STAR CLUSTER MUSIC

In 1958 Billy Ray Latham joined the White brothers. Now that they were a quartet they abbreviated their name to COUNTRY BOYS. Now they could play real bluegrass music. The line-up of this group was as follows: Clarence White on guitar, Roland White on mandolin, Eric White on acoustic bass and Billy Ray Latham on banjo. The COUNTRY BOYS performed in local radio shows, in various country shows and whenever they got the chance to play. During 1959 and 1960 they regularly played at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles. During this time the COUNTRY BOYS recorded their first single. At this time there were also some remarkable musical changes, Clarence White, who was just 15 years old, did not like to play the rhythm guitar only. Whenever he got the chance he impressed the audiences with his solo playing on the guitar. It didn't take him long to create his own unique style of playing. He did not impress by playing as many notes as possible but by playing exactly the right things at the right time. In the beginning his solos followed closely the original recordings but after a short while he improvised the solos the way he felt them. Most of the time the COUNTRY BOYS did not perform as a quartet. At a very early stage of their career they were joined by Leroy Mack (Leroy McNees). He was a master of the dobro and he was writting lots of songs. Due to this the concerts of the COUNTRY BOYS offered an interesting mixture of bluegrass standards and original material.

COUNTRY BOYS single
	1959: COUNTRY BOYS - I'm Head Over Heels In Love With You (Lester Flatt) b/w Kentucky Hills (B. Lowe) (Single; Sundown Records SD 45-131)

COUNTRY BOYS singles
	1961: COUNTRY BOYS - The Valley Below (Eddie Miller / Bob Morris) b/w On The Mountain (Stands My Love) (Eddie Miller / Bob Morris) (Single; Republic Records 2013)
	1961: Hal Poindexter & COUNTRY BOYS - Ain't Gonna Worry Over You (Hal Poindexter) b/w Carolina Sweetheart (Hal Poindexter) (Single; Hi-Lee Records)

COUNTRY BOYS recordings
	1960: COUNTRY BOYS - Flop Eared Mule / Sourwood Mountain / The New River Train / Cindy (released on: "v.a. - Songs, Themes And Laughs From The Andy Griffith Show"; Capitol ST 1611)

COUNTRY BOYS singles
	1961: COUNTRY BOYS - To Prove My Love To You (Leroy Mack) b/w Just Joshing (Single; Briar 45-150)

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1962: KENTUCKY COLONELS - New Sound Of Bluegrass America (Briar M 109)

In May 1962 Leroy Mack had to leave the COUNTRY BOYS. The group continues as a trio.

In 1963 the COUNTRY BOYS started to call themselves KENTUCKY COLONELS (the recordings of the COUNTRY BOYS had already been released as recordings of the KENTUCKY COLONELS). Even though there was only one more studio album from the KENTUCKY COLONELS, their work can be heard on numerous live records. John Delgatto, chief of Sierra Records, was a good friend of the KENTUCKY COLONELS and therefore he was allowed to tape most of their concerts. He was a kind of archivar of the KENTUCKY COLONELS music. Out of these recordings John Delgatto could compile various records. The KENTUCKY COLONELS had a very productive year in 1965. So it is quite usual that many recordings come from this time. Back in 1962 Roland White rejoined the group after his military service in September 1962

For a few months Bobby Slone joined the group for some concerts.

KENTUCKY COLONELS recording
	1963: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Green Corn / Blue Ridge Mountain Blues (released on: "v.a. - Country Music Hootenanny"; Capitol ST 2009)

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1964: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Appalachian Swing (World Pacific 1821)

After Bobby Slone's leaving the KENTUCKY COLONELS continue as a quartett.

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1964: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Long Journey Home (Vanguard VCD 77004)
	1964 - 1967: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Clarence White & The Kentucky Colonels (Rounder 0098)
	1965: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Living In The Past (Sierra / Hollywood HS 67003)

In September 1964 Roland White took a break from the group, as his wife was having a baby. When the KENTUCKY COLONELS were book for one week to the Gaslight in New York City, David Grisman joined them on mandolin.

In the liner notes for the album "Rare Performances", which was released in 2003 Billy Ray Lathum writes: This album was "recorded at Leon & Wilma Houston's home in Chicago, IL in the fall of 1964. This taping was done at a rehearsal for an upcoming five-night gig at a renowned folk club in Chicago. At that time, Roland White was absent from our group, The KENTUCKY COLONELS. We, however, had an obligation to fulfill concert commitments, so the three of us - Clarence, Roger and I - decided to rehearse by ourselves and appear as a threesome at the gigs. This is a very special and rare recording, because Clarence and I had to play to cover Roland's absence. Clarence played leads on everything. He even took some of my banjo licks, played them his way and they worked."

WHITE BUSH LATHUM album
	1964: WHITE BUSH LATHUM - Rare Performance (Shikta 1005) (released 2003)

The KENTUCKY COLONELS played some more shows as a quartet from November 1964 to February 1965. One of these concerts, which lasted about three hours, was edited for the CD "Live In Stereo" in 1999.

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1965: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Live In Stereo (Double Barrell 1001)

The year 1965 also brought some personel changes for the group. First of all they were joint by the fiddler Scotty Stoneman (of STONEMAN FAMILY fame). He influenced the group tremendously by playing an innovative fiddle style. This is remarkable on the album "Live In L.A. With Scotty Stoneman". In September 1965 Scotty Stoneman left the group.

KENTUCKY COLONELS single
	1965: KENTUCKY COLONELS - That's What You Get For Loving Me (Gordon Lightfood) b/w The Ballad Of Farmer Brown (traditional) (Single; World Pacific 427)

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1965: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Live In L.A. (Briar SBR 4206)
	1965 - 1966: KENTUCKY COLONELS - 1965 - 1966 (Rounder 0070)
	1965: KENTUCKY COLONELS - On Stage (Rounder 0199)

Scotty Stoneman was replaced by Bart Haney. Replacing is not the right expression, as Bart Haney was no fiddler at all, he was a drummer. In 1965 it was unheard that a bluegrass group had a drummer playing in their line-up. The folk boom was calming down and the group turned to country music. This was only the beginning of more changes, as the KENTUCKY COLONELS decided to plug their instruments in. For a few weeks they played electric bluegrass music. At the end of 1965 the KENTUCKY COLONELS disbanded. The group even tried to record some songs with this electric line-up, which remained unreleased for many years. Two of the songs ("Everybody Has One But You" / "Made Of Stonewere) were released in 2004 on the compilation album "Clarence White: Tuff & Stringy Sessions 1966-68" on the Big Beat label.

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1965 - 1966: KENTUCKY COLONELS - 1965 - 1966 (Rounder 0070)
	1966: KENTUCKY COLONELS - 1966 (Shiloh SLP 4084)
	1964 - 1967: KENTUCKY COLONELS - Clarence White & The Kentucky Colonels (Rounder 0098)

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1973: The White Brothers Live In Sweden (Rounder 0073)

In 1991 Roland White revived the KENTUCKY COLONELS once again to record three bluegrass tracks for the sampler "The All Night Gang - Bluegrass From Nashville".

KENTUCKY COLONELS album
	1991: KENTUCKY COLONELS - I Want To Be Loved (J. & W. Bailes) / Your Old Standby (Jim Eanes / Wade Perry) / Til The End Of The World Rolls Round (Newton Thomas) (erschienen auf: "v.a. - The All Night Gang / Bluegrass From Nashville" (Rebel Records CD 1693))