Dierks Says it Well, About George Jones and Country Music

For my post tonight, I'm going to defer to an artist whose appreciation for classic country and Americana is unparalelled by a mainstream country singer.  Dierks Bentley wrote a guest blog post for CNN, sharing his thoughts and memories of his friendship with George Jones.  While Dierks spoke of the sadness and sense of loss that he is personally feeling over the death of Mr. Jones, his blog also brought to light the entire genre of country music, its long and illustrious history, and the overall effect it can have on an individual.  In his post, Dierks captured everything that I have felt about country music over my lifetime.  I could not have said it better myself.  

With the funeral for Mr. Jones taking place tomorrow, and with many thanks in advance to Dierks Bentley and his people, I share his words with you tonight.  Click here to visit Dierks' web site where you can read this piece, as well as get news on Dierks and where he and Miranda Lambert will be touring.  Let's all take up the responsibility of keeping the memory and work of great artists like Mr. Jones, Mr. Waylon Jennings, Ms. Tammy Wynette, Mr. Johnny Cash and so many others who have passed before us alive and in the consience of all young music fans and artists going forward.  Listen to their work and share it unapologetically.  The future of our beloved music, be it country or Americana, depends on recognizing and honouring its illustrious past.

"Damn it, I knew I needed to get in touch with George when I'd heard he was ill, that he had been admitted to the hospital for respiratory ailments. How did I let this happen?"

Those where my initial thoughts sitting on the tarmac at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport reading the texts and e-mails about George Jones's death Friday morning.

George was a friend, a country music legend, an influence to me and to countless other musicians.

If you aren't able to fully hear and appreciate George Jones' voice, you really can't fully appreciate country music. His voice opens up country music's depth and power. You feel it or you don't. It helps to have done some living and to have had your heart broken, like George did. And it really helps if you can hang around one of its greatest singers, which I was fortunate enough to do over the years.

During a show at the Ryman Auditorium in the mid-'90s, I heard the great bluegrass singer Peter Rowan say that if you have a musical hero, you should do anything you can to be near that person. For him that meant driving Bill Monroe's tour bus. For me, it meant hanging around Terry Eldredge, my hero when I moved to Nashville, and the lead singer of a band called "The Sidemen," which played Tuesdays at the Station Inn.

Terry idolized George Jones. It was through him that i began to "hear" George, not just listen to him. There is a big difference between listening and hearing. I had listened to George growing up with my dad, a big country fan. I had listened to him in high school again, when I discovered Hank Williams Jr. and found out Hank also loved George. But it wasn't until I was in Nashville and hanging out with Terry that I finally heard George Jones. I finally got it. The tone and the ache of his voice clicked. I heard how every word George sang was first filtered through a broken heart.

We became friends eventually. From time spent together backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, visits at the home of George and his wife, Nancy, dinner at his favorite O'Charley's or Logan's Roadhouse, I cherished every moment in his presence, getting to hear firsthand accounts of stories I had read, the jokes and the laughter, the love between him and Nancy.

Having the opportunity to sing to George from the Opry stage for his 75th birthday in 2006 and to record in the studio together are unforgettable highlights of this crazy honky tonk dream.

People will always say that "He Stopped Loving Her Today" was George's best song and perhaps the greatest country song of all time. I certainly wouldn't disagree. But do yourself a favor and dig a little deeper. One of those nights when you are feeling down or lonesome, instead of going to the usual modern day distractions, grab some whiskey and listen to "A Picture of Me (Without You)," "The Cold Hard Truth," "A Good Year For The Roses," or my favorite, "The Door." Put your heart in George's hands and trust that he will take care of it.

That is what great country music (at least my favorite kind) and great country singers do; that is what country is all about: consoling the lonely, letting you know someone else has been there and has felt the way you do. It's about walking you through the hard times.

My dad was a member of this country's greatest generation. He grew up in The Depression and fought in WWII. There aren't many left. George is a member of country music's greatest generation. And there are only a handful of those men and women left. Go to their shows, talk to them if you can. Let them know how much you appreciate their music and if you are lucky enough, their friendship. Let them know the impact their singing or songwriting has had on your life. But don't do it for their sake, do it for your own.

So that when they are no longer with us, you might feel just a little less sad.

My George Jones Memories

April 26, 2013 will be remembered as one of the most important days in music history.   I speak of course of the surprise passing this morning of the greatest country music singer of all time, George Jones.  

It's hard to describe the impact of George Jones on country music.  It's just so great.  His legacy has been well documented -- roughly 200 albums recorded, 50 years in the music business,  and an astounding 168 singles charted on Billboard ... more than any recording artist in any genre in history.  From what I can gather, he's the only country singer that would cause the great Frank Sinatra to step aside and allow to take center stage.  He has influenced countless singers in all genres over generations, from the Garth Brooks to the Oak Ridge Boys, Elvis Costello to Clint Black, James Taylor to Jason Aldean.  It's tough to measure the loss of this artist whom Patterson Hood of the Drive-by Truckers rightly described as a Genius country singer.  

The music of George Jones had an immediate impact on me growing up.  As a kid, country music is what I listened to, mainly because that's what my parents listened to.  It was really the only music I was exposed to until I reached high school.  While I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, I spent a great deal of my youth growing up in Minden, Ontario which is where both sides of my family come from.  Playing music in those parts was a way of life and a way of entertaining yourself on the weekends.  We spent many, many nights in my grandmothers' kitchen at the old farmhouse playing some great country music, much of it classic George Jones songs such as "She Thinks I Still Care" and "Tennessee Whiskey."  On a day such as this, I'm taken back to those times.  And I smile.  They're such great memories.

I know that I'm not alone when I speak of the family sing alongs and kitchen parties with George Jones tunes at the forefront.  I know I'm also not alone when I speak of hopping in the family car with the radio on and mom or dad popping in a cassette tape, and that tape was the "Same Ole Me" album, or one of his many greatest hits albums and being mezmerized by the beautiful ebb and flow of George's voice.  George had one of the most unique vocal stylings of any artist in history.  His voice could start soft and rolling, then soar to heights that just aren't reachable by many artists of today or any day for that matter.  There was always real emotion in his voice and performance that led to chill bumps for the listener.  His voice contributed to the production, it really was another instrument on the record.  

As I listen to the Grand Ole Opry broadcast tonight, I'm reminded of why I love country music.  It's because of the history of this great genre.  I love the stories, the vocal performance, the writing and the personalities of the artists.  I love that my family introduced me to this great and historical style of music.  And a lot of that has to do with the greatest vocalist of all time, George Jones.  

Country music will live on and will endure.  No one single artist or group entity is bigger than the genre, not even the greatest, George Jones.  But the reason country music is where it is today is because George Jones was so big.  He was a larger than life figure in music, crossing so many boundaries that Kid Rock and The Rolling Stones consider him one of their heroes.  And I personally will be forever grateful for the wonderful catelogue of music, and the wonderful memories of listening to his records and sharing that time with my family.  It was George's music that brought us together.  Just like George, they're priceless.   

Some Pre-Record Store Day Suggestions

A great spring tradtion for music buffs everywhere takes place tomorrow with Record Store Day 2013.  No matter where you are, come on out and support your local independent record store.  Many record stores will be holding special in store promos with special releases and performances from local and national artists.  Some record stores, such as Grimey's in Nashville and Sonic Boom in Toronto will be holding all day performances inside and outside the store.  Vinyl Alibi, our local record store in Bowmanville, is also an active participant.  I will be passing by Vinyl Alibi, as well as Sonic Boom.

In the meantime, here are some suggestions if you're out and about participating in Record Store Day and looking for some great music:

• Blackberry Smoke, The Whiphoorwhill:  The latest release from the veteran Southern rockers is bringing new fans to this fantastic group on a daily basis, and why not?  If these guys are good enough to be on Southern Ground Artists, a record label owned by Zac Brown, then clearly they're worthy of your time.  "Pretty Little Lie" and "Left of Me", as well as the title track, are key pieces on this wonderful album
• The Deep Dark Woods, The Place We Left Behind:  Last year's release from this outstanding band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan stands as one of the best and unique sounding records from 2012.  Watch for the vinyl copy of this album in your local store
• Elizabeth Cook, Welder:  This outstanding 2011 release from one of the most wonderful and beautiful talents in Americana brought Ms. Cook's career to a whole new level.  Elizabeth Cook put her heart on her sleeve with this album, ranging from fun tracks like "El Camino" to a song that is a true story about her sister, titled "Heroin Addict Sister."  This album was among those nominated by the Americana Music Association for Album of the Year in 2011.  A fantastic record.
• Jamey Johnson, Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran:  I'm the first to confess that I'm a huge fan of Jamey Johnson.  Not just for the great music that he continues to release, but for what he seemingly stands for as an artist.  He's the modern day answer to Waylon Jennings, in that he records what he wants, how he wants and always keeps his music true to himself.  It's a quality that is deserving of respect, and he is well respected among his peers and fans alike.  This 2012 release was a bit of a risk for Jamey following the gold selling success of his two previous albums, That Lonesome Song and The Guitar Song.  This wonderful tribute to his longtime close friend, and one of the greatest songwriters in music history, Hank Cochran, features duets with Asleep at the Wheel, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Vince Gill and several others.  Jamey does a couple of tunes on his own, including a great cover of Hank's "Would These Arms Be In Your Way", which was originally recorded by the late great Keith Whitley.  If you're a fan of music that focuses on the strength of the lyrics in a song, this album is one of the best you could ever find.  It's a treasure, and one that I'm proud to have in my collection

There are so many great albums out there by so many great artists.  Record Store Day is a great day to celebrate the beauty of music in all its artistry.  From the singers, to the instrumentalist, to the songwriter, to the producers and engineers of the album, all the way up to the great community hub that is the independent record store, all play a part in celebrating this great artform.  What can you expect when you go to your local record shop on Record Store Day?  Who knows, you could be surprised.  And really, that could be the coolest part about going.  You never know what could happen next.

I'll leave you with a great little column from a great web site, CMT Edge, which highlights 12 more albums for your perusal.  Enjoy!!

Christmas in April! Record Store Day 2013, April 20!!

How many of you reading this still go to the record store to buy your albums?  How many of you gave up this practice in favour of the "conveniences" of modern technology like downloading, streaming, and the like?  Well, for those of you who still do the former, you already know how great going to the record store is.   For those of you who do the latter, wow, you don't know what you're missing.

But this Saturday, April 20, 2013, is a great day for everyone to get out and discover their local, independent record store.  Record Store Day is fast approaching and for music fans everywhere, this is like Christmas is April.  This isn't so much for the HMV's or FYE stores of the world, although there are some chain stores that are participating.  This is for the local store, the independent store in your hometown.  Places like Sonic Boom in Toronto, Ontario, Vinyl Alibi in my hometown of Bowmanville, or the king of all independent record stores, Grimey's in Nashville, Tennessee.  Record Store Day is a celebration of music and artistry, as well as celebrating the place of the local record store in ones community.

There was a time, long before the internet, iPods and music "sharing", the local record store was one of the most important gathering places in a community.  It was a place to talk and truly listen to music.  It was a place to celebrate the art of music.  Growing up in Toronto in the 1970's and 1980's, our place to celebrate the art of music was at Sam the Record Man.  Sam's was, in every sense of the word, an iconic record store.  With its famous spinning-record neon sign that measured about 50 feet in the air over Yonge Street in downtown Toronto,  it was truly the most famous record store in Canada.  It would host record release functions and host concerts by the famous and not so famous promoting their works.  If you needed to find a rare release, you went to Sam's.  That original Sam the Record Man store has long since closed, and it left a void on the record store scene in Toronto that I'm not so sure has been filled to this day.  There are many independent stores that are successful, but there is nothing like Sam the Record Man.  

But this write up is about Record Store Day and celebrating your local record store.   What's so good about a record store?  Well, if you haven't been or are not in to buying records or CD's, then truly you don't know what you're missing.  A record store is a lot like a book store.  You can touch and feel the albums, check out the song titles and songwriter credits, as well as find out about the musicians who played on the record.   The artwork on some of the album covers is incredible.  The only way to truly appreciate that artwork is to physically hold it in your hand.  Perhaps the best thing about buying an entire album, is that you get to hear the entire album.  Most of the time, some of the best songs on an album are the ones that don't get released as a single to radio.  The only way you get to hear them is by purchasing the album, and there is nothing wrong with that.  At the very least purchasing the album shows that every now and again, some patience and investment of time has its reward ... it doesn't always have to be about the instant gratification of downloading one song from an artist.  

Saturday April 20.  Record Store Day 2013.  If you don't have plans this Saturday, go and check out your local record store.  Click here for the web site to see about participating stores in your area.  Many stores will be having live music all day, as well as other events to mark the occasion.  Head on out and celebrate music, local talent and one of the most important yet underrated establishments in your community.  I'll even have some suggested albums for you to purchase when you're out and about.  Don't worry, if your local store doesn't have the album that you want, chances are very good they will order it for you.  That's the beauty of an independent store ... they can do what they want.  

Album Review: "What We've Been Up To", Alley Stoetzel

I had the great fortune of receiving this wonderful little EP from Boston-based singer-songwriter, Alley Stoetzel.  Alley released her debut EP back in September 2012 with help from some of the best bluegrass musicians in the Northeast.  If you're looking for some great music from an up-and-coming artist, this album will satisfy that need and then some.

The six-track EP consists of four cover tunes and two originals, and they blend together perfectly.  The song selection for those covers is square in Alley's wheelhouse.  Opening up with a mandolin-heavy version of "Cocaine Blues", a tune made famous by Johnny Cash on his historic "Johnny Cash at San Quentin" album.  It's a ballsy selection to kick off the album, and Alley and her crew rise to the occasion with a raucous version of this classic.

The next track is the beautiful "How Much I Need You", an original song that explores the uncertainty that can exist when starting a new relationship.  Alley's soulful vocal really shines through on this selection, really highlighting the vulnerability of the lead character.  A song such as this comes from someone who has lived through it, which allows for the listener to relate to the story.

The third track is another original, "It's Always You", which in some ways could be the sequel to its predecessory, "How Much I Need You."  The song is the perfect complement as it seemingly continues the story as the two characters have progressed in their relationship, verging on falling in love.  Given the quality of the songwriting from Ms. Stoetzel on these two tracks, it is to be hoped that she includes more originals on her next release, whether that's a full length album or another EP.  

The album then ventures back in to cover-territory, and the selection here is brilliant with its variance.  For a young lady who is only 27 to tackle two icons in the history of music with Hank Williams, Sr. and Lefty Frizzell, to then close off with Rhianna takes some serious guts and confidence.  Ms. Stoetzel pulls these off in spades.

While not much more can be said of the lyrics of the Hank Sr. classic "Lovesick Blues,"  the rockabilly treatment of this song that Ms. Stoetzel and her companions gives it a fresh outlook that I've not heard before.  It's a great little cover they should be proud of.

Next up is a cover of one of my favourite old songs, "Long Black Veil."  Written by the legendary  Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill, this song has been recorded hundreds, if not thousands of times.  When a song has been recorded that often, sometimes it's best to stick close to the original, which is what you'll get on this album.  The key here is the wonderful mandolin playing of Jimmy Ryan, combined with Alley's beautiful, understated vocal that tells the haunting story in riveting fashion.

The most unique cover of the album is the most unusual choice, but it fits in perfectly, with Rhianna's "Man Down."  Performed acousticly, with nothing more than mandolin, acoustic guitar and piano, this album allows Ms. Stoetzel to showcase her vocal range and styling.  The musicianship and powerful vocals highlight how dark this song really is.  It's a departure from Rhianna's version, but is still very, very effective in it's delivery.

This album is a brilliant debut from an artist that is clearly dedicated to her chosen profession and will only go in one direction.  I'm sure you can surmise which direction I believe she will be going.  We have not heard the last from Alley Stoetzel.  In the meantime, check out her website where you can stream the album, learn more about Alley, get in touch with her and find out where she's playing.  We can look forward to many big things from this young lady out of Boston.

Concert Review: Lucero/Shovels and Rope, The Phoenix, Toronto, Ontario -- March 26, 2013

A generous crowd filed in to the old concert theatre on Sherbourne Street in downtown Toronto, emerging from their winter hibernation to take in an early spring show featuring Americana stalwarts Lucero and rising stars Shovels and Rope.

On the road this spring in support of their 2012 album release Women and Work, Lucero arrived to a packed house that was ready for a party, even though it was a Tuesday night.  The veteran rockers wasted no time in getting the crowd active as they played the lead track on Women and Work, "On My Way Downtown."  Featuring an awesome yet simple guitar lick and blistering horns, "Downtown" is a tune that is guaranteed to get you moving, and the crowd obliged accordingly.  Simply put, it's one of the best feel-good songs I've heard in a long time and must be heard live.  

Showing they have a way with a ballad, the band moved from "Downtown" to "Nights Like These", a track from their Tennessee album.  It was "Nights Like These" that was the first crowd singalong of the evening, and was a stellar lead in to another great sounding ballad, "Darken My Door" from their 1372 Overton Park album.  Creating a set list that captured highlights from virtually all of the albums over their 14+ year recording career showed quite smartly how Lucero has experimented with their sound and developed in to one of the superstar bands in Americana/alt-country.  Using their lengthy catalogue as their platform, they covered many ranges of musical skill, moving from rockabilly, to psychedellic, to slow country ballad and back to straight up Memphis rock n' blues.  Speaking of Memphis, the addition of the horn section is a clear hommage to their home city, and the fans reap the benefits.  The horns add a whole new element to the band and are an excellent accompaniment to their already stellar musicianship and songwriting.

As the clock worked well past midnight, Lucero wound down their show with two selections from their That Much Further West album, first with a solo acoustic rendition of the title track, and a final number with the whole band with "Tears Don't Matter Much."  Two encore songs later, and an exhausted yet satisfied band and crowd made their way in to the night.

Opening for Lucero was an act that was the talk of the 2012 Americana Music Conference and Festival this year.  I can recall many of my fellow attendees saying that their biggest highlight of the festival this year was an amazingly talented duo called Shovels and Rope whom had blown the doors off the tiny Basement club in Nashville.  So it was with much anticipation that I looked forward to what I might see with Shovels and Rope opening for Lucero.  What I got was a look at two of the most talented artists and musicians on the road across North America, or anywhere for that matter.  On the road to support their 2012 Dualtone records release, O' Be Joyful, Shovels and Rope are capturing the attention of fans worldwide, and it's no longer happening quietly.  Identifying who is the lead in the duo that is Shovels and Rope is not possible, which is what makes them special.  They harmonize on virtually every song, and they both play every instrument (drums, harmonica, maraca, tambourine, guitars) they take on stage with them.  And they play them with such blistering intensity that they don't just take the crowd by the hand and lead them on a musical journey, they grab them by the collar and run with them on an adventure.  That adventure can be beautiful or it can be incredibly dark, thanks to their strong songwriting.

If I had to pick a sampling of performance highlights for Shovels and Rope, they would be "Keeper", the title track and "Birmingham" which the duo recently performed on Late Night With David Letterman (watch the performance here)   Having said that, their entire set was a five star performance.   Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent are the duo that are Shovels and Rope.  And there is every reason to believe they will be the next breakout act in Americana.  They are an excellent selection for an opening act on this tour.  

Tour stops for Lucero and Shovels and Rope for this weekend include March 29 in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the Park Theatre; March 30 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at Louis' Pub; March 31 in Calgary, Alberta at the Republik; and April 1 at the Starlight Room in Edmonton, Alberta.  The tour then shifts to British Columbia and the west coast of the United States in the coming days and weeks.

    

Saying Goodbye to Two Icons

Before I start in to this blog piece tonight, I promise to all of you who read regularly that my next piece will not be about the recently departed and/or deceased.  I say this because my last piece was about the passing of Mindy McCready.  This piece is about the passing of two icons, one real and one fictional, but both among the most influential figures at least of my time.

It is virtually impossible to be born and raised in Canada and not be aware of singer-songwriter Stompin' Tom Connors.  Born on February 9, 1936 in a hardscrabble section of Saint John, New Brunswick, Thomas Charles Connors would ultimately rise from a uniquely rough childhood (as a child, the man lived briefly with his mom ... in prison) to a national icon.  Stompin' Tom wrote and performed about all things Canadian, he had no interest in striking it rich in international markets.  In the 1970's, Stompin' Tom returned six Juno Awards that he won to the Recording Academy because he felt that the Awards organization, which is the equivalent to the US Grammy Awards, was becoming too Americanized.  He recorded and performed almost exclusively in Canada for Canadians with no interest in success in the United States. 

The bulk of his writing was about the hard working nature that is the fabric of rural Canada, with such songs that have become a staple of the Canadian musical landscape as "Bud the Spud", "Sudbury Saturday Night" and "Tilsonburg."  But perhaps Stompin' Tom will best be remembered for his ode to the sport that Canada is most known for (even though it is not our national sport) with "The Hockey Song."  "The Hockey Song" has been played on every sound system in every major and minor hockey arena in Canada, and I'm sure a large number in the United States where hockey matters.  It is the one song that all Canadians can agree on that must be played at our many rinks during the hockey season, especially in those tight rivalry games when Toronto plays Montreal.  But I digress ...

Stompin' Tom Connors had the unique ability to do what very few have accomplished in my home country.  He brought us together.  He encouraged us to feel unabashedly proud that we're from Canada and we're Canadian.  He made us feel that no matter how big or how small or how dirty and menial a job may seem, that job matters and contributes to what makes our nation the greatest nation in the world (said with much love and respect to whomever is reading this, regardless of where you're from or where you live -- we all love our home country, no matter which country that may be, you know what I mean?).  Fans from across the country will descend on Peterborough, Ontario tomorrow (March 13, 2013) at, where else, but Peterborough's hockey shrine, the Memorial Centre, to honour the life, work and memory of this great Canadian.  There will never be another like Stompin' Tom Connors.

Another "person" we will never see the likes of again was and is from the fictional world.  Growing up in the late 1970's and early 1980's, Friday night was about two television shows: "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "Dallas."  I will readily admit that I am hooked on the re-tooled version of Dallas, which airs on Monday nights at 9pm on the TNT network in the US and on Bravo in Canada.  Last night's show honoured the passing of one of televisions biggest and most important icons, Larry Hagman a.k.a "J.R. Ewing."  Mr. Hagman, as I'm sure most know, passed away in November 2012, so it was inevitable that J. R was going to be written out of the show.  Still, I watched the show with a certain sadness, which may sound strange because we are, after all, talking about a character on a TV show. 

But this felt different.  Whether or not you were growing up at the time when Dallas was on the air in its first incarnation, or if you were a regular follower of the show, you would understand what I mean when I say that J. R. Ewing was no ordinary character.  As I've said to my stepdaughters when they have watched the show, the only way I could really describe what it was like when Dallas (and other shows like it, such as Dynasty) was on, is that you had to be there.  People would decorate their homes to look like Southfork Ranch.  People would have their hair styled like the ladies on Dallas.  In almost every sense of the word, the characters on Dallas would be referred to in conversation as if they were in your own family.  That's the kind of attachment people would have with this show.  And who could forget the iconic moment when hundreds of millions of people tuned in to watch a network TV show on a Friday night to find the answer to the almighty burning question, "Who Shot J.R.?"  Name a show on TV that can command that kind of viewership.  I submit there is none out there, because (a) it's cheaper to put out reality shows, and (b) television networks won't invest in the time that it sometimes takes to develop shows and characters to the point where people care about them.

In addition to making me feel a little older, the funeral for J.R. Ewing represents another turning of the page as far as television entertainment goes.  Larry Hagman/J.R. Ewing are legends and icons of recorded television and performing arts.  His passing represents the turning of a page where arguably the best generation (or arguably the most important) of television is now fading in the past.  Watching Dallas last night was, in some ways, like watching the funeral for an old friend.  Indeed, there will never be another character like J.R. Ewing. 

To Stompin Tom Connors, Larry Hagman and his alter-ego J.R. Ewing, thank you for all the years of sharing your incredible gifts and for being a part of some truly wonderful memories for a guy who was lucky enough to witness your incredible talents for many, many years.  It was indeed, my honour.