Tiny Lynn, Lubbock / Clovis

I have little interest in Halloween. I find the whole witches, ghouls, goblins, demons, and what-nots thing to be a bit blaaah. But I'll throw in a seasonal post anyhow...


TINY LYNN- Graveyard Waltz (from Tiny Lynn, Tinymite T1001)

If he's best known for anything at all Tiny Lynn is known for Little Lehman's Half-Fast Songs which features what must surely be one of the most outlandish covers in country music. But in West Texas and East New Mexico Tiny had a career that spanned at least 20+ years beginning with Bob Tucker's Clovis based Caron Records (Sparkles, Murle Richardson) and probably finishing up with a handful of releases on his own Tinymite label. I haven't heard too much material that truly stands out, but Tiny seems to have been a bit of a funny man and steadily worked the South Plains honky tonk scene.

"Graveyard Waltz" was penned by Mr. Charlie Phillips of Borger who is best known for "Sugartime" on Columbia (covered in fine fashion by Johnny Cash).

The Jives, El Paso (II)

THE JIVES- I Want You (Tear Drop 3267)

I stomped the Jives excellent slowie "Sad Girl" last March (see HERE). "I Want You" b/w "Forever" was this El Paso family's first 45 rpm release on Foy Lee's Tear Drop imprint. From 1968, the horns are way in the front, pushing all studio meters well into the red.

Just two years ago this was a scarce disc, trading hands in the $150 to $200 range. A few recent quantity finds have put dozens and dozens of copies on the market and the price has dropped significantly. Twelve bucks should get you a copy.

the Velvets, Odessa

THE VELVETS- Let the Fool Kiss You (Monument 961)

The Odessa-American ran a story today on local combo the Velvets of "Tonight" fame, so I figured on throwing up my favorite number by the combo, "Let the Fool Kiss You", an original from group leader Virgil Johnson. "Let The Fool Kiss You" was actually released originally in 1964 with "If" on the flip. It then reappeared in 1966 paired with "Baby, the Magic Is Gone" which has found a second life on the dance floors amongst the Northern Soul crowd.

I previously Stomped their big Japanese hit "Lana" HERE.

And sorry about the condition of this particular 45... not one of their more common singles, and when it pops up there's usually competition among the continental dance n' dj crowd.

Cold Front, Lubbock

COLD FRONT- Happier There With You(Gemni no#)

Another song with a 'fall' feel to it...

Late 70s or early 80s sounds out of the Hub City. Not often you see something of this vintage out of Lubbock that is NOT related to Don Caldwell or his studio, or Texas Soul. Seeing the Warhorse Production makes me wonder if this is perhaps connected in some way to Jimmy Blakley, Jr.'s similarly named outfit.

Dan Lambert, El Paso

DAN LAMBERT- The Windy City (from Hot Time On the Old Town Tonight, Houndstooth Records 913)

Dan Lambert's roots are up north, but he's lived in Texas since the early 70s where he began releasing his own music on Houndstooth Records. The sounds early on were a mix of off-kilter Fahey-esque instrumentals and bluesy vocals, but as Dan progressed his sound became a bit more 'pop' as he included more instrumentation. Of the material I've heard thus far, the primitive "Hot Time Ont he Old Town Tonight" has been my favorite. A few instrumentals seem to meander aimlessly, but a few- such as the comped "Trolls Int he Basement"- are spot on. "The Windy City, with its diverse culture (and the Bears)" opens like a blustery fall day with a sky full of dust, before taking off in an almost jazz'd improv direction. Somewhere along the way Lambert hits on a stretch of country blues before the wind kicks back up around the closing, though a bit more subdued. Though it feels disjointed on a casual listen, I've found myself drawn in while at work (cooking, driving, filing records, playing with my little one's pirate action set).

Dan has released a number of albums since Hot Time... and still currently lives / teaches guitar / plays around El Paso.

http://www.myspace.com/danlambert

Rainbow Boogie Band, Abilene

Seems I've been kinda focused on the rockabilly and hillbilly sounds of late, so here's something a bit different...


RAINBOW BOOGIE BAND- s/t (Capitol City Records)

I've passed over copies of this lp for years thinking it was some major label guitar "chud", but its recent placement in a stack of overpriced Elvis and Tom Jones LPs gave me a reason to give it a closer look wherein I noticed the Abilene, Texas address and a song titled "Cocaine Blues" which was not the standard worked, re-worked, and over-worked by many folks over the years.

The Rainbow Boogie Band's sound was predominantly country with a pubescent sounding female vocalist taking many of the lead vocals and writing a number of the songs on the lp. This is not an album that has held up well over time, but the two songs closing out side one- "Special Lady" and the acoustic instrumental "Classical Ric"- are at the very least somewhat interesting. "Special Lady" is country, but carries the disappearing sound of twin-guitar Southern rock. Not an amazing song by any stretch, but one gets the feeling that this was a number that allowed the band to stretch out a bit and jam in a live setting (Reminds me of a more southern, but less jammy Snakegrinder and the Shredded Fieldmice from way back east). I have little doubt that the Boogie Band were mainstays of Abilene's famed Ponderosa Ballroom, where ol' Westex scooted a boot or two years back. Or maybe the Ironhorse Saloon, just north of the tracks.

Cliff Blakley, Roswell

I cut my rockabilly chompers on a cassette copy of Gusto's "Starday-Dixie Rockabillies Vol. 1" which featured Cliff Blakley's awesome "Get Off My Toe". That compilation- possibly the best assemblage of rockabilly to this day- was and still is the sound of rockabilly to me. So very pleased then to have recently added Cliff's first disc to the shelves. Still need to round up "Toe", though.


CLIFF BLAKLEY- Want To Be With You Baby b/w High Steppin' (Starday 352)

Cliff Blakley moved from his home state of Oklahoma (b. July of 1934) to Roswell along with his brother Jimmy's family in the 1950s where they worked out of one of the largest honky tonk's in the region, Scotty's. Cliff served primarily as the lead guitar player in the band.

In the fall of 1957 the Blakley clan motored north to Norman Petty's studios in Clovis and cut a handful of sides including the songs featured here.

"High Steppin'" is a good hillbilly bopper about a high maintenance sorta gal with a nice slapped bass rhythm from one of the Blakley gals and fine picking from Cliff, but the vocal comes up a bit short in my opinion. "I Want To Be With You Baby" sees Cliff sounding a bit more at ease. The side features Cliff's stop n' go guitar as well as a pair nice geet breaks and a bit of piano from Cliff's sister-in-law Dorothy.

Cliff's next release would be "Get Off My Toe", one of the great Starday rockabilly numbers, and then there would be a brief stint with brother Jimmy's Darsa label.

Cliff passed away in the Lubbock area in 1998.

(Highway 380 coming off the Caprock into Roswell)