If your browser doesn't automatically go there within a few seconds, you may want to go to the destination manually. A web page that points a browser to a different page after 2 seconds If your browser doesn't automatically go there within a few seconds, you may want to go to the destination manually. O.J's Corral / Music Reviews

THE O. J. CORRAL
Music, Book & Movie  REVIEWS
BY
O. J. SIKES

We Will Be Adding Pages and Leaving Reviews Up
Have a CD you want OJ to review
Mail TO:
OJ Sikes
327 Westview Ave
 Leonia, NJ 07605-1811

      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

We will now only be listing E-Mails & Websites
of Academy of Western Artists Members on the Reviews
The Singing Cowboy
    -Jimmy Wakely
                                                                    Varese Sarabande 302 066 3712

 
Rawhide
    -Frankie Laine 
                                                                    Bear Family BCD 16522IL

 
Fortunately, when Jimmy Wakely managed his Shasta record label, he decided to issue an all-Western LP. Better still, Varese Sarabande has now issued that LP on CD.
    It is mostly comprised of beautifully mastered material from Jimmy's 1950s radio show, but he added a newly recorded (Jan., 1976) version of his movie theme, "Saddle Pals." The sound is excellent throughout, and 6 bonus tracks have been added to the CD. All are Western and all feature Jimmy Wakely, so the collection is a real gem!
    The album includes an arrangement of "Song of the Sierras" that is very nice, but very different from Jimmy's Capitol recording. The bonus tracks are "Cowboy's Prayer," "Along the Santa Fe Trail," "...Boots & Saddle," "There's an Empty Cot in the Bunkhouse Tonight" plus previously unissued recordings of "Trail to Mexico" and "Cool Water."
    It's always a treat to read Jon Guyot Smith's informative liner notes. He knew most of the folks he writes about, so his writings are insightful and interesting. The original LP's front cover artwork is used, plus a couple of rare fotos. An excellent, long awaited Western collection! Check stores

 
This 9-CD boxed set is the last in a series of boxes covering Frankie Laine's remarkable career. It's not limited to Western songs because Laine crossed genre lines easier than most folks my age can cross the street! Separately, Bear Family has issued 2 full-length single CDs of Western recordings, On the Trail and On the Trail Again.
    But this set contains Frankie's studio work for Columbia, 1956-1964, including his million-selling "Moonlight Gambler" and the most popular of all of his Western recordings, "Rawhide." This was the period when he made most of his Western records, and they're beautifully re-mastered here.
    Titles include "Gunfight at the OK Corral" (studio & film versions) and "3:10 to Yuma," which are still popular with audiences today, thanks to the Westerns Channel and TCM. "High Noon," "Along the Navajo Trail," "Cow Cow Boogie," "Wagon Wheels" and the lesser-known "Deuces Wild" and "Call of the Wild" and many more are here as well.
    As an indication of Laine's versatility and widespread popularity, he sings a number of songs in Italian, French, Spanish & German! His pop & jazz work with maestros Paul Weston, Michel Legrand, Frank Comstock, Les Brown, Frank DeVol and others includes "Jezebel," "That's My Desire," "Lonesome Road," "A Cottage for Sale," "Wheel of Fortune," and the list of great songs goes on. Some are reprises of earlier hits, but they sound terrific. There are lesser-known gorgeous pop ballads like "There's Not a
Moment to Spare," too.
    The set is accompanied by a 104 page LP-size book containing dozens of rare photos, a sessionography and biographical text by Todd Everett. Beautiful color photos on each CD's cover. A fantastic set every Frankie Laine fan will want. It lives up to Bear Family's sterling reputation for high quality. In stores

 
The Cowboy is a Patriot
    -Gene Autry
                                                               
Varese Sarabande 302 066 408 2 (2 disc set)

 
The Golden Age of Tex Ritter
    -Tex Ritter
                                                                               
Cattle CCD 272

 
Gene Autry was sworn into the U.S. Army Air Forces on July 26, 1942. It happened "on the air," during a broadcast of his Melody Ranch radio show. The entire show is reissued here for the first time, on one of the 2 CDs in this new set. Except for the induction ceremony, it's an almost typical show, with great renditions of the Whitley-Rose-Autry composition "Let Me Ride Down in Rocky Canyon," "Tears on My Pillow," etc.
     When Gene joined the Armed Services, he couldn't continue his Wrigley's-sponsored work. However, arrangements were made for Sgt.Gene Autry to make abbreviated but regular radio appearances as morale boosters for the country, until he began flying missions over Asia (he also performed for troops while in the Pacific). On disc 1, you'll hear what those radio shows were like.
    There are 34 patriotic songs and special announcements from those weekly shows on disc 1. They're ordered chronologically, beginning with a scrap rubber drive announcement and "Any Bonds Today?" from 1942, to "God Bless America" from 1953. In addition to the standard patriotic tunes, there are titles especially appropriate for a country & western artist/soldier, e.g. "I'm Comin' Home, Darlin'," "Private Buckaroo," "I Sent a Letter to Santa (to Watch Over Daddy for Me)."
    Beautifully re-mastered. Interesting liner notes by James E. Wise, Jr. Nice photos, but Jimmy Dean (Eddie's brother) is misidentified in one as Bob Wills. An outstanding patriotic collection, from "The Cowboy"'s perspective. In stores.

 
Slowly, it's getting easier to find Tex Ritter's commercial recordings. But until now, it hasn't been so easy to find his transcriptions. This new Cattle CD contains 28 of those rare transcriptions, nicely remastered and thoroughly enjoyable.
    All of the songs aren't rare, but these recordings of them are. One of the great things about Tex's transcriptions is that they include some of the songs he sang in movies but never recorded commercially. "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" on this disc is a good example. It's a great song he performed in Frontier Fugitives, which aired recently on the Westerns Channel.
    There are also covers of other artists' work, like  Gene Autry, Wesley Tuttle, Tex Williams, Eddie Dean & Johnny Bond (just as many artists recorded covers of Tex's work). Some of the songs were performed in movies by other artists (Gene & Eddie), and others sound like they may have been done for movies, but weren't. Lots of great material here, more from his country side than strictly Western, but they "sound" Western.
    Highly recommended for all Ritter enthusiasts. $23 ppd from Frontier Records, P.O. Box 157, Jenks, OK 74037.

 
America's Most Beloved Cowboy
    -Tex Ritter
                                                                           
British Academy (BACM CD D 019)

 
Billy Beeman's Ten Bits of Texas
    -Billy Beeman with the Wagonmasters & the Lobo Rangers
                                                                                              Special Edition BJB (2 disc set)

 
Tex Ritter has been added to the BACM catalog with this collection of Tex’s transcriptions, many of which were never recorded commercially. 13 of the 23 selections duplicate those on the Cattle label Ritter CD reviewed elsewhere in this issue. In at least one instance on this disc (Tex's recording of the Spade Cooley/Tex Williams hit, "Shame, Shame on You"), the recording speed is ever-so-slightly off and the sound quality is just shy of BACM's usual high standards.  On the plus side, this one has far more attractive artwork. Most songs are in the country vein, but there’s also a reprise of “Ridin’ Ol’ Paint,” Tex’s first recording, sounding much better on this later version than on the original. And you'll hear Tex's covers of Wes Tuttle's "Detour" and Gene's "Tweedle O'Twill." $14 ppd (without plastic jewel case) from British Archive of Country Music, c/o “Greenacres,” 451 Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent, CT 17 9JX, U.K.,   or $22 ppd with jewel case from Frontier Records, P.O. Box 157, Jenks, OK 74037.

 
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 homeplace 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 Stainer Fiddle!
    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.

 
   
   

To Advertise E-Mail Us
SALES@WORKINGCOWBOY.COM
or call 
1-785-475-8990

This Site Designed and maintained by
Working Cowboy Web Design
Problems with this site contact
Webmaster
™Working Cowboy © 1999-2003 All Rights Reserved
No portions of this site may be reproduced without written permission