On February 9, 1932, a group of musicians that had been formerly known as both the Wills Fiddle Band and the Aladdin Laddies got together in a room at the Jefferson Hotel in Dallas, where they recorded what are generally considered the first two Western-swing tunes ever released. It was Victor Records that put out the disc, featuring a Milton Brown composition on both sides.
The label credited the artists as the Fort Worth Doughboys, likely to avoid any legal complications with the Burrus Mill and Elevator Company in Fort Worth, which at the time was employing the group under the name of the Light Crust Doughboys — whose radio performances and personal appearances promoted Light Crust Flour, which the mill produced.
The quartet that recorded the two songs, “Sunbonnet Sue” and “Nancy Jane,” featured Brown on lead vocals, Bob Wills on fiddle, Brown’s brother Durwood on guitar, and Clifton “Sleepy” Johnson on tenor guitar. (Johnson had recently taken over the duties of original member Herman Arnspiger.)
I’ll have one of those trailblazing tunes for you this week on SWING ON THIS, along with a glass-lifting entry from audience favorite Michael Nesmith, an accordion-based polka version of one of Bob Wills’ greatest hits, and a “Shellacked” 78 rpm recording from 1955 that finds hitmaker Webb Pierce giving us a great English lesson re: the use of the subjunctive mood.
That’s SWING ON THIS, Saturday at 7 p.m. over Tulsa’s NPR affiliate KWGS, 89.5 FM, and live-streaming throughout the cosmos at publicradiotulsa.org. Join us!
1. “Mean Woman with Green Eyes,” Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
2. “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” Brazos Valley Boys
3. “Winonah,” Michael Nesmith
(for BETTYE & GARY and the GLASS LIFTERS)
4. “Kissin’ Bug Boogie,” Billy Jack WIlls and His Western Swing Band
5. “Time Changes Everything,” Twin Country Accordions
(for ERIC HAMSHAR at the D.W. CORRELL MUSEUM)
6. “If You Were Me,” Webb Pierce
(for SHELLACKED)
7. “San Antonio Rose,” Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
(for WAYNE MCCOMBS and SAM BARRETT)
8. “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” Shelby Eicher
(for JACK & CAROLE BENDER)
9. “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” Lawrence Welk
(for HAMILL TIME)
10. “Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider,” Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies
(for JEFF GRAHAM)
11. “I Knew the Moment I Lost You,” Billy Parker
12. “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore,” Tiny Moore
13. “Talinina Hula,” Steve Bagsby
(for JODY MERRIOTT GUILLIAMS)
14. “Nancy Jane,” Fort Worth Doughboys
15, “Let’s Ride with Bob,” Tom Morrell and the Time-Warp Tophands