Dash Recordings

Dash CD 1 contains:
  1. 2401A Bill Bailey bass, banjo (time: 2:22.5) Mr. Banjo, Jerry Allen
  2. 401B St. Louis Blues bass, banjo (time: 2:08.7) Mr. Banjo, Jerry Allen
  3. 2501A Sweet Jennie Lee bass, 2 fiddles, banjo (time: 3:41.3, bpm 130, key F, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  4. 2501B Sweet Jennie Lee caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:41.3, bpm 130, key F, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  5. 2502 A Sally Johnson bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:38.3, bpm 130, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78 [noisy]
  6. 2502 B Old Joe Clark bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:43.1, bpm 130, key A, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78 [noisy]
  7. 2503 A Find Your Man bass, fiddle, banjo, caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:44.2, bpm 125, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78
  8. 2503 B Corner Hash bass, fiddle, banjo, caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:39.3, bpm 130, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78
  9. 2504 A Tennessee Two Step *bass, fiddle, banjo, guitar (time: 2:32.3, bpm 107, key unk, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys 78
  10. 2504 B Make Believe Two Step Choreography by Bob & Ruth Johnston (time: 3:05.3, bpm 132, key unk, rec 1957) The Dashers 78
  11. 2505 A Little Spanish Restaurant bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion (time: 3:39.3, bpm 130, key D, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  12. 2505 B Little Spanish Restaurant caller: Al Brownlee (time: 3:39.3, bpm 130, key D, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  13. 2506 A Banjo Picker's Ball bass, fiddle, banjo, clarinet (time: 3:55.6, bpm 132, key G, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  14. 2506 B Banjo Picker's Ball caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:54.8, bpm 132, key G, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  15. 2507 A Arizona Stomp bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:37.2, bpm 134, key D) Schroeder's Playboys, Garland Green, fiddle 78
  16. 2507 B Mountain Dew Dee bass, banjo (time: 3:34.4, bpm 130, key A) Schroeder's Playboys, Jerry Allen, banjo 78
  17. 509 A Weeping Willow bass, fiddle, snare, mandolin (time: 3:41.6, bpm 132, key Eb, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  18. 2509 B Weeping Willow caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:40.2, bpm 132, key Eb, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  19. 2510 A I Dream of You bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion (time: 3:21.1, bpm 128, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78
  20. 2510 B I Dream of You caller: Harold Bausch (time: 3:21.6, bpm 128, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys 78
Dash CD 2 contains:
  1. 2511 A Loud Mouth bass, fiddle, accordion, guitar (time: 3:07.5, bpm 130, key F, rec 1958) Schroeder's Playboys
  2. 2511 B Loud Mouth caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:07.2, bpm 130, key F, rec 1958) Schroeder's Playboys
  3. 2512 A Whispering Sands bass, fiddle, banjo, guitar (time: 3:38.2, bpm 132, key A) Schroeder's Playboys
  4. 2512 B Whispering Sands caller: Virg Knackstedt (time: 3:38.1, bpm 132, key A) Schroeder's Playboys [caller gasps]
  5. 2513 A Old Town Hall bass, fiddle, banjo, piano (time: 3:25.1, bpm 132, key F, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  6. 2513 B Old Town Hall caller: Bill Schroeder (time: 3:24.6, bpm 132, key F, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  7. 2514 A Alone With You bass, piano, fiddle, guitar (time: 3:37.3, bpm 125, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  8. 2514 B Alone With You caller: Gentry Harbison (time: 3:36.5, bpm 125, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  9. 2515 A Gate of Love bass, fiddle, guitar, accordion (time: 3:53.3, bpm 130, key C, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  10. 2515 B Gate of Love caller: Bob Graham (time: 3:52.9, bpm 130, key C, rec 1957) Schroeder's Playboys
  11. 2516 A Lullaby Waltz (time: 3:03.6, bpm 71, key unk, n.d.) The Dashers
  12. 2516 B Between You & Me Choreography by Virg & Mary Ann Knackstedt (time: 3:18.5, bpm 132, key F, n.d.) The Dashers
  13. 2517 A Square Dance Honeymoon bass, piano, fiddle, guitar, snare (time: 3:35.0, bpm 132, key Eb, rec 1959) Schroeder's Playboys
  14. 2517 B Square Dance Honeymoon caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:34.8, bpm 132, key Eb, rec 1959) Schroeder's Playboys ( last 78 rpm made )
  15. 2518 A Ya Gotta Be My Baby bass, piano, fiddle, guitar (time: 3:31.8, bpm 132, key F, rec 1959) Schroeder's Playboys
  16. 2518 B Ya Gotta Be My Baby caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:31.0, bpm 132, key F, rec 1959) Schroeder's Playboys
  17. 2519 A Silver Dew bass, piano, fiddle, guitar (time: 3:45.8, bpm 130, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  18. 2519 B Silver Dew caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:45.2, bpm 130, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  19. 2520 A Beautiful Texas bass, piano, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:33.9, bpm 132, key G, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  20. 2520 B Beautiful Texas caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:34.0, bpm 132, key G, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
Dash CD 3 contains:
  1. 2521 A Somebody Loves You bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion (time: 3:39.5, bpm 132, key C, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  2. 2521 B Somebody Loves You caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:40.0, bpm 132, key C, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  3. 2522 A Way Out There bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion (time: 2:44.7, bpm 132, key C, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  4. 2522 B Way Out There caller: George Vagtborg (time: 2:44.0, bpm 132, key C, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  5. 2523 A Western Moon bass, fiddle, accordion (time: 3:30.0, bpm 132, key A, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  6. 2523 B Western Moon caller: Gaylord Tannatt (time: 3:32.2, bpm 132, key A, rec 1960) Schroeder's Playboys
  7. 2524 A I'll be 16 Next Sunday bass, fiddle, guitar, snare (time: 3:33.6, bpm 132, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  8. 2524 B Up Jumped the Devil bass, fiddle, guitar, snare (time: 3:30.2, bpm 132, key D, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  9. 2525 A Little Lulu bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:46.4, bpm 126, key F, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  10. 2525 B Little Lulu caller: "Singin'" Sam Mitchell (time: 3:46.3, bpm 126, key F, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  11. 2526 A There's Nothin' as Sweet As My Baby bass, fiddle, banjo, guitar (time: 3:38.5, bpm 130, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  12. 2526 B There's Nothin' as Sweet As My Baby caller: Johnnie Roth (time: 3:39.2, bpm 130, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  13. 2527 A Bully of the Town bass, piano, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:19.6, bpm 132, key D, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  14. 2527 B Bully of the Town caller: Larry Garrett (time: 3:19.0, bpm 132, key D, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  15. 2528 A Hey Good Lookin' bass, piano, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:53.6, bpm 130, key G, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  16. 2528 B Hey Good Lookin' caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:52.9, bpm 130, key G, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  17. 2529 A Way Down South bass, piano, fiddle, banjo, clarinet (time: 3:39.9, bpm 132, key F, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  18. 2529 B Way Down South caller: Del Price (time: 3:39.4, bpm 132, key F, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  19. 2530 A Shine bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion (time: 3:47.6, bpm 130, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  20. 2530 B Shine caller: Bob Johnston (time: 3:47.4, bpm 130, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
Dash CD 4 contains:
  1. 2531 A Swingin' Man bass, fiddle, banjo, clarinet (time: 3:56.3, bpm 132, key G, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys [distortion]
  2. 2531 B Swingin' Man caller: Chuck Raley (time: 4.00.2, bpm 132, key G, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  3. 2532 A North bass, fiddle, banjo, saxophone (time: 3:39.5, bpm 132, key D, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  4. 2532 B North caller: Jack Iler (time: 3:39.2, bpm 132, key D, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  5. 2533 A Dime a Dozen bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin (time: 3:36.5, bpm 130, key A, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  6. 2533 B Dime a Dozen caller: Gaylard Tannatt (time: 3:33.0, bpm 130, key A, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  7. 2534 A Wildwood Flower bass, piano, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:43.5, bpm 126, key A, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  8. 2534 B Wildwood Flower caller: Johnny Schroeder (time: 3:43.2, bpm 126, key A, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys
  9. 2535 A Fickle Heart bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:05.5, bpm 132, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys [noisy]
  10. 2535 B Fickle Heart caller: Bob Morris (time: 3:04.5, bpm 132, key C, rec 1961) Schroeder's Playboys [noisy]
  11. 2536 A Baby Face bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar (time: 3:38.4, bpm 132, key Bb, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  12. 2536 B Baby Face caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:38.5, bpm 132, key Bb, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  13. 2537A The Old Red Barn bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:40.4, bpm 132, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  14. 2537 B The Old Red Barn caller: Singin' Sam Mitchell (time: 3:39.9, bpm 132, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys [noisy]
  15. 2539 A Blue Suede Shoes bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin (time: 3:33.5, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  16. 2539 B Blue Suede Shoes caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:33.7, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  17. 2540 A Coon Creek Party Line bass, piano, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:44.4, bpm 128, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  18. 2540 B Coon Creek Party Line caller: Phyllis Krafft (time: 3:45.3, bpm 128, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  19. 2542 A Jerry's Hoedown bass, banjo (time: 3:33.3, bpm 132, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys [hornpipe]
  20. 2542 B Tom & Jerry bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:36.1, bpm 132, key unk, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys [reel]
Dash CD 5 contains:
  1. 2543 A Girl With Golden Hair bass, fiddle, accordion (time: 3:06.7, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  2. 2543 B Girl With Golden Hair caller: Del Price (time: 3:03.7, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  3. 2544 A Cindy bass, piano, banjo, guitar (time: 3:43.2, bpm 132, key F, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  4. 2544 B Cindy caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:39.2, bpm 132, key F, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  5. 2545 A Barney Google bass, fiddle, accordion, guitar (time: 3:38.9, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  6. 2545 B Barney Google caller: Dick Manning (time: 3:39.5, bpm 130, key C, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  7. 2546 A Who's Sorry Now bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion, guitar (time: 3:50.6, bpm 132, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  8. 2546 B Who's Sorry Now caller: Earl Neff (time: 3:50.2, bpm 132, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  9. 2547 A Cotton Fields bass, fiddle, banjo (time: 3:47.1, bpm 132, key D, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  10. 2547 B Cotton Fields caller: Phyllis Krafft (time: 3:45.3, bpm 132, key D, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  11. 2548 A Hazel Eyes (time: 3:35.5, bpm 132, key Ab, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa
  12. 2548 B Hazel Eyes caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:35.7, bpm 132, key Ab, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa [caller sings flat]
  13. 2549 A Divorce Her COD bass, 2 fiddles, guitar (time: 3:50.3, bpm 128, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  14. 2549 B Divorce Her COD caller: Clarence Gowins (time: 3:51.5, bpm 128, key G, n.d.) Schroeder's Playboys
  15. 2550 A Ramblin' Wreck (time: 3:47.0, bpm 132, key Eb, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa
  16. 2550 B Ramblin' Wreck caller: Charles Lovett (time: 3:47.1, bpm 132, key Eb, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa
  17. 2551 A Fire House (time: 3:45.2, bpm 128, key G, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa
  18. 2551 B Fire House caller: Dale Durbin (time: 3:45.1, bpm 128, key G, n.d.) Dukes of Mesa [caller sings flat]

According to Beth Schroeder, widow of Johnny Schroeder, the personnel for Schroeder's Playboys was fairly constant through the years, with few changes. The recordings were made from about 1956-7 through 1962-3.

Bass: Tony Cordasco
Piano: Nadine Anderson
Fiddle: Garland Green
Second fiddle: Ray Gardner
Banjo: Jerry Allen
Mandolin: Jerry Allen
Rhythm guitar: Johnny Schroeder
Lead guitar: Dave Beaty
Accordion: Jerry Jacka (early recordings)
Accordion: Bill Hagara (later recordings)
Clarinet: unknown
Saxophone: unknown

Callers:

Al “Tex” Brownlee, Odessa, Texas
Dale Durbin, San Diego 7, California
Larry Garrett, El Cajon, California
Clarence Gowens, Phoenix, Arizona
Bob Graham, Phoenix, Arizona
Gentry Harbison, Phoenix, Arizona
Jack Iler, Phoenix, Arizona
Bob Johnston, Phoenix, Arizona
Virg Knackstedt, Sidney, Nebraska
Phyllis Krafft, Scottsdale, Arizona
Charles Lovett
Dick Manning, Alamagordo, New Mexico
“Singin' Sam” Mitchell, Tucson, Arizona
Bob Morris, Blythe, California
Earl Neff, Las Vegas, Nevada
Del Price, Lakewood, California
Chuck Raley, Lakewood, California
Johnny Roth, Red Oak, Iowa
Bill Schroeder, Kearney, Nebraska (later Mesa, Arizona) [brother of Johnny]
Johnny Schroeder, Mesa, Arizona
Gaylard Tannatt, Phoenix, Arizona
George Vagtborg, San Diego 20, California

All of these tracks are taken from 7-inch 45 rpm single vinyl disc records unless otherwise noted. As you listen, you will notice some imperfections but we have cleaned up most clicks and pops and some other noises. Fading and other surface defects and distortions are much more difficult to remove. As much as possible, the original character of the sound has been kept by not adding echo or reverb, damping, or otherwise changing the dynamic range of the sound. All were transferred from monaural analog to stereo digital tracks. Each track has DC offset removed. The Apple program Peak VST version 2.6 was used throughout. A 2-second silence has been added at the beginning and end of each tune. Before mastering, the tracks were normalized to each other.

The recordings represent a time in the history of modern western (or club) square dancing (1957-1962) during which the number of square dance figures multiplied extensively and the number of lessons required for dancers to fit into a normal club night of dancing increased from 12 to 32. The callers are representative of western callers, some traveled extensively, some were known more as local or club callers. They came from states as far away as Iowa. Six callers are from California, nine from Arizona and one each from Nebraska, Nevada, Iowa, Texas, and New Mexico. *Choreography by Manning and Nita Smith.

According to Beth, the band traveled around playing for various conventions, etc. (National, Yellowstone [Knothead Jamboree], local Phoenix conventions, Texas, California, etc.) and so got to know several of the callers of the day. Local callers, of course, knew of the band but Chuck Raley and others were recruited by exposure on these trips. Bill Schroeder is Johnny's brother.

Schroeder's Playboys provide the bulk of the music but the “Dashers” and “Dukes of Mesa” are two other local bands which were used. The Dashers were a group with a “ballroom” sound while the Dukes of Mesa had a definite Dixie Land sound.

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