Richard Hawley
Richard Hawley is a singer songwriter from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He is best known now as a singer of heartfelt and beautiful songs but has a long musical history as a guitarist. If you would like to know what has happened and what is yet to come please visit:
Selected releases
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Wanda Jackson
I was very pleased when ACE released this one. My Dad had "Rockin' With Wanda" & I listened to that album non stop when I was a kid - Capitol had a great sound at the time - sonically it's not dissimilar to the early Gene Vincent records. The musicians on these records are amazing - Joe Maphis' guitar-playing is fantastic, I think Skeets McDonald played bass on a lot of the tracks with Ralph Mooney and Buck Owens too - all topped off with Wanda's belting voice - a fine recipe for rockabilly fans!
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Glen Glenn
I first heard of this bloke on a Ace compilation called "Hollywood Rock'n'Roll" which was fantastic. 'One Cup Of Coffee & A Cigarette' is my fave! Very solid rockabilly.
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Arthur Alexander
My uncle has a couple of EPs by this guy. This is the real deal, the birth of soul.
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Delmore Brothers
Blues Stay Away From Me is one of my favourite songs of all time. Beautiful simplicity, great harmonies - it proves that all hillbillies don't just kick s***. Gene Vincent does a boss version of this on his second Capitol album.
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The Early Imperial Singles 1950-1952
Rhythm & Blues
Fats Domino
CD £11.50
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The Imperial Singles Vol 2 1953-1956
Rhythm & Blues
Fats Domino
CD £11.50
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Fats Domino
I've cheated here, but you can't have one without the others. I love every note on these albums. You just hear how little changed from R&B roots stuff to rock'n'roll. Probably production is about it and the lyrical subject matter was a little blander. I have 40 odd Domino albums and I love them too! One of the greatest ever, plus there's the odd track I'd never heard.
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Everly Brothers
Again, this is one I've had on vinyl since I was a bin lid! I learnt to sing with this album. My Mum used to put it on while she did the ironing (in a house with three kids - that was quite often). It gives me the feeling of listening to music older than the hills, some of it is. I heard a bloke in a folk club sing a version of 'Barbara Allen' that went on past closing time, it had about 30 odd verses - Bob Dylan anyone!?
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Howling Wolf
Chester Burnett has got to be the strangest, enigmatic figure ever to come out of the blues. It sounds like he swallowed a cheese grater. Had some great guitar players with him too such as Willie Johnson and Hubert Sumlin, a very magic band. This compilation doesn't let you down, as if the Wolf ever could!
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John Lee Hooker
I've had this album for years. I moved out of home when I was 17 & me Dad wouldn't let me take any of his John Lee Hooker albums with me so he bought me this as a consolation prize. A complete maverick performer and all the world will sorely miss him. I know this might sound cheesy but we still have his music and that's a consolation and a half. He haunts me in my dreams, a beautiful sound and well hard.
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Stanley Brothers
Awesome, awesome, awesome! 'Little Birdie' is one of the fastest pieces of hellfire bluegrass you will ever hear. The Osborne, Delmore & Louvin Brothers also need a mention.
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George Jones (currently unavailable)
A violent, drunken, mysoginistic b****** is one way of describing George Jones. Alternatively you could say that he's one of the best f****** songwriters that ever walked the earth. The choice is yours!
