Tag: “Country Music Hall of Fame”

Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Whitley and Joe Galante enter the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Country Music Hall of Fame

By Ken Paulson –

It would be difficult to imagine a more unlikely group of inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame than the class of 2022, honored Sunday night in the hall’s annual Medallion ceremony.

One had his career disappear after marrying a 13-year-old girl, who also happened to be a relative. Another’s life was cut short by alcoholism, just two albums into his career. The third was a New York label executive who reluctantly moved to Nashville to work with country artists.

Yet Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Whitley and Joe Galante all made the kind of impact that leads to country music’s greatest honor.

Jerry Lee Lewis

Lewis, already a member of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, was unable to attend the Country Music Hall of Fame induction due to frail health, but both the vibrancy and diversity of his music came through loud and clear.

 Chris Isaak, accompanied by Jen Gunderman on piano, rocked the room with his take on “Great Balls of Fire.” The McCrary Sisters gamely (and movingly) performed a Lewis arrangement of “My God is Real” that reportedly got him kicked out of a Bible school. Lee Ann Womack drew on Lewis’ post-scandal country career with an outstanding version of “Middle-Age Crazy.”

Chris Isaak performs
Chris Isaak , with Jen Gunderman on piano (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Before his performance, Isaak recalled a Lewis show he saw during the punk era. A group of young men with plenty of attitude pushed their way to the front of the stage just before Lewis’ performance. When Lewis came out, he headed right to the group, staring at them for 90 seconds, before they stepped back.

“The punks just wilted,” Isaak laughed. 

The induction was done by Hank Williams Jr., who reminisced about Jerry Lee teaching the young Bocephus a few things about playing rock ‘n’ roll piano,

“Imagine how you’d feel if Jerry Lee asked you to share his piano bench while he played,” Williams recalled.  Jerry Lee told me that my father was one of his heroes and if he couldn’t meet his hero, he would meet his hero’s son and teach him how to boogie woogie.”

In his remarks, Williams described the free-spirited Lewis’ most admirable traits, a number of which he found “familiar.”

“Jerry Lee doesn’t walk on stage and politely thank an audience for being there,” Williams said. “Jerry Lee doesn’t ask for your attention. He demands it.”

Williams was joined by the now-retired Kris Kristofferson in unveiling Lewis’ plaque. Politically, the two men are on different planets, but have long shared an admiration for Lewis.

Induction of Jerry Lee Lewis
Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams Jr. and CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Kyle Young (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Keith Whitley

Keith Whitley had a brief, but influential career, with just an EP and two albums released during his lifetime. He began as a teen bluegrass player in tandem with a young Ricky Skaggs. Both joined the legendary Ralph Stanley’s band before moving on to solo careers.  

It’s a measure of Whitley’s talent that he’s been named to the Hall of Fame despite a recording career that spanned just 4 years before his death in 1989. A number of his biggest hits were posthumous.

Whitley had fans in high places, including Garth Brooks, who called him “one of the greatest voices ever to grace country music.”

Brooks recalled that an early knock on Whitley from country radio programmers was that he was ‘too country.’

“That’s like saying that something’s too good,” Brooks said shortly before performing Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”

Also on hand to celebrate Whitley were Mickey Guyton, who performed “When You Say Nothing At All,” and a trio consisting of Ricky  Skaggs, Molly Tuttle and Justin Moses doing a rendition of “Tennessee Blues.”

Mickey Guyton (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Joe Galante

Joe Galante was recognized for his work helping build the careers of Whitley, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Clint Black, Brooks and Dunn, Alabama, Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney, with the latter three honoring him Sunday night with performances.

Joe Galante (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Alabama sang “My Home’s In Alabama,” Lambert performed her breakthrough hit “White Liar,” and Chesney performed “The Good Stuff.”

Kix Brooks presented the award and recalled that he and Ronnie Dunn had concluded that their run as Brooks and Dunn was probably over after an album had lackluster sales. Then Galante told them he wanted to work with them, opening the door for another decade of hits. He was “Joe Frickin’ Galante,” he said of the duo’s decision to continue recording.

John Prine, Crystal Gayle, Charley Pride and Shawn Camp salute Cowboy Jack Clement at Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Country Music Hall of Fame
John Prine
John Prine at the Country Music Hall of Fame (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

The late Cowboy Jack Clement’s Gibson J-200 guitar was donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame today, and his old friends John Prine, Crystal Gayle, Charley Pride and Shawn Camp were on hand to sing some of Clement’s favorite songs.

The guitar, a constant companion in Clement’s career as a songwriter, producer and artist, was purchased in the early 1950s.

Camp kicked off the mini-concert with a performance of “Gone Girl” and Gayle did her hit version of “When I Dream,” a song Clement didn’t write, but loved. Pride performed “Just Between You and Me,” his breakthrough record produced by Clement, and John Prine, fresh off his “All the Best” Festival in the Dominican Republic, closed with Clement’s first hit as a songwriter, “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” while paying Clement’s guitar.

Cowboy Jack was inducted into the Country music Hall of Fame in 2013.

The donation of the guitar was made possible by a grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. – Ken Paulson

Show 38 : Felice and Boudleaux Bryant honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Country Music Hall of Fame, Podcast, Songwriters

By Ken Paulson –

There’s a remarkable new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville celebrating two of the most successful songwriters in the history of country music – or any genre for that matter – Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.

We Could: The Songwriting Artistry of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant chronicles the writing of such indisputable classics as ” All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Devoted to You,” “Rocky Top,” “Love Hurts” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” The Everly Brothers alone recorded 29 of their songs.

The exhibit tells the couple’s story through a wide range of artifacts, but most impressive are the bound ledgers containing their hand-written songs. They’re a compelling reminder of how painstaking the process of writing truly great songs is.

In this edition of the Americana One podcast, we’re privileged to hear from Del Bryant, a longtime music industry executive and one of the Bryant’s two sons, and Dr. John Rumble, senior historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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Review: Marty Stuart, John Prine and “Songs That Tell A Story”

 in Nashville music

By Ken Paulson –

Throughout his performance last night at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Marty Stuart emphasized the unique nature of the concert, saying “This is never going to happen again.”

That’s true of course, because this was the final evening of Stuart’s Artist-in-Residence series, but it would be a shame if the Country Music Hall of Fame doesn’t find a way to create a new role for him, something along the lines of Ringmaster in Chief.

Stuart brought three rings of entertainment and insight to the Hall of Fame over the past three weeks, showcasing everyone from Chris Stapleton and Emmylou Harris to go-go dancers.
He and the Hall staff masterfully put together three distinct evenings and then populated them with extraordinarily talented people.

Last night was no exception. The theme was “Songs That Tell A Story” and Stuart’s guests included John Prine, songwriter Dallas Frazier, Brandy Clark and Doug Kershaw.

Among the highlights:

Dale Jett (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Stuart’s first guest was Dale Jett, the grandson of A.P. and Sara Carter of the Carter Family. Jett’s back-to-basics performance was a revelation, particularly welcome in a week in which America is caught up in the history of Country Music via Ken Burns’ documentary. Jett did one of his own songs about compassion, pulled out a rarely heard A.P. Carter song about a cyclone killing children at a local school and then joined Stuart for a robust “Sunny Side of Life.”

Stuart and the Superlatives performed a breathtaking rendition of Marty Robbin’s “El Paso,” a song the band worked up for Grady Martin’s (he played guitar on the record) induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Great harmonies and guitar work throughout.

Dallas Frazier
Dallas Frazier and Marty Stuart(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

  • Legendary songwriter Dallas Frazier delivered his classic “There Goes My Everything” in fine voice. He explained that the song was inspired by Ferlin Husky’s divorce. Husky had the publishing rights on the song, so his pain was eased a bit when it became a hit, Frazier noted.
Brandy Clark(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
  • In a night filled with music veterans, Brandy Clark was the newcomer and more than held her own. She told of seeing John Prine at the Americana Music Honors event at the Ryman a few years back, and how after he received an extended ovation, Prine said he wished he was “who you thought I was.” That led to Brandy’s song of the same name and a soaring, resonant performance.
John Prine (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
  • Prine received another warm welcome last night, with many audience members aware of this recent medical setback and grateful for his return to the stage. After his opening song “Egg and Daughter Night,” the always gracious Stuart complimented Prine’s guitar-playing. Prine, not known for his guitar work, seemed taken aback and said “I’ll show you if you have five seconds.”

Celebrating Sun Records: Margo Price, JD McPherson

 in Americana Music, Reviews

margo priceBy Ken Paulson

We lost Sam Phillips in 2003, but his spirit filled the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Saturday. Margo Price, J.D. McPherson, Webb Wilder and the Planet Rockers showcased the Sun Records sound with songs from the label and some original tunes that were clearly inspired by Phillips’ work.

Webb Wilder opened the show with two tracks from his pivotal “It Came From Nashville” LP and a raucous cover of “Ubangi Stomp.”

JD McPherson offered up some Junior Parker and Charlie Rich, closing with his Sun-fueled ‘North Side Gal.”

Jerry Phillips

Jerry Phillips

Margo Price, who recorded her current album at Sun Studios, sang Johnny Cash’s “Big River” and bent the “rules” a bit by doing a Billy Swan-inspired cover of “Don’t Be Cruel,” Elvis’ first RCA single after leaving Sun.

The afternoon’s biggest surprise was a guest appearance by Sam Phillips’ son Jerry, all decked out in a red sportcoat and a rockabilly attitude. His “Never Too Short to Rock” was great fun.

Backing up most of the artists and offering up a spirited set of their own were the Planet Rockers. The energetic afternoon closed with all of the artists returning to the stage for a finale of Carl Perkins’ “Boppin’ the Blues.”

It was an extraordinary 90 minutes and a testament to the power and passion of Sam Phillips. The Hall of Fame’s exhibit “Flying Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips” closes on June 12. Highly recommended.

Country Music Hall of Fame celebrates Sam Phillips

 in Nashville music

By Ken Paulson

A remarkable new exhibit opens today at the Country Music Hall of Fame honoring a singular figure in American music. The title says it all: “Flyin’ Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips.”

In fact, it was that audacious exhibit title that convinced the Phillips family that the Hall of Fame curators could be trusted with telling Sam’s story, his son Jerry said Thursday.

sam phillips posterPhillips, the founder of Sun Records played a pivotal role in the history of rock and roll, signing Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Rufus Thomas, Charlie Rich and many more groundbreaking and envelope-pushing talents.

His production and release of Elvis’ first single – “That’s All Right,” backed with a revved up “Blue Moon of Kentucky” – is the Big Bang of rock, and arguably of Americana music as well.

I had the opportunity to interview Phillips in 1999 at an event at the Peabody Hotel. I asked him my first question, and 11 minutes later he wrapped up his response. He was a colorful and confident character.

But he also had character. Sam was committed to finding and  recording fresh voices, breaking down barriers in the process.

Sam Phillips' console

Sam Phillips’ console

The exhibit features an impressive array of artifacts, most notably Elvis’ first recording – “My Happiness” – at the Memphis Recording Service. The disc, recorded for his mother, is on loan to the Hall of Fame by Jack White. Other items in the exhibit include:

– Phillips’ mixing console and tape recorder

  • – A union contract signed by Presley and Phillips
  • – An electric guitar used by Howlin’ Wolf
  • – A vintage Johnny Cash stage costume

The exhibit is scheduled to run through June 2016.

This week in Americana music

 in Americana Music, Nashville music

This week in Americana

Lucinda Williams’ Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone tops the Americana Music Association airplay chart  for yet another week, followed by Justin Townes Earle’s Single Mothers, Paul Thorn’s Too Blessed to Be Stressed (reviewed here) and the latest from Shovels and Rope (review), Ryan Adams and John Hiatt (review.)

In Nashville: Music City Roots at the Factory in Franklin features Selwyn Birchwood, Taylor Beshears, Keelan Donovan and Whiskey Shivers on Oct. 15. Tickets are $15.

Sons of Bill at the High Watt, Friday, Oct. 17

Steel Wheels at 3rd and Lindsley, Oct. 17

Jessi Alexander, Jonathan Singleton, Barry Dean and Jon Randall at the Bluebird Café, Oct. 17

Angaleena CDAngaleena Presley is featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Songwriter Session at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18.

The Long Players recreate Born in the USA at 3rd and Lindsley, Oct. 18

In the news:

The Country Music Hall of Fame announced a major exhibition set for March 27, 2015: Dylan, Cash and the Nashville Cats, Museum director Kyle Young says “this exhibit is a great opportunity to talk about the early confluence of country and rock.”

The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix has just opened an exhibit celebrating the Carter Family and Johnny Cash.

Americana on tour:

Runner of the Woods in Newport, Kentucky 10/16, Thomas, West Virginia 10/17 and Bluefield, West Virginia, 10/18.

New releases this week:

American Middle Class by Angaleena Presley

The Essential Kinks

Ride Out by Bob Seger

All Them Ghosts by Pauline Andres, “written over 4 years in 4 different countries,” according to the release.

 

 

Kenny Rogers at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Nashville music, Reviews

Kenny Rogers concluded his two-night run as artist-in-residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville tonight with an intimate set and guest appearances by Kim Carnes and songwriter Don Schlitz.
Fans accustomed to seeing Rogers in arena had to be thrilled to catch him in the 213-seat Ford’s Theater at the museum. He said he was going to play the show as though it were his living room, and did exactly that in story and song.

Among the highlights:
– Rogers’ duet with Carnes on Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer, a 1980 hit she wrote with her husband Dave Ellingson.
– A moving version of John Hiatt’s “Have a Little Faith in Me”
– Schlitz’s cameo on “I’m the Greatest,” his second hit for Rogers. The first – “The Gambler” launched his career and ignited Rogers’.
-A closing story about meeting Jessi Colter on a plane and how her account of being married to Waylon Jennings inspired Rogers to write “Sweet Music Man.”

Rogers also told the audience about pushing to get the Mel Tillis-penned “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” recorded. He said the producer thought it might be too dark, an understandable concern given the theme of a disabled veteran mulling homicide. Yet the audience erupted with joyous handclaps throughout the song. So much for darkness.
As with all ten artists-in-residence sessions at the Country Music Hall of Fame, this was a rare and sometimes revelatory evening.

Sonny Curtis honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Nashville music, Reviews

Sonny Curtis, a first-generation rocker and a highly successful songwriter, was saluted at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville as part of its “Poets and Prophets” series today.
The program was a compelling reminder of the many talented contributors to contemporary music who are not household names, but should be. The warm and self-effacing Curtis has had an extraordinary career, playing and recording with Holly before the Crickets were formed, writing the classic “I Fought the Law” (famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four and the Clash) and writing and performing the indelible theme to the Mary Tyler Moore show.
Curtis reflected on his childhood (“We were poor with three Os”) and his friendship with Holly (“I think we were friends before we met.”)
Shortly after Holly’s death, Curtis joined the Crickets as the new lead vocalist. The band needed a new song and he delivered “I Fought the Law.” He said he played it for Jerry Allison and Joe B. Mauldin and they said “Hey man, that’s good enough for this album.” Shrewd move.
Curtis said his vocals ended up on the Mary Tyler Moore show opening “Love is All Around” because he insisted on it, telling the producers they couldn’t use the song without him. “I wouldn’t do that today,” he laughed.

Suzy Bogguss in concert at Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Americana Music

In 1994, Suzy Bogguss teamed up with legendary guitarist and producer Chet Atkins for the delightful Simpatico album.

Bogguss will revisit that album and era in a concert at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 10. The program is tied to the hall’s exhibit, “Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar Player.”

The Hall of Fame says Bogguss will perform her own hits, songs she recorded with Chet Atkins and holiday songs. The concert is free with admission to the Hall of Fame.

D.J. Fontana at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Americana Music

Bill Lloyd hosted another remarkable “Nashville Cats” session at the Country Music Hall of Fame this afternoon, interviewing pioneering rock ‘n’ roll drummer D.J. Fontana.
Fontana, Scotty Moore and Bill Black were Elvis Presley’s first band, playing such classics as”Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” Over time, Fontana drummed on almost 500 Presley recordings.
Some snippets from today’s conversation:
– On the effort to replicate Sun Studio’s distinctive sound by putting microphones in the hallways on “Heartbreak Hotel:” “Nobody I ever knew got that sound again.”
– Asked whether the band was exposed to rhythm and blues in those early days, Fontana said Bill Black wouldn’t let them play the radio in the car on road trips because “he didn’t like noise.” If you played the radio, Black “would kick it out.”
– Asked whether it was different to play with Los Angeles-based session men a few years on, Fontana said he saw no change: “If you play good, you play good and that’s it.”

Saluting Duane Allman and southern rock

 in Americana Music

In remembrance of Duane Allman and on the 40th anniversary of his death, the Country Music Hall of Fame will host “Brothers and Sisters: The Rise of Southern Rock.” The Oct. 29 program will feature figures who were pivotal to the history of Southern Rock, including Charlie Daniels, Bonnie Bramlett, Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie, Ed King of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Mike Hyland of Capricorn Records. The discussion is scheduled for 1:30 and is free with admission to the Hall of Fame in Nashville.

“The Old Magic:” Free streaming of new Nick Lowe album

 in Americana Music

Nick Lowe’s new album “The Old Magic”  is due out on Sept. 13, which means heightened visibility and promotion. Lowe appeared at both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grammy Museum, and has done quite a few media appearances, including a guest DJ role on “All Songs Considered.”
Now Yep Roc is offering the chance to stream the new album before it’s released. The catch – and it’s not a big one – is that you have to “like” “The Old Magic” on Facebook. You’ll find the details here.

Nick Lowe at Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Reviews

Nick Lowe at the Country Music Hall of Fame Copyright 2011

Nick Lowe is no longer the “Jesus of Cool” his first album touted, but he still strives to be all things to all people.
In an interview with Michael McCall at the Country Music Hall of Fame this morning, Lowe said his goal as a performer is to be cool enough to attract both young and old.
“You get different generations coming to see you, none of whom are under duress,” Lowe said, noting that the older attendees at Justin Bieber shows aren’t there voluntarily.
Lowe said he’s pleased when people cover his songs (“Nice work if you can get it”), but is disappointed when artists play his songs too faithfully.
He said he was told that George Gershwin hated it when others recast his songs. “He wasn’t really a rock ‘n’ roll guy,” Lowe said.
“I like it when people take liberties,” he told the audience.
Lowe also reminisced about his relationship with Johnny Cash, his father-in-law while married to Carlene Carter. He said he spent an entire drunken eveing writing a song to pitch to Cash.
“At about 4 that morning, I thought I was the great man,” he said.
Carlene was inspired enough by the song to call Johnny to come and hear the song the next morning. Cash did show up, with full entourage in tow.
Lowe recalls that he performed “The Beast in Me” with an awful hangover and a performance to match.
At the end of the song, there was silence. Johnny Cash then said “Play it again.”
“It was even worse the second time,” Lowe recalls.
But something in the song resonated with Cash, who later recorded it to critical acclaim.
Now Lowe performs the song with Cash in mind.
I do it like him,” Lowe said. “I don’t do it like me anymore.”
At the close of his interview, Lowe performed a seven-song set:
1. Stoplight Roses (from the forthcoming “The Old Magic”)
2.Ragin’ Eyes
3.Sensitive Man (also from “The Old Magic”
4.Raining, Raining
5.When I Write the Book
6.What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?
7. The Beast in Me

James Burton at Hall of Fame

 in Reviews

James Burton and Bill Lloyd

James Burton, the legendary guitarist who wrote the lick for Dale Hawkins’ “Suzy Q,” played lead guitar for Ricky Nelson throughout his television years and played in Elvis Presley’s band from 1969 on, was saluted at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville today. Part of the Nashville Cats series hosted by Bill Lloyd of Foster and Lloyd, the program spanned more than five decades of music.
Burton recalled how he was invited to live with Ozzie, Harriet and the family for two years while we was working on the show. He became such an integral part of Rick Nelson’s sound that he was told not to play with others.
Burton made up for lost time in the early ’60s, becoming one of the nation’s most sought-after session players. The Mamas and Papas, Byrds and Monkees all had help from Burton.
Over the years, Burton played in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, toured and recorded with John Denver and played with Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Costello, among many others.
Lloyd asked whether there was a “West Coast Country” sound. Did California session players take a more aggressive approach or was it just something about the way country albums were being recorded there?
Burton was emphatic: “No, it was for real. We were serious.”

Connie Smith to be Country Music Hall of Fame artist in residence

 in Americana Music

Connie Smith has been named the 2011 resident artist at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, and will be performing and hosting shows there on Aug. 22 and 29 and Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Past honorees have included Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Vince Gill, Guy Clark, Jerry Douglas, Kris Kristofferson and my favorite to date, Cowboy Jack Clement.
Here’s a video of the 23-year-old Connie Smith just starting her career.
http://youtu.be/A_kkA0Zb6BY

James Burton at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Americana Music

The legendary James Burton will be Bill Lloyd’s guest on the July 23 installment of “Nashville Cats” at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Burton drove Ricky Nelson’s early recordings and later was a pivotal member of Elvis Presley’s band. He also played on Dale Hawkins’ classic “Suzy Q” and Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried.” That’s as good a resume as a guitar player can have.
Admission is free with a Hall of Fame membership. Burton’s conversation with Lloyd begins at 1:30 and will be streamed live on the hall’s site.