Ray Price & Wanda Jackson

This remarkable photo of Ray Price and Wanda Jackson comes to us from the Nudie Cohn Facebook page.  Thanks for sharing.

The House Where Jerry Byrd Lived

On a recent trip to Nashville, I headed for the library to dig around some old city directories in an effort to find out if the houses where Homer & Jethro used to live might still be around, but I came up empty. I couldn't find a listing for either of those guys for some reason.  I did, however, discover that Jerry Byrd lived here, at 4849 Aster Drive, in 1962.

Byrd (1920 - 2005) made a name for himself as one of the nation's top (non-pedal) steel guitar talents in the 1940s and '50s.  He spent time playing in Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours before departing to join up with Red Foley and play steel in his band for several years.  In the early '60s, he began exploring Hawaiian music and recorded several LPs in that vein.  Byrd eventually relocated to  Hawaii in the late '60s and remained there until his death.

Here's a track from his 1964 Monument LP, Admirable Byrd.

Jerry Byrd  -  Theme For A DJ   (2:06)

Tennessee Border

Red Foley  -  Tennessee Border

It was sixty-four years ago today, Red Foley and company headed into a Nashville studio and cut the timeless Tennessee Border, written by George Morgan. Teenaged steel guitarist Billy Robinson is not only still kicking, he still gigs occasionally in Nashville, as he did a few weeks ago, playing with Chris Scruggs & His Air Castle All Stars, a truly world class outfit, at a west Nashville establishment called the Stone Fox.  

The information below appears courtesy of Bear Family records:

February 6, 1949; Castle Studio at the Tulane Hotel, 206 8th Avenue, Nashville, TN.  Producer: Paul Cohen

Red Foley: vocal

Zeb Turner: electric guitar

Grady Martin: guitar

Billy Robinson: steel guitar

Ernie Newton: bass

Owen Bradley: organ

The White Boots

Carl Butler & Pearl - May, 1963.

I'm Gonna Hang My Britches Up (MP3)

Onie Wheeler  -  I'm Gonna Hang My Britches Up 

Onie takes on the women's liberation movement...and throws in the towel.

Hank's Last Ride

Sixty years ago today, Hank Williams died in the back of a 1952 Cadillac headed for Canton, Ohio.

In 2003, on the 50th anniversary of Williams' death, the Nashville Tennessean published a superb article by Peter Cooper that includes everything you ever wanted to know about the fateful trip.

I've Got A Polecat By The Tail (MP3)

Abbie Gaye with Ken & Mel  -  I've Got A Polecat By The Tail

I don't know what Buck Owens would say about this take-off on his Tiger By The Tail, but I approve wholeheartedly.

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The Old Man's Drunk Again

Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys  -  The Old Man's Drunk Again

If The Price Is Right (MP3)

 
Houston Roberts  -  If The Price Is Right 

Here's a foot-stompin' honky-tonker from Houston Roberts on Nashville's Little Darlin' label, an organization that  frequently peddled hard country sounds.  And speaking of prices, this seems like a fine time to gently remind you that WFMU's Rock & Soul Ichiban comes to you at all hours of the day and night completely free.  So if you feel like hitting the pledge button above to help us keep everything humming, we'd be grateful. 

Branded A Tramp (MP3)

Linda Lee  -  Branded A Tramp  (2:35)

Doug Sahm Month Ain't Over Yet

Doug Sahm  -  Oh No Not Another One

Doug Sahm's final studio album, The Return of Wayne Douglas, was released not long after his death from a heart attack in Taos, New Mexico hotel room in 1999.  The name of the disc was a reference to an alias he'd used to release a cool 1970 Mercury honky-tonk 45, and as you'd expect with a title like that the album itself was pure deep-fried country music from beginning to end.  Not surprisingly, Sahm, like a lot of people, was completely disenchanted with the pop and rock sounds that were becoming the hallmark of hit country records and used this track to blow off a little steam.

Doug Sahm Month - Pick Me Up On Your Way Down

Alvin Crow & The Pleasant Valley Boys (w/ Doug Sahm on guitar & vocals) -  Pick Me Up On Your Way Down

In the late 90s, Doug Sahm spent some time occasionally sitting in on steel guitar on gigs with his old pal Alvin Crow & The Pleasant Valley Boys.  In fact, one of my fondest musical memories is seeing Sahm play steel for Crow all evening at a show at a honky-tonk called the Broken Spoke in south Austin back in about 1996 or so.  As I recall, the entire evening Crow referred to Sahm as Wayne Douglas, which is the pseudonym Sahm used on a Mercury country 45 released in 1970, which is audible here.  In fact, at the end of this performance Crow can be heard acknowledging Sahm's performance by enthusiastically calling out "Sir Wayne!"

I'm not 100% sure but I think he may have been playing lead guitar, as opposed to steel, at this particular gig, which was recorded in Dallas in January 1997.

Kitty Wells, R.I.P.

Kitty Wells  -  Jesus Loved The Devil Out Of Me 

Image borrowed from CarlaCarlaCarlaCarla's flickr stream.

Doug Sahm - I'll Be There

Sir Douglas Band  -  I'll Be There

Doug tips his cap to one of the all-time Texas greats, Ray Price....

Photo: Huey Meaux and Doug Sahm in the studio.

Wayne Douglas aka Doug Sahm

Wayne Douglas - Be Real 

Released under a half-hearted pseudonym (he inverted his first & middle names), Be Real is an interesting gem from the Doug Sahm archives.   Sahm recorded it in Nashville with some Music City studio aces and it came out on Mercury, which was handling Doug at the time.  Unfortunately the record went nowhere but it's solid Texas honky-tonk shuffle that's sure to please any hard country fan.

Doug's Country Groove

Sir Doug & The Texas Tornados  -  Country Groove

Of all the tricks Doug Sahm had in his nearly bottomless bag, none made me smile more than his tendency to revel in his love for honky-tonk sounds, as he does on this 1976 album track that appeared on his Texas Rock For Country Rollers LP on the ABC-Dot label.  His lyrics, delivered over a superb shuffle beat, salute country MVPs like George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, Willie Nelson and fiddler Link Davis.

By the way, the Texas Tornados that appear here are not the same Texas Tornados that Sahm recorded and toured with beginning in the early 90s, though keyboardist Augie Meyers was on hand for both projects.  For much more information about this LP, and the opportunity to stream each track, head over to the Adios Lounge.  You'll be glad you did.

An Interview With Ray Price

Ray Price Interview - Side One   (7:45)

Ray Price Interview - Side Two   (6:14)

Interspersed with some sound clips from Ray's records, here's an interview with the man himself.  Listen in as he reflects upon his quest for vocal perfection, his technique, and his general approach to his career.

Ray Price - If She Could See Me Now

Ray Price  -  If She Could See Me Now

Quoting from Ray's Country Music Hall Of Fame plaque:  "Ray Price - January 26, 1926.  Born in Perryville, Texas, Ray Price started performing in grade school.  After four years in the Marines, and some college, his plans of becoming a rancher changed when he joined KRLD's Big Jamboree in Dallas in 1948 and landed a record deal with Bullet records.  In 1952, he signed with Columbia records and joined the Grand Ole Opry.  Known as "The Cherokee Cowboy", Price topped the country charts in 1956 with "Crazy Arms".  Other Number Ones included "City Lights", "For The Good Times" and "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me."  His innovative style bridged the country and pop music fields and brought a new sense of sophistication to country music."

My only question is why did they decide to use Joe E. Brown's image on the plaque?

My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You

Ray Price, king of the honky-tonks.

Thanks to Gatorrock787 for having such a great YouTube channel, currently featuring 1,542 clips of outstanding quality.

Heartaches By The Number

Ray Price  -  Heartaches By The Number