Georgia duo Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King actually had quite some success as the LACS, the Loud Ass Crackers, taking two albums "KEEP IT REDNECK" (2013) and "OUTLAW IN ME" (2015) into the Billboard Top Country Album Charts and doing the same in the Rap Album Charts. But their mixture of Rock, Country, Hick Hop (their self-named version of Rap), and Southern Rock didn't fare too well with radio programmers, not giving them one single worth of airplay. But they kept touring, mostly attracting millennial frat-boys and wanna-be gangsters, basically appealing to an even lower common denominator as Nash-Trash country does to suburban middle-aged soccer moms and acne-ridden Teenie Boppers.
Probably to avoid disappearing in the sweet nothingness after their 15 minutes of half-ass fame, they now bonded together with Floridians trio Hard Target and came up with the equivalent of Hick Hop's Florida Georgia Line and the real scary name Racket County. A new label, Barn Burner Records was formed to accommodate the new outfit, while they are still relying on Average Joe's Entertainment distribution.
A debut album of the fat as in overweight (their own description) quintet, with the cliched title "WELCOME TO DODGE CITY" and brandishing whiskey and bullets, is scheduled to be released on August, 5th.
A first single "Sunday" with a sham tropical island groove and to add insult to injury a fake Jamaican accent over the infantile rapping style was released with a video more alluring to bro-country than to real gangsta rap. The guy who came up with the "fishin' and hookin' up" line must be a real genius.
Dr. Ralph Stanley's funeral will not only be open to the public today, but will also be broadcast live on WYMT (If you click the link it will take you to the live streaming feed of the TV station).
The funeral will take place deep in the hills of Virginia at the Hills of Home Park, where the Dr. Ralph Stanley Annual Hills of Home Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival takes place for almost five decades.
Pallbearers will be close family members, son Ralph Stanley II, grandsons Ralph Stanley III, Nathan Stanley, Evan Stout, son-in-laws Bryan Marshall and Jason Armes as well as Walter Carlton.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ricky Skaggs, Josh Turner, Jim Lauderdale, Dewey Brown, Ralph Murphy, Bobby Hammons, and all Clinch Mountain Boys in attendance.
The funeral starts at 6pm (5pm CDT, 12am Central European Time) and will feature a Masonic Service (Freimaurer), as Stanley was a member of the masons, Frank Newsome and Eva Murphy will be officiating the funeral and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 8979 will conduct a VFW graveside service to honor Stanley's service in the US Army during World War II.
Clinch Mountain Boys member and former bassist (1951 - 1966), the late George Shuffler was quoted in the Bristol Herald Courier:
“That little feller left the mountains and took this music all over the world,” Shuffler said. “But the mountains never left him.”
The music videos below feature two of the honorary pallbearers together with Dr. Ralph Stanley, Jim Lauderdale in the first one doing "I Feel Like Singing Today" from Merlefest and fiddler Dewey Brown with the Clinch Mountain Boys doing "Orange Blossom Special" at Dewey Fest.
Sources: Bristol Herald Courier, YouTube, WYMT, Ralph Stanley Festival, Ralph Stanley FB
Ralph Stanley, a patriarch of Appalachian music who with his brother Carter helped expand and popularize the genre that became known as bluegrass, died Thursday from difficulties with skin cancer. He was 89.
Stanley was born and raised in southwest Virginia, a land of coal mines and deep forests where he and his brother formed the Stanley Brothers and their Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946. Their father would sing them old traditional songs like "Man of Constant Sorrow," while their mother, a banjo player, taught them the old-time clawhammer style, in which the player's fingers strike downward at the strings in a rhythmic style.
Heavily influenced by Grand Ole Opry star Bill Monroe, the brothers fused Monroe's rapid rhythms with the mountain folk songs from groups such as the Carter Family, who hailed from this same rocky corner of Virginia.
The Stanleys created a distinctive three-part harmony that combined the lead vocal of Carter with Ralph's tenor and an even higher part sung by bandmate Pee Wee Lambert. Carter's romantic songwriting professed a deep passion for the rural landscape, but also reflected on lonesomeness and personal losses.
Songs like "The Lonesome River," uses the imagery of the water to evoke the loss of a lover, and "White Dove," describes the mourning and suffering after the death of a mother and father. In 1951, they popularized "Man of Constant Sorrow," which was also later recorded by Bob Dylan in the '60s.
The brothers were swept into the burgeoning folk movement and they toured the country playing folk and bluegrass festivals during the '60s, including the Newport Folk Festival in 1959 and 1964.
But when Carter died of liver disease in 1966, Ralph wasn't sure he could continue. His brother had been the main songwriter, lead singer and front man, and Ralph, by his own account, was withdrawn and shy, although he had overcome some of his early reticence.
"Within weeks of his passing, I got phone calls and letters and telegrams and they all said don't quit. They said, 'We've always been behind you and Carter, but now we'll be behind you even more because we know you'll need us,'" Stanley told The Associated Press in 2006.
After Carter's death, Ralph drew even deeper from his Appalachian roots, adopting the a cappella singing style of the Primitive Baptist church where he was raised. He reformed the Clinch Mountain Boys band to include Ray Cline, vocalist Larry Sparks and Melvin Goins. He would change the lineup of the band over the years, later including Jack Cooke, and mentored younger artists like Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs, who also performed with him.
Dylan and Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia praised his work and, in the case of Dylan, joined him for a remake of the Stanley Brothers' "Lonesome River" in 1997.
He was given an honorary doctorate of music from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, in 1976, and he was often introduced as "Dr. Ralph Stanley." He performed at the inaugurations of U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, was given a "Living Legends" medal from the Library of Congress and a National Medal of Arts presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and President George W. Bush. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2000.
But at age 73, he was introduced to a new generation of fans in 2000 due to his chilling a cappella dirge "O Death" from the hit Coen Brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" movie soundtrack. The album was a runaway hit, topping the Billboard 200 chart, as well as the country albums and soundtrack charts, and sold millions of copies.
"O Death" - Live
He won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in 2002 — beating out Tim McGraw, Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Lyle Lovett — and was the focus of a successful tour and documentary inspired by the soundtrack. The soundtrack, produced by T Bone Burnett, also won a Grammy for album of the year. The following year he and Jim Lauderdale would win a Grammy for best bluegrass album for "Lost in the Lonesome Pines."
Fun moment at the Grand Ole Opry - Jim Lauderdale, Ralph Stanley - She's Lookin' At Me
He said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2002 that younger people were coming to see his shows and hear his "old time music," and was enjoying the belated recognition.
"I wish it had come 25 years sooner," he said. "I am still enjoying it, but I would have had longer to enjoy it."
Despite health problems, he continued to record and tour into his 80s, often performing with his son Ralph Stanley II on guitar and his grandson Nathan on mandolin.
Stanley was born in Big Spraddle, Virginia and lived in Sandy Ridge outside of Coeburn, Virginia. His mother was Lucy Jane Smith Stanley and his father was Lee Stanley. He is survived by his wife Jimmie Stanley – they were to celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary on July 2nd. He is also survived by his children: Lisa Stanley Marshall, Tonya Armes Stanley and Ralph Stanley II; His grandchildren: Nathan Stanley, Amber Meade Stanley, Evan Stout, Ashley Marshall, Alexis Marshall, Taylor Stanley, and Ralph Stanley III; and great grandchild Mckenzie Stanley. Memorial service details are pending and will be announced shortly.
In September of last year, Texas-based poet-laureate, painter, actor and singer/songwriter, Bobby Bridger released his first album in more than a dozen years "VAGABOND HEART."
Besides seven originals by Bridger, the title of the album came from lyrics to the tune "Stages" one of three cover songs, Bobby recorded:
"I’ve lived my life with a vagabond’s heart."
The whole background story to "Stages" is almost a blog in itself and I will reveal that, when I will be reviewing "VAGABOND HEART," produced by Bobby and Austin guitar great John Inmon, in it's entirety at a later date.
"Vagabond Heart lyrically explores the migration of the human heart and its love affair with the majesty of nature; its instinctive desire to prophesize unique directions; the ambiguity of the truth; the transient, cyclical nature of the heroic; the magnetic enchantment of the stars; the power of surrendering to change; the love of all sentient beings; a lover’s betrayal; of following beckoning internal voices; and of seeking answers and finding surprises."
To make a video of the opening track "Absaroka," a mountain range and part of the Rockies on the eastern part of Yellowstone Nationalpark, Bobby started looking around to find aerial footage to use with his song. He got lucky and found some beautiful stock videography that beautifully frames his lyrics to "Absaroka:"
Golden Eagle soaring upward
drawing circles in the sky...
Cut and edited by Bridger and featuring his son Gabriel Bridger Durham as harmony singer, like on the album "Absaroka" takes you on a journey, where nature still seems to be pristine and unadulterated, but watch by yourself.
Sources: YouTube and http://www.bobbybridgermusic.com/ where you also find your links to download the song and the album.
When I tell friends that I did Willie two favors in spring of 1988 in Switzerland, their first question always is: "Did you get Willie some pot and what was the other thing you did?"
No I didn't get him any smoke, even though I would have had the resources to get him some of the best Black Afghan hash, that was circulating in the air about that time. Which is bragging, that stuff was everywhere at that time and a short tram ride to a street park less than a mile away would have fulfilled his unsaid wishes.
But no, Willie just wanted to put the sweats on and go for a work out. and I organized him a gym where he could go incognito and be not bothered by other patron's of the fitness studio.
My first cover shot on a that day's major newspaper "The Sonntagszeitung" with a Willie interview I penned with the guy who got me into the paper did it's magic too.
And while all that may have gotten me some perks from Willie and his Family (actually the late Poodie, Willie's longtime road manager) over the years to go see some of his shows and hang on the bus, it may prevent me from applying for a job for Willie's new endeavor of selling "Willie Reserve" - yes they are currently hiring - for not being connected enough in the smoking business anymore. My THC free lifestyle for over a decade, well almost free, one or two joints a year don't really leave a piss mark on the scale, may take me out for qualifying. And then there are some other hurdles: "This position is open to Colorado state residents who currently hold or are qualified to hold a Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) Badge."
So if you live in CO and have the required MED badge, you may apply for one of the five jobs being offered: Compliance Officer, Bookkeeper/ Admin / Office Assistant, Production Manager, Sales Director or Extractor. I just hope the bookkeeper will be a bit more spot-on with crunching the numbers and less in a haze then the former accountant that left Willie (and some of his friends) financially in the dust and in debt to the I.R.S.
Smoking "Willie Weed" as it is slangy re(e)ferred to in Austin, may get you into trouble and you may besides screwing your math up, miss out on a party you are invited to hang with basketball great Charles Barkley, as Toby had to confess to "True Country TV" in an interview . The good thing about it is though, Toby came up with a funny song, he co-wrote with his hit supplier Scotty Emerick "I Will Never Smoke Weed With Willie Nelson Again," which they presented to him on his 70th Birthday TV show special.
Toby Keith - Interview
And when all is said and done, just "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me." Below is a live encore version from FarmAid 2014.
Talking about FarmAid, Willie also just announced the newest incarnation of the by now over 30 year old benefit event. It will take place September, 17 in Bristow, Vrigina with the following line up. Besides Willie, there will be the three other directors of the non-profit organisation performing: Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds. Other acts include Alabama Shakes, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jamey Johnson, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Carlene Carter and Insects Vs Robots. Pre-sale tickets went on the market yesterday and if you want to look at the complete lineup a video stream - you can click on - introduces you to all artists.
The late Merle Haggard was part of the inaugural farm aid concert in Champaign, Illinois on September 22, 1985, so I had to include him in this story too. Roughly a year ago, the two (Merle & Willie) topped the country chart with their duet album "DJANGO AND JIMMIE" their homage to jazz gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and country music father Jimmie Rodgers. It was their second hit Nr. 1 together, the first one being "PANCHO & LEFTY" 32 years earlier. Watch below for the fun Willie and Merle had in recording "It's All Going To Pot," a song written by "DJANGO & JIMMIE" producer Buddy Cannon, together with Jamey Johnson and Larry Shell. But first a live version of another smoking classic by now - "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" where Buddy Cannon and Willie Nelson were joined by the original tunesmiths Rich Alves (Pirates of the Mississippi), John Colgin and Mike McQuerry.
An "Up Close & Personal" exclusive program session by John Prine and Sturgill Simpson can be watched by livestream tonight (June, 21st, 9.30pm CST) on Grammy Pro's facebook page, according to a press release from the Grammy organisation and Prine.
"The artists will dive deep into their creative process, especially as it relates to songwriting, during an intimate conversation moderated by singer/songwriter and music journalist Paul Zollo."
The session will be followed by a special performance by John Prine and is part of "Grammy Pro Songwriter Week" which is happening this week (June 20 - June 24) at the Grammy museum in Los Angeles. The show at the museum is sold out but is available through the livestream app which is connected to the Grammy Pro page.
Prine, who won two Grammys - one in 1991 for "The Missing Years" as "Best Contemporary Folk Album" and in the same category 14 years later for "Fair & Square" which besides mostly originals also had Prine's version of Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons" on it. Simpson, who is riding high on his current "A Sailor's Guide To Earth" was Grammy nominated for his previous, 2014 released "Metamodern Sounds In Country Music" as best Americana album.
Watch both artists below: John Prine together with Jim James from the band My Morning Jacket with "All The Best" on David Letterman's Late Show and Sturgill Simpson with a live version of "Turtles All The Way Down" recorded at the famous Grand Ole Opry.
Sources: Grammy Pro, John Prine, YouTube, Grand Ole Opry
As of today singer/songwriter Clay Blaker finally has his own facebook page.
After retiring from the music biz over a decade ago, "Slick" as he is also known, spends most of his time catching the surf off Panama. Yes he had a group where dedicated fans and friends would post a video or memories from his shows in the US or his many tours in Europe. But these fans and friends kept bugging him to at least interact with them from time to time.
And that's exactly what Clay will try to do, as he stated in his first post on his new page: "I promise I’ll try hard to answer all messages and inquiries … at least until it starts cutting in on my surfing time, lol."
Also announced today: Clay's debut album "What A Way To Live" from 1981 which he cut during his second tour in Europe with an A-list of European pickers from the Netherlands and Denmark (list see below) is now finally available in a digital format and can be downloaded on iTunes or 300 other internet sites.
On his first album Clay pretty much stuck with the traditional Honky Tonk and Western Swing sound, he used to be playing at the Broken Spoke, the Split Rail, Cheatham Street or Gruene Hall in Central Texas. He wouldn't start featuring some of his songwriting that then would be recorded by other artists until his second album "Sooner Or Later." Of that album "Lonesome Rodeo Cowboy" and "The Only Thing I Have Left" were both recorded by George Strait.
Besides the title song, Willie Nelson also wrote "Darkness On The Side Of The Earth." Two Johnny Gimble swing tunes - "Under The 'X' In Texas" and "Playin' Around (Fiddlin' Around)" as well as the Leon Rhodes, Buddy Charleton instrumental "Rhodes-Bud Boogie" showcase the excellent musicianship, sometimes with twin steel guitars of the European pickers.
They also shine on Red Steagall's "Lone Star Beer And Bob Wills Music" (a co-write with Glenn Sutton). Another Honky Tonk treat is a medley of Ray Price tunes: "Touch My Heart" (Johnny Paycheck; Aubrey Mayhew); "The Other Woman" (Don Rollins) and "Another Bridge To Burn" (Harlan Howard).
Clay Blaker, Vocals
Koos Biel, Steel Guitar
Nils Tuxen, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitars, Steel Guitar
Bob Kelly, Steel Guitar
Maurits Hitijahubessy, Steel Guitar
Ton Trussel, Fiddle
Robert Kramer, Harmonica
Dolf deVries, Piano
Knut Henriksen, Six String Bass, Guitars
Peter Kreynen, Upright Bass, Electric Bass
Steve Mendell, Electric Bass
Dik Boer, Drums
Jelle Biel, Producer
Recorded at Flowertree Studio, Groningen, Holland
But that's still not all, Clay now also have his own YouTube channel, where he presents some of his videos. Besides some live Texas Connection videos (albeit a bit grainy) from the show of the same name, which aired on TNN, and a cut of his second album "Sooner Or Later" there is a superb acoustic version, just Clay and his guitar of the title track of his 2001 album "Rumor Town," a song he co-wrote with Tommy Connors and which was recorded by a TV station in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Probably to avoid disappearing in the sweet nothingness after their 15 minutes of half-ass fame, they now bonded together with Floridians trio Hard Target and came up with the equivalent of Hick Hop's Florida Georgia Line and the real scary name Racket County. A new label, Barn Burner Records was formed to accommodate the new outfit, while they are still relying on Average Joe's Entertainment distribution.
