Dina posted a track list for the Sounds Of The Brazos Valley CD, and it is,
indeed, from the same series of transcriptions as the Unissued Radio
Broadcasts CD, and without overlap. I'll bet it's dandy.
One interesting thing to note is the number of covers Thompson was doing.
Assuming that the 1952 date is correct, even if "Wild Side Of Life" hadn't
really hit yet (it was recorded in late 1951, charted in '52), he'd already
had a number of hits on the Billboard charts and would have to be considered
at least a regionally-established artist - yet here he is, not only doing
material from other artists, but relatively current hits by other artists
(Hank Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Lefty Frizzell).
Doing other people's songs just doesn't have the same stigma in country
(though maybe it does these days <g>) as in some other fields; why, as late
as his Philadelphia live album, Merle Haggard was doing impressions of other
artists (Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, Buck Owens)....
Anyhow, this Thompson stuff is great; I've got the Radio Broadcasts, and I'm
going to grab Brazos ASAP. Thanks, Dina.
Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
