Monday, December 16, 2013

Ray Price - Honky Tonk Hero

We all knew it would happen. The pancreatic cancer was back and Ray refused to go through another strain of chemo and decided to die peacefully in hospice care in his Texas house in Mount Pleasant. A rushed statement by his son made him die premature, but this afternoon 4:43pm he did pass away.

I'm sure there will be many (better and extensive) obituaries covering his six decades in the music scene. I thought I will just remember him with some anecdotes, trivia and personal experiences.

Ray Price single handedly changed country music a decade before Willie and Waylon started their outlaw waves in the music business. After being a disciple (actually room mate) of Hank Williams, his early albums were pure Hank influenced, songs right on the edge between sin and salvation. With the emergence of Rock'n'Roll, Ray changed the old solemn sounds with his signature hard driving, jazz-influenced 4/4 shuffle into a highly dance-able Honky Tonk sound which up to this day still exists in every "true" Texas jukebox. Just listen to "Home In San Antone" from his album "San Antonio Rose" - you may have to do that several times to get actually get the different layers - first just listen to the tight rhythm work of the drums and the bass, add the "classic" fiddlin' by Tommy Jackson, then indulge in the mastery of Jimmy Day on the steel guitar and then give a listen to Ray vocal acrobatics. Piece the pieces together and the sum is way bigger than it's parts. And please be warned this stuff is addictive.



Yes I'm bluntly honest - some of his next invention, the cosmopolitan Nashville sound turned me off, all the strings were layered so thick and smooth, that at the time it was barely listenable to. I did change my mind in retrospect. And the BS (yes that stands also for a musician) crap that Nashville is now releasing, elevates these tunes like gems in a field of burnt coal pieces.
When he was introduced into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 I was there at the Grand Ole Opry working the event for several European radio stations and will never forget his quip "Well It's About Time." And right he was, having changed the sound of country music twice. In substance he was the Tony Bennett of Country Music, where George Jones was Frank Sinatra.

In 2000 Ray made a trip to SXSW (music fair) to perform a free concert at Waterloo Park. Despite a cold front who dropped the balmy afternoon temperatures 30 degrees into the 40s, there were more than a thousand attending and enjoying that show (which also featured the Derailers and Hank Williams III).
Still remember dancing on the lawn of the park - mostly to stay warm - when someone poked me in the back - they were some old friends of mine, members of BR5-49 who also attended the music fair and came out that night to check out and pay tribute to the Cherokee Cowboy. 
This is from later years, but pretty much sums up the experience at Waterloo Park - two Kris Kristofferson penned hits for Price - "Help Me Make Through The Night" / "For The Good Times"



By 2007 I was struggling, living out of my car - but Ray announced two concerts in Austin, together with Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Asleep At The Wheel as part of the "Last Of The Breed"-Tour. Sure glad I was able to work "parking" these two magical nights and seeing that show twice.
After the show we all rushed to Poodie's (Willie's former road manager's place - RIP) to see who would show up for the after party, some of the Cherokee Cowboys did, but it never became that much wished for Jam-Session for all the musicians involved. Nevertheless Ray stole the show these two nights.
A year later he returned with "Time" actually touching some of the old shuffle themes who made him so famous. "You Just Don't Love Me Anymore" became an instant favorite.




A must have for every true Honky Tonk fan is Ray Price's 10 CD box by Bear Family which chronicles the years from 1950 - 1966.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Willie Nelson's band tour bus in accident - 3 family members hospitalized


Willie Nelson's band tour bus (he was on another bus), was involved in an accident earlier this morning in Sulphur Springs (TX) on icy roads on IH-30. 

Three family members had to be hospitalized, drummer Paul English broke a foot, but no life-threatening injuries. More tour dates these year have been suspended. A new year's eve concert still stands as planned as of now. 

Sources: KOKE-FM, @willienelson @mihaelcorcoran

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Eric Paslay - Emerging Artist - Proven Songwriter

Quite by accident, on a music-infused night, I stumbled to meet and hear an unannounced Eric Paslay at the Saxon Pub in Austin. 

It was only one song he sang - but that little ditty captured my interest. 

Sitting in with Texas music stalwart, Walt Wilkins and his band The Mystiqueros, Eric offered us a slice of "Country Side Of Heaven." 




Obviously the video (below) was taken with a phone, the sound quality somehow questionable, but the only video I  could find of that song. Additionally Paslay will be playing the Grand Ole Opry on 5/24/13 - check him out if you have a chance.

Eric Paslay - "Country Side Of Heaven" - +Grand Ole Opry


Checking him out on his website and on facebook I quickly learned that the 30-year old Texan (born in Abilene) is one of the emerging artists, signed to EMI since 2011 and as a proven songwriter, could already celebrate three #1 hits he co-penned: "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" for Jake Owen, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" for the +Eli Young Band  and "Angel Eyes" for +Love and Theft 

"Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is a co-write with hit-writer +Will Hoge and was recorded by Hoge on his own album "The Wreckage." Both writers were nominated for a Grammy (Best Country Song) and Academy Of Country Music Award (Song of the Year). In the following acoustic video you are able to see Paslay doing "Less Than Whole" and him and Will Hoge singing their hit composition.

Eric Paslay - "Less Than Whole"
Eric Paslay/Will Hoge - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" +3rd & Lindsley


Jake Owen - "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"


After his first single "Never Really Wanted" barely cracked the charts and peaked at #48 in 2011, Paslay and his record company EMI, tried to come up with a similiar feel good song, as the Jake Owen #1 hit (a co-wrote with Dylan Altman and Terry Sawchuk). Altman, a co-writer with the same publishing company Cal IV, was also his co-writer on that second single "If The Fish Don't Bite." 
The single, which was considered the possible breakthrough record for Eric by several critics, was released in March of 2012 and stalled at #58 - too bad, the song really sounds like a fun summer hit, but listen by yourself. 




Maybe single number three, may do the charm, his newest single, "Friday Night," a co-write with +Rose Falcon  and Rob Crosby is now available on itunes and currently (May 2013) moving up the Country Airplay Charts, sitting at #47.
The song was previously recorded as an album track by +Lady Antebellum for their album "Own The Night."

I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot
Wide open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free
I wanna take you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night

Eric Paslay - "Friday Night" - acoustic


I'm not sure, if "Friday Night" will be the one song that will establish Eric Paslay as the newest artist, giving him mainstream radio-airplay. After three single releases going nowhere he may be dropped by EMI. 
But I don't worry about his success as a songwriter, with over 150 songs penned, I'm sure his name will show up in the charts again. 
A recent collaboration with Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant on her just released (May 2013) album "How Mercy Looks From Here" on his self-written song "Deep As It Is Wide" may just do this and help him further to gain the needed attention of radio programmers. 

Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow & Eric Paslay - "Deep As It Is Wide" +Ryman Auditorium




Sources: www.ericpaslay.com - www.facebook.com/ericpaslay - Cal IV - youtube - wikipedia - billboard.com -

Sunday, April 28, 2013

People Are Crazy - Billy Currington Out


Photo: Savannah-Chatham Police


Billy Currington was ousted as a pre-race artist for the May, 18th Sprint All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC), after his recent arrest on charges of making "terroristic threats and abuse of an elderly person." He will be replaced by "Long Black Train" singer, Josh Turner. "Due to Currington's recent indictment, we elected to change our act for the Nascar Sprint All-Star Race," track president and general manager Marcus Smith said in a news release.

Currington turned himself into the Savannah-Chatham Police and was booked into Chatham county jail on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest a day earlier. He was released after posting $27'700 bond. He could face upto 10 years in prison for the two felony charges against him.

The charges against Currington were filed after an April, 15th incident, after he allegedly chased a 70-year-old tour boat captain along a coastal Georgia creek of Tybee island and threated to "finish him off" in a tirade filled with profanities, according to court documents.

The boat captain, Charles Harvey Ferrelle, and his two passengers told police Currington was holding a camera when he became outraged. The police seized four digital video files, 27 photos and a memory card at Currington's home, after obtaining a search warrant.
In an affidavit, Savannah-Chatham County Police detective Alycia Smith wrote: "They were in fear of this man and a possible attack against Mr. Ferrelle, and possibly everyone there, as his behaviour was 'out of control' as described by all three persons."

Currington who denied "each and every allegation" from Ferrelle, tweeted two days after the incident to his over 200'000 followers on Twitter.
Currington's tweet
He also thanked his fans for their support but refused to comment because of the ongoing legal investigation. Inhabitants of Currington's estate have called the police before because of invasion of their privacy stemming from incidents where boats were driving to close to their boat dock, according to several newspaper reports.

Entertainment journalist Jimmy Carter tweeted that the charges against Currington were way out of proportion and "outrageous"...


According to a 2007 article in The Tennessean the singer admitted then, that he sometimes struggled to control his anger as a result of suffering childhood abuse while growing up in Rincon, north of Savannah. "When he comes out, he comes out very quickly and it goes away very quickly," the 39-year old singer told the newspaper. "And in those instances, that rage can destroy relationships, whether it's with a girlfriend or a business partner or a fan. It doesn't  take long to screw it all up."
Ft Walton Beach show 4/27 - Source Twitter

The show cancellation by the Charlotte Motor Speedway may be described as premature, as the fans are sticking with Currington and he was able to enjoy sold-out shows in Louisiana and Fort Walton Beach. He documented the last one in a Twitter picture, he posted earlier this morning (4/28).

Billy Currington is best known for the 2009, Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones penned number-one-hit "People Are Crazy."



Sources: wire reports, AP, savannahnow.com, @billycurrington @askjimmycarter

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Mindy McCready commits suicide



Country star, Mindy McCready is dead, after committing suicide earlier tonight (Sunday, 2/17/13). Stacy McCloud, an entertainment reporter with Nashville TV-outlet WZTV, Fox-17 confirmed in a tweet the apparent suicide of the troubled country singer. She was 37 years old. Besides her parents and siblings, the singer is survived by her two children, six year old Zander and ten month year old Zayne.

Roughly a month earlier, her boyfriend and "soul mate," music-producer David Wilson also died of apparently - even though the Sheriff investigation in his death is still on-going - committing suicide.



Born (November 30, 1975 as Malinda Gayle McCready) and raised in southern Florida, Mindy moved to Nashville when she was 18 years old and was able to secure a recording contract within a year. McCready broke into the country music scene in April of 1996 with her first top ten hit, the title-track of her double-platinum debut  "Ten Thousand Angels." Off the same album came her only #1 hit "Guys Do It All The Time" in July of the same year. A follow-up album "If I Don't Stay The Night" was still certified gold, and Mindy was able to celebrate another top ten hit - "A Girl's Gotta Do (What A Girl's Gotta Do)." After the singles of her third album for BNA - "I'm Not So Tough" - failed to crack the upper ranks of the charts, she left the label.
Three years later, in 2002, she published a self-titled album for Capitol records, which yielded her last two singles - "Scream" and "Maybe, Maybe Not" that hit the country music charts,



And even though the hits stalled for McCready, she kept herself continuously in the headlines, although in the tabloids. In 2004 she pleaded guilty to various drug charges, a year later she ended up in the hospital after being assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, who was charged  was attempted homicide. Probation violations put her into jail, several overdoses, traffic violations, suicide attempts and a rumored decade long affair with baseball great Roger Clemens kept the name afloat.
Three years ago, she appeared in a reality TV series "Celebrity Rehab 3," other TV talk shows and released her last album "I'm Still Here" on the Canadian (but US distributed) imprint Linus Entertainment. The album got mixed reviews, most reviewers heralding the McCready co-written title track as a statement of the singer's soberness.



vividceleb.com
Unfortunately her roller-coaster ride continued, another overdose got her again into the hospital, a porn video of hers, titled "Baseball Mistress" spilled some interesting beans about her relationship with Clemens. Besides a much publicized custody fight with her family about her firstborn Zander, Mindy also started to see music producer David Wilson and in April of last year bore his child Zayne.

Earlier this year Wilson died off a gunshot wound in their boathouse in Arkansas. Even though apparently self-inflicted, the Cleburne County Sheriff's office kept the investigation open. Drowned in tears, McCready - while not a suspect - called in an interview with NBC's Today show (1/29/13), the investigation a witch hunt and  denied her involvement in the death of her "soul mate" and "life partner."

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Sources: youtube, NBC Today Show, twitter, vividceleb.com, WZTV, various biographies

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Is The Riot over - Blake and Ray meet

Update (2/1/2013) 11am

The riot may be over... continue reading...

There is a new picture - taken by Shelton's wife Miranda Lambert, circulating on Twitter and some Facebook pages; it depicts Ray Price and Blake Shelton, meeting on Ray's tour bus outside of his show at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma. Miranda and Blake obviously visited with the Hall of Famer to bury the hatchet. Miranda commented on the picture as follows "Country music binds us together! We are a family. Forever and always. Tonight was a celebration of friends and hero's (sic)." According to other sources, Blake was even introduced by Price on stage".  

http://www.facebook.com/BoycottBlakeShelton?fref=ts

But the boycott is continuing, the facebook page, dedicated to boycott loud mouth Blake Shelton, counts over 1250 members by now and is still growing. As you may see, by clicking on the site, Grand Ole Opry legend Jean Shepard came out to reflect on Shellton's initial BS, and basically called him to be full of it.

Willie Nelson renamed his current tour, he was among other shows part of President Barack Obama's inauguration celebration, into the "Old Farts and Jackass"-Tour in response to Shelton's comment (see below in original post). As self-proclaimed co-leader of the "Old Farts" party, he not only shared with us, that he was completely dressed in black by "designer" Levi Strauss, but also chipped in, into the controversy if Beyonce lip-synched at the festivities. He assures us that his music is no "Willlie Vanillie" and that he can testify in front of Congress that country music is in good hands (with him). Read more about the funny Wille updates on his website - www.willienelson.com

Next up for Blake - to reconcile with Willie Nelson and Jean Shepard. One thing that may help Blake in this undertaking is, that the original video was withdrawn from circulation because of "copyright" issues. (Really?!)

ESSENTIAL WILLIE NELSON BY NELSON,WILLIE (CD) [2 DISCS] (Google Affiliate Ad)

2nd Update (2013-01-25 2:11pm

Dale Watson chipped in with a song sent from Antwerp, Belgium - enjoy


The fanpage Miranda & Blake on facebook had to close down it's wall postisngs...

The page's likes below keep on growing, adding over 250 likes in roughly 12 hours, keep on going there and click that "like"

Update (2013-01-24 11:11pm) - there is now a page on facebook that asks for boycotting Blake Shelton, I dare you to like it, the more the better...
http://www.facebook.com/BoycottBlakeShelton

--------------------------------------------Original post below:----------------------------------------------------


Even though he told US Weekly that one of his New Year's resolution is to "keep the peace" on Social Media (as in his mouth shut and his twitter fingers numb), he stepped in a big pile of BS again. This time with a traditional media outlet, GAC TV in one of their biographical segments called "Backstory" and we are not yet four weeks into the New Year.

"If I am 'Male Vocalist of the Year' that must mean that I’m one of those people now that gets to decide if it moves forward and if it moves on. Country music has to evolve in order to survive. Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying."

You can find the original quote at the very end of the tape at 14'25"



And sure enough, after offending gays, when he published rewritten verses for a Shania Twain song, and after upsetting animal lovers for killing a tortoise by just drivin' over it, his mouth needs a good washin' with a bar of soap again.

Well this time he didn't just upset a certain segment, but almost all of the people of whole genre of music, by not acknowledging the tradition and history of Country Music and basically piss on it!

Screenshot of Ray Price's fb page
That didn't sit to well, with 87-year old two time Grammy Award winner and Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Price. After seeing the threat in "Saving Country Music," he commented on his facebook page, comparing Shelton's career as a flash in the pan and wondering out loud, where Shelton's accomplishments may be in 63 years from now.

Also commenting on the whole upheaval was Country Comedian Ray Stevens, through his publicist: "... 'Old Farts and Jackasses', all I want to know is how he found out the title to my next single because it's been a closely guarded secret here at the "Home." He also promised to release the single on vinyl or 8-Track at your nearest Tower Records store, therefore having some fun with the "old ways of music distribution."

Blake finally came out in the afternoon and started tweeting apologies from his twitter account @blakeshelton (pasted together...)

Whoa!!! I heard I offended one of my all time favorite artists Ray Price by my statement “Nobody wants to listen to their grandpas music”..And probably some other things from that same interview on GAC Backstory.. I hate that I upset him.. The truth is my statement was and STILL Is about how we as the new generation of country artists have to keep re-inventing country music to keep it popular. Just EXACTLY… The way Mr. Price did along hid journey as a main stream country artist.. Pushing the boundaries with his records. “For The Goodtimes” Perfect example with the introduction of a bigger orchestrated sound in country music.. It was new and awesome!!! I absolutely have no doubt I could have worded it better(as always ha!) and I apologize to Mr. Price and any other heroes of mine that it may offended.. I meant every word I said. Country music is my life and it’s future AND past is important to me. I’ll put my Lo(v)e and respect and knowledge About it up against anybody out there… ANYBODY…

Well nice try and I do see hand reaching out for peace, but he's still unapologetic, thinks that his words were taken out of context. He was also high-fiving fans who told him they would stand by him any which way...

Sorry Blake but in my opinion that just doesn't work. And yes your statement is not just hurtful, but also deceiving, it's the old farts and jackasses who still buy music, but it's music that matters to them from artists that matter to them. And yes people are tuning out of the commercial crap offered on the airwaves - instead they listen to more public, satellite or other radio-stations that cater to them (eg KOKE FM in Austin). Or they tune into internet stations, like TexasPrideRadio.com or have their own programs (like Pandora) on their phones, iPads or computers.

But I don't want to finish this with a sour note - below is "chief old fart and jackass" Ray Price - with the opening track of his 2002 album "Time", the lovely shuffle "You Just Don't Love Me Anymore". John Morthland wrote in his review about this album, "doesn't come across as nostalgic, but rather as the eloquent statement of a masterful artist who knows he's just not done quite yet, thank you."





Sources: GAC / Backstory (youtube) http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/blake-shelton-calls-classic-country-fans-old-farts-jackasses http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ray-Price/368389809921178 https://twitter.com/blakeshelton www.kokefm.com www.texasprideradio.com