COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS*
*
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday July 10th, 2014
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
*
STORY BEHIND THE SONG*
*
Singers pick songs to record for various reasons but according to Alabama's
Randy Owen - the group picked their 1980 number one : "Why Lady Why" to record
for several reasons.
First of all - they were sure the song was a hit - since they had been
performing it in concert for several years and receiving terrific audience
response - plus - the group loved the song's musical arrangement - plus - the
group needed a change in material!
Owen commented: "It was time for us to change directions with our material to
keep from being stereotyped of only singing songs about rivers and states."
The song was co-written by Alabama's bass player Teddy Gentry and Rick Scott -
who was the group's drummer at the time.
Alabama recorded "Why Lady Why" at Music Mill Recoding Studios in Nashville. It
came on the country music charts September 20th, 1980 and was at the top of the
list on December 13th.
it was their 5th charted single and their 2nd number one.*
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: My wife says that Mickey Gilley was on TV talking about a new TV show. Do
you have any information?
A: "Gilley's Place" is filmed in front of a live studio audience at Gilley's
Texas Cafe in Branson, Missouri and airs weekly on RFD-TV.
Q: I heard the radio guys talking about a new Jerry Lee Lewis album. Is it
country or rock & roll?
A: Jerry Lee's "Rock & Roll Time" is scheduled for October 28th release. The
title track was originally co-written and recorded by Kris Kristofferson in
1974.
Q: The TV news mentioned Dolly Parton receiving some kind of award overseas.
Do you have any information?
A: Just before her recent concert at the Glastonbury Music Festival in
Somerset, England - Dolly Parton was presented with a plaque commemorating
worldwide sales of 100 million albums over the course of her career.
Q: Do you know if Charlie Louvin ever recorded the Connie Smith hit song "Once
A Day?" My mom says she heard Charlie sing that song on the radio.
A: Charlie Louvin's version of "Once A Day" was a track in his 1965 "Less And
Less" album.
Q: Are you familiar with a song about "nine million and ninety nine tears? I
heard it a few times years ago.
A: "9,999,999 Tears" was written by Razzy Baiiey and was a number 3 hit for
Dickey Lee in 1976.
Q: Do you know anything about a song titled "Still Loving You?" I used to hear
it on the radio and everytime it was played - I thought it was Elvis but it was
another singer whose name I don't remember.
A: "Still Loving You" did sound like Elvis but was actually a number 56 hit
for Bob Luman in 1970. The re-released version made it to number 7 in 1974.
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Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are
welcome. Email *to: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com*
* ^^^^^^^^^^*
* NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:*
*1951*
/I Want to Be with You Always/ - Lefty Frizzell *
*1959*
/The Battle of New Orleans/ - Johnny Horton *
*1967*
/All the Time/ - Jack Greene *
*1975*
/Lizzie and the Rainman/ - Tanya Tucker *
*1983*
/Highway 40 Blues/ - Ricky Skaggs *
*1991*
/Dont Rock the Jukebox/ - Alan Jackson*
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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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*/"The Story Of Sam"/*
*By: Jack
Blanchard/
*Sam played "As Time Goes By" in a bar in Casablanca.*
*Ten years later, in the fifties, he had learned a second song.*
*He tried to keep up with the musical trends.*
*In the sixties he bought a reverb unit, a sitar,*
*and took guitar lessons.*
*In the seventies he got a fuzz box and a drum machine,*
*and began singing "As Time Goes By" like Neil Diamond.*
*All the musicians in town were playing guitar,*
*singing like Neil Diamond, and wearing black vests.*
*To break the monotony,*
*the musicians started trading jobs without telling the bar owners.*
*Nobody noticed because they all sounded the same,*
*looked the same, did the same songs,*
*and went with the same waitress.*
*Bars were disappearing, so gigs were getting scarce.*
*Every fifteen minutes a stern voice on TV said:*
*'DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE".*
*Less people were going out,*
*they were drunk at home with the kids.*
*Sam had been replaced by a karaoke machine.*
*Sam sat in the park, trying to figure it all out.*
*Even with all his equipment he couldn't get a job.*
*The public mind was headed for prohibition,*
*against drinking, against smoking, against guns.*
*Sam was so mad he felt like getting an abortion.*
*As far as he knew, drinking and staggering was acceptable,*
*so that's what he did.*
*He staggered between a fat lady and her bald dog,*
*tripped over the leash,*
*and arced gracefully into the path of an oncoming piano truck.*
*He settled out of court for enough to buy his own club,*
*and more equipment.*
*He even put in a giant screen TV.*
*He was so proud of it he left it on even while he was playing.*
*One night he was playing his digital keyboard*
*and singing "As Time Goes By" like Shania Twain,*
*when he looked up and saw that his customers had all grown*
*thick hair all over their faces!*
*The shock gave him a heart attack.*
*After all he was a hundred and fourteen.*
*Nobody noticed as he grabbed the money from his tip glass,*
*slid off the bench and died.*
*The crowd was facing the other way,*
*watching Casablanca on the giant TV.*
*They didn't recognize Sam in the movie,*
*singing in his own style and playing a regular piano.*
*At "The End", the bartender turned off the sound*
*and they heard the funny noise:*
*Sam lying dead on his new bass pedals.*
*The bartender said: "Here's looking at you, kid",*
*and bought the house a drink on Sam.*
*He put about half the cash from the till in his pocket,*
*poured one for himself, and closed early. *
*
Jack Blanchard
*http:// - http:///www.jackandmisty.net - http://www.jackandmisty.net
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*
T*ODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY*
compiled by Bill Morrison*
*
"Paul" Howard, the singer who brought Western Swing to the Grand Ole Opry, born
Midland, AR
1908.
Jimmie Rodgers recorded "Mean Mama Blues" 1930.
Hank Williams, moved from Greenville to Montgomery, AL with his family
1937.
Johnny Cash recorded "The Ways of a Woman In Love" & "Thanks A Lot"
1958.
Bela Fleck, banjo virtuoso, born New York City, 1958.
Randall Edward Shaw, "BR5-49," born Topeka, KS 1960.
Kitty Wells' "Heartbreak U.S.A." went to #1 1961.
Roy Acuff was seriously injured in a car wreck near Sparta, TN 1965.
Ken Mellons born Kingsport, Tennessee 1965.
Bobbie Gentry recorded "Ode to Billie Joe," in Hollywood, CA 1967.
Johnny Cash recorded "Sunday Morning Coming Down," 1970.
Freddie Hart's "Easy Lovin" debuted on the charts 1971.
Burt Hutcherson, age 86, "Gully Jumpers," died 1980.
Janie Fricke's "Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby," became her first No. 1hit
1982.
Dick Glasser, age 66, producer/songwriter, died 2000.
Dan Roberts named "Entertainer of the Year," by the Academy of Western Artists,
2001.
Raven Records released Hoyt Axton's boxed set "Joy to the World/Country Anthem"
2001.
Marizona Robinson, age 70, widow of Marty Robbins, died in Brentwood, TN
2001.
Buddy Jewel's debut album "Buddy Jewel," tops the charts 2003.
Toby Keith topped the charts with "Whiskey Girl" 2004.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html*>
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*
*
VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock*
*
When do you reach a point in life where enough is enough? Or, when it is too
much? I made music most of my life, since I was 12 years old. Music became the
core of what I wasI let it define me, I suppose. Along the way I also picked up
a taste for Television and Music, so it was a natural transition from performing
to the business of Music Television. I stepped off the stage and into the
business end of Music in 1984, with the startup of CMT, although I still would
do an occasional show, just to keep one foot in the performing side of things.
It was hard to put down my guitar, just to run a Network, so I developed a show
called Heart to Heart, where I would sit with my friends, with just a couple of
flat top guitars and back them up as they sang their songs. Those were good
years, from 1986, when I did the first Heart to Heart, up until 2012, when I did
the last one. 26 years of picking rhythm behind my friends.
Its funny how our lives seem to be divided into different time spans. You have
your growing up years18 years. Then I had the 4 years of Navy lifethen 3 years
of Boys Ranch work..then 23 years of intense Road travel for shows, recording
and learning my Television craft. 2014 marks my 30th year in the business of
Cable Television. I have managed to start up three different cable networks in
that time, in an industry that shows no mercy to an independent, as you fight
for your place against the huge conglomerates that control our Media. Always, my
driving force was The Music. I believe that it is important for families to have
an alternative to the violence and negative programming that seems to prevail on
the Television Set in all our living rooms. I have tried to bring Music and
positive programming to those living rooms, all these 30 years. As I look back
on my life, I wonderdid it matter? I honestly dont know. The World has changed
so much since I started out with a J-45 Gibson, a pair of boots, two pair of
Levis, 4 shirts, some ragged underwear and a desire to sing a song to someone
that might care. I reckon when you can spend your life, in the pursuit of
something you love, then that reward is enough.
In 1995, Denise suggested that I should write down some of my stories. She would
hear my music friends and I, getting together and recounting our adventures in
music, and she thought I should put it all in a book. So, I started writingand I
cant seem to stop.
So, life takes us in so many twists and turns, on our Journey. It takes you in
places you never dreamed you would be. And, it goes by in blazing speed. I am
reminded of that old saying, Only One Life, Will Soon Be Past. Only Whats Done
For Christ Will Last. With that as the measuring toolit puts life in a whole
different perspective. *
*Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
*
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*
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:*
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. *
* John 14:27 (NIV)*
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