COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
According to Chet Atkins, most of the sessions he produced for RCA Victor were enjoyable but the recording session for Jim Reeves' "Four Walls" was not!
Chet commented, "What I remember most about that session is that it was very stressful for me. I had planned to work in the control room but Jim insisted that I play guitar. He liked my guitar sound on the intro and on the bridge, which mean't I had to keep running back and forth between the studio and the control room during the session and it was very stressful. Jim had also been unhappy when we tried to book the session because he wanted to use The Jordanaires and they were not available when we first booked the session. Jim insisted on having them so we moved the session to another date so they could be there. He also wanted to rehearse the song before the session. We were both working at WSM and finally arranged to rehearse the song one evening after a program. And The Jordanaires were there too so it all worked out."
Although Chet Atkins is credited with launching the Nashville Sound, he always downplayed his role.
But he did admit that he had the feeling that something special was happening the night of the "Four Walls" recording session.
Chet stated, "I was just trying to make records that would sell. I wasn't trying to change the music business. But during that time, I came to realize that you had to give the public something different."
Jim Reeves RCA Victor single, "Four Walls" came on the country music charts April 29th, 1957 and made it to number one where it stayed for eight weeks. It was his 14th charted song and his 3rd number one. The single also scored a # 11 on the pop music charts.
Reeves placed 80 songs on the country charts between 1953 and 1984, including eleven number ones.
Jim Reeves died in 1964.
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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: I have heard a Del Reeves song on the radio just a few times, about "Eyes Don't Come Crying To Me." Do you know when that song came out and was it a hit?
A: "Eyes Don't Come Crying To Me" was the flipside of Del's 1965 # one, "Girl On The Billboard."
Q: I know that Dolly Parton recorded the song, "Silver Threads & Golden Needles" with another girl singer. Was it Loretta Lynn?
A: "Silver Threads & Golden Needles" scored a ## 68 hit in 1993 for Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette.
Q: Hank Williams Jr.'s "Cajun Baby" was a big hit back in the 60's. Did he re-release that record years later?
A: Hank's "Cajun Baby" made it to # 3 in 1969. He re-recorded it in 1988 with Doug Kershaw which peaked at # 58.
Q: Do you know which singers had hits with the song "Bye Bye Love." I know The Everly Brothers" had the first one.
A: "Bye Bye Love" was # one in 1957 for The Everly Brothers, # 7 for Webb Pierce that same year and # 70 in 1981 for Barbara Fairchild and Billy Walker.
Q: Tanya Tucker's "Can I See You Tonight" is one of my favorites. My mom says that song was on the radio by someone else before Tanta's version. Is that true?
A: "Can I See You Tonight" scored a # 33 hit in 1979 for Jewell Blanch before Tanya's top five version in 1981.
Q: Have you heard of a song about "She Feels Too Good To Put Down?" It was on the radio several years ago.
A: "She Feels So Good I Hate To Put Her Down" was a 1973 # 66 for Ronnie Sessions. The song was later re-released as "I Just Can't Put Her Down."
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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
Charlie's Shoes - Billy Walker
1970
Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone - Charley Pride
1978
Every Time Two Fools Collide - Kenny Rogers & Dottie West
1986
Cajun Moon - Ricky Skaggs
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STARTING OUT.
By: Jack Blanchard
It took us a while to find out who we were supposed to be.
Maybe some musicians start out one way and never change,
but we tried just about everything.
In Miami we played jazz, we played rock and roll, rhythm and blues,
society ballroom music, and doubled on a variety of instruments,
just trying to find our niche...and to not starve.
Once I brought a trombone home and tried to play it.
Property was sold on our street by neighbors fleeing from the racket.
It sounded like a crazed elephant.
I paid no attention in my fervor to be a tromboner.
Eventually I learned to play one song well, "Georgia on My Mind",
and the audiences liked it and asked for an encore.
I was dumb enough to try a second song.
I knew I didn't have the lip for it but I was caught up in the glory,
and went ahead and assaulted the second song.
My lip gave out half way through, but I continued trying to blow my liver out the horn.
It sounded like an ambulance hitting a buffalo.
A guy at the first table said "Is that out boat leaving?"
I tried the bongos, timbales, and the vibes but didn't see our career improving.
I played "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" on the flute... Nothing.
You could hear crickets.
Piano was my best instrument but Misty played better than I did,
so I was trying to play something else.
Misty would switch around too, from piano to organ to vibes,
while I did a piano number.
Funny...we never thought of featuring vocal duets until much later.
The worst move we made was to try to be a comedy group.
We found out later that we could be funny on the mike with just talk,
but starting out we didn't know that.
So we went to novelty shops and bought rubber chickens,
Groucho glasses, and arrows that go through your head.
We didn't know we could ad lib,
so we rehearsed corny routines with our sax player, Paul Mclaughlin.
My face is still red.
In retrospect, what we were doing was imitating other bands
who were getting better jobs.
One miraculous day we found out we were supposed to be Jack and Misty,
and not everybody else.
We wrote some songs, sang together in our own new style,
and took the act to Key West.
We had a recording contract within three weeks,
and went to Nashville for our first sessions.
We have never varied from our personal style since that time,
even when the pressure was on us to conform.
A lot of artists got richer than we did, staying in the mainstream,
and we've been through some hard times,
but if we had it to do again we wouldn't change much at all.
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
1900 - Bobby Gregory born Staunton, Virginia.
1916 - Eldon Shamblin, guitarist, arranger, member of the "Texas Playboys," was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
1943 - Richard Sterban member of the "Oakridge Boys," was born in Camden, New Jersey.
1949 - Larry Rice, Bluegrass, mandolin player, member of the Rice Brothers, was born on this date.
1955 - Webb Pierce's "In The Jailhouse Now" had a 21 week hold on #1.
1957 - Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock, age 74, died in San Francisco, California.
1958 - Johnnie & Jack recorded "Poison Love" 1958.
1960 - Flatt & Scruggs recorded "Polka On A Banjo."
1963 - Brenda Lee and Ronnie Shacklett were married at the Radnor Church of Christ in Nashville.
1970 - Edsel released The Flying Burrito Brothers second album "Burrito Deluxe" featuring Gram Parsons.
1979 - Rebecca Lynn Howard, singer, songwriter, born in Salyersville, Kentucky.
1979 - Gale Binkley 1896~1979, of the "Binkley Brothers Dixie Clodhoppers," died at age 83.
1984 - Jerry Lee Lewis, age 48, married Kerrie McCarver, age 22. This was the killer' s fifth marriage.
1986 - Tom T. Hall recorded "Down At The Mall."
1993 - Farm Aid IV was held in Ames, Iowa.
2001 - MCA released "The Best of Freddy Fender."
2001 - Mercury released "The Best of Flatt & Scruggs."
2003 - Tracy Byrd was named Naches River Festival' s "Citizen of the Year," in Beaumont, Texas.
2006 - Bonnie Owens 1932~2006, age 73, died as the result of Alzheimer' s disease at a Bakersfield hospice. The former wife of Buck Owens 1948~1953, and Merle Haggard 1965~1978, enjoyed a recording career of her own with Tally Records, and Capitol between 1963~1969. Bonnie charted six singles on the Billboard country singles chart during that time. Bonnie is the mother of Buck' s son Buddy Alan. Bonnie and Buck are Together Again; her ashes were placed next to Buck, in the Greenlawn Southwest Cemetery, in the Owens family Mausoleum in Bakersfield, California.
2007 - The GMA (Gospel Music Association) Music Week presented their Songs of Faith Signature Show at the Ryman Auditorium. Brenda Lee, Pam Tillis, Diamond Rio, the Del McCoury Band and Josh Turner appeared on the show.
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:
If the swat team breaks down your door - do they have to replace it later?
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Sing Like Carrie Underwood
