Old Country-Western Cowboy type music

[doanepoole]

Title post is a type of music I've never really gave a studied ear to.

I figure I might start by re-listening to Hank Willams...

But give me some more leads...anyone have any favorites in this genre that they would recommend???

I'd really like to immerse myself in that cowbay-crooner, tumbleweed type stuff for a change of pace.

[Dennis Schubert]

If you're thinking "western" as opposed to vintage Nashville or Texas swing, go find Marty Robbins' old pink-and-black gunfighter album -- the one with El Paso and Big Iron on it.

Not sure that Hank Williams music would is the best match for he western/cowboy motif. I'd have to say that his music was some of the best out of Nashville in the 50's, and it was laced with blues and cajun influences.

Bob Wills was the big daddy of the fiddle-driven big-band western swing sound, maybe a little more of a cowboy sound. Big Balls in Cowtown, San Antonio Rose, Bubbles in My Beer, and all the rest.

Gene Autry or the Sons of the Pioneers might be closer to the "tumbleweed" sound that you're seeking.

[Bruce Evans]

The modern group, Riders In the Sky does some great cowboy stuff.

[Tennessee Jed]

Tex Ritter, Frankie Lane, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Woody Guthrie to name a few. The Grateful Dead and New Riders of the Purple Sage also did some cowboy songs. And of course, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. If you like Bob Wills listen to Asleep at the Wheel.

[kkallaur]

How about Jimmie Rodgers?

[doanepoole]

Thanks for all the recommendations.

After checking out some audio samples on Amazon, turns out the stuff I'm really interested in checking out is the Gene Autrey/Sons of the Pioneers type stuff. I'll start there, then maybe check out some of the other recommendations.

Those harmony vocals on the Sons of the Pinoeers are killer.

I thought I might have heard a bit of tremolo mandolin dimly in the background of an Autrey recording of Tumblin Tumbleweeds...maybe it was something else.

[Martin Jonas]

There is a bit of a dichotomy in "cowboy" music: although many of the songs are the same, they can be given the 30s Hollywood treatment or they can be played in a more campfire style. From what you've said, it seems you're looking at the Hollywood end of things at the moment, and if so, checking out the Sons of the Pioneers is probably the done thing. I suggest that from there, you go on to Marty Robbins' album "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs", which is also more in the Hollywood vein, albeit a bit more stripped-down in sound(already mentioned above: it is available as a remastered CD as well as, cheaper and better, as a two-on-one CD with its similar follow-up "More Gunfighter Ballads..."). Much of Bob Wills (also already mentioned) comes into this category, but his repertoire is much wider than just Western music.

If you want to explore the more campfire end of things, I recommend:

- Skip Gorman: "A Greener Prairie", "A Cowboy's Wild Song To His Herd", "Lonesome Prairie Love". A trio of albums with cowboy songs and old-time tunes, highly recommended. Skip's name comes up here quite frequently, as he's also a great mandolin player; however he plays mostly fiddle and guitar on these albums.

- Don Edwards: "Saddle Songs". Some of Don Edwards' material is far too contrived and over-arranged for my liking, but this double CD is extremely stripped-down and works great. Just voice and guitar, with just about every decent traditional (i.e. non-Hollywood)cowboy song on it. I see from Amazon that there's another double-CD as a sequel out now; I haven't heard that one, but I see that Norman Blake (another mandolin name much bandied around in these parts) plays on it, which suggests it's not quite as stripped down as the first volume.

- "Cowboy Songs on Folkways": This Smithsonian/Folkways CD is as close to the real thing as you're likely to get. A great one-disc compilation of partly-authentic and partly-50s-revival cowboy songs from the Folkways catalogue. The sheer grit of it makes up for the dodgy sound quality. Surprisingly, there's quite a lot of mandolin on this one as well.

Martin

[Brent]

Check out "Cowboy Celtic." The band leader is a mandolin player, and they specialize in old cowboy tunes that were derived from celtic music. Just like alot of Applachian music grew out of the Irish and Scottish ancestries of the locals, lots of the cowboys were from the same stock, and they brought their traditional music with them, and modified it for their current contexts. The various Cowboy Celtic albums are great musically, and very interesting historically with lots of liner notes.

[duuuude]

Go to www.jazz-on-line.com and search for Jimmy Rodgers, Hank Williams, or any of the oldies and you can listen to some of their original recordings.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Moose]

My .02 -- ALL of the above.. ; with the exception of Hank Williams - I would place him in "honky-tonK"/"traditional". I also would offer a further break-down into the following "genres" -(a). Western Swing: Bob Wills, Tex Williams, Spade Cooley, and more recently.., Asleep at the Wheel ; "Real-cowboy"(i.e horses. chuck wagons, "tumble-weeds..etc.!?) Western types: Roy Rogers, Autry, Tex Ritter, Sons of the Pioneers - and more recently.., Riders of the Purple Sage - (b). "Nashville" "Cowboy" types: Marty Robbins, SOME Willie(!?).., a long-time Opry member Billy Walker.., The Glazer(sp.) Brothers(Tompall,Chuck & Jim). Hope my .02 helps for a little more "fine tuning". No harm meant.., but I wouldn't include Mssr. Williams in ANY of the above :Cowby-Western" types - maybe in stage/clothes/dress, but I suggest the "type-cast' ends there.... - Good luck & good listening. Moose. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Moose]

addendum: My above post should include "Riders in the sky" in that "recent" western(i.e. doggies.., horses, chuck wagon, etc..) category - Riders of the Purple Sage would(!?) be "older" acts in the above category.. my mind - and other vital organs - ain't what they used to be... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Coy Wylie]

A more recent addition to this genre is Michael Martin Murphy. Though he's more well known for pop/country (Wildfire, etc...) in recent years he focused primarily on reviving old cowboy music. I saw him in concert recently and enjoyed the show.

[Garrett]

The Don Edwards/Peter Rowan collaboration is one of my alltime favorite records.

[doanepoole]

Thanks again for all the great replies. It never ceases to amaze me the level of friendliness and helpfullness that always shows up on this board.

I feel kinda like a sellout having ordered Hollywood-manufactured music http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif but I do think that Autrey-type-stuff sounds really cool...real polished and clean, perhaps, but cool nonetheless.

I have a tendancy to dig to the roots of the music I get interested in, so in time I'm sure I will be seeking out that authentic, campfire cowboy sound.

Hope I didn't expose too much of my own ignorance as regards this type of music...hey I'm from West Virginia, not Montana!

[Moose]

Some of my best friends are from West -by God - Virginia!! - Enjoy your research.., and your music. Moose. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

You might give Sons of the San Joaquin a listen.

Take Care! -Ed-

[stanley]

this might not help a bunch, but I once saw a book titled:

"The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing: And Other Songs Cowboys Sing (Music in American Life Series)
by Guy Logsdon (Editor)"

an interesting read I'm sure!

[Moose]

YEAH! - I "suspect" it would too.. - Now MY interest is "piqued" ; being a librarian, I'm gonna' check on THAT one!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Sellars]

How about Jimmie Rodgers?
I never grow tired of him! yodeledio yodeledia yedelehiiiiii http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Wesley]

I'm with Garrett - do yourself a favor and give a listen to "High Lonesome Cowboy" by Peter Rowan and Don Edwards. Billy Bright plays some fine mandolin on the recording. Tony Rice and Norman Blake put in an appearance too. Mighty fine stuff.