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O. J. Sikes New Radio Show Online "Western Music Time" on the Nostalgia Radio programs page of the www.BostonPete.com web site. O.J.'s E-Mail

The Friendly Voice of Johnny Bond

    -Johnny Bond

                                                                                  
Texas Moon Records BCG-1005

Wagon Tracks

    -Red Steagall

                                                           
Western Jubilee (Shanachie 6061)

This CD was selling before it came off the press! I had a hard time finding a review copy! That's because "everybody" knows Red Steagall's reputation for putting out top quality product. This project holds true to that tradition.

    As the title implies, it's about the Westward travels of Irish immigrants (Red's ancestors were among them). Song titles "If I Never See Ireland Again," "Through the Cumberland Gap," "My Nebraska Homestead," "and a Rich O'Brien-Steagall collaboration called "The Oregon Trail" reflect the theme.

    One of my favorites is one Red wrote with Luke Reed, "The Yellowstone Valley." Talk about painting pictures with words...! Red's mastery of Western lyrics is awesome. He is, after all, the Official Cowboy Poet of Texas! And his Boys in the Bunkhouse, who accompany him on his radio show and on this album, are awesome, too.

    You're sure to enjoy following these Wagon Tracks with Red and The Boys.  www.redsteagall.com

Cowboys, Cowgirls, Roundups & Rodeos

-Kip Calahan

Goin' to Town

    -Craig Chambers

                                                    WR Records WR0016

  It took a long time to complete this project. But just as is the case with a good sauce, simmering on the stove, it was worth the wait!

    5 of the 12 songs are originals. Kip's Western roots and current location in the Animas Valley of New Mexico, are reflected in her songs. For example, "What Cowboy Means" was taken from a poem about her father-in-law in Hidalgo County. And "Al Valle de Animas," with its great border flavor, was written for a film about the area.

    She chose wisely when selecting works of other songwriters, like Colleen Peterson, Paul Davis and Ian Tyson. When she told Ian she'd like to use his "Rodeo Road" on this album, he was delighted, but begged her to slow it down. He felt that his own version had been done too fast, and he regretted it. Just listen to what Kip does with it!

    Kip Calahan has a beautiful, strong voice, the musicians and arrangements are first-rate, and the project is well-recorded. The style is contemporary cowboy & Western. Great job! CDs $17 ppd, tapes $12 ppd from Kip Calahan, P.O. Box 83, Animas, NM 88020.

Craig Chambers' Western swing CDs always contain songs that quickly become "favorites." This new one is no exception, beginning with the opener, "Crazy 'Cause I Love You."

    One of the several secrets to a great Western swing album lies in the skills of the band. Craig discovered that secret long ago. With Bobby Boatright, "Snuffy" Elmore, Floyd Domino, Rich O'Brien, Tom Morrell and Mark Abbott, to mention just a few of the most familiar names, you know you'll hear an all-star band here.

    They've worked with Craig for a long time, and it shows. Listen to the relaxed, swingin' feeling on "Crime and Ranchin'" for example, one of my new favorites. It also comes through on "Just Between You and Me," a Dan Roberts composition.

    "Quarter Moon, 3/4 Time" is (obviously) a waltz, and he includes a Bobby Darin-style arrangement of "Clementine" plus a blusey "White Bread Blues" and a beautiful "The Place Where I Worship," so you get good variety on the disc. There are too many good 'uns to describe 'em all, but I'm sure you'll be hearing this album a lot on Western radio!  You'll surely want to pick up a copy for yourself! Contact WR Records toll free: 1-877-732-8198 or www.westernswing.net

Wanted: One Good Cowboy

    -Kacey Musgraves

15 Years - A Retrospective

    -Sons of the San Joaquin

                                                       
 Western Jubilee (Shanachie 6059)

This new CD by award-winning 14 year-old Kacey Musgraves contains 14 songs, three of which are originals. There are 2 by Cindy Walker and one each by Red Steagall ("Til There's Not a Cow in Texas"), Janet McBride ("Yodeler's Lament"), Margo Smith ("Texas Yodeler") and others.

    From those titles, you may have surmised that Kacey's champion yodeling skills are featured frequently on this album. In addition, there's some fine Western swing and an excellent arrangement of Jimmie Rodgers' "When it's Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia," to make for a varied selection, with first-rate musicians.

    Tough choice, but my favorite is probably a toss-up between Liz Anderson's "Cowboys are a Girl's Best Friend" and Cindy Walker's "You're from Texas." $12 ppd from Kacey Musgraves, 125 N. Johnson, Mineola, TX 75773 (www.yodelinggirl.com)

This CD might well have been titled "The Best of The Sons." The only problem is that there are only 16 songs here, and Sons fans have so many favorites, someone would surely take exception! But if you want a good sampler to give to friends, this is it!

    These cowboys were a hit with Western audiences from their very first appearance 15 years ago. Their fan club has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. This CD shows you why.

    13 of the songs are digitally remixed and remastered from previous albums. They sound fantastic, especially those that were recorded on analog equipment before today's technology was available. Western Music Asociation award winners "From Whence Came the Cowboy" and "Charlie and the Boys" are included, along with one of Jack Hannah's earliest big compositions, "Great American Cowboy" and another of my favorites, "That's Why I'll Never Want to be Anything but a Cowboy."

Billy Beeman's Ten Bits of Texas

    -Billy Beeman with the Wagonmasters & the Lobo Rangers

                                                                                              Special Edition BJB (2 disc set)

Ghost Train

    -Hot Club of Cowtown

                                                    High Tone records HCD8147

   On the cover of this 2 CD set, Billy Beeman says "Dad had a saying when counting change: 'Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar.' The title, Ten Bits of Texas is to say 'you get more than your dollar's worth'." I'll say you do!

    Billy Beeman is in the Western Music Hall of Fame. Not only is he a superb musician; his life's story, which revolves around music, is fascinating. His birthplace has been designated a Texas State Historic Site. In this collection, you not only hear his musical compositions and poetry relating significant events in his life; you hear him play his Stradivarius!

    Billy and I share several interests. Both of us have ancestors who lived in N.C. in the mid-1700's; we had a mutual American Indian friend for years before we met; we share a respect for Indian culture, history and pre-history, and we both love good fiddle music!

    The first disc is from Wagonmasters' LPs recorded 1960 & '61. The Wagonmasters, who performed in the '50s & '60s at Knott's Berry Farm, had a wonderful sound. Most of their 25 songs are Western standards. The second CD contains Billy's recitations and 12 of his songs performed with the Lobo Rangers (1991-94). The music is superb and the poetry captivating. The Lobo Rangers' material has been remastered and sounds bettter than ever! Of course, there's plenty of Billy's mandolin and that wonderful fiddle on both discs!

    An outstanding collection, highly recommended! $25 from Billy Beeman, 19220 Lanark St., Reseda, CA 91335.

       

As soon as it was issued, this CD was given a rave review by the New York Times!  It's the 4th album by this amazing group of super-talented musicians.

    Seven of these 12 tunes are originals, and they hold their own alongside the standards here. Anyone who has ever had even the slightest bout of insomnia will relate to Whit Smith's lyrics on "Sleep," and his delivery is superb. He also wrote "It Stops with Me," and the melody and rhythm on this one take you straight back to the 1930s!

    I just love to hear fiddler Elana Fremerman sing. She has the ability to pull the audience right into the palm of her hand when she sings onstage. And her musicianship is unequalled. Just listen to her traditional "Fuli Tschai (Bad Girl)"---and both Whit and their remarkable pard, bassist Jake Erwin, also shine on this one. It's a showpiece, but when you hear what they do with "You Took Advantage of Me," with it's tasteful solos, excellent fills and wonderfully swingin' rhythm, you can see that this small band has depth. No wonder they walked with an armload of awards at the WMA festival!

    Everything here is good, but my favorites, in addition to those mentioned above, are the upbeat "Forget-Me-Not" and "Secret of Mine." There are also ballads, a waltz and a traditional fiddle tune; something for everyone.

    See Hot Club in person, if you can. If you can't, buy this album while you wait!  In stores, www.hotclubofcowtown.com or High Tone Reords, 220 4th Street, #101, Oakland, CA 94607