RE: Clip: Twangcast
...who the heck is Heather Mills? Sings with Dee Waylors, yes? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Songs From The Mountain (was: RE: Topsoil Playlist for April)
The book is sold many places without the CD; the deal specified that you couldn't sell the CD without the book, not (alas) vice versa. Still, I believe I saw something slide by on bgrass-l a couple of days ago that indicated that the CD can now be sold on its own, so I'd say it's time for P2-friendly mail-order types to check in with Howdy Skies Records (POB 120283, Nashville 37212; dunno about a phone, but when Traci Thomas returns next week I'm sure she can scare one up). Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: V-Roys
I think the credit belongs to the band. I liked their first record better than the second. I think the second one is more "produced" than the first. The first album has more of a live feel to it. That's what those slicksters of the Nashville machine will do to you. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Country Weekly magazine?
Neal's right, there was a little talk about Country Weekly a little while
ago. I'd say Jon has it about right in terms of the oldtimers and alt. The
April 20 issue has gossip notes on everyone from Faith Hill, Brooks Dunn
and Lila McCann to Ricky Skaggs, Kitty Wells and George Jones. There are
stories on Mark Wills' new bus and LeAnn Rimes' new house (nice picture of
LeAnn with , but there's also a feature about Waylon Jennings and his first
#1 ("This Time"), a quote from Steve Earle ("I believe in being steeped in
tradition. I believe you have to learn all the rules - then you can start
breaking them."), a feature on Dwight Yoakam - there's a great Nashville
quote in there I'm gonna post one of these days - a fun-filled page of facts
on Mary Chapin Carpenter, and news of a new Moe Joe album. You could do a
lot worse, though when Jon calls the writing "workmanlike," he's cutting
them a bit of slack g.
The LeAnn Rimes story, BTW, has a tidbit I haven't heard mentioned before:
"I just recorded a country classics album. We did 17 songs, including hits
from Patsy Cline, Hank Williams Sr. and Kris KristoffersonI feel honored
to be able to record songs by the people who made country music greatI'm
anxious to bring the legendary country songs we recorded to a young
audience, because there are kids who haven't heard them. And I hope the
more contemporary songs capture an older audience as well." She co-produces
on the album. Theres a nice pic of LeAnn and one of those red, white and
blue guitars of Buck Owens, presented to her by Buck, with an inscription on
its brass pickguard (dated 9/16/98, BTW).
RE: Twitty, Tucker, Atkins
Chet Atkins - so is "The Essential" the way to go?
Probably, at least on economic grounds, though the Country All-Stars Jazz
From The Hills album on Bear Family will get you not only prime Chet but
also some other folks regularly named around here, like the
recently-discussed Jerry Byrd, fiddler Dale Potter, Jethro Burns on
mandolin. Chet really built his reputation in the 50s, and his work from
that period is a lot shinier.
Tanya Tucker - have her first two albums been released on CD? and she had
about 4 'Greatest Hits' CDs. I know enought to avoid the one dated
1990-1992, but what of the others?
Sony has a Nice Price one that has her early hits (look for "Jamestown
Ferry"), MCA has a set that covers her later 70s stuff.
Conway Twitty - Sheesh, there are 56 CDs listed at Amazon and ALL BUT 5
are Greatest Hits collections. Help. I'm assuming I'd prefer his earlier
stuff to his later stuff.
Bad assumption, unless you mean his rockabilly stuff from the 50s (look for
stuff done for MGM if that's what you're after); Twitty was remarkably
consistent in sound and style for a long, long time. I'm pretty happy with
my MCA 20 Greatest Hits ("Hello Darlin'" to "Red Neckin' Love Makin'
Night"), but most any MCA collection will do for starters. Whatever you
get, make sure it has "(Lying Here With) Linda On My Mind."
Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: bluegrass whatever
Cherry Lou says: I'm on digest so I'm kinda jumping in on the tail end of the whole bluegrass hack band stealing jobs from the real guys thing, but it strikes me as incredibly distasteful. Should there be a bluegrass INS to keep all those outsiders from stealing jobs from our boys? Begin the thinning of the herd!! Christ, and people ask me why we (tmp) don't play bluegrass festivals. Because no one in any seedy rock club in America is going to judge whether we're fit to represent a entire genre. Why are people in the bluegrass clique so defensive and insular? Who said anything about outsiders? Some of the worst examples I've seen are insiders - like bands with guys in them who promote festivals, and swap out time on their stages to play on the stages of festivals promoted by other guys who are in bands. In fact all of the examples I can think of fall more into that category. I hate to be all hippie, but isn't music supposed to be unifying and all that? What the hell is with all this snide divisive shit? Let damn Darius Rucker play the mandolin fer chrissakes. It's an instrument, not the holy grail. I think it's great for Darius Rucker to talk about liking bluegrass, play the mandolin (which is as much a country and country-rock instrument as a bluegrass one, anyhow), and so on. I've been out arguing that The Mountain is a bluegrass album since long before it came out (Ronnie: "he knows it not easy to play, and it's not an easy thing to sing"). Maybe I'm insular about bluegrass compared to some folks, but I'm a lot more relaxed about a lot of the bluegrass boundaries than a lot of others. I don't think bluegrass is a matter of lists of forbidden and required instruments, for instance. But I do think that skill and craft are every bit as much a part of bluegrass as the more-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder soul and feeling. Monroe was emphatic about it; he told Gordon Terry, who played fiddle on "Christmas Time's A Coming," that if he didn't play it just like Tex Logan (who wrote it), why, he'd have Tex come in and record it - and that's just one example. Talk to Blue Grass Boys and they'll tell you all kinds of stuff about his musical demands. Jimmy Martin was the same way. Ralph expects you to be able to play your instrument to be a Clinch Mountain Boy. Different kinds of music have different values in different proportions - I'm not proposing this as an assertion of bluegrass's superiority - and I think bluegrass values that kind of stuff, bluegrass as it was created and developed by great musicians who put in just as much hard work as they did feeling and spontaneity. That's the short answer. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Grisman (was Goose Creek Symphony)
Jim Nelson says: Uh, Jon, are you forgetting something? I don't see a mention of "Here Today" (Rounder) on your list of recommendations. You know, the one with Grisman, Herb Pedersen, Jim Buchanan, etc., oh and some guy named Gill doing the lead singing and playing guitar. I'm kind of surprised. Me too. Of course, I just assumed that everyone already has a copy of that one, since I've been touting it here for so long g. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: bluegrass whatever
Ricky tried. A nice comparison of Highway 40 Blues done as a country piece and as a bluegrass piece, and a nice demo of adding that high lonesome tenor. After this stirring piece of a cappella singing, BlandNPRInterviewerWoman asked, "Why would you want to sing like that?" Or something about as derogatory. Maybe that's why they didn't archive that segment at the Morning Edition site; too embarrassing. Sorry I missed it, Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: questions, news and a rave
Joe wonders: Is there still a label called Columbia? They're still putting stuff out with that mark - last year's Tribute To Tradition is on Columbia, the Dylan 1966 album is on Columbia, and Deryl Dodd's new album (this year, I think) is, too. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Cold Mt. Music NPR
Jamie said: NP Bluegrass Mandolin Extavaganza (Produced by Ronnie McCoury David Grisman) and I'm sure looking forward to hearing this, but I have to say I think it's unfortunate that they couldn't find room on a double CD for at least one cut from Dempsey Young of the Lost Found. Sure, they had to leave folks out, but he's every bit at the level of the guys who are on there, including Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne, and is the best under-appreciated mandolin player around. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Dixie Chicks Article in Dallas Observer
Marie says:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
geez, but how do you really feelwhat's up with such completely
"mean-spirited" attacks on critics that for some reason are not
likedwhat
a waste of time...
That was nothing. If you really want to see insults and venom
hurled about, bring up the 'M' word. Marcus...as in Greil.
Though I generally dislike his writing style, and though I think _Invisible
Republic_ has a lot of dopey stuff ("who is Willie," anyone?), Marcus has
written some good things, as well - and in the area of pure malice and
sleazy personal attack he can't hold a candle to Wilonsky.
Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Floyd Tillman comp
The talk about Willie Nelson's singing style reminds me that I had meant to mention that the Collector's Choice Tillman CD that has a couple dozen of Floyd's Columbia records,including "Slipping Around," "This Cold War With You," "It Had To Be That Way," "I Gotta Have My Baby Back," etc. is now available through regular retail channels. Oh, baby. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Lee Ann Womack on the Opry
Oh, RATS! Ray Price was on the Opry? And Lee Ann Womack and Stonewall, too? Gotta bookmark that Opry schedule page, Dina g. It's at http://www.country.com/music/opry/opry-schedule-f.html ; they usually post the new one on Wednesday. Thanks all for the help on "A Way To Survive." I shoulda figured it'd be a Hank Cochran song... Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Floyd Tillman comp
Floyd Tillman is one of the least appreciated great American songwriters. In a lot of places, for sure, but not in Nashville g, where he's a charter member of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame (1970) and was inducticated, as Jimmy Martin says, into the Country Music HOF in 1984. Biggest shortcoming of the new comp is that "A Small Little Town" didn't make the cut. I sure hope they put it on Volume Two g. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Earle and Country music sales
Joe Gracey says: [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Steve Earle earned his "GOLD" status for Guitar Town!! That came out in 1986 and has only sold 500,000 copies. What the heck is goin' on Especially since Guitar Town was a #1 country album. What gives? #1 for how long? is probably the operative question. If it shot up and fell back off in a hurry, it might have never sold a lot of copies. And I suspect that was the case, plus which, as Evan speculated, country music was on a downswing right about then popularity-wise, plus which (most importantly, probably), 1986 was well pre-Soundscan, and it's a truism that country sales were under-reported in those days. BTW, Copperhead Road made gold a while ago, according to the CMHOF Encyclopedia. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Floyd Tillman comp/ Jimmy Wakely
Barry "Mr. Good Taste" Mazor says: Jon Weisberger wrote: t the Collector's Choice Tillman CD that has a couple dozen of Floyd's Columbia records, is now available through regular retail channels. Oh, baby. So these would be all those key late-40s cuts missing from the Hall of Fame comp--and not just those 3 cuts I've had on the Columbia "Honky Tonk Heroies" comp? Oh Baby indeed. That's correct; 2 dozen cuts made between 1946 and 1952. In a related area, I've also just been catching up with--and really admiring and liking--the smooth honky tonk of Jimmy Wakely. Got a hard-to-locate comp while in Austin called "Million Sellers" on the obscure but apparently legit "Country Legends/KRB" label... But the larger and recent Capitol Vintage comp seems to have disappeared as suddenly and quietly as it appeared, so I have to keep checking for that. Any other recommendations there? Simitar, a label about which I know nothing more than what it says on their website (http://www.simitar.com), has a nice 12-cut selection that's very badly annotated (the sum total of recording info is that the cuts "were made in the 1940s"). It might be transcription stuff from when he was on Autry's radio show, or from his movies made for Monogram. Nothing really famous on it, unless you count what I guess must be the original version of "Too Late," which folks might know from the Louvin Brothers' version (Wakely wrote it), but it's good stuff; Wakely was awfully consistent. That's bad news about the Capitol Vintage comp. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Terri Clark?
I've enjoyed the last two singles from off her most recent album pretty well
("You're Easy On The Eyes" and "Every Time I Cry"). Does the album go any
deeper in good stuff, or is that pretty much it? I bought the album before
that and wasn't too impressed, but she did good on the George Jones Show, so
maybe there's something there?
Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Steve, Del and Ronnie
The latest issue of "Acoustic Guitar" has a good interview with Steve Earl and Del and Ronnie McCoury. Not just for guitar nerds. Um, since you mention it, there's an interview with Del and Ronnie in the current issue of Bluegrass Now. And to tie into another thread: it didn't make it in the published piece, but one of the interesting things they mentioned was that they were getting fans via Phish, which does a couple of Del's numbers. Of course, Del has a connection to the Deadheads via Grisman; they go way back together (check out Early Dawg, on Sugar Hill). Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Dixie Chicks Article in Dallas Observer
Louise says: Two extremes and both too extreme IMO. Which is about right; if Natalie Maines were all the Monument Chicks have going for them, some folks - well, me, at least - wouldn't have much interest, so Corcoran's it's-all-Natalie "defense" is of minimal use. Wilonsky, on the other hand, is a supreme idiot - no, wait, that's too nice; he's a supremely mean-spirited idiot, and not just because of his snide anti-bluegrass hipster pathology, but because when he writes stuff like this: the Chicks keep insisting it's their first record, as though the past decade never happened. Too many times have they uttered such nonsense in interviews... he's just a flat out liar, as anyone who's read, for instance, the current Country Music magazine piece on the Chicks (a full page on the band's history - with quotes about it from Seidel - including a their first three album titles, with combined sales figures) can attest. A mean-spirited, chuckle-headed, lying asshole. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Yeah, damn shame how advances in recording technology have made it possible for people to make records without the financing -- or blessing -- of some media conglomerate more concerned with cash than quality or a group of gatekeepers who get to decide what's "professional" or not. This quote is so ludicrous it would be laughable, if it weren't for the fact that the opinions expressed are apparently shared by others. Well, considering that Emerson's talking about bluegrass, I've got to take that "media conglomerate" thing with a grain of salt. There are a lot of gatekeepers in the music bidness, and not all - not even most - of them are Big Bad Guys. Do you know any DJs who air all the cuts on everything they get in the mail? The ones who don't - which is all of them, I do believe - are gatekeepers. Clubs who book everyone who wants to play for as long as they want to? The ones who don't are gatekeepers. Record labels that put out everything sent in to them? The ones who don't are...you guessed it. The list of gatekeepers is a pretty long one, and while some of them do a bad job, and some use what I think are pretty bad criteria, I don't see anything wrong with the idea per se. I've heard enough crappy stuff to last a lifetime already. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Lee Ann Womack on the Opry
Caught most of the rerun of tonight's televised portion, and though Ray Price was a hard act to follow - dang, he sounded good, and he also sounded great on the radio-only second show - Lee Ann was up to the job after a slightly shaky start with her Terry Smith-endorsed current hit; it looked to me as though they were having some monitor problems (there was flash of the lead guitar player pointing to his ear, which is usually a sign g). She did a *killer* version of "Miles And Miles Of Texas" for her (unscheduled) encore, with lots of great ensemble playing from the band. In between she did a good slow, hard-country number that's not on either of her albums, most likely titled "A Way To Survive"; anyone know where it comes from? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Most albums sold, per RIAA
But I think that if you state it this way -- "Just because something sells like hotcakes doesn't mean it's any good" -- then you're on more solid ground. That Terry Smith, he's a sharp guy. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
well, what the hell is alt country then? The most reasonable definition I've been able to come up with is anything with country roots that Hot New Country stations won't get near, touch, play, mention, support, blah, blah, blah, which would include Walsner, Paul Burch, Dale Wartson, etc. Yeah, but that doesn't include a lot of stuff that gets put in that bag, unless you use a microscope to search out those roots (and that's giving it the benefit of the doubt). Wait a minute, isn't this where I came in? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Greg says: Elena (?) wrote: Lousy music is a drag, but since when has sucky music stopped talented musicians from making great music? And Jon W replied: It hasn't, but it can make it harder for them to get heard, both because of the turn-off factor already mentioned - "Yeesh, those guys couldn't carry a tune in a paper bag. If that's what bluegrass/alt.country/blues is, I don't like it." Jon, isn't your turn-off factor above applicable to any genre? Seems to me that there are a lot more 'musicians who suck' than 'musicians who rule' in every realm, including rock, country, blues, oldtime, jazz, cajun, new age, native american drumming, and Tuvan throat singing. Or are you making a different kind of claim? Just searching for some clarification here. The thread started out from Mr. Anonymous's point that sucky music is hurting "the roots music movement," which would probably g include some of the stuff Greg's listed. Think for a minute about how different kinds of music get exposure. Rock, pop, country - these are mass genres, and anyone with even a mild interest (or even no interest at all) gets exposed to a fair amount of their stuff willy-nilly or with the most minimal kinds of effort, like turning on the radio and dialing around for about 30 seconds; fringier stuff gets corresponding less exposure, meaning that a sucky performance almost certainly forms a higher percentage of a newbie's total exposure to the style. Leaving aside for the moment the important question of what constitutes quality in a given style, even if the percentage of sucksters is the same across the board, the likelihood is that it will form a higher percentage of the total exposure someone new gets to a style in the crucial first contact stages, when s/he's least able to evaluate its place in that style. Plus which, all of the mechanisms that function, in part, to screen out incompetent (an important subset of sucky) stuff, don't operate nearly as well in the fringier worlds; some of that might be by design, but some of it's just a function of fringiness per se. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Todd says: But given most people's busy schedules and abundant entertainment choices, there's a good chance a lousy band (and it's not solely a matter of chops or a lack thereof) *would* turn them off to roots music for good. How many of us have gone back to a restaurant we hated the first time around? But did that stop you from going to restaurants altogether? I really doubt that people go to see bands as representatives of a genre, as if the gig is a trial for a style of music, especially one as loosely defined as alt.country. Seems more likely that they'd just write off the particular band -- it might not win them over, or get them to delve further into the genre, but I doubt that they'd carry a bias against the genre based on one of its practicioners... If it discourages them from delving further into the genre, then as a practical matter how's that different than a bias against the genre? I think Dave's restaurant analogy is actually a pretty decent one. If there's only one Chinese restaurant in town and it makes bad food, how many people whose first taste of Chinese food is there are going to go further afield in search of better? Some will, but a fair number won't. Whereas whether someone's first taste of pizza is good or bad, chances are they're going to get to taste it again, and from somewhere else (and maybe better), because it's omnipresent. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Todd says: I guess what it comes down to is the degree to which a given band is known and marketed as representative of a certain genre, and the degree to which people associate their particular experience of the band with the entire genre. Well, I'd say that a show billed as an alt.country showcase is one that's at least to some degree marketing the acts who appear on it as representative of the genre, and I'd say it's reasonable for people, especially those unfamiliar to the genre, to think that a show billed as a bluegrass festival is going to feature acts representative of bluegrass. But the larger point for me, to say it one more time, is the notion of blame. The conversations here (and Mr. Anonymous' assertion that sucky bands are a threat to the roots music movement) is like a bunch of restaurant critics suggesting that the sucky Malaysian restaurant should shut down before they ruin everyone's taste for the good stuff... This is where you lose me, Todd, because I haven't suggested, nor do I think Mr. Anonymous suggested, that some external authority ought to shut anyone down. I do think - and I'm speaking for myself, obviously, and not Mr. Anonymous, who may be making a different argument - that this is a fairly specific issue related to how these styles are perceived on first encounter. It's worth noting that the International Bluegrass Music Association's mission statement speaks explicitly about promoting higher standards of professionalism, and the phenomenon that we've been talking about is a big part of the reason why - not just with regard to the music itself, but with all aspects of the field, like sound reinforcement, recording quality, art work, venues, etc. - but the organization doesn't suggest kicking anybody out of the business g. I'll leave open the question of the extent to which those are issues relevant to alt.country. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Ummm, who are these bands that are getting on the radio and turning newbies off of "altcountry"? I could name some pretty rotten Southern Ohio bluegrass bands who get airplay on Southern Ohio bluegrass radio and get festival bookings, but I doubt the names would mean much to anyone not from around here (does Larry Efaw ring a bell? Burning Bluegrass? See what I mean?). Crowe has had a couple of good rants on this subject; I'm going to see if I can dig one of them up. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Greg, a/k/a "Mr. Onus," says: Jon, would you say then that if a 'bad' bluegrass band gets booked at a festival, the potential bad impression that could be loosed upon an unexpecting audience is the fault of the promoter? Or does the onus fall upon the band itself? Mostly the promoter, no doubt. Seems to me this is where Anon's arguments fail. I think Anon's beef is much more with the organizers, promoters, and marketers of SXSW, but all the ire falls on the bands. I don't think so; after all, Anon says: The MOST disturbing part of the whole SXSW experience was seeing music critics, label folks and radio programmers also eating these bands up like they were the new Merle Haggard [emphasis added]. Which pretty much echoes something that Bill Emerson, banjoist extraordinaire, told Bluegrass Unlimited a few years ago (I'm hunting for that Crowe rant): "The problem with bluegrass is that there's too much unprofessional bluegrass. It's a type of music that anybody can play anywhere. You don't have to have an amplifier or an AC power outletThat's not to say that anyone who's doing it is ready to make records and compete for the jobs at the bluegrass festivals. Anyone with a few thousand dollars can produce a recording and send it to radio stations. Program directors, recording executives and promoters should be careful about who they're putting out there to represent the bluegrass idiom. To help it grow we have to concentrate on the *best* music we have." BTW, Erin, that "compete for the jobs" clause is the fly in the ointment of your more-is-better argument. Half-assed musicians who figure that they can overcome the deficiency of being half as good by charging a quarter as much (an approach that promoters are all too often willing to sign on to) aren't any help to working musicians. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: pumpskullyfor postcard2@u.washington.edu; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:34:05 -0400 (EDT)
Wow, The Legend Returns... Now, where'd that Gary Wilson get to? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Tributes (was: RE: Updates)
...do the Ralph Stanley things count as tributes? I'd say not, but there are two excellent tributes to the Stanley Brothers/Ralph Stanley: The Stanley Tradition and Songs About Our Savior (a/k/a The Stanley Gospel Tradition), both on the Doobie Shea label. Actually, there are a number of tribute albums that I like; even restricting the list to various artists ones (as opposed to single artist tributes like the Louvins' Delmore Brothers and Roy Acuff albums, or Jim Jesse's Louvin Brothers album), I'd heartily recommend A Picture Of Hank: The New Bluegrass Way, which has some great cuts by folks like Claire Lynch and Harley Allen, and Sony's Tribute To Tradition, which has quite a few more winners than losers - heck, even that Tammy Wynette...Remembered has some outstanding cuts. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B/Don't Forget
...I was curious about that tune, "Trademark," again on the Mandy Barnett record. Jon identified it with some country artist, I can't recall who, but the co-writer is listed as Porter Wagoner (sp?). Did Porter write it, and someone else make a hit out of it? Yup. "Trademark" was a #2 for Carl Smith in 1953, more than a year before Porter hit the Top 10 his own self (with "Company's Comin'"). If Porter recorded it himself, it didn't make the Top 40. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updatesfor postcard2@u.washington.edu; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 19:16:38 -0400 (EDT)
I said: BTW, Erin, that "compete for the jobs" clause is the fly in the ointment of your more-is-better argument. Half-assed musicians who figure that they can overcome the deficiency of being half as good by charging a quarter as much (an approach that promoters are all too often willing to sign on to) aren't any help to working musicians. And Geff replied: Ah, but they CAN overcome - not just by price cutting, but by showing up on time, being nice to everybody they have to, and being generally professional when performing. OK. Make that "half-assed performers." Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Artist of the Decade?
You thought Vince Gill, right? And still do. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Kenny Chesney correction
Iin response to Linda's query, I contrasted Chesney's new album, Everywhere I Go, with what I thought was the album before that, I Will Stand (the one with "That's Why I'm Here"). There's another one, though, in between, 1998's You And Me, that's pretty good, though I still haven't decided whether the up-tempo, rockin' remake of "(Turn Out The Light And) Love Me Tonight" works. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
FW: Podunk Fest email flyer
For you New England types... -Original Message- From: Bluegrass music discussion. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Kevin Lynch Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 10:40 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Podunk Fest "email flyer" Here's an email flyer for those of you recently requesting info re: the Podunk Bg Festival in CT. Radio people, promoters, assorted Bluegrass glitterati are welcomed as our guests...just contact me offline. Claimer: This is a total plug. I am one of the organizers of this non-profit "let's introduce Bluegrass to our potential regional audience" event. Noone gets paid...with the exception of the artists, of course. Don't forget to plan...and DO SOMETHING...to promote Bluegrass music during the upcoming "May is Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month" campaign! -Kevin L. --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --- 4th Annual Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival July 23rd 24th, 1999 Martin Park Burnisde Avenue, East Hartford, CT Some of the finest artists in the music industry will be stopping by on July 23rd and 24th for the 4th Annual Podunk Bluegrass Festival. This two-day extravaganza draws bluegrass lovers from around the country and is one of Greater Hartford's biggest summer musical events. Last year more than 5,000 people enjoyed the picking and singing prompting festival organizers to schedule both days in spacious Martin Park between Hillside and Burnside Avenues. Back by popular demand, Bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley The Clinch Mt. Boys will perform on Saturday night. Six additional major bluegrass artists will join Ralph's group throughout the weekend including the duo of Peter Rowan Tony Rice, Eddie and Martha Adcock, Kathy Kallick Band, Nickel Creek, Unlimited Tradition, Skip Gorman His Waddie Pals, and Thunder Mt. Bluegrass. The Friday night concert is free from 7:00 - 10:00PM. The Saturday festivities begin at 11:00AM and ends at 11:00PM. Saturday admission will be $10.00 for adults and free for children ten and under. Parking will be $2.00 per day with the main entrance off Hillside Avenue. A special offer for rough camping is available in Martin Park on Friday and Saturday night for the reasonable price of $35.00 per vehicle which includes camping festival admission for up to four adults. Camping space is limited and reservations are requested. There will also be civic information booths, spontaneous jam sessions with performers, children's entertainment, a live nature center exhibit, a Civil War Encampment, and plenty of food. The Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival is easily accessable. Just take exit 58 off I-84 in East Hartford, only minutes from I-91, and twenty minutes from Bradley International Airport. Hotels are available just 1/2 mile from festival site. For more info / camping reservations call: East Hartford Special Events Hotline (860)291-7350 ...or email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Mandy B
I want to add that I hope Mike is right with his observation that some country stations are leaning towards actually playing country music again. I had to stop the other day to find out what song was playing on a local station cos it sounded almost "alt.country." Turned out to be the latest Dixie Chicks single. Anyone else heard that one? I haven't heard it yet, but I love Joy Lynn's version of it. And there ain't nothin' "alt" about it -- unless the Dixie Chicks rocked it up a bit. I've heard it. It's a good, straight country shuffle; "nothing 'alt' about it" is right - you can hear a dozen or two like it any Saturday night on the Grand Ole Opry, and that's not a criticism. It will be interesting to see how it fares on the charts. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Country radio
Remember, what drives the format (like any other commercial one) is ratings, which, it has been pointed out (most recently by Mike Hays), have been going down, especially for HNC-oriented stations, as their target audience grows disaffected. The obvious remedies for station owners are 1) abandon the country format altogether, 2) chase even harder after that audience with even more pop- and rock-oriented fare, or 3) re-orient toward the long-term, "traditional" country music audience. I expect we'll see a combination of all three, especially the latter two (after all, most other formats aren't doing that well, either), and the charts will be increasingly schizophrenic over the next couple of years. I don't imagine that many individual stations will try to combine 2 and 3, but you may see a few cases of it. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Set those VCRs
TNN also has Bob Wills feature at 8 p.m... That's EDT, BTW. It's a rerun of the Life And Times Of show, and it's pretty good. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
I've got to say, though, I like "Who (who will it be)" the best. Is that an old tune? With a co-publisher named "Twenty Second Century Music," I doubt it g. The definite oldies are "I've Got A Right To Cry" (Hank Jr.), "Give Myself A Party" (Don Gibson), "Trademark" (Carl Smith), "Falling, Falling, Falling" (Ray Price). I assume that the Newbury and Bryants tunes are not new, but I dunno who the original performers would be. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Updates
Bill Silvers says: Like I said about pop music last week, there's always a lot more mediocre or worse bands than good or great ones. Do those bands, in whatever genre, drag that style of music down for the other people playing it? What makes "the roots music movement" different? Anonymous asserts: The saddest part is the proliferation of these dime a dozen Americana bands is what killing the whole roots music movement. The pie is only so big for musicians, clubs, labels, and the more slices there are the less there is for the folks who really love this music and deserve an opportunity to make a living playing it. So is this really true? And if so, why more so for this music than any other, where nobody mentions how the lesser-quality bands are spoiling it for everybody else? I think it's true, and it can be heard, though usually not in public and usually not for attribution, from a lot of pro-level bluegrassers as well (synchronistically, someone on folkdj-l recently posted in passing a short comment from another unidentified musician saying exactly the same thing with regard to bluegrass; as it happens, I know the guy who made it, and he's definitely a higher-quality type). As for why the "roots music movement" is different in this regard, the short answer, IMO, is unfamiliarity. People's exposure to bluegrass, or alt.country, for instance, is a lot smaller and a lot chancier, hence the greater likelihood that hearing someone who, pardon my French, sucks will turn the first-time observer off; s/he's more likely to take the lousy performance as typical of the genre. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Clip: Mandy B, Charles Kim
The label sent the album's first single only to Americana and "nonreporting" country stations... Yeah, I meant to mention that after I read it on a Barnett-devoted website last night. That might account for its non-appearance on the Billboard chart (that's who the nonreporting stations don't report to) almost as much as tiny, impoverished Sire's inability to cough up enough payola. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Most albums sold, per RIAA
RIAA's searchable gold/platinum database seems to be dead for the moment, but here's a list of the best-selling artists, with millions of units certified (a couple of pleasant surprises in there, notably George Strait and Alan Jackson): BEATLES, THE 106.03 BROOKS, GARTH 89 LED ZEPPELIN 69.27 EAGLES 64 JOHN, ELTON 61.62 STREISAND, BARBRA 60.25 JOEL, BILLY 60 AEROSMITH 54.37 PINK FLOYD 52.6 VAN HALEN 50.5 PRESLEY, ELVIS 50.1 JACKSON, MICHAEL 49.5 ROGERS, KENNY 49.5 CAREY, MARIAH 46 MADONNA 46 HOUSTON, WHITNEY 46 AC/DC 45.6 KENNY G 41.5 DIAMOND, NEIL 41.42 ROLLING STONES, THE 41.25 SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE 40.75 U2 40.5 ALABAMA 40 FLEETWOOD MAC 39.5 JOURNEY 39.17 METALLICA 39 STRAIT, GEORGE 38.5 CHICAGO 35.5 GUNS 'N ROSES 35 PRINCE 33.5 CLAPTON, ERIC 33 NELSON, WILLIE 31.5 BON JOVI 31 MC ENTIRE, REBA 31 SEGER, BOB 29.5 DEF LEPPARD 29.5 DION, CELINE 29 BOSTON 28 STEWART, ROD 27 BOLTON, MICHAEL 27 TAYLOR, JAMES 27 RONSTADT, LINDA 26 BOYZ II MEN 26 SIMON GARFUNKEL 24.12 JACKSON, ALAN 24 CARPENTERS 23.5 BEE GEES 23.5 PEARL JAM 23.5 FOREIGNER 23.5 ZZ TOP 23 NIRVANA 23 MELLENCAMP, JOHN 23 COLLINS, PHIL 22.5 JACKSON, JANET 22 NEWTON-JOHN, OLIVIA 22 MOTLEY CRUE 22 CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL 22 RUSH 21.67 R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON 21.5 OSBOURNE, OZZY 21.25 GENESIS 21 DOOBIE BROTHERS 21 HEART 20.5 TWAIN, SHANIA 20.5 MANILOW, BARRY 20.5 ESTEFAN, GLORIA 20.5 MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER 20 HOOTIE THE BLOWFISH 20 RICHIE, LIONEL 20
RE: Artist of the Decade/singles/influence
As well, Nirvana combined quality and commercial success at an incomparable level for the decade - if The Key had sold like a Garth Brooks album, Jon W's assertion would hold up better, methinks. If we're talking about the decade, I don't know that Nirvana's sold more albums than Gill; the RIAA database is down right now, but I'll report back. Gill's had a number of multi-platinum albums, though, and is clearly an immense commercial success (The Key is his poorest-selling album so far); he might not have sold as many albums, but though I think that commercial success is a useful criterion in figuring out an AOTD, I don't know that getting too far into the numbers is that productive. For the record, there are others who have combined quality and commercial success in this decade at, I would argue, a higher level than either Gill *or* Nirvana - George Strait, for one, Alan Jackson for another, per that best-seller list - but as big a fan as I am of both of them, Strait was huge well before the 90s, and Jackson doesn't, IMO, have the breadth of achievements that Gill does. He's great, but I don't think he's been as outward-acting as Gill, who's been visible in a number of important areas, like honoring Bill Monroe at the Grammys, reinvigorating the Opry, etc., nor has he been as active in working with others on their records. In any event, I think your point about the atomization of markets is well-taken, Carl. I don't know that there really is an AOTD, as opposed to AsOTD in various fields.
RE: Updates
As for why the "roots music movement" is different in this regard, the short answer, IMO, is unfamiliarity. People's exposure to bluegrass, or alt.country, for instance, is a lot smaller and a lot chancier, hence the greater likelihood that hearing someone who, pardon my French, sucks will turn the first-time observer off; s/he's more likely to take the lousy performance as typical of the genre. That's assuming that the performance is in fact lousy. Well, it was part of the premise - that lousy performances/performers are especially destructive to the "roots music movement." Bill asked why they'd be more harmful in that area as opposed to others, given that there are so many crappy performances/performers in all genres. What about bands that put on a show which may be entertaining even though their music bears no resemblance to the genre they're billed under? More complicated problem, I guess, but certainly not as harmful as unentertaining ones g. Heard a Freakwater song one time and thought it was "interesting," One of the online CD stores has a RealAudio clip of their, ahem, rendition of "Put My Little Shoes Away." As someone who's doubtless familiar with Monroe's, Wiseman's and other bluegrass versions, you oughta check it out, Geff. "Interesting" doesn't begin to describe it. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Most albums sold, per RIAA
Garth also made deals with certain chains (very large ones - Target,if I remember correctly) to double weight reports to Soundscan on sales of his double albums sold, which artificially boosts his total sales numbers. I don't think that's right. There was some controversy when the boxed set came out because each of the CDs was being counted as a unit, but that's true for all the RIAA-certified sales (it's specifically mention in the gold/platinum criteria grid). So a double album counts as two units whether it's Double Live or one of those Beatles Anthology sets. And while it's true that Elvis started out in a singles-oriented market, Elvis albums were coming out almost from the beginning. But even after accounting for Elvis's handicap in that regard, Brooks' sales record is still astonishing, given that he didn't make his first album until 1989, and his name is surrounded by the names of folks who have been selling for 2 or 3 times as long; the only one who comes even close to matching him is Mariah Carey, whose first album came out in 1990, and she's only sold half as many units. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Artist of the Decade/singles/influence
I wrote: If we're talking about the decade, I don't know that Nirvana's sold more albums than Gill; the RIAA database is down right now, but I'll report back. And though the database is still down (wake up over there!), on taking another look at the best-sellers list, I see that Nirvana clocks in at 23 million units (a million less than AJ, which I find surprising), whereas Gill must be somewhere under 20 million. Still, as I went on to say: Gill's had a number of multi-platinum albums, though, and is clearly an immense commercial success... And just to quantify that, he's got 6 of them, which is immense commercial success in my book g. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Radney Foster
I found a promo copy of it at Amoeba in SF last fall, and I'm relieved that it's not gonna be a collectors item. Honest. Is that the one with Darius "Mr. Bluegrass" Rucker guesting on it? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Most albums sold, per RIAA
Do you think that we could say with some confidence that this
prove's Garth
Brooks makes music according to the lowest common denominator?
BTW - does anyone know how well Garth boy does internationally?
I believe the RIAA counts international sales in its certifications, but I
could be wrong. He's certainly done well touring internationally.
As far as the lowest common denominator argument goes, I'm not sure what to
make of it. The Beatles have sold about 20% more albums; does that mean
they made music for a 20% lower common denominator? (I suspect there are a
few folks who will answer "yes".) Out of the top 25 on that best-selling
list, I'd rather listen to most of Brooks' stuff than all but a handful - in
fact, I'd rather listen to most of his stuff than all but a handful of the
entire list. Someone at one of our local HNC stations has been on a
Garth+NGR kick lately, so I've been reminded - and I'll take "Calling Baton
Rouge" and "Do What You Gotta Do" over an awful lot of other stuff.
Speaking of Brooks and 'grass, here's something Kathy Chiavola posted over
on bgrass-l about a year and a half ago:
Randy Howard had just finished playing fiddle on the Carl Jackson song
that
Garth recorded. Randy spontaneously kicked off Carter Stanley's "The Fields
Have Turned Brown" and Carl joined in on guitar. All of a sudden Garth
began
singing the tune and knew all of it. He then decided to record it on the
spot. Whether or not it will be released is anyone's guess.
I'd like to hear that; I'll bet it kicks ass. The Carl Jackson tune
mentioned ("Fit For A King," on Sevens) sure does.
Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
I wonder if Jon could provide a list of records that have made the country music charts, singles, albums, whatever, that have not come from Nashville based labels in the past, let's say 5 years. I don't need to. All I need to do is ask if Jim seriously thinks that if the same album were released by, say, Asylum Nashville, which put out Barnett's first album - co-produced by the head of the label, BTW - it would be doing any better at country radio (which isn't based in Nashville). If the answer is no, then obviously the issuing label, not to mention it's location, isn't the main problem; if the answer is yes, I've got some great oceanfront property in Arizona I need to talk to him about. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
MN bluegrass/old-time festival
It's a ways off, I know, but an early heads-up never hurt... August 6-8 Minnesota Bluegrass Old Time Music 20th Anniversary Festival Camp in the Woods Resort (1 hr NW of Minneapolis) Super line-up this year as the festival celebrates its 20th year. Seldom Scene, Lynn Morris Band, James King Band, Lonesome River Band, Tom, Brad Alice, Volo Bogtrotters, New NC Ramblers, Bovee Heil and many more! This is the premiere festival in the upper-midwest and this is the year to check it out. Workshops galore and vendors selling food, instruments, learning materials, etc. Call 1-800-635-3037 for details. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
Jim says: My point, and I think we keep missing each other, is that country radio (which is NOT based in Nashville) and the country music labels are in bed on this togetherthere are under the table deals made in all formats that control what gets played Sure it's called the Nashville machine, that doesn't mean it all happens in Nashville. If radio is NOT based in Nashville, and the country music labels are (as they in fact are) nothing more than divisions of NOT based in Nashville companies, and there are these deals "in all formats" between these NOT based in Nashville consultants and NOT based in Nashville radio and NOT based in Nashville labels, then it ought not to be called the Nashville machine - and in fact, it isn't; what it's called by most people is the music bidness. The more money you throw at the consultants and their ilk, the better response you get. If Sire REALLY wanted to get Mandy Barnett on the radio, they'd hire a big time radio promoter, who would pay some consultant to add her record to his stations and then you'd hear her on the radio. Back to Don's question: why didn't the singles off The Key do better? MCA's too poor to pay a promoter? I don't *think* so. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
Two observations about this Jim vs. Don and Jon debate (a side issue: when the hell do we get Don vs. Jon?). Whenever the subject of the original alt.country comes up. Anyhow, first thing, aren't a lot of the sensitive ballad weiners coming out of Nashville not doing that well either? So it's evidently not just material that's "too country" that's having a difficult time... I didn't say it was, but it's certainly a big category of stuff that has had a hard time getting airplay, regardless of what label it's on. Furthermore, all the stuff you're referring to, and a lot of the light-weight New Country stuff in general is on what Jim calls Nashville-based labels, so the difficulty some of these acts are having argues against his pay=play equation too. ...which comes first, lousy record sales and then radio play falls off, or the other way around? The truism is that airplay drives sales (that's why labels send stuff to radio for free, eh?), and there's a lot of evidence to support that as a general proposition. On the other hand, you can get pretty decent sales without airplay; recent examples would include Kelly Willis, Steve Earle The Del McCoury Band and Trio II, all of which are or got pretty high on Billboard's sales chart without benefit of mainstream (country or otherwise) airplay. Alison Krauss Union Station's So Long, So Wrong went gold without benefit of mainstream airplay, too, to take a somewhat earlier example. Second thing, I'm not convinced by Don and Jon's example of Vince Gill's "The Key." It's one record, and I think we need some more examples. There's other factors that may have contributed to its lack of success (incidentally, a "lack of success" that very many performers in and out of Nashville envy greatly). But basically, until you've provided some more examples, you're vulnerable to the "exception that proves the rule" argument. Barnett's first album. Dawn Sears' second album. Daryle Singletary, who had a couple of big hits and then went nowhere on account of being too country. Rhonda Vincent. Junior Brown has gotten video airplay up the wazoo - won mainstream awards for his videos - and can't get airplay, and he's on Curb. Allison Moorer's not getting airplay, and she's on MCA and has been a personal project of Tony Brown's. Danni Leigh's basically gone nowhere airplay-wise. Skaggs' pre-bluegrass albums of the 90s. George Jones (when he went from MCA to Asylum, Evelyn Shriver said that as far as they were concerned, they were writing radio off up front). Those are off the top of my head, and I'll bet it wouldn't take long to come up with other examples. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
If the Garthman had made an album like The Key, you bet your ass it would be on the radio! I dunno, John, I don't think "Longneck Bottle" did nearly as well as his poppier stuff, like that Dylan song. I guess we won't really know, though, until he releases that version of "The Fields Have Turned Brown" that's in the can g. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Artist of the Decade?
Where's Weisberger to ask about criteria? g Hey, I made my nomination during the Escovedo go-round, and I haven't seen any reason to rethink it - in fact, I've seen lots of reasons to confirm it. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Artist of the Decade?
I thought your candidate had already won and been declared AOTD months ago. I hope so, but I figure it's not official until it's on the cover of No Depression. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Ricky Lynn Gregg?
Ricky Lynn Gregg is coming to a local country bar in a couple weeks. Worth checking out? Country-rocker. A guy I worked with for a while in an HNC-type band (yet another Scott Miller) worked with him some, so I listened to a bit of his stuff a couple of years ago; it didn't leave much of an impression. And I know you were joking, Dave, but for the benefit of those who are in Sugar Hill Steve's general vicinity, Tom, Brad and Alice put out a rilly fine old-time-ish album on Copper Creek last year (my write-up of it is moldering somewhere in the MoMzine archives), and are definitely worth catching. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Ray's tenor harmony man....
But if Van was slim, the person I saw in a video dub of old TV footage was definitely not him. As someone already mentioned, Howard appeared in some of the Gannaway films with Price; he wasn't noticeably chunkier that Ray, at least not then. Of course, when I think of "old TV footage," my thoughts naturally turn to the 50s, not 60s; if I remember it, how old can it be? g Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Ray Price Harmonyr
The harmony singer on 'wasted words', and some others from the same recording session is Ira Louvin. True enough, but that was before the cuts in question; that session was 6/22/56, whereas the songs in question are mostly from later (though "Crazy Arms" was from just before, 3/1/56) on, 1957-1962 on the particular disc asked about. If memory serves me, Earl Scruggs also appeared on a Price cut or two, though not singing harmony g. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Who are these people
1 pm: Mark Wills
Earnest young feller. Did "Don't Laugh At Me" that Matt Benz thought was
sucky and I rilly dug; current hit is a pretty vacuous number called "Wish
You Were Here." If he has any staying power, it has yet to reveal itself.
3: Kenny Chesney
I like Chesney pretty well, mostly because his voice is so unremediably
country g. He's a graduate of the ETSU music program, right, Rob? Rumor
has it that he made his first demos with ETSU bluegrassers like Tim
Stafford. His new album is pretty so-so, but the last one was pretty good,
with a stone country number called "From Hillbilly Heaven To Honky Tonk
Hell" with George Jones Tracy Lawrence guesting, a great Tony Joe White
song ("Steamy Windows") and an AA (as in Alcoholics Anonymous) anthem called
"That's Why I'm Here," among others. I'd be interested to hear about his
show, which I suspect is better than his albums.
6: Tim McGraw
Mega-platinum New Country star. He's done some really awful stuff (can you
say "It's Your Love"?), but has also turned out some pretty decent singles
like "Just To See You Smile." I suspect his show is pretty bad, but maybe
I'm unduly pessimistic.
Don't forget about George, though. He rules, even if he is just a pawn of
the Nashville machine.
Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Mandy B
Americana ain't happening until it can cross artists like Mandy and the Derailers over to other formats. We've been through this before. Americana won't be a REAL format until it has quite a few influential major market stations playing the music 24-7. Let's see. It ain't a REAL format until it has a bunch of major market stations playing the music 24/7, but it ain't happening until it's a minor league of farm teams for other formats. If there's some logic or consistency to those views, it's pretty well hidden. FWIW, my vote's for the real-when-it-has-big-stations-24/7 one, though even that has some weaknesses, as evidenced by the occasional disparity between airplay and album sales (like, f'r instance, of The Mountain, or What I Deserve, or Trio II). As Tiffany pointed out, being on a "non-Nashville" label is the least of Barnett's problems when it comes to country radio, which is not synonymous with Nashville, or even the "Nashville machine"; the geographical knee-jerking gets really tiresome. Country radio isn't based in Nashville, and neither are the consultants who are shaping programming decisions. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the "Nashville machine" has put out some great country music that hasn't been able to break country radio (The Key has generated fewer Top 10 singles than any of Gill's previous MCA albums, to take only one obvious, familiar example), it just takes someone with normal knees. BTW, can someone refresh my memory as to which cut from I've Got A Right To Cry was the first single/video shipped to country radio, CMT, etc.? Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Der Bingle
I'm with brother Cantwell on this, have been ever since Merle Haggard cited Der Bingle as one of the most influential singers in the history of country music and one of his favoritest. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Ghost Riders
"Ghost Riders" it was, and unpopular though I know this will be, I'd rather listen all day to Brooks Dunn singing it than listen a second time to Bruce Springsteen turn "Give My Love To Rose" into some kind of sensitive dirge. But that's just me. I wish I'd seen more of that show, or at least Marty Stuart. Marty was on the Opry Saturday night and sounded great. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
AOTD again
So, I caught the AOTD's 15-minute portion of the second show on the Opry Saturday night, and what he did was, he came out with just his guitar and sang a Guy Clark song, then introduced unscheduled guest Guy Clark, who sang one of his songs with Jamie Hartford backing him, and then the 3 of them did another one of his songs, and that was it. Good music, and a very classy move. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Dallas/Ft. Worth info needed
I've got a friend who's going to be traveling to DFW and is looking for some info about where to stay, etc., so anyone there willing to share, please contact me off-list. Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
RE: Margaret Ann Rich song
Linda: ... I can only remember that Hazel Dickens song that Deanna Varagona and Kelly Hogan sang. Which was...? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Hazel Dickens song
Jon Weisberger asks "Which one?" and of course, he has to tell me -- if it isn't called "My Better Years" at least that's the way I remember it. That's what it's called. The Johnson Mountain Boys did a great version of it. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Not so Slowly
Is Jimmy Martin's version of "Slowly" available on CD? As far as I know, only on the Bear Family set, making it one of 146 reasons to cough up for it (147 if you count the excellent booklet). Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: help: trying to get stories straight
Any one recall Shania Twain re-recording or remixing "Still the One" for pop airplay? Something about deleting the fiddles or so? I have a real vague recollection of this - vague enough that I'm not sure whether it's at all accurate. Plus, I seem to recall the Dixie Chicks being asked to make some sort of similar compromise to be on some TV show but refused? This one is a definite; it appeared in print in at least one place, maybe Country Music magazine. The culprit here was VH-1, which wanted a fiddle-less version of one of their videos. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: help: trying to get stories straight
Louise says: What? you mean the original You're Still The One has fiddle on it? The one released in the UK for the pop audiences has organ and guitar, but no fiddle. Same as the album cut then; there's steel on it (Bruce Bouton), and mandolin (Eric Silver), but no fiddle credit. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: help: trying to get stories straight
From the 3/1/99 Blue Chip Report: The rumble is that VH1 wanted to play The Dixie Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces", but wanted to edit out the fiddle parts. The group refused. Guess the banjo didn't bother them. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Cincinnati content (was: RE: More on Ray Mason tribute)
Linda quotes Tar Hut: ...heavy-hitter names such as the Ass Ponys... Which reminds me to mention that Prospect Hill will be playing at Cincinnati's Barrelhouse on 4/30 with said Ass Ponys. Should be fun. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: criminally underappreciated albums of the '90s
Just for the heck of it, I thought I'd make up a list of criminally underappreciated country and bluegrass albums of the '90s: Jon, wouldn't some people article that practically by definition, bluegrass albums are underappreciated? Well, sure, but we're talking *criminally* underappreciated here, and besides, as a number of folks have asked, what the hell does underappreciated mean, anyhow? I'm taking it to mean underappreciated by otherwise savvy, tasteful folks such as the ones on this here list coff, gag. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Hank Big Mon collaboration?
This is presumably the song that Muleskinner (Richard Greene, Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Clarence White, Bill Keith - plenty of Big Mon alumni there) recorded as Blue And Lonesome. If so, any idea it would be credited to Walter Jacobs on the record? I suspect that's the product of sloppiness at several points in the process of putting the album together: Grisman (or Rowan, or...) to Sierra gofer: "That one's called 'I'm Blue And Lonesome'" Sierra gofer to PRO gofer: "I need the writer/publisher credit for 'Blue And Lonesome.'" PRO gofer: "Here you go. Walter Jacobs." One of the side effects of putting the BMI and ASCAP databases online is that everyone can see for themselves just how messy they are... Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Hank Big Mon collaboration?
Jim Nelson says: I suspect that's the product of sloppiness at several points in the process of putting the album together: Grisman (or Rowan, or...) to Sierra gofer: "That one's called 'I'm Blue And Lonesome'" Well, if you're right, it started before that, because the record was originally issued on Warner Brothers way back in '73 or '74 with the same credits. You'd think that a company with the resources of WB might get it right, right? I did not know, or didn't remember, the original issuer, but IMO that it was a major makes this theory even more likely, because it's even less likely that an early-70s vintage WB flunky would know a Bill Monroe tune from a Little Walter one g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Hank Big Mon collaboration?
I'm about halfway thru Colin Escott's excellent Hank book and am intrigued by his mentioning a song that Hank and Bill Monroe wrote together. Since I don't have the book, I can't rememeber the name or the exact credit (credited to Ferlin B. Smith or some such), but I'd never heard this before. Anyone have any more info about this? That's "I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome," credited to James B. Smith; Monroe, at least, used a number of pseudonyms, including Joe Ahr and Albert Price. Monroe recorded it on 2/3/50, with Jimmy Martin, Rudy Lyle on banjo, Joel Price on bass and Vassar Clements on the fiddle. Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski did an absolutely stunning version of the song on the Prime Time Country episode devoted to Monroe that was aired shortly after he passed away. "I worked 21 days with Bill, with Little Jimmy Dickens, got to ride the bus and sing with Hank Williams. Well, Hank sung a song about the lonesome sigh of a train going by, Im blue, Im lonesome too. And I learnt that lonesome touch from Hank Williams, I said to myself, Im going to put a little Hank in his own song. And when Bill sang tenor, Bill would say, well, put as of that break in your voice like that and Ill put it in mine, you see." -- Jimmy Martin It seems like I heard somewhere that Williams wrote the verse and Monroe wrote the bridge, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Question: Lap Steel by Analogy
As far as a Twin Reverb goes, that should be a great amp for steel. Here's what Jerry Byrd has to say about it in the book "The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Its Great Hawaiian Musicians" (edited by Lorene Ruymar, published by Centerstream Press): Well, of course, just as soon as I read this paragraph I hustled over to amazon.com, pulled up this book's entry, and in addition to a fine review from some guy named Bechtel, I found this, which tickled my funnybone: Amazon.com Sales Rank: 184,595 I guess that puts it a couple of notches shy of the best-seller list... Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Rhonda again
Never thought I'd say this, but boy, I wish I had TV! Who did Rhonda Vincent play with on TNN? The bluegrass half of last night's "Bluegrass And Western Swing" episode of Century Of Country had little lead-in segments of a couple of different lineups of folks who were interviewed during the body of the show; collectively, it was Rhonda on fiddle, Mike Bub (Del McCoury Band) on bass, Del on guitar, Ralph Stanley on banjo, Ralph Stanley II on guitar, Rob McCoury on banjo (? I think I caught a glimpse of him on the Flatt Scruggs number), Ronnie McCoury, Chris Thile and Ricky Skaggs on mandolins. They sang a spasm or two of a couple of numbers; "Hallelujah, I'm Ready" was one, and I'd have to go to the tape for the others. Altogether, it might have added up to a minute's worth of air time, not much more. I've just been handed this update: it appears that her new album will be out in the early fall. Subject to change, etc. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Mandy Barnet, again
Allen says: Jon Weisberger: I think Barnett's got a deeper affinity for the Bradley/Patsy Cline sound than lang did. Well, this is probably due to Barnett's stage experience. There's also the simple reason of how geography affects a singer's vowels sounds. Well, sure; it's certainly not surprising that someone who sang Patsy Cline songs for a couple of hours a night for a couple of years would have internalized her sound more than someone who didn't g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Kiss Kiss Hug Hug
Sez Kelly: Sez Purcell Kentucky is much prettier than England this time of year, pally. Sez Neal I'm not concerned about my status of "cool" when the arbiter is some guy in living across the river from Cincy, Ohio, of all places. Brother, if you ain't been there, you don't know. You go, girl. Neal thinks Purcell's being the arbiter, but he's not; he's just the messenger. Life Itself makes the call. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Clip: Margasak on Ketchum
"You can be too country for country radio," declares Hal Ketchum... Which is certainly true enough, but anyone who concludes from this that Ketchum himself is too country for country radio is making a mistake. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
FW: Daybreak In Dixie Live On The Net!
-Original Message- From: IBMA Members Discussion [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of David Blakney Sent: Thursday, April 15, 1999 7:16 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: "Daybreak In Dixie" Live On The Net! "Daybreak In Dixie" is live on the net every Sunday morning, 8:00 to 10:00 Eastern Standard Time, from the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. "Tune In" at http://www.uwindsor.ca/~cjam and enjoy two hours of bluegrass music with a halfhour bluegrass gospel segment starting at 9:00 am. Programmer:David Blakney Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Address: Canada:Box 153, South Woodslee, Ontario N0R 1V0 USA: 68074 Rosewood Lane, Richmond, Michigan 48062
Mandy Barnett and the sidemen thread
Picked up Barnett's album this morning, and aside from having some fun trying to figure out which of the songs I don't know are old and which are new, I notice that the sidemen appearing thereupon include Harold Bradley, Pig Robbins, Buddy Emmons, Hal Rugg and Buddy Harman. Now, these guys are legends for a reason, and they're still active, appearing on a 1999 release (and Robbins and Emmons, at least, have been working steadily, albeit not very frequently, throughout the 90s, appearing on albums by folks like Mark Chesnutt, Patty Loveless, et.al.). So how the hell are you going to come up with a list of top sidemen that doesn't include them, unless you come up with some limiting criteria (like, f'r instance, top sidemen under 60 years old, or touring, or alt.country, whatever that means, or)? For crying out loud, no disrespect to Lloyd Maines or any of the other fine steel players mentioned in Monday's thread, but we're talking about BUDDY EMMONS here, not to mention the others. BTW, Barnett's version of "Falling, Falling, Falling" nicely splits the difference between the original record and Doyle Lawson's 1994 remake (on Never Walk Away), with steel guitar *and* mandolin and banjo. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Question: Lap Steel by Analogy
Assuming that lap steel = non-pedal steel (as opposed to literally and exclusively a little bitty guitar that sits face up on your lap), Leon McAuliffe and Don Helms are pretty obvious choices for guys who mostly played pretty simple stuff that's nevertheless right on the money, and I'd add Kayton Roberts, who worked with Hank Snow for many years, and Little Roy Wiggins, Eddy Arnold's steel player, both of whom are also pretty minimalist. Of these, I believe only Wiggins played an actual lap steel, and I'm not even sure about him g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Come And Go, Molly Snow (was:RE: Devil's Dream (WAS: Cold Mountain))
Kelly's post reminded me to mention my favorite novel about country-type music, specifically bluegrass. Written by Mary Ann Taylor-Hall, Come And Go, Molly Snow is a story about a young woman fiddler struggling to reconcile herself to the accidental death of her daughter; it's got some of the best writing about the experience of playing bluegrass I've ever read. I believe it's out in paperback now... Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: weird Muzak experiences
We have a pal named Beth Neilson Chapman who has some really great albums out on WBs and for some reason every single time I go to the grocery store here in Austin I hear Beth on the dang Muzak. Heh, I hear one or another of her songs (though not her records) about every time I get in the car and turn on the radio g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Warning: Bass Guitar question!
Ok, I have this great old Gibson EBO short-scale bass that I am very comfortable with, played for years, except the dang thing doesn't tune very well and it has that short-scale kind of "thump" sound instead of a long sustain and high end like a P-Bass. Has anybody ever successfully fixed a short scale Gibson so it will tune? Not that I know of. I played an EB3 for about 5 years and gave up. And secondly, if I do decide to get a P-Bass or copy thereof, which ones are good and which ones suck? Mexican P-Basses any good? Peavey? Yamaha? The Mexican Precisions are, IMO, as good as or better than anyone else's knockoffs at that price range ($300 or less); the biggest gotcha I've heard about with them is that the pickups and routing for them are slightly different than the old Ps and the new American Standards and up, so that you might have a problem putting in aftermarket replacements (it's apparently not impossible, but it might be more complicated than you would want to DIY). Still, I know a bunch of folks who play them, and have yet to hear of any problems. Personally, I love my '96 American Standard, which when I bought it new ran around $650. Quality workmanship, you can go string-thru-body, and most germane to the tuning issue, and most importantly in terms of your EB0 complaint, it has a graphite reinforcement in the neck that makes it rilly solid. The only time I have to retune the durn thing is if someone (like, for instance, me) bumps into one of the tuning machines; I have taken it from a frigid, dry, air-conditioned room out into 90+ temps w/ high humidity without having to retune, and have gone literally weeks at a time without its going out. Anyhow, I'm not one of those "gotta be a Fender" types, especially once you get more exotic than a Precision, but for a basic bass, the P is awfully hard to beat, and you really can spend about as little - or as much - as you want. Might as well do this off-list, I'm sure this is ultra boring to non-players. Yeah, right, it's not of general interest, like vintage cereals g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Clip: Jon Randall leaves Asylum
No Asylum For Country Singer Jon Randall Jeez, there's a guy who just can't win for losing. "Cold Coffee Morning" is a good cut, and there are a couple of other fine things on the album. He also did a solid job playing the guitar on (birthday boy) Sam Bush's last album, Howlin' At The Moon... Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Web capo museum
No lie, it's at http://w1.865.telia.com/~u86505074/capomuseum/index.htm . Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Asylum Street Spankers looking for musicians
Interested musicians must be incredibly badass. In fact, unless you have chops to burn, don't bother. Gee, and here I thought that feeling would have to be the number one qualification Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: [hillbilly] Workin' Man Blues (book) and Western Swing book
On Tue, 13 Apr 1999, Barry Mazor wrote: ...the book "The Jazz of the Southwest: An Oral History of Western Swing" by Jean A. Boydhas much to say about how Western Swing is jazz at its root, underappreciated jazz, and maybe underplays the country side in saying so... And the book was panned for doing just that by some western swing expert (Kevin Coffey? Cary Ginell?) in a recent issue of (I think) the Journal Of Country Music. Coffey, in the most recent issue. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Rhonda Vincent and the Rage
Oh, boy, a chance to talk about one of my favorite girl singers. Hey folks, I just saw Rhonda Vincent and the Rage with Ron Spears, Ron Stewart, Steve Sutton and I forget the bass player. That's Randy Barnes, from down around London, KY. Ronnie Stewart isn't a regular member of the band, or at least wasn't last time I knew (2 weeks ago or so); he's been working for Lynn Morris for a while, playing mostly banjo. Talented guy... I love Rhonda's voice and how she sings with Ron is killer!! History please?!? I have two of her CD's, Yesterday and Today and The Sally Mountain Show, but I would like more of her progressive stuff. The notes to Yesterday and Today give a history of sorts, at least of the Sally Mountain Show. I'm assuming the CD reference is to Bound For Gloryland, their last album for Rebel. She did 3 solo albums for Rebel before that: New Dreams And Sunshine, A Dream Come True and Timeless And True Love. They're all outstanding, with a mix of pretty straightforward bluegrass (though nothing quite as hard-driving as what the Rage is doing these days) and country stuff, with pedal steel, piano, drums, etc.; if I had to rank them, I'd say New Dreams and Timeless And True are just a hair ahead of A Dream Come True, but just by a hair. All of them are well worth having. Rhonda also made two contemporary country albums for BNA in 1994 and 1996. Written In The Stars has some great material and some good pickers, but the production isn't especially sympathetic, and it drags down the whole thing (that's not just my opinion, but hers as well). Trouble Free, the second one, is a dandy album unless you have a real kneejerk reaction to "Nashvegas." The songs are very strong, the picking is great, and the singing is just awesome, mostly Rhonda and her brother Darrin, who's in Ricky Skaggs' band. There's also a real solid duet with Randy Travis, and Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton both make appearances. For what it's worth, Trouble Free barely snuck onto the P2 Best Of 1996 list, coming in at #39 (out of 47). It may be hard to find, but it's well worth looking for. Also worth searching out, in my opinion (though not that of most P2ers who know the album, I think), is Harley Allen's Another River (Mercury, 1997). It's another case of bad production sabotaging good material and good singing, but even more so than with Written In The Stars; nevertheless, Rhonda sings harmony on just about the whole thing, and she and Harley sound awfully good together. Rhonda's got a web page at http://www.nemr.net/~rhondav/ , which she's pretty good about keeping updated, and Julie Yocum has a page on Rhonda at http://www.vicon.net/~juliay/Rhonda.html . Finally, there'll be an article on Rhonda appearing in Bluegrass Unlimited sometime this summer; I'm turning it in by the end of this month, so look for it in July or August. Oh, almost forgot: Ron Spears is a good songwriter from up in Utah who has a solo album due out any day now on the Copper Creek label; it's pretty good, and has some great fiddling from Jimmy Van Cleve, who worked briefly with Rambler's Choice (he's on their debut Rounder CD) and Doyle Lawson before landing with Mountain Heart. Other guests include Dan Tyminski, Lou Reid and a bunch more I can't remember at the moment. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Ralph Stanley on TNN
Anyway, quick question; at one point in the show Marty Stuart said something about neither of the Stanley Bros being in the Country Music Hall of Fame (or the Songwriters Hall of Fame)? True? That's correct. Monroe is, and Flatt Scruggs, and I believe that's it as far as bluegrass goes. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Ralph Stanley on TNN
It might be broadcast again between midnight and 2 am again EST. Actually might be midnight. They don't usually rebroadcast what's run in the 7-8 (Central) slot in the 11-1 (Central) block, but they generally recycle those Life And Times shows, so keep your eyes open. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: SOTD (was re: Wilco)
Sorry to be dense about this g, but are you talking about studio musicians, or folks who have toured with various acts, or both? If the idea is to include the former, exclusively or otherwise, then it seems to me you'd have to start with Paul Franklin, Brent Mason, Stuart Duncan and maybe Rob Hajacos. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Crazy Cajun Series
Is there a website for this Collector Choice catalog? http://www.ccmusic.com/ Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Time for a crackdown
np I gave the cable 31-channel music channel's "Classic Country" station another try, and what did I get? Merle's "The Bottle Let Me Down." And then downhill from there, with Sylvia, Alabama, Steve Wariner, Lee Greenwood, etc. Switched to the Big Band station, and got Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Duke Ellington, Dorsey/Sinatra. I'm thinking the best of country, vintage 70s and 80s, doesn't hold a candle to the best of Big Band, 40s, early 50s. Unfair comparison, I know. It's an unfair comparison because Sylvia and Lee Greenwood don't have the same connection to the best of 70s/80s country that Goodman, et. al. bear to 40s/50s big band. OK, Alabama and Wariner don't, either, but they're not nearly as bad as the other two. The best of 70s and 80s country, just going from Top 40 charting at Billboard, would be Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Mel Tillis, George Strait, Tom T. Hall, Ricky Skaggs, Don Williams, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Rodriguez and a hell of a lot more other good folks who did better than Greenwood, who was #25 for the 80s, or Sylvia, who doesn't appear in the top 25 by decade at all. Yeah, Alabama, and Kenny Rogers, and some other pretty yucky stuff is there, too (though having acquired the Alabama #1s collection recently I'm ready to give them another listen), but if you're not hearing those folks on that station, you're not hearing the best of country, vintage 70s and 80s. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Wilco's new horizon
At 08:13 AM 4/11/1999 Mike Hays wrote: b.s. n.p. Marty Brown WILD KENTUCKY SKIES Weird, I had a listener call and request Marty Friday morning. In particular, anything from that CD. It's funny, because I've looked for that record for ages and couldn't find it, used even. Wasting time before I spent my afternoon mowing yards yesterday (don't you love Spring?g) I was at a local drug/discount store and found a "new" shrinkwrapped copy for $4.99. One of those happy record-geek moments. Marty's great. I know from sad experience that his last one, HERE'S TO THE HONKY-TONKS, was not up to his high standard... One of those counter-conventional wisdom sorts of things, as that was made for a roots-oriented indie, while his earlier, generally better albums were made for MCA, several with Tony "Schizo" Brown producing/co-producing. Don't I recall having seen that he had some fairly recent law type troubles? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Chicago Calendar returns with a vengeance!
Special days copped from Heather's Li'l Country Calendar, available for $10 from The Record Roundup, 2034 W. Montrose Geez, Linda, I hope you're just selecting a few things from that calendar, because there are a bunch of important dates not included in your listing, like for instance the AOTD's birthday tomorrow, 4/12; I played a bunch of his bluegrass stuff on my show last night to celebrate. Sam Bush's birthday is the 13th, Loretta Lynn's is the 14th, Bob Luman's and Roy Clark's are on the 15th, and the 17th marks the anniversary of the passing of both Eddie Cochran and Hank Penny. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Crazy Cajun (was Sir Doug Sahm: Alt.)
...the guy in Cincinnati who had James Brown et al. Syd Nathan, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame not too long ago. "You know, everybody told us he was really a bear cat, but we never had anybody to treat us any better than Syd Nathan." - Ralph Stanley Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Chesnutt (was RE: Stephen Bruton's new one
Don writes: I was thinkin' that he seems to bear more than a passing resemblance to you. I want some of what you've been smokin', bub. You forget, there are a few people on this list that know what I look like. g I've heard many comparisons, but never to ol' chipmunk cheeks. sheesh. So you say, Jim, but http://www.wavetech.net/%7eswedberg/inebr1.jpg fairly shouts "separated at birth." Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
