/Western Jubilee, 1995)

The Sons Of The San Joaquin "Sing One For The Cowboy" (Shanachie/Western Jubilee, 2000)
As singing cowboy revivalists go, the Hannah Brothers -- Joe, Jack and Lon -- are pretty on the ball. These guys love those corny old ridin'-the-range tunes, and while they pay homage to the old masters such as Bob Nolan, they also write a bunch of new tunes which easily stand up on their own. The best of the new batch includes Jack Hannah's anthemic "California," which will now be the theme song to every trip I make up to Yosemite from now 'til the end of time. The rest of the album is pretty swell, too, with smooth, rounded tones galore and tons of exaggerated Americana and nostalgic western imagery. If you like the style already, this is worth checking out.

The Sons Of The San Joaquin "Horses, Cattle & Coyotes" (Dualtone/Western Jubilee, 1999)
(Produced by Rich O'Brien)

The Sons Of The San Joaquin "15 Years: A Retrospective" (Dualtone/Western Jubilee, 2002)

The Sons Of The San Joaquin "Way Out Yonder" (Western Jubilee, 2006)
(Produced by Rich O'Brien)

Red Steagall - see artist discography

Art Thieme "Outright Bold-Faced Lies" (Kicking Mule, 1977) (LP)
A delightful set of cowboy songs and tall tales kept alive by laconic storyteller Art Thieme... Among the gems here is his rendition of "The Great Turtle Drive," with an appreciative audience guffawing and groaning at every comedic twist... A classic!

Art Thieme "The Older I Get, The Better I Was" (Waterbug, 1998)

Art Thieme "That's The Ticket!" (Folk-Legacy, 2011)
A nice archival reissue from one of the great cowboy/folk singer/storytellers and master of tall tales... I haven't heard this specific albums, but based on other records I've heard, I bet it's pretty fun.

Dick Thomas "Sioux City Sue" (BACM, 2005)

Harry Torrani "Yodelling To You" (Binge Disc/Bronco Buster)

Jimmy Wakely - see artist discography

Cindy Walker - see artist discography

Ozie Waters "It's Indian Summer" (BACM, 2005)

Ray Whitley & The Six Bar Cowboys "Back In The Saddle Again" (BACM, 2005)

Buddy Williams "Down The Old Bush Track" (BACM, 2005)

Tex Williams "Hey Mr. Cotton Picker" (BACM, 2005)

Tex Williams "River Of No Return" (BACM, 2005)

Foy Willing & The Riders Of The Purple Sage "Sagebrush Swing" (Collector's Choice, 2004)
A sweet, swinging set of western-themed oldies from the 1940s edition of the fabled Riders Of The Purple Sage. The harmonies are sublime, the musicianship is first rate, and the songs are all a lot of fun... The liner notes don't say exactly when these radio performances were made, but the late 'Forties seem like a safe bet, perhaps when the band was on the All-Star Western Theatre program... Anyway, it's great stuff, with bandleader Foy Willing at the peak of his powers. This is a generously programmed, 20-song collection, well-paced and with great sound quality. Recommended!

Foy Willing & The Riders Of The Purple Sage "The Timber Trail" (Binge Disc/Cattle Records, 2005)

Foy Willing & The Riders Of The Purple Sage "Trail Herdin' Cowboy" (Binge Disc/Cattle Records)

Foy Willing "Cowboy/The New Sound Of American Folk" (Soundies, 1999)
Late vintage material, dating from the 1960s, with Willing somewhat miscast as a "folk" artist during that scene's heyday. OK, for the hardcore fan, I suppose.

Foy Willing "...And The Riders Of The Purple Sage" (BACM, 2005)

Zeke Winters & The Rocky Mountaineers "Bunkhouse Boys" (BACM, 2005)
Actually Big Bill Campbell, performing under another name...

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Hick Music Index

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