JIMMY ARTHUR ORDGE
15 Traditional Country Hits
The Ballad of Muk-Tuk Annie – Old Dogs Children
& Watermelon Wine – He’ll Have To Go – Herschel’s Hemi Half-Ton –
Irena Cheyenne – Country Bumpkin – Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain – Just
One Night Of Love – Storytime & Prayers – You’ve Never Been This Far
Before – The Ballad of Dawson City – The Old Man – Teddy Bear – The
Ballad of Pierre Oral Bonafee – Mother’s Bible
& Watermelon Wine – He’ll Have To Go – Herschel’s Hemi Half-Ton –
Irena Cheyenne – Country Bumpkin – Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain – Just
One Night Of Love – Storytime & Prayers – You’ve Never Been This Far
Before – The Ballad of Dawson City – The Old Man – Teddy Bear – The
Ballad of Pierre Oral Bonafee – Mother’s Bible
I received this very nice traditional and classic
country CD from one of Canada’s most influential promoters, not only of
‘real’ country music, but the land known as Newfoundland where Michael
T. Wall is originally from. He’s one of many foreign artists that
attend the National Old Time Country Music Festival in LeMars, Iowa (Aug
29-Sept 4, 2016). Jimmy Arthur Ordge is the artist that Michael wanted
me to hear. I was struck dumb by the very first number. “The Ballad
of Muk-Tu Annie” obviously a song about way out west in Canada, and
Jimmy’s first huge hit. What blew me away was the wonderful use of
banjo and harmonica used so brilliantly on this ‘opening’ number,
usually reserved to compliment and exploit the artist and all of his
ensuing work. This entire CD, as you can see by the numbers Mr. Ordge
recorded are both very original Canadian as well as super hits from
American artists. Ordge has a very attractive baritone singing voice,
able to present both sides of good old-timey country as well as the C.
W. McCall talk-song method, extremely well done too I might add. It’s
his ability to ‘present’ a song with authentic vocal talent that makes
him so easy to listen to, and of course ‘like’ to listen to. This
particular CD is without a doubt one of Canada’s best representatives of
what ‘real’ country is all about. Mr. Ordge has a very easy to listen
to voice as well as personality which he probably uses without even
knowing it. His use of the fiddle on many of these songs is
particularly likable. He also keeps the ‘steel guitar’ in abundance, so
you can see this is actually a really ‘real’ country music offering.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Jimmy Arthur Ordge was so popular in
Canada, no American country performer touring Canada in that time frame
did it without Jimmy opening for them to make sure they had a big
crowd. Now in his early 80’s Jimmy still records for Royalty Records,
still sells a lot of merchandise, and still occasionally performs when
time allows. Michael T. Wall has nominated Mr. Ordge for America’s Old
Time Country Music Hall of Fame, and I’m sure if we can get him to come
to LeMars, Iowa, for the ceremonies, that will happen. I’m also going
to forward this particular CD to the Rural Root Music Commission to hear
their reaction to this particularly ‘country’ country CD. As part of
Royalty Record’s “The Legends Series” it is doing very well in Canada,
reminding those early country music fans that the show isn’t over yet,
there’s still a lot of good country in their country, still performing,
still recording.
country CD from one of Canada’s most influential promoters, not only of
‘real’ country music, but the land known as Newfoundland where Michael
T. Wall is originally from. He’s one of many foreign artists that
attend the National Old Time Country Music Festival in LeMars, Iowa (Aug
29-Sept 4, 2016). Jimmy Arthur Ordge is the artist that Michael wanted
me to hear. I was struck dumb by the very first number. “The Ballad
of Muk-Tu Annie” obviously a song about way out west in Canada, and
Jimmy’s first huge hit. What blew me away was the wonderful use of
banjo and harmonica used so brilliantly on this ‘opening’ number,
usually reserved to compliment and exploit the artist and all of his
ensuing work. This entire CD, as you can see by the numbers Mr. Ordge
recorded are both very original Canadian as well as super hits from
American artists. Ordge has a very attractive baritone singing voice,
able to present both sides of good old-timey country as well as the C.
W. McCall talk-song method, extremely well done too I might add. It’s
his ability to ‘present’ a song with authentic vocal talent that makes
him so easy to listen to, and of course ‘like’ to listen to. This
particular CD is without a doubt one of Canada’s best representatives of
what ‘real’ country is all about. Mr. Ordge has a very easy to listen
to voice as well as personality which he probably uses without even
knowing it. His use of the fiddle on many of these songs is
particularly likable. He also keeps the ‘steel guitar’ in abundance, so
you can see this is actually a really ‘real’ country music offering.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Jimmy Arthur Ordge was so popular in
Canada, no American country performer touring Canada in that time frame
did it without Jimmy opening for them to make sure they had a big
crowd. Now in his early 80’s Jimmy still records for Royalty Records,
still sells a lot of merchandise, and still occasionally performs when
time allows. Michael T. Wall has nominated Mr. Ordge for America’s Old
Time Country Music Hall of Fame, and I’m sure if we can get him to come
to LeMars, Iowa, for the ceremonies, that will happen. I’m also going
to forward this particular CD to the Rural Root Music Commission to hear
their reaction to this particularly ‘country’ country CD. As part of
Royalty Record’s “The Legends Series” it is doing very well in Canada,
reminding those early country music fans that the show isn’t over yet,
there’s still a lot of good country in their country, still performing,
still recording.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART – www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International Magazine