Category Archives: Country
CULT CLASSIC: JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON-DIXIE FRIED.
Cult Classic: Luther Dickinson-Dixie Fried. All too often, artists spend days, weeks and sometimes even months recording their debut album. Eventually, the album is complete, and it’s delivered to the record company. Nervously and expectantly the artist awaits as the record company plan a marketing campaign. If the artist is signed to a major label, it …
CLASSIC ALBUM: ROLLING STONES-STICKY FINGERS.
Classic Album:Rolling Stones-Sticky Fingers. By 1970, The Rolling Stones were in the middle of what is now perceived as their “golden age” which began in 1968, when the Rolling Stones released Beggars Banquet in December 1968. Beggars Banquet was released to widespread critical acclaim. It featured an outpouring of creativity from the Rolling Stones. The Jagger …
CULT CLASSIC: SKEETER DAVIS-LET ME GET CLOSE TO YOU.
Cult Classic: Skeeter Davis-Let Me Get Close To You. Nowadays, Skeeter Davis is remembered and regarded as one of country music’s pioneers. She was one of the first women in country music to enjoy commercial success as a solo artist. This proved to be a game-changer. Skeeter Davis paved the way for several generations of …
AMERICAN TUNES-SONGS BY PAUL SIMON.
American Tunes-Songs By Paul Simon. Label: Ace Records. Ace Record’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful Songwriter Series is one of their longest-running compilation series. It’s featured songs by such luminaries as Burt Bacharach, Harry Nilsson, Dan Penn, Serge Gainsbourg and Tony Hatch. There’s also been compilations featuring the music of some of the greatest songwriting …
HILLBILLIES IN HELL: COUNTRY MUSIC’ TORMENTED TESTAMENT 1952-1974 VOLUME 9.
Hillbillies In Hell: County Music’s Tormented Testament 1952-1974 Volume 9 Label: Iron Mountain Analogue Research. Nowadays, not many compilations series’ are still going strong after nine volumes, which is a remarkable achievement and testament to the label and compiler. After all, most compilation series seem to last no more than a few volumes. Part of …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BOB LIND.
The Life and Times Of Bob Lind. Bob Lind, it’s fair to say, is a many of many talents. He started life as a singer-songwriter in 1965, and helped define the folk rock genre. His debut single Elusive Butterfly gave Bob a hit single on both sides of the Atlantic in 1966. Five years and four albums …
REGGIE YOUNG: SESSION PLAYER TO THE STARS.
Reggie Young: Session Player To The Stars. There aren’t many musicians whose career spans seven decades and get to work with the great and good of music including Elvis Presley, JJ Cale, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Neil Diamond and Dusty Springfield. They’re just a few of the musicians that Reggie Young has worked with during his long …
JIMMY HOLIDAY-THE ACCIDENTAL SINGER-SONGWRITER AND ONE OF MUSIC’S BEST KPET SECRETS.
Jimmy Holiday-The Accidental Singer-Songwriter and One Of Music’s Best Kept Secrets. Jimmy Holiday never set out to make a career out of music, and instead, he wanted to be a boxer. He got as far as fighting in the annual Golden Gloves competition, and then Jimmy started to get beat. That wasn’t in his plans. Realising he was …
OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS-THEIR MAJOR LABEL YEARS.
Ozark Mountain Daredevils-Their Major Label Years. Ozark Mountain Daredevils roots can be traced back to 1971, when a group of friends in Springfield, Missouri began playing as Family Tree. By 1972, the band had changed its name to Ozark Mountain Daredevils and were being managed by folk rock duo Brewer and Shipley. This came about …
GEOFF MULDAUR-FROM THE JIM KWESKIN AND THE JUG BAND TO THE WARNER BROS YEARS.
Geoff Muldaur-From The Jim Kweskin and The Jug Band To The Warner Bros. Years. Guitarist, singer and songwriter Geoff Muldaur was born in Pelham, New York, on August 12th 1943. Growing up, he developed a love music, which led to Geoff learning to play the guitar. Soon, he developed into a talented blues guitarist. Little did he realise that this …
CROMWELL-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
Cromwell-What Might Have Been? By 1975, Dublin had an eclectic and vibrant music scene , and there literally was something for all musical tastes. This ranged from the traditional showbands that had long been part of the Irish music scene, right through to traditional Irish music and sentiment-laden pop music. However, this was only part of …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SUSANNE SUNDFOR.
The Life and Times Of Susanne Sundfør, Although Susanne Sundfør only embarked upon a musical career in 2005, the thirty-three year old is already one of Norway’s most successful singer, songwriter and producers. Her last four studio albums have topped the Norwegian charts, including her fifth album Music For People In Trouble which was released …
STONEGROUND’S WARNER BROS YEARS.
Stoneground’s Warner Bros Years. The Stoneground story began in San Francisco in 1968, when guitarists Tim Barnes and Luther Billed joined forces with drummer Mike Mau and founded Stoneground. In the early days, Stoneground were happy playing as a trio but before long, the lineup began to expand. This came about when Tom Donahue, a DJ and …
ERIC ANDERSEN-STILL ONE OF MUSIC’S BEST KEPT SECRETS
Eric Andersen-Still One Of Music’s Best Kept Secrets. In 1975, thirty-two year old folk singer and songwriter Eric Andersen moved to Greenwich Village, New York, where it had all started for him in the early sixties. Back then, Eric Andersen was part of the folk scene, and as a twenty-one years in 1964, had auditioned for …
RANDY MEISNER-THE EPIC YEARS
Randy Meisner-The Epic Years. Musical history was made in September 1971, when Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and twenty-five year old Randy Meisner formed The Eagles and signed with David Geffen’s new label Asylum Records. Little did David Geffen realise that he had signed one of the biggest bands of the seventies, and The …
COLD WAR COUNTDOWN: COUNTRY MUSIC GOES TO WAR (1952-1972).
Cold War Countdown: Country Music Goes To War (1952-1972). Label: Omni Record Corpration On the ’25th’ June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, and the Korean War lasted three years, one month and two days. The US Army arrived in early July 1950 and were involved right up until the end of the Korean War on the …
HOLDING THINGS TOGETHER-THE MERLE HAGGARD SONGBOOK.
Holding Things Together-The Merle Haggard Songbook. Label: Ace Records. For the latest instalment in their Songwriter Series, Ace Records turn the spotlight on the late Merle Haggard, who was one of the finest exponents of the Bakersfield Sound. Hag as he was known, eschewed the increasingly slick and homogenized country music that was coming out …
NICOLETTE LARSON-THE WARNER BROS YEARS.
Nicolette Larson-The Warner Bros Years. Nowadays, far too many people are scared to follow their dream and instead, settle for second best and the drudgery of working 9-5. Sadly, it’s only much later, when it’s too late, that they realise what they gave up and what might have been. Nicolette Larson was determined that wasn’t …
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE YOUNGBLOODS.
The Rise and Fall Of The Youngbloods By 1965, bassist and vocalist Jesse Colin Young was twenty-four and had already enjoyed a degree of success as a folk singer. He had already released two albums The Soul Of A City Boy in 1964, and Young Blood in 1965. However, Jesse Colin Young’s solo career was …
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