Thursday November 4th, 2010 C O U N T R Y M U S I C C L A S S I C S

 

 

C O U N T R Y    M U S I C    C L A S S I C S

 

 

Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/

Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer 

 

Thursday  November 4th, 2010

 

 

 

                     CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT   www.countrymusicclassics.com

 

 

                           

                                     STORY   BEHIND   THE   SONG

 

 

Most singers wait all their lives for a number one record - but Charlie Rich only waited 39 years.

 

Rich said he didn't think about wishing for a number one record for a birthday present-but he got one just the same. He was born December 14th, 1932 in Colt, Arkansas and on December 15th, 1973-his Epic Records single, "The Most Beautiful Girl," made it to the top of the pop music charts-and stuck there for two weeks. While still a youngster- Rich developed a love for singing blues and gospel songs and playing jazz piano. He joined the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950's and returned to the family farm after his discharge.

 

According to Rich, "Although I was playing weekend gigs-l just didn't think I could make a living making music-although I always thought how nice it would be if somehow I could. But I had a family to support and had to think about security. I just didn't see any way for it to work out to make a living in music."

 

And things might not have worked out if his wife, Margaret Ann, had not mailed a tape of Charlie's songs to Bill Justis.  Justis had just scored a hit record with a song titled "Raunchy." He liked what he heard on the tape and introduced Charlie to Sun Records owner Sam Phillips. Phillips told Rich that he had talent but he should be singing rock and roll music and sent him home with some Jerry Lee Lewis records. Phillips told Rich to come back when he could perform rock and roll music. Charlie did come back and did perform rock and roll music-scoring a # 22 hit with "Lonely Weekends" in May 1960. During the early 60's, he recorded for RCA Victor's sub label-Groove Records-but with no success.

 

But in 1965 he signed with Mercury Records and scored a #21 hit with "Mohair Sam." He then recorded an album of country ballads for Hi Records. In the late 60's producer Billy Sherrill signed him to Epic Records- which began a long string of chart singles which began with "Set Me Free" in 1968. "Behind Closed Doors" became his first number one single and was also named the CMA Single of The Year in 1973. "The Most Beautiful Girl" was his second number one single-entering the country music charts September 22nd, 1973-made it to number one and hung there for three weeks. It was on the country charts for 18 weeks. The single entered the pop music charts at # 83 on September 29th, 1973 and eleven weeks later, was in the top slot. The song was written by Norro Wilson, Rory Burke and Billy Sherrill and began from two lines that Burke had written: "I woke up this morning/Realized what I had done," which he said came to him after he woke up following a night out on the town.

 

Wilson attempted to come up with a physical description of the girl that the jilted guy was looking for but decided that such a description would limit the appeal of the song. They finally hit on the idea that every guy has the most beautiful girl -no matter who she is—she's the most beautiful girl in the world to somebody! According to the three writers-parts of two other songs- "Hey Mister" and "Mama McCluskey," were combined and the titled was changed to "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World."

 

Charlie Rich was one of those entertainers who had a hard time dealing with success-

and like many others-turned to the bottle for relief.

 

He left Epic Records and joined Elektra Records-but for the most part-his days of hit

records were over.

.

Charlie Rich died of a blood clot on the lung on July 25th, 1995. He was 62 years old.

 

 

 

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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 features, “Classic Country First” and “Story Behind The Song” are now available to radio stations.

Both features are available  at  no charge  thru  barter.

For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com

 

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                                  QUESTIONS    AND    ANSWERS

 

QUESTION:  I know that Charlie Louvin is very sick—but never did hear what was wrong with him. Do you know and how is he doing?

ANSWER:   Louvin has been  diagnosed with stage two pancreatic cancer and has undergone a  complex, six-hour surgery which  was unsuccessful. Charlie is now pursuing alternate treatment methods.

QUESTION:  Do you have any information concerning a Judds TV show? My daughter heard about it.

ANSWER:     The Judds  will be featured in a new reality show "The Judds," being developed for Oprah Winfrey's OWN channel and will give viewers a behind the scenes look as Naomi and Wynonna Judd prepare for "The Last Encore" tour."  The show is expected to debut on OWN next year.

QUESTION:   The radio d.j. mentioned a new Gatlin Brothers Christmas Show. Where and when is that?

ANSWER:      Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers have kicked off their five-week holiday engagement at The Mansion Theatre in Branson, Missouri.  The brothers are teaming up with Debby Boone for  31 shows, titled   "Christmas with The Gatlin Brothers & Debby Boone" which will continue through December 4th. 

 

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“Country Music Classics”  is made possible only by donations from subscribers like you. If you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please support us by sending a check payable to “Country Music Classics”  for any amount to:

Doug Davis—Country Music Classics—3702 Pleasant Grove Road-Texarkana, Texas 75503.  Or use   PAYPAL  ( http://www.paypal.com ) and donate (via your account or their secure credit card site) directly thru our email address (classics@countrymusicclassics.com). Thank you.

 

If you wish to make a contribution but do not have a Pay Pal account, you may use any major credit card and donate thru our secure Pro Pay account.

 

 

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QUESTION:    I heard the radio folks talking about an anniversary of Johnny Cash’s “picking flowers.” What is that about?

ANSWER:       On November 3^rd, 2007, Johnny Cash received an official pardon from authorities in Starkville, Mississippi, who formally forgave him for allegedly picking flowers in someone's yard after a show.  Cash was arrested in the 1965 incident and spent the night in jail, which inspired his song "Starkville City Jail."  Starkville's mayor gave the country legend his posthumous pardon at the 1st annual Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival."

QUESTION:     I found an old 45 rpm record about “Rosie Cries A Lot.” It sounds like Ferlin Husky. Did he record such a song?

ANSWER:       “Rosie Cries A Lot” made it to # 17 for Ferlin husky in 1973.

QUESTION:     I was traveling through West Texas a few days ago and they played a song titled “High As The Mountains” on the radio and said it was by Buck Owens. I’d never heard it before. Was it a hit and if so when?

ANSWER:        “High As The Mountains” scored at # 27 on the charts in 1961. It was the flipside of Buck’s “Foolin’ Around.”

 

 

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Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are welcome. Email to:Classics@countrymusicclassics.com

 

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NUMBER  ONE  ON  THIS  DATE:

 

November 4

1951
Slow Poke - Pee Wee King

1959
The Three Bells - The Browns

1967
You Mean the World to Me - David Houston

1975
(Turn Out the Lights And) Love Me Tonight - Don Williams

1983
Islands in the Stream - Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton

1991
Anymore - Travis Tritt

 

 

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PICTURE AT A RAILROAD STATION

       By: Jack Blanchard

 

 

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Jack Blanchard's MUSIC HOSPITAL can make your old records sound new,

and your new recordings sound better.

Contact Jack Blanchard's MUSIC HOSPITAL restoration & mastering studio.

 

Email: musichospital@jackandmisty.com

Telephone: 407 330 1611.

 

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The cavernous old Railroad Station was dimly lit,
or seems that way in my memory.
My parents, my sisters, and I headed toward the big doors
that led to the platform where the trains chugged and waited.
It was the end of an era.
One of us wasn't coming back...ever.

We had never been your average family.
My mother had been an artist and a model.
My father was a flamboyant jack-of-all-trades:
A stock broker at times, head of an independent oil company,
owner of a gambling ship that never sailed, a mortgage broker,
an aviator and author of a course on aeronautics.
He was a party thrower and the life of every one,
and he made every holiday a festival.

He was rich one year and broke the next.
As a young man he was a boxer and a daredevil.
During World War Two he was drafted to be General Manager of the Bell Aircraft plant,
at the same time there were rumors of his involvement in the black market.

I came home from school one afternoon and couldn't get the front door open.
It was stuck against silver fox furs.
The whole house was knee deep in them.
I don't know where he got them, but I wasn't too surprised.
We all knew him, and were ready for anything.

There was a distinguished couple in the living room browsing through the pelts.
They were a New York State Supreme Court Justice and his wife.
My dad always started at the top.

He was brilliant in an off-beat way, and an adventure as a father.
Then he got sick.
His disease had symptoms similar to Alzheimer's,
and the smart, witty man of the world became like a child.
He couldn't work. He tried.

My mother submitted a resume for him,
and got him a job on his track record as a mechanical engineer.
She dressed him in a suit and tie and took him to the job.
He called a few hours later to be picked up.
He had ordered his crew to put way too much pressure on a ship's drive shaft,
and blew it through the factory roof.

The family was broke and had to split up.
My father was to live with his sister in Ohio "just until things get better".
The rest of us were to sell all the furniture and belongings,
and move in with my mother's parents in Florida.

Certain memories stick in my mind like clear snapshots
and never go away.
One of those is the night at the railroad station
when we kissed my father goodbye,
and lied to each other that it was just temporary.

I remember pushing through giant swinging doors that led to the train platform.
The steam from the idling engine puffed out across my knees.
The ceiling was dark and high with sooty light bulbs in it.
And that's all I remember. The rest is gone.

I do recall seeing him one more time several years later.
I was hitchhiking from Florida or somewhere
and I stopped in Miamisburg to see how he was.
He opened the door, and after a minute he recognized me.
I didn't think he would.
He grabbed me in his strong arms and hugged tight.
One moment in time again... like a photo... and everything after is blank.

I don't have any memory of hearing of his death or a funeral.
I have a thing about funerals.
People tell me I was there but I have no memories of them.

All in all, he was the tailor made father for me.
We had so many good times,
it's funny that this railroad station picture surfaces so often.

Jack Blanchard        

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan...

Grammy Nominees. 

Billboard's Country Duet of the Year.

ASCAP and BMI Awards.

HOME PAGE: http://jackandmisty.com

 

 

 

 

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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY

                           compiled by Bill Morrison

 

Kirk McGee born Williamson County TN 1899.

 

Will Rogers gave his debut performance at the Ryman Auditorium 1925.

 

Delbert McClinton born Lubbock, TX 1940.

 

Alan Munde of the Country Gazette, born Norman, OK 1946.

 

Van Stephenson, "BlackHawk," born Hamilton, OH 1953.

 

Roy Acuff, and Kitty Wells, took the first country music show to New York's "Broadway," in 1955. The show played for one week.

 

Kim Forester of "The Forester Sisters," born Oglethorpe, GA 1960.

 

The movie, "Your Cheatin' Heart," premiered in Montgomery, AL 1964.

 

Barbara Mandrell's "Sleeping Single In A Double Bed," became her first #1 in 1974.

 

Audrey Williams, age 52, died in Nashville, TN 1975.

 

Hank Williams Jr., appeared at Carnegie Hall 1981.

 

Sandy Brooks called Garth, prior to a show in Cape Girardeau, Mo. in 1989. She told him to come home immediately and straighten out their marriage, or she was leaving. Garth did not finish the show.

 

HMG released Jackie Lee Cochran's album "Rockabilly Music" 1997.

 

The NSHF, inducted Dean Dillon, and Shel Silverstein, in 2002.

 

Johnny Cash released his album "The Man Comes Around" and traveled with June to their home in Jamaica 2002.

 

Dale Noe, age 76, songwriter, guitarist, died Phoenix, AZ 2004.

 

Courtesy Bill Morrison: http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html

 

 

 

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 

WITHOUT A DOUBT

 

Some say there are no miracles, but why the skies of blue?

And why the clouds of puffy white? And what of morning dew?

 

To picture birds on April day, of child with kite in hand;

Or tot who shrieks in merriment while playing in the sand…

 

Or mother holding firstborn so that everyone can see,

As father beams from ear to ear as pleased as punch is he;

 

Or times when sun comes rising up, or sets in western skies;

These, my friends, are miracles…Right before your eyes.

 

Without a doubt I could go on, extolling many things;

For I believe His miracles – and the joy He brings.

 

                Henry W. Gurley

 

 

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