Country Songs Old and New cover

Country Songs Old and New

The Country Gentlemen

Album · 1960 · Folkways FA 2409

Country Songs, Old and New was the first album by the Country Gentlemen, issued by Folkways (FA 2409) in 1960. The band had formed in Washington, D.C., in 1957. On the record, Charlie Waller played guitar and sang lead on most songs, John Duffey played mandolin (and dobro on a few tracks) and sang tenor, Eddie Adcock played banjo and sang baritone, and Jim Cox played bass and sang the bass part on a few songs. Tom Gray, who became the group’s bass player, is not on it.

The sixteen tracks were recorded at Capitol Transcriptions in Washington, mostly in March 1960. Duffey is credited with arranging most of the traditional and folk pieces, among them “Roving Gambler,” “The Little Sparrow,” “Jesse James” and “Darling Alalee,” and he sings lead on “Roving Gambler,” “Paul and Silas” and “Ellen Smith.” The set also includes “The Long Black Veil,” written by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin, and “A Good Woman’s Love” by Cy Coben. Four tracks are instrumentals: “Weeping Willow,” Adcock’s “Turkey Knob,” Duffey’s “Honky Tonk Rag,” and Josef Wagner’s “The Double Eagle,” arranged by Waller.

Tracklist

  1. 1 Roving Gambler Source Recording Traditional · key B · 117 bpm 3:10
  2. 2 Fair and Tender Ladies alt version 2:54
  3. 3 Drifting Too Far alt version 3:31
  4. 4 Weeping Willow 2:05
  5. 5 Tomorrow's My Wedding Day 2:14
  6. 6 The Story of Charlie Lawson alt version 3:07
  7. 7 Turkey Knob 2:22
  8. 8 Paul and Silas alt version 2:31
  9. 9 Poor Ellen Smith alt version 2:16
  10. 10 The Long Black Veil alt version 3:39
  11. 11 Honky Tonk Rag 2:29
  12. 12 Jesse James Source Recording Billy Gashade · key B · 163 bpm 2:39
  13. 13 Have Thine Own Way 2:55
  14. 14 A Good Woman's Love 3:28
  15. 15 The Double Eagle 2:58
  16. 16 Darling Alalee 2:05
  17. 17 Standing in the Need of Prayer alt version

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