Tag Archives: Merle-Haggard

New Compilation Unheard Hank Williams Songs To Be To Be Released

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Rollingstione.com posts that a compilation of unheard Hank Williams songs will be released on October 4th. The songs come from a rescued from notebooks of  lyrics and song ideas  left behind in a leather briefcase by Williams after he died in 1953 at the age of 29. These notes and fragments were then finished by the 13 artists who contributed to the disc. These artists include Americana music and rock music greats – Bob Dylan (who’s  imprint Egyptian Records is putting out the album)  Levon Helm, Alan Jackson, Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard and, and this is where my concern arises, Jack White . Norah Jones and Sheryl Crow. What? Was Kid Rock busy?

And though William’s granddaughter Holly Williams is included where is her brother Hank Williams III? For that matter where is Bocephus?  I would have scratched the last three, who are here for sales purposes only, and added new traditionalists like Wayne Hancock and Joey Allcorn that truly reflect the spirit of ol’ Hank.

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

 

 

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 11 – Confirmed Acts (so far)

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The good folks over at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass have using some clever audio teases to reveal acts confirmed for the upcoming 11th Americana festival. the event takes place in San Francisco’s beautiful Golden Gate Park and is put on by friend of Americana music, banjo player and investment banker Warren Hellman (Fri Sep 30, Sat Oct, & Sun Oct 2, 2011)

Here are the confirmed acts from reveals so far:

Dr. John, Punch Brothers, Gomez, Dark Star Orchestra, Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussein & Edgar Meyer , The Civil Wars, Bob Mould, The Devil Makes Three, John Prine,  Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch + David Rawlings,  Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses, Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Del McCoury & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Cass McCombs, Fitz & the Tantrums, The Jayhawks, Abigail Washburn, Robert Earl Keen, Buckethead (!),  The Flatlanders, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Chris Isaak, Frank Fairfield, Irma Thomas, Elbow, The Mekons, Earl Scruggs, Patty Griffin, Old Crow Medicine Show…

There is also word, though no confirmation, that Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson will also be there. Sta tuned for more from what is shaping up to be the best Hardly Strictly Bluegrass  yet.

Kris Kristofferson

News Round-Up: Merle Haggard and Scott H. Biram Prepare Fall Releases

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There are a coupe of new releases upcoming that I am really anticipating…

Legendary country stalwart Merle Haggard will release ‘Working in Tennessee,’ on October 4,  his second on the Vanguard Records label.

The Hag penned nine of the 11 tracks on the on the album and jsut as on 2010′s I Am What I Am he invites his wife Theresa to provide vocals on the Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash classic hit, Jackson. Merle’s son Ben Haggard also joins his father by providing his adroit tele work and Willie Nelson joins on an updated version of Merle’s ‘Workin’ Man Blues.’
Despite his 2008 lung cancer diagnosis, with part of his lung being removed, the 74-year-old hasn’t lost his voice. “I’m swinging back in full throttle right now,” he insists. “Music keeps me alive. It makes me breathe better … It’s funny, but I feel better when I come off a tour than when I start out.”

Merle has been confirmed to perform at the legendary Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park on October 1st. Check Merle’s other tour dates:

‘Working in Tennessee’ Track Listing:

1. ‘Working in Tennessee’ (Merle Haggard)
2. ‘Down on the Houseboat’ (Merle Haggard, Theresa Haggard, Doug Colosio)
3. ‘Cocaine Blues’ (TJ Arnall)
4. ‘What I Hate’ (Merle Haggard)
5. ‘Sometimes I Dream’ (Merle Haggard, Jenessa Haggard)
6. ‘Under the Bridge’ (Merle Haggard, Theresa Haggard)
7. ‘Too Much Boogie Woogie’ (Merle Haggard)
8. ‘Truck Driver’s Blues’ (Merle Haggard, Tim Howard)
9. ‘Laugh It Off’ (Merle Haggard, Theresa Haggard, Doug Colosio)
10. ‘Working Man Blues’ (Merle Haggard)
11. ‘Jackson’ (Billy Edd Wheeler, Gaby Rodgers)

 

And that Dirty Ol’ One Man Band from Texas, Scott H. Biram, will release his fourth full-length for Bloodshot Records, Bad Ingredients on October 11th on CD, vinyl LP, and digital download. Bad Ingredients was recorded at Biram’s home studio in Austin, Texas and mastered by Jerry Tubb of Terra Nova Mastering (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam), Bad Ingredients delivers SHB’s classic throat-stomping style (“Dontcha Lie To Me Baby” and “Victory Song”), but showcases a more mature songwriter-both lyrically and musically. It’s Biram at his quietest, but don’t worry, Hiram Biram still raises plenty a ruckus on his ’59 hollowbody Gibson and stomp board. But the best way to experience Biram is live, go check his schedule and see him if you can.

Concert Review: Gurf Morlix Pays Tribute to Blaze Foley

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Gurf Morlix and the traveling Blaze Foley road-show rolled through San Francisco last night in the Amnesia. The Mission district bar was packed and it house showed a strong interest local interest in the current Austin-based Americana legend and David Fuller aka Blaze Foley, an until recently forgotten homeless, drunken singer/songwriting that could pen transcendentally lovely and aching songs that was tragically killed at 39 while protecting an elderly friend.

The event opened with Kevin Triplett, the producer and director of the documentary Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah,  setting up a projector and handling the remote control, all in the true DIY spirit in which he took the 12 years that it took to make the film. Family, friends, fellow songwriters -  including Mr. Morlix – and a past love, Sybil Rosen, who was on hand to read from her biography with her life with Foley  Living in the Woods in a Tree, , make appearances in this edited version of the doc to tell the extraordinary tale of a peculiar man who moved in the 70s and 80s Austin singer/songwriting circles along with Morlix as well as Lucinda Williams and Townes Van Zandt who were all friends with Foley and posthumously wrote songs about him.

Morlix then took the stage to sing songs from Foley that appear on his latest and great release Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream. The room remained mostly silent as Morlix with a single parlor guitar performed song after song with palatable reverence – If I Could Only Fly, Cold Cold World, Clay Pigeons…each one making you wonder how Foley couldn’t see fame and fortune in his lifetime even with high profile artists like John Prine, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covering his songs (the latter taking the time to praise Foley in the film.) But as the documentary made clear as Foley followed his muse, and rejected material comforts in that pursuit, oftentimes caused him to alienate people and undermine his own career.

Gurf Morlix Official Site | Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah official site

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSxUDRB5jRU&feature=player_embedded#at=132[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRkYTBERTvE&feature=related[/youtube]

News Round-Up: Kris Kristofferson Steps In For Loretta Lynn at Stagecoach Country Music Festival

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  • Loretta Lynn has had to cancel several upcoming shows due to recuperation from recent knee surgery and at one canceled performance another legend is able to help out. Next weekend’s Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California will feature Kris Kristofferson in the April 30 and May 1 at the Empire Polo Field slots Lynn would have played. The veteran singer-songwriter-actor has tuned into the a kind of a country music reliever. Last fall he stepped up to a solo performance since his gig partner, Merle Haggard, began suffering from blood pressure-related issues and had to miss their scheduled performance at Neil Young’s Bridge School benefit concerts in Mountain View, California.
  • Who says nothing good comes out of Music City? Nashville’s Infamous Stringdusters, have announced the We’ll Do It Live,a 5 city  tour to record their first official live album. People that purchase tickets in advance will receive an exclusive lib EP of bonus material not to found on the final album.
  • At 84 Dr. Ralph Stanley is an American icon and cultural treasure and an original pioneer of bluegrass music. His new gospel album A Mother’s Prayer (Rebel) captures this artist at the peak of his wisdom and artistic power. The album is produced by his son Ralph Stanley II  who also plays in the band. Songs include John the Revelator and What Kind of Man by Stanley and Larry Sparks.

It is with great excitement that we, the Stringdusters, announce our first official collaboration with you, the people. This is a live album that’s long overdue. Four of our favorite rooms (and one soon to be) in five great cities–we set up the mics, together we set up the celebration. It’s a record for all the world to hear, but some of you will actually be a part of it, partying down in the control room, singing backup while we dance across the recording studio stage. This is what we love to do. This is where our music comes to life. Join us, and this time WE’LL DO IT LIVE. 

As a big thanks to each of you that join in the experience, EVERYONE WHO PURCHASES TICKETS IN ADVANCE for these shows will receive and EXCLUSIVE LIVE EP (by email) of BONUS MATERIAL off of the live album

Much love,
The Infamous StringdustersIt is with great excitement that we, the Stringdusters, announce our first official collaboration with you, the people. This is a live album that’s long overdue. Four of our favorite rooms (and one soon to be) in five great cities–we set up the mics, together we set up the celebration. It’s a record for all the world to hear, but some of you will actually be a part of it, partying down in the control room, singing backup while we dance across the recording studio stage. This is what we love to do. This is where our music comes to life. Join us, and this time WE’LL DO IT LIVE.

As a big thanks to each of you that join in the experience, EVERYONE WHO PURCHASES TICKETS IN ADVANCE for these shows will receive and EXCLUSIVE LIVE EP (by email) of BONUS MATERIAL off of the live album

Much love,
The Infamous Stringdusters

RIP Ralph Mooney – influential steel guitarist for Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard

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Ralph Mooney influential steel guitarist played with Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard and one of the architects of country musics answer to rock onslaught, the 50’s ‘Bakersfield sound’  He also co-wrote, with Charles Seals, the honky-tonk standard ‘Crazy Arms,’ which became a No. 1 hit in 1956 for Ray Price. It was Price’s first number one hit. Mooney said he got the idea for the song after his wife left him because of his drinking problem

Mooney died Sunday at his home in Kennedale, Texas, of complications from cancer, said his wife, Wanda.

Mooney had slowed down in playing recent years, but he still played and recorded periodically until near the end of his life. He played on four tracks on Marty Stuart’s 2010 Grammy-winning album “Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLdUeQ9yFW0&feature=related[/youtube]

Townes Van Zandt – Play Away the Pain

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”Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.” – Steve Earle

Though less influential than Hank Sr.,  Townes Van Zandt was no less innovative in his songs and Country/folk/Americana sound and destructive in his lifestyle. As one reader commented on my tweet for my Hank Sr. post “New Year’s is tough on song writers. The best ones anyway.” Indeed.

In the same vein of tribute I will post some of the best Townes Van Zandt covers I can find.

The Be Good Tanyas – Waiting Around to Die
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwumPYSHop8[/youtube]

Tindersticks – Kathleen
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYcxN9955M&feature=related[/youtube]

The Pyles – If I Needed You
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF6h0u5i0Rc[/youtube]

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant – Nothin’
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GitZD89Xrs[/youtube]

Tom Russell – Snowin’ on Ration
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuCArD7Gej8&playnext=1&list=PL197C3908C5753F12&index=58[/youtube]

Jimmie Dale Gilmore – Buckskin Stallion Blues
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ujF2sZP8O0[/youtube]

Guy Clark – To Live Is To Fly
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkqxOH3Nbm0&feature=related[/youtube]

Steve Earle – Colorado Girl
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPWSoSgEZM4[/youtube]

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard – Pancho and Lefty. Certainly not the best version, but the most recognizable and profitable version. Look for a cameo by Townes in the bar scene.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxzJAF1BxP4[/youtube]

Emmylou Harris – Pancho and Lefty
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRx5r32hsF4[/youtube]

Six Rounds Spent – Outlaws

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We all know about the Outlaw Country movement, that stylistic and attitude splintering of Waylon, Willie and the others that took their sound out of Nashville and into Texas where some of the most vibrant, and most enduring, country music was created. That’s not what this is.

I wanted to do a list of songs actually about outlaws. The blood shedding type.  Whether as a concept or a literal fugitive it seemed like a rich and natural source for inspiration. Include your own in the comments if you would like.

6. Joe Ely’s Me and Billy the Kid – What does Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Joe Ely have in common? A song about Bill the Kid. I went with what I think was the best.

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

5. Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska. A song inspired by the 19 year-old Charles Starkweather who, along with his 14 year-old girlfriend Caril Fugate, went on a murder spree killing 11 people in Nebraska in 1958. Springsteen even considered “Starkweather” as the title.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwcOhOv4fho&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

4. Terry Allen – New Delhi Freight Train – Terry Allen’s song begins “Some people think that I must be crazy / But my real name is just Jesse James”, and goea on to be narrated by the outlaw. Originally recorded on Allen’s 1979 album Lubbock (On Everything), the song has been covered by Rick Nelson, and by Little Feat.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsN1AcllQ4I[/youtube]

3. Willie Nelson – Red Headed Stranger -  In true Outlaw Country fashion Willie Nelson wrote a concept album in 1975 about murder. You can imagine how well that went over on Music Row. Red Headed Stranger follows a  fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G9wXWr40WA&feature=related[/youtube]

2. Townes Van Zandt – Pancho and Lefty – This song may or may not be about the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. It is however about betrayal, a manhunt and death. The song has been covered by
Emmylou Harris on her 1977 album, Luxury Liner and was a number one country hit in 1983 for Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtzgwNDZAs4[/youtube]

1. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues – The best of a pretty great set. A man sits in prison lamenting his lost freedom and recalling his past crime when he “Shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1xSt7iganA[/youtube]

News Round Up: Miranda Lambert Gets Her Due

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  • In a rare alignment of planets the Country Music Awards are actually in agreement. the pride of Texas, Miranda Lambert has been nominated for a record-breaking nine Country Music Association Awards, the most for any female country music artist in the history of the awards program. This almost makes up for the years that the CMA has been celebrating glitter and hairspray bull dung. I predict that Miranda will no longer be known as the blond country music singer that’s not Taylor or Carrie. Let’s hope the CMA carries through with this stumble into excellence and give her 9 wins.
  • In case you missed it, all last week NPR’s Fresh Air dug through their extensive interview archives for their excellent Country Music Week special. Terri Gross’ interviews and spotlights legends like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Charlie Louvin, John Doe and more. Check it out.
  • On of my most anticipated releases next month is The Union, the T-Bone Burnett produced collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell. The album also features Hohn’s long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin who had a hand in writing  songs and Elton and Russell playing piano simultaneously. You can listen to two of the 14 songs from the album, If It Wasn’t for the Bad (the disc’s first single which is on sale digitally now) and I Should Have Sent Roses (don’t let the cheesy opening music in the videos for the logo fool you.) Russell and John are scheduled to perform together on November 3, at the Hollywood Palladium. The Union will be released on October 19.
  • It has been a been a long time coming but it looks like The Last Rights of Ransom Pride,  the Ray Wylie Hubbard co-written dark Western, starring Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, is finally having some premier showings. The Los Angeles Premiere will be at 12am on Friday, September 10 and Saturday, September 11 with upcoming releases in Dallas, TX, Ft. Worth, TX, Denton, TX and Phoenix, AZ. Check the film’s web site to leearn more, buy tickets and bring the film to your town.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j-kXAz5DQ0[/youtube]

— On Thu, 9/2/10, the dwarf <whokilledthedwarf@gmail.com> wrote:

From: the dwarf <whokilledthedwarf@gmail.com>
Subject: LAST RITES OF RANSOM PRIDE IN THEATRES
To: “scotty wilson” <scotty2fly@gmail.com>
Received: Thursday, September 2, 2010, 7:02 PM

The wait is over… The Dwarf is here…

The Last Rites of Ransom Pride is coming to theaters. Thanks to you.

Come to The Los Angeles Premiere
12:00 AM Friday, September 10
12:00 AM Saturday, September 11

Laemmle Sunset 5

8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, 90046

Get tickets now… http://www.laemmle.com/viewmovie.php?mid=6595

Upcoming Theatrical Screenings

Dallas, TX – September 16

Studio Movie Grill Royal Lane

11170 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75243

Ft. Worth, TX – September 17

Fort Worth, TX

7th Street Movie Tavern

2872 Crockett Street

Fort Worth, TX 76107
(682) 503-8100

Denton, TX – September 18

Denton Movie Tavern

916 West University Dr

Denton, TX 76201
(940) 566-FILM(3456)

Phoenix – Thursday, September 24
Fox Theater
Arizona Underground Film Festival

http://www.azundergroundfilmfest.com/home/

Tucson – Friday, September 25
Arizona Underground Film Festival

http://www.azundergroundfilmfest.com/home/

Calgary – Landmark Theater Dates and Times TBD

Raleigh  — Dates and Times TBD

Asheville – Dates and Times TBD

Seeking Street Team to put up flyers and stickers in the cities listed above. Join the street team, get three free tickets to a city premiere and a signed movie poster.

If these cities are not in your area please visit LastRitesFilm.com and request the movie in your area. Click on Hold Your City for Ransom.

Hank Cochran Passes On

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Hank Cochran, one of country music’s most storied and prolific songwriters who wrote songs for Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy Arnold, Merle Haggard, George Strait an many others passed away yesterday morning. His Wikipedia bio reads like a  Mother lode for source for country gold:

Born during the Great Depression in Isola, Mississippi, he contracted pneumonia, whooping cough, measles and mumps all about the same time at age 2. The doctor didn’t think that he would survive. His parents divorced when he was 9, he moved with his father to Memphis, Tennessee, but then went to an orphanage. He was sent to live with his grandparents, in Waynesboro, Mississippi, after he had run away from the orphanage twice. His uncle Otis Cochran taught him how to play the guitar as the pair hitchhiked  from Mississippi to southeastern New Mexico to work in the oilfields.

and my persoan favorite.

While working at publishing company Pamper Music, he used to spend nights playing at a Nashville bar called Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. While there a new guy showed up and Cochran was amazed, he then encouraged management to sign the young songwriter, Willie Nelson, giving Nelson a raise that was coming to him at the time.

This from the press release:

Last night, Jamey Johnson, Billy Ray Cyrus and Buddy Cannon dropped by to sing songs with Hank, and this morning the legendary songwriter was surrounded by family and friends when he passed away at his Hendersonville, Tennessee home. A private, family memorial will be held in the near future, and a public service will follow. Details will be forthcoming.

The family asks that you respect their privacy at this time and, in lieu of flowers, request those wishing to honor Hank make donations to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation.

Hank was inducted in to the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame by unanimous vote in 1974, and was honored by B.M.I. in June 2009 for his six-decade long career of hits, that includes country classics: “I Fall To Pieces,” “Make The World Go Away,” “Ocean Front Property,” “The Chair” and “Don’t You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOl8RdBLTKc&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]