Customer Reviews

Western Swing Chronicles, Vol. 1

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With all due respect, despite all the talk of Bob Wills as being the father of Western Swing. Milton Brown and his Brownies started about 1929, and began recording as "The Light Crust Doughboys" back in 1932. The early band featured Bob Wills on fiddle, who later left (on good terms) to form his own band. But these guys from Ft. Worth-Dallas area were the kings from about 1932 until 1936, the year of Milton Brown's unfortunate death as a result of an auto wreck. Milton Brown's Brownies had more of a blues feel, and jazzier sound than Wills. An all star cast of western swing musicians including Bob Dunn on electric steel guitar and Wanna Coffman playing the snap upright bass sound that Bill Black would use over 20 years later with Elvis. It is safe to say, that Milton Brown started many ideas later incorporated in rock music including its drive and beat. Brown was influeneced by black blues and jazz and its shows. These are rollicking "western swing" cuts with honkytonk piano from "Papa" Calhoun, Dunn's "drunk" steel guitar sound and the slaphappy bass of Coffman, Cliff Bruner on fiddle and Ocie Stockard on banjo and Derwood Brown on guitar..and of course Milton Brown, who remains an underated fine vocalist and band leader. If Leonard Cohen can make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, why not the first true rock ideas started by Milton Brown and his Musical Brownies. Unfortunately, Brown has been largely ignored and forgotten, despite all his innovative ideas. This was by the way the most popular band during Bonnie and Clyde's era in their neighborhood within 100 miles of Dallas-Ft.Worth. So pop open a cold one..and listen to these 25 cuts of slick western swing..all in excellent condition and sound from the REAL father of western swing..Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies.