Music Weird: Joe Dowell: An insanely complete post-Smash/Mercury discography

Praguefrank's excellent Country Music Discographies website says on its Joe Dowell page that "info is very hard to find" on Joe Dowell's recordings after he left the Smash/Mercury labels.

The Music Weird comes to the rescue with an insanely complete discography of Dowell's later recordings.

Joe Dowell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and scored a #1 pop hit in 1961 with "Wooden Heart," a song that Elvis performed in G.I. Blues. RCA Victor didn't release Elvis' version as a single, so Smash Records had the then-unknown Dowell record it.

Dowell's later hits included "Bridge of Love" and the novelty song "Little Red Rented Rowboat," the latter of which caused a mild controversy with its lyric about bikinis.

Most of Dowell's Smash and Mercury recordings can be found on the CD Wooden Heart, which I produced for the German Bear Family Records label years ago and is still available. The booklet tells the whole story of "Wooden Heart."

So, on with the discography:

Joe Dowell's post-Smash/Mercury discography

Singles

If I Could Find Out What Is Wrong b/w Indian Summer Days (Monument MN45-952, 1966)

Christmas in Ann Arbor b/w Patapan (A French Christmas Song) (Journey [no catalog number], 1972-73)

Big River b/w same (Westinghouse Power Systems, 1973)

Those Darn Inflation Blues b/w same (Journey promo JD 413, 1973)

Those Darn Inflation Blues b/w Jesus in the Midst of My Day (Journey JD 413, 1973)

Two Hearts b/w same (Journey JD 414, 1974)

The Spirit of 76 (W.D. Boyce Council NR7609, 1976)

(A four-song 7" EP for the Boy Scouts of America)

The Spirit of 76 Camporee Theme Song / Peace-Pipes // On My Honor / Shenandoah

Joe Dowell Sings for Ann Arbor Federal Savings (No label [no catalog number], 197?)

Wooden Heart / Shenandoah / Riddle Song // Streets of Laredo / Green Grow the Lilacs / Leatherwing Bat

Joe Dowell Sings for Second Federal (No label [no catalog number], 197?)

Wooden Heart / Shenandoah / Riddle Song // Streets of Laredo / Green Grow the Lilacs / Leatherwing Bat

Homeward on the Wind b/w same (Journey 1238, 1985)

Homeward on the Wind b/w The Symphony of Dawn (Journey promo 1238, 1985)

New Nails b/w same (Journey promo JO-8502, 1985?)

Albums

Joe Dowell Sings Folk Songs (DMR Records RR4M-5063-5064, 1964)

Jamaica Farewell / Times Are Gettin' Hard / Leatherwing Bat / Green Leaves of Summer / Tell Ol' Bill / Peter Gray / Shanghaied // Hey There, Honey / Try to Remember / Lemon Tree / The Cockle Box / Cute Little Window / Donna, Donna / Freight Train

Joe Dowell Sings for C.R.O.P. (CROP 29056/AV 683, 196?)

(This album for the Church World Service Hunger Appeal in Elkhart, Indiana, contains a 13-minute radio show, seven PSAs that include excerpts of Joe Dowell singing "Wooden Heart," "Big River," and "After the Rainfall," and the full recording of Dowell's "When I Was Hungry")

Singing for Their Supper // PSA 1 / PSA 2 / PSA 3 / PSA 4 / PSA 5 / PSA 6 / PSA 7 / When I Was Hungry

Of Earth & Heaven (Journey RDS-1 NR18504, 2002?)

(String arrangements and production by Bill Pursell of "Our Winter Love" fame)

Song of Questions / Stay Where You Are / Jesus in the Midst of My Day / Symphony of Dawn / New Nails / Comin' Back to Life / Only in Thee / His Sunrise Prayer / The Vision / Tonight You Brought Me Home

Joe Dowell & Friends BGA Benefit Concert (Bloomington Grove Academy CD-R, 2002)

Fly Me to the Moon / Wooden Heart / The Summer Wind / I've Got the Sun in the Morning & the Moon at Night / Don't Think Twice / It's More than a Tattered Flag / My Cup Runneth Over / Old Man River / Nice and Easy / Try to Remember / Moszkowski No. 11 in Ab Major / Sleepwalk / Steel Guitar Rag / Jamaica Farewell / Symphony of Dawn / The Last Thing on My Mind / Unchained Melody / Young at Heart