Old-Time Texas String Bands – Volume One: Texas Farewell / Volume Two: Dallas Bound
County Records’ contributions to the world of old-time music are twofold. First, they continue releasing new music from such respected old-time artists as Art Stamper and Brad Leftwich. Second — along with the Marimac, Document, and Yazoo labels — they are releasing compilations of string band music taken from vintage 78s. With Old-Time Texas Strings Bands, Volumes One and Two, County continues a musical journey that began with similar compilations from West Virginia, Nashville, Mississippi, and the Ozarks.
String band music, as the name implies, involves an ensemble of stringed instruments: the fiddle, primarily, with accompaniment from guitar, banjo, and the occasional cello or mandolin. However, though the instrumentation is similar, these recordings predate bluegrass proper by a good fifteen years. And the sound quality is surprisingly good for music made nearly eight decades ago. There’s a fair amount of hiss and scratch, but it seldom reaches the point of distraction.
These recordings span the years 1922-30, and a dozen artists are represented on 39 tracks. Perhaps the best-known of the lot is Alexander “Eck” Robertson, who, along with Henry Gilliland, made one of the first commercial country music recordings for Victor in 1922. This is significant, as Victor went on to record Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family before the end of that decade. “Arkansas Traveler” is included here from that early Robertson/Gilliland session.
One hears hints of Scots-Irish, Cajun, and African-American sounds blending together in this Texas music. There’s a healthy dose of two-steps and rags; the lone vocal number is a blues. Even the bands’ names are colorful: Smith’s Garage Fiddle Band, East Texas Serenaders, Red Headed Fiddlers. Standard tunes such as “Dusty Miller” and “Billy In The Lowground” work well alongside lesser-known numbers such as “Fatal Wedding” and “Acorn Stomp”. While some of the initial excitement may begin to wear off by the end of disc two, the fiddling remains impressive throughout.
Both compilations are capably annotated by Christopher King. (Though, strangely, the same liner notes appear in each CD.) Several historic photographs also help establish a context for this music. Still, the tunes themselves are the key. And fans of Texas music from Bob Wills to Willie Nelson are sure to find meaningful antecedents on either of these discs.