Tulsa Straight Ahead

by Leon McAuliffe

Overview

Leave it to Germany's Bear Family label to release the most representative compilations on the planet when it comes to country artists. While the imprint's box sets are the world-class standard with their excellent sound, utterly complete track listings, and coffee table-style books with exhaustive essays and discographical details, their single-disc issues are no less attractive or definitive. Take this 31-cut volume on legendary steel guitarist Leon McAuliffe, who made his name as a member of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys from 1935-1942 before going solo. These sides were cut between 1949 and 1955 for Columbia. Before that he recorded for the Majestic label, which went broke in 1948. This disc represents more than half of McAuliffe's 59 sides for Columbia. In addition to his lone hit, "Panhandle Rag," for which he will always be remembered, it also includes a treasure trove of other sides, including his anthem "Tulsa, Straight Ahead," the burning fingerpop of "Rag Mop," and other minor hits such as "Cimarron Rag," "Mr. Steel Guitar," and of course, "Blue Guitar Stomp." In addition to these representative cuts, Bear Family has featured a number of non-released performances, including another version of "Pan Handle Rag" and the first and much more intense reading of the classic "Hard-Hearted Girl." For fans of Western swing, this single-disc comp is absolutely stellar. There isn't a dud track on the set, and Kevin Coffey's historical essay is exhaustive, perhaps even unprecedented on this kind of reissue, and as always, there is complete discographical information. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	04/20/2009
Label:	Bear Family Records
UPC:	4000127169877
Rank:	108481

Tracks

1. Panhandle Rag
2. Hard-Hearted Girl
3. Hear Me Now
4. Rag Mop
5. Cimarron Rag
6. Take It Away, Leon
7. Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream)
8. Run 'Em Off
9. No One for Me
10. The Three Bears
11. Bonaparte's Retreat
12. Blue Guitar Stomp
13. What've You Got
14. Birmingham Bounce
15. I've Never Lived in Tennessee
16. Eating Right Out of Your Hand
17. Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy
18. Tulsa, Straight Ahead
19. Jelly Bean Rag
20. Mr. Steel Guitar
21. Hard-Hearted Girl
22. Redskin Rag
23. Wished You Would
24. Somebody Else Is Beatin' My Time
25. This Side of Town
26. Twin Fiddle Rag
27. Blacksmith Blues
28. What, Where and When
29. Smooth Sailing
30. There's a Right Way, a Wrong Way
31. Daylight

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Leon McAuliffe   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Steel)
Morris Billington   Piano
Marion Griffin   Percussion
Milton "Pee Wee" Calhoun   Piano
Salomon J. Gamboa   Drums
Joe Knight   Guitar
Robert "Bobby" Lee   Trumpet
Ray DeGeer   Saxophone
Dave Coleman   Drums
Lee C. Keith   Trumpet
Herschel Marson   Drums
Francis Keith Coleman   Fiddle,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Murel Wayne Johnson   Clarinet,Saxophone,Choir/Chorus
Bill Dozier   Fiddle,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Benny W. Willbanks   Guitar
Robert Kiser   Guitar
Duana Bass   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
James Edward Hall   Fiddle,Vocals,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Madge Suttee   Piano
Cecil Brower   Fiddle
Billy Joe Walker, Jr.   Vocals
Robert Berg   Fiddle,Vocals,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Tommy Perkins   Drums
Eldon Shamblin   Guitar

Technical Credits

Leon McAuliffe   Leader
Glenn White   Photography,Illustrations
Russ Wapensky   Discography,Liner Notes
Andreas Merck   Photo Scanning
Matt Cavaluzzo   Transfers
Christian Zwarg   Mastering
Kevin Coffey   Discography,Liner Notes,Photography,Illustrations,Reissue Producer
Michael Brooks   Transfers
Richard Weize   Discography,Liner Notes
Don Law   Producer