COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS*
*
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday May 29th, 2014
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
*
STORY BEHIND THE SONG*
*
Barbara Mandrell's 1980 number one, "Years," was written by the songwriting team
of Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan - who from 1978 through 1983 - wrote twenty
top ten singles - with seven of those making it to number one.
Fleming commented, "Years" was one of my favorites of the songs we wrote. The
song was from the heart - not that you have to experience everything you write."
Music publisher and record producer Tom Collins thought the song was too long to
be released as a single so it wound up as an album cut. However radio d.j.'s
began playing "Years" from the album and it was released as a single on December
7th, 1979.
The MCA single was Mandrell's 29th charted song and her 3rd number one. It was
on the charts for 15 weeks.
*
*
^^^^^^^^^^*
*
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I heard on the radio that Willie Nelson had some kind of project with a
college in Texas. Do you have any information?
A: Willie Nelson has donated many of his platinum records, personal letters,
signed books, and awards to the University of Texas Dolph Briscoe Center for
American History .
Q: I heard that Alan Jackson won some kind of gospel award. Do you have
details?
A: Jackson's second gospel collection "Precious Memories: Volume II" won the
Billboard award for Top Christian Album.
Q: I've been a big Wanda Jackson fan since her heyday many years ago. I heard
that she is going into the hall of fame. Is that true?
A: Wanda Jackson has been named to the Oklahoma Heritage Associations 2014
Oklahoma Hall Of Fame inductees and will be inducted on November 13th.
Q: According to my daughter, The Grand Ole Opry is selling a bunch of
guitars. Do you know anything about that?
A: The Grand Ole Opry will host the 6th Annual Guitars of the Stars Benefit
Auction June 6th downtown Nashville at The CMA Music Fest Buckle Stage at 4th
Avenue and Broadway. The event will auction guitars autographed by Jimmy
Dickens, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride and proceeds go to The
Opry Trust Fund - which assists members of the country music community in need.
Q: I bought a 45 record with the label worn off at a garage sale. It's a girl
singing about being "married to a memory." Do you know who the singer is?
A: Married To A Memory" was written by Alex Harvey and was a number 25 hit
for Arlene Harden in 1971 and a number 74 hit for Judy Lynn that same year.
Q: I remember a song on the radio when I was a kid about "a geisha girl." Do
you have any information about that song?
A: "Geisha Girl" was written by Lawton Williams and was a number 4 hit for
Hank Locklin in 1957.
^^^^^^^^^
Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are
welcome. Email *to: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com*
* ^^^^^^^^^^*
* NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:*
*1949*
/Lovesick Blues/ - Hank Williams *
*1957*
/Four Walls/ - Jim Reeves *
*1965*
/Girl on the Billboard/ - Del Reeves *
*1973*
/Satin Sheets/ - Jeanne Pruett *
*1981*
/Seven Year Ache/ - Rosanne Cash *
*1989* http://www.440.com/twtd/gldball.gif *
/After All This Time/ - Rodney Crowell*
^^^^^^^^^*
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*
*
^^^^^^^^^^*
MAKING THE MUSIC.*
By: Jack Blanchard
Listening to our old records
is like hearing yourself a thousand years younger.
Our minds go back to the original recording sessions.
We remember the genius of the Nashville A-team musicians,
and how they would take our ideas
and make them sound better than we had imagined.
Lloyd Green, Billy Sanford, and Hargus Robbins
recently said that our music was the most creative theyve played,
but it goes both ways.
Our sessions were like parties.
In fact, sometimes we hurried to get things done
before the party got too wild.
We liked to record late at night
and with all the musicians and singers there at once.
It got a feeling going that you cant get with overdubbing.
Feeling is more important to us than perfection.
We always showed up prepared...
with numbered chord charts, demo tapes, and lyric sheets.
Our lyric sheets were color coded...
red text for Misty, and blue for me.
If there was overdubbing, it was usually Misty or me,
laying down a keyboard or guitar track,
that we couldnt do while singing.
Whenever wed find a good engineer that was easy to work with
wed asked for him as often as possible.
This is especially important to us
because we always oversee and take part in the mixdown.
When we first hit Nashville and they werent used to us,
some engineers resented our suggestions,
but after a while they became friends and allies.
A lot of our most popular recordings were done in one take.
Wed probably do a backup, but wind up using the original mix.
We were lucky to be with record labels that gave us the freedom
and the budget to make music our way.
Jack Blanchard
*http:// - http:///www.jackandmisty.net - http://www.jackandmisty.net
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*
TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY*
compiled by Bill Morrison*
*
*1916 - *Carl Story 1916~1995, Bluegrass singer, songwriter, known as
/The Father of Bluegrass Gospel /was born in Lenoir, North
Carolina.
*1925 - *Danny Davis trumpet player, band leader, and good friend of
Chet Atkins, was born /George Nowlan /in Dorchester,
Massachusetts.Any connection between Danny Davis and country music
can be traced back to his friendship with Chet.
*1949 - *Hank Williams topped the charts with Lovesick
Blues."
*1950 - *Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters, June, Anita, and
Helen Carter joined The Grand Ole Opry. Their lead guitar player was a young man
named Chet Atkins.
*1952 - *Hank Williams and Audrey Williams were divorced for the last
time.
*1961 - *George Jones' Mercury single /"Family Bible" /hit
the charts today. The song topped out at #16.
*1961 - *Ricky Nelsons second #1 hit /Travelin Man/ topped
Billboards chart.
*1965 - *Del Reeves went #1 with /Girl On The
Billboard."/
*1965 - *Jody Millers Capitol single /Queen Of The House
/charted today. This was Jodys /first/ chart record and it won
her a Grammy for Best Female Vocal. From 1965~1979 Jody charted a total of 27
chart singles.
*1989 - *Rodney Crowells /After All This Time/ went
#1.
*1992 - *MCA released Jimmy Buffetts /Boats, Beaches, Bars &
Ballads."/
*1922 - *Billy Ray Cyrus debut single /Achy Breaky Heart,
/went to #1.
*2004 - *George Strait, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett played a
concert at Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Between them, the trio has sold over
120 million records, including 80 plus #1 hits.
*2004 - *Gretchen Wilsons single Redneck Woman topped the
charts.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html*>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*
*
*
VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock*
*
It's peaceful here on the front porch of the old farm house...a beautiful day of
sunshine and blue sky. Peaceful...that simple word..but one that means so much
to all of us. Most old Sailors and Soldiers appreciate Peace...we strive for it
in everything we do. Young folk chase after new excitement...new games...new
music...and many times, miss the peace that is right in front of them. Peace is
more than quiet times...it is a satisfaction that you have done the best you
could do...you gave it all...and now you don't chase it anymore. That is not to
say we do not still seek adventure, the thrill of discovery, the desire to be
used of God for good. We do, but our focus on the horizon causes us to also be
sensible, we probably are not gonna float a raft down the Mississippi all the
way to New Orleans, like Huck and Tom wanted to do...but, we can put our boat in
and find secret coves and backwaters, and spend a peaceful day on the water. I'm
not gonna have that number one record...but I can be satisfied with the body of
music that I recorded through the 50 years of performance. It was mine, and I
did my best.*
Yes, the Horizon seems much closer now, to the old sailors and soldiers, and
flyers, but we had our time, and we gave our time. It ain't over til it's over,
there is still fight left in us if need be, but....the old peaceful front porch
is sure nice.
*Stan Hitchcock*
*
^^^^^^^^^*
*The Pioneer Music Museum*
*
*Anita, Iowa..... It may be the ONLY museum in America's upper Midwest
devoted to Iowa's pioneers, settlers and homesteader's music. It is without a
doubt the ONLY museum that contains a Hall of Fame devoted to the music of these
same people. According to the curator of this unpretentious undertaking, Bob
Everhart, "We've been working hard for the past 39 years, accumulating, sorting,
filing, displaying, and telling the stories about the musical instruments and
the music itself that found its way to Iowa. It's called the Pioneer Music
Museum. It's an ongoing task, and to have the museum broken into, with thieves
making off with Johnny Cash's harmonicas and Patsy Montana's guitar is heart
breaking to those of us who find their celebrity, their music, and their
memories taken away so easily. I guess that's why we keep working so hard on
the building in Anita, Iowa, that has become a focal point of Iowa's musical
history."
* Everhart is a recording artist for the Smithsonian Institution. He
and his wife Sheila have developed a program for the Smithsonian called a
"Traveling Museum of Music." In their performance they do the music that was
popular during all the wars America has fought. According to Everhart, "We will
be doing this musical presentation for a number of Iowa museums this summer.
It's especially attractive, not only to seniors, but to kids who might not know
what the music was like so long ago, or what the wars were like on such a
personal basis."
* The Everhart's were honored by American Profile Magazine for their
preservation work dealing with Iowa's old-time music, and their continuing work
as museum music curators in Anita, Iowa. They are members of the Iowa Museum
Association, and as such, work hard keeping Iowa's musical heritage
alive.
* The Pioneer Music Museum has become a focal point for tour groups,
and smaller gatherings like the 'Red Hats.' According to Everhart, "We've had a
number of tours already this summer, and expect more. At the same time, we are
trying hard to stem some leaks in the old building's roof, and that has become a
challenge to say the least. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit group, very dedicated
to Iowa's musical memories, but we haven't found that special sponsor or grant
donor to help us keep up with Iowa's very changeable weather, so we keep
spot-fixing, hoping for the best."
* To keep the museum financially going, the Everhart's produce and
direct a festival of old-time acoustic music, now in it's 39th year. "We've had
to move the festival locations a few times," Everhart said, "either because of
rate increases or non-availability, but we are now in our 6th year at the
Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa, the ice cream capital of the
world. The event is seven days long, August 25-31 this year, and has ten stages
going from 9am to midnight everyday all seven days, to accommodate the many
performers of old-time music that attend. It's also where we conduct the
induction ceremonies of those going into America's Old Time Music Hall of Fame,
which is why we have the Pioneer Music Museum. Some amazingly famous and
popular artists come for the ceremonies, this year is no exception with John
Carter Cash being inducted on a Tuesday. John is the only child of Johnny and
June Carter Cash, and is very busy and productive keeping his own family's
traditional music alive. Also going into the Hall of Fame is LuLu Roman a
comedienne from the very popular television show Hee Haw, who will be inducted
into the Hall of Fame on Thursday. She is a very popular gospel singer today.
Add to that David Davis of the Warrior River Boys, from Alabama, who goes into
the Hall of Fame on Monday, and a host of other celebrities awaiting
confirmation, and anyone who likes an older style of acoustic music can begin to
see why this event has been going for 39 years in Iowa."
* The University of Iowa Mobile Museum "Iowa's Ancient
Agriculturalists" will be at the festival on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and
another display at the fairgrounds 'Round Barn' will also be open. "It's all
about Iowa's history," Everhart said, "and Iowa's music, from the very first
homesteader to today. It's incredibly entertaining, and for young people it's
incredibly educational. We even have a Tipi Rendezvous Village in an old ghost
town that will be hosting an autoharp gathering, a dulcimer do, a fiddler's
jubilee, a poet's corner, a songwriters circle, a guitar pull, a mandolin
pickin' and even a storytellers sit. We've offered free admission to any school
that wants to have a 'field day' to be with us during our stay in
LeMars."
* More information about the ONLY museum in Iowa devoted to
Iowa's pioneer's music is available at their website at
www.ntcma.net - http://www.ntcma.net or telephoning them at
712-762-4363.
*
^^^^^^^^^*
*
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:*
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters
will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those
days. *
* Joel 2:28-29 (NIV)*
*
*
^^^^^^^^*
*
To unsubscribe from this newsletter: send an email to:
country-music-classics-off@mail-list.com
_ ^^^^^^^^^^^_
*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe, send a blank message to country-music-classics-on@mail-list.com
To unsubscribe, send a blank message to country-music-classics-off@mail-list.com
To change your email address, send a message to country-music-classics-change@mail-list.com
with your old address in the Subject: line
To contact the list owner, send your message to
country-music-classics-list-owner@mail-list.com
Doug Davis-Country Music Classics-3702 Pleasant Grove Rd-Texarkana, Texas 75503
To unsubscribe or change your email address, click here.
<http://cgi.mail-list.com/u?ln=country-music-classics&nm=thegblogindy%40gmail.com>
No comments:
Post a Comment