category: country / bluegrass / folk

"The name Coonhunters is usually associated with Wesley Tuttle and of course Merle Travis who played and sang on many of the commercial records they made. Tuttle is certainly in evidence on these transcription recordings made for Capital in the mid 1940's on the duets.

On these recordings it is Merle taking the lead vocals as well as being the author of several of the songs. The instantly recognizable guitar sound was to come later, but the overall sound of thse numbers is unmistakably Travis. He is in good company as well with Herman the Hermit on banjo and Charlie Lindville on fiddle.

The numbers are an exciting mixture of new songs, old songs and instrumentals that show off the talents of Fiddlin' Charlie Lindville and Herman the Hermit's banjo playing. It's all here, up-tempo numbers, slow ballads and novelty pieces. It is also more than obvious that the boys are enjoying themselves, if the banter between them while playing is anything to go by." -- Brian Golbey, British Archive of Country Music, 2003

CD Track Listing

  1. LITTLE DARLING I'M SICK & TIRED OF YOU (Travis / Stone) (2:47)
  2. DE GLENDY BURKE (Stephen Foster) (1:35)
  3. FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW (John Lair) (2:06)
  4. JIM CRACK CORN (trad.) (1:21)
  5. JIM CROW (trad.) (1:30)
  6. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (trad.) (2:30)
  7. NELLIE BLY (Stephen Foster) (2:18)
  8. NANCY TILL (Stephen Foster) (2:16)
  9. METHODIST PIE (trad.) (2:33)
10. OH DEM GOLDEN SLIPPERS (Bland) (2:37)
11. GREY EAGLE (trad.) (1:41)
12. BILE THAT POSSUM (trad.) (2:04)
13. I'M GOING BACK TO DIXIE (trad.) (2:13)
14. FISHER'S HORNPIPE (trad.) (1:59)
15. I'LL REMEMBER YOU LOVE IN MY PRAYERS (trad.) (2:43)
16. LIZA JANE (trad.) (2:00)
17. COMING HOME FROM THE WAKE (Travis / Nation) (2:13)
18. YOU'RE THE APPLE OF MY EYE (Travis / Nation) (2:38)
19. JOHN HENRY (trad.) (2:19)
20. FOLLY WADDLE DO (Travis) (2:01)
21. OFF SHE GOES (Andrew Soldi) (1:17)
22. FALSE HEARTED GIRL (Delmore) (2:28)
23. HIGGIN'S FAREWELL (Travis) (1:06)
24. DETOUR (Paul Westmoreland) (2:18)
25. SOURWOOD (trad.) (2:03)
26. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE (Davis / Mitchell) (2:59)

Total timing: 55:47

Label/No: British Archive of Country Music 042 (UK import)

Release date: 2003