Radio Show 11-28-2015

The Concrete Cowboy Rides Again

This showed aired on 11-26-2015. What a lot of fun playing classic country! Some great history contained in this show. The Tenneva Ramblers? Who are they? They were a band that was backing up up Jimmie Rogers in the Asheville, NC area until they all arrived in Bristol prior to the famous Bristol Sessions...in Bristol Jimmie and the band broke up before any of them recorded. The Ramblers recorded "The Longest Train I Ever Saw" which has become one of our most enduring songs while Jimmie went on to record his Blue Yodel and became "The Father of Country Music." No matter what I say on this recording, Jimmie DOES NOT sing or appear on this recording. My research was not complete enough at the time and I seem to imply Jimmie was on this recording.

My friend Bob Lanphier appears on this show playing the Patsy Cline classic "He's Got You" with the gender flipped. We recorded this track in the attic of a house I was renting. Used an old National lap steel for the slide part. Always liked that recording.

Lately I have been obsessed with a song called "The Hills of Roane County" which is a murder ballad with a twist. It was written by the actual killer! Please read this great article about the history of this song, which I think this is my favorite version by Mac Wiseman.
Enjoy the tunes...

Dale Watson -- A Real Country Song
Guy Clark -- Last Gunfighter Ballad
Tenneva Ramblers -- The Longest Train I Ever Saw
Emmylou Harris -- Blue Kentucky Girl
The Johnson Mountain Boys -- Misery Loves Company
Merle Haggard -- Skid Row
J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers -- Big Balls In Town
The Flying Burrito Brothers -- High Fashion Queen
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys -- Right or Wrong (1946)
Bob Lanphier -- He's Got You

Maddox Brothers and Rose -- I'll Never Do It Again
Elizabeth Cotton -- Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Wynn Stewart -- The Tourist
Reno and Smiley -- Love, Please Come Home
George Strait -- Any Old Time
Marty Stuart -- Branded

Mac Wiseman -- Hills of Roane County
Jimmy Martin -- 20/20 Vision
Hank Williams -- Why Should Try Anymore
Lefty Frizzell -- No One to Talk to But the Blues
Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant -- Stratosphere Boogie
Blue Ridge Playboys -- Give Me My Money
Moon Mullican -- Triflin' Woman Blues
Buck Owens -- Take Me Back Again
Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys -- You Know I'll Be Lonesome
Dolly Parton -- Living on Memories of You
Ernest Tubb and Red Foley -- Too Old to Cut the Mustard
George Jones -- The Warm Red Wine
Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys -- It's Mighty Dark to Travel

Gary Stewart -- Drinking Thing
Jim Horn and the Green Mountain Boys -- Wicked Path of Sin
James Talley -- Do Re Mi
Willie Nelson -- This Cold War With You
Tom T. Hall -- The Last Country Song
Wanda Jackson -- Let's Have a Party
Dwight Yokam -- Nothing's Changed Here Without You
Ron Stewart (Banjo) -- Pike County Breakdown

Listen to this show here.

    I am proud to announce a new portion of the Suburban Cat Daddy blog called "The Lodge Sessions." These sessions are devoted to the art of songwriting and the people that create those songs. Often, it feels like songwriters take a bit of a backseat in the music world, often struggling to be heard and get paid for the art they create.

     My goal is to talk to songwriters from all levels of the music world. I am interested in their histories, their stories and of course, their songs. I ask the artist to bring 3 or 4 songs and 1 cover that influenced them. I want to create a permanent document for fans and other artists. Myself and engineer Dave Polster sit down with the artist and record their songs and then talk with the artist about themselves and their craft.

The Lodge Sessions -- #1:

     Chris Allen. Chris has been playing music around Cleveland and beyond for over twenty years. He fronts the popular regional band Roosevelt and plays somewhere in the Cleveland area almost every night of the week. Check out his website here. He is also involved with the very popular Ohio City Singers a Holiday band that also helps out several charities.

Technical Info --
   
Recorded Feb, 2015 in the Lodge Room, Fairview Park, Ohio.
Original Multi Track Recording: Dave Polster
Editing: Dave Polster
Mixing: Dave Polster
Dave's Website: http://www.davepolsteraudio.com

Host: Clint Holley
Produced By Clint Holley

Song List:
1) Odessa
2)Too Late to Cry
3)Factory
4)Burn Down the Road


Listen to Chris Allen -- Lodge Session #1 here.

Audio Nerds: Lodge Session #1 -- .wav file

The Concrete Cowboy Rides Again 10-16-2015

Radio Show 10-16-2015


Dale Watson -- Cowboy Lloyd Cross
James Mc Murtry -- Lost In the BAckyard
Doc and Merle Watson --The Train That Carried My Girl From Town
Mel Tillis -- Honky Tonkin'
Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys -- You've Got Some Cheatin' To Do
Kitty Wells -- I Heard The Jukebox Playing

Waylon Jennings -- Waymore's Blues
Joe William's Washboard Blues Band -- Baby Please Don't Go
Johnson Mountain Boys -- Our Last Goodbye
Connie Smith -- I'll Be There
Johnny Horton -- Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor
Joe Ely -- Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown

The Time Jumpers -- Leavin' and Saying Goodbye
Merle Haggard -- Wine Take Me Away
Longview -- Listen to My Hammer Ring
Gary Stewart -- Flat Natural Born Good Timing Man
Marty Stuart -- Wishful Thinking
Mel Tillis -- Honky Tonkin'

Dwight Yoakam -- Floyd County
Flatt and Scruggs -- Why Don't You Tell Me So
Delmore Brothers -- Going Back to the Blue Ridge Mountains
George Jones -- Honky Tonk Downstairs
Gillian Welch -- Lowlands
The Good Old Boys -- I Just Came to Get My Baby Out of Jail

Woody Guthrie -- Do Re Mi
Hank Williams -- You're Gonna Change
Darrel McCall -- Bury the Bottle With Me
Junior Brown -- A Way to Survive
Guy Clark -- Black Diamond Strings

Johnny Cash -- Drive On
Reno and Smiley -- I Wouldn't Change You If I Could
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton -- If Teardrops Were Pennies
Dave Evans -- One Loaf of Bread
Ricky Skaggs -- It's Mighty Dark to Travel
Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys -- Texas Playboy Rag
Larry Sparks -- Long Journey Home

Had a great time this past weekend. Some great call ins and an epic fail where I try to introduce Molly and Tenbrooks and end up playing "Cave In" by Warren Smith.

Made In America #2 -- 9-26-2015

Made In America Show #2

Dale Watson -- If I was a Truckin Man
The Louvin Brothers -- There's A Higher Power
Nathan Abshire -- Cajun Two Step
Wanda Jackson -- First To Know
The Country Gentlemen -- East Virginia Blues

Del Shannon -- Weary Blues From Waiting
Floyd Tilman -- I Love You So Much It Hurts
Mac Wiseman -- Shackles and Chains
Tom T. Hall -- Second Handed Flowers
George Strait -- I Met a Friend of Your Today
Aunt Idy Harper and The Coon Creek Girls -- Poor Naomi Wise

Bill Monroe -- I am a Pilgrim
Bill Monroe -- Plant Some Flowers By My Grave
Dwight Yoakam -- I Sang Dixie (Unreleased)
Bill Kirchen -- Nitro Express
Sturgill Simpson -- The Storm
David Miller -- Jailhouse Rag

Don Gibson -- Woman, Sensuous Woman
Flatt and Scruggs -- Old Time Preacher
Suzy Boguss -- If We Make It Through December
Buck Owens -- Foolin' 'Round
Mel Tillis -- Brand New Mister Me
George Jones -- It Scares Me Half to Death

The Stanley Brothers -- This World is Not My Home
Hank Snow -- The Hobo's Last Ride
Roy Buchanan -- Caruso
Roy Acuff -- Not a Word From Home
Johnny Paycheck -- Talk About Me
The Little Willies -- I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive
Hank Williams -- I'd Still Want You

Marvin Rainwater -- The Wanderer In Me
Webb Pierce -- A Walk on the Wild Side of Life / No One But Me
Maddox Bothers and Rose - Alimony
David Ball -- Down at the Bottom of a Broken Heart
Warren Smith -- Bad News Gets Around / Cave In

Garage Sale Record -- George Jones -- I Am What I Am

     George Jones, The Possum, No Show Jones.  These names embody the single largest figure in the history of Country Music.  He lived longer than Hank Williams, drank more whiskey than Keith Richards and sang about all of it in some of the most haunting music that has ever come out of a speaker.

     In 1980, George had been in the game for a long time;  25 years since he had hit with "Why Baby Why" and not far away from a stint in rehab that would not really work out.  What he did do successfully, was to record and release some incredible hard country music.  This music is released as the album I Am What I Am.

      The album kicks off with what critics, scholars and a whole lot of hillbillies consider to be the greatest country song of all time, "He Stopped Loving Her Today". Because of that one song, ownership of this album is mandatory for even the most casual country music fan.  What makes this album a true classic, however, is the inclusion of several other gut bucket country tunes that could define the career of a lesser performer.

     Right after George and producer Billy Sherrill hit you upside the head with that anthem of lost love, filled with wailing steel guitar, vocal choruses and a tear jerking recitation, they take a sharp turn from lost love to heavy drinking.  A second well chosen song, "I've Aged Twenty Years In Five" provides perhaps a too close look at the pitfalls of alcoholism while the tears continue with "Brother To The Blues" and "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)".

                                                                           

     The production work of Billy Sherrill stays true to the basic formula which he had honed since the early 70s.  Many people have called it "countrypolitan" or have compared it to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" but for George Jones, this works perfect as he stirs up emotion usually reserved for Roy Orbison.

     Side two has some great songs also but has a gigantic clunker..."Good Hearted Woman".  Why this Outlaw classic was selected for this record will forever be a mystery to me.  The tight, layered production falls flat and the song goes nowhere fast.  At least Billy Sherril had the good sense to put this on side two.

     Soon after this record was recorded, Urban Cowboy would sweep the nation and the face of Country would change, but records like this provided a last glimpse into the world of hard country until the likes of Randy Travis and other Neo-Traditionalists would bring the honky tonk back to the airwaves in the mid 1980s.

     The Cat Daddy says...scoop this gem up at any yard sale or flea market you might be at.  It's a winner.

Flea Market Record -- The Ventures -- Surfin'

     I always thought of the Ventures as a surf band.  I was incorrect, they existed long before "surf" music swept the country and they lasted long after that fad was washed out to sea.  The Ventures exist in the world of instrumental rock music.  Their main forte always seemed to be recording instrumental versions of current hits and packaging them into quasi-concept albums that revolved around a loose concept.  They sold millions of albums using this formula and you come across their records at almost every garage sale and flea market you ever go to.
     Although the Ventures had been around since the late 50's by the time 1963 rolled around, their particular sound fit right into the surf genre and the album Surfin' was a natural for them to release.  Opening with a cover of the Chantays "Pipeline" the album highlights the guitar playing of Nokie Edwards and he proves that he can stand toe to toe with any other picker in the surf genre at the time.

                                                                          


While this record is not as wildly chaotic as say a Dick Dale record, there is a tuneful sophistication that keeps you coming back for more. "Windy and Warm" is a truly slinky standout showing how tight this band was at this point in their career. After about the third song however, you really quit caring about details like song titles and drift off to a place where really nice people bring you drinks in coconut shells...  The record is short and sweet with no dead weight bringing the party down. Drums, bass and some sweet, sweet guitar tones.  It is what it is, a potent slice of Americana from a time when cars were "Boss" and girls wore pointy bras.  It inspired millions of kids to play guitar and for that reason alone the cat daddy suggests bringing this slab of wax to any swinging beach party.

Flea Market Record - Ray Price - Night Life

     If Mt.Rushmore had the faces of country singers instead of presidents, Ray Price would certainly be one that I would choose for the honor.   As the main purveyor of country shuffle, Ray helped blend the rhythm of western swing with honky tonk to create a unique sound that would dominate the late 50's and early 60's country charts.

     The 1956 hit "Crazy Arms" was only the shot across the bow, teaming up with great song writers such as Bill Anderson, Roger Miller and Willie Nelson among others, Ray raised the bar for how sophisticated country music could be with giving up its roots, something Ray would do later in the 60's in search of wider cross over appeal.

     By 1963, Ray had honed his style into a lush but traditional form that resulted in the epic "concept album" prototype Night Life.   The album starts with a somewhat clunky spoken work intro describing the concept; Ray and his band play in bars, they see a lot of situations unique to bars and the people that frequent them.   What follows after the intro is nothing short of spectacular.  The song "Night Life" alone could warrant an entire essay on its own merits, but the albums hangs together because the sound of the band is so  remarkable.  Most notably, the pedal steel of Buddy Emmons helps create an atmosphere around the songs that gives each a place of its own on the record. 

     Then there are the songs...and what a batch of songs they are.  Blending classic country hits (The Wild Side of Life) with songs from then "undiscovered" writers like Charlie Rich and Willie Nelson while finishing the whole batch off with some established writers like Danny Dill and Hank Cochran, the record becomes what most country albums never were...cohesive (Nelson has two cuts on the record but the story is told that he sold the song Night Life for $150 dollars! Read the story HERE.).  This was not just a couple hits and a bunch of filler, this was high brow country swirling around your head like the smoke from those barroom cigarettes.

     The Cat Daddy says...this is one of the top five most essential country records ever made.  No jokes, no bullshit.  If you have a passing interest in classic country music, you MUST own this record.  This is as good as it gets.