Howard Vokes – Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs on vinyl LP. VG. 1963 Starday tragedy ballads, Louvin Brothers style. Ships from Germany.
About Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs
A VG condition vinyl pressing of a 1963 concept album gathering classic country tragedy ballads, in the tradition of the Louvin Brothers.
Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs is a 1963 album by Pennsylvania based traditionalist Howard Vokes, released via Starday Records. Built entirely around songs of disasters, personal tragedies and accidents, the record marked the peak of Vokes’ recording career, delivered in a singing style widely compared to Roy Acuff. This listing is a VG condition vinyl pressing from a Berlin based eBay seller.
- Who was Howard Vokes
- About this concept album
- The tragedy ballad tradition
- Pressing details and buying advice
In Brief
- Artist Howard Vokes was a Pennsylvania based country music traditionalist known as Pennsylvania’s King of Country Music.
- Release Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs came out in 1963 (sometimes dated 1964) via Starday Records.
- Concept An entire album built around songs of tragedy, accidents and disaster, a well established tradition in classic country music.
- Style Open-throat singing heavily influenced by Roy Acuff, accompanied by dobro-led arrangements and sparing use of electric instruments.
- This copy Very Good (VG) sleeve condition, shipped from Berlin, Germany.
Howard Vokes – Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs (LP, VG)
Vinyl LP, Starday Records
Very Good condition vinyl pressing of Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs, sold by a Berlin based eBay seller with 100% positive feedback.
Pressing Specifications
Who Was Howard Vokes?
Howard Vokes was a Pennsylvania based country music traditionalist, known regionally as Pennsylvania's King of Country Music. An award-winning revivalist whose open-throat singing style drew heavily from Roy Acuff, Vokes reached the peak of his recording career when he secured a deal with Starday Records, a label well known for championing traditional and hardcore country sounds during the 1960s.
About This Concept Album
Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs follows a well established tradition within classic country music: the tragedy ballad, a form popularised by acts like the Louvin Brothers on their landmark 1956 album Tragic Songs Of Life. Vokes' fourteen track record works entirely within this concept, drawing on songs like The Sinking Of The Titanic, Engineer's Last Ride and Death On The Highway, several of which had already been recorded by Roy Acuff before Vokes' own versions. Accompanied by a small ensemble led largely by dobro, with electric guitar used sparingly across the record, mostly in a percussive Luther Perkins-style rhythm, the album leans into a stark, mournful atmosphere befitting its subject matter. This was Vokes' sole full length release for Starday, later reissued in full alongside two additional non-album tracks as part of a complete anthology of his work for the label.
- VG condition, a well kept vintage pressing
- A genuine, fully realised concept album within the tragedy ballad tradition
- Vokes’ Acuff-influenced vocal style is authentic and well regarded by genre collectors
- The peak recorded work of a respected traditionalist
- Deliberately heavy, sombre subject matter throughout
- Not a sealed or mint copy
- Niche appeal outside traditional country and tragedy ballad collectors
What is Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs by Howard Vokes?
It is a 1963 concept album from Starday Records, built entirely around country songs of tragedy, disasters and accidents.
What condition is this vinyl copy in?
The sleeve is graded Very Good (VG).
Who was Howard Vokes?
A Pennsylvania based traditionalist country singer known as Pennsylvania’s King of Country Music, with a vocal style influenced by Roy Acuff.
What is a tragedy ballad?
A well established country music tradition of songs about disasters and personal tragedy, popularised by acts like the Louvin Brothers on Tragic Songs Of Life.
Does this listing ship outside Germany?
The seller is based in Berlin and lists a fixed shipping cost; check the current listing for up to date international shipping options and rates.
Where To Buy This Pressing
Final Spin
- A fully realised concept album within the classic country tragedy ballad tradition
- VG condition vinyl pressing on Starday Records
- Best suited to collectors of traditional country and tragedy ballads
Tragedy And Disaster In Country Songs stands as Howard Vokes’ defining recorded statement, and this listing offers a VG pressing from a highly rated German seller.