Tag Archives: Woody Guthrie

Record Store Day 2019 – Americana and Roots Music Picks

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Spring has sprung and for some antiquated reason we lose an hour of sleep, pollen lays waste to the weakest among us, people lay in fields Of bluebonnets just begging for a snake bite and the smell of vinyl hangs heavy in the air.

You might very well be asking yourself “Did I just read that right? Vinyl?”

Yes, indeed you did.

This Saturday, April 13th, is Record Store Day. That time when you drag your dead ass out of bed at the crack of dawn to stand in a line for the chance to score some choice limited-run vinyl.

The DIY movement that nearly single-handedly resuscitated a near-dead medium. New releases, obscure releases, long out-of-print re-releases, picture discs, colored discs, die-cut discs…it’s all there for a sometimes hefty price. But it’s cheaper than buying it later on eBay for 3-times the original price.

Here are a few Americana and Roots music nuggets from the list (see the full list here)

Highlights include Woody Guthrie’s first time on vinyl limited-edition 10″ “I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me,” John and Lilly Hiatt song swap limited-edition color 7″ vinyl “You Must Go! / All Kinds Of People” and Lone Justice’s previously unreleased live performance from October 1983 at the historic live County music venue “Live at the Palomino.”

So, get to your favorite indy record early on April 13th (I’ll be at Good Records in Dallas) and share those great finds with me on Instagram and Twitter.


Allman Brothers Band – Bear’s Sonic Journals: Fillmore East. February 1970
Label: Allman Brothers Band Recording Company
Quantity: 1500
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
A live recording compilation drawn from three nights of shows in February 1970. Recorded by legendary Grateful Dead soundman Owsley Stanley. This special Record Store Day package includes a limited edition, numbered glow-in-the-dark poster.

In Memory of Elizabeth Reed/Hoochie Coochie Man/Stateboro Blues/Trouble No More/Outskirts of Town/Whipping Post/Mountain Jam

Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks — Original New York Test Pressing
Label: Legacy
Quantity: 7500
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
Months before Bob Dylan released Blood On The Tracks in early 1975, a small number of test pressings were circulated, consisting entirely of material from sessions at A&R Recording Studios in New York City. (Dylan re-recorded five of these tracks in Minneapolis for inclusion on the final album.) Those original records were soon bootlegged, and the alternate history of one of Dylan’s most acclaimed works was born. This LP is an exact duplicate of the test pressing, containing unique mixes from the New York session, available commercially for the first time.

Side One: 1. Tangled Up In Blue 2. Simple Twist of Fate 3. You’re a Big Girl Now 4. Idiot Wind 5. You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go Side Two: 1. Meet Me In The Morning 2. Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts 3. If You See Her, Say Hello 4. Shelter from the Storm 5. Buckets of Rain

Steve Earle – El Coyote / Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool You
Label: New West Records
Quantity: 900
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
Steve Earle & The Dukes release their latest album, GUY on March 29.. The band holed up in Nashville and recorded the record over a six-day period. They came out those sessions with 16 songs featuring some of Guy Clarks most well known hits such as “Desperados Waiting For A Train”, “LA Freeway” and “Dublin Blues.” Steve Earle then decided to book a solo recording session with the intention of recording two more Guy Clark songs specifically for independent retail and Record Store Day. New West Records and Steve Earle are proud to present his solo recordings of “El Coyote” and “Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool You” pressed on a limited edition 7″ 45rpm record.

A – El Coyote / B – Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool You

Woody Guthrie – I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me
Label: Omnivore Recordings
Quantity: 1500
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
In 1952, Guthrie wrote and recorded a song at home titled “I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me.” The track appears on vinyl for the first time on a limited edition 10″ of the same name for Record Store Day 2019. Also found on this special release is a second version of the demo with new accompaniment from Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, who, along with Billy Bragg and Wilco, released a series of acclaimed albums featuring their interpretations of unearthed Guthrie lyrics. Mermaid Avenue, the first in the series, was nominated for a Grammy® in 2000.

If those two tracks weren’t enough, I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me includes two versions of “Beech Haven Ain’t My Home” (a.k.a. “Old Man Trump”), whose lyrics were discovered within the Woody Guthrie Archives and chronicle the time the Guthrie family lived under landlord Fred Trump. As two drafts of the lyrics exist, the Riot-Folk Musician’s Collective’s Ryan Harvey combined them. This release contains a version by Harvey featuring Ani DiFranco and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave), and another from Irion’s band U.S. Elevator.

Available exclusively for Record Store Day as a 10″ EP, I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me is not only a historic but a musical document, released in conjunction and with full cooperation from the Woody Guthrie Archives. As stated in the album’s notes: “These songs were mostly written well over half a century ago, but they are songs for our times to be sure.”

It is truly time for this music to be heard.

Side One:
I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me (1952 Home Demo) – Woody Guthrie
Old Man Trump – Ryan Harvey feat. Ani DiFranco & Tom Morello

Side Two:
I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me – Woody Guthrie & Jeff Tweedy
Beech Haven Ain’t My Home (aka Old Man Trump) – U.S. Elevator

Emmylou Harris – The Studio Albums 1980-83
Format: 5 x LP
Label: Warner Bros
Quantity: 1000
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release

John & Lilly Hiatt
You Must Go! / All Kinds Of People

Label: New West Records
Quantity: 450
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
Lilly Hiatt is the critically acclaimed daughter of singer-songwriter legend, John Hiatt. In the fall of 2018 they got together to record a version of one anothers songs. John Hiatt covered, “All Kinds Of People” from Lilly’s heavily praised album, “Trinity Lane.” Lilly took on the daunting task of picking a song from John’s vast catalog. She picked a winner with “You Must Go” from John Hiatt’s 1995 release, “Walk On.” Together these songs are pressed onto a limited edition color vinyl 7″.

SIDE A: You Must Go! SIDE B: All Kinds Of People

Lone Justice – Live at the Palomino
Label: Omnivore Recordings
Quantity: 1700
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
MORE INFO
Previously unissued live performance from October 1983 recorded at Los Angeles’ iconic Palomino club. Features 12 tracks from the early Lone Justice line-up consisting of Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni, and Don Willens. Songs from their yet to be issued debut are coupled with classic country covers, and songs which have appeared on various collections throughout the years—but never with this live power from this L.A. landmark.

You Are The Light
Drugstore Cowboy
How Lonesome Life Has Been
The Train
Dustbowl Depression Time
Cotton Belt
This World Is Not My Home (I’m Just A Passin’ Through)
I See It
Working Man’s Blues
The Grapes Of Wrath
Working Late
Jackson

The Mavericks / Sweet Lizzy Project
The Flower’s In The Seed
Label: Y&T Music /Mono Mundo
Quantity: 1500
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
MORE INFO
A split 7” featuring Grammy-winning band The Mavericks on one side and The Sweet Lizzy Project on the other. The Sweet Lizzy Project is a new band from Havana, Cuba signed to the Mavericks’ new label. Both sides are produced by The Mavericks’ Raul Malo.

Mumford & Sons – Delta Acoustic Sessions | Live From Electric Lady
Format: 10″ Picture Disc
Label: Glassnote
Quantity: 3500
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

“Delta Acoustic Sessions | Live From Electric Lady” features previously unheard acoustic recordings of four tracks from last year’s acclaimed album, “Delta”, pressed on a special 10″ Picture Disc.

SIDE A WOMAN GUIDING LIGHT
SIDE B WILD HEART IF I SAY

Leann Rimes – Live from Gruene Hall
Label: Everle Records
Quantity: 1000
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
MORE INFO
1. Pride and Joy 2. You Never Even Call Me By Name 3. San Antonio Rose 4. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights 5. Wonderwall 6. Nothing Better To Do 7. Blue 8. Streets of Bakersfield 9. The Bottle Let Me Down 10. Always On My Mind

Leon Russell – Live at Gilley’s
Label: Varese
Quantity: 1350
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
Leon Live was recorded on September 17, 1981, at the world-famous Gilley’s nightclub in Pasadena, Texas, with his New Grass Revival Band. Leon was in prime shape and the band was on fire that night. The album includes excellent versions of “One More Love Song” (the steel guitar gives the song a new twist), “Cajun Love Song,” and the show-stopping bluegrass tune, “Uncle Pen.” The release also features the Leon classics “A Song For You” and “Lady Blue.”

Woody Guthrie Collection ‘My Name Is New York’ To Be Released September 23

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Woody Guthrie Collection 'My Name Is New York'

On September 23rd Woody Guthrie Publications will release ‘My Name Is New York; Ramblin’ Around Woody Guthrie’s Town,’ a three-disc collection offering an
intimate portrait of Woody’s NYC life through storytelling and music. Produced by Steve Rosenthal, Michael Kleff and Woody’s daughter Nora Guthrie, ‘My
Name is New York’ presents two discs of an audio tour and stories that contextualize Woody’s New York with new interviews, song snippets and a
history narrated by Nora, plus a third disc of music, including some never heard before.

“Working on this project has been more than just a nostalgic walk down memory lane,” Nora says. “It’s been a precious adventure, collecting the stories
– and the voices – of my father’s NYC friends and family, many of them who are now gone. It’s been, at times, both a hilarious and tearful journey. And, just
as for thousands of artists who have migrated here, you can see how New York City was absolutely critical in significantly chiseling my father’s destiny.”

Featuring new interviews with luminaries like Pete Seeger (in one of his final interviews), Woody’s son Arlo Guthrie, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, as well as
with Woody’s many other friends and family, the first two discs take listeners on a virtual tour of the city as Woody experienced it through visits to 19
locations. They include the boarding house on 43rd Street where “This Land Is Your Land” was written; the Greenwich Village apartment that The Almanac
Singers — an all-star folk collective included Guthrie, Seeger, Lead Belly and Josh White – called home; and his home on Coney Island, where Woody
tirelessly composed over 100 songs, and was eventually laid to rest.

The collection also includes a bonus music disc featuring an array of Guthrie’s NYC songs, including the first recording of “This Land Is Your Land”; two
previously unreleased home demos he recorded in the city, including the song that gave the set its name and a duet with Sonny Terry; and five premieres of
previously unpublished lyrics from a variety of artists, from contemporaries to younger musicians following in his tradition.

Preorder here.

Below Pete Seeger and Nora Guthrie tell the story of how Guthrie’s song “Tom Joad” evolved:

‘My Name Is New York’ Track List

Disc 1: February 16, 1940 — November 1942
01. 59th Street at 5th Avenue, Manhattan
02. 101 West 43rd Street, Manhattan
03. 57 East 4th Street, Manhattan
04. 31 East 21st Street, Manhattan
05. 5 West 101st Street, Manhattan
06. 70 East 12th Street, Manhattan
07. 130 West 10th Street, Manhattan
08. 430 6th Avenue, Manhattan
09. 148 West 14th Street, Manhattan
10. 647 Hudson Street, Manhattan

Disc 2: December, 1942 — October 3, 1967
01. 74 Charles Street, Manhattan
02. 3815 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
03. 3520 Mermaid Avenue, Brooklyn
04. 49 Murdock Court, Brooklyn
05. 517 East 5th Street, Manhattan
06. Brooklyn State Hospital, 681 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn
07. 159-13 85th Street, Queens
08. Creedmore State Hospital, Queens
09. Final Resting Place: Atlantic Ocean, Brooklyn

Music Bonus CD Tracklist
01. “New York Town” (Woody Guthrie/Cisco Houston/Sonny Terry)
02. “New York Trains” (Del McCoury Band)
03. “Union Maid” (Almanac Singers)
04. “My New York City” (Mike + Ruthy)
05. “Tom Joad” (Woody Guthrie)
06. “Man’s A Fool” (Woody Guthrie (spoons)/Sonny Terry) home tape
07. “Vigilante Man” (Woody Guthrie)
08. “Union Air in Union Square” (Lowry Hamner)
09. “Round and Round Hitler’s Grave” (Almanac Singers)
10. “Jesus Christ” (Woody Guthrie)
11. “Beatitudes” (Reverend Billy & the Stop Shopping Choir)
12. “This Land Is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie)
13. “Go Coney Island, Roll On The Sand” (Demolition String Band)
14. “Howdi Do” (Ramblin’ Jack Elliott)
15. “My Name Is New York” (Woody Guthrie) home demo tape
16. “Go Down to the Water” (Billy Bragg & Wilco)

Neil Young and Crazy Horse To Release New Album, Americana (6/5)

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Neil Young and Crazy Horse will attempt to do what other brave souls (me included) have failed at for years, define definitively Americana.

Of course I don’t think the upcoming album, Americana (6/5) by Young and the band, he began fronting in 1968 after his band Buffalo Springfield dissolved, will be  doing anything of the sort. But I am intrigued by them covering late 19th century/early 20th century American folk songs, which include the classic murder ballad Tom Dooley, Woody Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land,  Gallows Pole the classic folk song covered by Leadbelly and Led Zeppelin and forlorn American western ballad Clementine.

Young and Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro, will redefine what people think of when when they associate the band with “Classic rock.”

The album was produced by Neil Young along with John Hanlon and Mark Humphreys. I saw the band in February for the Grammy MusiCares tribute to Paul McCartney where they covered the Beatles I Saw Her Standing There (all videos of that performance have been removed online as far as I can tell)  and the band was in lean fighting form. There are no reports of a tour resulting from the album.

Americana Tracklist:
1 – Oh Susannah
2 – Clementine
3 – Tom Dooley
4 – Gallows Pole
5 – Get A Job
6 – Travel On
7 – High Flyin’ Bird
8 – She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
9 – This Land Is Your Land
10 – Wayfarin’ Stranger
11 – God Save The Queen

Happy Labor Day – Top 10

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Labor Day originated in Canada from labor unions fighting for a nine-house work day. The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City as a result of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike. With our current animosity toward all things union, Labor Day has become little more than a reason for a car sale and a three-day last gasp of Summer vacation. Kind of a drag when you realize that we are working harder and getting less now than generations past…

Here are the top 10 songs I believe celebrate the working person as the backbone of America.

1.  Work’in Man Blues –  Merle Haggard – Still a staple in Merle’s set list and a must have in all the best honky-tonks and beer joints across America.

2. Can’t Make it Here – James McMurtry  – In the recent economic downturn it’s become fashionable to pen songs about tough times for a quick buck. None come  even close to the gritty heart of McMurtry’s tale of hard times.

3. 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton -This two Grammy Award winning crossover hit was the theme song to the hit film starring Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman. Leave it to  Dolly to make cubicle drudgery sound so fun.

4. Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck – Penned by David Allan Coe about the bitterness of a man who worked long and hard with no apparent reward.  The song was also covered by the Dead Kennedys on their album Bedtime for Democracy.

5. Maggie’s Farm –  Bob Dylan – Dyman made it popular but Maggie’s Farm has a much longer history that includes Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs.Though it has been documented that Maggie’s Farm was Dylan’s declaration of independence from the constructions put on him by the folk movement, it stands just as well as an oppressed employee leaving his thankless boss.

6.  Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell – Written by by Jimmy Webb and famously covered by Glen Campbell While driving on a deserted highway in northern Oklahoma, Webb spotted a solitary lineman working high on a transmission cable and the idea for the lyric was born.  It has been referred to as ‘the first existential country song’.

7. Working Man – Hank Williams III – Shelton’s narration of the hard times and the endless struggle of blue collar work and his role in society and his family.

8. Dark as a Dungeon – Merle Travis –  Travis’ father was a coal miner in Muhlenberg County, Ky. and this classic song details the risks and drudgery of the work.

9.  Millworker – Emmylou Harris – Emmylou covers this James Taylor song in her signature sublime style.

10. John Henry – Woody Guthrie, Merle Travis, Bill Monroe, Johnny Cash, etc – The enduring American folk tale of man and machine.

Country and roots music has a long history of honoring and reflecting the dignity of work and the labor of Americans from all walks of life.  We celebrate this Labor Day, 2009  with a collection of songs as diverse and enduring as the people they celebrate.