Cat. No. VV 1198: DON RENO & RED SMILEY ~ BLUEGRASS HITS. ABC / DOT RECORDS YZ-8026-AO.
USED VINYL RECORD. PART OF A COLLECTION NOW UP FOR SALE.
LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE EARLY LIFE OF "RED" SMILEY (ARTHUR LEE SMILEY) BUT HIS MUSICAL INSPIRATION IS SAID TO HAVE SURFACED AT THE AGE OF SEVEN WHEN SEEING TWO HOBOS PLAYING IN BUSHNELL, NORTH CAROLINA. BY THE LATE 1930s, HE WAS PLAYING ON WROL IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, WITH GUITAR BEING HIS PRIMARY INSTRUMENT. HE FIRST SAW DON RENO PLAYING ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY WITH BILL MONROE.
DON WESLEY RENO WAS BORN IN SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA BUT MADE HIS HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA. HE WAS KNOWN AS A SHOWMAN, VOCALIST, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, SONGWRITER AND COMPOSER ALTHOUGH HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY WAS NOT MUSICAL. HE WAS EXPOSED TO FIDDLERS ART WOOTEN AND TOMMY MAGNESS THROUGH THE WIFE OF HIS OLDER BROTHER HARLEY, IN WHICH SHE HAD BROTHERS THAT HAD A BAND. HE FIRST PICKED UP THE BANJO AT THE AGE OF FIVE AND BY AGE EIGHT, HE OWNED A GUITAR.
THE TWO TALENTS MET IN 1949 WHILE WORKING WITH FIDDLER TOMMY MAGNESS AND THE TENNESSEE BUDDIES IN ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. RED WAS ALREADY AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BAND WHEN DON WAS CALLED TO JOIN THEM. AFTER HEARING THAT DON RENO HAD LEFT BILL MONROE AND THE BLUE GRASS BOYS, RED CONVINCED MAGNESS TO CALL AND OFFER HIM A JOB. THE FIRST RECORDS THAT RED AND DON RECORDED TOGETHER WERE WITH TOMMY MAGNESS IN 1951 FOR FEDERAL RECORDS RECORDING FOUR RENO-PENNED SCARED SONGS, WHERE THEY FOUND THAT THEIR PLAYING WORKED WELL TOGETHER.
AFTER TOMMY MAGNESS RETIRED, THEY BOTH JOINED TOBY STROUD'S BLUE MOUNTAIN BOYS. IN 1952 SYD NATHAN OF KING RECORDS CALLED AND OFFERED TO RECORD DON AND RED ALONE. THE DUO RECORDED "I'M USING MY BIBLE FOR A ROADMAP" IN 1952. AFTER THAT THEY WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.
THE TWO REUNITED ON EASTER WEEKEND IN 1955 WHEN CALLED UPON TO PLAY A SHOW IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA AND WERE JOINED ON STAGE BY JOHN PALMER AND MACK MADAHA AND PLAYED TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME. RENO & SMILEY AND THE CUT-UPS WERE FORMED. HOWEVER, DUE TO A HEAVY TV SCHEDULE AND THE DECLINE IN DON RENO'S HEALTH THE BAND PARTED WAYS IN 1964.
THIS ALBUM IS A JAPANESE RELEASE FROM 1997 ON THE NIPPON / COLUMBIA LABEL AND FEATURES 12 OF DON RENO & RED SMILEY'S ABSOLUTE BLUEGRASS CLASSICS. THE SLEEVE IS MADE OF HEAVY DUTY CARDBOARD AND IS MOSTLY IN VERY GOOD CONDITION ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME WEAR ALONG ALL EDGES INCLUDING THE SPINE. THE RECORD IS GRADED AS NEAR MINT.
TRACK LISTING: Side 1 - Howdy Neighbor Howdy / Sweethearts In Heaven / Where Did Our Young Years Go / Cotton-Eyed Joe / Your Love Is Dying / Dark Waters. Side 2 - Sawing On The Strings / One Tear Drop And One Step Away / Unforgivable You / Banjo Medley / Kiss Me One More Time / One More Hill.
12" VINYL RECORD
