Musicians from the state of Texas have provided a lot of wonderful music in many different genres over the past 100 years or so, and these two superb albums beautifully document one particular facet of that tradition. The 39 cuts presented on the two CDs comprise many of the very finest fiddle and string band performances from the Lone Star state recorded between 1922 (the earliest cuts of Eck Robertson) to some mid 1930's tracks (East Texas Serenaders) that really foreshadow the advent of Western Swing music. There are fiddle solos, archaic fiddle-banjo duets by the Red Headed Fiddlers that sound strikingly like their Appalachian counterparts, some wild work by Prince Albert Hunt, and lots of just plain lovely fiddling by The Lewis Brothers, Eck Robertson, Oscar & Doc Harper, and Solomon & Hughes. Great music here for old-time fans, with extensive notes, fine photos and lovely graphics from David Lynch. Vol. 1 includes the Prince Albert Hunt, Fiddlin' Jim Pate, Eck Robertson and Lewis Bros. material, plus samplings of the Red Headed Fiddlers & East Texas Serenaders. FAR IN THE MOUNTAIN, ACORN STOMP, BLUES IN A BOTTLE, WAKE UP JACOB, PRISONER BOY, HOUSTON SLIDE, BULL AT THE WAGON, TEXAS QUICKSTEP, CHEAT 'EM, TERRELL TEXAS BLUES, etc. Vol. 2 includes Solomon & Hughes, Smith's Garage Fiddle Band, Capt. M.J. Bonner, Texas Night Hawks, and further cuts by East Texas Serenaders and the Red Headed Fiddlers. BILLY IN THE LOW GROUND, SALLY JOHNSON, BITTER CREEK, STEELEY RAG, CUBAN TWO-STEP, POSSUM RAG, BABE, etc.
