PIERCE, RAINWATER & HAMBLEN on Audio Lab

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Audio Lab albums I've presented in the past have always met a favourable reception. This post adds another nifty old slab to that collection. Released in 1960, AL 1523 features recordings originally from the 4 Star catalog by Webb Pierce, Marvin Rainwater, and Stuart Hamblen.
The early Webb Pierce titles were all recorded at the studios of radio station KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1950 featuring Buddy Attaway on guitar, Shot Jackson on steel, and Tillman Franks on bass. Of special note is "Groovy Boy" (originally released on 4 Star as "Groovie Boogie Woogie Boy"), an ode to a popular rhythm & blues DJ written and also recorded by Red Sovine. Ivan M. Tribe writes:

Sovine also appeared often on personal appearances with Ray "Groovy Boy" Bartlett, a young KWKH deejay who made use of a pseudo-Negro accent to win a wide following among youth of both races in the Ark-La-Tex region. Red even had a song about him on MGM entitled "Groovy Boy."

A 1954 session at Ben Adelman Studios in Washington, D.C. yielded the four Marvin Rainwater tracks contained here. Wade Holmes plays lead guitar, Mickey Woodward steel, and the legendary Roy Clark plays bass. The identity of drummer and fiddler is unknown. This was a demo session; "I Gotta Go Get My Baby" was turned into a minor hit by Teresa Brewer in 1955 on Coral.
The final four tunes are by western singer turned gospel crusader Stuart Hamblen including his version of "Ace In The Hole", which I've always enjoyed. They are from a session in Hollywood in 1947, and feature backing by Hamblen's "Covered Wagon Jubilee Orchestra."

Special thanks to Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies for recording info, and to Stephen of Cedar Island for passing this wonderful record my way.

Tracks:

1. Webb Pierce-Groovy Boy
2. Webb Pierce-I Saw Your Face In The Moon
3. Webb Pierce-Hawaiian Echoes
4. Webb Pierce-I've Loved You Forever It Seems
5. Marvin Rainwater-I Gotta Go Get My Baby
6. Marvin Rainwater-Daddy's Glad You Came Home
7. Marvin Rainwater-Korea's Mountain Northland
8. Marvin Rainwater-Tainted Gold
9. Stuart Hamblen-Ace In The Hole
10. Stuart Hamblen-Bluebonnets (In Her Golden Hair)
11. Stuart Hamblen-My Old Hound Dog
12. Stuart Hamblen-Our Anniversary

*download here*