CMH RECORDS (Country. Music. Heritage.) maintains a rich history of classic country and bluegrass albums and is honoring several of these legacy releases by remastering them and making them available in new formats for the first time ever. Revived from the CMH archives, the Johnny Gimble & The Texas Swing Pioneers 1980 classic album Still Swingin’ will be available for the first time ever on digital and streaming May 17. This special album draws on Gimble’s deep connection to Western Swing music, gathering an all-star cast of musicians to revisit old favorites of the genre. The collection’s closer, “Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age,” is out now (5/3) ahead of the full release.
Listen to Johnny Gimble & The Texas Swing Pioneers perform “Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age” out now on all digital platforms: https://lnk.to/YIV9tk
Born in Tyler, Texas in 1926, Johnny Gimble is one of the most influential country fiddlers of all time. Together here with a supergroup of friends and collaborators–members of The Light Crust Doughboys, Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies, the Texas Wanderers, and Sons of the South–Gimble revisits a generous and well-curated collection of classics and old favorites of the Western Swing genre. Featuring studio recordings alongside live radio performances (delivered to a KRLD radio audience in Dallas, TX), Still Swingin’ delivers top-tier musicianship, a lovingly selected setlist and lively production to make this a classic retrospective of the Western Swing genre.
Prolific as both a sideman and bandleader, Gimble appeared on hundreds of records over the course of his career and kept playing until the very end. He became known for his sweet tone and agile ability on the fiddle after he joined the Texas Playboys in 1949, one of the most well-known Western Swing bands of his day. Just two years later, he formed his own group and began working tirelessly, touring and working as a session musician for such major names as Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Connie Smith, Loretta Lynn and Chet Atkins.
During this period of extensive work, Gimble became friend and collaborator of a slew of top tier musicians. For Still Swingin’ (his first of several albums for CMH), Johnny put together a supergroup of these musicians, pulling from artists that inspired him to play in the first place.
Recorded at Sumet-Brenet Sound Studios in Dallas, TX and self-produced by Gimble, Still Swingin’ features Johnny Gimble (Fiddle, Mandolin, Vocals), Cliff Bruner (Fiddle, Vocals), Deacon Anderson (Steel Guitar), Fred “Papa” Calhoun (Piano, Vibes), Zeke Campbell (Guitar), J.R. Chatwell (Piano, Vocals), Jerry Gimble (Bass, Vocals), Marvin “Smokey” Montgomery (Banjo), Bill Mounce (Drums) and Frank Reneau (Piano, Organ).
Founded in 1975 by Martin Haerle, CMH Records has released albums from artists whose monumental influence on American roots music is unparalleled. The label is responsible for essential recordings throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s by bluegrass, old time and traditional country legends such as Merle Travis, The Osborne Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Joe Maphis, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Grandpa Jones, Lester Flatt and Eddie Adcock. Throughout the ‘90s and into the new millennium, CMH Records continued to cut records with artists such as Wanda Jackson (aka “The Queen of Rockabilly”), Raul Malo, Larry Cordle, Pine Mountain Railroad, Jimmy Gaudreau, and many others. Producing songs rich in American heritage by artists with their own distinct style created a strong backbone and history for the label.
The label remains a proud family business, now run by Martin’s son David. Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “stubborn, curious Silver Lake music company,” the label has been a strong proponent for honest music and has found success with its classic catalog and its ongoing “Pickin’ On” series, which features bluegrass interpretations of contemporary artists, including recent hit albums dedicated to the music of Nirvana and Modest Mouse. The Times piece added that CMH “meets unsung needs in the music industry” and cited its “creative diversification.”
Track List for Johnny Gimble & The Texas Swing Pioneers’ Still Swingin’:
Washington & Lee Swing
Truck Driver’s Blues
Jesse Polka
I’m Confessin’ That I Love You
Please Don’t Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Fort Worth Hambone Blues
Rosetta
Chinatown, My Chinatown
My Mary
Sweet Georgia Brown
Sweet Jennie Lee
Some of These Days
The Bells of St. Mary’s
An Old Water Mill
Song of the Wanderer
I’m Checkin’ Out
Right or Wrong
Just Because
Jammin’ With J.R.
Shine
Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age
