Album Review: 'Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music' (Compilation)

Courtesy: Conqueroo

In this modern age, the battle of getting your music heard still rages on, but is also easier than ever with the ability to record and upload anywhere. Still, for every artist who has a hit, there are a multitude of others who just…….don’t. Before the advent of technology, that battle was much more difficult and many acts, due to various reasons, simply failed or folded. However, some of that forgotten music from country rock’s heyday will soon be given the opportunity to be heard. Archival record label Numero Group has unearthed nineteen rarities from 1968-1980 and will be releasing them on Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music, their fifth compilation in the series. Taking its name from Gram Parson’s description of the music he played with The Byrds, the compilation shines a light on some of the unknown performers of the time.

The artists and songs represented here certainly weren’t overlooked because the music wasn’t up to par; in fact, the genre fusing, eclectic songs here are quite ear pleasing. From Jimmy Carter and the Dallas County Green’s twangy ‘Travelin’” to Plain Jane’s groovy “You Can’t Make It Alone,” Ethel-Ann Powell’s folk-tinged “Gentle One”, Angel Oak’s perfect “I Saw Her Cry”, and (personal favorite) Jeff Cowell’s rootsy “Not Down This Low,” the album takes you back a few decades uncovering those heartfelt songs by artists who, like those artists of today, had a passion for music; a passion that led to disappointment, sometimes at the hands of scam artists. 

In fact, many of the artists here have fascinating stories. Jimmy Carter and the Dallas Country Green and the Black Canyon Gang were composed of farm and ranch hands who just liked making music. Mistress Mary and Mike & Pam Martin harbored dreams of record deals, only to see them evaporate when their demo albums were ignored. Sandy Harless financed his album through his fish breeding business, then got duped by a sham record label. (An accompanying book on these artists would be a welcome story.) Kenny Knight’s disappointment hit so hard that he tossed his master tapes in a dumpster. As the one-time Southern California singer-songwriter F.J. McMahon reflects: “My concept of record albums and musicians was, you came out with an album and went on T.V. and you had some money and you lived off it and you made another album. I had no concept of you make an album and it goes nowhere, which it did. It was a harpoon to the heart for a long time.”

Listening to Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music leaves you grateful these songs were discovered and released, but also wondering what might have been for these artists if things had been different. 

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