Tuba Players from the Past- -Country Washburn (w/MP3 files)

[LoyalTubist]

I like to collect facts about tuba players from different eras. My favorite period to study is the 1920s. There were so many famous tuba players at that time. Since the recording techniques were very crude (the electronic microphone would not appear until about 1930), the tuba was the bass of choice.



Joe Washburn was born December 28, 1904, in Houston, Texas. He grew up in Port Arthur, where his father was the postmaster (Janis Joplin also hailed from Port Arthur).

He moved to New York as a young adult and was immediately given the monicker of "Country Joe." He shortened that to Country. Country was both the tuba/bass player of Ted Weems's orchestra and the group's vocalist. He was also the chief arranger. Weems would move to the West Coast in the late 1930s.

He remained with the Weems group until the beginning of World War II, when he joined Spike Jones as chief arranger and tuba player. Country remained there until the end of the decade, when he took a position at Columbia Square (CBS in Hollywood) as a staff musician there.

Country Washburn died January 21, 1974, at the age of 69 in Santa Ana, California.

I wish I had more about him. This is all I have.

Here is a soundfile of Ted Weems's orchestra with Country Washburn playing tuba and singing, though not the same time (some guys here would like that!)

Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night

And, even though there is no tuba here, this is a radio program in which Country Washburn was the musical director...

Alka-Seltzer Time (October 21, 1953, CBS Radio Network)

(Radio program courtesy of OTR Cat)

[Allen]

Thanks for the information and the sound clips.

I learned of Country Washburne through Spike Jones' recordings. In response to a query on TubeNet three years ago, I posted:

"Country Washburne certainly sounded great in the many Spike Jones & His City Slickers recordings he participated in. He also was an arranger for the band. There is a book that contains an appendix with some biographical information on Jones' band members: "Spike Jones Off The Record" by Jordan R. Young (Past Times Publishing Co.). I will quote:

"Washburne, Country (Joseph Howard Washburne), tuba, arranger. Born Dec. 28, 1904, Houston TX. Washburne won local fame playing bass horn in John "Peck" Kelley's Galveston band in the '20s. Before joining Spike, he was best known for his 1931-42 stint with Ted Weems, who featured him on the band's Victor, Decca and Columbia recordings; he also recorded with Jimmy McPartland's Squirrels, Wingy Manone, Eddie Skivanek, Nappy Lamare and LaVere's Chicago Loopers during his career. Country played tuba and string bass for the City Slickers on an irregular basis for four years (1942-46), and wrote special material for Spike (notably for "The Nutcracker Suite"). He later recorded with Red Ingle's Natural Seven for Capitol, and was featured with Marvin Ash and Pete Daily on the same label. Radio listeners heard him on such shws as "The Great Gildersleeve", "Fibber McGee and Molly" and "Roy Rogers (with his own band); beginning in 1950, Washburne led the band on Curt Massey's CBS radio and NBC TV shows for more than a decade, hiring a number of former Slickers as sidemen. In his later years he operated a music studio. A gifted composer, Country wrote or collaborated on such songs as "Oh, Mo'nah" (featured by Weems), "One Dozen Roses" (a hit for the Mills Brothers), "Them Durn Fool Things" (featured by Ingle) and "Lawrence Welk Polka" (for Jones' "Hi Fi Polka Party" album). Less known was his genius as an arranger, which shone brightest in the Slickers' renditions of "Cocktails for Two" and "Chloe", and Ingle's parody of "Tim-Tayshun." Died Jan. 21, 1974, Newport Beach CA, age 69; of a heart attack."

One thing that strikes me about Country's playing is the way he always fits into the ensemble: mostly delivering essential support, sometimes a solo, but always a team member. It's a great example for all of us.

Cheers,
Allen

[LoyalTubist]

The source you listed was wrong about where Country died... He died in Santa Ana as this is where the hospital he was taken to was located. He lived in Newport Beach, two cities away. (OK, I lied... I have a collection of old phone books and he is listed in the Southern Orange County White Pages in 1973. I'd give you his address and phone number, but that's pushing it.)

[Gongadin]

Nice thread!
I collect 78rpm records and have many sides with Country Washburne on them. Spike Jones, Ted Weems, Red Ingle, and I believe a couple of solo records (but he plays string bass on those, if I'm not mistaken). I also have quite a few episodes of "Beat The Band" - a radio show sponsored by "KIX" cereal, but string bass is played on those, as well.

[LoyalTubist]

Country Washburn also played string bass. That was one of the reasons he was able to survive the 1930s.

Min Leibrook, tubist with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra (the band with two tuba players, one of whom doubled on string bass, the other just played tuba), didn't fare so well. He got very little playing work in the 1930s and died very young (he was born the same year as Country) in 1941. Min was best known as Bix Beiderbecke's best friend.

I should also add that Country was with Ted Weems from earlier than 1931. My sources say 1924. The recording I posted was marked 1929. I also have a movie featuring the Ted Weems band playing on the beach at Atlantic City in 1931, with a fairly good picture of Country Washburn playing sousaphone. It's pretty good. The steel pier at AC can be seen, but you won't notice anything for the 30-some bathing beauties dancing on the beach!

[dralston]

Country Washburne was my Grandfather, we called him "Pop". (his son James was my father). Unfortunately the first soundclip in this post is not working! I don't have any of his recordings, and would love to hear something with him singing. When he died I was only 15 years old, and my father had died many years before that when I was 7. I do have memories of him when they lived on Balboa, sitting outside by the pool seranading the grandchildren with that big 'ol Tuba. This was in the early/mid 60s, which were very good years for him financially. As a child of 3 or 4 I sang with him on a short-lived television show that he was involved in - though I don't remember what it was. As I recall he was always writing, arranging music in his head. He was an avid fisherman, had a boat called 'The Malcuna' named after my grandmother who was Turkish - when I went out fishing with him he would sing "Pescado, pescado....Come fishy, fishy, fishy Come fishy, fishy fishy", there were more verses that I now sadly can't remember.

My father(his son) James did not play the Tuba - but was involved in Music his short adult life. He played trumpet, piano and wrote songs - collaborating with Herb Alpert in the early years of Herb's career. They were old friends from the Air Force. He was a well known Disc Jockey in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas and owned a Record Label prior to his death.

I realize that this is a Tuba site, and that my information doesn't come close to revealing anything about him as a musician, but I thought you might be interested. It is wonderful to read what a great musician he was thought to be. Thanks.

[David Richoux]

Here is a more valid link for Ted Weem's Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night

[bilmac]

You can hear him really drive Jack Teagarden's outfit on "Monday Date" which I have on a compilation CD. He was some player,not a blaster but a musician who happened to play the tuba.

[Paul Scott]

A SUPERB musician. If you can, listen to the Ted Weem's band recording of "Miss Wonderful", Victor 22137 from 1929. Great sousaphone playing. Another great player was Harry Barth who played with the Ted Lewis Band.