The Cherokee Cowboys - Little Liza Jane (unissued live in San Antonio 1965)
In April or May, 1965, Ray Price and the Cherokee Cowboys returned to play San Antonio -- possibly at the Farmer's Daughter -- for another triumphant engagement. What made these shows different from hundreds of others that year is that they were recorded by local musician Cal Berry. A few copies circulated among local musicians and enthusiasts, but to my knowledge they have never been released to a wider audience.
Berry did not intend these to be professional audio, and like most live recordings made by amateurs during these years, there is no attempt to have a separate microphone feed into the vocal mike. Berry simply used one mike on the stage to record the whole band. The instrumentals, consequently, are far more listenable today than the vocals.
"The Other Woman," introduced the first time as "our new record out this week," was released as a single on Columbia in late April, 1965, which allows us to date these performances to that month or early May. The second tape may be from the next night.
The tapes allow us to experience what a typical Ray Price and his Cherokee Cowboys dance would be like: the opening act would be the Cherokee Cowboys for about seven songs, divided between instrumentals and vocals by Charlie Harris. Then Price would come out and perform a set heavy on his hits, Bob Wills standards, and more instrumentals (see set list below). As with all dance hall audiences, there is no applause after each song like there is in today's night clubs. The most unexpected song in the repertoire is "Good Rocking Tonight," sung by Charlie. Unfortunately, flutter begins to be audible at this point in the tape.
The Cherokee Cowboys on this tour included Harris (lead guitar), Buddy Emmons (steel guitar), and Keith Coleman (fiddle). The bass is possibly Pete Burke, Jr., and the drums are possibly Johnny Bush.
The night begins with a storming "Little Liza Jane." The band had recorded a hot version of this old folk standard for their December 1964 album Western Strings, but this live version is ten times hotter. The entire tape captures Emmons, Harris, and Coleman in their prime.
"Howdy, y'all -- a little bit of theme song," Charlie says after the first song concludes. "Welcome to the Wild One."
We will present more songs from these tapes in future posts.
Thanks to Cal Berry and the E.A. "Junior " Mitchan Archive for making these available.
Tape 1
Little Liza Jane (opening song)
There'll Be No Tear Drops Tonight (vocal - Charlie Harris)
I Can't Help It (vocal - Charlie Harris)
My Friends Are Gonna be Strangers (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Milk Cow Blues (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Deep Water (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Love's Gonna Live Here (vocal - Charlie Harris)
San Antonio Rose (vocal - Ray Price)
Release Me (vocal - Ray Price)
B. Bowman Hop
What in the World (vocal - Ray Price)
I'll Sail My Ship Alone (vocal - Ray Price)
Beaumont Rag
Burning Memories (vocal - Ray Price)
Here Comes My Baby Back Again (vocal - Ray Price)
Hold It
The Other Woman (vocal - Ray Price)
This Cold War with You (vocal - Ray Price)
Medley: Crazy Arms/Heartaches by the Number (vocal - Ray Price)
Tape 2
Talk Back Trembling Lips (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Dear Heart (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Boogie Blues
Sing Me a Sad Song (vocal - Charlie Harris)
The End of the Line (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Woodchopper's Ball
Together Again (vocal - Charlie Harris)
Here Comes My Baby Back Again (vocal - Ray Price)
Bubbles in My Beer (vocal - Ray Price)
Please Talk to My Heart (vocal - Ray Price)
The Other Woman (vocal - Ray Price)
Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women (vocal - Ray Price)
Nite Life (vocal - Ray Price)
Good Rocking Tonight (vocal - Charlie Harris)
San Francisco (vocal - Charlie Harris)
My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You (vocal - Ray Price)