Rex Hale and his Tennessee Valley Boys. Atomic Records # 307 - 1957. Side A - Traded My Freedom (Curley Griffin) AT - 10 Side B - A Hobo Life (Rex Hale) AT - 11
Rex and his Valley boys really explode into life with this top notch B side 'A Hobo Life' . The A side is standard country fair written by Curley Griffin and sung and played with excellence by Rex and the boys but it's the flip where we live the Hobo life with the band, just amazing hillbilly bop. Recorded in Jackson, Tennessee in 57 this has all the ingredients to fulfil all your hillbilly needs, steel guitar, punchy lead guitar and a tip top echo vocal.
Joe Bryant and The Mississippi Woodchoppers. Mississippi Records # 512 - Starday Custom Side A - Pulpwood Blues - (Bryant) Side B - A Man Ain't Nothin' But A Woman's Slave - (Bryant)
My copy above is pretty rare as we now know only two copies exist (according to Malcolm Chapman in his blog and Starday Custom CD Box set review he only knows of one copy) below. So mine must be number two ......wow what a killer rare record.
Joe Bryant and the boys lay down some pretty hot country blues and it's pretty evident that Joe wrote these tunes after repeated plays of ol' Hank Williams and is pretty clear what sound he's after. You get all the usual elements, fiddle, rhythm guitar and steel guitar which does go a little off piste a few times on both side but as MC says above it just adds to the charm of the whole thing.
Jimmie Dawson - Rustic Record # 1926 - 1957 Side A - It Took An Older Woman. Side B - Money Talks. Another superb 78 record by Jimmie and this time on the fantastic looking label 'Rustic' out of Rockford, Illinois. Here you'll find two red hot slices of Country bop with some mighty tip top geet pickin' and of course the superb voice of Mr Dawson.
Bill Carter - Republic Record # 7126 - 1956 Side A - By The Sweat Of My Brow. Side B - You Ain't Got My Address. Bill had many releases through the 50's & 60's on many labels ( MGM, D, Honey B and Tally) but this was his only release on Republic. Two really decent tunes but the 'Address' side is the cream of the crop and really hops along at a snazy pace. Bill had the help of some top Nashville musicians on this cut (see below) and it shows from the first to last note . February 1956 Nashville, TN – Bill Carter - Bill Carter [vcl/gt], Hank Garland [lead gt], Don Helms [steel], Bob Moore [bass], Buddy Harman [drums], Tommy Jackson [fiddle], Marvin Hughes [piano] RCA Custom pressing.
