Re: Grisman (was Goose Creek Symphony)
Jon Weisberger wrote: ... but Grisman's also about as good a Monroe-style mandolin player as you can find. For straight-ahead bluegrass, check out his, er, tribute double album, Home Is Where The Heart Is (Rounder) or Early Dawg (Sugar Hill) or what I think was his first album for Rounder - the one with "I Ain't Broke (But I'm Badly Bent)" on it. 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. Jim N.
RE: Hank Big Mon collaboration?
"Jon Weisberger" 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? Jim N.
Re: Country Music Foundation
The CMF isn't online yet. But you can reach 'em by phone at 615-256-1639. Jim N. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/16 3:48 PM Hey all ... I'm trying to contact the Country Music Foundation about their music catalog, but no luck. Anyone have an e-mail address or phone number? If you can, please contact me offlist. Maybe brother Weisberger can help in this regard ... Thanks, Ron Warnick NP: June Carter Cash, "Press On"
Re: ICMC Update
an update on the ICMC just in... "James E. Akenson" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/16 3:38 16TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC CONFERENCE 4-5 JUNE 1999 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE BELMONT UNIVERSITY http://www.tntech.edu/www/acad/ci/icmc.html The 16th annual International Country Music Conference (ICMC) will be held Friday and Saturday 4-5 June 1999 in The Massey Business Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Belmont University is located at the south end of Music Row. The Demonbreun Street exit off Interstate 40 brings one to the beginning of Music Row featuring the Country Music Foundation and Museum, BMI, ASCAP, and numerous tourist shops. ICMC broadly defines Country Music to include variants from Precommercial, Old Time Country, Cajun, Cowboy, Western Swing, and the Nashville Sound to BLUEGRASS, Honky Tonk, Country Rock, New Traditionalist, Hot New Country, and Alternative Country. ICMC is truly international with papers having been presented by scholars from Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Japan. Thursday evening, 3 June 1999 will provide an opportunity for attendees to gather and socialize informally and to hear a nationally recognized authority on country music. Friday and Saturday, 4-5 June 1999 will provide a wide variety of presentations dealing with the history and contemporary status of country music. ICMC will also feature an intriguing panel discussion on Alternative Country. The Friday, 4 June 1999 luncheon will feature the 1999 the Belmont University Country Music Book Of-The-Year Award. The Saturday, 5 June 1999 luncheon speaker will be Dr. Jimmie Rogers discussing aspects of the academic study of country music. Dr. Rogers will speak about *Near Death or Near Life: It All Depends On How Hot It Is Where You Are.} Presentations scheduled for the 1999 ICMC include: Dr. James Akenson. Tennessee Technological University. Cookeville, Tennessee. Teaching The Geography of Music Row. Dr. Don Cusic. Belmont University. Nashville, Tennessee. Chicago Country. Ms. Amy Corin. UCLA. The History of Country Music In Southern California: Issues, Resources, and Method. Dr. Wayne Daniel. Georgia State University. Atlanta, Georgia. Pretty as a Picture: La musique "country" e* tait en Vogue Dr. David Eason. Middle Tennessee State University. Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Defining Country Music: The Meaning of Tradition in Recent Studies Dr. Louis Kyriakudos. University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Park. The Grand Ole Opry and the Emergence of the Urban South, 1925-1940. Ms. Jocelyn Neal. Eastman School of Music. Rochester, New York. Jimmie Rodgers' Blue Yodels: Which Chords Go Where? Dr. Ted Olson. Union College.Barbourville, Kentucky. Stand By Your God: Sacred Recordings By Major Country Music Singers, 1945 to The Present.} Dr. William K. McNeil. Ozark Folk Center. Mountain View, Arkansas. *A Lost Fiddler Found: Fiddlin* Sam Long of the Ozarks.} Dr. Nolan Porterfield. Bowling Green, KY. The Tangled Tale of the Dubious Documents: Jimmie Rodgers and Masonry. Dr. Richard Peterson. Vanderbilt. University. Nashville, Tennessee. "Alt.country: The Next Big Thing or the Next Bluegrass" Mr. Ronnie Pugh. Country Music Foundation and Library. Nashville, Tennessee. There*s A Little Bit of Everything in Texas: The Musical Roots of Ernest Tubb. Mr. Thomas Carl Townsend. Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana. Rhythmic Assymmetry in the Music of the Carter Family. Ms. Deanna Tribe. Ohio State University Extension, South District. Jackson, Ohio. Cornbread and Buttermilk: Rural Foodways in Country Song Lyrics. Ms. Kristine McCusker. Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana. A Voice Like a Locomotive Whistle and a Heart of Gold: Female Imagery on Barn Dance Stages, 1930-1950. Dr. Ivan Tribe. University of Rio Grande. Rio Grande, Ohio. Topical Ballads of the 1958 Kentucky School Bus Accident. Dr.Charles K. Wolfe. Middle Tennessee State University. Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Early Country Field Recording Sessions: Beyond the Legends. Nashville is served by major airlines. Interstates 24, 40, and 65 pass through Nashville. The Holiday Inn Vanderbilt (1-800-HOLIDAY) on West End Avenue and two Hampton Inns (1-800-HAMPTON) on West End Avenue are conveniently located to Belmont University. Less expensive motels include Shoney's Inn (800-222- or 615-255-9977) which is at the I-40 Demonbreun Street exit right at Music Row. Other less expensive choices include The Clubhouse Inn ( 800-258-2466/615- 244-0150), a LaQuinta (615-259-2130/800-531-5900), and a Days Inn on West End Avenue. A complete range of motels (Days Inn, Super 8, etc) are found in Nashville and may be contacted through their respective 1-800 reservation numbers. Preregistration will be $60 (U.S), $40 for non-waged persons. On-site regisration will be $10 higher. Please send a $60 (U.S) check made payable to ICMC by FRIDAY, 21 MAY 1999 TO: James E. Akenson. Box 5042. Tennessee Technological University. Cookeville,
RE: Delmore Brothers recommendations
The two County CDs Jon mentioned are, of course, also available from County Sales. I haven't actually checked, but they tend to have the best prices in town. Regarding the differences in the two CDs - as Jon points out, "Sand Mountain Blues" is culled from the best of the Delmores' King sides. As to which is prettier, I'd say it's about even. They started doing that hillbilly boogie nearly right from the start. There,are great versions of an old-time ballad "The Frozen Girl" on both of these albums (recorded about 10 years apart). I'd challenge anybody to tell me the difference. One thing that is different, though, is that in the late forties, the Delmores teamed up with harmonica players Wayne Raney and Lonnie Glosson. Their work is all over a few of the King sides. About this time, Syd Nathan started to occasionally augment the Delmore Brothers' basic sound by adding an electric guitar here and another rhythm guitar, a string bass and drums there, giving some of the records a real different sound. Is that what you meant by "rockin'" Jon? And, if you can find it in a used bin someplace, Bear Family put out an LP featuring about 18 of these Wayne Raney/Delmore collaborations. Very nice. On the other side of the coin, the Delmores toured and recorded with Uncle Dave Macon in the mid-1930s. Some of the records made during that time have been reissued by County on an Uncle Dave Macon CD called "Travelling Down The Road." While I'm at it - there are also a couple of CDs of material by the Brown's Ferry Four currently available. This group was put together by Syd Nathan to record sacred material for King and consisted of Alton and Rabon Delmore, Grandpa Jones, and either Merle Travis or Red Foley, depending on the session. Very, very nice quartet singing. Jim Nelson "Jon Weisberger" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/13 2:40 PM County Records' two collections, Brown's Ferry Blues and Sand Mountain Blues, are pretty widely available (MoM lists them both in their catalog, and I just found them in stock at both CD Now and CD World). The former covers recordings from the 30s and early 40s, the latter is a selection of King recordings made between 1944 and 1949. There's also a British import called Freight Train Boogie that's in the same vein as Sand Mountain Blues, but with a few more cuts. The earlier stuff is prettier, the King stuff more rockin'.
Re: Old Time CD
this may be of interest to some of you jim n. Ray Alden [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/02 10:58 AM Dear Friends of Old Time Music, The Chubby Dragon label is proud to announce the release of a new and significant old time music CD; "The Brandywine Mountain Music Convention." It contains over 70 minutes of superb music along with a CD-ROM section containing over 200 photographs from the years 1974-1993 and scores of stories, anecdotes and memories. It documents 20 years of a festival that grew in parallel with the development of the old time music community. Looking at the playlist below, you will see many of the legends of Old Time Music. If you attended Brandywine, you might even see or read about yourself in some of the photos or stories. To celebrate the release is making a special offer, found at the end of the playlist. "THE BRANDYWINE MOUNTAIN MUSIC CONVENTION, A Twenty Year Legacy" 1974 - The First Annual - The Galax, Virginia Sound [1] Step Back Cindy Kyle Creed and Fred Cockerham [2] Wind and RainKilby Snow [3] Undone In Sorrow Ola Belle Reed 1975 - Traditional Music Of West Virginia [4] Battle Of Shiloh HillDave Morris [5] Cluck Ole HenIra Mullins [6] George Booker Highwoods String Band 1976 - The Music of Kentucky [7] Hawkins Rag The New Lost City Ramblers [8] Little Birdie Roscoe Holcomb [9] Church In The Wildwood The A.L. Phipps Family 1977 - The Music Of French America [10] Happy Acres Two Step Simon St. Pierre [11] Clay PortelleJoe Politte [12] You Had Some, But You Ain't Gettin' No More The Balfa Brothers 1978 - The Music Of North Carolina [13] Sourwood Mountain Tommy Jarrell[14] Cricket On The HearthSmokey Valley Boys 1979 - Early Country Music Radio [15] Faded Coat Of BlueJulia Mainer [16] Big Eyed Rabbit Wade Mainer [17] Give Mother My Crown Bailes Brothers 1980 - The Women Of Old Time Music [18] Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow Lily May Ledford [19] Sally Let Your Bangs Hang Down Rose Maddox [20] Why Don't You Pray For MeElizabeth Cotten 1981 - The Music Of Tennessee [21] Bye Bye Blues Virgil Anderson [22] Brown's Dream Roan Mountain Hilltoppers 1982 - Georgia Fiddle Bands [23] Hell Broke Loose In Georgia Lowe Stokes 1983 - The 10th Anniversary Celebration [24] Lost Train Blues Ralph Blizard [25] Walkin In My Sleep J.P and Annadeene Fraley 1984 - Music Of The Ozarks [26] Wink The Other Eye Art Galbraith [27] New Vita-Mine Grandpa Jones 1985 - Texas Music [28] Sally Goodin Junior Daugherty [29] ConatechesMariachi America [30] Texas Playboy Medley Bob Wills Band To celebrate this release, and to present it before retail dealers obtain copies, Chubby Dragon offers to you (or any old time music aficionado you forward a copy of this notice): UNTIL APRIL 25, 1999 "THE BRANDYWINE MOUNTAIN MUSIC CONVENTION"Chubby Dragon CD1006 Cost: $12 (plus $2 shipping USA) = $14 total Send a check made out to Ray Alden, (and mailed to) 124 Quaker Bridge Road Croton, NY 10520 Also Offered! If you order this CD, the same $12 price is extended to any CD listed below. If you wish to hear an audio sampling of any of these in RealAudio or WAV, see the playlist, or view pearl inlays, banjos, violin, guitars mandolins for sale, go to the Chubby Dragon, website: http://www.bestweb.net/~rgamusic/ News Update! Roy Carrier Zydeco CD: just won "Best Zydeco CD of 1998" from REAL BLUES magazine. "In Good Company": won second best Old Time New Release of 1998 above from the County Sales Annual Award Newsletter. "The World In Our Backyard": won a "HOT PLATTER" award from the Elderly catalog: also, read Hank Bradley's great review in the current Old Time Herald.) To expedite your order in advance of your letter, E-Mail me the following information, I will prepare your package. (delete the above, send only the information below) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "The check's in the mail!" [1] Send the BRANDYWINE CD To: NAME: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ADDRESS:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Re: Steve Earle and Del McCoury Band over America
"Tar Hut Records" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 03/31 1:53 PM You have to wonder how much Rounder is charging them for the discs...maybe the only way they can profit off it is to charge that much.. Rounder's artist price is $6 a unit. I'd say they're making quite a profit... Jim Nelson
Re: NATO bombs
Stuart Munro writes: At the risk of incurring the wrath of the List-dad... (Snip)... Sorry, but how does it follow from Rebecca's objecting...blah blah blah...etc. Sorry about this, but I agree with the List-dad. This stuff doesn't belong here. And not only that, Rebecca's response was rude and ill-informed - IMO. Kosovo is not Bosnia and Alex is not Milosovic, for crissakes. Jim Nelson
bombs, etc/off topic posts
My apologies for contributing to this mess, folks. Jim N.
Re: Country music documentary
This might be worth checking out. Jim N. "Joe Cline" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 03/24 3:18 PM CBS, TNN Combine of Documentary .c The Associated Press By JIM PATTERSON NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Minutes into the 13-part ``Century of Country'' documentary, it's clear how broad an undertaking it is to even define country music, much less tell its story. ``Country music is the same thing as the blues,'' Waylon Jennings opines. ``Country music is contemporary jazz,'' singer Ray Price declares. Harlan Howard, the great country music songwriter (``Busted,'' ``I Fall to Pieces''), offers this: ``Basically, it's the people's music. We really do deal with divorces and tragedies and so forth. And sometimes people think we're kind of hokey. But country music is here and it always will be.'' Based on previews of two episodes -- one covering pioneers like Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family and the other on bluegrass and Western swing -- ``Century of Country'' captures the wide scope of country music and celebrates it. The documentary touches on women in country music, rockabilly, bluegrass, Western swing, the Grand Ole Opry and honky-tonk music. Many current stars are interviewed, and the lives of greats like Hank Williams Sr., Jimmie Rodgers and Patsy Cline are covered. The Nashville Network will air the first of 13 weekly one-hour segments of ``Century of Country'' at 8 p.m. EST Wednesday (March 31). The host is actor James Garner and CBS newsman Bob Schieffer narrates. ``Century of Country'' marks the first collaboration between TNN and CBS News. Westinghouse Electric Corp., which owns CBS, bought TNN in 1997. ``I had more fun,'' said Schieffer, host of the weekly news show ``Face the Nation'' on CBS. ``Maybe because it was such a break after covering Monica Lewinsky and Ken Starr. It was like a vacation to me. ``I really learned a lot. They have gone out and interviewed everybody that you ever heard of, and some that you've never heard of.'' Among the things Schieffer learned: ``Apparently Jimmie Rodgers, who was The Singing Brakeman, was the first person to yodel,'' he said. ``You would think it came from ranches or something Western. ``But apparently he heard some Swedish guy yodel,'' Schieffer said with a laugh. The series is a step forward for TNN, whose claim to be THE country music cable station has slipped since it started showing a new version of ``Roller Derby'' and reruns of ``The Waltons'' and ``Dukes of Hazzard.'' But if you're looking for a critical viewpoint of country music, wait until the Bravo cable channel reruns the three episodes of its excellent ``Naked Nashville.'' TNN has always been a Nashville booster rather than a critic, and ``Century of Country'' sidesteps anything that could dampen the party. The shows still are a lot of fun, however. For example, it's hard to resist the enthusiasm of singer Marty Stuart. ``You can wear cool clothes,'' Stuart says in the opening episode, ``Celebration of Country.'' ``You can wear your hair goofy. Girls like you. You get applause. You get to live this nomad lifestyle. And you get paid for it.'' During the segment on bluegrass, 18-year-old mandolin player Chris Thile pays tribute to late bluegrass founder Bill Monroe, then reveals he's working on combining bluegrass and classical music. ``I find there's an amazing energy in Bach that is kind of like some of the stuff that Bill Monroe was coming out with,'' Thile said. ``I wrote a song where I try to get some of that same energy with the bluegrass background in it -- sort of a `grassical' song.'' Ricky Skaggs tries to explain how exciting Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys were in their heyday. ``When they were on the stage it sounded like the Beatles were on stage,'' Skaggs said. ``I hear these country people screaming at the top of their voices hearing this new music that no one had ever heard before. It was a new sound, it was a new day for this music.'' Schieffer said he came into the assignment thinking he knew something about country music from a lifetime of listening. He saw Ernest Tubb perform when he was a boy in Fort Worth, Texas, then became a fan of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. The assignment showed him he had much to learn. ``If you have just the vaguest interest in country music, you'll find this 13 hours just fascinating,'' Schieffer said. Joe Cline ( [EMAIL PROTECTED] ) Charlotte Jack-of-all-trades; unemployed in all of them
RE: Bill Anderson article
Atkins has said more than once that the development of the Nashville Sound had an economic motivation, but I don't know that he's ever counterposed it to valid artistic statements. Jon, I swear I'm not making this up, but I read somewhere (and it wasn't Carlin's book) an interview with Chet in which he expressed what sounded to me like some honest-to-God regret for his role (as a producer/arranger) in influencing the stylistic direction country music had taken (i.e. away from it's "rural" roots). Now I bet you want me to find this article, right? g Terry, you really might want to think about picking up a copy of Joli Jensen's book, _The Nashville Sound: Authenticity, Commercialization, and Country Music." Lots of direct quotes on the subject therein. From whom? Sounds like I need to find this book, too. Jim Nelson
Re: blues fiddle, (was np: Gatemouth Brown - Blackjack)
First black man I'd ever heard play blues fiddle. (wait a minute I *still* haven't heard another black man play fiddle blues like GMB; I'm guessing they're out there somewhere, I just haven't heard them) I haven't heard of too many blues fiddlers that are still playing at all these days. Howard Armstrong, whose praises Steve Gardner frequently sings on this list, recorded a new CD two or three years back. I haven't heard it, but I'll bet it features some of his blues playing alongside the more pop and raggy-oriented material. He plays a couple of blues numbers on the "Louie Bluie" soundtrack album. He also recorded two albums with his string band, Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong, for Flying Fish in the 1970s, both of which were released on one CD. Good stuff. Before that, they recorded an album for Rounder in 1972 or so. I saw about 50 copies of this one at a charity record sale in Skokie, IL last fall. One of Armstrong's buddies in M, B, A, Carl Martin, was recorded in his later years, playing fiddle along with Sam Chatmon and Walter Vinson on guitars, as the New Mississippi Sheiks. I believe this also was a Flying Fish release. I haven't heard or seen this in years, and cannot remember any other details. Carl Martin, along with blues mandolinist Johnny Young, and guitarists John Lee Granderson and John Wrencher recorded an album for Testament (ca. 1966?) as the Chicago String Band. Raw, urban string band blues. This record, with two extra tracks has been reissued on CD. Check the Hightone catalogue for details. I mentioned the New Mississippi Sheiks above. Well, the *real* Mississippi Sheiks were one of the hottest string bands to ever record. Featuring at various times, Lonnie or Bo Chatman on fiddle, Walter Vincent, Sam Chatman, or Bo Carter (Chatman) on guitars, much of their material has found it's way onto CD. Probably the best place to start is the Yazoo release, "Stop and Listen," though I think their entire output is available on a series of CDs on the Austrian Document label. The song, "Sitting On Top of the World," was originally recorded by the Sheiks. Jim Nelson
Re: Wreck on the Highway
Mary Katherine writes: Written by Dorsey Dixon, based on a true event, and recorded by the Dixon Brothers in approx. 1936. I forgot to mention that the Dixon Brothers recordings have been reissued on four LPs/cassettes by Old Homestead Records in Brighton, MI. Good stuff. Jim Nelson
Re: Obit: Eddie Dean
Don Yates says: On Fri, 5 Mar 1999, James Nelson wrote: His most famous composition was the hokey but sincere and emotional "I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven," written with friend Hal Southern. Which may be true, but Eddie Dean wrote lots of other fine tunes, including country music's first bonafide cheatin' song, "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)."--don Uh, actually Cary Ginnell wrote that, Don. You can take it up with him, if you like. g Jim
RE: Production-- Ralph Emery's take on this thread
I'm not Jon, but go get yourself a subscription to the Journal of Country Music. It's in the latest issue. Jim Nelson Matt Benz [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/26 2:08 PM Any way we can see this whole article, Jon?
Re: Neener neener
Barry Mazor wrote: Yeah, yow. I picked up the "Greatest Hits by Johnnie Jack" cassette tape sold on the Kitty Wells website, and it's not as good a selection as that record! The Bear Family Johnnie Jack box is definitely more of 'em than I'd want, poisonally... You Johnnie and Jack (and Kitty Wells) fans ought to check out the Bear Family CD 15808 - Johnnie and Jack with Kitty Wells at KWKH. Recorded in 1948 or 49, I think, the album is made of cuts culled from radio transcriptions made for their day-time show during their tenure as members of the Louisiana Hayride. No hit songs here, rather they do covers of other folks' material - Stanley Brothers, Hank Williams, Molly O'Day and the Cumberland Mt. Folks, Jimmie Osborne, etc. - and some great fiddle tunes from Paul Warren. This CD probably is more representative of the group's sound than any other currently available album - though I'd love to find a copy of that box-set. Jim Nelson
FW: Dr. Wolfe's Book Is Due!
from BGRASS-L [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/22 9:17 PM Monday's Syracuse (NY) Herald-Journal reports that country music historian Charles K. Wolfe's history of the early Grand Ole Opry is due out in May from Nashville's Vanderbilt University/Country Music Foundation Press. "A Good Natured-Riot: The Birth Of the Grand Ole Opry" covers the show from its beginnings on WSM in 1925, to 1939 when the Opry first had a nationwide audience on the NBC Network. Charles told me that this is a massive expansion of his "Grand Ole Opry: the Early Years," which was published in England about 20 years ago. I can't wait!! BILL KNOWLTON: "BLUEGRASS RAMBLE," WCNY-FM: Syracuse, Utica, Watertown NY (since 1973) As you may know, Charles is slowly recuperating from massive heart failure in a Nashville hospital. Let's pray real hard that he will be ready and able to host a fine book debut party that he well-deserves!
Cope Brothers (Was: Re: Knoxville Girl/Norris Dam)
Is there, by chance, a CD re-issue of the Cope Brothers out there floating around somewhere? Not that I know of. I do recall seeing a cut of theirs on an old Starday LP of early King material. The "Norris Dam" cut may be included on a vinyl LP put out by the Tennessee Folklore Society that focuses on ballads from East Tennessee. I'll check on that, because I probably have it at home. I have references to them using Knoxville's WROL as a home base for broadcasting in the early 1950s (along with the Osborne Brothers, Brewster Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, and others), Care to share them? Thanks. Jim N.
Re: Hyper produced Bobby Bare
Todd Larson writes: Worth mentioning in all this is that "sparce" and "basic" and "plain" are in many ways cuturally (and commercially) contructed choices just like "pop," "lush," and "polished." Exactly. Seems pretty sketchy to suggest that a stripped-down, bare-bones aesthetic is necessarily a more natural (speaking of cultural constructs) way to express a particular rural (or working class) subject matter than snazzy string arrangements and commercially-associated background singers. Except for the fact that those snazzy string arrangements and (totally unnecessary) background singers were NOT added for artistic reasons, nor were they added to grab the attention of the working class and rural audiences who already listened to country music. In every article/interview I've read about Atkins/Bradley, etc., they've made it very clear that those elements were added for one reason - to make country music more palatable to middle class urban and suburban audiences and by extension to broaden record sales. This tactic obviously met with some financial success (Chet Atkins became a vice president at RCA), provided a lot of work for groups like the Jordanaires and the Anita Kerr Singers, and helped to advance the careers of certain artists (Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, etc.), but I'd bet a few other artists (and listeners) were resistant to the idea. Please don't tell me that the "Nashville sound" was some kind of artistic advancement in country music. Jim Nelson
Re: The song Wah! Hoo! by Cliff Friend
Diana Quinn [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/17 3:32 PM by latest ebay acqusition is the sheet music to Wah! Hoo!, by Cliff Friend. The question: what movie was this song featured in? The song was written in 1946, i know that Riders in the Sky have recorded it, and Garrison K has sung it on his radio show. Do you really mean 1946? I have a 78 record of this number by Bill Boyd and his Cowboy Ramblers that dates from the mid-thirties. It's not in fromt of me, but it may have the title of the movie on the label. Jim Nelson
RE: New label! New goods! (long, sorry..)
Hey Jon, I seem to have missed the original message here, but am intrigued by the references to the Barn Dance. What's the connection? Jim "Jon Weisberger" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/10 9:49 PM When did the WLS Barn Dance cease? According to the Encyclopedia of Country Music, 1960, which would make its national influence in the 1960s somewhat doubtful. Though to be fair, the Encyclopedia adds that many of the National Barn Dance's performers went on to a new WGN Barn Dance, which lasted until 1971 on the radio, and spent a couple of years in TV syndication. The original WLS show had a national Alka-Seltzer segment on NBC radio between 1933 and 1946, and then went 3 years without a national sponsor, until it was picked up by ABC and Phillips Petroleum. The Encyclopedia mentions a number of Barn Dance stars who became nationally known, but all, or most of them were gone from the Barn Dance by the 1950s, if not earlier - i.e., Autry, Patsy Montana, Red Foley, George Gobel. Foley, for instance, left the Barn Dance in 1946 and moved to Nashville to host the Prince Albert (i.e., national network) portion of the Opry, not coincidentally around the same time that the Barn Dance lost its national network portion. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: Cold Mountain CD
Jon Weisberger wrote: By the way, as far as buying the thing goes, a healthy portion of the one-sheet is devoted to how clearances were obtained, etc. in order to put out the CD, including the following passage: "In fact, the terms with MGM-UA stipulate that the CD can only be sold packaged with the novel, so the consumer that purchases Songs From The Mountain will get a free copy of Cold Mountain in paperback" So, any idea how much this "free copy" of the book is going to cost? Can you tell us what's on the CD? Jim Nelson
Re: Richard Thompson
Jerry Curry wrote: In my opinion, Richard Thompson is one of the most important and influential artists of the late 70's/80's. His swansong albums with Linda: _I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight_ and _Shoot Out the Lights_ are two definite desert island recordings for me. I don't know how influential he was, but he certainly can write a song and play guitar. For the record, "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" was Richard and Linda's first album together. I got import copy back in 1974. It remains one of their best, although "Pour Down Like Silver" ain't too shabby. Jim
Re: Richard Thompson
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/05 2:26 PM Kip wrote: People often laud Thompson's "Shoot Out The Lights" as being his best of that period, and maybe that's because it's more of a rock record with folk overtones. But I myself prefer "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight", which is just about as perfect a blend of folk and rock as has ever been make. And I think the production on both that album and "Pours Down Like Silver" is just fine, myself. Nicely understated, everything sounds "real", tasteful and creative arrangments, etc. etc. One thing's for sure: these weren't no coffee folk records. How are we defining "that period"? The whole Richard and Linda era? The reason I'm asking is because I hear a huge difference between the stuff they recorded for Island and their later material for Chrysalis and Hannibal. The early records are very folky sounding, more acoustic with lots of tradtional English and Irish influences. When they changed record companies, they noticeably shifted gears. The accordion and fiddle were still there, sometimes, but his guitar playing was way out front. Their last record together, "Shoot Out the Lights," was a great rock record. Too bad they got divorced in the middle of making it. Jim N.
Re: Richard Thompson
Carl Abraham Zimring wrote: Richard Thompson has argued that both the writing and recording of SOTL preceded the events that led to the breakup of the marriage, FWIW. On the other hand, the tour to promote the record happened while they were breaking up and apparently was pretty tense. I have a tape of a concert they did on that last tour. I haven't listened to it in years but I recall it being a very weird listening experience. Lots of onstage bickering. Jim Nelson
Re: Checking in...
Steve Gardner emerges and writes: Another teaser: I just got a copy of an oldtime album that will only be sold with the paperback version of Charles Frazier's "Cold Mountain." If you haven't read the book, it's awesome. Wait until 3/23 though to buy it because you really have to hear this CD. That's a great deal for those of us who've had the book for over a year now... Jim N.
Re: new book
fyi Got this from a friend at Indiana University: IU Press has a forthcoming book, Rick Kennedy and Randy McNutt, LITTLE LABELS-BIG SOUND: SMALL RECORD COMPANIES AND THE RISE OF AMERICAN MUSIC (May 1999), including chapts. on Gennett, Paramount, King, Sun, Riverside, King, Dial, Duke-Peacock, Ace, Monument, and Delmark.
RE: Americana guesswork/line-d@#*@
I missed this one, but Jon, line dancing is about as far from square dancing (not talking modern western stuff here) and flat footin' as you can get. Jim N. "Jon Weisberger" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/21 8:03 AM The criticisms of line-dancing offered so far apply just about as well to square dancing and flat footin', neither of which typically involve grab-assin'; I guess that makes them evil and soulless. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: The Mississippi: River of Song
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/15 1:22 AM some sort of caroling group in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., This is probably more than you want to know, but here goes - This "caroling" is actually a centuries-old New Years Eve French folksong/dance tradition and begging ritual similar in some ways to one practiced in Louisiana around Mardi Gras. It's called La Guillonee (sp). And it's still done in other French communities in the area, particulary Old Mines, MO and Prairie Du Rocher, IL. About 4 years ago, I was asked to help out some folklore types videotape and photograph the St. Genevieve bunch while another group led by Harry Oster (producer of many great blues and Cajun albums in the early 1960s and all around character) went to Prairie Du Rocher. In the old days, a group of men led by a fiddler used to go from house to house on foot or in the back of a wagon and sing to the farmer a song in which they begged for a drink (and perhaps his daughter). The farmer would then give them a drink. Then on to the next place. And so on. Well, traditions change. Now these guys go from bar to bar (and one nursing home and a church) in a school bus and do their song. The night I was with them we made, I think, 18 stops. It got a little crazy after about the 6th ot 7th drink. Yeah buddy. The funniest stop was when these guys marched into a bar where some glittery rock band was playing. The guys waited a few minutes, then did their song and dance during the band's break. Talk about a gap in the space/time continuum... They got a huge round of applause. Any idea if this series will be available on video? Jim Nelson
