COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday April 4thth, 2013
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
A lot of songs are written from personal experience or a memory of such an experience.
According to Hank Williams Jr., his 1981 number one, "Texas Women" came from such an experience. Hank wrote the song after performing at a Texas nightclub and was actually a tribute to all the ladies he had seen in all the Texas clubs he had visited.
Hank Jr.'s "Texas Women" entered the country music charts on February 7th,1981 and was in the top slot on March 28th.
The record features Kieran Kane on a great mandolin intro and was Hank's 56th charted song and his 3rd number one.
The Elektra Records single was produced by Jimmy Bowen.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I heard on the radio that Charlie Daniels was seriously ill. Do you have any details?
A: Charlie is recuperating at home after having a pacemaker implanted.
Q: My brother says the radio folks were talking about Hank Williams gravesite being sold. Is that true?
A: The city of Montgomery, Alabama is proposing to take over ownership of Hank Williams grave. A pending bill in the Alabama legislature would give the capitol city full ownership of the cemetery where Hank is buried.
Q: I attended a Statler Brothers concert several years ago and they sang the song "Me And Bobby McGee." Did they ever record that song?
A: "Me And Bobby McGee" was a track in The Statler's 1971 "Bed Of Roses" album.
Q: Do you have any information concerning The Opry getting some kind of award? It was mentioned on TV news.
A: The Grand Ole Opry has been nominated for the inaugural Social Media Icon Award presented by PR News. The Awards are set for April 17th in New York City.
Q: My brother in law has talked about a Conway Twitty song about "We Had It All." I never heard that record. When was that?
A" "We Had It All" was a number 44 hit for Conway in 1983.
Q: There is a song on some tapes my husband recorded from the radio about "Overlookin' And Underthinkin'". Do you know who had that record?
A: That song was a track in Don Williams' 1977 "Country Boy" album.
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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:
1950
Long Gone Lonesome Blues - Hank Williams
1958
Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson
1966
Waitin' in Your Welfare Line - Buck Owens
1974
Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone) - Tanya Tucker
1982
Bobbie Sue - The Oak Ridge Boys
1990
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart - Randy Travis
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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. (NOT AVAILABLE TO INTERNET STATIONS)
The feature is available at no charge.
For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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MURPHY'S LAW IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
By: Jack Blanchard
Our first Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan duet recording
recorded in Nashville, was in 1967.
It included four original songs: "No Sign of Love",
"Midnight Greyhound", "Lonely Bell",
and the main song "Bethlehem Steel".
We produced the session ourselves.
Our plan was to shop it around to labels,
or release it on our own little indie, Zodiac Records.
Tape cassettes were not around then,
so everybody got their demos made on acetate discs,
aluminum discs shaped like 78 RPM singles,
with a black plastic lacquer finish that would wear out
after a limited number of plays.
We were in a studio watching a guy make us a demo of our songs.
I asked him if thought "Bethlehem Steel" would get country air play.
He was very enthusiastic about my lead vocal:
"Yes! Nobody up here has a voice like that!"
What he didn't know was that I had the flu during the recording session,
and was never able to get that sound again.
In January, 1969...
"Big Black Bird" was released as a Country record,
but Billboard gave it a Top 10 Pick in the Pop field.
We were on the Pick list with Aretha Franklin and other pop artists.
Our small label didn't have pop distribution,
so they made a deal with Mercury to distribute it.
They took so long to close the deal that the record lost its momentum,
and Defeat was snatched from the jaws of Victory.
I also heard that when our label, Wayside Records,
sent the master to Coral Records,
they inserted gaps in the music to prevent anybody from stealing it
before negotiations were complete.
When Coral was ready to distribute it,
they checked the master and found the gaps.
They had to call Wayside and have the real master sent.
There was no internet then, so it was snail mail. Another delay.
But later, this turned out to be a sort of a good thing.
"Bethlehem Steel" got good airplay and chart action for a first record,
but was not a big hit.
The next release on Wayside/ Mercury was "Poor Jody",
and then another, which I can't remember.
Mercury was ready to drop us. There was one release left.
They wanted to put out "Tennessee Bird Walk", and we objected.
We were afraid of getting type cast as a novelty act.
(By the way, it was written as "Tennessee Birdwalk",
but on the label it was printed as "Tennessee Bird Walk",
so it's been "Bird Walk" ever since.
We still write it the original way. We've always been stubborn.)
Looking back,
if "Big Black Bird" had not gotten everybody excited,
Birdwalk would not have been released on a major label.
We got a phone call one day. The voice on the other end said this:
"You'd better get ready to travel.
We're selling 50,000 a day, and just getting started!"
It was being promoted and distributed by Coral Records.
The indie label, Wayside Records, could not have handled it,
so "Big Black Bird" actually paved the way for "Tennessee Birdwalk",
our #1 Country record.
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Bringing Country Music Back to Country Radio
Maggie Penn, who is one of the great advocates of traditional country music, has planned a March down Music Row in Nashville, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 to bring attention to the fact the country radio stations have forsaken real country music on their playlist, because they are owned and controlled by corporate companies who evidently could care less about Maggie Penn or any of us who want to hear country records again.
This is your opportunity to speak out or join the March to let your voices be heard. We are not forgetting the many, many radio stations here and abroad, AM and Internet, who real traditional country music, and they also do not discriminate against the new so-called country artists.
The following link is a petition that we hope you will sign to make this a successful start to let the country music industry know that they have went much too far in their definition of country music:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/the-old-farts-jackasses-march-for-traditional/
George Strait, Alan Jackson, etc., have done their part and continue to practice what they preach by recording real country music. Remember LeeAnn Womack when she first recorded, they were saying that she was going to be the next female superstar who would stick by her guns and record traditional country music. What happened?? I will tell you what happened. Her career is not flourishing like it should have, and that is the fault of today's record producers and record labels who make records out of their pockets and not their hearts. Listen to some Jean Shepard, Daryl Singletary or Leona Williams records and then tell me what is country…and who is country today???
The following is information for you to participate in the March on Music Row
WHEN: Wednesday, April 17, 2013
WHERE: 11:00 AM Meet at Tony Rose Park
8 Music Circle East Nashville, TN. 37203
Maggie will organize and line up
march/walk on the sidewalks.
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE MARCHING DOWN MUSIC ROW CONTACT: MAGGIE PENN MPenn44243@aol.com
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
compiled by Bill Morrison
1915 - Dorothy Southworth Ritter, wife of Tex Ritter, was born in Prescott, Arizona.
1919 - Cy Coben, songwriter, born in Jersey City, New Jersey.
1938 - Norro Wilson songwriter, producer was born in Scottsville, Kentucky. Norro was inducted into the NSHF in 1996.
1940 - Ernest Tubb' s first recording session for Decca was held today.
1941 - Cliff Waldron Bluegrass legend, was born in Jolo, West Virginia. He was inducted into the SPBGMA Preservation Hall of Greats in 2004.
1950 - Hank Williams topped the charts with "Long Gone Lonesome Blues."
1951 - Steve Gatlin, of the "Gatlin Brothers" born in Olney, Texas.
1955 - Faron Young released "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young."
1959 - Bill Anderson made his first guest appearance on The Grand Ole Opry.
1960 - Mel Tillis released "Loco Weed."
1960 - The Everly Brothers released "Cathy' s Clown."
1964 - The Man In Black's single "Understand Your Man" went to #1, and held the spot for 6 weeks.
1964 - Buck Owens' self-penned Capitol single "Together Again" charted today and eventually went to #1.
1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists single "Honey" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1971 - Jason Sellers singer, songwriter was born in Gilmer, Texas. Jason recorded for BNA from 1997~2000. He was married to Lee Ann Womack 1991~1997.
1973 - Conway Twitty 1933~1993, recorded "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" and "You've Never Been This Far Before" for MCA. You've never been this far was released first, and went to #1. "I'm not through", charted the following year and topped out at #3. Conway Twitty charted 39 #1 hits on the country charts from 1968~1986.
1974 - Tanya Tucker' s single "Would You Lay With Me" was #1.
1980 - Red Sovine 1918 ~1980, age 61, died of a heart attack while driving in Nashville. Red was laid to rest in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Nashville, Tennessee. Red's wife Norma is buried next to her husband. Norma died in 1976.
1981 - Sylvia' s first #1 RCA single "Drifter" charted today.
1981 - The Oak Ridge Boys MCA single "Elvira" charted today.
1985 - The Judds' RCA/Curb album "Why Not Me" was certified Gold. This was their first Gold, but certainly would not be their last.
1987 - Diane Adams 1962~1987, died today as the result of a car wreck at age 24. She recorded "I'm Little (But I'm Loud)' in 1978 when she was 16 years old. Diane was a cast member of the Bootheel Jamboree. As her recording stated "I'm countrified and I don't care who knows it." Diane Adams was laid to rest in Morgan Memorial Park Cemetery, in Advance, Missouri.
1988 - Buck Owens & Dwight Yoakam recorded "Streets Of Bakersfield" at Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. Homer Joy wrote the song, and Pete Anderson produced the session. Studio personnel included: Buck Owens~vocal; Dwight Yoakam~vocal & guitar; Pete Anderson~lead guitar; Don Reed~fiddle; Flaco Jimenez~accordian; Skip Edwards~piano; Taras Prodaniuk~bass; and Jeff Donovan~drums. The Reprise single was released in June and went to #1. The song also appeared on Dwight's Reprise LP/CD "Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room." The album was released in August and went to #1, with four of the cuts making the country charts as singles. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
1989 - Alabama's RCA album "Southern Star" was certified Gold.
1994 - Tracy Lawrence was arrested in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, after he followed a car transporting three teenagers, off I-40 to a residence. Tracy fired two shots from a .357 magnum revolver, and was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and carrying a weapon without a permit. Lawrence was placed on probation for one year, and the felony chargers were later dropped.
2000 - Renaissance released Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius' "Anthology."
2000 - Buddha Records released Chet Atkins' album "Guitar Legend: The RCA Years".
Courtesy Bill Morrison: http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html
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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
– 1 John 4:18 (NIV)
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