I'll throw my lot in
Big Jim Sullivan
1)Country Boy Picker - covered by Albert Lee,BJS was the number 1 guitarist on the British session scene back in the 60's worked with (little)Jimmy Page and gave Ritchie Blackmore guitar lessons when RB was a youngster,worked in Tom Jones live and studio bands 'til 74.BJ peels off a hillbilly solo worthy of Joe Maphis towards the end of the song.
2) Cascade - his solo guitar arrangement of a Scott Joplin ragtime number.
BJ has got a web site
http://www.bigjimsullivan.com where he tells stories about guitarists like Page,John McLaughlin etc.. and the British session scene in general,he was also part of the backing group that backed Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent on the 1960 British that killed EC and aggravated Vincent's already damaged leg,a great site for the stories alone.BJ played the guitar solo on PJ Proby's "Hold Me" FYI.
Zoot- Eleanor Rigby
A 1970 hard rock version by Australian quartet which was a top 5 hit here.Arranged by a 20 year old Rick Springfield on guitar and featured future Little River Band writer/guitarist Beeb Birtles on bass.If you've never heard it before let me tell you you won't recognise it 'til they start singing,it was the first cover I ever heard that was so different from the original.
Russell Morris- O Helly
Johnny Darrell & Anita Carter- The Coming Of The Roads a great country duet
Billy Joe Royal- Heartaches And Teardrops
Anita Carter-(Love's)Ring Of Fire
This is the original version by future Johnny Cash sister in law.The MIB sez she was the greatest female country singer and he won't get any argument from me,she had an angel's voice.
Charles River Valley Boys- Ive Just Seen A Face
1966 bluegrass version that is so good that you'll swear that Lennon/McCartney wrote it for Bill Monroe.
Chris Hardy- Nefarious Things, great slide guitar piece.
Philip John Lee- Black Scrag
a flamenco influenced guitar piece.
Axiom - Ford's Bridge
Bakery - No Dying In The Dark
A 1971 Australian heavy riff fest.
Doug Sahm And Friends
1) Nitty Gritty
What a great Tex-Mex horn riff,friends include Augie Meyer,Flaco Jiminez,David Bromberg.
2)Poison Love
A cover of the old 50's Johnny And Jack country classic done Sir Doug's way, full of mandolin,accordian solos and good times,this always gets me tapping my feet.
Kaleidoscope
1) Banjo- David Lindley putting his banjo thru an echo box and playing the living daylights out of it.
2)Oh Death -Very depressing sounding with morbid singing and fiddle.
Merle Haggard - The Day The Rains Came
One of my top 5 fave Hag moments.
Lena Horne - Paradise
When that woman hums I melt.
James Carr - To Love Somebody
The best version of the Bee Gees song you'll hear,it was probably his last great performance.
The 5 Royales - Laundromat Blues
A great double entrende song.
The Twilights - The Way They Play
If you like Beatlesque psych-pop you may like this 1968 Australian song,Features future Little River Band front man Glenn Shorrock on lead vocals and penned by Terry Britten who was also the band's lead guitarist,he wrote and played on Cliff Richard's "Devil Woman" and wrote and produced "What's Love Got To Do With It" for Tina Turner.
Harry Belafonte - Land Of The Sea And Sun
This is from a HB album called "Jump Up Calypso",I bought the DCC version of this album because it was cheap and to my surprise there were some really pretty songs on it of which this one is my fave,it and about half the album were written by a guy called Irving Burgie.
Danny Gatton - Orange Blossom Special(live)
OH SHIIIITTT!! The late Telemaster ploughing his way thru classic hillbilly fiddle tune with detours thru' "The Simpsons" theme,Zorba The Greek and the Flatt And Scruggs barn burner "Foggy Mountain Breakdown",what couldn't this guy do on the guitar???
