6/30/20 Grand Ole Opry Classics On YouTube

A large number of old Opry radio shows are available on Internet Archive, but I just found that dozens of episodes were uploaded to YouTube this month: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlFHypGTH4En2lfWoSB0wsFMIecXVStl8

So far, the episodes on this YouTube list are from 1939-1956.

Also, I found a playlist of the Gannaway Opry shows from the 1950s: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyopL49unRu8I_YM7JHxTwiIDjwndRth8

RFD-TV shows full episodes of the Gannaway shows.

My 1950s Country TV Shows list includes some Opry and other cool shows: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkY8-UOMZQ08xEU_XeDtBzGS2him_-cln

6/29/20 Roy Rogers’ 1991 Album “Tribute”

Roy Rogers (1911-1998) has the unusual distinction of being in the Country Music Hall Of Fame both as a solo act and as a member of the Sons Of The Pioneers. Although his television and movie career was extensive, he made only four solo studio albums. Today, we take a look at the last one, “Tribute,” in 1991: https://youtu.be/Z5yy60W96C0

The album is heavy on guest stars. Clint Black and Roy Rogers made a video for their duet, and that’s the lead-in to my 1990s western list: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkY8-UOMZQ08z_WvP_Ezzf16ZU4GrUlhC

6/28/20 The House Of The Rising Sun

Let’s begin with Clarence Ashley’s version in 1933: https://youtu.be/147kS8O59Qs

The song has been covered by countless artists, including Roy Acuff. Here’s a compilation https://youtu.be/cJNFqhMJ4DA

Jody Miller’s version made the country charts: https://youtu.be/FxBY1uIAvuQ

Dolly Parton’s version also made the country charts.

If you want to hear something a bit different, check out the Vatsal Dave and Art Greenhaw (Light Crust Doughboys) version of “Amazing Grace” from the album “Lone Star Sitar.” https://youtu.be/5C3gpAzrsg4

6/27/20 The High Road On The Hilltop

The Light Crust Doughboys have been around since the 1930s, and although the lineup has changed a lot over the decades, the group is still active: http://lightcrustdoughboys.org/In 1997, they partnered with the Southern Methodist University band for the album “The High Road On The Hilltop.”

Here’s the link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l6v3rX8HspIP-Y4OvYd2-2X3hF2vFFqwo

Here it is on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/37Y6yys6jTLtUPWf8zxZyH?si=Vpq-bbeSQduNyNhY_J3sEA

I included many songs from this album on my 1990s Western YouTube list: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkY8-UOMZQ08z_WvP_Ezzf16ZU4GrUlhC

6/26/20 Bill Monroe Statue – Where’s The Media ?

Bluegrass Today is one of the very few sites (Bluegrass Life is another) who reported that the Bill Monroe statue by the Ryman was damaged by the June 1st riot: https://bluegrasstoday.com/bill-monroe-statue-moved-from-the-ryman-for-repair/

The statue has been sent off for repair, with the hope that it will be ready this fall.

There has been inexcusably little media coverage of this. I refuse to accept the destruction of history as any sort of “new normal.” I have little use for anyone covering for, sympathizing with, making excuses for, or otherwise supporting the terrorists.

6/25/20 Cowboy Doo Wop

My huge series of western music lists includes a few examples of western-themed doo wop in the 50s-60s:

The Ravens, “Boots and Saddles” https://youtu.be/mI9DUp9BzOw

Olympics, “Western Movies” https://youtu.be/-qas7NJElbs

The Marquees, “Wyatt Earp” https://youtu.be/lw_vU2LZrHI

Dougie the Dude, “Cowboy Joe” https://youtu.be/x8G_2fhVt0k

6/24/20 Western 45s

The 1950s Rockabilly YouTube channel has many playlists. Their list “My Western 45s” features some obscure goodies: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVxJs8ZWMmk2qLPaHnQ1LZMSkTQvViYFl

Artists include Tom Massey, Gene Nitz, Billy James, Peso Dollar, Wilf Conway, Whitey Gallagher, Black Jack Wayne, Harry Charles, Bill Hammond, Ronnie Murray, Ed Garrett, Toby Stroud, Glenn White, and Coye Wilcox.

6/23/20 Carson Robison, “I’m No Communist”

Carson Robison deserves to be in the Country Music Hall Of Fame for his prolific contributions to country music in the 1920s-50s. “I’m No Communist” is one of his late-career gems: https://youtu.be/FdKiqiY6Vnc

Speaking of the CMHOF, they’ve been closed for months, but as far as I can tell, they did not offer any discount or extension to annual passholders.

6/22/20 Revisiting My Honky Tonk List

I’ve made a few minor revisions recently to my Honky Tonk list, removing a few broken links and adding a few other songs. With well over 200 songs, it’s one of my larger lists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkY8-UOMZQ0-1yoTDTQV3Jrn6Oe8MaXef

6/21/20 Pistol Pete’s Midnight Special

“Midnight Special” has been recorded by many artists in many styles over the decades. The first known recording was by Dave “Pistol Pete” Cutrell with McGinty’s Oklahoma Cow Boy Band in 1926 in St. Louis: https://youtu.be/ltkDphhhzgI

McGinty’s band was one of the most successful early western bands. Billy McGinty had been a member of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, and toured with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.

McGinty retired from show business and turned over his band (which included Dave Cutrell) to Otto Gray, and Otto Gray’s band made a Vitaphone short, perhaps the best super-early example of a “cowboy music video.” Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys were the first cowboy band to be in the cover of Billboard in 1931. Billboard was founded in 1894.