Chanteur Country USné en 1919 ŕ Fort Worth (Texas), Billy Briggs a débuté en 1937 comme bassiste et surtout comme steel guitar des Hi-Flyers, un groupe de Western Swing. Il enregistra ensuite pour le label Time Records de Dalhart (Texas) et se fit remarquer comme chanteur en 1950 chez Imperial Records. Bolli Briggs est décédé en 1984 en Californie.

Billy Briggs was born in Fort Worth Texas in 1919. He apprenticed there under pioneering electric steel guitarist Bob Dunn & joined the Hi-Flyers in the mid-1930’s. He followed a stream of former Hi-Flyers to Amarillo in late 1937 to join the Sons Of The West (whose he played on « Panhandle Shuffle ») & in the coming years became one of the earliest steel guitarists to significantly expand upon Dunn’s model. Briggs built his own nine-string steel, began experimenting with new tunings & chord voicings, and, when he formed his own band Swinging Steel in 1939, became perhaps the first steel player to attach legs to his guitar & play standing, fronting his own group. He returned to the Sons Of The West in 1940 & took part in their tightly arranged forward-looking 1941 sessions for Okeh. He held together a makeshift Sons Of The West lineup for a while during the war, then formed his own XIT boys in 1946. In late ‘46 or early ‘47 Briggs began an association with Dan Allender’s Dalhart/Amarillo-based Time label that lasted to the end of the decade. A single release on Lew Preston’s Folke label followed, before a prolific stint with Imperial (1950-53) gave Briggs a regional & much covered hit « Chew Tobacco Rag » in 1951. Briggs ended a nine year association with Amarillo’s Avalon club in 1956 when he dispanded the XIT boys & opened his own ill-fated hall. He left music soon after & died in California in 1984.

Talents : Vocals, Steel Guitar, Bass

Style musical : Traditional Country, Western Swing

CHEW TOBACCO RAG (1950)

CHEW TOBACCO RAG #2 (1951)

HONKY TONKY BABY (1952)

Years in activity :

1910 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 10 20

DISCOGRAPHY

78 t. & Singles

10/1938 78 t. DECCA 5608 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - Oh Monah / Thinking Of You
11/1938 78 t. DECCA 5618 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - Mama Inez / Spanish Cavalier
12/1938 78 t. DECCA 5629 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - I’ll Always Be In Love With You / My Gal Don’t Love Me
01/1939 78 t. DECCA 5641 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - There’s Evil In Your Children / Am I Blue
02/1939 78 t. DECCA 5657 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - Visions Of The Past / Followinhg You Around
04/1941 78 t. OKEH 06196 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - Our Last Goodbye Okeh / Panhandle Shuffle
08/1941 78 t. OKEH 06328 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - I Live In Memory Of You / Make A Wreath For Mary
11/1941 78 t. CONQUEROR 9861 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - You’ll Be Sorry Conqueror / I’ll Forget I Ever Loved You
01/1942 78 t. OKEH 06587 (US) SONS OF THE WEST - Sally’s Got A Wooden Leg / My Prairie Queen
05/1947 78 t. TIME 102 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - X.I.T. Song / Autograph Your Photograph
05/1947 78 t. TIME 103 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - Coo-See-Coo / Go To Sleep Our Little Baby
1948 78 t. TIME 107 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - X.I.T. Song / Down In Old New Orleans
1948 78 t. TIME 108 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - Pretty Baby Boogie / Darling Waltz
1948 78 t. TIME 109 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - New Panhandle Shuffle / If I Cry
1948 78 t. TIME 110 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - I'D Rather Be Anything Than What I Am / Yodeling Song Folke
1950 78 t. TIME 102 (US) Billy BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - You Almost Killed My Soul / Bluebonnet Waltz
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8102 (US) Waitress Blues / Waltz You Didn’t Save For Me
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8102 (US) Waitress Blues / Waltz You Didn’t Save For Me
03/1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8104 (US) Chew Tobacco Rag / It's A Crime
03/1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8104 (US) Chew Tobacco Rag / It's A Crime
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8107 (US) Female Shuffle / Layete Song
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8107 (US) Female Shuffle / Layete Song
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8110 (US) Amarillo Rose / Dip Snuff Stomp
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8110 (US) Amarillo Rose / Dip Snuff Stomp
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8111 (US) Chew Tobacco Rag #2 / Alarm Clock Boogie
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8111 (US) Chew Tobacco Rag #2 / Alarm Clock Boogie
07/1951 SP COLUMBIA 20846 (US) Chew Tobacco Rag #2 / Alarm Clock Boogie
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8115 (US) Freckle Face, Snaggle Tooth Gal / Sissy Song
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8115 (US) Freckle Face, Snaggle Tooth Gal / Sissy Song
1951 ? SP COLUMBIA 20869 (US) Freckle Face, Snaggle Tooth Gal / Sissy Song
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8123 (US) Midnight Dreams / Handerkchief Full Of Tears
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8123 (US) Midnight Dreams / Handerkchief Full Of Tears
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8128 (US) I’m Gonna Get Me A Bottle / Also Someone Else
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8128 (US) I’m Gonna Get Me A Bottle / Also Someone Else
1951 78 t. IMPERIAL 8131 (US) North Pole Boogie / On A Country Road
1951 SP IMPERIAL 45-8131 (US) North Pole Boogie / On A Country Road
1952 78 t. IMPERIAL 8143 (US) Honky Tonky Baby / Sweet Sweetheart
1952 SP IMPERIAL 45-8143 (US) Honky Tonky Baby / Sweet Sweetheart
1952 78 t. IMPERIAL 8150 (US) Texaco, New Mexico Joe / The Grandest Thing On Earth
1952 SP IMPERIAL 45-8150 (US) Texaco, New Mexico Joe / The Grandest Thing On Earth
1952 78 t. IMPERIAL 8166 (US) Coffee Sippin‘ Blues / Tell Your Ma And Pa
1952 SP IMPERIAL 45-8166 (US) Coffee Sippin‘ Blues / Tell Your Ma And Pa
1952 78 t. IMPERIAL 8184 (US) Full Blooded Texan / Battery To My Heart
1952 SP IMPERIAL 45-8184 (US) Full Blooded Texan / Battery To My Heart
1954 SP IMPERIAL X8239 (US) On Top On Pikes Peak / Send Me Some Love

Albums

1982 LP 12" TEXAS ROSE TXR-2708 (US) SONS OF THE WEST 1938-41 - Oh Monah / Thinking Of You / Mama Inez / Spanish Cavalier / I’ll Always Be In Love With You / My Gal Don’t Love Me / There’s Evil In Your Children / Am I Blue / Visions Of The Past / Followinhg You Around / Our Last Goodbye / Panhandle Shuffle / I Live In Memory Of You / Make A Wreath For Mary / Sally’s Got A Wooden Leg / My Prairie Queen
2008 CD HILLBILLY RESEARCHER HBR#11 (UK) BILLY BRIGGS AND HIS X-1-T BOYS - Coffee Sippin' Blues / The Sissy Song; Mid-Nite Dreams / Yodeling Song / Honky Tonky Baby / Tell Your Ma And Pa / Texaco New Mexico Joe / Alarm Clock Boogie / Amarillo Rose / I'd Rather Be Anything Than What I Am / Chew Tobacco Rag / Waitress Blues / Coyote Song / You Almost Killed My Soul / The Battery To My Heart / Freckle Face - Snaggle Tooth Gal / I'm Gonna Get Me A Bottle / Hankerchief Full Of Tears / Down In Old New Orlean / Dip Snuff Stomp / X.I.T. Song / If I Cry / Chew Tobacco Rag #2 / Female Shuffle / Pretty Baby Boogie / Full Blooded Texan / Bluebonnet Waltz / North Pole Boogie
200? CD CREMO ? (?) PANHANDLE SHUFFLE - BILLY BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - Xit Song / Bluebonnet Waltz / Xit Songs / Autograph Your Photo / Go To Sleep My Baby Boy / Coo Se Coo / Darlin´ Waltz / Pretty Baby Boogie / Mardi Gras In New Orleans / Xit Song / Reprise / Panhandle Shuffle / I´D Rather Be Anything Than What I Am / Yodeling Song / The Waltz You Didn´t Save For Me / Waitress Blues / Handkerchief Full Of Tears / Chew Tobacco Rag / Chew Tobacco Rag #2 / It´S A Crime / Midnight Dreams / Also Soeone Else / I Love To Kiss / The Old Fashioned Waltz / I´Ve Been Short-Changed / A Place In The Sunshine / Coyote Shuffle / Amarillo Rose
200? CD CREMO ? (?) BODACIOUS BACKWATER BOOGIE - BILLY BRIGGS & His X.I.T. BOYS - Freckle-Face Snaggle-Tooth Gal / Dip Sniff Stomp / Big Little Darlin´ / I´m Not Gonna Lock The Door / I´m Tired Of Taking Chances / Midnight In Amarillo / I´m Gonna Get Me A Bottle / The Sissy Song / Alarm Clock Boogie / Third-Time Charm / I´m Hanging My Tears Out To Dry / Also Someone Else / I Like Candy / Honky-Tonk Baby / Send Me Some Love Coffee-Sippin´ Blues / When / North Pole Boogie / North Pole Boogie (remake) / On A Country Road / Full Blooded Texan / The Battery To My Heart / The Grandest Thing On Earth / Texico New Mexico Joe / Tell Your Ma And Pa / On Top Of Pike´s Peak / Send Me Some Love / Coffee-Sippin´ Blues / When / I´ll Bet You Never Cared

© Rocky Productions 21/09/2013