West Coast Records

 West Coast Records - Four Star Custom

Tommy Kizziah and his West Coast Ramblers

West Coast Records - OP-115 - 1951

Side A - Too Much Light In My Eyes

Side B - Long Tom Boogie

Now here is a mighty fine a pretty rare Four Star Custom record OP (Other People) 115 by the tip top Tommy Kizziah and his West Coast Ramblers. Tommy and the Ramblers did go on to see a release of the B side on Four Star proper so must have sold pretty well in the region.

A side just does what it does, just a decent country duet by Buddy & Evelyn (band members?) but it's the flip that takes you to guitar boogie land and back again! just amazing country boogie and boy does it move! 

VIK Records

 VIK records.

Joe Clay - Vik Records - X-0211 - May 1956

Side A - Duck Tail

Side B - Sixteen Chicks

Joe Clay (Claiborne Joseph Cheramie) passed away on the 26th Sept 2016 but he left us some of the greatest rockabilly records ever made. This one on Vik is a twin sided monster that really doesn't need any introduction by me! 

A very rare record on 78rpm and was pressed in limited amounts unlike the 45 rpm which was pressed in much greater numbers and vinyl version is still pretty easy to find today.

On these tunes you'll hear Hal Harris on lead guitar and Link Davis on rhythm guitar and along with the fantastic rockin' vocals by Joe. In one word, this record is 'Perfection' 

4 Star Records

 4 Star Records 

R.D. Hendon and his Western Jamboree Cowboys

4 Star Records # 1595 - Jan 1952

A Side - I Still Want You

B Side - Music Making Mama From Memphis

Vocals by Eddie on both sides and both are mighty fine slices of country bop! plenty of fiddle and steel guitar make the A side a wonderful listenable experience 

But when you flip it over, wow, it's a real bopper, up tempo and moves along at a real pace with fantastic lead guitar and fiddle and a great slap bass solo as well, you get the lot here, this is what was happening in country music in 1952 and thankfully it was captured onto shellac by 4 star.

I don't usually buy too many country records on Four Star but I made an exception with this one and boy, I'm glad I did!

Shamrock Records

 SHAMROCK RECORDS

R.D. Hendon's Western Jamboree Cowboys 

Shamrock Records # X13 - 1952

Side A - Blues Boogie

Side B - Hit And Run Driver

Mr Hendon with his jamboree cowboys really were hot stuff around the early 50's and these recordings on Shamrock (Houston, Texas) really do show how good they were, utter brilliance really.

'Blues Boogie' is quite simply breathtaking, brilliant boogie lead guitar with sublime Steel makes this recording from 1952 so amazing, you even get an upright bass solo! magical stuff.

Clifton Records

 Clifton Records 

Cowboy Jack and the Three J's - Clifton Records # 6101 - Year ?

Side 1A - Trust Me Darling

Side 2 A - Rover Is My Name

This was the 2nd of 3 records released by Clifton but despite research I have no real clue who Cowboy Jack was! Was he Cowboy Jack Patton ? , I'm not sure!

Both sides are really good rural country, 'Trust Me Darling' is sung with great gusto by Jack and the simple accompaniment matches Jack's delivery , I can only hear maybe 2 guitars and the vocal and this makes it simple and charming.

'Rover Is My name' is a tad slower than the A side and again a very simple arrangement makes this another slice of rural country, pure country and nothing more, excellent!  

Pier-Wats Records

F. Eddy Pierce with String Band -Pier-Wats Records # 1300 - 1956

Side A - Hold Back Tomorrow 

Side B - Your Kisses Don't Thrill Me Anymore

Here we have a RITE custom press from 1956 with both sides written by Eddy & James Watson and released as a custom pressing using their own label (Pier(ce) - Wats(on).

These are both great country tunes, not Rockabilly as you may expect from 1956, Eddy was still holding the country flame high & proud. 'Hold Back Tomorrow' is really nice little country shuffle weepie and has some lovely steel & fiddle and Eddy's voice is just great.

Flip it over and BOOM! we get some real quick moving hillbilly with fiddle, steel and all that magic stuff you would expect from a quality recording by some fine musicians. 

The 45 on Pier-Wats seems to be, out and around and quite easy to track down but this 78 version seems to be a bit of a mystery and pretty rare.

Contract Records.

Fairley Holden - Contract Records # 8151 - 1946

Side A - Keep Those Cold Icey Fingers Off Of Me

Side B - Sweetheart Mountain Rose (Holden Brothers)

Mr Holden does a pretty good job on this early hillbilly number, he has the right tone in his voice (not the crooner country sound) and delivers a real cool 1946 tune. Quality steel playing and steady rhythm guitar keeps this chugging along, then the fiddle and what you get is some sweet hillbilly music.

Fairley went onto record a whole bunch of great records over at King during the late 40's including this A side again in 1947 with Piano added to the ensemble. All his King output was in a real fast hillbilly style and was mighty mighty fine!