Thursday May 26th COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS

COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS

Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer

Thursday May 26th, 2016

Email: djdclassics@gmail.com


STORY BEHIND THE SONG

Some songs have become hit records in spite of a record producer or someone
involved with the recording not liking the song or the arrangement or the
recording. Red

Foley's 1949 hit "Tennessee Border" was just such a song.
In 1947 - Owen Bradley was hired by Paul Cohen to lead the Nashville recording
sessions for Decca Records.
According to Bradley, "Red Foley was a great singer but he had trouble keeping
time. So I had to help him with that during his sessions. When I was asked to
do a

session with Red on a song titled "Tennessee Border," Paul Cohen knew I played
organ and told me to use the organ on the recording. I didn't like the organ
idea

because I thought it might damage Red's career but Paul insisted. So we recorded
the song with the organ and sent the tape to New York. After hearing the tape
– the

New York executives weren't satisfied and said the organ needed to be louder and
to record it again. So we re-recorded the song with the organ louder and that
was what

Decca released."
Red Foley's Decca Record single "Tennessee Border" came on the country charts
April 2nd, 1943 and peaked at number three. It was Foley's 15th charted song and
was

on the charts for 21 weeks. The song was the flipside of "Candy Kisses," which
made it to number four.

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MORE BOOKS FROM THE STORE ROOM:
72 page 6 x 10 &1/2 color "Women Of Country" – struggles of female country
artists from early days to present – lots of photos - PLUS: 72 page 6 x 10&1/2
"COUNTRY" –

development of country's many diverse styles –lots of photos – PLUS: 64 page 6 x
10&1/2 "Bluegrass" – detailed examination of the development of bluegrass music
–

lots of photos – PLUS: 64 page "Western Swing" – detailed look at the artists
who started western swing music – lots of photos – PLUS: 326 page hardback "Go
Cat Go"

– overview of rock-a-billy music – from its start with Elvis Presley's first
single in 1954 thru its fadeout at the end of the 50's and its revival in the
70's – six pages of

photos – PLUS: 173 page paperback "I Hope You're Living As High On The Hog As
The Pig You Turned Out To Be" – an entertaining look at the life and career of

"Whispering" Bill Anderson – lots of photos – PLUS: 392 page hardback "Singing
In The Saddle" written by Riders In The Skys' Ranger Doug (Douglas Green) –
history of

the singing cowboy from the early radio days thru the western movie days thru
the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry era – how it all happened and who it all happened
to – lots

of photos – All SEVEN books for $60 and I'll pay shipping. PayPal – Check or
Money Order – reply to djdclassics@gmail.com

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: Do you have any information about a Martina McBride tour for cancer? My
mom said it was on the TV news.
A: Country star Martina McBride and Sarah Cannon are teaming up for the Sarah
Cannon Tour concert series to support their joint venture "Band Against
Cancer" with
stops in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Denver and Nashville. Proceeds will
benefit the Sarah Cannon Fund at Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Be the Match
(operated
by the National Marrow Donor Program). The organizations provide assistance to
families fighting blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple
myeloma.

Q: I heard that Randy Travis is in a new movie. Do you have any information?
A: Randy Travis and his wife Mary star in a forthcoming new movie, "The
Price." Travis plays Roy Taggert, a country music legend who attempts to make
amends with a
son he never knew, Jonah Anderson who is an aspiring musician and longtime fan
of his absent father. Travis' real-life wife, Mary Davis, plays Anderson's mom
in the
movie. "The Price" is set for release to DVD and Netflix on June 15th.

Q: My daughter says she heard Merle Haggard's fishing boat mentioned on the
radio. Do you know what that might have been?
A: A 1980s Ranger boat formerly owned by Haggard now belongs to his son Ben.

Q: Do you know anything about Willie Nelson involved with something with
President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter? The radio guys mentioned it.
A: During Willie's May 20th concert at Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta,
Georgia, he was joined onstage by former president Jimmy Carter and his wife
Rosalynn.
The three, along with Kris Kristofferson and Nelson's band, led the crowd in a
rendition of "Amazing Grace."

Q: The old song "I Ain't Never" is still my all-time favorite. Do you know who
wrote that song?
A: The Webb Pierce 1959 hit was written by Pierce and Mel Tillis

Q: A friend of mine insists that Tammy Wynette recorded with Wayne Newton. I
have never heard anything about that. Is it true?
A: "While The Feeling's Good" was a 1963 number 89 hit for Newton and Wynette.

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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

1946
New Spanish Two Step - Bob Wills

1954
I Really Don't Want to Know - Eddy Arnold

1962
She Thinks I Still Care - George Jones

1970
My Love - Sonny James

1978
She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed (Anytime) - Johnny Duncan

1986
Tomb of the Unknown Love -Kenny Rogers

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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Courtesy: Bill Morrison
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalendar.html>

1933 - James Charles "Jimmie" Rodgers 1897~1933, age 35, died in his Hotel room
in New York City. Jimmie was known as "The Singing Brakeman," and became the
first

person to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1961).

1934 - Ernest Tubb and Elaine Cook were married in 1934, at the home of Jewell
Adams, Ernest's oldest sister. Elaine was a singer and made some personal
appearances

with E.T., but after the children Violet, and Justin were born Elaine retired to
the life of a homemaker and mother.

1936 - The Light Crust Doughboys recorded "My Buddy."

1944 - Gates Nichols member of "Confederate Railroad," was born in New York
City.

1946 - Bob Wills topped the charts with "New Spanish Two Step."

1946 - Liz Anderson a.k.a. Elizabeth Jane Haaby age 16, married Casey Anderson.

1949 - Randall "Hank" Williams was born to Hank and Audrey Williams, in
Shreveport, Louisiana. Sixteen days later Hank became a member of the Grand Ole
Opry. Audrey

Williams filed for divorce from Hank in April 1948. The divorce was granted, but
the couple got back together again and after Hank Jr. was born Audrey filed to
have the

divorce annulled. The Court annulled the divorce on August 9, 1949. Audrey would
file for divorce again in 1952, and by 1953 Hank was a memory.

1951 - Lefty Frizzell's Columbia recording "I Want To Be With You Always" became
his third #1 hit. Lefty co-wrote the song with Jim Beck.

1954 - Eddy Arnold's "I Really Don't Want To Know" was #1.

1956 - Ray Price's Columbia single "Crazy Arms" hit the Country chart today.
Ralph Mooney and Chuck Seals wrote the song, and it remained on the charts for
45 weeks.

Twenty of those weeks were spent in the #1 position. This was the "Cherokee
Cowboy's" first #1 single, and is now a Grammy Hall of Fame song. Ray joined the
Grand

Ole Opry cast in 1952, and at that point in time was one of Hank Williams best
friends.

1958 - Patsy Cline released "Let The Teardrops Fall."

1959 - Dave Robbins, of "BlackHawk" was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1962 - Willie Nelson debuted on the charts with "Touch Me."

1962 - George Jones' single "She Thinks I Still Care" topped the charts.

1971 - Keith Gattis was born in Austin, Texas.

1973 - Jeanne Pruett's "Satin Sheets," went to #1.

1974 - Hoke Rice, of "The Rice Brothers" died at age 75.

1984 - Onie Wheeler, age 62, died on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, during Jimmie
Snow's "Grand Ole Gospel Show," in Nashville.

1984 - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 's "Long Hard Road" charted, and climbed to
#1.

1986 - Kenny Rogers topped the charts with "Tomb Of The Unknown Love."

1990 - Vince Gill's "When I Call Your Name," charted.

1999 - Hank Williams Jr. celebrated his 50th birthday today…and that is one of
the greatest mysteries you will find in this calendar. I met Junior back stage
at a concert in
Athens, on the campus of the University of Georgia, in 1973. I didn't think he
would live through that night. I guess God protects drunks and jerks too…Jerry
Lee has
lasted longer than Junior. Go figure.

2001 - Loretta Lynn opened a museum at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

Courtesy: <http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalendar.html>

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THE JUNCTION.
By: Jack Blanchard

A seldom used railroad track crossed Payne Avenue, North Tonawanda.
There was a tiny one room station that had once been a whistle-stop,
but had later become a small store, a diner,
and then an abandoned oddity,
leaving the area it's name, The Junction.

The corner was now a bus stop, and at it's busy time of the afternoon,
when workers were getting off buses after a day at the factories.

I was with my then girlfriend and another couple,
and there were maybe thirty or forty people moving around
when the golden UFOs soared to exactly over our heads and stopped.
The didn't slow down, they just stopped.
They didn't make a sound.

Everybody stared up at them, stunned.
Nobody was going to believe this, and yet, there they damn were.

The were three of them,
glowing chrome orange as if reflecting a sunset,
but there was no sunset.
They were not like any UFO pictures I've ever seen,
because they weren't horizontal like Frisbees.
They were vertical... upright on their edges.

They hung motionless for a couple of minutes.
Not a sound in the air.
Then they suddenly resumed their thousand mile per hour speed
till they were above the line of trees to the north,
then took a sharp right turn
and disappeared over the roofs and trees to the east.

People were excited about it for a week or two,
and then a strange human thing happened.
The ones who actually saw the phenomenon
began to doubt their own accounts,
and in time the talk stopped and it all just faded out of most memories.
Not mine.

I was determined to not forget.
Not ever.
I don't talk about it much
because people only believe in socially acceptable fantasies.

Almost two decades later
Misty and I were driving home from a gig at two in the morning.
It was a new road,
a by-pass that had just opened a day or two before,
and we we the only car on it.

As we approaches the western fence of the Opa Locka Air Field,
we saw a huge old plane coming in with no landing lights
and no runway lights.
Just the moon.

It seemed to be flying low over the road, facing us...
too low for comfort.
As we got closer the plane seemed to be standing still,
and we drove right up under it.

I said "What the hell?" and we got out and looked up.
It appeared to be a rusty Douglas DC-3 cargo plane
from World War Two,
just hanging there a hundred and fifty feet above us.
There was no sound whatsoever, not even crickets.
We took off fast.

Later I mentioned it at a family dinner.
My mother remarked
that The Opa Lock Air Field was where planes took off
that were lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

Jack Blanchard
http://jackandmisty.net

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VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock

As I sit here this morning, coffee'd up and perkin' along on this new
day…ruminatin' on things, as I usually do….
If you asked me, right now, what it is that I'm doin', I would simply
answer….reading my scars. Yep, that's right, reading my scars. Your body is an
almanac of how you have

treated it, all the years of your life. You don't get to where I'm at, in an
active lifestyle, without scars to remember.
I look down at my hands, on the keyboard of the laptop, pretty twisted and
knarled up now, but that is from heavy use. The scar on my left hand, between
the first and

middle finger….1955, standing on the Main Deck of my ship, USS Bryce Canyon
(AD36), Second Division Morning Muster. We are at Sea, between Hawaii and Japan.
A

new guy that had just come aboard the ship when we stopped at the Naval Base in
Honolulu, a real quiet, moody guy, who said nothing to nobody, as a rule…turned
to

me and said the only words I ever heard him say, "Hey, let me see your knife."
All sailors carry knives, in a leather scabbard on their belt, razor sharp, in
case you get a

rope wrapped around you or something and are about to get dragged overboard. I
reached down and unsnapped my blade, took it out and handed it to the guy. He

promptly began cutting on me. He let out a squall, and took a swipe at my face
with the blade…I threw up my left hand to block it, and the blade cut through
bone, gristle,

muscle and anything else that you happen to have between the fingers of your
hand . The blade hung in the bones of my hand and he let go of it, as some of
the other

guys grabbed him, wrestled him to the deck, and held him while he continued
screaming. Yeah, I know, I was kind surprised too…I reckon he just flipped out
and I was

handy. He was locked up in the brig 'til we got to Japan and then they shipped
him back to the States and a Medical Discharge. The result, for me, was that I
could never

make bar chords on my guitar. Didn't matter much cause I used a capo, tuned my
big E String down to dropped D, and kept on playing.
The Scar on my right eyebrow and forehead is from the metal window dividers on
the drivers side wing window, on my '39 Pontiac, holding my head out the window
to

see where I was going, in the pitch dark of night, playing hide and seek with
another carload of friends from High School…and getting found, at 20 miles per
hour, by

Bucky Goss in his Folks '49 Chevy. Bucky was 14, I was 15, neither one of us had
a driver's license, and it didn't matter now cause I no longer had an operating
car…the

'39 and the '49 were pretty well welded together. I got my head sewed up by the
Pleasant Hope Chiropractor, and after he got through I realized why he hadn't
tried to be a

brain surgeon. I looked like where they sewed Frankenstein together, only not as
handsome. That scar was 1951.
The Scar on my left shoulder came in 1956, I was home from the Navy on leave and
helping my dad string a new barbed wire fence. Dad liked to really string them
tight.

This time he tightened it a little to tight…it snapped like a fishing
line…except this line had really sharp barbs all in it. It whipped back and
sliced across my shoulder,

laying it open to the bone. But, to me it is a memory marker, a happy time in my
life when I was working with my dad. I treasure it.
The Scar on my back hip, from when the tractor turned over on the ice, back on
the farm, when I was in High Sfoool. When my dad picked the tractor up off of me
and I
crawled out before the gas that was leaking could ignite. Another dad memory,
from 1950.
The lumpy spot on my jaw, from a blunt instrument laid upside my jaw, in an
altercation on the road. Not a good memory marker. 1970.
The knot, still on my head, where the horse threw me, and I fell on a rock and
knocked all my brains out…which fit perfect for the rest of my life being a
starving musician.

1948.
So, yeah, I'm just sitting here, on the porch, having a little sweet tea and
visitin' my scars. Kinda like a book of memories, 'cept most of these hurt when
the memory was being made.

Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -

http://www.hitchcockcountry.com



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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his
seal of approval."


– John 6:27 (NIV)

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