The Mayfield Brothers
Born and raised on the Green Valley Ranch
near Dawn Texas in 1926,
Thomas Edward "Edd" Mayfield and his brothers Herb and Smokey
were among the first musicians on the plains of West Texas to embrace
this basically eastern mountain-born bluegrass music. Like many others
in the region, they gained a heightened awareness of the outside world
with the introduction of the radio.
In 1950 or '51, Edd received a message to call Bill Monroe. Monroe, remembering Edd's singing and playing skills, had called to offer him a job in his band. It was a terrible dilemma for the group, but after some discussion they decided that Edd should not pass up this opportunity. This was to be the first of three stints for Edd under Monroe's tutelage.
I'm Knockin' On Your Door * Arizona
Moon * Midnight Ramble *
When You Go, Don't Write to Me * Poison Love * Cotton Eyed Joe *
The Old Hometown * Mother Was Called Away *
Lonely Heart Blues * My One and Own
High Plains Breakdown *
On and On * Rocky Mountain Goat *
Just a Little Talk With Jesus * Pardon My Whiskers
Sawing on the Strings * Bill Cheatham * Holiday for Love
Black Mountain Rag * Where Could I Go But to the Lord *
I Have Found the Way
Musicians:
Edd Mayfield Herb Mayfield Smokey Mayfield
Raeford Shirley Delmar Shirley George Green Reuben
Mayfield
ABOUT
THESE RECORDINGS:
Six of the songs on this CD were originally recorded at Norman Petty's
studio in Clovis, New Mexico circa 1955-56 (Poison Love, The Old Hometown,
Mother Was Called Away, Why You Go Don't Write to Me, Lonely Heart Blues,
Pardon My Whiskers While I Kiss You Goodnight). The remaining material
presented here was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder in the living
room of Lorena Curtis, sister of the Mayfield Brothers, between 1948 and
1956.