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
Friday October 28th, 2011
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
According to Ray Pennington, Waylon Jennings' 1974 hit, "I'm A Ramblin Man," started out like "back porch blues."
Pennington commented, "I tried to put in as many cities in the song as I could—Virginia was always a favorite, but I also loved Chicago and at that time, I was living in Cincinnati.
I later changed the arrangement and recorded it myself for Capitol Records and it peaked at # 29. In the meantime, Waylon Jennings had heard the song and liked it and there for several years--every time I ran into him--he would mention that song and tell me that he was going to record it someday. And he did—on February 8th, 1974 at RCA Studio."
Waylon Jennings' "I'm A Ramblin' Man" entered the country music charts August 10th, 1974 and was at the top of the charts the week of September 28th.
It was his 33rd charted song and his 2nd number one. The single was on the charts for 13 weeks.
It also scored a # 75 on the pop music 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 features, "Classic Country First" and "Story Behind The Song" are now available to radio stations.
Both features are available at no charge.
For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION: I heard that Loretta Lynn was seriously ill. Is that true?
ANSWER: Loretta was recently sidelined with pneumonia but is now home and okay.
QUESTION: My favorite country song is "I've Never Been So Loved" by Charley Pride. Do you know who wrote that song?
ANSWER: Charley's 1981 # one was written by Norro Wilson and Waylon Holyfield.
QUESTION: Do you know what has happened to Boxcar Willie? I'm sure that wasn't his real name and do you know what it is?
ANSWER: Boxcar Willie was born Lecil Martin. He died in 1999.
QUESTION: Years ago, George Jones had a duet record in a song, "Waltz Of The Angels." Was the girl singer on that record Dolly Parton?
ANSWER: Waltz Of The Angels" was a # 11 hit in 1962 for George Jones and Margie Singleton.
QUESTION: Is there any way to check this out? Our neighbor thinks he once lived next door to Ray Stevens. His neighbor's last name was Stevens and their young son was always singing and into something in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
ANSWER: Ray Stevens was born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Georgia.
QUESTION: I know Buck Owens had a big hit on "Act Naturally." Didn't someone else also have a hit with that song?
ANSWER: "Act Naturally" has been recorded dozens of times but the only versions to make the charts were Buck's in 1963 and his duet with Ringo Starr in 1989.
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Letters from subscribers:
Dear Sir:
I am quite fed up with your attitude towards your subscribers! I don't understand the attitude of : if we don't like what you do—then just unsubscribe! I would think you could be nicer to your subscribers.
John in Virginia
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Dear John in Virginia:
I do all the work and pay all the expenses in producing this newsletter and I give it to you
for F R E E ! How much nice do you expect? So ONE MORE TIME—if there's anything you don't like about the newsletter – then unsubscribe !
DD
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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:
1944
Smoke on the Water - Red Foley
1952
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) - Hank Williams
1960
Alabam - Cowboy Copas
1968
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye - Eddy Arnold
1976
You and Me - Tammy Wynette
1984
If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band) -
Alabama
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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY.
By: Jack Blanchard
There was a hurricane in the Florida Keys
a couple of years before we played at The Key Colony Beach Resort.
They showed us photos of the flooded restaurant.
There were big fish, like tarpon, and the grand piano was floating upside-down.
A woman we knew sat out the storm on top of her rocking refrigerator
holding her parrot above the water.
It's hard to explain to a non-musician that if it looks like you're just listening to music,
you could in fact be stealing a song.
A couple, musician friends of ours, got addicted to pain medications.
Their grown kids turned against them, and they were depressed.
They called to tell us they were committing double suicide with pills.
I told them that if they didn't call me every 10 minutes all night
that I would immediately call 911. That stopped them.
I mention this in case it might help somebody in a similar situation.
My grandfather, Clair Blanchard, lost his leg above the knee when he was in his sixties,
and was asked by the V.A, to visit hospitals
and show young amputee veterans how to learn to walk with an artificial leg and knee.
I wasn't raised watching The Dukes Of Hazard, Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.
I grew up staring at the radio.
My sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
We once bought a trailer on payments in Key West.
It came with a free chain link fence so we couldn't take off with it.
Misty started feeding a stray dog... the biggest meanest pit bull I've ever seen!
They became friends, but he wouldn't let me in or out of my own home!
I was a prisoner of love.
ON THE ROAD: In Millville, Pennsylvania:
An elderly dwarf, who called himself "Shorty" jumped up and down in front of the stage,
ordering the audience to "Shut up!" and "Stand back, there!"
He had no official capacity, but nobody knew that. He kept it up throughout our show.
You could look into Shorty's eyes and see that nobody was driving.
Television gives us too much sensory information.
Radio and written word leave a lot for our brains to fill in.
They exercise our minds.
Once we were booked into a show lounge that was connected to a bowling alley.
I was on a wild cherry cough drop kick that year.
Between sets I went in and asked the shoe-rental guy if he had wild cherry coughdrops.
He said yes. I said "Are they really wild?"
And he said "We can hardly keep them in the box."
We love San Francisco. We were there for a CBS convention.
The only things that bothered me were the little Chinese grocery stores
with all the small corpses hanging in the windows.
They were trying to pass for chickens, but I thought I saw Frisbee in one's mouth.
At a certain age you have to move to Florida. It's the law.
We get to Nashville a couple of times a year.
I keep Nashville as our Facebook address because that's where most of our friends are.
We don't know that many people in Central Florida anymore.
I had a friend named Ed, an ex-fighter pilot, who lived up in the Catskills.
Years had passed since we talked, except on the phone.
His daughter notified me when he passed away.
In the hospital he demanded "Hand me that damn sherbet!"
Those turned out to be his last words.
She had refused him the dessert because he wasn't supposed to have it.
There's a lesson in there somewhere.
Thought for the today:
Life is no rehearsal. This is it... today... this minute.
Look at it. Smell it. Feel it. Listen to it. Live it.
It's all we really have.
Jack Blanchard
The Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan Home Page: http://jackandmisty.com
Restoration and mastering studio: 407 330 1611.
CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jackmisty
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
compiled by Bill Morrison
William A. Bolick, "Blue Sky Boys," born Hickory, NC 1917.
Iry Lejeune, singer/accordionist born Church Point, LA 1928.
Mitchell Torok, singer/songwriter/recording artist, born Houston, TX 1929.
The Delmore Brothers conducted their first recording session 1931.
Johnny Western singer/songwriter, one of the last singing cowboys, born Two Harbors, MN 1934.
Cecil Blackwood "Blackwood Brothers" born Ackerman, MS 1934.
Charlie Daniels, born Wilmington, NC 1936.
Ted Hawkins singer/songwriter, born Lakeshore, MS 1936.
Bill Monroe Joined the Opry 1939.
Bill Monroe recorded his single "Christmas Time's A Comin'," 1951.
Elvis' "Love Me Tender" went to #1 on Billboards chart 1956. Later in the day he appeared on the Ed Sullivan TV show.
Buddy Holly and the Crickets appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand 1958.
Brenda Lee recorded "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" at Owen Bradley's Quonset Hut studio in 1958. The session musicians were; Buddy Harmon on drums, Grady Martin and Hank Garland on guitar, Floyd Cramer on Piano, Bob Moore on stand-up bass, and Harold Bradley on electric bass.
Brad Paisley, Grand Ole Opry member, born Glen Dale, WV 1972.
Jimmy Skinner, age 70, died 1979.
Marie Osmond married Brian Blosil 1986.
Mel Foree, songwriter for Acuff Rose Publishing, died 1990.
Tracy Lawrence released his debut album "Sticks and Stones" 1991.
Courtesy Bill Morrison: http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html
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In response to many requests, YES I am on Facebook and you are welcome to become a friend—UNLESS you are one of those that posts photos of your grandkids or your pet cat every other day. I don't have the time or interest for that. SO—if that's what you do on Facebook.. just forget me !
I'm the Doug Davis with the photos of the guitars.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
THE PEACE PRAYER
Lord make me an instrument of Your Peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much see to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
St. Francis of Assisi
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