Tag: Country music

Jody Miller on Epic: Remembering the “Queen of the House”

 in Reviews

“Answer” songs rarely launch careers.

These records — far more common in the ’60s than today — “answered” hit records of the day, responding to a current hit in theme and sound in hopes of riding the coattails of an established record.

Most of these novelty songs vanished quickly, but there were rare exceptions. Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” was an answer to Hank Thompson’s “The Wild Side of Life.”

In 1964 Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” was a monster record that cemented his reputation and career. Jody Miller answered with “Queen of the House,”  a domestic take on Roger Miller’s big hit. It broke into both the pop and country charts and established her career.

Due to be released next month is the Complete Epic Hits, a collection of ’70s recordings for that label. It’s a reminder of a time when artists actually had the time to record a body of work and when slightly countrified pop hits were staples of the genre. Her Epic hits included such top-five records as “He’s So Fine, “Baby I’m Yours” and “There’s A Party Goin’ On, plus covers of “House of the Rising Sun” and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” This is a thorough retrospective illustrating Miller’s range and Billy Sherrill’s production skills. It also documents an era in which  country and pop began to meld.

Chuck Mead goes “Back to the Quonset Hut”

 in Reviews

One of the coolest sites in Nashville is rarely seen by the public. The legendary Quonset Hut was once the most prominent studio on Music Row, the home of such recordings as “King of the Road,” “Crazy” and “I Fall to Pieces.”

In the ‘80s, it was converted into office space, a disturbing fate for what was once a magical space. Thanks, though, to funding by Mike Curb, the studio has been refurbished and is now used to teach production skills to Belmont University students.

Chuck Mead, a solo artist and former member of BR5-49, revisits the studio’s storied past with his upcoming album Back at the Quonset Hut, due in early 2012. It’s a collection of classic country music with great musicians of multiple eras.

The line-up includes Quonset Hut studio veterans Harold Bradley, Hargus “Pig” Robbins, Bob Moore and Buddy Spicher, plus guest appearances by Bobby Bare, Old Crow Medicine Show and Elizabeth Cook.

Chuck Mead took a few minutes recently to talk about the project, which includes the album and documentary:

listen to ‘Chuck Mead’ on Audioboo

Dobie Gray: An appreciation

 in Nashville music, Reviews

Obituaries reporting the death of Dobie Gray this week focused on his big hit “Drift Away” and his ’60s breakthrough “The In Crowd.” The casual observer might be left with the impression that Gray was a one-hit wonder in two successive decades.
The truth is that Dobie Gray was something of a pioneer, an
African-American coming to Nashville and working with country session players like Reggie Young, David Briggs and Troy Seals on some outstanding albums that bridged genres. His work with Mentor Williams was the best of his career, and the Drift Away and Loving Arms albums – still available as imports – were full of soulful adult pop, with country underpinnings.
Gray joined us a few years ago for one of the Freedom Sings concerts held annually in Nashville at the Bluebird Cafe. He was in great voice, sang “Drift Away” and was a warm and gracious performer.
His body of work – from the early “go-go” recordings to his ’70s resurgence to his country recordings in later years – is well worth exploring.

2012 Grammy nominations: Americana, folk and blues

 in Americana Music

The 2012 Grammy nominations are out, with the winners to be named on Feb. 12. The Americana music-related categories and nominees:

For Best Americana Album:
Emotional Jukebox -Linda Chorney
Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down – Ry Cooder
Hard Bargain -Emmylou Harris
Ramble At The Ryman -Levon Helm
Blessed -Lucinda Williams

For Best Bluegrass Album
Paper Airplane- Alison Krauss & Union Station
Reason And Rhyme: Bluegrass Songs By Robert Hunter and Jim Lauderdale
– Jim Lauderdale
Rare Bird Alert -Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
Old Memories: The Songs Of Bill Monroe – The Del McCoury Band
A Mother’s Prayer -Ralph Stanley
Sleep With One Eye Open – Chris Thile & Michael Daves

For Best Blues Album:
Low Country Blues – Gregg Allman
Roadside Attractions -Marcia Ball
Man In Motion – Warren Haynes
The Reflection – Keb Mo
Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

For Best Folk Album
Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive -Steve Earle
Helplessness Blues- Fleet Foxes
Ukulele Songs – Eddie Vedder
The Harrow & The Harvest -Gillian Welch

For Best Children’s Album:
I Love: Tom T. Hall’s Songs Of Fox Hollow
(Various Artists) Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, producers

For Best Instrumental Composition
Life In Eleven – Béla Fleck & Howard Levy, composers (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones)

Concert review: Glen Campbell at the Ryman in Nashville

 in Reviews

It was a sad and exhilarating evening at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville tonight.

It’s wasn’t sad because Glen Campbell is suffering from Alzheimer’s or that his performance was part of his “Goodbye Tour.” He’s 75 and ailments strike us all.

It was sad because this is the last tour of one of America’s great pop singers, interpreters and guitarists, and it’s not realistic to expect anyone else to ever perform the work of Jimmy Webb with as much passion and joy.

Campbell had some challenges tonight, forgetting the lyrics to set opener “Gentle on My Mind” when a prompter malfunctioned and stumbling through some stage patter. But his guitar
playing was solid, and his solo on “Wichita Lineman” was stirring.

In full stride, singing the songs that dominated America’s pop and country charts from 1967 through 1977,he was impressive. He played his biggest hits, including “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Galveston,” but also lesser and still memorable hits, notably “Where’s The Playground Susie?” and “Dreams of the Everyday Housewife.” Haunting and beautiful stuff.

It was inspiring to see Campbell pepper the show with tracks from his outstanding final album Ghost on the Canvas. He’s been an artist all his life and he’s going to leave the stage playing new songs. That’s what artists – as opposed to oldies acts – do.