[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bczvAmX-7wc[/youtube]
Tag Archives: legend
Billy Joe Shaver indicted in 2007 Texas shooting
From the Associated Press: WACO, Texas (AP) — A McLennan County grand jury has indicted country singer Billy Joe Shaver on felony charges for his alleged role in an April 2007 shooting at a Lorena bar.
Shaver, 69, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, and a charge of unlawful carrying of a handgun by a licensed holder on a licensed premises, a third-degree felony, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported in its online edition Wednesday.
An official at the McLennan County Jail in Waco told The Associated Press that Shaver had not turned himself in Wednesday night.
Messages left by the AP for Shaver’s last known attorney and to his representative seeking comment after business hours weren’t immediately returned.
One witness said Shaver followed the victim, Billy B. Coker, out of Papa Joe’s Texas Saloon in Lorena on April 1, 2007, and asked, “Where do you want it?” before shooting him in the face, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed last year.
Another witness said that after hearing gunfire, she went outside and heard Shaver say to Coker, “Tell me you are sorry,” and “Nobody tells me to shut up,” according to the affidavit signed by then-acting Lorena Police Chief John Moran.
Coker, who was treated and released, told police last year that the shooting was unprovoked.
An attorney for Shaver said at the time that Coker was drunk, aggressive and had a knife and that he followed Shaver outside.
End Associated Press. My take? Mr. Coker is looking to make his mistake into a pay bay.
Johnny Cash – 5 Years On
As well as being the birthday of George Jones, Sept. 12th is also the shared date of the death of a country legend, Johnny Cash. RIP J.R., there will never be another like you.
Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues – 1959
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_faH4hFwB0[/youtube]
Hank Williams pedal player Don Helms dies
From Country Standard Time: Don Helms, pedal steel guitarist for Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys, died this morning at 81. He is featured on more than 100 Williams recordings. Helms played a lap steel (also known as “Hawaiian steel”) guitar. This type of steel guitar lacks the foot pedals found on the more modern pedal steel guitar, which did not come into prominence in country music until after Hank Williams’ death in 1953.
Now go put on a Hank Sr. song (“So Lonesome I Could Cry” is a good one) and listen to the distict wail of Helms’ pedal steel.
Loretta Lynn at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction
Glitzy entertainmant industry parties in New York City are common (not that I’m invited, they do have some standards) but on the recent occasion of the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction it took “the pride of Butcher Holler, Kentucky” to give those jaded industry wonks something to talk about on the way out of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square. Loretta Lynn brought down the house and left them wanting more.
Country Music Hall of Fame Member Eddy Arnold Dies
Country Music Hall of Fame member in (1966) Eddy Arnold died on May 8, 2008, in Franklin, Tennessee, just one week short of his 90th birthday.
Arnold brought country music into the 1940’s pop world then inhabited by crooners like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby
was second only to George Jones in the number of individual hits on the country charts and is the all-time leader
in an overall ranking for hits and their time on the charts. From 1945 through 1983 he had 145 charted songs, including 28 number-one hits.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3alnvcAZ50[/youtube]
Popmatter Reviews George Strait’s Troubadour
PopMatters.com has a nice review of George Strait’s newest release Troubadour. It’s another huge release from the gentleman mega star and PopMatters appears to agree.
If there’s something Troubadour is about, it’s songs. Strait performs them in an efficient, un-flashy way. His humble singing imparts more depth than is first apparent, but at the same time is utilitarian. The mission is communicating these songs to listeners.
PopMatters gives Joe Nick Patoski’s book Willie Nelson: An Epic Life a middling review of 5 out of 10. I’ve just started to book and will withhold judgment until finishing.