Charlie Moore - Cotton Farmer

(Old Homestead OHS-90119) 1980

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This is one of Old Homestead's posthumous releases which came out in 1980, shortly after Charlie's untimely death aged just 44 in Dec. 1979. The material is taken from two sessions, with Bill Napier featured on the four tracks recorded in Richmond, Va. on 05 Jul 1978; and the remainder taken from a session in Brighton, Mi. on 13 Jan 1979. Curley Lambert is featured playing mandolin on both.

Bill Napier plays lead guitar break on Will You Be Loving Another Man and also sings harmony on the The End Of Memory Lane, Bartender's Blues and Just One More Time.

Although not Charlie's best work, there is still plenty of fine material on offer and Charlie's vocals are as rich & smooth as ever.

The album includes three original tracks: the title cut, Cotton Farmer is quite a catchy number telling the tale of a farmer who's moved into town; Lisa is I think written about Charlie's daughter and features some nice dobro; and the other original track Just One More Time which is co-credited with Bill Napier.

The remainder of the album includes two gospel songs (I Will Sing You A Song aka Home Of The Soul and I Am A Pilgrim); and a selection of country numbers. Of these: The End Of Memory Lane appears to have been patterned after Charlie Monroe's Nov 1947 recording of the song, although it was originally recorded by the Carlisle Brothers in 1934 & subsequently by the Callahan Brothers (1937) and Jimmie Davis (1939); Bartender's Blues unlike most bar-room songs is told from point of view of the bartender. It was written by James Taylor and included on his 1977 'JT' album. The song was also recorded by George Jones in the same year & became the title track for his 'Bartender's Blues' LP in 1978; Upstairs In The Bedroom is kind of a murder-ballad / cheating song which had been popularised by Bobby Wright in 1969. Quite chilling, but with an effective almost menacing vocal; The mood is lightened with a version of The Delmore Brothers' Sand Mountain Blues, which Charlie had previously recorded by Moore & Napier on their 12 Variety Bluegrass Songs LP; and Broken Engagement is another sentimental tragic song, this on being popularised by Webb Pierce in 1962.

Don't Call Me had previously been issued as the 'B' side to Avery County on a 45 (Old Homestead 45-5047) 1979.

• Charlie Moore: guitar, lead vocal
• Curley Lambert: mandolin, baritone & tenor vocal
• John Davis: bass, tenor (a)
• Dana Cupp Jr: dobro, guitar (a) banjo (b)
• Billy Wheeler: banjo (a)
• Bill Napier: guitar, baritone vocal (b)
• Pete Smith: dobrro (b)
• J.C. Hale: harmonica, guitar, tenor vocal (b)
• Danny Proctor: bass (b)

NB: (a) all tracks except B2-B5. (b) tracks B2-B5.

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