Arranged alphabetically by artist.
ECK ROBERTSON - VICTOR 19149 Turkey In The Straw / Ragtime Annie Hello, old friend. I own this one. It's important because this is *THE* start of commercial country music. As in. *THE* first recording session.
TENNESSEE VALLEY BOYS - MODE 101 Bitter Feelings / I'm Wondering Now Dang. DAAANG. This is absolute bluegrass. I've wanted to find more obscure first generation bluegrass bands and this hits it perfectly. Great band. Early 1950s. I'll *HAVE* to research more of them.
SONNY OSBORNE - KENTUCKY 596 River Of Death / I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning Daaaang. This is the exciting stuff. I wish I knew more about Sonny Osborne's career so that I could discuss this better. As always, Praguefrank's discographies provide insight, even if I don't know much. I believe this is the technical start of the Osborne Brothers, but when Bobby was serving in the military. Both tracks come from the fourth recording session listed in 1953, which makes Sonny, impressively, 15 or 16 years old. This would have been shortly after Sonny played in the Blue Grass Boys at 14 from June to September 1952. I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning was recorded by Bill Monroe on April 8, 1950 (with Jimmy Martin) while River of Death was recorded by Monroe October 15, 1950 (still with Jimmy Martin); Sonny likely performed these pieces when part of the Blue Grass Boys. The selection of two Monroe tunes has to be intentional, ESPECIALLY because almost every song during that session was a Monroe tune (the only exception being Baby Blue Eyes, a Flatt & Scruggs number). If you look at the rest of Sonny's early Kentucky label discography, there's obvious reliance on F&S and Bill Monroe material. Listening to the tracks, he "diverges" as much sound-wise, too. Despite the lack of originality, it's yummmmmy, well-done bluegrass with the type of vocals I prefer. I will highly consider buying this.
THE STANLEY BROTHERS - RICH-R-TONE 420 The Girl Behind The Bar / Mother No Longer Awaits Me At Home Already discussed here.
THE STANLEY BROTHERS AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS - MERCURY 70217 I'm Lonesome Without You / This Weary Heart You Stole Away Already discussed here.
THE STANLEY BROTHERS AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS - MERCURY 70340 A Voice From On High / I Long To See The Old Folks Already discussed here.
BILL TUTT - GILT-EDGE 5082 Salty Dog / Monkey On My Back After perusing the bluegrass records (Tennessee Valley Boys, Sonny Osborne, and the Stanley Brothers), my eye drew to this. Salty Dog is one song I've researched a while. Here's an excuse to listen to a new version for me. The song opens with mandolin but with the same vibe and swing the Allen Brothers did in their well-known version (which I've been trying to collect FOREVER). It's clear Tutt took from them. Still, well-done and fun. It includes several variations of my favorite raunchy verse: Well, two old maids in the folding bed / one turned over to the other and said, / "You ain't nothing but a salty dog." If that weren't enough, the next verse is one I've known about infamously but never heard played live. I'm delighted. Now, two old maids playing in the sand / Each one a-wishing the other was a man. Other lyrics with old maids I know are more explicit, but all come from the same spring: Two old maids laying in the grass. One had her finger up the other one’s ass. Tutt's final verses are double entendres and include a new one for me: Now listen here, baby, when I come and see you / Open up my door, let me come on through. / You ain't nothing but a salty dog. This might be the most explicit hillbilly version I've heard recorded from the old days. Even though it's a string band semi-copycat of the Allen Brothers version, the salacious lyrics make this version tempting. Monkey On My Back is a high energy string band novelty song and also fun to hear.