Back In the Day, 2003

Reece Shipley

Tennessee Swing

(Patuxent)

Before and after his WWII Seabee stint, Reece enjoyed acclaim in the Tennessee area's Western Swing environment. Much rich banjo and fiddle-accompanied material compiled here reflects the pacific downhome lilt in vogue before a youthful Elvis crooned "My Happiness" into a Sun microphone. But several cuts do represent the rhythmic bop that soon became Rockabilly. (Included among these is original "Milk Bucket Boogie," later popularized by Red Foley.) Reece bloomed in a musical era when genuine talent was a requisite, itinerant medicine shows trundled, and barn dances dotted the countryside. Before halfpenny clotheshorses hid behind technical gimmickery, lipsynced onstage to sterile tapes, and cavorted with choreographed posses.

Recommended: "Goldmine In the Sky," "In My Adobe Hacienda," "Home," "Someday Sweetheart," "Mexacali Rose," "If No News Is Good News," "Yesterday's Roses," "Catfish Boogie," "Milk Bucket Boogie," "Hillbilly Jive With a Boogie Beat," "

Video: "Catfish Boogie"

Patuxent

Spotify