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Hillbilly

Dave and Deke Combo

The Dave and Deke Combo – Moonshine Melodies

No Hit Records – HITCD09 [1993]
Tally Ho  – I’m Just Too Lazy – Maybe Baby  – You Ain’t As Dumb As You Look  – Flipped!   – Didn’t It Rock   – Salty Boogie  – Two Guitars, No Waitin’  – Go Ahead On – Strange Woman’s Love  – Warm Lips (Big Trouble)  – Show-Me Boogie

dave and deke combo

Released in 1992, Moonshine Melodies marks the thunderous, smashing debut on long-distance of the Dave and Deke Combo. The group had previously released an eight-track cassette and a highly acclaimed EP (Hey Cuzzin’, already on No Hit Records).
The Dave and Deke Combo formed around Deke Dickerson and Dave Stuckey, joined by Lucky Martin on double bass and initially Bobby Trimble (Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Trio) on drums. The line-up stabilized when Lance Ray Soliday replaced Trimble on drums. Like their EP, this fabulous first album was recorded under the leadership of Wally Hersom, whose work on the first Big Sandy was already exemplary. At less than 28 minutes, with the longest track barely reaching three minutes, it’s a well-executed affair.
The Dave and Deke Combo plays Hillbilly with a strong Rockabilly tinge, with a few boogies (talkin’ or not) thrown in for good measure and a good dose of novelty. The combo maintains the tradition of hillbilly groups such as Rusty and Doug, Jimmie & Johnny, the Farmer Boys (of which they cover I’m Just Too Lazy), etc. Even if Stuckey or Dickerson sing solo on some tracks, the emphasis is on harmonies. Perhaps less evident on record, the Dave and Deke Combo also poses as an heir to artists such as Homer and Jethro, Lonzo and Oscar, or Cousin Jody, bringing a touch of humour to a scene which sometimes tended to take it a little too seriously. And like their illustrious predecessors, this apparent relaxation and humorous approach hides a high level from both a musical and artistic point of view. Even if the album contains a majority of covers (Sparkletones, Tommy Cassell, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim & Rod), Stuckey and Dickerson prove that they are excellent songwriters whose original songs have no reason to be ashamed of the company of their illustrious elders. Better still, they give the impression of being period pieces because they blend in so well with the selection. We will particularly mention You AIn’t As Dumb As You Look (Dickerson) or Warm Lips (Big Trouble) (Stuckey).
Added to this are their qualities as singers, alone or in harmonies, and musicians. With this album, Dickerson established himself as the heir of the great guitarists of the fifties, Joe Maphis being an obvious inspiration. Stuckey, however, is not to be outdone, as shown in the instrumental Two Guitars No Waitin, on which we hear him strumming on the acoustic guitar opposite Dickerson. The rhythm is also impeccable. Let’s mention Soliday, whose drumming knows how to be discreet. He supports the group subtly and uses his cymbals sparingly, a quality that is too rare among drummers.
With this record, as well as albums by Ronnie Dawson, Big Sandy and the Planet Rockers, No-Hit Records was, for a brief period in music history, the best Rock’n’Roll label in the world.


The Dave and Deke Combo – Hollywood Barn Dance

Heyday Records [1996]
Let’s Flat Get On It  – Snatchin’ And Grabbin’ – Right Behind Me – Let Go Of Louie – El Cumbanchero – Cut Out That Boogie – Did Anybody Mention My Name? – No Good Woman – Hitch In My Get-A-Long – Two Timin’ Mama  – Slippin’ And Slidin’ (And Scootin’ Around) – Henpecked Peckerwood – Goin’ Steady With The Blues  – Deke’s Hot Guitar – Half Shot Boogie – Baby’s Hot Rod – Wild Woman – Chrome Dome

The Dave And Deke Combo – Hollywood Barn Dance

Three years after their remarkable debut album, the Dave & Deke Combo returns with a new double bassist (Shorty Poole) and a new album on a new label (Heyday Records, responsible for the compilation Pushin’ the Norton on which we find, in addition to Dave and Deke Combo, Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys, Jeff Bright, Russell Scott, etc.).
Tim Maag, who briefly played in the Cramps under the name Touch Hazard, came to lend a hand to Wally Hersom for the recording. The album sounds more like an extension than a companion to Moonshine Melodies. The sound is slightly cleaner (I said slightly). One can feel that the group has evolved. Artistically, Deke has progressed further (if that were even possible). This is obvious in the instrumental El Cumbachero or on Deke’s Hot Guitar, which sees him imitating the different guitarists at Stuckey’s call. But even more, his style has freed itself, and his inventive riffs are more present.
Furthermore, the group dynamic seems different. It’s almost invisible at times, but if Moonshine Melodies gave the impression of a collective effort, the differences leading the group to separate shortly after begin to appear on Hollywood Barn Dance. In other words, although the album includes moments of symbiosis like on Moonshine Melodies (Let’s Flat Get On It, Going Steady With The Blues, Deke’s Hot Guitar, or the Ray Campi cover Let Go Of Louie), the personalities of the two leaders assert themselves. Stuckey, who takes the lion’s share in terms of songwriting, tries to keep the group in a traditional line, while Dickerson leads the group towards Rock’n’roll with his guitar and some of his compositions (No God Woman) and relative modernity.
I don’t mean Hollywood Barn Dance is less good than Moonshine Melodies; it’s just partially different. If it weren’t so cliché, I would say it is more mature, and each of the two singers has found their way. The group broke up shortly after. Dickerson continued to explore a more Rock’n’roll vein, and Stuckey recorded a Western Swing album that remains to this day unmatched by any contemporary group (apart perhaps from the Lucky Stars, for whom he plays drums). Then, he formed his own traditional Jazz group. In the end, we can say that this separation will have been more than positive.


The Dave and Deke Combo – There’s Nothing Like An Old Hillbilly

Bucket Lid Records BL503
No More Cryin’ the Blues – Hey Mae Laurie Ann – Red Headed Woman – Moonshine – This Is It – Let’s Rock Tonight – Hey Baby – Alamo – Love Me – Let’s Take a Little Ride Sweet Rockin’ Mama – Lookin’ for Money – I’m Gonna Tell – Laughin’ and Jokin’ – Carryin’ On – Real Cool Rocket – The Stranger Walks – Chew Tobacco Rag – Twin Guitar Twist – Muskrat – In the Meadow

Dave and Deke Combo - There’s nothing like an old hillbilly
Dave and Deke Combo – There’s nothing like an old hillbilly

Although the Dave & Deke Combo split gave us two great solo artists (as a bonus, it also gave us a fantastic drummer), sometimes we missed the Combo, its harmonies, and its humour. So when reunion gigs were announced, everyone knew it would be one of the major events of 2005. The first gigs in Vegas and Oneida were a huge success. To celebrate this reunion, the band released a rarities CD.
Tracks 1 to 6 allow us to hear the Combo with Bobby Trimble on drums. These tunes come from their first 8 track demo. One can find the other two songs on the CD version of Hollywood Barn Dance. You’ll also find live cuts, unreleased songs from the Moonshine Melodies and Toerag studios sessions, and rare-to-find songs recorded for Roger Corman. I won’t go into more detail as the liner notes explain everything. It’s interesting to see that a lot of these songs are still in Deke Dickerson’s repertoire today, like “Red Headed Woman”, “Love Me” (not The Phantom’s One) or “Lookin’ for Money”. And the icing on the cake is that you’ve got a brand new recording by the band. Elvis’ In the Ghetto is given the Homer & Jethro treatment and renamed “In the Meadow”. It’s probably one of the best songs the Combo ever produced.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Dave Stuckey’s website

Dave Stuckey and the Dave and Deke Combo on bandcamp

Deke Dickerson’s website

The Dave and Deke Combo (Moonshine Melodies line-up)
The Dave and Deke Combo (Hollywood Barn Dance line-up)

Kyle Eldridge

Kyle Eldridge – Spooky Moon

Swelltune Records – SR45-010 [2022]
Spooky Moon / Star Struck

Kyle Eldridge

Excellent double-sider from the Wizard of the Strings: Kyle Eldridge.
Spooky Moon, a superb mid-tempo country tune with a fiddle, perfectly suits Eldridge’s nasal tone, akin to Gene O’Quin. The flip, Star Struck, is an instrumental tune in the Joe Maphis tradition: virtuosity, energy, tuneful skill and dexterity, and precision, served by a clean and crisp guitar sound.
Stunning! It’s incredible the amount of talent you can put in such a tiny piece of vinyl.

Buy it here or here.

Oakville Tune Wranglers

Oakville Tune Wranglers – Headin Home

Shark Records – SH1002 [1987]
Headin’ Home / One More Time

Oakville Tune Wranglers

The Oakville Tune Wranglers were a British trio active between the end of 1985 and 1990. The band consisted of George Oakines (double bass), Pete Manville (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) and Rod Mills (guitar). They appeared on various compilations and released this single containing two excellent self-penned tracks.
The trio played a mix of hillbilly bop, proto rockabilly and cowboy tunes. In addition to the great musicianship, a special care has been given to the vocal harmonies and the melodies.If you dig the stuff recorded by Northwood records, or later by Chris Cummings’ Riverside Studio, this single is for you.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Willie Barry

willie barry

Willie Barry & the California Hot Shots – The Wallyphonic Sessions

Self Released [2020]

Hillbilly Fever – What Am I Worth – Mean Mama Boogie – Who Shot Sam – One Wheel Draggin – A Night For Love – Kiss Me Sweet – You Better Treat Your Man Right – Three’s a Crowd – Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own – One Minute To One – Island of Love – Last Town I Painted – Milkshake Mademoiselle – Don’t Go Baby – Sweet Sweet Girl

Willie Barry is the singer of the Rock-A-Sonics, an excellent band from the Washington, DC area. Last year he crossed the country and went to Wally Hersom’s Wallyphonic Studios in Pasadena, California. There, he recorded his debut solo album with the cream of the crop of the Californian rockabilly scene, namely Ashley Kingman and Deke Dickerson on guitars, Dave Berzanski on steel guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Wally Hersom on bass, and Dave Stuckey on drums. How can you go wrong with such a team behind you? Well, Barry indeed didn’t, and these 16 tracks are one of the very best slices of rockabilly/boppin’ hillbilly I’ve heard in ages.
The young singer is gifted with an excellent, subtle, and confident voice. He can easily switch from Ricky Nelson’s softness to Jerry Lee Lewis’s wildness, with some early Geoge Jones and Johnny Horton in between. Not surprisingly, the band does a terrific job. Special mention to Carl Leyland, who seems on fire, playing his best Rockabilly/Rock’n’Roll piano.
The songs, all covers, cover the whole gamut of the genre. Hillbilly Bop, Rockabilly, Rock’n’Roll, whatever the style, the young boy seems perfectly at ease. Icing on the cake, there’s a superb duet with Dani Haberman (Crown City Bombers) on Nobody’s Business But My Own, initially done by Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford and another one with Leyland on Milkshake Mademoiselle.
As usual, Hersom does a terrific job capturing the live sound and the emergency of the performance.
I couldn’t recommend this album enough.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Lucky Stars

The Lucky Stars - Go to Town
The Lucky Stars – Go to Town

The Lucky Stars – Go to Town

Fate Records 5004
Go to Town – $100 and no sense – Whose hat Is That – Rye Whiskey Baby – Feelin’ It – The Way You Walk – Glycerin Tears – Right By Me – Watch Your Step – Lie, Lie Again – If I Were Me – I’ll Go the Extra Mile – The Last Call Blues

To my great shame I recently realised that I still hadn’t reviewed the Lucky Stars’ third album “Go to Town” and felt a bit guilty about that. But the feeling almost vanished when I remembered that these guys made us wait nearly eight years between this one and “Stay out Late” their previous output. It’s a bit too long don’t you think? Especially if you, like me, consider that the Lucky Stars are, with Dave Stuckey’s Rhythm Gang, the best western swing band since the golden age of the genre (and if you thought “What about Asleep at the Wheel?”, please leave the room quietly.)
The Lucky Stars are a hot combination of influences and talents. Leading the band is Sage Guyton, the crooner with the moustache, the man with the smooth voice, strong melodies and clever lyrics. All songs here are originals from his pen and if sometimes you hear a bit of Wills here (one time Billy Jack, the other Bob), a little Tex Williams there and the spirit of Merle Travis, they all have that unmistakable Lucky Stars signature. It’s in the songs, but it’s also due to the band. With a hot rhythm section like Wally Hersom (bass) and Dave Stuckey (drums and lead vocals on The Way You Walk) and Jeremy Wakefield, Rusty Blake and Dan Wenstein trading solos respectively on steel, guitar, fiddle and cornet you can’t go wrong. Add a couple of guest on piano and accordion, and you’re there Pierre,

A Lucky Stars album is like a party. It opens with “Go to Town” a joyful and exuberant invitation to the fest and ends with “Last Call Blues” when the bar closes its doors . In between, there was room for dance, laugh, tears, swing and, yes, a lot of alcohol.
See ya next decade for the next album guys!


The Lucky Stars - Stay out late with
The Lucky Stars – Stay out late with

The Lucky Stars – Stay out late with

Fate LP5002
Rarin’ To Go – Real Good Lookin’ – Teacher’s Pet – Am I In Love (Or Am I Just Hungover)? – Out Of Your Mind – The Tattooed Lady – (Mama’s Got) The Rundown Daddy Blues – Used To Be – My Poor Old Haunted Heart – Don’t Count Your Chickens – One Man’s Blues – One Of These Days – Stay Out Late
This new album was highly anticipated. Imagine Sage Guyton’s hability to sing and write songs combined with Jeremy Wakefield on steel and the support of Dave Stuckey on drums, Wally Hersom on bass and Russ Blake on guitar. Well, if you’re into western swing this is the combination that would make your heart flip?!
And it does. The album opens with «Rarin’ to Go», the kind of song that takes no prisoner and you know you’re not just listenin’ to another album but a recording that could stand proudly near Hank Penny, Tex Williams or Bob Wills in your collection. This band swings, I mean REALLY swings, they don’t play country songs with steel on a rock beat, you see what I mean? Next song «Real Good Lookin’» gives us the occasion to salute the work done by guest musician Mike Bolger on trumpet, accordion and piano on this album. While we’re talking about the musicians I must praise the quality of guitar player Russ Blake and his jazzy licks. A few month ago this guy was totally unknown to me (shame on me) and in the same time I got 3 fantastic records where his talent shines : this one, Jeremy Wakefield’s Steel Guitar Caviar and the latest Janet Klein. All this album is a proof that Sage Guyton is not only a fantastic singer but a genius in term of writing songs. Of course you can expect clever lyrics (Teacher’s pet, Mama’s got the rundown dady blues to name but two) but Sage is more than a guy who writes funny tunes. Just listen to «Out of your mind» and «My poor old haunted heart» (and if you don’t cry on these one, you’re not realy human). JW sings the two covers of this album «the Tattooed lady» and Cindy Walker’s «Don’t count your chicken» and the records ends on the instrumental «Stay out late» that could have been recorded by the Western Caravan. But enough said, this record is an absolute must! I just hope we won’t have to wait 5 years to hear the next one.


The Lucky Stars – The Lucky Stars

Bucket-Lid BL 502 [1996]
Look Wath The Cat Dragged In – No More Nothin’ – Do Me A Favor (Tell Me A Lie) – Anything But You

Dave Stuckey produced and released on his label this EP, and Deke Dickerson, Wally Hersom, and Tim Maag recorded it.
When the band recorded it, the line-up was Sage Guyton on vocals, Brent Harding on double-bass, Jeremy Wakefield on steel guitar, Chris “Whitey” Anderson on accordion and piano, Tim Maag on drums, and James Gilliam on lead guitar.
The opener is a hot western swing tune with an infectious groove embellished with Spike Jones effect. Zeb Turner’s No More Nothin’ is more swingin’ than the original, with Guyton singing it with his unmistakable laid back style. Do Me A Favor is more on the hillbilly side, featuring some great crooning and steel guitar. Anything But You with its accordion is a rompin’ Western Swing tune reminiscent of Pee Wee King.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Radio Ramblers (the)

The Radio Ramblers ‎– Cryin’ Blues / The Devil’s Gonna Get You

radio ramblers

Rockin’ Shelby Records ‎– 45-RS-06
The Radio Ramblers are an excellent trio consisting of David Madgwick, Willy Briggs and Gary Boller, former members of the Ricardos and the Tennessee Rhythm Riders.
Cryin’ Blues is a hillbilly number, mostly acoustic, with a light steel guitar while The Devil’s Gonna Get You brings is a hillbilly bop/rockabilly reminiscent of Buddy and Bob. Both sides are originals written by Willy Briggs.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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