John gave me these 45's sometime around 1960. I believe they were all recorded here in St.Louis.
The following 7 tunes were from a practice session that I recorded in mine or John's living room in 1956. Paul Breidenbach handled the lead vocal & guitar while John harmonized & played the banjo. These were recorded with just one microphone input into a small reel to reel tape recorder. There was some clipping on the master tape. This tape had not been played since 1956. Unfortunately John never got to hear them before he passed away. They represent the beginning of the circle in which John's musical path traveled. If you listen to his last studio recording - "Hamilton Iron Works", you will understand what I mean by his having come full circle, back to his roots.
The following three files are the final 4 minutes of a radio show that I taped in John's living room sometime in 1956. Unfortunately, it appears as though a good deal of the show was taped over.
Missouri Ridge Runners - Belles of St. Mary's - 1956 Radio Show
Missouri Ridge Runners - Will You Be Lonesome Too - 1956 Radio Show
John Introduces the band & than the theme song - 1956 Radio Show
I have quickly setup the following 11 short files. If you just click on them they should start you audio media player and play. I'm sorry, right now I only now they are probably John on the banjo and possibly Billy Lee on the fiddle. These were transcribed from one of my 7" tape reels and have to be from 1956.