COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday April 30th, 2015
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com -
http://www.countrymusicclassics.com
Email: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Once in a while you hear a song writer mention carrying around a song idea for a
time before actually writing the song!
According to Wayne Carson - Willie Nelson's 1982 number one "Always On My Mind"
was one of those tunes!
Wayne commented that he had the idea for the song for ten years before he and
Johnny Christopher began writing it at a Memphis recording studio. After hitting
a snag, Mark James helped finish the song which was recorded by Wayne Carson,
Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley and John Wesley Ryles before Johnny Christopher played
it for Willie Nelson during the recording sessions for the "Poncho And Lefty"
album with Merle Haggard.
Willie Nelson's Columbia Records single "Always On My Mind" came o the country
music charts March 6th, 1982 and was in the top slot on May 8th.
The song also earned three Grammy awards including Song Of The Year, plus two
Academy Of Country Music Awards, and four trophies from The Country Music
Association.
^^^^^^^^^^
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Have you ever heard of a song titled "How Long Has It Been?" I remember it
was on the radio years ago.
A: "How Long Has It Been" was Bobby Lewis first charted song and peaked at
number 6 in 1966.
Q: I'm sure you have probably been asked this type question many times - but
here goes: my cousin says he thinks his family might have lived next door to
Freddie Hart when they were both little boys. Their next door neighbors last
name was Hart and they had a goofy kid who sang all the time. This was in New
York state. Any comment?
A: I doubt that Freddie Hart was your cousin's neighbor. Freddie's real name
is Frederick Segrest and he was born in Alabama.
Q: My mom says the George Jones and Tammy Wynette hit song "Golden Ring" is an
old song from the 1930's. Is that true?
A: "Golden Ring" was written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe Van Hoy in in the mid
1970's.
Q: Do you know if Johnny Cash ever recorded the Johnny Horton hit song "When
It's Springtime In Alaska?" My mom says she heard Cash sing that song on the
radio.
A: The Cash version of that song is in Johnny's 1965 "Orange Blossom Special"
album
Q: I have heard that a Willie Nelson album set some kind of record for time
spent on the charts. Do you have any information?
A: Willie's 1970's "Stardust" album holds the record for most weeks on the
country album charts with 551 weeks.
Q: A friend mentioned a Conway Twitty song about "I'm Too Short On Too Long A
Love." Have you ever heard that song?
A: The correct title is "Short On Love Too Long" and is in his 1975 "The High
Priest Of Country Music" album.
^^^^^^^^^
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
1944
Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry - Al Dexter
1952
(When You Feel like Youre in Love) Dont Just Stand There - Carl Smith
1960
Hell Have to Go - Jim Reeves
1968
The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde - Merle Haggard
1976
Together Again - Emmylou Harris
1984
Right or Wrong - George Strait
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A LITTLE MIRACLE IN ASHFORD, ALABAMA.
By: Jack Blanchard
When you're hitch-hiking cross country
you usually wind up taking circuitous routes,
getting stranded in places you never knew existed,
and meeting people who are surprised that you exist.
We were once detained as suspected chain gang escapees,
which is where this story will eventually arrive.
You may be trying to go north,
but find yourself heading east or west,
and happy to get a ride,
to get off the side of a long and often creepy road.
When hitching you see the roads differently.
You notice the gum wrappers, cracks, puddles,
weeds and insects on the shoulders.
You get to know them well, sometimes being there for many hours.
A bend in the highway that cars disappear around in seconds,
is a mystery to you.
Maybe there's a town up there,
or an old gas station where you might get water, or a lucky ride,
or more endless miles of nothing,
Hitch-hiking to a place a thousand miles from where you start
can easily cover almost double the AAA route,
moving laterally as often as forward.
And you can plan on a number of extra days
in the burning sun or cold rain.
This isn't all bad.
Looking back on it It's an adventure.
At the time it seemed like punishment.
Bob Egan and I were trying to get back to Buffalo from Florida,
and got dropped off at nightfall in a tiny southern town
by a bakery truck driver going in for the night.
The two-lane county road traffic amounted to a vehicle an hour,
it was dark and getting chilly,
we hadn't eaten, and were practically broke.
We were in Ashford, Alabama,
at the intersection of US84 (now called Old US 84),
and the road going northward was the narrow County Road 55.
There was a streetlight on the corner, so we stood under it,
trying to look wholesome and non-threatening.
Kids from the town came around to watch us stand there.
We were the biggest thing going on in town.
They were just a few feet from us,
but we couldn't understand a single word they said.
We were from another planet.
After an hour or maybe three,
a dump truck rumbled toward us from the wrong direction.
Shovels were hanging on its sides and clanging.
It stopped and large elderly man in a plaid shirt got out.
He was the sheriff or maybe the constable.
The big man was friendly, but said he had to take us in
because we fitted the description of two chain gang escapees...
two young Yankee fellas, one dark-haired and one blond.
We tried to tell him how innocent and nice we were,
but the report said that they were smooth talkers,
and not to believe anything they said.
We climbed up into the truck cab
and he drove us about two blocks to the police station,
where we sat and were given coffee and a sandwich,
while the sheriff made some phone calls.
The police station was on Main,
which in my memory was an unpaved dirt street.
After a while he said "We don't have a regular jail here,
but we've got a place for you to stay until court in the morning."
Then he drove us to a big wooden house of indeterminate color,
and introduced us to a matronly lady...
the proprietor of this rooming house.
She was as friendly as he was,
but we were surely headed for life on the chain gang,
and that took a little edge off the fun.
We did get some needed sleep and some breakfast in the morning.
The rugged old cop picked us up
and said we had been cleared of all suspicions.
He drove us to the county line.
Like an idiot I said "Good luck catching those guys."
He waved out the truck window and headed back to town.
It only took a few decades for me to figure out what really happened.
He knew we would be stuck all night on that corner.
He could see that we were tired and probably hungry,
and he made the phone call to the boarding house lady
to put us up for the night.
There were no escaped convicts.
Just two youthful strangers who needed some help.
I have a warm spot in my heart for Ashford, Alabama,
and those good people.
Jack Blanchard
http://www.jackandmisty.net
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
myhillbillymusic.com, the largest streaming online radio station of classic
country music has affiliated with the A-1 networks. The affiliation means
myhillbillymusic.com is now found more readily by those searching for such
music. Simply go to a-1audionetwork.com/classiccountry/ to access or you can
still go to myhillbillymusic.com.
In addition to myhillbillymusic/a-1 classic country, our group also offers
mybluegrassfavorites.com, mymountainviewmusic.com (music of Mountain View,
Arkansas), a new site dedicated to classic southern gospel called
myhope1079.com.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
Compiled by Bill Morrison
1925 - Johnny Horton 1925~1960, known as "The Singing Fisherman" was born in Los
Angeles, California. Johnny was a cast member of the KWKH Louisiana Hayride.
Even though this artist had an amazing recording career, he is not a member of
the CMHF.
1927 - Alvin Condor and his banjo, made their first appearance on WSM's Barn
Dance, accompanied by fiddler Dick Weems.
1929 - Fuzzy Owen singer, songwriter, musician, Bakersfield music pioneer, and
label owner was born Charles Lee "Fuzzy" Owen in Conway, Arkansas. Fuzzy managed
the career of Merle Haggard for many years.
1932 - The Dixieliners made their debut appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. The
band consisted of the McGee Brothers and Arthur Smith.
1933 - Willie Nelson singer, songwriter, bass, guitarist and actor born in
Abbott, Texas. Willie joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964, was inducted into the
NSHF in 1973., and the CMHF in 1993. Willie was presented with Grammy's Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2000.
1940 - Darrell McCall born in New Jasper, Ohio.
1951 - Hank Snow topped the charts with "The Rhumba Boogie."
1951 - Ray Price' s debut single "If Your Ever Lonely Darling" was released.
1957 - Elvis recorded "Jailhouse Rock" 1957.
1959 - George Jones went to #1 with "White Lightning."
1960 - Chicago' s WLS "National Barn Dance," aired its final show. The show ran
for over
Sixteen years, and was broadcast from coast to coast, over the NBC radio
network.
1962 - Robert Earl Reynolds of "The Mavericks" was born in Kansas City,
Missouri.
1966 - Ray Pillow joined the Grand Ole Opry, and was introduced by Ernest Tubb.
1967 - Sonny James' "Need You" topped the charts.
1969 - Glen Campbell's Goodtime Hour featured special guests the Righteous
Brothers, Liza Minnelli, Waylon Jennings, and Glen's parents.
1971 - Carolyn Dawn Johnson was born in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada.
1971 - James Taylor's Warner Bros. album "Mud Slide Slim & the Blue Horizon" was
certified Gold by the RIAA.
1974 - Merle Haggard recorded "Old Man From The Mountain," on the same day his
Capitol album "The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard" was certified Gold.
1982 - Everybody's favorite Willie received a Gold album today for his Columbia
album "Always on My Mind."
1984 - Tyler Wilkinson of the Wilkinson' s, born in Canada.
1988 - Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash' s "It' s Such A Small World," went to
#1.
1988 - The Johnny Cash Show toured Britain from the 30th through May 12th.
1988 - George Jones, Vince Gill, and Hillbilly Jim were featured guests on Hee
Haw. Janie Frickie was this weeks co-host.
1990 DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins 1908~1990, age 81, Bluegrass banjo player died
today.
1995 - Rosanne Cash and producer John Leventhal were married.
1998 - The Oak Ridge Boys performed at ceremonies, celebrating the 50th
anniversary of the American Red Cross blood service, in Washington, D. C.
1998 - Curly Chalker 1931~1998, age 66, "Harold Lee Chalker" steel guitarist,
died at a nursing home in Nashville. Curly was inducted into the Steel Guitar
Hall of Fame in 1985.
2004 - The Grand Ole Opry American Road Show debuted at the Toyota Arena in
York, Pennsylvania. Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, the Del McCoury Band, and
Rebecca Lynn Howard performed.
2005 - Billboard Magazine renames the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart "Hot
Country Songs."
Billboard is now in its 110th year. A name you can trust.
2006 - Ray Pillow celebrated his 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole
Opry.
Courtesy Bill Morrison:
<http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH
By: Stan Hitchcock
"The Old Man That Time Forgot"
The old man stood in the shadows, back stage in the large, historic theater,
leaning on his push broom next to the wheeled cart that held his cleaning
supplies, listening to the loud music and screaming crowd. His arthritis was
aching bad tonight, his hands twisted and swollen, and although he could no
longer make the chords on his guitar, he could still hold the broom well enough
to get by. He was lucky the theater manager dimly remembered his theater
history, when the old man had stood on that stage, sharing the show with Hank
Williams, Sr, Red Foley and Minnie Pearl. Yeah, it had been 63 years ago, now,
and he had just been 24 years old, but already had his number one song on the
charts, hmmm..man, it dont seem more than yesterday. Those were the days, man,
rolling high, drawing the crowds, selling the records. He would have to make a
point to meet this young Star when he came off stage, tell him a few stories of
where it all came from, this Country Music..yeah, thats what hed do.
He had been hungry and cold, the day he came and applied for the Janitor
position at the old theater, but then, seemed like he always felt hungry and
cold, in his late 80s, but able to lie and pass for a somewhat younger age,
because he really needed to find work. The flop house where he had a bed was
threatening to kick him out if he didnt come up with some money. Come up with
some moneyman, that used to not be a problemnot for him in the glory years.now,
it was old age pension, and a small retirement check each month from the
Musicians Union which together just barely paid for the lumpy bed, a meal a day
and a bottle of Thunderbird Wine about once a week.
He had watched the buses pull up in back of the theater, bus for the young Star,
bus for the band, bus for the sound and lighting crew, bus for the Merchandise.
Yeah, times sure had changed since he and his band traveled in a 56 Chrysler
touring car, five people jammed together with instruments, bass fiddle tied on
top, then later went to a station wagon and a trailer which was a heap betterand
finally in 1962, he had enough hit records to buy his first bus, an old Flex
that he had bought off of Carl Smith, a beautiful custom job that Carl had
babied for several years during his Hit Period. Tour buses became the way to go
and he moved up to an MCI in the years that followed, with a special stateroom
in the back where he could go to be alone with his developing habits. He was the
darling of Country Radio and he just knew it was never gonna stop.
But by the 70s it did stop and fortune seemed to stop smiling on him. He had
developed a pill habit in the 60s and graduated to Coke and alcohol in the late
60s and early 70s. While he was drying out and kicking the habit in rehab, his
old manager had run off with the secretary, taking all the singers money when he
left. Never did see the old rascal again, heck he was probably laying up in some
South Sea Island somewhere, but the real kicker was, he also did not pay the
Income Tax he was supposed to be paying. They took it all. The bus, the record
royalties, writers royalties, sound systems, instruments. Gone, all gone. The
good times wife, became bad times gone, and took the house, which was all he had
been able to save from the come and take-it guys. He tried to shake it off and
get up and come back strong, all he had to do was clean up and get back to work.
He kicked the habit all right, but the run he was on had passed him by. The
bookings stopped coming in, from the rep he had gotten during his pill and
drinking times and shows he could not meet, cause he was just too sick to sing.
By the 80s, radio had completely forgotten him, he couldnt get in the door of
any of the old major record companies that used to be chasing him. He had a
brief flare up in the late 80s, but the Independent label he was on went belly
up, owing him money. Boy, if only
The old man snapped back from his memory trip, jerked back to reality with the
loud music climax and pyrotechnics going off.the girls in the audience screaming
and reaching out wanting to touch the torn jeans, fancy boots, that no cowboy
would be caught dead inor touch the body underneath, as the Star stood on the
very edge of the stage, pelvis thrust out, proud and flushed with the
applausenot even aware that he had been about a half note off on his vocal
performance, but the old mans ears had picked it up instantly. Dang, he thought,
on-key must not matter anymore in this new music, used to be a matter of pride
with us in the old days. I might be old and harda hearin, but I could sure hear
that bad note. The crowd was going crazy, screaming and holleringencores taken,
pelvis flashes more prominentlight show pulsing and sweeping.da..dummmmm! The
drummer finished his frenzy and it was over.
As the Star headed off stage, the old man took a step forward to maybe shake his
hand and share a few stories about how it used to bekinda becoming music buds,
maybe, or but the moment was lost when the Star shouldered past him, almost
knocking him off balance, never knowing or even caring that he was going past
real country music history. The Star headed for the bus, with his security
detail pushing fans out of the way, he, looking neither left nor right, ignoring
the imploring hands reaching out to touch
Yeah, sure different times, I reckon, why after the show we did here, those 60
some odd years ago, Red, Hank, Minnie and I went out and sat on the edge of the
stage and signed pictures and autographed albums for over two hours after the
show..but, they are all gone now, all the greats that I toured with.I dont know
how I managed to stay on as long as I have.I sure miss those folks, the
musicians and the fansall goneall gone..ah, but I remember the timesyeah.back
in.
The old man pushes the broom, picking up litter left by the show crowdthe crew
has torn down and loaded up, the buses backed up and headed out to the next
show, the crowd all gone homeand the theater is all his. As he is surveying the
darkening theater, he feels a deep pain, almost like an electric shock, going up
his neck and shoulders. He staggers a second, regains his legs and walks back
toward the stage. A strange melancholy has taken hold of him.a yearning, for he
knows not whatbut, something that hes had but is now gone.
He walks out on the stage.finds the very center, where he had stood before.he
looks down at the old torn stage boots that he still wears under his work
uniform, a remembrance of what was, as the pain in his chest seems to radiate
throughout his body. He coughs a couple of times, trying to ease the pain in his
throatopens his mouth to utter the first line of his biggest hit, feeling it
well up inside him, oh, to just sing it one more time.. When youve loved.. his
breath runs out, leaving him reaching for the next wordswhich never come.He
senses a presence on both sides of his body, he thinks of Hank.Red.Minnie.as the
spirit departs the old worn body, and he feels a peace at last.
The old man slowly crumples to the floor, in the exact center of the stage,
where he stood with the greats so many years ago.so many years ago.so many.\
Stan Hitchcock
www.hitchcockcountry.com -
http://www.hitchcockcountry.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
But now he has reconciled you by Christs physical body through death to present
you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue
in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in
the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to
every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Colossians 1:22-23 (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