TuneIn

Thursday, October 13, 2011

More Songs We Taught Porter Wagoner

During our "Country Music Week" festivities the other week, there was some discussion of the relative merits of "The First Mrs. Jones" as performed by Porter Wagoner versus Bill Anderson's own version (SPOILER ALERT: they're both awesome!). This week, I'd like to initiate a similar discussion about another song from The Cold Hard Facts of Life, arguably Porter's greatest  (I'd certainly argue for it!).

Here's Porter's familiar version:




And here's a version by its composer, Mr.Willie Hugh Nelson.


   As much as I love Porter's version, I've got to lean toward Willie's rendition:  cooler and detached, yet with the quiet menace lurking right under the surface. This is a record that my wife doesn't care for, particularly if I'm singing along (she's also not fond of Jack Kittel's version of "Psycho", for some reason). Women! Who can figure 'em?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Mrs. Jim Reeves


 A couple of years ago, my buddy Robert got me this pocket date book off of eBay as a Christmas present, because of the Hatch Show Print logo. The only writing in it (other than what appear to be some notes made while doing a crossword puzzle) was the two-page spread seen below.


 Examining this, I realized that it seemed to have some connection to country legend Jim Reeves; my initial assumption was that it had belonged to Jim's manager or some other close
associate, who was making notes toward figuring out what to give Jim and Mrs. Reeves for Christmas a half-century ago. A subsequent perusal of one of my vast collection of postcards would lead me to a different conclusion.
Mary Reeves (1929-1999)
After Reeves' death in 1964, his wife Mary  dedicated most of the rest of her life to preserving Jim's legacy , both by releasing a great many overdubbed posthumous recordings, Norman Petty-style (some perfectly good, others notably less so--- also like Petty's Buddy Holly products), and by operating a Jim Reeves Museum in Nashville for over 20 years. At some point during that period of time, the souvenir shop sold postcards of the widow Reeves, one autographed specimen of which was in my possession.

Comparing her signature to the notebook, I concluded that the book had been hers, and that the "Mrs. Reeves" in the book was in fact her mother-in-law!

Judge for yourself... it's not an absolutely perfect match, but the 20-plus year gap between the two documents, added to the different nature of a signature and scribbled notes would explain that adequately in my view.

So that's the story of my "Holy Relic", as I currently understand it. Regrettably,if this actually was Mary's, it was likely released into the world when her second husband sold off all of her property and all rights to Jim's recordings and name when she went into a rest home. Her obituary has the sad details.

Here's Mary in happier times:

And here's the man himself:




(written by his old buddy Roger Miller)


James Travis Reeves
(August 20th 1923- July 31st 1964)




Postscript: For any Hatch Show Print fans here in the Athens, GA area, American Letter press: The Art of Hatch Show Print is in town at the Georgia Museum of Art until November 26th.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Country Music Week


Miss Billie Rae & The Virginians - Only Mama That'll Walk The Line (mp3)

Answer to Waylon Jennings - Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line

Produced by Sid Kleiner at the House Of Guitars in Califon, NJ


See also Tom Hyatt - My Benny's Wearing Off

Country Music Week

Thanks to everyone for the overwhelming response to Country Music Week.  Here is the playlist for Hillbilly Music To Spazz By with special guest Greg G!!

Listen Now

 

THE STOOGE THE SONG
BILL "ZEKIE" BROWNING WITH CHIMPANZEE  CREEPIN' AND CRAWLIN'  
JANE LANE  MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO  
CHRIS CHEROKEE  MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO  
LLOYD BENTON AND THE COUNTRY FOUR  MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO  
DAVE NICELY  MAKE A MONKEY OUT OF ME  
 
BRENDA LEE  LITTLE JONAH (ROCK ON YOUR STEEL GUITAR)  
LINDA CASSIDY  THE SHERIFF IS HUNTING ME A MAN  
GEORGE JONES  PYRAMID OF CANS  
WHITEY SHAFER  MY HOUSE IS YOUR HONKY TONK  
 
LEFTY FRIZZELL  MY BABY IS A TRAMP  
LYNN HENDRIX  BRANDED A TRAMP  
DONNA FARGO  WHO'S BEEN SLEEING IN MY BED?  
HANK WILLIAMS, JR.  MENTAL REVENGE  
ABBIE GAYE WITH KEN AND MEL  I'VE GOT A POLECAT BY THE TAIL  
LITTLE GARY DEE  MY DADDY IS A PRISONER OF WAR  
BOB NECAISE AND LIL' GARY D WITH THE SHO-MEN  MISTER, WHERE IS VIET NAM?  
 
LOIS JANE  MOTHER PLEASE STAY HOME WITH ME  
WARREN ROBB  A BETTER WAY TO DIE  
TEX WILLIAMS  THE URN ON MANTEL  
HANK MILLS  CRY ALL OVER THE PLACE  
KENNY JOHNSON  BEER DRINKERS OF AMERICA UNITE  
 
SANDI SCOTT  FIST CITY #2  
JAY LEE WEBB  YOUR COW'S GONNA GET OUT  
POLLY HUTT AND HER CRACKERS  WHY BUY THE COW  
THE WILBURN BROTHERS  I'M GONNA TIE ONE ON TONIGHT  
NITA EUBANKS  YOU AIN'T WOMAN ENOUGH  
 
JIMMY DEAN AND THE TEXAS WILDCATS  FIND 'EM, FOOL 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM ALONE  
HANK PENNY  CATCH 'EM YOUNG, TREAT 'EM ROUGH, TELL 'EM NOTHING  
ARCH YANCY  FIND 'EM, FOOL 'EM  
RAY PENNINGTON  THE COLD GREY LIGHT OF DAWN  
RALPH EMERY  TWO MINUTES TO LIVE  
 
BASIL MCLOUGHLIN AND THE HACKSAWS  TURN OFF WHAT MARIJUANA TURNED ON  
SAM AND ANNIE TAYLOR  MARIJUANA GRAVE  
BIG DADDY WHEELER  DOPEHEAD'S CONFESSION  
FLO FONTANA  BOOZE IT UP  
TOMMY BARNETT  THE BOTTLE AND THE GLASS  
 
RAY PRICE  I'M NOT CRAZY YET  
JERRY LEE LEWIS  HILLBILLY MUSIC  
HANK PENNY  SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN  
SHOTGUN RED  GET THE GRAVY HOT (IT'S GOING ON MY POTATOES)  
PHIL LESTER   FLAVORIN' UP THE GRAVY  
 
   
WALLACE HAYNES  NO VIET NAM IN HEAVEN  
VERN "RED" SPEEKS  THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE  
SHEB WOOLEY  THE LOVE-IN  
BILL HINSON  THE BALLAD OF COLONEL SANDERS  
DEB WOOD  TROUBLE IN TEEPEE  
 
FARON YOUNG  LIVE FAST LOVE HARD DIE YOUNG  
LITTLE JIMMY DEMPSEY  SPANISH FIREBALL  
FAST EDDIE  HARLEY RIDIN' MAN  
CHUCK BOWERS  PIG PEN BOOGIE  
PHIL BOOKER AND THE SQUARENADERS  MACK THE KNIFE  
 
HAWKSHAW HAWKINS  I WANNA BE HUGGED TO DEATH BY YOU  
JEAN SHEPARD  JEOPARDY  
TROY FERGUSEN  DADDY, DON'T SLAP MOMMY ANYMORE  

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Country Music Week / Judy Lynn (MP3s)



Here are two highly alluring instrumental tracks from Judy Lynn's 1965 United Artists LP titled The Judy Lynn Show. Both numbers are highly atypical selections for a country performer, but thoroughly enjoyable all the same due in no small part to the exotic sounds produced by Gene O'Neal, the band's pedal steel guitarist.

Judy Lynn Show - Night Train (3:18)

Judy Lynn Show - Baby Elephant Walk (3:08)

COUNTRY and WESTERN


The Dixie Fun Barn Gang

Originating at WPDQ in Jacksonville, Fla., These folks performed on WAGA in Atlanta from September 1946 to December 1948. From there, they traveled to WQAM in Miami, then back to Atlanta on WGST from October 1949 to JAnuary 1950. Tommy Trent would subsequently join the Louisiana Hayride. Apologies to Tex Anderson and/or his descendants for the ink blot Partly obscuring his face... that's how I found it.
(above information courtesy of Pickin' On Peachtree: A History


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Down And Out With Merle Haggard (MP3)



Merle Haggard - Sidewalks Of Chicago (2:29)

Hillbilly In The Whitehouse (MP3)



Jeff Raymond - Hillbilly In The Whitehouse (2:44)

Country Music Week

The Professor Of Rock 'n' Roll, aka the Mighty Manfred Jones prefers the Bill Anderson version.

Country Music Week

Leona Williams - I Wonder Where I'll Find You Tonight

Thanks, again, Andy Turner!

Country Music Week

Thanks, Andy Turner!

RIP Johnnie Wright

Rest In Peace Johnnie Wright.



Johnny And Jack - Uncle John's Bongos (mp3)

The First Mrs. Jones

Porter Wagoner's The First Mrs. Jones is a perfect example of why he established a reputation for an artist who didn't shy away from intense topics. The song, written by Bill Anderson, is the story of a marriage gone bad and the resulting mayhem.

Country Music Week

Part 8 of the Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Fonics tour documentary!


Country Music Week


Charlie Rich - A side
Charlie Rich - B Side

Thanks Jeff!

Louis Marshall Jones, Age 53


 An Opry star for twenty years, at this point he's still three years 
away from his Hee Haw debut.

In his secret identity, I think he kinda looks a bit like Redneck GReece.

What do you think?

Young Grandpa Jones and His Colleagues


Like Captain Kangaroo and Walter Brennan, Grandpa was already playing an old man when he was still in his twenties, and eventually grew into the part. This songbook is from 1942, 27 years before he'd first step before the Hee Haw cameras.
 The Jamboree is still on the air after almost 79 years(!), though the last decade has seen some bumps in the road.




Offhand, I don't recognize any of these folks except for Lew Childre, eventual Grand Ole Opry star and father of the noted fishing tackle magnate who shared his name.

More information about the Jamboree can be found here, here, and here.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum (MP3s)



SIDE A

Tex Ritter
Loretta Lynn
Nat Stuckey
Buck Owens
Charley Pride

SIDE B
Eddy Arnold
Roy Acuff
Hank Snow
Charlie Walker
Jimmy Newman

Country Music Week

Penny would like to remind you to tune in to Music To Spazz by this Thursday night from 9 PM - Midnight when Greg G returns for Whacked Out Country 45s Volume 4!  Click to listen to parts 3, 2 and 1!


Songs you may hear on Thursday include:






add