Known as the "Texas Drifter," Goebel Reeves led a bizarre, fascinating life as a hobo singer, traveling the USA from one end to the other and many other parts of the world as well. One of the most unconventional, individualistic of all old-time musicians, he performed on various radio stations and recorded fairly extensively from 1929 to the late 1930s. Though most of his best known recordings were made for the American Record Corp and its various labels, he cut his first 14 sides for Okeh in 1929 and it is this material, along with a 1934 session in Chicago for Decca/Panachord that this well-produced CD is devoted to. The 26 cuts feature just Reeves & his guitar & yodeling. Though details of his life are fairly sketchy, Fred Hoeptner, who visited Reeves several times, has put together several pages of interesting data on him into the 44-page booklet of notes, discography & words to the songs. Another very nicely done project from the German BEAR FAMILY label. THE WAYWARD SON, TRAMP'S MOTHER, TEXAS DRIFTER'S WARNING, COLD & HUNGRY, THE KIDNAPPED BABY, HOBO'S LULLABY, SONG OF THE SEA, THE DRIFTER'S BUDDY, BLUE UNDERTAKER'S BLUES, etc.
