10830 - RICHARD BETTS - HIGHWAY CALL (1974) (REPOST)

RICHARD BETTS
''HIGHWAY CALL''
NOVEMBER 1974
35:28

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1 /Long Time Gone
Dickey Betts / Richard Betts/4:31
2 /Rain
Richard Betts/3:40
3 /Highway Call
Richard Betts/4:26
4 /Let Nature Sing
Richard Betts/5:10
5 /Hand Picked
Richard Betts/14:20
6 /Kissimmee Kid
Vassar Clements/3:13

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Oscar Underwood Adams /Mandolin
Pedro Arevalo /Bass
Richard Betts /Dobro, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Buck /Vocals
Vassar Clements /Fiddle, Guest Artist, Violin
Dottie /Vocals
Jeff Hanna /Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
John Hughey /Guitar (Steel)
Mike Kach /Keyboards
Chuck Leavell /Guest Artist, Piano
Frankie Lombardi /Drums
Frank Poindexter /Dobro, Vocals
Leon Poindexter /Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Walter Poindexter /Banjo, Vocals
The Rambos /Vocals (Background)
Reba /Vocals
Johnny Sandlin /Bass, Guest Artist, Guitar (Acoustic), Percussion
Stray Straton /Bass, Vocals (Background)
Tommy Talton /Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Dan Toler /Guitar
David Walshaw /Drums, Percussion
Reese Wynans /Harmonica

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REVIEW/AMG
Thom Jurek
After the runaway success of the Allman Brothers' classic Brothers and Sisters LP -- an album on which Dickey Betts virtually architected the open loping country sound with his newly found singing voice and easy, slimmed down guitar style -- the guitarist decided to try his hand at a solo album. Highway Call is, in essence, the second chapter in Betts finding his own voice as not only a singer, but also as a songwriter as well. At a brief half-hour in length, Highway Call is nonetheless an emotionally powerful slice of small country life offered with a vast emotional landscape. The tone is nostalgic in that each of the songs here reflects memory and the yearning for a simpler, less cluttered life lived in the open spaces, away from the chaotic roil of rock stardom and all of its trappings. The title track reflects an acceptance of Betts' life as an itinerant musician, destined to play out his hand on the road. There isn't a hint of regret in the ringing, slippery guitars and harmony vocals, but there is a sense that life could have been different. On "Let Nature Sing," Betts calls forth the spirits of America, from its rock and crags, its lakes and panoramic vistas, and from the ghosts of the people who've traipsed through Betts' life, leaving an emotional and indelible impression upon him. Each song here, such as "Rain," with its sideways pedal steel, or "Long Time Gone," with its runaway slide, or even the aforementioned "Let Nature Sing," with its glorious dobro and fiddle (courtesy of Vassar Clements) underscoring Betts' lead and the ringing pedal steel of Jon Hughey is a testament to the pastoral in American life. And for Betts, the rambler, gambler, and hard living guitar man, there is no contradiction. All of his cards are on the table in "Hand Picked," a nearly 15-minute country swing romp through Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, the Allmans, and bluegrass, Betts creates the ultimate road instrumental. The listener can hear Clements and Betts roaring down the two-lane blacktop on the back of a flatbed truck, ripping this one out with easy abandon. Highway Call stands as the artist's finest solo moment, one that holds his true voice easily expressing itself far from the madding blues wail of the Allmans, deep in the center of a Georgia holler with the sun beating down on the peach trees or on the incessant babble of a backwoods creek calling his listeners to the mystery inherent in simple living and in playing honest, heartfelt music.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
William Ruhlmann
Dickey Betts joined the Allman Brothers Band as second lead guitarist and singer in the late '60s. In addition to matching bandleader Duane Allman lick for lick, Betts also wrote such memorable songs as "Revival" (number 92, 1971) and the instrumental tour de force "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." After Duane Allman was killed in a road accident in 1971, Betts and Allman's brother Gregg shared leadership of the band, with Betts writing and singing the group's biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man" (number two, 1973). Members of the band began solo careers in 1973, and Betts released his first solo album Highway Call, in 1974. The Allmans split up in 1976, and Betts formed Dickey Betts and Great Southern. The Allmans reformed in 1978, with Betts contributing "Crazy Love" (number 29, 1979), "Angeline" (number 58, 1980), and "Straight From the Heart" (number 39, 1981). But they split again, and both Betts and The Allmans were inactive for several years. Betts returned with the Dickey Betts Band and Pattern Disruptive in 1988, and in 1989 he and a couple of members of his backup band joined a second, more permanent re-formation of The Allmans.

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10829 - THE BOTTLE ROCKETS - SONGS OF SAHM (2002)

THE BOTTLE ROCKETS
''SONGS OF SAHM''
FEBRUARY 19 2002
47:14

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1 Floataway 03:07
2 Mendocino 03:08
3 Be Real 02:33
4 At The Crossroads 05:15
5 She's About A Mover 03:49
6 Lawd, I'm Just A Country Boy In This Great Big Freaky City 03:07
7 Nitty Gritty 03:10
8 Song Of Everything 03:45
9 Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day 03:14
10 Stoned Faces Don't Lie 04:58
11 You Can't Hide A Redneck (Under That Hippy Hair) 04:04
12 I Don't Want To Go Home 03:08
13 I'm Not That Kat Anymore 03:50
All Tracks By Doug Sahm

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Brian Henneman/Guitar, Vocals
Robert Kearns/Bass, Organ, Vocals, Wurlitzer
Matt Netzer/Handclapping, Vocals
Mark Ortmann/Bongos, Claves, Cowbell, Drums, Maracas, Tambourine
Tom Parr/Clarinet, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Lou Whitney/Guitar (Acoustic) On 3
Dudley Bron/Organ On 9

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REVIEW/AMG
Mark Deming
If there's an artist who deserves a tribute album, it's Doug Sahm, the tireless Texas groover whose Lone Star state of mind encompassed roots rock, blues, country, garage rock, norteño, psychedelia, and a countless number of spots in between over the course of a career that spanned five decades. One might have figured some bunch of Austin all-stars would have been the most likely candidates to honor Sahm on disc after his untimely passing in the fall of 1999, but the responsibility has instead fallen to those proud sons of Festus, MO, the Bottle Rockets, who take a lively stab at 13 of Sahm's compositions on their first album for Bloodshot, Songs of Sahm. The Bottle Rockets have long proven themselves a superb straight-ahead rock & roll band with a deep feeling for rough-and-tumble roadhouse country, but while those are both paths Sahm traveled, that was hardly the sum total of his accomplishment, and while there's never a moment on Songs of Sahm where you doubt that the BoRox love these songs with all their heart and soul, on a few cuts they sound as if they're playing a bit out of their league -- the easy shuffle of "Be Real" doesn't quite suit a band whose forte is stomp, the bluesy lament of "At the Crossroads" is a few notches too slow for comfort, and "Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day" sure sounds goofy coming from a band with no outwardly hippielike tendencies. Also, producer Lou Whitney doesn't get this band's power on tape with the same élan as Eric "Roscoe" Ambel. But, for the most part, Sahm's tunes fit the Bottle Rockets better than you'd have any right to expect, and this album's best moments are superb, especially the hard rock groove of "Floatway," the manic rave-up on "I'm Not That Kat Anymore," and the deathless "Lawd, I'm Just a Country Boy in This Great Big Freaky City." One hopes that Brian Henneman has another batch of quality originals on deck for the Bottle Rockets' next album, but Songs of Sahm is not only a fitting tribute to one of alt-country's primal influences, it's a healthy dose of rockin' country and lots of fun.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
Festus, Missouri's Bottle Rockets ranked as one of the leading lights of the 1990s roots rock revival, thanks to a sound that bypassed the punk heritage proudly upheld by most of the band's contemporaries in favor of a redneck fusion of Southern boogie, country-folk, and crunching rock & roll. The group was fronted by singer/guitarist Brian Henneman, a Missouri native who formed his first band, Waylon Van Halen & the Ernest Tubbadours, in 1977 with friends Tom and Bob Parr. After a succession of names and a steady rise in musical competence, the threesome began landing club dates both locally and in Illinois, where they became friends with the young Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, who would later start Uncle Tupelo.

In 1985, the trio was playing straight-ahead honky tonk under the guise of Chicken Truck (so named in honor of the John Anderson song) with a new drummer, Mark Ortmann. Instead of giving in to local crowds who wanted to hear covers rather than originals, the bandmembers focused solely on performing their own material, which they began roughing up with a Crazy Horse-like edge. Shortly after frequent tour mates Uncle Tupelo signed a 1990 record deal, however, internal problems led Chicken Truck to disband; while the Parrs returned to civilian jobs, Ortmann moved to Nashville to become a session player, and Henneman became a roadie with Uncle Tupelo, even playing on their March 16-20, 1992 album.

During his roadie days, Henneman recorded a demo tape of new material, which Tupelo manager Tony Margherita began discreetly shopping around. After cutting a solo single backed by Farrar and Tweedy, he re-formed his old band with Ortmann on drums, Tom Ray on guitar, and Robert Kearns on bass, renaming the outfit the Bottle Rockets. After a 1993 self-titled effort, a year later the band issued its second independent LP, The Brooklyn Side, named after a bowling term. A portrait of life in rural blue-collar America, The Brooklyn Side was the subject of lavish critical praise, and the positive notices led to the band signing with a major label, Atlantic, which promptly reissued the album.

Shakeups at the label led to delays in the release of their next album, 1997's 24 Hours a Day, and when the album sold poorly, the Bottle Rockets were dropped. In 1998 they signed with the small Doolittle label and released an odds-and-ends EP, Leftovers; by the time they completed their next album, 1999's Brand New Year, the label had gained major-label distribution, but that deal proved to be short-lived, and in 2000 the Bottle Rockets were once again without a label. In 2001 they signed a deal with alt-country trailblazers Bloodshot Records; their first album for the label, a tribute to Doug Sahm, was released early the following year. Tom Ray left the Bottle Rockets in 2002, and the band moved ahead as a three-piece, signing yet another new record deal -- this time with Sanctuary -- in 2003, and releasing a new album, Blue Sky, in the fall of that year. Zoysia arrived on Bloodshot Records in 2006, followed by Lean Forward in 2009.

Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening
In 2011 the band released Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening, which was recorded in an old schoolhouse and featured material drawn from all eras of the band's history. By now, the group once again had a stable lineup, with Henneman and Ortmann joined by guitarist John Horton and bassist Keith Voegele. In 2012 the Bottle Rockets teamed up with Marshall Crenshaw for a series of tour dates, with the Bottle Rockets playing a full set as openers and then backing Crenshaw for the second half of the show. In 2013 Bloodshot brought out a deluxe reissue of the Bottle Rockets' first two albums, accompanied by rare bonus material and endorsements from a handful of well-known fans. As the Bottle Rockets continued to play short tours with Crenshaw, they began previewing new material in their sets, and in October 2015 they released a new album produced by Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, South Broadway Athletic Club.

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10828 - THE BUDDAHEADS - SOMETHING NEW (2015)

BUDDAHEADS
''SOMETHING NEW''
NOVEMBER 13 2015
65:07

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1 Shake My System Down 04:37
2 Cold Man Cold 03:40
3 Intentions 03:56
4 These Arms of Mine 04:01
5 Ride 05:03
6 Something New 04:19
7 Lovin Time 04:26
8 It's A Lovin Crime 04:26
9 Cross To Bare 04:08
10 Still Not Over You 04:22
11 Jump In Your Fire 04:49
12 Long Haul 05:48
13 For The Last Time 05:02
14 Rosaleen 03:35
15 Ripped Off Rag 02:48
All Tracks By Alan Mirikitani

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Alan Mirikitani/Lead Vocals, Guitars, Saxophone
Johnny Griparic/Bass Guitar
Lee Spath/Drums, Percussion
Teddy Andreadis/Keyboard On 4, 8, 9, 13, 14
Bill Mason/Piano On 13
Lee Thornburg/Trumpets & Trombone On 7
Patric Caccha/Drums On 3, 6, 9
Randy Mitchell/Rhythm Guitar On 15
Mark Stuart/Vocals On 14

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Album Notes
by cdbaby
To our Buddaheads’ friends, supporters, and fans:

With deep sadness, we say goodbye to Alan Mirikitani, founding member of The Buddaheads, who passed away July 22nd. We were shocked to receive this tragic news, which happened the very day after all music and CD credits for this new CD were received at the label. The band devoted one year to choosing and perfecting the music for this CD. They invited some of the world’s greatest musicians into the studio to add those final ingredients of character, which make this CD one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to release.

It is an honor to have spent the past decade working closely with the band to create masterpiece work with each new release. My involvement in the final recording and mixing process of this project makes me quite certain that Alan would not want this CD to be a tribute work.

We believe, as captured in the title, this music from The Buddaheads is best described as “Something New”.

Thomas J Miller
WILSHIRE PARK ENTERTAINMENT

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10827 - WHISKEY MYERS - EARLY MORNING SHAKES (2014) (REPOST)

WHISKEY MYERS
''EARLY MORNING SHAKES''
FEBRUARY 4 2014
52:35

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1 /Early Morning Shakes 3:17 (Cody Cannon)
2 /Hard Row to Hoe 4:26 (Cody Cannon, Kendell Marvel)
3 /Dogwood 4:13 (Cody Cannon, Brent Cobb, Aaron Raitere)
4 /Shelter from the Rain 3:36 (Cody Cannon, Brent Cobb, Aaron Raitere)
5 /Home 3:30 (Cody Cannon, Brent Cobb, Aaron Raitere)
6 /Headstone 4:19 (Cody Cannon, Dave Pahanish)
7 /Where the Sun Don't Shine 3:28 (Cody Cannon, Aaron Raitere, Cody Tate)
8 /Reckoning 4:29 (Cody Cannon)
9 /Wild Baby Shake Me 5:52 (Cody Cannon, Adam Hood, Cody Tate)
10 /Lightning 5:47 (Cody Cannon)
11 /Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior 3:26 (David Allan Coe, Bobby Keel, Larry Latimer)
12 /Colloquy 6:12 (Cody Tate)

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Gary Brown/Bass Guitar
Cody Cannon/Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Chris Hennessee/Harp
Jeff Hogg/Drums
John Jeffers/Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Kristen Roers/Backing Vocals
Cody Tate/Guitar, Backing Vocals
Michael Webb/Keyboards

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ABOUT
Whiskey Myers makes honest music.
Loud and proud, they sing about what they know with a refreshing directness and clarity. Some call it rebel music, but it’s more like everyday soul. Their songs are stories, with relatable characters and situations. Stories of celebration, of mourning, of trials and triumph. Through the quality of these songs, and the band’s undeniable power in concert and on record, Whiskey Myers has attracted a devoted army of outspoken fans who pack venues, sing the band’s praises online, and continue to make them a growing word-of-mouth sensation.

And now, they stand poised to unleash the thrilling Early Morning Shakes upon the world. Available on February 4, 2014 through the band’s own Wiggy Thump imprint, their latest full-length was recorded with noted producer Dave Cobb (whose credits include Jamey Johnson, Jason Isbell, and both Waylon and Shooter Jennings) and represents the culmination of years of dedication, experimentation, and refinement. Visceral and dynamic, the album’s 12 songs encompass an impressive range of perspectives and emotions – while finding the band’s musicianship honed to a razor’s edge. And though Early Morning Shakes is a great step forward creatively, it’s an organic one. As guitarist John Jeffers explains, “Staying true to ourselves and to our music has gotten us to the point we’re at. We really wanted to continue on that same track.”

The collaboration with Cobb became a vital partnership, essential to Early Morning Shakes’ edgy yet accessible sound. “I have to credit Dave for creating a natural, relaxed recording atmosphere,” says drummer Jeff Hogg. “It allowed us to be comfortable, creative, and to better express ourselves. Plus, his experience mixing country and rock in his production works perfectly for us.” One listen to the lacerating title track – “The coolest song we have ever done,” beams lead singer and principal songwriter Cody Cannon – makes very clear that Cobb was an ideal choice to harness the band’s growing power and confidence. Although always unabashed, the soul of Whiskey Myers comes through clearer than ever on Early Morning Shakes, from the disarming tenderness of “Shelter from the Rain” to the winking rabble rousing on display in their version of outlaw forefather David Allen Coe’s “Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior.” It’s that rare album that promises to enthrall the band’s vocal, devoted fanbase while enticing new listeners. And it couldn’t come at a better time…

Whiskey Myers’ last record, Firewater, was released in the spring of 2011, and enjoyed a remarkable run on the Texas Music Charts that culminated with its third single “Anna Marie” reaching #1. Airplay success has led to larger and larger crowds, with the band now selling out 1,000-capacity venues with ease – and delivering stadium-sized shows grounded in the sincerity and unpretentious, fun-loving energy of their bar-band roots. “Our fans always tell us how much they get out of seeing us play,” says Cannon, “but it’s a two-way street: We get something, too. They inspire us to dedicate ourselves more and more to our music and our sound. And it sure feels like it’s paying off.”

As their chemistry onstage and in the studio reflect, Whiskey Myers is a brotherhood. The five members cut their teeth together, honing their chops side-by-side from an early age. Hailing from Neches, Texas, Cannon was given an acoustic guitar by his “wild-ass biker” (Cody’s words) grandpa, and guitarist John Jeffers’s dad taught them both the rudiments of the instrument. A job at a sporting goods store introduced Cannon to future Whiskey Myers lead guitarist Cody Tate, forming the songwriting core of the band. Upon moving to Tyler, Texas, they picked up drummer Jeff Hogg and enlisted Cannon’s cousin Gary Brown on bass—even though he’d never played the instrument before.

What came next was a blur of gigs, songs, struggles, and victories: With each show, their natural bond as friends continued to grow into a formidable musical telepathy, and with each song they composed, their innate gifts as craftsmen were honed further. The resultant sound, taken to its apex on Early Morning Shakes, is hard-driving and immediate, steeped in the rich legacy of southern rock. Often reduced to a one-dimensional stereotype, the kind of music that inspired Whiskey Myers—artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and Hank Williams, Jr.—is actually multifaceted and inventive, drawing from country, R&B, psychedelic rock, and stringband traditions.

In that tradition, Whiskey Myers are grand southern eclectics, pulling in an array of influences and seamlessly mingling them. Listeners can pick up traces of everything from grunge to rockabilly in the course of a set, united by Cannon’s soulfully heartfelt singing and Brown and Hogg’s solid, supple foundation. On top of it all, Tate and Jeffers intertwine their leads, soaring in harmony one moment, darting around one another in intricate improvisations the next. Sure, they’re rousing—just cue up “Hard Row to Hoe” or “Where the Sun Don’t Shine” from Early Morning Shakes for a dose of pile-driver intensity. But their range is wide and expanding, as is evidenced by the inclusion of moving, thoughtful reflections like “Reckoning” and the elegantly arranged “Colloquy.”

In Whiskey Myers’ world, nothing is off-limits. Nothing is too personal, too sensitive, or too controversial to embrace and explore. Theirs is a confidence born of a long-standing brotherhood—a closeness that few groups can rival. That closeness even extends to their road crew, whose first two members were a cousin and childhood friend of Cannon and Jeffers. “Well we all grew up together,” bassist Brown explains. “We’re two sets of cousins. Some of us have been friends since we were two or three years old.”

Cannon picks up the thread immediately, adding “Plus, after six years together, you know each other through and through. We know who we are, and try our best to stay true to ourselves and to our music.”

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10826 - GOOSE CREEK SYMPHONY LIVE IN CANADA '72 & '74 (2013)

GOOSE CREEK SYMPHONY
''LIVE IN CANADA '72 & 74''
JULY 2 2013
68:51

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1 Welcome To Goose Creek 03:53
2 The Corn Won't Grow So Rock 'n Roll 08:17
3 Sally Goodin 01:23
4 Pick Up The Tempo 03:56
5 Teresa 04:23
6 Saturday Night At The Grange 04:27
7 Mercedes Benz 03:36
8 Talk About Goose Creek 14:42
9 Hot Dog Daddy 05:25
10 The Bottle Let Me Down 03:46
11 Rush On Love 03:02
12 Fiddle Solo (Fred) 01:09
13 A Satisfied Mind (Live) 04:51
14 Guitars Pickin' And Fiddles Playin' 05:57

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REVIEW
Brian Robbins, www.jambands.com; www.brian-robbins.com
There’s a moment during the version of “Talk About Goose Creek” on Live In Canada ’72 & ’74 when Goose Creek Symphony’s lead vocalist/acoustic guitarist Charlie Gearheart sings: “Drumsticks flyin’, the guitars ringin’/ Boys, we sure like pickin’ and singin’/ We don’t need a whole lotta help/ We can freak out by ourselves” – and then he calls out “Freak out, boys!” And they do, rolling and a’tumbling for a couple of moments like a bunch of overall-clad Mothers Of Invention. The ironic part is, the whole damn fat hour’s-worth of vintage Goose Creek Symphony to be found on Live In Canada ’72 & ’74 is one big freak-out. And if you don’t know about Goose Creek Symphony, this is a fine time to feed your head.

Sometimes it’s the subtle stuff: the cool hand percussion (provided by do-anything-that-needs-doing drummer Dennis Kenmore) underneath the feet-dangling-off-the-tailgate bounce of “The Corn Won’t Grow So Rock ‘N’ Roll” – or the way bassist Pat Moore will insert anything from a little disco gallooop up the neck to a be-bop-flavored flurry into the weirdest of places – or the neat fiddle>overdriven guitar>fiddle>saxophone>that nasty guitar again tag-teaming on “Mercedes Benz”.

And sometimes it’s just plain mind-bending: “Talk About Goose Creek” effortlessly swaps hemispheres and genres in the blink of an eye (remember, boys and girls: this was a couple decades prior to String Cheese’s hot Appalachian/Celtic/Middle Eastern/Afro/Latin gumbos) with rhythm and instrumental change-ups that manage to shapeshift the vibe and groove without ever feeling abrupt. When did the almost-but-not-quite feedbacking guitars vaporize into an acoustic guitar/fiddle jazz glide – and when the hell did that sensuous flute appear? How did we get from sitting on a hay bale to the back of this hookah-smoking pachyderm? Wait – now it’s a goddamned wah-pedaled geetar rubbing fenders with the fiddle – no, horns – no, fiddle … oh, forget it.

“Hot Dog Daddy” morphs from sounding like some crazy time-warp deal where Duane Allman and Dickey Betts sit in with Railroad Earth (that would be Fred Wise on fiddle for that one; he mans the bow for the album’s latter tracks, while Ellis Schwied does the deed for the ’72 tracks); the gearbox for “Guitars Pickin’ And Fiddles Playin’” powerglides from “Y” for yee-haw to “P” for psych-rock flurry to “L” for locomotive barrel-assing down the side of a mountain; and a fierce horn section kicks the already-driving “Teresa” over the top (be prepared for the shift to a Santana-inspired minor-mode jam in the tune’s final minute). Even when Goose Creek plays it pretty straight – a cool cover of Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down” or “Satisfied Mind” (a big ol’ hit for Porter Wagoner) or Waylon Jennings’ “Pick Up The Tempo” – there’ll be an edge to the electric guitars (Bob Henke or Paul Spradlin) that throws a flash of tie-dye onto a song’s blue-denim roots. The best thing is, no matter how weird the going gets, life in Goose Creek is never nothin’ but grins.

Just listen to Gearheart count in “Rush On Love”: “One … two … six …” – that pretty much sums it all up. Don’t overthink things – just let the music play.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Zac Johnson
Goose Creek Symphony found its roots in the Phoenix, AZ, area originally as a countrified side project for Richie Hart & the Heart Beats. Vocalist and guitarist Charles Gearheart (aka Richie Hart) spent his childhood "up Goose Creek Hollow" in Floyd County, KY, and when he put together his good-time country-rock group, he drew upon his home's rich musical heritage as well as its name. In 1970, Gearheart and a group of local studio musicians assembled a handful of songs and presented them to Capitol Records. Capitol signed his project, forcing Gearheart to assemble a touring group. Banjo player and fiddler Fred Weisz was brought in to complement existing guitarists Paul Spradlin (listed as "Paul Howard" on the album), Bob Henke ("Williard"), Mike McFadden (following the breakup of his psychedelic group Superfine Dandelion), as well as a rotating cast of bassists and drummers.

With a sound very similar to what the Band was doing at the same time, Goose Creek Symphony were rock & rollers who played a very faithful brand of country music, all the while layering rhythms and harmonies along the same lines as Buffalo Springfield and the Grateful Dead. They released albums through the mid-'70s, with that streak ending in a long hiatus from 1976 to 1990, when the group decided to re-form and record again.

Their marriage of earthy instrumentation and easygoing vibes have been able to give the group a certain longevity. Into their third decade, Goose Creek Symphony is drawing strong groups of fans to their summer festival appearances, similar to what the Dead and Jimmy Buffett have known.

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WIKIPEDIA

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10825 - BASTARD SONS OF JOHNNY CASH - NEW OLD STORY (2013)

BASTARD SONS OF JOHNNY CASH
''NEW OLD STORY''
DECEMBER 13 2013
36:18

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1 Highway Bound 03:31
2 Well Worn Heart 03:39
3 No Honky-Tonks 04:15
4 Poor Man's Son 04:03
5 Ain't No Tellin' 03:34
6 Leave A Light On 02:47
7 Into The Blue 03:02
8 El Troubadour 03:22
9 New Old Story 03:36
10 Bounds Of Your Heart 04:24
All Tracks By Mark Stuart

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Dave Berzansky/Pedal Steel Guitar
Mike Butler/Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Nylon String)
Dennis Caplinger/Banjo, Dobro, Fiddle, Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin
Lou Fannuchi/Accordion
Arabella Harrison/Vocals (Background)
Ed Kornhauser/Piano
Patrick McClory/Bass Guitar
Dave Raven/Drums
Mark Stuart/Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Archie Thompson/Organ (Hammond)
Alex Watts/Guitar (Electric)

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Bryan Thomas
The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, who came together in 1995, play modern country with an "outlaw" edginess, with some of the attitude and some of the swagger of artists we've come to expect from the man in black himself, Johnny Cash, or from Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson, to name a few others.

Mark Stuart and his fellow Bastard Sons -- Dean Cote (guitar), Clark Stacer (bass), and Joey Galvan (drums) ( an early lineup included Buzz Campbell (lead guitar), Alex Watts (lead guitar), and Johnny D'Artenay (bass)), -- had been playing in blues and rock bar bands, along the lines of Blues Traveler and the Black Crowes in their native San Diego, but it was Stuart's love of country music that led him to putting together this outfit, even though his city had no country music scene whatsoever when we started out. Like his musical heroes, Stuart didn't change Bastard Sons to fit contemporary in with country's heavily produced, pop-oriented Nashville-Branson sound.

The band saw their stock soar after opening for Haggard at the Coach House, in San Juan Capistrano. They recorded their own six-song EP and hit the road, playing gigs along the way with Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Asleep at the Wheel, Billy Joe Shaver, Dale Watson, and the Derailers (to name a few), and received a lot of attention along the way from record label reps, including two former San Diegoans who both saw potential early on: Joe Rinaldi (A&R) and Lou Niles (VP) of Ultimatum (a record label started by the William Morris Agency), who signed the group in December of 1999.

Another self-produced nine-song CD, Lasso Motel, garnered more attention (they were proclaimed one of the Top 100 Unsigned Bands in 1997 by industry rag Music Connection) and in 1998, they received an invitation to perform for over 20,000 attendees of Willie Nelson's Annual 4th of July Picnic in Luchenbach, TX, a three-decade-old institution featuring today's rebel artists of country music.

In case you are wondering, this band earned Cash's permission to use his name (who reportedly went against the advice of his own organization to give his blessing). "He's been very supportive over the years, and even helped us get a show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, which really helped us get a lot of industry attention," said Stuart during one interview, "and that's just one more reason we'd really like to keep the name, and honor the man." After much recording, touring, and numerous personnel changes, Walk Alone, their full-length debut, was released in early 2001. Distance Between arrived in 2002, followed by Mile Markers in 2005. Stuart relocated to Austin, TX, and reorganized the band, eventually renaming it Mark Stuart & the Bastard Sons. At this point, the lineup consisted of Stuart (vocals, acoustic guitar), Lars Albrecht (guitar), Vance Hazen (bass, vocals), and Jim Adair (drums, vocals). Texacali Records released Bend in the Road, the first album under the group's new moniker, on September 22, 2009.

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WIKIPEDIA

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10824 - BASTARD SONS OF JOHNNY CASH LIVE AT THE BELLY UP (2009)

BASTARD SONS OF JOHNNY CASH
''LIVE AT THE BELLY UP''
FEBRUARY 9 2009
RECORDED LIVE AT THE BELLY UP TAVERN IN SOLANA BEACH, CA ON DECEMBER 23RD 2003
54:16

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1 Texas Sun 03:11
2 Stop The World (And Let Me Off) 02:56
3 Distance Between 03:47
4 Marfa Lights 03:07
5 Burn Down 04:07
6 Wind It Up 03:42
7 Long Black Veil 04:19
8 Folsom Prison Blues 03:15
9 440 Horses 03:51
10 Nowhere Town 03:25
11 Midnight,Lonesome And Blue 08:34
12 Blade 03:28
13 Viva Las Vegas 06:28

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Bryan Thomas
The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, who came together in 1995, play modern country with an "outlaw" edginess, with some of the attitude and some of the swagger of artists we've come to expect from the man in black himself, Johnny Cash, or from Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson, to name a few others.

Mark Stuart and his fellow Bastard Sons -- Dean Cote (guitar), Clark Stacer (bass), and Joey Galvan (drums) ( an early lineup included Buzz Campbell (lead guitar), Alex Watts (lead guitar), and Johnny D'Artenay (bass)), -- had been playing in blues and rock bar bands, along the lines of Blues Traveler and the Black Crowes in their native San Diego, but it was Stuart's love of country music that led him to putting together this outfit, even though his city had no country music scene whatsoever when we started out. Like his musical heroes, Stuart didn't change Bastard Sons to fit contemporary in with country's heavily produced, pop-oriented Nashville-Branson sound.

The band saw their stock soar after opening for Haggard at the Coach House, in San Juan Capistrano. They recorded their own six-song EP and hit the road, playing gigs along the way with Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Asleep at the Wheel, Billy Joe Shaver, Dale Watson, and the Derailers (to name a few), and received a lot of attention along the way from record label reps, including two former San Diegoans who both saw potential early on: Joe Rinaldi (A&R) and Lou Niles (VP) of Ultimatum (a record label started by the William Morris Agency), who signed the group in December of 1999.

Another self-produced nine-song CD, Lasso Motel, garnered more attention (they were proclaimed one of the Top 100 Unsigned Bands in 1997 by industry rag Music Connection) and in 1998, they received an invitation to perform for over 20,000 attendees of Willie Nelson's Annual 4th of July Picnic in Luchenbach, TX, a three-decade-old institution featuring today's rebel artists of country music.

In case you are wondering, this band earned Cash's permission to use his name (who reportedly went against the advice of his own organization to give his blessing). "He's been very supportive over the years, and even helped us get a show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, which really helped us get a lot of industry attention," said Stuart during one interview, "and that's just one more reason we'd really like to keep the name, and honor the man." After much recording, touring, and numerous personnel changes, Walk Alone, their full-length debut, was released in early 2001. Distance Between arrived in 2002, followed by Mile Markers in 2005. Stuart relocated to Austin, TX, and reorganized the band, eventually renaming it Mark Stuart & the Bastard Sons. At this point, the lineup consisted of Stuart (vocals, acoustic guitar), Lars Albrecht (guitar), Vance Hazen (bass, vocals), and Jim Adair (drums, vocals). Texacali Records released Bend in the Road, the first album under the group's new moniker, on September 22, 2009.

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10823 - JIMMIE VAN ZANT - MY NAME IS JIMMIE (2008)

JIMMIE VAN ZANT
''MY NAME IS JIMMIE''
2008
39:04

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1 Woke Up This Morning 04:19
2 100 Proof 03:28
3 Polk Salad Annie 03:33
4 Redneck Revolution 04:43
5 Backwoods Preacher Man 03:15
6 King Of Nothing 03:56
7 Blue Collar Man 04:11
8 Spit Cup 01:09
9 Ray Ray's Juke Joint 03:12
10 Reason 03:02
11 Saving Grace 03:15
12 Dixie 00:58

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REVIEW
Michael Buffalo Smith, www.swampland.com
Jimmie Van Zant may have taken a while to get the attention he deserves, but with the release of My Name is Jimmie, there’s no doubt he will get lots of buzz. It seems Jimmie is hitting on all cylinders. with great musicians, backing vocals, top flight production and especially perfect song selection. The idea to cover the Sopranos theme song “Woke Up This Morning” was a brilliant decision, but adding a VanZant penned third verse (“I gotta get this rebel back to Jacksonville...”) that actually borders on rap was sheer genius. My only complaint is the need Jimmie has for dropping the “GD” bomb here, and several other times on the album. I’d prefer the “G” rated version.

Speaking of covers, Van Zant turns in an excellent rendition of Tony Joe White’s “Poke Salad Annie,” enhanced by banjo and Florida born country soul. Jimmie’s “Redneck Revolution” is the new redneck anthem, and I swear you can hear a little Johnny and a little Ronnie in the man’s voice. Really.

“Backwoods Preacher Man” is an awesome song, laden with swampy Dobro and super soul background babe vocals. Very cool. Again, the spoken intro and it’s expletive was not necessary, and may alienate some.

Van Zant makes Styx’s “Blue Collar Man” his own, and boy howdy does it rock. It was a song begging for a southern boy to sing it. There is a lot to love on this album, including the one minute nine seconds tune “Spit Cup.” Pure redneck poetry.

My favorite track is “Ray Ray’s Juke Joint” and it is downright awesome. It would be right at home on the same radio stations that play Jimmie’s cousin’s Johnny and Donnie. It is just plain killer. I like to play it loud. (“Three plays for a quarter on a jukebox in the corner and it’s full of Johnny, Ronnie and Donnie.”) There’s even a lead guitar refrain of “Dixie” tossed in with the sound of breaking glass and more from those mighty, mighty background singers. Say you want more stars and bars? There’s also a great one minute version of “Dixie” done instrumental style, with banjos, electric guitars and strings that wraps the album up.

“Reason” is another balls to the wall Southern Rock song. A little Skynyrd, a little Montgomery Gentry. Smokin.’ Then again, so are “100 Proof,” and “Saving Grace,” a potential country hit with lyrics about mama and daddy laid over a bed of pedal steel.

Simply stated, this is one of the best Southern rock albums I have heard in quite a while. The real deal. Coming from a VanZant, imagine that. I believe Ronnie would have loved it. I know I do.

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BIOGRAPHY/JAMBASE
www.jambase.com
Jimmie Van Zant was born in Jacksonville, Florida, a city known as "the home of southern rock royalty."

His mother spent hours every day playing gospel tunes on the family's upright piano encouraging Jimmie to start piano and guitar lessons at the age of six. Jimmie's home continued to be filled with music whenever cousin Ronnie Van Zant used his living room as a rehearsal space for the band that eventually became Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The tragedy of Ronnie's death in 1977 inspired Jimmie to focus on his own music career to honor the life and legacy of his cousin.

He formed his own group, signed with a record label and recorded his first album. "Southern Comfort" included the single "Ronnie's Song" co-written by Jimmie as a tribute to his beloved cousin. He still plays this number as requested at his live shows. In 2008, Jimmie released a second album "My Name is Jimmie," which included the hits "Ray Ray's Juke Joint" and “Redneck Revolution.

"Cut from the Same Cloth," Jimmie's upcoming album featuring collaboration with James Dean Hicks, Charlie Craig and Tommy Southern, has already yielded popular singles in the UK.

In 2011 Jimmie and the band appeared in the made-for-television documentary Boots 'N' BBQ Presents: Grills Gone Wild - from the Back Yard to Back Stage. The film, now available on DVD, is awaiting its network air date. Also in the works is a national television show, currently in development with Jimmie's management team and production company Chappell Films and Entertainment.

With conviction Jimmie states, "I have always believed that music can change peoples' lives and if I can do something to make someone's life a little more enjoyable, then I feel I have done my job well. That is why I am here and that is also the reason why there is Southern Rock."

With a microphone in hand and his family in his heart, Jimmie honors his "Freebyrd" family legacy with the music that is rooted in his soul in every song he sings.

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10822 - BLACK OAK ARKANSAS - SOUTHERN ROCK BEST (2007)

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS
''SOUTHERN ROCK BEST''
2007
50:23

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1 La Grange 04:38
2 What’s Your Name 03:31
3 Jim Dandy To The Rescue 03:34
4 Mutants Of The Monster 04:57
5 Hot Rod 03:21
6 Happy Hooker 04:37
7 Hot N’ Nasty 03:40
8 This Is Our Time 03:20
9 Forgive And Forget 03:55
10 Post Toastee 06:49
11 Dark Purple Blues 04:13
12 Shake The Devil 03:42

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Steve Huey
Southern rock veterans Black Oak Arkansas never quite achieved the level of success enjoyed by contemporaries like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, but have remained a cult band thanks to their raw, primitive energy and the testosterone-fueled antics of lead vocalist/showman James "Big Jim Dandy" Mangrum. Named for Mangrum's hometown, Black Oak Arkansas eventually built up a solid following through incessant touring and enjoyed a run of ten charting albums between 1971 and 1976. The band also found itself with a Top 30 single in their raunchy cover of a LaVern Baker R&B hit called "Jim Dandy to the Rescue," which became Mangrum's signature song. When album sales dried up, Mangrum re-formed the band with more musically skilled veteran players and continued to tour, although the group's glory days were past.

Black Oak Arkansas dates back to the mid-'60s, when a group of young, long-haired misfits headed by Jim Mangrum, unable to find work, turned to rock & roll. However, the group was unable to purchase equipment and ended up being arrested for grand larceny after stealing items from the local school in order to get money. They were nearly run out of town and went to live in the nearby hills, locating and borrowing equipment where they could. The band moved to New Orleans in 1969 and called itself Knowbody Else, with a lineup of vocalist Mangrum; guitarists Ricky "Ricochet" Reynolds, Stanley "Goober" Knight, and Harvey "Burley" Jett; bassist Pat Daugherty; and drummer Wayne Evans. Knowbody Else recorded a self-titled album for Stax, which went nowhere; rethinking their approach, the band became interested in psychedelia and Eastern spirituality, which they filtered through their Southern Baptist upbringing. Changing their name to Black Oak Arkansas, the band secured a deal with Atlantic after several trips to Los Angeles and released its self-titled debut in 1971. While it wasn't a hit, the band toured extensively, building a reputation as a raw, incendiary live act that made up for occasional musical deficiencies with energy and the explicit sexuality of Mangrum, who flaunted his body at every opportunity and became known for such antics as miming sex with the washboard he used for musical accompaniment.

The band's second album, Keep the Faith, was a noticeable improvement, as the band had honed its sound and material through numerous live gigs; If an Angel Came to See You, Would You Make Her Feel at Home? followed the same year, featuring new drummer Tommy Aldridge, but it was 1973's Raunch 'N' Roll Live that established the group as a commercial force. That year, High on the Hog became their most commercially successful album, reaching number 52 on the charts. It was buoyed by the Top 30 cover version of "Jim Dandy to the Rescue," which featured female vocalist Ruby Starr trading innuendoes with Jim "Dandy" Mangrum. Several more albums followed before the group parted ways with Atlantic in 1976; Jett left the band in 1975 and was replaced by Starr cohort James Henderson. Lineup shifts were rampant as the group switched to MCA; Aldridge left and was replaced by Joel Williams, while the guitar/bass axis was gutted and rebuilt around Greg Reding, Jack Holder, and bassist Andy Tanas. This lineup released Race With the Devil in 1977, after the band had one last taste of success with the "Strong Enough to Be Gentle" single. Following several lackluster, straightforward Southern rock albums, the band called it quits in 1980. After recovering from a heart attack, Mangrum reunited with Reynolds in 1984 for a solo album, Ready as Hell; The Black Attack Is Back followed two years later. In 1999, BOA reunited to release The Wild Bunch.

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10821 - BAP KENNEDY - LONELY STREET (2000)

BAP KENNEDY
''LONELY STREET''
APRIL 18 2000
42:08

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1 Good Times On Franklin Road 02:57
2 Stuck With Myself 03:42
3 Moonlight Kiss 03:03
4 Be Careful What You Wish For 03:28
5 Almost Always Wrong 02:19
6 Elvis, Hank & Me 02:52
7 Lonely Street 04:16
8 Gladys & Vernon 03:39
9 Drunk On The Blood Of Christ 02:11
10 Baby Its Alright 03:21
11 Hanks Last Waltz 03:15
12 Saturday Night And Sunday Morning 03:44
13 Lonesome Lullaby 03:14
All Tracks By Bap Kennedy

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Ed Deane/Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Slide Guitar
Herbie Flowers/Double Bass, Tuba
Vera Haime/Vocals (Background)
Martin Hughes/Drum Loop, Drums, Percussion
James Hunter/Harmonica, Vocals (Background)
Bap Kennedy/Guitar (Acoustic), Harmonica, Vocals
Kieran Kiely/Accordion, Low Whistle, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Nick Newell/Saxophone
Russ Pay/Guitar (Acoustic)
Mike Piggott/Fiddle
Jemima Price/Vocals (Background)
Martin Shaw/Trumpet
Martin Smith/Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Andy Vinter/Piano

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REVIEW/AMG
Alex Henderson
Belfast singer/songwriter Bap Kennedy dedicates Lonely Street to two influential vocalists from the southern U.S.: country great Hank Williams, Sr. and rock & roll pioneer Elvis Presley. Some might find it strange that an Irish artist would claim Williams as a major inspiration, but in fact, it's quite logical. Country, like bluegrass and Anglo-American folk, was heavily influenced by the Celtic traditions that Irish and Scottish immigrants brought to the U.S., so it makes perfect sense that a Belfast native would hold Williams in such high regard. Lonely Street, however, isn't a hardcore country album; rather, it is a pop/rock album that contains country and folk elements. The most overtly country sounding thing on the CD is "Drunk on the Blood of Christ," which was inspired by Williams' country-gospel standard "I Saw the Light." And Kennedy obviously had Williams in mind when he wrote "Hank's Last Waltz" and "Elvis, Hank, and Me." But again, Lonely Street isn't meant to be an album of pure, unadulterated honky-tonk; it's primarily a pop/rock outing, and Kennedy sounds like he has been listening to everyone from Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to the Grateful Dead. Kennedy, who wrote everything on this disc, is a fine storyteller, and on originals like "Gladys and Vernon," "Good Times on Franklin Road," and "Lonesome Lullaby," he shows us how moving his stories can be. Lonely Street reminds us that Kennedy is an artist of depth.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Mark Deming
Irish-born singer and songwriter Bap Kennedy has won a global audience for his music, which fuses elements of folk and rock with a decidedly Celtic world view. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on June 17, 1962, Martin "Bap" Kennedy got his start in music when he was 16, playing in a short-lived punk rock band called Sellout. Several years later, Kennedy joined a band called the Bankrobbers, and when Kennedy and a few of his bandmates teamed up with members of another Belfast outfit, Ten Past Seven, the group evolved into Energy Orchard, whose blend of lyrical folk and hard-driving rock earned them frequent comparisons with Van Morrison. After relocating to London, Energy Orchard won a following after playing a long-running residency at the New Pegasus, a pub in Hackney, which led to a record deal with MCA. Energy Orchard released five albums between 1990 and 1996, but despite critical praise and the endorsement of Van Morrison, who hired the band as his opening act for several tours, they never enjoyed a major commercial breakthrough. After Energy Orchard broke up, Kennedy got a call from American songwriter Steve Earle, who had been a fan of the group; Earle invited Kennedy to come to Nashville to record some music, which led to Earle producing Kennedy's solo debut, 1998's Domestic Blues, which featured guest appearances by Nancy Griffith and Jerry Douglas and was initially released on Earle's E-Squared label. One song from the album, "Vampire," appeared on the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed indie drama You Can Count on Me.

After cutting a handful of Hank Williams classics for the low-key, self-released album Hillbilly Shakespeare in 1999, Kennedy's next major project was 2000's Lonely Street, a set of originals in which he paid homage to two of his major influences, Hank Williams and Elvis Presley; a track from the album, "Moonlight Kiss," also landed in a movie, the John Cusack vehicle Serendipity. 2000 also saw the release of a live album, Rare, Live & Bladdered, but it would be five years before Kennedy would release another studio album. 2005's The Big Picture featured guest vocals by Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, as well as a songwriting collaboration with Van Morrison on "Milky Way." After the release of The Big Picture, Mark Knopfler invited Kennedy to tour with him as his opening act for a series of shows in the United States and the United Kingdom. That same year, Kennedy also met Brenda Boyd, an author and singer/songwriter; in time, they would marry, and she would join his road band as bassist and backing vocalist, while Bap would also produce her solo album, Banish the Blue Days (released under the name Brenda Kennedy). In 2009, Kennedy visited Ireland to record his album Howl On, which dealt with his youthful obsessions with American culture and featured a guest appearance by Henry McCullough, former guitarist with Joe Cocker's Grease Band. 2012's The Sailor's Revenge found Kennedy crossing paths with Mark Knopfler again; Knopfler produced the album, hosted the sessions at his recording studio, and played guitar on all 11 songs. Following the lush production of The Sailor's Revenge, Kennedy took a different approach for 2014's Let's Start Again, a lean and straightforward set recorded in Northern Ireland after Kennedy moved back to his homeland, featuring backing from his road band.

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WIKIPEDIA

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10820 - BAP KENNEDY - DOMESTIC BLUES (1998)

BAP KENNEDY
''DOMESTIC BLUES''
MAY 19 1998
44:15

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1 Long Time A Comin' 02:38
2 The Way I Love Her 03:30
3 Unforgiven 03:37
4 Domestic Blues 02:57
5 I've Fallen In Love 03:21
6 Vampire 02:36
7 Angel Is The Devil 02:50 (Steve Earle)
8 The Backroom 03:20
9 Mostly Water 03:23
10 The Ghosts Of Belfast 02:51
11 My Money 03:15
12 The Shankill And The Falls 02:46
13 Lowlife 02:23
14 Dream Of You 04:42
Tracks By Kennedy, Except 7

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Steve Earle/Acoustic Guitar
Bap Kennedy/Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Nanci Griffith/Backing Vocals On 10, 12
Nancy Blake/Cello, Fiddle On 5, 7, 12
Roy Huskey Jr./Double Bass
Peter Rowan/Mandolin, Backing Vocals
Larry Atamanuik/Drums, Percussion, Hammond B3
Micheal Smotherman/Hammond B3 On 3, 8
Keith Weir/Piano On 6, 7
Jerry Douglas/Resonator Guitar
Dan Gillis/Tin Whistle On 10

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REVIEW/AMG
Jana Pendragon
An exceptionally intelligent recording produced by Ray Kennedy and Steve Earle, collectively known as the Twang Trust. Bap Kennedy's first project on Earle's own label details the brilliant interplay of dark and light as seen through one man's very perceptive eyes. With his Celtic consciousness firmly in place, this aspect of Kennedy's work is part of his foundation. And, just as in ages past, the songs and the stories of the Celtic races continue to translate effortlessly into universal understanding. Bap Kennedy also offers up strong evidence of the enduring connection between Celtic music and America's own country and roots music. As a performer who seeks to move his audience, Kennedy has the ability to take his listener to the very farthest reaches of emotion. "I've Fallen In Love" brings tears to the eyes, as does the highly charged "Ghosts of Belfast," obviously taken from Bap's own history. A sturdy country shuffle, "Vampire" works nicely with the deliberate C&W workout given "My Money." Adding to the intensity of the project is the high caliber of musicianship, including the late Roy Huskey, Jr. on bass. This is a stellar first assault on America by a stunning performer.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Mark Deming
Irish-born singer and songwriter Bap Kennedy has won a global audience for his music, which fuses elements of folk and rock with a decidedly Celtic world view. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on June 17, 1962, Martin "Bap" Kennedy got his start in music when he was 16, playing in a short-lived punk rock band called Sellout. Several years later, Kennedy joined a band called the Bankrobbers, and when Kennedy and a few of his bandmates teamed up with members of another Belfast outfit, Ten Past Seven, the group evolved into Energy Orchard, whose blend of lyrical folk and hard-driving rock earned them frequent comparisons with Van Morrison. After relocating to London, Energy Orchard won a following after playing a long-running residency at the New Pegasus, a pub in Hackney, which led to a record deal with MCA. Energy Orchard released five albums between 1990 and 1996, but despite critical praise and the endorsement of Van Morrison, who hired the band as his opening act for several tours, they never enjoyed a major commercial breakthrough. After Energy Orchard broke up, Kennedy got a call from American songwriter Steve Earle, who had been a fan of the group; Earle invited Kennedy to come to Nashville to record some music, which led to Earle producing Kennedy's solo debut, 1998's Domestic Blues, which featured guest appearances by Nancy Griffith and Jerry Douglas and was initially released on Earle's E-Squared label. One song from the album, "Vampire," appeared on the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed indie drama You Can Count on Me.

After cutting a handful of Hank Williams classics for the low-key, self-released album Hillbilly Shakespeare in 1999, Kennedy's next major project was 2000's Lonely Street, a set of originals in which he paid homage to two of his major influences, Hank Williams and Elvis Presley; a track from the album, "Moonlight Kiss," also landed in a movie, the John Cusack vehicle Serendipity. 2000 also saw the release of a live album, Rare, Live & Bladdered, but it would be five years before Kennedy would release another studio album. 2005's The Big Picture featured guest vocals by Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, as well as a songwriting collaboration with Van Morrison on "Milky Way." After the release of The Big Picture, Mark Knopfler invited Kennedy to tour with him as his opening act for a series of shows in the United States and the United Kingdom. That same year, Kennedy also met Brenda Boyd, an author and singer/songwriter; in time, they would marry, and she would join his road band as bassist and backing vocalist, while Bap would also produce her solo album, Banish the Blue Days (released under the name Brenda Kennedy). In 2009, Kennedy visited Ireland to record his album Howl On, which dealt with his youthful obsessions with American culture and featured a guest appearance by Henry McCullough, former guitarist with Joe Cocker's Grease Band. 2012's The Sailor's Revenge found Kennedy crossing paths with Mark Knopfler again; Knopfler produced the album, hosted the sessions at his recording studio, and played guitar on all 11 songs. Following the lush production of The Sailor's Revenge, Kennedy took a different approach for 2014's Let's Start Again, a lean and straightforward set recorded in Northern Ireland after Kennedy moved back to his homeland, featuring backing from his road band.

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WIKIPEDIA

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10819 - DOUG SAHM - HELL OF A SPELL (1980)

DOUG SAHM
''HELL OF A SPELL''
1980
36:57

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1 Tunnel Vision 02:28
2 Ain't Into Lettin' You Go 03:45
3 All The Way To Nothing 03:13
4 Hangin' On By A Thread 02:35
5 I'll Take Care Of You 04:17 (Brook Benton)
6 The Things That I Used To Do 05:18 (Eddie Jones) (also known as Guitar Slim)
7 I Don't Mind At All 01:57 (Unknown)
8 Nothin' But The Blues 02:15
9 Hell Of A Spell 03:30
10 Can't Fake It 04:12
11 Next Time You See Me 03:21 (Earl Forest, Bill Harvey)
Tracks By Sahm, Except 5, 6, 7, 11

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Doug Sahm/Vocals, Guitar
Charles McBurney/Trumpet
Louie Bustos/Baritone & Tenor Saxophones
Rocky Morales/Saxophone
John Reed/Guitar
Kelly Dunn/Keyboards
Jack Barber/Bass Guitar
John ''Fuzzy'' Oxendine/Drums

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REVIEW/AMG
Bob Gottlieb
This 1980 reissue is a hell of a disc. From the opening riffs this disc is crammed with Sahm's typical rompin' and stompin' Texas blues/rhythm & blues mix. This also includes liberal dashes of the Tex-Mex and rockabilly he grew up cutting his teeth on. Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell used to go to his school when Sahm was 11, as legend goes, and pose as his uncle and pull the musical prodigy out of school to play some of the gigs that required some travel. This compilation is dedicated to one of his heroes, Eddie Jones, better known as Guitar Slim. He does one of his tunes on the disc, but it is the horns and overall sound and feel of the disc that bring back the memories of Jones. Six of the 11 tunes were penned by Doug Sahm and they stand up as some of the best things he has done. He manages to take that voice of his and put all the ache and pain that things gone sour can evoke and guide you along with him down this road without ever getting sappy or maudlin. Listen to the tone and feel of "Hangin' on by a Thread" and the smooth shift to the Brook Benton heartbreak tune "I'll Take Care of You." He shifts gears with the precision of a Grand Prix driver. This disc shows off some of the remarkable range of Sahm's abilities and genius. This becomes clearer when you think of his work with Dylan, the Texas Tornados, and the early rock hits, such as "Mendicino" and "She's About a Mover." Also, this disc is the only one that comes to mind on which his longtime compadre, Augie Meyers, isn't helping with his familiar organ sound; instead, Kelly Dunn is handling keyboards. Sahm is Texas-bred, but his influences are as broad as the sky is big down there. Here he is concentrating on the blues, and he gets some exciting things down on the disc.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Born on November 6, 1941, in San Antonio, TX, Doug Sahm was a highly knowledgeable and superbly competent performer of Texan musical styles, whether they be blues, country, rock & roll, Western swing, Cajun, or polkas. A child prodigy, he appeared on radio at the age of five and became a featured player (steel guitar, fiddle, and mandolin) on the the Louisiana Hayride radio program, appearing with stars such as Webb Pierce, Hank Thompson, and Hank Williams. He made his recording debut on the Sarg imprint in 1955 with A Real American Joe under the name of Little Doug Sahm, and within three years was fronting the Pharaohs, the first of several rough-hewn backing groups including the Dell-Kings and the Mar-Kays. Sahm recorded a succession of singles for local labels, including his Little Richard pastiche "Crazy Daisy" (1959), "Just a Moment" b/w "Sapphire" (1961), and "Lucky Me" (1963). For several years, Sahm had been pestering producer Huey P. Meaux to record him. Meaux, having success with Barbara Lynn and Dale & Grace, was not interested.

However, the producer found himself without a market when Beatlemania hit America, and shut himself away in a hotel with the Beatles’ records, determined to discover what made them sell. He then called Sahm, told him to grow his hair, form a band, and write a tune with a Cajun two-step beat. Accordingly, Sahm assembled his friends Augie Meyers (keyboards), Frank Morin (saxophone), Harvey Kagen (bass), and Johnny Perez (drums). Meaux gave them an English-sounding name, the Sir Douglas Quintet, and subsequently scored an international hit in 1965 with the catchy "She’s About a Mover." The band also had success in the U.S. charts with "The Rains Came," but after being arrested for possession of drugs, they disbanded and Sahm moved to San Francisco, CA, to avoid a heavy fine. He formed the Honkey Blues Band, but had difficulty in getting them on the road. He then gathered the rest of the Sir Douglas Quintet in California for another classic single, "Mendocino," its spoken introduction being characteristic of the hippie era. The album, also called Mendocino, was a forerunner of country-rock. the Sir Douglas Quintet toured Europe and made the successful Together After Five, while Sahm made an excellent country single under the name of Wayne Douglas, "Be Real." He moved to Prunedale in Northern California and befriended a Chicano band, Louie & the Lovers, producing their Rise.

Sahm, having resolved his problems with the authorities, went back to Texas and released the Sir Douglas Quintet album The Return of Doug Saldaña, the name reflecting his affection for Chicanos. The album, co-produced with Meaux, included an affectionate tribute to Freddy Fender, "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," which prompted Meaux to resurrect Fender’s career and turn him into a country superstar. Sahm appeared with Kris Kristofferson in the movie Cisco Pike, and told his record company that a song he performed, "Michoacan," was about a state in Mexico. Disc jockeys, however, realized that he was actually praising marijuana, and airplay was restricted. Atlantic Records’ key producer, Jerry Wexler, decided that progressive country was becoming fashionable and signed both Willie Nelson and Doug Sahm. His high-spirited 1973 album, Doug Sahm and Band, was made in New York with Bob Dylan, Dr. John, and accordionist Flaco Jiménez, and the singer achieved minor success with "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone?" the Sir Douglas Quintet were resurrected intermittently, which resulted in two fine live albums, Wanted Very Much Alive and Back to the ’Dillo. Although it might seem strange that the band should tour with new wave outfit the Pretenders, Sahm’s voice and style were possibly an influence on Elvis Costello. Sahm himself stated, "I’m a part of Willie Nelson’s world and at the same time I’m a part of the Grateful Dead’s. I don’t ever stay in one bag."

One of his finest albums was Hell of a Spell, a blues collection dedicated to Guitar Slim. During the mid-'80s Sahm and Meyers worked for the Swedish roots label Sonet Records, releasing several singles and an album that proved highly popular in Scandinavia. Sahm then relocated to Canada, recording the Return of the Formerly Brothers album with guitarist Amos Garrett and pianist Gene Taylor. He returned to Texas in 1988, basing himself at the Antone’s blues club in Austin and toured with Jiménez and Angela Strehli as the Texas R&B Revue. In 1990, Sahm formed the Texas Tornados with Meyers, Jiménez, and Fender. Their debut album, which included Sahm’s witty "Who Were You Thinkin’ Of?" and Butch Hancock’s "She Never Spoke Spanish to Me," showed that he had lost none of his powers, and subsequent Tornados releases were equally popular. Sahm also inaugurated the Last Real Texas Blues Band, an informal revue that played Tex-Mex and the blues.

Sahm’s lifestyle caught up with him in November 1999, when he was found dead from a heart attack in a New Mexico motel room. He left behind a rich musical legacy, however. Some might regard the Sir Douglas Quintet as one-hit wonders, but in reality Sahm recorded a remarkable catalog of Texas music. Day Dreaming at Midnight was a prime example. This 1994 Sir Douglas Quintet album, featuring his sons Shawn and Shandon and produced by ex-Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford, was a rousing collection, notable for "Too Little Too Late" and the blistering Bob Dylan pastiche "Dylan Come Lately." His death in 1999 was a blow. Many longstanding fans had witnessed a steady artistic growth over the decade, with a notable improvement in his voice.

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10818 - GOOD DOG BANNED (1973)

GOOD DOG BANNED
''GOOD DOG BANNED''
1973
39:03

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1 Rollin' Into Selyer 05:30
2 Smokestacks 06:15
3 Rust & Decay 04:01
4 Things Ain't So Bad 04:07
5 River Bummin' 04:03 (Anthon Davis, Lee Marks)
6 Worthy 03:57
7 Don't Burn Baby Crow 03:33
8 Utah 04:22
9 Livin' In Hammony 03:10

Tracks By Good Dog Banned, Except 5

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Dwight Wolf/Bass Guitar, Lead Vocal On 4, 5
Lee Marks/Drums, Bamboo Flute, Lead Vocal On 1, 2, 9
Tim Cain/Saxophone, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocal On 6, 7
Doug Mortenson/Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Lead Vocal On 8
Chris Miller/Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Saxophone, Lead Vocal On 3

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REVIEW/AMG
Stanton Swihart
Although it ran parallel with the back-to-basics feeling that permeated the early '70s, Good Dog Banned arrived at a distinctive strain of organic rock that was much more joyous and good-timey than many of their musicians-in-arms. Their one stab at rock & roll immortality, Good Dog Banned seems oblivious to any sense of anger at the "failure" of the '60s dream to take complete effect as of 1971. Whereas some '60s expatriates were decrying the cultural revolution, Good Dog Banned were singing "Things Ain't so Bad," heading down to the river and drinking wine. There is no nostalgia, no cynicism present. The band was untethered, ingenuous. Perhaps it could be viewed as rose-colored hippie denial, but in retrospect, the pure, unselfconscious charisma and the lack of piety that Good Dog Banned inject into their only effort makes it seem less of its time than other bands of this ilk. Still, a lot of love and togetherness are espoused in Good Dog Banned's lyrics (cynics beware), and the members do seem to have a tightness that only comes from "Livin' in Harmony," as they sing on the final song on the album. Each of the members take a stab at singing lead, and each is a solid vocalist, but it is Lee Marks' wonderful, soul-drenched voice (like Bob Mosley in his softer moments) that is the clear standout. The music has the same funky, loose ensemble playing -- from the sprinkling guitar chords on long groover "Smokestacks" to the steel pedal-led country-rock groove of "Rust & Decay" -- and the same old-time country-boy sunniness of the Band and same-period Grateful Dead, only with more prevalent saxophone that keeps the music from seeming overtly wistful or nostalgic, not throwback as much as laid-back. The album is not wholly consistent -- "Don't Burn Baby Grow" seems more silly than anything else, and a couple of the cuts inch somewhat too close to the inane boogie of Grand Funk Railroad -- but, on the whole, Good Dog Banned is draped in moonlit country soul.

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Stanton Swihart
As the 1960s turned into the '70s, cultural overload with the influence of political convictions often resulted in young people withdrawing from the predominant culture and trying to sustain a more "natural" way of life that eschewed commercial considerations. Good Dog Banned formed amid such circumstances around 1971. Guitarist Doug Mortenson was playing a gig in a bar called the Rite Spot in northern California one night in 1971, when Tim Cain (sax, guitar) walked in, took out his flute, and proceeded to bring down the house. The two played a set together before Cain left without a word. Mortensen later came to find that Cain was from San Francisco cult legends the Sons of Champlin, and, with the band's ex-manager Bamboo, he had come from Marin to form a commune. Mortensen had left Los Angeles in 1971 along with Chris Miller (guitar, sax) during the hippie exodus from the cities, looking for cheap rent and a good time. He had played in numerous garage bands while Miller had come out of the coffee house-folk circuit. Bassist Dwight Wolf joined up with the other guys after exiting his miniscule town in Colorado, where he was likely exposed mostly to country and rockabilly. Lee Marks came from Pasadena to round out the band . His roots arose, in part, from his experiences in high school attending black church services with his girlfriend and absorbing the rhythms and nuances of gospel. As with a lot of the bands that seemed to spontaneously arise on communes, Good Dog Banned played entirely for fun and the experience of musical interaction without even considering the commercial possibilities, and, as such, their performances tended to lean more in the direction of joyous dance party rather than bar or club gig. They typically improvised for long periods of time, sometimes for over 45 minutes. There was also a fair share of countercultural weirdness: after one gig, Cain was inducted into the Church of Universal Light by a fan, and the band routinely added marriage ceremonies to its repertoire. The band played throughout Humboldt County during a fruitful musical period in the early '70s. There were plenty of clubs, and, with local hippies and the influx of countercultural types from the cities, there was a hungry audience looking for non-commercial music, something more in the moment and without music business motives. And like many folks who experienced the communal life, the members of Good Dog Banned, while having moved on from their backwoods existences living (and playing) off the land, still consider themselves family. Their single eponymous album, privately pressed in 1973 (in a run of only 200), was reissued on CD by Gear Fab in 1999.

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10817 - ARTHUR LEE - VINDICATOR (BONUS TRACKS) (1972)

ARTHUR LEE
''VINDICATOR''
1972
51:17

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1 Sad Song 02:18
2 You Can Save Up To 50% But You're Still A Long Ways From Home 00:17
3 Love Jumped Through My Window 02:55
4 Find Somebody 03:45
5 He Said She Said 02:17
6 Every Time I Look Up I'm Down Or White Dog (I Don't Know What That Means) 03:55
7 Everybody's Gotta Live 03:31
8 You Want Change For Your Re-Run 04:16
9 He Knows A Lot Of Good Women (Or Scotty's Song) 03:13
10 Hamburger Breath Stinkfinger 02:44
11 Ol' Morgue Mouth 00:53
12 Busted Feet 04:51 (Arthur Lee, Charles Karp)
13 Everybody's Gotta Live (Unreleased Version) 03:31
14 He Knows A Lot Of Good Women (Unreleased Version) 03:13
15 Pencil In Hand (Early Version Of He Said She Said) 02:17
16 E-Z Rider 02:57
17 Looking Glass Looking At Me (Early Version Of You Want Change For Your Re-Run) 04:16
Tracks By Arthur Lee, Except 12

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Arthur Lee/Guitar, Vocals
Charlie Karp/Guitar
Frank Fayad/Bass Guitar
Clarence McDonald/Organ On 4
Don Poncher/Drums
Craig Tarwater/Guitar
David Hull/Bass Guitar

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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Tim Sendra
Prior to forming Love, Arthur Lee was a Los Angeles hustler, desperately searching for the formula that would make him a star. In the early mid-'60s, Lee recorded some unsuccessful singles including one as the American Four on Selma, a subsidiary of Del-Fi, "Luci Baines"/"Soul Food." He also recorded a session for Rosa Lee Brooks that featured Jimi Hendrix as a session guitarist. Lee found his niche at last when he founded one of the '60s seminal garage/folk/psychedelic bands, Love, in 1965. The band, which also featured fellow songwriter and singer Bryan MacLean, recorded three amazing albums for Elektra including Forever Changes, an album that is certainly a contender for best rock album ever made.

In 1968, Lee decided to scrap the idea of Love as a real band, kicked out all the remaining members, and began recording with pickup bands and sessionmen. The band's and Lee's fortunes quickly declined, and Lee, never the most normal person in the best of times, began exhibiting erratic behavior as his drug intake began to take its toll. He recorded more unsuccessful albums as Love, recorded a solo album, Vindicator, in 1972, and began to fade away. Lee would regularly tour and recordings were made of these shows, but he rarely returned to a studio or wrote new songs. In 1994, Lee recorded a new single "Midnight Sun"/"Girl on Fire," although the B-side was actually salvaged from an unreleased album Lee recorded with Jimi Hendrix years before.

Soon after this, Lee's problems with the law took over his life. In 1995, he broke into an ex-girlfriend's apartment and tried to set it aflame. He was bailed out by Rhino Records, which had just released the Love Story 1966-1972 compilation. In 1996, he was arrested for shooting a gun into the air during an argument with a neighbor and was convicted on an illegal possession of a firearm charge. Thanks to California's strict and sometimes unfair three strikes and you're out law, Lee (who had been convicted of a drug offense sometime in the '80s) was sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison. In 2000, Rhino reissued an expanded version of Love's Forever Changes that served as a reminder of just what a huge talent Arthur Lee was in his prime.

On December 12, 2001, Lee was released from prison, having served six years of his original sentence. Happily for Lee and his fans, a federal appeals court in California reversed the charge of negligent discharge of a firearm as they found the prosecutor at Lee's trial was guilty of misconduct. After Lee was freed, he toured with a new incarnation of Love in 2002, playing all of Forever Changes. Over the next few years he continued to perform, receiving such accolades as a Living Legend Award at the 2004 NME Awards. In early 2006, Lee was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Despite aggressive treatment, including three bouts of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from an umbilical cord -- which made him the first adult patient in Tennessee to receive this treatment -- his condition worsened, and Lee passed away on August 3, 2006, at Memphis, TN's Methodist University Hospital with his wife at his side.

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