Ruthie and the Wranglers
WRANGLER CITY
Lasso 02282
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High balling frantic honky-tonk rockabilly being sent your way from this Washington DC. 4 piece combo. Band leader vocalist, Ruthie Logsdon, has a twang in her voice that is only matched by the twang in Billy Shelton's lead guitar, which comes hair close to the twang of Duane Eddy and Donny "The Twangler" Roberts, from Webb Wilder and The Beat Necks. Of course he is helped on 2 cuts by Commander Cody's former guitar player, Bill Kirchen, who was no slouch when it came to twang. She also has the hiccups, chokes, and sobs that add true authenticity to a true country -rockabilly-torch group. This band is a definite high energy go out to the nearest honky-tonk, dance and party the night away trip. The songs for the most part have a just slightly off beat sense of humor or perhaps the maudlin to them. HOT POTATO, which leads off the disc has the franticness of the old Nervous Norbert hit, TRANSFUSION. It sure as hell opens this disc with an ear catching sound. They can slow it down with the extraordinary tear jerker with the best of those out of Nashville, but they do it with their own brand of twang. She even pulls off a convincing vocal version of TOWN WITHOUT PITY, while the band pulls in tight behind her, except for the not quite schmaltzy but coming close twang of the guitar. It is a great take on a song I can't stand. If you want to dance and party go out and get this one it is pure unadulterated fun.
1. Hot Potato - Mark Noone - 2:09
2. I'm a Little Confused - Mark Noone - 2:54
3. Gone But Not Forgotten - Ruth Logsdon - 2:57
4. I Wanna Be Your Auctioneer - Ruth Logsdon - 2:35
5. If You and I Were Strangers - Ruth Logsdon - 3:13
6. Tomorrow We Will Ride (The Cowgirl's Prayer) - Ruth Logsdon - 3:58
7. My Car knows Where You Live - Ruth Logsdon - 2:12
8.. The Lonely Walk - John F Sherick - 4:27
9. Dirty Dirty Feelin' - Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller 1:59
10. Watch Your Step - Mark Matarese - 2:50
11. Town Without Pity - D. Tiomkin/N. Washington - 3:30
12. Paper Roses - Spielman - 3:03
Rockabilly Song #10 - Ruth Logsdon - 3:21
Musicians
Ruth Logsdon - vocals, acoustic guitar
Billy Shelton - lead guitar
Mark Noone - backing vocal, bass guitar
Wesley Shepherd - drums
plus
Bill (king of truck drivin' twang) Kirchen - lead guitar #4, 6
Tom Mitchell - acoustic guitar #7
Moe Nelson - upright bass #4, 8
Patty Reese and Marianna Previti - harmonies #6Produced by Mark Noone