RE: New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
Hey Jon, I seem to have missed the original message here, but am intrigued by the references to the Barn Dance. What's the connection? Jim "Jon Weisberger" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/10 9:49 PM When did the WLS Barn Dance cease? According to the Encyclopedia of Country Music, 1960, which would make its national influence in the 1960s somewhat doubtful. Though to be fair, the Encyclopedia adds that many of the National Barn Dance's performers went on to a new WGN Barn Dance, which lasted until 1971 on the radio, and spent a couple of years in TV syndication. The original WLS show had a national Alka-Seltzer segment on NBC radio between 1933 and 1946, and then went 3 years without a national sponsor, until it was picked up by ABC and Phillips Petroleum. The Encyclopedia mentions a number of Barn Dance stars who became nationally known, but all, or most of them were gone from the Barn Dance by the 1950s, if not earlier - i.e., Autry, Patsy Montana, Red Foley, George Gobel. Foley, for instance, left the Barn Dance in 1946 and moved to Nashville to host the Prince Albert (i.e., national network) portion of the Opry, not coincidentally around the same time that the Barn Dance lost its national network portion. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
BLOODSHOT REVIVAL and SOUNDIES are pleased as all get-out to present a series of unreleased transcription recordings from the 1930s through the early 60s, featuring some of the greatest names in country music history... * Rex Allen * The Last of the Great Singing Cowboys * Spade Cooley * Shame on You: The Western Swing Dance Gang Bloodshot Records, Chicagos Home of Insurgent Country (where upstarts like The Waco Brothers, Alejandro Escovedo, Neko Case, Andre Williams, and The Pine Valley Cosmonauts come home to roost...), and our friends at Soundies, are proud as hell to launch our subsidiary imprint -- ladies and gentlemen, witness the first two releases in what will be a dazzling array of goodies from country musics storied past -- brought to you by BLOODSHOT REVIVAL! None of these recordings has ever been released in any form. These budget-priced CDs and cassettes are lovingly re-mastered from the transcription lacquers, and feature excellent period artwork and liner notes. Other notable releases slated for 99 include collections from Ernest Tubb, Sons of the Pioneers, and Hank Thompson. File these releases under country -- with a capital C. First up is the Arizona Cowboy himself -- REX ALLEN. In keeping with the Bloodshot/Chicago spirit, the songs in this collection were recorded during Allens 1946-1949 heyday as the star of Chicagos WLS Barn Dance (a radio show that surpassed the Grand Old Opry in influence well into the 1960s). On The Last of the Great Singing Cowboys, you get fast-paced instrumentals, velvety ballads, smooth trio harmonies, and story songs -- with a crack backing band of accordion, fiddle, guitar, and swinging stand-up bass. This stuff smokes, folks. (street date: March 23, 1999) Next in line we have the King Of Western California Swing -- SPADE COOLEY. Shame on You: The Western Swing Dance Gang contains never-released recordings of Spade and his band -- some are so rare that in many cases they are the only recorded versions of the songs. Recorded over 1944 and 1945, they feature the vocal talents of Tex Williams (who went on to solo fame behind hits like Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette!), and showcase Spade and Tex at the height of their collaborative efforts. (street date: April 20, 1999) Its a new day in the bunker, comrades. These are beautiful recordings from country musics seminal glory days. Everyone from Granny on down will love it and want to swing along. Just think! No more Bloodshot-induced family rifts! This stuff is fancy-good. Resurgent country anyone? Call on Hogan or Stacey at Bloodshot for the whole story --[EMAIL PROTECTED] 773-248-8709 BLOODSHOT RECORDS 912 W ADDISON CHICAGO IL 60613-4339 773-248-8709 fax 773-248-8702 www.bloodshotrecords.com
Re: New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
Whoo hoo! Needless to say, some of us are very much lookin' forward to these. One more reason to bow down and worship Nan, Kelly and even cranky Mr. Miller.--don
RE: New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
Why, I'm so excited about these releases that I'm willing to overlook g the characterization of the WLS Barn Dance as "a radio show that surpassed the Grand Old Opry in influence well into the 1960s..." Influence in Chicago, maybe g, but I don't think that by the 50s, let alone the 60s, the WLS show had the influence of the Opry, the Wheeling Jamboree, SoCal's Town Hall Party and maybe some others. Seriously, though, this is great news. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
Jon Weisberger wrote: Why, I'm so excited about these releases that I'm willing to overlook g the characterization of the WLS Barn Dance as "a radio show that surpassed the Grand Old Opry in influence well into the 1960s..." Influence in Chicago, maybe g, but I don't think that by the 50s, let alone the 60s, the WLS show had the influence of the Opry, the Wheeling Jamboree, SoCal's Town Hall Party and maybe some others. When did the WLS Barn Dance cease? I was listening to WLS in the early mid 60s and it was top 40. Dick Biondi anyone? I sure don't remember the Barn Dance, but I was a wee child then.