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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

Border Bravo

    -Jim Wilson

One Nation Under God

 

    -Sons of  Tennessee

                                             WCP 10502-8

  I'd never heard Jim Wilson's music before I played this CD. The first few bars of the first song convinced me to pay attention; I knew something mighty good was in store!

    It's a collection of cowboy songs and border ballads. The song selection draws from some of the best contemporary writers, e.g. Gil Prather's "Seven Days from Musquiz" and Bob Campbell's "Old Borunda Cafe." Works by Ian Tyson and Tom Russell are also here, and Jim contributed three he co-wrote, like my favorite, "Mountain Home" (w/Jean Prescott).

    Accompaniment is acoustic and nicely done by very talented musicians from Lubbock, Texas, with Andy Wilkinson producing. CDs $17 ppd from Buscadero Productions, P.O. Box 1134, Alpine, TX 79831
www.sheriffjimwilson.com.

  When these fellows started out years ago, they were pretty much a novelty act: two cute kids singing with their dad on horseback. Audiences didn't often realize how difficult it is to play an instrument and sing while riding. Few knew that movie cowboys used lip synching to accomplish those smooth melodies on screen. The Sons do it the hard way, with headphones/mics and well-trained horses.

    The Sons have grown up now, and they really shine as professional musicians. This new CD was recorded in the studio, not on horseback. It displays the family's musical talents beautifully, including the songwriting skill of the boys' mom, Cheryl Runquist. It's an album of patriotic and religious songs, inspired, in part, by the events of Sept. 11. The song Ms. Runquist wrote, "She's More than Just Another Flag," has already been getting lots of airplay. The trio does it beautifully, just as they do the 10 other songs on the album. Titles include "This Land is Your Land" (which Rex Allen used as his theme song for many years), "America, The Beautiful," Near the Cross," "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Wayfaring Stranger."

    If you're looking for excellent versions of inspirational & patriotic songs, this album's for you! Tapes $10, CDs $14 + $3.95 s&h from World Classic Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 10, White's Creek, TN 37189 

BUCKAROO DREAM

    -New West

COWBOY CLASSICS

    -Grady Martin

                                               
Sony Music Special Products CD  A 33631

The carefully honed, energetic performances of this group, plus their solid, new material, have kept New West at the top of the western heap since they formed in 1995. Just listen to Mike Fleming's title track on this new disc; it's fantastic!

    Another favorite is a terrific Raul Reynoso guitar instrumental, "Vaquero," and Raul does more superb guitar work, plus the vocal, on the swingin' "Headin' South for a Change." Dave Jackson's "The Remember Song" always brings the house down. Everybody loves it, whether they wear a cowboy hat or forgot where they put it! And "The Wire and the Rails" is yet another favorite.

    The list of favorites grows every time I listen to the CD! Mike and Les Buffham struck gold awhile back with an award winning collaboration; they collaborated on 2 new ones for this disc. And there's lots more great music here.

    $17 ppd from New West, P.O. Box 802495, Santa Clarita, CA or $15.95 ppd  from www.cowboyband.com

We lost Grady Martin at age 72,  last December, but he left a remarkable legacy of recorded music. Martin didn't have only one style, although western fans will recognize his nylon-string guitar on his instrumental version of "El Paso" in this collection of 10 1/2 songs.

    All are guitar instrumentals, but there's one rendition in particular that stands out. It's a narration by Rex Allen, Sr. over Martin's "Ghost Riders in the Sky," recorded nearly 25 years ago. I'm not fond of the way Grady turns up the fuzz-tone setting to a rather harsh level on this song, but the narration is worth the price of admission.

    Other standards like "Dusty Skies," "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," etc. receive various stylistic treatments, demonstrating Martin's versatility. Accompaniment is electronic. $5.95 + postage from Collectors Choice

COWGIRL SING

    -Jeanne Cahill

ANOTHER OKLAHOMA GUITAR PICKER   

    -Jerome Campbell

Just as an athlete puts a little "english" on the ball to guide it, Jeanne Cahill becomes one with the music she performs. There is nothing mechanical about it; the result is "cowboy soul." It makes her performances as pleasing to watch as they are to listen to.         Too bad this CD isn't a video, but you can still hear the "soul" in these renditions. With one exception, she sings all parts and plays all of the instruments on this CD, and she composed all of the songs. It's not entirely acoustic, but the acoustic sound predominates.

       There are 3 instrumentals among the 11 songs, each with a great melody and picturesque title, e.g. "Palomino in the Sun," "Desert After the Rain." Most melodies flow easily, but some are more complex. The real surprise in this album is a superb instrumental called "Spaghetti, Western Style," my favorite, followed closely by "Forever," which includes some lovely harmony. 

       Contact Jeanne at Rt. 1, Box 43, Strang, OK 74367

The 10 songs on this relaxing CD are done acoustic style, using  Martin D-28 and D-18 guitars. Jerome is an accomplished guitarist, and here he is presented all alone; not even a bass for accompaniment.

    The absence of a bass and rhythm guitar is a departure from most solo albums, but it seems to add to the relaxing nature of the project. There's no "hot" pickin', but with songs like Billy Hill's "Call of the Canyon," the beautiful civil war ballad "Lorena, and "Maria Elena," "Mexicali Rose" and other smooth tunes, fast pickin' would have interfered with the atmosphere.

    Contact Jerome at Rt.1, Box 43, Strang, OK 74367.

Ultimate Collection

    -Sons of the Pioneers

                                                               
Hip-O/MCA 088 112 815-2

Midnight Stampede

    -Lloyd Morris

With so many re-issues often duplicating each other, it's a pleasure to see this 21 song CD taken from the Decca (14), Vocalion/Columbia (3), RCA Victor (2) and Coral (2) labels. Many of the essentials from the early years are here, e.g. "I'm an Old Cowhand" (which showcases the individual members of the 1936 group) and you can hear Tim Spencer solo on several tunes. Some of these songs can be found on other CDs but they aren't always in good condition. In addition, you'd have to go to several different sources to find them all.

    There are quite a few versions here that haven't been re-issued on CD. Decca's "So Long to the Red River Valley" (1941) & "Hills of Old Wyomin'" (1936), the Roy Rogers composition "My Saddle Pals & I" and Nolan's "I Wonder if She Waits for Me Tonight" from a 1937 Columbia/ARC session, all appear on CD for the first time. "Lilies Grow High" & "The River of No Return," from 1954 Coral recordings, are only available on a Bear Family boxed set. So you get some real "finds" here.

    Several years ago, MCA put out a budget CD containing several of the Decca sides found on this disc, but it had no liner notes and the audio was in terrible shape. Here, the songs sound far better, although the CD's not without it's blemishes, e.g. "Echoes from the Hills" was transferred at the wrong speed (a little too fast). Colin Escott & Laurence Zwisohn, both respected names in the field, wrote interesting liner notes. Larry does make one mistake, though, attributing the vocal solo on "Riders in the Sky" to Tommy Doss instead of Bob Nolan. 

    An excellent addition to any Western music library. Available in stores and online

Once in a long while I'll hear a new recording that just jumps out with "great" written all over it. Well, this is one of those.  It was hard for me to get past the title song---it's that good. But once you get into the album, there's plenty more waiting to be enjoyed.

    Lloyd's grandfather was a Texas Ranger. His parents are still ranching, and the love for his roots comes through clearly in his music. But there's more than sincerity here. This cowboy is talented!

    The album is not entirely acoustic---it's got a contemporary feel to it, while remaining true to the tradition. There's a combination of new material, some of which is outstanding, and classics like "Colorado Trail," "Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle" and "Timber Trail."

    My favorite of all the good ones on the CD, is the upbeat title song, co-written with Coyote Jack, but he does a super job on all the others, too, especially "...Boots and Saddle" and "Long, Hard Ride" (and the list could go on and on). Available from Lloyd Morris, 1500 Caudill, College Station, TX 77840