Favorite Recording Featuring Tenor Guitar

[Ed Goist]

What are some of your favorite recordings that feature tenor guitar?

Among the commonly noted tenor guitar artists past & present (Delmore Bros, The Kingston Trio, The Lonesome Spurs, Neko Case, Josh Rouse, etc.), what specific songs really highlight the tenor guitar?

[Jeff Ksiazek]

I put together a brief bio and discography of Michael "Whitey" Andrews, a tenor guitar player from the 1930s who recorded with Irish musicians Michael Coleman and Paddy Killoran, as well as Joe Flanagan of the Flanagan Brothers:

Michael Whitey Andrews bio

If you scroll down on this link, you can here his backing of Joe Flanagan on the Half Crown Song.

[djweiss]

Check out the Two Man Gentlemen Band:

http://www.thetwogentlemen.com/music/

[MdJ]

without a doubt - the great Mr. Spider Murphy-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-OGcn-WBlc

[Jill McAuley]

Anything John Carty has played on the tenor deserves a shout out as well.

Cheers,
Jill

[Michael Eck]

For electric jazz tenor, check out Tiny Grimes on Youtube.

[GKWilson]

This is my favorite Tenor.

[cstewart]

Definitely The Two Man Gentleman Band

[theinone]

If anyone likes a swinging sound on the tenor guitar check out the "Cats & the Fiddle" they were a great jive group from the 30s & 40s. Kinda Cab Calloway sounding or early Nat King Cole. Great stuff! check them out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQ9Sz0UCl8

[Adam Tracksler]

I keep watching this one....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2MxPOhRx0I

[Ed Goist]

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone!

Throughout the day today, I've been seeking out and listening to a lot of the stuff suggested here. It's all great, but I am particularly impressed by some of Tiny Grimes' stuff (thanks Michael! )...It's sort of a jazz, bebop, swing, rock fusion. Very nice. Speaking of rock, Grimes' style and playing really seems to be a forerunner to rock guitar. Speaking of this, I was particularly interested to see this entry on the Tiny Grimes Wikipedia page:
With Paul Williams, he co-headlined the first Moondog Coronation Ball, promoted by Alan Freed in Cleveland, Ohio on March 21, 1952, often claimed as the first rock and roll concert.

Great stuff.

Thanks again everyone. I look forward to giving all the suggestions here a good listen.

[EdSherry]

Benny and Jerry Thomasson (Jerry on TG).

[djweiss]

Also Josh Pinkham and Jerry Thomasson (Josh's Grandfather) have an album on Acoustic Disc.

-DJW

[Dolamon]

As much as I like the above listings, I still am knocked down by Cats and The Fiddle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGQgv...eature=related These guys were a pick up group from Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago in the late thirties and to this date are the only group (I've ever heard) which featured two tenor guitars a tipple and an upright bass. While relatively limited in scope - they have one super solid groove and don't quite have the skill set (at least in their early recordings) to experiment outside their comfort zone. One strange example is their version of a Sigmund Rhomberg classic 'When I Grow to old to Dream'.

Their version is spectacular, or perhaps their interpretation is ... originally it was written as a very graceful waltz. They converted it to cut time and play eight to the bar. Which is strange but really makes it a cooking tune. I have no idea if Rhomberg ever heard it or got a cut for what was a big seller in the late thirties ... The copyright for their version is now held in Germany and I wanted to use it as a film theme but they are as bad as the American DRM controllers ...

That tune is listed on the above page as an alternate tune.

[Ed Goist]

As much as I like the above listings, I still am knocked down by Cats and The Fiddle...snip...While relatively limited in scope - they have one super solid groove and don't quite have the skill set (at least in their early recordings) to experiment outside their comfort zone. One strange example is their version of a Sigmund Rhomberg classic 'When I Grow to old to Dream'.

Their version is spectacular, or perhaps their interpretation is ... originally it was written as a very graceful waltz. They converted it to cut time and play eight to the bar. Which is strange but really makes it a cooking tune...snip...

This song appears on the album "We Cats Will Sing for You 1939-1940 Volume 1", which is available for listening on Spotify. Cookin' tune for sure!...and the entire album is pretty smokin'.

[Charles E.]

Great sugestions so far, a lot of you might not have heard of Cal Smith. He played tenor guitar with Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers and recorded with them 1927-1929.

Here is "Tenor Guitar Fiend"

[Joel Glassman]

Swingin' on the Strings - The Ink Spots
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fN7IScKpFY

This is fun: Banda Do Lua Boys - Brasil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utUWl...ayer_embedded#!

Pedro Amorim (who made an excellent CD of Choro music on tenor)
http://www.amazon.com/Violao-Tenor-P.../dp/B00008MLMH

[mandopops]

Jumpin' in on this late. I'm here cuz I'm reading up on Tenors, I just played a Blueridge today. I liked it, and for something I'm just going to noodle with on occasion price is OK. $350? People have positive responses.

That said, two of my faves have been mentioned. Tiny Grimes , a Charlie Christian-influenced Electric Tenor player. He hired Bird as a sideman early on. I did hear live once at NYU late 70's. He was kinda of frail, but great to hear.

Also, 'Cats and the Fiddle'!! Yea, they're my guys, Swingin' Strings and Hep Harmony. I've have a double LP of them that I got in the 70's. (Miss you So)It's made it's way thru my family, my brothers and my kids are all 'Cats and the Fiddle' fans. My daughter in college played it for her room mates last year and they went nuts (Nuts to You) for it. Also, Tiny Grimes is on some of they're later recordings. He plays on a batch of trax. What a combo!

Also, Tiny Grimes has inspired a long time running family joke. Someone says "Hey, this record has 'Tiny Grimes' on it." The next person says, "Well if you use a rag they come right off."

Pretty funny, Huh? We've been doing that joke for 30 years and it never gets old.

[mrmando]

At last year's Tenor Guitar Gathering, Marcy Marxer was selling bootlegs of a new album featuring her vintage Martin 5-17T. I don't know if it will get an official release, but you might write Marcy and ask nicely for another bootleg. Ten bucks. It's really well done.

There's a picker in the Portland area named Anson Lytle who released a record called Tenor Moments a few years ago. It's a bunch of original fiddle tunes featuring CGDA tenor. Byron Berline plays some fiddle on it, but it's really about the tenor, with lots of nice lead breaks. It's available on Amazon.

Furthermore, look up the Hoosier Hot Shots and Mound City Blue Blowers. There's also Eddie Condon, who's a bit controversial because he used plectrum guitar tuning, not a tenor tuning.

[Beanzy]

Came across this one of Damien O'Kane with his missus.
He's a really good player, though he doesn't really shine in this one as it's is more of a back-up role to Kate Rusby's playing.