Bob Wills Tiffany Transcriptions Box Set Planned For January

Brody Vercher | November 20th, 2008 Email Share

  • In 1945, Bob Wills helped launch Tiffany Music, Inc. to supply syndicated radio programs to subscribing stations, and Wills, with his Playboys, were the featured performers. Since then, the programs have come to be known as the Tiffany Transcriptions and on Jan. 27, 2009 Collector’s Choice Music plans to release the sessions in a 10-disc, 150-song box set. The liner notes are by Wills expert Rich Kienzle, who writes:

    “For all the great records Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys made in 1946-47 for Columbia and MGM — and there were plenty — the Tiffany sessions captured something deeper, intangible and vibrant, music that even the occasional miscue or missed note can’t diminish. It represents the very soul, spirit and musical passion of Bob and the band as they really were on those Western and Southwestern bandstands. Sixty years later, it still sounds like yesterday.”

  • In an interview with Edward Morris, John Michael Montgomery likens his life between 2000 and 2005 to having a rock tied to his leg in 1,000 feet of water. That’s not even counting the DUI arrest in 2006 and a stint in rehab earlier this year, but Morris says Montgomery’s recently released album, Time Flies, is probably his best ever.
  • Craig Shelburne recommends Elizabeth Cook’s 2002 album Hey Y’all for fans of Kellie Pickler.
  • The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Gram Parsons in particular, are usually cited as one of the originators of the Americana genre, but much of Parsons’ short career is shrouded in mystery. For Hot Burritos: The True Story of the Flying Burrito Brothers, author John Einarson enlisted the help of Flying Burrito Brother co-founder Chris Hillman to help dispel some of the myths. C. Eric Banister published a detailed and interesting review of the book on Music Tomes.
  • WFMU’s Beware of the Blog posted several audio files of radio spots recorded in 1961 by various country stars by the likes of Buck Owens, Tex Ritter and Faron Young. The spots encourage fans to get excited about Country Music Week, which was celebrated from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4.

  • Universal Music Group already distributes Taylor Swift’s albums in the United States, but their latest long-term license agreement with Big Machine Records will allow them to promote Swift internationally.

    Asked if Swift’s association with country music might be a problem when promoting her internationally, Max Hole, executive vice president of Universal Music Group International, responded:

    ‘I don’t really see her as a country artist. If you listen to the records and see her play live, she has much more in common with acts like Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus.’

    He said Swift’s international launch, through Universal’s Mercury Records, would involve a hybrid album early next year combining songs from Taylor Swift and Fearless.

    It would also involve re-mixing some of the songs.

  • Ben Cisneros caught Brennen Leigh at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown on Saturday night and says she’s a super impressive vocalist. He recommends “Backsliding Blues” on her MySpace.

10 Comments

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  1. gaby
    November 20, 2008 at 11:02 am Permalink

    Well I am happy that the UMG guy didn’t try and say how taking Taylor international would be great exposure for country music. Finally someone who called it for what it is.

  2. Kelly
    November 20, 2008 at 11:11 am Permalink

    When is the Bob Wills set give-away gonna happen?

  3. Rick
    November 20, 2008 at 11:17 am Permalink

    Although Bob Wills may still be the King in Texas (and it must be if Waylon said so), western swing music tends to be a forgotten genre among younger country music fans outside of Texas and Oklahoma. The only real western swing influence left in Nashville is the Time Jumpers, who perform one night a week at the Station Inn and on the Opry on occasion. Opry audience members of all ages always respond enthusiastically when exposed to this style of music performed superbly. I’m just thankful Texas artists like Miss Leslie Sloan and Asleep At The Wheel are creating vibrant new western swing music and keeping the genre on life support.

    I applaud Craig Shelburne for plugging Elizabeth Cook’s overproduced major label debut “Hey Y’all”. I became a life long fan of Elizabeth the first time I saw her video for “Stupid Things”. Elizabeth got blacklisted on Top 40 radio because “Stupid Things” was “Too, Too, Too Country”.

    When I saw Chris Hillman and The Desert Rose Band perform a couple months back a lot of the between song banter from Chris revolved around Gram Parsons. It was fascinating to hear stories about Gram from one of his closest friends.

    Best “honest quote” of the year: “‘I don’t really see her as a country artist. If you listen to the records and see her play live, she has much more in common with acts like Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus.’” Bravo to Max Hole for seeing through the teeny-pop Empress’ New Musical Clothes. (lol)

    I was disappointed that Jesse Dayton didn’t bring Brennen Leigh with him to LA a couple of weeks ago. Pappy & Harriet’s in the old western movie set community of Pioneertown near Joshua Tree books great artists but is way too distant for me. I’d like Sunny Sweeney to tour through SoCal some year and bring her best friend Brennen along as the opening act! Dream on Rick….

    (PS – Great News Day Summary ! LOL)

  4. Roger
    November 20, 2008 at 12:28 pm Permalink

    Kelly you beat me to that post!!!!

  5. TAYERS
    November 20, 2008 at 1:19 pm Permalink

    Ooh, lookie what I found!Tthanks to cmt.com, I found recipes from Zac Brown (he used to own his own restaurant) on http://www.eatdrinkordie.com. I now know how to make “the best #%&*ing guacamole in the world.” Thank you, Zac.

  6. Drew
    November 20, 2008 at 2:19 pm Permalink

    Wow, Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus? Country fans around the world just took a hard swallow. Serious question: going forward, how do we restructure country radio in order to get out of the rut we’re in now? Or is this already an inevitable and irreversible trend?

  7. Stormy
    November 20, 2008 at 6:31 pm Permalink

    Avril Lavigne is giong to kick somebody’s ass.

  8. Rick
    November 20, 2008 at 7:54 pm Permalink

    Drew,check out this article from a radio insider who proposes splitting the current Top 40 format in two. “Young Country” for the Taylor Swift crowd, and “Mainstream Country” for the 35+ set with some actual appreciation or real country music.
    http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2008/11/a_generational_split_at_countr.php

    I posted this link in the news summary thread yesterday as well, but I find it very intriguing! Imagine tuning your car radio to a country radio station that plays the new songs from Alan, George, Ashton, Zac, Randy Houser, James Otto, etc. with absolutely No Taylor Swift, No Carrie Underwood, No Sugarland, No Miranda Lambert etc.! The concept boggles my little mind…..

  9. Rick
    November 20, 2008 at 8:55 pm Permalink

    Wow, the article I have a link to above is even mentioned in Chet Flippo’s brand new “Nashville Skyline” column today about Taylor Swift! That article really resonates with a lot of insiders as they see the mainstream country market splitting into two age brackets and would all like to know how to successfully deal with it. Hmmmm.

    Chet Flippo’s Take: http://www.cmt.com/news/nashville-skyline/1599910/nashville-skyline-taylor-swifts-great-leap-forward.jhtml

  10. Paul W Dennis
    November 21, 2008 at 4:45 am Permalink

    The Time Jumpers are a terrific group but there are other groups working western swing. Try John England & The Western Swingers – they work the jazzier elements of western swing quite effectively and their tribute to Ernest Tubb album was terrific

    The Tiffany Transcriptions do belong back in print but I doubt that I’ll buy the boxed set since I purchased seven of the original sets and there did seem to be some drop off in quality in the higher numbered volumes. Since Wills continually reinvented himself, one should sample all of his recording periods and labels(except possibly the 1960s recordings on Kapp which used Nashville Studio musicians)

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