Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday February 19th, 2015
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com -
http://www.countrymusicclassics.com
Email: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
T. G. Sheppard's 1981 number one "Party Time" was supposed to have been a Jerry
Lee Lewis record.
Jerry Lee reportedly asked the music publisher to put the song on hold for him
just before T. G. heard the tune playing in one of the publisher's offices when
he walked in to look for new songs.
According to T. G., "I asked them to please let me know if the song became
available. And for whatever reason - Jerry Lee decided not to record the song so
I did."
T. G. Sheppard's Warner Bros single "Party Time" was written by Bruce Channel
and produced by Buddy Killen. It entered the country music charts July 18th,
1981 and was in the top slot on October 10th.
It was his 21st charted song and his 8th number one.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I have heard that the Gatlin Brothers are retiring from the music business.
Is that true?
A: Larry Gatlin says they are not retiring but will slow down a bit after
their current tour - to spend more time with their families.
Q: The TV news folks said Reba McEntire is going back to TV. Do you have any
information?
A: Reba is scheduled to reunite with her "Reba" co-star Melissa Peterman on an
ucoming episode of Peterman's ABC Family sitcom "Baby Daddy."
Q: According to my daughter - there is to be a special Ray Price exhibit in
Texas this month. Do you know where and when?
A: The Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame in Carthage, Texas will honor Ray
Price with a special "For The Good Times" exhibit on February 28th.
Q: The radio guys were talking about "Hee Haw" coming back to TV. Do you have
any details?
A: A new musical comedy tiled "Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical" will premiere
on September 2nd at The Dallas Theatre Center and will run thru mid-October. The
musical returns to Kornfield County for a new spin on the old classic.
Q: I have a tape I recorded from the radio of Johnny Rodriguez singing the old
song, " I Wonder Where You Are Tonight." I have tried to buy that record but
can't find it anywhere. Do you know when it was released?
A: The song was a track in the 1973 "Introducing Johnny Rodriguez" album.
Q: Do you have aay information on a Buck Owens song titled "High As The
Mountains?" I heard it a few times several years ago and really liked it.
A: "High As The Mountains" was a number 27 hit for Buck in 1961. It was also
the flipside of his number 2 hit "Foolin' Around."
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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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NUMBER ONES ON THIS DATE
1946
Guitar Polka - Al Dexter
1954
Wake Up, Irene - Hank Thompson
1962
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1970
Its Just a Matter of Time - Sonny James
1978
Dont Break the Heart that Loves You - Margo Smith
1986
Makin Up for Lost Time (The Dallas Lovers Song) - Crystal Gayle &
Gary Morris
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A belated HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Mack
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COWBOYS, WHISKEY, AND COUNTRY MUSIC
By: Jack Blanchard
Early on, the musicians liked our music,
but some others doubted our "countryness" because we were different.
Thanks to groundbreakers like Roger Miller,
country got more variety.
Now it's back to "cowboys, whiskey, and country music".
We don't fit the cookie cutter, even in indie music.
We won't be making our music dumber.
We once played a show with Jerry Reed, B.J. Thomas, and other stars
at The Citrus Bowl football stadium.
Misty and I were the only ones that got paid
because we cornered the money man.
After the show T.G.Sheppard asked us where the money person was.
We felt bad because we had a suspicion,
and T.G. is a nice guy.
A man in Tampa once booked us for a show.
We were the stars, and the only act on the show.
He rented a huge football stadium for the event,
and did no advertising.
About twenty people came. I think they were his family.
He blamed us, and refused to pay us.
And yet we stay in the music business.
It's a form of insanity.
In the years we booked through The Buddy Lee Agency
we never got stiffed for our money.
The contracts called for 50% to be returned with the signed contract,
and the rest to be paid in cash before we go on stage.
Good business.
"How many people can you draw?" That's what the show bookers ask.
I've seen major acts play to a dead house
because the buyers didn't advertise properly.
I've also seen lesser known artists pack venues
because of good promotion by the buyers.
Elvis would bomb if nobody knew he was there.
Misty and I are going to break into show biz any day now.
As soon as old singers become the "in thing".
I always wanted to be a starlet.
Sometimes I think there are less than 20 radio stations
that even know we're still putting out records.
Sorry for all the negative comments about the music business.
There is also a down side.
Maybe we should have opened a carpet remnants store.
We either love it or we're hooked on it.
WHY I GOT INTO SHOW BUSINESS...
It's the kind of public humiliation I've always wanted.
I plan to visit visit Australia
when they find a nicer name for "penal colony".
Jack Blanchard
http://www.jackandmisty.net
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Compiled by Bill Morrison
1913 - Howard Watts 1913-1970, a.k.a. Cedric Rainwater, was born in Monticello,
Florida. Howard played bass in Hank Williams "Driftin' Cowboy's" band, and also
played for Bill Monroe and Flat & Scruggs.
1927 - Raymond "Duck" Atkins 1927-1997, Dobro player, and guitarist was born
near Erwin, Tennessee.
1938 - Roy Acuff became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Prior to this night most
of the music on the Opry was instrumentals. The focus would now, and forever, be
on singing performers.
1953 - Tex Ritter recorded "High Noon" for the movie soundtrack.
1955 - Bob Wills released "Sincerely" b/w "Cornball Rag."
1956 - Carl Perkins released "Blue Suede Shoes" for Sun Records. The single went
to #1 on the country charts.
1957 - Lorianne Crook, talk show host, born in Wichita, Kansas.
1966 - Jan Howard and Bill Anderson's single "I Know Your Married," charted.
1970 - Glen Campbell's Capitol album "Try a Little Kindness" was certified Gold
by the RIAA.
1972 - Faron Young's "Four In The Morning" was Billboard's #1 record.
1972 - Brenda Lee, Hank Thompson, and George Lindsey were featured guests on
"Hee Haw."
1974 - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton announced the breakup of their act. And
some Music City attorney's began licking their chops. The legal end of the
separation went on for years.
1975 - John Denver's RCA Victor album "An Evening With John Denver" was
certified Gold by the RIAA. The album was recorded live in 1974, and hit the
country charts in March 1975. John's #1 RCA single "Thank God I'm A Country Boy"
was issued from this album, and it became Denver's 2nd #1 country hit.
1977 - George Jones, Tammy Wynette and the Roy Clark Family were featured guests
on "Hee Haw."
1979 - Cart T. Sprague, Cowboy singer, died at age 83.
1981 - Dolly Parton's RCA Victor single "9 to 5" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1987 - Willie Nelson's movie "Red Headed Stranger," premiered in Austin, Texas.
1992 - Biff Collie 1926-1992, disc jockey, station owner, show promoter, died at
age 65. Biff was inducted into the CDJHF in 1978.
1998 - Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones 1913-1998, age 84, died from a series of
strokes. Grandpa had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 52 years. He was
inducted into the CMHF in 1978, and was a Hee Haw cast member from day one of
the show's run. Everybody's Grandpa was laid to rest in the Luton Memorial
Methodist Church Cemetery, in Nashville, Tennessee. Grandpa was Stringbean's
best friend, and closest neighbor. He was the person who found String and his
wife Estelle the morning after they had been murdered at their home, in the
hills north of Nashville. Louis Marshall Jones was a man who anyone would be
proud to call "Grandpa."
1999 - Gertie Louise Hemphill, age 65, of "The Hemphill Singers" died in
Nashville, Tennessee.
2005 - Wilma Lee Cooper was honored by The Grand Ole Opry with a plaque
commemorating her 48th anniversary as an Opry member.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html>
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VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock
I was a young man in 1954, 18 years old and still pretty green, standing back at
the edge of a stage at the Ozark Empire Fair, in Springfield, Missouri. I had
worked my way around until I was close as you could get without actually being
on stage...to let the music kinda wash over me. On the platform were some of the
Ozarks finest Entertainers, working the Radio Station KWTO stage, broadcasting
live from the Fair. I was just a few days away from leaving for the U.S.Navy,
and I wanted to fill up on the music before I left.
I knew the entertainers, from appearing on the radio shows with them several
times while I was in High School. On Stage right now was a young man recently
moved to Springfield from down around West Plains, and he was really building a
following in the Ozarks, with his own radio show every day on the Station. On
Stage with him was Slim Wilson, Speedy Haworth, Bob White and Don Warden. Like I
said...the Ozaks finest.
As I stood there soaking up the good sounds...I noticed an old Grizzled mountain
man, who had eased up next to me, his right cheek extended unusually from the
wad of tobacco in his mouth. At the end of the song, he turned and loosed a
string of brown juice on the ground, turned back to me and in his Ozark drawl,
said, "Hillbilly singers are just born thata way... theys got the love of the
music in em ... they cant hep it... hits just the way they are."
Well, I've always remembered that old man's saying, and concluded that he was
'bout as close to being right as anyone else I've ever heard try to explain what
makes a person a picker...a singer...a guitar slinger. We can't hep it...hit's
just the way we are. That's a good enough reason for me.
Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
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SOUTHERN STYLE
By: Randall Franks
Randall Franks is a film and TV actor best known as: Officer Randy Goode
(1988-1993) in the television series In the Heat of the Night. He is also an
author, and a bluegrass singer and musician who was inducted into the
Independent Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013; recognized by the International
Bluegrass Music Museum in 2010 as a Bluegrass Legend; inducted into the Atlanta
Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004; and has been designated the "Appalachian
Ambassador of the Fiddle".
Jeff Foxworthy, more than a comedian - - - -
After our show In the Heat of the Night went off the air, I was looking for an
opportunity to move on to another show.
There were not many opportunities for Southern actors at that time, Walker,
Texas Ranger was on the air, comedian Brett Butler had a Southern base sit-com
called Grace Under Fire. My friend and co-star Alan Autry eventually found
opportunities with both. I was hopeful that I might find an opening with another
talented Southerner who was seeing his sit-com revamped for ABC Jeff Foxworthy.
As timing would have it, Jeff and I were both appearing for the CMA and the
Grand Ole Opry at Country Music Fan Fair in 1996 and I had the opportunity to
talk with Jeff about his new series and he suggested I contact his casting
director in Los Angeles and audition. He was even kind enough to write down her
contact info for me.
While I was in Los Angeles, I was doing some Appalachian and American music
tutoring for the youth on Grace Under Fire and was invited to do the same for
the young actors starring on The Jeff Foxworthy Show.
Jeff took the time to meet with me while I was there, and though there wasnt a
regular role that I fit in the show, he still made me feel like I was at home.
Jeff shared me his hope would be to film a show in Georgia like we did.
Flash-forward 19 years, I am sitting up front a couple of tables over from Jeff
Foxworthy and his family at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards in Atlanta,
Ga.
I listened to his childhood friend, who made the presentation, describe the Jeff
he knew a man concerned more with helping others and being there for his family
than someone chasing a bigger star. As I listened, that was the Jeff that I came
to know in those two visits nearly 20 years ago.
As I saw him walk to the microphone to accept the induction, I once again saw
beyond the lovable Southern comedian and star we all have come to know
throughout his amazing career, to see that kind, considerate man, who volunteers
at the Atlanta Mission, a fellow Georgian who took the time to be interested in
my life and that of my folks years before.
He has become the largest-selling comedy-recording artist in history. He hosted,
produced and written numerous TV shows including Blue Collar TV, and the Blue
Collar Comedy Tour films. He also voices characters for film such as The Fox and
Hound 2, Racing Stripes, and The Smurfs.
While all these are great accomplishments, his greatest ones were sitting around
him at the awards, his beautiful family that he chose to make the center of his
world forsaking opportunities so they could all be together in Georgia.
I encourage you; if you do not already know about my old friend, check out these
websites to learn more about his entertainment career and his other interests -
http://www.jefffoxworthy.com and
http://www.foxworthyoutdoors.com.
Randall Franks
http://www.randallfranks.com
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not
proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)
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