COUNTY-6001 LEGENDS OF OLD-TIME MUSIC "Fifty Years of County Records" Those of you who are familiar with County Sales will most likely be well acquainted with COUNTY RECORDS, a label that started up in 1965 trying to preserve examples of the rural music of the Southern USA. At the time there was absolutely no interest from the "major" labels in recording music that was essentially non-commercial: the leaders of the five or six important music companies were primarily based in the nation's biggest cities (mostly New York and Los Angeles) and most likely were not even aware of the rich tradition of musicians who had created and still played countless examples of their own home-made music. A few pioneering companies like Folkways and Arhoolie, and later Rounder, tried their hands with a few record releases mostly devoted to re-issues of old 78s --the County label started that way too, but soon expanded its catalog into two distinct series: its 500-series, devoted to reissues of old 78s, and a 700-seies that featured new recordings of outstanding rural musicians. Between the two series, County Records eventually issued over 150 long-playing records, becoming the leading label exclusively devoted to "old-time" music.
The very first "live" tracks that appeared on County were recordings of Wade Ward, Kyle Creed and George Stoneman --that album, titled "CLAWHAMMER BANJO" was the first of many put together by the late Charlie Faurot (joined later by Rich Nevins), and is now considered a classic, and a very influential recording for many younger musicians who became leaders in an old-time "revival" movement. Other key producers who contributed later included Barry Poss (who later founded the Sugar Hill label), and Bobby Fulcher. Unlike many others who earlier or later made "field recordings", all of the producers of County's artists took pride in trying to come as close as they could to creating a "studio" environment, with excellent sound quality, multiple takes where necessary, etc. Although most of County's early recordings were done in an area around Galax, Va. and Mt. Airy, N.C., Faurot and Fulcher especially found and recorded other standout musicians in Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and various other places in Virginia and North Carolina (Faurot also made important recordings of Texas fiddlers).
To celebrate 50 years of recording old-time music, COUNTY has now produced this superb 4-CD boxed set, which includes 113 tracks, 25 of them previously unissued. Some of the many artists represented here include Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, Wade Ward, John Ashby, Clark Kessinger, Art Stamper, Dan Tate, The Kimbles, the Korn Kutters, Oscar Wight, Lilly May Ledford, Fred Cockerham, Dee & Delta Hicks, Will Keys, Matokie Slaughter, Glen Smith, Clyde Davenport, E.C. Ball, Melvin Wine, Sidna & Fulton Myers, Grey Craig, Willard Watson, Gaither Carlton, Steve Ledford and Joe and Janette Carter.
There is a 28-page booklet of notes on the artists and tunes, and this includes photos of just about all of the artists. Truly a magnificent introduction to old-time music, and a representation of many of the most influential musicians to be recorded while they were still very much in command of their musical abilities.
TRACK LISTING:
DISC 1
1. JUNE APPLE - Wade Ward 2:25
2. STILLHOUSE - Fred Cockerham and Kyle Creed 2:24
3. AS TIME DRAWS NEAR - Tommy Jarrell 2:36
4. SUSANNA GAL - Camp Creek Boys 2:09
5. JIMMY SUTTON - George Stoneman 2:01
6. FORTUNE - Otis Burris and the Mountain Ramblers 2:47
7. HOME SWEET HOME* - E.C. Ball and Blair Reedy 2:28
8. CLUCK OLD HEN - Fred Cockerham and Kyle Creed 1:34
9. PRETTY LITTLE GIRL - Benton Flippen and the Smokey Mountain Boys 2:02
10. CHARMING BETSY* - Gaither Carlton 2:04
11. CRIPPLE CREEK* - Wade Ward 2:20
12. WAY DOWN IN MY SOUL - E.C. Ball and the Friendly Gospel Singers 2:51
13. DUCKS ON THE MILLPOND - Kyle Creed 1:16
14. SWEET BOY'S TUNE - George Stoneman 2:06
15. COUSIN SALLY BROWN - Willard Watson 2:00
16. STEP-BACK CINDY - Fred Cockerham and Kyle Creed 2:07
17. PEACOCK RAG*- E.C. Ball and Blair Reedy 1:21
18. HOLLYDING - Wade Ward 2:06
19. OLD WANDERING BOY* - Eldridge Montgomery 2:40
20. ALABAMA GALS* - Kyle Creed and Bobby Patterson 2:18
21. PRETTY SARO* - Gaither Carlton 3:10
22. SWEET SUNNY SOUTH* - Oscar Jenkins, Fred Cockerham and Shag Stanley 1:34
23. ROUSTABOUT - Fred Cockerham 2:34
24. DAN CARTER WALTZ* - Oscar Jenkins and Shag Stanley 2:48
25. BUSTER CROUSE'S TUNE* - Kyle Creed 1:13
26. TROUBLES & TRIALS - E.C. Ball and the Friendly Gospel Singers 2:31
27. FORTUNE* - Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham 1:56
28. JUNE APPLE - Camp Creek Boys 2:37
DISC 2
1. FORTUNE - Camp Creek Boys 2:33
2. JOHN BROWN'S DREAM - Tommy Jarrell 3:27
3. JOHNSON BOYS - Lily May Ledford 1:08
4. LITTLE SATCHEL - Fred Cockerham 3:27
5. SALLY ANN - Ernest East and the Pine Ridge Boys 2:52
6. EBENEZER - The Russell Family 2:58
7. WHITE OAK MOUNTAIN - Lily May Ledford and Rosie Ledford 2:17
8. JAKE GILLIE - Oscar Wright 2:14
9. GREASY STRING - Tommy Jarrell 2:41
10. SHADY GROVE - Sidna and Fulton Myers 1:43
11. ELKHORN RIDGE - Oscar Wright 3:09
12. SALLY ANN - Oscar Jenkins and Fred Cockerham 2:46
13. WILD BILL JONES - Lily May Ledford 2:48
14. OLD SUZANNA - The Russell Family 2:58
15. GREEN BACK DOLLAR - Ernest East and the Pine Ridge Boys 3:00
16. JOHN HENRY - Glen Smith 1:32
17. CUMBERLAND GAP* - Esker Hutchins 0:58
18. WHEN SORROWS ENCOMPASS ME AROUND - Tommy Jarrell 4:14
19. KITTY KLINE* - Oscar Wright 2:44
20. SAIL AWAY LADIES - The Russell Family 2:50
21. RED ROCKING CHAIR - Lily May Ledford 1:55
22. RICHMOND - Ernest East and the Pine Ridge Boys 2:06
23. CUMBERLAND GAP* - Fred Cockerham 1:34
24. PUNCHEON FLOOR* - Esker Hutchins and Shag Stanley 2:45
25. HEAVEN'S LIGHT IS SHINING* - H.O. Jenkins 2:48
26. LEE COUNTY BLUES* - Fred Cockerham 3:18
27. JOHN HENRY - Lily May Ledford 1:15
28. SAIL AWAY LADIES* - Kyle Creed and Bobby Patterson 1:55
DISC 3
1. JOHNNY DON'T GET DRUNK - John Ashby and the Free State Ramblers 2:43
2. BIG EYED RABBIT - Matokie Slaughter 2:17
3. OLD JAKE GILLIE* - The Korn Kutters 2:18
4. WILL YOU MISS ME - Joe and Jeanette Carter 2:28
5. FLYING CLOUDS - Grey Craig and the New North Carolina Ramblers 2:52
6. JOHN HARDY - Glen Smith 1:15
7. THE OLD ARK'S A-MOVING - The Kimble Family 2:10
8. CLEVELAND IS ELECTED -Jim Willie Pruitt & the New North Carolina Ramblers 2:16
9. KITTY AND I - Joe and Jeanette Carter 2:45
10. MITCHELL BLUES* - Steve Ledford 2:27
11. JOHNNY'S GONE TO WAR - Matokie Slaughter 2:08
12. OLD TRUE LOVE* - Dan Tate 3:29
13. TRAIN ON THE ISLAND - The Kimble Family 2:20
14. LYNCHBURG TOWN - Grey Craig and the New North Carolina Ramblers 2:57
15. FREE STATE HORNPIPE - John Ashby and the Free State Ramblers 3:11
16. SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN* - Kyle Creed and Bobby Patterson 1:44
17. ANCHORED IN LOVE - Joe and Jeanette Carter 2:29
18. LITTLE BROWN JUG - Beverly and Mildred Thompson 1:21
19. 99 YEARS* - Steve Ledford 2:51
20. MISSISSIPPI SAWYER* - Leake Caudle and Oscar Jenkins 2:24
21. SWEET STORY OF OLD - Joe and Jeanette Carter 2:43
22. TWIN SISTERS - Sidna Myers 1:39
23. FOX CHASE REEL - John Ashby and the Free State Ramblers 2:59
24. LITTLE JOHNNY'S GONE TO WAR - The Kimble Family 2:20
25. BIG EYED RABBIT* - Steve Ledford 2:38
26. ARKANSAS TRAVELER* - Matokie Slaughter 2:37
27. TAKE A MOMENT & LIVE - E.C. Ball and the Friendly Gospel Singers 2:54
28. TOO YOUNG TO MARRY - Grey Craig and the New North Carolina Ramblers 2:40
DISC 4
1. SALLY ANN JOHNSON - Clark Kessinger 2:22
2. THE WEARING OF THE GREEN - Will Keys 1:35
3. BRUSHY FORK OF JOHN'S CREEK - Art Stamper 4:53
4. JENNY HANG THE KETTLE ON - Virgil Anderson 2:44
5. FIVE MILES FROM TOWN - Clyde Davenport 2:35
6. RICHMOND - Otis Burris 2:22
7. AIN'T GONNA WORK TOMORROW* -Lily May Ledford and the Coon Creek Girls 2:10
8. LOST GANDER - Dee Hicks 1:50
9. THREE FORKS OF SANDY - Clark Kessinger 1:20
10. BED BUG BLUES - Virgil Anderson 2:54
11. COLD FROSTY MORNING* - Melvin Wine 1:04
12. CHINQUAPIN HUNTING - Will Keys 2:05
13. GOODBYE GIRLS, I'M GOING TO BOSTON - Art Stamper 3:49
14. OLD MISTER RABBIT - Clyde Davenport 2:00
15. OLD JIMMY SUTTON* - Kyle Creed and Bobby Patterson 0:45
16. MAN OF CONSTANT SORRW - Delta Hicks 1:18
17. SNAKE CHAPMAN'S TUNE - Will Keys 2:03
18. DURANG'S HORNPIPE - Clark Kessinger 2:03
19. STANDING ON THE PROMISES - E.C. Ball and the Friendly Gospel Singers 2:35
20. OLD HORSE AND BUGGY-O - Art Stamper 3:52
21. COAL CREEK MARCH - Clyde Davenport 1:22
22. YOU'VE BEEN GONE SO LONG - Virgil Anderson 3:26
23. MOON BEHIND THE HILL* - Melvin Wine 2:57
24. SHOUT LULU - Dee Hicks 3:15
25. BRUSHY FORK OF JOHN'S CREEK* - Hiram Stamper 2:01
26. POCA RIVER BLUES - Clark Kessinger 2:24
27. SKIPPING THROUGH THE FROST AND SNOW - Clyde Troxell 2:42
28. DEVIL'S DREAM - Clark Kessinger 2:09
29. ARKANSAS TRAVELER - Wade Ward and Glen Smith 1:56
* PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
