I don't know how many of you are fans of "The Andy Griffith Show," but do you remember an episode where Barney Fife was excited about something, and to describe it he said "It's big...really big." Well, that's how things are in my hometown of Burns, Tennessee this month. Possibly nobody is more excited than my father's wife, Marcia. She, like a lot of Burns residents, are counting down the days!
You see, Burns has always toiled in the shadow of the much larger communities of Dickson and White Bluff. Aside from a few gas stations, and one very popular restaurant called "Donna's," there's not really a lot of places to spend your money in Burns. But, it's all changing....fast!
People are buzzing in the town that I referred to for eighteen years on the air in Dickson as "The Big B." Quite possibly, it's the biggest buzz since Barbara Mandrell landed her helicopter on the Burns baseball field back in 1982 and went to Burns Sound Studio to record a duet with Bill Monroe. (Hey, I remember that...and it was exciting!)
Sometime, quite possibly by "Black Friday," a new era will have dawned----Dollar General Store will have swung its' doors open. OK.....I see some of you right now, shaking your head saying "You're excited about that?"......With fist pumped in the air....Heck, yes...I'm excited! You can take the Burns boy and put him in Centerville (a beautiful place), but you can't take the Burns out of the boy!
For the first time, if you need a screwdriver, you don't have to go to Dickson. Need a loaf of bread at a decent price? Why go to Wal-Mart? It's all right there, on Highway 96. Even though I do not live there anymore, I can tell you that Burns folks will appreciate Dollar General a lot. I know I do. There's something about being married with children that makes one go to Dollar General (or "DGS" in my check register) quite a bit, and they have improved a lot over the years. Trace Adkins even has been a spokesperson for them, and are you going to argue with him?
So....if you do hit the Dollar General Store this week, do it with me in mind. Somehow, I have a feeling I probably will be driving through Burns at some point myself...just to look!
Anyway, that's my take on the big week in Burns. To quote Fife, "it's going to be big....really big."....Now, if we can just bring on the Red Lobster!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
AND NOW.....THE WOMEN SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT
Last week, I posed the question of "Who is the greatest male Country performer of all time?" Once I got done writing the blog, I realized that I ought to make this one a two-parter, because there could be as many answers to the female side of this question, as well. Over the years, Country Music has been blessed with many great female voices, so I'll offer up my opinion, and also say I would love to see yours.....
KITTY WELLS-----She was not the first female Country star, but she was the first one to be a consistent hitmaker, and from 1952-1967, she released hit after hit. Gene Autry once said about being the first major singing cowboy, "It doesn't matter if you're the best, as long as you're the first." That could be said of Wells. Though today's generation might not know of her many accomplishments, she broke down so many doors for female singers from Jean Shepard all the way to yes, Taylor Swift.
PATSY CLINE-----I take a lot of flak from my friends for wondering if Cline's career would have been as influential were she living today. It's an unfair question, as there's not a way to know. But, I'll say this....What Patsy Cline did in her recording career in six years (and most notably the last two), few will ever equal. She set a standard, one that people are still reaching for today.
LORETTA LYNN-----Though Cline stood up to the men behind the scenes, Loretta was the first female Country singer to say what she thought....and she did it often. Whether is was laying down the law to her husband, or being thankful for "The Pill," female listeners could relate to the songs she was singing. If anyone can say they have lived their music, it's Loretta Lynn.
TAMMY WYNETTE----Speaking of living their music, most of the songs that Tammy Wynette wrote could very well have been three-minute soap operas. There were so many sides to her personality, but she really delivered the goods when she sang about the blue side of love, like "Till I Can Make It On My Own."
BARBARA MANDRELL---Her smoky, raspy voice served as the focal point of some of Country's sexiest moments such as "Tonight"
or her cover of "If Loving You Is Wrong," but she could also deliver some powerful emotional moments, like "Years," or the best anthem the Country genre has ever had, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."
EMMYLOU HARRIS----I don't know if any female singer has done as much to preserve and promote the history of Country Music than Emmylou, who has helped to introduce her hip audience to music from the masters, like Jones and Owens.
REBA MCENTIRE-----For over three decades, she has been the female singer who has likely inspired the largest number of vocalists. Her business acumen is legendary, but it's her voice that has made her a radio favorite since 1980...and she's still going to this day.
ROSANNE CASH------The music that Rosanne Cash has made definitely belongs on any "Best Of" list, but there's something about that voice. It's not traditional, by any stretch of the definition, but anyone that can run the balance of 80s rocker ("Seven Year Ache) to a smooth and seductive jazz sound ("I Wonder") gets my vote...and that's not even mentioning perhaps the greatest song by a female vocalist in Nashville in the 1980s, "Blue Moon With Heartache." Even though it was 1982, what a record...what a record indeed!
PATTY LOVELESS----She's starting to make some of these lists, and with good reason. That high lonesome Kentucky sound has inspired many of today's top acts, but more importantly, she's just that dang good. Her recent forays into Bluegrass Music also kind of set her apart as the Emmylou Harris of her generation, and that's a great comparison.
MARTINA MCBRIDE----Over the past fifteen years, nobody comes close to Martina--whether on record or on stage. I've gotten to witness both over the years, and she's simply one of the best. Sometimes, I would love to hear her record things a little more gritty than the four-minute self-help songs she tends to records for the Oprah crowd, but she's selling millions...and I'm writing blogs...so I guess she knows what she's doing, but if you heard her fill in for Sheryl Crow with Kid Rock at the CMA Music Festival this past year on "Picture,' you know what I'm talking about...
AND MY TOP TWO.......
CONNIE SMITH---She might not have the chart numbers of the artists above (or the one below), but listening to this woman sing is truly a privilege. I recently saw her at the Grand Ole Opry, and there's no smoke, no mirrors, no hoops to jump through....just a voice---that is one of the greatest treasures of this format. Ask Marty Stuart....Yes, he might be somewhat biased, but even he was a fan before he was a husband
DOLLY PARTON----I will admit that over the past couple of weeks, I have been listening to her new RCA box set, so that might influence me, but in all honesty...it just reminds me of what I have always known. The lady is perhaps the most talented person to ever have had success in the Country format. Listen to her early recordings for Monument and then for RCA. The voice is so piercing that it can literally break your heart, and when it comes to songwriting...there are few equals. No matter if it's a traditional tearjerker like "Jeannie's Afraid Of The Dark," one of the most commercial love songs of all time in "Here You Come Again," (one of the few hits she did not write), or the working girl anthem of "9 To 5," Dolly Parton is, and always has been the real deal. And I didn't even say anything about her undeniable charisma, which keeps her ever vital and young to this day....
Well, those are my thoughts....I would love to hear yours....Until next week, when I'll tell you about something big...and I mean really big!
KITTY WELLS-----She was not the first female Country star, but she was the first one to be a consistent hitmaker, and from 1952-1967, she released hit after hit. Gene Autry once said about being the first major singing cowboy, "It doesn't matter if you're the best, as long as you're the first." That could be said of Wells. Though today's generation might not know of her many accomplishments, she broke down so many doors for female singers from Jean Shepard all the way to yes, Taylor Swift.
PATSY CLINE-----I take a lot of flak from my friends for wondering if Cline's career would have been as influential were she living today. It's an unfair question, as there's not a way to know. But, I'll say this....What Patsy Cline did in her recording career in six years (and most notably the last two), few will ever equal. She set a standard, one that people are still reaching for today.
LORETTA LYNN-----Though Cline stood up to the men behind the scenes, Loretta was the first female Country singer to say what she thought....and she did it often. Whether is was laying down the law to her husband, or being thankful for "The Pill," female listeners could relate to the songs she was singing. If anyone can say they have lived their music, it's Loretta Lynn.
TAMMY WYNETTE----Speaking of living their music, most of the songs that Tammy Wynette wrote could very well have been three-minute soap operas. There were so many sides to her personality, but she really delivered the goods when she sang about the blue side of love, like "Till I Can Make It On My Own."
BARBARA MANDRELL---Her smoky, raspy voice served as the focal point of some of Country's sexiest moments such as "Tonight"
or her cover of "If Loving You Is Wrong," but she could also deliver some powerful emotional moments, like "Years," or the best anthem the Country genre has ever had, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."
EMMYLOU HARRIS----I don't know if any female singer has done as much to preserve and promote the history of Country Music than Emmylou, who has helped to introduce her hip audience to music from the masters, like Jones and Owens.
REBA MCENTIRE-----For over three decades, she has been the female singer who has likely inspired the largest number of vocalists. Her business acumen is legendary, but it's her voice that has made her a radio favorite since 1980...and she's still going to this day.
ROSANNE CASH------The music that Rosanne Cash has made definitely belongs on any "Best Of" list, but there's something about that voice. It's not traditional, by any stretch of the definition, but anyone that can run the balance of 80s rocker ("Seven Year Ache) to a smooth and seductive jazz sound ("I Wonder") gets my vote...and that's not even mentioning perhaps the greatest song by a female vocalist in Nashville in the 1980s, "Blue Moon With Heartache." Even though it was 1982, what a record...what a record indeed!
PATTY LOVELESS----She's starting to make some of these lists, and with good reason. That high lonesome Kentucky sound has inspired many of today's top acts, but more importantly, she's just that dang good. Her recent forays into Bluegrass Music also kind of set her apart as the Emmylou Harris of her generation, and that's a great comparison.
MARTINA MCBRIDE----Over the past fifteen years, nobody comes close to Martina--whether on record or on stage. I've gotten to witness both over the years, and she's simply one of the best. Sometimes, I would love to hear her record things a little more gritty than the four-minute self-help songs she tends to records for the Oprah crowd, but she's selling millions...and I'm writing blogs...so I guess she knows what she's doing, but if you heard her fill in for Sheryl Crow with Kid Rock at the CMA Music Festival this past year on "Picture,' you know what I'm talking about...
AND MY TOP TWO.......
CONNIE SMITH---She might not have the chart numbers of the artists above (or the one below), but listening to this woman sing is truly a privilege. I recently saw her at the Grand Ole Opry, and there's no smoke, no mirrors, no hoops to jump through....just a voice---that is one of the greatest treasures of this format. Ask Marty Stuart....Yes, he might be somewhat biased, but even he was a fan before he was a husband
DOLLY PARTON----I will admit that over the past couple of weeks, I have been listening to her new RCA box set, so that might influence me, but in all honesty...it just reminds me of what I have always known. The lady is perhaps the most talented person to ever have had success in the Country format. Listen to her early recordings for Monument and then for RCA. The voice is so piercing that it can literally break your heart, and when it comes to songwriting...there are few equals. No matter if it's a traditional tearjerker like "Jeannie's Afraid Of The Dark," one of the most commercial love songs of all time in "Here You Come Again," (one of the few hits she did not write), or the working girl anthem of "9 To 5," Dolly Parton is, and always has been the real deal. And I didn't even say anything about her undeniable charisma, which keeps her ever vital and young to this day....
Well, those are my thoughts....I would love to hear yours....Until next week, when I'll tell you about something big...and I mean really big!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
SO....WHO IS THE GREATEST?
I will admit that the past two posts were somewhat emotionally heavy....so I thought I would lighten the tone a little, and post something that maybe will entice you to respond with your thoughts......
Sometimes, when an male act comes out with a new album, you will hear them be referred to as "One of the greatest Male Country performers if all time." That leads me to pose the question-----Just how many "Greatest" performers are there? Here are my eight classifications of "Greatest.".....Agree or disagree? It's OK....but I would love to know what you think!
GREATEST SONGWRITER: Hank Williams. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Look at his catalog, weigh everything he wrote, and throw this in---All that he did, he did before the age of 30. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, will come close to his accomplishments in this vein.
GREATEST STYLIST: Buck Owens. OK, I am somewhat partial on this one....but anyone who records with a little bit of rock in their attitude today owes a lot to the "Baron Of Bakersfield." Did he create the West Coast sound of Country Music? The answer would be no, as there was already a California Country scene before him, but did he kick the doors down wide open for a style of Country that wasn't being recorded in Nashville? You bet your Red, White, and Blue guitar he did!
GREATEST SINGER-SONGWRITER: Merle Haggard. I don't know which category you would put Haggard in. There are times when I listen to his music, particularly his 1970s recordings, that I think 'This is the best that has ever been.' Next to Hank, I don't know if any other singer put more of himself into the songs he recorded---good and bad. Some have tried to hide the rough edges, but with Merle---they became part of the allure.
GREATEST INTERPRETER OF SONGS: Conway Twitty. In addition to writing the majority of his hits from 1965-1978 or so, the man formally known as Harold Jenkins could pick a hit song. It didn't matter if you were a known commodity like Harlan Howard ("I Don't Know A Thing About Love") or a new tunesmith like Gary Burr ("That's My Job"), Conway Twitty had a knack for finding a hit song...and making you think he wrote it himself.
MOST VERSATILE: Marty Robbins. When you have success with Rock & Roll, Cowboy Music, Pop, Hawaiian, and Country, I think the answer speaks for itself. I think you could put Vince Gill down in this category, as well....but Robbins could do anything--and do it well.
GREATEST PERSONALITY----Johnny Cash. Was the "Man In Black" a great singer, sonically speaking? I don't remember anyone ever praising Cash's range, but his songs still strike a chord all these years later. However, with the lone exception of Dolly Parton, I don't know if there's a Country artist that is more well known anywhere.
PERSONAL FAVORITE------Kenny Rogers. Everyone has to have a favorite, and I guess you could say the fact that I make a point to get every GREATEST HITS collection no matter how many times I have "Lucille" and "The Gambler" in my collection speaks for itself. While everyone knows the hits, I urge you to go back and listen to several of his 70s and 80s album cuts, like "The King Of Oak Street," or his classic duets with Dottie West, and you will find one of the format's all-time most underrated singers.
"THE GREATEST"----Isn't it still an opinion, after all? I guess when it's said and done, there's one Country voice that has withstood just about everything over time, but yet he still manages to survive and endure. But that's a survival trait. Vocally, songs like "The Grand Tour," "These Days (I Barely Get By)," and "Choices" have cemented George Jones's place as one of the best pure singers of all time. When you have fans with last names such as Sinatra, Costello, and Richards, and you've recorded a song called "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which many (rightfully) say is the best Country singer of all time, your place is pretty secure. There may be others that rival him, but for my money...none that beat him!
OK....Those are my thoughts, but I did manage to omit Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price (A CRIME!), Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, and B.J. Thomas, who could sing circles around just about anyone.....I would love to hear your thoughts on this one........
Sometimes, when an male act comes out with a new album, you will hear them be referred to as "One of the greatest Male Country performers if all time." That leads me to pose the question-----Just how many "Greatest" performers are there? Here are my eight classifications of "Greatest.".....Agree or disagree? It's OK....but I would love to know what you think!
GREATEST SONGWRITER: Hank Williams. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Look at his catalog, weigh everything he wrote, and throw this in---All that he did, he did before the age of 30. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, will come close to his accomplishments in this vein.
GREATEST STYLIST: Buck Owens. OK, I am somewhat partial on this one....but anyone who records with a little bit of rock in their attitude today owes a lot to the "Baron Of Bakersfield." Did he create the West Coast sound of Country Music? The answer would be no, as there was already a California Country scene before him, but did he kick the doors down wide open for a style of Country that wasn't being recorded in Nashville? You bet your Red, White, and Blue guitar he did!
GREATEST SINGER-SONGWRITER: Merle Haggard. I don't know which category you would put Haggard in. There are times when I listen to his music, particularly his 1970s recordings, that I think 'This is the best that has ever been.' Next to Hank, I don't know if any other singer put more of himself into the songs he recorded---good and bad. Some have tried to hide the rough edges, but with Merle---they became part of the allure.
GREATEST INTERPRETER OF SONGS: Conway Twitty. In addition to writing the majority of his hits from 1965-1978 or so, the man formally known as Harold Jenkins could pick a hit song. It didn't matter if you were a known commodity like Harlan Howard ("I Don't Know A Thing About Love") or a new tunesmith like Gary Burr ("That's My Job"), Conway Twitty had a knack for finding a hit song...and making you think he wrote it himself.
MOST VERSATILE: Marty Robbins. When you have success with Rock & Roll, Cowboy Music, Pop, Hawaiian, and Country, I think the answer speaks for itself. I think you could put Vince Gill down in this category, as well....but Robbins could do anything--and do it well.
GREATEST PERSONALITY----Johnny Cash. Was the "Man In Black" a great singer, sonically speaking? I don't remember anyone ever praising Cash's range, but his songs still strike a chord all these years later. However, with the lone exception of Dolly Parton, I don't know if there's a Country artist that is more well known anywhere.
PERSONAL FAVORITE------Kenny Rogers. Everyone has to have a favorite, and I guess you could say the fact that I make a point to get every GREATEST HITS collection no matter how many times I have "Lucille" and "The Gambler" in my collection speaks for itself. While everyone knows the hits, I urge you to go back and listen to several of his 70s and 80s album cuts, like "The King Of Oak Street," or his classic duets with Dottie West, and you will find one of the format's all-time most underrated singers.
"THE GREATEST"----Isn't it still an opinion, after all? I guess when it's said and done, there's one Country voice that has withstood just about everything over time, but yet he still manages to survive and endure. But that's a survival trait. Vocally, songs like "The Grand Tour," "These Days (I Barely Get By)," and "Choices" have cemented George Jones's place as one of the best pure singers of all time. When you have fans with last names such as Sinatra, Costello, and Richards, and you've recorded a song called "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which many (rightfully) say is the best Country singer of all time, your place is pretty secure. There may be others that rival him, but for my money...none that beat him!
OK....Those are my thoughts, but I did manage to omit Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price (A CRIME!), Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, and B.J. Thomas, who could sing circles around just about anyone.....I would love to hear your thoughts on this one........
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