Along with Shot Jackson and Buddy Emmons, legendary sideman Jimmy Day stood among the finest steel guitarists ever to grace country music; "Mr. Country Soul," he and his guitar, the legendary Blue Darlin', lent their artistry to records from performers ranging from Webb Pierce to Ray Price to Willie Nelson. Born January 9, 1934, in Tuscaloosa,... [+] Read More

Along with Shot Jackson and Buddy Emmons, legendary sideman Jimmy Day stood among the finest steel guitarists ever to grace country music; "Mr. Country Soul," he and his guitar, the legendary Blue Darlin', lent their artistry to records from performers ranging from Webb Pierce to Ray Price to Willie Nelson. Born January 9, 1934, in Tuscaloosa, AL, Day harbored dreams of a career in country music from childhood onward; his initial attempts to learn guitar proved frustrating, however, when he faced considerable difficulty with his fret work. His problems were solved in 1949, when he saw Jackson providing steel support for the Bailes Brothers; that Christmas, Day received his first steel guitar, and by the age of 16 he was regularly performing at area honky tonk shows.

After graduating high school, in 1951 Day successfully auditioned for the Louisiana Hayride radio program; he soon began working with Pierce, with whom he recorded his first sessions. He soon introduced Pierce to pianist Floyd Cramer, whom Day had known since junior high; these sessions produced the Pierce smash "This Heart Belongs to Me," which hit number one just prior to Day's 18th birthday. In the spring of 1952, he also began a six-month stint backing Hank Williams; in November -- less than two months before his tragic death -- Williams asked Day to join a new band he planned to assemble in the year to follow. In the wake of the tragedy, Day worked with Red Sovine and Jim Reeves, and overdubbed a handful of posthumous Williams recordings. He also appeared on Mitchell Torok's 1953 hit "Caribbean."

With the advent of pedal steel guitar in 1954, Day began moving away from lap steel during a tenure with Lefty Frizzell; among his final sessions playing lap steel was a Louisiana Hayride date backing Elvis Presley. In early 1955 Presley assembled a backing band comprised of Day, Cramer, guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black, and drummer D.J. Fontana that remained his supporting unit for much of the year; when Presley relocated to Hollywood he invited the band to join him, but both Day and Cramer declined in order to pursue careers with the Grand Ole Opry. In 1956 Day switched permanently to pedal steel and appeared on Ray Price's "Crazy Arms"; he soon relocated to Nashville to join Price's band, the Cherokee Cowboys, and by extension became a member of the Opry. He also convinced Jackson to begin manufacturing his own pedal steel guitars, and soon the Sho-Bud, the first classic electric pedal steel, hit the market; with it came Day's first steel to bear the Blue Darlin' name.

In 1955 Day cut his first instrumental single, "Rippin' Out"; over the next two years he toured extensively with Pierce and also appeared infrequently with the Cherokee Cowboys, Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadors, and Jim Reeves' Blue Boys. In 1959, Day rejoined Price, where he was teamed with a young bassist named Willie Nelson; when Nelson broke from Price three years later, he took Day with him. By 1963 Day also began performing with George Jones, and released his debut solo LP, Steel and Strings. In the years to follow he tenured with the likes of Ferlin Husky, Leon Russell, Clay Baker, Charlie Louvin, and Don Walser, and also cut a number of records, including All Those Years, For Jimmy Day Fans Only, and Jimmy Day and the Texas Outlaw Jam Band. He was inducted into the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1982. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Hank Thompson was perhaps the most popular Western swing musician of the '50s and '60s, keeping the style alive with a top-notch band, tremendous showmanship, and a versatility that allowed him to expand his repertoire into romantic ballads and hardcore honky tonk numbers. Born September 3, 1925, in Waco, TX, Henry William Thompson was the son... [+] Read More

Hank Thompson was perhaps the most popular Western swing musician of the '50s and '60s, keeping the style alive with a top-notch band, tremendous showmanship, and a versatility that allowed him to expand his repertoire into romantic ballads and hardcore honky tonk numbers. Born September 3, 1925, in Waco, TX, Henry William Thompson was the son of immigrants from Bohemia and grew up idolizing Western swing and country musicians like Bob Wills, Jimmie Rodgers, and Gene Autry. He began learning harmonica and guitar as a child, and appeared in local talent shows as a teenager, which eventually led to his own local radio program (billed as Hank the Hired Hand). After graduating from high school in 1943, Thompson joined the Navy as a radio technician and often wrote songs to entertain his fellow soldiers. Following his discharge, Thompson studied electrical engineering at Princeton through the G.I. Bill, but eventually decided to pursue music as a career. He returned to Waco and to the radio business, and set about putting together a band he dubbed the Brazos Valley Boys. They quickly became a popular live act around the area and recorded their first single, "Whoa Sailor" (a song Thompson had written in the Navy) for the Globe label in 1946. A few more singles followed for Bluebonnet, by which time Tex Ritter had become a Thompson admirer. Ritter helped Thompson land a record deal with Capitol in 1947, an association that would last for the next 18 years.

Thompson scored his first major hit for Capitol in 1949 with the smash "Humpty Dumpty Heart," the biggest of his six charting singles that year. In 1951, he hooked up with producer Ken Nelson, who would helm many of his most successful records. Those records included "The Wild Side of Life," a monster hit from 1952 (over three months at number one) that became Thompson's signature song. Its cynical attitude inspired an answer record by Kitty Wells called "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," which made her the first female artist in country music history with a million-selling record. Thompson continued to score hit after hit during the '50s, including 21 songs that reached the Top 20 on the country charts and five Top Tens in the year 1954 alone. A savvy promoter, Thompson devised a number of ways to make himself stand out from the crowd (even past his suave cowboy wardrobe): his early-'50s television show in Oklahoma City was the first variety show broadcast in color and he was the first country artist to tour with a sound and lighting system (put together using his Navy and collegiate experience), the first to receive corporate sponsorship, and the first to record in high-fidelity stereo. He also gave early breaks to musicians like guitar legend Merle Travis and female rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson. Toward the end of the '50s, Thompson began to create LPs that were more cohesive than just mere collections of singles plus filler; 1958's Dance Ranch and 1959's Songs for Rounders were Western swing/honky tonk masterpieces, especially the latter, which stirred up controversy with its groundbreakingly adult (some said decadent) lyrical content. In 1961, Thompson recorded the first live album ever released in the history of country music, the classic At the Golden Nugget.

After that burst of inspired creativity, Thompson's luck began to change: the public's taste was moving toward slick country-pop and the electrified Bakersfield sound and despite several more fine records, Thompson's relationship with Capitol ended in 1965. He first moved to Warner Bros., then ABC/Dot in 1968 (which became part of MCA in 1970). Thompson continued to record and tour and his singles charted regularly during the '70s all the way up to 1983, though he never matched the level of success he'd enjoyed in the '50s and early '60s. Even after the hits dried up, Thompson maintained a demanding concert tour schedule, playing all over the world. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

One of the fathers of Western swing, Milton Brown was a vocalist and bandleader who was one of the first to fuse country, jazz, and pop together into a unique, distinctly American hybrid. Along with Bob Wills -- who he performed with at the beginning of his career -- Brown developed the sound and style of Western swing in the early '30s and for... [+] Read More

One of the fathers of Western swing, Milton Brown was a vocalist and bandleader who was one of the first to fuse country, jazz, and pop together into a unique, distinctly American hybrid. Along with Bob Wills -- who he performed with at the beginning of his career -- Brown developed the sound and style of Western swing in the early '30s and for a while he and his band, the Musical Brownies, were just as popular as Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Tragically, Brown's career was cut short in 1936 when he died after a car accident, just as he was poised to break into national stardom.

Born in Stephensville, TX, in 1903, Milton Brown moved to Fort Worth, TX, in 1918. After graduating from high school in 1925, he worked as a cigar salesman, but he lost his job when the Great Depression hit in the late '20s. Brown began his musical career in 1930, when he happened to meet Bob Wills at a local Fort Worth dance. The Wills Fiddle Band was performing at the dance and Brown joined the group on a chorus of "St. Louis Blues." Wills was impressed with Brown's voice and immediately asked him and his guitarist brother, Derwood, to join the band.

The Wills Fiddle Band played medicine shows around Texas and landed a regular radio spot on WBAP, where they played a show sponsored by the Aladdin Lamp Company, which had the band change its name to the Aladdin Laddies. In early 1931, the group was hired by the Light Crust Flour Company -- which was run by Burrus Mill and Elevator Company -- to appear daily on radio station KFJZ. The company, which was managed by W. Lee O'Daniel (who also hosted the radio shows) had the group rename itself as the Light Crust Doughboys.

The Light Crust Doughboys were an instant success, and soon O'Daniel moved them to another radio station, then syndicated the program statewide. The Doughboys were playing cowboy songs, jazz, blues, and popular songs -- a repertoire so diverse that the band's audience continued to expand. In February of 1932, they recorded a single for Victor under the name the Fort Worth Doughboys.

The band was playing dance music and wanted to play at dances, but O'Daniel was reluctant to let the group play outside of its radio shows. He also was hesitant to pay them much money, which greatly angered Milton Brown. In September of 1932, Brown left the band after he had an argument about money with O'Daniel.

After leaving the Light Crust Doughboys, Brown formed the first Western swing band, the Musical Brownies. The first incarnation of the Brownies featured Brown, guitarist Durwood Brown, bassist Wanna Coffman, Ocie Stockard on tenor banjo, and fiddle player Jesse Ashlock. Shortly afterward, pianist Fred Calhoun and fiddle player Cecil Brower (who replaced Ashlock) joined the group. Like the Light Crust Doughboys, the Musical Brownies played a mixture of country, pop, and jazz, but the Brownies had a harder dance edge than their predecessors.

Almost immediately, Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies were a huge success. The group had a regular spot on radio station KTAT and drew large crowds at Texas dances. The band recorded eight songs for Bluebird in April of 1934, and another ten for the label in August of that year.

Toward the end of 1934, the Brownies added electric steel guitarist Bob Dunn -- the first musician to play an electric instrument in country music. In January of 1935, the band signed with Decca Records and recorded 36 songs for the label. Released as singles over the course of 1935, the songs helped establish the band as the most popular Western swing band in Texas. In March of 1936, the Brownies traveled to New Orleans to record its second set of sessions for Decca. By this time, fiddler Brower had been replaced by Cliff Bruner. At these sessions, the Brownies cut about 50 songs, which were issued throughout 1936 and 1937.

In April of 1936, Brown had a major car accident. Although he wasn't killed on impact, he died from pneumonia five days after the crash. Following Milton's death, Durwood Brown kept the Musical Brownies together for two years, recording a dozen sides for Decca in 1937. At the time of his death, Milton Brown rivaled Bob Wills in popularity. Although he never became as famous as Wills, he was equally important in the development of Western swing -- without him, the genre as it is now known wouldn't exist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

While he never achieved the kind of success enjoyed by fellow bandleaders like Bob Wills or Spade Cooley, during the late '40s and early '50s Hank Penny ranked as one of the foremost practitioners of the Western swing sound. Born Herbert Clayton Penny on August 18, 1918, in Birmingham, AL, his father was a disabled coal miner who inspired young... [+] Read More

While he never achieved the kind of success enjoyed by fellow bandleaders like Bob Wills or Spade Cooley, during the late '40s and early '50s Hank Penny ranked as one of the foremost practitioners of the Western swing sound. Born Herbert Clayton Penny on August 18, 1918, in Birmingham, AL, his father was a disabled coal miner who inspired young Hank with his skills as a guitarist, poet, and magician before his death in 1928. By the age of 15, Penny was performing professionally on local radio; in 1936, he moved to New Orleans, where he first fell under the sway of Western swing pioneers like Wills and Milton Brown. A friendship with steel virtuoso Noel Boggs only served to further his enthusiasm for the swing form.

After a few years with New Orleans' WWL as a solo performer, Penny returned to Birmingham, where he formed the group the Radio Cowboys, which featured guitarist Julian Akins, steel guitarist Sammy Forsmark, tenor banjo player Louis Damont, bassist Carl Stewart, and vocalist, guitarist, and fiddler Sheldon Bennett. In 1938, the group (minus Akins) first entered the studio under the guidance of legendary producer Art Satherly to record numbers like "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" and Penny's own "Flamin' Mamie." After the Radio Cowboys joined the cast of the Atlanta-based program Crossroad Follies, Forsmark left the group, to be replaced by Noel Boggs; at the same time, they also welcomed a new fiddle player by the name of Boudleaux Bryant.

After turning down offers to take over vocal chores for both Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys and the Light Crust Doughboys, Penny moved the group to Nashville in 1939, where they again recorded with Satherley. Shortly after, Boggs left the group to join Jimmy Wakely and was replaced by Eddie Duncan. After recording songs like "Tobacco State Swing" and "Peach Tree Shuffle" in Chicago in mid-1940, the band was forced to dissolve after most of its members were drafted. Penny remained in Chicago working as a disc jockey before assembling a new group for a 1941 session in North Carolina, which generated the songs "Why Did I Cry" and "Lonesome Train Blues."

After signing on with the Cincinnati station WLW's programs Boone Country Jamboree and the Midwestern Hayride, Penny formed a new band called the Plantation Boys, which included Radio Cowboy Carl Stewart on fiddle along with guitarist/bassist Louis Innis, fiddler Zed Tennis, and lead guitarist Roy Langham. In addition to work with the Delmore Brothers, Merle Travis, Bradley Kincaid, and Grandpa Jones, they also backed WLW's pop singer Doris Day. After the departure of Langham, in 1944 the band toured with the USO before Penny traveled to California at the urging of Travis. There, he became enamored with the music of Spade Cooley and met Cooley's onetime manager Foreman Phillips, who offered Penny work as a bandleader. After a brief return to Cincinnati which led to a brief recording date, Penny returned to California to assemble another band which included Boggs; however, when Phillips began ordering Penny how to play, the bandleader balked and the group promptly disbanded.

Soon, he was fronting an all-girl band at a Los Angeles club but was quickly approached by Bobbie Bennett, Cooley's then-manager, to lead one of several groups formed to play at the bookings Cooley and his orchestra were themselves too busy to fulfill. While Tex Ritter led one band and Travis led another, Penny fronted the Painted Post Rangers, which scored a pair of significant chart hits with "Steel Guitar Stomp" and "Get Yourself a Redhead." When the Painted Post Club went bankrupt, he moved to lead the large house band at the Riverside Rancho. In 1946, he joined Slim Duncan's ABC network show Roundup Time as a comedian. After moving first back to Cincinnati and then to Arlington, VA, he returned to California and took a disc jockey position. He also formed yet another new band, the Penny Serenaders, which included guitarist Speedy West as well as accordion player Bud Sievert, fiddler Billy Hill, and bassist Hank Caldwell. Together with club owner Amand Gautier, Penny also opened his own dancehall, which featured Bob Wills on its opening night.

In June 1948, Penny joined Cooley's massively popular television program, where he performed as a comedian best known for his backwoods character "That Plain Ol' Country Boy." A year later, he entered the studio to record a number of songs, among them "Hillbilly Bebop," the first known bop effort cut by a country act, and the 1950 hit "Bloodshot Eyes." After he and Gautier opened another club, the legendary Palomino, he reformed the Penny Serenaders, which included singer Mary Morgan, later known as Jaye P. Morgan. The group issued "Remington Ride" and "Wham Bam! Thank You, Ma'am" before calling it quits and then reforming again, this time with guitarist Billy Strange and steel guitar whiz Joaquin Murphy. In 1952, Penny left Cooley to join Dude Martin's program; after first stealing Martin's wife, singer Sue Thompson, he began hosting his own series, The Hank Penny Show, which was canceled after only seven weeks.

By 1954, Penny had moved to Las Vegas, where he began a seven-year run as a performer at the Golden Nugget Casino, fronting a band which included the likes of Roy Clark. He also continued to record, even cutting a jazz record in 1961. After divorcing Thompson, he also recorded a comedy album before moving to Carson City, NV, in 1970 to begin performing with his protégé, Thom Bresh, the son of Merle Travis. After leaving his band to Bresh, Penny moved to Nashville, where he was in the running for a slot hosting Hee Haw but lost out, ironically enough, to Clark. After a tenure on radio in Wichita, KS, he and fifth wife Shari returned to California in the mid-'70s, and for the most part he retired. Penny died of a heart attack on April 17, 1992. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Fiddler Johnnie Lee Wills led the most popular pre-war Western swing band around the Oklahoma area; that is, after older brother Bob moved his Texas Playboys to California in 1940. He was born in Jewett, TX, on September 2, 1912, the second of four musical sons and seven years behind Bob. Johnnie Lee learned about music from his father, and... [+] Read More

Fiddler Johnnie Lee Wills led the most popular pre-war Western swing band around the Oklahoma area; that is, after older brother Bob moved his Texas Playboys to California in 1940. He was born in Jewett, TX, on September 2, 1912, the second of four musical sons and seven years behind Bob. Johnnie Lee learned about music from his father, and began playing banjo with Bob when the Texas Playboys moved to KVOO-Tulsa in 1934. He formed the Rhythmairs in 1939, but returned to the fold the following year when Bob split the Playboys into two groups. Johnnie Lee took over the second unit (switching from banjo to fiddle), with younger brother Luther Jay on bass. A few months later, Bob moved to California and left Johnnie with his own band, christened Johnnie Lee Wills & His Boys. The brothers remained close though, and when Bob needed a substitute as leader, he called Johnnie.

Johnnie Lee Wills & His Boys signed with Decca in 1941, and recorded ten initial sides. The group played on another session when a recording ban was lifted after World War II, but moved to Bullet Records in 1949. Wills' Bullet recordings proved to be the most popular of his career. Early in 1950, "Rag Mop" spent five weeks at the number-two spot in the country charts, and crossed over to the popular Top Ten; though a version by the Ames Brothers did even better. Later that year, "Peter Cotton Tail" also hit the country Top Ten. He moved to RCA Victor in 1952, but none of his recordings sold very well. Western swing's popularity was declining, though Wills' regional fame remained unchanged and he continued to appear regularly on KVOO until 1958.

Wills recorded several albums for Sims in the early '60s, but his band broke up in 1964. He continued to work occasional shows and dances, and opened a Western clothing store in Tulsa with his son, John Thomas Wills. By the late '70s, the Western swing revival took notice of Johnnie Lee Wills, and releases of his early-'50s material appeared on Rounder and Bear Family. He also recorded reunion albums for Flying Fish and Delta with many former Texas Playboys. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide [-] Hide

This five-CD set is the only extant collection by this legendary Western swing outfit. At 140 dollar list, it's a hefty investment, but it's such solid music that it's difficult not to justify on the basis of quality. Disc one, covering sessions from 1937, is justified by the presence of the greatest version ever of "Milk Cow Blues," with a... [+] Read More

This five-CD set is the only extant collection by this legendary Western swing outfit. At 140 dollar list, it's a hefty investment, but it's such solid music that it's difficult not to justify on the basis of quality. Disc one, covering sessions from 1937, is justified by the presence of the greatest version ever of "Milk Cow Blues," with a vocal by Leo Herbert Raley that will curl every hair you have; an awesome Western swing version of "You Got to Hi De Hi"; the bluesy, fiddle-driven "Can't Nobody Truck Like Me"; the smooth yet touching "Under the Silvery Moon"; and a trio of distinctive alternate takes of three of the best numbers here, only uncovered in 1997. Disc two has even more of a freewheeling feel to it, and some of the best rags and dances ever cut by anybody. By the late 1939 sessions that open disc three, the group isn't as much of a blues band, no less lively but playing more straight dance material. Disc four moves into the 1940s, and topicality is reflected by the presence of the rollicking "Draft Board Blues"; the disc also encompasses the extended periods of recording inactivity by the group, including a gap from 1941 and 1944, and then, again, until 1947. By this time, Bruner and his band were losing the edge that had made their earlier music such a delightfully intense listening experience. Their playing was as good as (and more polished than) ever, but as they moved into the late '40s and the dawn of the 1950s -- covered on disc five -- their overall sound lacked sharpness, although it was still eminently listenable. The notes and discography are both exceptionally detailed. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The Complete Recordings of the Father of Western Swing 1932-1937 is exactly what its title suggests -- everything Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies recorded for both Victor and Decca Records, spread out over five compact discs. The very comprehensiveness of the box makes it appealing only to serious country music historians and dedicated... [+] Read More

The Complete Recordings of the Father of Western Swing 1932-1937 is exactly what its title suggests -- everything Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies recorded for both Victor and Decca Records, spread out over five compact discs. The very comprehensiveness of the box makes it appealing only to serious country music historians and dedicated fans, but within these five discs is some of the most groundbreaking, influential -- and just plain enjoyable -- popular music of the early 20th century. For those willing to make the investment, it is well-worth the money. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

This gathers the cream of Hank Penny's early King sides, beginning with the 1944 "Plantation Boy" session featuring Roy Lanham, though it also highlights sessions with Merle Travis, Noel Boggs, and Red Foley. This is good material, highlighted by the hits "Steel Guitar Stomp" and "Get Yourself a Red Head." In addition, there is an excellent...

This gathers the cream of Hank Penny's early King sides, beginning with the 1944 "Plantation Boy" session featuring Roy Lanham, though it also highlights sessions with Merle Travis, Noel Boggs, and Red Foley. This is good material, highlighted by the hits "Steel Guitar Stomp" and "Get Yourself a Red Head." In addition, there is an excellent alternate take of "Hope You're Satisfied." ~ Jim Smith, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Band's a-Rockin' includes 27 songs -- 70-plus minutes -- of radio transcriptions dating between 1941 and 1951, and some of the hottest Western swing you're ever going to hear. The title track is pretty cool, but then Johnnie Lee Wills kicks it into high gear with "Boogie Woogie Highball," a jazzy, swingin' instrumental that could've been part of... [+] Read More

Band's a-Rockin' includes 27 songs -- 70-plus minutes -- of radio transcriptions dating between 1941 and 1951, and some of the hottest Western swing you're ever going to hear. The title track is pretty cool, but then Johnnie Lee Wills kicks it into high gear with "Boogie Woogie Highball," a jazzy, swingin' instrumental that could've been part of Benny Goodman's repertory if that band had only come from Texas instead of Chicago. Curly Lewis' and Henry Boatman's fiddles contend with Don Harlan's clarinet and a bunch of talented guitarists who passed through the lineup -- this band was a multiple-threat in the solo department, with Clarence Cagle and Bob Booth both in there pitching on the piano and trumpet, respectively, as well. There's not a bad song here, and some of the stuff here was important at the time -- by some estimates, Johnnie Lee's cover of "Rag Mop" kept the Bullet label afloat nearly a year longer than it otherwise would have survived. Their version of "Milk Cow Blues" may be the best cover by any white musicians this side of Darby & Tarlton. Some of the 1941-vintage tracks ("Whatcha Know Joe," "Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight") have a fair amount of noise in the background, but it not serious enough to detract from the music in any major way. Anyone seeking to own a Western swing CD recorded by someone other than Bob Wills should make this a first pick. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Twenty songs, containing nearly all of the essential items from Thompson's history with Capitol Records from 1947 through 1961, from "(I've Got A) Humpty Dumpty Heart" through "Oklahoma Hills." In addition to containing all of the expected hits, such as "The Wild Side of Life," there are a few nice bonus tracks, such as the Brazos Valley Boys'... [+] Read More

Twenty songs, containing nearly all of the essential items from Thompson's history with Capitol Records from 1947 through 1961, from "(I've Got A) Humpty Dumpty Heart" through "Oklahoma Hills." In addition to containing all of the expected hits, such as "The Wild Side of Life," there are a few nice bonus tracks, such as the Brazos Valley Boys' instrumental "Big Beaver," and excellent notes, depicting Thompson's arrival at the label, the founding of the Brazos Valley Boys, the beginning of his long and profitable relationship with producer Ken Nelson, and the background on each song's recording and history. ~ Bruce Eder & Thom Owens, All Music Guide [-] Hide