Lyrad's Random 10

Clarence "Tom" Ashley was one of the original old-time recording artists and one of the best. A great banjo player with a good voice, Ashley sang and played banjo for a medicine show starting in his teens. He started recording in around 1925 with the Carolina Tar Heels and recorded his largest hit in 1929 with "Coo Coo Bird." He continued to tour until 1933, when he quit recording entirely for nearly thirty years until 1960 when the first of the recordings that represents the Watson and Ashley albums were produced. The original releases were before Watson's fame, he doesn't play a major role in every song, and were issued as two volumes of "Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's." This was, however, right at the beginning of the folk revival and Watson was about to break big. After these recordings, Ashley saw a good resurgence and was even booked to an eighteen date tour in England. He died a few years later, in 1967, leaving a small but excellent catalog.

1. Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley--Sitting on Top of the World
2. Material--Square Dance
3. Ray Charles--A Fool for You
4. Bumblebee Slim--How Long Blues
5. Blind Willie Johnson--Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)
6. Dale Watson--Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women
7. Johannes Brahms--Quartet No.1 in c for Strings, Op.51, No.1; 3.Allegretto molto moderato e comodo (Lener Qt)
8. Memphis Slim--Help Me Some
9. Leadbelly--In New Orleans (House of the Rising Sun)
10. Larry Clinton & Bea Wain--Stop and Reconsider