Gretchen Peters and Tom Russell – Guadalupe

With “One To The Heart, One To The Head” Gretchen Peters and Tom Russell have made what I consider the album of the year so far. (Twang Nation review)

Here’s the video for Russell’s song Guadalupe which appears on the album as well as Russell’s own solo record dropping later this year. (hat tip to the 9513.com for bringing this to my attention.)

[blip.tv ?posts_id=2031834&dest=-1]

Lies About Country Music

MSNBC’s 5 Top has a list of the top 5 lies about American Idol.  And although most are obvious (AI is a popularity contest not a singing competition…uh YEAH!) lie #4, “Country music is about telling stories,” is very interesting to me. The point made in the article is that all songs – except nonsensical or instructive – are stories. But Idol, like Nashville, perpetuates the popular myth that country msuic is simple stories that are about common experiences, family and traditional values.Of course this ignores the songs of boozing, adultary, murder, drug use, fighting, sloth and war that are just as much a part of the country music landscape. I’m sure Johnny Paycheck, Waylon Jennings, Porter Wagoner and David Allen Coe would have something to say about that.

William Elliot Whitmore Hell or High Water Video

  • New releases by Texas singer/songwriters Slaid Cleaves (Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away), Wayne “The Train” Hancock (Vipers of Melody) and Dale Watson (The Truckin’ Sessions Vol. 2 ) are in stores and online today.
  • HearYa.com gives thier view on Steve Earle new Townes Van Zandt covers album Townes.
  • 77square.com posts a conversation with Wayne “The Train” Hancock about his latest album Vipers of Melody.

Introducing the new video by William Elliot Whitemore for his song Hell or High Water (thanks to ninebullets.net for bringing this to my attention.) Twang Nation Review of Whitmore’s newest release Animals in the Dark.

[myspace]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=55794026[/myspace]

94.7 Badlands New Website with Streaming Music

One of the more popluar posts here at Ranch Twang was a post on the Corpus Christi radio station KBSO 94.7 Badlands retuning to playing Texas and Americana music. Good new fans! The station has a new website where they are streaming their music and programs and keeping you up to date with local events.

94.7 Badlands Website |  94.7 Badlands on MySpace

Alex Battles’ Whisky Rebellion Live Album Giveaway

Some days I really miss living in New York City..the nightlife, the food, the culture, the early morning urine fragrance..I also feel I probably didn’t do enough to support the local roots and Americana artists that ply their wares in the Big City. I’m setting that right here in San Francisco by supporting locals acts (that I become aware of…SEND ME A DAMN EMAIL!) and to continue to support the New York artists that really shine..which leads me to Alex Battles’ Whisky Rebellion. This Brookyln-based hillbilly hellraisers puts to rest the conventional wisdom that there’s no great honky-tonk bands in the Northeast.

The band has released a live album that they are giving away…that’s right friends gratis, nada, goose egg. They even have a song written about one of my favorite Brooklyn dive bars Hank’s Saloon! The offer is for a limited time only so act now or miss out!

Alex Battles’ Whisky Rebellion – Live!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjnYF_48nc8[/youtube]

Merle Haggard & Kris Kristofferson – April 1 ’09 – Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa

While living in New York City I was lucky enough to see George Jones play Carnegie Hall in a venue the Possum last played 44 years prior on a bill that included Johnny Cash and Mother Maybelle Carter. On that crisp Halloween evening Jones headlined and the opener was a solo acoustic performance by the relative youngster Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson said of the opening spot “I can’t believe I get to open for George Jones.” That same wide-eyed, reverential innocence was also there as member of the country music “supergroup” The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kristofferson), he said of  being included in the lineup that he felt like a kid won the lottery.

That same, now 72 year-old, wide-eyed kid was again struck by awe as Wednesday night as he shared that stage with a man only one year his elder – the Bakersfield Sound legend Merle Haggard. This opening performance of a three-night tour was held at ,the Wells Fargo Center in the sleepy bedroom community of Santa Rosa, CA. 50 or so miles due North on US 101. Loaded up into my favoriteZipcar Toyota truck I hit the rolling hills specked with grazing cows on a beautiful sunny day. First stop was Russian River brewery in Santa Rosa to partake of my favorite kick-you-in-the-head IPA -Pliney the Elder. The -night started off well.

The Wells Fargo Center is a nice subdued type of seated theatre where the tony locals come to relive their glory with classic rock bands or catch some culture from the local symphony. I was surprised by the age of the crowd which skewed into the 60’s , but the lack of body searches was a nice change from the big city shows I’ve become accustomed to.

Later as I was standing near the touring bus hoping to catch a glimpse of Merle or Kris and shooting the shot with a mother and daughter that each brought their guitars to be signed I saw what surely signaled this as a great event. I saw Cher. The Gypsy herself  had come to catch the show and was sneaking in the stage door after a brief visit on the bus. My dream to utter the words “So, Cher and I were at this event, and…” can finally be fulfilled.

Clad in black with worn boots,  Kristofferson had just finished Shipwrecked in the Eighties and was introducing Hag when the man his-self walked out on stage. No need for formality here son -  and broke into the small-town living lament Big City, Hag’s voice was strong but still that of a 72 year old man that had recently undergone surgery to have part of his lung removed. There was still too much onryness and pride in the grizzled elder statesmen to allow any trace of frailty, though the adoring audience would have forgiven any if shown.

As a pioneer of the electric Bakersfield sound Hag has worked with a band his whole career and the publicized “acrostic set” between these musicians was not quite what it seemed to be. “I feel like an old stripper without a G-string,” said Merle Haggard before kicking off the intro to “Back to Earth.” Merle was not quite naked as he had brought along a stripped down version of his Strangers touring band which included his 16 year-old son Ben who played as proficiently as someone ten years his elder.

The pattern ran one song Kristofferson, two songs Haggard. Which sat just fine with the sold-out crowd and covered a lot of ground in the nearly two-hour long performance. Big City, Silver Wings, Me & Bobby McGee – each artist graciously relegating the floor to the other for a wealth of music. Collaborations were more democratic when other performers songs were performed – Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues and Jimmie Roger’s T.B. Blues, which givenHaggard’s health was colored with even more poignancy.

Like two old friends that had seen over 100 years of country music history between them they traded witty good-natured jibs, winged a play-list of dozens of classics, screwed up, brushed it off and performed like the seasoned professionals they were. The Okie From Muskogee and the Liberal ex-U.S. Army captain and helicopter pilot . He became a helicopter pilot, like a country music détente for the sake of the song and in honor of the contributions each have made.

Sing Me Back Home, Mama Tried, The Bottle Let Me Down, Today I Started Loving You Again, Jody and the Kid, The Silver-Tongued Devil and I,SundayMornin’ Comin’ Down…it’s daunting as they keep coming at you like a crash course in country music history. Kristofferson has had the acoustic lone man show on the road for a couple of years now and performed like he was at ease and for all Hag’s pretense at being out of his element, he warmed up and eventually was just as home just doing what they both do best. Making great, timeless music. When they leave this Earth, we are likely not to see their kind again.

As is Haggard’s tradition there was no encore to the slight disappointment of the crowd. To gripe after such a banquet was served  would be to risk gluttony. Like the rest of the evening Kristofferson was more than happy to follow his lead backstage.

Setlist:
Shipwrecked in the Eighties
Big City
Silver Wings
Me & Bobby McGee
I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink
Folsom Prison Blues
Best of All Possible Worlds
If I Could Only Fly
Mama Tried
Here Comes That Rainbow Again
I Wish I Could Be 30 Again
Rainbow Stew
Help Me Make It Through The Night
If We Make It Through December
Nobody Wins
T.B. Blues
Okie From Muskogee
Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down
Back to Earth
Jody and the Kid
The Silver-Tongued Devil and I
Sing Me Back Home
The Pilgrim, Chapter 33
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star
For the Good Times
Are the Good Times Really Over
Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
Today I Started Loving You Again
Why Me Lord

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6wRfWXDlpQ[/youtube]

Naked Willie Contest

It’s been quite a while since we held a contest here at Ranch Twang and today we have a doozy. I have one copy of the newly released Naked Willie (Sony Legacy) to give away to one lucky commenter. Naked Willie was produced by Willie’s long time harmonica player extraordinaire Mickey Raphael and features stripped down collection of 17 vintage RCA cuts that span 1966-1970.

Naked Willie Track List:

1. “Bring Me Sunshine”
2. “Following Me Around”
3. “The Ghost”
4. “Happiness Lives Next Door”
5. “I Just Dropped By”
6. “Jimmy’s Road”
7. “I Let My Mind Wander”
8. “If You Could See What’s Going Through My Mind”
9. “Johnny One Time”
10. “The Local Memory”
11. “The Party’s Over”
12. “Where Do You Stand”
13. “When We Live Again”
14. “What Can You Do To Me Now”
15. “I’m A Memory”
16. “Sunday Morning Coming Down”
17. “Laying My Burdens Down”

Just leave a comment recollecting your favorite Willie Nelson memory below. The winner will be chose at random on April 15th (tax day, Willie…get it?) from all the posts and I will email the winner for a physical address to ship the CD.

Good luck!

Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell, Doug Kershaw

More YouTubes goodies…

Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell, and Doug Kershaw play Hank Wwilliam’s “Jambalia” – 1974 Willie Nelson’s 2nd Annual 4th Of July Picnic. Bryan/College Station, TX

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H6me1FSPb8[/youtube]

New Scott H. Biram Song

Here’s a video done during Biram’s recent European tour (hereafter called the “I Broke My Damn Leg Tour.”) This fine cut is entitled  Sinkin’ Down and shows how Biram is really starting to grow as a musician and not just a crazy-ass blues hillbilly. It’s from his new forthcoming Bloodshot Records album entitled Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever.  It is set for a May 2009 release and will available on CD and limited edition LP. (tip of the hat to ninebullets.net for bringing this viddy to my attention.)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA2vaG9ZmZc[/youtube]

Ryan Bingham Readies Roadhouse Sun

Fans of gritty, sun drenched tales from the road rejoice! Texas/New Mexico neo-trad troubadour Ryan Bingham and his band The Dead Horses (Corby Schaub – guitar, Matt Smith – drums, Elijah Ford – bass) are readying Roadhouse Sun his sophomore release from Lost Highway records to be released on May 5.  Roadhouse Sun is a follow up to Bingham’s 2007 much lauded debut Lost Highway Mescalito.

Mescalito producer and former Black Crowes guitarist, Marc Ford returns as producer on Road House Sun. And the PR material states that” Bingham covers some new subject matter on Roadhouse Sun as he challenges political accountability in Endless Ways and notes eye-opening similarities to our dark past in Dylan’s Hard Rain. Bingham has established himself as a deeply personal songwriter with a knack for painting vivid pictures in his songs. These images come to life in everything from his bluesy roadhouse romps such as Hey Hey and Day Is Done, to the epic Change Is to the dustbowl hymns Rollin Highway Blues, Country Roads and Snake Eyes.”

I was a fan of Mescalito when it came out, it made my top 10 that year, and after seeing him and his great band several times in New York and once in Nashville I am even more of a fan.

Ryan Bingham-Snake Eyes

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yhT3lPpbxY[/youtube]