Research Projects

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Airforce Country Music Time

 At the bottom of this post you'll find a work-in-progress, a discography for the Country Music Time series. I have been collaborating with Most Stations discarded the discs after the programs were aired, so few discs have survived.

Country Music Time was an US Air Force sponsored recruitment radio show. The 15-minute program was syndicated via transcription starting sometime around 1960. A Billboard article in 1970 claimed they had 2,400 radio stations on their mailing list. The program ended around 1985. Some early transcriptions seem to have been sponsored by the Navy and not the Airforce, but I've seen so few examples the program name could be a coincidence.[Source here]

It was often hosted by actual enlisted servicemen. Having previewed a number of discs I heard names like Staff Sergeant Tom Shaw, Airman Jerry Keller, Airman First Class Jim Ardbeg, Lieutenant Bill Jordan, and even it's producer, Major charlie Brown. Marvin Hughs, another WWII veteran also produced a number of the programs. Hughs had previously spent time as a performer at WLAC and at the Grand Old Opry on WSM. Regardless of the producer, the program was always produced, proudly, in Nashville. Performers over the decades were both big and small including classic artists like Hank Snow and Red Sovine and many modern stars as well. (Particularly collectible are the Johnny Cash appearances.)

There is no canonical discography (that I've found) so I list below all of what I've found in my research. I have to reiterate that this is a work in progress. Thanks again to Stewart G. Hoar who's personal collection was used to fill in many gaps. I have marked conflicting or otherwise dubious entries with an *asterisk. In most of those cases I am just uncertain of which side belongs to which artist. I also mark the duplicated entries with a **double asterisk  were I have two seemingly verified but conflicting entries. It raises the possibility of the numbering being less than consistent as well. I am not presently including any track listing or other identifying numbers currently as these are not reliably marked on the labels.

1080 - Judy Roman  /1079 - Highway 101
1064 - The Forester Sisters/ 1063 - Keith Stegall
1062 - Patty Loveless / 1061 - The Almost Brothers
1042 - Rex Allen Jr. / 1041 - Ray Griff
1040 - John Russel / 1039 - Sylvia
1038 - Dobie Gray / 1037 - David Frizzell
1035 - Tari Hensley
*1030 - Barbara Fairchild
*1030 - Karen Taylor Good / 1029 - Sawyer Brown
1027 Oak Ridge Boys / 1028 - Eddie Raven
1015 - Randy Travis / 1016 - Chance
*900 - James Monroe / *899 - Linda Nail
*896 - Terri Gibbs / *895 - Karen Taylor Good
*886 - Burrito Brothers / *885 - Cristy Lane
*878 - Hank Cochran / *877 - Big Al Downing
*876 - Cole Young / *875 - Susie Nelson
*762 - Gene Laverne / *761 - Vern Gosdin
*760 - Karen Wheeler / *759 - Joe Stampley
*758 - Ricky Skaggs / *757 -  Terri Gibbs
*754 - Cristy Lane / *753 - Andy King
*748 - R.C. Bannon / *747 - Ralph Emery
*746 - Melba Montgomery / *745 - The Four Guys
*740 - Razzy Bailey / 739 - *Gary Morris
734 - Billie Joe Spears / 733 - Ferlin Husky
732 - Sonny Throckmorton / 731 - O.B. Mclinton
730 - Sue Powell / 729 - Buck trent
726 - Dean Dillon  / 725 - Ed Bruce
662 - Steve Gibb / 661 - The Cates
660 - Susie Allanson / 659 - Jim Owen
*606 - Nat Stuckey / *605 - Ferlin Husky
*598 - Tommy Overstreet / *597  - Thundercloud
*594 - Del Reeves / 593 - Wilma Lee Cooper
*592 - Marion Worth / 591 - LeGarde Twins
*590 - Dewayne Orender / 589 - Don Gibson
*588 - Danny Davis / 587 - Randy Barlow
*586 - Jim & Jesse / 585 - Roy Drusky
*583 - Floyd Cramer / 584 - Billy Walker
*582 - T.G. Sheppard / 581 - Carl Smith
514 - Stan Hitchcock / 513 - Bobby Lord
510 - Hugh X. Lewis / 509 - George Hamilton IV
490 - Merle Travis / 489 - Chuck Holt
480 – Tommy Cash / 479 - Charlie Walker
478 - Bob Luman / 477 - Charlie Louvin
476 - The Jordonaires / 475 - Harold Morrison
474 – The Harden Trio / 473 – Grandpa Jones
472 – Charlie Louvin / 471 – Wilma Burgess
470 - Jimmy C. Newman / 469 – Bobby Bare
467 – George Hamilton IV / 468 – Smiley & Kitty Wilson
466 – Mac Wiseman / 465 – Archie Campbell
464 – The Carter Family / 463 – Ray Pillow
462 – Ferlin Husky / 461 – Charlie Louvin
460 – Warner Mack / 459 – Jean Shepard
452 - Johnny Seay / 451 - Roy Drusky
448 – Bobby Lord / 447 – Jim & Jesse
446 - Margie Bowes / 445 - Claude Gray
444 – Warner Mack / 443 – Bob Drusky
442 – Mac Wiseman / 441 – Bob Luman
435 - Jimmy Newman / 436 - Bobby Bare
430 – Warner Mack / 429 – Jean Shepard
428 – Dave Dudley / 427 – George Morgan
**426 - Web Peirce & Max Powell / 425 - Johnny Carver & Pat McKinney
**426 – Billy Grammer / 425 – Billy Walker
**424 – Roy Drusky / 423 - Willie Nelson
**424 - Jim Ed Brown / Cates Sisters / 423 - Stonewall Jackson
422 – Sonny James / 421 – Skeeter Davis
416 - Jordanaires / 415 – Sonny James
**414 – Bobby Lord / 413 – Billy Walker
**414 - Rex Allen / 413 - Dickie Lee & Jane Austin
406 - Wilburn Brothers / 405 -  Martha Carson
399 - Margie Bowes/400 - Grandpa Jones
392 - Bobby Lord / 391- Glaser Brothers
388 - Bobby Lewis / 387 - Jan Howard
*386 - George Morgan / *385 - Melba Montgomery
382 - Bill Anderson / 381 - Sonny James
376 - Gene Willis / 375 - The Willis Brothers
372 - Margie Bowes / 371 - The Browns
365 - Ferlin Husky
*364 - Sonny James
356 - Sonny James - / 355 - Osborne Brothers
354 – Red Sovine / 353 – The Jordanaires
348 – Porter Wagoner / 347 – The Irvin Twins
346 – Bill Anderson / 345 – Grandpa Jones
**344 – Martha Carson /343 – Sonny James
**344 - Red Steagall / 343 - Pat McKinny
342 – Jean Shepard / 341 – The Wilburn Brothers
340 – The Carter Family 339 – Margaret Lewis
338 – T. Tommy / 337 - Bill Carlisle
336 - The Jordanaires / 335 - Bobby Helms
334 – Helen LaCroix / 333 – Hank Snow
332 – Hank Locklin / 331 - Margie Bowes
330 - Sonny James / 329 - Benny Martin
328 – The Irvin Twins / 327 – Sonny James
326 – The Willis Brothers / 325 – Jimmy Newman
324 – Tom Paul & The Glasser Bros. / 323 – Claude Grey
322 – Dick Flood / 321 – Archie Campbell
320 – Roy Drusky / 319 – Carl Butler
318 - Faron Young / 317 - The Willis Brothers
316 - Bill Carlisle / 315 – George Hamilton IV
314 - Bobby Sykes & Marion Worth / 313 – Billy Walker
310 - Mac Wiseman / 309 - The Jordannaires
308 - Jim Reeves / 307 - Jim Reeves
306 - Hawkshaw Hawkins / 305 – Patsy Cline
300 -  Charlie Louvin / 299 - Webb Peirce
298 - Charlie McCoy / 297 - The Four Guys
294 - The Louvin Brothers / 293 - Ernest Tubb
290 - George Morgan / 289 – Tommy Jackson
288 - Tex Ritter / 287 - The Jordanaires
282 - Porter Wagoner / 281 – T. Tommy
*280 - Dickie Lee / *279 - Jimmy C. Newman
278 - Tex Ritter / 277 - Webb Peirce
266 – Billy Grammer / 265 – Cowboy Copas
264 – Jean Shepard / 263 – Wilburn Brothers
262 – Faron Young / 261 – Roy Druskey
260 – Grandpa Jones / 259 – Jimmy Dickens
258 – Patsy Cline / 257 – The Jordanaires
254 – Margie Bowes / 253 – Tommy Cutrer
252 – Marty Robbins / 251 – Billy Grammer
250 – The Wilburn Brothers / 249 – The Jordanaires
262 - Faron Young / 261 - Roy Drusky
254 - Coyboy Copas / 253 - T. Tommy Cutrer
248 - Marty Robbins/ 247 - The Glaser Brothers
243 - Johnny Cash / 244 - Glen Douglas
242 – Carl Smith / 241 – Wilma Lee & Stony Cooper
238 - Hackshaw Hawkins / 237 - Jimmy C. Newman
235 - Joan Hager / 234 - The Louvin Brothers
230 - Bob Williams / 229 - The Jordanaires
228 - Benny Martin & Del Wood / 227 - Patsy Cline & Jan Crutchfield
226 – Carter Family / 225 – Roy Drusky
220 - T. Tommy / 219 - The Willis Brothers
216 - Diana Trask / 215 - Dave Dudley
214 - Billy Grammer / 213 - Jimmy Newman
212 – Tommy Jackson / 211 – The Glasser Brothers
210 - Bob Druskey / 209 – The Jordanaires
210 - Bobby Bare / 209 - Peggy Little
208 - The Jordanaires / 207 - Jim Reeves
206 – Carl Butler / 205 – Wilma Lee & Stony Cooper
**204 – Porter Wagoner / 203 – Roy Drusky
**204 - The Florida Boys / 203 - Cal Smith
202 – Bobby Lord / 201 – Cowboy Copas
200 - Martha Carson / 199 - Tom T. Hall
190 - Roy Drusky  / 189 - Faron Young
186 - Benny Martin / 185 - Faron Young
184 - George Morgan / 183 - The Jordanaires
141 - Johnny Cash / 142 - Joe Maphis
135 - Jim Reeves / 136 Marty Robbins
131 - The Collins Kids
122 – Archie Campbell / 121 – Mac Wiseman
119 – Connie Smith / 118 – Warner Mack
102 - Van Trevor / 103 - Bob Luman
19 - Sons of the Pioneers

19 comments:

  1. I posted two of those on the blog a while ago: http://audioarchives.blogspot.com/2012/05/little-bit-country-little-bitwell.html

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  2. I have a lot of missing data here. Every bit helps! Thank you!

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  3. Who can i talk to about these "country time music records"? I have quit a collection of these original records too!

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  4. I also have national guard special recruiting shows and musical variety shows.

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  5. You can talk to me! I'd like to complete a discography and publish it at the ARSC if possible.

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  6. tammy7:00 PM

    how do i get a hold of you?

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  7. i dont know how to get a direct link to either write you or talk to you. I try this google thing.

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  8. If you post your email I will delete the comment and just respond by email.

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  9. Great list! Would you happen to have a track listing for Episode #243 featuring Johnny Cash?

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  10. I do not but I recently met a fellow working on a much more detailed discography of the whole series.

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  11. Thanks for the reply! If you ever run across it I'd love to hear about it for a book on Cash I'm working on.

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  12. I have a few of these on 16" transcription discs. I do not know the year of release (which is what led me here).

    #25 - Roy Acuff / #26 - Mary Randolph

    #27 - Jimmy Dickens / #28 - Eddie Hill

    #33 - George Jones / #34 - Roy Acuff

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  13. I have a few of these as well on 16" transcription discs. I do not know what years they are from (which is one reason I wound up here):

    #25 - Roy Acuff
    #26 - Mary Randolph

    #27 - Jimmy Dickens
    #28 - Eddie Hill

    #33 - George Jones
    #34 - Roy Acuff

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  14. i'm a big george jones fan. would someone be able to get me a audio copy of the show #33 & 34 transcription? i believe jones sang "let's say goodbye like we said hello" (e tubb) a song he never recorded

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  15. i'm a big george jones fan. could someone get me an audio copy of 33 34 transcription? he sang the song "let's say goodbye like we said hello" a song he never recorded

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  16. Anonymous4:43 PM

    Hi, I've recently bought a large quantity of transcription discs at auction in the UK. There is a number of these USAF discs in the collection. I have the following: 41/42; 47/48; 49/50; 61/62; 65/66; 73/74; 83/84; 87/88; 95/96; 101/102; 105/106; 111/112; 117/118; 119/120. I can;t play them at the moment as I don't have a transcription disc player but I could let you have some track listings, as the previous owner has written listing on some of the sleeves. Please e-mail me if you would like to know more

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  17. Hello, and thank you so much for starting this list! I ran across one of these the other day and thought you might add it. I ran across program 135/136, with Jim Reeves and Marty Robbins. There was another one at the thrift store I visited, and I'm heading back today to see if it's still there. If it is, I'll let you know what it is (if it's not listed here already).

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  18. Anonymous2:41 AM

    would love to hear from anyone with trans of Bill Anderson & Carl Butler to trade songs...Thanks Terry from Australia

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  19. I have these to contribute:
    399 - Margie Bowes/400 - Grandpa Jones
    435 - Jimmy Newman/436 - Bobby Bare

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