COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday February 12th, 2015
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com -
http://www.countrymusicclassics.com
Email: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
A lot of hit songs have been written or at least influenced by something the
writers observed or heard about.
According to Tim Dubois - Razzy Bailey's 1981 number one "Midnight Hauler" - was
written late one night as he followed a truck from Tulsa to Stillwater,
Oklahoma.
DuBois commented "The truck I was following had a sign on the back that said
"Midnight Hauler." That was the inspiration for the song and I wrote the lyrics
during that trip. Wood Newton and I wrote the music later. But Razzy didn't
record the song until two or three years later."
Razzy Bailey's RCA Victor single "Midnight Hauler" entered the country music
charts July 11th, 1981 and was in the number one slot on October 3rd.
It was his 13th charted song and his 4th number one.
The session was produced by Bob Montgomery.
^^^^^^^^^^
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I heard that Loretta Lynn was to be inducted into The Hall Of Fame. I
thought she was already there.
A: Loretta Lynn and Asleep At The Wheel will be inducted into The Austin City
Limits Hall Of Fame in June. Loretta was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of
Fame in 1988.
Q: The radio guys mentioned Dwight Yoakam performing at a Merlefest. Where and
when is that?
A: Yoakam has been added to the talent lineup for this years Merlefest April
23rd thru 26th in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Q: You had mentioned that T. G. Sheppard underwent some kind of procedure. Is
he doing okay?
A: T. G. is doing well after undergoing a procedure to correct an irregular
heart rhythm - and is getting ready to go back on the road.
Q: The TV news mentioned that Elvis Presley's favorite car was being sold. Do
you have any info?
A: Presley's custom built 1972 Cadillac Deville station wagon is to be sold by
live auction. The vehicle was reportedly built as a gift to Presley's manager
Col. Tom Parker who eventually returned it to Elvis.
Q: My dad has a tape he recorded from the radio years ago of Ray Price singing
the old song "The Wild Side Of Life." I've tried to find that recording but no
luck. Do you know anything about that recording.
A: Ray's recording of "The Wild Side Of Life" is in his 1964 "Night Life"
album.
Q: Have you heard of a song titled "Talk About The Good Times?" My cousin says
it was on the radio years ago.
A: The song was written by Jerry Reed and was a number 14 hit for Reed in 1970
^^^^^^^^^
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
^^^^^^^^^^
NUMBER ONES ON THIS DATE
1947 So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed - Merle Travis
1955 Let Me Go, Lover! - Hank Snow
1963 The Ballad of Jed Clampett - Flatt & Scruggs
1971 Joshua - Dolly Parton
1979 Every Which Way But Loose - Eddie Rabbitt
1987 Leave Me Lonely - Gary Morris
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VALENTINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY 14TH, 1991.
By: Jack Blanchard
That was the day of the strong arm robbery.
We were playing in Jacksonville Florida,
and Misty wanted to go and buy a red blouse for Valentine's Day.
She was already wearing a very nice red blouse, but I kept my mouth shut.
We drove to a Pic 'n' Save store on Dunn Avenue.
I dropped her off near the door and drove to the nearest parking slot.
It had just gotten dark.
As I was locking the car door I heard a woman scream.
I had never heard Misty scream,
but the sound came from where she ought to be... by the door.
I started toward the building and saw a big guy running from the door area,
from right to left across the front of the building,
and carrying a woman's purse.
He was going about 35 mph when he saw me running directly at him.
He shouted: "NOOOOOOO!"
We crashed head on and I knocked him across a bunch of shopping carts.
I spun around, flew a few feet,
and landed on the point of my index finger, like an acrobat.
The finger bent into an "L",
and I did a neat landing on my face.
People in the parking lot closed in,
held the guy down and called the police,
while I looked for my glasses and bled from a variety of places.
He had been running toward the high chain link fence
where he was to throw the purse to his brother,
who was waiting on the other side.
The brother disappeared.
The cops told us that if he hadn't taken at least $400
they couldn't send him away, wink, wink.
Funny, that's the exact amount we reported.
Meanwhile, Misty, who was also hurt
from being knocked to the ground by a blow to the ear,
was helping me into the store to get assistance.
Something had gone wrong with my leg and I couldn't walk.
The pharmacist said he couldn't help
because it would be admitting liability.
I'm leaning on Misty with broken glasses,
an injured leg, a bent finger, and bleeding like a lawn sprinkler.
I reached across the counter, grabbed the pencil out of his pocket,
pushed him aside, took some tape from a shelf,
and made a rough splint for my finger.
The next day we went to a walk-in medical clinic
where the doctor put a splint on my finger backwards,
Later I turned it around.
I was on crutches for a couple of months and the crook went to jail.
We sued the store and came out of it with a nice used car.
Since then I don't forget Valentines Day like I used to.
Jack Blanchard
http://www.jackandmisty.net
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Compiled by Bill Morrison
1911 - Stephen H. Sholes 1911-1968, RCA record producer, and executive born in
Washington, D.C. Sholes recruited Chet Atkins into the RCA family as well as
Eddy Arnold, Hank Locklin, The Browns, Homer and Jethro, Jim Reeves, Hank Snow,
Pee Wee King, and in 1955 Elvis Presley. When Sholes was promoted and left
Nashville, he chose Chet Atkins to replace him. While in Nashville Sholes served
on the Board of Directors at the CMF and the CMA. Stephen Sholes was inducted
into the CMHF in 1987.
1912 - Lucky Moeller 1912-1992, promoter, and booking agent, born Walter Ernest
Moeller in Okarche, Oklahoma. Lucky was the CEO of Moeller Talent in Nashville.
1930 - Harley "Red" Allen 1930-1993, a highly respected bluegrass singer,
songwriter, and recording artist, born in Pigeon Roost, Kentucky.
1937 - Jay Lee Webb, Loretta Lynn's brother, was born in Butcher Holler,
Kentucky. Jay recorded for Decca from 1967-71.
1944 - Moe Bandy was born "Marion Franklin Bandy Jr." in Meridian, Mississippi.
Won the 1980 CMA Vocal Duo of the Year award w/Joe Stampley.
1953 - Taylor Rhodes, of the "Earl Scruggs Revue," was born today.
1955 - Pee Wee King released "Tweedlee Dee."
1963 - Buck Owens Recorded "Act Naturally." This was Buck's first big hit, and
eventually went to #1 on the charts. Twenty-six years later, Buck traveled to
Abby Road Studios in London, England, and recorded this song again. This time
with Ringo Starr as a duet. See March 27, 1989 calendar entry.
1972 - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton were featured guests on "Hee Haw."
1972 - Loretta Lynn's Decca single "One's On The Way" was the #1 country record.
1974 - Capitol Records released "Best Of Buck Owens, Vol. 5."
1977 - Barbara Mandrell and Hoyt Axton were featured guests on "Hee Haw."
1979 - Olivia Newton-John's MCA single "A Little More Love" was certified Gold
by the RIAA.
1981 - Ronnie Milsap's RCA Victor "Greatest Hits" album was certified Gold by
the RIAA.
1983 - B.J. Thomas' Cleveland Int'l. single "Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned
Love" charted today, and went to #1. This song was Billy Joe's 2nd #1 country
single.
1993 - Mercury Records released Toby Keith's self-penned single "Should've Been
A Cowboy." This was Toby's first chart song, and it went to #1.
2002 - Mattie Bell Gates, age 64, former waitress at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge,
and Roberts Western World on Broadway in Nashville, died from emphysema.
2002 - Columbia released Chet Atkins album "Chet Picks on the Grammys."
2005 - Sammi Smith 1943-2005, age 61, Grammy winning recording artist, died in
Okalahoma City, Oklahoma. Sammi was married to Jody Payne, a member of Willie
Nelson's band. Sammi was laid to rest in Elmhurst Cemetery, in Guymon, Oklahoma.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock
1968Sherman ClubIndianapolis, Ind.TONIGHTLITTLE JIMMY DICKENS AND STAN HITCHCOCK
DIRECT FROM NASHVILLE.. thats what the sign said all lit up on the trailer in
front of the Parking Lot. Inside, Life went on just like the words of a Country
Song
The couple dancing, so close together you couldnt cutem apart with a chain saw,
were doing their clinch right in front of the Bandstand where I was doing my
little Country Songs. The Dance floor was full of other couples doing
approximately the same thing, as I got into the old familiar ballad that always
drew folks to the floor. Meanwhile, the couple dancing right in front of me,
were so engrossed in the rubbing together of their bodies, that they did not
notice the Front Door swing open and the man standing there with the pistol in
his hand. He came in with a purposeand the purpose was focused on the couple
right in front of me. I kept singing, but my eyes started searching around the
room for helpover against the back wall, the dressing room door was cracked open
and Little Jimmy Dickens was peeking out to see what was happening. The man
with the gun (hereafter known as the Mad Husband) headed across the dance floor,
pushing aside the other dancers, until he was standing right behind the welded
together couple in front of the Bandstand. Im still singing, just as the Owner
of the Club had told me to do in case of trouble, and Im looking right down the
barrel of that pistol pointed at the passionate couple, and therefore pointing
also at mehis finger was tightening on the trigger, just as Sherman, the
Indianapolis Cop that owned the Sherman Club, conked the pistoleer upside the
head with a loaded sap and he dropped like a sack of horse feed. As the Owner
was dragging the would-be shooter across the floor, to fling him out in the
Parking Lot, I finished my song and decided it was breaktime. I walked back to
the Dressing Room and as I entered the room, Little Jimmy, standing there in his
Stage Finery, said, Now, Stan, that is Country, aint it? And, I reckon that it
was, in 1968, before Country got Homogenized and Sterilized and Fertilized, and
moved to the more Genteel Establishments where it rests todaydifferent
daysdifferent times. But, yknow what? The thing that stuck with me all these
years was the fact that the Dance Floor never stopped dancing to my song, the
whole time the potential wife and boyfriend and innocent Country Singer killing
was about to take place. Nosirreebob, they were not gonna let something like
that break up a good time if they could help it. So, its not only the Singers
and Musicians and the songs and the Honky Tonks that have changedits also the
crowds that used to come out to hear us and dance the night away. Wild and
Wooly as it all was.I miss those years.
Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
^^^^^^^^^
SOUTHERN STYLE
98 Years, still fiddlin, still creating, Violet Hensley
By: Randall Franks
I am honored to come to know some of the most amazing fiddlers in American
history.
Over the past three years, I added to that list someone that when I was a
little boy, I saw perform on The Beverly Hillbillies, and Captain Kangaroo. That
fiddler is Americas first woman fiddler of note known to millions through the
advent of television and live performances and demonstrations of her craft of
making fiddles Violet Hensley.
On October 21, 2014 she marked her 98th year and throughout that week she
greeted fans and friends at theNational Cowboy and Harvest Festival at Silver
Dollar City in Branson, Mo. where she has held court for the past 47 years.
I am privileged to share this occasion with her in a way as many who have
stopped to see her this month carried home her new autobiography Whittlin and
Fiddlin My Own Way: The Violet Hensley Story which I helped pen.
I never thought I would be writing about my life, my music and my fiddle
makin, she said. I could have never dreamed coming from a farm in the backwoods
of Arkansas that the things I learned on that farm would make me a TV
personality and gain me fame around the world.
The Arkansas Living Treasure Award winner from Yellville, Arkansas learned
to fiddle in 1928 and make fiddles watching her father George W. Brumley in the
community of Alamo, Arkansas in 1932.
It was an amazing experience to work with Violet weekly to refine the
experiences from her life and compile a book which not only reflects what many
rural families endured in America in the 20th century but what was most unique
about Violet as she grew artistically, to find folk music stardom at nearly 50.
She raised a family of nine with her late husband Adren while he moved the
family from town to town and state to state.
With the advent of the folk music revival, Violets blossoming musical and
fiddle-making talents, caught the attention of Grammy ® winner Jimmy Driftwood
and the owners of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
She joined the crafters cast at Silver Dollar City in 1967, becoming part
of the Citys celebrities who used radio, television, and newspapers to invite
visitors to the amusement park.
Sharing her talents in front of millions, Hensley became one of the first
woman fiddlers to reach a large international audience appearing at the
Smithsonians Festival of American Folklife, festivals, colleges, and on
countless local, regional and national television and radio shows such as To
Tell the Truth and Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee
I hope folks will enjoy getting a glimpse at what my near century on this
world has been, Violet said. Its been a hoot so far and whats even better is
while the book is written the story continues. I hope folks will join me for
what is yet to come, they can start by reading the book.
The 258-page soft cover book from Peach Picked Publishing includes 145
photos and is available for $25 including shipping.
For more information about Violet,
visit http://violethensley.com. Order the book above. The book can
also be liked on Facebook.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 (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