The Maddox Brothers And Rose are the next artists in the spotlight in the three-part CD series ‘The California Acetates And More’. Previously, this unique series had already released boxes about Jimmie Dolan, Billy Barton and Terry Fell. The Maddox Brothers and Rose are no strangers in the history of American roots music. Together, the brothers and their sister Rose made quite a few, sometimes daring recordings, which included hillbilly, blues and country. As a result, they can certainly be considered pioneers of rockabilly. The group was formed by brothers Fred, Cal, Cliff and Don and their sister Rose. The Maddox family initially lived in Alabama but moved to California with their then young children. It was the 1930s, years of the economic depression and the family worked from early morning until late at night as pickers of fruit and vegetables. Social security did not exist, which made life extremely difficult and hard. The family noticed that those who performed at local rodeo shows made more money and more easily than those who worked hard. They decided to take the plunge into music. In 1937, they made their first appearance on a country radio station as The Maddox Brothers Band. However, there appeared to be a small problem. The sponsor thought the band had a female lead singer, which they did not. Fred Maddox responded that his then eleven-year-old sister Rose was the best singer. Anecdotally, he did not mention that Rose only knew the lyrics to three songs. But then World War II came as a spoilsport and the family's musical activities were interrupted from 1939 to 1945. At the end of World War II, the now 16-year-old Rose was married and had a son. However, that did not prevent her from recording and touring again with her brothers. With their mix of hillbilly, country and gospel and Fred who played the slap bass, the band was one of the founders of rockabilly, although they called it ‘Okie Boogie’ and the rest is history.
This box contains no less than 93 uptempo songs that The Maddox Brothers and Rose recorded between 1947 and 1963. 7 of those songs come from acetates and have therefore never been released before.
The first CD contains the recordings made for the 4 Star label, supplemented with 2 acetates, namely the demos of ‘I Don’t Care If Tomorrow Never Comes’ and ‘Tell Me You Care’.
The first CD kicks off with ‘I Couldn’t Believe It Was True’, where you are immediately overwhelmed by Rose’s lead vocals, which are nicely complemented by the brothers. The band was also extremely versatile. Be sure to listen to their version of ‘Milk Cow Blues’ for that. But also wonderful country and Western Swing and ‘Okie Boogie’ as they call it themselves, were no problem for this quintet. The lightning-fast instrumental ‘Water Baby Blues’ and the equally instrumental ‘Texas Guitar Stomp’ are also magnificent.
The first CD also contains songs where Fred, Cal or Don sing the lead vocals separately or together. The cheerfulness that the family radiates on all recordings is also striking.
This also applies to the second CD, which, in addition to recordings for 4 Star, also features their recordings for Columbia and Decca. The songs recorded with a string band are also beautiful. The songs on which Eddie Cletro’s orchestra provides the accompaniment show that Rose has evolved and has more control over her voice. ‘Hey Little Dreamboat’, recorded together with Eddie Cletro, already clearly shows how Rose is successfully moving towards rockabilly. The second CD concludes with the acetate demo of ‘Georges Playhouse Boogie’.
On the third CD we find recordings made for Columbia, Capitol, Black Jack and Flat-Git-It. Songs that were recorded in the second half of the fifties. You can clearly hear that the band has evolved enormously and where Rose's vocal control once again reaches new heights. The recordings that Rose made with Billy Strange's orchestra are so beautiful. Those songs are bathed in a fuller sound. A sign that Rose, Fred and Cal were clearly inspired by the then new prevailing musical zeitgeist.
The third part concludes with four acetate recordings of demos.
This three-part box not only offers an impressive overview of the career of The Maddox Brothers and Rose, but also shows the enormous evolution that the quintet went through.
In this respect, we can fully agree with Fred Maddox's statement: 'We are ten years ahead of ourselves'. Rose then always hit back with 'twenty!'. We cannot put it better ourselves.

A few months ago we were introduced to the three-CD box set around Jimmie Dolan. That was also the first release in the series ‘The California Acetates And More’, created by the Atomicat label. For more information about ‘acetates’, we would like to refer you to the review of the Jimmy Dolan release, which you can read again here https://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/jimmie-dolan-stingy.
‘The California Acetates And More’ series now gets a nice sequel with the also 3-CD box ‘Billy Barton And Friends’. In total you get 97 songs, of which no less than 37 previously unreleased ‘acetates’. Barton also wrote songs for others. These friends, who you will also find on this three-part box, are Johnny Horton, Barton's second wife Wanda Wayne, Carlyn Johnson, Cousin Herb Henson, Fuzzy and Bonnie Owen, Carolyn Bradshaw, Herb and Kay, The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Webb Pierce, Lefty Frizzell, The Variatones, Bob Miller, Benny Martin and Wynn Stewart. The common thread between these artists is, as previously indicated, that they all recorded songs that flowed from Billy Barton's pen. Among them were a number of crucial songs in the history of country music. Think of 'Forgive Me John', 'I Love You', 'Silence', 'Somebody Cries', 'You Got To Bite To Catch On', 'I'll Find Her', 'Donna On My Mind' and 'Done Done It'. To make it even more extensive, Billy Barton did not always record under this name. He also used pseudonyms such as Johnny Grimes (his real name was John Ralph Grimes), Hillbilly Barton, Billy Boy Barton and Laurel London.
Billy Barton was born on November 21, 1929 in East Bernstadt, Laurel County, Kentucky. In his teens he studied to be a tobacco auctioneer, a title he was allowed to claim at the age of 16. However, World War II threw a spanner in the works and after Billy had completed his military service, he started a career in the music industry. In 1951, in an unidentifiable studio in California, he became friends with Johnny Horton during his demo recordings, who was the first artist to be signed to the Abbott label. The second artist to be signed there was Billy Barton. In March 1952, Barton made his first commercial recordings as Hillbilly Barton with ‘Strange Affection / She’s A Good Ole Gal’, ‘No Interest / Never Satisfied’ and ‘My Darlin’ Liza Lou / You Made Me Love You (With A Twinkle In Your Eye)’. In 1953, he recorded as Billy Barton With The Circle O Ranch Boys. As Hillbilly Barton, he was also the lead singer on ‘No Help Wanted / A Heartbreak Ago’ by Bill Woods and His Orange Blossom Playboys. Later that year, he also went into the studio as Johnny Grimes, and together with Wandy Wayne for the King label. In 1957, Grimes or Barton, as you prefer, went to an unknown California studio where he recorded for Stars, Inc. Records. A year later, in June 1958, he recorded ‘Crazy Lover / Day Late And A Dollar Short’, two rockabilly numbers written by himself. For the Fire label, which was re-launched in 1958, Barton also served as band manager, producer, songwriter, mixing manager and most likely instrumentalist. There is even speculation that Barton may have been the owner or co-owner of Fire, which ceased to exist in 1960. In the sixties, Barton could often be found in Gulf studios, Sim's studios and those of the Quartercash label.
Just as Billy Barton recorded under various names, he also married several times. In addition to all the information about Barton, you can also read all the details about this in the 14-page booklet written by Mark Armstrong. Billy Barton passed away on October 8, 2011.
What is striking is that all three CDs contain songs that abundantly demonstrate Billy Barton's songwriting talent. Whether it's uptempo hillbilly, country, duets, rockabilly or swinging teenage rock-'n-roll, Barton always had the ears to package those genres in a nice melody. For example, the waltzing 'Betty Lorraine' by Johnny Horton is a song that not only captures the zeitgeist in two minutes, but is also immortal. Horton and Barton shine together vocally a little later in 'Somebody's Rockin' My Broken Heart'. Wonderful harmony! They repeat that together by the way. When Barton does the vocals alone, you only hear what a beautiful and dynamic voice he has. There are plenty of examples of this. You can already hear the first traces of Barton's rockabilly in 'A Lying Tongue', a first 'acetate' on this box, which he recorded as Hillbilly Barton. Later on, beautiful 'acetates' follow by Barton of course, but also by Wanda Wayne and Johnny Horton. A very fine 'acetate' is certainly Barton's country tearjerker 'I'm Through With Your Love'. Barton and Wanda Wayne shine together several times. It is difficult to choose a topper, because the duo always knows how to get the best out of each other to get. Billy Barton pulls out all the stops solo in the fast ‘Why Don’t They Leave Her Alone’ that he recorded for King in 1955. But also in a slow number like ‘What God Has Put Together, Let No Man Tear Apart’ Barton’s talent effortlessly comes to the fore. Billy goes in the direction of rockabilly with ‘So Called Friend’, ‘Crazy Lover’ and ‘Date Late And A Dollar Short’. He conducts a bit more teenage poppy as Billy Boy Barton in ‘Blue Lover’ and certainly also in ‘Two Kids In Love’ on which he can be heard together with Carlyn Johnson.
And then there is the third CD, on which most of the ‘acetate’ recordings can be found. Recordings that are all more than worth listening to.
It is beyond doubt that Barton, Grimes or under whatever name he recorded, had a feel for the prevailing music of his time. Even more, he succeeded with flying colors in adapting to new emerging styles such as rockabilly or even pop.
And yet I am still left with one question. Why did Billy Barton become no more than a footnote in American music history? A question that should not have been asked, because these 97 tracks show that Barton is worth more than that simple footnote.
What also deserves a mention is the superior sound in which this box bathes. The fact that these songs are three quarters of a century old can only be seen on the track listings. You certainly do not hear it!

In the series 'Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight', Bear Family Records dedicates its next release to Bob Wills. Bob Wills was rightly given the title of 'King of Western Swing'. The label's careful selection includes Bob's recordings for Vocalion/Columbia and Kapp, Master, MGM and the Liberty labels in the period 1939 - 1963. Wills usually stuck to his pure Western Swing, but hillbilly boogies and rockabilly also grace this compilation. In addition to being the inventor of the Western Swing genre for his fans, Bob Wills was also the best fiddler and arranger. He also introduced the beat to the country genre. That made him the best 'dance band' in the South West at the time. This is not an exaggeration, because it is difficult to sit still while listening to this compilation. Naturally you will find classics such as the blues, 'Keep Knocking But You Can't Come In', which Bob initially played with his legendary partner Milton Brown in the Fort Worth Doughboys, 'Don't Be Afraid Of Your Age' and the influential mainly instrumental 'Twin Guitar Special' here. More mainly instrumental work comes later with 'Texas Drummer Boy'.
What is immediately noticeable when listening to this album is the intense enthusiasm that Bob put into his band The Texas Playboys, which ensured that the merging of ingredients from the various styles of American roots music went smoothly. The vocal work is also positive. Such as in 'Nothin' But The Best For My Baby', in which the lead vocals encounter vocal opposition. This also repeats itself in other songs with different vocalists. Wills clearly continues the bluesy tour in 'Trouble, Trouble Blues' in which the fiddle further enhances the blues feeling. Rockabilly then surfaces in 'So Let's Rock'.
As is a tradition at Bear Family Records, this album also contains a beautiful 34-page booklet compiled by Roland Heinrich Rumtreiber, containing not only a detailed biography, rare photos and illustrations, but also all information regarding the tracks.
For fans of Western Swing at first hand, with formidable fiddle and steel guitar parts, this edition is a simply a 'must have'.

The Ford Motor Company was founded on June 16, 1903 by Henry Ford. That same year, Ford achieved its first success with the production of the 'Model A'. A model that was extremely popular in the late 1940s as a basis for designing and building Hot Rods. After the end of the Second World War, the 'T model' (1910-1920), the 'As model' (1928-1931) and the 'Bs model' (1932-1934) were extremely popular among Hot Rod enthusiasts. In the fifties it were the rockers who organized races for it. In the more luxurious segment of the car industry, Ford scored with the Lincoln, named after President Abraham Lincoln. However, not all models that Ford launched were successful. The 1949 to 1951 Fords were labeled as 'shoe box cars' and the Ford Edsel, named after Henry's son, was a commercial flop. The reasons for the lack of success were the appearance, the economic recession, the price problem and the numerous production problems, such as defective welds, leaking trunks and problems with the power steering.
Ford later expanded its branches worldwide, which gave the brand a lot of name recognition. Over the years, Ford allo bought Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin.
Reasons enough to put Ford in the spotlight on its 121st anniversary with 30 songs by well-known and lesser-known artists. The songs may have the name 'Ford' in the lyrics or the bands may have chosen a Ford model as the name.
'Start the engine and let's go'! Who immediately sounds through the speakers is Curtis Gordon, who delivers a hell of a rockabilly song with 'Draggin''. Curtis is followed by class act Gene Vincent who talks about his 'Pink Thunderbird', 'with a red fur seat'. Eddie Cochran also honored Ford with 'Pink Peg Slacks' and in 'Somethin' Else'.
More famous people arrive with Janis Martin. She transformed Buck Griffin's 'Let's Elope Baby' into a real rock 'n' roller. 'She had a high speed motor in a 44 coupe', impressed the rocking 'Hot Rod Baby' Rocky Davis. Lefty Nicks gives his 'Model A-Ford Blues' an authentic country blues jacket. The T-model inspired Rosco Gordon for his 'T-Model Boogie'. Willie Love was more in the mood for a stronger engine. He chose 'V8 Ford', a song that exudes a slow blues atmosphere. A beautiful piece of blues harp is cleverly contained in 'Mercury Boogie' by K.C Douglas Trio.
Betty Rogers presents a wonderful cover version of Hank Williams' 'Hey Good Lookin''. Buddy Knox also opted for a cover. He took Chuck Berry's 'Maybellene' and gave it a great rockabilly twist.
For beautiful doo-wop you can go to The Fairlanes and 'Johnny Rhythm'. The Fairlanes later appear together with lead singer Charles Perrywell in 'Come Along With Me', which has a Chuck Berry edge. You get Chuck Berry himself in 'Jaguar and Thunderbird'.
More doo-wop comes with the band that chose a Ford model as the group name, namely The Edsels. They go up-tempo in 'Shake Sherry Shake'. The Lincolns also chose their group name in the same way. They are present with the also uptempo 'Pleasin' You - Pleases Me'.
There is also beautiful harmony singing with the vocal women's group The Delicates in 'Black And White Thunderbird'. Another vocal group The Paramounts chose the same model with 'Thunderbird Baby'. You can certainly rock on the sax-driven instrumental 'What's The Word' by The Thunder Rocks. Another nice instrumental serves up Sunset Dragster's Orchestra. You can hear what a Thunderbird should sound like in their 'Boss T Bird'.
The album ends with 'Arkie Meets The Judge' by Arkie Shibley and The Mountain Dew Boys, set to a hillbilly instrumental background.
'121 Years Of The Ford Car' is not only a beautiful ode to a car brand that made mobility possible for the general public, but also offers a collection of sublime songs in genres such as blues, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and hillbilly. This album is definitely recommended on a long car trip, or at home in your familiar surroundings. The choice is yours!

​For the title of the second volume in the ‘It's A Hillbilly Booze Party’, compiler Mark Armstrong consulted Hank Thompson. Hank and his Brazos Valley Boys put on a wonderful western swing song with 'Hangover Tavern'. By the way guitarist for the Brazos Valley Boys was Merle Travis. Hank and his boys are coming back with 'A Six Pack To Go'. But before we get to Hank, a lot of beautiful things have passed. For example, Jim Atkins and The Pinetoppers kick off the drinking party with the appropriately swinging 'Juke Joint Johnny'. A swinging fiddle introduces ‘Oh My Aching Head’ by Harry Peppel and His Shenandoah Rangers. Song that clearly also carries traces of bluegrass. After the title track we are immediately treated to 'Honky Tonk Baby' a beautiful song, recorded in 1948 by Sam Nichols with The Melody Rangers. From that period also dates 'Hadacol Boogie' by Jesse Rogers and his 45's. By the way, Jesse was a cousin of the famous Jimmie Rodgers. Songs that also boast sublime guitar performances. Moreover, the songs bathe in a great contemporary sound so many decades later. Handsomely country rocking, Merrill Moore then works his way through 'Bartender's Blues'. Lattie Moore's ‘Too Hot To Handle’ is still one of my all-time favorite songs. No 'Too Hot To Handle' on this compilation, but the equally inspiring 'Drunk Again'. Another personal favorite artist is Hardrock Gunter. He plays a fiery 'Honky Tonk Baby', with possibly Chet Atkins on guitar. More famous people will come later with Johnny Horton and 'Red Lips And A Warm Red Wine'. Johnny died barely 35 years old from injuries sustained in a car accident. Another celebrity, the country artist George Jones is present with 'Bubbles In My Beer'. Leon Payne was known as 'The Blind Balladeer'. 'Brothers Of A Bottle' shows how he could perform ballads and that was not wrong. Leon Payne returns as Pat Patterson with the more swinging 'First You Buy The Beer'. The Oklahoma Wranglers with vocalist Guy Willis also show momentum. Their 'Warm Beer And A Cold, Cold Woman' has a great sing-along chorus. Rather in a storytelling way later Jimmy Swan, Cowboy Jim and His Range Riders bring the convincing 'Juke Joint Mama' that contains some blues influences in addition to country. Storytelling performance is also right up the street of Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan, as you can hear on 'Wine Women And Pink Elephants'. Eugene Scruggs, better known as Earl Scruggs, was a gifted banjo player. He shows that again here on 'Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)' that he recorded for Columbia in 1952 with Lester Flatt and The Foggy Mountain Boys. Song that is also known in the version of the Buckboard Boogie Boys and composed by that other guitar legend Joe Maphis. A song that has been covered many times is 'Drinkin' Wine Spodee-O-Dee'. Song originally recorded by its composer Stick McGhee, younger brother of Brownie McGhee who formed a famous blues duo with Sonny Terry. Here you get a handsome rocking country version of Malcolm Yelvington. A cheerful instrumental country jiver comes with 'Beer Parlour Jive' by The Hi-Flyers, including a formidable performance on steel guitar, guitar and accordion.
Mark Armstrong's quote this time is ‘I Cannot Say No To An Offer To Drink, It's Better To Have A Little, Than Not Have Drunk At All’. Sure it is! Fantastic album!

​There is also an abundance of inspiration at the Atomicat label. This is again evident from the new series 'It's A Hillbilly Booze Party', of which the first volume entitled 'Pink Elephants' has now been released. The album contains 28 hillbilly and country tracks, released between 1940 and 1960, that inevitably get you moving. Don't expect polished songs, however, but songs that will slap you in the face. Johnny Tyler And The Riders Of The Rio Grande make no bones about it. You will have known, 'It Ain't Far To The Bar'. Song that can count on a lot of enthusiasm once on site. The title track 'Pink Elephants', a cool rockabilly song, comes from Wally Willette And His Globe Rockers. A little more country then King Sterling And His Blue Grass Melody Boys move in 'Too Many Taverns'. Lattie Moore serves even more country at the top level in 'Driving Nails'. 'Honky Tonk Down Town' by Joe Maphis and Rose Lee is not only a formidable duet, but you can also enjoy the sublime strings of Joe Maphis. Another song with wonderful harmony vocals comes later with 'Home Made Wine' by Bob And Wanda Wolfe. Saturday night and time to party. But first, ‘Shine, Shave, Shower’ by Guy Willis And His Oklahoma Wranglers. Willis was also featured on Hank Williams' Sterling recordings. Sterling was also the first label to sign Williams. A little later, fiddle and banjo spice up 'Honky Tonk Blues' by The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers. Beautiful number! You undoubtedly know 'Bloodshot Eyes' in several versions. Here you get the original version by Hank Penny who recorded the song for King in 1949. You will undoubtedly know 'You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time' from Lefty Frizzell or Willie Nelson. The version you find here was recorded in 1950 by Ernie Lee And His Southerners. Jay Haggard took the blues as the basis for his 'Bartender Blues'. For an emotional ballad you can go to Billy Jack Willis And His Western Swing Band with 'Four Beers And Forty Tears'. More country rocking sounds like 'Firewater Luke' by Eddie Noack.
Also worth mentioning are Montie Jones And The Revin Robbin's rousing 'Moonshine', 'Give Me A Red Hot Mama And An Ice Cold Beer', a dast of honky-tonk by Smiley Maxedon, Georgia Crackers' 'Hangover Boogie' and ‘Honky Tonk Queen’ by Larry Thornton.
This first volume in the It's A Hillbilly Booze Party is extremely promising. The genre is the ideal soundtrack to throw all the brakes loose for an evening. Compiler Mark Armstrong is certainly already in the right mood for it. With 'If we ever meet, let's have a beer together, you can buy it for me and I will happily drink it', he personally addresses the hillbilly fans.

The next release that will be discussed in the 'Destination' series, has as its subject a destination where you do not want to end up, namely the prison or 'jail'. In American roots music, such as country, hillbilly and rock 'n' roll, there are many songs that can be placed in this context. In addition to life behind bars, these songs can also deal with gruesome crimes, escapes or remorseful confessions. Examples of this can be found galore on this compilation.
A mix of well-known and lesser-known artists provide formidable thematic country, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. It's best to stay out of prison, but this album is definitely a winner.

​This album features 27 tracks distilled from the 2016 Bear Family 4-CD box set titled “The Knoxville Sessions, 1929-1930 : Knox County Stomp.” The recordings were made by the Brunswick and Vocalion labels and can be called historic in one word. Recordings that form the basis for Hillbilly and black Appalachian music. Some of these songs will certainly be known, whether or not in other versions, but here you get them in their 'primal form'. Just think of 'The Wabash Cannon Ball', 'Railroad Bill' or 'Vine Street Rag' to name just a few highlights. But also the germs of country and bluegrass, perhaps not so pronounced, can still be detected.
For those who want to discover the origins of many genres, this 'Satan Is Busy In Knoxville, The Knoxville Sessions 1929-1930' is certainly a first step.
The accompanying booklet with info about all the tracks, also contains new essays by Jack Neely and James 'Sparky' Rucker that describe the importance of these historic recordings for the further development of music. It is also wonderful that these recordings, which are almost a century old, were remastered by Marcus Heumann in 2022, so that they sound particularly clear and warm.

For centuries, stimulants have provided relaxing moments. However, stimulants that can also derail in 'Devils & Demons' if used excessively. In these cases, we initially think of alcohol and narcotics. But love is not so innocent either, as this compilation shows. With all this in mind, Mark Armstrong collected 28 tracks, recorded between 1949 and 1963, that have devils and demons as their subject. The album contains a number of lesser known and obscure songs, so that there is a lot to discover again.
'Hillbilly Devils & Demons' features top-level hillbilly and country folk, some of which can also be of service during Halloween. It's also nice that this album, like all the other Atomicat compilations, introduces you to songs that you didn't know they existed.

​Cliffie Stone made a career in the country, was one of the founders of rockabilly, was a talented songwriter, in-demand session musician and respected A&R man at Capitol Records. In the latter capacity he was the discoverer of Hank Thompson and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Cliffie also made recordings under his own name for the same label.
On this compilation released by Bear Family you get 31 tracks, all recorded between 1947 and 1955. In addition to songs he recorded with Bob Roubian, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Les Gotcher and Jeanne Gayle, this album contains a lot of songs that Cliffie recorded under his own name. Expect Western Swing, hillbilly boogie and rock and roll at the highest level. Naturally, an extensive booklet with information about the artist and the recordings is included.

​The Canadian power trio goes back to their beginnings more than ever on their seventh album. After all 20 years ago, singer / guitarist Paul Pigat already proved not to extinguish the fire of roots music.
Buckle up those seat belts, start the engine and enjoy the hellish ride these hillbilly rockers take you on. Recommended!

​With ‘Wild Man Rock’, volume 5 in the ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ series, we dive back into the rich past of these genres. The treasury of hillbilly and rockabilly still contains countless recordings, which not only give a beautiful picture of this music, but which also still pleasantly surprise us today. Mark Armstrong once again looked for 28 songs that are defined as authentic hillbilly or rockabilly. The boundary between these genres is often filter-thin and the influences of the country often make it more difficult to say exactly which song belongs to which genre. All this poses a problem for box thinkers. A problem that does not exist for music lovers with an ‘open mind’. Just like us, they will love these songs. Like the previous 4 releases in the 'Hillbilly and Rustic Rockabilly Bop' series, this volume again contains superior American roots music.

​Most likely, the name Cliffie Stone does not immediately evoke any association. And yet this legendary artist on the double bass had an influence that should not be underestimated. Stone was not only a giant on the upright bass, he also earned his spurs behind the microphone. Perhaps most importantly, he was invaluable to Capitol Records as a session musician and arranger.
The emphasis here is on recordings between 1947 and 1958. The first 8 tracks show Cliffie with his own band or solo. The other tracks highlight his collaboration with others. 30 uptempo tracks that all put Cliffie's talent in the spotlights. Hillbilly, country boogie, instrumentals and fragments of rock and roll that have lost nothing of their strength after more than half a century.
This collector of Cliffie Stone’s work for Capitol is an unmissable release. Lovers of the other hillbilly albums released by Atomicat, don’t miss this one!

​The attention that the Atomicat label pays to hillbilly and rockabilly bop through this series certainly fills a gap in the market. With the exception of a few other labels, these genres are treated poorly. Moreover, all Atomicat releases invariably boast a sublime sound quality, as does this volume. Again, Western Swing, based on a bop beat, is on the menu.
‘The Barnyard Hop’ again features 28 hillbilly and rockabilly related high flyers. "Hillbilly and Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ is a treasure chest filled with awesome songs.

​It has often been said that hillbilly is the basis of rockabilly. The merging of hillbilly and rock and roll clearly manifests itself in volume 3. The typical instruments related to the classic hillbilly, such as fiddle, acoustic guitar and steel guitar, remain present, but the electric guitar from the rock and roll moves away effortlessly between. That of course provides a good dose of Western Swing on a boppin 'beat and that is what you get on this album in the most infectious forms. Whether they lean towards more authentic hillbilly or rather rockabilly bop, the fact is that all 28 tracks are very swinging. The ‘Hillbilly and Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ series has with "Rattlin" Daddy "a wonderful follow-up to the previously released volumes.

​Hillbilly boogies are very melodic and very danceable. You get a nice example of this specific genre on this 26-track compilation. The seeds of the later country and rockabilly were certainly sown by the hillbilly. The resemblance with these genres is therefore legion. Anyone who bought the previous Atomicat releases about hillbilly, gets a valuable addition with this ‘Hillbilly Deluxe’.

​‘Lookin 'For The Green’ features another 28 tracks with the cream of the crop of hillbilly and rustic rockabilly, expertly compiled by DJ Mark Armstrong. An album that will soon be continued with volume 3 'Rattlin' Daddy '. And let's point once again that fantastic contemporary sound that all Atomicat releases offer. Not to be missed!

​In the 1950s guitarist Grady Martin made a not to be underestimated contribution to swinging country, hillbilly jump, rockabilly and rock and roll. This album contains 30 sublime tracks. The first 10 are by Grady and The Slew Foot Band or as a solo artist. The following 20 show his beautiful guitar parts as session musician of well-known and lesser-known artists.
‘Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves and Hot Guitar’ rightly puts Grady Martin's unique guitar style in the spotlight. Well done Mark Armstrong!

​On this first album, an impressive cast of artists serves up 30 hillbilly Christmas songs. With 'Come On Baby It's Christmas, More Hillbilly Christmas' this album gets an awesome sequel.
Both albums ensure that, despite the strange times we are currently in, an authentic white Christmas from better times is not far away.

​As promised in the review of ‘Christmas Time's A-Comin’, A Hillbilly Christmas’, it now features sequel ‘Come On Baby It's Christmas, More Hillbilly Christmas’. A formidable successor that bathes in the same atmosphere. A large number of artists who have graced ‘Christmas Time's A-Comin’, A Hillbilly Christmas’ can also be found on ’Come On Baby It's Christmas, More Hillbilly Christmas’. Although they are two CDs, you can consider them as a double album. If you would like to buy one, it is best to choose both, because they complement each other beautifully and so you get a complete picture of what hillbilly has to offer in the Christmas spirit. And that's a lot. Happy Christmas!

​The 26 tracks that contain a beautiful mix of traditional country, western swing and hillbilly will give you the ultimate feeling of a nostalgic country Christmas. And just like we did with ‘Headin 'For The Christmas Ball’, we once again can conclude that ‘Christmas On The Range’ can also be played without a corresponding Christmas tree.

​With volume 1, subtitled ‘A Real Cool Cat’, the Atomicat label starts the ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ series, which will contain a total of five albums. The target group of songs that can be heard on this once formed the perfect soundtrack to fill the wooden dance floors of the Honky Tonk dance halls. All 28 tracks are of superior sound quality and this album makes us look forward with great curiosity to the next four releases.

​On this edition with pearls from the archives of Decca and Coral we get an impressive number of artists. Some well-known names such as Hank Penny, Grady Martin and Jimmie Davis, but also a number of completely obscure artists. And that is precisely the strength of compilation albums like this one. Not only do you make a lot of discoveries, but the question also arises, why these artists are not better known, because the quality of their songs could not possibly be the cause of this. They are not inferior to the repertoire of the big names.
In short, country, honky tonk and hillbilly that made the dancehalls shake to their foundations at the time. Music that also lost none of its strength and charm. Dancehalls may be a thing of the past, but this album certainly creates ambiance in the living room.

​The Jasmine label pays a nice tribute to this talented artist on this 32 track compilation. Rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country and hillbilly can always be found in the songs. Most of the songs are from Gunter's hand and show a super songwriter, who in addition to a beautiful voice also was a gifted guitarist.

On the second volume in 'The Hank Williams Songbook', hillbilly artists present not only songs once sung by Hank himself, but also original songs inspired by the musical spirit of the great Williams, as well as some formidable tribute songs. Great album!