Posted by Pete Smith on July 6, 2008, 12:02 am
86.153.200.140
The Advertiser (UK)
20 June 2008
For almost fifty years Merle Haggard has been an iconic country singer/writer for almost half a century. Heavily influenced by Lefty Frizzell and Bob Wills, Hag’s music blends jazz, swing, blues and folk but remains for ever country. One area of Americana music neglected by Merle was bluegrass but this has now been covered with his “The Bluegrass Sessions” (McCoury Music). For this project Hag chose Ricky Skaggs studio and a bunch of the finest bluegrass pickers you will ever hear, including Marty Stuart on guitar and mandolin. The twelve songs are re-workings of some of Haggard’s most famous tunes, a few new ones and a couple of covers collectively proving that, though now in his seventy-first year, Merle is still the top baritone in country, a creative writer and an innovator. It would be wrong to say that this is a bluegrass album, rather it is a country album with a bluegrass background and it is superb!
The fiddle, banjo and Dobro enhance the stories of life that Hag has experienced and bring a new aspect to those former hits. Including are “Big City”, “Holding Things Together”, “Mama’s Hungry Eyes” (a duet with the wonderful Alison Krauss), “Jimmie Rodgers’ Blues”,” Pray”, “Blues Stay Away From Me” and “What Happened”. Merle – you are still the daddy! www.merlehaggard.com
Staying with the subject of bluegrass, recently I came across one of the most exciting outfits I have heard in a long while. Blue Moon Rising, from East Tennessee, has been demanding a lot of interest since their entry into the recording business some three years ago. This is because the quartet knows how to expertly blend traditionalism with the demands of the modern ear. They do this by writing their own songs and by adapting the work of other writers, not necessarily bluegrass, to fit their own sound. “One Lonely Shadow” (Lonesome Days) contains 13 superb tracks that follow the traditional country path of story telling with songs like “Five More Days Of Rain”, “Good Time For Going Home” and the wonderful “The Hanging Tree”. The guys also reach out to other songbooks to present new slants on Bruce Springsteen's "Youngstown," Townes Van Zandt's "Marie," and Fred Eaglesmith's "Freight Train." Great vocals, excellent picking and interesting material, what more could you want?
Today (20 June) is the birth date of two pioneers of country music. T. Texas Tyler was born in 1916 and led a band on the East Coast before moving to California where he found fame and fortune with such songs as “The Deck Of Cards” and “Bummin’ Around”. He died of stomach cancer in 1972. The late Chet Atkins, born 1924, needs no explanation. His guitar work is still considered the best and his influence on country music exceeds that of any other.
Remember there are stars in the southern sky.
27 July 2008
Regular readers will know the love I have for bluegrass. For more than forty years I have I have watched with interest, and not a little horror, how the music has developed. Like many others I was particularly uncomfortable with the introduction of women to the line-up. Why, this is man music, not to be picked by pretty little fingers, and what do women know about it anyhow? That attitude slowly slipped away and was finally banished from my thinking by Laurie Lewis. Laurie’s music was a style that blended traditional with the contemporary bluegrass leavened by mainstream country. Laurie certainly opened my mind to the new possibilities of country as did Alison Krauss, another pioneering innovator. The currently leader of this genre is Becky Schlegel, a young mother from South Dakota whose stunning voice, wonderful writing talent and musical sensibilities are taking the music scene by storm.
Becky learned to play piano at the age of five and continued with that instrument for the next thirteen years, often playing in her mother’s band, The Country Benders”. In 1993 Ms Schlegel moved to Minnesota to enhance her learning. She put the piano aside and took up the guitar and soon became involved in the local scene. 1997 saw Becky forming her own True Blue band, a project that received much critical acclaim and not a few prestigious gigs. An album, “This Lonesome Song” was extremely well received particularly by the critics and her peers. In 2002 Becky went solo. Her debut, “Red Leaf”, was totally original and again caused ripples within the industry. As her career began to expand, Becky married banjo player Heath Loy in 2003. Awards kept coming in along with demands for recording and live appearances and how the lady managed to balance this with raising two great kids is a mystery to me. Becky’s second album was the award winning “Drifter Like Me” released in 2005 and that brings me to her current release “For All The World To See” (Lilly Ray Records), a collection of eleven superb story songs so beautifully performed by a group of musicians who excel in their instrumental prowess and there is of course that extraordinary voice that is Becky Schlegel. Of the musicians, Brian Fesler stands out playing some of the best banjo I have heard in a long time though he is well supported by Gordon Johnson (acoustic bass)_, Bo Ramsey (Weissenborn guitar), Kenny Wilson (steel), Jeff Midkiff (mandolin) and Randy Kohrs (Dobro). Sample; “Bound For Tennessee”, “Jenny”, “99%” and “Hills Of South Dakota”. www.beckyschlegel.com
Remembering: Nathan Abshire the legendary Cajun accordionist was born in Gueydan, Louisiana on 27 June 1913. Both Nathan’s parents and his two brothers played the accordion so I suppose it was naturally the young Abshire would follow suit. He wrote many songs, including “Pine Grove Blues”, and often appeared with the Balfa Brothers. Nathan died in 1981
4 July 2008
Each time I listen to a Myra Pearce album I experience frustration. I am frustrated that such a stunning voice and wonderful writing talent is not a regular feature of the “Top 40”. This lady’s talents scream for major label attention and yet she remains “strictly independent”. Proof of what I say is in her new album “The Ghosts Of Yellowstone” (Alymar) with its ten beautiful story songs. Myra is definitely a talent of the twenty-first century though she has never forgotten her roots as she blends a traditional country approach with contemporary themes. She is certainly in touch with her land and people, evident in the songs “I’ve Got Montana” (her adopted homeland), the title cut and the marvellous “The Journey”, a love story from the perspective of a Native American. But Myra is not totally serious (though she is about her music) as you will hear in songs like the light hearted “Redneck Man Of Mine” and “Goodbye Adios”. Recording artist/writer Royal Wade Kimes co-produced (and added guest vocals) along with Mike Noble. Myra lives on a ranch in Montana where she cares for her family, indulges her passion for horses and writes her wonderful music. It wasn’t always so. She was born in East Washington to a music loving family. An accomplished horsewoman Myra was able to marry her love of all things equestrian with her love for country music at rodeos, cattlemen conventions and western fairs. It has been an exciting journey for Myra, from Washington to Nashville, from Broadway (where she won a “Best Actress” award for the stage musical “Bye Bye Birdie) to Texas (working closely with Happy Shahan former manager of Johnny Rodriguez and Dottsy) to her spiritual home in Montana. Postscript: driving back from the coast my wife Ada, referring to my music, said, “I don’t know who this singer is but she certainly has a beautiful voice”. Myra Pearce you have the seal of approval. www.myrapearce.com
John Maines Jr is an outlaw at heart, in fact, according to his new album; he is an “Outlaw Running Wild”. This Endless Love release really is great country listening with ten Maines penned songs that will please any country ear. I suppose if one was to give a theme to the album it would be having a good time and paying the price and the price is paid particular with “Drinking Whiskey, Chasing Girls And Raisin’ Hell”, “I’m Over Her For Good” and “I’d Never Drink Whiskey Again”. John is in extremely good form “Looking for An Angel”, thinking about “That West Virginia Night” and offering sound advice with “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide”.
Great stuff and country to the core. www.johnmainesjr.com
Happy Fourth of July and here are a couple of Independence“ day firsts; 1883 – the first ever rodeo (Pecos, Texas), 1973: Willie Nelson’s first 4th July Picnic (Dripping Springs).
97
Message Thread:
« Back to thread