Andy Parker & The Plainsmen?

Bill Bassett · From: Papamoa New Zealand

Does anyone remember Andy Parker and the Plainsmen?
Joachim Murphy played with them for a time if that helps. I'm looking for information and recordings.
What I know so far is: They were one of those singing cowboy bands back in the 40s and 50s. Appeared in a few movies and are in the Western Music Associations H.O.F.
I have found a compilation (2 CD set) of their recordings that was put together by Andy's son. I have that on order now, but I wonder if there are original recordings still out there. I have a dub of a cassette dub of a cassette dub of an old record or two. About 30 songs, many are only about 2 minutes long. Very poor quality audio as you can imagine. Very cleaver songs, great harmonies and fine playing too.
Hope some of you Southern California guys and Joachim Murphy fans might remember them and have a story or two to relate.

Thanks,
Bill Bassett
Rimrock AZ

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Bill:

Do a forum search. There are several threads on Parker, some recently.

The 2 CD set is original recordings and fine sound quality. Murphey is on 3 or 4 tracks; Noel Boggs also appears as I recall. Most tracks do not have steel.

Look at this thread for a source for more vintage Plainsmen recordings:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=135412&highlight=

There is another CD out there by Andy called "Texas Belle", on BACM, a British label (British Archive of Country Music). You can find it with a net search. These are radio transcriptions

Here are the tracks on it:

A Calico Apron And A Gingham Gown/ A Dollar Down (and A Dollar A Day)/ Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie/ Call Of The Rollin' Plains/ Colorado Blues/ Cowboy's Meditation/ Deep In The Heart Of Texas/ Dude Cowboy/ Goodbye Old Paint/ I Ride An Old Paint (i Lead An Old Dan)/ I Was Born Ten Thousand Years Ago/ I Wish I Was Single Again/ I'm An Old Cowhand/ Little Ah Sid/ Me And My Burro/ Night Herding Song/ Press Along To The Big Corral/ Red Ruby Lip/ Roamin' In Wyoming/ Rooty Toot Galoot/ Take Me Back To Renfro Valley/ Texas Belle/ The Dreary Black Hills/ The Old Chisholm Trail/ The Santa Fe Trail/ There's A Blue Sky Over The Hill/ Yellow Rose Of Texas

Dave Zirbel · From: Sebastopol, CA USA

Years ago I worked in San Francisco with Andy's youngest son, Phil. He claimed there was a vault full of live radio broadcast recordings of the Plainsmen in Joe's possession. I wonder if that's where Joe got the material for the cd. Phil was the one who introduced me to Joaquin Murphy. When I was first learning steel Phil played me a tape of the Plainsmen and the steel really knocked me out. Phil remembers watching the Plainsmen rehearse with Joaquin. I lost touch with Phil years ago so I can't get any stories from him. I guess Andy and Phil worked at Ernie Ball's Music store in LA during the 1960's with a well known guitarist named Ted Greene. The oldest son Joe apparently was one of the first electric session bass players in LA. He also played trumpet. Joe became some kind of bigshot in the record or film industry, or something like that. He lost his job and ended up in Texas. I think I remember Phil saying that Andy got tired of being broke so he quit music and went into real estate. When he died all he left behind were the recordings and his guitar. This is all according to Phil.

I did have brief contact with Phil about three years ago and he gave me a tape of the Plainsmen but there was either very little or no steel at all. I lost the tape! Phil disappeared again.

DZ

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

There is now quite a lot of material out, comparatively, since until recently there has been next to nothing, which is insane because they are one of the greatest groups ever. They employed Joaquin AND the great George Bamby (on accordian) at times and the many studio cuts they did range from meloncholy to robust workouts, albeit short ones. But, it's the live material from things like The Hollywood Barndance, which they frequented, that really knocks the corn off the cob. They kick ass!

I was in touch with another memeber of the Parker family for a few years and we traded some recordings, but havn't heard of much new things happening lately.

Bill, do the 'search' for info and great links, primarily in the Sw/oP section, and if you don't have any luck, let us know.

Dave Zirbel · From: Sebastopol, CA USA

Ron, did you know Phil and sister Susan when they lived in Hawaii? Phil spent about 10 years there and Susan was there longer.

dz

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

No, but they are closely related somehow to Trey Parker, the fellow I know, nephew I believe of Joe's. He told me about having lived in the Kailua area. Wish I had known!

He said Joe was working on getting PM tunes ready for the CDs, years ago, and he made me CDs of lot's of it, most of which didn't come out on the official releases.

As great as the studio stuff is, the HBD shows will stun listeners.

Here is the link to get a bunch of these shows, and for dirt cheap! The audio is old timey rough, but better than most examples I've heard.
www.otrcat.com/hollywoodbarndance-p-1387.html

Check out all the other great stuff they have, like GOO shows with Jerry Byrd.

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Doug Freeman · From: Los Angeles, CA

Mike Gross · From: Manchester, Connecticut, USA

Doug,

The "Texas Belle" CD is drawn from both Capitol Records and Capitol Transcriptions. Joaquin is not on every cut in that collection as many have no steel.

Mike Gross
www.swinginwest.com

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Doug, here's the link to the GOO stuff - www.otrcat.com/grand-opry-p-1336.html

Thanx for the quick review, I need to get mine!

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