COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday March 17th, 2016
Email: djdclassics@gmail.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Very few songwriters find immediate success after deciding to get into the
writing process and Jeff Crossan is a perfect example.
He was already known in music circles after writing the "Star Tracks"
syndicated radio show and had tried to break into the Nashville songwriting
market but had to work on it for several years before being able to do so.
Crossan reportedly always carried a notebook and one day found a line he had
written down and forgotten about – "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation." So he
wrote the song and played "Bad Reputation" for John Conlee's record producer who
thought the song was a hit but that it was not a song for Conlee. He later
played the song for Ronnie McDowell who liked it and recorded it for his
"Personally" album. It was later released as a single.
Ronnie McDowell's Epic Records single "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation" came
on the charts on June 11th, 1983 and was at the top of the charts on August
27th.
The track was produced by Buddy Killen and was McDowell's 20th charted song.
It was on the charts for 22 weeks.
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MORE STORAGE ROOM FINDS:
Two copies – 1976 and 1969 "Grand Ole Opry History Picture Books" - information
and all color photos of Opry members for each year - PLUS - 19 issues of
"Country Weekly Magazine" from the 1990's. All for $50 and I'll pay shipping.
PayPal – Check OR Money Order. If interested - reply to:
djdclassics@gmail.com
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I heard that Dolly Parton is getting married. I thought she was already
married!
A: Dolly has been and still is married. She and husband Carl Dean plan to
repeat their wedding vows to celebrate their 50th anniversary - coming up in
May.
Q: The radio folks said that Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White are going to tour
together. Do you know when?
A: Ricky and Sharon will team up with Ry Cooder for a "Songs For The Good
People" tour to begin March 30th in Savannah, Georgia and end in Tarrytown, New
York on April 17th.
Q: My daughter says she heard on the radio that Restless Heart is recording
Glen Campbell songs. Do you have any information?
A: Restless Heart has released their version of "Wichita Lineman" to honor
Glen Campbell. It's their first new release in three years on the song that
scored a hit for Campbell in 1968
Q: I have been a Flatt & Scruggs fan for many years and have always wondered
why they split up. Do you know?
A: Lester & Earl launched their act in 1948 and parted ways in 1969 due to
differing opinions concerning the future of their music: Flatt reportedly wanted
to remain true to their bluegrass roots, and Scruggs preferred to follow more
mainstream sounds. Following their split, Flatt formed a bluegrass band,
Nashville Grass, while Scruggs formed the contemporary-sounding Earl Scruggs
Revue.
Q: I read something about a "record store day." What is that?
A: According to the event website - Record Store Day is "a day for the people
who make up the world of the record store — the staff, the customers, and the
artists — to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store
and the special role these independently owned stores play in their
communities." Several new projects are planned for Record Store Day release -
including Emmylou Harris' deluxe edition of her "Wrecking Ball" album, pressed
on three 180-gram black vinyl discs, two Johnny Cash LPs — "All Aboard the Blue
Train With Johnny Cash" and "The Best of The Johnny Cash Show" — as well as an
Elvis Presley project, "I'm Leaving: Elvis Folk-Country," plus a single from
Willie Nelson.
Q: My brother says someone on the radio said that Willie Nelson was now
recording jazz. Do you know anything about that?
A: Willie's new project, "Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin," was
released February 26th and debuted atop the Top Current Jazz and Top
Traditional Jazz charts.
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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 at no
charge.
For information, email me at djdclassics@gmail.com
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NUMBER ONES ON THIS DATE
1948
I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms) - Eddy Arnold
1956
Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
1964
Saginaw, Michigan - Lefty Frizzell
1972
My Hang-Up is You - Freddie Hart
1980
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson
1988
Too Gone Too Long - Randy Travis
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Dick Curless - country singer and a pioneer of the trucking music genre,
commonly known as the "Baron of Country Music" was born on this day in 1932 in
Fort Fairfield, Maine. He was easily distinguished because of the patch he
usually wore over his right eye. In 1965, Curless recorded one of the biggest
hits, "A Tombstone Every Mile," which cracked the top-5 on the Billboard country
charts and propelled him to national fame. He died on May 25th 1995.
Susan Allanson was born on this day in 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. American
country music singer and actress who scored the 1978 hit "We Belong Together."
Paul Overstreet was born on this day in 1955 in Newton, Mississippi. He charted
two #1 hits. He has also written singles for several other country acts,
including #1 hits for Randy Travis, Blake Shelton, and Keith Whitley, as well as
hits for The Judds and Kenny Chesney.
This day in 1969 - Glen Campbell was at #1 on the US country album chart with
his 12th album Wichita Lineman, which spent 46 weeks on the chart. The Jimmy
Webb penned title track came while driving through Washita County in rural
southwestern Oklahoma. Heading westward on a straight road into the setting sun,
Webb drove past a seemingly endless line of telephone poles, each looking
exactly the same as the last. Then, in the distance, he noticed the silhouette
of a solitary lineman atop a pole.
Eric Weissberg was at #1 on the country album chart with Dueling Banjo this day
in 1973. The song "Dueling Banjos" was composed in 1955 by Arthur "Guitar
Boogie" Smith as a banjo instrumental called "Feudin' Banjos", which contained
riffs from "Yankee Doodle". The version by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell went
to #2 for four weeks on the Hot 100 in 1973. The song was made famous by the
1972 film Deliverance, which also led to a successful lawsuit by the song's
composer, as it was used in the film without his permission.
Ferlin Husky died on this date in 2011. Ferlin made the Billboard Top 40 twice
with "Gone" (#4 in 1957) and "Wings of a Dove" (#12 in 1960), and died of heart
related problems at the age of 85. He scored two dozen Top 20 hits in the
Billboard country charts between 1953 and 1975.Bottom of Form
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EDDIE SIMMONS.
By: Jack Blanchard
When I first got to Miami
I answered some help-wanted ads for piano players.
One was at The Sportsman's Lodge,
a restaurant and lounge that sat in the driveway of The Hollywood Dog Track.
I auditioned for a man in his fifties named Eddie Simmons.
I thought he was the owner because he had an air of authority.
He was small, wiry, and bald, except for a fringe of dark hair.
His long nose pointed straight out like Pinocchio or Cyrano,
but his Sean Connery eyes nailed you to the wall.
There was also a little of Emmett Kelly the sad clown about him.
It turned out that Eddie was the singer and drummer
who would work as a duo with me.
He had one of the greatest voices I've ever heard...
the depth of Barry White, with Al Jolson's power.
He didn't need a mike.
When Eddy sang, he was an actor, drawing the crowd right in.
Everything Eddie Simmons did he did with a flair.
He'd come out from behind the drums, during a song
and sing personally to women in the crowd.
It would have been corny if I had done it, but Eddie had the touch.
One week the chef was out sick and Eddie cooked for the whole place,
making it look easy.
I saw him take a head of lettuce, slam it down on the counter,
and then drop into a pot of cold water.
The core fell right out and the lettuce opened like a flower.
He'd switch from the chef's apron and hat to a waiter's jacket,
and glide out from the kitchen with heavy laden trays of food held high,
and serve it with a flourish, a smile, and a bow... like a magician.
Eddie had problems, but he didn't let the public know it.
One was alcohol and the other: women.
He married a nice lady named Betty
who got pregnant and stayed that way for over ten months.
The last few months she looked like the Queen Mary.
A doctor finally told her it was a false pregnancy",
and she immediately deflated.
It was all in her mind.
She left Eddie for a Norwegian sea captain
who had landed at Port Everglades and retired to Florida.
Eddie did what alcoholics do, but his singing was still genius,
especially the blues.
The last I saw of Eddie he was going with a lady alcoholic.
It was sad to see them drinking their lives away.
Eddie Simmons was a star the world lost before he was found.
I wish you could have heard him sing "When It's Sleepy Time Down South".
Jack Blanchard
http://jackandmisty.net
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VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock
Well, this beautiful Spring day in Middle Tennessee is another fixer-upper day
following the same focus of yesterday. My old-age warning buzzer went off and
shocked me into doing service and repair to all my tools and vehicles. Early
this morning we took the RV in to have in de-winterized and serviced, and now it
is the John; Deere Tractors turn to have some work done with the Mobile John
Deere Service man coming out to tend to it. I put two new tires on Denise's
flower garden wheel barrow yesterday greased and oiled some other labor
devices…until the thunderstorms yesterday got so bad I had to quit.
Not a cloud in sight today, however, as I continue my check-list of duties. I
may be slowed down…but I ain't in the junk pile yet. In fact, since my back
surgery last September I feel better than I have in years. I also have lost 26
pounds since then and it sure makes it easier when you are lighter and not
hurting all the time. Old age ain't for sissies…but us Country Folks are a tough
breed. I get my work done I can do more fishing.
Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the
message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was
delivered from the lion's mouth.
– 2 Timothy 4:17 (NIV)
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