COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday November 13th, 2014
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com -
http://www.countrymusicclassics.com
Email: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
A lot hit songs were written in just a few minutes some song writers talk about
certain songs even writing themselves, while other took hours or weeks even
months - or years - to complete.
According to Mitchel Torok he wrote Jim Reeves first charted song and first
number one Mexican Joe, in about thirty minutes.
Torok commented, I always liked fast movin songs with a Latin beat - so one
January day in 1953 I sat down and wrote Mexican Joe in about half an hour. By
the time I finished it I thought I had something special. I went around to
several radio stations asking for help in recording the song on tape but I was
told that everyone was busy. But I kept telling everyone that the song was a
hit!
Then one afternoon Fabor Robinson came through Nacogdoches, Texas and stopped at
the only record shop in town and asked if there were any songwriters around. The
record shop owners told him about me called me and I took him out to my house
and played him Mexican Joe. He liked the song and said that Jim Reeves would
record it the next couple of days in Shreveport.
According to the history books Jim Reeves did not want to record the song
because he wanted to record ballads instead and because Mexican Joe only had two
chords and seven verses.
According to KWKH Radio engineer Bob Sullivan, he did not know that Jim Reeves
sang until Fabor Robinson called him to engineer the Mexican Joe session which
included Big Red and Little Red Hayes, Don Davis on bass, Evelyn Rowley on piano
and her husband Jerry on guitar.
Jim Reeves Abbott Records single Mexican Joe, came on the country music charts
March 28th, 1953 and made it to number one where it stuck for nine weeks.
It was on the charts for 26 weeks.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I heard that the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is being rebuilt. Do you
have any information?
A: The Ryman is scheduled for a $14 million renovation which includes
expanding the lobby and retail area, renovated bathrooms, a cafe in the outdoor
plaza and an interactive multimedia tour. The main auditorium will remain
untouched.
Q: I heard on the radio that Dolly Parton getting some kind of People's award.
Do you have any details?
A: Dolly Parton has been nominated for a People's Choice Award in the Female
Country Artist category. She has already received four People's Choice Awards.
Q: According to my daughter - the TV news had a thing about a new Loretta
Lynn album. Do you know anything about it?
A: Loretta's newest project is scheduled for release next year and has been
in the works with her daughter Patsy Russell at the Cash Cabin in
Hendersonville, Tennessee. The new project explores the Appalachian and gospel
music of her native Kentucky as well as new versions of her classic hits.
Q: The radio guys were talking about Vince Gill receiving some kind of award
that had only been given to Johnny Cash. What is that all about?
A: During the recent CMA Awards - Vince Gill was presented with the
prestigious Irvin Waugh Award of Excellence - an award rarely give and only
presented to one other artist - Johnny Cash. The award recognizes an individual
who "has dramatically broadened and improved Country Music's influence on a
national or international scale."
Q: I have a tape of a song my dad recorded off the radio years ago. It sounds
like Marty Robbins singing a song about "anything left I can say." Did Marty
record such a song.
A: Correct title is "Is There Anything Left I Can Say" and it was a track in
Marty's 1967 "Tonight Carmen" album.
Q: I know that Jeannie Seely had a hit with "Don't Touch Me." Did she have any
other hits?
A: Seely placed 27 songs on the country charts between 1966 and 1978. "Don't
Touch Me" was her first charted song and her biggest single - peaking at number
two - on the charts for 21 weeks and winning her a Grammy for Female Vocal.
^^^^^^^^^
Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are
welcome. Email to: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
^^^^^^^^^
NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:
1944
Smoke on the Water - Red Foley
1952
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) - Hank Williams
1960
Wings of a Dove - Ferlin Husky
1968
I Walk Alone - Marty Robbins
1976
Somebody Somewhere (Dont Know What Hes Missin Tonight) - Loretta
Lynn
1984
Ive Been Around Enough to Know - John Schneider
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A T T E N T I O N: R A D I O S T A T I O N S:
Our short form daily radio feature, Story Behind The Song is now
available to radio
stations.
NOT AVAILABLE TO INTERNET STATIONS)
The feature is available at no charge.
For information, email me at
classics@countrymusicclassics.com
^^^^^^^^^^
WILLIE WAS A GOOD OLD NONCONFORMIST.
By: Jack Blanchard
The moment you accept the proposition that success is impossible,
it becomes impossible.
Success in creative areas is more difficult to achieve than it was twenty years
ago,
but not impossible.
Here, I think, are some of the reasons...
THE MARKET.
As time passes, the market gains more control of our lives.
It has always been a factor, but more so now.
Misty Morgan and I had to find backers to invest in our career,
the rough equivalent of $50,000 of todays dollars.
We did this by creating something marketable,
and waving it in their faces.
MORE GOOD ARTISTS.
If you have ten people, one of them may be a genius at something.
If you have a million people, you jump the creative people up to 100,000.
If you have billions... well, you get the point.
You also get more idiots, but thats another article.
TRAINING.
In school and beyond todays young minds are steered away from real creativity.
The artist or inventor is by nature an outsider
and is usually valued for his "differentness".
Today they want a team player... a corporate person.
BUSINESS.
There was more to Ray Stevens song Mr. Businessman than we realized.
Businessmen dont get emotionally involved in art
unless it looks like a potential profit.
All forms of art have suffered.
If youre reading a book youre not buying anything.
"People spend more on crap than on good stuff,
so let's give them more crap."
By businessmen I also mean women.
(Being politically correct all the time is a pain.)
PROPAGANDA.
The guys on top dont want you to make it.
They spread discouraging propaganda like this:
Its impossible now. If only youd been here in the old days.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Go away and stop threatening us.
I know the music business has been screwed up by Mr. Businessman,
and todays aspiring artists face a much harder challenge,
but its not impossible to have a career.
To those still striving: Dont give up hope.
Boxcar Willie bypassed the entire radio and record industry,
and made himself a legend through creative TV ads.
He didnt need major labels, or even hit records.
He found a new way.
Willie was a good old nonconformist.
Jack Blanchard
http://www.jackandmisty.net
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Compiled by Bill Morrison
Jack Guthrie, singer/songwriter, cousin of Woody Guthrie, born Olive, OK 1915.
Jimmie Rodgers recorded "Hobo Bill's Last Ride," 1929.
Sonny Fisher, Rockabilly, born Tyler, TX 1931.
Buddy Killen, industry executive, born Florence, SC 1932.
Dick Flood, singer/songwriter, born Philadelphia, PA 1932.
Tracy Schwartz, of "The New Lost City Ramblers" born NYC 1938.
Ray Wylie Hubbard, singer/songwriter, born Soper, OK 1946.
Del Wood joined the Grand Ole Opry 1953.
Hank Snow topped the charts with "I Don't Hurt Anymore" 1954.
Ernest Tubb recorded "Home of the Blues," for Decca 1957.
Ferlin Husky's "Wings of a Dove" was the #1 country song 1960.
George Jones' single "Window Up Above," charted in 1960.
Ral Donner's single "Please Don't God" charted 1961.
Eddy Arnold's #1 single "Make The World Go Away" debuted on the charts 1965.
Little Jimmy Dickens #1 country single "May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your
Nose" debuted on Billboards Top 40 pop chart 1965.
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died 1973.
Alvin "Junior" Samples, age 57, died 1983. Member of the Hee Haw cast.
Bill Doggett, age 80, died 1996.
Cecil Blackwood, age 66, " Blackwood Brothers," died in Memphis in 2000.
Garth Brooks released "Scarecrow," 2001.
Hoyt Axton's "Gold" Collectables album was released 2001.
Ray Harris died 2003.
Nashville police arrested Wynonna Judd on a DUI charge 2003. Her blood alcohol
level was more than twice the legal limit.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock
Stringbean finished hooking up his Overall galluses over his slender shoulders,
and smoothing his denim shirt collar down. Picking up his beloved banjo case and
his clothes bag of the long shirted-short legged stage outfit that he had used
for so many years, entertaining folks the World over, he stepped out of the old
dressing room at the Ryman Auditorium, walked over to his wife Estelle and said,
"Let's go to the house, woman." The two lovers walked out to their car, loaded
up String's bag and case and Estelle got behind the wheel to drive them home.
String did not drive and Estelle gladly took him wherever his music and comedy
was needed.
Estelle drove their brand new Cadillac through Goodlettsville and on out to the
rural area North of town where she and String had lived for so many years.
Turning up their long driveway, and stopping to let String out at the house so
he could carry his things into their home, Estelle then headed on down to put
the car away.
String stepped into the darkened house, banjo case in one hand, clothes bag over
the other shoulder, and was reaching for the light switch when John Brown put a
pistol to String's head and pulled the trigger, forever ending the life of this
good and gentle man of music. Estelle, who was just getting out of the car,
heard the shot and screamed, "String!!!!!!" and started running...John Brown
turned and ran out the door of the cabin....caught this precious woman as she
tried to get away...knocked her to the ground and shot her in the back of the
head...as cold and dispassionate as the murdering Bastard that he is. John Brown
and his cousin Doug Brown, then finished ransacking the cabin and searching
String's overalls for the money they believed was hidden there.
The Browns were later captured and both sentenced to Life In Prison...198 years
apiece. Doug Brown died in Prison a few years later. John Brown kept asking for
Parole.
Several days ago and now 40 years later...John Brown, this mad dog killer of two
of the finest people that ever lived...."Stringbean" David Akeman and Estelle
Akeman...walked out of the Tennessee Prison...paroled by the Tennessee Parole
Board.
John Brown cried at the Parole hearing and said he was "Sorry".
The hills around the old Akeman farm still echoes the scream, that was the last
word that Estelle ever said....."STRING!!!!!" And the family of Classic Country
Music cries...and does not forget.
Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
^^^^^^^^^
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to
repent.
Luke 15:7 (NIV)
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