Dixon Brothers – Complete Recorded Works 1936-1938 Vol 1 (1936)

The first of four volumes, chronicling the recording career of one of country musics most individualistic of the so-called half brother acts which flourished in during the thirties, covers their first three recording sessions. Dorsey and Howard Dixon hailed from South Carolina. Among their influences were Darby and Tarlton . Howard was awed by Jimmie’s skill in playing lap style slide on his National steel guitar. In turn the Dixon brothers recordings influenced many others including Darby and Tarlton who recorded a cover of Weave Room Blues as The Weavers Blues. Their repertoire encompassed a mixture of blues, ballads, a handful of religious songs and even a few cowboy songs. Stock in trade for the Old Time Country genre are the songs of tragedy and the Two Little Rosebuds is a good example, made all the more interesting as it seems to be based on an incident, the drowning of two girls in a mill pond, witnessed by the duo who worked for most of their lives in at the local cotton mills. These songs are nicely balanced by the Dixon’s humorous approach to life such as Sales Tax On The Women and Intoxicated Rat reveals. Though their recording career was short, spanning only two years, their records sold well. As these four volumes demonstrate, the Dixon brothers were one of the finest country vocal / guitar duets to record. Includes informative booklet notes by Keith Briggs and detailed discography.