[78-L] Bill Cox

[Cary Ginell]

Just pulled out my copy of "Billy Cox: The Dixie Songbird" on Kanawha 305. It came out in 1967. The album has an insert which includes about as complete a biography of Cox as has been done, along with notes on how he learned all of the songs recorded on the LP. These were all new versions of his songs, recorded at his home in Charleston, WV in 1966.  Here are the titles:

SIDE 1
The Battle Axe and the Devil
The Fiddling Soldier
Franklin D. Roosevelt's Back Again
The Democratic Donkey
Filipino Baby
Old Pinto and Me
Alimony Woman
Blind Baggage Blues

SIDE 2
Dang My Pop-Eyed Soul
Sweet Eloise
Blue and Low
Jailer's Daughter
Rolling Pin Woman
Wino's Last Prayer
Girl in the Hillbilly Band
They Sent Her Gun to War
Brown's Ferry Blues

Cox sounds pretty much as he did when he recorded in the 1930s. It's really a very pleasant album. Cox was never much of a guitarist; just good enough to change chords. He does play harmonica as he did on many of his records as well. The album notes credit Eugene Earle and David Polacheck for assistance, but the author of the notes is not identified.

Cary Ginell

On Aug 6, 2012, at 11:20 AM, warren moorman wrote:

> Cox 's career more or less ran in tandem with the depression. His first release was under the pseudonym Luke Baldwin (on Champion), which  I suppose gives a clue about his extensive recording opportunities in the '30's; he must have been willing to cut tracks for a rather modest fixed amount and his records made consistent sellers for several years.
>  
> There is a brief chapter on him in Tony Russell's book "Country Music Originals".
>  
> Warren
>  
>   
> 
> ________________________________
> From: David Lewis <uncledavelewis at hotmail.com>
> To: 78-l <78-l at 78online.com> 
> Sent: Monday, August 6, 2012 7:17 AM
> Subject: [78-L]  Goofy
> 
> 
> Mark wrote:Another example would be the father of our neighbor, Harv Cox, who died 
> several years ago at a ripe age. He played with Gene Autry for a time, 
> was very talented. He headed country western bands that traveled 
> throughout the midwest during the depression. They were never recorded 
> until the 70's and are basically forgotten except for a few brief 
> mentions in dedicated books.
> 
>>>> Hmm, why does this remind me of Bill Cox, "The Dixie Songbird"? He managed to survive the depression and even recorded in the accursed year of1932. But nothing, save a single 45 in 1966, after 1940. He was one of WestVirginia's main contributions to country music, and yet biographical details aresorely lacking, you seldom hear his name and there are no reissues that I knowof apart from "NRA Blues" on one of the New World compilations from the1970s. In terms of biography, you often run into the line "A reckless lifestyle prevented Cox from realizing much benefit from his skills." Oh you meanlike that espoused in "My Rough and Rowdy Ways"? How convenient! Thatdoes not explain the extraordinary output listed below. http://countrydiscography.blogspot.com/2012/06/bill-cox.html 
> 
> Uncle Dave Lewis
> uncledavelewis at hotmail.com                           
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