Customer Reviews

Radio Broadcasts 1945

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Peppy old radio transcriptions from Fall, 1945. Cooley was one of the key figures in West Coast western swing; here is his band in top form, with vocalists that include Tex Willams, Johnny Bond, Smokey Williams and the Andrews Sisters-y "Sunshine Trio". Pedal steel star Joaquin Murphey anchors the band along with three fiddles and the ever-present chugga-chugga-chugin' accordion that was the signature sound of California country. Good stuff which forcefully contradicts Cooley's reputation as a cheeseball Lawrence Welk of country. Other than a couple of awkward fade-ins, the sound quality on this one is pretty good.

Being a distant relative of Spade Cooley, naturally I was pleased to find information about him on the internet. I never knew him but heard a lot about him, good and the not so good. I hope others will enjoy listening to his music and for the new comers to his music, learn to appreciate it. With all the noise associated with the new music today, Spade Cooley is a refreshing change. I hope people who knew him and his music and new comers will continue to listen to him and his band for years to come.

I think it might be the UN-Swinging sound of the accordian, that adds commerialism and corniness to these otherwise ok sessions. Of course it is the annoying ever-present accordian that gives these western swing sessiosn that cornball Lawrence welk sound. You are much better off buying his competitors cd's, which are much less commercial and more swinging. There is also a lack of any horn sections, or hot solos and the pedal guitarists playing isn't too inspiring and rather stiff at times. Overall these are decent sessions, if there had been less accordian playing, I would have given this three stars, but this is strictly commerical music, and lacks the idea of WESTERN SWING, mixing hillbilly music with jazz. however cooley mixed Hillbilly music(not with jazz) with cornball music, rather then swing(or jazz), though some of the songs swing, but not too much.