Joe Frank Ferguson wasn’t only an accomplished bassist in Bob WIlls’ Texas Playboys during the late ‘30s — and, later, with the Leon McAuliffe-led Playboys group put together after Wills’ 1975 death. He was also a fine tenor vocalist whom Wills often used to sing poppier material. To lead off the latest installment of SWING ON THIS, I’ve got him singing a bluesy Gordon Jenkins-Joe Bishop composition on a 1939 recording from Bob and the boys. It’s a song that later became part of the repertoire of Nina Simone, among others.
And right after that, one of my very favorite contemporary swing vocalists, Pinto Pammy of Cow Bop, cuts loose on the band’s recording of a famed ‘40s boogie-woogie number, which features some pretty humorous commentary as well.
Before the hour’s over, listeners will also hear one of Cindy Walker’s lesser-known tunes, done to a turn by Ernest Tubb, and T-town’s own Leon Russell doing a big-band version of a number that Ella Fitzgerald allegedly named as her all-time favorite.
Plus, as I yield to popular demand, another Michael Nesmith offering and a second bluegrass version of “San Antonio Rose.” That’s right. More banjos.
There’s all that and a lot more this go-round, so please join me at 7 p.m. this Saturday night for SWING ON THIS, airing over Tulsa’s NPR affiliate KWGS, 89.5 FM, and live-streaming everywhere at publicradiotulsa.org
1. “Blue Prelude,” Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
(for TODD BRANSTETTER)
2. “Cow Cow Boogie,” Cow Bop
3. “I’ll Drink to That,” Billy Parker
(for JACK & CAROLE BENDER and the GLASS LIFTERS)
4. “I’ll Take You to the Picture Show,” Hank Thompson
5. “New Steel Guitar Rag,” Bill Boyd and His Cowboy Ramblers
(for HAMILL TIME and SHELLACKED)
6. “Absotively Posilutely,” James Robert Webb
7. “Blues for Dixie,” Brazos Valley Boys
8. “San Antonio Rose,” Billy Perry
(for BRETT BINGHAM, SE EGAN, KENNY JACKSON, and LUCY WEBERLING)
9. “Sadie Green, the Vamp of New Orleans,” Roy Newman and His Boys
10. “Celery Stalks at Midnight,” Tom Morrell and the Time-Warp Tophands
11. “Oklahoma Backroom Dancer,” the Monkees
(for SAM BARRETT and JANE MALCOLM)
12. “Square Dance Boogie,” Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys
13. “Angel Eyes,” Leon Russell
(for ROBERT BLANCK, ANNIE, HARRY, and the LEON LIFERS)
14. “The Next Voice You Hear,” Ernest Tubb
(for JERRI & BILLY PARKER)
15, “Give Me A Hundred Reasons,” Spade Cooley Big Band