COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
According to Cal Smith, working for Ernest Tubb was not easy at times--although it had been his boyhood dream to be a Texas Troubadour. And he did just that in December 1962. Cal stayed with Ernest until July 1968.
Cal stated "Ernest could be very critical--even downright mean-- when he had a few belts out of the bottle. He even fired me one night - - on the road -- while we were on tour - -just kicked me right off the bus. We had just left finished a concert somewhere in Virginia and Ernest had already a few nips and he started in on me about how I needed to work on my problems. When I told him I was not the one with the problem – and that he was the one with the problem, he told the driver to stop the bus…fired me and kicked me off! Of course – he re-hired me after we all got back to Nashville."
Cal placed 36 songs on the country music charts between 1967 and 1986, including three number ones. His first # one was Bill Anderson's "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking" but his other chart toppers were written by Don Wayne: "Country Bumpkin" which became the CMA Single Of The Year and "It's Time To Pay The Fiddler."
According to Don Wayne, "Cal Smith just seemed to connect with my songs. He just seemed to have the right voice and register for my songs. His voice and my songs just somehow seemed to fit."
In addition to the two number ones, Smith also recorded four other Don Wayne compositions: "She Talked A Lot About Texas," "MacArthur's Hand," "Woman Don't Try To Sing My Song," and "Rise And Fall Of The Roman Empire."
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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. (NOT AVAILABLE TO INTERNET STATIONS)
Both features are available at no charge.
For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Ricky Skaggs' "Crying My Heart Out Over You" is one of my favorites. I have heard that some other singer also had a hit on that song. Is that true?
A: "Crying My Heart Out Over You" scored a # 21 for Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs in 1962 before Skaggs' number one version in 1982.
Q: My cousin has a record by "Skip and Linda" on MDJ Records. Do you know who those people were and did they have any hits?
A: "Skip And Linda" were actually Skip Eaton and Linda Davis. The duo place three songs on the charts in the 1982, none of which made the top 50
Q: Mel Tillis had a quite popular record with a girl singer back in the early 80's about "Play Me Or Trade Me." Do you know the name of the girl singer?
A: The girl singer on that record was Nancy Sinatra
Q: Whatever happened to Ricky Van Shelton? He made some great records.
A: According to Ricky, he is retired from the music business.
Q: Do you know what happened to the guy who had the record about "Kay?" Does he still record?
A: "Kay" scored a top ten in 1968 for John Wesley Ryles. John is one of the busiest folks in Nashville, doing back-up harmony on record sessions. When I talked to him about a year ago, he was working on three different album projects at the time.
Q: Have you heard of a Marty Robbins record about "One's Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure?" I never heard it but my brother says it was on the radio.
A: The song peaked at # 72 in 1980 for Marty Robbins.
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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:
1946
Guitar Polka - Al Dexter
1954
Slowly - Webb Pierce
1962
That's My Pa - Sheb Wooley
1970
The Fightin' Side of Me - Merle Haggard
1978
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys - Waylon &
Willie
1986
What's a Memory like You (Doing in a Love like This) - John Schneider
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FINDING THE HOOK.
By: Jack Blanchard
It was ten minutes to one AM in Nashville, by the studio clock.
The pickers were tired and ready to pack up and head out.
They were also bored cross-eyed
by the three songs they had just recorded for the new singer.
The material would have been more interesting if it had been terrible,
but it was just amazingly mediocre...
in fact it should be in the Guinness Book of Records under "Mediocre".
Now the singer was insisting on getting in one more song,
and there was no escape.
The union says they are hired for the full three hours.
They did one quick run-through on the fourth song,
and the vocalist began to sing.
The harmonica player found it hard to play while yawning.
As they were heading into the second bridge,
the singer got unexpected gas,
and the rather obscene sound was picked up by the microphone,
in living stereo, with reverb,
and bled through all 24 tracks.
It did wake the musicians up.
They all looked suspiciously at each other,
because there was no dog to blame.
The engineers tried unsuccessfully to get the noise out during the mixdown.
In their frustration and excitement, mistakes were made,
and the first three songs were accidentally erased.
The singer was ready to cry,
because he was quickly running out of money,
and his potential career depended on one single track
with a fart in it.
The only course he could take
was having a few hundred copies pressed
and sending them to radio stations,
hoping they would not notice that part of the record.
A couple of overworked deejays were busy and did let it slip by.
Calls started to come in.
Listeners were asking to hear it again,
because they couldn't believe their ears.
Some of the more vulgar ones thought it was funny,
and others could relate to the recording artist's embarrassment
and gave him a sympathy vote.
This, of course, is how popular records come to be.
Critics argued about it,
some saying that it was artistic integrity,
and others condemning it as a bad influence on their children,
who apparently had never heard such a sound.
In some places the song was banned,
which is a sure way to get a hit.
Although the real title was "You're So Sophisticated",
the public called it "The Fartt Song",
and that's how it will go down in music history.
The singer had a few more chart entries,
until he ran out of animal sounds,
and tried to switch to straight ballads.
Nobody took him seriously.
He's been depressed ever since,
but thanks to that unfortunate little outburst,
he can sulk while sitting on his yacht.
He'd found the hook.
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
1892 - Charlie Poole 1892-1931, singer, and banjo player, was born in Randolph County, North Carolina.
1911 - Cecil Campbell 1911-1989, steel guitarist pioneer, banjo, bandleader, and actor in western movies was born in Danbury North Carolina.
1918 - Hoyle Nix 1918-1985, Western Swing fiddler, bandleader, and recording artist born Azel, Texas. Hoyle and his brother Ben formed the "West Texas Cowboys" in 1946.
1937 - Johnny Ferguson, singer, born in Nashville, Tennessee.
1945 - Jimmie Davis topped the charts with "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder."
1952 - Uncle Dave Macon 1870-1952, age 81, died in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Inducted into the CMHF in 1966. Dave was the 2nd entertainer hired by Judge George D. Hay in 1925, to play on WSM's Barn Dance. The first hired was Uncle Jimmy Thompson. David Harrison Macon was laid to rest in Coleman Cemetery, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
1953 - Gene Libbea, of the "Nashville Bluegrass Band," born in Pasadena, California.
1955 - Johnny Cash recorded "Hey Porter" at Sun Records in Memphis. John wrote the song, and Sam Phillips produced the session.
1956 - Carl Perkins and his brother, Jay, were seriously injured in a car crash while en route to New York City, for an appearance on the Perry Como Show.
1958 - Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra, his 13-year-old cousin, were married. This could have been the most expensive marriage in the history of the entertainment world. Jerry's concert fee went from $5,000 a show, to an eventual low of $300.
1958 - Hank Williams Jr., age 8, made his stage debut in Swainsboro, Georgia.
1962 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol album Nearer the Cross" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1969 - Sonny James' single "Only The Lonely" went to #1.
1970 - The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour featured Debbie Reynolds, Jeannie Seely, Gaylord & Holiday and Ken Berry.
1976 - Waylon recorded "Are You Ready For The Country."
1977 - Stoney Cooper 1918-1977, age 59, of Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper died today. Wilma Lee & Stoney joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1957.
1977 - ABC-TV aired John Denver's special "Thank God I'm A Country Boy."
1977 - Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" topped the charts.
1980 - Ronnie Milsap's RCA single "Why Don't You Spend The Night" was #1 on Billboard's country chart. Bob McDill wrote the song, it was Ronnie's 13th #1.
1985 - Exile's single "Crazy For Your Love" was the #1 song on Billboards Country chart.
1988 - K. T. Oslin's RCA Victor album "80's Ladies" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1988 - The Country Music Hall of Fame opened their "Johnny Cash" exhibit.
1988 - Restless Heart's RCA Victor album "Wheels" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1995 - A judge in Waco, Texas, dismissed marijuana possession charges against Willie Nelson ruling the police searched the singer's vehicle without probable cause.
2001 - Vince Gill, Roy Clark, and Garth Brooks appeared at a benefit for Grand Ole Opry star Johnny Russell raising funds for his medical bills.
2003 - Kenny Chesney's "Big Star" debuted on Billboard's Top 40.
2004 - Danny Bailey, age 84, of the Bailey Brothers, died Knoxville, Tennessee.
2004 - The Library of Congress announced it has added three more country music recordings to its "Registry of Historic Sound." Bob Wills' "New San Antonio Rose," Patsy Cline's "Crazy," and "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison."
2005 - Trace Adkins released his CD "Songs About Me," and future Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Daniels released "Songs From the Longleaf Pine."
2005 - Universal South released "Nashville Star 2005 Finalists." This album contains cover songs recorded by the finalists of this years contest.
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:
You can lead a horse to water—but who wants a wet horse?
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