PAUL VIDAL PRESENTS THE SPADE COOLEY RCA VICTOR SESSIONOGRAPHY

Certainly the most prolific period in Spade's recording career,
from 1947 to 1950. That year, he was featured in the first issue of 'Hillbilly & Western Scrapbook'. Here's an extract of the biography which was printed : 'His parents were musicians, as were their parents before them ; from this rich inheritance, Spade was a natural for the title he later achieved. From Oklahoma, the Cooley family moved to a ranch in California, where Spade did many jobs as a ranch hand. It was on this ranch that he had an unfortunate accident with a mule ; Spade's facial features were changed from the result of the mule kick, and he wasn't as handsome as before. However, it was after this incident that he decided upon the career of music. [] He has an uncanny sense of knowing what the public wants and gives it to them. Spade's talents brought him offers for radio shows and personal appearances, and his growing audience of fans was increased even more when he starred in movies for Columbia, Universal and Warner Bros. Spade has made records for Columbia and now records for RCA Victor. He has written many of the songs he has recorded and featured in his western pictures. He wrote 'Shame On You' at 6.00 in the morning and recorded it in that afternoon. A few weeks after its release, it was a hit. Spade Cooley and his musicians play to big happy crowds every week at his Santa Monica Ballroom in California. On Saturday nights he puts on a swell television show called 'Western Varieties'. The show is headed by Spade's band and on Sunday nights the entertainers put on a big show out at Foreman Phillips Barn Dance at Baldwin Park. Spade recently reactivated the 'Spade Cooley Productions, Inc.' motion picture company he formed in 1947. The first release is 'The Silver Bandit', in which Spade stars.' Of course, those who knew him and worked with him, like Hank Penny and Speedy West, both of whom I met and interviewed, had a lot of more turgid stories to tell but they still always respected his natural skills and strong sense of showmanship.

I'm indebted to The Country Music Foundation, in Nashville, for providing me access to their files. Other thanks go to Jack Henderson, Dave Sax, Big Al Turner & Richard Weize.
In blue print, are the catalog # for the original '78s ; in red print, are catalog # for releases on '45s, starting in 1949. It should be noted that many of those early '45s were pressed on both black and green vinyl. Only original issues are listed.

© Paul Vidal * Privas, France * 2000 - 2024

THE SPADE COOLEY
RCA DISCOGRAPHY & SESSIONOGRAPHY

HOLLYWOOD * January 31, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt
Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann, Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell
Trombone : Elbert S. Amsler Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs
Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : John Melvin Mountjoy
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *

D7-VB-451 It's Dark Outside (Spade Cooley-Rudy Sooter)* 20-2181
D7-VB-452 Who Dug This Hole I'm In (Spade Cooley-Rudy Sooter)* 20-2384
D7-VB-453 Minuet In Swing (Spade Cooley) 20-2181
D7-VB-454 Texas Playboy Rag (Bob Wills) 21-0027/48-0043

HOLLYWOOD * April 25, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt
Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann, Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell
Trombone : Elbert S. Amsler Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble, Luther Roundtree Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs
Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : John M. Mountjoy
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *

D7-VB-524 Boggs Boogie (Spade Cooley-Noel Boggs-Jimmy Wyble) 20-2295
D7-VB-525 Red Hair And Green Eyes (Spade Cooley-Jay Milton)* 20-2295
D7-VB-526 All Aboard For Oklahoma (Spade Cooley-Ike Cargill)* 20-2552
D7-VB-527 Texas Steel Guitar (Paul Westmoreland) 20-3137

Note : 'All Aboard For Oklahoma' was reissued on Bear Family BFX 15110.

HOLLYWOOD * May 9, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt
Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann, Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel
Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell Trombone : Elbert S. Amsler Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble
Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : John Melvin Mountjoy
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *, 'Red' Egner & Ensemble **

D7-VB-539 I've Got A Heart Filled With Love (Al Jacobs-Joseph Meyer)* 20-3547/47-3040
D7-VB-540 Tailor Made Baby (Spade Cooley-Don Whiston)* 20-2552
D7-VB-541 Red Hot Polka (Chick Grean-Cy Coben-Irving Melsher)** 20-2384
D7-VB-542 You Can't Take Texas Out Of Me (Jay Milton)* 20-3547/47-3040

Note : 'You Can't Take Texas Out Of Me' was reissued on Bear Family BFX 15110.

HOLLYWOOD * Sunday, May 18, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt [Other personnel unknown]

D7-VB-548 Three Fiddle Rag (Traditional) 21-0467/48-0467

HOLLYWOOD * October 20, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley
Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt, Mort Herbert Piano : John F. Haynes Accordion : Joe Strand Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble
Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Chester Ricord
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *, Terry Shand **

D7-VB-1822 Fickle Woman (Spade Cooley-Terry Shand)** 20-3137
D7-VB-1398 Call Me Darlin', Do (Spade Cooley-Terry Shand)** 20-3258/48-0032
D7-VB-1399 That's The Last Straw (Jenny Lou Carson)* 20-2866
D7-VB-1800 Tuesday Two-Step (Spade Cooley-Billy Hill)* 21-0467/48-0467

HOLLYWOOD * October 27, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt, Mort Herbert
Piano : John F. Haynes Accordion : Milton DeLugg
Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Chester Ricord
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *, The Spadettes **

D7-VB-1823 Oklahoma Waltz (Spade Cooley-Cindy Walker)** 20-2866
D7-VB-1824 Down At The Cuckoo House (Spade Cooley-Rudy Sooter)* 21-0027/48-0043

Note : 'Down At The Cuckoo House' was renamed 'Lord Nottingham's War Dance'.

HOLLYWOOD * November 10, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt, Mort Herbert Piano : John F. Haynes Accordion : Milton DeLugg Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Chester Ricord
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *

D7-VB-1869 Big Chief Boogie (Billy Hughes)* 20-3020
D7-VB-1870 Whistle Bait (Spade Cooley-Tex Ann Nation-Lee Martin)* 20-2742
D7-VB-1871 The Best Deal In Town (Cy Coben-Irving Melsher)* 20-2668/48-0027

Note : 'Big Chief Boogie' was reissued on Bear Family BFX 15110.
'The Best Deal In Town' and its flip, 'Spanish Fandango', cut at the next session, make up another fabulous coupling. Slick and swinging !

HOLLYWOOD * November 17, 1947
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : Wm. Henry Hill, Carl Henry Hunt, Mort Herbert Piano : John F. Haynes
Accordion : Milton DeLugg Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls
Drums : Chester Ricord
Vocalist : Ardith Wm. 'Red' Egner *

D7-VB-1821 Fickle Woman (Spade Cooley-Terry Shand)* See note below
D7-VB-2102 Spanish Fandango (Smokey Rogers-Bob Wills)* 20-2668/48-0027
D7-VB-2103 Blonde Fiddle Blues (Spade Cooley) 20-2742
D7-VB-2104 Four Fiddle Polka (Spade Cooley) 20-3258/48-0032
D7-VB-2105 Topeka Polka (Spade Cooley-Del Porter-Carl Hoefle) 20-3020

Note : This version of 'Fickle Woman' features an uncredited vocal by Red Egner and was only released as part of a special DJ 'Double Header' disc (RCA Victor 20-3137/20-3138 ; white label) with 'I'd Rather Be A Cowgirl' by Rosalie Allen on the other side. Many thanks to Donald T. Martin, Dave Sax & Big Al Turner for this piece of info.

HOLLYWOOD * March 30, 1949
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Sax & Violin : L. Doty Trombone & Violin : W. Wright
Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann, Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel, W. Brady
Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell, E. Komer Trombone : C. Elmer
Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Electric guitar : C. Anderson Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs
Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Jed Dees *, Jed Dees & The Band **, Becky Barfield ***

D9-VB-562 Don't Take My Word, Take My Heart (Buddy Kaye-Carl Lampl)** 20-3437
D7-VB-563 I Had My Heart Set On You (Oakley Haldeman-Clem Watts-Sam Martin-Rosalie Allen)** 20-3437
D7-VB-564 Arizona Waltz (Rex Allen)*** 20-3496/47-2962
D7-VB-565 Don't Call Me Sweetheart Anymore (Teddy Phillips-Lew Douglas-King Laney)* 20-3496/47-2962

Note : Becky Barfield was married to the talented Maurice Cameron Hill. She passed away in 1958.

HOLLYWOOD * April 5, 1949
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : W. Wright Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : J. Pruett Banjo : R. Lewis Bass : Stanley P. Puls

D9-VB-572 Wagonner (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0080/48-0077
D9-VB-573 Flop Eared Mule (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0080/48-0077
D9-VB-574 The Eighth Of January (Arr. By Spade Cooley) 21-0081/48-0078
D9-VB-575 Ida Red (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0082/48-0079
D9-VB-576 Wake Up, Susan (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0081/48-0078
D9-VB-577 6/8 To the Barn (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0082/48-0079
D9-VB-578 Arkansas Traveler (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0068/48-0063
D9-VB-579 The Gal I Left Behind (Arranged By Spade Cooley) 21-0068/48-0063
D9-VB-580 Hora Staccato (Dinicu-Heifetz) Unissued

Note : In fact, 21-0080, 21-0081 and 21-0082 were part of a three-disc box set, titled 'Square Dances' (RCA P-249) ;
same with 48-0077, 48-0078 and 48-0079 (RCA WP-249).

HOLLYWOOD * November 17, 1949
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Sax & Violin : L. Doty Trombone & Violin : W. Wright
Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann, Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel
Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell, F. T. Thompson Trombone : E. Schneider Sax & Clarinet : R. E. Johnson
Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Electric guitar : C. Anderson
Bass : Stanley P. Puls Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Les Anderson *, Ginny Jackson **, Bob 'Tex' Cromer ***

D9-VB-782 Foolish Tears (Jenny Lou Carson)** 21-0150/48-0157
D9-VB-783 Send Ten Pretty Flowers To My Girl In Tennessee (Steve Nelson-Ed Nelson, Jr.)*** 21-0150/48-0157
D9-VB-784 Texas Star (Cindy Walker)*** 21-0309/48-0309 [square dance calling by Les Anderson]
D9-VB-785 Pretty Please Love Me (Glen Spencer-Sam Houston Allen)** 21-0309/48-0309
D9-VB-797 Little Cowboy (Bob Riedel)* Unissued
D9-VB-798 And I Shook (Les Anderson)* Unissued

HOLLYWOOD * January 3, 1950
Leader-Sax : Harold Hugh Ehrmann Sax : Wallace Aaron Ruth, Robert D. Riedel Sax & Violin : L. H. Doty
Sax & Clarinet : R. E. Johnson Trombone & Violin : W. W. Wright
Trumpet : Joseph V. Cifelli, Arthur Albert Attwell, F. T. Thompson Trombone : F. L. Howard
Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Electric guitar : C. I. Anderson
Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry Violin : J. Heiderich, D. Terwilliger, W. H. Hill
Vocalist : The Sons Of The Pioneers *, Mary Virginia 'Ginny' Jackson **, Chad Douglas ***

EO-VB-3500 The Old Spining Wheel (Billy Hill) 20-3674/47-3197
EO-VB-3501 Empty Saddles (Billy Hill)*** 20-3674/47-3197
EO-VB-3502 Lights Out (Billy Hill)** 20-3673/47-3196
EO-VB-3503 Wagon Wheels (Billy Hill)* 20-3672/47-3195
EO-VB-3504 The Last Round Up (Billy Hill)* 20-3672/47-3195
EO-VB-3505 In The Chapel In The Moonlight (Billy Hill)** 20-3673/47-3196

Note : Seems like Spade wasn't even present that day.
All six titles were also issued as a three 45 rpm box set 'Spade Cooley Plays Billy Hill For Dancing' (RCA WP 275).
'Wagon Wheels' and 'The Last Round Up' were reissued on Bear Family BFX 15110.

HOLLYWOOD * April 11, 1950
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley
Violin : L. Doty, W. Wright, D. Terwilliger Sax : W. A. Ruth, R. D. Riedel, J. A. Schmidt, J. R. Briggs
Trombone : K. R. Jackson, A. Lincoln Trumpet : J. Cifelli, L. A. Jolley, O. E. Mitchell Piano : John F. Haynes
Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Ginny Jackson *, Ginny Jackson & Les Anderson **

EO-VB-3605 Hillbilly Fever (George Vaughn)** 21-0330/48-0330
EO-VB-3606 Honky Tonkin' (Hank Williams)* 21-0330/48-0330

Note : Only two titles cut at what probably accounts for one of Spade's very best sessions.
The vocals and the horns/fiddles combination are stunning ! 'Hillbilly Fever' was reissued on Bear Family BFX 15110.

HOLLYWOOD * May 19, 1950
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : W. W. Wright, D. Terwilliger Sax & Clarinet : J. A. Schmidt, W. A. Ruth, R. D. Riedel,
H. Erhmann, L. Doty Trumpet : J. V. Cifelli, F. T. Thompson, L. A. Jolley Trombone : K. R. Jackson, A. Lincoln
Piano : John F. Haynes Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Ginny Jackson *, Ginny Jackson & Quartet **, Hal Derwin & Quartet ***

EO-VB-3647 Nine-Tenths Of The Tennessee River (Are The Tears That I Shed Over You) (Irving Gordon)* 20-3894/47-3894
EO-VB-3648 Longing (Jimmy Shirl-Ervin Drake)** 21-0348/48-0348
EO-VB-3649 Little Liza Lou (Sonny Skylar)*** 21-0348/48-0348

HOLLYWOOD * July 14, 1950
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : W. H. Hill, other unknown Sax : H. G. Erhmann, R. D. Riedel, W. A. Ruth, L. Doty,
J. A. Schmidt Trumpet : J. V. Cifelli, P. Savitt, F. T. Thompson Piano : John F. Haynes Trombone : J. A. Barrow, E. L. Howard
Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Ginny Jackson *, Ginny Jackson & Hal Derwin**, Hal Derwin ***

EO-VB-3716 Paper Roses (Irving Melsher-Jack Wolk)* Unissued
EO-VB-3717 Mountain Boys Have Fun With Mountain Girls ** 20-3894/47-3894
EO-VB-3718 Someone Left The Golden Gate Open (Stuart-Stallings-Manning) *** 20-3969/47-3969

HOLLYWOOD * July 20, 1950
Leader-Violin : Spade Cooley Violin : W. H. Hill, K. P. Nero Sax : H. G. Erhmann, R. D. Riedel, W. A. Ruth, L. Doty, J. A. Schmidt
Trumpet : J. V. Cifelli, P. Savitt, F. T. Thompson Piano : John F. Haynes Trombone : J. A. Barrow, A. Lincoln
Guitar : Jimmy O. Wyble Steel guitar : Noel Edwin Boggs Bass : Stanley P. Puls Drums : Muddy C. Berry
Vocalist : Ginny Jackson *, Hal Derwin **

EO-VB-3724 Stingy (Ralph Yaw)* Unissued
EO-VB-3725 You're Somebody Else's Sweetheart (George Motola-Charles Cleek)** Unissued
EO-VB-3726 I Miss You Already (Hal Blair-Doye O'Dell)* 20-3969/47-3969
EO-VB-3727 Don't Stay Away Too Long (Sam H. Stopt-Carman Lombardo)* Unissued

Note : Missing from the discography are details for the six titles which appeared as part of another three-disc box set, titled 'Skip To My Lou & Other Square Dances', with calls by Spade's close and longtime friend, Roy Rogers (RCA P-259 for the '78s & RCA WP-259 for the singles) :

21-0127/48-0130 Skip To My Lou / Rickett's Reel
21-0128/48-0131 Old Joe Clark / Sycamore Red
21-0129/48-0132 Oh Dem Golden Slippers / Lucky Leather Britches

THE SPADE COOLEY RCA DISCOGRAPHY & SESSIONOGRAPHY

THE SPADE COOLEY
RCA DISCOGRAPHY & SESSIONOGRAPHY