Old Homer and Jethro LP's

[rixter]

I've got a chance to borrow some of the old H&J comedy albums (not Playing It Straight) to burn onto cd and just wondering. Some of the cornball humor gets a bit old (from what I've heard of it, anyway)but worth enduring if the music is good. How is the music content overall, and mandolin in particular? Any particular recommendations? Thanks.

[Bobbie Dier]

Can you burn a CD for me?
ima

[AlanN]

There are nuggets of brilliance in the comedy stuff. For instance, "Sandman" has elec. mando playing the head and some take off, plus it has the classic lines "The biggest nose holes I ever seen" and "I'm not a guitar, stop pickin on me"...what more could you want http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[John Rosett]

you just have to embrace the corn. there is alot of great playing on those old albums, and not just jethro's mandolin playing. homer's rythym guitar and chet atkin's lead guitar are great too.
the cornball humor was just as much a part of who jethro was as his playing, and i think that he was just as proud of h&j's humor as he was of the musicianship. if you listen to enough of it, you'll bee walking around singing the words to the songs and laughing to yourself.
john

[rixter]

Sorry didn't mean to make disparaging remarks about the corn or anything. I do enjoy Jethro's humor and I've even done one or two of his songs that were well received. Thanks for your comments. I've really been looking forward to this for awhile.

imapickn: write me off line in a couple of weeks and I'll let you know how it's going: rixter24@harborside.com

[archie]

"Embrace the Corn"...those are words to live by, Mandorose. Silliness is hard to come by in music these days, and H and J were stuffed with it. An excess of seriousness may be the true current musical problem.
I, too, enjoy the sidemen on those old records...George Barnes, Chet, Hank Garland, Johnny Frigo; then there's Ray Stevens' priceless trumpet break on "Hillbilly Hippy"...
"He was a real gone, turned on, Hillbilly Hippy
And he flew just like a plane;
He would go like a jet when he'd smoke that cigarette
That the hippies call Mary Jane."
-archie

[Bobbie Dier]

rixter,
Great! I will. I love Jethro Burns. I always look at garage sales and such for any of their old LP's. Thanks a bunch.

[Django Fret]

rixter,
Great! I will. I love Jethro Burns. I always look at garage sales and such for any of their old LP's. Thanks a bunch.
I would be interested in getting a CD for any that are not available on CD or legal download.

When will the music companies learn?

[rixter]

Django Fret : Same as above.

Competition is heavy this summer with upcoming vacation/summer steelhead run/and August salmon run, so I'll be getting this done when I can. Patience. Cheers http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[mandroid]

Playin it straight , swings .

[odeman]

I have a collection of old Homer & Jethro LP's and, yes, they are pretty funny in spots. A lot of their humor is unbelievingly cornball. A couple of their "hits" were downright embarrasing to a non H&J fan. On the whole, I found the mandolin playing fairly straightforward and a little thin in tone. It wasn't until I caught Jethro on "Hee Haw" with the "Million Dollar Band" did I fully appreciate his virtuosity. And, of course, there are his solo albums. I had an old record of the "Nashville String Band" with H&J and Chet Atkins that blew my socks off. You have to give the man credit for basing his style on the complete opposite of Bill Monroe. His consummate skill and musical sense of humor made him one of my all-time heros.
To this day, I wish I could play in those wierd jazz keys that he insisted on playing in......He was a giant among musicians.

[f5loar]

If someone had the time and patience to go through all 22 LPs of H&J and just pull out and record the manodlin breaks and licks you would have one nice CD full of classic Jethro licks. There are 4 LPs of the Nashville String Band series of all instrumentals which are really nice. Add those to the 2 instrumental H&J Lps and you got just about all of his early work pre HeeHaw. There is CD of H&J greatest comedy songs released.

[John Rosett]

there's also some great playing on the three live albums they did in the 60's. by the way, if anyone has a copy of "Live at vanderbuilt" let me know.
john

[Peter Hackman]

H and J recorded an album of jazz tunes in the late
60's, It Ain't Necessarily Square. I believe
the label is RCA Victor and they are joined by
some well-known Nashville studio musicians.
Very good tunes: Take the A Train, Satin Doll,
The Shadow of your smile, etc.

However, the cuts are short and the playing is cautious
by the standards of the era, they don't take
the tunes very far. And Jethro's tone ...

About the sam time RCA's budget label, Camden released
a bluegrass compilation
(I forget the title)
where Jethro plays
some truly exciting stuff on traditional fiddle tunes.
Most of the solos are in Ken Eidson's book.

[John Rosett]

it's called "down yonder" and there is some great playing by jethro, bobby thompson on banjo, and wade ray on fiddle.
john