Ira Allen "Hanging On With..." (Portland Records, 1977)
(Produced by Gene Breeden & George Richey)
A stalwart of the New England country scene, Maine's Ira Allen started out as a rocker in the late 1950s, cut a few country singles in the '60s and early '70s, but nothing charted nationally, and he remained a hometown hero for several decades. This album includes seven originals by Allen, and one by KAYO deejay/PD Bobby Wooten (who also wrote the liner notes...) The album title is a reference to Allen's best-known song, "(Just Enough To Keep Me) Hanging On," a tune he co-wrote with Buddy Mize that was one of Vern Gosdin's first solo hits in the 1970s. And of course the "Portland" label refers to Maine's coastal town, not Puddletown on the West Coast.

Ira Allen "...Sings Cabbage Patch Doll" (LS Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Joe Scaife & Jimi Young)
This set was recorded in Nashville with a mix of familiar and less-familiar studio musicians... They are all named, though not which instruments they played(!) The group included Tim Atwood, Chuck Bartlett, Fred Bluestone, Jimmy Capps, Fred Newall, Tommy Williams, Jimi Young and Mike Young. All but one of the songs are Ira Allen originals, with most of the tracks on Side Two co-written with a fella named Dan Newman.

Wayne Baker "The First Book Of Wayne: Dreamer's Country" (Clockwerke Records, 1978-?) (LP)
(Produced by Penny Baker & Gary Duckworth)
Private press country/folk from Maine. Despite the grandiose album title, Rick Wells/Wayne Baker seemed oddly unable to commit to his stage name persona, putting both names on the front cover of his album(!) as in: "Wayne Baker... aka Rick Wells." Which seems a bit odd. Anyway, I suppose that despite an abundance of twangy guitar work and steel guitar, this is really more of a folkie album, with a slew of over-long, overly-wrought, introspective but often clumsy musical ramblings... Guitarist Denny Breau (Lenny's brother) is one of the pickers on this album, and generally speaking the musical backing is reasonably solid, but Mr. Baker was a fairly artless and often off-key vocalist, and even his best songs tend to fall flat, notwithstanding his John Denver-ish feel. Didn't work for me. Sorry.

Ernest Burleigh & The Country Squires "Freedom's Makin' A Prisoner Out Of Me" (Delta Records, 19--?) (LP)
A shipyard worker from Sanford, Maine, honkytonker Ernest E. Burleigh (1931-2016) led or was in several local country bands, including the Squires and the Saco Valley Countrymen, although he seems to have been strictly a local/regional performer. This may have been his only album, packed with original material including songs such as "Bottle Fatigue," "Telephone, Whiskey And Time," "The Tables Are Turned" and "I've Won At Last." The set was recorded in Boston, and unfortunately the musicians are not listed so it's unclear if it was his band backing him or some studio pickers; the song "Bottle Fatigue" and several others were copyrighted in 1964, with Loren W. Bickmore listed as co-composer, though I'm not sure if Mr. Bickford was part of Burleigh's band, or if he plays on this (undated) album. If Ernest Burleigh or the Squires cut any singles or other records, they aren't currently on the radar... The search will go on!

Betty Cody & Hal Lone Pine "On The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine" (Bear Family Records, 2006)
Fine, sentimental heartsongs and loopy novelty tunes from the early 1950s... Harold Breau (aka Hal Lone Pine) originally hailed from Maine, while his singing partner Betty Cody was French-Canadian Quebecois. This husband-wife duo made a good showing as second-stringers in both countries, and while this disc probably won't blow you away, it's very charming stuff, typical of its time, a fine example of the workmanlike recordings of country's less rowdy artists in the rollicking honkytonk/hillbilly boogie era. The Breaus found their greatest success up in Canada, largely due to the popularity of the regionally-oriented novelty recitation, "Prince Edward Island Is Heaven To Me," a masterpiece of pure, shameless corn. It was followed by "Apple Blossom Time In Annapolis Valley," which also sang the praises of Nova Scotia. They also sang romantic weepers and smoothed-out honkytonk tunes -- although Lone Pine, in particular, wasn't that strong a vocalist, he sounded amiable and robust, and these tracks are all quite charming. Listening to these old tunes, you can hear that Betty Cody was arguably the better singer of the two -- the folks at the record labels thought so, too, and tried to promote her as a solo artist, although she mainly worked as part of the family road show. She dropped out of show biz when the demands of touring came into conflict with her role as a mother, and when her marriage to Lone Pine fell apart... One interesting footnote: their son, Lenny Breau, was a true musical prodigy and after a brief apprenticeship in the family band, he later emerged as one of he most highly regarded jazz guitarists of the post-bop era. (I don't think he's featured on any of these tracks, but his first teacher, Ray Couture, was a longtime member of the band...) These recordings are a fine legacy of two little-known artists who two sounded quite good together... If you're a devotee of old-school, 1950s country, by all means, check this one out!

Betty Cody "The Successful Hillbilly Era Of Betty Cody: 1952-1954" (Binge Disc Records, 2006) (CD)
More vintage recordings, focussing on Ms. Cody as a solo performer... It don't get much twangier than this! Pus, I am a fan of the sound mastering on these Binge Disc/Cattle Records. Classy.

Betty Cody "Singing Again" (EAB Records, 1979) (LP)
A late-vintage indie outing for former New England hillbilly star Betty Cody, a pioneering 'Fifties female country singer who recorded both as a solo artist and in a duo with her husband, Hal Lone Pine. Cody's early classics have been reissued by the Bear Family and Binge Disc labels, but this album picks up where those left off... She retired from show business in the late 1950s, but cut this record in the late '70s at a regional studio in Lewiston, Maine. Her son, jazz guitarist Lenny Breau, backs her on this album, along with his brother Denny...

Dick Curless -- see artist discography

Dave Dalton "Maine-ly Country" (NRS Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Col. Dave Mathes, Early Williams & Robbie Williams)

The Danville Junction Boys "Layin' Tracks" (Clockwerke Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Russell J. Peotter & Tom Rowe)
Recorded in Auburn, Maine, this album features bluegrass and old-timey music with a New England flair... The group included fiddler Fred Carpenter, who later moved to Nashville to open his own music shop and found work as an in-demand session player for a wide variety of musicians. The other guys in the band included Ron Gallant, Gregory Hanson, Bruce Hobart and Mark Larlee, playing a diverse, lively repertoire.

Mike Conley Ellis "Mike Conley Ellis" (Cin-Kay Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Hal Freeman & Jack Gilmer)
This private presser was recorded at the Nashville studios of Cin-Kay Records and manufactured for a regional client up in Maine, called Larry Cates Sales. One assumes singer Mike Conley Ellis hailed from New England, though the contours of his career are a bit vague. Anyway, this one's a doozy. The album is packed with massively over-the-top pop-country arrangements, aiming I suppose for an Elvis Presley or Mack Davis he-man rhinestone cowboy vibe... When the arrangements calm down a little, Mr. Ellis's vocal limitations come into sharper focus... the lack of restraint and his limited range vying for prominence as his most prominent qualities. If you're into 'Seventies musical kitsch, this is a disc that just won't stop giving. I would be curious, though about Mike Ellis's day job, and more about his biography... Anyone out there know more abotu this guy?

Jim Englund & His Rodeo Pals "Where The St. John River Flows" (1986) (LP)
(Produced by Scott Englund)
A very indie set by a fella from 'way up in the northern tip of Maine... This LP pays honor to the border-spanning Saint Charles River, which originates not far from Mr. Englund's hometown of Caribou, Maine and meanders its way down to the Atlantic, which it meets in scenic Saint John, New Brunswick. The album's first side includes several regionally-themed songs, including the title track, "Where The Saint John River Flows," Alberta Slim's "When It's Apple Blossom Time In Annapolis Valley," and Keray Regan's "My Home By The Fraser." The rest of the songs are of more general interest (ie, not tied to particular geographical spots) though Englund's focus often remains fixed northward, and includes other Canadian classics such as Elizabeth Clarke's "There's A Bluebird On Your Windowsill" and Wilf Carter's "Hang The Key On The Bunkhouse Door," though there are also a few tunes from north of the border, like Bill Haley's "All I Need Is Some More Loving," Stewart Hamblen's "Remember Me, I'm The One Who Loves You," and Johnny Bond's rambunctious boozer, "Sick, Sober, And Sorry." The album is also resolutely aimed at the past, favoring a sentimental old-timey vibe that reaches all the way back to the rural romance weeper, "When The Bees Are In The Hive" a real oldie written in 1904 by Al Bryan and Kerry Mills, and later covered by Grandpa Jones, Bill Monroe and many others. The otherwise unknown Jim Englund is joined by Perley Curtis on dobro, Tim Farrell (fiddle), Norm Pooler (bass), and of course Mr. Englund on vocals and guitar, and Scott Englund (his brother, I assume?) producing and engineering the recording. I fell like the Englunds must have done other stuff together somewhere, maybe been in some gnarly, well-beloved '60s garage band or something, but also theres there's no evidence to support this hypothesis. I do dig their old-fashioned, dawn-of-country vibe, though!

Danny Harper "Honky Tonks Have Been My Home" (Cold Moon Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Jim England & T. J. Paulos)
A latter-day honkytonker from Maine, Danny Harper seems to have been active for many years before this LP came out... I'm getting kind of a Moe Bandy vibe here... This first album appears to have been recorded locally, though his next ones were cut in Nashville... Producer T. J. Paulos anchors Harper's band, playing multiple instruments, including banjo and pedal steel. Although was Harper's first full album, his career spanned back to the early 1960s and he self-released some singles in the '70s. When he was just thirteen years old, Harper was given a slot on Hal Lone Pine's country music show, setting him squarely in the mainstream of the regional New England twang scene... Years later he worked with Maine legend Dick Curless, and though his own shot at national fame met with limited success, he was a popular regional star, opening shows for visiting Nashville headliners. According to a profile in a local paper, Danny Harper put his career on hold following a family tragedy in 1993, returning to the field a decade later, and releasing several more records.

Danny Harper "New Horizons" (Heart Records, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Brien Fisher & Bernie Vaughn)
This one was recorded in Nashville with a bunch of studio pros -- folks like Greg Galbraith, Sonny Garrish, and John Beland in as hired guns. I guess they made a concerted effort to break Harper as a national artist, though only with limited success...

Danny Harper "Living, Loving & Losing" (Heart Records, 1988) (LP)
(Produced by Danny Harper, Mike Bradley & W. R. Holmes)

Gene Hooper "The Best Of Gene Hooper" (Arc Records, 19--?) (LP)
A hillbilly singer from the generation that revered Jimmie Rodgers, Eugene Merrill Hooper (1923-2010) was born and raised in Machias, Maine. Gene Hooper started his musical career singing on the radio as a teen, with a brief detour during World War Two that included combat action in the Battle Of The Bulge. After the war, he returned to New England and picked up where he left off, meeting and marrying his wife, Florence Rolande Hooper (1926-2014) who became his musical partner on the WWVA Jamboree, in Wheeling, West Virginia. They also formed a group called The Old Time Radio Gang, along Allan "Mac" McHale, with whom they recorded a couple of albums. In 1966, the Hoopers settled down in Gene's hometown of Machias, and years later were both inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall Of Fame. This release on the Canadian-based Arc label would seem to suggest a fan base up North... Although this appears to be Gene Hooper's only full album, he also left behind a string of singles on various small labels, and was still recording as recently as the late '80s.

Sandy Ives "Folk Songs Of Maine" (Folkways Records, 1959) (LP)

Clyde Joy & Willie-Mae Joy "25 Joy-ous Years" (Soundcraft Associates, 1963) (LP)
(Produced by Daniel N. Flickenger)
New England-based bandleader Clyde Joy started his career in 1938 and built up a regional following for his band, the Country Folks. He married his wife, Willie-Mae, in 1945 and brought her into the band as the bassist... This edition of the Country Folks included fiddler Curly King, a veteran of the Canadian country scene, and picker Mike Longworth from Tennessee, joining Joy's own Maine-based band.

Clyde Joy & Willie-Mae Joy "Country Folk Jamboree" (Sioux Records, 19--?) (LP)

Clyde Joy & Willie-Mae Joy "Remembering The Old Time Songs" (Sioux Records, 19--?) (LP)
A delightful set of real-deal, old-fashioned country tunes. And when they say "old time songs," they mean it... The Joys are channeling pure, undiluted Depression-era sentimentalism, keeping alive a pre-honkytonk era when musicians sang about prisoners, trains, the old folks back home, Heaven up above, and of course, about Mama. Steve Goodman would be pleased. Clyde Joy had the superior voice, though Willie Mae shared every bit of his earnest authenticity... some nice yodeling, too! And some swell dobro work as well, and some sweet fiddling by Curly King, who had an album of his own on the Massachusetts-based Sioux label.

Clyde Joy & Willie-Mae Joy/Various Artists "Most Requested Songs" (Raycraft Records, 19--?) (LP)
This untitled LP sported a blank white cover and apparently came with a booklet entitled Clyde And Willie-Mae Joy's Book Of Most Requested Songs, Poems, Pictures, which one assumes was sold at their live shows. The Joys sing both duets and solos, and share the spotlight on Side One with singer Mike Longsworth, who solos on a song called "Swampwater," while fiddler Curley King plays "Camptown Races" and "Casey Jones" on Side Two. About as "private" and DIY as it gets!

Just Plain Bill "Welcome Aboard The Glory Train" (More Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Leo A. Campbell)
Sorry, folks, but I am a total sucker for unpretentiousness, and a guy who uses "Just Plain Bill" as his stage name has got me in his corner from the word go. Bill, as it turns out, was Mr. William Bewell, of Litchfield, Maine, who played guitar and sang at Spears Corner Baptist Church in the nearby town of Gardiner. He was a big rig truck driver by profession, but also a songwriter, penning all the songs on this album of original material. Alas, the musicians backing him are not listed by name, so that information is probably lost to the tides of time... but the music still exists, as does the charm of his gosh-shucks presentation.

Cubby Lewis & The Homesteaders "Garden Of Love" (Our Country Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Edward A. Boucher)
An outstanding set of independent, original honkytonk twang from New England... A twang auteur from New England, Cubby Lewis penned all but two of the songs on this album, with originals that include "Those Beautiful Lies," "Wrong Side Of The Door," and one called "Nudist Colony (Or The Job I Lost My Shirt On)" (a somewhat forced-sounding novelty number about a band that gets accidentally booked to play a gig at a nudist colony... and have to do it in the buff!). These are augmented by covers of "Me And Bobby McGee" and "Okie From Muskogee," which though overplayed do help date the record to the early 'Seventies. At any rate, this is a remarkably strong album for the private-press country field -- Lewis wasn't a perfect vocalist, but he sings with conviction and authority, and the band delivers a pretty solid set, delivering a rich mix of Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard influenced hippie-era twang. The sessions were recorded at the EAB studio in Lewiston, Maine, though sadly the Homesteaders bandmembers aren't individually identified. Not sure where Lewis lived or what his real name was, or if recorded anything else, although there were couple of local show notices from 1976, a few years later, so he seems to have kept at it for a while. Anyway, this one is definitely worth tracking down.

Ron Libby "Sings Live At The Baltimore Festival" (Whirl-A-Way Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Edward A. Boucher)
A well-known New England square dance caller from Falmouth, Maine, Ron Libby sings some country on this disc, including some surprising outlaw material such as "Boogie Grass Band" and "Luckenbach, Texas." Libby played in USO shows while in the Navy, then worked on the road as a big band saxophonist before moving back to Maine and turning his attentions towards square dance calling. Libby converted an old barn on his family farm into a dance hall, and staged dances there, while also traveling extensively to perform in other states.

Ron Libby "Shine On" (Whirl-A-Way Records, 198-?) (LP)

Malinda Liberty "Malinda Liberty" (River Records, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Blackwell, Warren Nichols & R. E. Thompson)
Yeah, I never heard of her either... This indie album out of Maine looks like it's pretty Nashville-hopeful, in a more modern, '80s kind of way... If I get a chance to check it out, I'll let you know!

Lucky Look "Lucky Look Remembers" (Interstate Records, 19--? ) (LP)
(Produced by Rob Holiday, Les Pitman & Tim Sprowl)
Orville "Lucky" Look (1933-2019) was born in rural Eastern Maine and was pals with New England country legend Dick Curless, co-starring with him at a bar called Sleepy's Silver Dollar in Bangor, Maine, way back in the 1950s. Look eventually moved to Connecticut, where he opened his own nightclub in Bolton Lake -- the Lucky Look Lounge, no less -- and recorded several LPs and a number of singles. I'm not sure which of his many undated albums came first, but this is certainly one of the earlier ones...

Lucky Look "Last Call" (Music City Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Terry Sutton, Wayne Estabrooks & Ronnie Scalise)
The lineup on this one includes drummer Steve Cahill (drums), Slim Cox (violin), Jeff Jarvis (piano and clavinet), Sandy Martin (bass), Chuck Parrish (guitar), Terry Sutton (fiddle and steel guitar) and Gary Winslow on guitar... A few cover tunes from sources such as Waylon Jennings ("I Recall A Gypsy Woman") and Gordon Lightfoot ("Early Morning Rain") but also plenty of originals and even some regionally-themed material such as the album's opener, "The Rockbound Coast Of Maine."

Lucky Look "These Tears I Cry" (Robb Records, 19--? ) (LP)
(Produced by Terry Sutton)
Recorded at EAB Studios in Lewiston, Maine, this set features Terry Sutton on steel guitar, with Sam Buckner on lead guitar and bass, Sally Perry doubling on bass and banjo, and Mona Perry on rhythm guitar, also a couple of fiddlers (ID'd as on "violin") and a few drummers as well... A slew of original material, too, with all the songs on Side One credited as Orville Luck originals...

Lucky Look "By Request" (Mission Records, 19--? ) (LP)

Ebb Lovley "New England's Country Gentleman By Request" (Beechwood Country Records, 1986) (LP)
(Produced by Ebb Lovley & Norm Pooler)
The first album from East Coast country singer Elbridge Lovley (1924-2011) an auto mechanic and WWII veteran who was also a well-known regional country musician, leading his own band and hosting his own local TV show in the late 1950s, as well as touring both in New England and into parts of Canada. Radio deejay Larry Beckwith, of stations WOZI and WOZW, lauds Ebb Lovley as "the first Country Artist to appear on television in Northern Maine," and takes credit for encouraging Mr. Lovley to make an album to appease his fans. The set is mostly a bunch of cover songs, though it includes an original from Mr. Lovley, "One Rose," with backing from drummer Ed Beaudoin, Perley Curtis (steel guitar), Dolly Farrell (bass), Timmy Farrell (fiddle), and Fred Pike on banjo and guitar.

Ebb, Lorna & Serrena (Lovley) "Maine-ly Lovley" (Beechwood Country Records, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Ebb Lovley & Norm Pooler)
The second and (I think) last album from Maine's Ebb Lovley, a set that also features his two daughters, Lorna Lovley (1952-2008) and Serrena Lovley. To be sure, there is a rough quality to some of their vocals, but Mr. Lovley also has a delightful willingness to throw himself into full cornball mode, and really dig into schmaltziest aspects of some of these songs (particularly on his erotically-charged version of George Morgan's middle-aged horniness ballad, "You Turn Me On.") The Lovleys are greatly helped by the high calibre of the backing musicians, who provide rich, lively accompaniment, reminiscent of Asleep At The Wheel. Mostly the same band that backed Mr. Lovely on his previous album: drummer Ed Beoudoin, steel player Perley Curtis, fiddler Timmy Farrell, Dotty Farrell on bass, and guitarist Buddy Phieffer, who seem to have been some of the hotter players on New England's late '80s indie country scene. This might be too corny for modern country fans, but I kinda dug it. Also worth noting: Ebb Lovley was inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1993.

Gary Meister "Mainely Country" (Critique Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Carl Strube & Jim Deans)
A local from Bangor, Maine, songwriter Gary Meister made a real go of it in the early 'Seventies, releasing a string of singles on several labels, including Laurie Records and BASF, in addition to at least one from this album. This disc is packed with original material: the band's pianist, Denny Bouchard, and backup singer Tom Gass contribute a couple of tunes -- "Take Me Back" and "Shufflin' Sam" -- while all but two of the rest of the songs are credited to Meister. As far as I can tell, the backing band were all locals, including Robbie Robichaud on bass, Tracy Bronson playing piano, Rick Hazeltine on lead guitar, drummer Brian Brown, backup singer Monica Harris and both Gary Meister and Julie Green playing rhythm guitar. The sessions were at the Rockland Recording Studio, a vigorous but obscure regional indie run by a guy named Jim Deans, in a home studio built in the back of an American Legion hall -- Deans seems to have had some kind of line into New York-based Laurie Records, as one of his rock bands also released a single there. His biggest coup, of course, was recording Dick Curless in the early 'Sixties, before he became a nationally-charting trucker-country icon. Anyway, this one's about as indie as they come! (Thanks to Andy O'Brien's history of the Rockland Recording Studio, where this was cut.)

Tiny Martin & The Countrysiders "Singing Bluegrass Gospel" (Event Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Al Hawkes)
A straightforward traditional bluegrass set, recorded in Westbrook, Maine with banjo picker Tiny Martin, Howie Dearborn (bass), Al Hawkes (mandolin), Dottie Lou Martin and Shirley Miller (vocals), Ray Patch (guitar), and fiddler Smokey Val, aka Roland Ernest Valliere (1928-2016), a well-known regional fiddler who was in a number of New England 'grass bands.

Allan "Mac" McHale & The Old Time Radio Gang "Old-Country Radio Songs" (Folk Era Records, 1988)

Allan "Mac" McHale & The Old Time Radio Gang "New River Train" (Folk Era Records, 1992)

The Music Company "You And The Music Company" (1976) (LP)
This appears to be some kind of folk/country karaoke album, produced by a label in Lewiston, Maine. "Featuring Rick Olsen," as the jacket proclaims, the group also included Rick Morse, Jim Olsen and John Rice... Really, your guess is as good as mine.

The Nickerson Brothers "Donnie And Duane" (Imperial Records, 1979-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mark Wellman & Dick Stacey)
A country duo who had a late 1970's gig playing with Maine country music impresario Dick Stacey, owner of the Plaza Motel, in Brewer, Maine, and sponsor of a television show called Country Jamboree, which he took over in the early 'Seventies and kept on the air until 1984. The musicians on this album included Donnie Nickerson on guitar, younger brother Duane Nickerson playing bass, Rodney Overlock (drums), Harry King (piano) and Mark Wellman playing lead guitar and engineering the sessions. They cover various 'Seventies hits, including "The Gambler" and "Why Me Lord," as well as some Merle Haggard and a little regional pride material, with a version of "Prince Edward Island." That last one makes me think they might have been Canadian, though maybe it was just what was popular with the locals. The Nickersons were just a couple of the many obscure artists, mostly locals, who appeared on the Jamboree program, which was known in part for its low-budget approach and lack of pretentiousness. I also love how uncomfortable Duane Nickerson looks in all the photos (though Donne definitely looks like he was into it!)

Curly O'Brien & The Top Hands "The Country Class Of Curly O'Brien" (Spar Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by George Sprague)
An odd custom pressing album that seems to have been a privately released souvenir album from Maine Hall Of Fame country singer and deejay Curly O'Brien -- ne Philip Nathan Boyce (1926-1990) -- who started his career in the 1940s, after de-mobbing from World War II. O'Brien performed throughout New England and eastern Canada, working with East Coast stars such as Dick Curless, Betty Cody and Hal Lone Pine, along with a career in radio and TV. This is a curiously amateur-sounding album -- despite the obvious talent of the band (particularly the steel player, Dave Farris) this seems like a slapdash production, which if you ask me gives it a lot of charm. Curly O'Brien handles most of the vocals, and he croons mightily in an Eddy Arnold/Ernie Ford kinda way, while gal bassist Jackie King has a great voice with kind of a Patsy Cline-meets-Maybelle Carter vibe. Lead guitarist Dave Dalton sings on a couple of tunes as well, as does Curly's younger brother Bob O'Brien, with the rest of the band rounded out by drummer Jim Murphy who held down the beat, but never got a solo. This album was recorded at the studios of WEMT-TV in Bangor, Maine, which may explain some of the rough production quality -- O'Brien and his band moved to WEMT in 1965 and continued on their airwaves at least through the end of the 1970s. The tracks here provide a strong echo of the early 1950s country scene, with hints of western swing and the early Nashville Sound; one track, "Tiny Soldiers," makes a last-minute reference to the war in Vietnam, though for the most part this is non-topical material. (Thanks to Some Local Loser for filling in a few blanks!)

George Phillips "To Me It Seemed Like A Dream" (Our Country Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Glenn Appleton)
Previously heard on the oddly-named E.A.B. COUNTRY compilation, New Englander George Phillips works his way through a set made up mostly of early 'Seventies cover songs, including several pop-rock numbers such as "Rockin' Robin," George Harrison's "Something," The Shondells' "Draggin' The Line" and Tony Orlando's "Candida." Yeah, I know that all sounds scary, but there are legit country songs as well -- "Good Time Charlie Got The Blues," "Help Me Make It Through The Night," "Green Green Grass Of Home," etc. Nothing too surprising. Phillips seems like a fellow of modest talents, projecting a louche, virile, manly-man persona similar to that of Mac Davis and other hairy-chested-but-still-sensitive pop balladeers of the era. He gets a little leaden on more complicated passages, but has a charmingly hang-dog air that may appeal to sympathetic listeners; the contrast between his laid-back vocal style and the band's occasional flights into groovy, even psychedelic, improvisation can be pretty amusing, particularly on tracks like "Something," where the steel guitar goes full cosmic cowboy, while Phillips is still plodding along. The title track was Phillips's own composition, the only original on here. Backing Phillips are Dick Demers on drums, Ken Morris (lead guitar), Mona Perry (rhythm guitar), Sally Perry (bass) and Terry Sutton on steel. The Perry Sisters are of interest as locals who did session work for various projects, including one of Lucky Look's albums, as well as recording their own LP in 1977. Not sure if Phillips was from Maine himself, though the E.A.B. label was located in Yarmouth.

Elton Record "The Maine Man In Nashville" (Eljan Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Al Harris & Bernie Vaughn)
A stalwart of the Maine country music scene, singer Elton Record cut this album with some assist from Conway Twitty's backing band, the Twitty Birds. I'm not sure if was in the band at the time, or just finagled a way to get them in the studio. This set is mostly cover songs, though the originals include "Bernadine" and "Pennies, Nickels And Dimes." The Record family own country bar in Mechanic Falls called the Silver Spur, which is also the site of the Maine Country Music Hall Of Fame. Mr. Record was induced into the Hall the same year it opened, back in 2008.

Streamliner "Streamliner" (Broken Records, 19--?) (LP)
I couldn't find much info about this country-flavored rock combo from Portland, Maine, including when exactly this album came out. Streamliner was apparently part of Maine's "bottle bar" scene, where barebones music halls without liquor licenses were allowed to let over-21 patrons bring in their own booze and party all night. A band called The McCarthys was "formed from the ashes" of Streamliner back in 1995, with five members -- John Davison, Tim Emery, Dale Holden, Jimmy McGirr and Scott Shuster -- though I'm not sure if they were all in the old band, or just some of them. McCarthy was a rock-and-country band which put out its first album in 2000.

Van Trevor "Come On Over To Our Side" (Band Box Records, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Heard)
East Coast rocker-gone-country Van Trevor (born Robert Frances Boulanger, 1940-2006) was a singer and songwriter from Maine who began performing at a very young age (seven years old, according to this album's liner notes...) and had been part of the "twist" fad in the early '60s. This was his first country LP, recorded when he was a cast member of the WWVA Jamboree show, though many of the songs still have the feel of early '60s, desperate-for-a-hit, Kennedy-era teenpop... The songs were all originals, written by producer Dick Heard and Hank Hunter, including the songs "Born To Be In Love With You" and "Our Side," which had previously been released as singles in late 1966. To modern ears, Trevor's scattershot approach might seem like an unlikely formula for success, but the Buck Owens-y title track was a breakout hit, cracking into the Top 30, and the various Marty Robbins-ish ballads and Porter Wagoner-esque recitation numbers may win you over after a while, as do the cornball orchestrations of "Christmas In The Country." Some odd arrangements, but that's part of the fun. This actually turned out to be the peak of his career, chartwise, and afterwards it was a steady downward slide, with Trevor dropping out of the spotlight by 1971, concentrating on songwriting rather than being a headliner. But this was a nice, spunky debut!

Van Trevor "You've Been So Good To Me" (Date Records, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Charlie Bragg & Frank Decker)

Van Trevor "Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings" (Royal American Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Heard)

Van Trevor "Greatest Hits" (Country International Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by John Abbott, Jake Payne & Van Trevor)

Rusty Wellington "Lonesome... In My Blue House" (Soundcraft Associates, 1963) (LP)
(Produced by Daniel N. Flickinger)
Although he was born in New Brunswick, Canada, singer Douglas Bramwell ("Rusty") Wellington (1925-1987) became known as a pioneering figure in New England's hillbilly country scene. His family moved to New Hampshire when he was ten, and the precociously talented lad had his own radio show as a teen, and even performed with several established bands. Wellington's career had an amazingly Zelig-like quality: he toured with stars such as Hank Snow, Hank Williams and Tex Williams and was closely associated with Bill Haley, who he wrote songs for and went on the road with following World War Two. After the war, Wellington settled in New Hampshire and established himself regionally, hosting a popular television show and writing regional pride songs such as "The Allagash" and "Packed In Maine," which helped earn him a spot in the Maine Country Music Hall Of Fame.

Rusty Wellington "Yes, It's Me Again" (Arzee Records, 1970-?) (LP)
(Produced by Lucky Steel & Tony Schmidt)
A fine set, marked by Mr. Wellington's marvelously imperfect but deeply sincere vocals, as well as some fine, no-frills country backing. And when I say his vocals are pleasantly flawed, I'm not being cynical or snide: I really do find him to be an appealing and emotionally authentic performer... Hank Snow is the most obvious tonal comparison, but mousy-voiced crooners such as Hank Locklin also come to mind. The real treat here is the wealth of original material provided by label owner Rex Zario's publishing company, presumably all from New England composers... This includes several songs by Rusty and Dolly Wellington, along with Kay Snyder, Lucky Taylor, and others. Unfortunately, the liner notes don't tell us the names of any of the backing band, but they were pretty solid, and not terribly flashy; the old-fashioned lap steel guitar is kind of fun, and a real throwback to an earlier era of hillbilly twang. Also, where else are you going to find a country song like "Packed In Maine," which references the East Coast fisheries and lobsters? Now that's some regional music!

Rusty Wellington "Stepping Stone To A Higher Ground" (Arcade Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Howard)
Shifting into gospel mode later in life, Wellington billed himself as "the singing preacher" on an album packed with several of his own originals, and only a few obvious cover songs. The liner notes highlight a gruesome and tragic story about his fifteen-month old baby getting injured, an event that seems to have triggered Wellington's religious conversion. Recorded at Virtue Recording Studios, in Philadelphia, PA, this album's lineup includes Rusty Wellington on rhythm guitar and vocals, Buck Wellington (bass), Henry Cherokee Bull (lead guitar), and Milton Sacks playing dobro and steel guitar... I'm not 100% sure, but this may have been his last album.

Various Artists "E.A.B. COUNTRY, VOLUME ONE" (Our Country Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ed Boucher)
I'm not sure that the whole story is with this disc, but this appears to be mostly a set of little-known country singers from Maine and thereabouts, all singing cover songs, possibly as part of a pay-to-record kinda deal. The most famous vocalist on here was Gene Hooper (1923-2010), a popular New England radio performer who recorded an album or two of his own and became a cast member of the WWVA Jamboree, down in Wheeling, West Virginia. George Phillips, who covers Freddy Hart's "Easy Lovin'," also recorded a full album, which appears to be the only other LP put out by this label. A few of the gals featured here -- Louise Ann, Sharon James and Stacy Stanton -- also recorded singles, including on other imprints of producer Ed Boucher's EAB empire. Mostly, though, this is super-obscuro territory, about as local as you're gonna get.

Various Artists "NEW ENGLAND COUNTRY: 34 SONGS" (Interstate Records, 1974-?) (LP)
A copiously programmed, two-disc set of fairly obscure material from the Maine-based Interstate Records label, which was the home of regional stalwarts Don West, Rose Lee and Joe Creslo, as well as a few better-known artists such as Slim Clark, Lucky Look and even Dick Curless in his later years... The long list of lesser-knowns featured here includes the band Country Karma, Norm Eldridge, Gus Fiore, Kenny Freeman, The Gamilton Brothers, Dave Geddes, Country Al Green, Ernie Grover, Herve Hardy, Dick Haynes & Stenny, Flo Hooper, Gene Hooper, Al Little, Dave MacFarland, Lena Mae, Misty Martin, Tiny Martin, Pard, Fred Pike, Rose Rio, Paul Seavey, Arlo West and Eddie & Jeannie Young... Most of these folks seem to have only been featured on this album, though many also released random singles on Interstate and on EAB Records, which was probably a related label, and some pop up on records by other folks. A few even had full albums of their own, notably bluegrassers Tiny Martin and Fred Pike, as well as honkytonk singer Gene Hooper, who cut a string of singles dating back to the 1950s, and released an LP on the Canadian-based Arc Records. Anyway, judging from some of the other related records on Interstate and EAB, this massive collection may be a bit musically marginal, but nonetheless reflective of the enduring power of New England's independent country scene.

Various Artists "TRY IT -- YOU'LL LIKE IT" (Rockland Recording Studio, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phillip E. Robinson & Jim Deans)
An odd album spotlighting several artists from Portland, Maine, all apparently backed by the same group of musicians... It's not clear what the connection is between the various performers, though both Fred ("Tommy") Thompson and Bobby Giasson played guitar for local legend Dick Curless, while producer Phil Robinson may have been in the Curless band as well. Then there's picker Sonny Cardilli, who is identified as a jazz guitarist and who contributes instrumental versions of a Buffy Saint-Marie tune, and the theme to Black Orpheus, with the band rounded out by a couple of guys from a local (rock?) band called Mirage, who play on bass and drums, and finally a vocal trio called the Balzano Sisters, whose only appearance on wax seems to be this album. Cardilli recorded at least one album under his own name, also for the Rockland label, an independent, idiosyncratic operation run by a guy named Jim Deans from 1960-85. [An excellent article about the Rockland studio and its devotees ran in The Free Press, packed with tons of info about all kinds of local Maine recording artists...]

Hick Music Index